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Over the past year, LOLIWARE has made significant steps towards achieving a plastic-free future. We’ve seen important progress towards a global plastics treaty, ongoing growth in the seaweed aquaculture and seaweed biomaterials industries to provide replacements to plastic, and key achievements from LOLIWARE itself in funding milestones, scaled product production, and the securing of new strategic partnerships. While there is still plenty of work to be done, we want to use Earth Month 2023 as an opportunity to reflect on some of the key accomplishments since last year’s Earth Day celebrations as well as important milestones on the horizon for 2023:
LOLIWARE’s Seaweed-Based Resins have Proven Compatibility with Existing Manufacturing Equipment, Opening Up Possibilities for Plastic Replacements
Last April, in a pivotal moment for both LOLIWARE and the seaweed biomaterials sector as a whole, LOLIWARE announced a new partnership with midwest manufacturer Sinclair and Rush to produce LOLIWARE’s compostable straws at scale. Over the 12 months since the announcement, Sinclair and Rush has produced LOLIWARE straws using the same equipment traditionally used to create the plastic straws LOLIWARE seeks to replace - no new infrastructure needed. By achieving scale without upending traditional manufacturing methods, LOLIWARE is poised to use its innovative seaweed-based resins to replace all kinds of single-use plastics - and at a competitive price point.
Thanks to a Series of New Partnerships, Companies are Replacing Plastic with LOLIWARE’s Seaweed Straws
In the past year, LOLIWARE has secured a series of key corporate partnerships that will continue to expand the availability of LOLIWARE’s compostable, seaweed-based products. Among LOLIWARE’s partners is 1 Hotels, a hotel brand focused on providing guests with sustainable options on everything from the ingredients on their menus to the textiles used in their rooms. Now, 1Hotels has replaced their PHA-based straws with LOLIWARE’s compostable seaweed straws across its 16 properties in North America. LOLIWARE’s straws are proven home compostable and do not use plant material that requires freshwater, pesticides or herbicides, or large swaths of land, which is typically required to create PHA-based materials.
LOLIWARE is also partnering with Fordham University in New York to replace all straws on campus with LOLIWARE’s straws - a transition driven by the students of Fordham University themselves. Eager to work towards a plastic-free future, Fordham University students convinced the University’s Office of Sustainability to use LOLIWARE’s home-compostable, seaweed-based straws instead of traditional plastic. As part of this partnership, LOLIWARE recently participated in Fordham University’s “Day of Kelp” to showcase the new partnership.
In the past year, LOLIWARE has also secured partnerships with Fiddler’s Elbow and Canadian beverage company, Adept Food and Beverage to better serve customers sustainable, plastic-free solutions that are compatible with good business practices. Together, LOLIWARE’s partnerships are a testament to the growing, global interest in replacing plastics.
Though there is much work to be done in creating a plastic-free future for our planet and those living in it, we are grateful to have been able to work with a growing number of collaborators to make our work possible. As it’s been said by many, there is no planet B–we have a great opportunity and responsibility to do what we can, where we can, now and into the future.


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One of the chief advantages of the smart phone is that it allows users to search for, or download, just about anything they want, provided it is legal. Knowing this, you would assume that such online freedom would be extended to wearable devices such as Google Glass, right? Wrong. Privacy issues and other concerns related to the wearable gadget have led Google to be far more careful about it will and won’t allow for Glass than it has been with is smart phone technology.
No ‘Tits And Glass’ On Google Glass
Developer MiKandi launched the very first (and what likely will be the very last) porn app on Google Glass. Dubbed ‘Tits and Glass,’ the app allowed users to browse sexually explicit photos and videos, or, if they preferred, upload their own adult content. But this ability only lasted a few hours before Google revised its Glassware policy to include a ban on any sexually explicit content. App developers are likely to try and get past this restriction in any way possible, but even if they manage to do so, users should assume that their access to adult content will be far more restricted on Google Glass than it has been on smart phones and tablets.
Bans Include Facial Recognition Software
Also banned on Google Glass is something that may seem far more innocuous than the adult content presented on MiKandi’s short-lived Tits and Glass: facial recognition software. On the smart phone, facial recognition apps utilize special sensors to identify individuals on Facebook and other social media sites. Of course, the difference between using such an app on a smart phone and using it on a wearable device is that, with the smart phone, it is instantly obvious when someone is taking a picture of someone else. On the other hand, a Google Glass user can take a picture of someone and look up his or her information without that person ever knowing. This feels like it’s straight out of a science fiction movie and is incredibly creepy for anyone hoping to maintain some semblance of privacy.
The Influence Of Third Party Developers On Google Glass
Google Glass may be party to more restrictions than other Google products, but that doesn’t mean that users need to worry about being limited if they invest in the wearable technology. A wide range of application opportunities should be available in the near future, due, in part, to the opening up of Google Glass API to third party developers. Internetserviceproviders.com predicts that consumers will soon witness all kinds of ways to interact with Google Glass than they ever thought possible. Some of these opportunities will be much like what users already have available with their smart phones and tablets, but the wearable nature of Google also will provide for plenty of hands-free experiences.
Google Glass is still in its early stages and, if anything is clear, it’s that we have no idea what to expect in this promising technology’s future. Although adult content and facial recognition apps have been banned from Google Glass, these minor losses will surely be made up for by the infinite new possibilities brought about by the product’s innovative nature.
image by Erica Joy
Morgan is an information technology expert from Corpus Christie, Texas.

domain: news


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FIVE million of the poorest energy customers are to be clobbered by an April Fool’s Day rise of £57 a year.
The typical dual fuel bill for those with pre-payment meters will go up from £1,031 to £1,088 a year as watchdog Ofgem eases a price cap introduced to protect the poor.
The cap, which was brought in last April, is reviewed every six months. Ofgem said it needs to rise because of higher wholesale energy prices and green taxes.
The hike, from April 1, led to anger yesterday.
Stephen Murray, energy expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “What’s the point of putting a price cap in for vulnerable customers if you’re going to potentially raise prices twice a year anyway?”
Richard Neudegg, of uSwitch, said: “A £57 average jump in annual costs is significant considering it was reviewed just six months ago.”
But the four million already on the tariff, which was introduced last April, will see prices rise by around £57 a year.
Ofgem said it means the average dual fuel bill will rise from £1,031 to £1,089 a year.
The tariff was brought in to help protect low-income households, many of whom are on pre-pay meters.
The watchdog said the hike was down to "higher wholesale energy costs and policy costs".
Dermot Nolan, chief executive of the watchdog, said: "Protecting vulnerable customers is a priority for Ofgem.
"That's why we have extended the prepayment safeguard tariff to almost one million vulnerable households, which will help deliver a fairer, smarter and more competitive market for all consumers.
"Even when energy costs rise, people on the worst deals are better off under the safeguard tariff as they can be sure that they are not overpaying for their energy and any rise is justified."
Ofgem sets the rate of its safeguard tariff twice a year in February and August for customers on pre-pay meters or who get the Warm Home Discount.
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It means customers will not be charged above a certain level for a unit of energy.
Customers can usually still find better rates by switching providers but the scheme was introduced to stop vulnerable customers being overcharged.
The price rise will come into effect from April.
How to switch suppliers and save £300
Switching suppliers is the best way you can cut your energy bills. But recent research from MoneySuperMarket found that households are throwing away up to £300 a year by not bothering. Here's what you need to do.
1. Shop around - If you're on an expensive Standard Variable Tariff (SVT) deal you are throwing Away up to £300 a year. Use a comparion site like MoneySuperMarket.com or EnergyHelpline.com to see what best deals are available to you.
The cheapest deals are usually found online and are fixed deals - meaning you'll pay a fixed amount usually for 12 months.
2. Switch - When you've found one, all you have to do is contact the new supplier.
It helps to have the following information - which you can find on your bill - to hand to give the new supplier.
- Your postcode
- Name of your existing supplier
- Name of your existing deal and how much you pay
- An up-to-date meter reading
It will then notify your current supplier and begin the switch.
It should take no longer than three weeks to complete the switch and your supply won't be interrupted in that time.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team? Email us at email@example.com or call 0207 78 24516. Don't forget to join the Sun Money's Facebook group for the latest bargains and money-saving advice.


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America Online used to be the coolest thing. Well, at least for me. You got to make a super cool email address, and got to chat to your friends in this little square thing. Granted, this was about 10 years ago, but it held my interest. Today is different. Today you can use internet explorer for free and do the exact same thing, without having to create a new username each time.
As AOL s struggling, it’s looking to its family of hyper-local newspapers to make them some extra cash. An article in Business Insider says that AOL is asking their patch editors to increase Ad sales in addition to their duties as an editor.
Personally, I feel that the news industry is too much of a business. But, since it needs to make money to stay afloat, a thicker, darker, larger, longer, bolder, line in the sand needs to be drawn between the journalism side and the business side. Editors have no business (excuse the pun) drumming up ad sales. If they’re too busy doing that and their back is turned, the quality of work could worsen. I think you’d lose more money (readers, and respect) by putting out crappy work, then by running less ads.


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Crypto Adoption: The Largest Shopping Mall Operator In The US Brings More BTC ATMs For The Holidays
Black Friday is upon us, and, as usual, people are going crazy about shopping.
Simon Malls which is a subsidiary of Simon Property Group (the largest shopping mall operator in the US) teamed up with Bitstop in order to deliver new BTC ATMs to various destinations.
Simon Malls managed to roll out the new BTC ATMs just in time for Black Friday and Super Saturday.
Buy and sell BTC easily and securely
With the help of BTC ATMs, customers can easily and securely buy and sell BTC for small amounts of cash.
More than that, this launch is designed to offer BTC mainstream visibility and massive exposure during the biggest shopping days of this year.
Andrew Barnard, Bitstop co-founder and CEO, stated the following:
“With the strategic timing of this new installation of Bitcoin ATMs at Simon Mall locations, customers can conveniently buy Bitcoin while doing their Black Friday and Christmas holiday shopping,” he said.
He continued and explained that “Bitcoin is the perfect gift for family and friends this holiday season. Our Bitstop Bitcoin ATM mall locations are at the forefront of a trend as Bitcoin, and digital currencies become part of the mainstream culture.”
It’s also worth noting that Bitstop is licensed and regulated. In roder to power the adoption of BTC as a payment method at the local shop and to make its integration seamless for new crypto users.
This company offers customer services non-stop support, and live phone support.
More than 130 Bitstop BTC ATMs across the country
Barnard added that after their recent Bitstop Bitcoin installation at the Miami International Airport back in October, this is another series of new locations.
He said that their main goal is to make sure “our customers always have convenient access to our Bitcoin ATMs.”
He also highlighted the fact that there are now more than 130 convenient Bitstop Bitcoin ATM locations across the country.
Be sure not to miss any important news related to Cryptocurrencies! Follow our news feed in the way you prefer; through Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, RSS or email (scroll down to the bottom of this page to subscribe). Bitcoin never sleeps. Neither do we .
¿Utilizas Telegram? Únete a la mejor comunidad de trading en Telegram para recibir Señales Exclusivas de Compra y Venta de criptomonedas, acceso a nuestros Cursos Gratuitos, debates y análisis de proyectos! // www.criptomonedaseico.com


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Bolthouse Farms says the local agribusiness giant's acquisition by Cambden, N.J.-based Campbell Soup Co. won't cost the region any jobs or change how the company operates.
"We couldn't be more excited about having Campbell Soup Co. as our new parent," said President and CEO Jeff Dunn. "All of our conversations have been around leaving us as an autonomous, stand-alone unit of Campbell Soup Co., with opportunities for continued incremental growth."
Campbell Soup will keep Bolthouse's headquarters in Bakersfield, Dunn added, and there are no plans to change the leadership team or eliminate any of the company's 2,100 employees.
Bolthouse's civic and philanthropic involvement in the community also is unlikely to change, Dunn said.
"They've been involved in a lot of redevelopment efforts in Camden," he said. "Their culture is very similar to ours, so I think we'll stay involved in the community and keep doing the things we're doing."
Campbell Soup announced Monday that it has an agreement to buy Bolthouse Farms from Chicago-based private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners LLC for $1.55 billion in cash.
Campbell said there's no reason to make any drastic changes at Bolthouse.
"It's a well-run organization with a really good management team," said spokesman Anthony Sanzio.
Campbell is a longtime customer of Bolthouse's, and the carrot, juice and salad dressing producer had been on the radar screen of the world's largest seller of soup since Campbell President and Chief Executive Officer Denise Morrison visited three years ago. She made inquiries back then, but was politely told Bolthouse wasn't for sale, Sanzio said.
Madison Dearborn declined to comment on the transaction announced Monday or say why it agreed to sell now.
Bolthouse is a great strategic fit for Campbell, Morrison said.
Campbell is best known for its canned soups, but is looking to strengthen its presence in the refrigerated sections of supermarkets. Most of its products, which include Goldfish crackers, Pepperidge Farm baked goods and Prego pasta sauces, are now found in the center aisles where shelf-stable items are sold.
Morrison said the Bolthouse deal will help Campbell more aggressively court the generation known as Millennials who are especially drawn to healthy, on-the-go foods. Campbell's core customers are currently baby boomers and seniors who grew up with its products, Morrison said.
Campbell expects the $12 billion market for packaged fresh foods to grow about 6 percent to 7 percent a year, outpacing the broader packaged-food category.
Campbell already buys carrots from Bolthouse for its soups and juice concentrates, and plans to operate Bolthouse as a separate business unit. It expects the deal to add 5 cents to 7 cents per share to its 2013 earnings. The acquisition is expected to close late this summer.
Campbell said in May that, even as its U.S. soup sales fell in its fiscal third quarter, sales in its beverage unit rose 5 percent, driven by gains in its V8 Splash and V-Fusion drinks.
Ross Gerber, president and CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth Management in Santa Monica, which follows the food industry, called the acquisition a good move.
"What's happening in the marketplace is food is going healthier and organic," he said. "Campbell makes a lot of old-school products that aren't very good for you. At the same time, produce is a commodity that's in great demand all over the world. Bolthouse is a great asset to own."
Bolthouse Farms had sales of $689 million for the fiscal year ended March 31. Its 27 flavors of juices, smoothies and protein drinks and its 12 kinds of salad dressings are sold under the Bolthouse banner. It sells carrots under the "Earthbound Farms" and "Green Giant" brands.
Carrots account for slightly more than half of Bolthouse's revenue, while drinks and salad dressings make up about a third.
Rival carrot producers said they weren't unnerved by the approach of Campbell.
Grimmway Farms in Lamont "will remain focused on growing and marketing the finest quality carrots and organic vegetables with the passion that you've come to know," Grimmway President Jeff Meger said in an email.
Bob Giragosian, managing partner at Kern Ridge Growers near Arvin, said he did not see the purchase having much of an effect on his business because as far as he knew, Campbell was interested in the salad dressing and juice drink side of Bolthouse.
"Since Campbell's is not in the fresh produce business, we won't see any major changes, certainly not in the near future," he said.
Kern Ice & Cold Storage, a Bakersfield company that has done business with Bolthouse in the past, said the acquisition would benefit Bakersfield.
"It's a big company,"said owner Enrico Mazzie. "I think it could be a good thing in the long run."
Bolthouse was founded in 1915. The Bolthouse family sold it to Dearborn Madison in 2005.
-- Californian staff writer Anna Burleson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.


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“Contractors today need their distributors to be providers of solutions that help reduce the overall cost of doing business,” said Arnold R. Kelly, Graybar director of construction.
To get the most from distributors, contractors must be aware of all the ways they can be of service; maintain open, two-way communications with distributor personnel; appraise value-added services; and take advantage of those that fit their needs.
Value-added solutions come in many forms, including keeping contractors updated about product developments and training employees in their use, consulting, assisting with bid preparation and design services, accessing product information, placing and tracking orders and shipments, and accessing records and other information over the Internet.
Many distributors provide 24/7 service, and some offer financing and leasing. And logistic support from distributors has become one of the most valuable and frequently used value-added distributor services.
“As an expert in material management,” said Kelly, “Graybar in a prime position to help contractors address an area that can consume up to 45 percent of their labor on a project. Efficiencies gained in better material management will directly affect a contracting company’s bottom line and enable it to better compete in the marketplace. Logistical support also enables contractors to focus on their core competencies.”
Kelly said many value-added services have become more technology-oriented as newer solutions are available via EDI, Web sites, e-mail and other sources that improve operational efficiencies.
“Distributors, contractors, suppliers and others are using technology to improve collaboration and drive costs through the entire supply chain,” he said.
Distributors primary support areas are product knowledge, continuing education, logistics and flexible credit terms, said Stephen Matthew Chew, director of business support for Accu-Tech.
“Product knowledge is crucial in providing customers with the correct solutions,” said Chew. “This entails understanding the current standards as well as how products function as solutions. Distribution-sales representatives know what peripheral components to recommend as well as what products can be substituted.”
Distributors provide valuable information about new technologies, upgrades and product mix, he added.
“In recent years, supplier-sponsored Web-based home training has become available. We make our customers aware of all these options and sponsor training. As technology advances, online access will continue to grow, providing pertinent account, product and standards knowledge,” Chew said, adding that some distributors offer flexible, tailored credit that enables contractors to bid on projects beyond their normal financial capabilities.
Value-added services have evolved from keeping product in stock and preparing it to contractor specs to providing customer inventory programs, logistics and deployment services and developing and implementing e-business services and financial programs, said Greg Hansen, Anixter marketing business manager.
According to Hansen: “Our customers benefit from working with a consultative sales force, a warehouse team that’s used to shipping over 7,000 orders a day, an IT staff that knows how to build applications electrical contractors use, and a technical staff, which has detailed knowledge of the products and technologies that electrical contractors use every day.”
Not all customers take advantage of added-value services. Hansen said the most underused include product and technical expertise of salespeople, multisite rollout services, integrated supply, technological capabilities and supply chain solutions.
Steve Bellwoar, president, Colonial Electrical Supply, said in the past five years distributors have added more high-tech services.
“We have brought many services online for customers’ convenience,” he said. “Through a password-protected Web page, customers can view signed delivery receipts, invoices, statements and even product availability. It is easier than ever to track shipments over the Web. Also, electronic payment is now available.
“We help customers from project inception through completion. Specialists can help customers to better understand the scope, specifications and lead times on equipment. Our lighting and switch-gear departments often identify contradictory and unusual specifications that may lead to bidding errors. Design services, which can minimize engineering costs on any size project. Also, distributors know the problems with lead times on various items. This tends to change depending on raw material availability. Commodity prices also can drive a project one way or another.”
Bellwoar also emphasized product knowledge and education.
“Every day electrical vendors are coming out with new products designed to save labor or help meet new code changes,” he said. “Good distributors provide seminars for contractors identifying new products and explaining code changes. Many distributors have dedicated project management people who work hand in hand with contractor project managers to prevent and solve glitches that may occur. Also, if a vendor is having trouble shipping, the distributor can forewarn the contractor, and perhaps an alternative solution can be found.” EC
GRIFFIN, a construction and tools writer from Oklahoma City, can be reached at 405.748.5256 or [email protected].


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FELLSMERE — A pair of Fellsmere women are counting down the days until they can open their shop of gifts inside the small building next door to Marsh Landing — currently known as the Lilly Pad.
Debbie Cross and Karen Cheslock plan to open See & See Curiosity Shoppe in December after the renovations to the Lilly Pad are complete.
The women, who have been neighbors and friends for five years, are no strangers to enterprise. The pair have been regulars selling their wares at fairs and festivals. Such offerings include plants, handmade candles, incense, greeting cards, soaps and lotions, pet products, and much more. “We hope to keep it pretty unique,” Cheslock said of the store’s offerings, adding that they do not want it to be like the Indian River Mall. Instead, it will “cater to the country-type atmosphere.”
The women also plan to sell reprints of historic photos provided by Fellsmere historian Korky Korker.
The Lilly Pad once served as a home for newspapers Fellsmere Tribune and the Fellsmere Farmer, both of which have long been out of print.
“We will try to keep it nostalgic,” Cross said of the building and its purpose.
Cross and Cheslock are active in Fellsmere, serving in different capacities on the annual Frog Leg Festival. Cross is the festival’s treasurer, while Cheslock handles concessions.
Already, they’re making plans to keep the store open during the Frog Leg Festival while they take care of their duties at the event. Cheslock said that friends and family members alike will be enlisted to mind the shop.
The partners had been talking for more than a year about setting up a permanent shop to sell the items they had frequently carted to fairs and festivals for the last year to year and-a-half.
“We needed a home,” Cross said, explaining that every time they went to a new event they needed to haul more items. What started as filling the bed of one pickup truck, began filling multiple vehicles.
On the horizon for See & See Curiosity Shoppe is promoting ecotourism, an aspect that Mayor Susan Adams touted when she brought the planned renovations to the Lilly Pad before Fellsmere City Council recently.
“It’s in the works,” Cross said, adding that they need to work out the details on how they would go about promoting all the eco-friendly things Fellsmere has to offer.
“They don’t know Blue Cypress or the Stick Marsh,” Cheslock said of people who aren’t familiar with Fellsmere.
They plan to educate visitors to the shop about the city and its amenities.
“Fellsmere is a neat town,” Cheslock said. “We’re not just a bunch of bumpkins.”


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Co-op is set to serve-up a new-look food store in Hereford following a £1.5m investment to transform its Grandstand Road store.
Articles in category: Retailer News
Find out which retailers are innovating in the on and offline retail space and what they are doing to keep ahead of the curve in this dynamic and highly competitive sector. Read the financials and analysis of the large multiples, the smaller chains to independent retailers, wholesalers and suppliers
Sainsbury’s is bringing back one of its most popular collectables of all time this autumn. LEGO Cards and Collectors Album will return on 16th September for six weeks, with one pack of cards totally free for every £10 spent in-store
With clever digital strategy and truly exceptional results, Happy Beds has proven to be top of the competition in the UK Biddable Retail Awards, scooping Retail Campaign of the Year.
QUIZ, the omni-channel fashion brand, has unveiled Q x Joanna, a brand-new curated collection fronted by Love Island contestant Joanna Chimonides.
Phase Eight is offering in-store personal styling appointments to provide a safe and enriched experience for shoppers.
Last mile logistics platform Stuart integrates with Metapack to enable retailers to offer same-day delivery from urban hubs
Last mile logistics platform Stuart integrates with global eCommerce delivery technology leader, Metapack to grow their same-day ship-from-hub delivery proposition. The partnership empowers retailers in both the UK and France to leverage Stuart’s same-day services from the platform’s new urban
Central England Co-op has announced it is backing Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford’s Child Food Poverty Task Force.
Sainsbury’s to reward bonus Nectar points to customers who buy more fruit and veg in month-long challenge
From today, Sainsbury’s customers can make their Nectar points balance go further by stocking up on fruit and vegetables, with a brand-new tracker available on the Nectar app and website for a limited time.
School leavers get taste for food and consumer goods industry through virtual work experience programme
School leavers were given a taste of working life in food and consumer goods this August, thanks to a virtual work experience programme that saw some of the industry’s biggest retailers and brands come together through IGD to deliver an
SmileDirectClub, the oral care company with the first medtech platform for teeth straightening, has announced it will be supporting British high streets and helping to drive the economy by rolling out a series of its first storefronts nationwide, starting this
Spar, a leading convenience store retailer, continues to develop its portfolio of evening meals solutions by inspiring customers with a huge new selection of own label products designed for the tonight’s tea meal occasion.
Following today’s release of Primark FY figures for 2019/20, Pippa Stephens, retail analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, comments: ‘‘Despite being one of the worst hit fashion retailers during the peak of COVID-19 due to its lack
Tesco Mobile has revealed today a brand redesign to revitalise the brand expression and to align it more closely with the wider Tesco family. The UK mobile network’s new brand look and feel includes a refreshed logo and the use
Further solidifying its position as the capital’s leading premium fashion and lifestyle outlet centre, London Designer Outlet in Wembley Park has signed further top brands, in deals that were mostly negotiated during the coronavirus lockdown. Police, in its first store
A new way to shop safely in the heart of the West End is being funded by Grosvenor Britain & Ireland as part of a pioneering collaboration with British retail tech firm NearSt.
Klarna, the leading global payments and shopping service, today announces the launch of its newly redesigned App, elevating the shopping experience for its millions of users across the UK with a greater range of flexibility, control and personalisation while shopping
Checkpoint Systems – a global leader in retail technology solutions – has unveiled a radical new sensor addition to its NEO portfolio. The NS40 provides grocery retailers with a discreet but powerful in-lane loss prevention solution. Designed to be installed
Joining the Sloane Stanley estate, stylish tile retailer, Mandarin Stone, has now launched its 1,233sq ft showroom space at 255 Fulham Road, in the hub of Chelsea’s design quarter.
SodaStream has announced a major retail partnership with Sainsbury’s, to make it easier than ever for consumers to enjoy sparkling water at home. The move means the world’s number one sparkling water brand will soon become a familiar sight in
Majestic, the UK’s largest specialist wine retailer, have asked their staff to cast their vote to decide on the company’s next definitive logo, after a series of aborted rebranding projects under the previous management.
Henderson Technology has installed EDGEPoS into Checkout Supermarket in Wimbledon, London.
Royal Mail has been appointed by Moonpig, the UK’s leading online card, gifting and flowers retailer, to deliver the majority of its gifts across the UK via Royal Mail Tracked services. Royal Mail has been delivering cards for Moonpig
Liverpool ONE’s latest initiative to propel post-lockdown visitation is a new bespoke bar concept, ‘The Chavasse Project’, launched in association with Sipsmith Gin and Camden Town Brewery.
Aldi is rolling out cardboard packaging across its entire steak range in all 890 UK stores.
Co-op ramps up store openings and ties up with challenger start-up Pinga to offer zero emission grocery deliveries in East London
Co-op is set to open more than three stores each week until December as plans to serve new neighbourhoods accelerate. The retailer has also joined forces with the challenger start-up Pinga to offer zero emission online grocery deliveries across East London. The


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The stock market is dynamic, and the companies that appear at the top shelf of Wall Street might not even be in the top 100 in the coming decades. But, on the flip side, some stocks might not be appealing enough to investors today but can be among the 10 largest stocks in two decades. One such stock is Sea Limited (NYSE: SE).
Expert recently included Sea Limited in the list of largest stocks on Wall Street by 2035. And the reasons are obvious- consistent mission of innovating itself while providing lucrative returns to its investors.
This Singaporean company, registered in 2009, is an internet company that actually has multiple business segments- eCommerce, eSports, mobile games, digital payment and banking, and artificial intelligence. However, its three major revenue-generating verticals are digital payment, eCommerce, and gaming. After a relentless rapid growth year-over-year in these segments, Sea Limited has recorded 250% growth since the beginning of 2018, making it a multibagger.
The company recently released its Q1 earnings for 2021, and every investor should take a note here. Companies GAAP revenue spiked by 146.7% year-over-year at $1.8 billion. Total adjusted EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) stood at $88.1 million, a significant growth from $69.9 million in Q1 2020.
So what is driving these unreal returns for Sea Limited, and why should you invest? Let’s find out.
Star segment of Sea Limited- Garena
If you haven’t heard of Garena before, it is a battle royale game launched in 2017 under Sea’s digital entertainment unit. Sea Limited is increasingly dominating Latin America and Southeast Asia, and Garena is a hit in these regions. Launched in 2012, Garena was initially rolled out as a gaming platform with an interface like a social messenger. It allowed gamers to communicate through one-on-one chat or in groups, see their activities, including in-game purchases, etc.
Tapping the market in the most indigenous way possible, Sea Limited, under its Garena flagship, rolled out local-language editions of Fifa Online, League of Legends, and other similar mobile games.
But the real groundbreaker emerged in 2017, Genera Free Fire.
In 2020, the digital entertainment unit of Sea Limited recorded a 78% growth in revenue at $2 billion due to the popularity of Garena Free Fire. However, this is not the best part. What drives analysts’ optimism is the fact that this wasn’t one-time growth for Garena. The flagship continues to yield competitive figures. In Q1 2021, the digital entertainment unit recorded revenue worth $781 million, a 111% growth year over year.
Shopee- the eCommerce pioneer for SE
The eCommerce vertical of Sea Limited was the winner in Q1 2021 performance. At $922 million, revenues for Shopee grew by 250% year-over-year. This number replaces Alibaba’s Lazada with Shopee as Southeast Asia and Taiwan’s largest eCommerce platform.
Shopee is an open eCommerce platform that allows people and companies to buy and sell online. The USP of this unit of SE is its logistic system that enables quick delivery at a lesser cost. Recently, the company’s CEO, Forrest Li, indicated that Shopee is now expanding its outreach to Brazil by strengthening its market leadership.
Definitely a “buy”
Sea Limited is one of the leading players of seven markets combined- Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The company’s current market valuation stands at $131.48 billion with $937.5 million in operating cash flow. SE has a bright future in the market if it keeps innovating itself to provide solutions on a more local level in regions while still expanding its horizons overseas. While COVID-19 might have helped accelerate the company’s popularity last year, the financials and vision of its leadership are solid enough to believe that it will continue growing after the pandemic.


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NGOs Push For Senate HELP Committee To Take Up Cosmetics Bill
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
With the Personal Care Products Safety Act appearing to have stalled, NGOs redouble efforts to drum up Congressional support. At the same time, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and key founding members continue to call for amendments that would increase FDA and industry responsibilities, which could serve only to further impede the already divisive legislation.
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The Personal Care Products Safety Act would preempt duplicative state-level requirements for ingredient use and manufacturer responsibilities, addressing what has become one of the foremost banes of industry in recent years, while increasing FDAâ€™s authority over the sector and giving it new responsibilities with regard to ingredient safety review. Additional compliance requirements for industry could prove challenging, but the positive PR likely to result from the legislation could help soften the blow.
Manufacturers of hair finishing sprays, no-rinse shampoos and personal fragrance products – eg, perfumes, colognes and body sprays – face significant reformulation challenges under a draft proposal from California’s Air Resources Board that contemplates fewer category impacts, but deeper VOC cuts, compared with previous considerations to help meet state-wide pollution-reduction goals.
Coty â€˜Absolutely Not In Fire Sale Modeâ€™ Following Younique Divestiture That â€˜Stunnedâ€™ Investors
Leadership assured analysts on 6 November that Coty's Professional Beauty and Brazilian businesses are strong performers of high interest to potential acquirers, unlike Younique. Coty recently sold its majority stake in the social selling company back to its founders at a price that raised eyebrows.


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Under the theme ‘Co-ops Build Economic Power,’ this year’s Co-op Month is an opportunity to highlight the cooperative business model. Nearly a million of U.S. farmers belong to a cooperative. October Co-op Month has been recognized nationally since 1964. RRFN’s celebration of October Co-op Month is sponsored by North Dakota Farmers Union and Associated Milk Producers, Inc. and its Dinner Bell Creamery.
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Even if they are recyclable, a New Zealand coffee cup manufacturer has been compelled to recant claims that they are because recycling facilities do not accept them.
Glopac was the subject of a Commerce Commission probe last year, and the business was formally warned on Tuesday. Glopac’s cups are made completely of paper and are both plastic-free and compostable.
Many throwaway cups include a plastic lining that can’t be recycled in New Zealand at the moment. Because it’s impossible to detect which cups contain plastic and which don’t, “facilities do not accept any hot drink cups to avoid contaminating recycling streams,” according to the commision.
Glopac, on the other hand, claimed they were recyclable on its website and social media, which, while legally correct, the commision stated was possible in violation of the Fair Trading Act.
“Glopac concentrated on the product’s technical ability to be recycled rather than the realities of what will be accepted for recycling in New Zealand and the likelihood that consumers would expect the goods to be disposed of in recycling waste streams when it couldn’t.”
Glopac apparently told the commision that it expected customers would know which products could and couldn’t be recycled, but the statements, as well as the cups themselves, were deleted from its website regardless.
Rawlings stated, “We want to encourage New Zealand businesses to be inventive.”
“However, businesses must carefully consider how consumers may perceive any claims they make about their products while designing new items to ensure that the statements are clear and not misleading.”
Glopac, whose clients include Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Coca-Cola, Nescafe, and KFC, has been contacted for comment.


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Netherland’s central bank, De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), issued a report studying the effects of central bank-issued digital currency on public interest and on the financial system.
According to the press release accompanying the report, DNB undertook the study because consumers no longer use cash widely. Indeed, trends show that citizens infrequently use currency issued by central banks to pay for their purchases. Given this background and in light of Facebook’s decision to launch its own cryptocurrency, Libra, the DNB’s report considers the impact of issuing digital currency to consumers.
DNB highlights the benefits of bank-issued cryptocurrency, noting that it would promote the smooth function of the payment system in times of financial crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, where the central bank could serve as a digital backup to private money.
The central bank report also reviews risks associated with issuing cryptocurrency, and notes that in times of crisis, risks associated with digital currency could increase. However, the DNB proposes a central system that coupled with financial technology could mitigate such risks.
|Topics :||Cryptocurrencies , Payment Products|
|Document Date:||April 21, 2020|


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ecognizes Customers Deploying Innovative Implementations Powered by Mitel Solutions
OTTAWA, Sept. 9, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mitel(R) (Nasdaq:MITL) (TSX:MNW), a global leader in business communications, today announced the winners of its Customer Innovation Momentum Awards (CIMA). In its inaugural year, the awards celebrate customers worldwide that deploy innovative Mitel solutions to optimize their business goals.
“Mitel works with cutting-edge customers and creative, pioneering business partners who have deployed innovative business solutions. These thought leaders set an excellent example for the industry and we’ve decided to recognize them with our Customer Innovation Momentum Awards,” said Liz Pedro, director of customer success marketing, Mitel.
CIMA winners range from healthcare and educational organizations; high tech companies and engineer firms; and a travel company to a manufacturer, a municipality, an insurance company and an amusement park. The awards represent innovative deployments of voice and collaboration, contact center, cloud and mobile solutions.
CIMA winners are:
— Brown & Brown Insurance for its implementation of cloud solutions with Morse Communications, Inc.
— Barracuda Networks for its implementation of contact center with Keep It Simple (KIS)
— Illinois Wesleyan University for its implementation of collaboration solutions with Citizens Telecom Services Company LLC
— Lithium Technologies for its implementation of voice solutions with Keep It Simple (KIS)
— iCentrex (Sweden) for its implementation of cloud solutions with Telepo
— Lee Baron (UK) for its implementation of cloud solutions with Unicomm
— Steinhoff Asia Pacific (Australia) for its implementation of cloud solutions with Essential Data + Voice
— National Board of Examinations (India) for its implementation of contact center
— Trailfinders (UK) for its implementation of contact center with Britannic Technologies
— Azienda USL6 Livorno (Italy) for its implementation of collaboration solutions
— Movie Park Germany for its implementation of voice solutions with SEC-COM Sicherheits- und Kommunikationstechnik GmbH
— Berndorf Band (Austria) for its implementation of mobile solutions with Kapsch BusinessCom AG
— CIKAutxo (Spain) for its implementation of mobile solutions with LANMedia Comunicaciones
“Customers are at the very core of everything we do at Mitel. The CIMA awards recognize our customers for their innovative deployments of business communications. Our business partners are a big part of that success too, with a shared commitment to make our joint customers successful,” said Martyn Etherington, CMO, Mitel.
For more information on the CIMA awards, go to http://www.mitel.com/cima


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After months of average, uninteresting commuting, the Bolt EV has seen a flurry of activity since our last update.
Since our last update, the Bolt has done another road trip to visit family, participated in an upcoming comparison test, been the subject of a tire test (stay tuned), and made a trip to the dealer. Meanwhile, it’s spent a lot of time with editors with longer commutes than mine. We’ve been averaging 2,500 miles between updates, but this time we did 3,200.
All this extra work has provided some welcome diversity to our charging log. You’ll notice in the chart below that the money we’ve spent at public EV chargers has jumped dramatically since the last update, thanks to that road trip and comparison test, which was also held out of town. The longer commutes of testing director Kim Reynolds and associate online editor Michael Cantu, as well as the out-of-town driving, have combined to push up the average distance we travel between charges, push down the average state of charge when we plug-in, and draw out the predicted time to a full charge.
In the midst of all that driving, the Bolt has made several noteworthy stops, as well. The first was at the tire shop, where its standard Michelin Energy Saver all-seasons were switched out for a set of BFGoodrich summer tires. We’ll have a full story on the results of the tire test, and I can promise you the results will be interesting.Read more on MotorTrend site


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Some believe virtual reality is the next step after smartphones while others put their hopes into modular devices. And speaking of the latter, there’s a new modular smartwatch on the market.
With an impressive Kickstarter run of $1.6 million, Blocks was a smash hit even before it was produced; now, it’s up for pre-order. Blocks is proudly the world’s first modular smartwatch and even though Blocks Wearables will ship it only this fall, the company has already opened up preorders for the gadget.
“Two and a half years ago, we started with an idea. An idea to make smartwatches infinitely customizable, open and upgradeable. Thousands of hours later, with the help of hundreds of people from all around the world, the world’s first modular smartwatch is here,” wrote the company about the creative process behind Blocks.
The preorders for the modular smartwatch were officially opened on Thursday, June 9; however, shipping will not begin until September 2016. Why?
According to the company, the “factory-ready devices” still have to go through the final testing phase before Blocks Wearables starts mass production.
For those unfamiliar with the situation of the modular smartwatch, you should know this is the second time the company is opening preorders; the first time was in November 2015, but it couldn’t meet its May 2016 delivery deadline.
Therefore, almost 5,500 orders still have to be fulfilled from the original Kickstarter campaign. The watch costs $330, plus the cost of shipping. For the $330, the user can choose any four modules for the wearable.
The Blocks device has a frame made of stainless steel and a round display. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of options when it comes to the module options available: there’s a flashlight, battery module, a GPS unit, heart rate monitor, special adventure module, and a programmable button.
Blocks Wearables hopes to add to the six initial modules so consumers will have more to choose from; the plans include add-ons for gesture control, fingerprint authentication, and body temperature as quickly as possible.
Surprisingly, the wearable deploys an open-source approach, so third-party developers will also be able to make their own modules. A Blocks wearable is made up of four modules and a “Core” (or a watch face unit) that makes the strap.
Head over to the company’s website to preorder Blocks.
Image Source: Crowdfund Insider


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Snap Inc., the company behind the popular smart phone app Snapchat, has released a new multifunctioning product- goggles.
Snapchat’s new goggles, called Spectacles, are sunglasses with a built-in wireless video camera.
The built-in camera has a 115-degree field of view, which is wider than the average cellphone camera.
The sunglasses can record up to 30 seconds of video at a time, and the frame also has built-in lights inside and outside the frame to let others know that you’re recording.
Footage taken from the glasses can be uploaded directly to the user’s Snapchat account, or to a folder.
The glasses are $130 and come in three colors: black, blue and coral.


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IT'S OFFICIAL - Beston's Parmesan Named "CHAMPION" and Beston's Vintage Black Wax Vintage Named "PEOPLE'S FAVOURITE" at the 2020 Australian Grand Dairy Awards
· Beston Global Food Company has ‘kicked off’ the 2020 Dairy Industry Awards’ Calendar by receiving two major awards at the prestigious annual Australian Grand Dairy Awards, held late last week in Melbourne - boosting Beston’s total Dairy Industry awards’ tally to 119
· The significant number of awards are reflected in the Company’s growing levels of cheese production and revenues
Move over “Australia’s Best Cheddar Cheese” and make room for “Australia’s Best Parmesan” …this won’t be difficult as they both come from the same ‘family’.
Beston Global Food Company (ASX: BFC) has just received another two major awards – in fact, it really doesn’t get more significant when it comes to awards bestowed upon an organisation within the Dairy Industry…and BFC’s Master Cheesemaker, Paul Connolly, could not be prouder.
“It’s an absolute honour and privilege to be awarded these accolades – I classify this as one of my ‘career highs’ and it’s testament to the consistent level of quality products produced by our team of talented Cheesemakers”, said Mr Connolly.
The Chief Executive of BFC, Jonathan Hicks, supports Mr Connolly’s reference to “consistent quality”, given that these awards bring BFC’s Industry Awards’ tally to 119 – and within a very short period of time.
Mr Hicks said, “it was less than a year ago when BFC’s Vintage Cheddar Cheese was awarded the “Christian Hansen Cup” (aka “Australia’s Best Cheddar Cheese”), for the second time in the three years by the Dairy Industry Association of Australia - and now to receive the title of “Champion” by Dairy Australia and overall ‘Winner’ by the Australian public, is quite simply an endorsement of BFC’s stature in this space”.
The Australian Grand Dairy Awards was established in 1999 by Dairy Australia to recognise and reward excellence and innovation in Australian dairy produce, as well as acknowledging the achievements of the “highly skilled, pioneering people who produce those products” (Dairy Australia).
“To even qualify to enter this awards’ competition is a year-long process in itself, with entries comprised of only gold medal-winning products that are made from Australian milk”, said Mr Hicks. “This means that all nominees have already been through rigorous judging processes at Australian State-based qualifying competitions within the year leading up to the prestigious annual Australian Grand Dairy Awards. Once you get to this stage, the board is wiped clean and everything starts from scratch - and so the process begins again…only this time it’s between the ‘best of the best’ cheeses in their respective categories, and even the public get to have their say as well”.
Further to the significant number of Industry awards received to date, BFC has featured in InDaily’s South Australian Business Index every year since listing on the Australian Stock Exchange late 2015. This Index identifies and showcases the state’s top 100 most successful local companies. BFC was also named amongst the top 25 winners of the 2019 Fast Movers SA Awards; a significant achievement based on sustained revenue growth for a company which only started operations four years ago.
The endorsement of ‘consistent premium quality’ cheese and overall company achievements reflected by all these awards have, importantly, also been reflected in the significant increase in the production and sales of BFC’s cheeses over the past year.
At its Annual General Meeting on 28 November, 2019, BFC noted that the Company’s sales revenues had increased to $84.8million in 2018-19 (up by 77% on the previous year) and that cheese production was likely to double to around 11,200MT in 2019-20.
Mr Hicks said. “Our sales network now covers domestic retail, foodservice and ingredient customers, based across all mainland States with both retail and foodservice dairy goods covered within our international trading operations.
“A lot has been achieved over the course of the last 12-18 months to continue to drive BFC’s transition of its core dairy and meat businesses from start-up phase to a commercially sustainable enterprise. From the dairy perspective, BFC will continue its focus on making premium quality products, guided by Paul Connolly and produced with the highest quality milk from South Australian Dairy Farmers. We’re already looking forward to seeing what our awards’ tally will be at the end of this year,” Mr Hicks said.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Maryanne Noon, General Manager – Communications and Marketing
+61 473 444 759
Social Media Handles:
Facebook: Twitter: Instagram:
@bestonglobalfoods @BestonGlobal @bestonglobal
@edwards.crossing @edwards_crossing @edwardscrossing
@mablesaustralia @mablesaustralia @mablesaustralia
ABOUT BESTON GLOBAL FOOD COMPANY LIMITED
Beston Global Food Company is a proud SA multi award-winning company taking the best of Australian produce to the world with fresh milk supplied by valued Dairy Farmers. The company provides direct and indirect employment for nearly 300 people. For more information please visit:


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Average Daily Rate Growth Expected to Drive US Lodging Performance in Remainder of 2015 and in 2016
August 31, 2015 9:45am
PwC finds that lodging demand trends in the US have been robust, with both transient and group travel occupancy levels increasing 1.4 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively, during the first-half of the year, contributing to peak occupancy levels for US hotels. PwC expects this positive momentum in demand to continue for the remainder of 2015, supporting a RevPAR increase of 6.9 percent in 2015. In 2016, PwC expects RevPAR to grow 5.9 percent, driven by ADR.
The estimates from PwC are based on a quarterly econometric analysis of the lodging sector, using an updated forecast released by Macroeconomic Advisers, LLC in July, and historical statistics supplied by STR and other data providers. Macroeconomic Advisers expects real gross domestic product ("GDP") to increase 2.0 percent in 2015, followed by a 2.9 percent increase in 2016, measured on a fourth-quarter-over-fourth-quarter basis.
Based on this analysis and recent demand trends, PwC expects industry occupancy in 2015 to reach levels not seen since 1981, driven by a combination of strong demand momentum and a still-controlled supply environment. As industry occupancy peaks, average daily rate growth is expected to become more meaningful, as the effects of the recent rise in the value of the US Dollar wane, giving operators more pricing power, especially in certain gateway markets.
In 2016, supply growth is expected to accelerate to 2.0 percent per this analysis, with the increase in available hotel rooms exceeding, albeit slightly, the long-term average of 1.9 percent for the first time since 2009. As a result, while occupancy levels are expected to begin to stabilize, these peak levels coupled with the absence of this year's slowdown from the US Dollar is expected to support an average daily rate-driven RevPAR increase of 5.9 percent.
"The US lodging industry fundamentals remain strong, and it appears operators are regaining pricing power as room rates continue to tick upward," said Scott D. Berman, principal and U.S. industry leader, hospitality & leisure, PwC. "While there are markets to keep an eye on, most notably New York City; overall, the positive demand-supply balance the industry has experienced is expected to give the operating community confidence to continue to drive average daily rate increases."
Tags: average daily rate,
us lodging performance,
© 2015 PwC. All rights reserved. PwC refers to the US member firm or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates, and may sometimes refer to the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.
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PwC's Manahattan Lodging Index Q3 2017
Hotel Occupancy Continues to Reach New Heights but Rate Not Keeping Pace
PwC's Hospitality Directions Forecast
Revenue Metrics Are Evolving: Average Room Rate Becomes Two for One
Africa's Hospitality Sector Withstands Economic Headwinds
Lodging Demand Increases Amidst Increased Consumer Confidence, According to PwC
The Five Megatrends That Will Impact the Middle East’s Travel and Tourism Industry: PwC Report
Post-Election Surge in Consumer and Business Sentiment Suggests Momentum for 2017, According to PwC
Empire Hotel Group Revolutionizes their Free Usage Business Centers and Increases ADR
South Africa’s Hotel and Tourism Sector Set for Steady Growth as Visitor Numbers Continue to Grow
Hotel Loyalty - What’s Driving Customer Loyalty for Today’s Hotel Brands? A PwC Report
In 2016, Average Daily Rate Reluctantly Takes the Driver’s Seat According to Updated Lodging Forecast
Average Daily Rate Growth Continues to Lag Expectations, Despite Peak Occupancy Levels, says PwC US
Fitch Ratings: Softer Transient US Lodging Demand Subdues Confidence
Room for Growth: European Cities Hotel Forecast for 2015 and 2016 by PwC
Hoteliers Improve Average Daily Rate Performance Despite Weakening Reservation Pace
Spa Industry Surpasses $15 Billion Mark
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Posted on August 6, 2012 AT 03:07pm
Bethesda Softworks have released several new screenshots and some artwork from their upcoming title Dishonored, developed by Arkane Studios. It is unclear which version of the game the screenshots are taken from but it seems likely that they’re from one of the console versions, as the texture quality doesn’t seem high enough to be from the PC version. There are a couple of images that work great as desktop wallpapers including the image above, which is an awesome piece of art showing Dishonored’s protagonist Corvo Atano standing in front of the gloomy city of Dunwall. Check out the full list of images below; they’re all viewable in super high resolution, enjoy!
Dishonored will be released for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC in the US on October 9th, in Australia on October 11th, and in the UK on October 12th.
Today's Top 10 Stories
Website Interface © 2012 EGM Digital Media, LLC.


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byDarren Murph||March 26th 2009 at 2:43pmMarch 26th 2009 2:43 pm
Just ten days after the LG Arena (or KM900, if you're the proper type) launched officially in Europe, T-Mobile UK has already moved in to snag some thunder with an exclusive color: black. Not like black handsets are hard to find or anything (in fact, we already knew this phone was shipping to someone in black), but we all know how giddy the world gets when something gets labeled as rare. Reportedly, the formal color name will be Titan Black, and outside of the new hue, everything else will remain the same. Check it later this month for free on Flext 40 and Combi 40 plans.


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Preakness week to bring big business boom to city
Hotels, restaurants, shopping venues expect influx of fans
There's less than a week to go until the national spotlight lands on Baltimore for the running of the 138th Preakness Stakes, which means the local economy will pick up some steam.
Many people coming in from out of town will likely watch the race at Pimlico Race Course, but throughout the rest of the weekend, they'll be staying at hotels and eating at restaurants across the city.
Every year, the Radisson at Cross Keys said it sells out during Preakness weekend because it's only about two miles from Pimlico. But General Manager Tom Cook said the economic impact of the race is about more than having all 147 rooms booked.
"On our peak nights, we are anticipating 700 to 1,500 people coming through the hotel at any given time or to the Merchant Village here at Cross Keys," Cook said.
In years past, the Downtown Partnership has said the race generates millions of dollars for the local economy, and the windfall is spread throughout the city. The owner of Luna Del Sea, Tony Assadi, said he's already seen an increase in reservations through the restaurant's website.
"They start coming in Thursday and Friday. We look at the hotel industry around us, and the occupancy is very high," Assadi said.
He said he's looking forward to the Preakness crowd earlier in the weekend. It'll then be topped off by an influx of Orioles fans in town for a game at Camden Yards on Sunday. Assadi said he's already working on making the ambiance outside just right.
"We are going to look at changing the environment -- upgrading the environment because of the clientele that is going to be in town," he said.
In Little Italy, Cafe Gia is already off to the races.
"It begins today, and we expect a whole week full of festivities," owner Gioyanna Blattermann said Sunday.
She said she expects next Sunday will be the restaurant's busiest day. She's making plans for parking and preparing special food and drinks with a Preakness theme.
"We'll probably name some of our seafood dishes after one of the horses or the champion horse of the Preakness, or have a 'Race to Little Italy' kind of situation," she said.
On Monday afternoon, Kentucky Derby winner Orb is set to arrive at Pimlico.


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Apple’s Taiwanese suppliers are reportedly hiring earlier than usual to ramp up production of the “more complex” iPhone 7. CNBC reports Foxconn and Pegatron are hiring earlier than usual, in order to properly train new employees to assemble the new devices.
On the website for Foxconn’s Zhenzhou, China, factory, a job advertisement on the homepage reads, “Foxconn Zhengzhou is hiring a large number of ordinary workers. Welcome to join Foxconn: Age between 18-40. Overall monthly salary: 3,800 renmimbi. Start working immediately.”
A longer version of the ad encourages workers to “hurry to apply,” and warns the company’s employment hotline might be busy, as “so many applicants are dialing in.”
A Tuesday report by the Economic Daily News noted that hiring at both Foxconn and Pegatron, two of Apple’s main assembly partners, had kicked off at least a month earlier than usual for assembly of Apple’s iPhones.
The new iPhone should debut sometime in September, and Apple is expected to launch an iPhone 7 handset, as well as a larger iPhone 7 Plus handset. A number of reports have indicated the iPhone 7 Plus could be called the iPhone 7 Pro, and may feature an advanced two lens camera system.
The Economic Daily News reported the design of the upcoming iPhone was “more complex” than that of previous models, and that’s why suppliers are gearing up earlier than usual, as new staff will need more training to assemble the iPhone 7 than was needed for previous models.


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The recently uncovered ultrasonic fingerprint flaw on the latest Galaxy S and Note Series has become another PR nightmare for Samsung. In a bid to calm the concerned users of its flaghips, the Korean-Giant has now issued a statememt acknowledging the issue.
In the newly issued statement, Samsung sraraightforwardly admits the flaw on unltrasonic fingerpint sensors caused due to some third-party screen protectors. Also warns the users to avoid such third party silicon protective covers until these affected devices get updated with a new software patch. The software update which is supposed to fix the flaw is likely to hit the devices soon in coming week as an emergency security update.
As per Samsung, the issue involved ultrasonic fingerprint sensors unlocking devices after recognizing 3D patterns appearing on certain silicone screen protecting cases as users’ fingerprints. The security flaw which was first detected by a lady, is indeed alarming as the devices with such cheap protective case on can be unlocked by anyone.
So, if you own either of the affected Galaxy devices, we recommend you to avoid such cheap protective covers to be on a safer side. Moreover, update the software as soon as Samsung releases the patch to be safe in future as well. We can’t wait to see how Samsung will fix the issue via software patch.


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On the heels of a recent private investment, cybersecurity firm VST Enterprises has expanded to Asia Pacific, South Africa and Armenia.
VST said its VCode scannable code technology is designed to solve common issues in each region, including counterfeit goods in Hong Kong and China, eliminating African conflict minerals, and providing a virtual wallet for secure payments across mainland Europe from Armenia. VCode allows users to complete secure transactions with the wave of a mobile device. Global partners will apply that same technology to retail, ID, authentication and supply chain traceability throughout the fall.
“In the past year, we have aligned our business model to support international growth,” CEO Louis-James Davis said. “We are working together with corporations and governments to tackle some of the most pressing universal issues they face. We want to combat the counterfeit trade where it’s at its worst, reduce unethical and unsustainable production practices and increase financial inclusion globally. These will be key locations to dispatch VCode and achieve these goals.”


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Maruti Suzuki India on Monday resumed its operations at its Gurugram plant, although with around one-third strength.
Speaking to IANS, Kuldeep Jhangu, General Secretary of Maruti Suzuki Kamgaar Union (MSKU) said that around 4,000 workers were working on Monday out of the total strength of 12,000-13,000 employees at the unit.
"Currently, workers are being trained to operate while maintaining physical distancing norms with safety in line with the government's guidelines," he said.
The unit largely manufactures the models, Alto, Ignis, Vitara Brezza, Eeco and Super Carry.
In a regulatory filing on Sunday, the company said: "Maruti Suzuki India Limited would re-start production of vehicles at its Gurgaon plant from the 18th of May 2020. All activities would be carried out strictly in accordance with the government regulations and guidelines and observing the company's own concern for the highest standards of safety."
The Manesar plant resumed operations on May 12, with around 2,000 workers working on a single shift basis, after around 40 days of closure in the wake of the nationwide lockdown. The company received the approval of the local administration on April 22 to start production at the Manesar unit with a limited number of employees.
Further, on Monday, the company said that it has delivered over 5,000 cars in the past few days. The company has put in place comprehensive standard operating procedures (SoPs) for its dealerships across the country and these SoPs ensure highest level of hygiene and sanitisation across all its showrooms for the safety of its customers and employees.
With the SoPs in place, over 1,350 Maruti Suzuki showrooms and over 300 True Value outlets are operational in lockdown 4.0.
Speaking on the start of showroom activities for customers, Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India said, "We are happy to serve the customers, who were waiting to drive home their favourite car. The company has put in place comprehensive norms to ensure that their car buying experience is completely safe."


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14 Minnesota bars and restaurants caught violating Executive Order
ST. PAUL, Minn.–The Minnesota Department of Public Safety sent 14 warning letters to bars and restaurants caught violating Gov. Tim Walz’s Executive Order 20-74.
According to the Executive Order, bar and restaurant employees are required to wear masks, place tables more than six feet apart and serve to no more than 50 percent capacity.
Between July 4 and July 13, investigators surveyed 919 bars and restaurants throughout the state. The DPS sent 10 warning letters to businesses caught violating all three requirements. Four additional letters were sent on June 26.
The DPS says its goal is to educate businesses before taking enforcement action.
The 14 bars and restaurants caught violating the order were followed up with and DPS says they are now in compliance.
Anyone who witnesses a bar or restaurant violating the executive order can call local law enforcement or contact the Department of Health by calling 651-297-1304.


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Air New Zealand has developed an interactive online experience allowing people to explore the best New Zealand has to offer using emojis.Users will be asked to comment on Air New Zealand #EmojiJourney Facebook or Twitter posts with a combination of emojis which would best describe their perfect New Zealand getaway. This will then automatically generate a link to a personalised map of New Zealand for them, with emojis highlighting points likely to be of interest.
Feb 13, 2018 - Construction is set to get underway on an enormous eco-resort on the coast of Vietnam after the development was given approval by the Vietnamese government. Designed by the Bangkok base of global powerhouse design studio Chapman Taylor, the epic resort will encompass seven hotels providing a total of 7,000 rooms.
Feb 08, 2018 - Old harbor crane turned into luxury apartment for four in Amsterdam's Eastern dockyards. Its history, as told by Yays, is pretty interesting. Following the bombing of the original Eastern Docklands harbor cranes during World War II, the Royal Dutch Steamboat Company commissioned replacements, which were used until the 1970s. The site was eventually turned into a residential area and those replacement cranes were all demolished, save one: the Figee 2868 pictured, which was built in 1958.
Feb 08, 2018 - To celebrate the Royal Wedding (19 May 2018) of Prince Harry and Meghan, five-star boutique hotel The Arch London has created a lavish Royal Wedding package. The Arch London is offering the ultimate luxury getaway so guests can celebrate the big day in style and be treated like royalty. The Royal Wedding package includes a two night stay in an extravagant two-bedroom suite with a large entertainment lounge and private courtyard or kitchenette.
Feb 07, 2018 - No, we haven’t misspelt ‘backpacker’, but rather are shining a light on a whole new type of traveller, and they’re not schlepping around with giant packs and minimal spending money. A new trend from Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) has brought attention to the ‘flashpacker’, the newest tourist you ought to keep an eye out for.
Feb 05, 2018 - A cluster of attractive Europe destinations come on sale from $1,599 return today from Emirates airline, with the introduction of new earlybird fares from New Zealand. Copenhagen is joined by Birmingham and Zurich from $1,599 return from Auckland.
Feb 03, 2018 - Airports need to get smarter and not just bigger in order to meet the operational and capacity challenges of tomorrow, writes Kelly Allen for Smart Airports. Civil aviation is booming, the tumbling cost of air travel helping create one of the fastest growing industries in the world as air passenger volumes and airline revenues continue to grow at a rapid pace.
Feb 2, 2018 - Airbus SE reported its flight-test team completed the first flight for the A321LR (Long Range), a new variant of the A321neo single-aisle aircraft. The test mission lasted 2 hours and 36 minutes, with the aircraft powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines. The same aircraft now will undergo a flight-test program scheduled to last nearly 100 hours (including transatlantic routes) to attain for EASA and FAA Type Certification by midyear.
Jan 29, 2018 _ Twisted Road offers a vision of a motorcycling utopia where bike owners all across the United States put their bikes up for rent, and riders have their pick of wheels wherever they travel to. But something about the idea makes us deeply uncomfortable.


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Liberty High School holds holiday horticulture sale
A holiday open house is scheduled from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Dec. 7, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Dec. 8 and from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Dec. 9 in the Liberty High School greenhouse.
Items offered for sale are wreaths, poinsettieas, arrangements, European gardens, swags, cyclamen, green plants, fresh flowers and holiday cactus.
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Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) has opened a ‘Mas Fihaara’ outlet at Hulhumale’ Phase II, with a wide range of fisheries products manufactured by the company.
The shopping outlet located on the ground floor of Hiyaa Tower 2 was inaugurated at a special ceremony held on Thursday night by State Trading Organization’s (STO) Managing Director Hussain Amr Mohamed Rashad and Hulhumale’ MP Ali Niyaz.
This ceremony also saw the attendance of Housing Development Corporation’s (HDC) Managing Director Ahmed Athif, MIFCO’s Managing Director Ismail Fauzy, senior government officials and some other parliamentarians.
During the inaugural ceremony of the new shopping outlet, the public was presented with the opportunity to taste different products by MIFCO. In this regard, the company’s Head Chef Naheez Abdul Ghafoor (Naabe) had prepared a variety of tasty dishes using the most consumer-demanded MIFCO products and newly introduced ‘Drained Tuna Chunks’ with minimal use of oil.
Speaking regarding the newly opened shop, MIFCO’s MD Fauzy told Sun that ensuring easy accessibility to the company’s products for Hulhumale’ Phase II residents had become of utmost importance as the region continues to steadily become populous.
“Most products currently delivered by MIFCO will be available for purchase at this shop. At present, we are also undertaking research necessary to manufacture new products,” he added.
Fauzy also noted possible plans by the company to establish a large outlet in Phase II subject to increase in population in the region.
“Customers highly trust our products. Since the very beginning, these products have been constantly delivered to customers at the best standards, without alteration to quality,” he stressed.
With the new outlet in Hulhumale’ Phase II, MIFCO currently operates four outlets of ‘Mas Fihaara’ in the Male’ region. Similar to the other outlets, the Phase II outlet will be open from 8:30am in the morning till 10:00pm at night.


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It's been eleven years since the last release of a Half-Life game and tomorrow will be 21 years since the release of Half-Life, but Valve is announced a new Half-Life game today. Half-Life: Alyx is a VR title that'll showcase the Valve Index and its rumored to be released in March of 2020.
Valve took to Twitter to announce it as there have been leaks here and there on the title. On Thursday at 10AM PST, we'll get to know more. I've read some leaks that gameplay will be shown at the Video Game Awards, but hopefully we'll see some in the few days.
When Valve released the the Index, they talked about producing three titles for the VR headset. Alyx will be their flagship title, but we'll have to wait on what they have in store for the other two I guess.
Yes, I'm pretty excited and I do have a Valve Index myself so I can't wait to see what they've got up their sleeve for this game. They have a lot to live up to, but if Valve is one company capable of producing a solid VR title as they've had their hands in the tech since the HTC Vive and before that.
I'm a little sad this announcement didn't caught me by surprise as much as it would have had I not have seen the leaks, but I'm still happy to finally see it. Half-Life is coming back after a very, very long hiatus and it's going to be for VR. Imagine saying that a few years ago.


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An executive of LG Electronics Inc. was questioned by police in Germany for allegedly damaging products of rival Samsung Electronics Co. on purpose at a Berlin mall, corporate sources said Thursday.
The executive, whose name was withheld, was reported to the local police by shop clerks at the SATURN Berlin Europa-Center after being spotted breaking the doors of four Samsung Crystal Blue washing machines.
The police questioned him and other LG staff members at their hotel but closed the case after they agreed to buy all of the damaged products, the sources said.
The incident took place just ahead of the Internationale Funkausstellung trade show, the largest consumer electronics event in Europe, slated for Sept. 5-10 in Berlin, where the two leading South Korean tech giants go head-to-head with their newest products.
The LG executive reportedly denied the accusations, but CCTV footage showed him pressing down on the doors of the machines until they would not close properly.
"The executive was only checking Samsung's washing machines as their doors were shaking when the shop clerks accused him of damaging the products," an LG Electronics official said. "It is just one of those common incidents that occur ahead of electronics shows."
"There's no reason for our research staff to visit (the shop) if LG really intended to damage rivals' products," LG said separately. "If we had such a foul intention, we would have sent someone who would not be caught."
LG added that only "products of a specific brand" unexpectedly broke when its researchers tested rivals' goods at the shop, and that the staff were simply conducting routine market study.
Samsung, however, said CCTV footage also showed LG employees in SATURN Berlin Steglitz, another branch of the electronics shop, vandalizing displayed Samsung products. The company said its Berlin office will further investigate to find out if there are other similar incidents. (Yonhap)


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Huawei broke into the American consumer electronics market in style this year with the Nexus 6P, developed in conjunction with Google. The Chinese company is taking advantage of the fame and hype around its name at the upcoming launch event to be held in Shanghai on November 26. At this event, the Huawei Mate 8 release date should be revealed, all the while the Huawei Watch goes on sale. The Huawei Watch release is for the Chinese market, as the wearable was first introduced in September at the IFA Berlin tech conference.
The Huawei Mate 8 is the company’s flagship for the year, after the Huawei P8 and P8 Lite. With a design that is expected to be familiar and in the same minimalistic design as the Nexus 6P, the Huawei Mate 8 is among the most anticipated devices of the year. Although Huawei is not a very popular brand on the international market, in the last few years they have improved their hardware and prices and positioned themselves as a global company that doesn’t only make phones for a certain audience.
The launch event will be held at the Shanghai Expo Center, where the Huawei Watch availability and pricing in China should be officially confirmed. The schedule is going to be focused on the Huawei Mate 8, possibly introducing a bundle deal for Chinese customers who want the Mate 8 and Huawei Watch at the same time. The Huawei Mate 8 launch is anticipated by many because the predecessor, Mate 7, was one of the best devices launched in 2014, gaining a lot of pull in the Android community.
Rumors about the Huawei Mate 8, its specs, design and features started early last Summer, but only now do we feel truly close to the official release. Specs of the device will focus around Huawei’s new processor, the HiSilicon Kirin 950 octa-core 64 bit CPU. 3 or even 4 GB RAM should accompany the new player, alongside three different storage configurations: 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB. Depending on variant, the Huawei Mate 8 price will fluctuate between $500 and $600, which are decent prices for flagship devices.
The display of the Mate 8 will be on the extremely big side, taking after the original Nexus 6 launched with Motorola last year. The device will sport a 6-inch AMOLED panel, and apparently, there will be two resolutions available. A cheaper model with a 1080p resolution and a high-end model with a 2K QuadHD display are both reportedly being prepared for the launch event. According to leaked certification documents, the Huawei Mate 8 will sport a 4100 mAh b attery in all its variants, as well as 16 MP camera on the rear with optical image stabilization and laser autofocus.
— OnLeaks (@OnLeaks) November 17, 2015
Huawei has been on the metal bandwagon for a long time, when considering smartphone design, so we are convinced that the Huawei Mate 8 design won’t stray from that ideal. A metal unibody, wireless fast charging and a fingerprint sensor will all be present within the smartphone, alongside Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. Huawei is going to add its own tweaks to the OS, but international users should not expect to have a lot of bloatware on this phone.
Sine the Huawei Mate 8 release date is set for November 26 in China, we expect an international release to occur within a couple of weeks, if not sooner. Although official information about pricing and availability are not available at the time of this writing, sources tell us to expect some neat sales for the US market ones the holidays come around. Take all this with a grain of salt, because we will be back with more.


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It's been rumored for years now that Google will launch a cloud-based storage service, similar to Dropbox's, and now multiple media outlets are reporting that the company is close to doing so. Although Google has not provided confirmation, The Wall Street Journal's report says: "Like Dropbox, Google's storage service, called Drive, is a response to the growth of Internet-connected mobile devices like smartphones and tablets and the rise of 'cloud computing,' or storing files online so that they can be retrieved from multiple devices, these people said."
February 9, 2012
Google's Rumored Cloud Storage Service Would Complement Chrome OS
Read more at Ostatic


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Just like we told you via exclusive insider leak last Tuesday, Comcast is indeed giving away a Wii to new triple–play subscribers. It says so right in their press release. You will have to sign a new 2-year contract with Comcast for “Triple Play” services. And you will have to sign up with Comcast. There is that.
Best Buy is scanning Geek Squad computers for signs of porn infestation, as part of their continuing witch hunt. According to reports from four different Geek Squad employees, an edict was issued from corporate requiring precincts to connect every computer in every precinct to Agent Johnny Utah.
Chris Gates, a former call center representative for Charter Communications, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Charter abuses their employees and lies to their customers. According to her, the number one question asked of CSRs is: ‘Where the !@#% is the tech?!’
So what do call center reps tell callers?


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U.S. sanctions to cost French companies one billion euros
Topics: U.S. SANCTIONS COMPANIES FRENCH
According to Stephane Colliac, an economist at the credit insurance company, the impact is less than initially believed, at 2.4 billion euros, due to the US tariff measures on European products from October 18, in the context of the Boeing-Airbus dispute.
According to the newspaper Le Monde, the expert set out that half of the damages would be to the aeronautical industry, with losses of 530 million euros in aircraft sales, a sector hit with 10 percent taxes from Washington.
Wine exports are also set to suffer losses of up to 370 million as a result of the payment of 25 percent in customs duties, followed by dairy products (60 million).
Colliac explained that the majority of aeronautical exports from France to the US would not be affected by the tariff increase, nor would cognac, champagne or pharmaceutical and chemical products.
Therefore, from the macroeconomic point of view, the sanctions would not impact excessively, but the risk of protectionism constitutes a continued threat to French firms, in a context in which the country has lost competitiveness in the last two decades, although it remains the second strongest European economy in various sectors, he stated.
Earlier this month, the WTO authorized the US to sanction the EU for its illegal subsidies to Airbus, which has become the world's leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft, measures that could amount to 7.5 billion dollars annually (6.8 billion euros).
The French Foreign Ministry expressed its regret over the White House's indifference in negotiating a solution, and announced that the bloc will respond firmly, according to the protection offered by the WTO itself, which would allow Brussels to adopt a similar measure, as it accuses Boeing of benefiting from more than 19 billion dollars in subsidies between 1989 and 2006.
This conflict has been on the agenda of the organization for 15 years, and the EU attributes to the US the unwillingness to work on an agreed solution to the trade dispute. ■


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Presentation of the Continental WinterContact TS 860
Continental has just announced the replacement of its best known winter tyre, the ContiWinterContact TS 850. Presentation of the newcomer, the WinterContact TS 860.
On the same topic
Succeeding the TS 850 may prove to be difficult given the numerous titles this tyre has won since it was first launched on the market (2012). Indeed, it has made a name for itself in several comparison tests where its winter capabilities have always been cited as an example. But, in the face of fierce competition, now better equipped in terms of technology, the time has come to renew it. Continental’s technological advances have allowed the TS 860 to take its place.
As such, the TS 860 is said to deliver shorter braking distances on ice and improved handling on snow. It also offers improved fuel efficiency and a higher mileage notably thanks to a new rubber compound. However, we must wait for the first test results expected within the next few months to see if these performance gains are confirmed or not.
The WinterContact TS 860 is designed for compact and passenger cars, and will be launched in 21 different sizes, ranging from 14 to 17 inches over the course of 2016. This offer will be completed during 2017.
Articles in the same header
- Yokohama presents two new winter tyres for its BluEarth and IceGuard ranges
- Apollo launches two new tyres for the European market at Geneva
- Yokohama announces the return of the A008P
- Ecorun A-A: Falken unveils its tyre for Toyota hybrid vehicles
- Yokohama extends its BluEarth range with two new summer tyres
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S: a new benchmark sports tyre?
- Continental CrossContact ATR: long live diversity!
- Sport and comfort with Continental’s new PremiumContact 6
- Roadhawk, the new Firestone tyre delivering long lasting performance
- Bridgestone Dueler A/T 001: the all-season tyre family is growing


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Is it just me, or does it seem like we are experiencing news déjà vu a lot lately? From Bush at war in the Gulf to Princess Di and Mother Theresa back in the headlines, I’m starting to suspect we’ve slipped through a time warp. The controversy over music in the digital world is also making headlines, though in truth it never left them. Recent weeks have produced several items worthy of note.
Hate the sin not the sinner…
After criticism and a fair share of heckling in the press for suing children and the elderly in an effort to curb illegal downloading, the RIAA is still aggressively pursuing music pirates in and out of court. Their processes of obtaining a subpoena that requires ISPs to identify someone believed to have used the ISP’s services while committing copyright infringement over the Internet has raised privacy protection concerns.
However, RIAA President Cary Sherman is optimistic, commenting that “the music community’s efforts have triggered a national conversation—especially between parents and kids—about what’s legal and illegal when it comes to music on the Internet. In the end it will be decided not in the courtrooms, but at kitchen tables across the country. We are heartened by the response we have seen so far.”
Agree or not, file sharing without the copyright owner’s consent is illegal, but somehow like jaywalking, to many it doesn’t seem really illegal. The Clean Slate Program offers amnesty to peer-to-peer network users who voluntarily identify themselves and pledge to stop illegally sharing music on the Internet. Users must file a form before they are investigated or involved in litigation.
Also, in response to criticism over their tactics, the RIAA now sends letters warning people they are about to be sued and gives them 10 days to make contact and discuss a settlement to avoid formal litigation. Under copyright law, the defendants could face damages that range from $750 to $150,000 for each illegal song. Most settlements, however, have been for less than $5,000.
Whatever headway the strategy is making for the economic good of the artists, it’s definitely alienating segments of the music buying public who are vocally protesting the RIAA’s actions on message boards and in the national press—this from a public already disenchanted with an industry they have long felt overcharges for a product of sometimes questionable quality. Makes you wonder where the high-priced marketing spin is on this one.
Apple to the rescue?
A new hope is perhaps to be found in the form of Apple Computer’s iTunes Music Store. Unlike the other subscription services that have tried (and if not failed then not exactly succeeded) to corner the online market over the last year, iTunes has a simple strategy that’s working dramatically in the marketplace—pay 99¢ per song and it’s yours to do with as you (legally) like. Apple reportedly sold 13 million songs in six months—70 percent of all online music sales—even though the service worked only on Macs. The recent launch of a Windows version is already pushing those numbers higher, though skeptics say it still won’t curb illegal file sharing.
Just the facts…
A new consumer report examining the status of online music has been released by Jupiter Research. According to analysts there, music aficionados, who represent 14 percent of the online music audience, spend on average over $30 a month on music and tend to be male, under age 35, and comfortable acquiring and consuming music on the PC. Jupiter suggests that “retailers of music downloads and subscription-based online music products should spend their marketing dollars” here.
CDs remain the dominant revenue generator online, though 23 percent of respondents said they have decreased their spending. On average, both CD purists (11% of the audience) and music aficionados purchase two to three CDs per month. Unsurprisingly, the affluent CD purists (one-quarter of them earn over $100,000 per year) “show little interest in MP3s or file sharing,” but are typically older and “devoted music enthusiasts.”


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The first expansion of Forza Horizon 5 has been leaked in advance. Hot Wheels DLC could be perhaps already at the Summer Game Fest tonight.
Forza Horizon 5
Here's a list of the most expensive cars in Forza Horizon 5. At a price of 50,000,000 credits, the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO is the costliest car in FH5.
Microsoft has revealed on the stage of the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase the long-awaited Forza Horizon 5, and also confirmed its release date. Forza Horizon 5 launches in November 2021 After so many rumors, we are finally here. On the…


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UK software sales – January 3, 2021 – Animal Crossing the second best-selling boxed game of 2020
Posted on January 3, 2021 by Brian(@NE_Brian)
in News, Switch
This week’s UK software sales are in, and it includes significant information about Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
The game, which saw a 7 percent sales increase week-on-week, was the second best-selling game of 2020 in terms of boxed releases – only FIFA 21 did better. However, if we’re looking at single platform sales as opposed to grouping all systems together, Animal Crossing is well ahead of FIFA 21 on PlayStation 4.
Boxed sales of Switch games dipped only 25 percent week-on-week. That’s in contrast to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, which fell 48 percent and 53 percent respectively.
Here’s a look at the best-selling games in the UK of the past week:


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Guitar Pull tickets, acts announced
Officials have announced the lineup for November's annual Guitar Pull concert, which go on sale next week.
The 18th Annual KICKS 99 Guitar Pull, which is presented by Just Beds, will be held 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at the James Brown Arena.
This year's lineup includes Cole Swindell, The Band Perry, Chris Janson, Kelsea Ballerini, Trace Adkins and Kane Brown.
Tickets will only be sold at the James Brown Arena and will not be available online. The sale begins at 10 a.m. Sept. 17. Tickets are $35 with a four-ticket purchase limit. Buyers must be at least 16 years old with a photo ID. Anyone purchasing with a credit card must have a matching photo ID.
The concert benefits The United Way of the CSRA, providing funds needed to support local families during the holidays.