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in recent years, with the rapid expansion of the concept of O2O, online education industry has shown a trend of explosive growth, attracting a large influx of capital. According to statistics, as of August 2015, China’s online education industry, a total of 106 projects to get financing. Among them, there are 40 seed wheel and start-up project, Pre-A wheel 5, A wheel 38, B wheel 17, C wheel 4, D wheel 2. Last year, the total amount of financing known to the education sector in China was $2 billion 30 million, an increase of 160% over 2014. Among them, tutoring O2O is one of the most popular areas of segmentation.
director Yang Yanru said that in recent years, Zhongguancun entrepreneurial atmosphere more intense, more and more entrepreneurs gathered, only newly founded in 2014, registered in the industrial and commercial registration of the science and technology enterprises reached 13000, 2013 is more than 6000, 2012 is more than 4000.
this year’s 315 party, many Internet industry chaos was exposed, which CCTV settled for the black workshop "hungry" event exposure, people remember deeply. This marks the staking, barbaric growth mode of O2O industry has become the past, should pay attention to all kinds of thinking and education of O2O industry, O2O industry, if only the crazy burn and not to create educational value, are likely to fall into the dilemma.
below is the Yang Yanru sharing memoir:
education O2O also faces the same predicament, the fundamental reason is that the industry in the frenzied pursuit of capital trends, did not pay attention to the real needs of users. Because the value of the O2O platform lies in the integration and wider teaching supply, it provides more choices for users, that is, the C2C model linking people and information.
dear Chen, as well as distinguished guests, investors and entrepreneurs, good afternoon! I am pleased to be here at the NetEase. I am here on behalf of the Zhongguancun administration council. Just as Chen always said, to participate in the activities of entrepreneurs is actually the most no pressure, because the NetEase itself can choose in the garage coffee do this activity, first of all explain very ground gas, and entrepreneurs stand together.
now, education O2O is no exception. However, the shortcomings of this approach are gradually emerging. According to a survey of 400 online education enterprise Internet Education Research Institute shows that at present, there are 70.58% companies are losing money, 13.24% of the companies in a flat state, and profitable company accounted for only 16.18%. Over the next 1-2 years, 80% of projects will die from financing and the right business model.
for the significance of entrepreneurship, director Yang Yanru said, "the minister mentioned just shortly before the million venture itself regardless of success or failure of a project may fail this time, but if you choose this way of life, as long as you keep will be successful. Of course, it is not the commercial significance of success. It is an experience for you and an everlasting treasure for your life."
however, the massive influx of capital and the staking of enterprises are in fact the early stages of the industry. "Staking" means that the nobility of the Qing Dynasty delineated the ownership of land by way of horse racing within the stipulated time. Later, it was used to describe the phenomenon of market share in the way of burning money when an industry started. This phenomenon is more common in the P2P, O2O and other industries, it seems that the industry start-up period must undergo this phenomenon.
NetEase Francisco January 31st, 2015 NetEase of Wudaokou science and Technology Salon annual festival cum "entrepreneurial NetEase Club" officially held this festival, "because you know it together" as the theme, the administrative committee of Zhongguancun business department director Yang Yanru in the ceremony to share exchange.
Yang Yanru said the director of the administrative committee of Zhongguancun, introduced a number of policy support entrepreneurs, one is to give all entrepreneurial services to support, including support for entrepreneurial NetEase Club, entrepreneurship competition, training, salon, display and other activities; the two is for Zhongguancun’s venture capital and angel investment, in addition to guide capital, there is a a risk compensation mechanism; three is the protection of intellectual property rights, have the relevant policy for entrepreneurs to apply for a patent and so on.
first, education industry crazy financing, but education O2O can not really solve the user pain point
just simply said about the Zhongguancun administrative committee, the administrative committee of Zhongguancun is an accredited institution, the Beijing municipal government of Zhongguancun functions, especially in the business ecosystem to build an innovation and entrepreneurship. As you all know, Zhongguancun is a national college, college, enterprise, especially Internet enterprise, and there are still a large number of Talent Gathering places. In recent years, entrepreneurial atmosphere has become increasingly strong, especially after the 28 executive meeting of the State Council opened, third issues will be raised, public entrepreneurship, innovation, Ministry of science and technology called "public space.". Just when you all came to see, this pioneering street is in recent years, Zhongguancun and Haidian District jointly promote the building of innovation and entrepreneurship environment to create such a landmark block. Garage coffee was first settled in this street. It was not long. It has hatched, discovered and nurtured more than 300 entrepreneurial teams. There are plenty of entrepreneurs, a cup of coffee or a glass of water every day
, but if you just use the Internet tools to traditional lines >
Abstract: staking, barbaric growth mode of O2O industry has become the past, should pay attention to all kinds of thinking and education of O2O industry, O2O industry, if only the crazy burn and not to create educational value, are likely to fall into the dilemma.


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Stockton North MP, Alex Cunningham, today pledged to support to ban electric shock collars which can continuously shock a dog for 11 seconds.
Dogs Trust calling on Government to ban sale of electric shock collars with #ShockinglyLegal campaign, with a revelation that a third of the public wrongly believe that shock collars are already illegal.
Wales and Scotland have already banned their use, but Westminster is dragging its heels, despite the Foreign Secretary even comparing the practice to caning a child.
Alex attended a Dogs Trust drop in event at the House of Commons to pledge his support to help ban the use and sale of these aversive training device and was told a recent poll revealed around a third (31%) of the public wrongly believe shock collars are already illegal, yet despite public opinion, buying and using one of these painful devices to correct a dog’s behaviour, is shockingly still lawful in England.
84% of people know that shock collars cause a dog pain, but the sad reality is that they are still readily available to buy at the click of a button. These torturous devices can send between 100 to 6000 Volts to a dog’s neck, and have the capacity to continuously shock a dog for up to 11 terrifying seconds at a time.
Research shows that physical effects can include yelping, squealing, crouching, and physiological signs of distress in direct response to an electric shock. It’s not just shock collars – spray and sonic collars are also widely for sale.
“I’m pleased to support to Dogs Trust in calling for a ban on the use and sale of electronic shock collars. These aversive training methods are outdated and cruel, and there is no need for them to be used when there are so many positive training methods available. This is a hugely important issue for dog welfare and I hope my support will help make a difference. ”

domain: news


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iPhone toxins could curb sexual development in mammals, says GreenpeaceNovember 14th, 2007 - 2:19 am ICT by admin
The environmental agency said it found that the iPhone contained brominated compounds and hazardous PVC plastics.
However, the device appeared to comply with safety regulations, which prohibit the use of lead, cadmium, mercury and chromium, it said.
“Two of the phthalate plasticisers found at high levels in the headphone cable are classified in Europe as ‘toxic to reproduction, category 2′ because of their long-recognised ability to interfere with sexual development in mammals,” said Greenpeace Research Laboratories senior scientist, Dr David Santillo.
It is not clear whether the same plasticisers are found in other Apple products, such as the iPod.
While not prohibited for mobile phones, phthalates are banned from use in toys and childcare products across the European Union.
Greenpeace further said Apple had made little progress toward making its products green, since the iPhone contained both PVC and BFRs.
The agency also questioned whether the iPhone models slated to launch in other countries would see the chemicals eliminated.
“[Apple] has missed the call on making the iPhone his first step towards greening Apple’s products. It seems that Apple is far from leading the way for a green electronics industry as competitors, like Nokia, already sell mobile phones free of PVC,” said Greenpeace toxics campaigner Zeina Alhajj.
Presently, Greenpeace has published a slideshow and YouTube video showing how the iPhone was disassembled.
Apple has so far declined to comment on the Greenpeace report. (ANI)
- iPhone 5 release date rumors abound - Apr 21, 2011
- iPhone 4s to go on sale in China next week - Jan 06, 2012
- iPhone 4S sales top 4 mn in first weekend: Apple - Oct 18, 2011
- Wipro first India Company to offer 100 percent recyclable and toxin-free computers - Feb 11, 2010
- YouTube launches iPhone app with advertisements - Sep 12, 2012
- Chemicals in cosmetics may spike diabetes risk - Jul 15, 2012
- Apple working on less expensive iPhones - Feb 14, 2011
- China's defence ministry releases iPhone app - Aug 09, 2011
- Accessory fuels iPhone 5 speculation - Sep 17, 2011
- Apple working on smaller, cheaper iPhone - Feb 14, 2011
- Apple gets setback in patent war - Dec 10, 2011
- Steve Wozniak: Android will beat iOS - Nov 18, 2010
- Rumor has it that iPhone 5 is going to have a 4-inch display - May 21, 2012
- Apple iPhone 4S pre-orders top 1 mn in 24 hours - Oct 11, 2011
- Apple becomes most valuable company in history - Aug 21, 2012
Tags: apparent disregard, apple products, childcare products, electronics industry, environmental agency, first step towards, green electronics, greenpeace report, hazardous substances, iphone, launch, mammals, mobile phone manufacturers, mobile phones, phthalate plasticisers, phthalates, pvc plastics, santillo, sexual development, youtube


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CZECH REPUBLIC: VW's Skoda sales up 7.4% Jan-Sep year/year
Year-on-year, its nine-month sales grew 11.9% to 168,522 in Western Europe, yet fell 2.9% to 73,068 in Central Europe, Skoda said in a news release.
Among the company's biggest markets in Western Europe, sales rose 19.3% to 11,096 in Spain, 14.5% to 23,126 in the UK, 8.7% to 48,520 in Germany and 5.9% to 16,341 in Italy.
Skoda enjoyed growth across the old Communist bloc, including 80.6% to 1,479 in Ukraine, 73.1% to 4,439 in Croatia, 71.2% to 1,224 in Yugoslavia, 42.9% to 1,760 in Russia and 13.4% to 5,367 in Hungary.
Elsewhere in Eastern Europe, sales fell. The biggest drop was in Poland, down 11.6% to 28,814.
In the Czech Republic, sales rose 2.4% to 57,912 for a market share of 50.7%.
Skoda plans to sell over 400,000 vehicles in 2000. It expects turnover above 130bn Czech crowns.
Contact Ryan James Tutak, associate editor of just-auto.com for Eastern Europe:
F +36-1 / 317-7257
T +36-1 / 266-2693


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A signature sign of summer in Aurora is here.
The Aurora Farmers Market opens today – Saturday, June 4 – in downtown Aurora for its 110th season.
Every Saturday morning from June 4 through October 8, patrons can visit the state’s oldest farmers market from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Water Street Square, 65 S. Water St., across from Aurora City Hall.
Dozens of familiar farmers and fan favorites will be joined by new vendors to offer something for everyone in the family. Visitors can enjoy a Saturday morning shopping at the marketing, eating, listening to live music, and visiting downtown businesses.
“We are so excited to return for our 110th season of the Aurora Farmers Market,” said Market Manager Karla Thomas. “In recognition of this milestone season, we are thrilled to announce we are also offering two additional markets during the week.”
After a multi-year hiatus, weekday markets are returning this summer.
Every Wednesday from June 15 through August 17, the Aurora Farmers Market will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of Luigi’s Pizza, 732 Prairie St.
Every Thursday from June 16 through August 18, the Aurora Farmer Market will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of the former Toys-R-Us, 4070 Fox Valley Center Drive, right off New York Street.
“As families seek healthier, accessible food options and outside activities, we look forward to offering additional opportunities through our weekday markets,” said Thomas. All locations will accept the Illinois Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) LINK card.


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2016 Ylvisaker Cup – Final
Congratulations to this week’s Fashion on the Field winner, Stephanie Lynch!
Spectators, fans, and fashionistas reveled in the beauty of a glorious day at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Stephanie Lynch, wearing Yves Saint Laurent shoes, an Elizabeth & James dress, and topping it all off with a dashing black fascinator, is this week’s Fashion on the Field winner.
Fashion Alert: Sunday, March 6 is Lilly Pulitzer Day at IPC, so purchase your tickets early, as it will be a sellout day at the polo club.
Event: 2016 Ylvisaker Cup – Final
When: Sunday, Feb. 28
Where: International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC), Wellington
For more information, about Sunday Polo or for reservations or ticketing, please contact (561) 204-5687.
Photos by LILA PHOTO.


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Lyft is launching a developer program of its own in order to better compete with Uber. Lyft's first partner in this new endeavor is Facebook Messenger. Lyft hopes the program will eventually expand to see a wide number of developers add Lyft-hailing buttons to their own apps.
At the June 2013 Microsoft Build Developer Conference in San Francisco, Walgreens announced that the company would soon be releasing the Walgreens QuickPrints API designed for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8.
Google has announced the release of Android Studio 2.0 integrated development environment which includes a new Instant Run feature and incremental builds support. The Android Studio 2.0 release also includes previews of a new GPU Profiler tool and Android Emulator featuring a new user interface.


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LONDON European duty-paid aluminum premiums fell Feb. 6 for the first time since December 2011 as sellers accepted lower prices to shift material.
The duty-paid aluminum premium of AMM sister publication Metal Bulletin slipped to $290 to $300 per tonne from $290 to $305 previously, while the daily duty-unpaid range fell to $210 to $225 per tonne from $210 to $230.
Premiums fell as sellers had to lower offers in a very quiet spot market, with much of consumers first-quarter needs covered through short-term contracts signed late last year.
Having done little business in January, market participants reported decent tonnages this week at lower premiums.
"We bought material for this quarter at lower numbers from a trader, who took the deal because the market is very quiet," one consumer said. "There are still some (duty-paid) offers at $305, but no one is doing business there now."
Additionally, a backwardation between the June and July contracts on the London Metal Exchange has led stockholders to sell ahead at premiums below the top of recent ranges.
"Its a combination of uncertainty over the forward spreads and there not being much spot interest in either January or February. So some people are looking to offload a bit of metal, and some companies also have their year-end in March," one producer said.
"If (the December-to-January spread) was a good proxy for how wide these spreads can get, then there is clearly room for more tightness as the larger players seek to get more material under their control," one analyst said in a daily note Feb. 6, when the June-to-July spread eased into a $13 backwardation in pre-market trading vs. $17 at the previous days close.
But others are wary that some of the lower premium offers now being seen in the market could be eliminated.
"In two months, the backwardation might not be there anymore and premiums could be back above $300," the consumer said.
Premiums will see more upward pressure if more buyers come into the market over the remainder of the quarter.
"Most customers booked about 25 percent less than their budgeted needs for the first quarter," leaving some hopeful of lower premiums, a second producer said.
A version of this article was first published by AMM sister publication Metal Bulletin.


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In the wake of the 7-Eleven underpayment scandal, the Victorian government will provide free legal support to international students exploited by their employers.
The embattled convenience store chain is under investigation by the ombudsman over allegations of systemic underpayments and false record-keeping practices against its workers.
International students told the ombudsman they were paid as little as $10 per hour at several 7-Eleven stores across Victoria, with one Melbourne CBD store allegedly ripping off workers more than $84,000.
The Andrews government will put $150,000 towards free legal support to international students at the Study Melbourne Student Centre, and $152,000 to strengthen international student welfare programs.
Welfare for international students has been a concern, with a spate of high profile assaults on Indian students in recent years that threatened Melbourne's reputation as a desirable destination to study.
Owners of 7-Eleven stores allegedly threatened to report international student workers to immigration if they complained about pay and conditions because most worked more than the 40 hours they were allowed to per fortnight under their visa.
"It's crucial that we support these often vulnerable students to have a positive experience and avoid exploitation," Training and Skills minister Steve Herbert said on Wednesday.
The announcement forms part of the government's $4 million election commitment to improve international student welfare to protect Victoria's largest export, with international education worth $5.3 billion dollars a year to the state.
© AAP 2019


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Before long it may be routine to get a flu shot, a strep throat culture or other medical procedures while picking up a loaf of bread or shopping for new jeans. In-store clinics are the latest trend in healthcare and a possible solution for time-stretched consumers and the uninsured and under-insured.
Staffed by nurse practitioners, the clinics are opening in discount retail chains, supermarkets and drug stores across the country. They offer primary-care services that include immunizations, routine pediatric care, blood screenings and treatment for urinary tract, ear and sinus infections — all without long waiting room time. In most cases, patients can shop while waiting their turn and are summoned by beepers given to them when they register.
Mississippi’s first in-store clinic was opened by CheckUps in a Wal-Mart store in Forest six weeks ago. Four more are on the way in stores in Jackson, Madison, Pearl and Brookhaven in early 2007.
According to CheckUps chief executive officer Jack Tawil, the retail-based, non-emergency walk-in medical facility will have 23 clinics spread across four states by the end of January 2007. The states are Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.
“We are focusing on those four for now,” he said. “We did research and found there are quite a few residents using emergency rooms for primary care in this region. There are not enough physicians, especially in rural areas, and residents are not able to get them on weekends.”
Tawil feels residents are looking for quality healthcare and CheckUps may be a solution that offers time and cost advantages. With in-store clinics taking care of sore throats and other minor ailments, busy emergency room staffs can use their time for real traumas.
He said Wal-Mart stores were chosen because of their appeal to affordable living. “Many of their shoppers are under and uninsured and need healthcare,” he said. “Also, people living around them consider them town centers and some go in to find out what’s going on.”
CheckUps is in negotiations with other major retail chains for more possible locations, including some in Mississippi. The concept is spreading to Target, Walgreens and CVS in some areas although Tawil says CheckUps is not talking with pharmacies at this time.
Other in-store medical providers opening around the country include RediClinic, MedPoint Express and Solantic. Like CheckUps, RediClinic and MedPoint Express rely on nurse practitioners to treat patients while Solantic employs physicians.
Acceptance of the in-store clinic in Forest started slowly but is moving. Tawil expects it to grow, based on data from clinics in other states. “The major factor coming in is convenience,” he said. “They’re received well and we know new locations will improve. Acceptance across the board is good. The elderly and lower income especially like it.”
The biggest factors are saving time and money. Methods of payment include cash, private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid.
“The cost is about one-tenth of the cost of an emergency room visit,” Tawil said. “All costs are posted on a board. You never see that in a doctor’s office. People know up front what it will cost and that’s comforting at all income levels.”
Asked about any negative feedback from the medical industry, Tawil said healthcare providers are always fearful of anything new.
“They can consider in-store clinics an industry disrupter,” he said. “Family doctors are dwindling, especially in these four states. We’re looking at that and at the training of nurse practitioners. Initially, there was quite a bit of resistance but they recognize the system needs help, and are recognizing this is a way to help the problem.”
While each clinic is staffed by nurse practitioners, each location has a local overseeing physician because Tawil says it’s important to have that connection. When needed, nurse practitioners will refer patients to local physicians.
Nurse practitioners are authorized to write prescriptions, including those for controlled substances. “They’ve made great advances and have federal Drug Enforcement Agency numbers, but as a company we don’t want to be involved in controlled substances and so they won’t write prescriptions for those,” Tawil said.
He considers nurses great caregivers because they’re trained in total care and will spend time explaining things to patients. It’s being proven that people like the convenience of combining healthcare with shopping.
“I strongly believe in what we’re doing and expect it to continue to grow,” he added. “We’re sure it’s the wave of the future. Combining retail with nurse practitioners and a lack of physicians is part of the solution of not having enough physicians to support the population.”
The most requested services at clinics are flu shots, blood pressure checkups and treatment for the common cold. The clinics also have a needle-free injection system, a technology that injects medications without using a needle to penetrate the muscle.
Ken Scalia is director of operations for CheckUps and is responsible for getting all the clinics up and running. He says the biggest challenge is following certain guidelines of a business within a business.
“Because we’re doing medical service, we must work within the scope of practice, responsible for liability and must provide for that,” he said. “We’re positioning the clinics as an alternative to traditional healthcare. The traditional is not always possible in rural areas. We’re providing a level of access that is in no way replacing what a family doctor does.”
The clinics have liability insurance coverage for the individual nurses, the company and each location.
Scalia says a lot of large companies are looking at the new concept and he expects retail medicine to become bigger. A licensed respiratory therapist who’s spent 35 years in healthcare, he says the only downside would be if walk-in clinics become something they’re not designed to be.
“They’re designed for basic things and need to stay within the limits of what they’re capable of providing,” he said.
Contact MBJ contributing Lynn Lofton at firstname.lastname@example.org.
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Electronic document management programs make it easier for organization to handle bills, legal notices, contracts, letters and other statements, which is in part why a recent report by InfoTrends said the market will soon be evolving. The organization said 35 percent of all bills, approximately 8.6 billion in total, will be delivered to U.S. consumers via paperless means by 2017.
“Bills and statements are opened and read more than any other business communication,” commented study director Matt Swain. “As consumers increasingly interact with their providers on the web, via mobile apps, through e-mail attachments, and using consolidated channels, it is critical for providers to have a multi-channel communications strategy that optimizes print and electronic channels.”
CNET contributor Stephen Shankland reported that while going fully paperless will not happen immediately, this move toward using less paper has plenty of benefits for businesses. For those sending these statements, printing, postage and paper costs can be cut.
Consumers who want to receive these statements will have less paper to sort through and can easily search for what they want without having to dig through stacks of paper. By going paperless, organizations will allow customers to search through a database of PDFs instead of sending out multiple envelopes.
“Of course, you might conclude your bank can be trusted to supply such documents if you happen to need them later,” Shankland said. “Personally, I prefer to have my own records and have used them many times for actions like establishing residency and managing taxes.”
While those that send bills and receive them will likely have to adopt new technological trends to keep up with these statements, paperless billing makes everything much easier for businesses and consumers.


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With the Holidays upon us, Budweiser has been in the news with their recent marketing “Noise” of needing to reach millennials and potential usage declines of the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales in its messaging. The brand has turned back the clock on its packaging and returned to the retro look. In a special release, they have packaged beer and glassware in a wooden crate for the holidays. In 2015, Budweiser is said to target more food led event/occasions.
With friends celebrating friendships & stories at parties or bars, the extremely popular ride sharing services Uber and Lyft are primed for high demand. To the surprise of some recent users, Budweiser teamed up with Lyft to give passengers the ride home of a life time: On the Budweiser Clydesdale hitch.
It is said marketing campaigns these days are the experiences a brand can deliver. The surprised millennials encountered the icon Clydesdales in a relevant way. Icon brands always find a way to reinvent themselves and stay true to their roots.


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Health claims costs Costco healthy snacks about $5 per person per day.
A study from health claims firm Health Claim Analytics shows the company has a low failure rate when it comes to claiming that the items are healthier than other brands.
The study also found that Costco was able to successfully claim that products that it sells are the cheapest in the industry.
Health claims are typically used to compare products.
Costco is the biggest health care provider in the US, and has been a pioneer in the healthy eating movement.
However, in recent years, the company started to focus more on marketing to consumers.
The company said in a statement that its goal is to help people make healthier food choices that will help them maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Health claim companies typically collect data about consumer purchases through online surveys.
In a statement, Costco said that the survey results are based on a survey of customers who have paid for Costco-branded products or who have purchased health care related products from Costco in the past 12 months.
It said that data collected from the survey was anonymized and that it did not collect personally identifiable information.
The report from Health Claim Analysts found that health claims cost Costco healthy snack prices were higher than competitors, which means the company is more likely to claim that the product is healthier than another brand.
The firm found that in the six months that Costco’s online health claims marketplace was active, it claimed that more than 10% of its customers paid more for health food items.
Costco said in the statement that it would be working to improve its online claims marketplace and to make it more accessible.


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“We are pleased to report double-digit increases in both sales and earnings for the quarter,” said Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman of the board, president and CEO. “All five segments generated year-over-year sales growth. Earnings growth was led by excellent performance by our Jennie-O Turkey Store and Refrigerated Foods segments.”
“Our Jennie-O Turkey Store segment had an outstanding quarter, driven by favorable commodity meat margins and improved efficiencies across the entire supply chain and operations. It also experienced improved sales of value-added products. Our Refrigerated Foods segment had a strong quarter, as well, benefiting from continued high pork operating margins. We were pleased by the performance of our international business in the All Other segment, too. Both our Grocery Products and Specialty Foods segments were pressured by higher commodity input costs during the quarter,” remarked Ettinger.
The Refrigerated Foods segment had a strong first quarter, with segment operating profit 37 percent greater than last year, as favorable spreads between hog costs and primal values benefited the segment. Sales grew 13 percent during the quarter, featuring higher sales of Hormel party trays, Hormel pepperoni, Hormel refrigerated entrees, Hormel Always Tender flavored meats, and aided by the inclusion of Hormel Country Crock side dishes.
Jennie-O Turkey Store had an outstanding quarter, with segment operating profit up 122 percent. Better commodity meat prices and improved efficiencies in the supply chain and operations helped drive results. Sales grew 14 percent for this segment with increased commodity meat and value-added sales, featuring increased sales of Jennie-O Turkey Store turkey burgers, turkey bacon and fresh tray pack items.
“Due to our strong results in the first quarter, we are raising our full year guidance range from $1.55 to $1.60 per share to $1.62 to $1.68 per share. We expect to see higher input costs the balance of the year, and our team will continue to tackle the challenge of offsetting these added costs with pricing and efficiency gains. Nevertheless, we believe our strong portfolio of branded products and our balanced model should allow us to build upon the momentum of our excellent start,” concluded Ettinger.
Source: Hormel Foods Corp.
South Korean imports of U.S. beef almost double in 2010
South Korea imported 125,681 tons of beef from the United States last year, up 97 percent from the 63,817 tons imported in 2009. The amount is 63 percent of the record from 2003, before U.S. beef imports were banned and the country imported 199,409 tons of beef.
Yonhap News Agency reports that the rise in imports is due largely to dwindling concerns over its safety.
"Initially, consumers stayed clear of U.S. beef, and that hurt sales, but because it is priced much more cheaply than local meat, there has been a steady rise in demand, particularly among restaurants and catering services," a farm ministry official said.
However, Korean imports of U.S. pork fell 15 percent in 2010, down to 99,901 tons.
Source: Yonhap News Agency
Chik-fil-A surpasses $3.5 billion in annual sales
Chick-fil-A continued its trend of year-over-year growth the chain has sustained since its inception in 1967. The Atlanta-based chain finished strong in 2010, reporting system-wide sales of $3,582,473,798 an 11.37 percent increase over the chain's 2009 overall sales performance and a same-store sales increase of 5.92 percent.
"We have been very blessed with our sales performance, which is a testament to our family of franchise Operators who remain committed to the business and dedicated to attracting the very best restaurant team members," said Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operating Officer Dan T. Cathy. "Their dedication to go above and beyond our customers' expectations with warm, friendly service and gracious hospitality is key to sustaining our momentum. It's said, 'build a strong brand and sales will follow,' and we believe the Chick-fil-A brand will continue to thrive as long as we continue to focus on providing exceptional customer service and high-quality products."
Chick-fil-A will add 90 new locations to its restaurant portfolio in 2011, including 71 stand-alone locations, four mall/in-line restaurants and 15 licensed outlets. Chick-fil-A will also expand into entirely new markets for the chain, with plans to further its expansion into the Chicago metro area this spring, enter the San Francisco Bay area in the fall, and open in Boise, Idaho in the fall.
In addition to opening new restaurants, Chick-fil-A will dedicate reinvestment resources to renovate more than 200 of its existing locations in an effort to enhance the guest experience and introduce new efficiencies that will help attract and accommodate greater sales volumes.
Source: Chick-fil-A Inc.
Domino’s reinvents the chicken on its menu
Having spent time improving its pizzas, Domino’s Pizza has now turned its attention to improving its chicken offerings. The latest permanent menu feature for Domino's consists of two newly revamped chicken products – boneless chicken and wings. The campaign will mark the first time Domino's has run a national promotion around its chicken products since 2002.
The new, tastier chicken wings are available in hot, BBQ and new Sweet Mango Habanero – while the new boneless chicken gives customers more choice on how to customize to their specific tastes. In addition to the new boneless chicken, made with 100 percent whole white breast meat lightly breaded with savory herbs, a selection of dipping sauces will provide multiple options.
"Over 80 percent of our menu consists of new, permanent menu items introduced since 2008, so the desire to continue getting better goes well beyond just our pizza," said Russell Weiner, Domino's Pizza chief marketing officer. "The feedback we heard from consumers was that they wanted more choice and customization with the boneless chicken. And of course, we know how loyal wing-lovers are, so we strived to deliver on providing a better texture and flavor."
Source: Domino’s Pizza
Butterball receives two awards for media and public relations campaigns
Butterball LLC and its agency of record, Howard, Merrell & Partners, were presented regional and chapter merit awards by the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) Carolinas/Virginia chapter during the annual Best of NAMA awards banquet which was held on Thurs., Jan. 27 at the Junior League of Raleigh Center for Community Leadership.
“It is a great honor to be recognized by such a highly regarded community of industry professionals for Butterball’s efforts in agricultural communications,” said Keith Shoemaker, CEO, Butterball. “Our goal through these campaigns is to strengthen North Carolina’s agricultural economy and to support the local farming communities by providing valuable, accurate information to the media. Receiving these awards demonstrates that our work is successful in achieving these initiatives.”
Butterball worked with Howard, Merrell & Partners to gain local and national coverage during the 2009 “Fresh Season” leading up to Thanksgiving. The team promoted positive industry messages and celebrated company milestones such as the processing of the millionth bird at Butterball’s two whole bird facilities. Butterball also leveraged its second annual Garner schools art contest to engage students and reinforce the importance of agriculture in education. Communication efforts resulted in coverage reaching an audience of more than 83 million, further disseminating positive messages about agriculture throughout communities across the nation.
The 2009 White House Bird press conference and media relations campaign was implemented after the National Turkey Federation selected a Butterball grower to provide the National Thanksgiving Turkey. A press conference at the Worley Family Farm, Princeton, N.C., showcased where the presidential turkey was raised. Media were invited to tour the turkey house, meet and greet the owners and photograph the winning bird. The effort reached an audience of more than 3 million.
Source: Butterball LLC


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When you ask someone what is missing from their life, they will rarely say, "a big box store to shop in," Michael Kanter said. Instead, what people really want is a true sense of community.
That's why Somerville Local First and Cambridge Local First launched the "Shift Your Shopping" holiday campaign, asking people to make the 10 percent shift by shopping at local, independently-owned businesses from November 29 to December 31.
"This is an opportunity to get people to think about their shopping, and to make it a purposeful attempt to buy from local independents," said Kanter, the owner of Cambridge Naturals and a Cambridge Local First executive committee member. "People need to better understand that doing so can build strong, local economies."
Both the Somerville and the Cambridge Local First will hold a press conference this Friday at 10:30 a.m. in front of 253 Washington Street in Union Square (the former Hope & Glory shop) to officially divulge more details.
As for a sense of community, spending time with local business owners gives people more of an awareness of the people around them, he said. One will probably conduct a more meaningful conversation with a business owner and experience better customer service, rather than trying to find help at a mall super store.
"People appreciate the more thoughtful gifts that local shops can create, rather than just mass-produced items," Kanter said. "The appeal of the local movement means that at the end of the day, what people really need are other people and to have others support them and to not feel alone."
The month-long Shift Your Shopping effort is an extension of the annual buy local week that occurs the first week of December, said Joe Grafton, the executive director of Somerville Local First. Somerville and Cambridge, as well as Portsmouth, NH and Portland, ME are trying out the month-long movement, to capitalize on the shopping focus that the holiday seasons bring.
Somerville and Cambridge Local Firsts will hold a series of events during the Shift Your Shopping month. On Monday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Somerville Theater, there will be a panel discussion and talk about the New Orleans study, "Thinking Outside the Box," by Civic Economics that shows that local retailers have twice the local economic impact of big box stores, while taking up a fraction of the land area. WBUR's Robin Young will be the moderator and the panelists include Kanter, Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz, and Grafton.
The businesses that sponsor Somerville and Cambridge Local Firsts will hold special sales and events throughout the season, including casual photos with Santa, sing-alongs and tastings, Grafton said. Shift Your Shopping sponsors include Ball Square Fine Wines and Spirits, Downtown Wine and Spirits, GRAND, Kickass Cupcakes, and Poor Little Rich Girl. Sponsors A complete list of Shift Your Shopping events and participants can be found at www.shiftyourshopping.org
Rachel Solem, the owner of Irving House and Harding House in Cambridge, and an executive committee member of the Cambridge Local First, is excited about the Shift Your Shopping program. She added it will be a long, slow process to get people to think about buying at local, independent businesses as it's about a shift in thinking.
Many busy people prefer the ease of the Internet or dashing to a department store for something like lingerie, for example. Chances are they will find something in their size. At a smaller, local store they may not. But, often times they can order something, and they will also receive a more personalized and quality shopping experience.
"The main reason to do this is that you are in an independent shop dealing with the person in charge who makes the decisions, so that you as a customer are not part of the random world of shopping," Solem said. "You have a better quality experience, which is what we want people to know."


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Former Fox executive Mike Hopkins has been named chief executive at Hulu, the company announced Thursday.
Hopkins was previously president of distribution at Fox Networks, a division of 21st Century Fox. He is replacing interim chief executive Andy Forsell, who is leaving the L.A. streaming TV service.
Fox is a part owner of the Santa Monica-based service, along with Walt Disney Co. and NBCUniversal. Those companies put Hulu on the market earlier this year, but the sale was called off. When that decision was made, the owners said they were investing another $750 million in the company.
Hopkins said he looks forward to growing Hulu further.
“The team at Hulu has created a beloved user experience that feeds the undeniable need for quality, convenience and ease of use,” he said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to working with our creative partners, advertisers and distributors as we continue to build Hulu.”
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Sweden: Alcohol Use Stable, Purchases Decline During COVID-19
New survey results find that alcohol use is stable in Sweden and alcohol purchases decline during the COVID-19 pandemic. IOGT-NTO says these developments illustrate that basic alcohol policy assumptions work and specific measures should be improved urgently.
According to this survey, total registered alcohol purchases decreased by 7% in March and April 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. This is due to the decrease in travel imports and restaurant sales. However, alcohol consumption has remained the same according to the interviews with the survey respondents.
The reduced purchases and imports do not yet appear to have affected the actual consumption of alcohol in the population,” said Björn Trolldal, of CAN, as per the CAN website.
This could be explained by the fact that consumers to a greater extent use [alcoholic] drinks that have been saved from previous purchases or from imports during previous trips,” he added.
Unregistered alcohol purchases also reported a drop by about half compared to the previous year.
These results are in no way surprising. The reduction in alcohol purchases shows that alcohol policy, consumption and harm developments play out as predicted by well-established science,” says Irma Kilim, Head of Drug Policy at IOGT-NTO.
Fewer people in bars and the complete halt of cross-border alcohol trade have had positive and expected effects.”
Ms Kilim also emphasized that alcohol harm increases disproportionately among the most vulnerable people in society during economic downturns. That’s an important reason to improve alcohol policy solutions when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, for instance through tightened rules for alcohol cross-border trade.
Even if alcohol purchases have declined, the coronavirus crisis has worsened a number of protective factors in society, regarding alcohol harm. That’s why it is important to invest in the protection of vulnerable groups by strengthening addiction treatment, social services, women’s support services and schools,” says Ms Kilim, in an e-mail to Movendi International.
For example, children from families with parental alcohol problems are exposed to difficult situations during current crisis. As services closed, their insecure homes where the only places they had left.
The survey measures registered sales of alcohol (Systembolaget, restaurants and grocery stores) and the unregistered sales which consists of travelers’ imports, purchases of smuggled alcohol, purchases via the Internet (excluding those made through Systembolaget) and home production. The respondents’ self-reported data on their alcohol consumption is also studied in the measurements, regardless of where the alcohol comes from.
The data are based on telephone interviews and responses to a digital survey in respondents’ mobile phones. The survey is conducted daily among a random and representative sample of 17 to 84 year olds in Sweden and includes 18,000 Swedes, per year.


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Skoda Citigo-e iV vs Volkswagen e-up!: safety and reliability
Both the Volkswagen up! and Skoda Citigo – along with their sibling, the SEAT Mii – were awarded only three stars when they were evaluated by independent crash-testing body Euro NCAP in 2019. That’s down on their initial five-star rating from 2011.
This is largely due to the fact that autonomous emergency braking was dropped on all three models during a recent round of updates. ‘Safety Assist’ is an area of key consideration for Euro NCAP and cars that fail to tick the correct boxes can see their overall score suffer.
That said, both cars come with a suite of airbags, as well as useful technology such as lane-keeping assistance. You’ll find Isofix child-seat mounts in the rear of each car, too. When it comes to reliability, both cars should fare pretty well. As there are fewer moving parts they should be more dependable than their petrol predecessors, backed up by a hefty eight-year battery warranty.
Skoda fared better in the 2020 Driver Power survey, claiming fifth compared to Volkswagen's 19th-place finish. Neither car featured in the top 75 model rundown.


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Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook. These names are among the strongest brands in the world.
These companies didn’t sprout overnight as shown in biographies and countless movies about their founders Steve Jobs (Apple), Bill Gates, Paul Allen and Steve Ballmer (Microsoft), Larry Page and Sergei Brin (Google) and Mark Zuckerberg and erstwhile partner Eduardo Saverin (Facebook).
In fact, all of them started in dorm rooms and garages. Their pipe dreams turned into multi-billion dollar businesses.
Top entrepreneurs in in Cebu Business Month’s conference on Information Communication Technology-Business Process Management (ICT-BPM) shared their ideas on how Cebu’s startup businesses can raise their profile among the world’s leading service providers.
The ideas were sound and boiled down to three things: support, market access and opportunity.
They said traditional investors and the corporate world need to extend financial support and to mentor young creative minds in how to market their technology and ideas to the public.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said it was designing a national roadmap as part of government’s efforts to generate employment for Filipinos.
While some members of the academe lamented the meager government assistance to schools, there is a real need for a clear national plan to encourage the right eco-system for IT-based startup enterprises that may one day bloom into the next Facebook.
It also means having to define opportunities available in the marketplace here and now.
Right now, tech startups are limited to BPO services and some apps here and there.
Online companies like Lendo for quick loans and AyosDito.com for retail have sprouted along with mobile applications like Grab Taxi and Cebu’s version, My Cab.
Aside from providing employment, success in IT-driven startups could also address poverty in the country if the business model is geared as a social enterprise and not just a profit-driven activity.
This means partnering with communities and schools to provide sustainable livelihood and services.
Big dreams to be sure, but as successful founders of big name startups that dominate the world like Google have shown, the dreams start somewhere – a small beginning in a bedroom, a musty garage, a dorm room or office.
It’s up to the government, big business and the public to help nurture and make them a reality.
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Acer announced a new smartphone on Tuesday as the world’s second largest PC maker takes another step into mobile devices.
The Taiwan-based Acer’s Iconia Smart, released at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, has a 4.8-inch high-resolution screen, ideal for Web browsing, and uses the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, the company said in a statement.
The thin, slightly curved Iconia phone, which also includes an 8 mega-pixel camera with an LED flash, is not yet on the market. It has a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor inside.
Acer did not give a release date or a price range for the smartphone.
Those smartphones, along with Acer’s lower-priced beTouch line and the more stylish Liquid series, add to the company’s growing portfolio in a global smartphone market dominated by giants such as Apple, HTC and Nokia.
The 35-year-old manufacturer known better for its lightweight netbook computers has had up-to-date smartphone technology since acquiring handheld device maker E-Ten Information Systems in 2008, said Eddy Tseng, downstream tech analyst with SinoPac Securities in Taipei.
But Acer initially did not brand itself by getting its logo onto the shelves, he said. The company is expected to sell 5 million phones this year.
“Its technology isn’t bad, but in the past its public relations was lacking,” Tseng said. “The base is small, so to double or triple sales is something Acer can do.”
Acer smartphones target a utilitarian audience and sell for less than top brands, Tseng said.
Also in Barcelona, Acer played up its flashy Liquidmini smartphones, which went on sale recenlty, and its smallish beTouch E210, which begins shipping this month.
In other consumer product areas, Acer provided details on several tablet PCs that it had announced in November.


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The trade deficit in France narrowed to €3.3 billion in March of 2020 from a downwardly revised €5 billion in the previous month. It is the lowest trade gap since December of 2016 as the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown restrictions pushed both imports and exports down. Imports plunged 18.5% to €38.54 billion, the lowest since October of 2010 mainly due to a 14.6% drop in industrial purchases and an 18% fall in imports of mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment. Purchases from the EU went down 19.4%. Exports plunged 16.7% to €35.19 billion, the lowest since July of 2011, also due to lower sales of industrial products (-8.4%), transport equipment (-32%) and mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment (-18.3%). Shipments to the EU dropped 18.6%. Considering Q1, exports went down 7.3% and imports 6.2%, widening the trade gap to €14.5 billion.
Balance of Trade in France averaged -1336.74 EUR Million from 1970 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 2674 EUR Million in October of 1997 and a record low of -7372 EUR Million in January of 2017. This page provides the latest reported value for - France Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. France Balance of Trade - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2020. source: Ministère de l'Économie et des Finances
Balance of Trade in France is expected to be -4300.00 EUR Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Balance of Trade in France to stand at -3520.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the France Balance of Trade is projected to trend around -2650.00 EUR Million in 2021 and -3330.00 EUR Million in 2022, according to our econometric models.


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The launch of the Ripple-powered app MoneyTap was announced on Twitter on Wednesday. It uses the Ripple’s product xCurrent to allow three major banks in Japan to conduct money transfers in real-time mode. SNB Sumishin Net Bank is among them along with two others.
Money can be transferred through the aforementioned mobile app, available both on iOS and Android.
How it works
To perform a transfer of their funds, customers will just need a smartphone and a QR-code. Money can be transferred either in the local or foreign fiat currencies. No commission is charged. The system is secured with a special system of biometric authentication by scanning fingerprints. Earlier, U.Today reported that a similar system is used on the Opera crypto wallet.
Unfortunately for crypto enthusiasts, XRP tokens are not engaged in this app. It is solely for fiat transactions.
Legal basis issue solved
In September, SBI put the last hindrance for launching the app out of the way by obtaining a license from Japanese fiscal regulators and received the status of “Electronic Settlement Agency Service Provider”.
Further prospects, similar projects
In the future, MoneyTap is expected to join around 60 Japanese banks in its network, which would mean covering three quarters of the country’s assets kept in banks.
Ripple has also been working with banks in other parts of the world, launching payment services based on its products. Thus, the Spanish banking giant Santander stated in spring its intention to also create a Ripple-based payment app. It would be built on xCurrent and RippleNet.


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Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Revenue of the Viettel Store system under Viettel Group posted a 40 percent year-on-year increase, more than triple the average level of the telecom market and marking record growth after 15 years of operation.
The results were thanks to its digital transformation and customer-centric strategy. It is expected that its revenue this year would reach 7.4 trillion VND (326.4 million USD), increasing 56 percent from the previous year.
Its data system at over 700 agents and 7,000 transaction branches nationwide was synchronised to improve customer care.
As one of the four pillars in its development strategy, logistics and e-commerce invested by Viettel to take the lead in retail trends in the new normal period, including omni-channel store model; restructuring operations from physical stores; and enhancing the digital experience at stores and supermarkets.
Viettel Store system has been one of the retail chains with the highest sales in the high-end segment in the market. It has been ranked in the Top 10 most prestigious retail brands in Vietnam voted by Vietnam Report and Vietnam net online newspaper./.
- Connections and UiPath signed a partnership to support digital transformation
- Digital transformation roadmap finalized
- Youth focus helps Prada sashay back to profit growth
- ND chief pledges to digitally transform state
- How Google Digital Garage helped to create a children's book business
- How Google Digital Garage helped dad create children's book business
- Google Digital Garage helped swim school get off to splashing start
- Tech Progress Sought to Drive Growth in China
- British Consumers Headed to Stores in Sweltering May
- GDP growth touted as “historic” by Trump is anything but
- Nordstrom Investors Spurn Growth Plan That Fits Just Fine
- The Welsh start-ups that have raised millions to fuel ambitious growth plans
- Turkish economy needs ‘deep-rooted’ transformation for sustainable growth: Şimşek
- Business Breakfast LIVE: Sainsbury's growth slows amid 'competitive market'
- BRICS countries the engine that powers global economic growth
- Germany Has Thrived With Engineering. But the Future Is Digital
- Rarity of cancer in elephants may help explain cancer in humans
- Marks & Spencer profits plunge as transformation costs weigh
- Boohoo's sales nearly double and profits jump 40%
- Turkish GDP grows double digits, fastest-growing in G20
Digital transformation helps Viettel Store achieve 40 percent growth have 361 words, post on en.vietnamplus.vn at November 29, 2021. This is cached page on Talk Vietnam. If you want remove this page, please contact us.


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Huge news: Millions of PHP developers can now build mobile apps for iOS and Android in PHPMay 23, 2015
Zend Studio 10 will let PHP developers prototype and build native mobile apps right from the language they know best, PHP. The new capability includes a WYSIWYG drag-and-drop mobile interface builder, integration with the Apache project’s Cordova to access native mobile APIs such as those for cameras, and built-in PhoneGap integration so developers can publish native app packages to the various app stores.This is a major game-changer for PHP developers, who until now have been shut out of the mobile app revolution. Apps for iPhone and iPad are coded in Objective-C, while apps for Google’s Android mobile operating system are built in Java. This new announcement means that millions of new developers have just been invited to the mobile development party.


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New information about AMD’s RX Vega has leaked, including onboard VRAM, product SKUs, and TDP ratings.
Five weeks ago, AMD blew a hole in Intel’s high-end desktop pricing with the launch of Ryzen 7. Today, Ryzen 5 is hoping to do the same thing to Intel’s Core i5 / i7 market.
Nvidia just launched a new, top-end GPU to replace the six-month old Titan X. The new Titan Xp is faster, bigger, and meaner than its predecessor.
A new patch for Ashes of the Singularity gives AMD’s Ryzen substantially improved performance. AMD, it seems, wasn’t kidding when it said properly optimized executables could make a significant difference.
Nvidia announced the GTX 1080 Ti at GDC. It packs almost all the horsepower of the Titan X, with few compromises.
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GM's Arlington plant is humming to build such SUVs as the hot-selling Yukon. (Kye R. Lee / MCT)
Arlington, Texas— Already operating around the clock during the week, the General Motors Assembly Plant plant here also ran three Saturdays last month as workers try to meet the demand for GM’s 2015 model full-size SUVs.
In a rare move, the Arlington plant even ran overtime on a recent Sunday. Enough workers volunteered to schedule one shift, plant spokeswoman Donna McLallen said.
The Arlington plant remains a bright spot for GM, which has been beset by millions of recalls and a national controversy over defective ignition switches on old compacts linked to at least 13 deaths — none of which affects Arlington’s SUVs. The plant is GM’s only full-size SUV factory now, and the 4,500 workers build the Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade.
Although big truck-based SUVs don’t sell in the volumes they once did, those left in the segment tend to be loyal repeat buyers. And GM’s full-size SUVs dominate the segment, with a 75 percent share.
In April, Yukon sales shot up a startling 136 percent from the same month in 2013, and they were up 42.2 percent in May. The Escalade, the last vehicle to be added to Arlington’s build mix, reported a modest 2.6 percent sales increase in May, though business was slowed by an air bag recall.
“We haven’t seen these kinds of numbers since early 2008,” said Mark Clawson, marketing manager for the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban. “We’re turning Suburbans in 10 days and Tahoes in 17.”


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During the ninth round of negotiations of a free trade agreement between the United States and three South American nations in the Andean region — Colombia, Peru and Ecuador — Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo called for ”greater flexibility” on the part of Washington.
Chile and Peru will start negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) in January, local press cited Chilean Foreign Minister Ignacio Walker as saying on Saturday.
Thailand and Peru have edged closer to forming a free trade area (FTA) following discussions between Thai Trade Representative Kantathir Suphamongkhon and Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, in which the Peruvian leader promised to exercise greater trade flexibility with Thailand than with other countries, and to review a ban on the import of Thai rice.
The entry into force of a U.S. free-trade agreement with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru will open important markets for the United States, bolster the economies and counternarcotics efforts in the Andean nations, and should be concluded in a timely fashion, says Deputy U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Peter Allgeier.
Tariffs on agricultural products and definitions of intellectual property rights, particularly for pharmaceuticals, are shaping up as the most contentious issues in the free trade negotiations between the United States and three Andean nations, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Peru’s Vice Minister of Foreign Trade Pablo de la Flor was in Bangkok earlier this week for the third round of free-trade agreement talks between Thailand and Peru.
"One of the key aspects of the free trade agreement that the United States is negotiating with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru refers to access to the biological wealth of the three South American nations."
As the United States and Peru negotiate a bilateral trade pact, a United Nations human rights expert has urged them to ensure any agreement includes public health safeguards so that essential drugs do not become unaffordable for millions of Peruvians.
The Peruvian Congress has passed legislation to protect the country’s biodiversity by restricting patents on biological resources.
From 18-19 May, representatives of three Andean nations — Peru, Ecuador and Colombia — met with US officials in Cartagena, Colombia for the first round of negotiations aimed at a US-Andean free trade agreement (FTA).
The United States announced today that Peru and Ecuador will join with Colombia in the first round of negotiations on a U.S.-Andean Free Trade Agreement (FTA) scheduled for May 18-19.


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Québec – QSL, a world-class company specializing in the operation of port terminals, stevedoring, maritime services, logistics and transportation throughout North America, is now the very first Canadian maritime company to adhere to the United Nations Global Compact. This prominent Quebec company is setting the pace with its continued commitment to sustainable development.
« We are incredibly proud to announce our adherence to the United Nations Global Compact and its ten principles enshrining human rights and international standards for labour, the environment and anticorruption. It shows that QSL is ready to integrate these principles in its corporate strategy, culture, and daily activities, and to bring progress where we have influence, » said QSL President and CEO Robert Bellisle.
The United Nations Global Compact is the world’s largest sustainable development initiative for businesses. The United Nations launched it to give the global economy a human dimension. It provides a way for responsible businesses to apply sustainable development principles in their strategies and operations. Membership comes with certain responsibilities including the publication of yearly progress reports describing the company’s efforts in integrating the ten principles.
« Respect for the environment is at the heart of our corporate culture. It drives us to innovate and raise the bar to reduce our environmental footprint and support the vitality of the communities in which we operate. For us, it’s crystal clear: being good isn’t enough; we have to be the best, » added Mr. Bellisle.
“Over the years, our commitment has resulted in Green Alliance certification for our terminals, complete water treatment systems and an extensive network of electric conveyors, local production and supply of equipment, citizens’ committees, the adoption a circular economy approach and the development of new technologies such as telemetry.”
QSL will also eliminate plastic water bottles entirely in all its ports and terminals by early 2022, a yearly reduction of 500,000 plastic bottles.(Photo QSL)


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For 30 years Abilene has hosted a business expo for the community. On Wednesday, it will kick off again.
The Business Expo will be held at the Abilene Civic Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free with a ticket from the Chamber of Commerce, but it costs $5 at the door without a ticket.
More than 200 businesses and vendors are set to be there giving away free gifts and door prizes.


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Pop-up Post Office opens at market
Published 30/11/2012 | 00:09
The Post Office has opened its first ever "pop-up shop" to help cope with the surge in business in the run-up to Christmas.
The temporary office is in London's Camden Market and will be open seven days a week until Christmas Eve.
The Post Office said it will consider opening more of the pop-up offices in future.


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The future of TV is being challenged. Consumers are already moving away from traditional TV to alternative methods of viewing, so will we really continue to have a large screen in our homes dedicated to the audio-visual experience that today we call television? Leading companies are re-evaluating the role of television in our home and examining how semiconductor technology may help develop and expand the user experience beyond the traditional screen we see today.
As a designer of semiconductor IP, Imagination is uniquely positioned to tackle many of the foreseen challenges within the TV market.
In this article, I will attempt to describe a potential future direction for television and list the IP needed to create a more exciting and compelling user experience.
Back to basics
A few years ago, the future of TV appeared uncertain. Market reports showed 3D displays were not providing a compelling option for users; meanwhile, more consumers were switching from traditional broadcast programming to OTT content served via tablets, smartphones, and several alternative media playing devices.
The advent of 4K however has pushed things in a more positive direction. This is because most consumers understand the value of 4K and its main proposition: at twice the resolution of HDTV (1080p), 4K promises to deliver another revolution in image quality to TVs everywhere.
The continual development in display technology has brought the costs of 4K down, whilst 8K resolution is actively being pursued by broadcasters such as NHK and the BBC. Indeed Japan remains on track to commence test transmissions of 8K TV as early as 2016 with nationwide broadcast scheduled for 2020.
In order to take advantage of the increased resolution on offer, display sizes have also increased and we are already seeing 4K TVs with 110-inch diagonal dimension. The increase in display size allows the viewer to perceive improved image quality at average viewing distances, with TVs attempting to replicate the high-resolution display trend first noted in smartphones and tablets.
8K TVs would likely push the envelope still further were it not for the sheer unwieldiness of such displays being the limiting factor. The physical size of the display required to make 8K a differentiator means that there is likely nothing beyond this in terms of display resolution development: it’s simply not beneficial to build TVs with resolutions beyond 8K.
Therefore manufacturers need to start thinking outside the box – or, more precisely, outside the screen.
Extending the display surface
One solution is to assemble several physical screens into a tiled array to create a large format display. The advantage to this multi-screen approach is that the resolution of each screen can effectively remain static – likely 4K maximum per screen – whilst the display size becomes potentially unlimited. The result is that individual screens themselves can be physically smaller but the effective pixel density of the display overall becomes much, much larger.
Whilst this offers a prohibitively expensive solution today, technological improvements and mass-market adoption will continually erode the price of such display methods; for example, the promise of flexible screen technology should eventually make it feasible to wallpaper a room with tiled displays.
Of course the idea of tiled displays is not new, indeed there are several examples today using PCs with high-end graphics cards to drive arrays of flat panels. But this solution is expensive and ultimately non-scalable beyond a handful of screens.
So, regardless of the physical implementation of display technology itself, be this anything from arrays of small OLED screens through to ultra-short-throw micro projectors, there is a requirement for cost-efficient semiconductor IP that can manage several screens as single or multiple uninterrupted display surfaces.
We are already experiencing migration towards extremely slim, frameless flat panels and flexible screens; this helps seed the embryonic market for tiled displays. It is anticipated that manufacturers will be quick to harness the opportunity to differentiate their screens in order to make multiple sales of flat panel televisions. Likewise there exists the opportunity for semiconductor vendors to develop technology that can be embedded into every screen, allowing them to communicate and become part of a much larger display.
These chips can be built today by taking advantage of the large portfolio of IP that Imagination has developed over the years. This includes a combination of hardware and software working together to achieve tight synchronization between displays:
- Building a high-performance connected audio/video solution based around the IP subsystem announced earlier this year with TSMC. The resulting SoC would include MIPS P- or I-class CPUs, a PowerVR Series7 GPU, PowerVR Series5 video encoders and decoders, and an Ensigma Explorer RPU.
- Using our StreamSync technology for screen synchronization over Wi-Fi, extending the work achieved for Caskeid synchronous audio. StreamSync carries the timing signals for both audio and video, ensuring that every screen in the array is fully synchronized with its neighbours.
- Always rendering video as a texture, thereby reducing the engineering effort to support video across the same distributed interface
And if you’re thinking that wall-sized displays remain in the realms of science fiction, back in July 2014 LG demonstrated paper-thin flexible TV display panels to the industry. Their research panel has a resolution of 1,200 x 800 pixels, however LG publicly stated they are confident of manufacturing 60-inch Ultra HD (4K) rollable TV displays by 2017.
Reusing existing mobile displays in the living room
Another option for improving and extending the display surface of a TV is to reuse existing smartphones and tablets in the living room to create a unique experience called free viewpoint TV.
This is achieved by the broadcaster creating an image with a 180° field-of-view using six HD cameras and delivering to the TV. The viewer then selects desired areas from the resultant 5Kx2K image to display on a particular screen, be it the TV or the tablet.
From the broadcaster’s perspective, there is one single video stream delivered to each home. But inside the living room, it gives the viewer an impression of moving the camera around. Furthermore, a single button press on the remote control would return the viewer to the standard broadcaster-selected feed, just as for normal TV.
This technique would also imply equipping the TV with more processing power than your average entry-level smartphone. At a minimum, the TV SoC would need a MIPS I-class CPU, a PowerVR Rogue GPU, a PowerVR Series5 decoder capable of transcoding 4K video and an Ensigma RPU to rebroadcast the video streams to connected tablets and smartphones.
Meantime broadcasters are already considering the wider benefits of synchronizing IP-connected devices with TV programming. DVB-CSS is a proposed new standard that allows devices such as tablet, smartphones and other similar companion screens (or “second screens”) to interact with the TV or set-top box directly and become integrated into the overall broadcast TV experience.
Use of DVB-CSS is anticipated to commence with deployment of TVs and STBs using the HbbTV 2.0 standard. This will enable tablets and smartphones to present audio-visual content precisely in sync with the TV, thereby engaging viewers in new and interesting ways of interacting with broadcast TV programming and enable active participation in live events.
This article only scratches the surface of what’s possible. As we follow this market closely, we are very excited to see how semiconductor vendors use our IP to drive innovation for the next phase of television history.
If you are interested to talk to us in more detail about the future of TVs, get in touch via our contact page. Make sure you also stay tuned to our blog and follow us on @ImaginationTech for future announcements.


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We wouldn't be astonished if there's a report in transit sooner rather than later - while this is certifiably not a devastating issue, it's all around annoying in the event that you put a huge amount of trade out Apple's most recent cell phones.
With "Smart HDR", we were able to capture more highlight and shadow detail in scenes where we previously could not.
The first ads from bought iPhone or iPhone XS XS Max appeared on the morning of 28 September, on the first day of official sales leaders in Russian Federation. The phone uses Dolby's Vision engine to enhance the display.
Fortunately, there is a potential fix that is helping many sufferers of the iPhone XS charging issue, at least until Apple addresses the problem in a press statement or software patch. The iPhone X also showed his facial hair clearly, but the iPhone XS blurs out some of his facial hair and just generally makes his face look too flat and blurry.
The battery life on the iPhone XS is better thanks to A12 Bionic chip, helping the device last up to 30 minutes longer than iPhone X on similar level of usage. The front-facing camera on the device is a 7-megapixel f/2.2 lens, and this remains unchanged on the latest iPhone when compared to the iPhone X. The phone is iP67 water resistant. They also suggest that this could be a major hardware problem that can likely be solved by replacing the device.
Both models support dual SIM cards. Hilsenteger went as far as to call the effect "beautygate".
Siri Shortcuts and Screen Time help users manage their time spent on the device.
Apart from its price, nothing appears out of sync with the iPhone XS. The iPhone XR, meanwhile, is expected to start at Rs.76,900 and was unveiled on September 12 with sales starting from October 26.
If this is the first time you've seen these cool wallpapers and you want them for your iPhone X or iPhone XS, you'll find links to that collection and more on this page. The smartphones will be available via Amazon India, Flipkart, and Paytm Mall.
"Overall, the iPhone XS Max represents an 's-year upgrade, ' whereby the physical smartphone design remains relatively unchanged from the previous iPhone X version released in 2017, but most of the core components have been upgraded", said Wayne Lam, principal analyst for mobile devices and networks at IHS Markit.


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American carrier AT&T is looking towards expanding into Europe, according to insiders. The telecommunications giant may be making a bid to buy a mobile phone network, with the likelihood that the company will upgrade older generations of technology and improve the slow rate of 4G rollouts
, as well as moving towards more modern pricing structures of contracts.
Current targets for the acquisition operate in Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, according to sources of the Wall Street Journal
. Recent 4G-based network Everything Everywhere
in the UK and Royal KPN in the Netherlands are the most likely targets for AT&T, though company executives are said to be split on the plan.
Some view the international expansion as a marketplace with high handset turnover, full of customers regularly upgrading their smartphones. The fact that most carriers in Europe are holding on to their voice and SMS services for revenue could allow AT&T to push plans based upon data usage, a market that is growing though stalled by the lack of widespread 4G signal, something that AT&T can accelerate the growth of. Reaching out to Europe could also slow AT&T's progress in the US, a market that could be dominated by foreign-owned carriers in the future, such as Sprint being owned by Softbank
AT&T has been looking towards expanding via acquisition for a while now. In 2011, the carrier attempted to merge with T-Mobile USA, in a buyout valued at $39 billion, though it was blocked
after the Department of Justice sued on antitrust grounds
. An attempt at buying another carrier, even outside the US, could face similar scrutiny to the failed T-Mobile merger.


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Malawi on Saturday commemorated the World Competition Day with a sensitisation event that was hosted by the Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) in Kasungu district.
The commission took advantage of the commemoration to sensitise people in Kasungu on unfair trading practices by traders and the need for consumers to stand up against the malpractices.
CFTC chief executive officer Wezzie Malonda said consumers and traders needs to be aware about fair trading regulations and report malpractices to relevant authorities.
“Pl ease report any cases of abuse of market power and the commission will accordingly deal with those matters,” she told the gathering.
She said it was the responsibility of the commission to ensure fair trading on the market and to protect consumers from any misconduct by traders.
Malonda s a id the commission has so far successfully investigated various cases on unfair trading practices and that remedial measures have been provided.
Kasungu Municipal Council principal administration officer, Thomas Mwafongo, said the council will not sit down and watch any trader abusing the market by exploiting competitors or consumers.


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LEAKED new data shows the state of the Australian streaming market between Netflix, Foxtel’s Presto and Fairfax’s Stan nearly two months after Netflix launched in Australia.
According to the data produced by research company Experian Hitwise and published by The Australian, since launching, the US streaming service has received more than double the hits than that of its Australian rivals, with its closest competitor being ABC’s iView.
What’s perhaps most interesting about the data is that Netflix’s surge to the top occured on Day 1, with more than 475,000 visits to the service.
Catch up services are proving to be more popular than the local streaming offerings, with ABC iView, Plus7 and TenPlay all recording significantly more than Presto and Stan.
Presto received a slight bump after the launch of Netflix and thanks to a few promotions by Telstra, one of its parent companies. At this stage it looks like Stan is flatlining in last place, however the Fairfax owned service has questioned the figures, stating that the data didn’t take note of the sub-domain where Stan hosts its plays.
The data also conflicts with the 200,000 gross subscribers that Stan announced it has, as of last week. That number doesn’t split the number of paying subscribers with those still on their one-month trial.
The stats also offer a glimpse at Australia’s streaming habits, showing peaks by both Netflix, Presto and iVew ocurring on the Easter long weekend.


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WASHINGTON, D.C., November 27, 2006 – The Rubber Manufacturers Association’s industrial products division is changing its name from the “General Products Group” (GPG) to the “Elastomer Products Group” (EPG). The change is recognition by the RMA leadership that TPEs are a growing market segment within the broader “non-tire” rubber industry sector represented by the (former) GPG.
“The growing popularity and demand for TPE-based application throughout the world made the decision to reach out more aggressively to TPE resin producers and product-makers a natural progression,” said Kevin D. Ott, vice president, Elastomer Products Group. “With the Elastomer Products Group, RMA will be better positioned to serve the broader elastomer industry and provide programs, benchmarking reports, worker training and certification, specialized conferences, and other services of continued value that will now include all sectors of the elastomers business.”
TPEs are rubber-based compounds that can be processed like plastics and are recyclable and easily colorable. TPEs are already being adopted in hundreds of applications, ranging from automotive sealing systems to medical devices and consumer products. TPEs share many properties with traditional thermoset rubbers (TSRs).
TSRs are the basis for hundreds of applications, including under-the-hood automotive components, sealing systems, gaskets, power transmission belts, hoses and dozens of other high-stress applications.
RMA’s short-term plans, among other activities, will include gathering and providing TPE industry data and information to help businesses evaluate their positions in the marketplace. “We will now serve as a business voice for both the traditional thermoset elastomers sector and the TPE industry as well,” Ott said. “We hope the entire elastomers industry will view RMA as a key resource as we move forward.”
Additionally, two RMA events already in planning stages will feature speakers and activities to highlight the market for TPE’s and the inherent opportunities for domestic and global elastomer businesses.
The first event is the RMA Elastomer Products Group annual meeting, February 26, 2007 in Tucson, AZ. The meeting will feature the remarks by Robert Eller, an Akron-based business consultant specializing in decision quality analysis in support of management in the global plastics and rubber industries. The meeting will also address workforce development issues impacting the entire manufacturing sector. EPG will also be forming a TPE Business Council that will meet at the 2007 Annual Meeting.
Another event, tentatively titled, “TPEs and the Thermoset Rubber Industry: Market Trends, Threats and Business Opportunities,” is scheduled for June 2007 in the Cleveland area and will be sponsored by several TPE and TSR industry interests. This business seminar, geared toward manufacturers of thermoset rubber products, polymer suppliers and the rubber industry supply chain is planned as a non-commercial series of presentations for the rubber industry and other attendees, and will include a design seminar and global market-trend analyses for both TSRs and TPEs.
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The Rubber Manufacturers Association is the national trade association for the rubber products industry. Its members include more than 100 companies that manufacture various rubber products, including tires, hoses, belts, seals, molded goods, and other finished rubber products. RMA members employ over 120,000 workers and account for more than $21 billion in annual sales.


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After finishing its best month of gains in about three decades, the stock market started May on a sour note as sentiment turned negative on the worsening unemployment situation and increasing tension between the U.S. and China over the spread of coronavirus.
Millions more Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, sending the six-week total above 30 million since the coronavirus pandemic began to shutter businesses across the country. With that huge economic cost, President Donald Trump threatened to slap tariffs on Chinese imports, blaming the Asian nation for misleading the world about the pandemic.
If Trump acts on his threat, that could again start a trade war between the world’s two largest economies, diminishing prospects for a quick economic recovery. All major U.S. benchmarks, including the S&P 500, Dow and NASDAQ, slumped about 3% on Friday.
In the coming week, we’ll still see a few big names from different sectors of the economy reporting their first-quarter numbers. Here’s what we’re watching:
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) reports earnings for the fiscal 2020 second quarter after the closing bell on Tuesday, May 5. Analysts are expecting $18.05 billion in sales and $0.93 a share profit per share.
With the entertainment giant’s theme parks closed all over the world due to COVID-19, Disney is expected to report earnings from resorts and consumer products fell by $500 million or more in the period.
The Burbank, CA-based company is also suffering on other fronts: there are no live sporting events for its ESPN network to cover and no theaters currently open where its movies can be shown. Film and TV production has shut down, and its cruise ships are docked.
Faced with these challenges in the coming quarters, Disney probably won’t have much positive news to provide and could avoid delivering future guidance. One bright spot could be the subscriber numbers on its newly-launched streaming service, Disney+ which is benefiting from the stay-at-home environment.
Shares have fallen 27% this year, closing at $105.50 on Friday, after a 2.5% decline for the day.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) will report results for the first quarter before the market opens on Wednesday, May 6. The carmaker is expected to show $0.47 a share profit on sales of $32.09 billion.
Auto manufacturers are among the worst hit companies in this pandemic. Global lockdowns have forced them to close their plants, while at the same time sales have collapsed.
Last week, GM suspended its dividend and share buyback program as the largest U.S. automaker seeks to preserve cash. The moves announced Monday follow other cash-saving measures taken at the beginning of April, when the company deferred 20% of salaried workers’ pay, cut top executive compensation and put 6,500 employees on leave.
GM shares have plunged more than 45% this year, massively underperforming the benchmark S&P 500 which is down about 13% since the beginning of 2020. The stock fell more than 6% on Friday to close at $20.90.
Investors in Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) are likely to face another volatile week. The electric carmaker’s shares plunged on Friday after its CEO, Elon Musk, said in a tweet that Tesla stock is too high.
Musk posted more than a dozen times in a span of less than a 75 minutes on Friday, claiming he’s selling “almost all” of his physical possessions and won’t own a house. He also renewed his call for reopening the U.S. economy.
It’s not the first time Musk has warned investors about the high price of his own stock. In the three most recent events, Tesla shares remained in the red one year out, while in the 2013 episode, Tesla plunged 30% in the following month. It eventually recovered over the one-year period, According to Baird Equity Research cited by CNBC.
Investors became more confident about Tesla this year, after the carmaker released a better-than-expected earnings reports, raising expectations that the company was in a stronger position to withstand the coronavirus-triggered slowdown. Shares of the Palo Alto-CA company fell more than 10% on Friday, closing at $701.32.
Image and article originally from stockmarketnewsdottoday.wordpress.com. Read the original article here.


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The producers of Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl have announced that they are abandoning their idea to incorporate NFTs tied to the next post-apocalyptic game “after hearing criticism.” The team’s first objective, according to the corporation, is to protect the interests of its supporters and players. GSC Game World is developing and publishing the first-person shooter game, which will be released on Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X/S in April 2022. GSC Game World has announced that by utilizing blockchain technology, the community will be able to own a piece of the game.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl, a sequel to the 2009 cult classic Stalker: Call of Pripyat, announced on Wednesday that it will be collaborating on digital products with NFT platform DMarket. One of the NFTs they planned to give would have allowed the owner to become a “metahuman,” which would have converted them into a gaming non-player character (NPC).
The upgrade occurred after many gamers voiced their displeasure with the notion by generating memes on Twitter and Reddit. Some fans have even stated that they will not purchase Stalker 2. GSC quickly presented an explanation, but the fans were unconvinced.
The backlash might be due in part to the company’s failure to explain why it wanted to introduce NFTs tied to the popular game in the first place.
The administration has voiced worry that cryptocurrency may be used to deceive investors, as well as to support terrorist operations and money laundering.
The crypto market was recently jolted by rumors that the Indian Parliament’s agenda included a measure that sought to outlaw any private cryptocurrencies from functioning in the nation. The agenda also said that the government intends to introduce an official digital currency for India.
It should be noted, however, that this exact identical measure was also scheduled for the Budget Session but was not considered at the time.
The finance ministry’s plan is currently seeking cabinet clearance before it is sent to Parliament.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Twitter account was momentarily hijacked, resulting in a message declaring that India had “formally recognised Bitcoin as legal cash.”


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Together with its store guests and company associates, the SpartanNash Foundation’s scan campaign to provide hunger relief raised $278,105 to support more than 100 local food pantries and food banks in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Simultaneous check presentations will take place companywide on Wednesday, Dec. 5, celebrating the success of the SpartanNash Foundation’s scan to end hunger and thanking store guests for their donations.
The hunger scan was the fourth scan campaign the SpartanNash Foundation executed in 2018, raising more than $1 million and benefitting local Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, patriotic partners and local food banks. One hundred percent of all money raised is granted to the Foundation’s national, regional and local 501(c)(3) nonprofit partners through the generosity of store guests and funds contributed by SpartanNash and the SpartanNash Foundation.
Between October 24 and November 4, store guests who visited any participating SpartanNash-owned retail store or fuel center in eight states had the opportunity to donate $1, $5 or $10 at any checkout lane, supporting local food pantries and food banks in the communities where the funds were raised.
Each store selected the local community food partner its campaign would support, ensuring the scan to end hunger would have a significant local impact.
“Just $1 can provide as many as four meals to those in our community struggling with food insecurity, so together, we can provide more than 1.1 million meals with the funds raised during our Foundation scan to end hunger,” said Meredith Gremel, vice president of corporate affairs and communications and the executive director of the SpartanNash Foundation. “As a company that takes food places, we understand the importance of having healthy, affordable food that is accessible to everyone, and we are proud to join with our store guests to support our local food banks and food pantries and the work they do in our local communities.”
More than 100 local food pantries will receive monetary support thanks to the scan to end hunger, with some SpartanNash stores – such as the five Dan’s Supermarkets in Bismarck, N.D. and Forest Hills Foods and the Knapp’s Crossing D&W Fresh Market in Grand Rapids, Mich. – teaming up to support the same food bank in their area.
In total, the Dan’s Supermarkets raised $17,450, all of which will be donated to the Salvation Army. Forest Hills Foods and the Knapp’s Crossing D&W Fresh Market raised $13,000 on behalf of God’s Kitchen.
Other top fundraising efforts included:
- $6,725 granted to Together, Inc. on behalf of six Family Fares and one No Frills (Omaha, Neb.)
- $6,600 granted to Great Plains Food Bank on behalf of three Family Fares (Fargo, N.D.)
- $6,200 granted to Food Bank of South Central Michigan on behalf of four Family Fares (Battle Creek, Mich.)
- $4,725 granted to LOVE in Action on behalf of D&W Fresh Market (Grand Haven, Mich.)
- $4,475 granted to Oakwood Neighborhood Association Food Pantry on behalf of D&W Fresh Market (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
- $4,350 granted to Red Wing Area Food Shelf on behalf of Family Fare (Red Wing, Minn.)
- $3,900 granted to River Falls Food Pantry on behalf of Family Fresh Market (River Falls, Wisc.)
A complete list of participating stores and their partner pantries can be found at spartannash.com/end-hunger [spartannash.com].
In total, the SpartanNash Foundation raised and granted $1,051,305 to nonprofit partners through its annual scan campaigns – the second consecutive year the fundraising efforts have topped $1 million.


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TALLINN - The Swedish furniture and home accessories retailer IKEA has started hiring in Estonia and launched competitions to fill over 40 positions.
The company needs to fill positions in logistics, sales and customer service as early as before the fall, IKEA said.
Aleksejs Mihailovs, head of IKEA's pickup point in Estonia, said that both experienced workers and beginners interested in retail are eligible to put in for the positions as well as those looking for full-time or part-time work.
The Estonian team will initially consist of 50 people.
The Swedish retail giant said in April that it is planning to open in the fall of this year an online store in Estonia and establish an order and collection point along with a showroom in Tallinn. Estonia will be the first country where IKEA opens an online shop before a brick-and-mortar store, the company said at the time.
IKEA's order and collection point along with a showroom will be established at 66 Peterburi Road in Tallinn. The total area of the building will be 6,000 square meters, of which 1,500 square meters is for the showroom and planning area.
So far, IKEA has opened two stores in the Baltic states, one in Vilnius and one in Riga, as well as two order and collection points in Lithuania. On the global scale, IKEA is operating in 50 countries in which it has opened over 400 stores.


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Call Patagonia’s tags a viral gimmick, but it’s in line with the Bills Backers Cleveland shirt it is in the first place but brand’s ethos and a good reminder of the larger problems we’re facing. With glaciers melting at rapid rates and forest fires ablaze in California, our earth is literally burning, and Patagonia is using its clothes to remind us of one way to tackle the problem: Oust those who are ignoring or indifferent to it all. And this applies especially to Trump, who just this week said of global warming, “It’ll start getting cooler. You just watch.”There are no rules or dress codes, but wearing a mask is of course encouraged if you’re outside. Whether you have an outfit you’ve been itching to wear post-quarantine or you want to re-create your favorite street style ensemble from years past using clothes and accessories in your closet, anything and everything bold is welcome. It’s time to shine and change the street style game, so get out and there and do the most!
“I’m more proud than I’ve ever been,” says Lulu Kennedy, the Bills Backers Cleveland shirt it is in the first place but founder of Fashion East. Over the past 20 years, Kennedy’s young designer program has launched many of fashion’s most influential talents, from Kim Jones to JW Anderson to Simone Rocha to Mowalola. Now, even with the COVID-19 pandemic, Kennedy has found designers to support and a new medium to promote them: film. “These designers have worked tirelessly through lockdown—not once complaining about the challenges, with such positivity and poise. I’m humbled and very inspired by them.”