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HANOVER, Germany—Cabot has developed an engineered elastomer composite that it claims can extend the life of OTR/earthmover tires "significantly" while cutting processing costs for tire manufacturers.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—A passenger fell aboard a self-driving shuttle that was part of a pilot program in Columbus. The incident has put the project on hold less than three weeks after it began.
AKRON—Interested in hearing more about the effect of electric vehicle development on the hose and fluid transfer industry? An expert from Smithers will be presenting a seminar on the topic March 12.
LUXEMBOURG—Goodyear claims to have achieved an industry first: An all-season tire with verifiable winter tire traction and low rolling resistance.
HYOGO, Japan—Toyo suffered a drop in fiscal 2019 operating income on slightly lower sales, a result the company attributed primarily to higher manufacturing costs and foreign-exchange rate changes.
AURORA, Colo.—Rich Kramer, in his keynote address at the tire maker's annual customer conference, identified three keys for the company and its customers to succeed in the "new mobility ecosystem."
WILMINGTON, Del.—Chemours' total sales dropped in 2019, while adjusted EBITDA across the business plummeted by 41.4 percent.
DES PLAINES, Ill.—Rodrigo Flores has been promoted to an engineering technician at Rahco Rubber.
INDIANAPOLIS—The Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers has released its annual State of the Rubber Industry Report, a comprehensive study for industry executives that analyzes major market indicators.
LONDON—Sibur and Reliance Industries Ltd. have started up their joint venture butyl rubber plant in India.
The International Silicone Conference, a biennial event, attracts leaders in the silicone industry from throughout the world. Plan now to attend this unparalleled technical program and networking opportunity.
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Fans of Chick-fil-A know all about the variety of sauces they offer for their fries, salads, sandwiches, and more. Now, getting your hands on these sauces may be even easier than heading towards the drive-thru.
Chick-fil-A announced that chicken lovers would soon be able to get their favorite sauces from their local grocery store.
The company is ready to sell its Chick-fil-A and Polynesian sauces in Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama.
But it gets better. In 2021, the sauces will be in stores nationwide.
“Chick-fil-A Sauce and Polynesian Sauce were offered as part of a pilot program in select Florida retailers earlier this year, and we’re excited to expand availability of our two most beloved sauces across the country,” said L.J. Yankosky, senior director of Innovation & New Ventures at Chick-fil-A, in a press release.
The company reported that sales of the 16-ounce bottled sauces start around $3.49. Chick-fil-A says that “100% of the royalties” will be donated to a scholarship fund for employees at the chain.
If you are impatient for the 2021 release, 8-ounce bottles of signature sauces are available to buy at participating restaurants. The company says bottled sauce gift sets are also available at select restaurants while supplies last.

domain: news


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Early on June 30, Apple officially released the newest version of their mobile platform, iOS 7.1.2, which was meant to fix some minor issues behind the scenes, with a major focus on bug fixes and security updates. Unfortunately, the update process isn’t going so smoothly for some.
The Apple Support Community for iOS saw new additions pop up as some users tried to upgrade their device. As many have pointed out, the update can stall half- or a third of the way through, leaving some people to stare at gears that turn, but nothing else happens. The consistent issue seems to be going through Settings –> General –> Software Update, where the gears will continue to grind, but the update has reportedly frozen. Fortunately, there seems to be a fix.
A hard reboot is reportedly fixing the situation for those who have tried it, after their update stalls. If you are suffering through the same issue, here’s what to do: hold down the Home and Sleep/Wake button for several seconds. Do not let go until the screen goes dark, and you see the Apple logo appear. Release the button combination, and wait for the device to boot back to life.
This should complete the update, so make sure to check through Settings –> General — About, and see that you’re on iOS 7.1.2. If you’re not, just go through the update process again, and you should be good to go.
Did you suffer the stall issue? Did the hard reboot work for you?[via Apple Support Community]


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B&C writes that Howell has had multiple roles within Gray Television since 1993, most recently becoming executive chairman and CEO in January. That happened when Gray and Raycom Media completed a $3.6 billion merger, increasing Gray’s reach to 93 markets, or 24% of television-watching households in the U.S.
Rachel Zoe Sets Fashion Design Show at MGM Television TheWrap Rachel Zoe is returning to television. The stylist and fashion designer is set to executive-produce a new fashion design competition show for MGM Television.
August 15, 2019 4:30PM PT Amid the ongoing conflict between the Writers Guild of America and the Association of Talent Agencies over packaging fees and agency-affiliated production, CAA, UTA and WME have canceled their annual […]
The Indian Premier League has been a huge success. (Photo by Santosh Harhare / Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Getty It felt gimmicky in the moment. The symbolism, however, was effective and struck at the […]


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The Nigerian singer launched a chocolate cookie.
As many Nigerian celebrities continue to veer into other business ventures like shoe, clothing and beauty lines, Marvin Record artiste, Dr Sid, is towing an entirely different line with the launch of his own quadruple chocolate cookie range, called ‘Indulge.’
The first ever quadruple chocolate cookie invention by a creative fusion of music mastery and dough delight, which is Dr Sid’s (trained a dental surgeon) brain child, was unveiled on Saturday at Don Jazzy’s night club, POP, in Victoria Island.
According to the artiste, who is the son of popular Nollywood actor, Justus Esiri, Indulge is a luxury chocolate cookie made with the finest Kenyan cocoa powder, chocolate dough, and Belgian chocolate.
”With a half coat of melted chocolate and a sprinkle of Belgian chocolate chips, the cookie is a treat of good chocolate and cookie love. The bottom line is, you cannot think of love, delight, chocolate or valentine’s day without thinking of the indulge cookie. Why send flowers this season when you can send Indulge and get the cookie,” Dr Sid explained.
The unveiling was attended by a small group of close friends, family and colleagues who experienced cookie joy. At N3, 500, the Indulge cookies can be purchased by placing orders at www.iamcookiejar.com or email@example.com
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Coffee, croissants and cars will be on offer in Crawley this weekend - along with the chance to get your hands on some big prizes.
On Sunday (November 5), spectators will gather to see more than 450 cars - all built before the 1905 - take on the annual Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.
Crawley marks the halfway point between Hyde Park and Madeira Drive and is an ideal spot for crews to take a breather before tackling some of the tricky and steep hills ahead.
It also gives thousands of visitors a chance to see the cars up close as they set off on the second half of the run.
Crawley Borough Council has organised spectator viewing points in the High Street and a full PA system will broadcast live interviews with participants before they set off again.
Official partner, Gatwick Airport, is supporting activities for participants and spectators on the High Street.
Participants will be given travel blankets with the chance to win a spot prize hidden in three of the blankets.
Prizes up for grabs include a complimentary entry into the 2018 Run, a case of Hattingley Valley English Sparkling wine and a luxury Harrods hamper.
Spectators will be given postcards to exchange for a hot drink in several local cafés.
There will also be a genuine veteran car parked on the High Street, giving visitors the opportunity to get behind the wheel for the perfect selfie.
The first cars are due to arrive in the High Street at 8.15am with the last car leaving around 1.45pm.
For more information on London Motor Week and the Veteran Car Run, visit the website .
Keep up to date with the latest news from around the county via the free Get Surrey app.
You can set up your app to see all the latest news and events from your area, plus receive push notifications for breaking news.


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Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Heart attack on a plate
…Southerners love their soul—and soul means fat, carbs, sugar, and cals.
…A recent article by Dahleen Glanton explained the wonders of a hamdog—a specialty of Mulligan’s Bar in Decatur, Georgia. A hamdog is a half pound of hamburger wrapped around a hot dog, which is then deep-fried and served on a hoagie with chili, bacon, and a fried egg.
…Another Mulligan’s special? A hamburger on a Krispy Creme. Yes, a doughnut!
…Their menu puts a little warning label about not eating fried foods everyday—but still.
…Is it any wonder that the 11 Southern states and DC are dubbed “The Stroke Belt”?
…Many poor Southerners shop at convenience stores, which are a little low on the old fruits and veggies.
…Is there any chance the culture will change?
…Well, one restauranteur has switched to unsaturated peanut oil for the frying, does that count?
…And HA does remember a mess of greens being part of the great soul meals she has eaten.
…Of course, they were smothered in bacon grease.


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Amid the countrywide lockdown to check the spread of the novel coronavirus, the parliamentary panel on labour on Thursday submitted its report on the Industrial Relations Code, 2019, to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla via online.
In its report, the committee expressed its reservations over payment of compensation to the workers in the event of closure of an establishment due to natural calamity.
"...in case of natural calamities like earthquake, flood, super cyclone, etc. which often result in closure of establishments for a considerably longer period without the employer's fault, payment of wages to the workers until the reestablishment of the industry may be unjustifiable,” the report said.
The panel sought clarity in relevant clauses so that employers not responsible for closure or lay off are not "disadvantaged in case of such natural calamity of high intent".
Mahtab said the current lockdown is forced upon industries due to the COVID-19 crisis and, "they can't be forced to pay wages for the lockdown period."
The panel has also recommended that the special provisions in case of lay-off, retrenchment and closure of company, applicable to an industrial establishment having 100 or more workers, should be raised to 300 workers.
“The Committee note that some state governments like Rajasthan have already increased the threshold to 300 workers, which according to the Ministry has resulted in an increase in employment and decrease in retrenchment,” the report said.
The Committee suggested that the threshold limit of employees should be increased in the Industrial Relations Code itself.
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Proactis, the global spend management and B2B eCommerce company, has announceh that its ReThink Paris event will now be digital.
“We had originally postponed the event until 9 June. We have taken the decision that, even if if by then the confinement will no longer be in effect, given the current situation, it did not seem appropriate to maintain the event in its original form,” explains Olivier Jung, Director of Proactis France. “However, we wanted to allow those who had already registered to have access to the information we had planned to share.
The transition to an online conferencing program seemed obvious. “We are delighted to have been able to get all our speakers on board quickly,” says Oliver.
Proactis Holdings Plc (LON:PHD) develops and sells business software, and provides installation and related support services in Europe and the United States. The company offers Spend Control and eProcurement solutions that help organizations to improve operational and financial performance by enhancing the way they buy various goods and services.


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Food makers are criticised again for the high salt content in food
products as campaign group CASH (Consensus Action on Salt and
Health) publishes new survey saying sandwiches on sale at retail
outlets are so salty they should carry...
Fall out from the BSE crisis that hit the UK meat industry in the
1990s could be nearly over as the EU's food safety body paves the
way for British beef to move down from its 'high risk'
On 1 May an historic moment marked the entry of ten countries and
75 million consumers into the European Union. Churchill's 'Iron
Curtain' has been consigned to the history books, heralding
democracy, stability and...
A new report suggests that competition in the European organic meat
industry is increasing, as the market begins to suffer from
overcapacity. This follows another report that linked the
popularity of organic meat in North America...
Public concern over BSE outbreaks is set to boost sales of organic
meat products in North America, according to a new report. But
North Americans have not historically been as influenced by food
scares as their European counterparts.
Scientists from the Institute of Food Research (IFR), UK, have
found that specific probiotics - beneficial bacteria - can destroy
pathogenic bacteria living in the gut of poultry. The discovery
could help remove the threat of bacterial...
New data from the US suggests that carcinogens such as heterocyclic
amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), formed
when meat is cooked may be responsible for the risk of rectal
cancer and not the consumption of...
The Thai poultry industry could be about to restock on a massive
scale after the devastation of the avian flu epidemic earlier this
year. The country's feed industry is set to import cargoes of
Argentine soybeans as the country...
The popularity of low-carb diets has helped to maintain demand for
poultry products in the US, according to financial analysts
Motley Fool Stock Advisor. But exports have been
adversely affected, and there are problems on the horizon...
Driving hard into value added ingredients has paid off for Irish
food group Kerry as the company faces off tougher currency exposure
in 2003 to see a steady rise in sales and operating profit.
European bottom line benefits from greater...
If you want a short sharp shot of coffee with an added antioxidant
boost the torrefacto roast is the answer, according to scientists
in Spain who set to work on the art of making a simple expresso
The European Commission has announced a number of initiatives to
help developing countries enhance their export performance and
reduce their vulnerability from price fluctuations of major
international agricultural commodities such...
Fine foods are flourishing across Europe as consumers become
increasingly uninspired by mass-produced food, finds a new report,
that also confirms growth opportunities in the organic and natural
The US agriculture department is ending its search for additional
cases of mad cow disease even though officials have not located all
the animals they sought after the country's first case occurred in
December. Raising questions...
Meat processor Tyson will cut trans fats from a range of meat
products, the meat titan said this week joining other US food
makers pressed to remove this artery-clogging ingredient from their
product ranges. Across the pond, investment...
The EU has provided €2.2 million of funding for a new project that
aims to promote transnational cooperation in plant genomics
research and, ultimately, better coordinate the €80 million spent
annually in Europe on such activities,...
Demonstrating the clear divisions that exist between member states
and the European Commission over genetically modified foodstuffs,
in the same week that Belgian ministers threw out an application
for an oilseed rape, the EU's...
Working to bring low fat lamb products to the European marketplace
scientists in Spain are set to add value to the end product with
new research focusing on boosting the presence of the disease
fighting 'friendly fat? conjugated...
Millions of euros will be poured into three major
'farm-to-fork?research projects, the Commission said yesterday, to
reinforce R&D co-operation at a European level and bring a
monetary boost to the increasingly complex food...
Consumer concern about BSE, eggs and the safety of meat is
declining but awareness about fruit, vegetables, and salt
consumption is on the up, cites the fourth annual food survey from
the UK's food watchdog.
Animal biotechnology applications in food production are about to
take off, according to a recent report from market analysts
Research and Markets. The report analyses how transgenic
technologies are being used in a number of ways,...
Agri-giant and leading beef processor Cargill sees profits soar in
the first half of fiscal 2004. But as the fallout from the first
mad cow case in the US begins, pressure on current quarter figures
steps up with jobs already lost....
The European Commission is satisfied that Scottish salmon is safe
to eat, despite researchers in North America warning that the
farmed variety sold in many supermarkets contains up to ten times
more cancer causing chemicals than its...
Bunge, the world's top oilseed processor, last week said it was
looking to cream off a gain of about $2 million, or 2 cents per
share, on the sale of its US bakery business to privately-held Dawn
The movement of foodstuffs within the European boundaries will be
changed forever once the next step towards an enlarged Europe takes
place. Food and Life Sciences lawyer Raymond O’Rourke takes us
through a detailed look at some of...
The British are the biggest consumers of chocolate in Europe,
munching their way through more than 10 kg each every year. A
reflection of Britain's ongoing love affair with snacking - and
consumers' reluctance to choose...
With tight new rules on traceability soon to hit European food
manufacturers and retailers, European food lawyer Raymond O'Rourke
examines the new legislation and the impact this will have on
industry. Of concern, O'Rourke...
With serendipitous coincidence, in the same week that the European
Food Safety Authority delivers its hotly awaited first opinion on a
GMO, bureaucrats and stakeholders have gathered in Brussels under
the aegis of the Commission to...
If traceability is at the heart of new food labelling rules in
Europe then the life blood keeping it beating must be risk
management. On the eve of the first ever risk assessment on
genetically modified organisms delivered by Europe's...
In the wake of terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001
Europe's manufacturing industries have taken a knock but figures
released this week reveal that the food industry is managing the
course, registering a 'light...


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Savvy shoppers spend an average of 30 minutes a week calculating ways to save money, resulting in a saving of nearly £1,000 a year.
Those who take the time to work through their ‘financial fitness’ routine are making average annual savings of £936 per person, according to new research by cash back website Quidco. Those who don’t bother taking time to find the best deals are missing out on an average of £18 every single week.
Brits have become more accepting of the emerging ‘voucher culture’, with 89pc of those surveyed saying they felt comfortable using money-off coupons in public, but a minority 12pc still believe financial frugality isn’t ‘cool’.
The most popular method of saving while you spend is collecting rewards points, with 72pc of people doing this on a regular basis. Ditching the expensive work canteen and fast food for a home-made packed lunch is another top choice, with 31pc of people doing so.
Austerity chic has made shopping in charity shops has become more socially acceptable, with 25pc of people taking advantage of the bargains they offer. And a fifth of people said that they have tried The Good Life and grown their own vegetables in a bid to save money.
The research also highlighted the effect of the recession on people in Britain. Prior to the economic downturn, only 14pc of people would have considered using a voucher in public, and lunches were packed by a mere 3pc of workers. Only 5pc of the population had gone green-fingered and attempted to ‘grow their own’.
In light of widespread money problems, talking about money is no longer socially acceptable; seven in 10 would not ‘flash the cash’ and nearly a fifth would refrain from mentioning money at all, for fear of sparking awkward questions surrounding bonuses.
Andy Oldham, spokesperson for Quidco, said: “It has never been easier to make financially smart decisions thanks to the explosion of money saving tips and tools available to everyone.
“From cashback sites, shopping around and the use of vouchers, there is no reason why everyone can’t save a little."


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This new program will mark Apple’s first expansion of pre-release iOS version testing beyond developers and employees within the walls of Apple’s Cupertino headquarters. For the past few Mac OS X releases, Apple has provided early copies of the system to employees, which has helped Apple identify bugs before public launches.
iOS pre-releases have always been limited to developers and select corporate employees, but Apple's expansion to retail employees is most likely is an effort to improve the software quality of iOS. Apple greatly expanded OS X's testing pool with a public beta of OS X Yosemite last year.
Hopefully the expanded testing improves the software quality of iOS 8, which has recently experienced criticism


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Dubai Airports has set out plans to ban all single-use plastics across its terminals at Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) from 1 January 2020, it announced today.
From the next year onwards, plastic cutlery, water bottles, drinking straws, takeaway food packaging and polythene bags will be banned from cafés, restaurants and shops at Dubai airports, a strategy that might become a “template for other major transportation hubs”, it said in a statement.
Given that 90 million passengers pass through Dubai’s two airports every year, consuming tens of thousands of plastic items, the airport owner admits that it is “a huge challenge to the management team and to every business in the supply chain”.
To tackle this issue, Dubai Airports has been working closely with more than 290 of its concession and hospitality partners, including Costa, Pret a Manger, McDonald’s and Giraffe. In total, 95% of its commercial partners have already signed the pledge to stop using disposable plastic in their outlets from January 2020.
McDonald’s, for instance, will be replacing more than 5 million items with recyclable materials in Dubai’s DXB and DWC airports.
On the other hand, Costa Coffee – which sells more than 2.6 million cups of coffee each year in Dubai’s airports – will be launching a fully-sustainable plant-based “smart” coffee cup. It also plans to introduce a coffee cup lid made entirely from wood and paper fibre instead of single-use plastic later next year.
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UAE’s head of sustainability for Costa, Pret a Manger & Giraffe Shemaine Jones described Dubai Airports as a “catalyst for change”. She said that in 2019 alone, the restaurants in Dubai Airports have replaced one million plastic straws with a more sustainable option.
“We will also introduce more sustainable packaging options, a recycled PET cold cup option and our new avocado seed cutlery. We need those in the water and soft drink industries to push this initiative forward,” Jones added.
“We as an industry need to identify more sustainable recycling solutions.”
With an estimated 5,500 tonnes of single-use plastic being generated at the airports each year, the aim is to recycle a minimum of 2,000 tonnes per year starting March 2020, the airport company said.
The Dubai airport has begun its sustainability journey with circa 11,000 bottles and 280 tonnes of single-use plastic already recycled so far in 2019, it claimed.
In addition to cutting down plastic, the airport is increasingly boosting sustainability by reducing carbon emissions. Last week, Emirates’ ground support division, dnata, completed a “green turnaround” using only zero-emission ramp ground support equipment at DXB.
During the green turnaround, dnata transported baggage with electric tractors to the aircraft and applied electric conveyor belts to offload and load baggage and cargo.
Being environment-friendly is not limited to firms; travellers are also committed to reducing the use of single-use plastic, as revealed by a survey commissioned by Dubai Airport.
The survey revealed that 52% claimed to carry a reusable water bottle while travelling, while 49% chose to dine in an airport restaurant to avoid plastic packaging that comes with takeaway food options.
Almost 32% admitted that they would not buy items at the airport containing non-recyclable materials, while 92% said that airports should be more vocal about what steps they are taking to recycle waste.


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Amazon to take its other Kindle, the DX, international next year
- Eric Engleman
- Staff Writer
Amazon.com generated a lot of headlines this week by taking its Kindle reader international, giving it the ability to wirelessly download books and other content in more than 100 countries. But the global rollout was strictly for the entry-level Kindle. Now Amazon is confirming plans to launch its other Kindle, the larger screen DX, internationally "sometime next year."
Amazon spokesman Drew Herdener provided no further detail. In the U.S., Amazon is targeting the Kindle DX at university students (for reading textbooks digitally) and newspaper readers (who might favor the larger screen). At $489, the DX is expensive compared to other electronic readers on the market. Perhaps Amazon will cut the price on the DX in conjunction with an international launch, just as it did with the smaller Kindle (which went from $299 to $259).
I guess Amazon wants to see how one Kindle does on the global stage, and make any necessary adjustments, before taking the bigger model international as well.
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This is a country of 1.2 billion, set to overtake China as the most populous place on earth – and unlike China, they are all so young. Half the population is under 25. In fact, one in 11 of the entire global population is an Indian under 25. Think of the size of that market, the things they can buy now, the things they will want in the future.
India may have slowed in its frantic growth rate of three years ago – down to a mere 5 per cent from 8 per cent per year. But that is still about five times faster than us or any other EU country. The Indians are young, aspirational, dynamic, democratic, with a gloriously uninhibited press. With the eurozone seemingly heading for a permafrost of gloom, India is the place we should be doing business.
We need to act fast, because we have ground to make up, and we cannot take anything for granted. Young Indians these days are like any other global population that finds itself in the throes of embourgeoisement: they are gripped and excited by America and American brands – Google, Coke, Nike, Starbucks, you name it. The biggest foreign food supplier in India is Domino’s Pizza, an American firm.
Forty years ago – perhaps even 30 years ago – bright young Indians might have thought first of finding a first-rate university education in London; and they still do. But we are facing stiff competition from the US. It is time – humbly but sincerely – to remind young Indian brainboxes and investors of the advantages of the UK.
In the postcolonial epoch, I am afraid trade between our countries had sunk – by 2010 we were doing more business with Sweden! But it is growing again, fast, and the opportunities are immense. Of course we can’t trade on sentiment, or the concept of a “shared history” (a history that will mean little to many Indians under 25); and yet it is still true that there is a natural fit between Britain and India, a cultural and commercial fusion that is growing the whole time.
You can see it in cuisine, where restaurants serving Indian food employ more people in the UK than coal, steelmaking and shipbuilding combined. You can see it in literature, where British publishers introduced such talents as Vikram Seth and Arundhati Roy to the world. There is a fusion in film, where it is not entirely clear whether films like Slumdog Millionaire or Bend It Like Beckham are British or Indian or Brindian. We have more Bollywood films made in London than anywhere else outside India. We have seen the fusion in music, where the bhangra sound was taken from India to Southall, given a bit more of a beat and re-exported to India.
Above all, we can see the fusion in business. Look at the alliance between BP and Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance, or at Vodafone’s takeover of Hutchinson. Or look at that very Jaguar, product of an Indian-owned firm that is made by Brits and exported to China; or look at the JCB 3DX backhoe loader, a British machine made by Indians and exported to Africa.
As India expands, we need to build these partnerships. In the next 20 years, there are perhaps 30 Indian cities that will be putting in metro systems – think of the opportunities for the dozens of British engineering firms currently engaged on Crossrail, the largest such operation in Europe. We have services from law to health care to planning that could be of use to India in its amazing programme of urbanisation.
India should be one of this country’s key partners for all sorts of geostrategic reasons, and David Cameron was dead right to make this his first port of call in 2010. But it is the economic partnerships that offer the most extraordinary prospects. Imagine selling a Jag to one in every 100,000 Indians. That’s a lot of Jags, and a lot of jobs.


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Allied Wallet is an online payment processor offering payment solutions all over the world. The company is pleased to announce that its online platform now supports WeChat Pay, the largest mobile payment service in China. WeChat Pay is the market leader in China, with over 900 million users making transactions through the service each month.
Mobile payments are becoming increasingly popular, especially in China, where it is a $16 trillion dollar market. Allied Wallet CEO Andy Khawaja believes that the new feature is a major opportunity for the company, given that the app is used by more than a billion people, and is even making inroads in the United States.
The recent change is just one of many features Allied Wallet has introduced in order to give users more options. South Korea is another burgeoning billion-dollar e-commerce market with a growing young-adult demographic. Allied Wallet recognized that South Korea has developed its own payment methods over the year, and seized on this opportunity to add popular Korean payment options, such as ShinhanCard, Toss, and T-Money.
Allied provides payment processing services to sellers and customers around the world. Because security is a priority for the company, Allied Wallet’s services use SHA-256 encryption and offer PCI DSS Level 1 Compliance. In addition, the service offers 24-hour customer service, which ensures that customers will can get help whenever they need it.
Allied Wallet also recently announced that it would be issuing a new UnionPay-branded debit card, which will make it easier for Chinese visitors to Europe to make purchases more easily. This Allied Wallet partnership is significant as the new card will offer higher transaction limits and eliminate annual transaction limits.
Founded in 2002, Allied Wallet currently has offices in Los Angeles and London, as well as regional offices in Germany, India, China, and Japan.
More information about Allied Wallet´s online payment services at https://merchantmachine.co.uk/allied-wallet/


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Following the announcement, Disney’s streaming service Disney+ received over 10 million subscribers in just one day.
The company’s stock saw its biggest one-day gain since April and reaching an all-time high since January 1972. As of this morning, Disney gained 7.3 percent, culminating to $148.72 per share. According to reports, Disney’s shares are up 32% this year.
Analysts say Disney’s download rate is doing extremely well and better than expected. It appears as though the initial tech problems did not affect Disney at all.
This news comes after Disney’s streaming service Disney+ gained 10 million subscribers one day. The company announced on November 13 and confirmed they will not be releasing Disney+ subscriber data outside of the Disney company’s quarterly earnings calls.
“It’s impossible to compare, with any insight coming from it, first-day downloads of Netflix to that of Disney+,” a report from Apptopia states. “Streaming was not what it is today and mobile is not what it is today, as mobile device penetration and user preferences have shifted in Disney’s favor.”


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AImotive Looks to Make an Affordable Alternative to LiDAR
【Summary】Software company AImotive is looking for a way to make autonomous cars cheaper and easier to manufacture with a LiDAR alternative.
The automotive industry is seeing an influx of technology companies and automakers that are working on artificial intelligence for automobiles. The idea behind giving cars artificial intelligence software is that the vehicles will be able to see the road for themselves, learning what real-life objects look like and how to avoid them.
Now, a new software company, AImotive, is looking to shake the industry up by attempting to create an affordable AI system that doesn't use a laser-based LiDAR system and by creating the necessary hardware, as well.
How AImotive Plans To Replace LiDAR
As Engadget reports, AImotive is working on creating a more affordable autonomous system by passing LiDAR sensors in favor of numerous low-cost cameras. LiDAR is widely used across the entire industry and through the use of lasers, allows a vehicle to map out its environment.
Velodyne, a California-based manufacturer of LiDAR sensors, introduced a solid state LiDAR sensor for autonomous vehicles named "Velarray." The new sensor costs approximately $80,000 each, which raises the price for self-driving cars. AImotive, as Engadget claims, is looking to ditch Velodyne's widely-used LiDAR sensor for eight to 12 "off-the-shelf" cameras that cost $12 a piece.
A report by The Drive, claims that AImotive's system works in a similar fashion to a human eye. Each pair of cameras faces a different location to sense depth and also provide a 360-degree look of the car's surroundings, claims the outlet. While not as high-tech as a LiDAR system, the cameras are capable of doing the same thing by detecting where road lines are, objects on the road, and other driving-related items.
What Else Is AImotive Working On?
To test its hardware and software systems, AImotive upgraded a Toyota Prius. To make sense of all of the data that's coming in from the cameras, the software company has gone with a platform from NVIDIA, reports Engadget. While the report didn't state what type of platform the car is using, AImotive is looking for a cheaper alternative route by building its own computer, claims the outlet.
Building its own hardware to retrieve and comprehend the data will be an uphill battle, but NVIDIA's system uses approximately 1,000 watts of power, which would put a strain on electric cars. AImotive also plans to sell its computer system to other companies and automakers.
As The Drive reports, AImotive's computer system will be based on custom Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) that will reduce the power consumption from 1,000 to 100 watts The cost will go down as well, as NVIDIA Titan X's graphic cards go for $1,000 apiece, to something more reasonable at $100 or less, reports the outlet.
Engadget reports that AImotive wants self-driving cars to act more like a human. The company, as the outlet reports, believes that radar, or more specifically LiDAR, should be used as a backup, while a vision-based system should be the primary method of viewing the world.
AImotive definitely has an uphill battle when it comes to competing against the likes of NVIDIA, Intel, and Velodyne. But competition will help lead the way to more affordable autonomous vehicles that are easier to design.
Vineeth Joel Patel
Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods
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Market Musings 27/10/11
The main news since my last blog, clearly, has been the developments in the euro-area. Markets have spiked upwards in a move that to me suggests that there is a lot of short covering going on, not least given that there had already been quite a good bit of buying on optimism of a resolution to the crisis ahead of the latest round of talks.
Citigroup has a good summary on the implications for the euro which you can read here. I am particularly struck by this paragraph:
We doubt that this package can bring long-term support to the euro, even as we note that there are a lot of committed USD sellers out there. There is a risk of running stops to the upside, as positions still seem somewhat short EUR, but we don’t think this package can sustain major gains unless outside money is more enthusiastic about backing euro zone debt than either the ECB or euro zone governments seem to be, and we are not sure why this should be the case.
(Disclaimer: I am a shareholder in PetroNeft plc) Speaking of things that are going up, I am pleased to see PetroNeft’s share price motoring ahead. At the time of writing the shares are 30% above their recent lows. While violent moves in share prices are not unusual in a smallcap, I wonder if there is some buying going on in optimism of a positive result (due in December) from its hydraulic fracturing programme at the Lineynoye oil field. I recently doubled my shareholding in the company, and while clearly my timing could have been better, I’m glad that I persevered with the stock!
Greencore received a preliminary takeover approach on Tuesday, which is an unusual development given that the group has only just concluded the €125m takeover of Uniq. While some people suggested that the interest could be coming from Kerry Group, I would dismiss that out of hand – Kerry’s M&A strategy in consumer foods is centred on buying brands, not the own-label products that Greencore and Uniq produce. My guess is that the approach is from a private equity fund with existing interests in the UK consumer food space that is keen to cherry pick certain business units across Greencore and Uniq that overlap with its owned businesses and flip the rest out to other firms/funds in the space. As an aside, I note that there has been some talk about the P/E multiple that a successful bidder would have to pay for Greencore. You can disregard that, because in reality it is the EV/EBITDA multiple that is of relevance in a takeover situation.
(Disclaimer: I am a shareholder in CRH plc) I was pleased to see CRH appoint a top-drawer business person as a non-executive director. Ernst Bärtschi is CEO of Sika Group and the former CFO of Schindler. This is the sort of best practice approach to non-executive director appointments that all large plcs should be looking to emulate.
Just when I thought the social media bubble was at an end, up popped this – Groupon seeks valuation of 5 times 2012 sales.
My MBA class had a Halloween themed party last night. Which reminds me of this – Halloween by the Numbers.
If you’ve a spare hour, why not spend it with the magnificent Hugh Hendry?
And finally, I was amused by this tweet by Lorcan Roche Kelly, who is one of the most astute financial commentators in Ireland:


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A new survey by Deloitte says that North America is the most desirable region for expansion” over the next three years. The survey targeted top-tier executives of manufacturing companies with North American operations.
Deloitte, Deloitte Canada and Deloitte Mexico, with the cooperation of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), The Manufacturing Institute and Canadian Manufacturers &Exporters (CME), surveyed 321 executives of North American manufacturers across product sectors. The majority of companies represented in the survey (45%) are based in the U.S.
In terms of plans for expansion, the survey found that sales and services topped the list with 76% planning to expand sales in the U.S., 58% in Canada and 67% in Mexico. Sourcing of raw materials and parts (50% in China, 49% in the U.S. and 43% in Mexico) and production (44% in the U.S., 37% in Mexico and 37% in China) rounded out the top three priorities.
Overall, the majority of respondents said North America will not lose competitive ground in those areas over the next five years. And a significant number said they believe North America will become even more competitive by 2012 in sales and marketing (45%), information technology (41%), customer service (37%), R&D/engineering (36%) and finance/accounting (34%). A small percentage predicted that North America will be less competitive globally in these areas by 2012, with the balance being neutral.
Still, more than half of survey respondents (61%) said they expect North America to become even less competitive globally as a site for production by 2012. The key barriers to making production competitive globally were seen as labor cost (cited by 71%), tax policy (66%), work rules (66%), lack of available skilled labor (51%) and costs of raw materials and energy (56%).
By contrast, China and India were seen by executives as increasingly competitive as locations for production facilities. For example, 37% of respondents said they plan to expand in China in the next three years, and 24% in India.
As production shifts, manufacturers indicated they will move other operations as well. For example, more than 48% of respondents said they plan to expand sales operations in China over the next three years, and 34% said they plan to do the same in India. Additionally, 27% plan service operations expansion in China and 23% plan to do so in India.


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LONDON — U.S. First Lady Jill Biden chose a white lambskin cutout dress by Gabriela Hearst for the coronation Big Lunch at Downing Street on Sunday, hosted by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and his wife Akshata Murty.
Biden first wore the dress in September when she met with Queen Letizia of Spain ahead of World Cancer Research Day in New York City. A black version of the dress, called Lara, retails for $15,900 on Gabriela Hearst’s official website.
This time, Biden kept it clean and left the thin white belt she wore last time out of her look. It made the outfit less serious and more approachable, considering the lunch was also a celebration for community heroes, Ukrainian families who have fled war, and youth groups in London.
Biden was accompanied by her granddaughter Finnegan Biden, who opted for a fitted green dress with ribbon motifs for the occasion.
The event took place as part of the Big Lunch, a nationwide initiative to bring neighbors and communities together to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla with more than 50,000 street parties expected to take place in the U.K. and beyond on Sunday.
According to the New York-based Hearst brand, the intricate cut-outs of the all-over, embroidery lace motif are inspired by a sketch by Hearst, who is also Chloé’s creative director.
Hearst is one of Biden’s go-to brands when it comes to major events. In 2021, she wore an evening gown by the designer for the evening festivities after the swearing-in ceremony at the Smithsonian Museum.
At lunch on Sunday, Biden and Sunak drank hot tea and enjoyed afternoon tea staples such as cheese and pickle sandwiches, cupcakes, and walnut cakes.
The tableware, which included an oversized teapot with Union Jacks, and plate and mugs that said “Charles III” on them, was supplied by Emma Bridgewater.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook recently visited China to talk with local carriers, with the topic of conversation expected to have been market growth and the rumoured low-cost iPhone, dubbed iPhone Lite or iPhone 5C.
This week, tech.ifeng.com
cites sources familiar with Cook’s meeting who say that Cook met with China Telecoms senior leadership during his trip to discuss a “new generation iPhone”.
While the report notes that it’s not clear whether the discussion between the two companies has resulted in a deal of any kind, the alleged secret meeting is rumoured to have revolved around the highly anticipated low-cost iPhone.
Following tech.ifeng.com’s report, China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua has confirmed to Reuters that he met with Cook on Tuesday, but he did not provide any details about the purpose of the meeting. The Wall Street Journal has
also confirmed the meeting.
During its most recent quarterly conference call, Apple announced a decline in growth in the Chinese market, so it’s thought that the meetings in China aim to improve growth there in the next quarter. A deal with China Mobile could be key to growth in the market, because the carrier has more than 700 million subscribers that could potentially become iPhone owners.
Reports of Cook’s visit to China come as Apple manufacturing partner Pegatron has been accused of labour volitions in three of its factories by the China Labor Watch. Apple has said that it will investigate the claims, and has issued a response to the abuses report.
The cheaper iPhone has reportedly been “confirmed” within the labour abuse report.


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AT&T sold 200,000 iPhone 4S in just first 12 hours
AT&T has officially announced that they have processed 200,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 4S. It looks like new Apple smartphone is the most successfully launched iPhone yet. These 200,000 orders only come during the first 12 hours of sales
AT&T has seen extraordinary demand for iPhone 4S with more than 200,000 preorders in the first 12 hours alone, the most successful iPhone launch we’ve ever had. It’s obvious customers like AT&T’s 4G network, which is the only one that lets their iPhone download twice as fast and talk and surf simultaneously.
These numbers don't include Apple's own online pre-orders or the orders through Verizon Wireless and Sprint.
The iPhone 4S officially launches on Friday, October 14th.
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SimbaPay has partnered with Choice Microfinance Bank a microfinance institution founded by Kenyans abroad
SimbaPay – a leading digital money transfer provider – today announced the expansion of its free instant deposit service to Choice Microfinance Bank in Kenya. SimbaPay has partnered with Choice Microfinance Bank a microfinance institution founded by Kenyans abroad.
Money transfers made to Choice Microfinance Bank by Kenyans living abroad using SimbaPay will be free of transfer fees. In addition, the recipient Choice Microfinance Bank accounts will be credited instantly.
Victor Karanja, Head of Operations for SimbaPay commented that “Our customers who already bank with Choice Microfinance Bank or have friends & family using the bank will be glad to see their transfers being credited instantly”.
Stanley Kasyoka, Deputy CEO at Choice Microfinance Bank added that “We are very excited about this new partnership with SimbaPay which is heavily engaged with the economic force that is Kenyans living abroad. Kenyans abroad are the country’s largest earner of foreign exchange today”.
SimbaPay and Choice Microfinance Bank announced the partnership on 29 Aug 2015 in London at the annual “Kenya in the Park” event where they also exhibited the service. The two companies jointly sponsored the event together with other businesses targeting Kenyans abroad. The event is an annual celebration of Kenya’s rich vibrant culture.
For ease of use, Choice Bank has been pre-loaded on to the SimbaPay platform which eliminates the need for customers having to remember the Choice Bank pay bill details. At the time of making a money transfer using SimbaPay, customers will be required to select the bank from a database of Pay Bill businesses and then enter the destination account number and amount.
Kenyans living in the UK with a bank account, debit card or credit card are now able to use the SimbaPay app to make money transfers from any mobile phone, tablet or computer. The service will be rolled out to Kenyans living in other EU countries in the near future.
SimbaPay also launched free, instant transfers to all Nigerian banks in May 2015. In June it became the first platform in the world to allow Kenyans living abroad to make M-Pesa Pay Bill payments and continues to disrupt the cross-border remittance industry with its focus on speed and convenience.
The SimbaPay app can be downloaded for free from the Apple or Android app stores.
Visit www.SimbaPay.com for more information.
SimbaPay is a mobile app transforming the international remittance space. With a focus on breakneck speed, convenience and constant innovation, users are able to send money to loved ones or even vendors in Africa, from wherever they are at any time of day or night.
The company is headquartered in London and can be found online at www.SimbaPay.com .
About Choice Microfinance Bank
Choice Microfinance Bank is incorporated in Kenya and regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya. Choice Microfinance Bank started as a diaspora story that has evolved to become a local story as well.
It is a link of Kenyan Diaspora Investments to the local people’s need of small credit facilities to improve their livelihood and break the poverty cycles. The idea traces its roots to the mid 1990’s & 2000’s when Kenyans migrated in masses to the Europe & North America in search of opportunity. After years of being in the land of opportunity there was a strong desire to create opportunities for Kenyans back home.


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Digitas: ‘Mobile Thursday’ Shopping Will Nearly Double from Last Year
NEW YORK — Mobile devices will play a pivotal role this Thanksgiving as the holiday transforms into “Mobile Thursday,” the day before Black Friday. 28 percent of smartphone- or tablet-owning adult holiday shoppers plan to shop on Thanksgiving Day with their mobile devices. This will nearly double the percentage from 2011, when only 16% said they would use a mobile device to shop on Mobile Thursday.
In addition to shopping for the holidays, 29 percent of smartphone or tablet owners say that they have used or plan to use their mobile devices to assist with upcoming Thanksgiving holiday preparations. That number rises to 40 percent when focused on adults aged 18–34.
These are the key findings of a new online survey by Harris Interactive, conducted on behalf of Digitas, a top, digitally led, global integrated brand agency, from November 5 to 7, 2012, among 2,059 adults ages 18 and older.
“Our findings reinforce that mobile is not just another channel. It’s a technology-driven cultural phenomenon that is changing how people are connecting to brands and commerce. With more consumers shopping on their devices, brands are being provided with more mobile moments to address and create impact — even during a time of turkey, football, and family,” says Chia Chen, SVP, Mobile Practice Lead, Digitas.
The study suggest that parents should be prepared to allow mobile devices at the Thanksgiving dinner table or risk not seeing their college kids on the holiday.
Students Are a Mobile Thursday Force; Will Choose Mobile Devices Over Turkey
- Two in five students (38 percent) say they’ll do holiday shopping on their mobile devices on Thanksgiving.
- 22 percent of students are likely to decline a Thanksgiving meal invitation if they know they would not be able to use their mobile devices while there.
Even though consumers experience mobile-user frustrations, the survey finds that they still have strong intent to purchase via mobile.
Consumers Want to Shop via Mobile, But Brands Still Have Need to Catch Up
- The study revealed that three-quarters (76 percent) of those who shop by mobile device and computer say that it is easier to shop via computer.
- Only 8 percent say their shopping experience is easier via mobile and one in six (16 percent) say there is no difference between the two.
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Digitas from November 5 to 7, 2012, among 2,059 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For the complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org.
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A few of the creators working on the new Gold Key character books from Dark Horse will be at San Diego Comic-Con, here’s the complete info
Dark Horse Comics have released their solicits for comics sold in October, looks like we will get 3 new comics based on Gold Key characters. Click for more, and BIG cover images.
The new Doctor Solar ongoing series will debut in July, as was announced at Wondercon this weekend. I also got the scoop from Dark Horse that Magnus will launch in August.
After hearing about the lawsuit, I sent out some requests for comment from a few of the parties involved.
Here are the responses.
Jim Shooter was asked 20 questions and gave 20 answers about the relaunch of the Gold Key characters at Dark Horse.
One of those 20 questions was from yours truly at the Only The Valiant Podcast. Click to read more:
Dark Horse has made a press release of the announcement they made at Comic-Con regarding their plans to print new Magnus, Solar, Turok, and Mighty Samson comics. You can see the complete press release at the Dark Horse website at the following link: Dark Horse Press Release The press release contains some history about Jim […]


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\’Gen H’ is the name of a new marketing initiative that Honda Malaysia (HM) has introduced to spread awareness about its hybrid vehicles and technologies. A tour across the country will be held as part of the campaign, and the goal is to get people excited about and enthusiastic about Honda’s hybrid technology.
Attendees of the Gen H events will have the chance to test out Honda’s e: HEV hybrid technology, which can be found in some of the brand’s most well-known vehicles, including the City, City Hatchback, Civic, and HR-V, respectively. These cars are offered in the highest-end RS trim that is currently available. The roadshow will, in addition to displaying hybrid technology, provide attendees with various exciting activities.
Visitors can partake in activities such as going on amusement park rides, playing arcade games, participating in workshops, indulging in food and beverages, admiring graffiti art created by local artists, and exploring an “immersive area” with interactive activities.
The roadshow will get underway the next month, beginning on June 3 and continuing through June 4 at Linear Park in Taman Desa Tebrau, located in Johor Bahru. After that, on June 10 and 11, it will be moved to Juru Auto City in Penang. Carpark C at Stadium Bukit Jalil will be the location of the grand finale, which will take place on June 17-18. Everyone who comes to the roadshow won’t have to pay anything to get in.
The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Honda Malaysia, Hironobu Yoshimura, believes the Malaysian market is significant for locally built hybrid automobiles. He stressed that hybrid technology provides motorists a blend of enjoyment and efficiency in their driving experience.
The hybrid versions of Honda Malaysia’s vehicles have succeeded in the Malaysian market. Over 2,800 units of the City e: HEV, 1,600 units of the City Hatchback, 2,600 units of the HR-V Hybrid, and 600 units of the Civic e: HEV have been sold by the company since the RS e: HEV form of the City was introduced in the year 2020. These data suggest that Honda’s hybrid cars have been well received and that there is a demand for them in Malaysia.


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The announcement on Wednesday that Apple Inc. will bring $350 billion in cash parked overseas — that’s billion with a B — home to the United States, to invest here and create as many as 20,000 new jobs, is likely to be the economic story of the year.
Donald Trump, who made his boast that he would “make America great again” the centerpiece of his campaign for president, couldn’t have designed this play better on a blackboard.
The Trump tax bill enacted in December enables American corporations to “repatriate” trillions of dollars in cash reserves that companies deposited overseas to exploit low tax rates ranging from 8 percent to 13 percent. Apple alone has held $252 billion abroad, 94 percent of its cash reserves, and had said it couldn’t bring its foreign earnings back to the United States until there were changes in the tax code. Now the tax code has been changed, and Apple looks as good as its word.
No one knows for sure how much money has been put overseas, mostly in China, India, Ireland and the Cayman Islands, or how much of that will be brought home. Estimates range from $2 billion to $5 trillion. But it’s a lot.
Mr. Trump eagerly describes the news as a win-win for the American economy, and it’s hard, even for his most fervent critics, to argue with that. The United States gets the money, whether invested to invest in new ventures across the continent to create jobs, or to pay to shareholders who can invest the money in new ventures of their choosing. The federal government gets billions of dollars of tax collections to use to reduce the national debt.
I promised that my policies would allow companies like Apple to bring massive amounts of money back to the United States. Great to see Apple follow through as a result of TAX CUTS. Huge win for American workers and the USA! https://t.co/OwXVUyLOb1
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2018
Apple’s common stock shares quickly rose 1.7 percent, to $179.10 per share in New York, and the company told its employees they would receive bonuses of $2,500 each. Unless you’re an irredeemable and implacable foe of the president, what’s not to like?
Some liberals with unusually hard heads dismissed the tax bill as a gimmick to make the rich richer and the poor poorer, legislation that would only make saps of the middle class. But in the first few weeks since the president signed the law, money has started pouring into the United States. Apple’s announcement alone proves the president’s critics wrong. The company, based in Cupertino, Calif., will bring home $350 billion to be invested over the next five years. The technology giant, one of the three largest companies in the world, has earned millions revolutionizing telephones, home computers, watches and how music is sold, and says it will use the money to build a new campus somewhere in the United States for data analysis and product development. At least $35 billion will be put into an “innovation fund.”
Why Barack Obama, a fan of “redistribution,” didn’t do this years ago is a great mystery. There would have been earlier opportunities to make more money to distribute. The Apple announcement makes a mockery of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s claim that the tax cut only leaves “crumbs” for middle class workers. Some crumbs.
Apple and other companies, including Intel Corp., makers of crucial computer components, are responding in a positive way to Trump criticism that such major companies have ignored American workers in creating jobs. The new positions will likely have an even larger impact on the economy than Apple’s paying $38 million in taxes into the U.S. treasury. “The thrust here,” Erik Gordon of the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business tells Bloomberg News, “is American jobs, jobs on American soil — build manufacturing here, don’t build everything in China. You can’t have an announcement of a million jobs. But you can have companies like Apple saying that we’re going to have 20,000 new jobs here. If other companies say they’re going to have new jobs, too, it does add up.”
Apple, for one of those companies, appears to have gotten the memo. “We are focusing our investments in areas where we can have a direct impact on job creation and job preparedness,” Tim Cook, the Apple CEO, says, perhaps hinting that the company intends to accelerate internal education programs. “We have a deep sense of responsibility to give back to our country and the people who help make our success possible.”
© Copyright (c) 2018 News World Communications, Inc.
This content is published through a licensing agreement with Acquire Media using its NewsEdge technology.


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NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
JANUARY 15, 2014
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC BUSINESS CORPORATION
2014 - GONG CHA NY 2, INC.
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What comes to mind when you think of the word "antibiotic"? Probably something medically related, right? Certainly not chicken.
As it happens, the two popular fast food chains owned by Restaurant Brands International Inc., Burger King and Tim Hortons, have announced plans to bid adieu to the antibiotic chicken they have been using, citing their decision to switch over to chicken that was raised without antibiotics as a "'critically important" element to human medicine.
We didn't even realize these brands were using that kind of meat anyway, so the announcement to discontinue the practice comes as a double surprise.
Restaurant Brands hopes to institute the changes in U.S. stores in 2017, while stores in Canada should be expected to make the switch in 2018 -- a whole year from now.
"We believe that it is important to reduce the use of antibiotics important for human medicine in order to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics in both veterinary and human medicine," Restaurant Brands said in a statement.
Essentially, around 70 percent of antibiotics that human beings need in order to fight off infections are sold for use in meat and dairy production, rather than going toward ensuring our safety. This sounds ridiculous, but it's the truth.
Scientists, consumers, shareholders and public health experts have been decrying this practice, saying that using these antibiotics for animal agriculture is increasing our risk of contracting untreatable infections from bacteria dubbed "superbugs" that are actually resistant to antibiotics.
About 2 million people in the U.S. are estimated to be infected with drug-resistant bacteria every year according to the CDC, while 23,000 of those 2 million ultimately end up dying as a result.
We certainly hope all restaurant and food chains take this threat extremely seriously and do their part in eliminating the use of drugs that are important to human medicine.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Starting July 1, Amazon will be collecting states sales tax in Texas as part of an agreement with state finance authorities to build facilities and create 2,500 jobs.
The deal comes after the state of Texas sought to collect $269 million in uncollected sales tax from Amazon
The Internet retailer disclosed the agreement in its 10-Q filed Friday.
Amazon currently collects sales tax in Kansas, Kentucky, New York, North Dakota and Washington, according to The Wall Street Journal. And by 2016, Amazon will do so in seven more states, including Texas.
Amazon is still locked in a debate with Arizona, which seeks $53 million in uncollected taxes, according to the company’s 10-K filed Feb. 1.
A number of states have considered or adopted laws that would force out-of-state retailers to collect taxes on their behalf. Amazon has been a proponent of a federal law that would require sales tax collection under a nationwide system.
Amazon shares closed Friday at $226.85.


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Between May and July this year AHDB’s marketing team ran a successful campaign which aimed to keep potatoes relevant to consumers while educating them about their versatility, ease of use and health benefits, the organization says in a recent news article. In response to the market dynamics created by COVID-19, AHDB says there was a need to create additional demand in retail and drive volume in sales to attempt to make up for some of the losses through foodservice. Bud the Spud’ was part of a marketing campaign (More Than a Bit on the Side) with proven positive results.
Potato consumption has remained resilient in Britain over the past six months, despite closures in the foodservice market, according to figures released by AHDB. Strong retail sales led to an overall 12% volume increase for potatoes in the six months to 9 August, according to AHDB estimates based on Kantar data. Over the 24 weeks ending (w/e) 9 August, retail sales volumes of potatoes and potato products rose well ahead of the total food and non-alcoholic drink uplift. The return of big fast food brands in June helped lift takeaway volumes of potatoes.
As the ‘no travel’ trend continues into the holidays, Side Delights offers easy solutions for consumers choosing to stay home or close to home this holiday season. In a recent study, 58% of consumers are not planning to travel for the holiday season—up from 49% last year. In August, data showed that winter holiday bookings were 65.4% behind where they were around a similar time period in 2019.
While shoppers’ smiles are currently hidden behind their masks, they’ll soon spot plenty of friendly faces in the snack aisle thanks to Lay’s, which is converting millions of potato chip bags to feature the real smiles of 30 “ordinary” people doing extraordinary things in their communities. During a time when joy is needed more than ever, the new Lay’s bags continue the brand’s mission to inspire even more smiles in 2020, with up to $1 million in proceeds benefitting Operation Smile.
According to the latest Potato Weekly report published by AHDB in the UK on Friday, the past week has seen free-buy trade fall once again. AHDB Analyst Alex Cook reports that movement of supplies on contract continues to hold the majority in potato markets. Repeat orders, in some cases with lower volumes, form the common comments this week rather than fresh demand. Anticipation and uncertainty surrounding a potential re-imposing of stricter lockdown measures has seen some purchasers await further information before placing orders, meaning demand has subdued.
Kent based Provenance Potatoeshttp://www.provenance-potatoes.co.uk/ is launching a 2kg retail pack, brilliantly sized for store shelves in farm shops and independent retailers across the South of the UK. The new retail pack is the perfect size for families, with the added bonus that the potatoes are locally grown and packed and support British farmers. All Provenance Potatoes are washed, graded and packed using only the finest potatoes from the heart of Kent.
Processing potatoes supply is still outweighing the reduced demand on the domestic market. Given that most planting decisions had been made this year when the pandemic hit, this demand erosion has had minimal impact on the GB potato area. Indeed, the current estimate of 119Kha is only 1% back on 2019. In recent years, the processing area has been increasing steadily, standing at 37.5Kha last year. Using the proportion the processing area made up of the total GB area last year (31%), we could estimate 2020 area to stand around 37Kha.
Just days before his Center, CO, operation kicked off its 2020 San Luis Valley potato season, Skyline Potato Co. General Manager Les Alderete said he was optimistic about the overall market situation and the coming year. “We’re hoping for a decent year,” Alderete said in mid-August, adding that although the summer had been hot and dry, the growing season was good and harvest weather forecasts were also favorable. He did say that water in the San Luis Valley is “tight” after a short snowpack.
The week has been described as relatively quiet across the board, with many supplies across all sectors utilised mainly on contract, writes AHDB Analyst Anthony Speight in today’s issue of the Potato Weekly report. He says slight increase in demand for certain sectors as schools start again after many months of being shut. However, stakeholders within the industry say this is not necessarily being felt as we head into a conventionally quiet spell.
Free-buy potato markets in the UK continue to see pressure on prices. Increasingly available supply for markets has met a widespread muted level of demand. Trade has remained on a steady level, consisting of mostly repeat orders. Processing markets have been reported as steady this week, with some better levels of demand for frozen potato products following the government ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ voucher scheme. Processing markets look to the return of education sectors for an increased level of demand in the next few weeks.
Lay’s is hoping some new potato chip flavors can partially satisfy some cravings folks may have for the food at some of their favorite travel destinations. Since you can’t hop on a plane, Lay’s is bringing the destination to customers. The four new flavors feature Greece, Thailand, Mexico, and Germany. You can’t just get them in the store: you have to win them. To do so, just reply to one of the company’s social media pages and tell them which country you’d like to visit.
The latest Kantar figures confirm that Northern Ireland’s potato packing sector has grown by 3.9% over the past year in terms of total turnover. All the sector’s key parameters: including frequency of purchase and volumes purchased per retail visit are all up with one very obvious exception, according to a report by Farming Life. Wilson’s Country managing director Lewis Cunningham takes up the story: “The average price of potatoes in the shops has fallen over the past 12 months.
EarthFresh is pleased to announce their new complete product line of organic and conventional potatoes packed in 100% compostable paper bags, the company says in a press release issued earlier today.
In the major metros of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, potatoes are selling for Rs 30-45 per kg, depending on the variety and quality. In Mumbai, a kg of potato is priced at Rs 35-45, while in Delhi and Kolkata prices are hovering between Rs 30-40 per kg. Potato traders from Uttar Pradesh, the largest producer of potatoes in India, said prices are unlikely to come down until November, when the new crop starts coming in.
Major potato processor Lamb Weston and global quick service restaurant chain McDonald’s saw sales fall significantly in the three months to the end of June, but it could have been much worse. There are also some signs of a recovery in restaurant fry sales, although fears over coronavirus remain, according to Cedric Porter, editor of weekly market briefing World Potato Markets. Lamb Weston’s sales were 16% lower in the quarter than the same period last year, with demand from foodservice distributors and smaller restaurant the most affected.
A Holbeach producer has launched a range of locally grown potatoes for the supermarket Aldi. AH Worth has worked with Aldi to roll out a new line of its East Anglia Early Potatoes, as part of the supermarket’s Specially Selected range. The fourth-generation family farming business, founded in 1895, expects to supply around 400,000 packs of the early season Maris Peer potatoes to Aldi stores across the east of England.
Farmer shareholders at Haverfordwest-based Puffin Produce have relinquished control of the co-operative in a management buyout deal. The potato, vegetable and flower specialist was majority-owned by its growers in Pembrokeshire but they have sold 50 per cent of their stake in the business to managing director Huw Thomas and finance director Jon Langmead.
Potatoes USA reports that retail potato sales are soaring, increasing 31% in dollar sales and 32% in volume sales between March 16, 2020 and June 14, 2020, according to IRI. All potato categories across the retail store, except deli-prepared sides, increased in dollar and volume sales, Potatoes USA says in a press release. The majority of potato categories saw double-digit growth in both dollar sales and volume sales. Dehydrated potatoes had the largest increase in dollar and volume sales. Dollar sales increased by 59%, and volume sales increased by 49%.
Potatoes remain a leading category staple at retail. As growers keep pace with increasing demand, Potatoes USA continues to bring value for both growers and retailers. Lilian Diep, writer for AndNowUknow got in touch with the organization to learn more about the initiatives and studies that will take place this upcoming fiscal year. “We’re working on a couple of things over this next year. Right now, all of our retail growers are moving at full capacity to bring products into stores,” Kayla Dome, Marketing Manager, said.
Profits more than halved at frozen foods specialist McCain UK last year as “one of the worst potato harvests in 40 years” hit its bottom line. Newly filed accounts for the year to 30 June 2019 show McCain’s operating profits fell 63% to £21.3m from £57.6m a year earlier. It said it maintained a value share of 54% and a volume share of 42% of the UK frozen potato category, according to IRI data for the 12 weeks to 20 June 2020.
Puffin Produce has announced a partnership with Aldi to stock its exclusive range of local Pembrokeshire Early potatoes in stores across Wales. The Haverfordwest business worked with Aldi to roll out a new line of the potato variety as part of the supermarket’s award-winning Specially Selected range from June. Puffin Produce expects to supply around 200,000 packs of the new range to Aldi’s Welsh stores over the next two months.
According to information published in the Irish Farmers Association’s weekly potato report, there were mixed reviews on trade in the food-sector service over the weekend as pubs and restaurants began to re-open. Retail demand remains buoyant with colder weather than expected for July so far. In Europe improved growing conditions are reported over the last week, particularly in Eastern Europe. Market disruption remains in place, with fears of a ‘second-wave’ in some countries.


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Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, says the internet is facing a “major” threat from “people who want to control it on the sly” through “worrying laws” such as SOPA, the US anti-piracy act, and through the actions of internet giants.
“If you can control [the internet], if you can start tweaking what people say, or intercepting communications, it’s very, very powerful…it’s the sort of power that if you give it to a corrupt government, you give them the ability to stay in power forever.”
Sir Tim was speaking as it emerged that the US government has been collecting huge amounts of personal information from Google, Facebook, Apple and other internet companies.
There have also been reports that British spies have been gathering intelligence from the internet giants “through a covertly run operation set up by America’s top spy agency”
“Unwarranted government surveillance is an intrusion on basic human rights that threatens the very foundations of a democratic society,” Sir Tim said. “I call on all web users to demand better legal protection and due process safeguards for the privacy of their online communications, including their right to be informed when someone requests or stores their data.
“Over the last two decades, the web has become an integral part of our lives. A trace of our use of it can reveal very intimate personal things. A store of this information about each person is a huge liability: Whom would you trust to decide when to access it, or even to keep it secure?”
Sir Tim added that a “wake up call” had been delivered when former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak cut off communications services during the uprising that ousted him.
“A lot of people thought the internet was like the air, it just flows. [After this] people asked, ‘who could turn off my internet’?”
Sir Tim said “companies and governments in different places all over the world trying to take control of the internet in different ways” is a much bigger threat to its development than fears over any one company having an online monopoly.
“If you remember [web browser] Netscape, people thought, oh the web is great but here’s a completely controlling web company, what are we going to do? Then one morning they weren’t worried about Netscape any more, it was Microsoft. Then suddenly, wait a moment the browser wasn’t the issue, it was the search engine. Then, it’s wait a moment, it’s the social network.
“If you look at it broadly, yes a monopoly slows innovation, reduces competition. That’s why it’s important this is an open platform. But monopolies come and go all the time.”
Sir Tim called for governments to protect the neutrality and independence of the web and compared its democratic importance to the freedom of the press.
He said “organisations that keep the internet running” should be “connected to government but at arms length. That’s really important and as years have gone by that’s got more and more important. Once you have an open internet, with an open world wide web on top of it, I’m very optimistic”.
Sir Tim was speaking in Monte Carlo at the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year competition. He likened the determination he needed when developing the web to the single mindedness exhibited by successful entrepreneurs.
“With the web, it was a paradigm shift. It’s a well used phrased but it means that afterwards the world is so different, there weren’t the words in the old word to describe the new world. People didn’t understand clicks and links and web pages – we didn’t have words.
“You just need to stick with it and work with a few people with in a twinkle in their eye because they get it. Some people will respond with excitement – not everybody, maybe three in three hundred will get it. The web took off because a few people around the world had the twinkle in their eye and said they could understand what it would be like if all the information in the world was [online].”
He added that while about “25pc of the world” now uses the web, “a massive gap” remains. “There are number of languages where there isn’t a lot of stuff on the web, and a lot of culture that isn’t represented. A lot of countries haven’t got the backbone for a good internet-based democracy.
“The change for the world will be massive when we go from only 20pc of the world having it to 80pc of the world. It is going to be a wonderful explosion in culture and participation and I hope that people of different cultures use it to understand each other as a result.”
Photo credit: Tech Radar
Via Business Insider


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Atlanta-based Cardlytics made its public debut on Friday, closing the day at $13.37, just a little above the IPO price of $13. The company sold 5.4 million shares, raising $70 million. Cardlytics works with financial institutions like Bank of America and 2,000 others to run cash back programs. It partners with brands across restaurant, retail, travel, grocery and home subscription categories… Read More
Read the original at TechCrunch.


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Weyerhaeuser to Shut Sections of Two Plywood Mills
Oct. 2, 2007 - Weyerhaeuser Company yesterday said it will convert its Dodson, Louisiana plywood operation to a 100 percent veneer manufacturing operation, effective Oct. 26, 2007. The company will also stop veneer production at its Colbert, Georgia mill within the next 30 days. The Colbert site will continue manufacturing Parallam® using veneer supply from Dodson and other Weyerhaeuser veneer operations beginning Nov. 1.
About 70 employees at Colbert and less than 50 at the Dodson site will be affected by the operational changes.
"Today's announcement is part of the ongoing effort to strengthen Weyerhaeuser's residential wood products portfolio," said Cathy Slater, vice president of Veneer Technologies. "There's a shrinking demand for plywood and an increasing availability of alternative products. We made the decision after a thorough review of short-term and long-term demand for our plywood panels and to further integrate dry veneer into our engineered lumber products."
SOURCE: Weyerhaeuser Company


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Among those in attendance for Avo Taco’s ribbon-cutting were representatives from the offices of Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, state Senator John Liu, Assemblyman Edward Braunstein, Cord Meyer Development Vice President Joe Forgione, Bayside Business Association President Ed Probst, members of Community Board 7 and the Bay Terrace Civic Association.
According to David Hersh, the restaurant’s owner, opening a location at the Bay Terrace Shopping Center had been in the works for almost a year. He felt the Bay Terrace Shopping Center would benefit from the inclusion of a restaurant that offered Mexican food and specialized in drinks.
“We saw that there was an opportunity in this area to be of service to Bayside,” Hersh said. “We thought the stuff we’re bringing with our products and our fresh-squeezed drinks and cocktails and vibrant food, we just saw that being a great opportunity for here. So far, Bayside has been loving it.”
Hersh said the juices for the drinks Avo Taco serves are freshly squeezed each morning. He also said they make their own sour mix in-house, crediting these factors in helping to differentiate the taste of their margaritas and cocktails compared to those at other bars and restaurants.
“I’ve worked in restaurants my whole life, since I was 14,” Hersh said. “It’s all I’ve known. One thing that’s always been my underlying value is if we’re going to serve something, it’s got to be the best version in town. If you stay true to that value, everything usually goes really well.”
This marks the third location for Avo Taco. They also have a location in New Orleans and in New Hyde Park on Long Island.
Forgione credited the chain’s success on Long Island for contributing to the decision to allow for a location to open up at the Bay Terrace Shopping Center. Considering how busy it was there during the grand opening, it appears things are off to a promising start.
Avo Taco is participating in Taste the Greats, the food and drink event of the year which features the greatest restaurants on Long Island, drinks and music at the elegant Mansion at Oyster Bay on March 2. For tickets and more information please visit TastetheGreats.com.


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Kate Spade & Co. is eyeing technology as a way to increase customer acquisition efforts.
The company last summer launched Kate Spade Saturday via pop-up storefronts with eBay touchscreens and payment processing by PayPal, and is now eyeing that effort as a possibility for Kate Spade New York.
Craig A. Leavitt, chief executive officer, told WWD that the company saw “great feedback from customers,” and is investigating the marketing benefit based on its experience to decide whether to proceed with the same game plan for its core Kate Spade business. “We are investigating ways to utilize that technology,” he said of a strategy that is becoming increasingly more omnichannel-focused.
Leavitt noted in a conference call to Wall Street analysts following the company’s report of first-quarter results that it has been expanding its customer base, and that “61 percent of active customers are new to the brand.” The ceo also noted that for the Kate Spade New York brand in Japan, “our new customer acquisition is even higher than North America at 68 percent.…In Japan, our largest increase was in the 25- to 30-year-old range due to the significant success with handbags, jewelry and small leather goods.”
When asked about the small leather goods category, Leavitt told WWD that it has been “expanding more rapidly than other categories since the holiday period.” Wallets and novelty coin purses are stronger than handbags and seem to be a growing trend for the Kate Spade New York brand.
Leavitt said the growth of small leather goods, which he calls a global phenomenon, represents an “opportunity for overall business expansion,” explaining that the more accessible price points help with the acquisition of new, and often younger, customers. Handbag sales rank second in accessories growth. While sales of watches are slowing as an overall trend for the category, the ceo noted that the watch segment for Kate Spade has “tremendous upside opportunity for customer acquisition because of its price point” and because “watches can be one of our most broadly distributed product categories.”
For the three months ended April 5, the company swung to the black, but still posted an operating loss from continuing operations.
Net income was $46.2 million, or 37 cents a diluted share, against a net loss of $52.2 million, or 44 cents, a year ago. The loss from continuing operations, which includes the operations of the Juicy Couture brand but excludes Lucky Brand, was $54.7 million, or 44 cents, against a year-ago loss of $39.6 million, or 33 cents.
Net sales for the period rose 33.5 percent to $328.1 million from $245.7 million. Sales for the period include the continuing operations of Juicy. Although Juicy was sold to Authentic Brands Group in October for $195 million, Kate Spade continues to operate the retail store business for a short period of time as it completes the winding down of the operation.
Net sales for the Kate Spade brand rose 54 percent to $217 million for the quarter. The company ended the quarter with 127 specialty retail stores, 52 outlet stores and 46 concessions. Sales per square foot for comparable stores “for the latest 12 months were $1,359,” the company said, adding that comparable direct-to-consumer sales, including e-commerce, rose 29 percent in the first quarter.
For the current fiscal year, the company plans to open on a global basis 80 stores, down slightly from the initially planned count of 90, and reaffirmed adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization guidance at between $115 million and $125 million.
Shares of Kate Spade on Wednesday rose 8.5 percent to $37.60 in Big Board trading following heavy trading volume of 5.4 million shares, compared with a three-month average volume of 2.1 million.
EXCLUSIVE: @tomford is opening its first-ever beauty store. The boutique, which opens November 20 in London’s Covent Gardens, was designed with the over-the-top glam Ford is known for. Read the full story on WWD.com, link in bio. #wwdbeauty #wwdnews (📷: Simon Wagner) #TomFordBeauty
New York-based DJ @harleyvnewton threw a party to celebrate the holiday collection of her dress and pajama line @hvn at the Ladurée Beverly Hills. It Girls @katebosworth, @rashidajones and more joined in on the fun, which included cocktails, croque monsieur sandwiches and a photo booth. #wwdfashion (📷: Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com)
For the holidays, @Burberry partnered with 20-year-old artist @blondeymccoy on a series of three outdoor murals in downtown Manhattan. The murals are McCoy’s interpretation of a Christmas eve party, the idea of charity and the spirit of family. His third mural, pictured here, is the most personal. The image depicts McCoy’s grandparents and father in London’s Trafalgar Square in the Seventies. “My work often features lots of sentimental objects.” #wwdeye
For spring 2018, designers applied bold colors and cartoonish motifs on everything from sneakers and belts to key chains. See all the top men’s accessories trends on WWD.com. #wwdtrends (📷: George Chinsee; Prop Styling by @rnasti; Market Editor: @luiscampuzano)
The @dior-sponsored @guggenheim international gala pre-party has a history of drawing cool-girl musical acts to serenade the crowd –– and last night was no exception. @haimtheband performed songs both new and old, and lured a star-studded audience with the likes of Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Mamoudou Athie and more. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
In a partnership between the @metopera and the @englishnationalopera, “Marnie” was born. The opera, with costumes sponsored by @mrporterlive, is an adaptation of the 1961 thriller by Winston Graham. Arianne Phillips, who created the costumes, is no rookie: She’s styled Madonna for her tours and created costumes for a myriad of films in the past. Read WWD’s interview with Phillips, where she talks about her inspiration for the opera’s costumes on WWD.com #wwdfashion
@barneysnyc took a different approach to their holiday windows this year. Instead of Christmas decor, Barneys tapped @thehaasbrothers to tell a story of positivity, gratitude and inclusivity via heartwarming silliness and humor. “It’s about kids and it’s about coming together and being family and loving each other,” said Simon Haas. #wwdfashion (📷: @joshuascottphoto)
Beauty influencer @kandeejohnson makes her foray into hair care with a collaboration with @ogx_beauty — making it the first time that OGX has teamed up for a product creation. The collab includes shampoos and conditioners in three scents. At 39 and a mom, Johnson is a different profile than the emerging social media stars, but is considered one of the pioneers of the digital beauty influencer world. Read WWD’s interview with her on wwd.com, including the strangest beauty product she’s ever tried #wwdbeauty


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Reed’s Inc., maker of all-natural beverages, says that its varieties from Reed’s and Virgil's are now available in proprietary 20-oz resealable bottles.
“Launching our first resealable bottles marks a significant growth moment for Reed’s and Virgil’s as we enter new retail channels and increase our footprint at grocery stores nationwide,” said Norman E. Snyder, CEO of Reed’s, Inc. “There is limited natural soda options that are available in c-store and convenience, and we have witnessed a demand from retailers and consumer alike for healthier and convenient alternatives. This innovation follows our tradition of bringing real, all-natural beverage options to our customers, and now with the versatile packaging, they have our better-for-you choices that can easily be enjoyed anywhere at any time.”
The company’s entry into the resealable format also creates an infrastructure for accelerated growth opportunities across all channels. With the pandemic resulting in can and glass supply constraints for the category, the company says its resealable 20-oz bottles positions it for continued momentum and expansion with both in-store and online retailers.


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Lexington & the Rockbridge Area Tourism receives Virginia Tourism Grant for marketing local studio tour
A grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation Marketing Leverage Grant Fund program has been given to the Lexington & the Rockbridge Area Tourism. A $8,250 grant will support outreach and marketing for the second annual Lexington Rockbridge Studio Tour in April 2013.
Here is the press release from The Historic Rockbridge Area.
Lexington, Va. (December 11, 2012) – Lexington & the Rockbridge Area Tourism has secured $8,250 from the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) Marketing Leverage Grant Fund program to support outreach efforts for the second annual Lexington Rockbridge Studio Tour to be held April 20-21, 2013. Governor Bob McDonnell announced the recipients of the grant in a news release on Nov. 26, 2012. Abigail Inn Bed & Breakfast, the third partner on the grant application, has also contributed funds and will host an evening reception for studio tour visitors. Read more »