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Behold the NFT flippening... sort of (Issue #3)
Oobee doo, I wanna be like you.
It’s been another anything-but-dull week in NFT land, but there’s only really one story on everyone’s lips: After threatening to do so repeatedly in recent weeks, the floor price for Bored Ape Yacht Club briefly surpassed that of CryptoPunks on Wednesday. We’ll get into that, and the other highlights (and lowlights) of the past seven days below.
We’re taking next week off because let’s be honest, few people are likely to open a newsletter on New Year’s Eve, even a scintillating and unmissable one like this. Plus, we’ve got to steel ourselves for the rollercoaster 2022 is guaranteed to be.
Right, let’s get straight into it!
Soaring simians 🙊
For a few hours on Wednesday, the cheapest BAYC Ape (#7941) would have set you back 52.8 ETH ($212,451). The cheapest Punk (#4841), on the other hand, would have left you 52.5 ETH ($209,639) lighter of pocket. At the same time, over the last seven days, BAYC has seen over $38 million in trade volume, a full $10 million more than Punks over the same period.
Those are wild numbers for JPEGs, sure, but they also tell a deeper, more interesting story about what’s still a pretty nascent sector.
CryptoPunks arrived in 2017 with little fanfare. BAYC landed with somewhat more hype — but still not mainstream notoriety — in April 2021. Any hype Apes did have came at least in part from what people were seeing happen with Punks, which seemed likely to only further cement Punks’ position in the canon as the OG PFP project.
Except NFT culture moves fast, as so do the expectations of collectors, who are increasingly expecting “utility” from their collectibles, not just financial upside. Punks may have unassailable historical cachet, and using one as your PFP remains a uniquely potent signaling device… but there’s not a whole lot you can do with a Punk beyond that.
There were no CryptoPunk parties at NFT.NYC. There was no Punk-branded maritime merriment at Miami Art Week. And while Ape merch has become the real-world flex equivalent of rocking one on your Twitter profile, making Punk merch could get you sued.
We’ve previously spoken about the ideological battle that’s underway between NFT project creators clinging to copyright like Larva Labs has with Punks, more open approaches like BAYC which grants owners massive levity with their IP, and those that fully embrace the CC0 “no rights reserved” ethos like Nouns and CrypToads have.
Talk is all well and good, but what we’re seeing here is how the market is taking these disparate approaches and pricing it in. Instead of conjecture, we’re getting hard data. What people do with that data remains to be seen, though. Some are going to point to it as indicative that projects with perceived utility are the sounder investment. Others will argue this is a good time to get in on Punks at a discount.
Whatever you think, one thing’s certain: The vicissitudes of the blue chips aren’t going to get any less exciting, or any easier to predict. But they are going to inevitably impact the rest of the market, much like swings in the dollar cause waves across the forex market. So buckle up.
SuperRare’s first 100 tokens: How the era of multiple editions became a source of scarcity today
Digital kicks, real interest 🏀
Steph Curry and Under Armour this week released 2,974 NFT sneakers at $333 apiece, in honor of the Golden State Warriors point guard breaking the NBA record for three-pointers (Curry broke Ray Allen’s record of — you guessed it — 2,973). Buyers got three versions of the “The Genesis Curry Flow,” one for Decentraland, another for The Sandbox, and a third for Gala Games.
Digital sneakers aren’t new. But making them for multiple Metaverses is. And going from a record-breaking event to an accompanying NFT drop in a week is noteworthy, too. We expect to see plenty more of this in 2022. What we’d really like to see, of course, is the ability for one digital sneaker (or other items) to work across multiple platforms natively… but this is a respectable start.
That’s a lot of quarters 🕹
Arcade, the NFTs-as-collateral service formerly known as Pawn.fi, (and not to be confused with the NFT retro gaming company, Arcade NFTs) has raised $15 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Pantera Capital and supported by the likes of Castle Island Ventures, Franklin Templeton Blockchain Fund, and the aptly named Probably Nothing Capital.
The company is currently in private beta but plans to open to the public early next year. At launch, the company will only support NFTs on the Ethereum network… but will help investors save on gas by letting them bundle multiple NFTs into a single loan transaction.
Yearning for learning? 🎓
The possibilities of web3 are immense, but so is getting to grips with the nuts and bolts of actually harnessing them. Which is where Web3 University wants to help. As the fledgling institution itself explains:
Web3 University is an online educational platform bringing you the best resources and tutorials across the blockchain development ecosystem. A one-stop, chain-agnostic shop for developers looking to learn about writing smart contracts, minting NFTs, and building fully-functional end-to-end dApps that can scale to millions worldwide.
As you’d expect, Web3 Uni has some lofty if not-totally-defined plans to incentivize the best educators in the space to contribute. But that doesn’t really matter, because however that plays out in the long run, right now it has a growing selection of useful articles, tutorials, and how-tos on its homepage and support from the likes of a16z, Alchemy, OpenSea, Polygon, Flow and others.
If someone in your life says their 2022 New Year’s resolution is to get into NFTs and web3, it’s a good place for them to start.
We like our Olive Gardens fungible 🫒
Last week it was Applebee’s dipping its French fries into the ketchup of NFT mania. This week, it’s Olive Garden. Well, not actual Olive Garden itself, but some savvy satirist (or group of them) who couldn’t resist the idea of empowering Metaverse denizens with the power to mint unlimited breadsticks via Non-Fungible Olive Gardens.
The 880 franchise NFTs are sold out, and some are doing a decent (though not-quite-roaring) trade on the secondary market, but hey, you can still mint as many complimentary breadsticks as you like without any fear of greasing up your keyboard. So there’s that. Plus, the FAQs are pretty funny.
Where there’s drip, bots will follow 🤖
If you tried to grab one (or two) of Adidas’s NFTs last week in the public mint you were likely disappointed. While the sportswear claimed it would limit purchases to two per person, scalpers had other ideas. Because where there’s the promise of streetwear arbitrage, carefully timed-and-deployed chunks of code will follow.
Software engineer Montana Wong broke it down in a short but illuminating thread about the failings of Adidas’s protective measures. We can’t help but laugh, though. Because scarcity is exactly what makes sneaker drops prone to bot buyers. So digital scarcity provides the same incentives… making it equally irresistible to talented opportunists. May this be a lesson to the big brands, all of which should read Paradigm’s excellent “A Guide to Designing Effective NFT Launches” to avoid similar mishaps.
To the moon
We’ll never be royals 👑
The overlap between institutional investors and brands and immerging ones got even blurrier this week as NFT artist Hackatao revealed their Queens+Kings project in partnership with NFT Studios, Sotheby’s, and AMD Ryzen. At the same time, the initiative expanded the possibilities for PFP projects.
Instead of any of the 6,900 avatars having traits of varying rarities bestowed on them at mint, each is random but ostensibly equal. Buyers will be able to buy and sell traits later and add or remove them from their avatars.
Mushroom, mushroom 🍄
Voltura Labs dropped its latest project, Psychedelics Anonymous, and the whole affair was, well, as slick as the teaser artwork. It’s a reminder that experience really does count, and that mechanisms like whitelists are only going to become more common, meaning getting in on projects will increasingly require being involved with the accompanying community one way or another... or dealing with heftier entry points on the secondary market.
It’s also a hint of what’s to come, as a growing number of projects attach DAO mechanisms to fund the project itself, or related interests. In the case of Psychedelics Anonymous, that means investing in initiatives researching and developing psychedelic-assisted therapies.
Buy a Punk, get a company 📎
The NFT data analytics business DegenData is up for sale, and the buyer will get CryptoPunk #5671 with their purchase. Or, perhaps it’s the other way round, and the buyer of Punk #5671 gets a business with it. Either way, the sale kicks off on January 1 at midnight (UTC).
👔 The Cheugyist NFT 🙃
It doesn’t matter if you’ve got diamond hands or paper hands. Whether or not those terms make any sense to you, you should be watching or listening to Goats and the Metaverse.
Each week, collectibles OG and entrepreneur Stan “The Goat” Meytin and Metaversal co-founder and CEO Yossi Hasson sit down with a guest to talk about digital and IRL collectibles, NFTs, and the week’s news worth knowing.
The GATM duo is taking a much-deserved break but will be back next month. In the meantime, check out this episode featuring Chibi Dino’s creator, Sean Mike Kelly. It might just inspire you to start your own NFT project in 2022.
Aside from providing invaluable insights into digital art and collectibles, Stan and Yossi are also putting together a collection of NFTs dubbed “The Goat Vault.” When the show hits 5,000 subscribers on YouTube, one of those lucky subscribers will win the contents of the vault which, at last count, was valued at over $60,000.
We went shopping for toys 🧹
We’re looking forward to seeing how Cryptoys evolves next year, and we want to be part of it. With a promised airdrop coming this week, our digital tree is feeling pretty well stacked.
Money <> mouth 💸
In each issue of The Metaversalist, we’ll offer you a look at an NFT project or piece we’ve invested in and the motivation behind it. This week, it’s the turn of Nigerian phenom, Osinachi, and his piece, “Chop Life.”
We’re massive fans of Osinachi’s work and an enthusiastic collector of it. “Chop Life” was one of a pair of pieces we acquired back in September. The phrase from which the work gets its title is common in Nigeria, and it’s an entreaty to make the most of the time you’re given — a West African “YOLO” of sorts. We think that’s a great message for the year we’ve had, and an appropriate one to keep in mind as the next one approaches.
Frankly, it’s just too good not to talk about one last time:
Until next time (and next year), see you in the Metaverse.


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As Google prepares to face the US House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee along with other tech giants, the online search and advertising behemoth has a new legal challenge to contend with on the other side of the world here in Australia.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched legal proceedings in the Federal Court alleging Google misled our country's consumers to expand the scope of data it gathers for uses including targeted advertising.
The ACCC announced today it alleges Google misled consumers when it failed to properly inform consumers, and did not gain their explicit informed consent, about its move in 2016 to start combining personal information in people's Google accounts with information about their activities on non-Google sites to display ads.
This meant this data about users' non-Google online activity became linked to their names and other identifying information held by Google. Previously, this information had been kept separately from users' Google accounts, meaning the data was not linked to an individual user.
Google then used this newly combined information to improve the commercial performance of its advertising businesses.
"We are taking this action because we consider Google misled Australian consumers about what it planned to do with large amounts of their personal information, including internet activity on websites not connected to Google," ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.
"Google significantly increased the scope of information it collected about consumers on a personally identifiable basis.
"This included potentially very sensitive and private information about their activities on third party websites. It then used this information to serve up highly targeted advertisements without consumers' express informed consent."
Sims said the ACCC considered that consumers effectively pay for Google's services with their data, so this change introduced by Google increased the "price" of Google's services without consumers' knowledge.Never miss a news update, subscribe here. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.
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June 27, 2008
Sonoco to Add Energy Surcharges to Uncoated Recycled Paperboard Products
Sonoco (NYSE:SON), one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, will implement a $40 per ton average energy surcharge for its uncoated recycled paperboard products in the United States and Canada, it was announced today by James Harrell, division vice president and general manager, Paper North America. The surcharge will be added as a separate line item to all invoices for shipments on or after July 14, 2008.
"We have been impacted by dramatic increases in the cost for natural gas and diesel fuel during the previous six months and we expect continued cost pressure for the foreseeable future," said Harrell. "We are investing in energy conservation and productivity initiatives throughout our paper mill system, but we simply have not been able to offset the magnitude of these higher energy prices and must make appropriate adjustments to reflect these higher costs."About Sonoco
Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a $4.0 billion global manufacturer of industrial and consumer products and provider of packaging services, with 334 operations in 35 countries, serving customers in some 85 nations. For more information on the Company, visit our Web site at http://www.sonoco.com/.


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Nancy Silverton's fast-casual Pizzette, WeHo Sausage Co.,and Goodboybob are now open for take-out.
Food & Drinks
Los Angeles' most stylish restaurants, bars, and more.
The food and fashion mashup event takes over Chinatown Oct. 2 to 4.
The 'grammable, Kardashian-loved sweets have found their forever home.
It's supporting Black-owned restaurants for life, too.
This article first appeared on LosAngeleno.com.
The Lost Parrot Tiki Truck is here to save the day (and night).
Pick up pastries, loaves, lunch, and more.
From a Harry Potter-inspired spot to an Arianna Grande-faved cafe and more.
The Kardashian-Jenners are among fans of Little House Confections.
L.A. Bodega on Wheels offers frozen treats, flour, fruits, and more.
Pantry L.A. stocks gourmet groceries, medicinal coffee, CBD skincare, and more.
Tesse Cafe & Bakery's market even has a $20 wine section.


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One of the great protagonists of the last TGA 2022 was undoubtedly Star Wars Jedi Survivor, the long-awaited sequel to Jedi Fallen Order. The new game from Respawn Entertainment showed itself with a first announcement trailer very full of information, which also allowed us to review Cal Kestis in dazzling form. Now, a few weeks after that movie, the development team is back to talking about its next title, revealing a handful of interesting details.
These numerous new information about Star Wars Jedi Survivor have recently leaked thanks to a new interview released by Stig Asmussen, Game Director of the game, with the editorial staff of Gameinformer. The first big news that Jedi Survivor will offer lies in the combat system, which will have good 5 different stances to use. This means that Cal will be able to use, in addition to the classic lightsaber, also a double-bladed sword or a blaster.
This variety will also be reflected in the enemies we will meet in this new adventure. Unlike the first chapter, in fact, we will have to play by switching these five fighting styles according to the enemies that we will be facing. Not all styles work with a certain type of enemy, which is why in Jedi Survivor Cal will be more eclectic than ever in the use of swords and weapons.
In addition to the combat, there will also be some big news in terms of planet exploration. Wandering around the maps will be more satisfying both for the size of the settings and because in Star Wars Jedi Survivor there will be mounts and not only that, as the game offers an even more metroidvania experience in 3D. That's all for now, but we remind you that the new Respawn Entertainment title will be released on March 17, 2023 on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC platforms.
Before saying goodbye, we advise you to also visit our YouTube channel, where you can find videos dedicated to the gaming world at 360 degrees.


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Also puts out first non-beta release on Android VLC is having a big day. The app, which is essentially the Swiss Army knife of video players, is returning to the iPhone and iPad following a long absence
With the final details about pricing and launch dates expected at Apple’s March 9 event, Apple CEO Tim Cook shared another feature being built into the watch; it could potentially replace your car keys.
DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladeshi special forces on Saturday raided a militant hideout in the southeast town of Chittagong, arrested four suspects and seized explosives and weapons, force commanders said.
(CNN) — Six suspects linked to terrorist activity referred to Syria and Iraq as "the beach," and used other coded language to avoid detection in the United States, authorities say. The Bosnian immigrants,
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States announced sweeping new rules on Thursday that will significantly ease sanctions on Cuba, opening up the communist-ruled island to expanded U.S. travel, trade and


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Chicago has long been an architectural testbed for Apple, the high tech company that has transformed the way people think about computers by disguising them as mobile phones. Now Apple is going to do it again, just down the street, at Pioneer Court.
Crain’s Chicago Business has the scoop that Apple is moving its main Chicago store from 679 North Michigan to a space beneath the plaza in front of 401 North Michigan. It’s been known for months that the below-street-level space was in play, but plans previously reported by Crain’s for this location indicated it would be a restaurant.
Apple and architecture and Chicago have a long history. The current Apple Store at 679 North Michigan Avenue was revolutionary when it opened in June of 2003, just months before the launch of this blog. It was the first of a legion of Apple Stores to take that design, and one of the very first buildings in Chicago to have a green roof.
Previous Apple Stores had been long and flat, resembling the company’s Xserve products. The then-new Chicago store looked like Steve Jobs’ beloved Macintosh “Cube” computer — brains up top, floating atop a transparent plinth. It was a design that would be replicated over and over from Seattle to San Francisco to Tokyo. It was that store that ushered in the era of modern architecture on North Michigan Avenue.
Seven years later, Apple used Chicago to launch another of its designs. The North and Clybourn Apple Store features a two-story glass vault between a pair of Apple-esque bookends, a style it toyed with in Scottsdale as well. The design appeared in Chicago in October, 2010 and would subsequently be used in new stores in place like Houston, and renovations in Palo Alto and Santa Monica.
Still, of all the Apple Store designs, it is the underground Apple Store in front of the General Motors building in Manhattan that is most iconic. It epitomizes Apple’s ability to “think different” about a space, and find an elegant solution to a challenging situation.
Since the New York flagship opened in 2006, Apple has built three other underground Apple Stores — In Shanghai in 2010, Istanbul in 2014, and Chongquing in 2015.
Although it is light years ahead of the Michigan Avenue Apple Store design, the original Apple glass cube on Fifth Avenue in New York also strikes old-school Apple fans as an homage to the PowerMac G4 Cube. The two circular Apple Store gateways in China resemble the current Mac Pro. And last year’s Istanbul store apes the Mac Mini.
In all cases, they are incredible focal points, drawing tourists, the curious, and Apple devotees by the millions into a subterranean technology petting zoo. Chicago’s entry should be no different.
Apple Stores are the stuff that commercial real estate agents and developers dream of. Landing an Apple Store for a new mall can make it an overnight success, even before it opens. Apple Stores bring foot traffic, high-value shoppers, and perhaps most important, legitimacy.
In its new home at Pioneer Court, an Apple Store could be the tipping point that turns the intersection of Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River into the modern day focal point of Chicago, the way Civic Center Plaza (now Daley Plaza) was in the 1960’s.
Within just a few blocks there are new residential towers, new hotels, new stores, even new segments of the riverwalk opening. It’s already where most of the tour boats gather and disgorge tourists, and where the annual Christmas shopping parade ends in a blaze of fireworks. An Apple Store seems a logical centerpiece to the kind of consumer-centric carnivals that erupt in the very same location where Chicago was founded hundreds of years ago.
At this point, all we have to go on is Crain’s story, which carries a lot more weight than a report in some blog or news aggregator. But, naturally, Apple isn’t talking about it. That’s par for the course. You can have an Apple Store almost entirely built with big Apple logos on the trademark black construction barriers and Apple still won’t talk it. That’s just how Apple runs its circus. But it can’t control all of the monkeys, especially when it doesn’t own the land and has to rely on outsiders to get the project completed. So keep your eyes on Crain’s, and maybe even this blog, for more information as it leaks out.


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U.S. monthly retail sales reversed a 3-month trend of negative MoM results during the month of March as reported yesterday. Sales at U.S. retailers rose 0.6% in March, the Commerce Department reported Monday. An Easter holiday that fell on the last weekend of the month helped to drive more traffic into stores, though a bout of bad weather last month hurt some retailers such as home centers and clothing stores. When stripping out autos and gasoline, sales rose to a lesser degree at .3 percent. February’s retail sales were left unchanged, but the drop in January was revised to show a 0.2% decrease instead of 0.1 percent.
When we review the breakdown (above) of the categories in the report it was clear that auto dealers posted their best month since last September. Sales rose 2 in March. Internet retailers, pharmacies and stores that sell home furnishings were other big winners. In terms of some of the worse performing categories, home centers, apparel outlets and department stores saw a drop in sales. Unseasonably poor weather during most of the month was likely the culprit for the lack of spending in the categories. Sporting goods, hobby and music had the worst year-over-year results with a drop of 3.3 percent.
In total and on a year-over-year basis, retail sales rose some 4.5% in the month of March, the strongest YOY performance thus far in 2018. What was most disappointing to Finom Group in the latest retail sales report was that department store retail sales reversed a trend of positive YOY sales results. As reported, department store sales declined .9% YOY after having strong performances dating back to November 2017. This is something that investors should keep an eye on going forward, especially since Non-store retail sales grew during the month of March by nearly 10 percent. Non-store retailers are online and/or digital retailers.
Ahead of this latest monthly retail sales report, Finom Group believed the previous monthly reports in 2018 set up the March report to be stronger than expected. Delayed tax returns and unseasonable weather likely played a large role in the January and February monthly retail sales declines. To a somewhat lesser degree, consumers were also repairing their credit card debt from the holiday season in the first two months of the year. March was likely going to prove a strong bounce back in consumer spending and proved to be just that. Moreover, Finom Group posted notes from the culled data of Bank of America’s credit cards, debit cards and customer accounts.


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How to Play with Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) in iOS 11
Apple announced its first brain-computer interface (BCIO) at WWDC, the company’s annual developer conference.
The technology is being built in a new, more powerful chip that Apple has been testing for a couple of years, according to the Wall Street Journal.
In short, the new chip has a more powerful processor, faster graphics, and more processing power than the chip that’s been powering Apple Watch.
The new chip is said to be a “super-efficient processor,” which means it can handle all the power consumption for a brain-controlled device, such as a computer, without slowing down the device’s performance.
The chip is capable of processing at up to 200 times the speed of the fastest CPU, so it can be much more powerful than an existing chip.
It also uses an entirely new memory architecture, so the new brain-controller can store more information than before.
Apple will sell this new chip as a standalone chip, and will also release a new version that integrates into an iPhone app called Brain.
The brain-interface will work by using a special kind of neural net to control a computer’s image recognition.
The network can then take images of the user and turn those images into words that can then be used in a text field.
“You can see it in action in this demo of Siri,” said Siri expert Andrew Ng, who has worked on a number of Apple products.
The iPhone app uses a special neural net that uses a combination of image recognition and facial recognition.
“Siri can see you, and then she can say, ‘Hey, can you walk me?'” said Ng.
“It is super cool, because we can see what’s happening in your eyes.
This is the first time that you can see these images coming into the brain.”
The iPhone will also include an integrated neural network that can recognize speech and can translate that into text.
It will also have an ability to recognize faces that use a special facial recognition feature that will allow it to read and understand handwritten messages.
Other features in the iPhone app include an AI assistant that can learn your preferences based on what you’ve done in the past and respond with suggestions based on that information.
Apple also will integrate Siri into a new way for people to use Apple Pay.
The company will begin using Siri in a way that lets you pay for things at a checkout counter, for example, without the need for the iPhone to be connected to the computer.
Apple’s Brain chip is also being used in the latest version of Siri, the iPhone App, which is already available for free.
Siri will be integrated into the iPhone’s Touch ID fingerprint reader, so you can use it to authenticate purchases, but it also has the ability to identify images and voice commands.
The first version of the brain-control system will be able to recognize and recognize the images of other users in the background of a video or photo, and it will also be able recognize people and places in a room, so there is no need to use a third-party app.
The Neural Network in the Apple Watch is also an advanced neural net, which means that it can process data from more than 200 million neurons and process it in real time.
This means it is capable not only of learning and interpreting information, but also of recognizing emotions, such in the case of anger.
Apple says the new chips in the new iPhone and Watch apps will also support voice recognition.
In the future, Siri will also use AI to automatically turn on lights when you need them, as well as other things like music and weather updates.


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Deckchair initiative from Douglas Borough Council in partnership with Tevir Group and the Department for Enterprise.
Douglas is set to be decked out with new deckchairs – including two oversized versions – thanks to an initiative from Douglas Borough Council in partnership with Tevir Group and the Department for Enterprise.
Tevir Group has funded 50 per cent of the purchase price of the chairs, while a grant from the Department for Enterprise has met the remaining cost.
Douglas Town Centre Manager Oliver Cheshire said: ‘We’re very grateful to Tevir Group and to the Department for Enterprise for their support.
‘We’re particularly pleased to have had another opportunity to partner with Tevir Group, following their support of numerous events when they kindly made their Villiers Square site available to us, including last year’s SuperManx town fair, Hop-tu-Naa, the Christmas Lights Greatest Show, Christmas Live and the Christmas market.
‘We see there being all kinds of opportunities to use the deck chairs – 60 in total – for so many different outdoor events we’re planning to hold and we’re looking forward to working with Tevir Group again for our Christmas events. It is great to have the support of a company which shares our commitment to make Douglas town centre a vibrant and attractive place to be all year round.
‘And of course, once the Promenade work is completed, there’ll be even greater scope for using the deckchairs and creating a bit of “traditional with a twist” seaside atmosphere. In short, this is a great example of the private and public sector coming together to the benefit of the local community.’
Tevir Group’s Managing Director, Ciaran Doherty said: ‘Tevir are delighted to support this initiative and to be working in partnership again with Douglas Borough Council. We have been grateful for the Council’s support over the past two years with the investments we have made into rejuvenating landmark properties within Douglas.’


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New York: Tesla Motors shares were down less than one per cent yesterday, with an analyst saying that initial reaction to the first fatality involving its Autopilot system was based more on perception than reality.
The incident, in which a man driving a Tesla Model S was killed in a collision with a truck in Florida, has prompted an investigation by federal highway safety regulators, the US government and Tesla said.
Tesla said the crash was the first in the more than 130 million miles that the semi-autonomous driving system has been used. That compares with a fatality every 94m miles for all vehicles in the US.
RBC Capital Markets analyst Joseph Spak said the incident presented more of a “headline risk” than real risk.
“The bottom line is that no autonomous vehicle will be perfect, to say nothing of semi-autonomous or Tesla’s Autopilot (which we would classify as low level semi-autonomous).


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Erin Durrell and Amy Star of Triple B are serving up delicious brunch items from their food truck every Saturday, Sunday and Monday, next to Oasis in on the Coral Bay waterfront.
CORAL BAY — Sitting across from Coral Bay harbor enjoying a cooling breeze is a great way to start any morning, but add a buttery home made biscuit drenched in velvety bourbon gravy and topped with crispy fried chicken and a perfectly runny fried egg and the morning is suddenly elevated to greatness.
Triple B, Two Babes do Brunch on the Bay, is the brainchild of Erin Durrell and Amy Star, who are serving up brunch each Saturday, Sunday and now Monday out of a 20-foot food truck next to Oasis in Coral Bay.
Durrell, who has called St. John home since 2003 and has cooked everywhere from mega yachts to Shipwreck Landing, helms the kitchen, turning out mouth-watering dishes like the Mama Bene. With butter poached local lobster and Sherried hollandaise sauce atop a bed of sauteed spinach and a house-made English Muffin, the recent Triple B Benedict special was a perfectly decadent way to start the weekend off right.
“I love brunch,” said Star, who moved to Love City last year from Austin. “I felt like there was something missing for breakfast and brunch here in Coral Bay. I love going out to brunch and I wanted some place to go.”
Handling the front of the house — if one can call any space in the 20-foot truck front or back — Star doesn’t go out for brunch as much as she hands it out these days. And she’s been kept busy at that.
Since opening in early April, Triple B has enjoyed strong support from locals and tourists alike.
“Our first day was April 11 and we sold out in a few hours,” said Star. “The reaction was awesome. We thought maybe 30 or 40 people would stop by and that we’ve have enough food to get us through the next day.”
“We served 69 people and we had to go and make the entire menu over again,” she said.
“I was so nervous before we opened,” said Durrell. “I felt more pressure because my name was on the line and I didn’t want to disappoint my friends and Coral Bay family. Before we even opened there was a line and we burst into tears.”
Durrell, who hails from Rhode Island originally, grew up around food beginning at her mother’s fish and chip shop.
“I’ve always cooked and I’ve always loved good food,” said Durrell. “I came down here working as a private charter chef and then worked in a few places before I took a break from it and started bartending. But eventually I missed cooking.”
Durrell works both in the kitchen and behind the bar at Shipwreck Landing, where she has worked for the past five years. She had always aspired to opening her own place some day. Star happened to have a food truck and when the two met thanks to a mutual friend, a brunch truck was in the stars.
“As soon as we met and started talking about this, we just immediately clicked,” said Durrell.
“We had a food truck and didn’t have anything inside of it,” said Star. “I had wanted to do breakfast and my original idea was coffee and doughnuts. I tried and failed several times to make doughnuts and that clearly was not working for me.”
“I knew something like this could work but I couldn’t do it myself,” Star said. “When I met Erin, we were on the same page instantly.”
That page Durrell and Star are on happens to be one seriously tasty page.
While Durrell’s Triple B menu changes weekly, there are a few items that find their way on the chalkboard outside the food truck most weekends. Durrell’s Coral Bay Parfait — home-made cashew almond granola, Greek yogurt and fresh fruit — and the Triple B Eggroll — house-made pork sausage, egg and cheese in a crispy wonton wrapper drizzled with 100 percent maple syrup — are a few repeating favorites.
Yet Durrell brings true creativity to the Triple B kitchen and allows her produce to dictate the week’s menu.
“A lot of the menu revolves around what I can get my hands on that week,” she said. “If I can find something locally, like mangoes or pumpkin, or this week actually it was soursops, that’s where I start. I also use Joesphine’s greens and local honey as much as possible.”
“I kind of cook whatever pops into my mind,” Durrell said. “It’s definitely a creative outlet for me. After living here for 13 years, I get bored of what we have all the time so I thought it would be nice to have an ever changing menu.”
A recent brunch menu featured Triple B’s Breakfast BLT — thick cut applewood bacon, fried egg, red wine jam, local greens and a primavera blend aioli on homemade honey oat toast — chicken and biscuits, warm apple fritters with caramel sauce, chocolate cherry mini Bundt cakes and triple berry scones.
Iced Chai spiced coffee lattes, mimosas, white peach sangrias and fresh fruit juice blends make for the prefect accompaniment to those dishes.
Don’t miss Triple B, serving up breakfast Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., or until sold out, next to Oasis in Coral Bay.
The truck is mobile, the ladies recently served up breakfast to hungry sailors at the Budget Marine Commodore’s Cup at Skinny Legs, so diners are encouraged to check Durrell and Star’s Facebook page to make sure of Triple B’s location.


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Business as usual for APB in Europe and the US
Begbies Traynor, the administrator currently running stricken developer Realtime Worlds has promised that work on APB will continue.
The remaining 53 members of staff at the Dundee developer will continue to maintain and improve the ambitious sandbox shooter MMO for European and North American gamers.
Paul Traynor from Begbies Traynor said: "We want to offer reassurance to gamers that APB will not only continue as an online service but will be improved and supported 100 per cent during this restructure."
It seems that the underperforming MMO shooter is still the company's best asset.
- Valve's Chet Faliszek has been confirmed as the first developer session for EGX Rezzed 2015
- One area from Zelda Wii U is as big as the entirety of Skyward Sword
- Telltale's new collaboration is with Mojang, on a Minecraft story game
- Franklin voice actor indicates GTA V story DLC is on the way
- Red Dead Redemption, LA Noire and Bully sequels will come when the time is right says Rockstar
- Telltale teases another collaboration with another game developer
- New Company Of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault trailer recognizes the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge
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- Splash Damage's free-to-play shooter Dirty Bomb coming to Steam in the new year


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Travel Ban to 9 Cities Removed: President Erdogan, who made a statement about the issue that came to the agenda after the Cabinet Meeting, announced that the travel ban for the city was lifted. Here are the provinces where the travel ban was lifted.
“Last week we ended the intercity entry and exit restrictions in our 7 provinces. In our assessment this week, we have decided to end the cross-border entry and exit restrictions for 9 more cities. These; Adana, Diyarbakır, Mardin, Trabzon, Ordu, Denizli, Kahramanmaraş, Şanlıurfa, Tekirdağ are our provinces. ”


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Beauty is undoubtedly political—from the writings of journalist Darian Symoné Harvin to bold campaigns by Dame, Saie and The Lipstick Lobby—but how are politics potentially affecting beauty? There is undoubtedly a need to address the geographical nuances of the US beauty consumer, with politics being one facet of this. In the lead-up to the first 2024 Presidential Election primary debates, data and analytics firm Engagement Labs decided to dive into the impact of polarized politics on consumer brands with their Brand Marketing Amid Political Polarization report.
The enterprise gathered offline consumer conversation data through weekly surveys for consumers aged 18 to 69 from almost 500 brands, collected via the TotalSocial platform. Offline conversations were specifically chosen as they constitute two-thirds of consumer conversations, according to the company. Analyzed industries ranged from food to fashion, with the beauty and personal care factor only being represented by Kirkland. They found that 23% of the companies are polarized between Democrats and Republicans. Here are further key takeaways from the report:
Republican vs. Democratic Sentiment
“Republicans are much more negative than Democrats toward the brands involved with COVID-19 vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna, as well as ‘Obamacare,’ while Republicans are more positive about right-leaning Fox News and Hobby Lobby, which has vocally supported conservative causes,” the report states. However, there were certain brand anomalies where this reasoning can’t be applied, such as the positive sentiment among Republicans for Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Holiday Inn, Jif Peanut Butter, and Swiffer. One could speculate that the family-first values of these enterprises could be a reason.
Recent examples certainly show how important it is to know your audience; amid controversy and backlash due to an online campaign with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Anheuser-Busch lost a reported $395 million in sales. But the report also provided two case studies that displayed the unpredictable nature of public sentiment. Dick's Sporting Goods, which was caught up in controversy following news that the Parkland school shooter had purchased a shotgun from the retailer, saw a huge dip in positive online sentiment in October 2018, but by the spring of 2023, had actually seen a 400% increase in stock price. Disney, which was criticized as being “woke” and promoting “sexualized content” by Florida governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, nonetheless still maintained a fairly positive net sentiment due to the fact that Democrats account for a majority of its brand conversations.
Evolution of Brand Conversations
While beauty conversations may not constitute the biggest chunk of consumer conversations, their positive sentiment across both parties looks promising and indicates a certain political neutrality from the outset. However, no blanket statement can be made across the industry, for some brands have taken stronger political stances than others and are therefore more likely to sway towards one side of the political spectrum than others. The more polarizing the message, the more likely to lose out on opposite-leaning consumers; however, the risk can also be rewarded in increased brand loyalty and social media engagement from politically aligned consumers.
To summarize, Engagement Labs suggested the following four takeaways for marketing strategists:
From Black Lives Matter to abortion rights, beauty and personal care brands have taken a stand for important political causes. Brands such as Thrive Causemetics and UOMA Beauty have social change built into their company DNA and have garnered loyal followings because of it. With 46% of millennials and 42% of Gen Z expecting brands to be active participants in social change, there is a reward for speaking up, but if not correctly gauged with audience temperament, such strategies can also backfire. Given the increasing polarization of audiences and the rise of cancel culture, the stakes are higher than ever—and with it the difficulty of deciding on whether to speak up or stay silent. A guiding North Star will be individual brand DNA and the role that political messaging plays in it.
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Tesla is now in the business of selling surfboards. The high-tech car company put these boards up for sale online Saturday for $1500 each.
They only made 200 and quickly sold out. The boards have the same finish as Tesla cars and are made with a special light-weight carbon fiber.
If you want one, you can find the boards on E-Bay with asking prices hitting $5000.


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Fourth of July holiday hours and guest Info
Community Association offices are closed today in observance of Independence Day. Fitness centers are open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The logo building will operate with normal hours.
Guests will be free at fitness centers with valid guest ID cards today during staffed hours. The Lakehouse fitness center will be self-use for residents only until 10 p.m.
Enjoy food, fun and fireworks at Fourth of July celebration
Don’t miss the Fourth of July festivities starting at 4 p.m. today at Town Square.
There will be karaoke, a photo booth, outdoor sports, food and live music. The Purrysburg outdoor pool will be open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with pool monitors available from 4-8 p.m. Food and a cash bar will be open at 4 p.m. and Palmetto Soul will get the party started with music at 6 p.m.
It all ends with a fireworks display at dusk. This event is open to Sun City residents and their guests only. See eNews Weekly for parking information.
August event ticket sales
Tickets for all August events are now on sale at www.SunCityHiltonHead.org and at lifestyle services.
Tickets for the Dec. 9 and 10 Home for the Holidays shows are now on sale at lifestyle services only; no online purchases are available for this event.
For questions about briefs, email email@example.com.


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Chinese billionaire and co-founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma, has pledged to donate 20,000 testing kits, 100,000 masks and 1,000 protective suits to each African country to help the fight against Coronavirus. Mr Ma, Asia’s richest person, earlier this month sent consignments of medical supplies Continue Reading
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Established in 2014, Chivas Venture is a global platform created to support entrepreneurs who are solving the world’s biggest social and environmental issues. The initiative is returning to South Africa and has collaborated with streetwear personality and Grade Africa founder, Zaid Osman.
Osman started Grade Africa with the hope of bringing African talent to the table and showcasing African pride in the fashion industry. “I only want to be a part of meaningful things and when the Chivas Venture team reached out to me, it was a no-brainer as this is exactly what we as Grade Africa stand for – to empower and upskill local creatives,” said Osman.
The new platform will see scotch whisky brand Chivas and Osman provide up-and-coming fashion designers with the tools and support needed to produce a nine-piece capsule collection that will be sold via ‘drops’ with exclusive retail partners.
The production of the collection will provide local African communities with employment opportunities, empowering newly-appointed apprentices to join forces with Chivas and Grade Africa. Collectively they will blend their skills and talents, enabling them to source and manufacture the collection sustainably.
Proceeds from the sales of the collection will be given to the apprentices and donated to the Grade Africa Foundation, whose mission is to eliminate extreme poverty and bring unique opportunities back home to Africa.
“We are thrilled to be back for the seventh year of the Chivas Venture, with an updated programme that will see us championing and supporting grassroots action in local communities around the world. The new format continues to reflect the Chivas DNA by supporting and championing new-wave entrepreneurs, who work tirelessly to elevate themselves and the communities that surround them,” said Nick Blacknell, Global Marketing Director at Chivas.
To date, the global Chivas Venture initiative has given away $6m in funding to 142 social entrepreneurs, who have positively impacted over 3.3 million lives, in more than 65 countries. This includes providing 34 million litres of safe drinking water to communities, recycling 1,300 tonnes of waste, helping over 2,500 farmers’ families out of poverty and funding over 75,000 days of education for women and girls.


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It was a historic moment in Premier League football this week as a whole round of fixtures were streamed online via Amazon Prime.
After decades of traditional broadcasting methods, this was a step into the unknown and a glimpse at what the future of watching football at home could look like.
Amazon say it was “one of the biggest-ever streaming events in the UK”.
But was it a success? BBC Sport takes a look at what worked and what didn’t with Amazon Prime’s first stab at covering Premier League football.
What did they do differently?
As ever when a new broadcaster gets in on the action, people were curious to see what little innovations Amazon Prime would bring.
For some, that was as simple as where the score and clock would be positioned on screen…
Amazon Prime opted for a traditional position in this area, with the score taking its familiar place in the top-left corner of the screen – although it placed the time in the middle of the scoreboard, with each club’s score on the outside.
But it was the other elements it brought to its live match coverage that drew praise.
Viewers were impressed with the ability to access line-ups, stats and highlights on the right-hand side of the screen as the game unfolded, while the option to switch off commentary and simply listen to the stadium atmosphere proved particularly popular.
There was also a lot of love for their Goals Centre show, which took fans around the grounds on Wednesday to see the goals as they went in.
They also opted for slightly different start times, with this week’s games kicking off at either 19:30 or 20:15, rather than the 19:45 or 20:00 times people are more accustomed to.
There were some complaints about these changes, with Crystal Palace fans highlighting their grievance during their game with Bournemouth on Tuesday, while the Manchester Evening News reported that the earlier kick-off time for Manchester United’s game against Tottenham led to gridlock on the city’s roads.
What was the verdict on the pundits?
Amazon signed up a whole of host of presenters and pundits for this week’s games.
Providing their thoughts on the action were ex-pros such as Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Michael Owen, Alex Scott and Harry Redknapp, while the voices in the commentary box included the familiar tones of Jon Champion, Guy Mowbray and Clive Tyldesley.
Anchoring their coverage were Gabby Logan and Eilidh Barbour, as well as Jim Rosenthal – a veteran of eight World Cups with ITV.
- Amazon crew help after power failure at Burnley
- What does Amazon deal mean for rivals, the league and fans?
How was the picture quality?
Let’s be honest, we humans are not instinctively big fans of change. When something is a bit different then more often than not our first reaction is to look for reasons why the change is bad.
The big concern for viewers was whether an online streaming service could retain a high-quality picture throughout a 90-minute game, particularly on a night like Wednesday when Amazon Prime had six streams at the same time.
On the whole, Amazon appeared to come up trumps in this area. There were a few comments on social media suggesting dips in quality or some stuttering but, on the whole, the streams appeared to hold up pretty well.
The main concern for many fans was how far behind the streams were compared to things like Twitter or score alerts on people’s phones.
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For some people on social media, the delay was a couple of seconds but for others it was over a minute, significantly impairing their ability to watch the game while commentating about the action on Twitter or keeping up to date with scores from elsewhere. In some cases BBC Sport goal alerts appeared on phones before the ball hit the back of the net on the feed.
In an age when speed is everything, this is one area fans will want to see a big improvement if they are going to leave behind standard forms of broadcasting in favour of streamed matches.
So, is it the future?
There was no big fanfare from Amazon for the launch of its coverage. In fact, rather the opposite. Their historic first fixture was Tuesday’s relatively low-key meeting between Crystal Palace and Bournemouth.
It seemed the intention was to slip in relatively quietly, provide a glimpse of what it could offer and win fans over by providing a mixture of familiarity and convenience.
And it appears to have worked, with Tuesday and Wednesday the two biggest Prime sign-up days in UK history.
“We are thrilled and humbled by the positive response from Prime members,” said Alex Green, managing director for Prime Video Sport Europe.
There are concerns, though, about what adding a third broadcaster into the mix will mean for fans.
At the moment it requires an additional subscription charge for anyone who wants to see all broadcast games, while the Football Supporters’ Federation has expressed concerns that the sheer volume of games being shown on Sky, BT and now Amazon could have a negative effect on attendances, by away fans in particular.
There is also the aforementioned issue of the streams sometimes being quite a bit behind live score websites and social media.
Technology, though, will improve and once live streaming actually means live then it could usher in a new era of how we watch football outside of the stadium.
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Singapore's Sembcorp Marine Ltd. announced Tuesday a reorganization of its business as part of an ongoing ‘Transformation for Growth’ strategy.
From July 1, Sembcorp Marine will be one brand focusing on four key capabilities, namely, Rigs & Floaters; Repairs & Upgrades; Offshore Platforms; and Specialized Shipbuilding.
The company is also pleased to announce the following senior operations and commercial appointments:
In addition, Sembcorp Marine’s shipyards in Singapore will be known as:
“An exciting era of growth awaits us,” said Sembcorp Marine Chairman Mohd Hassan Marican, who has been leading the company’s transformation efforts since 2013.
Sembcorp Marine President & CEO Wong Weng Sun added: “Our transformation is an ongoing process that allows us to constantly adapt and excel in the dynamic business environment.
“With the ability to embrace change, Sembcorp Marine will continue to stay ahead of the curve and partner with our customers and vendors for long-term success,” Wong said.
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Elon Musk recently critiqued the definition of a “recall” as Tesla works to ship a fix for its Full Self-Driving Beta program through an Over-the-Air update.
Tesla is one of the few companies that fixes most of its vehicle issues through software updates that can be downloaded to a vehicle with an internet connection.
Tesla owners have argued through the past few years that the company’s software fixes should not be labeled as “recalls” because of the negative connotation of the term. Recalls usually push consumers to think that something physical is wrong with the vehicle and that a technician must repair the vehicle.
However, Tesla has fixed everything from windshield defrosting issues, to backup camera delays, to solving rolling stops in the FSD Beta with software updates. In 2022, 12 of its 19 recalls were fixed by software updates, while 6 required physical repairs to just over 31,400 vehicles. The final recall was only applicable to a single Model X vehicle.
In September, Musk said that the terminology of a recall was “outdated and inaccurate,” and the NHTSA challenged this with its current recall definition, stating that anything that requires a repair, including software updates, is technically a recall.
Tesla recalled 362,000 vehicles on February 16 for issues with the FSD Beta suite. “The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution,” the recall said.
As more vehicles can be fixed with software updates, and with Tesla specifically fixing more than 50 percent of its recalls with downloadable patches, people are still under the belief the terminology needs to be updated.
“Seems like there should be terminology introduced to differentiate between recalls and software updates,” Sam Korvus of ARK Invest said. “Because you know, one requires something to be recalled and the other doesn’t.”
“Definitely. The word “recall” for an over-the-air software update is anachronistic and just flat wrong!”
Definitely. The word “recall” for an over-the-air software update is anachronistic and just flat wrong!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 16, 2023
Ford issued its first Over-the-Air software fix last year, remedying nearly 49,000 Ford Mustang Mach-E units due to a high-voltage main battery contactor malfunction.
Tesla is not the only automaker that stands to gain from updated terminology. However, the NHTSA has, at least in the past, been unwilling to budge on the idea.
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A Kirtland High School (KHS) teacher and student are putting their
sewing skills to work in creating homemade face masks for friends and family.
KHS English teacher Jennifer Berry, whose husband Rich is a
family medicine doctor with Lake Health Physician Group Lake County Family
Practice, initially made a mask out of ducky material for him. After a few
weeks of mostly telemedicine visits, Dr. Berry was returning to inpatient
visits and had to wear a cloth mast in and out of the building, and a surgical
mask in the practice.
“I had the ducky material from a baby blanket I never managed to make,” said Jennifer Berry. “As Rich has many pediatric patients, he was pretty excited about the fabric.
“I found a pattern that can be worn over personal protective equipment or can be worn on the face. The design has ties, which is tricky but helpful for our medical friends.”
Berry is making masks for other family members – including her mother, a social worker at TriPoint Medical Center, and her sister, who has diabetes. Berry was a fashion design major before switching to English in college, so she’s comfortable around a sewing machine.
KHS sophomore Reilly Greenlee and her grandmother have made
36 masks so far for family and friends to keep everyone safe while going out.
They bought materials from Walmart and Amazon.
“We started making masks because I had just gotten a sewing machine a couple months ago, and learning how to use it has been keeping us busy,” said Reilly. “The masks have a nose adjustment and a pocket for filters, as well as being washable.”


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Dialog Axiata PLC on the invitation of Ministry of Power and Energy and Ministry of Tourism partnered Sampath Bank PLC, to launch the Tourist Fuel Pass (TFP) that would enable tourists visiting Sri Lanka to obtain fuel without the standard quota restrictions. The TFP is a NFC-based stored value card that can be purchased on foreign currency at any Sampath Bank outlet. The Tourist Fuel Pass is powered by the Touch Fuel Platform developed by MilleniumIT ESP and accessible at selected Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (Ceypetco) and Lanka IOC (LIOC) fuel stations island-wide.
Dialog Axiata was licensed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka as an Issuer of Payment Cards to facilitate issuance of single purpose stored value Tourist Fuel Pass cards. The Touch Fuel solution is available across 300 CPC and LIOC outlets and will be expanded to over 500 outlets by end-October 2022. Tourists can purchase the Tourist Fuel Pass for USD 5/- at any of the 229 Sampath Bank branches island-wide, including the outlet at the airport arrival. Tourists can access https://fuelpass.gov.lk/touristpass for additional information and contact the 24-hour hotline on 1393 for any card related queries. The Tourist Fuel Pass will be allowed a minimum of USD 50/- and a maximum of USD 300/- top-up value that can be paid in any accepted foreign currency, which will then be converted to LKR equivalent on the day’s prevailing forex rate and will be subject to a convenience fee deduction. The card is valid for 2 years from the date of activation. Further, any loss or damaged card can be replaced at any of the Sampath bank branches island-wide.
Commenting, Hon. Kanchana Wijesekera, Minister of Power and Energy said, “We are pleased to introduce the Tourist Fuel Pass to encourage overseas visitors to Sri Lanka who may be concerned about availability of fuel for their travel within the country. We are grateful to Dialog Axiata PLC, Sampath Bank PLC and Dialog’s Technology partner MillenniumIT ESP, along with CPC and LIOC for enabling the launch of this platform. The Government of Sri Lanka is committed to creating a safe and comfortable environment for all visitors to our beautiful country and the launch of TFP is one such initiative in that direction”.
Sharing his thoughts on the Tourist Fuel Pass, Hon. Harin Fernando, Minister of Tourism and Lands said “With the influx of visitors arriving in the country following the tourist season, I am pleased to see initiatives of this nature come to fruition. We have deep-seated confidence in this platform as it is powered by Dialog Axiata and Sampath Bank, two of the leaders in new technology & innovation. I must also acknowledge the efforts taken by MIT, Ceypetco and Lanka IOC for facilitating the launch of the Tourist Fuel Pass. We must all come together to showcase the beautiful nation that we all love as the accommodating, hospitable, ultimate travel destination that it is, and I am grateful to all those present on this occasion who have done so”.
Speaking about the initiative, Supun Weerasinghe, Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata PLC said, “We are thankful to the Ministry of Power and Energy and the Ministry of Tourism and Lands for their continued efforts and collaboration with the private sector to utilize digital platforms that would overcome challenges and accelerate growth. We are pleased to facilitate the ‘Tourist Fuel Pass’ solution and are thankful to our partners Sampath Bank, MIT, Ceypetco and Lanka IOC for enabling the launch of TFP on time for the upcoming tourist season”.
Sharing his thoughts on the partnership, Nanda Fernando, Managing Director of Sampath Bank PLC said “We at Sampath Bank are pleased to collaborate with Dialog Axiata PLC and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation on this new initiative as the exclusive banking partner for the new Tourist Fuel Pass. Introducing this scheme, guarantees an influx of foreign currency to the country as well as brings forth convenience and availability of fuel for tourists to travel around the island. As we thrive to support our country during these uncertain times, we are privileged to be on board with this project and to revive our nation”.
Expressing his thoughts, Susantha de Silva, Managing Director, CPC said, “Ceylon Petroleum Corporation takes pride in having been able to energize the future tourism industry by timely initiating the Tourist Fuel Pass in collaboration with all stakeholders. It has been a challenge but a joy to explore practical and user-friendly avenues to make tourists feel unburdened and carefree during their stay in our beautiful island. We are grateful to all the entities which held hands with Ceylon Petroleum Corporation in this journey to launch a Tourist Fuel Pass. I sincerely wish that this measure will drive the future tourism industry into a new phase and open new doors to uplift the country’s economy.”
Commenting, Manoj Gupta, Managing Director of LIOC said, “Atithidevo Bhava-A guest is akin to God. We are delighted to collaborate with Dialog Axiata PLC, Sampath Bank PLC and Dialog’s Technology partner Millennium IT ESP for this much awaited launch of Tourist Fuel Pass, that offers tourists fuel assurance at all LIOC sheds. As the travel and hospitality sector is witnessing increasing demand once again, we believe this Tourist Fuel Pass is coming at the right time for tourists looking at resuming their travel and enjoying their holidays in our island nation”.
Speaking about the initiative, Shevan Goonetilleke, CEO of MillenniumIT ESP said, “We are pleased to be a part of this great initiative in facilitating the ‘Tourist Fuel Pass’ that will contribute towards encouraging travelers to visit Sri Lanka despite the ongoing crisis. This platform launch was made possible by the incredible partnership between public and private sector companies, The Ministry of power and energy, The Ministry of Tourism and lands, Dialog Axiata PLC, Sampath Bank PLC, Ceypetco, and Lanka IOC. And this is just another example of how technology can rapidly create ecosystems to mitigate a national crisis.”
Farmchemie becomes the first Sri Lankan owned company to receive FAMI-QS certification
Farmchemie has obtained FAMI-QS certification being the first Sri Lankan owned company certified with FAMI-QS. FAMI-QS stands for Feed Additive and pre-MIxture Quality System, which compromises the safety of animal feed and the quality of processed goods in accordance with European regulation no. 183/2005 on animal feed. Farmchemie is a BOI approved leading manufacturer and exporter of animal feed additives and nutritional supplements in Asia. Farmchemie is equipped with a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility from Bühler, Switzerland to offer quality assured manufacturing services for world-renowned European brands as well as own brands under Farmstar. Farmchemie has already established their presence in numerous international markets such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Kuwait, Lebanon, UAE, Egypt, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Mongolia, Cambodia and Uganda. FAMI-QS will enable them to expand their markets including the European and USA.
“We are honoured to announce that Farmchemie becomes the first Sri Lankan-owned company to be certified with FAMI-QS in combination with ISO 9001: 2015 and Good Manufacturing Practices certification for animal feeding. By attaining FAMI-QS, we are able to anticipate the expectations of our clients for safe, high-quality goods by lowering the related risk and enhancing the quality of onsite feeds via a supply chain that is properly guaranteed. For that Farmchemie implements measures for Feed Fraud and Feed Defense according to FAMI-QS supply chain integrity module V2. We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to our customers and suppliers for their continued support and dedication. We look forward to elevating the firm to new heights in the coming months and years, as our aims will always be centered on quality assurance and innovative manufacturing.” Managing Director Uditha Wanigasinghe stated.
Exports Gold Award for Textrip
Textrip Pvt Ltd, the export arm of the Elasto Group, was recently recognized, as the gold award winner for rubber and rubber-based products, medium scale category at the NCE Export Awards ceremony held recently in Colombo. The Chairman and Managing Director of Elasto Group, Mangala Gunasekera accepted the award at the gala event held at Shangri La Hotel. The national export awards ceremony, organized by the National Chamber of Exporters (NCE), recognizes and rewards Sri Lankan exporters on their performance in the international market.
“We always strive to manufacture high-quality rubber-based goods, using the latest technology, adhering to the highest international standards, and showcasing Sri Lanka on the global stage. I would like to thank our clients, locally and internationally for their continuous trust and my staff for their hard work and dedication. They are the pillars of our success,” Managing Director of Elasto Group, Mangala Gunasekera stated. Textrip products have obtained a number of national and international quality standards such as ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, CET, REACH and their products are designed to adhere to the ‘Wellness Wisdom’ theme. The company works with over 100 top sports and wellness brands and exports to more than 30 countries including European countries and the United States. TEXSTRETCH Progressive Exercise Resistance Bands is one of the most popular products of the company. The product is a great full-body workout solution for users of any level.
Sri Lanka Tourism returns to Spanish market after pandemic
Spain is one of the fastest recovery markets for Sri Lanka Tourism after the pandemic and participation in FITUR argues well for the much-needed exposure for Sri Lanka as an attractive tourism destination for Spanish-speaking countries, contributing in a substantive manner to its overall growth strategy. Sri Lanka Tourism made the presence with the 28 private sector companies at 43rd edition of FITUR International Travel Mart which was held from 18- 22 January 2023, Madrid, Spain. FITUR is the largest tourism event in the Spanish Market where all the sectors leisure, business and MICE tourism meet under one roof.
Sri Lanka Tourism stall was ceremonially opened by Mr.Chalaka Gajabahu ,Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in Barcelona, Mr. Agustin Llana and representatives of the leading private sector members of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka was able to attract high level of attention from the trade and travel visitors attended at the event. The Sri Lanka pavilion highlighted many aspects of its potential culture, beauty, Ayurveda and many more which Sri Lanka would offer as a tourism destination. Sri Lanka stand optimized the “So Sri Lanka” and “Visit Sri Lanka” vivid sights to attract the potential visitor segments. At the Sri Lanka pavilion, Ceylon tea was served for the visitors with a view of promoting Ceylon tea in the Spanish market.
On the sideline of the FITUR travel fair, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Burau officials participated at the events organized by the UNWTO. During the events, SLTPB officials met with the Mr.Harry Hwang , Director of Regional Department for Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO.As a result of discussions, Mr.Harry Hwang has shown the interest to hold the UNWTO Joint commission in Sri Lanka in 2024.
Meantime, the SLTPB and Sri Lanka Embassy of France also took steps to arrange Business Meetings, exclusive media interviews, Air Line meetings at the FITUR 2023. The Media gathering conducted during the fair created the great opportunity to highlight the updates on the destination and create awareness on the destination.
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Covid vaccine risks compared to that of eating peanuts


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Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO), which has officially closed down its premium online music service Yahoo Unlimited (we reported on it first here), has sold the service to RealNetworks (NSDQ: RNWK) and MTV JV company Rhapsody America, and will now direct its (probably small number of) customers to Rhapsody music service. Financial details were undisclosed. As part of the deal, Yahoo will promote Rhapsody on its site. The shift of subscribers will happen sometime in the first half of this year, reports AP.
Of course, if the Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) buyout happens, this may change again with Zune’s music service…there may be a change-of-control out-clause in this music deal. Or that Microsoft-Yahoo won’t care and start all over again. More after the jump..
Yahoo will now focus on ad-supported streaming music and music videos, though there have been reports on Yahoo working on a DRM-free MP3 music store.
Yahoo subscribers’ music library and payment plans will remain the same for a limited time after the switch, but those wishing to remain on Rhapsody eventually will be required to sign up at Rhapsody’s rates, which are higher. Yahoo’s price was between $5.99 to $8.99 per month; Rhapsody’s price is $12.99 per month.
This comes after we reported Friday that RealNetworks has done about 10 layoffs in its music service, as it gets ready to launch its JV music service with MTV later this year. RealNetworks has 2.75 million subscribers to various music services, including Rhapsody and its online radio service.
Amidst all this change, it has still managed to do a small acquisition, something rumored before: it has bought FoxyTunes, a browser plug-in for Firefox and IE that has features such as online music and lyrics search, and also lets users control their media player from within the browser. The parent of the plug-in is based in Israel.


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New logo to verify the safety of medicines bought online
The European Commission has launched a new logo for use by online pharmacies to reassure consumers that the site is legal. The logo should be available by late Summer 2014.
Legitimate online pharmacies will be able to link to the website of its country’s national regulator, which will display a list of legitimate pharmacy websites.
Tonio Borg, European Commissioner for Health, said: “When buying medicines online, consumers must be aware that unless they buy from legally-operating online medicine suppliers, they run the risk of buying medicines that are falsified. Falsified medicines can be ineffective, harmful or even deadly. The Commission has established a common logo for online pharmacies so consumers can stay safe.”
The logo will be mandatory and regulation should come into force by the end of July 2014. EU countries will then have 12 months to comply with the new regulations.
You can get more details from the European Commission’s website


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Earlier this week, retail expert Clare Rayner, who lives in Sleaford, explained how customers can bag the best bargains.
She said: “A lot of retailers are spreading their deals out over a number of days so people can go and look at discounts now.
“”It is also likely there will be some good deals with smaller shops as well as the big shops so it is good for people to browse the high street.”
Mrs Rayner said people who are looking for electrical items may find what they want during the sales.
She said: “There are lots of deals on electrical items but the Black Friday sales tend to be less typical in High Street fashion – household items are the ones that are likely to be cheaper.
“I’d advise shoppers to look for items on search engines first to look at what deals are coming up but it is also worth checking with independent retailers to see if they have the item for a cheaper price.”
She also warned shoppers to be aware of online delivery times and that people should not be seduced by amazing offers.
“People often suffer delays with delivery around Black Friday – if someone wants something immediately then shopping on the high street is the best option.
“The deals can be on products which are coming to the end of their life and sometimes the retailers will do a deal with the suppliers so they can clear the old model.
“Don’t be seduced by massive discounts as there could be a reason – it can be used to get rid of old stock so retailers can bring in new stock.
“But if it’s what people want and they are happy with the purchase then that’s fine.”
But Mrs Rayner said despite the big discounts people should not forget about small independent shops.
She said: “It’s not always about big discounts. Smaller retailers can struggle so even though Black Friday is great you shouldn’t blow your entire budget on one big day as you may not have the power to spend what you want later in December.
“Black Friday hurt retailers last year because people spent loads on the day but not afterwards.
“The high street will also run special offers the week before Christmas too.”


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“Fundawear” Touch-Sensitive Underwear Make Me Very Uncomfortable
So many tacky things come from Australia (see also: “Crocodile Dundee”), and Durex’s new “Fundawear” collection is no exception. The condom brand spent countless R&D dollars to create a new kind of underwear with sensors attached that allow lovers to touch each others parts from far away. Yes, technology!
The company employed technology used to make mobile phones vibrate for the panties, if you catch my drift. Each piece can be reached via a mobile phone app which gives partners the opportunity to arouse one another by touching corresponding buttons on their phones.
Durex has set up a Facebook page for the product, which they’re calling the “future of foreplay.” Interested Facebook fans can sign up to try the “Fundawear.” It seems like this could potentially be dangerous/hilarious/embarrassing if people wore Fundawear, say, to the office or something. [Telegraph]


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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (FOX 10) - Love is in the air, especially in Scottsdale. In fact, Scottsdale made the list of the top 10 romantic, yet affordable cities, so we hit the streets to find out what people are expecting for Valentine's Day.
Celebrating love is getting more expensive. In fact, the National Retail Federation says consumers are expected to shell out more than $20.7 billion on the romantic holiday, but shelling out that much green isn't for everyone.
"I don't know, maybe they're greedy," one woman said. "My husband and I just sort of say Happy Valentine's Day to each other and that's it."
"I don't expect anything," Paul said. "I'm lucky sometimes to get a card, but what I love the most is sending Valentine cards to my grandchildren."
WalletHub recently named Scottsdale one of the most romantic and affordable cities to celebrate Valentine's Day in, especially when it comes to dining out.
"Go to Maestro's, oh yeah!" one person said. "You know, have a steak, get that creamed corn and that spinach. That's it, all the sides!"
Some say they prefer an experience, like traveling.
"We're Canadians and for years we used to fly to Ottawa from western Canada and spend the night and go," one woman said.
For others, it's all about the little things, but whether you're planning for a night out on the town, or simply celebrating with a cozy night in, don't wait until the last minute.


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Hk adult phone chat line
Latest Hotel updates coming soon, please call office line or use live chat directly for prices. you can also email us directly to ask the price or whatsapp our no. We collaborate with several agents to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
In two recent blogs, Mc Afee Labs described Japanese and Korean Android apps on Google Play that steal a mobile device’s phone number.
Our investigation into the developers–based on the company information found on the apps–reveals they operate several suspicious adult-dating sites.
We strongly recommend against installing very new chat/communication/SNS-related apps published by unknown developers.Then users are prompted to buy new credits via Google Wallet to continue chatting.At this point, the service makes attractive offer to give more free credits if users will give a high review score (4 or 5) to the app on Google Play.As an independent Travel Agent, we mostly take up cases for Singapore and China Visa Only.
If our client want us to apply for other countries, additional charges will be applied as follows: Transportation Service Charge World Wide Travel Services Co.
We have now found two more Japanese chat apps that show similar behavior.


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PARIS — Shares in LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton soared on Friday as investors cheered the group’s record 2023 results and positive outlook, reversing some of the recent slide in luxury sector stocks.
LVMH shares rose 12.8 percent to 773.10 euros in trading after the world’s biggest luxury group reported sales rose 8.8 percent to 86.15 billion euros last year, up 13 percent on a comparable basis. This was above a consensus forecast of 85.83 billion euros, according to a poll of analysts’ estimates compiled by FactSet.
More from WWD
Analysts said the results were reassuring, signaling that the group was able to rapidly adjust its cost base and protect margins despite a normalization of luxury spending. They also noted positive brand momentum, with a resilient Chinese customer base and signs of improvement in the U.S. market.
The news had a ripple effect, with most sector stocks also posting gains. Kering was up 6.6 percent; Compagnie Financière Richemont gained 6.2 percent; Hermès International rose 6.6 percent, and Burberry Group posted a 4.9 percent increase.
“It was a total rerating of the sector, even if investors do not expect the same decent results from all the other companies,” said Mario Ortelli, managing partner of the luxury advisory company Ortelli&Co. “It’s a sector that until a few months ago was a star, and in the last six months lost its luster. The investors realize that probably they were too harsh.”
In results reported after the market close on Thursday, LVMH said group sales rose 5.5 percent at actual exchange rates to 23.95 billion euros in the fourth quarter, following a 1 percent increase in the previous three months. This represented a rise of 10 percent on a like-for-like basis, up from the 9 percent recorded in the third quarter.
Organic sales for its key fashion and leather goods division rose 9 percent in the fourth quarter, in line with market expectations.
Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of LVMH, said he expected the positive momentum to carry over into this year.
“Personally, I’m very confident,” he said. “We’re going to start to see the impact of future interest rate cuts, and I also expect a positive impact on the U.S. economy from the upcoming [presidential] election. Each time there’s an election in the U.S., the market is more dynamic.”
Erwan Rambourg, global head of consumer and retail research at HSBC, noted Arnault took the “exact reverse view” to many hedge funds, which have forecast poor U.S. demand in an election year.
He also lauded chief financial officer Jean-Jacques Guiony delivering on his commitment to hold margins broadly stable. Guiony said the operating margin eased to 26.5 percent in 2023 from 26.6 percent the previous year.
“You buy luxury stocks for sales momentum, not as much for margins. But you did have a thesis with hedge funds that margins needed to moderate and it helps that that thought has been invalidated,” Rambourg said.
The analyst said he was impressed by the “very constructive” tone of management comments and by Arnault’s “frankly great sense of humor,” referring to the tycoon’s playful comments about potential future acquisitions. “[It] gave the impression that he’s not (and his group is not) losing much sleep at night about what’s next,” he said.
While the intraday fillip was estimated to have boosted LVMH’s market capitalization by as much as 40 billion euros, Ortelli cautioned that the market was still vulnerable to swings.
“The market is very nervous. If two important companies report in the same day a completely different thing, the market will go down, so nothing is forever in the stock market — as in fashion,” he said.
Best of WWD


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Bottom line: Lei Jun’s resignation as YY chairman to focus on his struggling Xiaomi reflects his own fading star power, while Huawei is unlikely to reach its goal of taking 10 percent of the India smartphone market by the end of next year.
A couple of smartphone stories are in the headlines on this final day of the work week, capping a flurry of industry news that reflects the turmoil in China’s overheated market. Both items are relatively second-tier news, led by the resignation of Lei Jun from his position as chairman of social networking site YY (Nasdaq: YY) to focus on reviving his ailing Xiaomi smartphone empire. The other item has market leader Huawei hyping India, where it is getting set to launch a manufacturing facility and has ambitious plans for taking 10 percent of the market.
Both stories reflect the difficulties that all players, both foreign and domestic, are now facing in China, the world’s largest smartphone market but also a place plagued by intense competition from dozens of local players making very similar models.
Lei Jun rose to prominence as one of the earlier arrivals to the market with Xiaomi, but is also involved with a wide array of other tech companies like YY and software maker Kingsoft. That was fine when Lei enjoyed a reputation as a high-tech wunderkind and companies clamored for the right to include his name on their management rosters. But with Xiaomi now rapidly sinking, Lei’s name is less valuable and he also realizes he needs to focus his attention on his own company.
Huawei is a few steps behind Xiaomi, and is still China’s top smartphone brand, according to new second-quarter data released earlier this week. (previous post) But that same data showed the company’s growth is slowing sharply, and previous reports have indicated Huawei has cut its previous aggressive growth forecasts for this year. Like some other players, it is now looking at India, a market with many similar qualities to China, as an alternate growth source.
Let’s begin with the Lei Jun news, which came in an announcement from YY saying he was officially stepping down as the company’s chairman. (company announcement; Chinese article) The announcement says Lei resigned specifically to focus his attention on Xiaomi, and that he will still remain as a major investor and strategic partner of YY.
This move looks at least partly cosmetic, since YY’s use of Lei’s name as chairman was probably aimed at taking advantage of his superstar status back in Xiaomi’s heyday. But his star power has faded rapidly in proportion to Xiaomi’s own fading star, and I personally applaud Lei for making this highly symbolic move to show he will focus his attention on fixing his stumbling company.
Next there’s Huawei, whose India announcement also looks designed at least partly to deflect attention from its rapidly slowing growth in China. The company detailed its India plans at a local launch event for its high-end P9 model, saying it has already received necessary approvals and plans to start smartphone production in the country within a month. (Chinese article) Huawei’s India consumer products chief added he’s aiming to take 10 percent of the market by the end of next year.
Huawei has actually been active in India for quite a while now, first for its older networking equipment business and more recently for cellphones. But this latest move does look like a sharp ramp-up of its India smartphone campaign.
Huawei is hardly the first Chinese smartphone maker to discover the India market. Most of its China peers are already quite active there, including Xiaomi, and even Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) said in May it wants to step up its efforts there. (previous post) With so much growing competition in the market, which also includes strong local players like Micromax, Huawei’s 10 percent market share target looks quite aggressive and probably unattainable despite the company’s big ambitions.
- SMARTPHONES: Huawei Hits Brakes, Apple Tumbles in Q2
- SMARTPHONES: LeEco Names Coolpad CEO, Eyes China Smartphone Crown
- SMARTPHONES: Lenovo Smartphones Bottom Out Amid Slim-Down
- Today’s top stories
(NOT FOR REPUBLICATION)


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Updated at 12:35 p.m. PDT to correct the news about "Final Fantasy XIII." It is coming to the Xbox 360 but not exclusively. Also, the item about R.E.M. earlier gave the incorrect status of the band's new album. It has been released.
LOS ANGELES--Once again it's that time: big hype for giant press conferences by the video game industry's biggest names.
In this case, we're talking Microsoft, and its annual Xbox 360 bacchanalia.
Here at E3, which kicks off unofficially Monday morning, it's craziness, excitement and anticipation rolled into one, even though this event is scaled down considerably from the last time it was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center two years ago.
The doors opened at 9:30 a.m., but because everyone coming into the press conference had to have a special "passport" with a bar code, the line to get in snaked oddly back from the doors to the exhibit hall, somewhat akin to the queues at Disneyland. It felt inefficient and unnecessary. But I suppose Microsoft wants to be sure that no one who's not supposed to be in the hall gets in. The upshot is that the scanning of the bar codes on people's passports was very slow.
And while this is the new-style E3, which is no longer the huge, massive, chaotic free-for-all it was through 2006, there are still some elements of the old event.
For example, while E3 in 2006 officially banned "booth babes," the scantily clad women who stand around looking pretty and attracting all the male gamers, Microsoft had greeters throughout the hall who were clearly meant to play something of that same role. To be sure, they weren't dressed in skin-tight, skimpy outfits, but they were universally thin and pretty and it was hard to see that they were there for any other reason than eye-candy to keep the geeks in line happy while they waited for seemingly ever to get in.
Now, the press conference is about to begin, and we will see what Microsoft has to actually announce. It already unveiled its Xbox 360 price cut, and no one really knows what it has to say that's news.
Stay tuned to this blog post over the next hour or so for regular updates.
Update 10:36 a.m. PDT: Todd Howard, game director of Bethesda Game Studios, is showing off the first live gameplay of Fallout 3. The game is a seriously post-apocalyptic experience, and his demo followed a very odd cartoon of life in a nuclear bunker.
Update 10:42 a.m.: Now Capcom is showing the first public, playable demo of Resident Evil 5.
Update 10:47 a.m.: Capcom says Resident Evil 5 will come out in a simultaneous release in the United States and Europe on March 13.
Then, Peter Molyneux, creative director of Microsoft-owned Lionhead Studios, comes on to announce that "Fable II is finished. All that innovation and drama has come together and we've finished it."
And, then Molyneux announced that the game will feature co-op play on Xbox Live. "We've got this dynamic landscape that changes. That means you want to invite people in."
Finally, Molyneux announced that Fable II would be released this October.
Update 10:55 a.m.: The game that many consider the most-anticipated of the year, for Xbox, at least, is Gears of War 2 from Epic Games. Epic's design director, Cliff Bleszinski, has stepped onstage, and is now demonstrating the co-op play of the game. Of course, for anyone who's been to an Xbox event over the last several months, seeing Gears 2 in action is nothing new, in and of itself. But for a game that is guaranteed to sell millions of copies, it seems that anything is news.
Update 11:01 a.m.: Bleszinski says Gears 2 will be released worldwide on November 7. He also added that the game will now feature five-player "horde" action, allowing up to five players to take on increasingly aggressive locusts.
Update 11:06 a.m.: Xbox head Don Mattrick just said that he's declaring that Xbox will outsell Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii this generation. That's quite a claim, given that there are still likely several years to go in the generation.
Mattrick also said that since the Xbox was released, consumers have spent more than $1 billion on the console and its live component. And that, with the goal of increasing its entertainment options, Microsoft has just signed deals with NBC and Universal to make new movies and TV shows available on Xbox Live. The new content will be available as of Monday.
Update 11:15 a.m.: Xbox Live head John Schappert has come out on stage and announced that Xbox Live is getting a full redesign this fall.
Schappert said the new Xbox Live will be tantamount to giving Xbox a full update, all via software. This will be, he explained, based on the new My Xbox channel, which will have a new look and feel and tabs for photos, videos, music, and games.
In addition, the updated service will feature avatars, allowing users to create personalized characters for themselves that they can use throughout Xbox Live.
Schappert said that Xbox Live will also have a new partnership with Netflix, allowing users to access movies and TV shows from their Netflix queues via Xbox Live. Further, users will be able to share those shows and movies with their Xbox Live partners.
Update 11:38 a.m.: Without question, one of the biggest video game hits of the last few years is the Guitar Hero franchise. Now, Guitar Hero creator Red Octane's president, Kai Huang, is on stage, and he's talking about the next innovations from the hit series.
The next iteration of the game, Guitar Hero World Tour, will be out this fall. The game will feature a fully wireless music kit, including drums and cymbals. It will also include an eight-player "battle of the bands" feature.
More interestingly, from a user-created content perspective, the next Guitar Hero will include a "music studio" that will allow users to make and share their own music online. That will mean, as I understand it, that, using the system, players will be able to make their own new music and distribute it via the online Guitar Hero network. This is called "Guitar Hero Tunes."
Additionally, Huang said, Guitar Hero World Tour will include three R.E.M. songs from the band's new album.
And, Metallica is joining forces with Red Octane and Guitar Hero. The band's entire forthcoming album, "Death Magnetic," will be available as downloadable content for the game at the same time the album is released, first for Guitar Hero III, and then on Guitar Hero World Tour when it is released in the fall.
Update 11:49 a.m.: Not to be left out, Rock Band was also featured prominently in the Xbox press conference.
Rock Band publisher Harmonix's president and CEO, Alex Rigopulos, came onstage to announce several new elements related to the forthcoming Rock Band 2.
Rigopulous said that Rock Band 2 will be released this fall exclusively for the Xbox 360, and that Harmonix has gotten rocker Axl Rose to agree to release a new track from Guns N' Roses' long, long-awaited album, Chinese Democracy, exclusively for Rock Band 2.
In addition, Bob Dylan and AC/DC will both be licensing songs for the game, the first time either artist has done so for video games.
Update 12:05 p.m.: Finally, maybe the loudest applause of the day was for the announcement by Square Enix that it's much-anticipated Final Fantasy XIII will be coming out on the Xbox 360, though there was no specific date announced. It's a big win for Microsoft to get the Final Fantasy franchise on Xbox.


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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Authorities found almost $4,500 worth of stolen clothing in a car after they stopped two women suspected of shoplifting from Victoria's Secret and Express at the Indian River Mall on Thursday, according to affidavits.
The lingerie store, in the 6200 block of 20th Street, Vero Beach, has been the target of shoplifters for several years. The criminals grab thousands of dollars worth of unmentionables with each effort, law enforcement officials said. Typically, the suspects go unnoticed and are not apprehended.
On Thursday, however, two loss prevention managers for Victoria's Secret were at the store and saw Nancy Bermudez, 63, of Davie and Marcella Duran, 40, of Miami shoplifting. The staff followed the women as they left the building and passed on their vehicle information to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies stopped the women in a white Hyundai in the 8200 block of 20th, according to affidavits. Inside the car, deputies found 183 clothing items from Victoria's Secret and 44 from Express, the affidavits state. Much of the merchandise still had anti-theft tags on them, but deputies said the women used leather bags lined with aluminum foil to avoid setting off alarms.
Bermudez and Duran were charged with retail theft in concert with others and possession of two anti-shoplifting devices. Duran also was charged with having no driver's license. She was being held at the Indian River County Jail in lieu of $20,500 bail, while Bermudez was being held in lieu of $20,000.
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German golf balls and Swedish golf courses – Golf Digest Sverige sat down with True Golf Marketing to discuss among other things the state of golf tourism in Sweden and why the VICE golf balls will be a big success in the scandinavian country. We had a lot to talk about over a long lunch and you can read the results in the monthly column “Sju Frågor” in the current issue of Golf Digest Sverige.
For those, who can’t buy the Swedish Golf Digest, you can see and read the article here:
The Munich/Germany based startup VICE GOLF partnered up with True Golf Marketing and is entering the Swedish golf market. VICE is selling quality golf balls at a fraction of the price compared to its competitors. The key is, that VICE GOLF bypasses traditional business channels and selling their golf balls directly to the consumer over the website www.vicegolf.com.
The company started a couple of years ago with the brand “Flake Golf” but changed its name and design at the beginning of this season. This year has also seen a huge step towards the internationalization of the company, which is now selling in several countries in Europe as well as in the United States.
The Swedish market with its estimated one million golfers (482.000 of them member in a golf club in 2012) is one of the biggest market in Europe. Compared to VICE’ home market Germany ten times more people play golf in Sweden in relation to the entire population. Golf does not have the image of an rich man’s sport in Sweden and we are confident to have some success with the offer of a top quality golf ball to a very low price.
If you are a golf pro and you want to test our new balls, please contact us. We also sell to companies and besides the traditional printing offer extremely fast digital printing. From one dozen of balls and up we are able to print everything on your ball within a couple of days. That means, in the future you can customize your balls with a lot more than just your logo.