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Parle Products on Friday said it expects a rise in the price of wheat as Russia and Ukraine are large producers and exporters of grains. Any disruptions in supply due to the geopolitical tensions between the two nations may lead to pushing up prices.
“Palm oil price yesterday (February 24) was at about Rs 140 per kg and that’s putting pressure on the bottomline of most food companies who use palm oil. So, not just oil, even wheat because Ukraine and Russia also happen to be major exporters of wheat. So both the prime raw material commodities which go into food,” Mayank Shah, senior category head, Parle Products, told CNBC-TV18 in an interview.
His remark comes as Russia has attacked Ukraine, which is one of the world's largest exporters of grains - wheat, corn, and barley, whereas Russia itself is the largest wheat exporter, accounting for more than 18 percent of international exports. More than a quarter of the world's wheat export comes from Russia and Ukraine. So far this week, international wheat is already costlier by over 15 percent.
Shah added the company has taken already taken a price hike of 6 to 7 percent this year. He explained that palm oil prices are at a record high which is hurting input costs.
“While we have taken 6-7 percent price hike, I do not think for most companies there is any further room of absorbing the increase in raw material cost because whatever cushion they had in terms of margins, where they can absorb the increased prices of raw material – that’s already done, but beyond this point, it would be difficult for most companies to do that. So, if this situation continues then you will see further price hikes,” he said.
Even as Parle Products’ top official cited concerns about over supply and price hikes, he said the company is covered on the inventory front for the next two to three months.
“Although we are comfortable on the stocks that we have in India, there would be demand coming in from overseas market for wheat because Russia and Ukraine supply would get affected. As a result of which we will probably, going forward, see an increase in wheat flour prices or wheat prices as well,” he said.
Earlier in November, Parle had said the price hike
was on account of the tremendous input cost pressures as the price of key raw material palm oil prices had doubled on a year-on-year (YoY) basis. Packaging and laminate costs have also been up between 20 and 35 percent, it had said, adding that it was seeing a slight shortage of material on the packaging front. Freight costs also climbed on account of fuel prices rising by about 25 to 30 percent, the fast-moving consumer goods company said in November.
Meanwhile, the demand for Parle products has begun to increase in the rural market, Shah said. “Rural demand has started seeing an uptick and we are hopeful about that,” he told CNBC-TV18.
For the entire interview, watch the accompanying video


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CHICAGO, Ill. (March 5, 2014) – Chicago Pet Video, the country’s only production company focused exclusively on animal-focused businesses, announced today that their name has officially been changed to ReelPaws Productions. The name change has been made to more clearly reflect the company’s in-house creative and technical abilities, and national reach.
Andrea Fischetti, managing director of ReelPaws Productions, believes the name change was instrumental to demonstrate its leadership in the pet industry.
“Businesses were under the assumption that we only work in the Midwest region, when in truth we serve clients nationwide and internationally,” Fischetti said. “ReelPaws Productions better represents our expanded capabilities.”
In the past year alone, ReelPaws Productions has brought on an Emmy-nominated Director of Photography, added animation services, and successfully created the first interactive video portal at one of the industry’s largest events, the Backer’s Total Pet Expo (Fall 2013).
“We are proud to bring the pet industry our expertise in creating multimedia campaigns targeting consumers in the online space,” Fischetti added.
ReelPaws Productions is an industry leader in video production for animal exclusive businesses. ReelPaws are experts in online video, including creating content for social media, product demonstrations, overview videos, web series, live streaming, motion graphics, and commercial services.
About ReelPaws Productions
Formed in January 2012, ReelPaws Productions is the only production company in the country focused exclusively on pet industry businesses. ReelPaws Productions’ video marketing campaigns have earned attention from some of the largest and most innovative names in the industry. To date, they have created video campaigns for over 600 pet products, filmed more than 1,000 animals, and their work has appeared on a range of industry and consumer websites and TV stations. For more information, please visit http://www.reelpaws.com/ or connect with ReelPaws Productions on Facebook and Twitter.
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domain: news


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Patios popping up in Downtown Kitchener in anticipation of restrictions being lifted
KITCHENER -- Those walking through Downtown Kitchener may have noticed a number of new patios popping up on the sidewalks.
Business owners like Phong Tran of Matter of Taste say they’re getting ready to reopen and serve food and drinks on their patios as soon as Ontario’s stay-at-home order is lifted.
“Perfect vision of it is going to be hustle bustle with social distance at play,” he said.
With losses of $200 a month, Tran adds that patios are essential to businesses recovering from the impacts of COVID-19.
“It’s been really tough,” he said. “We had two locations and we had to close down one. This one is barely doing enough.”
Tran says the patio could help bring in about 80 per cent of their business.
The patios are part of a new pop-up initiative from the Downtown Kitchener Business Improvement Area as well as the city.
“We want our businesses to be read and able to make up that revenue as soon as the government says go,” said Linda Jutzi, executive director of the BIA. “We’re raising the bar. For the most part, all of our patios are a much large footprint than they were last year.”
The BIA is fully funding the project which includes a patio at Mark’s Caribbean Kitchen.
“I hope by June, somewhere down the line, it feels like it’s been two to three years, but we’re getting there,” said owner Mark Vaughan. “If there’s no dine in, and they open back up for patio season, it’s going to generate a lot of money, and it’s going to bring a lot of people out.”
Hamilton based Pop-Up Street Patios are setting up the patios and some community spaces.
“We’ve had calls from Vancouver, emails from Nova Scotia, PEI,” said president Saverio Valerio. “It’s just been wild.”
A total of 21 patios are being installed in Downtown Kitchener as part of the project.


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Apple Inc (AAPL.O) said on Thursday it is studying options for sapphire supply and might work again with GT Advanced Technologies Inc (GTATQ.PK) if the distressed supplier can reduce production costs for the scratch-resistant material.
GT Advanced Technologies Inc (GTAT.O) said it will cut 890 jobs, close an Arizona plant expected to make scratch-resistant screens for Apple Inc (AAPL.O), and suggested it could pursue legal claims against the iPhone maker while revamping under bankruptcy.
The financial implosion of Apple Inc (AAPL.O) supplier GT Advanced Technologies Inc this week offers a dramatic illustration of how the iPhone maker can put the screws to suppliers willing to take a short-term risk for future riches.
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- Donald Trump Reacts to Vladimir Putin's Comments That He Prefers Joe Biden Over Him in the White House
- Russia's Vladimir Putin Says Russian Scientists Are Close to Creating Cancer Vaccines
- North Korea Is Ready to Boost Bilateral Ties With Japan, Which Just Lost Its Spot as World's Third-Largest Economy
- Kevin Hart's Entertainment Company To Be Led By A Former Warner Bros. Executive
- EU Blacklists North Korea’s Defense Minister, Chinese Firms for First Time in New Sanctions Over Russia's War in Ukraine
- Salt Bae Restaurant Cuts Down Energy Expenses Despite Selling Overpriced Steaks
- Microsoft Catches Hackers From Russia, China, North Korea, Iran Using OpenAI Tools to Improve Their Cyberattacks
- Apple CEO Tim Cook Avoids Taiwan for Foxconn's 50th; COO Attends Instead


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There’s always something going on in Phuket and this week is no exception.
The 20th annual Phuket Bike week kicks off today, 11 April, in Patong Beach. You can hear the rumble of custom choppers, Harley Davidsons and racing bikes in the streets from the show’s many participants from Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Bike week is a family event with food stalls, live music and motorcycle exhibition. It is being held at Loma Park in Patong 11-14 April, then it will move to Saphan Hin in Phuket Town 18-19 April.
April is the hottest and driest month in Thailand and on 13 April, the streets will be filled with thousands of people celebrating Songkran. Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year and it is often referred to as the biggest water fight in the world. This is considered to be the most important Thai holiday and it is an experience not to be missed!


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By Zoe Samios
News Corp-controlled Foxtel has secured a content deal with US entertainment giant WarnerMedia after a battle for the rights against Nine Entertainment Co's streaming service Stan.
The pay TV operator announced on Wednesday it had signed a new exclusive multi-year agreement with the New-York based company, which owns HBO programs including Game of Thrones, Succession and Big Little Lies and Warner Bros shows such as The Big Bang Theory and Friends.
Foxtel's new deal includes the rights to all Warner Bros television shows and movies, HBO content and exclusive rights to new scripted dramas known as 'Originals', which will launch on new US streaming service HBO Max later this month. HBO Max Originals include a reboot of Gossip Girl, The Flight Attendant and Raised by Wolves. Foxtel has also extended its agreement for the Cartoon Network, Boomerang and CNN, and has agreed to work on scripted and non scripted local productions with WarnerMedia.
Sources have previously said the content is worth more than $100 million a year, but Foxtel chief executive Patrick Delany refused to disclose the exact price of the new deal or the length of the agreement.
The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age revealed in February that Foxtel had been vying for an extension of its existing deal, which had two years left to run, ahead of the launch of its new entertainment service Binge. HBO content has previously been hugely popular with the Foxtel audience and the deal delivers a welcome boost ahead of the launch of the new service. The extended WarnerMedia contract adds to existing deals with with BBC, NBCU, Discovery and ViacomCBS.
HBO and Warner Bros content is particularly valuable for Foxtel because the COVID-19 pandemic has halted live sport around the world, which was a key attraction for subscribers. A new WarnerMedia deal also delays plans by HBO to launch its own service in Australia.
"We don't need to worry about that [launch] for now," Mr Delany told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, welcoming the expansion to Foxtel's 25-year long relationship with Warner.
"We have been transforming the company in terms of the deals that we do and so this deal is another one where we are transforming ourselves from being a business based in linear channels to a business based in video on demand across multiple platforms. We have extensive rights on everything that we've picked up," he added.
Mr Delany said it was too early to announce which content would appear on the set top box versus the company's new streaming service, known internally as Project Ares, but said the two products would be different.
"The important part of this deal and every other deal we've done in the last 18 months is we've got complete freedom," he said. "It follows the same commercial rationale as Kayo in that we can monetise the rights more extensively."
Jeffrey Schlesinger, television distribution president at Warner Bros Worldwide said the company was pleased to secure one deal for all Warner Bros, HBO and HBO Max content.
Securing HBO content had been considered crucial for Stan, whose owner Nine Entertainment Co also owns The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Stan and Foxtel both lost Disney content late last year when its streaming service Disney Plus was launched and Stan has less than a year left on its long-term deal with Showtime, the premium channel owned by ViacomCBS.
Sources previously told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that it is likely ViacomCBS will pull its Showtime and Nickelodeon brands from Stan and Foxtel once the contracts expire and pull them into its local streaming service 10 All Access.
Nine chief executive Hugh Marks told investors on Tuesday that the company would be "aggressive" bidders for global content deals.
"What we can see when we plan those discussions is that with the revenue base we have across free to air, broadcast video on demand and subscription video on demand, we are able to be very aggressive ... because we do have the revenue base to amortise large commitments for large studios and that's why we're in a really strong position at the moment," Mr Marks said.
"Does that mean relationships might change? Of course they will - they'll change from time to time. The brand value that Stan has and its customer base and its revenue base means that it's in a strong position to compete ... and no one deal will make or break Stan."


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Zoca, 98 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach, hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and Locals Appreciation Day on Nov. 14 with the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce.
Zoca will be open year-round, offering weekly specials.
Chef and owner Danio Somoza has crafted each dish with the freshest flavors, adding his twist to authentic Mexican cuisine. The event included a sampling of their modern Mexican cuisine, live music, giveaways and a cash bar. The food selection included a build-your-own taco and fajita bar and chicken quesadillas.
For more, visit zoca.resturant or call 616-2120.


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An ongoing experiment with bitcoin payments technology, the lightning network, continues to see support from some big name individuals and companies.
Fidelity Digital Assets tweeted:
The lightning network is an up-and-coming – yet still experimental – technology being built as an extra layer to bitcoin, allowing users to pass funds around the world quickly and without a third party, unlike more traditional payments options like Mastercard and Paypal.
The Lightning Torch showcases the technology, with Twitter accounts receiving the "torch" – a lightning payment – and passing it on after adding a nominal amount of bitcoin to the total. The experiment was kicked in mid-January off by an enthusiast, called Hodlonaut on Twitter, and has since been passed among prominent members of the crypto community and globally known individuals including Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
Dorsey said at the time:
The experiment has also been called the “LN Trust Chain,” since current holders are supposed to send it on to someone they trust will send the payment on, rather than keep it to themselves.
According to the tracker, one recipient actually "stole" the small amount of bitcoin early on, while another returned it, presumably not wanting to join the experiment.
Torch image via Shutterstock
CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


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Management at Cleethorpes Beachcomber Caravan Park have told a popular caravan owner he needs to leave the site or upgrade after his caravan was deemed too old.
Steven Richardson who has been on the popular Cleethorpes caravan park for more than 25 years was shocked when the new owners told him his caravan was too old. He was given the option of either upgrading, moving the caravan off site, or selling it to a trader.
When he was told the news, Steven, 56, from Leeds said he was left devastated. He said when he purchased his caravan there was no mention of an age limit. He claims that when he purchased the caravan, he was told that there was no age limit and as long as the caravan was maintained and tidy it could stay on site.
Now, Steven Richardson feels shocked after he was told he had to sell his 15-year-old caravan for just £2,000. He originally paid £18,000 for it.
As well as only being paid £2,000 for his caravan which would be worth a lot more through a private sale, Steven is being forced to pay £400 disconnection fee.
Steven said he was informed in March of this year that he tenancy would run out in April of next year and there was no option of it being renewed.
He said there was no such rule when he purchased the caravan, and that rule has only been introduced by the new owners.
When news broke that the Beachcomber caravan park was being sold, caravan owners on the park were worried about the future. When they found out that the popular Cleethorpes caravan park was being sold to Away Resorts, many were even more worried.
It now seems that worry has become a reality, especially for Steven who is determined to warn others about buying a caravan on the Cleethorpes caravan park.
Steven is determined to let as many people know as possible about his situation to make sure no one else has to go through what he has gone through.
Since the news came to light that Steven would have to leave the Beachcomber Holiday Park, other caravan owners on the park have contacted Lincolnshire News & Lifestyle expressing their worry for the future.
Carole Keeble from the Holiday Park Action Group has expressed her sadness at the way Steven Richardson has been treated.
Her action group was set up to help clean up the caravan industry and to stop such actions taking place. She has asked all caravan owners on the Beachcomber site who are worried about their future to visit her action group and express their concerns. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1488700298019076
Away Resorts, who recently took over the Cleethorpes Beachcomber Holiday Park, said: “Mr Richardson’s License Agreement tenure period expires in early 2022 and he has decided to sell his home to a trader. At the end of the tenure period caravan owners have the following options:
To Part Exchange the Holiday Home and be issued with a new 15 Year Licence Agreement
Move the Holiday Home off park to another site
Sell the Holiday Home to a Trader
This is a very similar situation to what is happening in Skegness, where caravan owners have been told once there caravan becomes a certain age it must be removed from site. https://www.in2town.co.uk/skegness-news/kingfisher-caravan-park-owners-apologise-to-skegness-residents-for-taking-council-to-court/


text: Rage: Anarchy Edition / 10 Jun 2011 Rage Delayed to October Share. id Software's shooter slips a month. By Jim Reilly Bethesda and id Software have delayed the release of Rage by one month, according to the game's official website. The post-apocalyptic shooter will now hit retailers on October 4 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Rage was originally slated for release on September 13. id Software co-founder John Carmack said the studio has plans to develop a sequel. IN THIS ARTICLE Rage: Anarchy Edition Released Oct. 4th, 2011 Xbox 360 PC Rage: Anarchy Edition Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Rage features intense first-person action and vehicle combat delivered through jaw-dropping graphics powered by id's revolutionary idTech 5 technology. Get Deal On PC This link directs to a retail affiliate. IGN may receive a commission from your purchase.


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SINGAPORE: At least 12,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points will be installed across all Housing and Development Board (HDB) car parks by the end of 2025, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Wednesday (Nov 2).
The authority has awarded a tender to five lead companies for the deployment of the charging points, covering nearly 2,000 HDB car parks across Singapore. When completed, every HDB town will be EV-ready, LTA said.
The five successful tenderers will be responsible for deploying EV charging points in HDB car parks in the north, north-east, east, west and central regions of Singapore.
“To strengthen the resiliency of the EV charging network, each region has been awarded to two tenderers, and each tenderer has been awarded two regions,” said LTA.
The tenderers are as follows:


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Chicken Little? He's in the Popeyes chicken sandwich, and all the other chicken sandwiches at fast food joints—if they can get their hands on him. As Bloomberg has reported, fast food chains are now fighting over small chickens weighing less than 4.5 pounds, whose breasts make the perfect size for a chicken sandwich.
Remember when Popeyes completely sold out of the famous sandwich just two weeks after its launch? According to Bloomberg, the chain thought it had enough supply for months, but that clearly wasn't the case—and we finally have an explanation for that puzzling shortage: As fast food chains ramp up their chicken sandwich offerings, there simply aren't enough chickens with perfectly sized, quarter-pound breasts. When it comes to making sandwiches, smaller breasts mean less labor and no trimmings that could go to waste.
Chick-fil-A, one of the country's largest restaurant chains, is basically synonymous with chicken sandwiches; there's now Popeyes' ridiculously popular version, obviously; and McDonald's rolled out two new breakfast chicken sandwiches just this week.
The little chickens needed for these offerings are the exception to the huge-breasted birds Americans have gotten used to over the past century. Broiler chickens, prized for their plentiful white meat, have grown considerably this past century, from an average market weight of 2.5 pounds in 1925 to 6.26 pounds in 2018. Those birds have been bred to have larger breasts, which are great for cut-down offerings like chicken tenders and boneless wings, but obviously not so great for fitting between the buns of a sandwich.
Civil Eats reported last year that some producers are working to raise slower-growing and more athletic chickens, but animal-protein economist Will Sawyer told Bloomberg that there's no new supply to meet the growing demand. America's chicken sandwich obsession—and the endless push for fast food chains to make a version of their own—doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon.


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You are here
LOOK AT THIS RED VOLKSWAGEN ID R
VW wants to set a new record in China with the ID R. But mostly, RED
Look at it. It’s RED. Volkswagen has announced it wants to set a new record with its blackout-inducing, mad ID R electric racecar. Oh, blackout-inducing you say? The ID R made our Motoring Editor Ollie Marriage literally black out for a few moments while driving it. True story.
Anyway, mostly it’s now become quite RED. The record attempt will occur in China, hence the RED. See, in China, red denotes good luck and happiness. It’s a surprise Ferrari didn’t make it big over there years ago.
VW’s going to run the ID R at the Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road - a terrifying ascent featuring 99 hairpins. With all that power and g-force available it’ll likely be a different colour inside the cockpit, too.
Here’s a quote from Volkswagen. “The pioneering ID R is the ambassador for our fully-electric ID family, which will be launched in China from 2020,” said Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein, the boss of Volkswagen in China. “I think we have come up with a spectacular livery for the ID R for its ‘China Challenge’ in September. The ID R’s records have allowed us at Volkswagen to demonstrate our passion for e-mobility and its potential in a diverse range of conditions. The ID R is the ﬁrst member of the ID family to take to the roads of China.”
So, there’s a marketing message there inside all the RED. But… doesn’t it look fine in this new hue?


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Nollywood Actor, Richard Mofe-Damijo has taken on a brand new look and wishes recommendation from his followers.
The actor, popularly often called RMD, has unveiled this new look and he’s asking his followers’ opinion about it.
Taking to his Instagram, he shared the image which is probably going in for the promotion of a brand new film.
READ ALSO –RMD, Toke Makinwa, Mercy Aigbe, Others Stun At Love Is Warfare Film Premiere
See The Picture Right here:
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Martha Stewart clarifies Kmart sales
EmptyNEW YORK -- Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc said Friday it erroneously reported 125% sales growth of "soft home" products sold at Kmart stores over a one-week period when compared to the same week a year earlier.
The company said it gave the figure at an advertising week conference in New York on Thursday.
The company said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that same-store sales of the products rose 28% when compared to a year earlier, including a 124% increase in its fashion bedding products, a segment of its soft-home division.
Kmart is owned by Sears Holdings Corp.


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Business at the three auction floors temporarily came to a halt today as farmers boycotted the trading of the golden leaf citing unviable prices ranging between US$0,80 to US$1, 10. Farmers at the three auction floors took their disgruntlement to a higher level by threatening to keep their tobacco and Camel, owing to what they term unviable pricing model and boycotted trading for more than two hours before the resumption of trading later in the day.
Farmers who spoke to the media at the auction floors said they were reaped off by buyers as tobacco was pegged at between US$0, 60 and US$I,20 at Tobacco Sales Floor.
At Millennium floors, a kilogramme was fetching between US$0, 80 cents and US$1. 20 while it was going for US$1 per kilogram at Boka Auction floors before it went up to $4.30 after the boycott. Farmers appealed for government intervention to bring sanity at the floors.
Boka Auction floors spokesperson, Ms Rudo Boka said the boycott was resolved amicably with the auction floor appointing a representative of all farmers at the floor, adding that trading resumed after deliberations with farmers, buyers and TIMB.
Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) chairman, Mr. Njodzi Machirori confirmed the development at the three auction floors but could not give a satisfactory reason as to why buyers were paying low prices.
Prices at the auction floors have been tumbling in recent weeks despite delivering the best tobacco as compared to what is normally delivered during the first days of the selling season.


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Integrating high-performance, lightweight plastic and composite materials to extend range and reduce fuel consumption towards net zero.
Governments everywhere are looking to the electric vehicle (EV) as a means to rapidly reduce carbon emissions, clean up our cities and tackle climate change. But while banning the manufacture of petrol or diesel cars, as the UK hopes to do in 2030, seems like a simple move, transitioning to electric vehicles is complex. It will require the UK’s automotive industry to undergo a rapid gear change as it works hard to innovate the required new technologies and materials that can increase the number of EVs on the roads and uptake by consumers.
With the Biden administration in the USA proposing $100 billion USD of investment into EV rebates and China already leading the way with incentivisation - being responsible for over 50% of Electric vehicle production in 2019 – the automotive supply chain in the EU and around the world is on standby for sudden regulatory change that could impact its manufacturing processes.
The Sustainable Electric Vehicle (EV) Design – with plastics and composites conference will bring together all those who are passionate about innovating in e-mobility to lightweight vehicles, reduce range anxiety, accelerate consumer demand and support the achievement of government regulation and targets from across the UK, Europe, USA, Asia and beyond. This event will reveal the current level of global progress towards lightweight material integration; design for recycling and EV battery recycling as well as demonstrate how you can overcome the technical, design and engineering challenges that emerge with the transition from creating combustion engine to electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Composites UK members receive a 10% discount at this event. Login to the members area for the code.


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According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) is expected to reveal its Adaptive Controller, which will be compatible with Xbox One consoles and Windows 10 PCs.
Microsoft shares closed lower for a third consecutive trading session on Thursday. It has also been the steepest daily loss since May 2nd. The stock went down 1.00% ($0.97) to $96.18, after touching an intraday low at $95.84, or a price level not seen since May 9th ($95.05).
In the week ended on May 13th the shares of the tech giant added 2.67% to their market value compared to a week ago, which marked the fourth gain out of five weeks. It has also been the best performance since the week ended on April 15th.
However, due to the recent string of losses, the stock has pared its advance to 2.84% so far during the current month, following a 2.47% surge in April. The latter has been the fifth gain out of seven months.
For the entire past year, the shares of the NASDAQ-listed company rose 37.66%, following another 12.00% surge in 2016.
The accessibility-focused controller is to be priced at $99.99 and will be made available for purchase later in 2018, the Journal reported.
The rectangular controller will feature two large programmable buttons as well as 19 jacks, which users with disabilities can connect to a variety of peripherals such as joysticks, buttons, switches and foot pedals.
“For gamers with limited mobility, finding controller solutions to fit their individual needs has been challenging”, Microsoft Corp said in a statement.
“The solutions that exist today are often expensive, hard to find, or require significant technical skill to create. Our goal was to make the device as adaptable as possible, so gamers can create a setup that works for them in a way that is plug-and-play, extensible, and affordable.”
According to data by AbleGamers, more than 33 million users in North America, who play video games, have a disability of some type.
According to CNN Money, the 33 analysts, offering 12-month forecasts regarding Microsoft’s stock price, have a median target of $110.00, with a high estimate of $130.00 and a low estimate of $75.00. The median estimate is a 14.37% surge compared to the closing price of $96.18 on May 17th.
The same media also reported that 27 out of 35 surveyed investment analysts had rated Microsoft’s stock as “Buy”, while 6 – as “Hold”. On the other hand, 1 analyst had recommended selling the stock.
Daily and Weekly Pivot Levels
With the help of the Camarilla calculation method, today’s levels of importance for the Microsoft stock are presented as follows:
R1 – $96.34
R2 – $96.49
R3 (Range Resistance – Sell) – $96.65
R4 (Long Breakout) – $97.12
R5 (Breakout Target 1) – $97.66
R6 (Breakout Target 2) – $97.89
S1 – $96.02
S2 – $95.87
S3 (Range Support – Buy) – $95.71
S4 (Short Breakout) – $95.25
S5 (Breakout Target 1) – $94.70
S6 (Breakout Target 2) – $94.47
By using the traditional method of calculation, the weekly levels of importance for Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) are presented as follows:
Central Pivot Point – $96.90
R1 – $98.75
R2 – $99.80
R3 – $101.65
R4 – $103.50
S1 – $95.85
S2 – $94.00
S3 – $92.95
S4 – $91.90


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Federico Marchetti might be cut from Italian cloth but the chief executive of Yoox Net-a-Porter isn’t shouldering the same growing pains as his Milano luxury peers.
One year on from closing the €3.4bn (£2.9bn) merger of Net-a-Porter and Yoox, creating the world’s biggest luxury retailer, Marchetti on Wednesday unveiled an incredibly bullish business plan to boost the company’s revenues by as much as 20pc a year until 2020.
What makes these targets even more ambitious is that they have been set as most of the world’s biggest luxury groups suffer from the slowdown among China’s super spenders and a continuing struggle to make their brands relevant for the online shopper.
However, Marchetti is...
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With Christmas spending already hitting household finances; another concern is whether UK living costs will rise in the New Year.
With uncertainty remaining over the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, it is hard to gauge whether this will cause a rise in UK living costs in 2020.
UK prices typically rise in line with inflation, often around the 2-3% mark. If wages rise at the same rate, then there should not be as significant an impact to Britons personal finances.
Let us dig in and attempt to forecast.
First, some good news.
In October 2018, the UK Chancellor announced an increase in the personal allowance, rising from £11,850 to £12,500 for the tax year beginning in April 2019.
This will be a welcome addition to the take-home pay of millions of taxpayers. The accounting company Deloitte said this would mean an annual tax saving of £130 for basic rate taxpayers.
These levels will be frozen the following year but significantly will rise in line with inflation after that. Meaning as people earn more, they will not automatically be dragged into a higher tax band.
The Living Wage Foundation, on the other hand, has conducted its own analysis and believes that those workers on the minimum wage will need to work an additional six weeks each year merely to meet their everyday living costs.
Despite the new government minimum rising to £7.83 per hour, this would provide a worker with an annual salary that is less than the real living wage, around £1,800 less. This amount has been calculated to cover what people need to spend on necessary living costs for transport, housing, food and childcare.
The good news is that the minimum wage will be rising faster to catch up with inflation, and wages also continue to mirror this trend.
Despite the rise in wages and tax-free allowances, it appears food prices will be rising in 2020. Brexit could be to blame, with leading food suppliers believing that import tariffs, migrant labour restrictions, and a weakening pound would have a more significant impact of food and drink prices than any other factor.
However, there is another influential factor – the weather.
As the UK experienced a hot summer this year, with record high temperatures and drought; typical food harvests have hit farmers hard. Lower yields of staple foods including potatoes, onions and carrots have reduced by 20%.
These lower harvest then will cause an increase in food prices for consumers predicted to be around 5%, a rise of £7.15 to the average monthly shopping bill.
UK rail fares have already increased by 3.1% in January 2019, mirroring the rise in inflation, and this is less than the 3.4% increase in 2018.
Some good news then for rail commuters? Well, rail fares have risen rapidly over the price of inflation in the previous decade, so although the rise in line with inflation is welcome, it is still high for many households.
The same is true for international air travel – prices are due to rise in line with inflation to 3%, with travelling to Western Europe experiencing the highest rise in airfares.
As always with travel, aim to book as early as possible and look out for bargain rail and flight deals that could save you pounds.
Uncertainty over Brexit is likely to have an impact on the UK housing market into 2020, surveyors believe.
A report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) believes that the number of homes being sold – and their prices – will fall next year.
Fewer people are interested in moving, and fewer want to sell if they cannot get the price they want for their property.
House prices are predicted to increase by only 1.5%, well below inflation, and so in essence, this is a decrease in prices. However, if nobody wishes to sell, those looking to buy are unable to take advantage of this decrease in house prices.
Fuel & Energy
Drivers will be happy that the fuel duty on petrol has been frozen for the ninth year in a row. However, fuel prices have increased for the tenth month in a row as of September 2018, and this trend is only going to continue despite the freeze on fuel tax.
Energy bills in the UK rose by £60 (on average 5%) in April 2019 despite the introduction of a price cap. Mainly caused by wholesale cost increases and suppliers will have to pass these onto their customers regardless of whether tariffs are capped or not.
The bills are expected to level out after the summer of 2020 and remain the same until the ned of the year, new research suggests.
Another issue that could affect UK energy bills is Brexit as many top UK energy suppliers get their energy from the EU. Again, until this occurs, it’s hard to know if this will increase prices even further.
Pensions, Childcare & Benefits
What about any additional support to cover the increase in living costs? Well, there is good news for retirees who will see their state pension rise by around £4.25 a week or £220 a year from April 2019.
The full state pension will rise above the rate of inflation giving pensioners a welcome boost to their earnings and coping with living costs.
Sadly for families, there is no increase in child benefit or child tax credits as they have been frozen as part of the UK government’s austerity measures. Rises in these benefits will not be seen until 2020 at the earliest. There may be some relief for those on Universal Credit who have struggled with the work allowance; however, these details have not yet been published.
There is little relief for those who require childcare so they can return to work, as costs of childcare have increased 52% since 2008 whilst wages have only risen 17%, and it is likely this trend will remain, making it harder for working families and working parents to budget.
For those lower-income parents and families, there is a tax-free childcare scheme that can help with childcare costs of up to £2,000 a year if they are eligible. Parents can check the criteria here if they have an approved childminder.
So, will UK living costs rise in 2020?
The shortest and simplest answer is yes, they will.
UK living costs will rise in 2020, with some areas more than others after the general rise in inflation.
Furthermore, once the UK exits the European Union, there could be further impacts to UK living costs, although it is impossible to tell whether this will help reduce or increase the cost of living.
UK households will no doubt feel some impact, and now would be the time to maximise budgets and get 2020 off to a prosperous new year!
What are you doing to limit the impact this will have on your personal finances?
Let me know by leaving a quick comment below.


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Interdisciplinary student team kicks off fundraising drive to meet goal for spring 2018
A team of SFU students has begun its design work on an all-electric vehicle, one that is capable of hitting the high speeds of a formula race car but without emitting carbon. Members of Team Phantom are steering their efforts towards an international contest—the Formula SAE Electric competition—to be held in the U.S. in the spring of 2019.
A student-conceived company that combines self-care and sustainability took the top prize at the recent #MadeBySFU competition.
SFU student Larissa Chen and colleague Delara Tabiri co-founded Böues, a beauty company specializing in locally-sources, organic products, and introduced their first product, the Böues Bar, during the contest. As winners, their product will be featured this month in the SFU Spirit Shop, just in time for Christmas sales.
Improving seniors’ social lives is the impetus for a new service conceived by a team of SFU students. They’ve just completed a program called Health Change Lab. Students in this experiential learning program address community health challenges in Surrey through entrepreneurship and innovation.
SFU researchers will be able to more efficiently learn how the human body’s tissue responds to external forces such as car accidents as well as internal processes, like disease or aging, thanks to funding announced today by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).
People whose jobs require standing all day have a greater risk of plantar foot pain. Researchers at SFU’s Surrey campus are working with WorkSafeBC and Kintec, a Surrey-based footwear and custom orthotics company, to develop a new insole that will differentiate worker’s weight-bearing behavior. The research is aimed at better understanding whether standing is a risk factor for foot pain.
The Embedding Project, a global sustainability initiative founded by Stephanie Bertels, an SFU Beedie School of Business professor, has received a $2.45-million, seven-year Partnership Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
Would you use your appliances more sustainably if you had an inexpensive way to monitor consumption?
Researchers in SFU’s new Computational Sustainability Lab (CSL) are developing practical, accessible, sustainability tools that all consumers can use to incorporate sustainability into their daily lives.


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The Senate voted today to continue the filibuster on the Small Business Jobs Act. Are politics getting in the way of relief to small business owners?
Month: July 2010
Nevada Franchise Business Network: Summer 2010 Meeting
The next meeting of the Nevada Franchise Business Network will be on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 5:00 PM in the Cili Restaurant at Bali Hai Country Club.
Think Twice Before Complaining About That Unicorn Meat
From the “truth is stranger than fiction” department: the operators of the website “ThinkGeek.com” were recently served with a cease and desist letter from a law firm representing the National Pork Board, alleging that ThinkGeek was infringing on the trademark “The Other White Meat.” The offending product? “Canned Unicorn Meat.”


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Russo and Steele Auctions pitched its tents at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort in Newport Beach, California, the first weekend in June, generating great momentum with a staggering 71 percent increase over last year with sales totaling more than $7.2 million. Modern marvels of the sports car led the big-ticket increases.
The top seller across the block was a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT that gaveled at $840,000, followed by a 2006 Ford GT (shown) at $337,700 and a 2012 Lexus LFA at $335,000. It proved to be a great sale for the company whose interactive “in the round” style auctions put bidders and enthusiasts right on the floor with the cars coming up for sale.
Beautiful classics, including a 1971 Maserati Ghibli, a 1957 Porsche 356 T1 Cabriolet, a 1966 Shelby GT350 Hertz Rent-a-Racer and a Bubble-Top 1958 Fiat Abarth 750 all sold in the six-figure range. The scenic beauty of the oceanside setting and the excitement of the crowd was infectious as increased attendance and a great selection of cars drove sales up more than $3 million year over year.
According to Russo and Steele chief Drew Alcazar, “The team is now working hard to build a great selection of top-notch collector cars for this year’s Monterey auctions August 13-15 next to historic Fisherman’s Wharf.”
Top 10 Results from Russo and Steele’s Newport Beach Auction:


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Irish Privacy Watchdog Fines Meta 390 Million Euros for AdsSocial Media Company Fined for GDPR Violation Related to Ad Personalization
The Irish Data Protection Commission has imposed a fine of 390 million euros against Meta Ireland for violating the General Data Protection Regulation related to user data processing. Meta confirmed it will contest the penalty, which targets ad personalization by Facebook and Instagram.
The latest fine is part of two separate inquiries launched by the commission against Meta's social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, regarding the company's use of user data for ad personalization.
The inquiries, which were launched after two separate complaints were filed by Austrian privacy rights group NYOB and an Austrian individual in 2018, looked into how Meta Ireland may have violated the user consent clause stipulated under Article 6 of the GDPR.*
In 2018, Meta Ireland introduced "contractual necessity," its updated, privacy-focused terms of services for Instagram and Facebook that sought to legitimize the processing of user data just as the European GDPR came into effect.
While the company previously required users' consent to access Facebook and Instagram services, under the revised changes, users were required to accept the company's updated terms of service in order to continue to access the services.
The complaints argued that Meta Ireland's updated terms of service in fact forced users to consent and accept the company's terms of service for processing user data for behavioral data and other personalized services. They further argued that in introducing the updated terms, Meta Ireland "bypassed" the consent requirement under the GDPR by adding a clause to the terms and conditions to include advertisement.
Concluding their inquiries on Wednesday, the Irish DPC announced that Meta Ireland's program violated multiple GDPR provisions by failing to give users information on how their data would be processed. As a result, it fined Meta Ireland 210 million euros for breaches relating to Facebook services and 180 million euros for Instagram services.
The commission also gave Meta Ireland a deadline of three months to comply with GDPR.
In a separate statement, also released on Wednesday, Meta said it "strongly disagreed" with the commission's final decision and that it will appeal the decision.
"Given that regulators themselves disagreed with each other on this issue up until the final stage of these processes in December, it is hard to understand how we can be criticized for the approach we have taken to date, and therefore we also plan to challenge the size of the fines imposed," Meta said.
*Correction Jan. 17, 2023 20:19 UTC: Fixes the nationality of the complainant: He is from Austria, not a similarly-named country in the southern hemisphere.


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A trailer for the new “Horizon: Zero Dawn” DLC pack “The Frozen Wilds” was revealed during Sony’s E3 2017 press conference.
The trailer a new land, covered in snow and crawling with fierce enemies out to kill hunters who have come seeking fame and glory. Alloy, however, has come in search of a new mountain bunker that may hold more answers as to what happened to the world. To reach it, she must face a fearsome beast that guards it and other threats besides. The dlc is slated for a 2017 release.


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OSAKA -- Nintendo will offer enhanced paid online services for the upcoming Switch game console, the head of the Japanese company told The Nikkei on Wednesday.
The upgrades will likely apply to multiplayer online gaming and the library of downloadable classic games, and carry an annual fee of 2,000 yen to 3,000 yen ($17.60 to $26.40). "With paid [services], we will be able to fully commit to customers," said Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima.
Online multiplayer and other services are available for free on the predecessor Wii U console. For the Switch, Nintendo is introducing a smartphone chat app as well as monthly downloads of classic games. The Switch will hit stores in March.
Kimishima also said Nintendo is "studying" adding virtual reality functionality to the new console. "If we are able to resolve the issues with playing [VR] comfortably for long hours, we will support it in one form or another," he said, without providing a time frame.
Nintendo is planning to release two or three smartphone games in the fiscal year ending March 2018, the president also said. The launch date for the "Animal Crossing" series will be pushed back to fiscal 2017 from the current financial year.


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After being closed for going on three months, George Brown Sports Clubs – GB3 as they are better known – could be open by the end of the week.
The gym chain plans to open all five of its locations spanning Fresno and Clovis at 4 a.m. Friday.
And yes, they expect there will be people waiting when the door opens, says Sean Clinton, the gym’s general manager. He’s basing that assumption on the numbers of calls, emails and messages the gym gets from people wanting to know when they will be back in business.
“It’s every day,” Clinton says.
“It’s all day long, every day.”
The gym chain closed in mid-March, in conjunction with the city of Fresno’s “shelter in place” order, which was put in place to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. While that order was lifted last month, state guidelines put gyms and fitness clubs in the later phrase three of California’s reopening process – along with bars, family entertainment centers and campgrounds.
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced those businesses could open as soon as Friday, June 12, with modifications, though county approval is still required.
To meet guidelines, GB3 has changed its layouts to keep equipment spaced six feet apart and a new phone app that allows members touchless entry into the gym (no pulling out membership cards).
All cardio equipment, circuit and free weights will be available for use, though fitness classes, daycare and pool/sauna/steamroom areas will remain closed for the time being. Members will be required to wear masks when not working out, must furnish their own towels, water bottles and mats and clean their equipment before and after use, though staff will also be cleaning the equipment throughout the day, Clinton says.
Because of the size of the gym’s facilities – the Champlain Drive and Shepherd Avenue location is 50,000-square-feet, for instance – GB3 can accommodate (and hopes to see) almost all of its current members, even with stricter social distancing guidelines.
No appointments are needed before returning to the gym, but members are being asked to un-freeze their memberships online in advance.
Fit Republic, which operates five gyms in Fresno including Fort Washington Fitness, also is expecting to reopen on Friday, with similar safety precautions in place. The gyms will operate at half occupancy and staff will be screened and temperatures checked before their shifts. Members will be allowed to bring in water bottles and towels, but no gym bags.
Saunas, hot tubs and pools will remain closed.
Classes will be done in stations with individual equipment and with a limited number of students.
Extra cleaning stations have been added around the gyms and members will be asked to clean equipment before and after use. Of course, that was something already being done in the days before the city’s emergency order, says Fit Republic president Christopher Montoya.
“The members did a great job, cleaning the equipment before and after,” he says.
“The collective effort was amazing to watch.”
While some may think it’s too early to reopen as the pandemic continues, Montoya sees it as a responsibility for the industry to be open. It’s a benefit to people’s physical and mental health and “healthy people can fight this better,” he says.
Any added sanitation and safety precautions will be a positive for the industry, moving forward. “It’s going to hold us accountable to deliver a better product,” Montoya says.
States in which gyms have already reopened have seen a surge of people interested in fitness, Montoya says, which seems to be bearing itself out in Fresno, too, judging by the number of people out exercising.
“If you live in Fresno and you drive by Woodward Park, it’s been amazing to see how many people are out moving,” he says.
It’s a similar message from Planet Fitness.
“Now more than ever it’s important to stay active, in order to stay healthy, and we look forward to safely and responsibly welcoming our members back to Planet Fitness,” says Becky Zirlen, a senior public relations manager at Planet Fitness.
The national gym chain has been working with its area franchisees and expects to reopen those locations next week.
The chain has three locations in Fresno. The gyms are taking a phased approach to reopen.
“In doing so, we are taking a number of steps to protect the health and well-being of our team members and members, which include enhanced cleanliness and sanitization policies and procedures, physical distancing measures, reducing physical touch points in the club, and more,” Zirlen says.
— to www.fresnobee.com


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Honda Rebel 500
Kia Sonet Kia QYI
2020 Hyundai i20
Royal Enfield Meteor 350
Get all the updates on the new Mahindra Bolero here.
New Mahindra Bolero launched in India - Price list & brochure inside
25/03/2020 - 13:39
The new Mahindra Bolero has been launched in India at a starting price of INR 7.77 lakh*. It is available in only the Power+ version. Its brochure is available in the image gallery at the end of the..
New Mahindra Bolero BS6 prices revealed, sales to begin soon
24/03/2020 - 16:54
The new Mahindra Bolero BS6’ prices have been revealed. The 2020 Mahindra Bolero (facelift) will cost anywhere between INR 7.98-8.99 lakh*.
2020 Mahindra Bolero BS6 (facelift) detailed in a walkaround video
19/03/2020 - 20:01
The launch of the Mahindra Bolero BS6 is just around the corner. In a new development, a YouTuber has detailed the exterior and interior of the 2020 Mahindra Bolero in a walkaround video. The..
BS-VI Mahindra Bolero (facelift) leaked, arriving in only Power+ variant
13/03/2020 - 18:10
The 2020 Mahindra Bolero has leaked ahead of its imminent launch. Mahindra has given the Bolero a facelift along with the BS-VI upgrade. ]
Mahindra Bolero Power+ Special Edition launched
11/10/2019 - 14:01
In order to boost sales during the current festive season, Mahindra has launched Bolero Power+ Special Edition at INR 9.08 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). At this price, this limited-run model is almost..
Mahindra Bolero gets BS-VI certification and gains new safety features
26/07/2019 - 16:39
Mahindra has announced that its highest selling UV (utility vehicle) Bolero has received BS-VI certification from the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT). Another development today..
Mahindra Bolero Power+ ABS silently launched, priced from INR 7.31 lakh
05/07/2019 - 19:00
Mahindra has updated its bread and butter offering Bolero with ABS. The new model's prices start at INR 7.68 lakh* for the base SLE Power+ variant and extend up to INR 8.68 lakh* for ZLX Power+..
Mahindra Cars Discounts and Other Offers for July 2019
03/07/2019 - 17:31
To keep the sales momentum up despite the sluggish pace of the auto market in India, various automakers are offering huge discounts and offers to maintain steady sales figures. Mahindra &..
Mahindra announces price hike due to upcoming safety norms
23/06/2019 - 09:30
Mahindra has announced that it will increase the price of its passenger vehicles by up to INR 36,000. The hiked prices will come into effect on 1 July 2019. h
New Mahindra Bolero Camper with Gold ZX grade launched [Video]
21/06/2019 - 16:30
Mahindra has launched the 2019 Bolero Camper range in India. The new model's prices start at INR 7.26 lakh* and extending up to INR 7.90 lakh*. With the MY2019 update, Mahindra has expanded..
Mahindra Car Discounts and Offers for June 2019
11/06/2019 - 13:42
Indian car industry is experiencing a slowdown in the sales momentum since the start of 2019, as a result, almost every other manufacturer has put on its thinking cap to maintain sales stability...
Mahindra to discontinue Xylo and long-Bolero
06/06/2019 - 17:45
Since the new safety and crash norms are inching closer, many automakers will discard poorly selling and/or way too old models for which upgrading to the new standard is not feasible. At Mahindra, the..
Mahindra Bolero spied with airbag and reverse parking sensors
17/05/2019 - 12:03
Just days after an ABS-equipped Mahindra Bolero was spotted at a dealership, spy shots of a Mahindra Bolero equipped with driver-side airbag and rear parking sensors have surfaced online, courtesy..
2019 Mahindra Bolero ABS spotted at a dealership
10/05/2019 - 17:31
The 2019 Mahindra Bolero equipped with ABS has started reaching dealerships ahead of an impending launch. Here are the first images of the updated model, shared by YouTuber Ujjwal Saxena with..
2019 Mahindra Bolero (facelift) spied for the first time [Update]
22/04/2019 - 10:18
Update: RushLane reader Akshay Ballal has shared a spy video of the 2019 Mahindra Bolero (facelift). 20 April 2019 - Last month, it was reported that the Mahindra Bolero will be updated in..
Mahindra Bolero to get multiple upgrades in a phased manner - Report
13/03/2019 - 13:22
Instead of heavily upgrading the Bolero in one expensive installment, Mahindra will introduce revisions in a phased manner. To comply with the various new norms that come into effect starting this..
Modified Mahindra Bolero 'Limited Edition' is bolder & more upmarket
23/01/2019 - 10:45
With an average monthly sale of 6,212 units (between July-December 2018), the Mahindra Bolero has been the among the most popular UVs on sale in the country. First launched in 2000, the Bolero is..
2018 Mahindra Bolero Pik-Up launched at a starting price of INR 6.66 lakh
12/10/2018 - 17:08
Mahindra & Mahindra has launched an updated range of the Bolero Pik-Up. Promoted as 'Maha' Bolero Pik-Up, the 2018 model has an introductory starting price of INR 6.66 lakh (ex-showroom,..


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First-time buyers embracing product innovation
More first-time buyers (FTB) are taking advantage of product innovation in the mortgage market as the number of residential purchase customers who have been first-time buyers rises.
Statistics from Vida Homeloans shows that 42% of its residential purchase customers have been FTBs.
Louisa Sedgwick, director of sales, mortgages at Vida Homeloans, said: “The data we have gathered since last October shows that first-time buyers are taking advantage of the wide range of products and specialist options in the market currently.
“As the mortgage lending market continues to evolve with greater product innovation, borrowers need to be aware they can take advantage of the various choices available to them and should be optimistic about purchasing their first house.”
This comes after recent CML data shows that the number of FTB’s over the last 12 months has overtaken the number of home movers for the first time since 2006.


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Apr 20, 2017 05:23 PM EDT
New reports suggest that Hulu is preparing to launch its new live TV service in the coming weeks. As fans already know, Hulu has released lots of details about the new streaming service, but fans have been kept in the dark as to when the service will launch.
Although Hulu has already announced that its new live TV streaming service would likely launch this spring, it is reported that the company has now informed staff internally that the first week of May is the launch date being targeted. It is believed that the upcoming launch event would probably coincide with the arrival of the company's new user experience that was unveiled at CES 2017.
However, it is reported that even if Hulu intends to launch the service in the first week of May, the official launch date of the live TV streaming service is dependent on the ongoing beta testing used to obtain feedback from users and eliminate bugs, according to Macrumors. Hulu would likely push the date further because a beta testing is currently ongoing and the company may decide to make few changes based on the beta feedback.
With this, most fans are expecting the live TV streaming service to launch in mid-May or even third week of May, according to 9to5mac. Meanwhile, reports suggest that even though the exact launch date of the live TV streaming service is yet to be determined, Hulu will most certainly launch the service in May. Recent reports also suggest that Hulu intends the service fee of the live TV streaming service to cost $39.99/month.
The service is expected to include the on-demand video service, the ability of users to limit ads for on-demand videos and an upgraded cloud DVR feature. It is reported that the add-on cloud DVR service would likely cost an additional $20/month, which will serve as a fee for unlimited storage capped at 200 hours of programming with Hulu's live TV streaming service.
It is rumored that the company is planning on allowing the live TV streaming service to support up to concurrent devices in the same home. According to Hulu, channels will include content from 21st Century Fox, CBS, Disney, and ESPN, but it is still not clear whether Hulu will provide multiple packages like DirecTV Now. the company unveiled the new user interface, which is expected to launch with the new live TV streaming service on its preview website last month.
Jul 16, 2017
1. Jul 16, 2017
2. Jul 16, 2017
Samsung Galaxy S9 Might Surface On GeekBench With Snapdragon 845 1.77GHz Quad-core CPU
3. Jul 16, 2017
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Accidentally Reveals Shipment in September
4. Jul 14, 2017
AMD RX Vega Vs. Nvidia GTX1080: Battle Of Best GPUs in 2017
1. Jul 14, 2017
AMD RX Vega News, Update, Release: RX Vega GPU Major Details Leaked Before July 18 Show
2. Jul 14, 2017
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Price, Features, Specification Revealed By Official Image
3. Jul 14, 2017
Nexus 5X & Nexus 6P Is Not Going To Support 'One' Android O Feature
4. Jul 13, 2017
Nokia 2, Nokia 7, Nokia 8 & Nokia 9 Leaks, News: 2017 Nokia Android Lineup's Processors Leaks


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New funding to boost competitiveness and support digital transformation of small businesses in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Promoting SME investments in technology and automation
EU subsidies to make investments more affordable
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina will have more opportunities to invest in digital transformation thanks to new financing made available to Sparkasse Bank, provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU). .
The EBRD has granted an 8 million euro loan that Sparkasse Bank will on-lend to local SME clients. Proceeds will be used to help small businesses invest in the automation and digitalization of business processes to improve productivity, operational efficiency and resilience.
SMEs will be able to apply for funds to invest in hardware and software for various digital transformation projects in the areas of production, internal processes and services. The aim is to boost the digital transformation of SMEs as well as make them more competitive in EU markets and compliant with the standards required by EU directives.
In addition to loans, SMEs will benefit from EU-funded grants of up to 15 percent of the total loan amount.
Manuela Naessl, EBRD Director for Bosnia and Herzegovina, said: “Digital tools bring many benefits to businesses; they reduce costs, facilitate communication, help small businesses integrate into global markets, etc. However, despite the many benefits and opportunities that digital technologies bring, many SMEs – and small businesses in particular – continue to lag behind in their adoption. This is why we are working with the EU and our partner banks in Bosnia and Herzegovina to provide well-structured financing and encourage SMEs to invest in digitalization.”
The credit line is provided under the joint EBRD-EU Go Digital program in Bosnia and Herzegovina, for which the EBRD obtained 40 million euros in loans, while the EU obtained grants of 9 million euros euros for incentive payments, consulting services and technical assistance. .
Amir Softić, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sparkasse Bank BiH, expressed satisfaction with the ongoing successful cooperation with the EBRD and the provision of another advantageous financing model to the bank’s clients.
“Through this credit line, we achieve two strategic objectives that are integrated into Sparkasse Bank’s business model: actively strengthening the economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, mainly by supporting the sustainable development of SMEs, which generate almost 70 percent of business activity and jobs. , and encourage partnerships on positive solutions for the economic and social development of communities,” commented Softić. “No single institution can make a big difference, but many can do it together. Such credit lines are an example of how these partnerships can directly benefit the country’s economy. Digitalization can be a powerful driver of sustainable development, both for individual companies and for the country as a whole, because digital solutions ultimately contribute to the preservation of the environment.
The program is accompanied by activities Germany Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). GIZ works with the government and stakeholders to help create an enabling environment for digitalization and innovation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including digital innovation hubs, in line with EU best practices.
The program contributes directly to the European Commission program Digital Agenda for the Western Balkanswhich aims to support the transition of the private sector and help businesses fully benefit from the benefits of the digital transformation of the economy.
Since its inception in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996, the EBRD has invested more than €3 billion in 216 projects in the country.


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The smoke settles for Altria
Stock Spotlight: The tobacco and food giant may finally be set to split up after a big legal victory last week.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Up until last week, there was a massive cloud over Altria - a cloud six years long and billions of dollars strong.
The cigarette, food and beer maker was one of the targets of a massive class-action suit representing 700,000 Florida smokers. In July 2000, a jury awarded smokers $145 billion - the biggest punitive damage award in U.S. history. (Full story)
But last Thursday, the Florida Supreme Court upheld a ruling that the verdict was excessive and also ruled that future tobacco lawsuits must proceed individually as opposed to on a class action basis.
In November 2004, Altria CEO Louis Camilleri told investors that the company was considering splitting off several of its businesses when the company's litigation troubles had settled.
Investors are eager for Altria to move on with the restructuring process - and potentially get more value out of its core businesses by selling them off.
Altria, which owns nearly 90 percent of Kraft Foods (Charts), has long talked about spinning Kraft off from its core tobacco business. Camilleri even hinted in 2004 that the company might divide into "potentially three, strong and independent entities" - meaning that the tobacco division might split into domestic and international.
Shares of Altria are up about 7 percent this year. And now that the biggest single impediment to its U.S. tobacco business has been lifted, will Altria's stock keep smoking?
Thank you for smoking
While Altria has products all over the map, two-thirds of its sales still come from its Philip Morris tobacco business.
But Altria, which owns the Marlboro, Parliament and Virginia Slims brands, has had to make up for slowing U.S. cigarette growth with international expansion and higher prices.
There was no growth in U.S. cigarette shipments in the first quarter of this year.
Christopher Growe, an analyst with A.G. Edwards, said U.S. cigarette volume may actually decline in the future but that price increases could help soften the blow.
But Altria still has significant opportunities to grow abroad. International shipments jumped nearly 5 percent in the first quarter and international volume now makes up 83 percent of Altria's cigarette shipments.
The company made gains in nine countries across Europe and Asia in the first quarter, though sales fell in Japan and Spain, which are vital markets.
Philip Morris International should continue to grow and also post strong profits, according to Goldman Sachs analyst Judy Hong.
It also doesn't hurt that the debate about smoking is less intense internationally. As a result, there are fewer lawsuits against tobacco companies outside the U.S.
Letting go of Kraft
Altria's other moneymaker is Kraft, the world's second-largest food company behind Nestle. The maker of Jell-O and Oreo cookies brought in a third of the company's sales in the first quarter. (Altria also owns a 29 percent stake in SABMiller, the brewer behind such brands as Miller Lite and Pilsner Urquell.)
But analysts see Kraft's revenue growth slowing to 1 percent this year, and investors are eager to see the company develop new products, as private brands gain ground on its current offerings.
Shares of Kraft have underperformed over the past two years, sagging 3 percent. Analysts say that's held back Altria's overall performance and is one of the reasons why a full spin-off makes sense.
"A spin-off for Kraft would really force a higher valuation for the tobacco entity," said A.G. Edwards' Growe. He calculates the value of Altria in the mid-$90s after a break-up, up from about $77 now.
He expects a break up could come in six months to a year. Other analysts said Altria is probably waiting to see if recent initiatives to boost lagging sales will help before going ahead with the split.
Kraft has cut jobs, closed plants, and recently ousted CEO Roger Deromedi in favor of Irene Rosenfeld, the former head of PepsiCo's (Charts) Frito-Lay snacks division, who is expected to initiate and push new brands. (Full story)
And earlier this week, Kraft announced it was buying the Spanish and Portuguese assets of United Biscuits for about $1 billion in order to strengthen its cookie business in Europe.
A new nicotine high?
Altria has long been considered a classic widow-and-orphan stock - great for its stability and big annual dividend, currently about 4.1 percent.
But Growe thinks the stock is still undervalued by about 15 percent.
"There's a very small value being placed on the U.S. tobacco operation," he said. "It should be valued much higher."
Altria is currently trading at 14.8 times 2006 earnings estimates, a slight premium to the average P/E for other U.S. tobacco stocks like Reynolds American (Charts) and Carolina Group (Charts), as well as international cigarette makers British American Tobacco (Charts) and Imperial Tobacco Group (Charts).
A larger premium might be justified for Altria since its earnings are expected to grow 7 percent next year and 8 percent annually, on average, for the next few years, slightly higher than the overall tobacco industry.
Altria's more rapidly growing international tobacco business also would probably be able to command a higher valuation if the company chose to spin-off that unit.
But a spin-off of Kraft is really the crucial event investors are waiting for. And now that the biggest potential legal headache for Altria is behind it, the company should be able to concentrate on shedding its slower-growth food business.
A.G. Edwards' Growe and his firm own shares of Altria but A.G. Edwards has not done banking for the company. Goldman Sachs' Hong does not own shares in Altria but her firm is a shareholder and has done investment banking business with the company.
Related: All Stock Spotlight pieces


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In a blink of an eye, 2019 is coming to an end.
This year, the LED display industry has undergone earth-shaking changes. How to accurately grasp market trends? Data speak!
As an industry observer, in order to better help companies grasp the development trend of the industry, “LED Display Channel” has compiled the following market data related to the industry chain in 2019.
(1) Small pitch LED
It is estimated that by 2020, China’s small-pitch LED display market is expected to reach 17 billion yuan, and the LED display market penetration rate may increase to 22.4%, which will promote the accelerated extension of LED display technology to indoor applications
According to relevant research data: In 2018, the global Mini LED market was about 520 million yuan.
In 2019, as major manufacturers successively released Mini LED products, the gradual penetration of e-sports, notebooks, mobile phones, TVs, cars and other markets will be achieved.
The Mini LED market is expected to exceed 5.5 billion yuan in 2020.
GGII predicts that the Micro LED market is expected to reach 100 million yuan in 2019. Micro LED is expected to maintain a growth of about 75% from 2020 to 2025, and the Micro LED market will reach 4.9 billion yuan in 2025.
(4) Commercial display
Data show that the development of the commercial display industry in mainland China has entered the fast lane. In 2018, the overall commercial display market reached 74.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 32.2%.
The market size is expected to exceed 100 billion yuan in 2020, and the commercial display market is ushering in a golden decade of rapid development.
(5) Transparent screen
According to relevant forecasting agency data, by 2025, the market output value of transparent display is about 87.2 billion U.S. dollars.
With the improvement of technology and applications in 2019, the LED transparent screen market continues to heat up.
(6) Smart city
Smart cities are becoming a new hot spot for investment.
The “Global Semi-annual Smart City Expenditure Guide” published by the Internet Data Center (IDC) predicts that in 2023, global smart city technology-related investments will reach US$189.46 billion, and the Chinese market will reach US$38.92 billion.
In 2019, through policy promotion, technological innovation and market practice, the night economy is becoming a new force to promote a new round of consumption upgrades.
Data show that in 2018, the national landscape lighting market alone is about 93.57 billion yuan, and the market size is expected to exceed 100 billion yuan in 2019.
(8)Ultra HD Industry
With the approach of 5G commercialization, technological breakthroughs in the fields of panels, chips, terminal display products, and the continuous optimization of the policy environment in various regions.
In 2018, China’s ultra-high-definition video market maintained rapid growth, with a year-on-year growth rate of 28.3%, and the overall market size reached 163.66 billion yuan.
Experts believe that the size of China’s ultra-high-definition video market will reach 432.18 billion yuan.
(9) LED package
Related analysis believes that in 2019, affected by the Sino-US trade and import and export environment, my country’s LED packaging market is still not optimistic.
The LED packaging market is expected to be around 72 billion yuan, and domestic demand in the mainland market will become the main driving force for growth.
From the perspective of market conditions, my country is one of the major exporters of copper clad laminates in the world. In 2018, my country’s copper clad laminate production capacity and output have developed relatively smoothly.
The outbreak of 5G in 2019 may further stimulate the demand of the PCB industry.
According to relevant agency data, the global PCB output value reached 63.55 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, and the overall industry growth rate was 6%. In 2018, China’s PCB output value was 32.6 billion U.S. dollars, and its market share accounted for 51.30%.
In recent years, the market share has continued to grow steadily. In the next five years, the compound growth rate will reach 3.2%, which is firmly in the leading position.
In 2019, although China’s LED display industry has experienced waves, the above “data” also brings more hope for the future development of screen companies.
OK, the editor above tells friends about the LED display industry data in 2019. Next, if you need to purchase mobile phone LCD screens and mobile phone built-in small accessories, please contact us.


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ROCKVILLE, MD—The Comfort brand, franchised by Choice Hotels International Inc., has delivered on its plan to open more than one hotel per week in 2019. In addition, more than one-third of openings were in the western U.S., which is a major focus of the brand’s development strategy. Choice’s flagship, upper-midscale brand now has more than 2,100 hotels across the globe, with recent openings in Washington, Oregon and Utah.
“With updated guestrooms and public spaces alongside our new brand identity, the newly refreshed Comfort brand continues to excite guests and developers alike,” said Megan Brumagim, VP, brand management, design and compliance, Choice Hotels. “Given the brand’s proven track record, it’s no surprise that we’ve been able to sustain growth that allows us to be everywhere Comfort guests want to travel.”
There are more than 250 properties in Comfort’s domestic pipeline, more than 80% of which are new-construction, in major cities in the western United States, such as Phoenix; San Diego; Colorado Springs, CO; Bellingham, WA; and Cheyenne, WY.
“Comfort’s transformation is creating buzz and continues to generate results for owners,” said Jason Cowan, SVP, franchise sales, Choice Hotels. “The brand has experienced an impressive year of growth and as we move into 2020, we will continue Comfort’s expansion to meet demand.”
Comfort hotels are designed with modern brand amenities to meet the needs of guests:
- Updated guestrooms with premium pillows, bedding and bath features
- Business centers, meeting space and open lobbies with room to work and socialize, including free WiFi
- 24-hour fitness centers
- Complimentary breakfast
- 100% smoke-free facilities


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It's been more than two months since Sony officially rolled out Android 5.0 Lollipop to the company's flagship, Xperia Z3 (unlocked models); and now, the update will finally reach the T-Mobile variants in the US.
The company (via official software update support page) has confirmed that Android 5.0 Lollipop firmware for Xperia Z3 and its two generation-old predecessor, Xperia Z1s, are now in the testing phase, leading many to believe that the company might release the update soon, probably by the end of this month or in June in the US.
"During this stage (testing), the device will go through T-Mobile certification process testing to make sure you get the best quality software possible," said T-Mobile (USA) on Xperia Z3 software update support page.
Now, T-Mobile subscribers will be happy to hear the news that their smartphones will indeed get updated to the new Lollipop OS. The only thing that device owners will now be hoping for is that the firmware be bug-free.
Sony has already released the update to more than a dozen Xperia Z series devices, including Xperia Z3 (unlocked), Z3 Compact, Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, Z2, Z2 Tablet, Xperia Z1, Z1 Compact, Z Ultra, Z Ultra GPE (Google Play Edition),Xperia C3, and T2 Ultra. The company will soon initiate software roll-out process to remaining few devices Xperia Z, ZR, ZL and Tablet Z.
The new Android 5.0.2 Lollipop will bring in the new design language- "Material Design", with interactive user interface, lots of animation graphics, lock-screen notification options and the replacement of Dalvik with ART as its default runtime will bring improvement in performance-and-battery-life enhancement and many more features.
Few other noteworthy improvements include option to transfer apps from phone flash memory to SD card and multi-user profiles (work, private & guest).
Besides the new features of Lollipop, Xperia Z3 (T-Mobile) is also expected to support new LTE Band 12 (700 MHz) for smoother internet experience, reported Xperia Blog.


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Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky made it to the billboard of the Spotify audio streaming service in Times Square in New York. The large-scale image was posted on Friday, December 18, RIA Novosti reports.
Earlier, on December 8, Spotify named the names of the most popular Russian musicians among foreign listeners. Tchaikovsky became the absolute leader in auditions.
“To pay tribute to the work of Tchaikovsky, outdoor advertising with the image of the composer was placed on Times Square in New York,” said the press service of the service in Russia.
They noted that now the monthly audience of Tchaikovsky on the audio streaming service is 4.8 million listeners around the world.
On December 2, Spotify summed up the rating of the music preferences of Russian users over the past four months. The leaders were hip-hop and relaxation music.
Data collection has been carried out by the Spotify service since its launch in Russia on July 15, 2020.


text: Booming guitar sales are helping propel profits at -- where else? -- Guitar Center. By Bob Frick, Senior Editor August 1, 2006 Editor's note: This article was updated on July 13.Vince Romanelli is a 24-year-old musician who plays guitar, drums and keyboard and works with Autumn Records, in Nashville. Wayland Patton, 48, is a musician and composer who has co-written hits such as "Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose" for country crooner Dwight Yoakam. Patton also runs the guitar department of the cavernous Guitar Center store in Nashville. Guys like Romanelli connecting with guys like Patton is the reason that Guitar Center Inc. earnings are climbing quicker than a Jimi Hendrix riff and why its stock has nearly tripled in the past five years. That run looks far from topping out. Sponsored Content RELATED LINK View Webcast on Guitar Center Stock Watch column Fund Watch column Changing attitudes Guitar sales are climbing the charts. Music Trades, an industry publication, says a record 3.3 million acoustic and electric guitars worth a total of $1.2 billion were sold in the U.S. last year. One reason for the boom: changing attitudes toward rock-and-roll. Rock is no longer seen as the music of "hippies, freaks and drug addicts," says Jack Sonni, Guitar Center's marketing chief. Advertisement Guitar Center sells aggressively to professional and aspiring musicians through radio stations, mailings and music contests. The Westlake Village, Cal., company stocks stores with a wide variety of gear - it's the nation's leading retailer of guitars, amplifiers, drums, keyboards and professional audio and recording equipment -- and hires salespeople who are usually musicians themselves. "You get gear lust just wandering around the store," says Romanelli. Sonni, who played guitar for Dire Straits in the 1980s, says that pros and aspiring pros account for two-thirds of sales, which should hit $2.1 billion this year. Expansion should fuel future growth. The company expects the number of Guitar Center stores to grow from 170 to 420 within five years. The stores account for about three-fourths of sales. The company is also trying to apply its formula for success to its Music Arts subsidiary, a less-profitable chain of 81 stores that sells and rents band and orchestra instruments. That unit should grow to 400 stores, Guitar Center says. And because rock is an international language, the company has begun exploring overseas expansion. While annual sales of music gear in the U.S. total about $7 billion, sales in Western Europe, Great Britain and Asia combined are $9 billion. Hendrix factor Guitar Center stores tend to be more profitable than mom-and-pop music stores because the company has more efficient distribution and uses its rock-star status in the industry to cut deals with manufacturers. For example, it nabbed half of the 300 Hendrix-replica Flying V guitars made by Gibson and sold them for $8,000 each earlier this year. Yet Guitar Center's stock (symbol GTRC) is hardly off the charts. At $41 in mid July, it traded at 14 times estimated 2006 earnings of $2.91 per share, according to Thomson First Call. The stock is down from the mid $60s a year ago because of a variety of concerns, including low profitability from the Music Arts subsidiary, weakness in online sales and a restraint-of-trade lawsuit. But the core business remains strong, and analysts see profits rising 18% next year. Because of the company's position as a "category killer," Stephens Inc. analyst Rick Nelson expects the price-earnings ratio to expand and thinks the stock can reach $71 over the next year. That's sweet music to investors.


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France's 200,000 restaurants, cafés, bars and hotels will not open until at least the start of June, despite warnings of a “catastrophe” and one in three closing for good unless they can restart work on May 11.
Industry federation Umih said it had been in daily talks with the government to look at ways to allow businesses to reopen in safety.
It stressed the danger for the four million hospitality sector jobs – one million in catering alone – if owners cannot see light at the end of the tunnel.
Restaurant and café owners were dismayed when President Macron said in a televised speech that the industry would not open when the rest of France starts to reopen on May 11.
They called it the “worst of all scenarios” as it did not give any hope of seeing an end to what was already a lost year.
One MP from the Côte d’Azur broke ranks with government colleagues and called for cafés and restaurants to open too as it was the “main earning period” in a €10billion industry on the sunny Riviera.
Alexandra Ardisson (right) said that tourism was the area’s “essential economic driver” but even without the usual influx of visitors, there was still day-to-day year-round local business.
“Why would it be normal for businesses like the little jeweller and the office upstairs to open when the café next door is shut?
“That makes no sense. People said I only wanted to open to help the tourist business but, let’s be serious, there will be little tourist season this summer, or at least not foreign visitors.
“Cafés and restaurants have an all-year business serving the people working around them.
“We need to give them some perspective of hope, while still maintaining health and safety rules by opening only one in two, or one in three, tables.”
Despite substantial government aid – possibly Europe’s largest aid package – the industry is reeling under continuing rent and other charges, made worse as some businesses have been refused state-guaranteed loans for running charges.
The guarantee means banks would often be liable for only 10% of the loan, but cafés said they were told they were not profitable enough even for that.
Umih President Roland Héguy said the federation had been talking to the government daily about ways to get back to work and had put forward a plan for the relaunch, including ways to maintain social distancing and customer safety.
Umih said ministers had “not closed any door towards a rapid reopening” and the federation is looking to the start of June.
It is setting up a relaunch help group for at-risk businesses.
Leading chefs, including Michelin stars Alain Ducasse and Anne-Sophie Pic, have put forward reopening plans in an open letter to Mr Macron, saying that even they risked closing if the lockdown continued.
The Collège Culinaire group said a five-point quality and hygiene plan could help businesses reopen quickly and they wanted to guarantee to rotate work among all staff to keep them employed.
However, TV chef Philippe Etchebest, who was not a signatory, said safety needs would mean fewer customers and he would have to cut staff.
The two-star chef, who is in lockdown in Dordogne, told France Bleu radio that most of the businesses he had helped to rebuild could not survive.
He feared 40% of the industry could vanish if insurance companies and banks did not do their bit to help.


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RANCHO SAN DIEGO: Incandescent holiday light bulbs can be exchanged for more energy-efficient bulbs Nov. 21 at the Water Conservation Garden.
Up to three light strings can be exchanged for the multicolored LED holiday lights while supplies last. LED holiday lights are cool to the touch, making them safer. They are also brighter, last up to 100 times longer than incandescent lights and provide up to 90 percent in energy savings, officials say.
The exchange will be offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 21 at the garden, 12122 Cuyamaca College Drive, Rancho San Diego. Bring a California identification and a copy of your San Diego Gas & Electric co. bill.
Another holiday light exchange will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 5, before the Starlight Parade, at Memorial Park in Chula Vista. — Anne Krueger
Santee holiday festival planned for Nov. 20
SANTEE: The city and Waste Management will host Santee’s seventh annual Community Holiday Lighting Celebration from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at Santee Trolley Square shopping center.
Live music, cookie decorating, horse-drawn-carriage rides and a fireworks display will be part of the event. Councilman Brian Jones is scheduled to light a 20-foot tree, a skating rink will be available, and Santa Claus will make an appearance.
Santee Trolley Square shopping center is at 9884 Mission Gorge Road.
For more information, call the city’s special-events hotline at (619) 258-4100, ext. 201. — Michele Clock
Ice-skating rink to open at Viejas tomorrow
ALPINE: An ice-skating rink will again operate in East County this year with the opening of a rink tomorrow at the Viejas Outlet Center.
The rink, measuring 70 feet by 140 feet, is said to be the largest outdoor ice-skating rink in Southern California. This is the third year that Viejas has opened the rink during the holiday season.
The rink will be open until Jan. 3. A 90-minute skating session costs $12, including skate rental. The rink is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, Nov. 16 to Dec. 18, and noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. The rink will be open from noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through the season. It will open at 4 p.m. Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
“The Legend of the Ice Princess” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. each night through Jan. 2 at the outlet center’s show court. The holiday story includes pyrotechnics, dancing fountains and other special effects.
For more information, go to viejasoutletcenter.com . — Anne Krueger


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Anyone who witnessed the transition from the older version of iTunes to the post-Steve Jobs version knows ITunes sucks. It is confusing, cumbersome and frustrating. I think I have purchased about 8 songs from iTunes in my life so my opionion is quite biased.
I have way too much music on vinyl, CD and MP3s imported from those CDS that I really don’t need another song in my collection. Plus, there is youtube and…hmmmm…I’ll whisper it (Spotify).
It’s inevitable folks, streaming is here and not going anywhere. Submit…repent and deal with the reality of life in the new Millenium.
Apple’s innovative iTunes music service is still the market leader in music downloads, but after more than a decade of growth, sales of music tracks on iTunes have been declining. Last year saw the largest drop in sales — 14 percent. The drop is attributed to the increasing popularity of streaming music services such as Spotify, Pandora and YouTube. These services give fans access to millions of tracks from any Internet-connected device for a monthly fee or in return for listening to commercials.
But many people say they are leaving iTunes simply because it just isn’t that easy to use. When the late Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs introduced iTunes almost exactly 14 years ago, on January 9, 2001, he made fun of the other software-based music players like Real Jukebox and Windows Media Player. “They are too complex,” Jobs declared. “They’re really difficult to learn and use.” Jobs unveiled the first version of iTunes software from a stage in San Francisco, boasting that it was “Really clean. Really simple” and “far more powerful.”
It charmed a generation of music fans like Alex Newsom, who gets nostalgic talking about the first iTunes purchase she made when she was only 13 years old. “I downloaded this song by Liz Phair where it’s like ‘Why Can’t I Breath Without You'” Newsom says. “I thought I was super cool because it was my first kind of grown-up-sounding song that I’d gone after myself.”
Newsom, who lives outside Seattle, is now 21 and increasingly frustrated with iTunes. For example, a recent update moved the playlist feature around. “You can still kind of go do things the old way but you have to go out of your way to do it,” she says. “And it’s clearly not the way that they expect you to do it.”
Newsom is not alone in her frustration. Jason Mosley, a web designer who specializes in user experiences, says the last version of iTunes he used — 11 — made him work harder to do what he wanted. For example, instead of being able to create a stream of songs based on a single song he likes with one click, he now has to hover over the song and bring up a temporary menu and then select from different options.
Mosley says he was “shocked to see that they had this all nested within another link.” The web designer says, “As a rule of thumb for user experience you want less clicks to get to an action.”
Mosley says part of Apple’s problem is that the basic design is old. “It was built for older things,” he says. “I think it’s just kind of been added onto since then, and that’s just going to make it heavy and slow. Spotify, these new applications, they have the advantage. They are starting fresh.”


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Marketing services provider Sensis has launched a one-stop online platform which allows small businesses to design professional digital banner ads and create a detailed targeting plan within minutes.
As well as creating digital ads, Sensis Digital Display allows SMBs access to Sensis’ digital media buying power, audience targeting and mobile-first technology, which were previously only accessible to the big end of town with large marketing budgets.
Sensis Digital Display is the first product to be launched by the company since completing its two-year digital transformation program in July 2016.
Danny Gravell, executive general manager of product and technology at Sensis, said that while SMEs have started to recognise the need to boost their online presence, one of the biggest challenges they currently face is navigating the complex digital marketing space.
“The Sensis Digital Display platform has been designed with the first-time digital marketer in mind,” he said.
“The interface is simple to navigate and the platform does all the work, giving SMBs access to customers who are searching online at a scale and accuracy previously only available to big marketers.
“Suddenly, a hairdresser has the same access to their clients as say, a car maker does. The playing field has been levelled for the first time.
“The ever-changing digital marketing space can be overwhelming, but Sensis Digital Display offers a user-friendly, affordable solution to create personalised, targeted banner ads, displayed on quality sites across the internet.”


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Macy’s Inc. will open its first Bloomingdale’s Outlet store in New York this fall. The three-level, 25,000 sq. ft. store will be on Manhattan’s Upper West Side on Broadway and 72nd Street. The off-price store will carry all major categories, including menswear.
“This is a premier, flagship location for Bloomingdale’s Outlet at one of the busiest intersections in Manhattan, and with a major subway located just footsteps away,” said Bloomingdale’s CEO Tony Spring. “We see Bloomingdale’s Outlet as a growth vehicle for our company as we continue to refine and roll out stores based on our learnings over the past several years.”
Bloomingdale’s launched the Outlet concept in 2010. The other 13 Outlet stores are outside major urban areas, although two are in the New York metropolitan area: Paramus, NJ and Westbury Plaza, NY.


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Bunge’s award-winning functional shortening has allowed manufacturers of bakery products to boost the nutritional profile of formulations. Dilip Nakhasi, Bunge Director of Innovation, talks with Food Navigator-USA about its functional shortening, PhytoBake, which boosts nutritionally beneficial phytosterols.
Lower Sats than Palm Oil
Saturate-sparing fats use a new technology that combines restructuring of fatty-acids and added fiber to create plastic fats with lower saturated fat and virtually zero trans fat.
New shortening technology addresses Hydrogenation
Bunge has developed a patented trans-free bakery shortening without the hydrogenation process in reaction to consumer concern over “hydrogenated oils on the label”, Dilip Nakhasi, Bunge Director of Innovation, talks with Bakery and Snacks.
An Omega-9 Canola Oil, is one of the healthiest oil solutions available for helping remove trans fats. This unique canola oil delivers zero trans fat, low levels of saturated fat and is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Nutra-Clear HS supports the health of your bottom line, too — delivering extended product shelf life, high stability and superior versatility.
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