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This week has seen new games released by Yggdrasil, Microgaming, Skywind Group, NetEnt, Play’n GO, Nolimit City, Push Gaming and Playson, alongside integrations for OneTouch, Oryx Gaming, RubyPlay, Zitro Interactive, Gamomat, Booming Games, Evoplay Entertainment, Betsoft Gaming and BF Games.
Yggdrasil’s Nikola Tesla’s Incredible Machine
Yggdrasil has released its second title from its YGS Masters programme with the launch of Nikola Tesla’s Incredible Machine.
Developed by game studio Rabcat, the 3x5 slot is set in the factory of genius scientist Nikola Tesla, where he moves around the screen fixing his ground-breaking invention.
Features include energy bursts, which when activated transform into either exploding wilds, reel clones, or a wild substitution.
“We’re thrilled to release our second YGS Masters game, Nikola Tesla’s Incredible Machine,” said Yggdrasil head of studio partnerships Stuart McCarthy. “With its thrilling gameplay and immersive setting, it is an excellent addition to our burgeoning YGS Masters portfolio.
“YGS Masters is at the beginning of a very exciting journey, setting the bar even higher when it comes to game development and distribution standards. The next few months will be filled with even more electrifying news, so stay tuned.”
Microgaming’s Banana Odyssey
Microgaming has launched space-themed slot Banana Odyssey, the latest title developed exclusively for the supplier by Slingshot Studios.
The new game follows two astro-chimps on a stellar mission towards the Banana Planet’s legendary riches. The five-by-three reel, 10-payline game features free spins, expanding wilds and respins, and pays out both ways.
“We always strive to deliver a diverse, quality content portfolio to meet the needs of our operators, and Banana Odyssey is testament to this,” said Microgaming director of global operations James Buchanan. “Originally conceptualised by Twin during one of Microgaming's interactive games concept days with operators, and following a two-month exclusivity period with the operator, the game is now available to our wider customer base.
“Slingshot Studios have done a tremendous job creating an energetic, fast-paced slot, successfully combining popular game mechanics of respins, expanding wilds and free spins. Engrossed with aesthetically pleasing visuals and a foot-tapping soundtrack, Banana Odyssey is a captivating new addition to Microgaming’s library of games.”
Skywind Group's Genie Mega Reels
Skywind Group has launched its latest slot game Genie Mega Reels.
Featuring a progressive jackpot, the slot is the supplier's first Mega Reels game. Players can spin the Wish Bonus Wheel three times to be granted three wishes that can award cash prizes, free games, multipliers or even the jackpot.
The game also includes extra wild features such as the Expanding Genie Wild, Random Genie Wild and Giant Genie Wild, and a lucky spin can turn the 30-line 5x3 grid into a 90 pay line game with up to 20 extra symbols.
“We wanted to make every spin as exciting as possible," said Skywind Group vice president of games and content Uri Cohen. "The multitude of features coupled with the constant anticipation for the mega reels to expand to their full potential achieves exactly that."
OneTouch / QTech Games
OneTouch is looking to expand its reach into new markets after agreeing a content deal with Asian-facing platform provider QTech Games.
The deal will see OneTouch’s portfolio of slots and table games, including Lucky Lion, Golden Stripe, Baccarat and Sic Bo, made available to operators in Asia.
“It’s been a busy few months for the whole OneTouch team and we can’t wait to see our top-quality content reach more players with help from QTech Games,” said OneTouch head of marketing Ollie Castleman. “They are experts when it comes to distribution within the region and their experience and contacts will help us grow OneTouch as a brand. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership together.”
QTech Games CEO Markus Nasholm commented: “We are constantly looking to add to our range of offerings and with mobile gaming booming, agreeing a deal with OneTouch was an obvious decision for us.
“Their offering is truly mobile-first and their varied portfolio, which includes classic table games and slots, is sure to prove popular with both operators and players alike across our markets.”
Booming Games has launched its portfolio of games with Malta-based operator SuprNation.
The supplier’s portfolio comprises more than 60 slot games, including popular titles Booming Seven Deluxe, VIP Filthy Riches, Gold Vein and latest release Leprechaun's Lucky Barrel.
Booming Games plans to release up to two new games per month that will all be available to SuprNation players, with upcoming releases including Colossal Vikings, Aztec Palace, Colossal Fruit Smash and Witches Wild Brew.
“We are excited to launch our games on a leading operator like SurpNation,” said Booming Games chief commercial officer Frederik Niehusen. “SuprNation is the next valuable addition to our constantly growing network of operators.
SuprNation casino manager Rasmus Hammar said: “Booming Games are consistently developing some of the best slots content on the market and we're very excited to be able to offer their games to all our players.”
NetEnt’s Imperial Riches
NetEnt has launched a new Asian-themed slot game, Imperial Riches, which offers three progressive jackpots and two fixed-value jackpots.
Set in a Chinese garden, the 5-reel, 3-row slot features the supplier’s Avalanche concept, which sees symbols fall into position onto the reels instead of spinning in both the main game and during the Free Falls feature.
During the feature, a winning bet line triggers an Avalanche, where all symbols in winning combinations apart from Scatter symbols light up and disappear to continue the avalanche until there are no more wins.
Free Falls are activated when at least three Scatter symbols land randomly on three reels and offer players the chance to collect jewels in the Lucky Pond, a bonus game which can unlock the jackpot if “Bonus Fish” eat three or more jewels.
“This game is packed with features. We are continuing with our Jackpot successes this year, with Imperial Riches but with our Avalanche mechanic,” said NetEnt director of games Bryan Upton. “The three stage nested bonuses give players a chance to experience the Free Falls game, collecting jewels from wins for entry into another coin win feature and then a Jackpot bonus game. The chance to win one of five realistically priced jackpots and the beautiful, authentic Asian artwork and theme makes this game speak the promise of fortune for players across the board.”
Push Gaming’s Razor Shark
Push Gaming is taking players under the sea with its newest slot release. Razor Shark submerges players in an underwater world where treasures can be unlocked through the game’s Razor Reveal and Free Spins features.
Players swim among the sharks in search of hidden riches via the game’s four features; Mystery Stacks, Razor Reveal, Free Spins and Increasing Multipliers.
The nudging Mystery Stack symbols appear in stacks of four symbols that can land anywhere on the reels, triggering the Nudge and Reveal feature. Here, Mystery Stacks open to reveal paying symbols or Golden Shark symbols that bring about the Razor Reveal.
This feature delivers instant bet multipliers of up to 2,500x original stake, with scatters landing during the feature triggering Free Spins.
“Razor Shark is a game with huge depth, offering exciting win potential from base game through to its wildly progressive free spins,” said Push Gaming CEO James Marshall. “We've introduced unique features such as a nudging reveal symbol and 'Razor Reveal' instant win prizes, adding new levels of anticipation and excitement to our renowned volatile and thrilling catalogue of games.”
Playson’s Imperial Fruits: 100 Lines
Playson has announced the latest addition to its Timeless Fruit Slots series of games with the launch of Imperial Fruits: 100 Lines.
Following the launch of Imperial Fruits: 40 Lines, the new version of the game has a 4x5 spinning reel game field, with fruits and red sevens as symbols, while the highest payout and the two scatter symbols are imagined as gold and diamond stars which pay regardless of pay lines.
All symbols are ruled over by a royal crown, which acts as a wild symbol and expands on the whole reel to increase the chance of big winning combinations.
“Imperial Fruits: 100 Lines is a worthy addition to the classic Timeless Fruits Slot series and is sure to be a big hit for fans of both new and classic game styles,” said Playson head of product Vsevolod Lapin. “With its stunning graphics and progressive gameplay, Imperial Fruits: 100 Lines is sure to be a treat for both our seasoned players and newcomers.”
Play’n GO’s Hugo’s Adventure
Play’n GO has released the latest installment in its series of games based on popular Danish animated troll Hugo.
The slot features Hugo and some of the well-known characters from his universe and includes a unique bonus feature where players are given one life to dodge obstacles, while also having the opportunity to pick up extra lives along the way.
“Hugo is a beloved character, and whenever we create a Hugo game, we make sure we do it justice, by making the best game possible, and bringing something different from its predecessors,” said Play’n GO CEO Johan Törnqvist. “This newest edition is our greatest one yet, and its innovative features are going to excite both fans of the previous games and new players to the Hugo series.”
Mogens Agger, vice president of 5th Planet Games, which holds the licensing rights for Hugo, added: “We’re delighted with this latest Hugo release, and we think fans will be too. We had the aim of bringing Hugo to a wider audience through the casino market, and this has been realised through a remarkable partnership with Play’n GO.”
Bragg Gaming Group’s Oryx Gaming has launched its content with operator LeoVegas.
LeoVegas’ customers can now access the supplier’s catalogue of proprietary games through the recently enhanced Oryx Hub platform, alongside titles from third-party partners including Gamomat, Kalamba and Golden Hero.
“LeoVegas is a leading European operator with an unrivalled mobile offering, so this partnership is a testament to the quality of our games catalogue,” said Oryx Gaming managing director Matevž Mazij. “Widening our distribution network with this reputable brand will significantly expand the reach of our in-house and partner content in Europe, whilst providing LeoVegas with a library that is versatile across devices and will deliver results with its digital products.”
LeoVegas casino release manager Mats Andersson said: “Oryx’s diverse portfolio of innovative slots provides a host of quality games that perform exceptionally well on smartphones, perfectly aligning with our mobile focus. The integration process with its newly enhanced Oryx Hub platform was a seamless and efficient experience. We are looking forward to offering our customers a broad range of exciting and engaging titles.”
888 has continued to expand its casino platform with RubyPlay joining the operator's multivendor network.
The partnership will introduce RubyPlay’s portfolio of slots to 888casino, including titles such as Dragon Prophecy, Hot & Heavy and Medusa Money.
“RubyPlay is one of the industry’s most-respected online gaming providers with over 20 years of experience creating immersive, entertaining and rewarding slot machine games," said 888 senior vice president of B2C Guy Cohen. "888casino players will no doubt love the new additions from RubyPlay and we look forward to working with them moving forward.”
RubyPlay chief financial officer Yehuda Abelson said: "We are delighted to have entered into this new partnership with one of the world’s leading operators in 888. We hope to enjoy a long and prosperous relationship by providing our unique gamification techniques to 888casino players."
Logrand Entertainment’s Strendus iGaming brand in Mexico has gone live with a selection of Zitro Interactive’s video bingo games.
Zitro already provides the land-based casino operator with a range of games, which have now also been deployed on its iGaming site Strendus.mx.
“Zitro is a leader in bingo video games with whom we already have a long standing and fruitful relationship in our land based casinos, so the presence of Zitro games in our online casino is simply the logical consequence of the joint success we have already had in the field,” said Logrand Entertainment Group director of online operations Lenin Castillo.
“We are confident that the addition of Zitro video bingo games to Strendus will contribute to making Strendus a reference of the online casinos in Mexico."
Zitro CEO Sebastian Salat commented: “Mexico is one of the largest markets in the world in which the video bingo game is strongly rooted among players. We are very pleased and grateful to the Logrand Entertainment Group for giving us the opportunity to have our video bingo games at their Strendus online casino.”
Evoplay Entertainment has agreed a deal to provide its content to Flutter Entertainment-owned Georgian operator Adjarabet.com.
Entering the Georgian market for the first time, the supplier will provide its portfolio of more than 60 slot, table and instant games to Georgia’s leading online operator.
“Evoplay Entertainment offers a good selection of games which I’m sure Georgian players will enjoy,” said Adjarabet gaming director Tom Hutchinson. “We’re also very excited about being the first and exclusive owners of Evoplay Entertainment’s unique 3D / VR slots in the region.”
Evoplay Entertainment CEO Alexander Levchenko added: “Entering the Georgian and Armenian markets with the region’s most successful casino operator is testament to our ambitious plans for bringing the next generation of gaming to the world.
“We’re delighted that their players will soon be able to enjoy the very best of our innovative slots, and look forward to being live in such a young, dynamic region with such a fast-growing brand.”
Nolimit City’s Pixies vs Pirates
Nolimit City has launched its first slot game which features two of its mechanics.
Pixies vs Pirates is a 6x3 reel slot that includes the xNudge mechanic, a nudging stacked wild that increases its multiplier with every nudge. The new mechanic xWays mechanic sees an xWay symbol land on screen and randomly award a symbol that may duplicate to increase the amount of wins on the entire screen.
If players win three scatter symbols or more, they enter the bonus round that allows players to choose between team Pixies or team Pirates.
“Pixies vs Pirates is our first release with our new xWays feature mechanic, merged with the previous smash hit mechanic xNudge,” said Nolimit City product owner Per Lindheimer. “The two together can create thrilling spins with huge potential! With stunning graphics, especially in mobile portrait mode, this game will keep you on your toes both in main game and the free spins mode.”
Betsoft Gaming has signed a multi-year content supply deal with Belgian casino operator Golden Palace.
The agreement will see all of Betsoft’s certified games in Belgium rolled out to the operator’s iGaming site.
“With more than 55 years of experience, Golden Palace knows what it takes to satisfy and support players – both online and offline,” said Betsoft sales executive Francesca Raniolo. “At Betsoft, we strongly believe in creating games that celebrate the legacy of the casino industry, while also taking full advantage of mobile and desktop technology to deliver new experiences.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share that vision for cinematic gaming with Golden Palace’s loyal players.”
Golden Palace head of online, Anne-Laure Bousseau, added: “We foresee a long-lasting partnership with Betsoft, and our goal is to integrate every new game on Goldenpalace.be.
“We can be confident in advertising Betsoft’s content to our players because we believe their quality and user experience are second-to-none. We know that this relationship will provide our audience with a range of new ways to play.”
BF Games / BetConstruct
BF Games has launched its portfolio of slots and bingo games on BetConstruct’s platform.
Popular titles including Bonnie & Clyde, Aztec Adventure and newly released Book of Gods and Ramses Rising are now available through BetConstruct’s casino aggregator platform.
“Partnering with BetConstruct, a globally renowned software developer, is a testament to the appeal of our games across a range of jurisdictions and player types,” said BF Games head of business development Claudia Melcaru. “It underlines our achievements in creating fresh, state-of-the-art content that drives revenue for our partners and provides their customers with an exciting gaming experience.”
BetConstruct gaming group product manager Edgar Mkrtchyan added: “BetConstruct never stops enriching its gaming portfolio with new content giving the operators an opportunity to continuously extend their offering, reach new markets and attract more players. BF Games’ high-quality slot portfolio has just been launched on our international platform. Coupled with our Jackpot Engine, the new gaming addition will be a huge success.”
Gamomat / 1X2 Network
1X2 Network has expanded its casino aggregation platform with new content from Gamomat.
The integration will see Gamomat join GameArt, Habanero, Playson and Oryx Gaming on the platform, as well as 1X2 Network’s in-house studios 1X2gaming and Iron Dog Studio.
The supplier’s games also feature the first-person-shooter jackpot bonus round, Crazy Chicken Shooter, which has been rolled out across popular titles including Fancy Fruit, Aura of Jupiter, Duck Shooter and Cutie Cat.
“1X2 Networks 3PI is a game aggregation platform with a difference, providing operators access to new and exciting slots from a wide range of developers,” said 1X2 Network chief commercial officer Kevin Reid. “The creativity and quality of Gamomat’s content makes the developer the perfect fit for our aggregator, and we are delighted to be able to offer their slots to our operator partners.”
Gamomat founder and CEO Dietmar Hermjohannes added: “Being added to 1X2 Network’s 3PI game aggregation platform is a big moment for us and will put our games in front of more operators and players than ever before.
“Our titles offer something perceptibly different, from the design to the gameplay via our innovative first-person-shooter bonus round, and we believe they will be a huge hit with players in markets all over the world.”


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Folli-Follie Posts 7.5% Gain in 2011 Profit on Travel Retail
Folli-Follie Group, a Greek manufacturer and retailer of handbags and other accessories, posted a 7.5 percent rise in profit as sales from travel retail increased.
Net income increased to 89.5 million euros ($118.7 million) from 83.3 million euros, according to an e-mailed statement from the Athens-based company. Sales rose 3.2 percent to 1 billion euros.
“We are fully satisfied,” Chief Excutive Officer George Koutsolioutsos said in the statement. “Travel retail activity exceeded even our most optimistic expectations by delivering its historical best performance” and revenue in China increased as Folli-Follie expanded its network in the country.
Travel retail revenue, from duty free stores at ports and airports, rose 15 percent to 291 million euros, the company said in the statement.
To contact the reporter on this story: Natalie Weeks in Athens at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jerrold Colten at email@example.com

domain: news


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The Pantone Colour of the Year for 2022 has been announced!
This is a colour reflecting global culture and innovation taking place into our transformation. For the first time in the history of the Pantone Colour of the Year, they have created an entirely new colour, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri.
Very Peri has been described as a spritely colour with joyous attitude and dynamic presence it is a colour to encourage personal inventiveness and creativity. A strong colour for fashion industry and a fresh approach to home accessories and soft furnishing this colour can be a key player alongside a pallet of classic neutrals and rustic shades.
"The complexity of this new red violet infused blue hue highlights the expansive possibilities that lay before us” - Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute
Saint-Tropez Ottoman - Koket
Purple Vintage Wall Cabinet - Scaramanga


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BRUSSELS, Belgium, July 23, 2003 (ENS): The European Union
has completed its legislative framework governing genetically
modified organisms with the adoption Tuesday of two
European Commission proposals. One establishes a system
to trace and label these products of biotechnology,
and another regulates the marketing and labeling of
food and feed products derived from genetically modified
Across Europe, consumers have rejected genetically
modified foods due to concerns of allergenicity, and
as yet unknown dangers to human health and the environment.
Some food retailers and manufacturers have pledged to
produce and market only products that do not contain
transgenic organisms. Six European Union countries have
placed a moratorium on the cultivation of GM crops.
A Eurobarometer opinion poll published by the European
Commission in December 2001 showed that 94.6 percent
of EU citizens surveyed want the right to choose whether
or not to eat foods derived from biotechnology, 85.9
percent want to know more before eating foods containing
genetically modified ingredients, and 70.9 percent do
not want GM food at all.
Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne
said the new draft legislation should set all those
fears to rest. “European consumers can now have
confidence that any GM food or feed marketed in Europe
has been subject to the most rigorous pre-marketing
assessment in the world."
"Consumers will also have a clear choice of products
to buy as GM food will now be clearly labeled. For the
first time farmers will see labels on GM feed,"
Byrne said. "Europe will now have a comprehensive
and transparent system of authorization and labeling
that can only enhance business and consumer confidence.”
But Mauro Albrizio from the European Environmental
Bureau, a coalition of 134 organizations in 25 countries,
said, "The right to eat GM-free food will be severely
compromised if GM crops are grown are a large scale.
The Commission must accept that no one wants GM foods
and that public authorities have every right to protect
their consumers and environment."
The European Union has been under pressure from the
United States to permit the development, import and
sales of genetically modified crops and foods, most
of which originate with U.S. companies. On May 20, the
United States, joined by Canada and Argentina, filed
a complaint against the EU over the issue before the
World Trade Organization. No hearing has yet been held.
Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom said the
new legislation "will reinforce our international
credibility and will certainly help in building public
confidence in new technologies."
"By ensuring that GMOs can be traced at all stages
in the production and marketing chain," Wallstrom
said, "we provide a robust safeguard system and
the foundation for a comprehensive labeling system.
In this way, we address the most critical concerns of
the public regarding the environmental and health effects
of GMOs and enable consumers to chose."
Traceability provides the means to track the movement
of genetically modified products through the production
and distribution chains. Traceability for certain products
has existed for many years, but specific traceability
requirements for products that contain genetically modified
organisms (GMOs) or are derived from GMOs do not currently
The draft law requires the labeling of all foods produced
from GMOs whether or not there is DNA or protein of
transgenic origin in the final product. All genetically
modified feed must also be labeled.
Today retailers have to label food consisting of or
containing genetically modified organisms. This also
includes food produced from GMOs if traces of DNA or
protein from the genetic modification is detectable
in the final product, such as flour produced from genetically
But these labeling provisions do not cover some foods
or food ingredients, such as highly refined soy or corn
oil produced from genetically modified soybeans or genetically
The new law will extend the current labeling requirements
to also cover such food and food ingredients produced
from GMOs such as biscuits made with corn oil produced
from genetically modified corn.
The label has to indicate, “This product contains
genetically modified organisms” or “produced
from genetically modified (name of organism).”
The EU will pursue its examination of new GMOs, which
in accordance with European Union law, can only be authorized
for cultivation and/or marketing in the EU if they present
no risk for human health or the environment. A number
of GMOs have been notified for authorization and are
being processed by the Commission and the member states.
The new draft legislation meets some of the demands
of European Farmer Co-ordination (CPE), an association
of 18 farmer and rural organizations from 11 European
countries, both members and non members of the EU. In
an open letter to EU ministers last fall, the CPE asked
for mandatory labeling of any agricultural product,
animal feedstuff, seed containing GMOs, and animal products
produced with GMOs, as well as food products processed
The coexistence of genetically modified crops with
conventional and organic farming is seen as a problem
for farmers, such as those affiliated with CPE, who
wish to keep their crops free of genetically modified
Today, as an extension of its new legislative framework,
the European Commission published guidelines for the
development of strategies and best practices to ensure
the coexistence of genetically modified crops with conventional
and organic crops.
Commenting on the guidelines, EU Agriculture Commissioner
Franz Fischler said variations in national and regional
or local conditions make "an EU wide one size fits
all approach unworkable."
“We want to ensure that farmers are able to cultivate
the types of agricultural crops they choose be it GM
crops, conventional or organic crops," the commissioner
said. "This is why we need measures to ensure their
But CPE farmers do not believe coexistence without
contamination of conventional and organic crops is not
possible. In its open letter to the EU ministers, CPE
wrote, "We refuse the experimentation in open field,
because we know from experience that it is impossible
to avoid the contamination."
Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and the European Environmental
Bureau today condemned the European Commission's recommendation
on coexistence between genetically modified and non-GM
Friends of the Earth Europe's GM campaigner Clare Oxborrow
said, "Moves to allow organic crops to be contaminated
with GM pollution are totally unacceptable, and could
lead to the death of organic food and farming. Member
states should reject this recommendation and bring in
tough legislation to prevent genetic contamination and
ensures real consumer choice."
The new guidelines on coexistence state that as a general
principle, during the introductory phase of a new production
type in a region, farmers who introduce the new production
type should bear the responsibility of implementing
the actions necessary to limit mixing of transgenic
organisms with conventional or organic ones.
Approaches to coexistence should be developed in a
transparent way, based on scientific evidence and in
cooperation with all concerned, the guidelines say.
They should ensure an equitable balance between the
interests of farmers of all production types.
National strategies and best practices should refer
to the legal labeling thresholds and purity standards
for GM food, feed and seed, and local and regional aspects
should be fully taken into account, according to the
Measures should be efficient and cost effective, without
going beyond what is necessary to comply with EU threshold
levels for GMO labeling, the guidelines state.
They should be specific to different types of crops,
since the probability of accidental mixing varies from
one crop to another. For some crops such as oil seed
rape the probability is high, but for others such as
potatoes the probability is fairly low, according to
Measures taken on the farm might include isolation
distances, buffer zones, and pollen barriers such as
hedgerows. There might be cooperation between neighboring
farms such as information about sowing plans, and the
use of crop varieties with differing flowering times.
"The recommendations are based on the latest available
research results, and provide a sound basis on which
member states should build their approaches," Fischler
Eric Gall, Greenpeace's EU advisor on genetic engineering,
said earlier this month, "Preventing genetic contamination
should now be the number one priority for the EU. If
nothing is done to protect conventional and organic
crops from genetic contamination, the new labeling system
will actually be at risk of becoming useless after a
few years because it will be increasingly hard to secure
GMO free supplies."
Gall said today, "Member states should make clear
in their national legislation that GM producers are
the ones responsible for avoiding GMO's in food, feed
and especially seeds. According to the polluter pays
principle GM producers should also bear the cost of
On Monday, Greenpeace activists replaced the World
Trade Organization sign at its headquarters in Geneva
with a new logo, "World Transgenic Order,"
denouncing the WTO for promoting the corporate interests
of the genetic engineering industry.
At the same time, Greenpeace activists representing
consumers were shoved into straitjackets by Uncle Sam,
who dumped genetically engineered corn on them to dramatize
what the activists believe the United States wants to
do to consumers around the world.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2003. All Rights


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Less than a year after Electronic Arts closed down Visceral Games and announced that it’ll be redesigning its Star Wars game, the company is hiring for a Star Wars open world project.
A job listing advertises the position of a Lead Online Engineer for the publisher’s Vancouver studio, and is looking for someone who has “experience implementing online features such as matchmaking, asynchronous interactions, live services, server-host migration, etc.” Key responsibilities include working on “client and server gameplay to ensure designs will maintain high-traffic services for multi-platform games.”
While EA hasn’t officially provided any details about the upcoming title, the job advert indicates that the game might already be in development.
Visceral Games’ Star Wars project was being led by former Uncharted writer, Amy Hennig. Upon announcing the developer’s closure, EA faced intense criticism but the company maintained that player feedback was one of the reasons behind its decision. “In its current form, it was shaping up to be a story-based, linear adventure game,” said Patrick Soderlund last October. “It has become clear that to deliver an experience that players will want to come back to and enjoy for a long time to come, we needed to pivot the design.”
We’ll update our readers when we have more information.


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WindUp makes friends race to see a message before it's gone.
Microsoft has three new bundles coming for Xbox fans around the world and the biggest common feature between them is they all lack a Kinect motion camera.
Ahead of Gamescom 2014, Microsoft tipped some big home entertainment improvements that are coming to the Xbox One.
It looks like Microsoft is getting ready to release more Lumia phones, including the long-rumored "selfie" phone.
Extreme sports videos can be tough to watch without feeling nauseous. Now, Microsoft has an algorithm for that.
Microsoft still faces some old challenges as its phone platform hits a new milestone.
This doesn't seem to be affecting a ton of people, but some Windows Phone users aren't going to be able to take advantage of Microsoft's recent developer preview.
The tablets will allow coaches and players to analyze plays during the game and make adjustments along the way.
Microsoft issues updates to Word, PowerPoint, and Excel for the Apple iPad, with some handy new features.
Windows Phone 8.1 Update, formerly known as Windows Phone 8.1 GDR1, adds folders to the Start screen, the ability to sandbox apps, and other features for consumers and businesses alike.


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We have just one question after watching the trailer for Netflix’s new docuseries Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives.: What with’s the meat suit?
The documentarians raised the subject in a trailer for the docuseries, asking a woman, “Do you know about the meat suit?” And while the description of this mysterious item wasn’t featured in the preview, the subject’s reaction made it clear that it isn’t the same dress that Lady Gaga wore to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards: “Oh no,” the person replied. “I’m going to need a minute.”
But Bad Vegan isn’t just about this meat suit. The four-part documentary chronicles the downfall of celebrity restaurateur Sarma Melngailis, the famous vegan chef behind New York City’s Pure Food and Wine, who pleaded guilty to grand larceny, tax fraud and conspiring to defraud in 2019.
Former chefs and friends spoke about the years preceding her arrest in 2016, describing how Sarma went from being haute cuisine’s “raw vegan queen” to convicted fraudster in a matter of years.


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Quivr’s move to embrace Solana’s compression NFT technology underscores a dedication to providing a seamless and affordable experience for users, ultimately democratizing access to NFTs and enhancing digital identities.
NFTs (Non-fungible Tokens) News
NFTs (Non-fungible Tokens) have helped blockchain technology to become truly mainstream. From celebrities to artists, and sports to movies, all have started exploring NFTs, increasing the demand for tokenized assets.
Stay tuned for all the latest news, insights, and updates on NFTs (Non-fungible Tokens).
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB) have jointly released a synthesis paper laying down the foundation for this comprehensive framework. Subsequently, discussions on this vital initiative will be a prominent agenda item during the upcoming leaders’ summit.
By combining N Suite’s prowess in private key management and approval workflow solutions with Bitwave’s comprehensive finance platform, businesses gain an unprecedented advantage in the world of digital assets.
With this listing, Prime Numbers aims to further enhance its accessibility and allow a broader audience to participate in its ecosystem.
Quadrata provides digital identity services, including KYC/AML screening, accredited investor verification, and on-chain credit scores for DeFi protocols and businesses in the Web3 space.
The speaker line-up includes Udi Wertheimer, creator of the popular Ordinals collection Taproot Wizards; Domo, the creator of the BRC-20 Protocol; and Erin Redwing, COO, Ordinals Protocol, and more.
This strategic partnership aims to lower cloud infrastructure costs, accelerate NFT and AI capabilities, and simplify onboarding in the blockchain industry.
HeartX offers a seamless platform where artists can mint and showcase their unique pieces of digital art as NFTs, allowing art lovers to collect and trade these virtual masterpieces securely on the blockchain.
This move aims to address the discoverability challenges faced by on-chain collectors and NFT marketplaces by leveraging AI to automate the identification and distribution of NFT searchability Web3-wide.
Spielworks has partnered with Web3 startup Mycelium Network to launch a new NFT program called Reverties. The program allows users to stake the new series of NFTs in Spielworks’s game “Dungeon Master” and purchase them using USDC stablecoin.


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NORTH OLMSTED Big changes could be coming soon for shoppers seeking a snack inside the city's largest retail center.
Westfield Great Northern is pursuing approval from the North Olmsted planning commission to move forward with a revitalization plan that includes a new food court and new retail stores at the mall.
The plan also allows for the creation of a big box retail space in the location of the existing food court.
Pending approval from city officials, construction could begin soon and would be targeted for completion before the holiday shopping season begins on Black Friday in 2010.
Westfield Great Northern Marketing Director Annie Dorsey said the changes would provide shoppers and the community with several quick, casual dining options.
"We're looking at opportunities with our existing food court tenants while also reaching out to identify and attract fresh new flavors that will further enhance the variety of options to be found in the brand new food court," she said.
According to Dorsey, Great Northern will remain open throughout construction, and Westfield will work to communicate any changes with its retailers and the city.
"As is the case in all revitalizations, Westfield carefully considers the impact of construction and works with retailers and the city to maintain the convenient shopping experience that our customers expect and enjoy at Westfield Great Northern," she said.
Westfield officials said they are exploring opportunities for the potential big box retail space, but Dorsey declined to announce a candidate.
City planning officials speculated last week that Best Buy could move across the parking lot and become the new anchor tenant. The existing Best Buy building is zoned for a variety of uses, they said, and could end up as office space.
Meanwhile, the food court enhancement on the northern side of the mall near Dick's Sporting Goods is intended to energize and activate an area that has suffered from a lack of foot traffic since Dick's was constructed.
Dorsey said current service tenants in the mezzanine portion of the existing food court, including American Dental Centers and others, would be relocated.
Planning Commission members will meet Wednesday to discuss revisions to the original project proposal, and approval could come as soon as the Aug. 18 council meeting.
Westfield officials were quick to point out that despite the tough economic times, the company continues to strengthen its holdings through development projects.
Westfield acquired the Great Northern property in 2002 and soon constructed an expanded retail space to house Dillard's in 2003.
The company followed that with the addition of Dick's and expanded the north wing in 2004. In 2006 and 2007 Westfield focused on the north side of the property, adding a streetscape that now features H&M, Wild Mango restaurant, Archiver's and the restaurant pads for Red Lobster and Smokey Bones.
"Westfield continues to reinvest in its properties -- including ours here in North Olmsted -- with a purpose to keep the centers vibrant and further position them as an asset to the community," Dorsey said.


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FreightPOP ranked #40 out of 185 on the Inc.com Regionals 2023: Pacific list, with an incredible 450% revenue growth from 2019-2021.
Inc. REgionals 2023: Pacific
February was an exciting month for FreightPOP! We were ranked #40 in Inc.'s Regionals 2023: Pacific list, where they highlighted the top 185 companies that are making the biggest impact in the Pacific Region.
It's been a tough couple of years for businesses trying to navigate the supply chain industry, and we are proud to continue providing our clients with powerful tools to ensure they stay on top of their shipping processes.
Our Marketing Manager, Holly Heitmann, expressed just how honored we all are to be included on the list:
"We've put a lot of work into providing our customers with the best shipping software solution. Seeing that hard work recognized by our customers and now Inc. magazine two years in a row makes us feel incredibly proud to do what we do."
FreightPOP Hits 319 on the 2022 Inc. 5000
recognition worth celebrating
Inc.com is a highly regarded magazine for business news and advice, reaching audiences of over 50 million in more than 60 countries worldwide. It stands out among other leading business brands for its dedication to honoring the accomplishments of entrepreneurs and small business owners.
To be included in their Regionals 2023: Pacific list is a huge accomplishment and is a testament to the endless hours our team spends making sure we are exceeding clients needs and developing new tools and features.
It's what we do
Since 2016, FreightPOP's mission has been to simplify and streamline the logistics experience for manufacturers, distributors, ecommerce, and 3PL's. Our software has enabled businesses of all sizes to thrive in today's uncertain economic conditions. Our expertise comes from more than two decades in the technology software and shipping industries. We are happy to use our knowledge and experience to help businesses find peace of mind in this turbulent economy.
FreightPOP works with partners in transportation and logistics including ERPs, CRMs, brokers, carriers and more. We are always interested in discussing future opportunities—reach out for more information on becoming a partner!


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GTA series developer Rockstar Games announced that the online component of GTA 5, GTA Online, had its biggest year ever in 2017.
While Rockstar Games didn’t go into the exact figures that made up GTA Online’s best year ever they did say that in December 2017 more people than ever before were playing the game online. This makes December last year the biggest month ever for GTA Online since it launched in October 2013.
The rise in player numbers for December 2017 is likely to be due to the new content that Rockstar Games dropped for players over the holiday period. The Doomsday Heist is the latest expansion to GTA Online, adding a brand new heist for players to compete in with their crew or strangers. The Heist tasks players with uncovering the mysteries surrounding a secret plot that could end with the apocalypse, or just the total destruction of Los Santos.
Since October 2013 around 85 million copies of GTA 5 have been sold across Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Playstation 4, Xbox One, and now PC. Take-Two and Rockstar Games have continued to support GTA Online for this entire time with almost weekly updates that bring new content to the game in some way.
It’s incredibly impressive that GTA Online has been running with such a large player base for so long, nearly five years in total. In addition to the new content that is added regularly the game’s online component is a place for players from all around the world to meet up and hang out. There are crews of like-minded people who simply get together every week to show off the cars they’ve been working on in-game and drive them around the game world a few times.
This year Rockstar Games is set to release Red Dead Redemption 2, which will also have an online component like GTA Online. In the previous game the online component was filled with hackers who borderline ruined the experience, but after such success with GTA Online it’s likely that Red Dead Redemption 2 Online will become even more popular.


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If we expose to the sun in summer, our skin can easily get sunburn by ultraviolet. so people often apply sunscreen on the skin when going out to avoid skin injured from the sun. In past years, health experts hold views that applying sunscreen with high sun protection factor(SPF) is the best method against sun damage. However, the views may be wrong according to some research.
Recently, a study by FDA reveals a fact that the chemicals against UV in sunscreens will soak into your blood within few hours, and the study was published in Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA). The study’s findings raise a new concern about whether sunscreen is harmful to our body. However, sunscreens are not all chemical-based, some kind sunscreens are all-natural and no chemical in its ingredients, like CICA madecassoside, sea buckthorn fruit oil.
In recent years natural herb extracts are applied in more and more fields especially in cosmetics. A new skincare formula named CICA(full name centella asiatica) appear in cosmetic. It is quickly becaming a favorite formula in makeup because of its robust effect and natural herb in skin care, it has healthy effect on skin care, including wound healing, skin whiten, sunburn repairing.


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Argentine craftsman safeguards tea tradition
replenish his cup.
According to the National Institute of Yerba Mate, more than 250 million kilograms of the caffeine-rich tea were sold last year.
More than 90 percent of Argentine households consume yerba mate, with an average per capita consumption of 100 liters a year, compared with 30 for wine and 18 for mineral water, the INYM said.
Not surprisingly, whether at home or at work, you’ ll often see a cup being passed around among family, friends and co-workers.
“More than just a pretty object, the cup represents getting together,” said Vidal. “I try to make it beautiful, but not too beautiful, so people will use it and appreciate it.”
“The cup is a piece that sells a lot. It is a tradition here in Argentina, and it is a pretty thing — the combination of the gourd and the metal.”
People ... capture the fish by remotely operating the robot.” Colin Angle, executive chairman of iRobot Corp
“We basically drive the Guardian up to the fish, position it between two electrodes, apply a current and stun the fish, knocking it out,” said Angle.
“Then there is a motor at the back of the robot which creates a current into the robot and it sucks that fish into the robot.”
The device is still in its early stages of development. Its first prototype, which was unveiled earlier this week, can capture and hold about 10 fish before resurfacing.
Angle said he intends to make the robots affordable enough to entice fisherman to buy the machines in hopes that they will hunt the invasive species in greater numbers.
He also wants to turn lionfish hunting into an online sport.
“With advances in wireless technology, we can actually have an app where people pay to go hunt lionfish and capture the fish by remotely operating the robot,” he said, adding that, if robots can catch lionfish, a new market in which chefs can turn an environmental hazard into gourmet cuisine might emerge.
Workers attach books wrapped in plastic bags to a scaffolding in Kassel, Germany, on Thursday as part of a work entitled ‘The Parthenon of Books’ by Argentine artist Marta Minujín.


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Last week when Nate Burleson arrived in California at the Facebook headquarters, his jaw nearly hit the floor.
Seeing a large group of buildings, the Cleveland Browns' receiver assumed Facebook was located inside some these offices. Instead, Burleson was told the social media giant owns the entire campus.
Employees eat at eight different restaurants for free. There's a dessert bar that would put Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory to shame. There's even a barber shop on site.
Then there are rooms "straight out of the movie the Matrix," according to Burleson. Gigantic screens are computing how many millions of people are using Facebook throughout the world. Other areas display which topics are trending and where.
"It seemed like one of the most relaxing and exciting places to work on Earth," said Burleson of his visit to Facebook. "I honestly want to work there. I was waiting for them to offer me a job, I don't think my resume is strong enough."
Actually, Nate, it might be. Burleson was chosen as one of 300 celebrities and athletes to try out a new innovation. Facebook is launching an exclusive application (unnamed at this time) to help social media superstars cater unique posts for their specific demographics. The app uses advanced analytics to separate each of Burleson's followers into distinct categories.
For example, in addition to being a wide receiver, Burleson also owns a clothing line. If Burleson is about to create a post about his Lionblood clothing brand, this new Facebook app can group together users who have liked or commented Lionblood clothing posts in the past, and deliver the post only to them.
The Facebook app takes things one step further. Burleson says athletes are always trying to have the wittiest posts. Now, he can click a few buttons to describe exactly what message he wants to convey to his followers and it will produce an engaging sentence to go along with his picture or video.
"For us as athletes, it's all about taking advantage of this small window of opportunity we have to brand ourselves bigger than what we are as players," said Burleson, who predicts most athletes will be using this app within a year. "So once we're done playing, whatever it is we go into, that we have something that we could hold on to, and build on our name."
Every now and then, there will be an article suggesting the end of Facebook. After visiting with the company, do not group Burleson in that boat.
"If the world blew up you might be able to find some highlights of me out there somewhere," Burleson joked about being a football player. "But you're going to know about the social media world forever. It was awesome to breathe in what they breathe in every day, which was: How much better can we communicate with each other?"


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There has been a 26% rise in the number of children and young people hospitalised after self-harming in the East of England.
Woodbridge: Designer Clothes Stolen
Police are putting out CCTV pictures after designer clothes were taken from a shop at Woodbridge in Suffolk.
Hundreds of pounds worth of goods were taken.
The three women, described as white and in their 20s, one wearing a pink tracksuit, one in a grey poncho and the third in a black batwing coat, entered the store in the town centre around 1.30pm on Tuesday 11 March and hid a number of items, including Versace jeans and dresses and Cavalli dresses and tops, under their clothing before leaving the shop.
Police are appealing for help in tracing the three women pictured – do you recognise them?
If you can help please contact PC Cobi Moss at Suffolk Police by dialling 101, quoting referenceWO/14/355.
Police have confirmed that a man and a teenage boy have died after an incident at West Meadows in Ipswich yesterday afternoon.
More than 100 people have lost their lives through suicide in prisons in England and Wales so far this year, an all-time record.
The survivor of a serious crash in Norfolk has become the face of the Norfolk PCC's new awareness campaign.
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This cadre of female entrepreneurs are behind the companies driving some of the most exciting developments in hardware. From drones to modeling kits, here are four women-led companies whose innovative products are shaking up the tech world:
Bdeir's company has raised $60 million for its award-winning kits of pre-assembled electronics components that are color-coded and snap easily together with tiny magnets. Used by educators, hobbyists, kids, and companies prototyping new products, they are also in the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.
Matthews, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States, makes energy-generating technology that can be embedded in everyday objects that are often in motion, such as strollers and toys, to provide power in developing countries and anywhere without a reliable grid. The profitable company has 15 patents, and its investors include Kapor Capital.
Greiner is best known as the co-founder of iRobot, the company that brought us the Roomba. Now she's the founder and CTO of CyPhy Works, which has raised $35 million to make small drones for consumer, industrial, and military use. Last September, CyPhy started working with the UPS Foundation and the American Red Cross to test the use of drones in disaster relief efforts.
Ladyada--as she's known to her fans--founded Adafruit Industries, an electronics design and manufacturing company. She is a vocal advocate for open-source hardware; her company designs and sells kits and electronics parts with the goal of teaching people to become makers.


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Online data protection and social media privacy have become hot topics around the world recently, as news continues to break about the Wild West of Data that we are currently living in, and how companies are using big data to target customers and personalise their services without their knowledge. This is especially true of ecommerce, giving rise to data protection fears and issues around personalisation software. Navigating these privacy issues raises more questions than answers, so I sought out another expert who could shed light on where we are headed with this.
Last week I took a trip up to the University of Cambridge to discuss the subject of Psychometrics, and social media privacy concerns, with the Operations Director of the Psychometrics Centre, Michal Kosinski. In addition to his responsibilities at the Centre, Michal is a Research Consultant for the Online Services and Advertising Group at Microsoft Research Cambridge. He is currently finishing up his PhD at Cambridge in Social Psychology, and writing his dissertation about how online social networks affect the corporate environment.
Michal and I were able to discuss at length the growing concerns surrounding online privacy and the recent feather-ruffling news that companies like Google, Facebook, Yahoo! and AT&T were secretly allowing government agencies on both sides of the Atlantic to access their users content. The NSA-led PRISM and UK-based TEMPORA programs have taken the idea of government spying out of the domain of conspiracy theory and into stark reality. This much is clear, but what comes with this pandoras box?
My questions to Michal centered around several related subjects that make up the crux of the privacy debate, which included how we should store our data, who should/n't have access to it, and what both marketers and consumers of social media could do to make companies like Facebook more transparent, while still remaining usable networking tools. We also talked specifically about personalisation software and how this will become integrated into more online services in the future.
The news of government backdoor entries into users data broke at the same time as the publication of results from Michals collaborative project with Dr. David Stillwell and Dr. Thore Graepel, also of Cambridge, and the development of their Facebook app, myPersonality. The initial success of this basic personality-assessment questionnaire soon went viral, and became the basis for a predictive analysis of Facebook Likes using their personality questionnaire as a comparison. The project eventually brought together over 150 research teams from around the world and 8 million Facebook users, who all donated their results to science. With incredible accuracy and insight, Kosinski et al. were able to predict very personal information about their participants, including their political leaning, sexual orientation, addictive habits, and religious affiliation, which was, mostly, information participants did not make explicit or public on Facebook. The implications of such predictive software are vast, and inherently tied into the commercial techniques companies are willing to utilise in order to target customers.
Michal had much to say on the subject of social media privacy, and although his work revealed the risks associated with using social media sites like Facebook, he ultimately didnt think it was necessary for people to stop using the service. (This may in part be because its futile. Facebooks policy of keeping shadow profiles of everyone using other peoples contact info means cancelling your account wont erase your info).
What he called for instead was that users of online services educate themselves about where their digital footprint is going, who is seeing it and how it is being stored. Interestingly, he believes there is no current reason why companies cannot allow users to encrypt and store their personal data on their own computers, and for companies to ask permission to access it. Perhaps this is a direction we should consider, but it also threatens companies abilities to use analytics software to track user activities for marketing and sales targeting. This growing trend is equally important to businesses looking to create more personalised experiences for their customers.
On the subject of the future of personalisation in online services, Michal states that everything will soon be ultimately personalised:
"Because of your digital footprint, your computer will know you better than your own mother, or better than you think you know yourself."
This was the real meat and potatoes of the conversation, and one that had many insights and implications for both marketers and internet users. Imagine a future where your car starts when you leave home, the temperature and music inside it adjust to your heart rate and serotonin levels, and your GPS finds not only the best route to your destination, but maybe, if youre not in a rush, a more scenic one too, as it knows you havent seen the ocean in 18.6 months.
This doesnt sound much like science fiction anymore, but to get there, big data has to play its part. So where do we go from here? Well the first place is user education, and marketers have a role to play here too. Everyone who becomes an online service user should know where their digital footprint is being left, but ecommerce companies, and marketers especially, need to begin forming relationships with visitors to their websites that complement both business transparency and user privacy. After all, if Facebook gives a little in the way of transparency and user control of data, perhaps users will hand over their information more willingly and share more widely than before. And just maybe this is the clearest way to civilise the 'Wild West of data' in which we now find ourselves.
Read the full interview HERE


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Draper Fisher Jurvetson, a US venture capitalist and DFJ Dragon, a DFJ affiliate fund in China are joined by Intel Capital China and a few other investors in the Series B financing of YeePay, an e-payment service provider in China.
DFJ is committing $1.5 million, and DFJ Dragon is committing $1 million in the Series B financing, Tony Luh, managing director of DFJ Dragon said. Luh will join the board of YeePay, as will Lee S. Ting, managing director of WR Hambrecht, a US financial services firm that also participated in the latest financing, according to a statement.
YeePay’s solutions enable consumers and businesses to make and receive payments over the internet, mobile and telephone. It lays claim to being the first in China to provide a single platform integrating both online and offline electronic payments. It has also formed strategic partnerships with local banks, internet companies and e-commerce websites as well as merchants.
Luh said: “YeePay is in a very interesting space, and we have been interested in the payment space because in China, we can anticipate the emergence of a winner or two, and that (winner) has yet to be determined. YeePay is a strong contender.”
“We have evaluated its technology extensively, started doing due diligence more than a few months ago, talking to the firm and industry experts in China, and outside.”
According to Luh, angel investors backed the first round of financing for YeePay, which is making good revenues, but is not yet profitable.
Luh is a founding partner of DFJ Dragon, which is advancing toward the final close, anticipated at the end of Novevmber, of a $100 million fund. The fund has had two closes, and made five investments which amounted to $7 million.


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In less than a month, a second Lamborghini Gallardo has burst into flames! First up was Norwegian rap star Tshawe Baqwa’s Lamborghini Gallardo fire at McDonald’s, and now an unfortunate Scottish chap’s Gallardo began to smoke and burst into flames while he was ‘motoring’ through Scotland in the Italian sports car!
Firefighters dousing the Lamborghini Gallardo fire in Scotland
Is anyone else strangely reminded of the Ferrari Italia fires last year? Follow link for full story on the Ferrari 458 Italia fires.
Ferrari 458 Italia fire Brazil
Ferrari 458 Italia fire aftermath
The driver was unharmed, but likely suffered emotional distress as the crew from Fort William Fire Station extinguished the flames to reveal the devastating results! There were no apparent causes for either Gallardo fire this month, and it seems to be one hot exotic car story! We look for Lamborghini to release a statement very soon explaining the mysterious fires.
Lamborghini fire at McDonalds
Don’t miss our fabulous fleet of luxury rental cars in Chicago and other cities on your way out!
Post by Imagine Lifestyles Luxury Rentals


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The biggest news from the past week came in the form of a long-awaited release of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 beta. After several months of teasing the browser's upgrade with a series of feature-free developer's previews, Microsoft has finally unleashed the public beta for IE9. We gave the latest version a test drive, and you can get a closer look for yourselves in our First Look video and in-depth slideshow.
Recent Microsoft and Intel primers on Internet Explorer 9's accelerated graphics point to snappier Web browsing.
Microsoft will launch the beta of the upcoming Internet Explorer browser on Wednesday at an event in San Francisco as competition from Chrome, Firefox, and Safari has spurred Redmond to beef up its graphics acceleration, among other improvements. And Intel is slated to introduce its Sandy Bridge chip architecture, with features enhanced graphics silicon, at the Intel Developer Forum, which begins on Monday.
In a blog posted on Friday, Microsoft spelled out what it says are the merits of "full vs. partial acceleration," while Intel, in a new video, is claiming IE9 acceleration on its Core i series of chips--which will include new Sandy Bridge processors.
Graphics chip-based acceleration (Microsoft calls it "hardware acceleration") shifts some tasks from the main processor (CPU) to the graphics processor (GPU). Mainstream GPUs pack in dozens or even hundreds of processing cores. While each GPU core delivers a tiny fraction of the processing power of a CPU core, combined, they can tackle certain tasks much more quickly and efficiently than a CPU. Intel, for its part, has improved the built-in graphics on its Core i series of processors and will integrate its fastest graphics function yet onto the CPU in its upcoming Sandy Bridge processor.
In the Microsoft blog, Ted Johnson, program manager lead for Web graphics at Microsoft, explained the merits of a "fully-hardware accelerated display pipeline that runs from their markup to the screen."
In March, Johnson explains, Microsoft released the first IE9 Platform Preview with GPU-powered HTML5 turned on by default, enabling hardware acceleration on "everything on every Web page" including text, images, backgrounds, borders, SVG (scalable vector graphics) content, and HTML5 video and audio.… Read more
Internet Explorer's growth slowed once again, and Chrome shook off its slump in August, new statistics show.
Although Microsoft made progress in its goal to exterminate IE6 in favor of IE8's more modern and secure design, Internet Explorer overall slipped from 60.7 percent to 60.4 percent of global usage, as measured by Net Applications.
Chrome had slipped for the first time in its history, sinking to 7.2 percent in July, but returned to growth with 7.5 percent of August usage, Net Applications said.
Mozilla's Firefox market share was essentially flat, with 22.9 … Read more
I gave it a run earlier this afternoon. After I followed the instructions to close other applications and enter my home address, the video took about 15 seconds to start. My first impression was a flashback of visiting shady Web sites back in the days before pop-up blockers existed: a cascade of no fewer than eight browser windows opened, and trying to close … Read more
Thanks to Microsoft's Russian subsidiary, the world now has a pretty good idea of what Internet Explorer 9 will look like.
The Russian folks were kind enough to briefly post an image and some details that had yet to be shared about the browser. And although they pulled it down, ZDNet blogger Mary Jo Foley captured the information and screenshot.
More than anything else, the screenshot shows a browser that attempts to offer a minimalistic user interface and leave as much room as possible for the Web sites. When combined with the browser's hardware acceleration, the hope is … Read more
Thanks to corporate use and ties to Windows, Internet Explorer has remained dominant in the browser space ever since it won the first browser wars with Netscape a decade ago.
However, by allowing the browser to stagnate after the release of Windows XP in 2001, Microsoft created an opening that paved the way for the rise of Firefox and, more recently, Google's Chrome.
As a result Internet Explorer celebrates its 15th birthday Monday as market leader and like an upstart trying to compete against powerful rivals.
Arguably, the browser has never been more important--or competitive. As of July, Microsoft … Read more
Happy 15th birthday to Internet Explorer and AT&T says Net neutrality is indeed onerous and it's all for Verizon and Google's proposal (um, duh). The Facebook "dislike" button finally launches, but it's a scam; WiFi-sniffing aerial drones are the new black, and we celebrate 50 years of broadcasting to the world the following: "looking for a good planet to plunder? Call Earth."Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (640x360) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS (640x360)… Read more
We weren't fans of Bose's first in-ear headphones, but maybe Bose will make a better impression with its new line of in-ear headphones, which include the IE2 audio headphones and the MIE2 and MIE2i mobile headsets, which are designed "specifically for music-enabled mobile phones." The company says each is engineered with proprietary Bose technologies for improved audio quality and feature new StayHear tips for "greater stability and a comfortable fit."
None of these models are noise-canceling or noise-isolating. While the IE2 headphones don't feature an in-line microphone for receiving cell-phone calls, both the … Read more
On today's show, you can finally tell people that you read Playboy for the articles ... and have it be the truth! At least if you shell out $5 for the Playboy iPad app. Also, Oracle sues Google over Android, and it doesn't look good for Google. Plus, the brewing Apple vs. BBC cage match. Our prediction: Apple wins. Apple always wins.Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (640x360) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS (640x360)… Read more
Microsoft plans to launch the beta of the Internet Explorer browser on Sept. 15, according to a blog post on Thursday.
The software maker has scheduled an event in San Francisco to mark the arrival of the beta, billing the event (and the browser) as highlighting "the beauty of the Web." Microsoft also sent packages to reporters containing a variety of art supplies, such as crayons and fingerpaints, inside a box with an IE logo.
That Microsoft is holding a launch event reflects the resurgent importance of the browser and the degree to which Redmond is counting on … Read more


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BATAVIA, N.Y. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded almost $200,000 for a new access road into a western New York business park that will be home to a Greek yogurt plant.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer announced the USDA grant Monday and said it would pave the way for Pepsi's Quaker Muller Greek Yogurt plant in Batavia. Schumer said the road also will support the Alpina yogurt plant opening this fall as well as other current tenants of the business park.
Upstate New York has become a hub for Greek-style yogurt, which is heavier than more traditional yogurt and requires more milk in its production.


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A while back, we reported that CBS would be launching its own on-demand subscription service for its programming. Now, it appears to be putting its money where its mouth is, preparing for a huge marketing push for the forthcoming service.
The channel will ask consumers to pay $5.99 a month to gain access to instant programming from CBS, including current hits like The Big Bang Theory and NCIS, as well as classic series like Star Trek and Cheers, according to Variety. The real marketing push for the service will come the week after Thanksgiving, when the channel will run TV promotions for the service.
“December is a key month for our push,” said Marc DeBevoise, executive vice president, entertainment, sports and news, at CBS Interactive, in an interview. “It’s the time when the network has ended the first half of the season and goes into repeats and Christmas specials for a few weeks, then comes back in early January. It’s a unique time period and we are going to present something that’s very timely around catching up on the first half of the season.”
This won’t mark the first time that an on-demand service has run promotions on television. Netflix has introduced a savvy campaign focusing on such original programming as House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black; Amazon has a few ads running for its political comedy Alpha House, and even YouTube is getting in on the action, calling attention to such original programs as SciShow and Video Game High School.
With its ads, CBS looks to aim more towards “influencers” that will bring a bigger audience to the service. “It’s a broad campaign with very specific targeting inside of it,” said an executive. “You pick the right way to convert users to what we think is a product for ‘super-fans,’ or a premium product for people who really want CBS.”
On-demand is definitely picking up in numbers, with a 30 percent overall growth in revenue for the year – and it’s likely to expand even further in 2015, as HBO Go will enter the battle with its own on-demand services, marking the first time that users can catch its original programs without a subscription to the cable channel.
Surprisingly enough, on-demand services have also managed to top rentals. A report from 24WAList indicates that streaming services for the year have managed to total over $1.03 billion, a 26 percent increase from the previous year, while rental services have dropped 18 percent to $793 million. That’s still a hefty market, but quite a shift in popularity.
It’ll be interesting to see how much more on-demand services grow by this time next year…and, for that matter, if CBS can play a successful part in it, despite being a network channel first.


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The World Wide Web celebrated its 20th anniversary on March 13. Twenty years ago, Briton Tim Berners-Lee submitted a memorandum with his suggestions on the structure of the computer network to the administration of the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Something that we now know as the ‘browser’ appeared in about a year
Tag Archive 'internet'
Web designers often find themselves working in relative isolation. It is relatively easy to forget that there are a lot of benefits to visiting web design forums regularly, from troubleshooting specific problems to networking and promoting one’s work. Here are five such forums to keep an eye on for web design and other related online […]
Today’s links feature healthy mix of creative and alternative design to get those juices flowing, as well as some helpful tools for graphic, architectural and web designers. Some of these are pragmatic and others are designed to inspire.


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U.S. imaging solution company Cellect LLC has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics Co., the latest to join the growing list of names engaged in patent lawsuits with the South Korean semiconductor and IT giant.
According to sources on Thursday, Cellect demanded a jury trial from a federal court in Colorado in its filing against Samsung Electronics in Seoul and Samsung Electronics America last month. A jury trial is not entitled to dismissal of the lawsuit.
Cellect claims Samsung manufactured and sold smartphones and tablets by using its technology related to CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) image sensing, which is widely used inside smartphones and digital cameras for its fast data conversion speed and low power consumption. Cellect targets a wide range of Samsung products based on the punitive remedy under Section 284 of the U.S. Patent Act, which grants federal judges the discretion to increase the damages up to three times the amount found or assessed.
Samsung Electronics has become a major target of patent litigation in Korea and elsewhere since last year. Taiwan’s CyWee Group filed a suit against the company for patent infringement on a particular combination of sensors of a 3D pointing device, while U.S. data encryption firm PACid Technologies sued Samsung Electronics, claiming the latest Galaxy S phones have infringed its patents related to biometric solutions.
Early last month KAIST IP, the licensing arm of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), also filed a patent suit against Samsung, claiming its 3-dimensional semiconductor process technology was infringed by the company.
Market watchers say Samsung Electronics may face additional patent lawsuits from tech companies or patent trolls seeking huge compensations, given the Korean tech giant’s market position and profitability in the global semiconductor market.
Shares of Samsung Electronics finished Friday up 0.8 percent at 44,200 won ($38.86).
By Lee Sang-duk and Minu Kim
[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]


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13:44 | Beijing (China), Sep. 11.
Commerce between Peru and China has quadrupled since the coming into force of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2010, said Juan Carlos Capuñay, Peruvian Ambassador to the Asian nation.
“Peru-China FTA is way beneficial and has prompted both countries to expand trade and business,” the diplomat was quoted as saying by Andina news agency.
Prior to the FTA implementation, Peru-China exchange used to reach US$4 billion, but trade size increased significantly once the agreement was signed, reaching up to US$16 billion last year.
Diplomatic relations with China have entered a period of bilateral trade deepening after the FTA implementation.
“Nowadays, China is the largest trading partner of our country,” he emphasized.
The FTA entry into force has greatly increased the volume of Peruvian exports to China.
In 2014, Chinese exports totaled more than US$7 billion, driven by agriculture, fisheries, iron and steel, and mining sectors’ dynamism.
Copper ores and concentrates became the main export product, which accounted for 48.6% of China’s total export value.
The principal non-traditional exports included, among others, grapes, seaweed, wood, alpaca-related products and cuttlefish.
Capuñay attended the Road Show Asia 2015 carried out at Park Hyatt Beijing in the presence of a large group of Chinese businessmen.


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- A taste of Cisco's acquisitions
- The threat from software-defined networking (SDN)
- Cisco diversifies portfolio
- Acquisitions more cost-effective than R&D
- Extending customer base and innovation
There is nothing unusual about an industry heavyweight looking around the world of start-ups for a smart buy to boost their technology portfolio. Nor is it strange for billions to be spent in a relatively short space of time to incorporate the product line and talent into an organisation.
What is remarkable is when a company decides to do this nine times in as many months, as Cisco has during 2012.
In February the networking giant picked up the relatively unknown Lightwire for $271m to take advantage of its optical interconnect technology. Since then a further eight companies have joined the ranks, with the cash that Cisco paid out remaining undisclosed in most cases.
Cisco's latest buy was cloud networking company Meraki, for an impressive $1.2bn, but the biggest purchase prize went to UK video software company NDS, for which Cisco paid $5bn in March.
Cisco has paid out around $6.5bn for four companies and who knows how high this figure would be with the additional five. But why does Cisco think it better to chase down acquisition targets?
“I believe they are going through a transition phase, as SDN threatens their current market,” claimed Roy Illsely, principal analyst at Ovum.
“They have recognised this, even if they are not publicly admitting the potential disruption, and the move to do more acquisitions I think is an attempt to broaden their presence and enter new adjacent markets.”
It is true that SDN poses a threat to Cisco. The company has traditionally made substantial revenues from selling proprietary routers and switches. With SDN, the software solutions make the hardware underneath irrelevant, meaning customers can in theory buy any supplier equipment and get the same performance out of it.
With the expense associated with Cisco and the inevitable tie-in due to its proprietary nature, SDN could steal away significant market share if the momentum behind it continues to grow at the same pace and more companies, like Big Switch Networks, get their products on the shelves with industry backing.
Cisco has already shown it is attempting to widen its appeal. Its investment into its Unified Computing Systems (UCS) has been paying off as, despite not taking over the market, it is the fastest growing area of the company, with revenues for the datacentre division at Cisco growing 61% in the last quarter to $417m.
"How successful this will be it is too early to say but it certainly is needed so that Cisco remains relevant to enterprises in the future"
Roy Illsley, principal analyst, Ovum
This figure doesn’t compare to the $3.6bn brought in from its switching division, but broadening its remit will be necessary if it is to make up any falls in this revenue pot – which already fell 2% in the last three months.
“How successful this will be it is too early to say,” added Illsley, “but it certainly is needed so that Cisco remains relevant to enterprises in the future.”
“I also expect to see many more strategic partnerships, like the one with Citrix – working on cloud and mobility solutions – where they are deciding a market is mature and not financially viable and they need to focus resources on more upcoming technologies.”
It is clear Cisco has the cash to invest. In its most recent results, profits rose 18% to $2.1bn and sales were up 5.5% to $11.9bn. But why is it spending this money on external talent and technology, rather than investing into more research and development by its own engineers?
"With acquisitions it is more like ‘here is one we prepared earlier’"
Clive Longbottom, founder, Quocirca
“In truth, acquisition is more cost-effective,” said Clive Longbottom, founder of Quocirca. “With internal R&D, you have to work out whether you have the right skills in house first. If you have, you have to take them off whatever they are working on and lock them in a darkened room to work on something new.”
“Even if you can do this, there are no guarantees and the end product may be good or may be bad. With acquisitions it is more like ‘here is one we prepared earlier’ where you are getting the technology, the talent and even perhaps a ready-made market.”
The choices of acquisitions may be a little more confusing. As Longbottom pointed out, Cisco had already covered the midmarket area that Meraki sells to with the purchase of Linksys in 2003 and had the wireless area wrapped up with the 2005 purchase of Airespace.
But it seems like acquisition is a strong path for Cisco to follow. It is one IBM is renowned for – Big Blue picked up 20,000 patents alone last year – and one that looks likely to help broaden Cisco’s customer base, ensuring it can innovate in new areas, even if the innovation doesn’t come from Cisco itself.
We will watch closely to see who is next on the shopping list.


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So tonight I'm posting something suitably content-free and lightweight: the fate of beer. At Slate, in an article subtitled "the great American beer crisis" we read these doleful reports:
“Last week, two leading beer companies reported disappointing results. Anheuser-Busch, which claims more than half the U.S. beer market, announced it was suffering from falling demand and rising costs. The volume of Bud and Michelob sold in the U.S. fell 2.7 percent from the year-ago quarter. Newly merged cross-border beer powerhouse Molson Coors reported a loss, with net sales in the U.S. down 2 percent, and U.S. operating income off by nearly one-third. The most recent trading statement of Miller, the No. 2 U.S. beer brand now owned by SABMiller, showed marginal growth.”Dire times, indeed. And made all the more mystifying by the veritable blanket of advertising the megamarkets have smothered us with these last few years, most of which seems to consist of trying to get the beer drinking public to identify with coozy blonde hormone grenades and mouth-breathing overgrown prepubescents engaging in stunts so imbecilic that it would take a self-loathing bordering on suicidal to identify with them. Setting aside the not inconsiderable matter of the taste of the bear-whiz they're selling, who wouldn't want to be cajoled into hoisting a Bud or a Miller by being told one will join the ranks of the moronic in doing so?
The article goes on to blame yuppification--thin, snotty left coasters, roly-poly 50-somethings, Village types in black, the joie de vivre crowd--for turning the thirsty American herds to the more delicate and sophisticated joys of wine and liquor:
"The real problem is that Americans increasingly tipple with wine and hard liquor. Health-conscious baby-boomers, fretting about waistlines and heart murmurs, are eschewing high-carb beer for cardiac-friendly merlot (or, post-Sideways, pinot noir). According to the Wine Institute, U.S. wine sales have risen smartly in recent years, from 558 million gallons in 2000 to 627 million gallons in 2003. Meanwhile, the young and hip—traditionally the biggest consumers of beer—are looking for harder stuff. Club-goers want less Molson Ice and more Maker's Mark. The spirits crowd has become better at marketing, too, especially to younger consumers."Not much mention of the low-carb craze (which I'm guessing has probably hit beer-makers like it has bread-bakers), but more important, no mention of the incredible growth of microbrews and home brewing over the last 20 years. This is a "fad" that has transformed the beer drinking landscape, for those of us who merely drink, and those of us who also brew. Brewpubs are fast becoming a staple in large and medium-sized cities and environs, and beer styles have grown enormously. CNN was on top of it last year:
“There are now more than 1,400 craft breweries in the United States. Nearly 1,000 of those are brewpubs (restaurants that make their own beer), with 440 microbreweries and regional specialty breweries.It’s not that people aren’t drinking beer…it’s that they have become educated about what real beer should taste like, and are putting their money where their mouths are, so to speak. Even the megamarketers are acknowledging it--Bud started selling Michelob Amber Bock in 1995, and went into partnership with Seattle's Redhook micro in 1994. Miller bought up and made a subsidiary of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co, which makes and sells weisses and bocks.
Sales volumes of beer made by the majors grew by 1.6 percent last year, and imports rose by 2 percent. Craft brewers, however, rose by 5 percent.
"Beer drinkers are changing their tastes," says Gatza. "They have much less loyalty to individual brands than they once did. They're more willing to experiment with different beers and styles."
Indeed, every region of the country now boasts one or more strong local microbreweries, capturing shelf space at stores and appearing on tap handles at bars and restaurants.”
So I wouldn't bemoan the death of beer just yet. But I have to admit that watching a year's worth of Coors Lite being shot toward the sun in order to make room at the tap for a Victory Hop Devil would be my kind of funeral pyre.


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September 2, 2021
The value of the region’s e-commerce sector surged 52% to reach USD 22 bn by the end of 2020 — 80% of which came from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, Wamda, and MIT’s Legatum Center for Develo..
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After pandemic, every brick and mortar store businesses suffered via lockdown, strict SOPs etc. on the other hand E-commerce businesses are struggling to fulfill the sales order, resultantly, Global e..
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E-Commerce has been the rave of the 21st century in Egypt and all other world countries. Most businesses have turned to it to sell their products to their customers, and there is no denying that custo..
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If you’re reading this today, I’m certain you must have come to see that we now live in a digital era. E-Commerce is the way forward when it comes to buying and selling products and services. The ..
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Despite all the hype, Instagram is still not the most-used social platform. It ranks fifth on the list of most popular social networks with 1.2 billion active users across the globe. Other social netw..
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The world is changing faster than many people can keep track of. However, as business people, there is a need not to be left behind by the changing tides. Technology has made the world into a true “..
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The outreach to clients via mobile technology is the most crucial part of eCommerce for quite some time now. And it is getting more important every day. We have come a long way since Google proposed t..
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ERP or enterprise resource planning is software that is crucial for business functioning. It is an automated solution used by entrepreneurs for managing order processing, inventory, and production. It..
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The business-to-business market (B2B) connects manufacturer and wholesaler or a wholesaler and a retailer. Through B2B eCommerce, the role of the B2B salesman in this context has radically changed. Se..
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When it comes to business expansion, 90% of the companies focus on Western Europe or North America (USA, Canada) in order to grow. However, there is one huge market that is worthy of exploring: the Mi..
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"Looking into the future in times of crisis and daily change is difficult. We get news on the effects of coronavirus on the economy in an hourly manner. But with COVID-19 spreading globally for months..


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USA: Consumer prices increase 6,8% in November
Consumer prices in the United States increased 6,8% in November compared to 2020 as rising costs for food, fuel, housing and other items cause the highest annual inflation rate since 1982. The Labor Department also reported that prices increased 0,8% between October and November.
Inflation has intensified the pressure on consumers, especially lower income households and for everyday needs in particular.
Pay raises received by many workers have been undone, complicating Federal Reserve plans to cut aid to the economy and coinciding with a drop in public support for President Joe Biden.
The boost to inflation stems from a host of factors resulting from the swift rebound from the pandemic-triggered recession: a torrent of government stimulus, ultra-low Fed-managed rates, and input shortages at factories in the United States and China. abroad. Manufacturers have been held back by higher-than-expected demand, COVID-induced shutdowns, and overstretched ports and loading docks.
The labor shortage has caused wage increases, and many employers have raised their prices to offset rising costs, adding to inflation.
Hence, the prices of goods from food and used vehicles to electronics, home furnishings and car rentals have increased. The acceleration in prices, which began during the pandemic when people confined to their homes flooded factories with orders for goods, has spread to services: rentals, restaurants, medical services and entertainment.
The persistence of high inflation has surprised the Fed, whose Chairman Jerome Powell had characterized it for months as a short-term "transient" consequence of bottlenecks in supply chains. But two weeks ago, Powell implicitly acknowledged that he had persisted longer than anticipated. He hinted that the Fed will move more quickly to abandon its ultra-low interest rate policy sooner than expected.
Some economists have expressed the hope that inflation will peak in the coming months and then gradually decline to improve consumer prices.
Author: Patricia Chung 7:01 am


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BillingTree's Growth Continues and Leadership Team Expands to Include Frank Helstab, Director of Corporate Development
- Expanding leadership team to include Frank Helstab & SidneyFingerhut
- Continuing customer growth; exceeding forecast for the third consecutive quarter in 2010
- Announcing Conference 2010 – the company’s inaugural annualconference and golf tournament to be held in Scottsdale, AZ on November 12
- Launching BillingTree’s PaynCash, a new cash payment offering that supplies same-day, cash payments at thousands of MoneyGram agent locations
- Selecting JDRF and ChildHelp as the benefiting charity’s for all proceeds raised by BillingTree’s Rock Block 2010, featuring NightRanger, Skid Row, FireHouse, and Chad Hollister
The proven leader in on-demand payment processing, BillingTree empowers customers with competitive advantage through a simplification of the billing and receivables process. By delivering the most innovative technology while making it as easy and inexpensive as possible to accept payments, BillingTree has revolutionized the payments landscape. Our software-as-a-service (SaaS) model delivers industry-leading payment solutions, proven integration, and point-and-click simplicity. BillingTree’s focus on innovation has allowed us to help more than 1,500 customers eliminate manual processes and automate their payment cycles. BillingTree – Growth is our Business. For more information, visit www.mybillingtree.com or call 877.4.BILLTREE.


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Products that offer premium features without the high price tags are becoming popular. What are the factors driving this trend and how are companies like Apple and Samsung affected?
This report comes in PPT.
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted global finances and consumer sentiment. As the world slowly transitions to the “new normal”, consumers are no longer obsessed with having the greatest and latest.
Affordable brands offering competitive specs are good alternatives for those consumers unwilling to downgrade in terms of technical features. Premium brands, including Samsung, have launched lower cost models to seek growth in the mass market.
Emerging brands have better prospects through competing in the online channel. The pandemic has further accelerated growth in e-commerce across various consumer electronics categories.
The rapid development of e-commerce has put greater pressure on prices. Seeking best-for-value options is made easier due to information transparency.
As sales of consumer electronics reach saturation, growth will be mainly driven by upgraders rather than early adopters. These consumers are not willing to pay a premium just for “bragging rights”.
Consumer Electronics refers to the sales of Computers and Peripherals, In-Home Consumer Electronics, In-Car Entertainment and Portable Consumer Electronics to the end consumer.See All of Our Definitions
If you purchase a report that is updated in the next 60 days, we will send you the new edition and data extraction Free!


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Published on : Saturday, December 7, 2013
The trimmings of a traditional British Christmas will be replicated across the world this festive season as Britain’s biggest transport interchange, Heathrow, predicts a record year for sales of iconic UK products such as English tea, Scottish salmon and single malt whisky.
During November and December, foreign visitors will snap up more than 918 tonnes of British products – the same weight as 464 London black cabs – to bring a touch of Great British glamour to their festivities.
Dana Jaber, a personal shopper at Heathrow, says that the type of items passengers are requesting has changed significantly in the last five years:
‘More than 5.8 million travellers will pass through Heathrow this Christmas searching for a little piece of Britain to take home. Thanks to the Royal Wedding, the Olympics and more recently the birth of Prince George the desirability of British brands has never been higher. Visitors are keen to take home a little piece of the UK for their own Christmas celebrations.’
Top three British products purchased by foreign travellers over Christmas are:
Scottish Malt Whisky – over 185,000 litres
English tea – over 100,000 boxes
Scottish Smoked Salmon – 3.5 tonnes
English tea sold at Heathrow over Christmas (equivalent to 6,400,000 cups) is particularly popular with Chinese passengers as gifts for loved ones. While Turkish and Japanese passengers are the key buyers of Scottish Malt Whisky and are keen to understand the heritage of each bottle they purchase to take home. Middle Eastern passengers are also increasingly asking Heathrow’s Personal Shoppers for assistance purchasing Scottish salmon which is sealed and packaged ready for flight.
Another key brand taking off at Heathrow is Mulberry which is proving popular with Scandinavian and American passengers. Meanwhile Jo Malone is flying the flag for Brand Britain with American, Chinese, Korean customers keen to capture their UK experience through fragrance.
British-branded products from Heathrow are most popular with the following nationalities:
Dana Jaber adds: ‘The Asian market – including mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore – like the romance and heritage of a traditional British Christmas, and tend to go for items that allow them to recreate British traditions at home.’
Heathrow’s Personal Shopping service offers passengers the chance to tap into the knowledge and expertise of a highly trained shopper unit. The team speak over 40 languages and work with international travellers all year round to fulfil passenger’s requests.
Tags: Airline News


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UU signs Scottish Tesco deal
United Utilities has put itself at the head of the coming revolution in water competition by signing a deal with Tesco to take charge of its water supply in Scotland.
In 18 months, companies around Britain will be able to choose to sign up with a water company to look after their sites nationwide rather than each area being forced to go with their local or regional supplier.
It is thought that large companies with multiple sites could save significant sums by signing with a single supplier rather than multiple suppliers around the country.
The system is running in Scotland, and UU, which supplies water to the northwest of England, has won the supply contract for Tesco’s 280 stores and distribution centres north of the


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Greater international cooperation is needed to prevent unsafe food from causing ill health and hampering progress towards sustainable development...
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IBM has revealed the five significant changes driven by innovation in science and technology that will transform every stage of the food supply chain within the next five years...
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Grocery stores have been given the green light to once again stock processed meat on shelves and pack them in lunch boxes...
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One of the most common practices for the control of salmonella in feed products was the use of formaldehyde as a feed additive. However, the EU Commission has recently voted to ban the use of formaldehyde for this purpose (EU 2018/183)...
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The media is a key platform for dissemination of information around medications on the continent in Africa, where virtual spaza shops for drugs proliferate...
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Food microbiologist and food safety specialist Professor Lucia Anelich of Anelich Consulting is hosting a website to address public concerns about the recent Listeriosis outbreak...
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It can take up to three months or even more for food to travel from the farm to table. “The longer this supply chain, the less control you have over the product and the harder it is to maintain quality and safety.”
19 Sep 2017
CANNES, FRANCE: Cinemark, the local SA representatives of Cannes Lions and its affiliates, with their passion for both great film and advertising, bring you the latest information from the world's premier advertising festivals.
15 Jan 2014
CANNES, FRANCE: Lions Health, the new bespoke Festival and Awards celebrating creativity in healthcare marketing and communications, has opened for entries.
9 Jan 2014
Bizcommunity.com has now expanded its operations into 16 new sectors and will soon venture into another 17, providing a whole new range of target audiences for advertisers. The most critical aspect of this is the quality of content and this is a formal invitation to you to become a recognised contributor on Bizcommunity.
Bizcommunity.com 3 Oct 2011
Bizcommunity.com - South Africa's largest online B2B publisher - is set to grow even more with the introduction of 16 new content channels, with weekly newsletters, as from last week Tuesday, 20 September 2011.
Bizcommunity.com 20 Sep 2011


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Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr released findings from the Fed’s review of Silicon Valley Bank’s (SVB) failure. In response to the insights, Barr said the Fed needs to strengthen its supervision and regulation as he attributed regulatory relief and supervisory changes enacted under the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S. 2155) as a factor in the collapse.
The report noted at the time of its failure, SVB had 31 unaddressed safe and soundness supervisory warnings – triple the average number of peer banks.
The report identified four main factors:
- SVB’s board of directors and management failed to manage their risks;
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