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Transcript for Million Dollar Mystery as Winning Ticket Remains Unclaimed
the mystery growing in one, tiny, american town. So small, many of them there are on a first-name basis. But someone is keeping a giant secret. Get ready, everybody. This is powerball. Good evening, everyone. Reporter: It's been two weeks now since that giant jackpot. It's an estimated $590.5 million. Reporter: We learned the next day the winning ticket, just one ticket, sold in zephyrhills, florida, population 13,000. That got us thinking this weekend why we haven't learned who won it. It turns out, they're wondering, too. Bash owns the local diner. I hope they stop in. Reporter: It's the best-kept secret in town. From the barbershop, to the grocery store, where the ticket was sold. People still shopping tonight. Everyone looking for the cart with the most groceries. Throughout the whole country, this publix, in little zephyrhills could be the winner. Reporter: It reminded us of a little film, "waking ned devine." An irish town. No idea who won. Everyone hunting for clues. Are you going to take a holiday this year? Where would I get money for a holiday? Then, they learned the winner had died. Soon, the whole town was in on it, saying let's share it. The money will be claimed and divided equally between the 52 of us. Reporter: So, what's playing out in zephyrhills? This sleepy town, is the winner taking a nap? While everyone else plays the daily scratchoff at the diner. We're all coming in here finding out who is not going to show up for the scratch game this morning. Reporter: The loser, buying coffee for the rest. Oh, darn, I'm out.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.


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PARIS — Drawing on its deep management reserves, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton has tapped Fabrizio Malverdi, managing director at John Galliano, to helm Givenchy, WWD has learned.
Malverdi — an Italian national who drove Galliano to profitability and steered expansion into fragrance, children’s wear, eyewear, watches and jewelry — is expected to start as Givenchy’s managing director on Oct. 6. An announcement is expected as early as today.
His successor at Galliano has yet to be named.
At Givenchy, Malverdi will succeed Marco Gobbetti, who, as reported, was promoted to president and chief executive officer at Celine in conjunction with the appointment of British designer Phoebe Philo as the brand’s new artistic director. She will present her first Celine collection next March for the fall-winter 2009 season.
Philo’s appointment came in tandem with a management shuffle at LVMH that also saw Celine ceo Serge Brunschwig promoted to chief operating officer at Christian Dior Couture.
Malverdi joined Galliano in June 2006 after six years at Italy’s Mariella Burani Fashion Group, where he held various management responsibilities, including licensing and integrating and acquiring companies. His last title there was managing director of Mila Schön and he floated its accessories subsidiary Antichi Pellettieri. His résumé also includes stints at Benetton, La Perla and Staff International, both in Europe and in the U.S.
As Givenchy’s managing director, Malverdi will be charged with accelerating development at the brand with creative director Riccardo Tisci, and building on the accomplishments of Gobbetti, who will remain a board member of the house.
During his four-year tenure, Gobbetti partnered with Tisci to bring a more modern and succinct image to Givenchy, build the wholesale business and create a new retail concept for the storied label. The gallerylike Paris boutique, with black boxes evoking the feeling of several boutiques in one store, opened in February here on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
“The brand has been repositioned and the market has well understood the new identity and the new products,” Gobbetti said Friday. “I will make sure that the transition is as smooth as possible.”
Givenchy entered the black last year, fueled by sales momentum led by women’s fashions by Tisci, who now also oversees Givenchy men’s wear.
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews
“Stranger Things” is getting a new cast member for season 2. Meet @sadiesink_, the 15-year-old who will be joining the Netflix series for its new season. You may recognize her from “The Glass Castle” with Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson, but the Texas native’s next role goes in an entirely different direction. She describes her character, Max, as “a rough and tumble skater girl [who] becomes friends with the boys at school.” The second season debuts on October 27. (📷: @jgreenery) #wwdeye
Amid the Harvey Weinstein controversy, there’s another sector that’s being put under the spotlight for sexual abuse: the modeling industry. While rumors about abuse and sexual harassment of female and male models — and the photographers, agents and others who perpetrated it — have circulated within the fashion world for years, model @cameronrussell started posting stories from models on Instagram last week about abusive situations they’ve encountered — from sexual harassment and molestation to attempted rape. Over 75 have weighed in so far. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdnews
To celebrate its 16th anniversary, @dylanscandybar tapped designers and celebrities to create mosaics out of candy. The mosaics will be auctioned off to support the philanthropic cause of each participant’s choice. Pictured here is the mural created by @aliceandolivia's Stacey Bendet. For a first look at some of the other artwork being unveiled tonight, go to WWD.com. #wwdeye
The annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Pacific Palisades this weekend drew Kate Hudson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laura Dern and more. See pictures of the star-studded event on WWD.com. (📷: @chelsealaurenla) #wwdeye
In his new book “Hollywood Royale,” Andy Warhol’s Protégé Matthew Rolston celebrates the Eighties revival of Hollywood glamour. Featuring more than 100 portraits taken by Rolston from 1977 to 1993, the book contains photos of icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and @drewbarrymore, pictured here in 1991. “Hollywood Royale,” out today, will be accompanied by an exhibition opening at Los Angeles’ Fahey/Klein Gallery on March 1. #wwdeye
"Nowadays when life is not so happy with everything going on in the world, I think people come to me for a little bit of whimsy and color and fun." - Designer Rebecca De Ravenel on her cult-favorite jewelry line. (📸 : @vsteves) #wwd40
“Everyone is talking about how the retail industry is struggling, but I think it’s an incredible time because brands who are doing something different and innovative are setting themselves up for the future,” said @adamgoldston, who founded the luxury athletic brand @apl with his brother @ryangoldsten. The Goldston’s are part of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables. See the rest of the list on WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
@eyeswoon blogger Athena Calderone debuted her first-ever cookbook, “Cook Beautiful,” which is heavily centered on the presentation and visual expression of food. Pictured here are her miso glazed carrots from the book. Get the recipe on WWD.com. (📷: @johnny_miller_) #wwdeye

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RW Garcia, a producer of tortilla chips and corn-based snack items, will soon begin work to expand its facility in the Lincoln County Industrial Park, resulting in the creation of at least 15 new jobs.
An incentive grant agreement detailing the expansion received unanimous approval from the county’s Board of Commissioners during its meeting Monday night.
Kara Brown, existing business manager for the Lincoln Economic Development Association, presented the agreement, noting that the California-based company cited increased demand worldwide as the reason behind the planned addition of warehouse space.
The total investment put into the project will be $2 million, expected to result in 30,000 square feet of additional space.
As stated in the grant agreement, RW Garcia will create at least 15 new jobs, paying average hourly wages of $13, within two years. The county will then provide cash grants of $7,774 annually for a five-year period, starting the tax year after the project’s completion.
Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the company has manufacturing facilities in both North Carolina and California.
Construction is expected to begin on or before Sept. 1.
In other board action at Monday’s meeting:


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Rowe admits to 'mixed quarter'
Marks & Spencer showed the impact of premium food lines offered by supermarket rivals as its third quarter food sales fell.
Sainsbury’s reported a record Christmas trading week…plus positive statement from Taylor Wimpey
Fashion retailers Quiz and Ted Baker were among the winners in the Christmas trading period while Moss Bros struggled and today has issued a profits warning.
Latest trading figures
Trading updates from a number of companies…
New consumers boost bottom line
Jewellers and silversmiths Hamilton & Inches has seen the benefits of marketing to a younger generation of consumers and to overseas customers.
Strong first half performance
Healthcare billing company Craneware has secured a contract worth in excess of $16m over five years as it continues to perform strongly.
As Debenhams sees slide in sales
Mixed fortunes for two big department store chains…
Airline in transition
Scottish airline Loganair has reported an 11% fall in pre-tax profit and expects to be loss-making this year after reshaping the business.
Headwinds due to ease
Next, the fashion and homeware chain, offered some post-Christmas cheer to the retail sector by reporting an uplift in full price sales.
Turnover more than doubles
Oil and renewables services company Ecosse Subsea is sitting on a £20 million order backlog and is forecasting a positive 2018.


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Shrimp exports are expected to reach the record level of $3 billion by the end of this year.
According to VASEP, Vietnamese seafood exports in November 2013 gained $650 million. Through November 2013, the figure reached $6.1 billion, equaling to the figure of the whole year 2012. Accordingly, seafood exports in 2013 surely exceed the target of $6.5 billion and may reach nearly $7 billion.
The increase in seafood export turnover this year was largely thanks to shrimp sales. Shipment of pangasius this year reported a modest growth while exports of tuna and cephalopod posted for a continuous decline over the past year.
Through October 2013, shrimp sales achieved a record of nearly $2.5 billion. The figure breaks the previous record of $2.4 billion from shrimp sales of 2011.
Shrimp exports through November 2013 were estimated to obtain $2.7 – 2.8 billion and shrimp exports eyes $3 billion for the full year. If everything is on schedule, shrimp export value in 2013 will be equal to rice exports (over $2.9 billion) and much higher than exports of coffee and rubber.
A good result from Viet Nam’s shrimp exports in 2013 was attributable to higher shrimp price, decline in global shrimp production caused by Early Mortality Syndrome, especially in Thailand, China and Malaysia.
Until QIII/2013, Viet Nam’s shrimp price in some main markets was $2-4 per higher than that of the same time of 2012. In the last quarter of 2013, shrimp price is on upward trend. In the first week of November 2013, the price of Viet Nam shrimp count 13/15 in Japanese market increased by $1 per kilogram.
Output and export revenue of whiteleg shrimp contribute to realise the target of $3 billion in 2013 shrimp exports.
From September 2013 to now, monthly export revenue of vannamei surpassed that of black tiger shrimp. So far this year, vannamei export revenue has exceeded that of black tiger shrimp. Until the end of October, vannamei exports occupied 49 per cent of total shrimp export value while the proportion of black tiger shrimp was 44 per cent. By the end of this year, export turnover of vannamei is likely to reach nearly the record high of $1.5 billion.
According to Directorate of Fisheries, through November 2013, shrimp farming area nationwide reached 652,612 hectares, equaling to 99.2 per cent of the same time of 2012. The figure included 588,894 hectares of black tiger shrimp farming and 63,719 hectares of vannamei farming. Shrimp output obtained 475,854 MT including 232,853 MT of black tiger shrimp and 243,001 MT of whiteleg shrimp.
Farmers in Viet Nam’s coastal provinces of (from Quang Ninh to Phu Yen) reared brackishwater shrimp on the area of 36,879 hectares, making up 5.7 per cent of Viet Nam’s total shrimp farming area and reaped the output of 76,071 MT, accounting for 14.1 per cent of total shrimp production.
Some provinces reporting high shrimp yield were Quang Ninh, Nghe An, Quang Nam and Phu Yen.
In term of seed production, there are 1,722 facilities of black tiger shrimp seed and 583 facilities of whiteleg shrimp seed throughout the country with total production of 68.4 billion shrimp seed including 21.3 billion of black tiger shrimp and 47.2 billion of whiteleg shrimp.
Provinces from Quang Ninh to Phu Yen have 227 facilities, occupying 13.18 per cent of the country’s total number of facilities with production of over seven billion seed, making up 4.8 per cent of the country’s total seed production. Some provinces reporting high production of shrimp seed were Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Quang Nam, Quang Binh and Quang Ninh.


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A popular and award-winning Welsh cheese company has folded, it has been confirmed.
The Carmarthenshire Cheese Company was formed in 2006 and supplied goods all over the UK and as far afield as America, Canada and Japan.
Well-known for its Welsh soft blue and white mould cheese, the firm won numerous awards at the Royal Welsh Show during its 12-year existence.
It also scooped the top prize at the Artisan Cheese Awards in 2016.
The business used to be based in the village of Horeb, near Llandysul, before it moved to a new premises in Llanllwch, on the outskirts of Carmarthen, three years ago.
The move, to a building that included a visitor centre and shop, followed a large investment from the firm together with a £100,000 grant from the Welsh Government’s Economic Growth Fund.
Speaking before the relocation, Steve Peace, who set up the company with his wife Sian, said the move to a larger premises was “vital for the long-term sustainability and growth of our business – we are currently at full capacity and need space to increase manufacturing, for storage and to enter the direct retail market”.
However, last summer the firm's new home was not being used and was locked up.
Mr Peace said at the time that the company was still operating but admitted that the situation was “convoluted”.
It has now been confirmed, however, that the company has gone into liquidation.
According to a document filed with Companies House on May 28, the company owed creditors more than £700,000, and “cannot, by reason of its current and/or impending liabilities, continue as a business”.
Insolvency practitioner McAlister & Co, based in Swansea, have been appointed as the liquidator.
A spokeswoman for the company confirmed that Carmarthenshire Cheese Company entered into liquidation on May 10.


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Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.'s
The company's sales have grown in recent years as the automotive industry has continued to recover. However, like many companies, Cooper Tire has faces pressure from high raw-material costs. The company on Tuesday said it expects raw-materials costs to rise 5% to 7% sequentially in the current quarter.
Cooper Tire and its unionized workers in Ohio reached a new labor contract in February, ending a three-month lockout that cost Cooper Tires millions of dollars.
"We continue to believe that pent-up demand for broadline tires exists, although it is difficult to predict exactly when that demand will manifest," Chief Executive Roy Armes said.
Cooper Tire reported a profit of $21.6 million, or 34 cents a share, up from $15.7 million, or 25 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue increased 9.1% to $984.3 million.
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters most recently projected earnings of 31 cents on revenue of $999 million.
In the company's North America segment, its largest revenue generator, net sales rose 8% amid stronger prices and product mix, partially offset by a 3% decline in sales volume. Total U.S. light vehicle shipments were down 6.1%.
Shares closed Tuesday at $15.15 and were inactive premarket.


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Profit Management Promotions announced that on Saturday morning, the first day of the Spring 2012 High Point Market, PMP will be holding a seminar at 10AM in the Retailer Resource Center to educate furniture retailers on the benefits of incorporating Special Event Promotions into their annual advertising campaigns.
“Most retailers do not realize that promotion companies are here to help them improve business,” says Ron Cooper, the Director of Sales and Marketing for PMP, “Many people are under the assumption that companies like ours exist only to help retailers go out of business, and that is far from true. More than half our promotions are designed to keep the retailer in business by giving them a jump start and then outfitting them with better tools for future success.”
The topics to be covered include the benefits that sales events can provide to retailers, who should hire a promotion company, and what type of result to expect.
The seminar will be presented by senior members of Profit Management Promotions, a Furniture Promotion Company that has been in business for over 25 years.
For more information about Profit Management Promotions, visit www.pmpsales.com
Furniture World Magazine-Business solutions for furniture retailers


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Never in a million years would we ever have thought we would be writing about women’s underwear in the context of a potential product liability issue for this personal injury blog. But apparently there are some things new under the sun, and this might well be one of them. Portland readers may want to take note.
According to an item on Reuters, a lingerie company in Japan is recalling bras — more than 20,000 them — because of a product defect that could result in wearers suffering scratches or punctures. The culprits are underwires that stray from their intended locations. The report says they can poke through the fabric. Sometimes this happens after the item has gone through the wash. Sometimes it happens while the bras are being worn.
A statement by the embarrassed company says it hasn’t received any reports of injuries as a result of the issue. The recall is intended to make sure that none occur. The company is apologizing for the bother, but says owners of the bras should stop using them immediately.
The bras have only been sold in Japan, so people in Portland need not worry. But what this story reflects is that any product that is manufactured and sold has the potential to cause personal injury because of a defect.
Whether the issue is known about or not, the manufacturer has an obligation to ensure that a product is safe. And people who end up harmed as a result have a right, and working with an experienced attorney, to seek compensation and recovery for losses suffered.


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Big digital ambitions may be brewing at Starbucks
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- Eric Engleman
- Staff Writer
Starbucks' plan to start offering web content to store customers in the fall may mark the beginnings of a broader digital strategy for the Seattle-based coffee chain, analysts and observers of the company say.
Starbucks on July 1 began offering free, “one-click” unlimited Wi-Fi service at nearly 6,800 company-owned stores in the United States and 750 stores in Canada — a big change for a company that had previously capped free Wi-Fi at two hours and required people to log in with a Starbucks card.
As part of the new Wi-Fi policy announcement, Starbucks said it would launch its own “digital network” in the fall, in partnership with search giant Yahoo. The network, available free to customers using Starbucks Wi-Fi, will include news, local listings and job postings.
Starbucks hasn’t unveiled the new content offering yet, but some see it as the first step in what could be a more ambitious effort by the coffee chain to distribute digital goods and services.
If Starbucks succeeds in creating a compelling set of offerings for Wi-Fi users, that could make Starbucks more of a force in the technology industry, with implications for its workers, business partnerships and investors. It could also help the company draw more people to its stores and boost sales of coffee and food items.
“Starbucks appeals to well-heeled adults, and there’s a tremendous opportunity to get them to reach into their pocketbooks,” said Laura DiDio, principal at Information Technology Intelligence Corp., a technology research and consulting firm in Grafton, Mass.
Starbucks’ initial focus with the digital network is content. The coffee giant in June said launch partners will include The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, AOL’s Patch community news, Zagat restaurant reviews and Apple’s iTunes digital music store.
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There’s a good chance that a real person has listened to some of your Google Assistant queries. A report from a whistleblower working for Google has revealed that the company is using contractors to transcribe roughly 0.2 percent of the questions that are posed to the Google Assistant in an effort to improve the system. While 0.2 percent may not sound like a big number, it means that roughly one out of every 500 “OK, Google” queries has been listened to and manually transcribed.
This news shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone since it was recently revealed that Amazon is basically doing the same thing with Alexa. All of the Google Assistant queries that are being listened to are de-coupled from the user’s account, so there is no digital trace back to who the voice belongs to.
Unfortunately, the whistleblower who brought this to light managed to share thousands of recordings with VRT News for the story, compromising any user privacy security measures Google had in place. Many of the recordings that VRT News listened to include personal information with the users revealing their names, addresses and other information. Google’s Home products so not start recording until audio until they hear the “OK, Google” or Hey, Google” trigger phrases, but they can often pick up on a similar-sounding phrase and start listening on their own by accident.
Operated under the assumption that someone would eventually be listening to by Google Assistant queries is one thing, but having someone who’s been employed to do so share that information with an external source is something that should never happen. Google needs to find a way to remedy the issue and ensure that the data it collects on its users remains where it belongs.


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The Fairtrade Foundation is warning of the impact of market volatility following on from the pound hitting a record low against the US dollar this week. This could oversee impact on both farmers in low-income countries and UK shoppers who buy the food they grow.
The Foundation reports their concerns that the currency devaluation will “set back” efforts to intensify action on the climate crisis, human rights and good pay for farmers and workers.
“The dramatic fall in the pound means more bad news for Fairtrade farmers and consumers. Additional exchange rate costs will land on fragile supply chains already struggling from the global cost of living crisis,” said Tim Aldred, the Head of Policy at the Fairtrade Foundation.
“Around 10-15 percent of the UK’s food comes from Africa, Asia and South America, including key products such as bananas and coffee. But many of these farmers and workers live in ‘in work poverty’, earning well below a living wage,” he added. “The cost of living crisis provoked by war in Ukraine, climate damage and the continuing impact of the pandemic were already placing additional pressure on farmers.”
Mr Aldred went on to say that if the market wasn’t able to absorb the new exchange rate rise, costs will be passed on to consumers or farmers, the latter of whom are protected thanks to Fairtrade Minimum Price and Fairtrade Premium, but will still be affected.
Stay up-to-date on the latest industry news and developments in our magazine.


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The iPhone X was unveiled alongside the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus last month. Soon after the launch, reports claimed Apple may delay the release of iPhone X due to some production issues.
However, proving the rumors wrong, Apple will start receiving the pre-orders of the iPhone X from October 27, which is tomorrow. According to a report by Bloomberg, the company has managed to make its 2017 flagship available on time by reducing the accuracy of the phone's face recognition feature. The publication cited sources close to people familiar with the matter.
The report further explained that Apple relaxed some of the technical specifications for the sensors in the Face ID system to speed up the production process.
While Apple usually prefers keeping quiet, this time the company has dismissed the claims made by Bloomberg. "Bloomberg's claim that Apple has reduced the accuracy spec for Face ID is completely false," said the Cupertino-giant in a statement to Reuters.
As reported by Deccan Chronicle, a Bloomberg spokesperson said the publication stood behind stood behind its report. Interestingly, Apple's shares went down by 0.7 percent at$155.99 in midday trading.
The Face ID system is one of the most highlighted features of the iPhone X. As claimed by Apple, the probability of fooling the Face ID is next to impossible; 1 in 1,000,000.
Apple has assured its fans by saying, "The quality and accuracy of Face ID haven't changed. It continues to be 1 in a million probability of a random person unlocking your iPhone with Face ID."


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(STURGIS) – Gas prices in Sturgis have jumped up just as the weekend is getting underway.
A survey of the stations in Sturgis this morning shows the average price is $3.90 a gallon for regular unleaded. Actual prices are ranging from $3.69 to $3.95 a gallon. By comparison, the average cost for regular unleaded Friday morning around Sturgis was $3.57 a gallon.
According to Michigan Gas Prices dot com, the average price for regular unleaded in Three Rivers is $3.92 a gallon. Actual prices are ranging from $3.89 to $3.95.
In Coldwater the average price is $3.94 a gallon for regular unleaded with actual prices ranging from $3.89 to $3.96.
Currently the lowest price in the state is at a station in Ypsilanti where regular unleaded is selling for $3.55 a gallon.
Across the state line, the stations in LaGrange are all reporting their price for regular unleaded is $3.99 a gallon. In Angola the average price is $3.95 a gallon with the actual prices ranging from a low of $3.92 to a high of $3.99 a gallon.


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Android Pattern Lock Can be Cracked in Under Five Attempts
Ashley Allen / 3 years ago
The Pattern Lock method of securing an Android device – one of the most popular methods amongst users, which involves connecting dots with straight lines in a pattern devised by the user – can be cracked in just five attempts, researchers have discovered. Remarkably, the more complex the pattern, the easier it is to crack, the joint research from Lancaster University, Northwest University in China, and the University of Bath, and funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has discovered.
The cracking method depends upon video recording a subject while they use Pattern Lock to open their smartphone or tablet. The video – at a range of up to nine metres – does not need to capture the screen of the device, merely a glimpse of the subject’s finger as it glides across the screen. An algorithm can then determine the pattern used to unlock the device within five attempts at an accuracy of 95%.
“Pattern Lock is a very popular protection method for Android Devices,” Dr Zheng Wang, principle investigator and co-author of the paper, and Lecturer at Lancaster University, told Phys.org. “As well as for locking their devices, people tend to use complex patterns for important financial transactions such as online banking and shopping because they believe it is a secure system. However, our findings suggest that using Pattern Lock to protect sensitive information could actually be very risky.”
“Contrary to many people’s perception that more complex patterns give better protection, this attack actually makes more complex patterns easier to crack and so they may be more secure using shorter, simpler patterns,” Guixin Ye, the lead student author from Northwest University, added.


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WiFi capability is everywhere. Built into practically every laptop, tablet and smartphone, it offers a convenient, inexpensive way to stay connected and productive from any location from a small coffee shop to a large airport. But beyond its consumer roots, it is an increasingly invaluable tool for businesses to help boost employee efficiency and provide a valuable amenity for visitors and customers.
Retail is one industry profoundly changed by WiFi. An October 2013 survey of 1,500 U.S. smartphone owners fielded by Accenture’s Acquity Group found that 50% of respondents would feel more confident making a major purchase at a retailer’s store that offered WiFi, because they would be able to perform in-store research on the product. 30% also said in-store WiFi would make them more likely to browse for additional items not on their shopping lists, and 20% said they would be more likely to stay longer in the store.
Similarly, a May 2014 Deloitte study found that customers who used a mobile device during their shopping were 40% more likely to buy items. That could be the reason why large retailers including Target, J.C. Penney and Macy’s now offer free WiFi access to customers at their stores.
Increasingly, retail stores also are arming floor sales representatives with WiFi devices. A salesperson can answer customers’ questions about product inventory and pricing on the spot and even ring up their purchases, rather than making them wait in line. Meanwhile, WiFi workers back at the warehouse armed with tablets have real-time access to inventories and shipping updates to drive productivity and process efficiency.
Beyond retail, WiFi has become a critical amenity at hotels and a deciding factor in choosing where to stay. In a 2013 Forrester survey of hotel guests, 94% of respondents pointed to WiFi as the most important amenity. 34% of business travelers said no WiFi was a deal-breaker, and that they would book a room elsewhere.
Hospitals and medical offices are increasingly offering WiFi in waiting rooms as a way to improve patient satisfaction and their overall care. In a survey of 5,000 U.S. patients conducted by Software Advice, 60% said that having free WiFi in the waiting room would help minimize their frustration with long waits. And as millions of newly insured Americans flock to the doctor, driving up wait times even more, WiFi can play a role in maintaining patient satisfaction.
That extends also to any other business where customers wait for service, including bars, restaurants, retailers and doctors’ offices among others. In a recent Bredin poll of 484 U.S. entrepreneurs and small business IT managers that offer WiFi, 79% said offering WiFi makes customers feel more welcome while they wait. 65% also said WiFi has encouraged repeat business, 55% said it brought in new customers, and 55% said it resulted in higher sales per visitor.
“Consumers Value In-store Wi-Fi, Rich Content and Mobile Experience Over Loyalty Programs.” Accenture Acquity Group. 2013
“The New Digital Divide: Retailers, Shoppers, and the Digital Influence Factor.” Deloitte. 2014
“Winning Customers’ Hearts Starts with a Great Guest Wi-Fi Service.” Forrester. 2013
“How to Treat Patient Wait-Time Woes IndustryView.” Software Advice. 2013
“Small Business WiFi Survey.” Bredin Research. 2014
WiFi capability is everywhere. Built into practically every laptop, tablet and smartphone, it offers a convenient, inexpensive way to stay connected and productive from any location from a small coffee shop to a large airport.
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Square has announced a strategic partnership with Eventbrite, in which Square will drive Eventbrite’s payments systems, including online, mobile, and in-person transactions. Additionally, to support Eventbrite’s vision to power the world’s largest platform for live experiences, Square has invested $25 million in the company.
“Eventbrite’s global network of event creators have the same entrepreneurial spirit and drive as the millions of sellers who run their businesses on Square,” said Alyssa Henry, Seller Lead at Square. “We’re thrilled to bring Square’s payments technology to Eventbrite. As the lines that separate online and offline business fade, we look forward to helping them further simplify all aspects of commerce, so they can stay focused on their core business of powering great live events.”
“Like Eventbrite, Square has been focused on leveraging technology to innovate in a traditional industry, and they bring a new approach to payments that has allowed millions of merchants to transact effortlessly,” said Tamara Mendelsohn, VP of Product at Eventbrite. “The result is a beautifully simple way for people to pay, and having that same engine drive our payment processing will ensure that transacting on Eventbrite will always be easy, secure and supported by incredibly rich data.”
The partnership between Square and Eventbrite will enable:
- Online and mobile payments: Square will be Eventbrite’s payment processing partner for paid events, tickets, registrations, merchandise sales, donations, and other associated products or services.
- In-person payments: Square will be Eventbrite’s payment processing partner for in-person transactions, enabling event creators to easily accept card payments from attendees with Square’s hardware and Point of Sale software.
- Omni-channel reporting and management: By powering Eventbrite’s online, mobile, and in-person payments, Square will provide event creators with a single platform, and therefore one comprehensive view into all of their sales. This omni-channel payment, reporting, and management capability will empower event creators with the data they need to deliver outstanding attendee experiences and make informed decisions about their businesses.
Click here for a closer look at how Square technology will power payments for Eventbrite.


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- £3m scheme to strengthen Scottish supply chain
- More than 5,000 restaurant companies at risk of insolvency
- UK Food Producers Call for tariff-free access to Single Market
- Michael O’Hare reveals more on his three Manchester restaurants
- The Old Bill secures £180k funding to buy building
- New Newcastle quayside restaurant Dobson and Parnell
- Scottish scientists build artificial salmon gut
£3m scheme to strengthen Scottish supply chain
CONNECT Local, Scotland’s local food and drink marketing advisory service, has launched a £3 million scheme to help Scottish food and drink businesses better utilise the local food and drink supply chain.
The funds will build connections between local producers and entrepreneurs, micro-businesses and SMEs by offering specialist advice for enterprises with limited experience of marketing local food and drink. There will also be a specialist programme focusing on seafood, funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the Scottish Government. This will be delivered via Seafood Scotland is supported by SAC Consulting (part of Scotland’s Rural College), SAOS and Scotland Food & Drink.
It is hoped the funding will boost economic growth by unlocking domestic markets within the Scottish food and drink sector, which employs around 116,000 people and has annual turnover of £14.3 billion.
More than 5,000 restaurant companies at risk of insolvency
ACCOUNTANCY firm Moore Stephens believes a total of 5,570 restaurant companies have at least a 30% chance of going insolvent within the next three years.
The firm blames the sharp fall in the pound since the Brexit vote, which has added to the pressure on the sector by increasing the cost of imports for restaurants. “The UK imports 48% of its food and many restaurants rely heavily on imported food and wine,” Moore Stephens said.
The company also pointed to increased popularity of different cuisines and food styles that has led to a spate of new openings leaving others facing insolvency as new entrants and innovations leave the offerings of existing incumbents looking dated.
As well as higher raw material costs, restaurant companies have also seen the cost of labour increase. The government raised the National Living Wage to £7.20 per hour from £6.70 earlier this year and the government has announced that it will raise the National Living Wage to £7.50 per hour in April next year.
Mike Finch, restructuring partner at Moore Stephens, said: “It is unrealistic to expect UK restaurant groups to avoid the impact of the fall in the pound by substituting for UK produce – they are going to face a big hit. Restaurants have to make tough decisions as to how much they try to pass on to consumers; too much and they risk losing business, too little and they lose margin.
“Fluctuations in the foreign exchange markets have hit small and medium sized restaurant businesses particularly hard as they have tighter financial constraints and are less likely to negotiate long term supply contracts. All this comes at a time when many consumers are likely to be very price conscious.”
UK Food Producers Call for tariff-free access to Single Market
THE largest coalition of food producers in the UK’s history has come together for the first time to call for tariff-free access to the Single Market and continued access to a competent and reliable workforce in order for British food and farming to flourish post-Brexit.
In a letter to the Prime Minister coordinated by the UK’s farming unions, 75 organisations have pledged support for a positive, bold and ambitious vision for the sector post-Brexit. But they also signal that food security, food safety and hygiene, stewardship of the countryside and affordable food is at risk if Ministers fail to deliver continued access to labour and the best possible Single Market access.
The organisations represent some of the UK’s best known companies, including retailers Sainsbury’s and Morrisons and are worth over £92 billion employing almost a million people.
Food production is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector. The letter argues that a Brexit settlement which recognises the critical role of the UK food chain will demonstrate how Brexit can be beneficial for the UK economy as well as UK food production.
The letter makes clear that Britain’s farmers and food producers stand ready to work with the Government and calls on the Prime Minister to put Britain’s food at the centre of Brexit negotiations.
Commenting on the letter, NFU President Meurig Raymond said: “Brexit creates an enormous opportunity for farming, food production and for Britain. But to deliver this new future, we must secure the best possible access to the Single Market and continued access to a competent and reliable workforce. Getting this right will set the foundations for a successful new British agricultural policy.”
“Agriculture is a litmus-test for the Government’s Brexit negotiations. As the sector most heavily impacted by the referendum outcome, if the Government can make British farming a success post-Brexit then it will be the clearest indication that the country can succeed outside Europe.”
Michael O’Hare reveals more on his three Manchester restaurants
CHEF Michael O’Hare has revealed more details about the three restaurants he is opening with former football star’s Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs.
Named after an Asian fable, The Rabbit In The Moon at the National Football Museum will be more informal than his Leeds restaurant The Man Behind The Curtain.
“I think the building is a fantastic piece of architecture, and I didn’t want to take away from that. It can’t be fluffy curtains and pillows – it’s a glass box. So we mirrored it. There are so many mirrors in there – wall to wall mirror, pretty much. It’s dark, dimly lit,” O’Hare told the Manchester Evening News.
The bar will be separated by a glass wall and all the original recipe drinks – designed by Matt Wiley from Talented Mr Fox in London – will be pre-made each day, to ensure each one is up to O’Hare’s standards.
The other two restaurants are located in The Stock Exchange on Norfolk Street and will also include a boutique hotel.
The Man Who Fell To Earth will be a more formal affair, with an a-la-carte menu set in a grand Parisian ballroom-style restaurant.
The more relaxed of the two is Are Friends Electric, a rooftop restaurant that will feature a kitchen-style service, where diners can sit at the pass and watch chefs plate up.
The Rabbit In The Moon will open with a soft launch in December and a full launch in January. The other two restaurants are yet to be confirmed.
The Old Bill secures £180k funding to buy building
FAMILY owned Italian restaurant The Old Bill in Oldham has received £180,000 funding from Barclays to purchase the premises.
The Old Bill also incorporates The Coal Hole, a purpose-built cocktail bar, as well as the White Rooms Function suite for larger events.
Paolo Bissolati, director, said: “The Odeon Cinema Complex is due to open shortly providing a great opportunity to attract more clientele. The business is in a great position to grow over the next few years and we are grateful for the continued support of Barclays, who are an integral part of our team.”
New Newcastle quayside restaurant Dobson and Parnell
Dobson and Parnell launched today (6 December 2016) is the brainchild of the city’s Blackfriars restaurant owner.
The restaurant at 21 Queen Street, on the Quayside will specialise in refined British and European cuisine.
The address has long been associated with fine dining in Newcastle. It was the original home of Terry Laybourne’s Michelin-starred 21 Queen Street as well as the popular modern-British restaurant Pan Haggerty.
Head chef Troy Terrington moved to the North East in 2005 and worked as head chef at both Blackfriars Restaurant and Jesmond Dene House. His menus that he plans to re-write every day (depending on the freshest produce he can find) will use ethically-sourced local, seasonal produce direct from nearby farms and markets.
The restaurant will be open six days a week serving lunch and dinner. The Set Menu, to be served on weekday lunchtimes and early evening, will feature dishes such as Pressed wild rabbit, pickles, pumpernickel; Hake smoked clam frumenty pickled lemon, wake; and Pressed shoulder of pork, parsnips, trivet onions, pickled walnuts, and Bitter ‘manjari’ chocolate with Candied clementine to finish at a price of £21 at lunch and £25 at dinner for three courses.
Scottish scientists build artificial salmon gut
SCOTTISH scientists have launched a new project to build an artificial salmon gut to improve the understanding of fish nutrition.
The research will help the aquaculture industry address the challenge of replacing decreasing levels of wild feedstock over the next decade.
The industry has recognised that the reduction in wild fish available as feed will cause a drop in the levels of omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, leading to a drop in the marketable quality of the fish.
Using the experimental gut, the researchers will focus on the link between gut microbiota, the bacteria that colonise the intestine, and the development and digestion of salmon. They aim to develop a better understanding of how the microbes can help efficient absorption of novel feeds in salmon.
Led by scientists at the University of Glasgow, the three-year SalmoSim project is being carried out in collaboration with the Marine Institute and University College Cork, the Norwegian food research institute, Nofima, and salmon producers Marine Harvest and Alltech.
Salmon farming and aquaculture is of increasing significance, in terms of economics and food sustainability. In Scotland, Atlantic salmon is now the number one food export.
Nearly 180,000 tonnes of farmed Atlantic salmon was produced in 2014 and the sector provides employment for an estimated 7,000 people. The Scottish Government and industry leaders anticipate as much as a 30% increase in production by 2020.


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Last Updated: October 31, 2022, 20:29 IST
Google seems to have renewed its efforts to make the Messages app relevant and competent. In the past few months, the company has been taking on Apple and its iMessage platform. Now, Google has changed the design of the Messages logo, and with that introducing some new yet useful features.
One of the them is end-to-end encryption which is now being tested for groups on the Messages app. The feature is available to few users but that could change with Google planning for a wider release in the coming months. Google is going to join WhatsApp and Signal in using the Signal protocol that is claimed to be the most secure version of encryption available for platforms in the market.
Messages already offered e2e standards for private messages, and Google promised that the feature will be rolled out to group chats at the Google I/O 2022 earlier this year. And it seems that promise is slowly getting fulfilled.
Google will have another arm up its sleeves to counter iMessage, and putting further pressure on Apple to integrate RCS into iOS. But it’s not just Google, Meta has also joined the chorus and now is putting WhatsApp up against iMessage in markets like the US, where the latter has a greater user share than the Meta-owned messaging platform.
As for other news about the Google Messages app, after a brief hiatus, the app is now once again offering business messages for users in India.
Earlier this year, people had complained about ads being plastered across the messages app, which was never supposed to be the case. Google decided to disable the feature and now it seems the app is back to its normal avatar, allowing more people in India to use the messaging app.
Read all the Latest Tech News here


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The shutdown impeded trade by keeping the government form issuing new licenses for imports and exports. OMB reported that two million liters of American products were stalled at ports.
The government closure also kept agencies from approving loans. The Small Business Administration could not process 700 loan applications totalling $140 million.
The shuttering of national parks also cost the tourism industry about $500 million in visitor spending.
Correction: This post orginally stated that the shutdown cost the GDP $2-$6 million.


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15 Oct 2019 【Media Report】Exclusive interview //Taiwan Innotech Expo ,September 26th~28th
Thanks to PTA Plant Alliance media exclusive interview!!
Ecomax Textile’s first leading brand “PETSPUN ®”, the manufacturing process is open!
Welcome friends who are interested or caring for the environment, don’t miss it!!


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KUALA LUMPUR (24 December 2013) Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) Malaysia will continue to widened its lead as the number one global PC maker for the coming quarters with a full suite of consumer products across all form factors. As the industry continues to evolve, there is greater uptake in new product categories such as hybrids, table PCs, tablets, smartphones and smart TVs. During a recent roundtable at Neo Tamarind attended by key business partners, Khoo Hung Chuan, Country General Manager, Lenovo Malaysia and Sunny Ooi, Consumer Channel Group Director, Microsoft Malaysia gave an insightful reiteration of the PC Plus transformation and definitive strategy of both Lenovo and Microsoft.
Alongside the transition to PC Plus, Lenovo sees this evolution as an opportunity to build PCs as the center to the digital lives of people across all four screens and modes such as smartphones and tablets. The current trends sees a shift from premium to mainstream products and a transition from mature to emerging markets bodes well with Lenovo’s strengths. It is pivotal to understand these changes as Lenovo is expanding the focus beyond market share to driving innovation and PC Plus leadership.
“We cannot win by being a quick follower; we must be the trend-setter. To be a truly innovative company, we must create new product categories that will further enhance the user experience and differentiate us from the competition,” said Khoo Hung Chuan, Country General Manager, Lenovo Malaysia.
Now, Lenovo offers an entire family of touch-optimized devices specially designed to maximize Windows 8, including the most recent launch of next-generation Yoga and Flex dual-mode devices. These new multi-mode machines, along with the ThinkPad Twist, Helix and Lynx devices, are changing the future of personal and business computing, and redefining the way people use PCs, with the ability to flip, fold, twist, turn and separate. Through the introduction of these new innovations, Lenovo ultimately aims to provide products that deliver an excellent combination of mobile entertainment, security and productivity for consumers and professionals.
Khoo added, “Our steady growth from quarter to quarter, proves that our Protect and Attack strategy is proving to be the right strategy for the mobile and consumer-focused PC Plus era,”
Lenovo continues to align its core values and behaviours with its business partners and consumers through its various target market segmentations in order to succeed further. Lenovo has solidified the number one spot as the major PC maker for two consecutive quarters according to Gartner and as reported by IDC, with faster growth than the major PC makers as well as attaining 17.7% of the global PC market share in 3Q 2013, only serves as proof of Lenovo’s success.


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The City of High Point plans to purchase a former industrial property and redevelop it into a “small-scale manufacturing” hub for southwest High Point. The City Council has authorized the purchase of 300 Oak St., a former Harriss & Covington hosiery plant and a current furniture showroom, along with a vacant 1.3-acre lot across the street, for $3 million. The city is seeking a federal grant to fund renovations to the property, which is composed of 64,000 sq ft of building space, as part of an $8.5 million project.
The goal is to establish a “small-scale manufacturing” headquarters in southwest High Point that would provide “equitable economic opportunity for residents through entrepreneurship, business scaling and workforce training,” according to the city. The hub would provide programming to help residents, especially minority and women-owned business enterprises and BIPOCs start and grow businesses. The concept is based on a city-led strategy to draw more small businesses that produce things to the old industrial areas that once housed furniture and textile plants in southwest High Point.


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The 2015 Lexus RX 350 remains a comfortable, easy-driving SUV with a great amount of space, but its features, especially in the driver-assistance category, fall behind those of the competition.
The new entry-level universal remote can control eight devices and supports online programming like more expensive Harmony remotes.
If you're in the market for a monitor, CNET's buying guide will set you on the right path.
Uber's fledgling service in China will face tough competition from taxi-hailing company Kuaidi, which already boasts more than 150 million riders in 350 cities.
No, one of them isn't a Mac. This is the Cheapskate, after all.
The Lexus IS 350 isn't without its flaws and quirks, but it is a fantastic sport sedan offered at a fantastic value.
Beyerdynamic is on a roll, and its new DTX 350 p model sets a new standard for budget-priced on-ear headphones!
Affirming the continuing large automotive presence at CES, January's show in Las Vegas will feature a Monday evening keynote address by the chairman of Daimler, Dr. Dieter Zetsche, and the unveiling of a new concept car.
Originally $800, this refurbished 11.6-inch tablet includes a keyboard, kickstand, and 128GB SSD.
E-bike expert Micah Toll has created a DIY kit that allows anyone to turn any bike electric.


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Apple and Samsung are going at it again, in a second patent infringement court battle that kicks off with jury selection today. Things didn't work out so well for Samsung the first time around; in this round, Apple is seeking $2 billion in damages—double its first payout—over accusations Samsung infringed on five of its patents on newer devices. It wants $40 for each device sold with features like "slide-to-unlock," universal search, and the ability to tap a number inside a text message to dial it. On the flip side, Samsung is accusing Apple of infringing on two of its patents. But the tech giant drawing a heavy portion of the case's attention is actually Google, the New York Times reports. To wit, the Wall Street Journal reports "the docket might as well read Apple Inc. v. Google Inc."
That's because four of the features in the crosshairs are part of the Android OS, reports the Journal, which points out that "the stakes are higher" than they were in 2012, because the targeted patents relate to the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3, which saw heavy sales. The Guardian notes that Apple can't attack Google directly because infringement only arises when the Android code is put into hardware, but Google engineers will likely take the stand in an effort to help Samsung defend itself. A Boston University law lecturer seems to think Google is fairly safe, noting that by the time the trial (pegged at lasting about a month) and appeals wrap up, newer devices will already have flooded the market. "To kill Android with a half-dozen patents just seems like a long shot." (More Samsung stories.)


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KUALA LUMPUR: Affin Hwang Capital Research maintained its neutral rating on the plantation sector following the sector's first on-year crude palm oil production decline since June 2017.
IS there any valuation at which Temasek Holdings Pte could buy into Hainan Airlines Holding Co at a decent price? Considering the indebtedness of China’s most highly rated carrier, it’s hard to think of one.
Valuation set to make founder a billionaire
HONG KONG: Swire Pacific Ltd is making a second attempt to take maintenance unit Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd (Haeco) private, offering minority investors a 64% premium to its last closing price in a US$380mil deal.
LONDON: Mars Petcare is to buy European animal hospital operator AniCura, its second such deal this month, as the world’s largest pet food maker expands its veterinary business amid a boom in pet-related spending.
TOKYO: The Chinese founder of the world’s biggest maker of electric-vehicle batteries and his top lieutenant became billionaires after their company’s shares soared during the first day of trading in Shenzhen.
LONDON: HSBC will invest US$15bil to US$17bil in the next three years in areas including technology and China as it swings from a strategy of cost-cutting to growth, new CEO John Flint says, while keeping profitability and dividend targets little changed.
They call for feasibility study on the need for such a costly project
Global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade grew by 10 percent last year due primarily to growing liquefaction capacity in the Australia and the United States, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Monday. The world's first floating liquefaction plant, Malaysia's 0.2-bcfd PFLNG Satu, was also commissioned in 2017, EIA said.
KUALA LUMPUR: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng today hit back at ex-Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s claims that China had committed to import goods worth US$2 trillion as part of the two pipeline agreements worth RM9.4bil as there was nothing of that sort documented.


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Battle Los Angeles game in development?, yes, according to Australian game ratings board listing on its website database, a Battle Los Angeles is currently in development at Saber Interactive, and it will be publish by Konami. The game is said to be a complete adaption of movie with the same name which is due in theaters in March 11. You can have a look at the listing below:
Reports are pointing out that the game will be available as a digital download and not via retail stores, however neither Konami nor Saber has officially announced the game, so its still a rumor. More updates on this is expected to come out soon. SO STAY TUNNED.


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EMC reported revenues of $7.01 billion during fourth quarter (Q4) of 2015, essentially the same as Q4 2014 but short of Wall Street analyst expectations of $7.12 billion. The company booked $1.3 billion in profits, an earnings-per-share performance of $0.65, in line with analyst estimates.
For the entire 2015 fiscal year, EMC generated $24.78 in revenues, a 1 percent year-over-year increase. This comes despite a dip in annual sales in EMC’s traditional enterprise data storage division.
Last quarter, the company’s Information Infrastructure business experienced a 4 percent year-over-year decline in sales to $5.07 billion. For the year, sales fell 2 percent to $17.89 billion.
During an earnings conference call this morning, Joe Tucci, CEO of EMC, described his company’s financial performance during Q4 as “mixed” before expressing his disappointment in falling “a bit short on revenue.” Tucci said 2015 was “a tumultuous year” punctuated by sharp declines in sales in emerging markets. Geopolitical unrest in Russia and the Middle East, economic challenges in China and a strong U.S. dollar added to the company’s challenges in the marketplace.
The IT-buying landscape is also experiencing a shift, Tucci observed.
“As companies transform their businesses, we see them changing their traditional operating model and buying patterns,” said Tucci. “To fund these new initiatives, customers are reducing costs in their traditional applications and infrastructures. As a result, this is one of the most disruptive periods in the history of IT for vendors as they manage customer transitions from the old to the new.”
One bright spot is flash storage. Since launching its XtremIO all-flash arrays, the division has “experienced explosive growth and is the clear market leader by a wide margin,” said Tucci. EMC is also working on incorporating the latest flash storage technologies into its VNX and VMAX enterprise storage arrays, he added.
Finally, addressing the massive Dell-EMC merger, Tucci said the deal is “on track under the original terms and timeline. On Oct. 12, the companies announced that Dell was acquiring EMC for $67 billion, as amount that qualifies the transaction as the largest technology deal in history. The deal is expected to close in mid-2016.
“Our new company will be incredibly well-positioned for growth in the most strategic areas of next generation IT including digital transformation, software-defined data center, converged infrastructure, cloud, mobile and security,” said Michael Dell in an open letter to customers announcing the acquisition. “We are extremely advantaged by having a foundation to build upon that features two of the world’s greatest technology franchises with leadership positions in servers, storage, virtualization and PCs.”


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This week, Sly Cooper expanded his thieving ways and we had some rather unusual news items.
TOP STORY: Sly Cooper headed to Vita
At E3 last year, Sony revealed that the beloved raccoon Sly Cooper would be making a return on the PS3 this year. Since then, we’ve seen bits and pieces of information and gameplay that has only served to whet our interest. This week, a new trailer was released that showed that Sly Cooper would also be making his Vita debut at the same time. Like a few other games have done, the Vita version will feature cross-platform saves, letting you play on the big screen or take your adventures on the road. Of course, it will also have touch screen and motion controls.
Lost Planet spinning off to PS3 and…3DS?
Yes, you read that right. Capcom isn’t content to just work on Lost Planet 3, as it is also working on a spin-off that will only be released on the PS3 and the 3DS. EX Troopers will be a ‘school-themed beginner’s action shooter’ with a snow pirate who can talk to the Akrid that inhabit EDN-3. If that didn’t sound strange enough, it will have anime style visuals and be overseen by the producer of the Monster Hunter series. It’s scheduled for release later this year, ahead of the release for Lost Planet 3.
Rhode Island announces Copernicus release date
This was a weird week in gaming news. First a PS3/3DS shooter spinoff, and now the governor of Rhode Island making gaming announcements. Anyway, 38 Studios has been working on an MMO codenamed Copernicus for quite some time now, with no real information ever being released on it. While giving a press conference discussing the possibility of the state of Rhode Island helping the struggling studio stay solvent, it was revealed that Copernicus was planned for release in June 2013. No official word has been given by the studio, though shortly afterward, rather than deny or confirm the date, they released a montage trailer showcasing a number of environments in the game.
South Park RPG delayed
Obsidian’s South Park: The Stick of Truth has been delayed until 2013, so Kenny is safe for a few extra months. No reasons were given for the delay, but whenever Obsidian is given extra time to work on a title, it’s time well spent.


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two U.S. senators introduced a bill on Tuesday to ban online social media companies like Facebook Inc and Twitter Inc from tricking consumers into giving up their personal data. The bill from Mark Warner, a Democrat, and Deb Fischer, a Republican, would also ban online platforms with more than 100 million monthly [.]
· Warner in April introduced a bill that would ban online platforms with more than 100 million monthly active users from using "dark patterns,".
Felons Can’t Vote in Florida but are Free to Fleece the Public THE A-10 IS NOT THE REAL TANK KILLER, IT’S FORGOTTEN F-111 AARDVARK || WARTHOG 2018 Hobbylinc.com carries over 100,000 hobby products at savings up to 60% including plastic model kits, model trains and railroads, model rockets, arts and crafts, paint, tools, supplies and more. Call to order toll-free at 1-888-327-9673.Ex-felons should demonstrate they are willing to abide by the law during a certain time period before they are allowed to vote again, according to Florida Gov. Rick Scott. Although restoration of voting rights helps offenders return to the society, it should be done carefully, he said.
South Korea’s Yonhap News said five or six explosions were reported by consumers. the phone by detecting patterns in the eyes. Samsung launched the Note 7 on Aug. 19 in some markets, including.
6 days ago. A dark pattern is a type of social engineering technique whereby businesses or other organizations use crafty user interface/user experience.
· Bill would outlaw ‘Dark Patterns’ that help tech companies get your data. You go to create a new account with an online service, and you notice.
It’s unclear if Congress will have enough time or energy to tick them off the list. Congress must pass a new government funding bill by Sept. Persian Gulf amid an escalating crisis between the U.S.
A bipartisan Act proposed by US Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) would counter immoral data collection methods by large online platforms, forbidding “deceptive practices” and “dark patterns” that manipulate users into giving away personal data or giving up privacy altogether, writes CNBC. The idea for the DETOUR (Deceptive Experiences To Online Users Reduction) Act.
"We have shut down nearly 90 percent of the online sex trafficking business and ads." So claimed Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) in a piece of House Judiciary Committee propaganda posted to YouTube last month.
· Senators say social media data-collection tricks need FTC action. Act. which would prevent "large online platforms" from using so-called “dark patterns” to "trick consumers.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senators Mark Warner, a Democrat, and Deb Fischer, a Republican, are introducing a bill on Tuesday to ban big online companies like Facebook Inc and Twitter Inc from.
Freddie Mac: Rising Mortgage Rates DO NOT Lead to Falling Home Prices – Maggie Rose, Realtor, Presents South West Florida Luxury Homes Home Buyer Demand Will Be Strong for Years to Come – Maggie Rose, Realtor, Presents South West Florida Luxury Homes It’s Getting Easier to Qualify for a Mortgage | Metro City Realty Senior Softball-USA is dedicated to informing and uniting the Senior Softball Players of America and the World. Senior Softball-USA sanctions tournaments and.


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Enterprise Loyalty Cloud platform, Antavo, has expanded into APAC, appointing Caleb Gamble to lead regional growth.
A seasoned business leader with a proven track record of ensuring leading brands leverage the best in breed loyalty, retail and customer experience solutions, Caleb is passionate about the dynamic intersection of technology, brand and the customer journey. With leadership positions spanning Tyco Retail Solutions, Retailite and WingArc, Caleb spearheads Antavo’s growth across the APAC region. He also served for several years as an Advisory Board Member of the Australian Loyalty Association.
Says Gamble: “Across the APAC region, we are seeing a significant shift in the way customers want to interact with brands and forge more meaningful relationships. What attracted me to Antavo is the solution opens exciting new opportunities for brands to scale better, more personalised interactions that add deeper value to the customer experience.
“We have seen a huge amount of opportunity in the region over the past few years as brands want to unlock the value of customer data to accelerate growth. We’re excited to bring Antavo’s solution in the hands of more brands in the region, so they can put the power of customer data to work in more innovative ways.”
Unlocking the power of customer loyalty and retention
Antavo recently successfully closed its Series A round at $15mAUD led by Euroventures alongside Lead Ventures, iEurope and Innovation Nest and private investors including Zoltan Vardy, empowering the company to develop its best-in-class SaaS platform. The funding is set to enable the expansion of Antavo’s global presence and further development of the best-in-class, no-code loyalty technology for enterprises.
The new investment will also enable Antavo to continue reinvesting in its technology for greater omnichannel capabilities and superior integration with more apps and platforms, while expanding its global presence. In 2022, the company signed major global brand customers including BMW, KFC, Kathmandu and BrewDog, resulting in 3.2X year-on-year growth and a 3 fold increase in headcount.
Now more than ever, customer retention is becoming the top priority for businesses as the world today faces a looming recession and new customer acquisition remains challenging. Key industry reports have highlighted this shift including Fortune Business Insights, which stated that “the loyalty management market is forecast to be worth $24B by 2029 due to rising consumer demand for personalised solutions”, while similarly, Antavo’s Global Customer Loyalty Report 2022 found that 82% of businesses plan to double down on loyalty in the next three years.
With a focus on rewarding customers for living in accordance with their interests, for example, an activewear and outdoor equipment brand could issue reward points to customers when they complete hikes and climbs, Antavo is enabling a transition from the traditional, transactional, financial-only rewards programs towards programmes that fosters long-lasting loyalty and customer engagement outside of the buying cycle.
How Antavo is helping Rip Curl build community
Within the APAC region, one customer already scaling their community engagement strategy is surfing retail giant Rip Curl, which has taken its membership program global, leveraging Antavo to bring all its customer data into one streamlined community ecosystem.
Says Michael Scott, CCO, Rip Curl: “As old as surfing culture is, we’ve seen a real ‘renaissance’ since COVID-19 of more people going back in the water. But what we realised was there was no formal, or informal community at play. So we identified a pretty major opportunity for us to build the largest and most engaged surfing community in the world. This is what our membership program has been designed to do – and thanks to Antavo we can deliver more personalised messages at scale and do away with traditional batch and blast messaging.”
“The team at Antavo have worked with us to help ensure we have the right platform upon which we can build and scale our membership program. We’re thrilled that Antavo is expanding its presence in the APAC region as we invest in more innovative ways to ensure our retail brand remains future-fit as we continue to evolve our brand to engage, inspire, educate and entertain our community.”
A no-code platform transforming the future of customer engagement
Antavo’s no-code, self-serve platform provides brands with a new format that enables far more creativity and management without the need for IT resources. Drag-and-drop interfaces and visual editors, facilitate quick and easy changes to provide users with next generation loyalty programs featuring gamification, social interactions and lifestyle engagement.
Says Zoltan Toth, partner at Euroventures: “We believe that current market trends of increasing customer acquisition cost, unlimited choice for consumers and the increasing difficulty to acquire relevant consumer data magnifies the importance of customer engagement and loyalty programs. Antavo has tremendous growth potential. We are excited to help the team to grab this opportunity and expand its services globally and meet the challenges of a growing organisation and client base.”
Says Attila Kecsmar, co-founder and CEO of Antavo: “All enterprises today need more creative and direct ways to engage their customers beyond transactions to keep their market share, even if the spend is declining precipitously. In the post-pandemic world, loyalty programs are having a renaissance in providing this embedded brand love. Antavo understands this, as do our investors, and we are excited to receive their backing.”
Says Zsuzsa Kecsmar, co-founder and chief strategy officer of Antavo: “Antavo saw incredible growth last year, which, along with the dynamic loyalty program landscape change, brought us to a rebrand as Enterprise Loyalty Cloud. This refreshed position better encompasses the company’s goal and the support of our investors in our Series A round means we can continue to develop a powerful, world-first SaaS loyalty product that encourages and nurtures lasting brand love through differentiation and unique lifestyle engagement.”


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International retail leaders will be gathering in Denmark next month for Shoptalk Europe.
They will be discussing such topics as e-commerce trends, supply-chain challenges and augmented reality.
A range of retail leaders will be guest speakers including Alibaba GM for Europe Terry von Bibra, Amazon Prime head Mariangela Marseglia, Dollar Shave Club CEO/founder Michael Dubin, Estee Lauder executive chairman William Lauder, Farfetch chief strategy officer Stephanie Phair, Harrods MD Michael Ward, Ikea Switzerland CEO Simona Scarpaleggia, Tesco online MD Adrian Lettes and Westfield co-CEO Steven Lowy.
At Copenhagen’s Bella Center from October 8 to 11, Shoptalk Europe offers more than 100 events including presentations, keynotes, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities. It has a line-up of 200 speakers and is expected to attract more than 2000 delegates.
“By changing the conversation and building a new community focused on innovation, Shoptalk Europe presents a unique, large-scale opportunity for the retail and e-commerce ecosystem to learn, collaborate and drive the future of commerce in Europe,” says Shoptalk Europe founder/chairman Anil Aggarwal.
The event is a spin-off from Shoptalk USA, which will next be held at the Venetian in Las Vegas from March 18 to 21.
Tickets for Shoptalk Europe are available online.


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Yellowknife Starbucks ready for Friday opening
Starbucks employees in Yellowknife are grinding beans, brewing coffee, and shining countertops in preparation for their inaugural customers.
The city’s first Starbucks is set to open its doors at 9am on Friday, though there won’t be a ribbon-cutting ceremony as initially planned – a response to Yellowknife’s rise in Covid-19 case numbers.
“The response has been really positive,” said Erin Fenwick, a spokesperson for operator Soul Foods Group. “We know that a lot of people are really excited.”
The first 100 customers in line will receive a free, reusable Starbucks mug, but Yellowknifers looking forward to seeing the city’s name and skyline on one of the chain’s signature mugs will have to wait. So far, only generic Canada mugs are available in the city’s store.
Fenwick said around 50 part-time and full-time employees will work at the Yellowknife location.
Starbucks is located in the same plaza as the city’s KFC, which opened on Monday.


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Many small and medium-sized (SMEs) businesses are struggling to cope with debt that has accrued because of the hard lockdown in last year and the various economic restrictions aimed at curbing the Covid-19 pandemic.
This has had a direct impact on some businesses’ ability to apply for funding, highlighting the importance of acting in time to protect credit records.
A number of those who do qualify for funding are holding back because of third-wave uncertainty, making the type of financing they need even more important.
There’s definitely been an increase in SMEs across sectors that are struggling to meet lending qualification criteria as a direct result of adverse credit bureau scores and bank account conduct. This is driven predominantly by rental arrears and overdue accounts with suppliers.
In many instances, business owners have left it too late and have waited for judgments before applying for finance. The more prudent step for them would be to seek intervention earlier.
It is of paramount importance that business owners understand that their financial conduct has a long-term implication on their ability to raise funding. For example, a judgment takes time – there is a long process to follow preceding it.
An SME may settle payments after a judgment has been made and then follow that by applying for funding. However, while there may have been a marginal improvement in the SME’s credit score, the cumulative effect of missing payments and debit orders, along with the judgment, will rule out its creditworthiness.
When this happens, it is too late, whereas funding may well have helped the business navigate out of trouble, had its owner acted sooner.
The key for SMEs is to focus on getting their affairs in order and tightly controlling the costs of running their businesses.
We have seen that SME owners who have had a tight rein on their business expenses have been able to navigate the storm because they had a longer runway.
On the other hand, those who were looser in controlling their expenditure have either been casualties of the pandemic, or – in many instances – have found that they do not qualify for funding.
SMEs that have prioritised cost-cutting and have come through last year and the first quarter of this year are in a stronger position, with many of them proving to be resilient businesses.
They may also have a backlog of rental arrears or supplier payments because of being unable to trade during the various stages of lockdown. The difference, however, is that if they need funding to take advantage of an opportunity, they can get that lender support, benefit from the opportunity, methodically pay off the arrears and get back on to a solid footing.
In the past three months, 49% of advances were used for stock. This talks to cash flow pressure and would include settling supplier arrears, which reopens credit lines with preferred suppliers. The knock-on effect of this would be that they secure stock at lower prices and lift their profit margins. When on stop-supply, they would be forced to buy elsewhere – often at higher prices – which would further affect cash flow.
Over the same period, 20% of all advances were for general cash flow, including settling creditor and rental arrears. In both instances, SMEs would have needed to have their businesses running properly to access the funding.
Many credible funders, from banks to alternative lenders such as Retail Capital, have a wealth of experience and knowledge, and business owners would do well to ask for help.
If a business’ house is in order and they need a step up to recover, they can get advice from credible lenders on the best way to structure a funding arrangement. Retail Capital’s in-house team of experts will sit down with an SME and plot how best to structure the funding to suit the business’ requirements.
In the past month, many clients who did qualify for funding have chosen to take a cautious approach. They have chosen not to accept the money for fear that lockdown restrictions will affect their ability to service the debt.
Retail Capital believes it has a responsibility in the industry to educate small business owners about products such as our MCA service, where the business pays in line with turnover performance. In other words, if the turnover drops by 50%, so does the repayment. This is quite different from traditional funding models.
Our head of treasury, Alex Appleby, agrees that it is important for business owners to communicate sooner than later – and not only with funders, but also with their creditors.
“That’s probably one of the most critical things,” he says. “We find that many SMEs put their heads in the sand, so to speak, hoping their problems will disappear.
“But they’d find that if they engaged with people, two things would happen: one, they would realise that it’s much easier for a credit provider to put funding into a business that’s demonstrated a commitment and put payment plans in place, and two, a funder would be able to work with them to find the best product and terms for them and their business,” he says.
NOT ALL DEBT IS BAD DEBT
SMEs that are battling to operate may also find it difficult to appreciate that there are times when debt can be good for business.
Debt for debt’s sake, or digging one hole to close another, is unsustainable. However, if an SME has done well in keeping its costs down and has promising prospects, debt becomes a powerful tool to take advantage of an opportunity to increase revenue and ultimately grow.
“To illustrate this point, an SME could leverage its final position over a stipulated period to make an investment – such as buying an important piece of equipment – which would result in higher revenue and growth over time,” says Appleby. “That’s good debt.”
He adds that a working capital product could work in a similar fashion: “When used responsibly, debt can help grow a business. For example, a business owner may wish to take advantage of a bulk stock purchasing opportunity.
“In this case, immediate access to funding would allow the business to secure and unlock supplier discounts. That, in turn, would result in higher margin as the stock is turned. As the cycle repeats, it adds to the bottom line and the growth of the business. This example explains how a good relationship with a funder makes business sense.”
Appleby stresses that business owners should keep close tabs on the ratio of debt in their SMEs.
“Businesses that are highly geared may find it difficult to attract funding, especially if current funding levels are putting cash flow pressure on them. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach here – it varies from business to business. However, I’d advise all business owners to understand this aspect of their business and, if they don’t, they should seek advice and support,” he says.
Tessendorf is head of sales at Retail Capital


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And in a way, having several Bitcoin embassies might even make a lot of sense, as it highlights the decentralized nature of Bitcoin itself.Bitcoinference will be finish at 18.30, so you are welcome from 19.00 at our summer location in Postjesweg 98, where we will launch the new and the only one Bitcoin ATM in Amsterdam from Coinoutlet.
Bitcoin Embassy Archives - Bitcoin Mining Pro - Ebook
Internet of Coins Releases Whitepaper For Infrastructure
BitcoinEmbassyAmsterdam - Home | FacebookLedger Wallet is a smartcard based Bitcoin hardware wallet bringing maximum protection level to your.
BitBay | Press about us
Learn more about Justyna Laskowska,. we are a partner of the Bitcoin Embassy in Amsterdam which helps us to become a part of a European Bitcoin community.The Bitcoin Embassy in Amsterdam will openits doors to the public on December 12th.
Cryptocurrency Companies in Amsterdam • • Amsterdam
Bitcoinembassy.nl Analyzed Sites at WhatIsDomain.Net
BTC Finance Opens Its Doors in The Netherlands – The Merkle
bitcoinembassy.nl - Bitcoin Embassy Amsterdam ? AThe project was first announced in September of 2014 by then partners at the Dutch BTM-collective Mr.MrBitcoin just launched a brand new BitXatm Sumo Pro Bitcoin ATM in Cafe-Restaurant Polder, Science Park 205, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The.The history of the (original) Bitcoin Embassy Amsterdam is only a couple of months old.
These are the World’s Top 10 Bitcoin-Friendly CountriesThis event was to the dismay of Wismeijer and Rommes, who say to aim for a constructive approach with other members of the Dutch Bitcoin community.D10e Kicks Off Blockchain Conference Series in Amsterdam. lineup of speakers including Bloq CEO and Bitcoin developer Jeff. as Bitcoin Embassy Amsterdam,.
Embassy Review #02 » BITNATION Blog
Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency Business Directory| Page 2 of 4Shop Bitcoin Embassy Amsterdam T-shirt created by BitcoinEmbassyNL.The Bitcoin Embassy Amsterdam is a non-profit initiative striving to be an approachable platform for all Bitcoiners, whether they are experienced or novice users.See Bitcoin Embassy Amsterdam competitors, funding probability, news, and more.
Bitcoin as a Smart Contract Platform – TwoBitIdiot – Medium
bitcoin embassy Archives - CryptoCoinsNews
D10e Kicks Off Blockchain Conference Series in Amsterdam. as Bitcoin Embassy Amsterdam,.The Cointelegraph covers Fintech, Blockchain and Bitcoin bringing you the latest news and analyses on the future of money.
Additionally, Wismeijer and Skonieczny parted ways professionally as Skonieczny left Mr.Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, bitcoin embassy, bitcoin wallet, satoshi, bazaar. 66. where we will launch the new and the only one Bitcoin ATM in Amsterdam from.
Bitcoin worldwide ATM Maps - bitcoinhelp.org
Ledger Wallet - Ledger retailers network
Internet of Coins Releases Whitepaper For Infrastructure To Connect Entire Bitcoin And. party on the 3rd of January at the Bitcoin Embassy Amsterdam.The space already hosted the first Bitcoin ATM in Amsterdam in 2013 thanks to the owner Lex and gave birth to the official Bitcoin Embassy Amsterdam in November 2014.
In the interest of encouraging the adoption of Bitcoin as a viable electronic currency, the non-profit.Marek Skonieczny, one of the founders of the Bitcoin Embassy Amsterdam, is said to be suspended from the organization by his two former associates Martijn Wismeijer.Bitcoin adoption in The Netherlands. Bitcoin ATMs and even a Bitcoin Embassy in Amsterdam.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Tuesday lowered Whirlpool Corp.'s
corporate credit rating to BBB- from BBB and its short-term corporate credit and commercial paper ratings to A-3 from A-2. The downgrade reflects Whirlpool's weakened operating performance and weaker-than-expected credit measures, S&P said. "It is our opinion that the global home appliance industry, particularly in North America, where the company generates about 60% of sales, will face significantly lower demand in 2009. We believe this will result in further weakening of credit measures for Whirlpool over the next year," the ratings agency said in a statement. The outlook is stable.


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Kent’s Chamber of Commerce is warning businesses about a scam soliciting them to buy ads for a Kent City map.
At least a dozen Kent businesses have been solicited for this scam. So far, none of them have given out credit card numbers, said Lori Wemhoff, interim executive director of the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce and Central Portage County Visitors & Convention Bureau visitor’s guide.
Trudy Capel, of the Kent UPS store, received a phone call asking her to renew her ad on the Kent map.
“They obviously had a copy of last year’s map,” she said. “They knew the dimensions of my ad, what was on it and asked if I wanted to change it. Then, they asked for my credit card number – that was a huge red flag.”
If any businesses are contacted about buying an ad in the Kent City map or the Central Portage County Visitors & Convention Bureau Visitor’s Guide, they should contact Kent Area Chamber of Commerce or local authorities, Wemhoff said.
Yesterday morning, a business was contacted about buying an ad. When the business owner told the caller it was a scam, the caller hung up.
Kent is not the only community targeted in Ohio. The Erie County Chamber of Commerce reported similar scams last week, Wemhoff said.
This is not the first time Premier Map Company, which is what the caller claims to be representing, has targeted cities. There have been reports of similar scams in Washington, Iowa, Georgia and Vermont.
Hampton Publishing, not Premier Map Company, printed the maps last year for the Chamber of Commerce and the Visitors & Convention Bureau. This year the chamber is not reissuing the maps, which usually come out every other year, Wemhoff said.
Mike McNeil, president of Hampton Publishing, said the company is not currently publishing maps for the Kent Chamber of Commerce and the Visitors & Convention Bureau this year, so it will not be contacting businesses to renew their advertisements.
The scammers offered a 10 percent discount if the business paid by credit card, Wemhoff said.
“And in these economic times, who is not looking for a discount if they will give their credit card number?” she said. “They are playing games with financial weaknesses.”
Capel was contacted the day before Thanksgiving. The caller offered a “pre-Thanksgiving special.”
“They were trying to pressure people to give their credit card numbers in the rush of the holidays,” she said. “I am really upset that they are trying to ruin the relationship between local businesses and commerce.”
Kevin Long, owner of the Pufferbelly, received a legitimate phone call about an ad, so business owners must be careful and aware of who is on the other line. Ask questions and be alert if something sounds shady, Wemhoff said.
The Kent City Police department is reviewing the police reports and other information at this time, Lt. Jayme Cole said.
“It just amazes me,” Wemhoff said, “And not in a good way. I don’t know why these people don’t think they are going to get caught or that people are not going to catch on to the scam.”
Contact public affairs reporter Carolyn Fertig at [email protected]


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Detroit's North American International Auto Show kicked off early Monday with the announcement many industry insiders and consumers wait to hear: The annual winners of the North American Car & Truck of the Year.
Two of this year's winners represent the "Detroit Three" automakers.
The winner of car of the year: Chevrolet Bolt, an electric vehicle that also won the Green Car of the Year award last fall, among others. General Motors builds it at its Lake Orion, Michigan, assembly plant.
The utility vehicle of the year: Chrysler Pacifica. An autonomous version of the retooled minivan was rolled out Sunday, showing its flexibility. "There's no better alternative" for a family car than a minivan, an FCA rep said at the awards.
The truck of the year: Honda Ridgeline, the second generation of the vehicle, which debuted in Detroit last year.
The awards, started in 1994, were initiated to recognize a wide range of criteria, including excellence in innovation, design, safety, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value, according to NACTOY.
The other finalists for Car of the Year:
- Genesis G90, representing Hyundai's luxury brand.
- Volvo S90, which was unveiled at last year's auto show in Detroit.
The other finalists for Truck of the Year:
- Ford F-series Super Duty, called a reinvention of the work truck.
- Nissan Titan, a rival for the U.S. truck market.
This is the first year that the group awarded Utility Vehicle of the Year - a move that recognizes the popularity of SUVs, though passenger-oriented minivans are also eligible for the award.
The finalists for Utility Vehicle of the Year:
The process of selecting the nominees and winners started in June, and three rounds of voting followed.
About 60 automotive journalists participated in the voting, which is not affiliated with a specific publication.
In 2016, the Honda Civic was picked as the 2016 North American Car of the Year. The Volvo XC90 was picked as the 2016 North American Truck/Utility of the Year.
Before this year's awards, domestic automakers had won North American Car of the Year 12 times and foreign automakers had won nine times. Japanese automakers had three wins. European automakers had four wins. Korean automakers (Hyundai) had two wins, according to NACTOY.


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St Patrick’s Day 2023: cheapest and most expensive pints of Guinness in the UK - including London & Edinburgh
New research has identified the cheapest towns and cities in the UK for Guiness- and those which are most expensive
New research has identified the cheapest and most expensive places in the UK for a pint of Guinness. The publishing of the research comes just in time for St Patrick’s Day on Friday (March 17).
The analysis was carried out by personal insolvency provider Carrington Dean which looked at hundreds of pubs across the UK to reveal the cheapest, and most expensive places in the country for a pint of Guinness. The UK average was discovered to be £4.14.
Unsurprisingly, the most expensive place for the cold stout in the country is London, where you can expect to pay an average of £5.31 for a pint. This is a huge 52% more expensive than in Swindon - the cheapest UK town for a pint.
Layla Johnson, regional manager at Creditfix, said: “It’s easy for big holidays and celebrations often associated with drinking alcohol to end up costing a lot more than anticipated - especially amidst the cost of living crisis.
“It’s no surprise that inflation has pushed up the price of Guinness, one of the most beloved pints in the world, just like it has other beverages. It can be all too easy to dip into your overdraft or credit card to pay for an extra round, but it’s important to budget properly for any social activities, and be mindful of how much you’re spending this St. Patrick’s Day - especially if you’re celebrating in one of the more expensive cities.”
Cheapest pints of Guinness in the UK- average prices
- Swindon- £3.48
- Stoke-on-Trent- £3.70
- Coventry - £3.72
- Swansea- £3.74
- Middlesbrough- £3.77
- Rotherham- £3.85
- Southend-on-Sea- £3.85
- Lincoln- £3.87
- Sunderland- £3.88
- Sheffield- £3.89
Most expensive pints of Guinness in the UK- average prices
- London- £5.31
- Brighton- £4.90
- Edinburgh- £4.87
- Cambridge- £4.58
- Portsmouth- £4.52
- Oxford- £4.51
- York- £4.46
- Blackpool- £4.45
- Glasgow- £4.40
- Reading- £4.40
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.


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The founder of Toys R Us, Charles Lazarus, died on Thursday — hours before his beloved toy chain was to begin going-out-of-business sales.
Lazarus, 94, opened his first toy store in 1957 in the suburbs of his Washington, DC, home — and by the 1980s had created the supermarket-of-toys format and had grown the chain into the most powerful force in toy retailing in the world.
In 1965, Lazarus introduced Geoffrey the Giraffe as the growing chain’s mascot — and the lovable creature was seen in scores of commercials.
The chain’s jingle, “I Don’t Want to Grow Up, I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us Kid,” was an anthem for a generation of children.
Lazarus stepped down as chief executive in 1994 and as chairman in 1998 — ceding control to a new generation of executives.
In 2005, the buyout firms Bain Capital and KKR & Co., along with Vornado Realty Trust, acquired the Wayne, NJ, firm for $7.5 billion in a highly leveraged buyout.
The deal saddled the chain with $5 billion in debt — just as the Great Recession rocked the US and Amazon was emerging as a force in retail.
Lazarus grew up poor, helping his father run a bicycle repair shop and aspiring to be rich, according to interviews.
In 1987, that aspiration came true: He was the highest-paid US executive, earning $60 million, according to Forbes.
Toys R Us was the dominant toy retailer throughout the 1980s and 1990s and became an international presence, opening its first stores outside the US in 1984, in Canada and Singapore. It launched the Babies R Us chain in 1996 — with its first store in Westbury, NY.
The heavy debt from the leveraged buyout and the stiff competition from Amazon, Walmart and others took its toll on Toys R Us. Last fall it filed for Chapter 11.
Unable to secure financing or to produce healthy sales during the holiday season, the company announced last week that it would wind down operations.
The company is preparing to close its 730 US stores, with liquidation sales to begin on Friday.
“There have been many sad moments for Toys ‘R’ Us in recent weeks, and none more heartbreaking than today’s news about the passing of our beloved founder, Charles Lazarus,” the company said in a statement to the CBS affiliate in Philadelphia.
“He visited us in New Jersey just last year, and we will forever be grateful for his positive energy, passion for the customer and love for children everywhere,” the statement added. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Charles’ family and loved ones.”
Lazarus was married three times. He is survived by two daughters from his first wife, Udyss, whom he divorced in 1979.


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Game News Lost Ark: Amazon apologizes for server issues and offers compensation
With nearly 450,000 players on average over the past month, Lost Ark remains on its way and the success is undeniable for the Smilegate game published in the West by Amazon. So, when an update coughs up and the game is inaccessible for several hours, things get complicated very quickly.
Lost Ark is a massively multiplayer action-RPG oriented towards hack’n’slash. Huge success in South Korea and a few other countries, the title took nearly 4 years to reach us, but players have not forgotten their interest, quite the contrary.
Abnormally long maintenance that annoyed the community
Those who had pre-ordered one of the starter packs were able to access the title shortly before its official release, causing a peak at 1,324,761 players. Since then, Lost Ark has fluctuated between 550,000 and 450,000 players every day, except when server maintenance for updates comes to put its grain of sand in the machine. In general, the operation goes smoothly and the servers are accessible a few tens of minutes after the start of the maintenance. But last week, not everything went according to plan for the US servers.
An apology in the form of a free collectable item pack
On Saturday, the maintenance lasted several hours, and the players obviously expressed their dissatisfaction. The fact that the problem occurred in the middle of the weekend did not help, and Amazon Games decided to react. In a press release published as soon as the servers are back online, the publisher apologizes and announces that a compensation pack, accessible until May 29 at 9 a.m. on all Western servers:
Due to server downtime issues, we will be rolling out the following rewards as one-time rewards available upon your next login:
Reminder: Echo Aura Recovery Elixirs must be used no later than 14 days after being collected.
The fight against cheating continues
Remember that Smilegate and Amazon are currently fighting armies of bots that are ruining the games and the player experience by interfering everywhere to offer fraudulent sales. Several measures have been implemented at the local chat level, access to the game from a VPN has been disabled, and automatic moderation has been implemented. Combining all of this with Easy Anti Cheat, over a million accounts have been banned from Lost Ark’s servers.