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One of the biggest events of the gaming industry, E3, is just around the corner; and fans worldwide are waiting eagerly for the event to start. This year’s E3 is packed with many special events from publishers ready to reveal new games and announce the already revealed ones. Here we are with a list of the 10 most anticipated games at E3 2021.
Most anticipated video games at E3 2021
1. Halo Infinite
The most anticipated game of the year, Halo Infinite, is expected to be announced at the joint press conference by Microsoft and Bethesda at E3 2021.
The legendary Halo series fans’ are frantic to hear new details about their dear game and possible release date.
2. The Elder Scrolls 6
Another game that could be announced at the joint event by Bethesda and Microsoft is the sequel to The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim at E3 2021. The game was announced in 2018; since then, Bethesda has revealed no concrete information about The Elder Scrolls 6.
However, fans eagerly await any announcements regarding the upcoming Elder Scrolls 6 at this year’s E3. Also if you are interested in trying out different Playstation 4 mods for Skyrim you can check out the linked article here!
It seems like there will be much to see from this year’s Bethesda and Microsoft event at E3 on June 13. Another title at this year’s E3 is the upcoming Sci-fi RPG from Bethesda, Starfield.
We expect to see a release date for the upcoming Sci-fi Starfield, which could be around the year’s end.
4. Elden Ring
An upcoming RPG from Bandai Namco Entertainment; the highly anticipated heavy title from the collaborative efforts of the Dark Souls designer Hidetaka Miyazaki and The Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin.
A recent tweet from a well-known and reliable industry leaker also points towards a potential reveal of this much-anticipated game at E3 2021; we are excited about this collaboration, are you?
5. Beyond Good and Evil 2
Ubisoft’s highly anticipated title Beyond Good and Evil 2 was initially revealed at E3 2017. However, there is still no solid information about the game’s release. While the game has been in development for a long time now, fans are eager to hear news about its release alongside other info at E3 2021.
6. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Quarantine
Leaks and rumors around Ubisoft’s Rainbow six quarantine have been pouring in for the past few months. While the game is set to release in September 2021, it is a part of Ubisoft’s roster for E3 2021.
Notably, Rainbow Six Quarantine will be getting a new name, as Ubisoft mentioned a while ago, and fans of the series eagerly await the developer to reveal the new name of this upcoming shooter game.
7. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice league
The massive Warner Bros. title, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, is one of the highly anticipated titles at E3 2021. However, nothing aside from the cinematic trailer has been revealed so far about the game.
Interestingly, the studio has also been tight-lipped when it comes to any information about the game. We think it’s time we get to see some Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay.
8. Metroid Prime 4
According to many reports and leaks, we could see a Metroid Prime 4 gameplay reveal or some other solid information at E3 2021. This Nintendo Switch title was revealed at E3 2017, and since then, Nintendo has not revealed any gameplay or other info about the game.
With Nintendo Switch Pro coming at E3 2021, we hope to see Metroid Prime 4 on Nintendo’s roster.
9. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2
Among the other game titles at E3 2021, Nintendo’s Breath of the wild 2 is one. We got to see the trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 at last year’s E3.
Meanwhile, Nintendo confirmed that they would showcase more of the highly awaited title at E3 2021.
10. Bayonetta 3
It has been a long time since Bayonetta 3 was revealed at E3 2017. While Platinum Games Nintendo Switch exclusive title has been in development, no concrete info has been revealed about the game.
Interestingly, Platinum Games have previously confirmed that fans will see more of Bayonetta 3 at E3 2021.
Well, there you have it, E3 2021’s most anticipated video game announcements. Indeed, other games could’ve been a part of this list; however, we suggest you keep an eye out for these 10 titles.


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Campaign of the Month - Oxford Home Schooling
What we learnt at... Bad Influence: The Influencer Marketing Event
How could the Instagram Checkout update change influencer marketing?
25 Mar 2019 ·
Last week, Instagram debuted its new “checkout” feature, allowing consumers to purchase directly through the app. While the update is only currently available to 23 brands, including Burberry, MAC and Adidas, the social media platform is looking to make the feature available to more and more brands in the next few months.
The new feature comes as part of the company’s mission to make its platform more e-commerce friendly, helping brands enhance the journey from discovery to purchase - but will this promise extend to the products promoted by influencers and brand ambassadors?
Image source: Instagram
With the feature only in the Beta stage, it's hard to say exactly how the development will impact influencers promoting brands and products. But, as the platform has seen a 39% increase in sponsored influencer activity between 2017 and 2018*, there’s no doubt that Instagram is leading the way in influencer marketing. Therefore rolling out any major e-commerce changes to those in partnership with the brands will only continue to set them apart from other platforms and secure their place at the top of the game.
This combination of the platform’s leading position in the influencer space, their promise to enhance the e-commerce journey, and the recent shift from organic to paid influencer content, rolling out the “checkout” feature to include ambassadors seems a natural development.
So, what would this mean for brands working with influencers? Outside of affiliate links, it’s currently difficult for brands to track the sales made from influencer activity, making ROI tricky to prove in terms of items sold. Implementing the “checkout” feature to influencers working with brands would allow conversion rates to be tracked much more easily, and would arguably only boost the industry as the justification for influencer partnerships would become much more tangible. It’s safe to say, if the feature isn’t rolled out to these kinds of accounts, the platform will have missed a trick.
At Jaywing PR, we’re experienced in consulting and advising our clients to make sure they get the best ROI from their influencer marketing strategies. With this latest update, you could end up getting left behind if you don’t jump on upcoming opportunities - please get in touch to find out more.
To see our work in action, check out our Berghaus® case study and find out how we created a community of brand advocates, and made over a million relevant impressions across all their key social channels.
*Research carried out by Tel Aviv: https://klear.com/instagram-influencers-report-2019

domain: news


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» Apple: what do you do after becoming the world’s most profitable company?
31/01/15 15:01 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Its quarterly results stunned the tech industry – and its Chinese competitors, who have now been eclipsed in their home market. But reaching the financial pinnacle creates some questions – and even problems – of its own When Apple became...
» Saints Row IV: Re-Elected And Gat Out Of Hell review
31/01/15 06:00 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, PC; Deep Silver; £29.97-£43.99 Continue reading...
» On the road: Brompton M3R folding bicycle – review
31/01/15 05:59 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
‘It makes a mockery of every other folder I’ve ridden’ Continue reading...
» Philae is hibernating, says European Space Agency as it calls off searches
30/01/15 19:23 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Probe that touched down on comet in November is expected to ‘wake up’ and signal location when its solar panels re-activate in summer Continue reading...
» AOL to close MyDaily and ParentDish
30/01/15 19:00 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Company scraps women-focused sites in order to focus on key brands such as HuffPost UK, which will double its lifestyle and politics teams Continue reading...
» Apple passes gas firms with record $18bn quarterly profit
30/01/15 18:53 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Record-setter eclipses previous highs from ExxonMobil and Gazprom Company sold 34,000 iPhones an hour in last quarter of 2014 Continue reading...
» Jay Z bids for music streaming service
30/01/15 17:29 from BBC News | Technology | UK Edition
The Hip hop star could challenge Beats and Spotify with his offer for the HD music service Tidal
» Nokia name row with London start-up
30/01/15 16:59 from BBC News | Technology | UK Edition
Nokia has threatened legal action against a UK start-up over the use of the word "HERE".
» 'A golden shining moment': the true story behind Atari's ET, the worst video game ever
30/01/15 16:41 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Legend has it that millions of copies of Atari’s tie-in with the sci-fi blockbuster were secretly buried in New Mexico after the game was branded a stinker. A new documentary, Atari: Game Over, goes digging for the truth Continue reading...
» BT attacked on rural broadband costs
30/01/15 16:11 from BBC News | Technology | UK Edition
At least £90m will be reinvested in rural broadband services after an underspend by BT, the BBC learns.
» VIDEO: Talking kids' doll Cayla is hacked
30/01/15 15:41 from BBC News | Technology | UK Edition
Rory Cellan-Jones sees how Cayla, a talking child's doll, can be hacked to say any number of offensive things.
30/01/15 13:39 from BBC News | Technology | UK Edition
» Angry Birds set sights on Candy Crush with new mobile puzzle games
30/01/15 12:14 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Rovio soft-launches Angry Birds Stella Pop and Angry Birds Fight, with both ditching bird-flinging gameplay for match-three puzzling Continue reading...
» Google Glass is on a strategic 'reset' and eight other things we learned
30/01/15 11:58 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Google missed Wall Street’s revenue expectations, but it revealed people really love watching adverts, claimed credit for the success of The Interview and let people send money via Gmail Continue reading...
» When will gamers understand that criticism isn't censorship?
30/01/15 11:48 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Anita Sarkeesian has announced a new video series looking into masculinity and video games. The hate has already started, but it is misplaced “It’s both possible, and even necessary, to simultaneously enjoy media while also being critica...
» Why the Church of England should praise the Lord for emojis
30/01/15 11:18 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby may not be too keen on social media, but maybe he should embrace the emoji: it’s a brilliant way to communicate emotion Continue reading...
» Flash is dead, and YouTube dealt the killing blow
30/01/15 11:07 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Will anyone miss Flash when it’s gone? Maybe, if these internet hits spark some nostalgia Flash is dead, long live Fl– actually, no, scratch that, Flash really is dead and it deserved to die. Flash is terrible. The killer blows to Adobe’...
» Chatterbox: Friday
30/01/15 10:49 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
The place to excitedly discuss the Chatterbox awards Continue reading...
» Jay Z to take on Apple and Spotify by buying streaming music services
30/01/15 10:15 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
Star tables bid for Scandinavian firm Aspiro, which hopes a new owner will lift its WiMP and Tidal services ‘to a new level’ Jay Z is set to become the next big digital music mogul, after tabling a $56m bid for Aspiro, the Scandinavian c...
» Hi Mum, sorry about that love-doll bumhole in your Facebook feed
30/01/15 09:53 from Guardian Unlimited Technology
If the not-safe-for-work post you’re commenting on is public, it may soon be staring your extended family in the eyes Until this week, I didn’t know that you could buy a $15 Balloon Knot modesty cover to plug between the buttocks of your...


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‘The worlds are meshing’: How streaming is reshaping the TV advertising upfront deal
The annual TV upfront negotiations no longer revolve around linear TV as they once did. TV network owners and their linear TV inventory are still expected to receive a large majority of the money committed in this year’s upfront marketplace, but streaming is set to dictate the dealmaking process.
As much as streaming’s viewership surge over the past year is a contributing factor, linear TV’s continued audience erosion and the corresponding tightness of the traditional TV market is a major reason that streaming will play an outsized role in this year’s upfront negotiations. Additionally, digital-only upfront participants typically offer more flexible deal terms, and the streaming viewership surge — combined with linear TV’s limitations — has made their pitches even more attractive to advertisers being pressed on all sides to shift money to streaming.
“There’s a cap on how much money linear can take. That will be a huge part of the discussion, and most marketers are likely [to] or should be moving money out of linear because of the decline in ratings,” said one agency executive.
“Every client is going to need digital dollars laid down with every network because of two things. One, they’re not going to lay down the dollars with linear because there’s no room for it. And they’re not going to pay the premiums that linear is going to require this year. So to lay down the dollars they need to deliver the campaign goals, they have to put it in digital,” said a second agency executive.
But it isn’t only agency executives trying to convince clients to move their money from linear TV to streaming. So are TV networks. Ad buyers have already seen that linear TV dollars don’t go as far when it comes to attracting pricing discounts and other perks, like early access to new ad products or particularly prized programs. But given that there isn’t a surplus of linear TV inventory to go around, agency executives expect to see the value of a linear TV dollar being further diluted in this year’s upfront.
“Are networks going to turn away dollars? There’s discussions about that,” said a third agency executive.
To be clear, it’s not like a TV network owner is going to turn away an advertiser offering up tens of millions of dollars to advertise in a prime-time show. But the network will likely cap how much of that money can go to a show’s linear airing and push the advertiser to redirect a larger share of those dollars to the show’s streaming distribution and the network’s broader streaming inventory.
“It sounds like they’re going to cap how much of your deal can go into linear. There’s only so much capacity,” said the third agency executive.
Pure capacity constraints aren’t the only consideration, though. TV networks are also contending with a pile-up of advertising debts for campaigns that fell short of viewership guarantees, and they aren’t looking to add to the load. Moreover, the more debts they accumulate, the more they have to use the so-called “scatter” inventory left over by upfront advertisers to settle those debts rather than sell those slots at higher prices to last-minute advertisers who are willing to pay a premium. Capping the linear inventory available to upfront advertisers is a way to ensure there’s enough supply available to sell in the scatter market.
However, the shift in upfront ad dollars from linear to streaming opens up that money to a wider swatch of ad sellers, including connected TV platform owners Amazon and Roku and major streaming services like YouTube. These digital-only ad sellers already participate in the upfront marketplace, but they are likely to play an even bigger role this year because of their deal structures that offer advertisers more flexibility than traditional TV arrangements.
“Now it’s not 98% of the budget [going to TV network owners], but 60% of the budget. There will be a multitude of other partners that we have conversations with as opposed to ABC, CBS and NBC,” said a fourth agency executive.
Roku’s new two-day cancelation option is already turning heads among agency executives who are seeing TV networks head in the other direction by applying their more rigid linear cancelation options to their streaming properties. “If TV networks want to say 60-day option terms are the only ways you can cut money and Roku comes out and says ‘You know what? We’ll do two days,’ if I’m a procurement person at any company, I go, ‘Well, maybe we should take a closer look at Roku,’” said the fourth agency executive.
Meanwhile, streaming ad sellers like YouTube often take a different tact to how upfront deals are set up that similarly provides greater flexibility to the advertiser. Instead of an advertiser being locked into spending an agreed-upon amount of money at the outset of a deal, advertisers are able to set up so-called “endeavor” deals. Under these arrangements, a certain amount of money may be committed upfront by the advertiser, but there are also spending goals set so that, if an advertiser ends up spending a certain amount of additional money, then perks like certain inventory tranches or pricing discounts are unlocked.
While these deals are largely associated with the streaming-only ad sellers that don’t have the inventory scarcity that pushes advertisers into typical upfront commitments, they are likely to become more commonplace in the traditional TV negotiations this year. Not only do they address advertisers’ ongoing flexibility demands, but their lax structure enables an advertiser to place bets with their dollars in a marketplace where viewership shifts have yet to settle down, making it hard to know how many people are likely to be tuning into a given streaming service at any given time.
“Because the digital vendors set themselves up that way and the worlds are melding, everybody is taking a piece from each other and trying to set up the ideal world. So [an endeavor deal] makes more sense now as the worlds are meshing,” said the third agency executive.
More in Future of TV
This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at how the industry’s measurement arbiter is looking at ensuring measurement systems are able to reliably identify audiences across channels in a privacy-compliant manner.
This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at the recent developments in the TV measurement market on the eve of this year’s upfront negotiations.
Future of TV Briefing: How Axios Entertainment is looking to expand its original programming business
This week’s Future of TV Briefing looks at how Axios’s entertainment division has its eyes on moving physical production in-house and getting into scripted programming.


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40 Under 40
Alexis Maybank, 35
Founder, Gilt Groupe Inc.
Risk-taker could be Alexis Maybank's middle name. The founder of members-only fashion site Gilt Groupe Inc. has lived on an Alaskan glacier, visited the Arctic and hitchhiked in the Andes. But perhaps her biggest risk was leaving a secure post in investment banking to join eBay in 1998, long before e-commerce went mainstream. There, she worked on launching the company's Canadian and automobile businesses.
Three years ago, after receiving her MBA from Harvard Business School, she rolled the dice once again to start Gilt. The site, which sells designer merchandise at deep discounts, was an instant success; it now has more than 2 million members and carries more than 700 brands.
"We took a lot of the experience of sample sales here in New York—which we would sneak out of work to attend—and created the same thrill online," explains Ms. Maybank.
Gilt's revenue-generating power is a thrill, too: The firm brought in $175 million last year and expects to be near $400 million by December. That has encouraged copycat sales sites, including a recent sample-sale venture from eBay. But Ms. Maybank, who bought her bridal gown through Gilt last year, remains confident.
"By working directly with the vendors, we have strong relationships," the Upper East Side resident notes.
And she keeps expanding Gilt as well. She's added more home-decor items and furniture, and debuted a Jetsetter business, which offers luxury hotel stays and experiences like skiing with the U.S. ski team.
"You have to have the nerve to take the risks, enough intelligence to understand which risks are worth taking, and enough talent to get it done," says Simon Rothman, founder of eBay Motors, who currently runs e-commerce site Glyde. "Alexis has that unique combination."


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Adopt A Senior Pet, Shop Online & Support Animals!
Tyler, Texas (PRWEB) November 15, 2011
November is Adopt-A-Senior-Pet-Month and there are many wonderful older pets waiting for a forever home at an animal shelter or humane society near you. November also marks the first time AdoptAShelter.com is mailing out donations and checks to the following animal shelters and welfare organizations:
A.D.O.P.T. (American Dog Owners for Proper Training), Georgetown, Texas
Humane Society of East Texas, Tyler, Texas
Lucky Pup Dog Rescue, San Diego, California
Louisa County Animal Shelter, Louisa, Virginia
Metroplex Animal Coalition, Dallas, Texas
Miami Dade County Animal Shelter, Miami, Florida
Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue & Adoption, Kennesaw, Georgia
SPCA of East Texas, Tyler, Texas
Chris Ruben, founder and CEO explains: “We are thrilled to be sending these payments to the shelters and animal rescue groups, knowing that all of the money was generated by animal lovers simply shopping online like they always do. This is just the beginning. The peak shopping season is upon us. The more people shop online through AdoptAShelter.com the more they are helping animals. Just Shop to Donate and Share the Love... no login or password required.”
Additionally, AdoptAShelter.com has released a “How It Works” video that animal shelters, rescue and welfare organizations can share with their supporters via email, website, facebook and at fundraising events. This short video shows how easy it is for supporters to use AdoptAShelter.com and earn donations for their favorite animal charity every time they shop online.
AdoptAShelter.com is an online community where animal lovers can shop at hundreds of well-known merchants and service-providers while turning everyday purchases into contributions that directly benefit their chosen animal shelters, humane organizations or rescue groups.
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Rangers FC has signed a deal with Donald Trump's luxury golf resort.
The Ibrox club plans to use the Trump Turnberry Resort in Ayrshire to host events.
In turn, matchday hospitality at the grounds in Glasgow's South Side will be offered to Turnberry.
Announcing the partnership, Rangers and Trump Turnberry said they represented 'sporting heritage' and 'history' in Scotland.
Light Blues supporters can access special spa breaks and golf packages at the Turnberry resort, built in 1906.
The club will jointly host an annual golf day at the Ailsa Course at the resort.
Managing director of Rangers, Stewart Robertson, said: "We're delighted to partner with Turnberry as it provides us with an iconic luxury venue with a rich heritage for club events, including our hugely popular corporate golf days.
"Turnberry, like Rangers, has a great history and tradition in sport and is one of the most iconic Scottish brands, widely recognised around the world."
Ralph Porciani, general manager at Turnberry, said: "Turnberry and Rangers boast rich sporting legacies, each playing a significant role in the history of Scottish sport.
"Therefore, this felt like a natural partnership and an exciting way to kick off 2020.
"We look forward to welcoming both fans and club members to Turnberry, giving them the opportunity to create memorable moments throughout the resort including our world-leading golf and spa facilities."


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Summer might not have made an appearance yet, but that hasn’t stopped us planning a PICNIC for this May.
The PICNIC Innovation Mash Up will be a one-day, active learning event focused on “how”: how businesses in other sectors can successfully apply top innovation and creativity processes used by Dutch and international creative industry professionals to launch new products and services, connect with customers and grow. Featured processes include design thinking, scenario planning, crowdsourcing, service innovation and open design.
The event is led by creative industry experts, who’ll be coaching, collaborating and contributing valuable expertise, ideas and feedback. We’re delighted to be amongst this team, and will be sending along Geke, Bas and Maire to host the workshop on Service Innovation. We’ll be exploring how ‘Mashing up’ design, research and strategy development is typical for service innovation, and requires a team that combines people from these different backgrounds. Conducting and using ethnographic research together in a co-creative way can be the glue that makes this mix coherent – and this is something we’ll be exploring in detail on the day.
PICNIC events are always great fun, and it’s a fantastic networking opportunity too, with people from Adidas, Vodafone, IDEO and many, many others already confirmed as attendees. Registration is open now at the PICNIC website – hopefully we’ll see you there!
You can see now some pictures of the actual picnic, which was held inside actually, courtesy of the weather.


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This is the most latest news in the PS3 hacking scene, yesterday Flukes1 released the lv1/lv2 Peek/Poke Tools and now just minutes ago, Waninkoko has released the latest Custom Firmware v3.55 for PS3 that allows the installation of homebrew applications. Even the PS3 game backups could be run using this firmware, however we have yet to see any dedicated backup manager for PS3 firwmare 3.55 that makes the loading of games and management easy for regular gamers.
How to Install Custom Firmware v3.55 on PS3
Disclaimer: This is only meant for running legal copies of games that you own, Install the custom firmware at your own risk.
Do not install on PS3 Slim as of now, some users are facing bricking issues.
Note: Check the PUP Hashes before flashing
PUP MD5: 6eab7f1deea1ed46a1dc9924fd7080b3
PUP SHA1: 771e0f2431f15c7edd323899fbab810f32e35aba
To be on the safer side, install Original PS3 firmware 3.55 and then follow the steps given above.
Update: Do not try this method on 60GB PS3 firmware, there are too many bricking reports coming in.
Our advice: Do not use this firmware on any PS3 version. It is just not worth the risk.
Wait for waninkoko’s next release, he has posted on his twitter that he is working on new CFW with no brick risk.
Check Out Related Posts:


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Euro Zone Inflation at 3.4% - Temporary Effect or Real Problem?
Even before the Covid crisis, the European Central Bank had "stepped on the gas" with zero interest rates and quantitative easing. However, since the "Pandemic Emergency Purchase Program" (PEPP) launched in spring 2020, the ECB has now pushed this accelerator pedal to the hilt.
According to the latest inflation figures published by Eurostat last week, the expected annual inflation rate in the euro zone will rise from the most recent 3.0% to 3.4%. This figure is still well above the ECB's inflation target of 2%. According to the ECB's interpretation, this is merely a transitional phase. In this phase, according to ECB chief Christine Lagarde, it could happen that inflation is moderately above the target value. It is therefore important, in her eyes, "not to overreact " in this situation. Is this assertion justified in view of the constantly rising figures?
At first glance, there is certainly some truth to the ECB's position. The Covid crisis has led to a drop in energy prices and thus to a kind of "base effect". Compared with the low level of summer 2020, energy prices have risen by more than 15%. Energy accounts for 9.5% of the inflation rate, which is why it has a major impact on the overall inflation rate.
Germany has also reduced the VAT rate for the period from July to December 2020. This temporary measure has triggered another base effect, which has now pushed inflation in the eurozone's largest economy up to 4.1%.
At second glance, however, the situation seems less reassuring:
First, the higher price of CO2 emission allowances and their subsequent reduction is likely to be a permanent cost factor that will be reflected in energy prices for EU consumers.
Second, the Corona crisis has shown that globalized supply chains entail additional risks for companies and economies. It is to be expected that both the private sector and governments will implement strategies to relocate production facilities. In any case, this will make products more expensive for customers and thus fuel inflation.
Third, we are still experiencing the effects of previous ECB measures. These include an increase in M3 money supply averaging 4.5% per year since 2010, which is well above the interest rate and above economic growth. The increase is even more dramatic for total assets held by the ECB. These have more than quadrupled since 2010. The ECB's low interest rates have also led to a boom in the housing and construction markets, with shortages of labor and materials additionally driving up prices. The rise in these prices generally occurs with a time lag, so these prices are likely to continue to rise for some time.
Fourth, the economy has gained momentum and is catching up after a difficult pandemic period. High order backlogs and capacity bottlenecks are raising prices.
Fifth, labor costs could rise for several reasons: Higher minimum wages in several EU member states are politically likely. Higher wage settlements triggered by "temporary" inflation increases are already on the horizon. In addition, the baby boomer generation is retiring, reducing labor supply. All these effects could even trigger a wage-price spiral.
Sixth, public debt increased during the Corona crisis, limiting the ECB's room for maneuver in practice.
Last but not least, higher inflation itself could be an additional driver. Carmen Reinhart, Vice President and Chief Economist at the World Bank, for example, warns against not taking the threat of inflation seriously enough. The longer the period of elevated inflation lasts, "the more it influences inflation expectations. And the more it affects expectations, the longer it will take for inflation to come down." In this sense, inflation is - to some degree - a self-fulfilling prophecy. Reinhart therefore believes that inflation will be more permanent than thought.
To summarize: Yes, there are arguments that the increased inflation is only "temporary." However, there are growing indications that it could last longer. Given the uncertainties of the pandemic, it is understandable if the ECB does not want to hit the monetary brakes hard. Nevertheless, it is now time to slowly take the foot off the gas pedal.
Freie Wähler MEP


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Inception Media picks up Gérard Depardieu, Elizabeth Hurley noir “Viktor” In the film, a man consumed by the guilt of his son's murder in Moscow, he enters the Russian underworld on a mission of vengeance.
Toshiba cutting its PC workforce, sales bases The revised approach calls for growing business-to-business sales to over 50% of all sales in the company’s 2016 fiscal year.
Apple chief executive defends firm’s privacy stance Cook also reiterated Apple’s statement that it has had no involvement with any U.S. govt. data-gathering schemes, such as PRISM.
Libya's elected parliament rejects PM’s new cabinet Lawmakers demanded Thinni submit a new cabinet with not more than ten ministers, spokesman Faraj Hashim said.


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Northwest Fashion Square, a 122,843-square-foot shopping center at 8603-65 W. Brown Deer Road, on the far northwest side of Milwaukee, was sold for $1.25 million, according to state records.
Duluth, Ga.-based NW Fashion LLC purchased the shopping center from an affiliate of Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Equity Investment Group Inc.
The building is more than half empty with 70,839 square feet of vacant space, accoding to Loopnet.com.
It was last sold in 2001 for $4.7 million and currently has an assessed value of about $2.3 million, according to city records.
The shopping center is one of several that have struggled since the closure of Northridge Mall in 2003.


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You're a traveler that wants a little more depth in your Nicaragua knowledge than just our beautiful landscapes, and fascinating history well, here's a bit of current news about the state of our economy.
According to today's El Nuevo Diario the commodity export sector of our economy is led by beef, coffee, gold and peanuts.
Volumes of beef exported were up 5.3% this year. The value of exported beef was US$414.2 millon in 2015, while this year US$441.7 millon. The main import markets of Nicaraguan beef are the United States, Venezuela and El Salvador.
Coffee, currently holds down second place among our export commodities, with revenues of US$389.35 millon in 2015 and US$394.47 in 2016.
Gold exports were up 11.8% this year, with export values of US$345.85 millon compared with 2015, US$309.26 millon.
Rounding out the top 10 agricultural exports from Nicaragua to the world are, cheese, sugarcane, peanuts, shrimp, beans, lobster and tobacco.
During the past 5 years, 161 businesses operating under the Zona Franca rules, generated 108,000 jobs and exports valued at 2,475.2 billion dollars producing textiles, cable harnesses and tobacco. They accounted for 4.3% of the GDP during the period 2013-2015.
Tourism with an estimated value of $528.6 million dollars in 2015 or 4% of the annual GDP.
Nicaragua's GDP is 13,172.1 million US 2016


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Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued the following statement on the forecast for U.S. agricultural trade in fiscal year 2011:
"Today, USDA is announcing that U.S. farm exports in fiscal year 2011 are forecast to set an all-time record high of $126.5 billion. The new high exceeds fiscal year 2008, formerly the highest level on record at $114.9 billion, by $11.6 billion, and tops a strong fiscal 2010 by $17.8 billion. Furthermore, agriculture continues to be one of the only major sectors of the American economy with a trade surplus – expected to be $41 billion in this fiscal year.
"Today’s forecast demonstrates that the demand for U.S. food and agriculture around the world is stronger than ever. Sales are surging in China, Southeast Asia, North America and the Middle East. In fact, today’s forecast sees China pulling within $500 million of Canada, the United States’ top export market in fiscal year 2011.
“Today's report is particularly encouraging news for all Americans during trying economic times, especially those who live in rural America or earn a living in farming, ranching and agriculture-related industries such as transportation. Each $1 billion in exports supports 8,000 jobs, meaning that agricultural exports alone in fiscal 2011 are expected to support more than 1 million U.S. jobs.
"The strong work ethic, deep values and incredible productivity in Rural America is helping U.S. Agriculture lead our nation’s recovery and achieve President Obama's goal of doubling U.S. exports over the next five years.”


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A popular Mellieha four-star hotel, The Maritim Antonine Hotel and Spa, has unveiled details of a major €6.5 million expansion and renovation project.
Announcing the project on Monday, Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo detailed that it includes the construction of 59 new rooms, in addition to the restoration of existing rooms.
Minister Bartolo celebrated the investment, saying: “It is satisfactory to see the hospitality sector not just recovering, but also expanding, to offer more efficiency and high quality.”
On the part of the hotel, its Director, Adrian Buttigieg thanked the Government for its support in recent months, saying it has been of “great importance” for its continued operations.
Taking to social media on Monday, the hotel shared the “refreshed” look of its new rooms.
The hotel was already popular amongst tourists, with its spa having won awards for its facilities and treatments.
The venue is also known for the breadth of its food menu, selling everything from burgers and pizzas to sophisticated Thai-fusion dishes.
Facebook/ Maritim Antonine Hotel


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Cheffins' inaugural Affordable Art Sale for buyers on a budget
Cheffins ‘Affordable Art Sale – A Summer Show’ tomorrow (Thursday 30) will offer 297 artworks with estimates ranging from £50 to £800.
On offer are paintings, drawings, etchings and prints, with highlights including three etchings by David Hockney, from his series ‘Illustrations for Six Fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm’ dated 1969, with an estimate of £400-£600. Also on sale will be a series of etchings by Augustus John, with estimates of £300-£500 and a series of lithographs by Dame Elisabeth Frink with estimates from £150 upwards. There are also linocuts by popular 20th century artist Edward Bawden and two wood engravings by Eric Gill.
Brett Tryner, from Cheffins, says: “The new Affordable Art Sale - A Summer Show, will cater for the growing demand for quality but reasonably priced artwork. With a plethora of younger collectors coming to the market, we have seen prices steadily rise for modern British art and this has clearly made way for space in our calendar for a sale dedicated to this new buying force.
“The auction will include a series of original works and signed prints to provide something for all buyers and budgets, up to the value of around £800. As the Covid crisis put a greater emphasis on our homes and the way we live, we have seen a direct correlation with the increasing number of new bidders for every sale we have offered over the past 12 months as purchasers now look to seek out individual items rather than simply turning to the high street.
“This has been a real boon for regional auction houses across the country and we expect that The Affordable Art Sale will help to satisfy the demand in the market for original artwork as the trend for ‘not buying new’ continues to gather pace.”
Cheffins has collaborated with Molly Mahon, block printer and fabric and wallpaper designer, to show how the artworks can be brought to life against a patterned backdrop.
Brett says: “We worked closely with Molly Mahon and her team to select the best wallpaper patterns to illustrate how some of these artworks would look within a home environment. The colours and patterns from the wallpaper have helped to really bring these pictures to life and hopefully will help to encourage more collectors to come to the sale.”
The sale will take place at Cheffins’ salerooms in Cambridge and online at cheffins.co.uk. For further information, contact the fine art department on 01223 213343 or email@example.com.


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American designer Ralph Lauren is stepping down as CEO of the fashion house he built and handing over the reins to Stefan Larsson, the Global President of Old Navy, a division of Gap Inc.
The company said on Tuesday the appointment of Larsson will become effective in November. He will report to Ralph Lauren, who will stay on as Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer. Larsson will also join the board of Ralph Lauren.
Before joining Old Navy, Larsson worked for Swedish retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) for 15 years. He was part of the team that grew sales from USD3 billion to USD17 billion and expanded the company’s operations from 12 to 44 countries.
The company also announced that Jackwyn Nemerov, President and COO, will retire in November. She will become an advisor to the company. Chris Peterson, President of Global Brands, and Valerie Hermann, President of Luxury Collections, will continue in their current roles reporting to Stefan Larsson.
"My job is to think always about the future of our company and how to move it forward. Stefan Larsson is exceptionally talented, and he will bring our company a fresh and exciting global perspective. Stefan and I have a strong personal bond and share a vision for the future of Ralph Lauren. I appreciate Stefan’s unique sensibility, his honesty and his authenticity. We have had tremendous success expanding the Ralph Lauren brands around the world and creating a great management team. Now, all the pieces are in place to position our business for continued growth. We have been a leader in our industry for nearly 50 years, and this is just the beginning," said Ralph Lauren.
This announcement follows a number of steps the company has taken in recent years to continue to strengthen its industry leadership, reach new consumers and drive the continued growth of Ralph Lauren Corporation, which last year generated USD7.5 billion in sales.
In the past two years, the company continued to expand its luxury business and added three new brands to its portfolio – Polo for Women, Polo Sport, and Denim and Supply. In addition, Ralph Lauren Corporation has implemented a new global brand management organizational structure and expanded its omnichannel presence to reach new consumers. It has also made important investments in online, mobile and e-commerce to build on its track record of innovation and leadership in technology.


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Plastic straws could soon be shown the door in San Francisco, just like plastic bags, in order to protect the environment.
Supervisor Katy Tang on Tuesday introduced legislation that would prohibit the distribution and sales of plastic straws as well as plastic sticks to stir drinks, plastic toothpicks, and plastic splash sticks.
The ordinance would ban any foodware products that have fluorinated chemicals in them and any foodware labeled as compostable must be certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute, city officials said.
Additionally, any events on city property with more than 100 in attendance must have at least 10 percent of any cups as reusable under the proposed legislation.
Tang made the announcement with supervisors London Breed, Ahsha Safai and and Department of Environment Director Debbie Raphael at a press conference at the Boba Guys Fillmore location to announce the proposed legislation to keep plastic waste out of the ocean.
About one million straws are used every day in The City, Tang said:
“Straws suck and we are no longer going to allow for plastic straws here in San Francisco.”
“There are a lot of great alternatives such as paper straws and metal straws.”
Raphael said there are costs to the environment when it comes to single-use plastic materials:
“We see impacts to marine life and to our oceans. We see impacts to our city streets through litter.”
Breed, a cosponsor of Tang’s proposal, said The City has led the way in combating environmental issues including Styrofoam ban and plastic bag ban:
“Here in San Francisco, we just don’t talk about being environmental leaders. We are setting the trend for the rest of the country to follow.”
Safai said nine out of 10 times a person probably does not even need a straw with a cup.
Boba Guys, known for its milk tea specialty drinks in The City, is already taking steps to make sure their cups and straws are environmental friendly.
Co-founder of Boba Guys Bin Chen said the company is already selling reusable drinkware and straws:
“This is a huge opportunity and we’re in the right place in San Francisco to do it.”
The proposed legislation would take effect on July 1, 2019 if approved by the Board of Supervisors and signed by the mayor.
Other cities that have similar bans on plastic straws include Alameda, Santa Cruz, Davis and San Luis Obispo.


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The rise of third-party m-payments in China at the expense of credit and debit cards is threatening commercial banks’ access to the customer data viewed as crucial to newly emerging financial and consumer business models.
The president of Ant Financial, Alibaba Group’s finance affiliate, told the Financial Times earlier this month that payments through its Alipay unit bypass China UnionPay, the state-owned settlement network with close ties to the central bank – according to a report in the FT.
The result is that UnionPay, along with issuing banks and acquiring banks, is haemorrhaging income from merchant fees. The trend is fuelled not only by the rise of ecommerce but also by the dramatic increase of m-payments to offline merchants such as supermarkets and restaurants.
The move by more Chinese consumers to switch from swiping plastic cards to scanning QR codes with mobile wallet apps knocked $20bn from banks’ fee income in 2015, according to Kapronasia, a Shanghai-based fintech consultancy.
Settlement fees are only part of banks’ overall revenue mix, which is dominated by interest income from loans. The bigger challenge to Chinese lenders, analysts say, comes from the way in which third-party payment providers are interposing themselves between banks and customers, depriving lenders of valuable data on consumption patterns.
“Data are increasingly the new currency of choice in China as third-party payment providers move beyond payments to selling a wider range of products and services such as taxi-booking, movie tickets, and wealth management products,” said Zennon Kapron, founder of Kapronasia. “Banks are starved of the critical transaction data that would help them to provide competitive products and services.”
Most users of Alipay, and rival WeChat Pay owned by Tencent, fund their payments by linking their traditional bank accounts to mobile wallet apps. That means traditional bank deposits are still the ultimate source of funds. But when a consumer uses Alipay or WeChat for payment, banks do not receive data on the merchant’s name and location. Instead, the bank record simply shows the recipient as Alipay or WeChat.
The loss of data poses a challenge to Chinese banks at a time when their traditional lending business is under pressure from interest-rate deregulation, rising defaults, and the need to curb loan growth following the credit binge . Big data are seen as vital to lenders’ ability to expand into new business lines.
“In the past, commercial banks focused on servicing large enterprises and didn’t care much about consumers. But with the macroeconomy suffering, the corporate business is facing pressure on margins on growth,” said Wang Xiaoyan, senior fintech analyst at 86 Research in Shanghai. “Banks definitely want to capture the opportunity in retail banking, but if they don’t have payment and consumption data, it’s difficult to gain consumer mindshare.”
The post Chinese banks struggle in m-payments battle against 3rd party providers appeared first on Payments Cards & Mobile.


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A children’s clothing retailer is closing 350 stores, including locations in Dayton and Cincinnati.
Gymboree announced the company will close approximately 11 stores will close in Ohio and 350 across the U.S., and closing sales will begin on Tuesday. The company will have more than 900 locations after the stores are shut down. Gymboree also operates Janie and Jack stores and Crazy 8 stores.
The store at the Dayton Mall will close. The location at The Greene Town Center in Beavercreek will remain open, according to The Greene’s general manager Steve Willshaw.
“Today’s announcement represents the…


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This week saw Adobe hold their annual MAX conference and the announcement of a number of product updates and business changes. The big news is that CS6 has now been superseded by ‘CC’ (Creative Cloud). It will no longer be possible to purchase stand-alone versions of the software, instead applications will be pay-to-use on a subscription based service of around £38 ($49) a month. (Thanks to MBs Nico for the tip). The main tangible benefit for consumers is that software will now be continuously updated (rather than released in yearly iterations with expensive upgrade cost), whilst Adobe will hope to move some people from piracy to subscription (like Spotify have managed with music consumption). YouTube are also said to be considering a subscription model.
Adobe also surprised the press by announcing a secret hardware project (click for video). “Mighty” is a pressure-sensitive pen for tablets, with a companion tool called “Napoleon” that works as a tool for drawing lines and arcs – like a digital draftsman tool. It’s an interesting move, and should help push creativity on mobile devices much further that existing tools have allowed, especially now that tablet devices are starting to be as capable as traditional devices like the Cintiq. (Thanks Jon H).
Here’s what you may have missed:
Is London’s silicon roundabout becoming a victim of its own success?
British childrens unauthorised app spending may be £30.9m a month,
LinkedIn is 10 years old today, and has changed how we work.
A short essay on the future of 3D printing.
Technology journalist Paul Miller finished his year without internet.
Spoti-whoops – Spotify’s online DRM was easily bypassable, allowing tracks to be downloaded.
Hackday team invent VR guillotine with surprising results
Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg has 3D printed faces from DNA found on the street
Shakespeare, Henry VIII and friends given a 21st century, hipster makeover.


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One of the most popular titles, FIFA is once again in the news as video game giant EA is reportedly planning to push its FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) to all the FIFA 21 players. This is supposed to make them spend more on the title. This was detailed in a 54-page leaked document shared by Canadian publication CBC News. The report added that “all roads lead to FUT” indicating that most gamers may end up paying to EA for FUT in most cases. For what’s worth, Electronic Arts made nearly $1.5 billion (about Rs. 11,191 crores) from the loot boxes in its ports gaming titles last year, as per the annual earnings report.
“We are doing everything we can to drive players there,” said one of the bullet points in the leaked document presentation. Another page talked about “content teasers” that will “drive excitement & funnel players towards FUT from other modes.” This was mentioned under a bullet point labelled as “All roads lead to FUT.”
News Source: Hindustan times


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Mar 30, 2020 | AS Team
Mother Dairy, one of India's driving dairy organizations, has seeked support from significant food e-commerce players, which include Bigbasket, Milkbasket and Supr Daily, to work as a group to keep up the smooth stock of milk.
Senior officials at Mother Dairy have claimed that the firm is prepared to expand creation and utilize the distribution network of the online players to reach customers at areas that don't have milk corners.
A Mother Dairy representative said that the firm is willing to work at its fullest limit and is currently generating an average of around 35 lakh liters daily. The representative has also added that in the event that e-commerce players encounter surged interest in certain territories, it can escalate its capacity by over 10%, backed by smooth dissemination.
Initially, both Amul, India's biggest dairy player, and Mother Dairy had claimed that the demand for milk has actually escalated after the lockdown, with no fast approaching possibility of a short stock for customers.
While the consumer demand for varied categories of milk items has remained unchanged, the demand for ice cream has fallen pretty badly, as stated by the firm. The firm has also additionally multiplied its supply of fruits and vegetables through its Safal brand to over 300 metric tons in the Delhi-NCR area in the midst of the continuous lockdown due to COVID19.
The company’s representative has also added that Milk and its items, alongside fruits and vegetables, go under the category for essential goods and hence are included in the rundown of exceptions enabled by different states and central government authorities, and likewise development of stakeholders is also being dealt with the assistance of local enforcement agencies.


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Displaying items by tag: Roadshow Engagements
“There Was No Quiet On The Western Front!”
The Digital Bits presents this retrospective on The Blue Max, the World War I adventure-drama starring George Peppard, James Mason and Ursula Andress and highlighted by aerial dogfighting and music by acclaimed composer Jerry Goldsmith. Directed by John Guillermin (The Towering Inferno, the 1976 remake of King Kong) and based upon the novel by Jack D. Hunter, The Blue Max was hailed by Newsweek as “Magnificent!” and characterized by The New York Times as, “Devil-may-care dogfights in the skies... devil-may-care love affairs on the ground.” Recently released on Blu-ray Disc from Twilight Time and soundtrack CD by La-La Land Records, The Bits celebrates this classic war film with a detailed listing of its original, major-market roadshow engagements in the United States and Canada as well as an interview with film music authority Jeff Bond, who discusses Jerry Goldsmith’s musical contribution to the film. [Read on here...]
“The Musical with a Heart of Gold”
The Digital Bits is pleased to present this retrospective commemorating the 45th anniversary of the release of Sweet Charity, starring Shirley MacLaine as Charity Hope Valentine and highlighted by numerous musical numbers, including “Rich Man’s Frug,” “The Rhythm of Life,” and “I’m a Brass Band.”
Though not yet released on Blu-ray Disc (Universal…what are you waiting for?), The Bits celebrates the musical’s 45th anniversary with a detailed listing of the film’s original, major-market roadshow engagements in the United States and Canada as well as an interview with a trio of roadshow history authorities. [Read on here…]
The Digital Bits is pleased to present this retrospective article commemorating the 45th anniversary of the release of Funny Girl, the popular William Wyler-Ray Stark motion picture adaptation of the stage musical featuring Barbra Streisand’s Academy Award-winning performance as comedienne Fanny Brice.
Earlier this year, Sony Pictures’ restoration of Funny Girl was featured in the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival and subsequently released on Blu-ray Disc.
Now, The Digital Bits celebrates the classic musical’s 45th anniversary with a detailed listing of the film’s original, major-market, reserved-seat roadshow engagements in the United States and Canada as well as an interview with Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Grover Crisp, who speaks about the film’s recent restoration. [Read on here…]
CELEBRATING “IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD” ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY
The Digital Bits is pleased to present this retrospective article commemorating the golden anniversary of the original release of Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World and a new Blu-ray Disc from The Criterion Collection.
Featured in this tribute are a list of the epic comedy’s roadshow engagements and an interview segment with several people involved with the production of the Blu-ray Disc. [Read on here...]


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It's official: Gavin Newsom does not like to sit still.
Located in Napa's Stags Leap District, the winery's name is a tongue-in-cheek nod to Odette Kahn, the judge at the infamous 1976 Judgment of Paris who demanded her ballot back after unknowingly voting in favor of Chateau Montelena. And with owners including Newsom, Gordon Getty and GM and partner John Conover, the winery has some serious backing.
Though the tasting room opened earlier this month, the winery is currently undergoing an extensive remodel by Juancarlos Fernandez, the man behind the group's other project CADE. The new winery will be LEED certified and the wine will be 100 percent organic. It's expected to open in late 2013.
The wine business is nothing new for the Lieutenant Governor, who founded the PlumpJack Group with a wine shop back in 1992. But even with the formidable background, we don't envy Newsom's day planner.
Check out pictures of Odette Estate below. Then flip through our slideshow of other famous faces who've opened wineries on the side. (You may be surprised.)


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Marina Square shopping centre opened its doors on Wednesday 21 November 2018.
The new shopping centre has brought those who work and live in Wentworth Point, Rhodes, Newington and the Sydney Olympic Park Precinct a new level of convenience shopping and dining.
Enjoy 3 hours free parking as you explore two levels of service and convenience-based shopping. The stores offer a range of fresh food, health and wellbeing, lifestyle stores, cafes and indoor and outdoor dining.
The Official Opening ceremony will take place on Saturday 24 November so the whole community can get involved and will include Marina Square’s enormous ribbon which will be dropped.
For more information visit: https://marinasquare.com.au/


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economy Since 2017-04-24 at 14:11 (Baghdad time)
Baghdad Mawazine News
Acting Minister of Commerce Salman Al-Jumaili confirmed on Monday that farmers will be paid full 2017 within one week from the date of marketing the crop.
Al-Jumaili said in a brief statement received by Mawazine News that "payment of farmers' benefits for the year 2017 is complete within one week from the date of marketing the crop."
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


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Hold on America, the beloved Twinkies snack cakes will not be returning to store shelves until Labor Day — at the earliest.
While bankrupt Hostess Brands is expected to select a preferred bidder for its snacks business today, regulatory approval, time needed to close the deal and then the firing up of the Twinkies manufacturing process means it’ll be early September before the spongecake treats are available at retailers, experts said.
Leon Black’s Apollo Global Management and co-bidder C. Dean Metropoulos, a veteran food exec, are expected to be named the preferred bidder for Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Donettes and other Hostess snacks.
If they survive a likely late-March bankruptcy auction and become the winning bidder, the deal will still not close until July or August, a hedge fund manager said.
That is partly because of the time needed to get regulatory approval.
Then, Apollo would need one to two months to get the business up and running and the trucks rolling should Apollo outsource the baking.
Add another 30 days if it were to restart a Hostess bakery, a former Hostess worker said.
That translates to a September return for Twinkies.
Meanwhile, Mexican baker Grupo Bimbo which had been competing, and still could compete, for the snack brands, is preparing to launch a snack-cake line for its Sara Lee brand to take advantage of Twinkies’ absence, the source said.
Bimbo did not return calls.


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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The Better Business Bureau of West Michigan is warning consumers to watch out for a magazine subscription company that says you owe money for magazines you never agreed to buy.
The BBB says that just in the past couple months, it taken13 complaints American Readers Source, which lists its address as a mail forwarding location in Grandville. The BBB hasn’t been able to find its actual location.
ARS claims to have sold people magazines and then demands money. It claims to have recorded phone conversations verifying contracts even though it doesn’t. Some callers have heard from a debt collectors trying to get more than $1,000 ARS says it is owed.
Apparently, in some cases, ARS also poses as an insurance company to get billing and home address information.
The BBB advises just hanging up on a call from ARS. Anyone who gets a call from ARS could contact the BBB and the Federal Trade Commission.
The BBB reminds consumers to be very careful and cautious about phone solicitations. The Federal Trade Commission says debt collection and phone fraud are ranked at the top of the list of complaints by Michigan consumers.
You can always check out who you are doing business with at the BBB’s website.


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The Scottish Government is to allow councils across Scotland to adjust their own business rates relief packages to suit their circumstances as part of a wider action plan on business rates.
Local Government Minister Derek Mackay, who launched the action plan, said the range of measures being introduced follow a three-month consultation with ratepayers, trade bodies and business organisations.
A wide ranging review of the valuation appeal system will take place over the next year, with a new appeals system planned to be in place before the next revaluation in 2017.
The Scottish Government said it will also be writing to every business in Scotland “to ensure all who are eligible are benefitting from the Small Business Bonus Scheme”.
The current business rates system will also be improved to provide greater transparency on rates and valuations.
The Scottish Government said Scottish businesses already benefits from “the most generous rates relief package in the UK” which it said will be worth more than £560 million in current financial year.
Announcing the Scottish Government's action plan, MacKay said: “The Scottish Government already offers the best package of rates relief to business available in the UK.
“Two in every five business properties across Scotland benefit from zero or reduced rates through the Small Business Bonus Scheme.
“Today’s action plan will deliver a rates system in Scotland that supports sustainable economic growth and helps Scotland’s businesses and communities.
“As part of our commitment to local decision making, we propose that Scotland’s local authorities will be given the power to set local rates reliefs allowing them to respond to the needs of their communities.
“The Scottish Government is committed to maintaining the Small Business Bonus Scheme, and to matching the English poundage for the lifetime of this Parliament.
“All current exemptions provided, including to some key sectors such as agriculture, will be retained.
“We will review rates relief application processes to ensure they are simple, transparent and streamlined.
“With any tax there will always be those who try to avoid paying.
“That is clearly not fair on the vast majority who do pay their fair share and we will crack down on avoidance wherever we find it.”
The Federation of Small Businesses described the action plan as a “missed opportunity”, and the measures announced as “timid”.
Andy Willox, the Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSB) Scottish policy convenor, said: “When the Scottish Government introduced the Small Business Bonus scheme they took an important step in making the Scottish business rates system fairer.
“The scheme has given thousands of Scottish businesses a real shot in the arm during an incredibly difficult period for small enterprise.
“However, today’s publication suggests that the Scottish Government understands that our property based taxation system is outdated, based on the economy of the past and under severe pressure.
“Yet their response to this challenge looks timid.
“We’re pleased the Small Business Bonus scheme will be retained and the appeals process will be examined before the next revaluation in 2017, but we’re slightly disappointed a bolder reform plan hasn’t been developed.
“Councils in England have the powers to develop local reliefs but few have done so. It remains to be seen if Scottish councils will act differently and look to boost their local economies and high streets."
The Scottish Chambers of Commerce described the action plan as a “positive response” to rate reform proposals.
Chief executive Liz Cameron said while it was clear the Scottish Government “recognised some of the failings of the current system” it had “missed the opportunity to deliver greater consistency and efficiency in the rating regime across Scotland”.
She added: "We have an open mind on proposals to grant local authorities new powers to create new localised rates reliefs.
“This is a sensible proposal and could help address particular local issues, but its success will take time to assess.”


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In its 30th year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reaffirms its commitment to adopt global central banking standards and transition to a digital financial system while promoting price stability, financial stability, and an efficient payments and settlements system in the country.
Over the years, subsequent amendments to Republic Act (RA) No. 7653 or the New Central Bank Act have strengthened the BSP’s capacity to execute its primary goal of maintaining price stability that is conducive to sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The BSP’s consistent efforts to execute this mandate have guided individuals and businesses in making sound decisions on saving, borrowing, and investing with confidence on the power of the Philippine currency.
Minting a better future for the banking public
“Recent global and local events like the COVID-19 pandemic helped shape our perspective as central bankers,” said BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr.
“While the technical nature of our work requires managing a delicate balance between inflation and growth, we also acknowledge our role in helping Filipinos access banking services, increase their financial literacy, and protect themselves from fraud and cybersecurity threats,” he added.
Governor Remolona is optimistic that the country is ready for a better digitalized financial landscape, given the increased use of digital payments in the country over the last five years.
“We consider these facets of central banking critical to inclusive and sustainable economic growth—where individuals in far-flung areas in the provinces are offered the same financial services as those living in Metro Manila or in any urbanized city,” he added.
According to the 2022 Status of Digital Payments BSP Report , the share in terms of volume of digital payments over total retail payments significantly increased to 42.1% from 30.3% in 2021. Meanwhile, the share of digital payments in terms of value stood at 40.1%, a slight decline from 44.1% in 2021.
Engineering new ways of central banking
As a central bank that places the public at the center of its mandates and growing advocacies, the BSP continues to embark on innovative programs and initiatives meant to bring the institution closer to the Filipino people.
1. Polymerization of banknotes
In April 2022, the BSP began the test circulation of the new 1000-Piso polymer banknotes. These new banknotes use the latest technology to provide Filipinos with smarter, cleaner, and stronger bills that are more resistant to counterfeiting, more hygienic and sanitary, and longer-lasting than paper banknotes.
2. Paleng-QR Ph Plus Program
A joint initiative of the BSP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Paleng-QR Ph Plus Program promotes the use and acceptance of digital payments in local markets, public transportation, and other establishments.
3. Coin Deposit Machine (CoDM) Project
This project encourages the public to deposit their idle coins in the CoDMs and convert them into e-wallet credits or shopping vouchers. Recently implemented across the Greater Manila Area, the CoDM project aims to promote efficient coin recirculation in the country, address artificial coin shortages in certain areas, and ensure that only fit and legal tender currency is readily available for public use.
4. Check-Protect-Report (CPR) campaign
With the rise of digital banking and e-commerce, the BSP is rolling out its CPR information drive to protect financial consumers from online scams and other fraudulent activities.
5. Financial Education Stakeholders Expo
This event gathers over 1,000 advocates every year to foster multi-sectoral collaborations for financial education programs in the country.
6. Open Finance PH Pilot
A milestone in the establishment of an open finance system in the country, the Open Finance PH Pilot aims to help the unbanked population build a starting financial profile and credit history; and access a range of financial products and services.
7. Regulatory Sandbox Framework
The framework formalizes the Test and Learn (T&L) approach that allows BSP-Supervised Financial Institutions (BSFIs), third-party service providers of BSFIs, and new players to offer financial products and services using new technology to a limited number of customers in a controlled environment.
Preparing a more secure and sustainable financial future for Filipinos
The BSP has been active in promoting green and sustainable policies in the financial system. By nurturing a regulatory environment conducive to sustainable and inclusive growth, the central bank safeguards the country’s transition into the post-pandemic, digital economy.
“The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is a globally renowned institution that is adaptive to new technologies and progressive in its approach to policy. We are considered innovators among central banks in the world. Our flagship programs are proof that we have gone above and beyond the mandate in a bid to be of service to the Filipinos,” concludes Governor Remolona.
As the BSP’s digitalization efforts progress, Filipinos in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, as well as those working across the globe, can expect sustained economic growth and sustainability, marking a new era of digital transformation for the nation.


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|| 23 April 2023
Brigitte Macron 70
A little over a week ago, Brigitte Macron, the French first lady, turned 70. The French media covered the event well. But in English-language publications, I found only two articles I think worthy of calling to your attention.
The first appeared on Yahoo News on the day before her 13 April birthday. The article Brigitte Macron turns 70, hoping to avoid the headlines reports that when asked about her anti-ageing secrets, Brigitte Macron outlined her daily routine: "I do half an hour of sport a day — on my own, without a coach — I eat a balanced diet and I spend time writing and reading.”
Well, we all realize there is surely a bit more to Brigitte Macron’s efforts than just 30 minutes exercise, healthy food and writing and reading. In any case, you can read the Yahoo article at the link below.
The second article appeared in The Telegraph, a UK newspaper. The article written by the newspaper’s Head of Fashion Lisa Armstrong analyzes the seven elements of Brigitte Macron’s personal style: The Vuitton, the Hair, The Tan, The Heels, The Legs, The Dresses, and The Power Suits. All seven have been notable since Mme Macron came to our attention more than five years ago.
Lisa Armstrong also comments on the Brigitte Dichotomy. She writes:
On the one hand she’s an ambassador for French fashion, the embodiment of someone who is both clever and stylish, and a poster girl for older women doing what the hell they want.
On the other, she’s just a bit … de trop.
True, Brigitte Macron’s personal style is a bit de trop — too much — for serving as a chic role model for many 70 year-old-women — not to mention that her personal style is difficult and expensive to maintain. The article relates that, according to the French Court of Audit, the Macrons spend €62,000 (£55,000) annually on makeup and hair styling. That is $68,000 in US dollars. And then there is all that Vuitton and their hefty price tags.
The Telegraph requires a subscription to read the article. But they do offer a free one month trial subscription if you are wanting to read the article and do not have a subscription.
But a caveat: there is little in the article that you who follow this website likely do not already know about Brigitte Macron’s personal style. Other than the amount spent on makeup and hair, the only other new pieces of information for me were a photo of the yellow Vuitton jacket Brigitte Macron wore on the Macron’s recent visit to The Netherlands and a photo of the French first lady in a sleeveless evening dress where her problematic for certain age women upper arms are covered with black armbands. They do the job, but nonetheless those armbands look a lot like blood pressure cuffs.
If you do wish to read How Brigitte Macron never fails to deliver a fashion moment: As the French president’s wife turns 70, what’s the secret of her divisive style? you can do so at the link below.
be chic, stay slim — Anne Barone


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The former adviser of US President Donald Trump, George Papadopoulos, launched a Twitter rant before going to jail for a two-week sentence for lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians, as he suggested foreign powers were out to get him, a report on Vice News said.
Papadopoulos, 31, took aim at former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer in particular, with whom the former Trump aide had shared drinks at an upscale London bar in the early days of the campaign, in May 2016.
I love the USA and the brave men and women of the FBI that risk their lives to protect us. I made the mistake to lie to them for wish I am ashamed. On the other hand, I did notify them that I thought Downer was recording me with his phone. I hope that was investigated.— George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) September 11, 2018
Rebecca Messina is charged with building a centralized, global marketing organization for the San Francisco-based company, which is said to be planning an IPO in 2019. She spent more than two decades at The Coca-Cola Co, most recently as senior vice-president of marketing and innovation.
Uber had seen some turmoil with the departure of a chief brand officer, Bozoma Saint John, and then former Target CMO Jess Jones, who had served as president.
He said the reduced color choices would "simplify manufacturing." Tesla has been under the gun to maintain production level -- particularly of its Model 3 -- in order to increase revenue and avoid a potential cash crunch. Musk said the two colors would still be available as a "special request, but at higher price.
Moving 2 of 7 Tesla colors off menu on Wednesday to simplify manufacturing. Obsidian Black & Metallic Silver will still be available as special request, but at higher price.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 11, 2018
Tesla shares were recently down 2.3% to US$278.86.


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With the release of the Consumer Reports' Top 10 Vehicles for 2013, no U.S.
Read This Article
The 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show opened this weekend, and Automotive.com was on the scene at every debut, every unveiling, and every late-night party.
Toyota has issued separate recalls on certain models of its Camry sedan, Venza crossover, and Tacoma pickup truck.
Hybrid naysayers constantly say hybrids aren't worth the extra cost because it will take years to recover the premium paid for their high-tech vehicles versus a non-hybrid equivalent.


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MTN has announced that its MyMTN Home Uncapped plans will now also offer 5G speed offerings, with a 50Mbps and 100Mbps plan now available….
Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and S8+ launch tomorrow in South Africa, delivering a device that builds off the excellent Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge (review).
Between the great camera, water-resistant design and high screen/body ratio, there’s a lot to like about the new phones. But is the phone worth getting though?
To help you make your decision, we’ve put together a quiz. So give it a shot if you need a helping hand (or if you’re just curious!).


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A year ago tomorrow, restaurateur Mehmet Akpinar got a call that rocked his world.
It was 7 a.m. on Jan. 3, 2010, and he was asleep. The phone rang. A friend was calling to tell him Zorba's Restaurant, the eatery that Akpinar and his wife, Isabel, have owned since 1998, was on fire.
"I thought it was a joke," he said.
The three-alarm fire gutted the restaurant and displaced more than 20 of his employees. "It was devastating."
The fire began a tortuous, nearly yearlong odyssey that included times when Akpinar was unsure if he and his wife would be able to reopen at all.
"This was really tough," Akpinar said, refusing to provide details. "There were so many things [about the process] I couldn't control. But I never lost faith."
The odyssey ended this past Saturday when the restaurant, in the Tuckernuck Square shopping center on West Broad Street in Henrico County, held its official grand reopening.
The date was symbolic for Akpinar, who wanted to reopen before the new year.
Nearly everything about Zorba's has changed, including the layout of the restaurant, the color scheme and the kitchen, Akpinar said.
"We could not rebuild it the way it was, so we looked to see what we could do to improve it."
What counts, however, hasn't changed, he said.
The menu is exactly what it was before, all but two of the employees returned and his wife is still in the kitchen. Even the portrait of the Akpinars' son, John, hangs at the bar — it's a duplicate though; the original burned.
What also returned? The customers.
Zorba's held a soft opening last week to test new systems, work out kinks in the kitchen and get the employees reacquainted with the restaurant.
Word quickly spread and, before long, the restaurant was packed. At 7 p.m. last Monday, Zorba's was turning diners away because the kitchen wasn't ready for the rush, he said.
By Thursday, though, the restaurant hadn't officially opened but was humming along and was busy as ever.
And Akpinar was back to working 14-hour days, which was reinvigorating, he said.
"I'm back to my life."
Furniture store closing
Downtown Richmond home furnishings retailer These Four Walls is shutting down.
"Unfortunately, we saw a huge drop in traffic this past year. The sidewalks in Shockoe were much, much quieter, and that hurt us," said Angie Heyming, who owns the store along with her husband, Hank.
Heyming officially announces the closing today.
These Four Walls, at 14th and East Cary streets, sells eclectic furniture and gift and decorative pieces.
Heyming, a former lawyer, opened the 11,000-square-foot store in early 2006, a couple of years before the economy soured.
The store is holding a liquidation sale, and Heyming hopes to sell off the entire inventory by the middle of February.
"Owning a retail store in this terrible economic environment has been tough," she said.
Genghis Grill is opening its first Richmond-area eatery.
The Mongolian barbecue restaurant chain is moving into Chesterfield Towne Center in space formerly occupied by Spinnaker's.
The space has been vacant since Spinnaker's closed in November 2009.
Genghis Grill is expected to open this spring.
The Dallas-based chain already has two restaurants in the state, both in Northern Virginia.
Also opening at Chesterfield Towne Center is Salon Plaza.
The salon, which just completed construction on a space that has an exterior entrance next to Old Navy, is expected to open in the first couple of weeks of this month.
Salon Plaza held an open house last week to introduce itself to potential stylists.
The company also is opening a location at the Shops at White Oak Village in eastern Henrico.
Several local nonprofits will get free marketing plans thanks to advertising students at Virginia Commonwealth University.
The free work, which can include new websites, social media strategies and brochures, will be created during a 24-hour marathon session at VCU's School of Mass Communications' fifth annual CreateAthon in March.
In all, 12 local nonprofits get the free work.
The nonprofits getting help include the Chamberlayne Actors Theatre, New Visions, New Ventures and the West End Community Center.
About 40 groups applied.
The list was narrowed based on an applicant's resources, how well its needs matched the students' expertise and whether those needs could be met within the 24-hour window.
The program is part of a semester-long class that specifically works on creating communications strategies for nonprofits.
Since VCU began holding CreateAthon, more than 50 nonprofits have received about $440,000 worth of free marketing.


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BlackBerry has long been quietly planning to launch a new push-button phone in 2021. New information with the release date, price and features of the new 5G phone released by BlackBerry is slowly coming to light.
BlackBerry 5G is not designed by the original team
It will not be made by the original BlackBerry developers who sell their mobile patents on their phone and mainly enter the market for making smart cars and security technology. Instead, OnwardMobility, which acquired the company, is taking over the build of the phone. The company is committed to working with Nokia, Xiaomi and Foxconn on a new BlackBerry.
The phone, which has not yet received pricing information, is expected to be around $ 649. It was indicated that the price could be higher due to the use of a different production process. OnwardMobility also stated in a press release that the phone will be built under strict rules to ensure the integrity of its components, device and supply chain. This is believed to help provide a high level of security for large businesses.
“More than half of the world’s population now owns smartphones, so the market is huge,” said Peter Franklin, CEO of OnwardMobility. But we want to fill the gap in the ultra-secure and productivity-focused smartphone that can meet the needs of business users, government users and security-conscious consumers.
In addition to having 5G support, the phone is said to have Android operating system as well. But whether it is Android 11 or an older version is another problem that is confusing. Additionally, the phone, which will feature a physical keyboard, has set its sights on appealing to longtime BlackBerry fans. As for the battery, the BlackBerry 5G is expected to use a 6000 mAh battery and Moto G9 Power with a battery life of two days. Finally, it is expected that the new BlackBerry applications will run quickly and have the necessary functions to avoid file storage problems.


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An Alabama law firm is suing Taco Bell over accusations that the pseudo-Mexican fast food chain is not living up to government standards with its meat. Lawyers contend that the Bell’s “beef” is actually less than 35% actual beef. They allege that, among other ingredients, corn and oats make up the bulk, which, while not completely terrible for your health, is dishonest and you should really expect integrity from the company that gives you a taco in 10 seconds. But Taco Bell reps are saying the charges are bogus and they plan to counter sue for damages to the company’s pristine reputation. I plan on suing, too, unless Taco Bell agrees to bring back the Volcano Taco. That thing is F-ing delicious.
Meanwhile, things are also getting sticky for the world’s fast food leader, McDonald’s, as the company will be raising prices this year. The reason for this unexpected inconvenience is that the ingredients used for your favorite McFoods are also going up in price. The price changes will be seen more throughout Europe than in the U.S., but the food chain’s leadership doesn’t want to upset too many people so it will be carefully choosing which products will get the increase. And I’m no psychic, but I think that’s bad news for fans of the Lobster McNuggets.
But while two giants deal with problems, one fast food empire is reaping the benefits. In a Rasmussen Poll of 1,000 American consumers, more than 61 percent admitted that Wendy’s is their preferred fast food restaurant. To be fair, that group said that they were “somewhat favorable” to Wendy’s over McDonald’s and Burger King. Only 16 percent said that they were very favorable of the girl with the red hair making their burgers. Burger King led the way with an unfavorable rating of 42 percent, but they can’t complain because they’re the ones who tell us to have it our way.
- Lawyers suing Taco Bell because there’s nothing else to do. (WFTV Orlando)
- McDonald’s announces price increase in 2011. So long, $1 menu. (Yahoo!)
- Wendy’s leads the fast food biz, according to Rasmussen poll. (QSR Web)
- Oh Japan, your craziness knows no bounds. Polluting smokestacks and oil refineries have become incredibly popular tourist destinations in Japan, creating a new stir in the country’s economy. Hell, if that impresses them, I’ll charge ‘em $5 each to check out the broken exhaust on my Jeep. (Wall Street Journal)
- While Groupon made major news for turning down Google’s $6 billion offer, the Internet giant isn’t exactly just letting the online discount site walk away quietly. Google is currently headhunting “outreach specialists” to establish the foundation for a direct competitor. This can’t end pretty. (Bloomberg)
- In 2006, McDonald’s blew away the fast food competition with more than $21 billion in sales worldwide. To put that in perspective, the next three companies combined to just barely top that amount, with Yum! Brands finishing in second place with only $9.6 billion. (Sweet Additions)
- The 2010 CARDIA Study revealed that people who eat fast food two or more times per week were gaining at least 10 pounds more than those who eat out only once per week. Also affecting the weight difference were smoking, drinking and less exercising, also known as the average day in Wisconsin. (Health Tree)


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- AUD/USD falls as the Asian session begins as traders brace for US CPI data.
- US CPI expected at 2.9% y/y, core CPI at 3.7% may influence Fed rate cut debates and affect USD.
- NY Fed survey keeps inflation expectations steady, underscoring lingering concerns about price pressures.
- RBA's Kohler points to Australia's inflation challenge and dampened near-term growth outlook.
AUD/USD starts the Asian session below its opening price by 0.05% after making minimal gains of 0.12% on Monday. A rare economic calendar had investors turning to comments from a Federal Reserve official, earnings from the U.S. Treasury Department and market sentiment, with traders awaiting US inflation numbers. At the time of writing, the pair was trading at 0.6529 after hitting a weekly high of 0.6543.
Australia's economy could cool in the short term
Sentiment was mixed as Wall Street ended the session with the Dow Jones up but the S&P 500 and Nasdaq down. Investors appear jittery ahead of Tuesday's U.S. inflation report as January's U.S. consumer sentiment Price index (CPI) is expected at 2.9% y/y from 3.4%. Core CPI is expected at 3.7%, down from 3.9&.
That said, Monday's US calendar revealed the New York Federal Reserve's survey of consumer inflation expectations came in at 3% for one year and 2.5% for five years, unchanged from December.
Given this situation, if inflation continues to fall, it will be negative for it American dollar, as investors could price the Fed's rate cut sooner rather than later. This follows Fed Chairman Powell noted that they could begin easing policy before inflation reaches 2%.
Meanwhile, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) economist Marion Kohler said inflation was still too high, adding that it would take time to reach its target. She added that services inflation remains high and expects economic growth to remain subdued in the near term.
On the data front, the Aussie economic calendar will feature the Westpac Consumer Confidence Survey alongside the NAB Business Confidence. On the US front, inflation data is widely expected.
AUD/USD Price Analysis: Technical Outlook
After dipping below the 100-day moving average (DMA), AUD/USD remains neutral to the downside, supported by buyers holding the exchange rate above 0.6500. If sellers break below this level, the next support would be at 0.6468 on February 5, followed by the psychological level of 0.6400. On the other hand, if buyers retrace the 100-DMA at 0.6536, it could open the door to challenge the 200-DMA at 0.6568, followed by the 0.6600 mark.


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TOKYO (CBS.MW) -- There is speculation that software giant Microsoft and video-game maker Electronic Arts could be on the brink of a battle to acquire Japanese video-game pioneer Sega.
The Asian Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the situation, said the two potential suitors have yet to hold formal talks with Sega and that no deal was imminent, but that both Microsoft and EA are separately considering the possibility of buying all or part of Sega.
Separately, Sega of America has cut about 20 percent of its staff, or 90 people, at its San Francisco headquarters. The cuts, effective Friday, are part of a previously-announced management reorganization, said company spokeswoman Gwen Marker.
Companies mum on merger talks
Masato Suzuki of Sega said the company "has not been approached by Microsoft on this matter," and said that the two companies are not planning to hold talks at this moment regarding a takeover or mergers.
The Saturday morning edition of the Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun also reported that EA was negotiating a deal with Sega. Insiders familiar with the talks believe EA is considering purchasing CSK Corp.'s 22 percent stake in Sega, according to the newspaper. Computer-services provider CSK is Sega's largest shareholder.
The newspaper made no mention of Microsoft.
Officials with both companies were not immediately available for comment. Sega's Marker declined to comment on the speculation.
But analysts said that such a deal seems likely, especially after Sega SEGNY earlier this month announced plans to merge its business with pachinko game machine maker Sammy, abandoning plans to restructure on its own.
"It's quite possible that Microsoft is eyeing Sega's game software programmers and creators because of their good reputation," said Tomoaki Kawasaki, a game sector analyst from Cosmo Securities. "Sega has many good game software creators and some of them take deep pride in making games for Sega ... so Sega's planned merger announcement with Sammy might be prompting some of them to leave the company and causing internal conflict," Kawasaki said.
The AWSJ said that either Microsoft or EA could emerge as a white knight to grab Sega from a plan to combine with Sammy, a deal that some observers say faces numerous obstacles, including internal opposition.
Sega, once a leader in the videogame business, stopped making the unprofitable Dreamcast game machine in 2001 and now creates titles for Microsoft's Xbox, Nintendo's
For Microsoft, a deal with Sega (7964) could give its 16-month-old Xbox access to exclusive game titles, said the report.
Sega also would give Redwood City, Calif.-based Electronic Arts a boost in Japan, where it has been expanding.
"EA would be interested in the core hardware publishing business [of Sega], provided that the sports side is being dramatically reduced, which appears to be happening," said Jeetil Patel, who covers EA for Deutsche Bank in San Francisco.
Microsoft has asked at least one U.S. investment bank to investigate ways it potentially could buy all or part of Sega, said the Journal report.
The Journal said Microsoft approached Sega with an investment offer about two years ago. Microsoft and Sega executives are expected to hold informal meetings in coming weeks on how to collaborate more closely, according to the report.


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The president of Mission Group believes his company’s new 20-storey mixed-use condo tower will sell out quickly, despite testing the price limit of downtown Kelowna.
Spend a few days in Kelowna and you would likely agree. Infused with outstanding beauty, young vitality, plenty of soft-collar jobs, a zero per cent rental vacancy rate and the most B.C. housing starts outside of the Lower Mainland, Kelowna is on a roll that seems to be just starting.
Read the full article online at westerninvestor.com.
Those interested in a learning more about and registering to recieve updates on ELLA can do so by visiting http://liveatella.com/
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Photo Credit: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Jenny From The Boat: Jennifer Lopez To Become Virgin Voyages ' Chief Entertainment & Lifestyle Officer
The news is officially out. Jennifer Lopez is due to become Virgin Voyages’ Investor and Chief Entertainment & Lifestyle Officer. The announcement comes as Virgin Voyages sets out to completely reshape the ceremonial role of Godmother and reimagine it with a modernized, fresh approach.
Jennifer Lopez has been considered as the perfect fit for the ‘reinvention of the godmother role’, and just in time as travel starts to pick back up. Virgin Voyages, the award-winning cruise line founded by Richard Branson, told Travel Noire in a press release that “The Virgin experience is redefining the nautical tradition of appointing a godmother from a ceremonial role to a truly modern, change-making partnership with undoubtedly one of the most powerful artists in the world.”
Virgin Voyages’ very first ship, Scarlet Lady, was built to reflect sleek luxury, emitting that hard to replicate on-sea intimacy paired with world-class entertainment. As a new lifestyle travel brand dedicated to offering irresistible cruise vacations, Virgin Voyages’ has big plans for the future.
“My artistic and social mission is to empower, inspire and entertain,” said Lopez.
“Any opportunity that I get to combine all these attributes into a partnership and collaboration is exciting for me. I admire Sir Richard and all he has built. I am inspired by Virgin Voyages’ dedication to creating irresistible experiences and focus on well-being, which all fits perfectly with my own lifestyle and brand ethos.” she added.
It goes without saying that the excitement for the new partnership is very much mutual: “We knew immediately that we wanted Jennifer to be a partner and to help Virgin Voyages shape the future of travel on the high seas. She is one of the most talented and hardest working people out there,” says Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group. “I admire her as an artist, as an entrepreneur and as a person.”
Tom McAlpin, CEO of Virgin Voyages also expressed for what Jennifer Lopez would bring to the role and overall cruise experience: “As an investor and advisor, she turns the godmother tradition on its head and makes it powerful and limitless. We couldn’t be more excited for what is ahead.”
The announcement of the relationship between Jennifer Lopez, Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages was unveiled on social media in a humorous video that captured Jennifer and Richard on FaceTime together.
To learn more about the partnership with Jennifer Lopez, check out the blog post here.


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Digital rights management technologies have been a contentious topic for some time now. Although nearly abolished in the music world – at least in any form that significantly affects paying customers – when it comes to video games many publishers still favor bundling heavy-handed solutions with titles to fight piracy. Among those is Namco, which recently called Ubisoft's controversial always-on DRM scheme a good strategy "at the moment," for lack of a better alternative.
Thankfully, others seem to have more forward-thinking views on how to confront this issue. Speaking to VideoGamer.com, Blizzard co-founder Frank Pearce called DRM a losing battle and said they'd rather have development teams focused on content and cool features. According to Pearce the best approach is to make sure they've got a full-featured platform that people want to play on, where their friends are and where the community is.
You could say this is the same strategy that Valve has followed for a while quite successfully with Steam. Blizzard hopes its Battle.net service will be attractive enough to convince would-be pirates to buy the game, and there have been rumors that the company is mulling the possibility of licensing the overhauled platform to third parties. As far as StarCraft II is concerned, due out on July 27, the game will require a single online activation after which players will be allowed to play the single-player game, without being forced to have a persistent Internet connection.


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British audio brand RHA makes some beautiful in-ear headphones, cast from steel for a silver sparkle that stands out from their plastic competitors. The company’s previously-introduced T10i bring more than just style to the table, too, boasting excellent performance, as well as removable filters that alter the sound. Now, RHA has taken that concept a few steps further, unveiling the innovative new T20.
Set to premiere at next week’s High End show in Munich, the T20 boast the same removable filters and mold injection steel construction as their predecessor. But inside, there’s something new cooking. RHA has created a brand new driver that melds two individually-powered voice coils together — one focused on the upper registers, and one for the low end — to build a powerful, balanced sound signature.
Using what the company calls “micro annular magnets” to produce the T20’s new DualVoice Coil, the headphones are engineered to offer a refined performance that’s tailored to showcase high resolution audio, with a massively wide claimed frequency response of 16Hz-40kHz. It’s an all-new kind of dynamic driver, according to the company, and one that RHA hopes will bring some sonic gold to its silver buds.
The included filters are designed to let users emphasize bass, treble, or choose a more balanced sound, allowing the headphones to lean in to a variety of musical tastes. In addition, the new T20 offer high-grade cables composed of oxygen-free copper, as well as patent-pending moldable over-ear hooks. And as with the T10i, the headphones come in a tidy display case that hosts 10 pairs of silicone and memory foam eartips, and a carrying case to take the headphones on the go.
The T20 don’t come cheap, towing a suggested retail price of $260. However, tendering a host of innovative features and accessories, good pedigree, and a chic design, the T20 might just be the stylish choice discerning listeners have been waiting for.