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Authors Guild Cements Reputation As Luddites: Hates The Internet And Especially Amazon
from the fighting-against-the-future dept
The Authors Guild has something of a reputation for being anti-innovation, anti-technology, anti-future and anti-consumer. It’s also anti-small author. And it appears to be flexing its lobbying muscle this week to make all of this clear. It starts off with a move to ask for a dangerous idea in copyright reform, asking the House Judiciary Committee to implement a “notice and staydown” provision in any revamped copyright law. Just last year we warned people that “notice and staydown” was the way in which the legacy copyright industry extremists were looking to rebrand SOPA, and it has quickly become the preferred language of those looking to expand copyright and to attack innovation online.
The Authors Guild letter is ridiculous beyond belief. It starts off with the usual whining about poor, poor authors unable to make a living any more.
We are writing to ask you to make certain much-needed changes to the Copyright Act to help curtail Internet book piracy. Writers’ income is in steep decline. There are many reasons for this, but a decrease in copyright protection and the aggregate effect of Internet piracy play an important role: the entire publishing industry loses $80 to $100 million to piracy annually, according to a 2012 estimate by the Association of American Publishers. Meanwhile, a recent Authors Guild survey shows that approximately 67% of our authors earn less than the poverty level from their writing, with median writing-related income at $8,000, down 24% since 2009, when e-book sales started to take off.
Books provide an essential contribution to our society. Most authors don’t expect to get rich from what they do: they write to inform, educate, and entertain, and in doing so add to our common store of knowledge and culture. But to keep writing, they must be able to support themselves and their families. This has become increasingly difficult in the digital age.
Notice how, like the music and movie industry’s before them, the Authors Guild immediately attacks online file sharing as if it must be the cause, ignoring all possible alternatives. In the book space this is particularly ridiculous, because the lowered barriers to entry from the internet means that many authors can now be published when that wasn’t a possibility before. The number of ebook authors has exploded. Perhaps — just perhaps — rather than blaming “piracy” for the difficulty the elite club of the Authors Guild has, they might recognize the law of supply and demand, and recognize that the greater competition means that the monetary spend on the written word has been spread more widely. That’s allowed lots of brand new authors to make a living from their writing, despite being passed over by the traditional publishers.
And, yes, many do not make a living, but that has always been the case. I know many people who have written books, and even those who have tried to “make a career” of it. And most don’t. It’s just not that easy to make a living as a book writer, and it’s not because of piracy. As authors like Paulo Coehlo have found, file sharing can help authors build a larger audience and to make more money in the long run, if they learn how to embrace their fans, rather than actively push them away, like the Authors Guild often does.
Online book piracy, once the province of shady offshore websites, has migrated to mainstream American distribution platforms. Our “Notice and Takedown” system is completely inadequate to combat this problem. What we need instead is a “Notice and Stay-Down” regime: once a webhost knows a work is being infringed, it should not receive continued “safe harbor” immunity from claims of infringement unless it takes reasonable measures to remove all copies of the same work.
As we explained last year, this is one of those ideas that copyright holders love, because they don’t understand copyright law in the slightest, or how any such system would inevitably work. The main problem is that copyright is context specific. Identical copies could be infringing or not infringing, depending on context. For example, remember when Viacom sued YouTube over video clips that Viacom itself had uploaded? A “notice-and-staydown” provision takes away the context and with it plenty of non-infringing works as well.
The Authors Guild also argues that it’s somehow easy for companies to automate all this:
ISPs, on the other hand, do have the ability to monitor piracy. Technology that can identify and filter pirated material is now commonplace. It only makes sense, then, that ISPs should bear the burden of limiting piracy on their sites, especially when they are profiting from the piracy and have the technology to conduct automated searches and takedowns. Placing the burden of identifying pirated content on the individual author, who has no ability to have any real impact on piracy, as the current regime does, makes no sense at all. It is technology that has enabled the pirate marketplace to flourish, and it is technology alone that has the capacity to keep it in check.
This is just wrong on so many levels. First, if the Authors Guild is so worried about big companies, a policy like this makes them more entrenched. Even if we were to accept the Authors’ Guild’s faulty claim that these tools actually work (they don’t), the argument that tech companies now have easy access to these tools is also not true. Big companies have access to these tools. But the next generation of startups do not. Thus, this policy would leave Amazon and Google in charge and block out any new company. Is that really what the Authors Guild wants?
Second, these systems don’t work. We point out false takedowns on YouTube via ContentID all the time (and frankly we don’t write about most of the ones that we see). Advocating a filter that will inevitably lead to greater censorship is a ridiculous position for the Authors Guild to be taking. And, by then putting legal liability on tech companies if they don’t do this makes even worse, as it will only create more incentives for the tech companies to over censor to avoid any possible liability.
There’s a reason why the burden does not belong on the intermediaries and it’s pretty straightforward: the intermediaries don’t know if it’s infringing. That’s something that only the copyright holders can legitimately determine. That’s why the system requires notice from the copyright holders.
The purpose of copyright is to encourage the creation of new works–including and especially literary works, which contribute so greatly to our nation’s store of knowledge and culture. To continue to work effectively, US copyright law must provide meaningful protection against the widespread online piracy of books and journals, so that authors can afford to write them.
Actually, the purpose of copyright is to “promote the progress” of learning and education, and it’s supposed to do that in two parts: one by creating incentives for new works, but also to then benefit the public by increasing distribution of those works. And, we’re already living in a golden age with more books being written and published today than ever before. To argue that ebook piracy has somehow taken away the incentive to write… well, the evidence just suggests that’s wrong. And, again, most authors never make much money at all. To complain that authors don’t make enough is a different issue altogether and has little to do with copyright.
Of course, the Authors Guild didn’t stop there. Also this week it went on the offense against Amazon, asking the Justice Department to investigate Amazon for antitrust violations — even though the DOJ already looked into Amazon’s practices and found them to be fine (instead finding Apple had violated antitrust law in colluding with publishers to raise ebook prices). But, don’t mind the details, the Authors Guild is sure Amazon is to blame. According to the Authors Guild, the fact that consumers benefit from lower book prices shouldn’t let Amazon off the hook.
Without commenting on the outcome of the Apple case, or the facts that led the majority to its conclusion, we’d like to point out the long-term dangers of interpreting antitrust law solely to favor low book prices over a thriving competitive and robust literary marketplace.
Yes, how dare you focus on the actual benefits to consumers, DOJ!
A related letter from “Authors United,” again seems to attack Amazon for daring to offer good prices to consumers, as if that’s some sort of horrible antitrust violation.
Personally, I think it would be great if there were more competition in the ebook space, though we have seen it start to expand, with Apple, Google and others entering the market. But, the reason those companies (despite their own market power) have had trouble making a real dent in the market is because people really like Amazon. Amazon does a pretty good job making it easy and convenient to buy ebooks, to read reviews, to find similar works, and — of course — to read the ebooks as well. It would be great if there was more competition — and that it would lead to lower prices, better features and less DRM. I’d be all for it. But that’s not what the Authors Guild is arguing for. They don’t want an open marketplace. They don’t want competition. They want higher prices and less competition from the riff raff authors who aren’t signed to big publishers and aren’t members of the Authors Guild.
It’s not hard to see the consistent logic behind all of this. The Authors Guild doesn’t like the internet at all. It used to have a good thing in the old days, pre-internet. It could keep out the riff raff, anoint authors as the chosen ones, and make money off of those few giant authors. These days it’s much harder and there is a real marketplace. The Authors Guild can’t compete, so it runs to the government to “fix” things. It attacks internet companies like Google and Amazon not because they’re doing anything unfair, but because they’re actually bringing real market economics to the market for books. And the Authors Guild can’t allow that to to continue.


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Accor picked up Onefinestay even though Hyatt was an investor, highlighting hotels' keen interest in the sharing economy. Onefinestay has scaled very slowly, and Accor intends to invest in the home-sharing site's international expansion.
Accor plans to invest a further 64 million euros to grow onefinestay internationally, the Paris-based company said in a statement Tuesday. It will remain an independent unit within Accor.
“Onefinestay has successfully captured a sweet spot: a combination of needs that neither traditional hotels nor new actors of the sharing economy can meet,” Accor Chief Executive Officer Sebastien Bazin said in the statement. “We are accelerating the transformation of our business model to capture the value creation linked to the rise of private rentals.
Since becoming CEO in 2013, Bazin has cut costs, expanded in China, adding luxury properties and competing more aggressively online. In December, Accor agreed to buy the owner of the upscale Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel brands for about $2.9 billion in shares and cash.
Onefinestay, founded in 2010, operates 2,600 properties in cities including London, New York, Paris, Los Angeles and Rome, according to the statement. The company plans to expand to 40 more cities over the next five years while growing revenue tenfold.
©2016 Bloomberg L.P.
This article was written by Ross Larsen from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.
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Photo credit: Accor Hotels recently acquired Oasis Collections and now has picked up Onefinestay (a listing shown above) as well. onefinestay / Onefinestay

domain: news


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Soon million of consumers will be able to bid on world-class art and collectibles from renowned auction house Sotheby’s from the comfort of their own homes--or on the go with their smartphones.
In 2013 online bidders competed for 17% of the total lots offered by Sotheby’s, and the total number of lots purchased online jumped 36% compared with a year earlier. The global art market is currently estimated around $65 billion, while estimates show online art sales could reach $13 billion by 2020, the companies said.
“The growth of the art market, new generation technology and our shared strengths make this the right time for this exciting new online opportunity,” said Bruno Vinciguerra, Sotheby’s chief operating officer, in a statement. “We are joining with eBay to make our sales more accessible to the broadest possible audience around the world.”
The two companies will first offer live auctions at Sotheby’s New York headquarters.
An expanded version of this report appears at WSJ.com.
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The Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® today announced that L’Oréal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus will deliver the first-ever keynote from a beauty company at CES® 2024. A nine-time CES Innovation Award honoree, L'Oréal's keynote will demonstrate how the company’s ongoing technology transformation ensures that it remains prepared for a future of its business that is at once physical, digital and virtual.
L’Oréal’s keynote will showcase the role that sustainable, accessible and inclusive beauty tech plays in driving positive impact at an individual and collective level, from a sustainable showerhead that leverages rocket technology to conserve water and AI-powered mobile applications that provide skincare guidance to augmented reality makeup try-ons and new codes and forms of beauty expression in virtual environments. L’Oréal knows that technology, powered by advanced data and AI capabilities, is an essential tool for creating powerful new connections and experiences for its consumers by solving their long-standing beauty challenges and offering them limitless tools for discovery, self-expression and personalization.
“Beauty is a timeless pursuit and technology adds to its enjoyment while unlocking a world of possibilities,” said Nicolas Hieronimus, CEO, L’Oréal Groupe. “The first wave of beauty tech changed how people discover, evaluate and buy beauty products. More recently, we’ve seen how it can better serve the underserved, by democratizing skin health and increasing access to self-expression through innovations like HAPTA for people with limited arm mobility. This is just the beginning. L’Oréal envisions a future where no one feels left out by beauty trends, because they will have the power to create their own trends – whenever, wherever – with products and tools inspired by their own stories, experiences and identity.”
L'Oréal, which has unveiled new consumer technology at CES every year for nearly a decade, released its inclusive beauty tech innovation HAPTA at CES 2023. The world’s first handheld computerized makeup applicator, this motion-stabilizing device assists those who have difficulty raising their arms due to limited mobility issues, people with limited grip strength, and anyone with limited wrist mobility who may find it difficult to get a comfortable angle when applying lipstick or mascara.
“We are thrilled to welcome our first beauty company to the keynote stage to highlight innovation in the beauty tech category,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association. “L’Oréal has a powerful story to tell of its vision for what’s next for beauty, and how technology enables it to meet the needs of its consumers and outperform the beauty industry today and prepare it for the consumer revolutions of the future.”
Earlier award-winning highlights from L'Oréal at CES include wearables for detecting one’s individual exposure to the sun’s harmful rays and handheld devices that dispense personalized makeup and haircolor at home. Over the years, L’Oréal has built a powerful global ecosystem of technology partnerships with startups, tech powerhouses and academic institutions, has invested billions in its in-house research and innovation capabilities, and invested in a worldwide network of startups through its Open Innovation model, through startup accelerators like Station F in France and through its BOLD venture capital fund.
Nicolas Hieronimus speaks following the CTA State of the Industry Address at 8:30 a.m. PT on January 9, 2024, in the Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian.
For the latest information on CES 2024, visit CES.tech
CES® is the most powerful tech event in the world – the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world's biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, CES features every aspect of the tech sector. CES 2024 will take place Jan. 9-12, 2024 in Las Vegas. Learn more at CES.tech
and follow @CES
About Consumer Technology Association:
As North America’s largest technology trade association, CTA® is the tech sector. Our members are the world’s leading innovators – from startups to global brands – helping support more than 18 million American jobs. CTA owns and produces CES® – the most powerful tech event in the world. Find us at CTA.tech
. Follow us @CTAtech
For over 110 years, L’Oréal, the world’s leading beauty player, has devoted itself to one thing only: fulfilling the beauty aspirations of consumers around the world. Our purpose, to create the beauty that moves the world, defines our approach to beauty as inclusive, ethical, generous and committed to social and environmental sustainability. With our broad portfolio of 36 international brands and ambitious sustainability commitments in our L’Oréal for the Future programme, we offer each and every person around the world the best in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity and responsibility, while celebrating beauty in its infinite plurality.
With 87,400 committed employees, a balanced geographical footprint and sales across all distribution networks (e-commerce, mass market, department stores, pharmacies, hair salons, branded and travel retail), in 2022 the Group generated sales amounting to 38.26 billion euros. With 20 research centers across 11 countries around the world and a dedicated Research and Innovation team of over 4 000 scientists and 5,500 tech and digital professionals, L’Oréal is focused on inventing the future of beauty and becoming a Beauty Tech powerhouse.
More information on https://www.loreal.com/en/mediaroom


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By Pike Research (6/7/11)
A total of 3.2 million plug-in electric vehicles will be sold worldwide by 2015, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 106% is forecasted by Pike Research. Annual EV sales will cross the 1 million mark for the first time during the same year.
Pike Research forecasts that in the United States, the top cities for EV adoption between 2011 and 2017 will be New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Chicago. The electric utilities with the largest number of EVs in their service territories will be Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, Consolidated Edison, Exelon, and FPL Group.
Pike Research’s Electric Vehicle Consumer Survey finds that 43% of U.S. consumers would be “extremely” or “very” interested in purchasing an electric vehicle. However, the firm’s price sensitivity analysis concludes that consumers’ willingness to pay a premium for EVs is significantly below manufacturers’ expected prices.
More than 4.7 million EV charge points will be installed globally by 2015. Among EV supply equipment (EVSE) vendors, the proprietary Pike Pulse analytical methodology finds that Coulomb Technologies is the market leader in terms of both strategy and execution, followed by ECOtality.
Cyber security for EV charging systems is a challenge that remains largely unmet by the industry. Pike Research finds that the prevailing philosophy of the EV industry has been “build first, secure later,” an approach that poses many risks for financial transactions, customer privacy, and the integrity and reliability of the grid infrastructure.
Similarly, a lack of technical standards could hinder utilities’ readiness for EVs, though the industry is beginning to make progress in this area. The firm forecasts that investment in electric vehicle IT systems will reach $1.5 billion worldwide by 2015.
Details are in the Pike Research Electric Vehicles Advisory Service, a subscription-based information suite that provides independent and objective market intelligence and strategy insights for companies and other organizations engaged in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle (EV) industry ecosystem. As part of the service, Pike Research’s global team of industry analysts cover key trends and growth scenarios for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and their enabling technologies such as EV charging station infrastructure, EV information technology systems, and EV battery technologies.
“The electrification of vehicles represents one of the most profound changes to the automotive industry in the past 100 years, both for consumer and fleet markets,” says Pike Research president Clint Wheelock. “As EVs are adopted in larger numbers in the coming decade, this transformation will not only affect drivers themselves, but also utilities, municipalities, and corporations across multiple industries, to name just a few.”
As part of its Electric Vehicles service, Pike Research’s industry analysts offer timely and actionable market insights, covering specific technology and business sectors as well as overall market conditions and trends. Research reports include an in-depth examination of business models, technology issues, policy and regulatory factors, the competitive landscape, and market sizing, segmentation and forecasting.


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The original item was published from 11/22/2022 2:36:30 PM to 1/9/2023 12:00:01 AM.
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Posted on: November 22, 2022
[ARCHIVED] Airport Director shares tips for holiday traveling
The week of Thanksgiving is the busiest airline travel time of the year, but there are ways to make your trip less stressful.


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We’ve talked plenty about the next-gen consoles, but there’s also another generation of gaming tech on the way very soon: next-gen monitors.
Supporting 120Hz and higher frame rates are a big drawcard for the PS5 and Xbox Series S. But on the PC side, things are going way higher than that. 360Hz gaming screens were announced earlier this year. Acer announced their models in July, but the fanciest of their screens — like the 1440p/240Hz IPS XB273U GX — have been delayed.
Fortunately, however, Alienware is coming to the party to save 2020. The company announced three new gaming monitors recently. There’s the 24.5-inch AW2521H IPS screen with a 360Hz refresh rate and G-Sync support, a monitor obviously for Fortnite/CS:GO/Valorant/Warzone players who absolutely just want the crispest action possible. This’ll retail for $1199 in Australia, and $1397 in New Zealand.
If you’re after something that’s a better fit for AMD’s Big Navi or the RTX 3080/3090, however, then there’s the AW2721D. This is a 27-inch IPS screen with support for HDR 600, 1440p resolution and 240Hz. It’s the HDR 600 element of this that I’m really intrigued by, because the current gen of Fast IPS screens available are only capable of doing HDR 400 — which is too low to even bother with.
HDR 600 offers some hope that these screens will be better suited for console gaming as well, especially if you want to play games like DiRT 5 at the higher refresh rates/frame rates. The AW2721D is selling for $1349 for Australians, and $1559 in New Zealand.
There’s also a 38-inch mammoth screen, however, if you really need ultrawide support. The AW3821DW — which will retail for $2249 here and $2589 for Kiwis — is a 37.5-inch 3840×1600 screen with 144Hz support, HDR 600 and 98 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. It’s listed as a G-SYNC Ultimate display as well, and has a 1ms response time. That 1ms is likely to be from the same Fast IPS panel that we’ve seen in some other monitors recently, like the very good LG 27GL850B. In other words: it probably won’t be 1ms when you use the Normal or Fast settings, but it should be very quick, and still look very, very good.
Now, here’s the bonus part. All three of these monitors will be available in Australia from November 27. That’s good news for everyone who have been upgrading their PCs like crazy for games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Alienware, sadly, didn’t have any news on upcoming 4K/144Hz models, although more of those screens should be coming from December/January 2021. Acer’s Predator line has one in the works, and an update from LG’s Display division notes that a 27-inch 4K screen with HDR 600 support and 144Hz refresh rate has already gone into production.
LG will also have their own 1440p/240Hz IPS screens, again with HDR 600, and an interesting 31.5-inch 8K screen. The extra catch with all these new screens is that they’re using “Oxide” panels that will supposedly be “real borderless” screens without the inner black border that you see on screens today.


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Free movement of goods is a common thing nowadays, thanks to the EU Commission, but for the maritime sector that reality hasn’t been fully realised, until now. The European Commission has revealed plans to ease customs formalities for ships that are expected to help increase the use of the shipping industry to remove some of the lorries from Europe’s over congested roads.
Known as the Blue Belt, the plans aim to create an area that ships will be able to operate freely, with a minimum requirement of administration in relation to safety, security, taxes and the environment whilst working in the internal EU market. Regular Shipping Services procedures will become shorter and more flexible, reducing the consultation period for Member States and enabling them to apply for an authorisation from countries they intend to do business with in advance, making the shipping sector more attractive to businesses looking to move freight around Europe.
There are also proposals to put a system in place that would recognise EU goods from non-EU, allowing the EU goods to be fast-tracked through customs. This new ‘eManifest’ could mean shipping companies are able to submit information on the goods they’re carrying to customs officials in advance, further streamlining the customs process. With almost 90% of ships carrying a mix of EU and non-EU goods, this could mean the swift discharge of EU freight for forwarding under the new proposals, with the non-EU goods going through the normal customs process.
Siim Kallas,Vice-President, European Commission, said: “We are proposing innovative tools to cut red tape and help make the shipping sector a more attractive alternative for customers looking to move goods around the EU.”
Although it’s yet unclear how the Blue Belt will affect EU ports, the Commission expects the proposals to become a reality by 2015, a move welcomed by the shipping industry as the currently heavy administrative burden at ports can cause additional costs and leave ships sitting in port for hours waiting for customs clearance.
Commissioner Algirdas Semeta, responsible for taxation and customs union: “The Blue Belt will bring the single market to the seas. The proposed measures will greatly benefit shipping as they will reduce costs, simplify administration, facilitate trade and create a level playing field between all types of transport. At the same time this will simplify customs’ work so they can better target security risks and focus on protecting our citizens and businesses.”


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Motorola is planning to introduce an entry-level smartphone for select markets next month. This new entry-level smartphone will run Google Android mobile operating system version and feature dual-SIM configuration. This entry-level smartphone is expected to be priced below Motorola Moto G as reported by Brazilian Technoblog.
Motorola’s next entry-level smartphone will feature a 4.3-inch touchscreen display and will support 3G network in one of the SIM slots. The leaked image of the product listing points at other specifications such as the phone will be powered by a dual-core 1.2 GHz mobile processor and our bets are on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 mobile chipset. Motorola has powered this smartphone with 1 GB RAM and 4 GB internal storage.
At the back, the phone features a 5 megapixel camera but there will be no front facing camera. By default, this smartphone will run Android 4.4 KitKat update out of the box.
The highlight of this smartphone will be its 6.2 mm slim form factor that still packs 1900 mAh battery. This smartphone is rumored to be launched as Motorola Moto E and will come in several variants.


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With 2,500 locations, the company says it still has thousands of markets to add new restaurants.
The documentary-style pieces give a behind-the-scenes look at the chain’s kitchens.
The chain is planning to add its mobile-order drive-thru “Chipotlane” to more restaurants as it seeks to further its digital presence.
The company is testing a mobile order drive-thru lane called “Chipotlane” as it works to keep building digital orders.
The company’s stock has soared since Brian Niccol took over, says RB’s The Bottom Line.
The once “quiet” brand has shifted its marketing and advertising to get in front of customers.
Restaurants aim to feed consumers’ often conflicting desires as 2019 begins.
The burrito chain introduced new Lifestyle Bowls aimed at customers on specific diets.
A challenging year brought fundamental shifts in the market and a white-elephant sale of troubled concepts.
Roger Theodoredis named chief legal officer; Tabassum Zalotrawala named chief development officer.
Up-and-coming restaurant chains and what’s propelling their growth
Food trends and recipes to keep menus fresh
New restaurants and soon-to-open concepts worth monitoring
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Peter Romeo highlights the moments restaurateurs miss at their own peril
These 50 ideas go beyond what’s “cool” to deliver smart, trend-forward solutions that might just serve as an inspiration for others.


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Gold has become a fad as ingredient in skin care products. Cosmetics executives say that gold is anti-aging, anti inflammatory and anti-acne.
People who sell creams with gold flecks talk about the ability of those flecks to warm the skin and make it conducive to other ingredient.
People who sell gold can confer benefits only when it is broken down tiny enough to penetrate the skin in the form of microscopic materials suspended in a liquid mixture known as colloid.
But is it true that gold has therapeutic effect on skin care? Dermatologists say that gold cannot help you, but it absolutely can hurt you, causing inflammatory reactions like contact dermatitis.
Dr. Judith Hellman, a dermatologist in New York City, did research into gold face creams. “At best they do nothing, and at worst, they can give you irritations of the skin,” she said.
Dr. Jeannette Graf, a dermatologist in Great Neck, a suburb of New York said, that she had done “intensive medical searches on this very ingredient” and found that “there are absolutely no scientific studies that show that gold has any effect in firming or revitalizing the skin nor that it reduces wrinkles or gives skin a plumped, golden glow.”
But what Dr.Graf had found out that gold was named “allergen of the year” in 2001 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society.
However, the skin care company has countered by saying that they have proprietary research showing the benefits of gold. Holly Gernovese, vice president of La Praire said that the company’s scientists had found a way to use gold that is valuable to the skin.
“Colloidal gold is the best option when you’re using gold,” said Laura De Luisa La Rocca, founder of La Rocca Skincare. “I’ve been using it for 2 years and it definitely change my skin. It has tightened it, it has toned it, many lives have faded probably 40 percent.”
Cosmetic makers cite the use of gold in medicine, where it is given to patients with rheumatoid arthritis and has been used experimentally as a possible cancer treatment.
Mustafa El Sayed, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology said it was ridiculous to think that gold could fight wrinkles. “The way it takes care of cancer, the nano particles goes only to cancer cells, none of the healthy cells,” he said.


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With the current pandemic having doused the fuses for all Fourth of July firework displays in Kitsap County this year, many folks were left wondering how to celebrate Independence Day.
Without organized shows to provide the usual vibrant displays of light, many decided to forge ahead and provide their own fireworks extravaganza. Local tribal stands, such as Chiquiti Fireworks, Marlin George Fireworks, and Hill Family Fireworks in Suquamish all saw an uptick of sales this year with the lack of organized fireworks displays.
“Definitely up,” Owner Wa-La-Chud Chiquiti said of fireworks sales this year. “People are coming out early just to buy stuff to play with and then returning to buy more stuff for the Fourth of July. The whole neighborhood will get together and just stockpile to have their own little neighborhood shows.”
Tribal entities have different firework regulations compared to non-tribal stands as they are authorized to sell their own kind of fireworks as long as they are lit on tribal property.
“This is all tribal fireworks, anything you buy off the reservation doesn’t have as much powder,” Chiquiti said. “We get the top brands, you have to pay more for it but it’s what the customers like.”
Chiquiti also said the stand had been selling some new 6-inch canister shells that flew off the shelves and noted that anything neon or high-definition were also top-sellers for 2020. Contrastingly, knowing that more people would be checking out the fireworks stands due to the cancelation of organized displays, his stand also offered a display of small, novelty fireworks for those who weren’t as accustomed to the big boomers.
“A lot of our customers come from California where everything’s banned so they haven’t seen much of this stuff to begin with,” Chiquiti said. “We basically have to explain what everything does. Those kinds of people who haven’t been able to see these or light these their entire life; they get here and they want to try them.”
Another added feature this year for Chiquiti Fireworks was the option of “Pyro Pickup,” where consumers concerned with too much in-person contact could order and pay online before picking up their fireworks at the stand.
“We’re actually the only one in the state doing it,” Chiquiti said regarding the Pyro Pickup option. “People can order online and come here, we have it boxed up and ready for them to go. It’s really simple and easy, it’s basically like shopping on Amazon.”
“The whole COVID-19 (pandemic) kind of had my mind going crazy trying to figure out what to do next and (we) came up with that. I was trying to figure out how to keep people coming for fireworks because people might not be able or wanting to get out.”
As more and more people lit off their own fireworks this year, Chiquiti offered up the stand’s back parking lot for consumers to send up their explosives — as long as they are purchased onsite and under staff supervision.
“Our sign says ‘if you buy them here, you can light them here.’ We used to have a huge place down by the (Suquamish) waterfront where we used to put on the shows for everybody.”
Over at Marlin George Fireworks, co-owner Serene Williams stated that their fireworks stand also saw quite the increase in fireworks sales this year, due in large part to consumers who typically wouldn’t purchase fireworks flocking to the stands after the cancelation of all organized displays in Kitsap County.
“A lot of people came that have not done fireworks in years,” she said. “Our staff teaches fireworks safety and how to properly light them and dispose of them.”
Williams said they did not offer a pick-up option because they were already so busy and such a service would have created more demand. The biggest sellers at Marlin George Fireworks this year were mortars and large display cakes.
“We were so busy, that on the 3rd (of July) my sister had to post on social media asking for anyone who wanted to sell fireworks to come up and clock in. We hired over 40 employees and it was not enough for the demand of sales. At one point we had all staff helping 2-3 customers at a time. I’ve never seen it so busy.”
Unlike Chiquiti Fireworks, Williams said their stand did not let people come and light off fireworks onsite unless they were conducting it themselves.
“We do not allow people to light fireworks at our stand, it is so irresponsible and dangerous,” Williams said. “We do fireworks at our property but we take all measures of safety and have been doing them our whole lives.”
Just down the road at Hill Family Fireworks, owner George Hill Jr. said his stand saw more than a 50 percent increase in firework sales.
“We got pretty good community support around here,” Hill Jr. said.
COVID-19 regulations such as wearing a mask and social distancing were also in place at their place of business, according to Hill Jr. As for the 4th of July itself, the owner said “it was a blast” as the family held their own small display together and even welcomed others to come down and enjoy the festivities.


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Packaging Innovations Birmingham 2020, which brings the whole packaging industry together under one roof, from design, marketing and branding, through to engineering and logistics, returns to Birmingham’s NEC on 26 & 27 February.
The two-day event returns at a time when concern around climate change has piqued, with the focus shifting from plastics scrutiny to looking at overall carbon emissions. With this in mind, the show is once again searching for cutting-edge sustainable packaging solutions to take part in its hotly anticipated Ecopack Challenge, which will run in collaboration with Marks & Spencer.
The competition offers companies that are creating innovative and environmentally responsible products the chance to develop an idea with Marks & Spencer, as well as being crowned sustainable champions. The Dragons’ Den style session will see six shortlisted companies pitch their idea to an expert industry panel, as well as a voting audience. The shortlisted entries will also be assessed by the OPRL PREP tool, which analyses whether consumers can readily recycle a product.
Entry to the challenge is open to anyone in the market, and not confined to those exhibiting at the show. Sustainable products from any category are invited to enter, from materials, software and structural design, through to logistics and more. The deadline for all Ecopack Challenge entries is Friday 31st January and submissions can be completed by filling out the online application form.
All entries must be unique and have clear intellectual property rights. The design can be in the form of a concept or a prototype and should be covered by copyright or design right as the 'pitch' to the judges will be in public forum.
At Packaging Innovations Birmingham last year, there was strong competition between the six finalists. Crowned the overall the winner was Flexi-Hex, founded by two Cornish entrepreneurs. The company showcased its recyclable and biodegradable packaging sleeves as an alternative to plastic bubble wrap, featuring a patented design and distinctive honeycomb structure. The product was created by brothers Will and Sam Boex who recognised the impact that single-use plastic was having on the marine environment.
Packaging Innovations Birmingham 2020 takes place at the NEC, on the 26th and 27th February.
About OPRL PREP
OPRL’s PREP UK tool (the Packaging Recyclability Evaluation Portal) uniquely gives both actionable advice on packaging designs, of any material, and provides an ISO14021 compliant basis for self-evaluated green claims. PREP UK assesses whether consumers can readily recycle it using WRAP's LARSU data, and how it will be sorted and recovered at UK MRFs and reprocessors using data researched for OPRL by Axion Consulting. It also checks whether design details such as colour, inks, seals and separability affect the value of the recyclate.
Easyfairs organises and hosts live events, bringing communities together to visit the future.
The company currently organises 220 events in 17 countries (Algeria, Belgium, China, Denmark, the Emirates, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States) and manages 10 event venues in Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden (Antwerp, Ghent, Mechelen-Brussels North, Namur, Gorinchem, Hardenberg, Venray, Gothenburg, Malmö and Stockholm).
Easyfairs employs more than 750 people and generated revenues exceeding €171 million for its financial year 2018-2019.
Easyfairs strives to be the most adaptable, agile and effective player in the events industry by employing committed individuals, deploying the best marketing and technology tools and developing strong brands.
In 2018 Easyfairs was named Belgium’s “Entrepreneur of the Year®” and in 2019 it was named a “Best Managed Company” by Deloitte. The company is ranked 18th in the list of the world’s leading exhibition companies.
Visit the future with Easyfairs and find out more on www.easyfairs.com.


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- Microsoft Xbox One X Review: Breaking limits of living room gaming with native 4K support
- Microsoft 365 receives Whiteboard Windows 10 app and a free version Teams
- Microsoft releases Windows 10 Insider Preview update (Build 17713 -RS5)
- Microsoft Whiteboard app is now available on Windows 10 platform, iOS to follow soon
- Microsoft Surface Go Vs 6th Gen iPad: Affordable tablets from flagship brands
- Microsoft Surface Go launched for Rs 27,000, competes against the 6th Gen iPad
Microsoft is gearing up to hold a grand event in October, where in it will be finally taking the wraps off the long awaited flagships for 2015. While this is still not confirmed by the company officials, Chinese website WPDang claims that the Redmond based company will be hosting an event to launch multiple new hardware devices, including new Lumia phones in both premium and mid-range segment, along with new Surface tab, smart band and an array of other new devices. The Verge confirms the new around the launch event.
While Microsoft is yet to make an official announcement, here we list down seven products that are long-rumored, and are expected to get unveiled at this rumored event:
Microsoft Lumia 950
Microsoft has for quite long been in news for its Lumia 950 premium smartphone which is expected to be the company's flagbearer for 2015. Considering that the company announced a Lumia top-shelver over a year ago, it will most likely be launching the new flagship in this October event.
Leaked specs details of the Lumia 950 include a 5.2-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixel) display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core chipset, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal memory, microSD card slot, and a 20-megapixe primary camera. It will house a 3,000mAh removable battery. Also, it is expected that the phone will support wireless charging and feature an iris scanner for a biometric lock-system.
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL:
A bigger version dubbed as Microsoft Lumia 950 XL is also rumored to accompany the Lumia 950. The phone will be a placed in the higher range and bring features similar to the Lumia 950. This will feature a larger display of 5.7-inch QHD quality accommodating 1440 x 2560 pixels resolution. It will run on Snapdragon 810 chipset with 3GB of RAM and 32 GB of expandable memory. There will be a 20-megapixel PureView camera, and a slightly bigger battery at 3,300 mAh. This has also been rumored to get an iris scanner and support for wireless charging.
New Surface Pro 4 tablet
Rumors have it that Microsoft is working a new version of Surface Pro tablet powered by an Intel chipset. The specs details of the tablet are yet not know. Also, while the company scrapped its launch plans for the Surface Mini last year, it might unveil it this time around.
Microsoft Band 2
It is speculated that Microsoft will launch its next generation Band wearable at the October event. Though the details around the device are slim, it is likely to be an upgraded version of the last year's Microsoft Band and will come with better design and features.
Mini variant of its Xbox One console
If the report is to be believed, Microsoft is prepping to launch a Mini variant of its Xbox One console at its October event. Report suggests this to essentially be a slimmer Xbox One, but considering that there are no such rumors around the console, it is unlikely that the console will get launched.


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World's Largest Technology Tradeshow Sees Thirty Percent Growth in Overseas Attendance
Arlington, Va., May10, 2011 - The International CES® today announced that 31,677 industry professionals from outside the U.S. attended the 2011 International CES January 6 -9, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Up 30 percent from last year, international attendance at the 2011 CES set a new record for the show's 45 year history. An independent audit, performed by Veris Consulting LLC, confirms CES' status as the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow and North America's largest annual tradeshow of any kind. Overall, the 2011 International CES welcomed 149,529 technology attendees during its four day run.
"The 2011 International CES was the must -attend event of 2011 and featured astounding innovative debuts including Android Honeycomb, Ford's Electric Focus, Motorola's Atrix and Microsoft's Avatar Kinect," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, producer of CES. "This audit verifies that CES brings together the global technology industry, including Fortune 500 executives, retail buyers, content providers, entertainment executives, venture capitalists, engineers and media from all over the world who want to experience the latest and greatest tech products."
Technology innovation spanned more than 1.6 million net square feet of exhibit space, as an estimated 20,000 new products were launched by more than 2,700 exhibiting companies at the 2011 CES. More, international attendees represented 140 countries, demonstrating that global technology executives travel to CES to do business. Aside from the U.S., the top 10 countries represented in terms of attendees were: Canada, South Korea, Japan, China, United Kingdom, Mexico, Taiwan, France, Germany and Brazil.
More than 40,000 top decision makers and senior level executives attend the International CES for its unparalleled networking and business opportunities. The Veris audit confirms that 43 percent of 2011 CES attendees are senior level executives, on par with last year. Presidents, CEOs and/or business owners made up 16 percent of attendees. Nearly one third of all attendees are the final decision makers when it comes to new product purchases and partnerships with new companies, with 97 percent identified as having buying decision influence. More than 11,500 attendees represented companies with more than $500 million in total annual sales, up 37 percent over 2010 CES.
Leaders from diverse business areas including entertainment, retail, education, engineering and financial services attend the International CES, according to the Veris audit. More than 12,000 retail buying organizations, 6,500 manufacturers and 3,500 engineering companies came to the 2011 CES. Additionally, more than 9,500 attendees from the content development and entertainment industry came to CES' inaugural year of the Entertainment Matters program, providing entertainment executives the chance to experience the products and technologies that deliver their entertainment to the consumer.
Top government officials attended the 2011 International CES. One hundred government leaders from the U.S. Cabinet, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, Federal Communications Commission, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of the United States Trade Representative, U.S. International Trade Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency attend CES to learn where technology is heading.
Influential media attend CES every year to report on the latest technologies and trends in the consumer technology industry. The 2011 CES drew more than 5,000 press and industry analysts.
The CES audit provides absolute verification of exhibition records, including direct on -site observation, examination of registration systems and testing of attendee records. Post -show analysis included direct confirmation sampling, reconciliation of attendance lists, elimination of duplicate names and verification of demographic data with the source of documentation.
Final audit numbers may differ from preliminary estimates given on -site due to additional badge pick -ups and badge reader reports. This audit complies with the industry standards for audits adopted by both the Exhibition and Event Industry Audit Commission (EEIAC) and the International Association of Exhibition and Events (IAEE).
For full audit results, please visit www.CESweb.org/exhibitors. The 2012 International CES is scheduled for January 10 -13 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $186 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also owns and produces the International CES - The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA's industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org and www.Innovation -Movement.com.


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High street and online printing and design service Printing.com is putting its faith in its new web offering as it chases profits of £2m this year.
The Trafford Park-based firm repaorted pre-tax earnings of £1.31m for the year to March 31, down from £1.7m, despite a rise in revenues to £17.02m from £14.46m.
It invested £750,000 in building its online service, which began to generate revenues in February, and bought Dutch business MFG for £1.7m in November.
Chief executive Tony Rafferty said 2010 had been a year of development for the firm.
“ More than half of our £1.5m capital expenditure in the last financial year was on developing our online system,” he added.
“ This investment is what we have had to make, otherwise the best years of Printing.com would have been behind us.
“ We believe that we now have the scope to drive volume and hope to achieve pre-tax profits of £2m this year.”
He said the integration of the Dutch subsidiary had taken a couple of months longer than anticipated, and that there were no more acquisitions on the horizon, despite the business ending the year with £2m net cash.
The board announced a final dividend of 2.1p, giving a total dividend for the year of 3.15p, the same as last year.
Printing.com supplies flyers, leaflets, brochures, business cards and other items to thousands of small and medium-sized businesses through a network of stores and the internet.
Mr Rafferty said a return of commercial confidence among Printing.com's core SME customer base was still 'over the horizon'.
But he said revenue growth of 5.1 per cent in London and the south east, compared with a 1.2 per cent contraction in the rest of the country, was starting to spread north.
He said: “Around 18 months ago we began to see a divide between London and the south east and the rest of the country.
“ That is because people in the city were making better profits and that money was starting to circulate to SMEs in London and the home counties.
“ We are now seeing a marginal upturn closer to main conurbations like Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds.
“ The further you are from a banking centre, the less the economy is moving.”
Shares in the firm fell 0.25p or 0.69 per cent to 36p after the update.
Analyst Jon Lienard, of Brewin Dolphin, said: “Whilst challenging conditions are set to continue, a number of new product initiatives coupled with new geographies and routes to market offered by acquired business MFG means that the group can look ahead with optimism.”


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by Workers Party Trade Union Group
Methodist Central Hall in Coventry was the venue last night for the Amazon Workers Support Group event who hosted an evening with Chris Smalls President of the US Amazon Labor Union (ALU). Smalls and his ALU colleagues are presently on a UK tour which has included speaking engagements at the TUC Black Workers Conference in London; GMB union recruitment at Amazon’s site in Swansea; and the evening in Coventry where the GMB Union – despite Amazon’s various union-busting tactics – is on the cusp of an historic union recognition victory at the fulfilment centre in the Midlands city.
The meeting at the Methodist Hall was well attended and featured video updates from the numerous early and late shift picket lines currently on-going at the Lyons Park site. The lively meeting was addressed by the Support Group and a number of GMB organisers who have been working to build the union in Amazon over the past decade. The American ALU guests provided the keynote speeches which were rapturously received referencing how the ALU was built against all the odds in an industrial relations environment more adverse than we have in the UK from the bottom up by working class people facing intimidation from Amazon and with no assistance from the major US unions such as the Teamsters nor the AFL-CIO union centre (the US equivalent of the TUC). One audience member notably said he hadn’t been this inspired by a union gathering since the events of 1984-5, which of course was a reference to the historic Miners Strike where Thatcher and her paramilitary police smashed the post-war settlement and the working class power that had built it in this country.
If you can, please donate to the GMB Coventry Amazon Workers Strike Fund and please ask your friends, family, union branches, clubs, community, faith and other groups to do the same by following the crowdfund link here: GMB are Standing with Amazon Workers.
Whilst we are in a different era to that of the mid-1980’s few would deny an upsurge in class consciousness and interest in trade unions is taking place across various public and private sector branches of the economy amid a major cost of living crisis and after decades of neo-liberalism (ie the class struggle waged by our rulers against us). The GMB campaign in Coventry – the detail to which can be read here…. (https://workerspartybritain.org/2023/05/02/) aims to build a bridgehead from which future union-building campaigns in other UK Amazon sites can grow. Given that so many of our people work or will work in this goods, logistics and distribution behemoth it is vital that the GMB’s campaign succeed.
Up the GMB and Up the ALU!
Solidarity from the WPB


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Manufacturing is a small piece of Durango’s economy, but it is growing at such a healthy pace that employment for manufacturing jobs hit a 16-year high in 2016 in La Plata County.
“There is a post-recession story to manufacturing that is very, very positive,” said Roger Zalneraitis, executive director of La Plata County Economic Development Alliance.
The sector employs more than 750 people representing about 3 percent of all jobs in the county, but it is outperforming the private sector.
Since 2010, manufacturing in the county has grown three times faster than the private sector overall, he said.
In the last seven years, manufacturing wages have grown 20 percent, while wages in the private sector are up 9 percent, Zalneraitis said.
Manufacturers in the area are poised to keep growing and hiring, despite challenges such as Durango’s isolation and lack of interstate highways and rail lines that help to provide cheaper shipping.
“I don’t see any threats looming on the horizon for the local manufacturers and what they are doing,” Zalneraitis said.
Artisans working out of their garages gave rise to many manufacturers in this area. Many businesses still fall into this category, he said.
Others, such as StoneAge Waterblast Tools, grew to be major employers and to distribute internationally.
StoneAge employs 150 people, and 115 of them work in Durango, CEO Kerry Siggins said.
“We were very lucky to get involved in water-blast cleaning when it was in its infancy,” founder Jerry Zink said.
The company has grown with the industry and is currently talking to La Plata County and Durango Fire Protection District about expanding its facility, he said.
StoneAge’s largest market is the petroleum-refining industry, but the water-blasting tools are used to clean many different types of equipment, he said.
Expanding into the Middle East and China and producing more semi-automatic equipment has also helped drive growth, Siggins said. StoneAge produces semi-automatic systems that help to remove a hose from an operator’s hands, which prevents accidents, she said.
“Due to safety concerns, chemical plants, refineries and other types of industrial facilities around the world are demanding that contractors performing high-pressure water blasting use more automated systems,” she said.
The manufacturer has also been able to overcome the high cost of transporting goods by shipping small, high-value items, she said.
But it is becoming more of a challenge because the company is starting to sell larger systems, she said.
One way to address transportation costs for manufacturers could be a rail line though Farmington, Zalneraitis said.
One issue the manufacturing industry is facing is a shortage of light manufacturing building and high infrastructure costs to develop new space.
In addition to traditional infrastructure, such as water, sewer and roads, a fiber-optic internet connection is key for businesses, Zink said.
Fiber optics and a water line were installed in Animas Air Park at the same time. The infrastructure helped StoneAge’s business because it had been hauling water and had been relying heavily on a microwave internet connection because it provided the most stable conduit for the company’s software.
“Getting that in the Air Park was a huge leap forward from where we were,” said Chester Brandt, information technology manager for StoneAge.


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Xiaomi’s Poco series, designed to provide high-end specifications at mid-range prices, is a fan favorite, especially in India. However, as Redmi recently released the K20 which offers an even better package for the same price, Poco’s future seems to be in jeopardy.
On top of this, Jai Mani, the top executive at Xiaomi India, responsible for the year-old Poco, has left Xiaomi leading to more doubts and speculations about the Poco series.
According to sources, Manu Jain, Xiaomi India’s head and international vice president, was non-committal on Poco’s future. In an interview, Jain said he had no answer for any questions related to Pocophone. He also said,
Whether the products are coming in brands or series… of course, we are working on something but what are those products and when will they come, we will not be able to share those details.
Navkendar Singh, research director at IDC India, said
Poco was launched to give high-end chosen few specs at mid-range prices, with clear compromises on design language, but now, with this aggressive pricing of K series by Xiaomi with its absolute flagship specs, hardware, and design, the reason for the existence of Poco as a brand is in doubt.
On the other hand, a spokesperson for India’s smartphone market leader, said, “For Poco, nothing changes because of an executive leaving and work will go on as planned”.
Even though we are getting mixed signals from Xiaomi India executives, analysts are adamant that Redmi and Mi are two different brands with Poco being the only overlapping entity, hence killing the sub-brand would make total sense.


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Audi and Ducati: The Final Negotiations
Friday, April 13, 2012 – Ever since Ducati announced that it was going up for sale to a company with the means to take their production to the new level, people have wondered who would end up snatching them up. In early March, Audi struck a deal with the Italian motorcycle company to have first dibs and has been trying to make up its mind over whether it's a good acquisition or not.
Earlier this week, however, it was reported that Audi had finished combing through the Italian company without coming across any serious issues. If Audi decides to take the plunge, they have the sole ability to start negotiations until April 15, meaning other companies with their eye on the red prize may be out of luck as early as April 18.
Audi has had a long standing feud with German based BMW, a company that excels in both the automobile and motorcycle industry. While Ducati does seem to have a substantial chunk of debt, it also would help bring Audi to the same level as its German competitor. Earlier in 2008, Volkswagen, Audi's larger umbrella corporation, had shown interest in the motorcycle company. Unfortunately, VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech lost out during a bidding war with Ducati's current share-holder Investindustrial.
For more on why Ducati is selling and Audi's interest check out "For Sale: Ducati" and "Audi to Buy Ducati."


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Japanese technology giants Sony have unveiled the 4th instalment of their enormously admired Playstation series.
The games device, which was officially revealed at this year’s E3 Trade event in Los Angeles, California, have been vehemently anticipated.
Although several of the console’s textures and upgrades were unveiled in February, Sony had kept potential buyers guessing on some crucial details, including the overall design of the Playstation 4.
Andrew House, Head and Group CEO of SCE, said the PS4 represents, in some ways, a completely new Playstation.
Perhaps the reports which has most people discussing is the declaration the PS4 will critically undercut its nearest rival, Microsoft’s Xbox One, on price. Mr. House unveiled the PS4 would be offered at US $399 (£349) upon release, whilst, at the exact same show, Microsoft had earlier revealed the Xbox One will cost US $499 (£429).
One more important declaration came when it was revealed that Sony would not be introducing any restrictions on second user games. Actually, the Playstation 4 won’t even need gamers to regularly authenticate their machines via the Internet so as to continue play.
Conversely, Microsoft has added more limitations regarding who a player can buy second-hand titles from. The corporation has even gone so far as to require Xbox One players to connect to the internet once every day in order to use their console.
In response to Sony, there is about one hundred forty PS4 games currently in development, with one hundred roughly expected to go on sale in the Playstation 4’s first year of release. Industry insiders have speculated that Sony are trying to reach out to indie designers, mainly those that feel stifled by Microsoft.
Drawing a tremendous cheer from the spectators, Jack Tretton, boss of Sony Entertainment America stated, “PS4 will not impose any new restrictions on your use of Playstation 4 game discs,”
BBC correspondent Dave Lee reported that, “If console battles were decided through the frequency and volume of whoops and cheers from highly strung gaming fanatics, then Sony has won it hands down”.
The present Sony console, the Playstation 3, outsold Microsoft’s Xbox 360 by a good margin, but was in turn outsold by Nintendo’s Wii. It is consideration that Sony are trying to rectify this with the release of the Playstation 4.
Sony’s announcement has been seen by some like a calculated hit against Microsoft, with IGN.com’s UK Editor-in-Chief Alex Simmons describing it as a very public slap across Microsoft’s face.
Sony declined to provide a release date for the new machine, but strongly hinted the PS4 should arrive around Christmas.


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Within a week of the Brazilian government cutting industrialized products taxes (IPI) the appliance industry in Brazil, and particularly Whirlpool Corp., is responding by adding jobs, according to Brazilian news outlet Diario do Grande ABC.
Whirlpool will hire 1100 workers to fill vacancies at factories in Rio Claro and Joinville, Brazil, and the news outlet reported Whirlpool's José Drummond who said he believes consumers will be much more motivated to shop at retail in December 2011 as well as in the first quarter of 2012. Drummond is executive vice president, Whirlpool Corp., and president, Whirlpool Latin America.
Whirlpool sells under the Brastemp, Consul, and other brands in Brazil and reportedly has a 40% share of the market. Drummond forecast—before the IPI cut - a Christmas orders increase of 15-20%, with growth in volume as high as 30% in some product categories.
The report said other appliance companies with a large share of the Brazilian appliance market, including Electrolux and Mabe, are also considering manufacturing increases.
to Daily News


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- England international Dele Alli launches clothing line on Thursday, May 10 at rooftop bar in London
- The 22-year-old enjoyed the support from his Tottenham Hotspur teammates, girlfriend and a host of other television OAPs at the event
- Also in attendance was boxing heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua to give support to his countryman
Tottenham Hotspurs Dele Alli hosted a whole lot of celebrities in London on Thursday at the launch of his clothing line as reported by Daily Mail.
The 22-year-old England international has been impressive for his Premier League outfit all season long, scoring nine topflight goals in 35 appearances for the Lilywhites.
And he has shown that he can also be superb off the pitch after confirming his partnership with clothing brand boohooMAN earlier this week to make his debut into the fashion world.
READ ALSO: Results of the last 10 meetings between Manchester United vs Liverpool
He enjoyed massive support from his Spurs teammates as well as his girlfriend; Ruby Mae and even Anthony Joshua were beside him at the launch party.
Not3s treated the guests to some fine rap during the launch party, as Alli himself even stepped up to the decks to give his own spin.
Also in attendance to grace the occasion were Lottie Moss, the half-sister of supermodel Kate, Love Island's Tyla Carr and many other reality TV show stars attended the star-studded bash on Thursday night.
However, Daily Mail quoting Sportsmail exclusively revealed last week that Alli had agreed to launch his own clothing range with the British-based brand.
“I was extremely excited when boohooMAN approached me to collaborate,' said Alli earlier this week on confirming his new deal.
“Fashion has always been an interest of mine and it was great to be able to play a part in the design process. I'm really looking forward for everyone to see the collection.'
The above news platform also disclosed that prices for the clothes range from £12-£60, although a limited edition jacket will cost £100.
boohooMAN have partnerships with a host of leading figures in popular culture, like US rapper French Montana. But the deal with Alli is the UK-based firm's first with a footballer.
It will see Alli release his own range of fashion wear and forms part of a strategy to enhance Alli's profile away from the field.
Alli joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2015 from Milton Keynes Dons, and was sent back to his former club on loan for the rest of the season.
He has since he returned been impressive for his side – scoring 37 goals in 105 Premier League appearances for Spurs over the past three years.
Legit.ng earlier reported that Dele Alli was regarded as the most valuable U21 player in the world a few months back according to soccererex.
The England international beat the likes of Kylian Mbappe of PSG, Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele, Manchester City's Leroy Sane and Real Madrid's Marco Asensio to the award.
2. Kylian Mbappe (AS Monaco & France) €61.8m
3. Ousmane Dembele (Borussia Dortmund & France) €60.9m
4. Leroy Sane (Manchester City & Germany) €51.2m
5. Marco Asensio (Real Madrid & Spain) €42.7m
Who is the better coach, Mourinho or Conte? - on Legit.ng TV


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Aug 14, 2020
Thanks to a new Yangtze River crossing, the charms of Yangzhou are now easily accessible by high-speed rail, Wang Ying reports from Shanghai.
Jul 22, 2020
Following a 174-day hiatus, Shanghai resumed group tourism on Thursday in accordance with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's guidance on cross-province group tourism.
Jun 09, 2020
A themed tour route surrounding the host venue of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai was launched on Sunday to mark the 150-day countdown to the third edition of the expo.
May 09, 2020
Shanghai Disneyland is set to become the first Walt Disney Co theme park to reopen after novel coronavirus-related closure as China embarks on a steady path to normalcy in daily life and business activity.
Apr 14, 2020
Shanghai Sheshan National Tourism Resort recently issued ticket packages on Ctrip, which allow visitors to tour its seven major scenic attractions at a discount of up to 50 percent.
Mar 26, 2020
Fengjing Ancient Town, a tourist attraction promoted as one of the new must-sees in Jinshan district, Shanghai, recently reopened to the public.
Mar 09, 2020
Shanghai Disney Resort partially resumed operations on Monday.
Jan 16, 2020
Shanghai will commence construction of Phase 4 of the Pudong International Airport, the country's largest aviation hub and the world's third largest in terms of cargo throughput, within this year, Shanghai mayor Ying Yong said.
Dec 09, 2019
Shanghai Disneyland kicked off main construction of its newest themed land, Zootopia, on Monday, 11 months after it announced the expansion plan to appeal to visitors from home and abroad.
Dec 06, 2019
Shanghai Disney Resort said on Friday it would introduce a new four-tier pricing structure and adjust rates to "better reflect local consumer visitation habits".


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A consortium has invested a “substantial” six-figure sum to acquire a minority stake in a digital technology company which has enjoyed rapid growth after joining the Leeds Digital Hub.
Perks Loyalty, which was formed around nine months ago by the serial entrepreneur and former professional footballer Achille Traore, is aiming to revolutionise the way retailers set up and run customer incentive and loyalty programmes using app-based technology.
A spokesman said that the consortium was made up of a number of “successful individual investors”.
The company has devised a “merchant” app that enables retailers to devise and set up new bespoke programmes in minutes, and a “perks” app that customers download to their smart phones, which eliminates the need for traditional reward and loyalty cards.
Mr Traore said: “I’m really excited by this business. We’ve already signed up 90 retailers and the money I’ve raised by selling a small stake in the company will enable us to grow the business and make Perks Loyalty a household name in digital loyalty”.
Advantage Business Angels facilitated the deal with Perks, helping to tailor the investment structure to suit its network of angel investors.
The investment agreement was handled by Daniel McCormack, director in the corporate finance department of Yorkshire law firm, Lupton Fawcett Denison Till.
Mr McCormack said: “Achille already has a proven track record for successful start-ups.”
Perks Loyalty is based at the Leeds Digital Hub, a partnership between Leeds Beckett University and The Yorkshire Post that offers workspace, professional support and mentoring services to developing tech businesses.


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In a rare agreement between Microsoft and Google, software giant Microsoft has licensed its ActiveSync protocol to the internet search giant to power its Google Sync product released this week.
Until now, Microsoft has licensed its ActiveSync protocol to most mobile device makers and other software players, including Apple, Nokia, Palm, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, with the exception of Google, which last year released the Android operating system for mobile phones.
Google Sync allows users to synchronise their contacts and calendar information on mobile phones with Google servers across a number of devices such as the iPhone and Nokia, BlackBerry and Sony Ericsson devices.
“Google’s licensing of these Microsoft patents relating to the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocol is a clear acknowledgment of the innovation taking place at Microsoft,” said Horacio Gutierrez, deputy general counsel and VP, Intellectual Property & Licensing, Microsoft.
“This agreement is also a great example of Microsoft’ s openness to generally license our patents under fair and reasonable terms, so long as licensees respect Microsoft intellectual property.
“This open approach has been part of Microsoft’s intellectual property licensing policy since 2003, and has resulted in over 500 licensing agreements in the past five years,” Gutierrez said.
By John Kennedy


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Beazer names new chief accounting officer
Beazer Homes has announced the appointment of Robert Salomon to the position of senior vp, chief accounting officer and controller, effective Feb. 11.
Salomon joins the national home builder from Ashton Woods Homes, where he served as CFO and treasurer since 1998.
Allan Merrill, executive vp and CFO, said Salomon’s experience is well-suited “as we manage through the current challenges in the housing market and position the company to realize the opportunities that will arise when our markets begin to recover.”
Beazer Homes has had several major financial challenges of late. Late last year, the company said it was unable to provide investors with final fourth-quarter financial figures because in an internal audit, the company determined it would have to restate financial figures for fiscal years 2004 through 2006, and for interim periods of 2007.
Beazer Homes, based in Atlanta, is one of the country’s largest single-family home builders.
Wal-Mart plans new crop of energy-efficient stores
Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores announced it will be opening the first of four second generation, high efficiency stores in Romeoville, Ill., on Jan. 23. The stores will use 25 percent less energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using 90 percent less refrigerant, the company said.
The new stores will incorporate what the company has learned from its first generation of high efficiency stores (HE.1) combined with new technologies, including white roofs, low-flow bathroom faucets, LED lights and an advanced daylight harvesting system, the company said.
“We’ve learned a lot since we opened our first HE.1 store one year ago, and we are excited to put what we have learned into practice with the HE.2,” said Charles Zimmerman, vp-prototype and new format development at Wal-Mart. “The secondary loop system is ideal because it not only makes the store more efficient, but also allows us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Leslie Dach, Wal-Mart’s executive vp-corporate affairs and government relations, made the announcement at the National Retail Federation’s 97th Annual Convention & Expo in New York City.
“These stores are another solid step toward achieving our environmental commitments,” said Dach. “We will continue to find new ways to build stores that have a reduced impact on the environment and ultimately reach a day when every new store is 25 to 30 percent more energy efficient than it was in 2005.”
Home builder group voices goal of ‘50 percent energy reduction’
A Northern California home builders’ group has begun lobbying for a new goal of reducing energy consumption of homes 50 percent by 2020. The Home Builders Association of Northern California represents around 100 builders, including KB Home, Pulte and Centex.
Member builders will be required to achieve the reduction compared with 1990 energy consumption levels within 14 years, said association president Joseph Perkins. Additionally, members will be asked to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent within the same time frame.
The builders group also announced its support for the adoption of green building standards created by the Berkeley, Calif.-based nonprofit group Build It Green. So far, 15 of the 101 cities and counties in the nine-county region have made Build It Green standards mandatory, according to the East Bay Business Times.


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A five-figure spending spree on tablet computers for Surrey County Council (SCC) members was necessary for "the needs of a modern day councillor", the authority has said.
The council spent £30,099 on 70 iPads for councillors, including the costs of apps and accessories.
The handheld devices, which ranged in price from £280 to £389, have replaced the laptops previously used by councillors.
Trinity Mirror's Data Journalism Unit asked local authorities through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests for the cost of tablet computers and spending on accessories and repairs.
Councils were also asked how much money they were spending on printing and distributing official documents to councillors from before and after purchasing the tablets.
Authorities had claimed that buying tablets for councillors was helping to reduce printing costs.
In 2013/14, after the tablets were issued, SCC's Democratic Services Team - which produces minutes and other documents - spent £27,000, which was £5,000 less than the previous financial period.
The tablets - which included iPad minis - were issued to SCC councillors last February, in order to give them "easier access to emails".
A spokesman for Surrey County Council said: "These iPads were bought to replace ageing laptops and are cheaper and more suited to the needs of a modern day councillor."
A total of 18 councillors had opted to bring their own devices, according to the FOI response.


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Planning a wedding, even before the pandemic, came with a lot of responsibilities. For starters, you had to book a venue, fine-tune the guest list, and, of course, find the perfect wedding dress. Now, on top of those decisions — plus those ensuring the safest wedding day possible — another to-do has been added to every bride’s pre-wedding checklist: buying a wedding-appropriate face mask. The same goes for your wedding party and your guests.
At an event as heavily photographed as a wedding, whether you’re seated on the bride’s side of the aisle or you are the bride, you may want a style that’s a little more photo-worthy than a standard medical mask. But, while the face covering should be aesthetically pleasing and on par with your wedding-day look visually, it should still be effective against the spread of COVID-19. According to the CDC, face masks should have


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The online agent itinerary and destination planning platform simplifies the process of organising visits and shore excursions by allowing agents to easily create detailed itineraries. Key company information will be published on the CLIA website and it will feature in upcoming CLIA e-newsletters and marketing material.
CLIA Conference and RiverView
The theme of this year's CLIA Conference in Southampton is #DiscoverMore, focusing on the variety of destinations accessible via cruise ship.
RiverView will take place March 11–13 in Amsterdam and highlight the latest river cruise ships, information and selling advice. The conference will include ship visits, speaker sessions and an industry trade fair.
Over 1000 delegates will attend both events.
Focus on itinerary planning
‘Destinations will be a major theme across the cruise industry in 2024, as we further highlight the wealth of global calls available to travellers,’ said Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland MD. ‘Travefy's focus and insight on itinerary planning make them the ideal partner for our two conferences, and we're looking forward to them sharing their expertise with our travel agent partners.’
Travefy VP of Sales and Marketing Scott Rutz added, ‘...The work that CLIA does globally is crucial to the health of the industry, and we’re thrilled to further support them. Additionally, with Travefy’s integrated tools that help travel advisers streamline their cruise sales process and cruise itineraries - and through this partnership - it’s an incredible opportunity to continue to elevate cruise specialist businesses.’
Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited.
|Add Seatrade Cruise News to your Google News feed.


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by NURUL SUHAIDI / pic courtesy of QL Resources
QL RESOURCES Bhd owned convenience store chain FamilyMart has set a new benchmark with its launch of a “food superstore” yesterday.
In conjunction with its fifth anniversary, FamilyMart has expanded its ready-to-eat food concept by introducing an all-new upstream food production, with a wide selection of convenient frozen meals that match the variety needs of its customers.
QL Resources ED Chia Lik Khai stated that there are over 100 products in this new concept for customers to enjoy their favourite FamilyMart foods such as ready-to-eat side dishes, frozen meals and desserts.
“At FamilyMart, we believe there is something for everyone, and we will continue to grow our food offering lists for our loyal customers,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Bringing the spirit of innovation and evolution of the “konbini” concept, the stores are elevated to suit contemporary environments, match the urban lifestyle, while maintaining FamilyMart’s identity.
Chia added that the company will maintain its uniqueness as the leading freshly made, ready-to-eat food chain production, bring convenience to the consumers and most importantly, with halal certification.
“This is the key differentiator between us and the other concept store chains in the country,” he said.
As the business is recovering from the pandemic, FamilyMart is now focusing on expanding its branches to cover more locations in Peninsular Malaysia.
“We are set to open 20 more concept stores by the end of this year with at least one store in each state where FamilyMart is already present,” he said.
The first “food superstore” concept stores are located in Sri Petaling and Bandar Puteri Puchong.
To date, FamilyMart has over 250 stores nationwide including the FamilyMart mini kiosks.
“With the fairly big market, the new branches will also open job opportunities for Malaysians as the new outlets will require more workers.
“As for a long-term target, we are aiming to open 1,000 branches by 2026, and that on average can create thousands of job opportunities for Malaysians,” Chia said.
Adopting Japan’s earthy ambiance, he added that FamilyMart will gradually upgrade its concept store decoration from time to time for customers’ maximum satisfaction, convenience and inspiration.


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New screenshots from Fat Princess. Check them out.
This is what I call The PSN game. Definite winner here.
Hopefully the game comes out soon.
game launch will soon be followed by criticism from the "society of over-weight women".
I like the color of this game.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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A startup from Ryerson’s Fashion Zone is combining fashion and technology to start a social movement and is using Kickstarter to do it. Gimme360 is a clothing company that donates proceeds from every garment sold to provide water for developing countries. The amount of proceeds donated depend on the project they’re working on due to the amount of equipment needed […]
Post Tagged with: "activism"
As many of us breathe a sigh of relief after being done with midterm season, nine students around campus are scrambling to get back into the routine of just going to class.
The Lowdown is a current affairs audio series hosted by Katherine DeClerq and Michelle LePage. Each week, they break down a big issue to explain why it’s important to students and youth. This week they look at activism on university campuses and what you should know before you head to Queen’s Park with a picket sign. Winnie Ng, the CAW-Sam […]
RyersonianTV: Ryerson’s Image Centre gets a makeover, the university plays host to a curling championship, and more
- Toronto celebrated the luck of the Irish Sunday afternoon at the 30th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Yonge Street was a sea of green as Torontonians enjoyed the sunny weather …Read More »
- We spoke to the winners of the RCDS election to see what’s in store for the upcoming school year.Read More »


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World’s one of the most popular battle royale games PUBG’s developer Krafton plans to build new artificial intelligence-powered virtual humans. This is the company’s first attempt at entering the metaverse environment.
Krafton will concentrate on developing lifelike virtual avatars for usage in games, eSports, and as virtual influencers and singers. Krafton plans to use hyperrealism character manufacturing technology to build digital avatars of humans.
To further improve the communication capabilities of virtual humans, the company intends to leverage various technologies, including text-to-speech, speech-to-text, voice-to-face, and artificial intelligence.
Creative Director at Krafton, Shin Seok-jin, said, ”We are geared up for realizing an interactive virtual world (Metaverse) in stages and will continue to introduce more advanced versions of virtual humans and content based on the belief in the infinite scalability of such technologies.”
According to the company, its virtual human will come with multiple realistic features like motion-captured dynamic movements, pupil movements, a wide range of facial expressions, and skin hair. Recently, Krafton announced it invested $2.5 million in Seoul Auction Blue and $4.1 million XBYBLUE.
Additionally, the company also signed an agreement to develop non-fungible token (NFT) oriented projects. Krafton CEO CH Kim earlier said that the business would actively harness new technology to provide unique experiences to gamers and creators. As the consent of Metaverse is gaining popularity, multiple companies across the globe are making their moves to tap into this new technology.
Krafton says that digital humans will play an essential role in the Metaverse, representing real people in the virtual world. At first, virtual avatar customization choices would be limited to outfits and skins. The company believes that as Metaverse becomes more accessible to people, the demand for virtual avatars will skyrocket.


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Mentioned in this articleGames:
- Capcom reported net income of ¥12.55B ($113M USD) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, an increase of 14.8% compared to FY 2017.
- The company said it is “redoubling its commitment” to esports which includes the expansion of Street Fighter League to the U.S.
- Capcom attributed much of the year’s financial success to Monster Hunter World, Resident Evil 2, and Devil May Cry 5.
Game publisher Capcom’s net income for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, was ¥12.55B ($113M USD), exceeding its forecast by 4.58% and growing 14.8% compared to FY 2017.
The company’s core Digital Contents business, which publishes videogames, brought in net sales of ¥82.98B ($750M) which accounts for 82.96% of the company’s total net sales of ¥100B ($909M), citing Resident Evil 2 as a major driver of revenue during the fiscal year. This was an increase of 11.9% YoY while the operating income of the segment grew 22% YoY to ¥23.32B ($212M).
Additional revenue growth was attributed to Devil May Cry 5 and the Monster Hunter series.
Following the PC release in August 2018, Monster Hunter: World surpassed a total of 12M cumulative units shipped worldwide—a record high for any Capcom title.
In a press release, Capcom said that it will focus on growing the Digital Content business, with the goal of strengthening download and catalog sales.
The company acknowledged a growing “attention” directed at esports in Japan. After declaring 2018 to be its “Esports Year One,” Capcom is “redoubling” its efforts to prioritize competitive gaming. Capcom intends to accomplish this by growing the player base worldwide through Street Fighter leagues.
Capcom’s plans have already been set in motion. Earlier this month, the company restructured its esports and media licensing businesses to form Capcom Media Ventures. The new entity will handle esports initiatives outside of Japan including the Street Fighter V Capcom Pro Tour.
The game publisher also partnered with amateur tournament platform Super League Gaming to hold amateur Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition leagues and tournaments in the United States.
In September 2018, Capcom announced Street Fighter League, a 3v3 team competition in Japan that will take place this spring. Street Fighter Pro League soon expanded to North America, with season one kicking off in April. Season Two will commence with the Draft this Fall and runs through November when a winner will become the first North American Pro League Champion.
Financial Year 2019 Earnings: Electronic Arts Reports $4.95B Net Revenue for FY 2019, Shares Plans for Apex Legends


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CALLING all Friends fans – Aldi is selling a huge homeware range and shoppers “want to buy everything”.
The budget supermarket is selling everything from cushions (costing £5.99) to Central Perk make-up bags (£3.99) in the latest Specialbuys event – which you won’t want to miss out on.
Shoppers are going mad for Aldi’s Friends homeware rangeCredit: extreme coupling and bargains/ facebook
The limited edition Specialbuys event features bargains with prices from £1.99Credit: extreme coupling and bargains/ facebook
Those who want to recreate the New York flat shares can also stock up on double duvet sets (£14.99), gold photo frames with prints (£5.99), fluffy blankets (£9.99), notebooks and pencil cases (£1.99 each).
You can also get an oversized Central Perk coffee cup (£4.99) or a 2020 diary (£2.99), as well as adult PJs (£8.99), backpacks (£9.99) and water bottles (£4.99).
One shopper, from Deal, Kent, posted pics of the range on Facebook’s Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group, admitting “I wanted to buy everything”.
Commenting on the thread, people gushed: “you need to go to Aldi and buy me everything that is there” and “I need to go NOW”.
Central Perk coffee mugs, pencil cases, notepads and diaries are among the haulCredit: extreme coupling and bargains/ facebook
You can also pick up photo frames and backpacks from the supermarketCredit: extreme coupling and bargains/ facebook
The ‘I’d rather be watching Friends’ make-up bag costs just £3.99Credit: extreme coupling and bargains/ facebook
Others said: “oh my – definitely getting them cushions” and “dirt cheap!”
In more shopping news, this woman was in hysterics over an ASOS jumpsuit which barely covers her boobs after ordering same size as the model.
While this woman stunned with a massive beauty room hidden behind a mirror in her house (and it’d be perfect for escaping the kids).
The Insidexpress is now on Telegram and Google News. Join us on Telegram and Google News, and stay updated.


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Nissan recently showed images of a new concept car, and Motor Trend has put the pieces together to bring us the new Nissan Maxima concept.
Read This Article
We finally know the price of the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid.
Congratulations, Playstation generation, Nissan has listened to you and is expanding NISMO beyond what it's ever been.
After charging up both coasts for several months now, the all-electric 2012 Nissan Leaf is finally making its way to the Midwest, namely Chicago, Ill.


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SEOUL—The South Korean government Thursday ordered Volkswagen to recall more than 125,000 diesel-powered cars sold in the country after it found the German car maker installed emissions-cheating software in the vehicles.
A two-month investigation into several models made by Volkswagen and its premium Audi unit showed the vehicles used illegal “defeat-device” software to bypass stringent diesel emissions tests, the Ministry of Environment said in a statement.
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There are lines that must never be crossed. For the Tesla community, one such line was crossed recently, after a video was shared on Twitter showing a fellow Tesla owner abandoning a yellow labrador at Orchards Park in Vancouver, WA. The clip was quite shocking, as it showed the dog’s owner seemingly tricking the pooch before coldly leaving it behind.
The incident spread across the Tesla community over the weekend, and it did not take long before numerous netizens were calling for the dog’s owner to be reprimanded. KATU News reporter Kellee Azar took to Twitter to voice her frustration at the incident as well, stating that “no dog, animal or person should be treated this way.”
Fortunately, the incident was recorded by a neighboring resident’s surveillance camera. Amidst the video’s spread on social media, an investigation was promptly started and…
View original post 266 more words


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The continent’s largest lumber producer, Weyerhaeuser Co., announced that the wildfires reached four of its facilities in Oregon this week. As a result, mills have cut back shifts in order to ensure its workers’ safety, according to Alabama News Center. Just as home builders were already frustrated with the growing lumber prices and shortage, the wildfires have further intensified shortages. An official from ERA Forest Products Research expects lumber prices to dip in the fourth quarter but shoot back up next year. The current price of lumber is 68% higher than the average for the last five years.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if you see some of the mills struggling to keep the log supply in front of the mills,” Devin Stockfish, Weyerhaeuser’s chief executive officer, said during a virtual conference presentation Monday.
Weyerhaeuser is one of several forest products companies operating in Alabama, which also includes Georgia Pacific, International Paper, WestRock, Kronospan, Brown-Forman Cooperage, Louisiana-Pacific and Zilkha Biomass Energy. The industry is one of those targeted by the Alabama Department of Commerce for growth.
The industry employs 26,000 in the state, according to the Commerce Department. Alabama is the second-largest producer of pulp and paper in the U.S., the seventh-largest in lumber production and the eighth-largest in wood panel production.


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In the rapidly evolving world of technology, even the giants can stumble. This year, three prominent figures in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry—Ethereum Cofounder Vitalik Buterin, Uniswap Founder Hayden Adams, and Blockchain Capital Co-Founder Bart Stephens—experienced a common yet devastating threat: SIM swap attacks. The consequences were far from trivial, resulting in the loss of millions in assets, unauthorized access to social media accounts, scams, and even damage to their reputations.
The Scourge of SIM Swap Attacks
A SIM swap attack is like a digital heist in broad daylight. It involves a malicious actor convincing your mobile carrier to transfer your phone number to a new SIM card under their control. Once they gain control of your phone number, it's a gateway to your digital kingdom. These attackers can reset your passwords, access your accounts, and wreak havoc.
The High Stakes of Security
The recent SIM swap attacks on cryptocurrency and blockchain leaders highlight the escalating stakes of digital security. In a world where our smartphones are the keys to our digital lives, protecting them is not optional. It's a necessity.
Jellyfish Mobile Solution: Web3 Integration
Enter Jellyfish Mobile. We've developed innovative solutions to safeguard against SIM swap attacks and other digital threats. Jellyfish Mobile's Web3 Integration transforms your device into a digital fortress. It replaces your traditional mobile number with secure web3 wallet addresses, effectively eliminating the risk of SIM swap attacks. Your identity is no longer tied to a vulnerable phone number but protected by blockchain technology.
Decentralized Identity (DID): Your Digital Identity, Your Control
Jellyfish Mobile employs Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) for secure and self-sovereign identity management. With DIDs, you have full control over your digital identity and personal data. No more worrying about unauthorized access to your accounts.
Connectivity Everywhere: Your Trusted Companion
Our global connectivity via eSIM/uSIM means you're connected worldwide without the need for physical SIM card changes, reducing the risk of attacks associated with swapping SIM cards.
The Way Forward: Protecting Your Digital Destiny
The recent SIM swap attacks on industry leaders serve as a stark reminder: no one is immune to digital threats. It's crucial to be proactive about securing your digital life. Jellyfish Mobile offers a comprehensive solution that combines cutting-edge technology with a user-centric approach to security.
Please feel free to find out more at jellyfi.me