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Although Lucasfilm is already planning a birthday bash for the Star Wars Saga at Celebration Orlando this April, fans might get another present for the saga’s 40th anniversary. According to fan site MakingStarWars.net, rumors abound that Lucasfilm might re-release the unaltered cuts of the saga’s original trilogy.
If the rumors are true, this is big news for Star Wars fans. Aside from limited VHS releases, the unaltered cuts of the original trilogy films haven’t been available since they premiered in theaters in the 1970s and ’80s. If Lucasfilm indeed re-releases the films’ original cuts, then this will be the first time in decades that fans can see the films in their original forms. Here’s what makes the unaltered cuts of the original trilogy so special.
Thanks to the commercial success of Star Wars, George Lucas has revisited and further edited his films for re-releases. The most notable — and controversial — release were the Special Editions of the original trilogy. In 1997, to celebrate the saga’s 20th anniversary, Lucasfilm spent a total of $15 million to remaster A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. The Special Editions had stints in theaters before moving to home media.
Although most of the Special Editions’ changes were cosmetic, others significantly affected the plot of the films. The most notable example is the “Han shot first” scene in A New Hope. As a result, the Special Editions generated significant controversy among Star Wars fans. Many fans remain skeptical about George Lucas’s decision to finish each original trilogy film “the way it was meant to be.”
While the Special Editions represent the most significant edits to the original trilogy, the saga has undergone other changes. Following up on the saga’s first Blu-ray release in 2011, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) began remastering the entire saga in 3D, starting with the prequel trilogy. The Phantom Menace saw a theatrical 3D re-release in 2012, but Disney’s 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm indefinitely postponed further 3D releases.
In 2015, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith received limited 3D showings at Celebration Anaheim. Other than that, it seems as though Disney has decided to refocus Lucasfilm’s efforts to new films. Of course, that’s why the saga has produced new content beginning with The Force Awakens. However, it looks like Lucasfilm isn’t likely to generate 3D versions of the original trilogy anytime soon.
Why the Original Film Cuts Matter
Admittedly, the differences between the original trilogy’s unaltered cuts and the Special Editions appeal to more hardcore fans. Casual fans are less likely to care about whether Greedo or Han Solo shot first. Still, given Star Wars’ indelible impact on pop culture, there’s certainly a market for the original trilogy’s unaltered cuts. They might not be for every Star Wars fan, but many of us care about them.
ILM supervisor John Knoll, who first pitched the story idea for Rogue One, said last year that ILM finished a brand new 4K restoration print of A New Hope. For that reason, it seems likely that Lucasfilm will finally give diehard fans the original film cuts that they’ve clamored for. There’s no word yet whether the unaltered cuts will be released in theaters or on home media. At the very least, however, fans will likely get them after all this time. After all, the Special Editions marked the saga’s 20th anniversary. Star Wars turns 40 years old this year, so there’s no telling what’s in store.


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Bitcoin success stories india
Bitcoin's successors: from Litecoin to Freicoin and onwards
Teenage bitcoin millionaire is back with a better Botangle
Prasos aims to be the next Bitcoin success story from
Bitcoin Forks and Unicorn Fakes - BloombergNo Indian Love for Bitcoin Cash. India has no love lost for this altcoin, that much is evident.
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Manganese Bronze, the firm which makes the distinctive London taxi, has said it made no profit in 2011 and could fall short of expectations for the current year.
The group blamed the weak UK economy, uncertainty over the global economic outlook and a delay in fulfilling an order for 1,000 taxis from Azerbaijan.
The firm sold 1,502 taxis in the UK last year, compared with 1,653 in 2010, a fall of 9.1%, it said.
But overseas sales were much stronger.
The company sold 705 vehicles compared with 226 in 2010.
In March last year, the firm secured a $27m (£18m) order from Azerbaijan - its single largest order to date.
However, a delay in shipping the second half of this order, which was meant to be dispatched in October, means the company will not record a profit in 2011.
"The overall impact of lower UK sales and a delayed fulfilment of the Azerbaijan order will prevent the group from achieving a profitable result for the year ended 31 December 2011," the company said in a statement.
It had previously said it expected to return to profit last year.
"Whilst a proportion of this shortfall should be recovered when the delayed Azerbaijan sales are recorded in 2012, any continued softening of global economic conditions would mean that the group is likely to fall short of meeting expectations for the current year," the statement continued.
Chinese car group Geely owns 20% of Manganese, which switched production from Coventry to China as part of its restructuring.


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Is New Zealand turning into a nation of gamblers?
March saw the second anniversary of lockdown due to the global pandemic. The last two years were a testing time for everyone, but the one thing it did for commerce was to accelerate the move to online. It was particularly prevalent for smaller retailers and local stores who had relied on passing trade and footfall and suddenly had to think, plan and master the digital world.
Businesses already established in the online world experienced a spike in activity and demand, particularly in the first year. Although as we moved into year two, firms started to return to relative normality.
So an increasing number of users turned online not just for retail but also for entertainment. Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video experienced record growth in worldwide subscriptions.
An industry that saw a significant spike in demand has been gambling. An increasing number of New Zealanders are turning to online casinos and pokies for their entertainment. The chart below (Source: Google Trends) shows searches for online casino NZ on Google in New Zealand. An evident and considerable increase in demand can be seen in April 2020.
The graph shows a steady and consistent increase in searches before the first lockdown. As the lockdown came into force, there was a 400% increase in users searching for online casino nz. The demand declined a little, but interest has accelerated, as you can observe in the chart.
The popularity of casino games such as roulette hasn’t changed, remaining relatively consistent. Roulette attracts approximately 10,000 searches per month on Google (Source: Google Ads).
Similarly, the demand for blackjack has also remained remarkably consistent. Approximately 14,000 searches per month related to blackjack.
The search demand for slots is similar to the chart above, while searches for pokies have doubled (below). Searches directly relating to pokies have increased to around 22,000 per month,
Interestingly, the users’ searches tend to be for online casino NZ and casino NZ rather than just casino or online casinos. Users are essentially looking for casinos operating within New Zealand where they can play safely.
The locations that saw the most significant demand in New Zealand include Northland, Waikato, Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay, and Bay of Plenty.
So to answer the question in the title of this article, is NZ becoming a nation of casino loving gamblers?
It might well be. In terms of the total casino-related searches made last month on Google, there were 1.23 million searches. The numbers include searches for popular online casino brands but are still a significant number of searches based on a population of just over 4 million. We estimate that this number has doubled in two years.
We can see that the pandemic appears to have accelerated the popularity, so was it a result of people just looking for new outlets for leisure and entertainment or just plain boredom. There are restrictions on gambling in New Zealand, so users have driven much of this growth.
Staying Safe Online
In closing, we’d like to advise readers that you gamble responsibly and safely if you visit an online casino. Players should make sure they play at licensed casinos and be aware of tools such as deposit limits, cool off periods and exclusions to ensure they stay in control.


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A "technical glitch" has resulted in hundreds of supermarket shoppers having their online turkey orders cancelled just days before Christmas.
And after discovering their online orders for Tesco, Asda and Waitrose were amended without warning, disappointed shoppers took to social media to complain over the weekend, the Mirror reports.
One said he was even sent a box of stuffing instead of a turkey by Tesco.
In several other cases, orders arrived without substitutions or a turkey.
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Many of the affected customers said they fall under the "vulnerable" category – which means they won’t be able to leave their homes to pick up any last-minute items.
Grandmother Christine Vincent, 63, logged on to amend her Asda food delivery order on Saturday morning, when she discovered her turkey order had been removed without notice.
"I pre-ordered a turkey crown long before the cut-off date on December 11," Christine told The Mirror.
"But because of the new lockdown restrictions, I had to amend my order," she said.
Watch: The full list of shops and supermarkets closing on Boxing Day
Christine, who lives in Lincolnshire, was due to celebrate with her daughter's family, however they have since been placed under tougher restrictions which meant she had to reduce her online order.
"After I amended my delivery, I discovered the turkey crown had been cancelled. I called them up straight away and explained the situation," she said.
"They said they'd be in touch within 48-hours, however, it's now been two days and no one has called. My delivery has arrived - and my Christmas dinner plans are ruined."
An Asda Spokesperson said the cancellation was due to a "technical error" over the weekend.
“Due to a technical error a small number of customers didn’t receive their turkey as planned in their online order this weekend,” a statement said.
“We are contacting these customers to apologise and provide a solution, as we make it a priority to ensure our customers receive their Christmas dinner in full.
“Any customer who hasn’t purchased their turkey yet will still find good availability across our stores.”
Reader Rachel Magowan had a similar experience with Waitrose and Ocado.
"They both removed the turkeys from my order,” she explained.
“As a result, I will have to risk getting Covid-19 by going into a supermarket which is just wrong. My partner is vulnerable which is why I ordered online."
Online customer Alison said she's also been left disappointed by the supermarket.
"I ordered my turkey weeks ago," she tweeted.
"I allowed substitutions. Now my order for next Wednesday says turkey out of stock. Disgusting. If you couldn't honour my order, why did you take it?"
Waitrose apologised for the inconvenience, but insisted “stock levels are good”.
"We're sorry to hear if any of our customers are having issues getting their turkeys,” a statement told The Mirror.
“Our stock levels are good and we believe a very small number of orders may have been impacted by an isolated technical issue. We are in the process of responding to any affected customers and we will do everything we can to help them get their orders."
When asked to clarify what this issue was the grocer said it was also affected by a technical glitch.
“Essentially a technical glitch meant some turkeys were being removed from orders,” a statement added.
Reader Michelle Hammond said her vulnerable mother’s online Tesco order was amended without warning.
“There was no mention by the driver or any advance information regarding mum’s turkey,” she said.
“It wasn’t until some time later that she discovered her Christmas turkey was missing.”
The elderly customer has now been told to wait until the New Year for a delivery slot.
“We cannot get any priority slots, every supermarket has no delivery slots until New Year. Her Christmas is ruined and not even an acknowledgement or apology. I don’t know what we are going to do!"
Another Tesco customer took to social media to complain after his turkey was substituted for a box of stuffing – which later also failed to arrive.
“Can you let me know how to make an official complaint regarding our online food delivery that we’ve just received?” he tweeted.
“My partner is shielding as clinically vulnerable and you have substituted a turkey for turkey stuffing and that wasn’t delivered either!”
Mirror Money has contacted Tesco for an explanation and will update this story here shortly.
The technical failures come as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Tier 4 restrictions "with a heavy heart" on Saturday, effectively cancelling Christmas gatherings for millions of families in London and the wider south east.
It means households are not allowed to travel or mix indoors with the exception of current support bubbles amid fears a new strain of Covid-19 is spreading out of control.
Relaxed Christmas restrictions for the rest of England, Scotland and Wales was scaled back allowing three households to meet on Christmas Day only rather than the previously promised five days.
The five-day Christmas bubble remains in place in Northern Ireland.


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After months of complaining about the FCC's "Unlock the Box" proposal, the pay-TV industry has finally made a formal pitch for an alternative.
A broad coalition of pay-TV operators and programmers have pitched the FCC with an open, apps-based alternative to the agencies set-top proposal which they're calling "Ditch the Box."
The scheme would require major pay-TV operators to enable their services through apps based on open HTML5 standards, allowing customers to access their TV service through a range of third-party devices.
The proposal comes five months after the FCC proposed its "Unlock the Box" plan, which is intended to enable third-party devices to enter into the pay-TV ecosystem.
"Advocates for the FCC's 'Unlock the Box' proposal have argued that monthly box rental fees are too high, that open standards are needed to create more competition in the market for video devices, and that these new devices should be allowed to integrate both pay-TV and streaming content in the same search interface," said the Future of TV Coalition, the group of pay-TV operators and programmers coalesced to battle the FCC's NPRM.
"This alternative proposal allows customers to ditch their box altogether, utilizes the open HTML5 standard, and will let devices search for content from both pay -TV apps and other licensed video apps through the device's search menu," Future of TV Coalition added.
Michael Powell, president and CEO of the National Cable Telecommunications Association — a Future of TV member — was on hand to pitch the plan to FCC commissioners Wednesday, along with executives from AT&T/DirecTV (NYSE: T) and Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA), among other companies.
While the presenters included reps from smaller independent programmers including Revolt TV, major conglomerate representation from companies like Disney, Time Warner and Viacom was not present. Dish Network was notably absent, as well.
According to an ex parte filing detailing the meeting, FCC Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel, Mignon Clyburn and Michael O'Rielly were also in attendance, as was Jessica Almond, legal adviser to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler.
At the NCTA's INTX show last month, Wheeler pointedly called on the cable industry to bring something to the table in response to his NPRM. A previous announcement by Comcast that it is partnering with companies including Samsung and Roku to integrate apps into third-party devices that don't require leased set-tops was rebuked by Wheeler and the FCC, who said the MSO still has a stranglehold on the user experience though its apps.
But an FCC statement released today carried a slightly softer message.
"Chairman Wheeler is heartened that the industry has adopted the primary goal of our proposal, to promote greater competition and choice for consumers, and agree it is achievable," FCC spokesperson Kim Hart said, responding to FierceCable with a statement.
"We all agree that third-party access to pay-TV content, integrated search and the protection of copyright, content security, consumer privacy and minority programmers are critical. There is a lot more work to do," the FCC statement added. "We look forward to seeing additional details so we can determine whether their proposal fully meets all of the goals of our proceeding and the statute. We will continue to work with all stakeholders to develop rules that allow innovation to flourish and ensure consumers have real options for accessing the pay-TV programming they purchase"
Future of TV Coalition is billing the plan as a major upgrade to the FCC's "Unlock the Box" proposal, which it says would take years and massive cost to develop and implement.
"By contrast, the 'Ditch the Box' proposal eliminates the need for costly network changes, uses existing open standards that have been broadly embraced by retail manufacturers and others in the marketplace, and lets customers ditch rented boxes for good by installing apps on hardware – such as smart TVs or plug-in streaming players – they can purchase and own themselves."
ACA, lawmakers hammer away at set-top proposal burden on small MSOs
Cable industry mobilizes biggest lobbying push since 2009
NYT says FCC proposal threatens to replace one set of powerful gatekeepers with a new one: Google


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Shiffrin heats up sponsor market First Look podcast: Wal-Mart, 10th SBAs Wal-Mart goes big ServiceMaster joins MiLB sponsor roster Holograms produce real results in sports Logano driving off-track studio concept Lefton Report: Pepsi challenge Lefton Report: Retail hand-wringing Toyota first in-ice sponsor of Knights Etihad renews MLS deal, plans content
SBJ/December 10 - 16, 2001/Marketingsponsorship
Published December 10, 2001
Powerade powers NHRA series
The National Hot Rod Association and the Coca-Cola Co.'s Powerade brand agreed to a five-year deal making Powerade the title sponsor of the NHRA's 23-race national event series, starting with the 2002 season. Coca-Cola and bottled water Dasani will also get official product categories. Powerade replaces R.J. Reynolds' cigarette brand Winston.
Providian sports goals not ...
Providian Financial Corp. will continue its sponsorships with the Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys and the Bay Area's 2012 Summer Olympics bid, spokesman Alan Elias said. The San Francisco-based credit card issuer hasn't yet changed its sports marketing plans, Elias told the San Francisco Business Times, despite cost-cutting associated with lower profits and higher credit-card losses.
Pirates sign skate shop
The Portland (Maine) Pirates of the American Hockey League made Scotia Skate and Supply the team's official pro shop.
Palace snags new airport deal
Palace Sports & Entertainment, owners of the Detroit Pistons, the Palace of Auburn Hills, the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning and leasehold rights to the Ice Palace, has been selected to manage and sell advertising at the new Northwest Airlines terminal at Detroit's Metro Airport. Palace has managed advertising at Metro Airport's three older terminals since January 2000 in a two-year deal reportedly worth $2.6 million.
EA signs Gonzalez for game
Electronic Arts signed Arizona Diamondbacks player Luis Gonzalez as spokesman for EA Sports' Triple Play 2002 video game. Gonzalez will appear on all packaging and merchandising for the game. As part of Gonzalez's deal, EA will donate money to Gonzalez's "Kids Going Gonzo for School" program.


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By Julie Zhu
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Chinese group Ant is in talks with other shareholders of its new consumer credit unit to boost the company’s capital as the fintech giant prepares to back down lucrative microcredit funds, people familiar with the matter said.
It would need additional capital of 30 billion yuan ($ 4.6 billion) to meet regulatory requirements, said one of the people with direct knowledge of the plans.
Ant plans to integrate most of its microcredit business into the unit – the equivalent of around 1,000 billion yuan ($ 155 billion) in outstanding loans – a move that will allow it to maintain operations at the same time. nationwide and grow more easily, two sources said.
The plans reflect intense regulatory pressure on Ant to curb some of its operations and subject them to bank-like rules and capital requirements. That pressure threw Ant’s $ 37 billion IPO last year and saw him formulate plans to move to a financial holding structure.
Ant owns two lucrative microcredit businesses: Huabei, which works like a virtual credit card, and Jiebei, a provider of short-term consumer loans. Both based in the city of Chongqing, in the southwest, they constitute the bulk of its credit business which represented nearly 40% of Ant’s turnover in the first half of 2020.
But under new draft rules released by China’s central bank in November, Huabei and Jiebei are expected to limit their operations to Chongqing unless they obtain new domestic licenses – a potentially lengthy and uncertain process.
It would not be a problem if microcredit companies were part of the consumer credit branch.
Another major benefit of moving businesses to the consumer credit unit is that consumer credit companies can lend up to 10 times their share capital, while online microcredit companies are only allowed at leverage ratios of 2 to 3 times.
The new consumer credit company, called Chongqing Ant Consumer Finance Co Ltd, was established in August 2020 but has yet to obtain its business license, three sources said.
“Regulators will not easily give the green light to launch the company until it fully complies with capital adequacy rules,” one of the people said.
The sources were not allowed to comment on the case and declined to be identified.
Ant, a subsidiary of Alibaba Group Holding, declined to comment. The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Microcredit – loans for small purchases such as smartphones, cameras and household appliances – is extremely popular in China.
Ant and other technology platforms such as WeBank backed by Tencent and JD.com Inc have become powerful third-party intermediaries that attract borrowers, take up to one-third of profit margins on loans while the banks they partner with. passively provide credit.
Ant owns 50% of the consumer credit unit, which it plans to develop to become the largest consumer credit player in China.
Hong Kong-based Nanyang Commercial Bank has a 15% stake, while Taiwan’s Cathay United Bank holds 10%. Other co-founders include battery maker CATL and Alibaba-backed intelligent transportation services company China TransInfo Technology.
If other shareholders are reluctant to provide additional capital, Ant plans to bring in new investors, two people said.
Several shareholders want more clarity on the outlook for the listing of the consumer credit unit, they added.
Shareholders are also hoping their stakes in the unit will be converted into shares in Ant’s financial holding company, which is likely to be made public, the people said.
Most of the other shareholders did not respond to requests for comment. CATL returned the requests to Ant.
($ 1 = 6.4686 Chinese yuan)
(Reporting by Julie Zhu in Hong Kong and Cheng Leng in Beijing; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee and Edwina Gibbs)


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In a bid to make its Tucson more competitive, particularly against the recently launched Jeep Compass Limited Plus, Hyundai has added a panoramic sunroof to the SUV. The Korean brand has also added a new mid-spec GL (O) trim to the line-up.
The Tucson petrol now gets a panoramic sunroof in the new GL (O) variant and the top-spec GLS automatic trim. The diesel model, however, only gets this feature on the new GL (O) variant, and not on the top-spec GLS trim.
Additionally, Hyundai has also added wireless charging on all Tucson variants except the base trim, along with i-Blue app compatibility and the AutoLink feature for the infotainment system.
Under the hood, the Tucson comes with a 155hp, 2.0-litre petrol and a 185hp, 2.0-litre diesel. While the base trims get a 6-speed manual as standard, the GL, GL (O) and GLS variants get a 6-speed torque converter automatic. On the petrol model, power is sent to the front wheels only, though the top-spec diesel does the get option of all-wheel drive.
The Tucson GL (O) petrol is priced at Rs 22.34 lakh, while the Tucson GLS costs Rs 23.60 lakh. The new Tucson GL (O) diesel is priced at Rs 24.11 lakh. In contrast, the panoramic sunroof-equipped Jeep Compass Limited Plus petrol-AT costs Rs 21.41 lakh, while the 4WD diesel MT is priced at Rs 22.85 lakh.
All-prices ex-showroom, Kalyan


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Nokia is adding a subscription-based music streaming service to its product portfolio.
The new service builds on the success of Nokia Mix Radio, a free streaming service that uses caching to avoid interruptions when the listener is temporarily offline.
Unlocking a new network-locked smartphone so that it can be used on another network is now illegal in the USA.
In fact, it’s a criminal offence with first-time offenders risking a maximum five-year prison sentence and a $500,000 fine.
Networking and mobile phone accessory business Belkin has agreed to acquire the Linksys brand along with Cisco’s Home Networking Business Unit.
Cisco has owned Linksys for the past ten years.
Actor Brian Blessed is offering to record voicemail messages for the first hundred O2 UK customers who buy an HTC Windows Phone 8 handset this week.
The promotional campaign, which involves each purchaser tweeting @O2 using the hashtag #brianmail, will reward winners with a voicemail greeting recorded by the richly-voiced British actor
Communications business AT&T has agreed to spend $1.9 billion (£1.2 billion) to acquire some 700MHz mobile spectrum from Verizon Wireless.
It’s acquiring 39 licences that cover 42 million people in 18 states.


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Salisbury Power Equipment set to open March 9
Published 12:00 am Sunday, March 3, 2013
SALISBURY — A new lawn equipment business will host a grand opening Saturday featuring an appearance by Discovery Channel’s Moonshiners.
Salisbury Power Equipment will open at 8 a.m. Saturday at 502 S. Main St. in the former Salvation Army thrift store, which has moved to Jake Alexander Boulevard.
The grand opening will run until 4 p.m., with an appearance by Tim, Tickle and Howard from Discovery Channel’s TV show “Moonshiners” from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Moonshiners will sign autographs and meet with fans and customers.
Salisbury Power Equipment will join Kannapolis Power Equipment and
Lexington Mower Service as the largest Husqvarna retailer on the East Coast.
David Biesecker founded the Lexington store in 1987. His son, Chris Biesecker, has been in the business his entire life and manages the Kannapolis location.
In addition to Husqvarna, the business also offers Toro, Ferris and Simplicity lawn equipment at all locations.
The grand opening is open to the public and will feature food, door prizes and one-day-only pricing on lawn equipment.
Victor Wallace owns the property and has requested the city rezone the parcel so he can save the sign in front of the business. Without the rezoning, the large sign on a 20-foot pole would have to be replaced with a five-foot-high monument-style sign. Planning Board recommended the rezoning, and City Council likely will consider the request this month.


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The latest patch for Sony’s PlayStation Vita has been released and is available to download. The patch, numbered 1.80, adds PlayStation Classic support. It also locks Vita memory cards to one PlayStation Network account. You can read the list of supported titles after the jump.
MonkeyPaw Games, publishers of Arc the Lad and Tomba! have announced their list of PlayStation Vita compatible PlayStation Classic games. The press release also finally confirms the date of the PlayStation Classic compatibility patch for the Vita handheld system.
After reading a couple of reviews on JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure HD Ver. online, I’ve noticed a common complaint that I would like to address.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure lives up to its name, but it’s not just JoJo’s bizarre adventure. Originally released in the arcade before being ported on to the PlayStation and Dreamcast, the title is also the player’s own bizarre adventure. Littered with unique characters who have some of the most crazy abilities seen in a fighting game, JJBA is a title that went largely unappreciated due to the loss of interest in the fighting genre in the west at its time of release. However, that wasn’t to say that it wasn’t popular amongst fighting game cliques.
Jump ahead to the 25th anniversary of the Japanese graphic novel series, and JoJo is seeing revitalization in other mediums. A new TV show and videogame were announced, but they weren’t alone. The 25th anniversary also saw the resurrection of the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure arcade game that was released here in the west, based upon the Heritage for the Future revision which was also released on Dreamcast.
Now reborn in the form of a high definition remake, is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure HD Ver still a good fighting game in today’s world, where the fighting genre itself has also seen a comeback? Or does it fall behind the times?
Literally the day of launch, Dark Souls mods hit the internet. One such mod allows users to fix the locked resolution.
SEGA have finally given away some new combat details in Yakuza 5, including Haruka’s very own dance-off mechanic.
Screenshots for the upcoming PlayStation Vita title, Soul Sacrifice, have been unveiled to the press. They display various types of monsters and environments.


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2024 Social Security Payments Expected to Increase by 3%
Last updated 9/3/2023 at 3:57pm | View PDF
The Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2024 is looking increasingly like it may be around 3%, based on consumer price data released on August 10, according to The Senior Citizens League (TSCL).
Overall, the inflation rate in July is significantly lower than a year ago.
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), the index used to determine the COLA, was up 2.6% year over year.
However, the average monthly inflation rate has risen slightly, especially since January of this year, keeping the COLA estimate at 3%, based on July price data.
July CPI data is important because the COLA is calculated based on inflation during the third quarter — July, August and September, as measured by the CPI-W.
Inflation for those three months is added together and averaged, then compared with the third quarter average from one year ago.
The percentage difference between the two is the amount of the COLA, which would be payable for the check received in January 2024. The 2023 COLA computation can be found at http://www.ssa.gov/cola.
A COLA of 3% would raise an average monthly benefit of $1,789 by $53.70.
In 2023, Social Security recipients received the highest COLA in more than 40 years, but 79% of retirees report that lingering high prices continue to impact household budgets significantly.
The COLA announcement is expected to be made on October 12.


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As reported Monday, many Modern Warfare 2 PC gamers complained over the past week that Valve's Anti-Cheat (VAC) software banned them from the game. Their argument was that they weren't actually cheating, and to get Valve's attention, most flocked to the Modern Warfare 2 forums, the Steam forums, and an invite-only Steam Group to make their case. But despite their outcries, they were told that nothing could be done about the problem save for purchasing a new copy.
Surprisingly, Valve head honcho Gabe Newell stepped forward and issued a statement to those affected by the ban. It was believed that the company would stay true to its stance against discussing and revoking bans, remaining a silent observer. However this time Newell admitted that the banning was a mistake on Valve's part and plans to rectify the situation.
"I apologize for any frustration or angst it may have caused you," he said in the email that can be seen here. "The problem was that Steam would fail a signature check between the disk version of a DLL and a latent memory version. This was caused by a combination of conditions occurring while Steam was updating the disk image of a game. This wasn't a game-specific mistake. Steam allows us to manage and reverse these erroneous bans (about 12,000 erroneous bans over two weeks)."
That's fine and dandy, but where does that leave all those banned gamers? After all, they face shelling out more bucks to regain access. "We have reversed the ban, restoring your access to the game," he added. "In addition, we have given you a free copy of Left 4 Dead 2 to give as a gift on Steam, plus a free copy for yourself if you didn't already own the game."
I'll gladly take that L4D2 gift copy off your hands. Here's how you do it.


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China’s market is crucial for Tesla. As there is tough competition in China with local auto-makers, they are pushing for extra milestones. These two milestones are already in place because China has more than 800 superchargers already. And has been working on service centers.
While Tesla China Sales in May fell drastically because of false rumors. The Special handling team handled the situation miraculously. And the sales are expected to increase gradually.
As Tesla announces one of the two milestones, they say there are 840 Tesla Charging stations in China. Which make up more than 6000 superchargers. Recently Tesla added 210 Superchargers including Zhengzhou, Chongqing, Qingdao, Shenzhen, Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanwei.
Furthermore, it is known that the Giga Shanghai plant can produce up to 10,000 Superchargers per year. So more Supercharging stations are expected to be installed as part of their two milestones.
Tesla Giga Shanghai started manufacturing only in 2020, and they are growing at a faster pace than expected. In China, both Tesla Model 3 and Model Y sales topped the best-selling EV list in Q1. Despite having disruptions in Q2, they seem to be pushing for better services to have an upper hand in the market.
In 2020, Tesla successfully installed 7,173 Superchargers all around the world. This year as Giga Shanghai came into the production capacity, more are expected to come.
Tesla announced on Weibo that there are 100 service centers in remote locations. And they claim to provide various services from consultation registration to 100% assured service.
Having service centers as part of their milestones is a major development. Because earlier there were issues when customers sent their car for repair in local shops. And it was found that the parts weren’t replaced properly. Eventually led to Tesla offering its own services, to ensure appropriate services are provided.
Tesla uses different brake systems, batteries, and other parts. It is only natural that they have more service centers.
Tesla’s presence in China is not only observed by Chinese market enthusiasts. But has worldwide attention. Especially since the protest by a customer due to misunderstanding. Which was resolved later on, but caught the attention worldwide. By year-end when Tesla managed to keep up with its Model 3 and Model Y sales. As the Tesla Giga Berlin is going to start production soon. Its limelight might subside.
Being a mid-size electric sedan, Tesla is highly preferred because of many factors like safety and simplicity.


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Leviton Manufacturing Co.
(Little Neck, N.Y.): Bill Marshall has been promoted to vice president of sales and marketing. Marshall, who had served as corporate vice president of marketing and product management, assumes the additional responsibility for leading the strategic direction of the company’s sales operations.
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Published 7 years ago.
About a 4 minute read.
As the demand for transparency and emphasis on consumer choice continue to grow, so do the challenges of supply chain management. Brands are increasingly expected to work with their suppliers to reduce their environmental impact, eliminate labor abuses, and replace certain ingredients. Ensuring product quality and label accuracy remains an issue, especially for brands with international suppliers or extensive supply chains.
Enter Clear Labs, a team of genomic scientists, bioinformatics specialists and software engineers who are indexing the world’s food using cutting edge DNA sequencing. They are able to test food products for ingredient accuracy, contamination, nutrition, GMOs, gluten, heavy metals, allergens, antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides. They partner with third party labs for the non-DNA testing, according to PSFK.
The company claims that their proprietary analytics platform, Clear View, allows brands to mitigate risk and enhance supply chain transparency. Their testing can allow food manufacturers to screen suppliers for missing ingredients, substitutions, non-labeled allergens, unhygienic elements, bacterial contamination, and natural toxins. After all, no one wants their company to be at the center of the next food fraud scandal.
The Clear Labs team is also using their research to inform consumers. Through its Clear Food initiative, the company is comparing hundreds of food product samples from numerous brands and retailers and delivering their findings through concise, comprehensive reports and “Clear Scores,” numerical representations of the average accuracy of a brand’s products. They aim to produce about one report and associated video per month; the most recent was focused on turkey.
“Our work is part of a broader ongoing process of raising the bar for safety and quality across the food industry,” Clear Labs’ VP of Product Maria Fernandez Guajardo told PSFK.
“The industry is heading in the right direction,” she added. “A great example is Campbell, which recently announced that they are planning on voluntarily labeling GMO ingredients. At Clear Labs, we’ve been working with a number of leading food brands and manufacturers to help them verify the quality of their foods, vet high-quality suppliers, validate the authenticity and quality of ingredients, and reduce the risk of recalls. We’ve been encouraged by the response to our new technology and the willingness to adopt higher standards.”
Companies can ship a sample to Clear Labs or associated third party lab to have DNA sequencing performed on the sample and compared against their extensive database, which includes information from their previous tests and other open-source genetic databases.
“The way we see it, accurate labeling helps consumers feel confident in the food they buy and feed their families. They can rest assured that their food is safe and free from contamination or unwanted ingredients,” Fernandez Guajardo shared with PSFK. “From a business perspective, the companies taking proactive steps to adopt higher labeling standards are also therefore adopting a differentiator that allows them to stand out from competitors, improve the strength of their brand, and increase margins.”
The company’s initiatives are reminiscent of Greenpeace’s supermarket rankings for seafood procurement and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) SmartLabel initiative, to be implemented first by Hershey this year. The idea of leveraging more data to enable a transparent marketplace is not new, but Clear Labs’ molecular sequencing approach and well developed videos offer a new approach.
Published Feb 9, 2016 3pm EST / 12pm PST / 8pm GMT / 9pm CET


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21 September 2017
More efficiency thanks to simultaneous delivery. Mercedes-Benz Vans and Starship Technologies revolutionise logistics on the last mile.
15 May 2017
Whether for a police operation, an emergency or a firefighter service: Mercedes-Benz vans are the heroes of our everyday life.
27 April 2017
Mercedes-Benz and courier service Hermes will partner to electrify the logistic provider’s fleet by adding 1,500 battery-electric vans for last-mile delivery.
06 March 2017
Mercedes-Benz Vans has yet again clinched a double honours at the 2017 VansA2Z Awards, with the mighty Sprinter collecting Minibus of the Year and 4x4 Panel Van of the Year.
06 October 2016
It is the benchmark in its vehicle class: large vans with a gross vehicle weight of around 3.5 t are widely called Sprinter. This flagship model from Mercedes-Benz Vans has given its name to an entire vehicle class.
19 September 2016
Four more safety innovations are optionally available for the new Sprinter: Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Highbeam Assist and COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST, which warns the driver of an inadequate safety distance from a vehicle ahead or the danger of a rear-end collision.
01 September 2016
The first mobile bank branch by Göppingen Savings Bank (Germany) brings local banking directly to customers, even in remote locations. The distinctive bright red vehicle has been driving around the area of Göppingen since last November and has everything on board that people need for their everyday banking.
14 July 2016
The superb Sprinter has scooped the highly-prized ‘Fleet Van of the Year’ accolade at the Motor Transport Awards for the ninth year – smashing its own record in the number of times this honour has been claimed by Mercedes-Benz Vans.
13 June 2016
Van drivers don’t know enough about the EU referendum to make an informed choice, according to research from Mercedes-Benz Vans.
02 June 2016
The best-seller now with added payload, versatility and power. Mercedes-Benz Vans presents the Sprinter in a higher weight class and with new engine ratings. The new variant of the best-seller is approved for a gross weight of 5.5 t – half a tonne above the former upper limit.


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Wilson James has won a five-year contract with University College London (UCL) to act as logistics partner for the university’s Bloomsbury Transformation Programme. The £10m contract will be serviced out of its London Construction Consolidation Centre, which last month received the gold award under TfL’s Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (Fors). The partners predict this will reduce the number of deliveries on-site by 70%. Wilson James will also be responsible for traffic marshalling and waste and delivery management for the project, […]
TNT Express has seen a drop in both turnover and operating profit, following the loss of a contract with a major fashion retailer in the UK.
Clipper Logistics has had its contract with womenswear retailer Whistles renewed by four years.
Bibby Distribution has secured a 10-year contract renewal with acrylic product designer and manufacturer Lucite International.


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The Internet is a “threat’ to all media, it seems.
With 35% of cable subscribers who also watch video online thinking of cutting their cable subscription, the threat to major media companies like Time Warner, Viacom and NBC Universal has become very real.
The majority of profits for these companies currently come from cable programming. The concern is that cable programming online will completely erode the significant fees they garner from their subscribers – fees that are currently keeping major entertainment companies afloat.
On the other hand, as more network television shows up online, and the ever-present threat of regular consumers uploading copyrighted material on video-sharing services like YouTube, cable networks could get left in the dust if they don’t get online with all the other shows.
One idea that’s garnered some interest among the cable companies is going ahead with putting cable shows online – but in order to view them, consumers must first prove that they are a cable subscriber. This gives their customers the convenience of viewing their favorite programs anytime they want from their computers, while still ensuring that everyone who views the material has paid for the privilege.
Cable networks are trying to set up a standard cable-viewing policy across the board, worrying that if some shows are available for free (as many of Comedy Central’s shows currently are on Hulu) while others are restricted to cable subscribers only, they will not have managed the problem in the best way possible.


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ICONZ news stories
Office 365 migration: avoiding the pitfalls
“However, it’s not as simple as just moving everything on to Office 365 – job done. There are pitfalls to be wary of."
Plan B snaps up Iconz, scales up cloud, data centre and networking
Plan B has snapped up pioneer ISP Iconz as it looks to scale up its cloud, data centre and networking services offerings.
How businesses are taking advantage of the cloud
Cloud computing in New Zealand has been widely available for several years, and its adoption has been rapid amongst large corporates.
Overseas vs local cloud vendors, according to ICONZ
Is it time to migrate to an overseas cloud vendor? Well, it depends.
13 areas to cover before every cloud migration
The tech industry is NZ’s third largest export earner and fastest growing sector. NZ’s hosting and infrastructure services were worth $767m in 2013.
Cloud computing - what are the next steps?
Cloud computing is a well-established business practice in NZ, the next step to leveraging it is to build organisation-wide competitive advantage.
New things ahead for ICONZ-Webvision's Deidre Steyn
After more than three years at ICONZ-Webvisions, Steyn has decided to go out on her own and start a consulting firm.
Why your CFO is your cloud computing partner
Deidre Steyn, ICONZ-Webvisions general manager, managed hosting, ANZ, makes the case for cloud computing, and offers tips on getting your CFO onboard.
Backup or replication? Why you actually need both
If you already have a backup solution, that’s great news. However, restoring from backups is never instantaneous.
Unlock the cloud, with no term contracts
Cloud computing offers processing power that is scale-able and flexible, allowing organisations to vary their needs. However, the majority of NZ-based
More on me: Deidre Steyn, ICONZ Webvisions
It may have been a long and winding road to get there, but for Deidre Steyn, the technology industry was always going to be a natural fit for her talents.
ICONZ-Webvisions: Cloud for the masses
UFB is levelling the playing field and boosting potential cloud uptake says Deidre Steyn, ICONZ-Webvisions general manager, managed hosting, ANZ.
At the helm of one of NZ's original success stories
Deidre Steyn tells David Williams how she is relishing the role of general manager at one of New Zealand’s original internet success stories.
Iconz-Webvisions reveals leadership change at the top
"The timing is perfect for iWV to re-assert our leadership in this arena."
ICONZ-Webvisions return to their internet roots
In a world suffering from serious time poverty, New Zealand’s hunger for Ultra Fast Broadband has reached breaking point.
SaaS: The Future for Software Developers
Many software developers have built their business from the ground up, starting with a can-do attitude and a few bits of kit in the garage.
Exeed signed up to the ICONZ-Webvisions distribution deal
Exeed is partnering with local cloud hosting provider ICONZ to tap offer resellers new cloud services.
Export yourself to the cloud
The NZ tech sector is well known for companies that are innovative, nimble and quick to market.
Grow your business not your server room
Where would you invest $100,000 in your business today if given the chance?
ICONZ-Webvisions appoints new Country Manager
Marketing Manager is promoted to Australia & New Zealand Country Manager
ICONZ-Webvisions help NZ companies expand
As business models change, Kiwi companies are looking to take advantage of the power of the internet, using cloud technologies.
ICONZ name change cracks Asia-Pacific cloud
Majority shareholder changes cloud computing experts to ICONZ-Webvisions.
ICONZ aims to break cloud barriers
Kiwi cloud computing specialists ICONZ have restructured their client packages based on customer demand and the results of a recent customer survey on barriers preventing businesses from shifting to the cloud.
How do I hype thee, let me count the ways?
Now I’m just as guilty as anyone when it comes to hyping the heck out of things and often ask myself why.


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Bike repair startup Handlebars has rebranded to Fettle, having undergone a makeover to reflect the changing needs of its customers.
The new brand, with its distinctive new look and strapline, has positioned itself as the champion of customer service and is vowing to “put the word service back into bike servicing” for riders of all types.
Since opening its first workshop 18 months ago, the London-based startup has gone from strength to strength. With its fifth workshop having opened this month, and continued plans for expansion, the company is on its way to achieving its ambition of a UK network of workshops within five years.
Like the rest of the cycling sector, Fettle has experienced a huge surge in demand over the last 12 months. With its trajectory of growth set to continue, the company felt it would benefit from a ‘strip down’ and rebuild to future proof itself going forwards.
All the company’s services are bookable through its website and app, and customers receive a digital quote before work begins while notifications keep them updated along the way.
The goal is to be ‘as accessible as possible’, Fettle said, tailoring its approach for each customer and removing unnecessary jargon. Its stance on jargon can be seen in its comedy sketch advert, available to watch here.
Read BikeBiz’s interview with the company from earlier this year on how it is ‘reinventing repair’.
Read the April issue of BikeBiz below:


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Fundraising for disruptive, Basingstoke-based low cost telecoms provider Boom has been oversubscribed by 45 per cent, reaching £3.2 million and passing its original goal of £2.2 million through Buckinghamshire-based private equity investment firm Growthdeck.
The Boom platform allows businesses to operate with staff using mobile phones or PC software instead of desk phones and redirect incoming business calls to other colleagues, no matter where they are located. Calls can also be recorded and Boom’s technology offers advanced analytics to improve customer interaction.
The far-reaching application of Boom’s technology has become increasingly relevant over the last year due to the shift to home working. The pandemic has forced a large number of staff to work from home which has resulted in a huge rise in demand for cloud-based phone systems for business.
In the longer term, major landline providers such as BT have expressed their intentions to cease providing landlines after 2025 and to discontinue sales on new landlines after 2023. At present, 80% of businesses have still not switched to VoIP, creating a large pool of potential customers for Boom.
Boom’s cloud-based telecoms system far outstrips the pricing offered by its competitors. The business says SMEs with a call centre or phone sales team can save £60,000 over five years through its product, compared to purchasing from traditional telecom providers.
Growthdeck says that Boom’s powerful technology has already proven to be successful and is compatible with even the most basic non-smartphone. This makes the product particularly accessible for businesses and their staff, as it will not be necessary to buy expensive smartphones in order to use the service.
Shaz Hussain, Investment Director at Growthdeck, says: “Boom’s disruptive model is now more relevant than ever before. Investors are acting on the opportunity to back a business with huge potential for growth in both the short and long term.”
“Growthdeck was attracted to Boom’s proven business model even before the pandemic, but the shift to home working has accelerated its growth even more over the last year.”


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Late last month, Crytek revealed its free-to-play FPS for Asian markets, Warface. Today, the developer announced that Tencent has purchased the publishing rights for China and plans to rename the title for that territory. The new Chinese title has yet to be presented.
The game runs on CryEngine 3 and offers several different classes, gameplay modes, as well as co-op missions. Hit the jump for some gameplay footage.
Warface is a vast online universe, set in the near future. The game offers a cinematic experience with next gen visuals, AI and physics based on Crytek’s proprietary CryENGINE 3 game development solution. Warface provides gamers with a constantly updated extensive PVE (player versus environment) universe full of dramatic multiplayer co-op missions, a full set of class based PVP (player versus player) and will be available for PC via Crytek’s free-to-play social platform GFACE.


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Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Starbucks Corp. said raw-material costs may ease in the second half of the year.
Chief Financial Officer Troy Alstead said today on a conference call with analysts that the company took advantage of a recent drop in arabica-coffee prices to “lock in” some supplies.
High commodity costs have hurt the company’s grocery business, Alstead said. Retailers are facing “headwinds,” especially from coffee expenses, he said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Marvin G. Perez in New York at email@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Patrick McKiernan at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Analysis - US job losses hit Europe's brewers
Beer volumes dropped in the US
Europe's big brewers saw their volumes in the US drop back in the first three months of the year as unemployment among young men hurt sales, an analyst has said.
Bernstein analyst Trevor Stirling said in a note today (14 May) the US beer market had a “very weak” Q1 after 2012's strong performance. Bad weather was partly to blame for industry volumes falling about 3%, but increasing job losses in beer's key demographic was an underlying cause, Stirling said.
He also said consumer confidence is fragile, damaged by higher payroll taxes.
In Heineken's Q1 results, released last month, group beer volumes in the Americas declined by 2.4% with sales to US retailers declining in the low-single digits. Over the same period, Anheuser-Busch InBev saw US sales-to-wholesalers fall by 5.2%.
The note, part of Bernstein's quarterly sector review of the European alcohol industry, said despite economic problems, margins in the US remained strong because of growth in craft beer and “premium” sales.
Stirling said a “marked slowdown” in Cognac and Scotch sales in China in the first-quarter caused by a crackdown on conspicuous consumption at government events is likely to lessen throughout the year.
In Q1 figures released in April, Rémy Cointreau admitted “more modest” growth for its Cognac labels in China, while in a call with analysts today, Diageo's Asia-Pacific head warned that the country's sales will remain “soft” for the rest of the year.
China's beer volumes, however, rebounded in the first three months of the year, though margins remained small, Stirling said.
Asia Pacific Breweries is Heineken’s joint venture in Singapore, with a variety of brands and consumer beverages that enjoy prominence in their local markets. The venture is crucial to the firm's grow...
This is the first in a new series of short reports from just-drinks. These profiles will bring together all of just-drinks' coverage of a major development involving some of the leading players in the...
Heineken, the world’s third largest brewer and leading cider producer, continued its aggressive acquisitive expansion in 2012 with the purchase of Asia Pacific Breweries. This profile considers the ex...
Heineken is expected to place a strong emphasis on building an environmentally-friendly business during the forecast period. The company’s sustainability plan, Brewing a Better Future, states that the...
- Interview - Bacardi global marketing boss, whisky
- Comment - Hybrid Spirits: Innovation or Laziness?
- Has Coca-Cola Jumped From Frying Pan to Fire?
- Constellation grapples with glass as reality bites
- Brewers Feel Prolonged Russian Winter
- Mast-Jägermeister targets UK off-trade boost
- Diageo doubles intake for spirits start-ups scheme
- Second senior exec to depart Bacardi
- Portman finds against Diageo "mix it up" tagline
- Diageo appoints head for Asia marketing unit


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Instagram tests new Stories interface for desktop users
To celebrate the New Year, Instagram has decided to give its Stories design a makeover. The visually-focused social network is currently trialing a new carousel presentation for its desktop version. This new feature should make it easier for you to browse Instagram Stories on your computer.
While Instagram’s desktop version is still essentially a wider version of the mobile app, the platform seems to be moving towards offering a design more adapted to computer users. According to Engadget, under the test version, the Stories appear in a carousel that allows users to preview upcoming content and view the previous Stories already consulted. It’s a more practical approach for users to know what they have already watched.
As before, users will be able to choose between Stories playing through automatically or clicking through manually. Up until now, and for most users, Instagram Stories browsed via desktop still appear as a single tile that takes up the entire page.
This new design is currently being tested by a handful of web users since last month, explained an Instagram spokesperson to Engadget. It’s not clear exactly how many users are seeing the new look and when this new feature will roll out to more users.
Instagram’s desktop version has often been criticized for its awkward, heavy design. Does such an update suggest that Instagram is looking to develop its desktop use to catch up with its competitors? Twitter and Facebook have already offered a streamlined design via both desktop and mobile applications for a while. CC


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Good morning, MBA readers,
Plans are in the works to restart certain segments of Missouri’s manufacturing base that have been idled due to the coronavirus, but some, including the United Auto Workers union, are wary that reopening factories next week could endanger employees working in close proximity to one another. The UAW president has called that timeline “too soon and too risky.” The auto union continues to negotiate the terms under which major American automakers will reopen factories, which include two facilities in the Kansas City area and another in suburban St. Louis. Those aren’t the only factory workers airing concerns about working in close quarters and being exposed to other risks related to COVID-19. In northern Missouri, a factory that processes pork for Smithfield Foods is under investigation by federal regulators as the company defends itself against a lawsuit alleging unsafe working conditions. And people who rely on the sharing economy to make a living are voicing a different sort of concern about a company’s response to the pandemic: Airbnb hosts in St. Louis say the short-term rental service has failed to deliver relief in the midst of mounting cancellations.
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Masks aren’t enough protection for factory workers, UAW says
Health experts advising the United Auto Workers union have warned automakers against relying solely on face masks and other protective gear to protect employees from COVID-19. UAW President Rory Gamble last week rejected the companies’ plans to restart production as soon as May 4, saying it was “too soon and too risky.” (Reuters)
Feds probe Missouri meat processing plant
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched an investigation into claims of unsafe working conditions at the Smithfield Foods plant in Milan, Missouri. Smithfield also faces a lawsuit brought by a labor advocacy group and an anonymous worker. The company unsuccessfully petitioned to have the suit dismissed. (Columbia Missourian)
Hawley calls for criminal probe of Amazon’s data practice
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, has asked the Department of Justice to investigate Amazon over alleged “predatory and exclusionary data practices to build and maintain a monopoly.” The move comes just days after The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon used data on its third-party sellers to compete against them under Amazon’s own brands. (CNBC)
FleishmanHillard parent cutting jobs amid reduced ad spending
Advertising giant Omnicom Group announced Tuesday that it will eliminate jobs and furlough employees across its holdings, including St. Louis-based agency FleishmanHillard, as ad spending by clients dwindles amid store closures. (Reuters)
St. Louis leaders move to avoid affordable housing cuts
The city’s Board of Estimate and Apportionment has sent to the Board of Aldermen a proposal to allocate $1 million planned for reserves to keep funding for affordable housing programs at $6 million. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Centene reports earnings down 91%, maintains 2020 guidance
The Clayton-based health insurer on Tuesday reported a 91.2% dive in first-quarter profit due to higher medical costs and expenses from its acquisition of rival WellCare. Centene has not revised its adjusted profit projection of $4.56 to $4.76 per share for the year. (Investor’s Business Daily)
COVID-19 shutdowns may have put Bayer in a more favorable position
With courthouses closed around the country, Bayer finds itself with time to assess the impact of the pandemic and potentially keep the total sum of Roundup settlements below $10 billion. (St. Louis Business Journal)
Columbia’s resilient housing market remains an anomaly
Single-family home sales in Columbia jumped 17.5% in March compared to last year, despite challenges related to low inventory and the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new Columbia Board of Realtors report. However, the number of new listings has dropped 38% for the month, casting some uncertainty over the supply of new homes in the short term. (Columbia Missourian)
Grizzly Industrial plans $3 million facility expansion
The Washington, Missouri-based company, which sells woodworking and metalworking machinery, is adding 62,000 square feet to an existing 300,000-square-foot facility in the Springfield area. (Springfield Business Journal)
Wash U students to work as summer consultants
In lieu of summer internships that have been canceled due to the pandemic, teams of students at the Washington University Olin School of Business will set out to remotely address challenges at businesses locally and across the U.S. The program is an adaptation of a semester-long consulting model used by the school. (St. Louis Business Journal)
St. Louis startups partner on COVID-19 texting tool
TCARE and CareSignal, two St. Louis-based health tech startups, are working together to design and deploy a program that disseminates information on COVID-19 via text messages. (St. Louis Business Journal)
Say that again
“Airbnb pretty much abandoned their hosts.”
That’s St. Louis Airbnb host Jean Corbett talking about the short-term rental company’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has effectively halted nearly all her business in the past month, the St. Louis Business Journal reports. According to Corbett, whose primary source of income is her Airbnb business, she hasn’t gotten any help from the company, which didn’t receive any CARES Act aid. According to David Rothschild, another St. Louis Airbnb host, “instead of saving face with the hosts, they tried to save face with the guests.” The company offered 100% refunds to guests who needed to cancel already-booked reservations due to “COVID-19 related circumstances.” The company said it is working to help through a $250 million fund for hosts affected by cancellations, but neither Corbett nor Rothschild have seen any relief to date.
That’s roughly how much Allied Healthcare Products, a publicly traded health care equipment manufacturer based in the St. Louis area, received through the Paycheck Protection Program administered by the Small Business Administration, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The public company typically flies under the radar, but because it produces respirator equipment and emergency medical supplies direly needed through the course of the pandemic, its shares have skyrocketed nearly tenfold this year, a trend analysts expect will continue. More than 200 public companies that have received PPP loans worth more than $775 million, according to the Wall Street Journal, with some drawing criticism for seeking small business aid.
Hello, my name is
Anthony Sansone Sr.
The 93-year-old founder of Sansone Group, the Clayton-based real estate company, died Monday at his home in Florida of natural causes, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The firm, which Sansone started in 1957, has since grown to over 350 employees and manages some 10 million square feet of property, including the Promenade at Brentwood, Cross Keys in Florissant, the Plaza and Shoppes at Sunset Hills. Sansone was also president of Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and the Urological Research Foundation and served on the board of trustees for the Missouri Botanical Garden.
It’s been a pleasure doing business with you this morning.


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Here is the December 2018 residential real estate market update.
December Plainfield, Illinois Property sales were 93, down -14.7% from 109 in December of 2017 and -35.0% lower than the 143 sales last month.
The Average Sales Price in December was $269,457, up 14.8% from $234,820 in December of 2017 and up 2.2% from $263,722 last month. December 2018 ASP was at highest level compared to December of 2017 and 2016.
The Total Inventory of Properties available for sale as of December was 319, down -23.1% from 415 last month and down -2.7% from 328 in December of last year. December 2018 Inventory was at the lowest level compared to December of 2017 and 2016 (this, combined with the highest December average sales price increase, makes it a great time to sell in Plainfield).
Looking to buy or sell in Plainfield? Who you work with makes all the difference. We’re a multigenerational award-winning real estate team enthusiastic about the home buying and selling process. Call us today! (630) 416-5029 direct office or contact us here https://www.glocklergroup.com/contact/.


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The European Association of Chemical Distributors (Fecc) has elected the Chairman of the Cornelius Group Neville Prior as Vice President
The European Association of Chemical Distributors (Fecc) has elected the Chairman of the Cornelius Group Neville Prior as Vice President. Dr. Prior (Cornelius Group plc CEO) is member of the Fecc Board since 2009, actively contributing to the success of the association activities.
Dr. Prior is also President of the Chemical Business Association (CBA) and brings 25 years of experience in the chemical distribution industry. Speaking about his appointment Dr. Prior commented, “At a time of economic uncertainty in Europe and around the world, the chemical distribution industry delivers innovative and cost effective products and services to industry. We have never been so important! Fecc, plays a pivotal role as the European Association, in ensuring that our industry can continue to do and be so. I want to see Fecc continue to work with National Associations and company members to ensure that our industry will remain in that position for the future. I will work with the President, the Board and staff of Fecc to ensure that Responsible Care continues to be a key feature, that legislation is good for consumers and distributors alike and that we continue to inform the industry on key issues going forward. As our visions states, I want to ensure that Fecc is, and remains THE opinion maker in our European industry”.
The appointments were made on June 17, by the Fecc’s General Assembly celebrated during the organisation’s Annual Congress in Hamburg, the leading event for the European chemical distribution industry. Fecc’s President Edgar E. Nordmann welcomed Dr. Prior, "Neville has shown unique dedication to the chemical distribution industry. He has not only made Cornelius a major participant in the UK distribution sector, but he has also expanded the business to Europe, the United States and the Far East. He has been an outstanding contributor to our association’s activities and I am certain that he will do an exceptional job as Vice President”.
The General Assembly also ratified the membership application of Cornelius Group, along with other two distributors, as new Company Members. Fecc now brings together a total of 36 company members, as well as 15 national associations and 11 associate members.
For more information please contact www.fecc.org


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I have been in Dhaka this weekend, speaking at a conference about sustainable development in South Asia. Sunday morning’s national papers in Bangladesh carried articles about the event, but also featured news about a tragic incident which took place in the city on Saturday evening.
Whilst conference delegates were stretching their legs between the day’s final session and the evening buffet dinner, a fire broke out in a garment factory in Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka. Reports currently offer figures of 120+ factory workers who perished in the blaze, and many people are still unaccounted for.
Another story about a factory fire in Asia. This time it was Bangladesh, most recently it was one in a factory in Pakistan which made international news.
We are familiar with the “sweat-shop” issues raised so publically in the 1990’s, in terms of the disturbing conditions to which factory workers across Asia can be subject. Many organisations since then, including CARE, have addressed the often hugely complex issues associated with the manufacture of items such as garments and electronics, and have successully run development programmes on factory floors, with factory owners, and in conjunction with the global buyers who sit at the top of the chain.
One of CARE’s achievements in this area has been to work with large retail companies such as GAP and Timberland to implement numeracy and literacy training to workers, helping provide skills and, in turn, confidence and assertiveness to a mainly female employee demographic.
To this extent, a few in-roads have been made to improve the lives of some factory workers. The rise in profile of things such as corporate social responsibility, and more recently the “shared value” agenda – both of which I have written about before – have further helped draw attention to workplace issues faced by the millions of factory employees across this region in particular, and offered ‘carrots’ for the Nikes, the Marks & Spencers, and the Monsoons of the marketplace.
Public campaigning, and coalitions such as the Ethical Trading Initiative, have provided the ‘sticks’. As has, more indirectly, the rise of ethical consumerism in countries such as the UK, placing additional pressure on the private and public sectors to do more to improve the rules of the game for the industries collectively responsible for the purchase of millions of pounds worth of jeans, shoes and mobile phones that are so in demand by those who can afford them.
Yet, despite this progress, there were several thousand Bangladeshi family members and friends of those who died in Saturday’s fire, waking up yesterday morning to a brutal and stark reality.
Who will be accountable for what took place in Ashulia? How is it that incidents of this nature continue to happen, and conditions in factories, and treatment of predominantly female workers, still show very little signs of improving?
As endgame consumers, purchasing the latest ‘must have’ line of apparel, what actions can be taken to bring about socially responsible supply chains, that are inclusive towards local producers and workers on the factory floor?
One of the conclusions of this weekend’s conference, was about how catalytic the issue of gender equality is, and will continue to be, to the overall debate and discourse around sustainable development, as well as to topics such as protecting the rights and wellbeing of factory workers.
What does that all mean?
It means the realisation – once and for all – of equal pay for men and women (in every industry, and in every country). It means the active promotion of diversity and equity, up and across organisations (the research and evidence is fairly undisputed now that enhancements in productivity and creativity are greater when organisations employ a more diverse workforce.)
It also necessitates the challenging of societal norms – ie the types of norms which cling onto cultural and traditional persuasions about the role women should take in the household, in the workplace, and in society more generally. Norms which promote patriarchy, and which ultimately hinder women’s advancement.
In Bangladesh, these norms comprehensively inhibit women’s active participation in all walks of life and, undeniably, one of the root causes of poverty and of social injustice in the country, is the dis-empowerment of women and girls.
Within the context of the garment industry, the gender dynamics are acutely obvious. The country is the 2nd largest exporter of garments in the world, operating some 5,000 factories and employing 4 million workers. 80% of whom are women. Possibly as many as a hundred women, working overtime at 7pm on a Saturday evening, were likely killed in the Ashulia incident.
For most female factory workers, overtime is unavoidable, given the low wages received for the typical 8-12 hour shifts carried out. Each worker might also be the sole bread-winner in their household, returning home each evening to then take on the domestic responsibilities to which their husbands will not tend.
Many women are forced to move from rural areas to work in Dhaka, and more often than not end up employed in factories, sending money home each month. Those living in Dhaka away from their families are vulnerable to becoming sex workers and face daily abuse and harassment, both inside and outside of the workplace.
These dynamics are not, of course, unique to Bangladesh and the South Asia region. In other contexts – such as the UK – gender issues are also at the heart of many of the country’s social tensions.
However, statistics, ratios and stories linked to the issue of gender equity in a country such as Bangladesh, provide indefensible proof of women’s daily struggle to earn money, make decisions, speak out, and actively pursue the same types of careers, social lives and personal achievements in life that are available to men.
There are no silver bullet solutions to how any country arrives at a stage of evolution where genuine equity between the sexes exists (and I would challenge any country to put the case forward for them having met this ambition already).
What we can do is strive to make our own decisions as active citizens, consumers and employees, about how we choose to conduct ourselves in the community, as buyers of products, or as professionals in the workplace.
It can start with these actions.


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Toyota Recalls Nearly 2 Million Prius Hybrid Cars Due to Software Glitch
Posted on behalf of Harbin & Burnett on Feb 12, 2014 in Defective Products
Although Google is currently testing driver-less cars, Toyota seems to have already developed such a vehicle by accident. Once again the largest vehicle manufacturer in the world is recalling 1.9 million Prius hybrid cars after a software glitch that could cause the vehicle to abruptly stop was found.
According to Toyota a programming glitch could cause the gas-electric hybrid systems to shut down; in most cases the defect will set off the vehicles warning lights and cause it to enter failsafe mode. During failsafe mode the vehicle will slow down and eventually come to a full stop.
Approximately 713,000 Priuses in North American are affected, the majority of all other affected vehicles are in Japan and Europe. According to Brian Lyons, a Toyota spokesman in Tokyo, the company was not aware of any accidents linked to the defective vehicle.
This is the third time Prius models have been recalled, however, this is the largest recall for the popular green car. In 2013, more than 85,000 Priuses were recalled due to a problem with brake pressure.
The announcement comes less than three weeks after Toyota asked North American car dealers to stop selling six popular models with heated seats after it was found that the fabric did not comply with U.S safety codes and could catch on fire. Affected models included the Toyota Camry and Corolla; the Camry has been rated a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety since 2011.
Toyota has been plagued with defects for several years now and according to the New York Times, it has recalled more than 5 million vehicles annually in the past two years.
UPDATE: Toyota has announced that they will also be recalling "approximately 260,000 Model Year 2012 Toyota RAV4, 2012-2013 Toyota Tacoma, and 2012-2013 Lexus RX 350 vehicles sold in the United States to address two separate issues." in a public statement.


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“Bill and Hillary Clinton and Janet Reno are the finest gun salesmen in history,” Jim Hullinger of a gun store in Plano, Texas told the USA Today in 1994 as Clinton’s signature assault weapon ban passed both the House and the Senate.
“Gun makers stand to make a bundle,” the story reported, especially through sales of large magazines and ammo.
“I’m selling high-capacity magazines as fast as I can get them, and people are buying ammunition not by the box but three and four cases at a time,” a gun store owner told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in 1994. The price of an AR-15 tripled as so-called “assault rifles” were about to be banned.
As pundits, politicians, and anti-gun activists hype more gun-control measures, it usually has the opposite effect. American citizens react by stocking up on weapons and ammo.
It’s a common American reaction. When Twinkies threaten to vanish forever, Americans rushed to stock up on the largely insignificant sponge cake. In the light of a perceived government incandescent light-bulb ban, Americans began stockpiling boxes of treasured 60 watt bulbs.
Since 1994 gun owners have reacted the same way. After all, once the government successfully starts banning the sale of certain weapons and ammunition clips, it doesn’t take much to convince a gun enthusiast that it will happen again.
Gun control activists note with horror that gun sales go up each time there is a high-profile mass shooting. High-volume ammo clips and cases of ammo sell faster than any item in the stores.
Politicians and members of the media roundly criticized Jared Loughner’s Glock handgun with an expanded clip, after he shot Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and eighteen other people in a grocery store parking lot.
Glock sales predictably surged.
Handgun sales in Arizona the following day jumped 60 percent from that same day a year ago.
After the Columbine school shooting in Littleton Colorado, President Clinton reacted by promising more gun control legislation. Gun sales predictably spiked.
“When there’s a threat of people passing laws making it worse, we actually see an increase in business,” a gun store owner in Aurora, Colorado explained to the Denver Post in 1999.”(Buyers) don’t want to take a chance on being able to get their guns.”
The media fueled hysteria for more gun control has only increased since Columbine, prompting gun owners to stock up in reaction to a perceived threat to their rights as gun owners.
Mass shootings also prompt citizens to arm themselves for protection. After the Aurora theater shooting, applications for concealed carry permits and gun-safety classes increased significantly.
Perhaps the greatest stimulant for gun sales is caused when anti-gun Democrats take power.
Gun sales skyrocketed when President Obama was first elected – even though he carefully cultivated a moderate position on gun ownership. Predictably, Obama’s re-election boosted gun sales as gun owners feared that the president would seek more gun restrictions in his second term.
“I had a guy waiting here first thing in the morning [after the election.] He came in, bought two AK-47s,” said a New York gun store owner to CNN.
After the shooting in Connecticut, pundits, politicians, and anti-gun activists believe they finally have the “political capital” to promote gun control legislation. But if you look at recent history, campaigns for gun control only feed the so-called “gun culture” that the anti-gun activists fear.
As another media-fueled anti-gun campaign begins, expect gun owners to respond accordingly. Americans will react by stockpiling more weapons and ammunition than ever before.
America’s culture of gun ownership – based on the Second Amendment - will only gain in strength.


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Action Bronson Teases Third New Balance 990v6
Action Bronson’s New Balance collaboration is so close to dropping that you can almost taste it! Initially expected to be a one-sneaker collaboration, Bronson also revealed last week that he’s going to be releasing an accompanying range of apparel alongside them. This fact was revealed by Bronson’s Instagram a number of days ago, also confirming that there was another colourway of the 990v6 in the works.
Now just days out from the collaboration’s arrival, Bronson has again taken to his socials to reveal yet another colourway of his collaborative 990v6 in a different make-up. This third pair appears to have all yellow midsoles and outsoles (to varying hues), met with light blue and green uppers. Like the other pairs, which have a number of features that make them pop, this iteration is complete with bright pink laces. As of now, there is no confirmation on how many colourways from the collaboration will release, but you can most likely expect the pairs to see a staggered drop.
For now, focus on the first Action Bronson x New Balance 990v6 (plus apparel!) release this week on March 17. For more information, head here.


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Old school animation and a brand-new princess could spell big success for Disney. "Princess & the Frog" is rolling out to nearly 3,500 theaters this weekend, and it's poised to top the box office.
A limited release in just two theaters—one in New York, one in Southern California—grossed $2.8 m in 16 days. That puts the film on track to top the weekend. And after CEO Bob Iger so criticized the film studio for disappointing, Wall Street will be watching to see if this movie is part of a turn around.
The movie features Disney's first-ever African American princess, which has attracted support from Oprah, a consultant on the film. Though it drew criticism for stereotyping earlier in the year before any press screenings, it manages to handle issues of race in the South -- I think these concerns won't turn out to be an issue. Having Oprah on board certainly helps.
More notably, the movie has a feel-good, girl-power message that should resonate with parents. The "Princess" isn't looking for a Prince; she's focused on her aspirations of opening up her own restaurant. Hard work and family are valued over wealth and title. As a woman who was raised on "Sleeping Beauty and Snow White," and didn't turn out any worse for it, I still think it's nice to see a modern improvement on the tales of Princesses trapped in a distant tower, waiting to be saved.
The movie cost a reported $150 million, which seems like a significant investment considering that hand-drawn animation tends to appeal primarily to kids while Pixar movies draw all ages. But Disney isn't looking for a big first-weekend pop, it's hoping to create the kind of long-burn that will draw families through the entire month and will sell DVDs for years.
But MKM Partners analyst Eric Handler says that going with traditional hand-drawn 2D animation carries higher-than average risk in this era of digital 3D. He points out that Disney's last hand-drawn feature was "Home on the Range," which grossed just $50 million in 2004. Handler also notes that "Princess" has a lot working in its favor —starting with a marketing campaign will attract those girls who are already committed consumers of Disney's "Princess" brand.
And "Princess" isn't just a movie —Disney is investing in a brand to exploit across the company. It's a natural fit for its multi-billion dollar "Princesses" franchise, which reaches from the corners of the theme parks to consumer products, to a remarkably resilient and robust DVD business. Disney is making a new, more modern addition to its pantheon of hand-drawn Princesses. Even if the box office isn't as huge for this movie as a Pixar flick, it still seems like a wise way to diversify Disney's princesses for a new generation.
For Disney, "Princess" isn't just a movie, it's a brand which it plans to develop and exploit across all of its businesses.
Questions? Comments? MediaMoney@cnbc.com


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Cuphead’s The Delicious Last Course DLC has been delayed into 2021 to ensure the extra content is Studio MDHR’s best work so far.
Search Results for ps5
Ubisoft has delayed Watch Dogs Legion’s online mode and features to early 2021 so that they can continue focusing on updating the single-player.
Just Dance 2021 has introduced the first KD/A song as a part of a new partnership. Drum Go Dum is available in-game now until February 2021.
This guide covers the Just Dance 2021 Song List as many are asking what songs are on Just Dance 2021 now that the game has been announced.
Metro developer 4A Games has revealed that it now has the opportunity to explore a multiplayer mode for the franchise. Get more info here
The Star Wars Squadrons update 1.07 patch notes have been confirmed by EA. Find out what’s new with Star Wars Squadrons 1.07 here.
Marvel’s Avengers sales have failed to meet expectations, Square Enix has revealed, with the game yet to recoup its development costs.
The Mortal Kombat 11 update 1.26 patch notes have been confirmed by NetherRealm. Find out what’s new for the game on PS5 and PS4.
A new patent filing has strongly hinted that PSVR 2 will feature haptic feedback, a feature also present in the DualSense controller.
Gods Will Fall is a new action title from Clever Beans, developer of the WipEout Omega Collection, and it will release for PS4 in January 2021.


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Facebook on Thursday unveiled "Green on Facebook," a page dedicated to spreading environmental awareness and other "green" news, and in tandem announced its participation in the Digital Energy Solutions Campaign (DESC), a nonprofit coalition of large technology companies and trade groups designed to solving the problems of environmental degradation and energy consumption. It's organized by the Information Technology Industry Council.
Existing members of DESC include co-chairs Intel and Verizon, Sony Electronics, Cisco, AMD, Microsoft, and Hewlett-Packard. This is Facebook's first major corporate "green" initiative: It's growing fast, and theis escalating.
"Global leaders such as Facebook provide the ideal foundation for promoting environmentally-responsible business practices across all industries," an announcement from DESC explained. "The organization is leading in a number of ways: by connecting millions of environmentally-minded consumers and enabling real-time collaboration, reducing the number of company servers through a special programming language, and driving environmental responsibility across every aspect of its operations."
Facebook has long followed a mantra of minimalist resources, frequently pointing out how much it can accomplish with a relatively low headcount of engineers. It's begun to apply that same rhetoric to energy consumption. "Earlier this year, Facebook engineers launched a programming language, HipHop for PHP, which allowed their servers to do the same amount of work with half the number of servers," a press release announcing the company's DESC participation explained. "To spread the benefit, Facebook has open sourced the programming language so that other companies can get the same energy saving benefits."
Additional information on the Green on Facebook page about the company's corporate initiatives explains that through recycling and composting, it's estimated that so far it has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 294 tons, "comparable to taking 59 mid-sized cars off the road," that water conservation strategies have cut back on water use at the company's headquarters by 60 percent, and that more than 40 percent of its employees commute by carpooling, bikes, shuttles, and public transportation.
Sunny statistics like these may seem like corporate greenwashing, but in Facebook's case, CEO Mark Zuckerberg may actually walk the walk with a minimal carbon footprint: Hardly flashy, the young billionaire drives a modest sedan and rents a nondescript house that he found on Craigslist.


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Internet-based fraudsters are finding more ways of getting hold of people’s details, it is believed.
Nick Drew, director of e-commerce operations at ClickandBuy, says some consumers are aware of this but others need to be savvier when they shop online.
"If several payment options are available, then it means that the website is likely to have been vetted and cleared by multiple payment companies," he continues.
Mr Drew believes UK consumers are "creatures of habit" and tend to stick to their favourite method of payment.
If the latest statistics from Apacs – the UK payments association are anything to go by, then this is likely to include plastic cards, which equated to 66 per cent of all spending last year.
Two-thirds of card spending was made on debit cards, while cheque usage on the high street continued its decline.
Mr Drew thinks that to be able to protect themselves while making purchases online, people need to be aware of the secure transfer facilities offered by websites.
Retailers are, however, starting to realise the benefits of these, which could spell good news for consumers.


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Sybase 365, a subsidiary of Sybase (NYSE: SY), the global leader in mobile messaging services, today announced a partnership agreement with paybox, a leader in mobile payment solutions, that will extend mobile payments and mobile money services to customers worldwide.
This agreement furthers Sybase 365's global mCommerce footprint that today includes remote mobile payments (via premium SMS billed to the operators phone bill) and mobile banking services. Now, financial institutions, mobile operators and merchants will be able to easily offer their customers various mobile payment services, including payments for goods and services, money transfer and mobile airtime top-up.
"paybox's vision for mobile commerce fits well with our business objectives," said Matthew Talbot, vice president, mCommerce, Sybase 365. "paybox and Sybase 365 will offer solutions for mobile payments and person-to-person money transfer targeted at both emerging and developed markets."
paybox's mobile payment software - Mobiliser Portfolio - recognized as one of the broadest on the market - will leverage Sybase 365's integrated mobile messaging services and unrivalled global reach to more than 700 mobile operators and 3 billion subscribers, offering customers an open mobile payment infrastructure standard
"This agreement is a natural progression of where the market is headed and what customers are demanding from their mobile phones," said Eckhard Ortwein, CEO paybox. "By combining mobile messaging and mobile payments offerings, Sybase 365 and paybox are establishing a global standard for mobile commerce services."