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NEW YORK -- Moody's Investors Service downgraded Saks Inc.'s debt, citing sluggishness through the chain's operations. But Saks contends Moody's is missing the boat.
On Friday, Moody's pulled the retailer's senior implied debt rating down two notches to B1. That's eight levels from the bottom of Moody's 21-degree ratings scale and four steps into sub-prime or "junk" territory.
Then on Monday, Saks responded. "We are surprised and disappointed in the downgrade initiated by Moody's and believe that the action fails to understand and reflect the operating results of our business and the overall strength of our financial position," stated Doug Coltharp, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Saks Inc. Moody's analyst Elaine Francolino did say the ratings outlook is stable, that the operating performance will stabilize or improve over the intermediate term and "existing bank facilities are sufficient to fund working capital needs." Yet overall, she was not favorable. The Saks Inc. expansion, most notably the acquisitions of Saks Fifth Avenue and Carson Pirie Scott in 1998, "may have stretched the consolidated company's lean infrastructure."
She added: "profitability in 2001 suffered especially from markdowns to spur sales" due to a slower economy and sated consumer apparel demand." Same-store sales were negative in 18 of the last 24 months, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization margins have fallen since 1999.
Another Moody's analyst, Marie Menendez, said the rating had some "cushion" and allows sufficient flexibility for operations to stabilize and take a little longer to turn around. "This is not a company that we see under immediate pressure or as having the risk of a quick meltdown. Saks, like other retailers, has been facing some challenges of its own making as well as a very challenging economic situation." For the nine months ended Nov. 3, losses mounted to $53.6 million, or 38 cents a share, against earnings of $19.9 million or 14 cents in the 2000 period. Sales slid 6.7 percent to $4.16 billion.
While earnings have been hurt more by SFA, the department stores also face challenges, as A.G. Edwards & Sons equity analyst Robert Buchanan observed. "It is important to differentiate the merchandise offering. The way out of this mess is to better edit their branded offerings and develop a kick-butt private label brand," he said. As for SFA, "With more than 60 stores, they tend to lose some of the aura that surrounds the nameplate and in a business that is all about exclusivity, it may or may not make sense to have 60 stores when your best competitor in Neiman Marcus has 30."Saks, however, said sales at the department stores and SFA have recovered significantly since Sept. 11, that it expects to meet the First Call earnings per share estimate for the fourth quarter and year, and that for the new fiscal year inventories are "lean, current and well-assorted and with a more efficient cost structure."
"In spite of a difficult environment in 2001, we generated free cash flow from operations, augmented by the proceeds from non-core asset sales, sufficient to reduce our long-term debt by approximately $500 million" representing about a 30 percent reduction in debt and a current total-debt-to-total-capitalization ratio of 36 percent.
Saks also cited ample liquidity, including its new five-year, $700 million revolving credit facility, with zero borrowings on it, and substantial cash on hand. Also, the balance of senior notes maturing in 2004 were reduced from $700 million to $167 million, meaning no significant debt refinancing requirements until the revolver maturity date in 2006. Saks also cited "a substantial portfolio of unencumbered real estate," including the Fifth Avenue flagship.
Breaking News: @louisvuitton's men's artistic director @mrkimjones is leaving the French fashion house after nearly 7 years. Jones joined Louis Vuitton in 2011, following a three year tenure as creative director of British luxury goods brand Alfred Dunhill. Jones is to exit Louis Vuitton after showing his fall 2018 collection for the brand in Paris on Thursday. Read the full exclusive story on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdnews #wwdfashion
For men’s fall 2018, @giuseppezanotti drew on elements from streetwear, sport, biker, combat and rock ‘n’ roll. Pictured here are a pair of shoes from the collection, featuring zippers, rhinestones, and silver hardware. Head to WWD.com to see a roundup of the accessories from Milan’s men’s fall 2018 shows. #wwdfashion (📷: Andrea Delb)
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of @ralphlauren’s snowboarding collection, the brand is mining its archives. The iconic brand is reintroducing vintage styles and dropping new designs for a color capsule that will be available in Ralph Lauren stores and @openingceremony on January 25. The capsule will consist of 10 pieces, including the Snow Beach Pullover, pictured here, which is a collector’s item that rapper Raekwon wore in Wu-Tang Clan’s “Can It Be All So Simple” video. #wwdfashion (📷: Tom Gould)
For @rochasofficial’s pre-fall 2018 collection, creative director Alessandro Dell’Acqua channeled the sophisticated and intriguing Catherine Denevue in the film “Belle de Jour.” Polished collarless coats, midi skirts, suits and ’60s graphic motifs were all featured in the collection, adding a sense of discreet luxury. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com #wwdfashion
“We tried to produce clothing of that couture quality, but the most daunting part was that we only had a matter of days [to do it],” said costume designer Lou Eyrich, who recreated Gianni Versace’s iconic looks for @americancrimestoryfx. Eyrich searched online retailers and vintage shops for original pieces from the design house and for @penelopecruzoficial, who plays Donatella Versace. Head to WWD.com to read how she created the Versace world. #wwdfashion
Only three months after her stellar debut catwalk season, @kaiagerber has inked her first big design collaboration –– with @karllagerfeld. The collection blends Lagerfeld’s Parisian chic aesthetic and the model’s signature West Coast casual style via RTW, accessories, footwear and more. The #KarlLagerfeldxKaia collection will launch in September with a series of events. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdfashion
Harrods plans to remove the famous statue of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed from the bottom of the Egyptian escalators and hand it back to Mohamed Al-Fayed. “We are very proud to have played our role in celebrating the lives of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed at Harrods and to have welcomed people from around the world to visit the memorial for the past 20 years,” said Michael Ward, Harrods managing director. “With the announcement of the new official memorial statue to Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace, we feel that the time is right to return this memorial to Mr. Al Fayed and for the public to be invited to pay their respects at the palace.” More on the news, with reporting by @loreleimarfil, at WWD.com. #wwdnews


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Paint pleases pilots while furniture “makeover” pleases travelers
(Aspen, CO) Painting stripes on the airfield and replacing terminal furniture may at first glance seem mundane but routine improvements like these at the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport keep the operation safe, comfortable and convenient.
Painters this week wrapped up the first of a twice a year airfield painting project striping the runway, taxiway and ramps. This $74,000 project has historically been done once a year but has been increased to spring and fall because of the toll mountain weather takes on critical airfield markings.
“Every winter our snowplows, brooms and the deicing materials we use take their toll on our airfield markings,” said Assistant Airport Director of Operations, Francey Jesson. “To keep the airfield safe these markings must be bright and crisp and easy to see from the air and on the ground.”
Over 100,000 square feet of black paint was used to outline stripes of white (59,000 sq ft), yellow (25,000 sq ft), and red (9,300 sq ft).
“This is an admittedly expensive twice a year project for the airport,” Jesson said. “We are looking for a longer lasting solution.”
A new thermalplastic marking system, recently approved by the FAA, is being tested at the airport this summer. The product melts markings into the asphalt and that vendors claim lasts eight times as long as paint. Jesson says the product costs four times as much as paint but may save the airport money in the long run.
In related news, the 20 year old red cloth airport pre-boarding terminal furniture was replaced this month with more, “at home feeling” sets of leather chairs and couches in the passenger greeting area and higher tech seating in the pre-boarding ticketing area. The terminal furniture makeover includes chairs and tables with electrical and USB outlets for computers and other electronic devices and wireless “Powermat” cell phone/mobile device charging surfaces.
“We’re excited to be one of the few airports in the country to offer wireless “Powermat” induction chargers on our furniture,” said Assistant Airport Director, David Ulane. “If you have a Powermat wireless charger adapter on your cell phone or mobile electronic device you simply set your phone or device down on one of our tables with white Powermat chargers and charge your phone or mobile device while you wait for your plane,” Ulane said. The airport is currently working to make the most popular PowerMat adapters available in the airport. In the meantime, users can visit www. powermat.com to purchase one for their devices.

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Tesco’s chief has called on the government to cut business rates and with money raised from a new tax for online retailers, can help throw a lifeline for Britain’s failing high streets.
Dave Lewis, chief executive of Tesco warned that innovation is being stifled and prices are under pressure with stores closing in their thousands.
Lewis said the system is “outdated, not fit for purpose, and doesn’t reflect the way people shop today.”
He said there had been major high street fatalities and it is “impossible” not to notice the increasing strain over the retail sector. He said the Treasury has created a “downward spiral” as the rates system has been relatively unchanged.
John Allan, the president of the Confederation of British Industry said the system need a “fundamental rethink.”
Writing in the Daily Mail, Lewis said, “It doesn’t matter whether you are a large retailer such as Tesco, or run an independent corner shop, business rates have a huge impact on every bricks-and-mortar retailer. This is unsustainable.”
Lewis hit out at online retailers, saying that they operate from out of town warehouses that are worth a lot less than high street properties, that means their rates are far less than traditional companies.
He said, “Our business rates system has barely evolved since 1988, yet the way people shop has changed profoundly.
“Online retail has grown dramatically, while sales in shops have fallen. Healthy competition between shops and online is good for customers and drives innovation.
“But the ability to compete is undermined when the playing field between shops and online is not level.”
“As I see it, there are only two choices. We can prolong the status quo, losing jobs and business and impacting communities. Or we can put our tax system back in step with sales.
“That would level the playing field, reduce the unsustainable burden of rates and increase investment for the good of retail, and our great nation of shopkeepers.”


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Google has launched several new updates to DoubleClick Ad Planner, designed to enhance the overall experience with the tool. With these releases, one can streamline the process of building online media plans and campaigns while getting access to better data for more informed media planning decisions. A summary of these updates is included below, as per Google’s earlier announcement.
A handy feature, custom columns allows you to customize the columns you view within the Ad Planner “Search by audience” interface. To access this new feature go to the “Search by audience” tab and click on the “Columns” drop down menu located on the upper right hand side of the “Placement” section. Choose column options from Placement Info and Country.
Exporting Google Display Network placements to existing AdWords campaigns
When the Export to AdWords feature was made available in Ad Planner back in June, you could easily export Google Display Network (GDN) placements from Ad Planner into a new campaign in AdWords. With this latest feature upgrade, you can now export placements into existing AdWords campaigns and ad groups as well.
The process is simple. Select GDN placements for export and click the “Export to AdWords” button found in the “Research by Audience” and “Media Plan” sections of Ad Planner. Exported placements will appear as either a new ad group or be incorporated into existing campaigns or ad groups in your AdWords accounts. These exported placements can be found in the “Networks” tab under “Managed placements.”
YouTube and Google Finance now included in Ad Planner
YouTube.com is now included in Ad Planner and comes in at number 2 on the latest Ad Planner 1000 list. Google Finance has also been added to Ad Planner with this release and you can continue to see previously included Google properties such as Blogger , Orkut and Picnik .
Google Content Network is now Google Display Network
In June, the Google Content Network got a new name — the Google Display Network — to better reflect the breadth of Google’s display media offerings. You can run ads on the Google Display Network the same way you always have on the Google Content Network.
With this latest release, you will notice a change in the Ad Planner interface reflecting this new term, and you’ll see Google Display Network where you might have seen Google Content Network mentioned.
To read more about the Google Display Network check out the Agency Adwords blog post at http://adwordsagency.blogspot.com/2010/06/introducing-google-display-network.html.
Visit www.google.com/adplanner to check out these latest updates to Ad Planner.


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518,707 new cars were registered in March, only the third time the market has surpassed half a million units in a single month. The month rounded off a record quarter, in which more than 770,000 new cars were registered – a 5.1 per cent increase over the first quarter in 2015.
Demand for alternative fuel vehicles showed a notable increase of 21.5 per cent in the month, as consumers continued to favour lower-emission vehicles with lower running costs. Registrations of both diesel and petrol cars increased, meanwhile, with respective uplifts of 4.8 per cent and 4.7 per cent.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, “The sector’s strong growth in March rounds off a robust first quarter as British consumers continue to demonstrate their appetite for new cars, especially ultra-low emission vehicles. This confidence should see registrations remain at a high but broadly stable level over the year, but could be undermined by political or economic uncertainty.”
New registrations snapshot
1. Overall the supermini is the most popular car type – a trend which is as true in March 2016 as it was in March 2006, with more than a third of all buyers preferring compact driving.
2. The rapid rise of the SUV continues, with more than 85,000 of them newly registered in March – 140 per cent more than a decade earlier
3. Ten years ago in March, just 1,354 hybrid and electric cars were registered. In the same month this year more than 17,000 left the UK’s showrooms – a 1,173 per cent increase.
4. Around 40 per cent more new cars were registered in Scotland and England during March 2016 than the same month five years ago, while demand in Wales grew 46 per cent and in Northern Ireland by more than a fifth.
5. Buyers of new cars in March can look forward to CO2 emissions of around 20 per cent lower than the average car on the road. In fact, average new car CO2 is at an all-time low of 121.4g/km.


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The pandemic has made it possible for art media which would traditionally be seen in the context of a gallery or museum to be streamed online from the comfort of your home. It allows the viewer the freedom and flexibility to search and find content that resonates with them. And for someone like myself that loved to be inspired by new and provoking ideas the excitement of exploring and discovery is now endless. So, don’t waste a good crisis. My searching led me to DIS. A streaming visual media platform that re-imagines society’s relationship to videos and streaming channels, making intellectual theory accessible when it would typically be presented in an academic thesis.
Interpol’s cybercrime research facility, the Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI), has created its own digital currency in a bid to combat cryptocurrency-fuelled crime. The IGCI team, which includes members from Singapore’s police force, will use its in-house virtual currency to study scenarios of cryptocurrency use and misuse in a specially designed simulation training game. (Via CoinDesk)
The former bitcoin trading division of SecondMarket, has relaunched under the new name Genesis Trading in bid to become “the partner of choice for large institutional buyers and sellers” in digital currency trading, while creating an identity of its own from this specification. Genesis Trading, which claims to be the first fully licensed digital currency-centric broker-dealer in the US, has executed trades for more than 800,000 bitcoins since 2013. “We have been working toward this launch for a long time and this is a very exciting day for our entire team,” said Brendan M. O’Connor, CEO of Genesis Trading, adding: “Our goal is to become the partner of choice for large institutional buyers and sellers who are beginning to recognize the economic potential of digital currency.” Talking to the Financial Times, O’Connor said that the idea was to capture large hedge funds and private investors that have shown interest in bitcoin trading. (Via The CoinTelegraph)
Photo: Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images Bitcoin is the digital currency exchanged online that has taken a bad rap. News abound of the currency being used for nefarious ends, such as drug running, illegal gun sales, human smuggling and terrorist activities. In the past couple of years, the value of the currency has been on a roller coaster ride, making millionaires of some and paupers of many investing in the currency. Now Bitcoin is undergoing a bit of a renaissance, with its values seemingly stabilized but still retaining the notoriety for its use online. British financial authorities, in a recent Reuters report, have announced its open support for the digital currency. It is now opening its doors for the open trade and use of Bitcoin, albeit under a slew of regulatory edicts to protect users of Bitcoin. With Bitcoin gaining legitimacy in some financial areas, some others have chosen to tread a path to improve on what bitcoin had started. Bitcoin uses software linked together via the Internet. This network determines the rules and principles that …
The growth of digital media has been accompanied by increasing concern over consumer privacy. Is surveillance really the future for digital media? What are other viable business models? How are businesses managing consumers’ fears around data collection? To what extent do consumers care if their data is handled responsibly? In the digital age who should own consumer data? In the video highlights above, watch BBC News technology reporter Rory Cellan-Jones debate these crunch issues with panel: Emma Carr, director, Big Brother Watch Blake Cahill, global head of digital and social marketing, Philips Matt Adams, chief media officer, iProspect John Enser, partner, Olswang (Via The Guardian)
Spring cleaning may have you sifting through your closets and crawling through the storage spaces in your home, but tech experts say you should add digital cleaning to your to-do list. “Just like our homes get crowded with things in the winter, sometimes our digital lives get crowded,” Michael Kaiser, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance, told CBS News’ Hena Daniels. Kaiser says a digital spring cleaning can protect your online information all year long. The first step: Change your passwords. Next: Are you using all those apps on your phone? If not, get rid of them. “They may have security flaws in them,” he cautioned. “So if you are not going to use apps any longer just get rid of them and clean them out.” Another tip: Clean up your online reputation. Delete old photos and posts that are no longer flattering and could give important people — like potential employers — the wrong impression. While you’re at it, refresh your friends list, making sure people are still relevant to your cyber …
Image by Master OSM 2011 Flickr CC To share or not to share, that is the question. Facebook has put this dilemma to parents this week, with the launch of a new “scrapbook” feature, which allows parents to create a profile tag for a child. Facebook noticed that parents were tagging each other on photos of their children. But the photos being shared make it hard for parents to manage photo collections. By creating a page for the child, these photos can be marshalled into one location. It’s a profile page for children in all but name, managed by parents. Currently under 13s are not permitted their own profile. As boundaries between the online and offline worlds have begun to merge, we need to start grappling with how we treat our digital presence. Putting aside digital naysayers, there’s an increasing feeling that if it’s not online, then it doesn’t exist. And the same applies to people. Like all technologies, the online world is as good as your interaction and use of it, with positives ranging from establishing …
Most people following developments in Bitcoin are familiar with the often repeated mantra proclaiming that blockchain is an innovative technological breakthrough. The blockchain is a peer-to-peer public ledger maintained by a distributed network of computers. There is no central authority, and no need a trusted third party to process and verify transactions. Eliminating the need for third party intermediaries while maintaining a system that is completely secure, trusted, and verifiable is why the blockchain shines as a technologically innovative medium of exchange. To accomplish this, the blockchain must record transactions in a manner that allows anyone to objectively determine how much value has transferred just by observation. People are loving blockchain technology because of its use in areas beyond transferring money value, so called “Bitcoin 2.0” functions. But can blockchain technology exist as a medium to exchange financial value without Bitcoin, or any native currency component? (Via The Cointelegraph)
Image News Talk Florida The New York Times reported the paper will give up some of its website traffic to the social-media giant, a move that some media observers call a power shift in digital publishing landscape. Under the proposed deal, Facebook would host content from prominent news outlets such as The Times, National Geographic and BuzzFeed directly inside the Facebook app. “What’s popular in social media tends to be big, national news, happy, engaging stories, whimsical stories,” says Anatoliy Gruzd, director of the social media lab at Ryerson University’s Ted Rogers School of Management. “If the focus is only on creating what’s popular for social media, that kills diversity of news.” (Via CBC News)
Audio clock is designed for utility but also for a digital animation art as interior objects that always on your bedside, desktop and sideboard.


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The mall operator Simon Property Group is in talks with Amazon to turn empty department store space into e-commerce distribution centers, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. The talks focus on turning spaces formerly occupied by JCPenney and Sears Holding Corp into storage space.
Coronavirus has driven down mall foot traffic for sure, but it turns out that these negotiations actually predate Covid. According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon has already acquired some failed malls. It wasn’t clear how many JCPenney and Sears spaces are under consideration.
This is an interesting development, given the competitive nature between Amazon and brick and mortar stores. It’s not a secret that e-commerce has put a dent in traditional shopping. There’s been a rash of department store failures in recent years, and now Covid is accelerating those bankruptcies. JCPenney and Sears both filed for bankruptcy last year, and have had to close locations. More recently, Neiman Marcus and Lord and Taylor have filed for bankruptcy in 2020. Nordstrom has closed 16 stores.
Meanwhile, Amazon earned $88.9 billion in the second quarter, it’s highest earning quarter yet (you know, that time when GDP had a record contraction and unemployment reached post-war highs). Now, by grabbing department store space, Amazon could be positioned to reach consumers even more easily.
It’s hard to say what will happen to the stores that stay after the department store giants leave. As a distribution center, Amazon won’t draw foot traffic the way Sears or Lord and Taylor would. Not to mention, Amazon’s having more distribution hubs would make it even easier to compete with remaining brick and mortar locations.


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As time goes by, Smart TVs are getting better and better. Users with Android Smart TVs in India are finally getting a revamped Android TV home screen. That’s right, the new home screen – Google TV Home UI was earlier rolling out to users in the US back in February of this year is now making its way across Android-Powered Smart TVs in India. So, what does the new Android TV Home update bring in? Well, for starters, it has gotten rid of the menus on the left side that had the apps, and play next buttons. Instead, we now get to see a simple and clean menu with the Home, Discover, and Apps tabs in the top left corner of the screen.
The apps, movies, and shows are now spread across the screen instead of staying on the right-hand side of the screen. This makes the home screen more pleasing to look at. You will also notice that a few featured suggestions from Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar, Apple TV as well as MX Player will be displayed on the screen. You can however choose to turn these off, but they do not seem to work on the Google TV app for mobile as of now.
About ads on Google TV, so far there are no reports, but well, we all know what happens, and the ads are expected to slowly creep up to these TVs as well. Just like how many users in the US reported auto-playing ads on their Android TVs that have the new Google TV Home UI.
The update is slowly but gradually rolling out to the majority of Android TV users in India. Many users in India have reported receiving the home screen on their TVs, we too got the update on Motorola ZX Pro TV running on Android 10 TV OS. Whether your Android TV runs on Android 10 TV OS or even Android Pie for that matter, you will be getting the new Google TV UI update soon.
Many Android TVs from Motorola, OnePlus, Mi, TCL, and even the MI Boxes are getting the new Google TV UI update. You can also sideload the new home screen, by downloading the Android TV Home APK file from APKMirror. The file weighs in at 7.33 MB.
If you are someone who has an Android TV and resides in India, do let us know if you have got the new Google TV home screen UI update as well as mention what Android TV brand or Android TV box you are using.
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No. of units: 1.5
For the past 19 years, Sky’s founder and chef Barbara Burrell has sustained her eatery’s quaint, delicious fare—articulated as “Mexican with a splash of soul”— in L.A.’s Pico-Fairfax area. However, June 2010 saw Burrell expand her brand to four wheels, specifically with a vibrant fuchsia food truck that hit the streets to serve a smaller slice of Sky’s menu items: specialty tortas, burritos and, of course, tacos
No. of units: 8
In July 2007, three college graduates decided to open a restaurant in the Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Georgetown. Just four short years later, Nicolas Jammet, Jonathan Neman and Nathaniel Ru, founders of Greens Restaurant Group LLC, have expanded the concept to Virginia and, this past year, launched a mobile cuisine vehicle selling frozen yogurt and salads. Sweetgreen and its founders have been featured in publications such as Spin, Star and US Weekly, and in September were featured on the CBS series “Unplugged, Under 40.”
“We’re more than just a restaurant; we’re a lifestyle brand. We like to call it the sweet life, and we like to have fun with it,” said Ru. The average age of Sweetgreen’s corporate staff is 27, and employees are encouraged to partake in yoga classes at the office or rock climbing excursions as a group. The company is aiming to have 12 open locations by 2012 and has built the concept by focusing on local and sustainable ingredients.
We would like to congratulate Sky’s Gourmet Taco’s and Sweet Green on showing how easy taking a fast casual concept onto the roads can be. You can bet that more of these concepts will start leaning toward this trend in the upcoming years.


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Tonic creates global campaign for the Audi A8 L – Always First Class
The Audi A8 L is the new star of an integrated print and TV campaign rolling out this week.
Featuring the highest standards in cabin luxury complemented by a seductively powerful engine, this immaculate sedan it in a league of its own. This is the thought that inspired the new Audi A8 L “Always First Class” campaign. For drivers who want to have it all, exactly the way they want it.
The TVC (click to see here) and stills were shot on location over three days in Execujet’s private hanger in the beautiful port city of Cape Town, South Africa. The TVC was expertly produced by Lucky Fish Productions; Gil Bauwens took the director’s seat and filming was lead by one of our favourite DOPs, Peter Tischhauser, with an original score by Robert Brinkworth from Resonate. Stills were captured by Mike Lewis from MAN.
The campaign kicked started early September in Korea and the Middle East and will probably run over the coming months in Russia, and South-East Asian markets. It’s the first time we produce a global TVC to be used in the rest of the world. It’s a nice change in a market where we usually tend to adapt image building campaigns and only ever create dealer ads.
We want to give special thanks to our friends at Audi Middle East, Firas Kandalaft and Chayne Brand for recommending us to Katja Boysen at Audi AG. Stay posted for a lot more cool work coming your way from us for Audi.


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This column has regularly, and largely futilely, railed against corporate subsidies of every sort, from sales tax rebates for shopping centers, to appropriations for high-tech research, to special tax treatment for solar component manufacturers.
Early voting ballots are arriving in Mesa ballot boxes for a March 10 election to determine if residents will support a rare moment to lock in a powerful new economic engine that would benefit the entire south East Valley.
More News Articles | Why Vote Yes?
Yes on 300 would like to say "Thank You" for all your support!
"This type of tourism is what Mesa needs as the benefits of the community reach far and wide from the creation of jobs, boosting the economy, lowering taxes and enhancing the quality of life."
Robert Brinton, Treasurer, Yes on 300 Committee; President, Mesa Convention and Visitors Bureau


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Made-in-Vietnam apparel much favoured in Yen Bai
- Wednesday, July 27, 2022
YBO - In recent years, made-in-Vietnam fashion brands have increasingly obtained the trust of consumers in Yen Bai. At local stores of Canifa, Yody, Savani, and Aristino, Vietnamese clothing products are dominating for their diverse designs, high quality and affordable prices.
Clothing stores sell diverse designs of made-in-Vietnam products attractive to consumers.
Yen Bai has four products named among 141 outstanding rural industrial products of 2022 in the northern region which were recognised recently.
Yen Bai is seeing its economy recovering and growing, people's incomes increasing, and the market of gasoline prices and input materials gradually stabilising. The context is favourable for retail and service activities to prosper again.
Over the years, Luc Yen district has focused on encouraging local residents to promote the potential and strengths of the locality and focus on developing commodity-oriented livestock. So far, many local farmers have switched their small-scale farming into larger one.
Farmers in Van Yen district planted 100 ha of ST25 rice variety in the four communes of Dai Phac (5 ha), Yen Phu (40 ha), An Thinh (5 ha) and Dong Cuong (50 ha) in the summer-autumn crop in 2022.


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MANGO, Spain’s most international fashion brand, has put its MANGO KIDS collection on sale.
The new line of children's clothing, aimed at children aged 3 to 12, will include both basic garments and more on-trend garments, and will also adapt some of the best-sellers from the women's collection for girls: the so-called “mini-me”.
The collection will also include accessories, footwear and underwear. For this new project, MANGO Kids has its own team of designers responsible for the different product lines (flat weave, knitwear, T-shirts, jeans and accessories), and is also creating a management and purchasing structure for this new product.
MANGO Kids will go on sale in a selection of approximately 140 existing MANGO stores in 32 countries including Spain, Turkey, France, Russia, Germany, Italy and Portugal, as well as selected standalone high-street stores in cities such as Barcelona, Valencia, San Sebastian, Cordoba, Montpellier and Frankfurt, which opened their doors during August.
In addition to the new MANGO Kids and MANGO Sport & Intimates brands, the chain currently has a woman’s line (MANGO), a men’s line (H.E. by MANGO) and an exclusive line of accessories (MANGO TOUCH).
The brand, which now has over 2,600 stores in 107 countries, closed the 2012 financial year with a turnover of 1.691 billion euros for the MANGO MNG Holding S.L.U.


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Breakfast has become much more than the first meal of the day. With the emergence of new culinary trends, interest in healthier and aesthetically attractive options has grown exponentially, especially on social networks.
Among these trends, avocado toast has positioned itself as an undisputed favorite. This preparation, which combines simplicity with the flavor and nutritional benefits of avocado, has found its place on the menu of numerous cafes and restaurants, promising a perfect start to the day for those in search of a healthy and photographable breakfast.
The problem is that they don't always serve what you want. Recently, a story shared by user @wattersanyi on X has highlighted this gap between expectations and reality. Her friend, who was expecting an ideal breakfast with avocado toast, found a very different version than she imagined.
"I'm bursting, a friend ordered an avocado toast and they brought her this," she commented, sharing a photograph that captures the moment of gastronomic disappointment. The image, indeed, shows a dish that is far from what was expected.
Instead of the appetizing avocado toast, the photograph stars two toasts with a layer of guacamole, unconventionally garnished with ham, tomato slices, and a cracked overcooked egg. The presentation and composition of the dish have made it clear that there is no resemblance to the original.
The failed avocado toast has gone viral and has accumulated numerous comments. The vast majority of users who have reacted to these slices have considered it to be a horrible breakfast. "As an avocado toast taster, they give me this and I turn it over their head," said one girl. "One more point of cooking in the egg and it becomes a proton weapon," said another.


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WattEV, a Segundo, Calif.-based startup has chosen Bakersfield to be the location of a 25-megawatt (MW), solar-powered, electric-only public truck stop between California’s Central Valley and Southern California’s ports and shipping hubs.
The start-up, founded by telecommunications and satellite engineers, aims to solve the classic chicken-egg problem: Which comes first, electric trucks or charging infrastructure? Their solution: Do both at once.
The 110-acre truck stop, located at the southern end of California’s expansive San Joaquin Valley, will be positioned near logistics fulfillment centers run by Amazon and Walmart and will feature a solar micro-grid with battery storage as well as grid energy from PG&E.
Partners in the project include the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, Greenlots, Power Electronics, the Central California Asthma Collaborative, heavy-duty truck makers, PG&E and others. Initial output from the WattEV electric truck stop will include 4-MW capability, eventually growing to 25-MW feeding more than 40 charging bays.
To solve the other side of the issue, WattEV has developed a business model, labeled Trucks as a Service (TaaS), that opens the transition path for transporters to use battery-electric trucks.
“We aim to enable the addition of 12,000 heavy-duty battery electric trucks to the roads in California by the end of 2030, exceeding existing forecasts,” said Salim Youssefzadeh, CEO of WattEV. “If it works in California, it’ll work just about anywhere in the country.”
WattEV, whose core business started by developing the novel charging infrastructure, has reserved its first 50 Tesla Semis and plans to place more orders with other OEMs. WattEV expects this new approach to accelerate the adoption of electric trucks in California and the rest of the country.
“Focusing on the revenue and profit potential of an electric truck, rather than the fixed and variable cost of owning a new or used diesel truck, is how we can get more drivers into more electric trucks more quickly,” added Youssefzadeh. “Waiting for the market to mature organically – at the rate it’s currently going – could take more than a decade. Our aim is to fast-track the transition to electric truck transport by doing things a little differently.”


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Biscuiteers smash target with £1.25m raise on Crowdcube
Online handmade biscuit company planning to invest in marketing, manufacturing, infrastructure, retail and international growth
Biscuiteers, an online business selling hand-iced biscuits featured in 2010's Startups 100, has nearly doubled its original £550,000 target in a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube.
The company raised £1.25m from 784 investors in 31 countries. The average investment was £1,590 and the most common was £100.
Founded in 2007, Biscuiteers’ handmade products are currently stocked in John Lewis, Selfridges, Harrods, Fortnum & Mason and The Conran Shop. The company has also collaborated on limited editions tins and bespoke biscuits for the likes of Mulberry, Boden and Burberry.
2012 saw the launch of its first Biscuit Boutique & Icing Café in Notting Hill, followed by an opening in Northcote Road in 2014.
The finance will be used to invest in marketing, manufacturing, infrastructure, retail and international growth.
Harriet Hastings, Biscuiteers founder, commented: “We were overwhelmed with interest in our campaign – it was particularly lovely to have so many of our own customers among our investors.
“We are hugely excited by the new opportunities this has created for the business and the marketing benefits that the crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube has brought to the brand.”
Luke Lang, co-founder of Crowdcube, added: “With a track record of success and impressive growth plans, we're pleased our 300,000-strong crowd of investors have been able to back Biscuiteers and become part of its next exciting phase of growth.
“With over 780 investors jumping at the opportunity to invest in the award-winning business, Biscuiteers is now the latest business to successfully raise on Crowdcube bringing the total amount raised to date up to £195 million.”


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Subaru has been caught benchmarking a BRZ against the Mazda Miata.
If you want sports car thrills at an affordable price, you can't go wrong with the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ. While sales of both models have been declining since they were introduced in 2012, next-generation versions are already in development. Toyota claims the next 86 will be even better than the Supra.
But before they arrive, the current BRZ could be getting a send-off because our spies have caught a mysterious prototype sporting some upgrades for either a new facelift model or a special edition.
We first saw the mystery Subaru BRZ being put through its paces at the Nurburgring back in October, and now the sports car prototype has been spotted being benchmarked against a Mazda MX-5 Miata and Alpine A110 on the streets.
Compared to the current model, the prototype BRZ has a more aggressive front bumper with a larger central air intake flanked by vertical openings. It's also been equipped with new front fender vents behind the wheels and new headlight graphics. Judging from the camouflage at the back, there will also be changes applied to the rear lights and the section between the lights and on top of the trunk.
Powertrain details remain a mystery, however. Being based on the current BRZ suggests it will retain its 2.0-liter boxer engine that produces 205 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque, enabling the Japanese sports car to sprint from 0-62 mph in seven seconds.
Its performance falls short of the Miata, which can do the same sprint in 5.9 seconds. Since Subaru is benchmarking the BRZ against the Miata, it seems likely that the prototype has been given a power bump to complement its aggressive styling upgrades. Rumors also suggest the next-generation Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 will be powered by the same 2.4-liter turbocharged unit as the Subaru Ascent. In the Ascent, this engine currently produces 260 horsepower but is expected to be detuned to around 217 hp in the new Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86.


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The Kauffman Foundation reports Montana ranks first in the nation for entrepreneurs.
According to the Kauffman Index, there are 530 entrepreneurs for every 100,000 adults in the state. Scott Rickard, the Director for the Center of Applied Economic Research at MSU-Billings says that's good news for Montana.
"It speaks towards the ease with which someone living in Montana can start a business and at least in that first time frame manage to find at least fifteen hours a week that they work at," says Rickard.
Jerel Harris is one of those entrepreneurs. His business in Laurel is only 3 weeks old.
"I don't think our economy has been affected that bad as the bigger states that you see, our construction is up and going right now there's just a lot of business a lot of potential out there," says Harris.
Rickard attributes the high ranking to the lack of large corporations employing Montanans, the low cost of starting up a business in the Treasure State, and Montana's can-do attitude.


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Blockchain MarTech Industry Grows by 1,218% in 18 months
Never Stop Marketing Research and Brave Software Collaborate to Help Enterprise Marketers Harness Blockchain Potential Rapidly
New York and San Francisco, February 13, 2019 —- Never Stop Marketing Research, the leading research firm on the intersection of blockchain and marketing, and Brave Software, an innovative privacy browser combined with a blockchain-based digital advertising platform, today announced the release of a new tool to showcase the growth of blockchain solutions for marketers via the Blockchain MarTech Landscape.
The number of marketing startups building blockchain-based solutions has grown explosively over the last 18 months, from only 22 in Q3 2017, to 88 in February 2018, to 290 today. Many of these companies have developed solutions and are now entering a testing phase.
Brave’s Basic Attention Token was launched on May 31st, 2017 to improve the efficiency of digital advertising by creating a new token that can be exchanged between publishers, advertisers, and users. NSM Research and Brave are collaborating to assist marketers in assessing their level of engagement with key blockchain solution and concepts.
The Blockchain Martech Landscape tracks the type of startups using blockchain and distributed ledger technologies for marketing use cases. The Landscape’s first column focuses on the Programmatic Advertising category and the solution the blockchain-based startups provide. These include Supply Chain Transparency, Payment Transparency & Reconciliation, Fraud Prevention, and Rewarding Consumers for their attention.
This 3rd version of the landscape adds new categories that would not exist without blockchain such as rewarding content contributors, video contributors, email readers, and consumers for sharing their data.
Below is the growth of martech companies harnessing blockchain, from February 2018 to February 2019:
- Advertising & Promotion – From 24 to 55 companies, 200% growth
- Content Marketing – From 6 to 38 companies, 533% growth
- Social Marketing – From 26 to 31 companies, 19% growth
- Commerce – From 10 to 59 companies, 490% growth
- Data – From 11 to 38 companies, 245% growth
- Management – 3 to 19 companies, 533% growth
The space is developing quickly. Many of the startups being tracked in the Landscape have moved onward from initial development and are in the process of running tests.
“Just like the Internet, mobile, and social, blockchain technology will dramatically impact the roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities for marketers at large enterprises. The explosive growth in offerings is proof that multiple sectors are ripe for disruption, regardless of where crypto asset prices are,” said Jeremy Epstein, CEO of Never Stop Marketing. “Brave has emerged as one of the early leaders and we are honored to work with them to help inform the marketplace.”
“The current digital advertising ecosystem is broken, riddled with fraud and designed to benefit a select few platform operators and ad tech intermediaries at the expense of the user,” said Brendan Eich, CEO and co-founder of Brave. “This incredible rise of blockchain solutions for marketers is representative of the demand for more balance and greater transparency in the industry.”
Brave has pioneered a new blockchain-based advertising model that reforms the current system with 70% revenue share to users and privacy by design. Following the October 2017 integration of the BAT into the Brave browser, Brave began a series of user trials in June 2018. In January 2019, Brave announced the Brave Ads Developer Channel preview, providing the first experience for the public and brands to test and learn in preparation for the general release. Brave Ads will become available to all with the upcoming Brave 1.0 browser release, and early ad network and brand partners include BuySellAds, TAP Network, AirSwap, Fluidity, and Uphold.
In July 2018, a series of pilots focused on providing transparency through the programmatic media supply chain were announced by MetaX, FusionSeven, Kochava/XCHNG and Lucidity. Lucidity has also unveiled significant results from a recent campaign with Toyota. Meanwhile Unilever is testing IBM’s blockchain platform to validate agreed spend and clarify discrepancies, and at Advertising Week, Kiip showcased a test with AB Inbev to identify advertising discrepancies using a single ledger to record time-stamped impression level campaign delivery.
All eyes are now looking forward to the results from these early case studies. Over the next few months, these experiments will open a new chapter for marketing – one that may well vindicate early blockchain entrepreneurs and their big bets on this technology.
Additionally, Never Stop Marketing Research is launching a new resource to help marketers and agencies via information, analyses, and reviews of Blockchain MarTech & AdTech solution providers. Reviews.NeverStopMarketing.com
About NSM Research
Never Stop Marketing Research is a comprehensive source for marketers and agencies to find information, analyses, and reviews of Blockchain MarTech & AdTech solution providers. The goal is to help marketers understand Blockchain technology, and how it can help them increase revenue and save money on marketing. Never Stop Marketing is a partner of the BRI, Blockchain Research Institute, has published three books including the Decentralized Marketing Organization, and frequently keynote at MarTech conferences.
Jeremy Epstein, CEO, Never Stop Marketing
Donny Dvorin, GM, Never Stop Marketing Research
About Brave Software
Catherine Corre, Head of Communications catherine@brave
Luke Mulks, Director, Business Development email@example.com
Continue reading for news on ad blocking, features, performance, privacy and Basic Attention Token related announcements.
Binance widget integrated into the Brave browser puts cryptocurrency management and trading at users’ fingertips in first exchange-browser integration of its kindBinance widget integrated into the Brave browser puts cryptocurrency management and trading at users’...
Brave 1.0 was released on November 13th and received very positive press reviews, and also saw a surge in user adoption. Brave went from 8.7 million monthly active users in October to 10.4 million MAU at the end of November, a 19% increase across all platforms.
Brave Launches Next-Generation Browser that Puts Users in Charge of Their Internet Experience with Unmatched Privacy and Rewards
The Industry’s Most Advanced Browser Offers 3-6x Faster Browsing and Ends Surveillance Capitalism with a Private Ads and Payment Platform that Benefits Users, Advertisers, and Publishers Brave Rewards Now Available on iOS, Completing Cross-Platform Availability San...
Brave exposes an inflection point in the online ecosystem, with more users feeling increasingly concerned with protecting their online privacy and fed up with big tech.
Over the past 4 ½ years I’ve been helping to build a “big” new startup named Brave. It’s been a wild ride, far exceeding anything I could have imagined. The company has grown from a team of 2, to over 100 passionate mission-driven teammates. Our user base has grown to 8.7 million monthly active users. Our users help support over 300,000 registered content creators via micropayments. And our community is growing and thriving more every day.
In Partnership with The Giving Block, Brave Selects The Tor Project as the Latest Grant Recipient of Brave Ads
In the first two weeks, the campaign has resulted in 344,555 views and 30,995 clicks.The Tor Project became a Brave Ads Grants recipient on October 17th. As part of the program, Tor is receiving approximately $10,000 in free advertisements per month to engage with...


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Another report, from Business Insider Intelligence, predicts a compound revenue growth of mobile advertising at nearly 40% through 2020.
All indications suggest that video ads will become the dominant form of mobile advertising.
1. Vertical Video
The wires are abuzz with the news about Snapchat, ad giant WPP and the Daily Mail partnering to start developing more vertical video ads. Snapchat reports that vertical videos have nine times the rate of completed views versus horizontal. It was a brilliant move that Snapchat embraced the format, and it’s not because of the wasted space that horizontal video has on mobile.
With all the money going into mobile, and everybody wanting to be “mobile-first,” an emphasis on vertical video could be considered a symbol of the influence that mobile now has in marketing circles.
Alia Lamborghini, SVP of sales for Millennial Media, says the shift to vertical is a big deal, noting that “what we’ve seen work less well is people taking their [traditionally horizontal] TV assets and dumping them into mobile.”
Marketers designing ads specifically for a format that only looks good on mobile is a positive sign of things to come.
2. Programmatic Mobile Video
Having mostly solved the “enough inventory” problem, everyone is now pushing for quality supply in programmatic, especially as reports of fraudulent ads abound.
The key to programmatic is data. Every day more data is collected, and programmatic video buying and selling becomes more dependable. As more historical data fills the market, algorithms can efficiently measure things like viewability, and identify fraudulent materials more easily.
Premium inventory is one way to counter fraudsters, though there is always a risk of fraud.
Programmatic and mobile video are both in fledgling stages right now, says Frank Sinton, CEO of video tech company Beachfront Media. “The big programmatic traders are doing audience buying, and they need data,” he says. “When it comes to programmatic, it comes to getting the right data to the advertiser and having them make the decision.”
With the volume default set to mute, auto-play video ads are a purely visual medium. Facebook reports higher interaction rates with native video ads than any other platform. Now that those ads are available to apps within the company’s Audience Network, the potential for them has grown immensely.
However, the social giant has faced some criticism: On one hand, it doesn’t use third-party verification for its metrics, and on the other, they count three seconds of video without audio as a view. “Maybe [consumers] just can’t scroll faster,” jokes Sinton.
Whatever the ad industry thinks of Facebook’s measurement methods, auto-play is challenging advertisers with extreme short-form and silent constraints. Restrictions often open up creativity.
Carolyn Everson, Facebook’s VP of global marketing solutions, told Beet.tv that
auto-play on mobile is “Harry Potter-esque: where the pictures come to life, and you don’t even have to click to play them.”


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Well, we already knew that the Wii was weak compared to the other consoles. In Shigeru Miyamoto’s E3 2009 roundtable, the designer had a candid moment when discussing Wii hardware. Some might say he was a little too honest.
When talking about the New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Miyamoto said that since the game features four-player multiplayer and multiple camera views, the Wii’s processor is already being taxed pretty hard. Sounds like the Wii processor is already starting to show some limitations. Miyamoto also said that, “I would like to use Wii Speak more, but [in SMB] the Wii processor is already being taxed.”


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An Abbey's Run-In With Law On Who Can Sell Caskets
Monks set up St. Joseph Abbey in Louisiana more than 100 years ago. They've been there so long, they have 1,100 acres and their own town, St. Benedict.
For all those years, when one of the brothers died, the monks would painstakingly craft a flawless pine casket in their woodwork shop.
Over the years, many clergy members and high-ranking church officials would request the the beautiful caskets. Soon, members of the public wanted see if they might be able to buy one.
You could go online right now to Wal-Mart and buy a casket, and it's perfectly legal, but we couldn't sell them to our own next door neighbor.
So Deacon Mark Coudrain brought the idea to the abbot and asked if they'd consider making the caskets to sell. They did, and in 2007 the monks opened a 5,000-square-foot woodshop in the abbey, which Coudrain now runs. All the money from the caskets would go to support the abbey and charitable causes.
Everyone seemed happy, but before they could sell a single casket the abbot called Courdrain with bad news.
"[He] said, 'You better sit down, I got a letter and it says we need to stop making them because it's illegal in Louisiana,'" Coudrain tells weekends on All Things Consideredguest host Laura Sullivan.
The reason: You have to have a funeral home license in Louisiana to sell caskets to residents in the state.
"We can certainly make them, and we can sell them to anybody in the world except other residents of Louisiana," Coudrain says.
Louisiana's law is just one of dozens of antiquated and possibly monopolistic laws that pervade the nation's funeral industry. For the first time in decades, the laws are facing new scrutiny as consumers become more aware of their rights and even funeral homes want to change.
It's hard to know just how many other states only allow funeral homes to sell caskets to state residents because there's little federal law or oversight that regulates the industry. It varies by state, and sometimes it varies depending on how politically powerful each state's funeral homes are.
"Many state regulations are regulations lobbied for by the funeral homes and some of them can be anti-competitive," says Craig Tregillus, the funeral rule coordinator at the Federal Trade Commission.
Tregillus' job is to ensure federal funeral regulations are followed. If you're worried that's a lot to keep track of, don't be. There's only one regulation on the books — from 1984.
"The FTC's funeral rule took effect ... in order to give anyone who arranges a funeral the right to purchase only the funeral goods and services they wanted or needed," Tregillus tells Sullivan.
Tregillus and FTC inspectors have conducted about 2,500 sting operations on funeral homes in the past 15 years just on this one rule — making sure customers get a list at the door and only pay for what they want.
Take caskets, for example, you don't even need to buy one. Each cemetery can make its own rules but there's no law that says you have to use one. There are laws in some states, however, that you can't drink coffee at a funeral home.
It's the kind of thing that drives Paul Elvig, the state liaison for the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, crazy.
Going state-to-state to compare various laws that cover funeral homes and cemeteries, Elvig, a former regulator from Washington state, tells Sullivan that he found few similarities between what each state had on the books.
"They're highly unique state to state," Elvig says. "If you look at insurance laws or laws governing real estate, they're very similar ... many times with the same wording. You're not going to find that similarity with funeral and cemetery laws."
As the funeral industry marketplace changes, Elvig says the main point of contention is how much control the consumer should have.
"Should you be able to buy cremation and [not] have to deal with a funeral home?" he says. "What about the cemetery [and its role]? I see divisions in the industry on which way to go."
Rules For All
While Elvig might want to see more uniformity in state regulations, other industry groups aren't necessarily on the same page.
Patrick Lynch, a funeral home operator in Michigan and past president of the National Funeral Directors Association, says states should make their own rules.
Lynch says everyone who sells funeral-related services should have to follow those rules: from the guy on the Internet selling graveside services to a business that provides cremation or even big-box stores like Walmart that sell caskets.
Lynch says this is not about profit; it's about protecting the consumer.
"Not allowing food in funeral homes or not allowing the free marketplace of product sales, those are very isolated incidents," Lynch says. "The greater one, where I believe the federal government needs to take a position, is to say we need consumer protection across the board, not to protect the arena of funeral homes but to protect the consuming public."
For some people though, the rules and regulations aren't even relevant. There are some families in the U.S. that are turning to what are called home funerals.
In 1995, Elizabeth Knox's daughter was killed in a car crash. At the hospital, in despair, she couldn't accept the idea of sending her daughter's body off to a funeral home. A friend told her she should bring her daughter home and let relatives come say goodbye — so that's what she did.
Knox dressed her daughter and had a viewing in her home to let family and friends say goodbye for three days. She then opted for cremation and said the process felt like closure — and maybe a little bit like healing.
"That just would not have been possible in a funeral home," Knox says. "At best we would have had two hours with her in a public place that was not our home."
Knox now works in Maryland with other families to show them how to have their own home funeral. Many opt for cremation, but she says it's not hard to find cemeteries that don't require bodies to be embalmed.
'It's Just A Box'
For the monks of St. Joseph Abbey and Coudrain, Louisiana's law was a difficult crossroads. Coudrain says the monks didn't want to hurt funeral homes' business, which the decades-old law seemed designed to protect, but they believed in the service they wanted to provide.
"You could go online right now to Walmart and buy a casket, and it's perfectly legal, but we couldn't sell them to our own next door neighbor," he says.
Typically, monasteries don't want to be in the public eye, Coudrain says, but he and the monks decided they wanted to fight the law and see what they could do to make it legal for them to sell their caskets.
So, they fought and won with a federal judge striking down the law. But the funeral home industry in Louisiana has appealed and the 5th Circuit Court will rule on the law in coming months.
In the meantime, the monks are selling their caskets.
"We feel like it was our right to do this, we're not harming anyone [and] there was no health and safety issue," he says. "We're building a box. I mean, yes, it's holding the temple of the Lord, but it's a box."
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin today announced that restaurants can now access the online self-certification form on PA.gov/COVID. The self-certification is available in English and Spanish, and will be available in other languages soon. The recently announced self-certification process enables restaurants, private social clubs and food service businesses that serve dine-in, sit down food in a regular, non-event capacity to increase indoor occupancy to 50 percent while adhering to mitigation efforts that will keep employees and customers safe.
“Pennsylvania’s businesses have worked diligently over the past few months to reopen safely, ensuring that customers and staff are protected against COVID-19 through the use of masks and social distancing efforts,” said Sec. Davin. “This new process will further help our restaurants on their path to recovery while instilling confidence in any patrons who walk through their door.”
The self-certification process is open to all restaurants, private social clubs and food service businesses that serve dine-in, sit down food in a regular, non-event capacity.
Restaurants that self-certify will appear in an Open & Certified Pennsylvania searchable online database of certified restaurants across the commonwealth and will receive Open & Certified Pennsylvania branded materials, such as window clings and other signage designating their certification, which they can display for customers and employees. When consumers see the Open & Certified Pennsylvania logo, they will know the establishment is engaged, responsible, and holds customer health and safety as a top priority.
The self-certification process entails the following:
- A list of requirements contained in the current restaurant industry guidance and enforcement efforts;
- A statement that the owner has reviewed and agrees to follow these requirements; and
- The business’ maximum indoor occupancy number based on the fire code.
can choose to not self-certify, self-certification is required
for restaurants to increase their indoor capacity to 50
percent. Social distancing, masking, and other mitigation measures must be
employed to protect workers and patrons. Enforcement of the 50
percent indoor capacity will begin on October 5, so restaurants that
choose to increase indoor capacity to 50 percent before October 5 must
complete the online self-certification process by that date.
However, the self-certification process will remain available
after October 5 for restaurants that choose to self-certify in the future.
Additionally, restaurants, private social clubs and food service businesses serving alcohol for on-site consumption must end alcohol sales at 11:00 PM starting today and all alcoholic beverages must be removed from patrons by midnight. This applies to both restaurants that do not self-certify to increase to 50 percent and those that choose to stay at 25 percent. There is no change to the requirements for the temporary sale of cocktails-to-go and take out alcohol sales from bars, restaurants or hotels with a liquor license.
Business owners should keep a copy of the self-certification confirmation they will receive by e-mail. The self-certification will be used as part of ongoing enforcement efforts conducted by Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, and will be shared with the departments of State, Labor & Industry and Health, and other enforcement agencies.
Self-certifying will not lead to additional inspections. The occurrence of regularly scheduled or complaint-based inspections from enforcement agencies will not be affected by certification status. In fact, certifying proves that a business is committed to protecting employees and providing patrons a safe dining experience. Any health and safety violations from self-certified businesses will be handled first with warnings and education rather than fines or other penalties.
Business owners with additional questions about the self-certification program can contact firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Crochet classes reviving old-fashioned craft one stitch at a time
Start with a slipknot, then a few chain stitches before moving on to a couple of trebles. If this sentence means anything to you, you probably know how to crochet already.
But this old-fashioned skill is finding new fans thanks to small classes run at a craft shop on Elizabeth Street, Hobart.
Katinka Challen runs the two-hour workshop where people are taught how to make a "granny square".
So far, more than 200 people have taken her class, all with a yearning for learning the yarn craft.
Cocooning urge spurs crochet revival
"I have a theory," Ms Challen said of why crochet was becoming more popular.
"The generation of women whose mothers and grandmothers taught them, they became women who were working more ... there was less time to teach their children these traditional lady crafts.
"[My] second theory is the world is feeling less safe for the present generation of young people.
"So that cocooning phenomenon of getting back to slow living — you see it with slow cooking — the return to crochet and knitting is part of that cocooning.
"[It's a] warm and cosy aspiration people have."
Ms Challen said there was also a desire from many in her workshops to create unique gifts for their loved ones — something that cannot be bought in a chain store.
"I've actually had a grandmother, a mother and granddaughter come to a class together and they were making squares for the great grandchild, so that was quite special," she said.
Ashlee attended the class to learn to crochet so she could make a gift for a friend.
"My friend does have a baby shower at the end of November, so I'm hoping to maybe crochet her a blanket," she said.
"I don't know how it will go, but I'm going to try.
"I've always liked the idea of being crafty and when I was a kid I did knitting and all that stuff."
Fellow class attendee Louise said she was inspired by creations she saw on social media sites.
"I've got a Pinterest board that says, 'One day I will crochet' and tonight's the night," she said.
Ms Challen said the social side to craft was just as important as the creation side.
"It's also a very social pastime," she said.
"The idea [of the class] is not just coming out with that finished product.
"It is spending two hours of time where you shut out everything else and we're just focusing on doing something creative.
"And as grown-ups it's a big thing to learn a totally new skill, it's not often we learn something that we've never done before."
So far Ms Challen said only women have joined her classes, but she is keen to see men learning the craft too.
"That's in my business plan for next year — get some blokes along to crochet," she said.


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The recall was caused by an issue that causes affected cars to shut off without being able to turn back on. According to a report on Friday from Swedish publication Dager Industri, Volvo Cars and Geely started a recall of roughly 2,200 EVs after multiple customers reported the issue.
In a statement with Green Car Reports, spokesman JP Canton said “We issued a voluntary safety recall for Polestar 2 after we investigated, verified and developed a solution for an issue reported by a small number of customers” Canton added “A fault in the logic of the Battery Energy Control Module requires a manual software update to be rectified. A total of 2,189 potentially affected registered customer vehicles in Europe and China are being recalled. No North American vehicles are impacted.”
Furthermore, it was confirmed by Canton that before deliveries in the United States begin, the Polestar 2 units for the North American market will be given a software update to resolve the issue.


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This March Dubai introduces Design Days Dubai, Art Dubai, Christie’s and Tashkeel, this year is going to be Design Days Dubai’s largest one yet- with some really stunning pieces.
What should you know about Design Days Dubai:
- The world’s most diverse design fair dedicated to collectable design
- Sixth edition held from 14 – 17 March, 2017 at Dubai Design District (d3)
- The largest number of exhibitors to date, 50; record UAE participation
- Range of prices appeal to both next generation of collectors and seasoned collectors
- Returning exhibitors point to a maturing in design appreciation in the UAE
Design Days Dubai has announced the dates for its fourth edition, which will take place from March 16 – 20, 2015. Design Days Dubai looks forward to its highest number of galleries ever, with nearly half of them coming from Arab countries. The regional country most represented through its sheer number of exhibitors is the UAE, with Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar following shortly after.
The fair heading now into its fourth year has already featured a roster of international galleries that has helped further establish Dubai as a center of discovery and as a global meeting place for the world’s cultural community.
From March 16-20, 2015, Design Days Dubai will be the unique platform for design enthusiasts, and collectors with an extensive engaging public program of discussion panels, lectures, installations and workshops.
The full program will be announced on their website soon.
For more details on exhibitors etc.. please check Design Days Dubai website.


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THERE are some easy ways to reduce the interest you are paying on your home loan. Find out if it is worth it.
MANY Aussies avoid the dentist out of sheer cowardice, but there are significant questions you can — and should — be asking when you’re getting treatment.
THE head of the Reserve Bank says the next interest rate move will be up - but that’s not likely to happen until the central bank sees changes in the jobs market.
AMERICAN media outlets have joined forces to hit back at Donald Trump’s claims they are “the enemy of the people”. He isn’t happy about it.
AUSTRALIA’S largest wealth manager, AMP, will pay $5 million in compensation to 47,000 superannuation fund members who paid more in fees than the money they earned on investments.
A DISASTROUS Bunnings UK collapse and underperforming Target shopping centres have slashed Wesfarmers profits by more than half.
KIM Jong Un has been photographed sporting a new image as North Korea confirms he is preparing to meet his rival, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, for more historic talks.
AUSTRALIA’S biggest honey producer, Capilano Honey, is set to be taken over by a private equity group specialising in China-focused agricultural exports.
AFTER 35 years in business, John Cootes Furniture has been forced to close down, shedding 135 jobs and customers are being lured in with one final sale.
DATING can be an expensive game when it comes to handling the bill. So who should cough up at the end of the night?
SOME of the most important decisions for investors come before the settlement date. Here’s how to stop your structure crumbling.
MOST Aussies believe they will have their personal financial information stolen online, but many have accepted it as ‘normal’, a study revealed.
DONALD Trump has slapped huge tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminium, causing the local currency to tumble to an all-time low.
SAMSUNG created a stir overnight with the unveiling of its new Galaxy Note 9. Here are the cheapest ways Aussies can get one.
ARE you spending a bundle on parking close to work? This writer chose a different solution, which saved him hundreds in one month and had some pretty cool side-benefits too.
ELON Musk’s tweet about the future of Tesla caused its stock price to jump. But it could have huge implications for the billionaire.
A REPUBLICAN congressman, and one of Donald Trump’s first supporters, has been indicted on charges of securities fraud connected to an Australian biotech company.
SCANDAL-plagued CBA has broken an eight-year streak of record returns while AMP’s half-year profit plunged 74 per cent.
THE Commonwealth Bank has reported a 4.8 per cent fall in its cash net profit after a challenging year.
TESLA chief Elon Musk has tweeted that he is considering taking the electric car company private at a price that has sent shares soaring.


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And then there’s Golden Gate Community Inc. (GGCI), which gives back — internally. The umbrella organization, which began 25 years ago by operating a homeless shelter in San Francisco, now runs three social-purpose businesses that train homeless and at-risk youth and adults between the ages of 14 and 30, says CEO Tess Reynolds.
Founded 15 years ago, the first GGCI company, Ashbury Images, a production shop for custom screen-printing on T-shirts and promotional products, now accounts for $2.2 million in annual revenues. Though Ashbury revenues help support other GGCI programs, the money also supports an in-house training program. “Basically, Ashbury pays for itself,” says general manager Kevin McCracken, who started working at the company six years ago after going through a substance-abuse program.
He feels very strongly that GGCI tactics can be put into play at other companies: “I will challenge other business owners to step out of themselves a little … to do something a little bit different.”
No matter the business, one concept remains golden: producing good work or good products must come first — or there will be no business. “This isn’t fantasyland,” says McCracken. “We’re very good.”


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Written by Dustin Murphy
If you are a fan of THEATRHYTHM: FINAL FANTASY like me, you won’t be disappointed with the latest installment. With the latest information released, players can now to expect to see a glimpse of FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 before it hits next-gen consoles in the future. These pieces of TYPE-0 will include music, characters, and even scenarios that take place from events within FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0.
With this information received, fans who are attending PAX Prime 2014 can visit the Square-Enix booth (#3630) and receive a set of rare Collecta-Cards (Machina, Rem, and Ace from FF TYPE-0) that will be available physically and there’s even more to this! Attendees can also unlock the in-game versions with an in-game password for THEATRHYTHM: FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL!
Official Release Information:
THEATRHYTHM: FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL will be available on Tuesday, September 16 for $39.99 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS™ system. Pre-orders for the game are now available throughAmazon.com and other participating retailers, and will include the ‘THEATRHYTHM: FINAL FANTASY CURTAIN CALL – REMIX SELECTIONS’ Music CD (five-tracks).


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LAS VEGAS (KSNV & MyNews3) -- Entrepreneurs hoping to open medical marijuana businesses in Clark County are scrambling for new ways to secure their cash.
Some are turning to private vaults to protect their money.
Medical marijuana is a cash cow for states that have made it legal, but the drug is still illegal under federal law.
Once these all-cash operations open in Clark County, business owners do not know where they will put all that money.
One business is already taking calls from those looking for a private place to keep their money secure is a safety deposit box storage facility.
Vegas Vaults is a business in Summerlin that uses security technology to keep clients' property safe.
William Bayne, the owner of Vegas Vaults, says those looking to cash in on Clark County’s cannabis industry know most banks won’t take their medical marijuana money.
"People are looking to store cash. The problem is we run into with cash is most these boxes are too small," Bayne said.
Bayne said one box will hold just about a $1 million dollars in cash.
Medical marijuana businesses find themselves in situations other businesses don’t deal with such as paying their taxes with wads of cash.
"It’s very difficult dealing with cash," said Shy Sadis, a medical marijuana business applicant who owns the Joint Cooperative, a group of a five dispensaries in Washington.
"There’s ways around it, trying to get it in the banks, but you’ll probably eventually be shut down," Sadis said. "Banking will legitimize the industry that we're in."


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What do you get when you combine the world's most valuable tech company and the self proclaimed "hardest working man in show business?"
An advertisement for Siri.
Apple and Dwayne Johnson – better known as The Rock – have joined together to create an advertisment to teach people how to use Siri every day.
Known as "The Rock x Siri Dominate The Day," the ad sees Johnson call up a Lyft car, fly a plane to Rome, appear at a fashion show and more, all using the iPhone 7. Johnson, who notoriously has a busy schedule, enlists Siri to help him with these tasks as Apple attempts to push the voice assistant to be a more active part of people's daily lives.
"You should never, ever, under any circumstances, underestimate how much Dwayne Johnson can get done in a day with Siri," Apple put in a caption under the ad on its YouTube page.
At its developer conference in June, Apple said Siri was being used on more than 375 million iOS devices each month.
Apple has begun to incorporate Siri more of its products, making it more useful.
In June, it announced Siri would be part of its new HomePod speaker, slated for release later this year. Apple's HomePod is likely to garner significant attention, as it looks to fend off smart speakers from Amazon and Google. As part of iOS 11, Apple is adding more functionality to Siri as well, including translating languages and finding news articles on Apple News to topics you searched for on Safari, Apple's mobile web browser.
The former pro wrestler-turned-movie star set off plenty of social media buzz when he took to Twitter to announce that he was co-starring in a movie with Siri, before later revealing it was an extended commercial.
By calling it a movie (and later reversing himself), Johnson may have revealed more about Apple's plans for original content, according to analysts.
"Once Apple starts spending serious money on content, and demonstrates that it’s willing to make shows featuring its own products and services prominently, almost anything seems possible," said Jan Dawson, chief analyst of Jackdaw Research in comments obtained by Fox News.
Dawson added that while Apple is slowly getting into original content, "the reaction to this Siri campaign is a great encapsulation of the expectations Apple has now set."
The commercial was launched on Apple's YouTube channel early Monday and had already racked up nearly 1 million views and in the top ten trending videos.
Johnson's HBO show "Ballers," about a fictional money manager for athletes, premiered its third season on Sunday night.
In 2016, Johnson was reported to have earned $65 million from his various endeavors, according to Forbes.


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As you all know, the Koranic pandemic has made adjustments in all aspects of our lives. The closure of the border was followed by the cancellation of important events, which are usually attended by large numbers of people. Initially, these were presentations by Google and Microsoft, and then all the big brands decided to transfer their conferences to electronic form. Now, this is a common practice and it seems that it will also affect the release of the iPhone 12.
Leaks: Apple has decided to delay the launch of the iPhone 12 again
Apple has become one of the companies affected by the pandemic. Their usual presentation for new products has been postponed many times. Today we learned that the American company has decided on another delay, and perhaps not for the last time.
According to a famous analyst John ProsserApple plans to make a very interesting move. First, the company will announce the new Apple Watch and iPad and then present the new iPhones. The first event is scheduled for September 7. The most interesting thing is that the company is likely to introduce a new watch and tablet through a press release.
New, custom Apple dates!
Apple Watch & iPad
– Through a press release
– Week 37 w / c September 7th
IPhone 12 event
– Week 42 to 12 Oct.
IPhone 12 Devices
– Pre-orders week 42 to 12 Oct.
– Shipping week 43 w / c October 19
IPhone 12 Pro devices
– Pre-ordered and shipped in November (no exact date yet)
– Jon Prosser (@ jon_prosser) 12 August 2020
According to other reports, Apple is planning a full presentation of the iPhone 12 in the week of October 12. Maybe we will have a pre-recorded video. Analysts expect that the presentation will take place, as usual at Apple, on Tuesday. Thus, the “week of October 12” is likely to mean Tuesday, October 13.
Pre-orders for the “budget” iPhone will begin the same week after its release. And buyers should receive their orders a week later. Pro versions will go on sale in November.
The iPhone 12 and its successor will not have the refresh rate of 120Hz
IPhone users who are eagerly awaiting Apple to use high-refresh screens on newer models should be patient.
Supply chain sources say that the iPhone 12, which is expected to be released this fall, will definitely not have a 120Hz refresh rate display. In addition, Apple is not going to implement such screens on smartphones that will be released next year. The earliest when such screens can appear in the iPhone series is 2022.
Considering that the Android market already has a large number of smartphones with refresh rates of 90, 120 Hz and even higher, the use of 60 Hz screens in modern iPhones is a bit annoying. But for Apple, it was historically for “innovation” years after its debut in the Android world.
One of the main reasons why Apple will not use 120Hz screens in the iPhone is said to be due to the increased cost. As a result, you should either increase prices or keep them at the same level and receive less than any smartphone sold.


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Uncertainty over arcade leases
CONCERNS have been raised about the future of Ballina's Wigmore Arcade, with speculation that a large number of retailers won't renew their leases when they expire in December.
The arcade is owned by Ballina Shire Council.
The council today revealed plans for a refurbishment of the precinct, and will also call for expressions of interest from developers for a complete redevelopment and/or expansion of the arcade.
While many retailers agreed the arcade desperately needed to be improved, others said it was too late.
"There is just so much uncertainty," one tenant said.
"I don't know if I'm going to bother renewing my lease. It's not worth it."
But the council's commercial services manager, Paul Tsikleas, said the idea was to inject more life into Wigmore Arcade and improve retailers' future prospects.
"We will be trying to resolve the leasing issues as quickly as possible," he said.


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The over enthusiastic moderators on Apple’s Discussion’s support forum have managed to indirectly confirm the existence of an update to Apple’s iLife software, as well as acknowledging the existence of the new MacBook Air, expected to be announced today.
By playing with different URL permutations on the forums, the team over at SpidersWeb managed to find new forum sections dedicated to iMovie 11, iPhoto 11 and Garageband 11, three of the main components of the iLife application suite.
Also spotted was a placeholder forum for the new MacBook Air, a product expected to be given the spotlight at todays “Back To Mac” event. The category is currently labelled “MBA (Need official name)”, making us wonder if Apple’s support staff are even aware of the new MacBook Air name.
Expect all of these new products to become clear in the next few ours. It’s refreshing to know that sometimes Apple are prone to the odd leak now and again.


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Save Our Youth ENC event returning this weekend; highlights young entrepreneurs
The Young Boss Pop Up Shop will take place Saturday, October 17 at 12 p.m.
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Entrepreneurs as young as five years old will be showing off their work this weekend.
The non-profit Save Our Youth ENC focuses on empowering young people to reach their greatest potential through business ventures. The organization is hosting a “Young Boss Pop Up Shop” on Saturday, October 17 at 12 p.m.
The pop up shop will allow entrepreneurs ages 5-19 to showcase their businesses and sell products. The event is completely free, but guests are encouraged to bring money to buy any products they might be interested in.
The event will feature 13-year-old Angel Bridgers. She is a pageant queen and has a non-profit, Simply Me, that focuses on motivational speaking and inspiring other young girls. Another business, Ava’s Glitzy Gloss, created by a 5-year-old, sells lip gloss, make-up and accessories.
There are a total of 19 youth participating in the event.
The event will be held at the Nulook Business Center at 406 SW Greenville Blvd. For more information, click here.
Copyright 2020 WITN. All rights reserved.


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The Tai Tong Food & Beverage Group (TTFB, 瓦城泰統集團), which operates three restaurant chains with nearly 62 outlets in Taiwan and China, said yesterday that its consolidated sales last month were its highest ever because of its continued expansion and strong seasonal demand.
TTFB posted NT$251.12 million (US$8.27 million) in consolidated revenue last month, up 59.19 percent from a year earlier and 12.77 percent from a month earlier, the group said in a statement.
The group attributed its high sales growth to the opening of new outlets in Taiwan and China last year, as well as seasonal demand last month, when companies held their annual parties before the Lunar New Year.
Meanwhile, Wowprime Corp (王品集團), which owns 14 restaurant chains with a total of 364 outlets in Taiwan and China, saw consolidated sales of NT$1.48 billion last month, up 31.16 percent from a year earlier and 4.23 percent from a month earlier, according to a statement.
Gourmet Master Co (美食達人), which operates the 85°C (85度C) bakery-and-coffee chain that has outlets in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Australia and the US, also reported NT$1.44 billion in consolidated revenue last month, up 18.59 percent from a year ago and 3.6 percent from a month ago, the company said.
Gourmet Master said its sales in China — which account for about 70 percent of its overall consolidated revenue — showed double-digit growth last month from a year earlier, and recorded year-on-year growth for the seventh consecutive month.
The company said it expects US sales contributions to rise on the back of its expansion plan.
Gourmet Master operates seven 85°C stores in the US, and is planning to launch two to three new outlets in the first three months of this year, which would take its overall number of outlets to 20 by the end of the year.


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Sarasota local and professional photographer Tom Winchester has seen an uptick in both businesses and residents seeking professional photography. At first, he was surprised by the number of jobs coming in during COVID-19, he says, but then he started to see a trend: “People are looking for ways to connect,” he says, “and they have a little more time to devote to it right now.”
With the decrease of in-person events, more online connections are being made, whether it’s business-related or social. Winchester says he’s heard firsthand from business owners they are using this time to invest in and improve their online presence, not knowing when in-store visits will return to normal numbers. Whether it’s a total brand overhaul, new head shots for the team, or new product shots to share on social media, he says they are all looking for a way to get the competitive edge right now and stay relevant.
“Some businesses are coming to realize that good photography is the difference in closing sales and coming across professionally and trusted online,” Winchester says. “It’s vital for businesses to have a strong presence in the digital space, and in order to do so effectively, they have to be able to communicate their brand story well. Great photography helps to tell stories and make consumers feel like they are a part of a company's brand.”
Branding isn’t just for businesses, either. Personal branding is just as important, especially considering the current unemployment trends. As layoffs have increased, the job market’s gotten more competitive, making it an ideal time to update the old LinkedIn profile, according to Winchester. For those in industries that haven’t been affected as badly, a good brand uplift for, say, freelancers, real estate agents, social media influencers, and entrepreneurs is still key in landing new business.
Winchester has stayed busy shooting through the pandemic, and he safely offers his services either on location or from his oversize, air-conditioned studio in the Porter Road warehouse district off of Cattlemen Road. The studio has a sitting area, dressing rooms, and a lobby with further seating for distancing purposes, and the entire studio is sanitized before and after each client.
From his lens, Winchester sees that people are still staying focused on the future and being hopeful about their businesses. That, in turn, keeps him hopeful. He says his most enjoyable shoots throughout this time were of families who’ve had special events canceled and came up with creative ways to honor the milestones and celebrations despite missing the party.
“Photographs last forever, and the ones that I’ve been taking right now seem to carry more weight,” Winchester says. “I get the sense that people are cherishing these moments even more now, and I’m honored my photos get to play a part of their story.”


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To the Editor:
After reading the article "GM moves up launch of mid-sized SUVs" (March 28), I can only shake my head and ask "Why?"
Why does a company want to do that to its customers?
I understand that GM wants to get the product to the market faster, but it doesn't understand all the trouble that comes from bringing out a vehicle that has not been put through extensive real-world testing.
As a service manager for a Chevrolet dealership, I hear complaints far too often from customers who buy first-year products. I feel that 50 percent of the problems of those new vehicles could be prevented if a little more time were spent testing them before they were shipped to the public.
I hate to think of how much time and money have been spent by the manufacturers on repurchasing vehicles because of defects that should not have happened. And recalls on brand-new vehicles also could be avoided.
If GM is serious about regaining market share, it must get back to the basics of building quality vehicles for our customers.
The last thing I want to hear from my customers is "You know, Chris, I hear Toyota doesn't have these problems."
Washington Township, Mich.


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Visitors to Brookfield Place are already experiencing a luxurious environment when they enter from the glass atrium. Soon, as escalators bring them upwards from the West Concourse, they will have a view directly into the Winter Garden.
David Cheiken, vice president of Brookfield Properties, said next year, retailers Hermes, Burberry, Salvatore Ferragamo and Ermenegildo Zenga will surround the Winter Garden in shops with 40-foot-tall windows.
Behind temporary plywood, the old black, green, brown and white marble is being replaced with modern warm creams. Pillars in a casual dining area are being tiled with white marble strips, while dappled terrazzo floors will echo the rippling river right outside.
Fourteen eateries will include Umami Burger, Skinny Pizza and Olives. “This will be the culinary heartbeat of Downtown,” declared Cheiken.


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Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, Karabo Gare,l says he is aware that some chain stores are selling airtime, chicken by-products, and cow hooves which could be sold by Batswana.
Gare was responding to a question in parliament this week posed by Member of Parliament (MP) for Palapye, Onnetse Ramogapi who had enquired if the Ministry was aware that some chain stores are selling goods which could be sold by Batswana.
This is because some chain stores sell airtime, chicken by-products such as intestines, feet, and necks, products that could otherwise be sold by Batswana according to Ramogapi.
However, the Assistant Minister said the Ministry does not license based on products, but rather on activities of the store.
Gare indicated that some businesses which have been reserved for Batswana such as bakeries are run by Batswana inside these chain stores.
Meanwhile, Gare also revealed to parliament that he was hopeful the Citizen Economic Empowerment (CEE) law will be brought to parliament during the November sitting.
“We have to engage all the stakeholders and at the moment we have made a draft on how we want the law to look like,” said Gare, further indicating that they have to ensure that the law incorporates all that Batswana needs.
The Assistant Minister said government has to tailor make the law to suit the needs of Batswana.
Regarding major projects carried out by foreign companies in the country, Gare told parliament that according to the law, 40 percent work of such products has to be given to Batswana owned companies.


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The Balcony, situated on L4 of Selfridges, The Bullring, recently hosted a first birthday party after achieving excellent results in its first year of trading, with around 80 guests from across the Birmingham business and blogger community attending, as well as customers.
The restaurant, operated by prestigious caterers, Searcys, served up cocktails, wine, canapés and live music.
The restaurant opened in winter 2013, and has seen a sales uplift of 30 per cent over that period, with busiest month December seeing an increase of 23 per cent compared to the same month the previous year.
Alice Weryk, general manager at The Balcony, said: “We’re very pleased with what has been a fantastic year for us.
“We’ve really strived to provide our customers with something a bit different, serving food and drinks with a playful twist in a stylish and contemporary environment.
‘‘We believe the success of the restaurant is owed in large part to our varied offering – we open from 10am right through to 8pm, with customers able to choose from brunch, our famed afternoon tea picnic, sharing platters, main dishes, cocktails and Champagne.’’


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It's not yet clear how many have been earmarked for Australia, but a local JLR spokesman has confirmed a limited number will arrive here from October or November.
Back last July we drove the prototype of the Range Rover from 1969, which was badged Velar at the time, because it was best name that engineers could think of that used the Land Rover letters that were available in the parts bin.
Mom misdiagnosed with flu battles unsafe flesh-eating virus
Antibacterial medication and surgery to remove dead body tissue are the most effective ways to treat necrotizing fasciitis. She had to undergo immediate surgery to remove 30 percent of her body tissue which was infected with the bacteria .
Gujarat: Protestors vandalise mall, torch vehicles in Ahmedabad to protest against 'Padmaavat'
Over half-a-dozen shops at Himalaya Mall also bore the brunt of violence as mobs pelted stones and damaged facades. I request people to cooperate with the "janata curfew" on release of Padmaavat on January 25", Kavi said.
Jailed Lalu Prasad now convicted in third fodder scam case
RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav was today convicted by a special CBI court in Ranchi in another fodder scam case. The court also convicted another former CM and veteran Congress leader, Jagannath Mishra .
Plenty of "coupes" these days have four doors but Land Rover has a longstanding love affair with two-door cars, not just for the SWB Defender family but with the Range Rover, which began in 1970 as a two-door only, and followed by Freelander, Evoque and concepts like the Range Stormer, which morphed into the (four-door) Range Rover Sport.
However, every Range Rover since 1981 - except the limited-edition 1991 CSK, which paid tribute to the model's original designer Charles Spencer King - has come with four doors. The company also announced that the auto will be revealed for the first time on March 6 on the company's official website. "This is a vehicle that will resonate on an emotional level", said Gerry McGovern, Land Rover chief design officer, in a statement.
"Land Rover created the luxury SUV sector with Range Rover nearly 50 years ago", said John Edwards, the managing director of SVO, which produced the low-volume Jaguar F-TYPE-based Project 7 and even wilder XE-based Project 8.
Whether the Range Rover SV Coupe will retain its siblings' off-road performance remains to be seen, but nevertheless, it should be an interesting and lovely styling exercise from SVO.