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This is a good thing for shoppers, if you can afford a new vehicle.
During the craziness of the covid pandemic a unique situation arose where buyers were so desperate they paid ever-increasing prices for both new and used vehicles. Books could and probably will be written delving into the many factors which helped drive car inflation, but the reality is those days are now behind us despite automakers, dealerships, and their allies in the media trying to convince us otherwise.
Do you have any of these risky driving habits?
The evidence of car prices eroding is out there, for those who want to see it. One comes via LMC Automotive, which points out that the growing recession is helping to eat into demand for new vehicles. At the same time, production numbers for new vehicles are steadily growing despite efforts by some OEMs to keep those down.
As I’ve pointed out before, LMC says all it takes is for some automakers to move to scoop up more market share by increasing production. We’ve already seen some overtures in that direction, so while GM and others try keeping supply low so they can maintain wide profit margins, eventually they’ll have to cave as competitors begin eating their lunch on overall volume. After all, even Ferrari and Lamborghini are concerned with sales volume.
LMC predicts the increase in vehicle supply and falling demand will intersect no sooner than the latter part of this year. The timing is, of course, debatable and subject to intervening factors which might be impossible to predict. That said, it looks almost inevitable that things will return to “normal” in the car market.
One of those events many didn’t predict was the banking crisis the US and Europe is currently facing. With Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank failing while other regional banks and even Credit Suisse struggle, there’s no telling how the financial market upheavals could affect not only automakers but also suppliers, dealerships, etc.
Another sign that the days of dealerships being in the driver’s seat for sales is waning comes via J.D. Power and LMC Automotive, which say only 31% of new cars sold in February went for over MSRP. In July 2022 that figure was 48%, showing that the days of customers lining up ready to pay exorbitant prices for a new vehicle are on the way out.
Those two firms also found the majority of models selling for over MSRP were luxury lines. In fact, in the top 10 vehicles selling for above MSRP there was only one mass-market model, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. People are feeling the financial pinch with the combined forces of inflation, layoffs, and rising lending standards.
On that last item, Statista says the average interest rate on a 60-month car loan is now at 6.3% versus just 4% a year ago. That means shoppers can afford less car if they’re financing the purchase, something that’s far more common for those looking at non-luxury models.
So things are changing in the car market as things are changing economically and in the financial markets. Just how quickly the shift happens and how far the pendulum swings the other way remains to be seen.
Images via Facebook


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Launched 22 years ago, Marmiton has been an essential web address for a few years now for anyone wishing to make a cooking recipe. No less than 17 million Internet users are eyeing Marmiton’s cards to concoct dishes and desserts, with more or less success. Note that the Marmiton website has experienced meteoric growth in recent years, well “helped” in recent months by the coronavirus pandemic and containment measures. The site is well established in the Top 100 of the most visited websites in France. Today, Marmiton is launching its first store.
Marmiton launches its online store!
Indeed, in collaboration with the Unify group, Marmiton is launching its official “shop”, via tightR. A shop which is not integrated within the Marmiton website itself, but which intends to sell thousands of products obviously linked to the culinary world. It includes kitchen knives, as well as books, but also items related to home furnishings, tableware, cooking, baking, not to mention a selection of small household appliances. There are branded products, but also many products sold directly under the Marmiton brand.
“We are launching this interface with Marmiton which allows us to offer a large catalog around the kitchen and eventually licensed products. The positioning of Marmiton as a reference site in the kitchen sector has already enabled the brand to successfully diversify, whether in the field of publishing or on television with our Marmiton TV channel.“, explains Florent Alzieu, affiliation director in charge of the project for Marmiton at Unify.
To develop its official store, Marmiton has teamed up with the start-up tightR, which specializes in the creation of turnkey marketplaces, which allows “create a multi-brand shop in 10 minutes“. In this way, the website adored by budding cooks and cooks makes it possible to offer a brand new e-commerce type space, entirely dedicated to the culinary arts. In total, more than 6,000 diverse and varied products are already listed in the store.
Throughout the year, Marmiton promises to offer its vast community many advantages in its stores, with of course exclusive promotions, but also entertainment and other surprises reserved for the most loyal customers.

domain: news


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Tesla stated current-quarter deliveries are going to include about 3,500 vehicles that were in transit to clients at the end of the 2nd quarter, on a day the automaker’s first Model 3 rolls off the assembly line.
The automaker stated on Monday it has made deliveries of about 47,100 electric sedans and SUVs during first half of 2017, at the lower end of its own projections, putting pressure on the business’s shares.
Tesla had then not provide information on the number of vehicles in transit.
The company, which blamed “severe” shortage of new battery packs that constrained auto production up until June, restated on Friday that combined deliveries of Model S and Model X in the 2nd half of 2017 will possibly surpass deliveries in the first half.
Registrations of Tesla vehicles in California dropped 24 percent in April from a year previously, according to information from market expert IHS Markit.
The numbers come as financiers worry that demand for Tesla’s high-end Model S sedan is declining ahead of the mass market Model 3 launch.
Other than that, the company stated said it had won an Australian contract to set up world’s most biggest grid-scale battery. Elon Musk previously offered to fix power crisis in South Australia on social media.


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2020 Ford Bronco Dimensions - Ford bronco 2020 | bronco confirmed - release date, Ford plans to bring four or even five new utilities in the next few years, and 2020 ford bronco is a part of this plan. the thing that will especially delight the fans of the company and this model is the fact that the new suv will be produced in wayne assembly plant in michigan.. 2020 ford 'baby bronco' presentation images leak online, 2020 ford bronco the 2020 ford bronco leaked at a meeting for ford dealers in las vegas. image credit: ford on the presentation screens are three photos of the upcoming, reborn baby bronco. Confirmed! ford bronco coming 2020, Confirmed! the new ford bronco is coming for 2020. at the 2017 detroit auto show, ford officially confirmed the bronco will return in 2020 as a midsize off-road 4x4.. New ford bronco suv details - sale late 2020, The ford bronco will have a removable roof and doors and will go on sale in late 2020. ford gave new details about the retro suv to dealers at a recent event.. 2020 ford -150 , release, price – ford specs news, 2020 ford f-150 changes, release, price – in the quite spectacular press seminar exactly where ford’s ceo symbol career fields not just introduced these were reversing study course over a arranged mexico herb – rather they are going to spend $700 zillion and produce 700 tasks on the smooth rock, mi set up plant – it was actually also released a whole new f-150 will probably be. Ford -series (twelfth generation) - wikipedia, The twelfth-generation ford f-series is a light-duty pickup truck produced by ford from the 2009 to 2014 model years. on the outside, the design was restricted to evolutionary styling upgrades, with a larger grille and headlights bringing it in line with the styling of the super duty trucks; as with many other ford vehicles of the time, the interior saw the introduction of higher-quality. 2016 ford bronco svt release date, specs, price, The new 2016 ford bronco svt is said to be released in 2015 after 20 year break. just like the new f-150 pickup truck, it is based on the ford atlas concept.it appears that the next-generation model is in the works and will be released for 2016 model year. it will be quite different from the concept shown back in 2004, as it follows the design language of the newer ford suv and pickup truck. Ford edge - wikipedia, The ford edge is a mid-size crossover suv manufactured by ford motor company.. the first generation edge is based on the ford cd3 platform shared with the first generation ford fusion, mazda cx-9, first and second generation mazda 6 and lincoln mkx.. ford also markets the second-generation edge in european markets. the edge uses ford's cd4 platform.. the vehicle is assembled at ford's oakville. 2019 ford® escape sel suv | model highlights | ford.ca, While backing your vehicle up, the available reverse sensing system 10 alerts you with a series of beeps if you near an object. the closer you get to the object, the faster the beeps. standard on the 2019 ford escape sel and titanium models and optional on se..
Ford bronco 2020 new bronco is confirmed release date → 2020 ford 'baby bronco' presentation images leak online → Confirmed! the new ford bronco is coming for 2020 → New ford bronco suv details goes on sale late 2020 → 2020 ford f150 changes, release, price – ford specs news → Ford fseries (twelfth generation) wikipedia → 2016 ford bronco svt release date, specs, price → Ford edge wikipedia → 2019 ford® escape sel suv model highlights ford.ca →


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Most Tampa residents need to rattle their brains to remember when Guavaween was celebrated to honor the artists in Ybor City's old Latin Quarter. Over the last couple of decades, the anything-goes Halloween celebration has become little more than a booze-soaked event. That's why it's good the Ybor Chamber of Commerce is looking to bring Guavaween back toward its roots.
Ybor was a ghost town back in the 1980s. Artists gobbled up the vacant warehouses and loft space, turning living rooms into studios and word-of-mouth poetry slams. Halloween was a time for music and parties, which led to a parade — here called a "stumble" — where artsy types donned costumes that made fun of Tampa's people and traditions.
Over time, Ybor gentrified and so did Guavaween. Even before the chain stores and the Seattle coffee shops moved in, Guavaween turned from a quirky event to boozy block party. The overcommercialization, entry fees, fenced-off zones and adult themes marginalized its appeal. Many Ybor businesses suffered because customers did not want to navigate a rowdy gantlet for a meal or a stroll through the Latin Quarter.
The chamber wants to tone down the atmosphere. Under a plan headed to the Tampa City Council, the entry fees and the outdoor wet zone would go — and along with them, the fences. The event would still host live music across Ybor at about half a dozen venues, where tickets would go for $20. But otherwise the event would be free.
The move would not bring Guavaween back to its original form. But removing the fences would restore the sense of connection with Ybor that first drew the artists to the charming quarter. Restaurants and other businesses also would have the chance to introduce themselves to thousands of new visitors. And ending the open drinking on the street would foster a respectful mentality toward Ybor that befits a landmark historic district.
The city of Tampa cleaned up the Gasparilla parade two years ago after tolerating many of the same complaints. The parade experience is better than it has been for decades. The chamber is right to bring some balance to Guavaween, and to think longer term about the district's image. Ybor's business community also deserves credit for addressing a sensitive problem. Ybor has a rich mix for any visitor, from fine restaurants and shops to tourist sites. The plan for Guavaween is another step toward making Ybor even more inviting. The City Council should support it.


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KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday sought reports from Sindh chief secretary, director Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), secretary health, secretary food, and other officials on a petition against sale of substandard food items and beverages throughout the province.
A non-profit organization, United Human Rights Commission Pakistan, moved the court seeking directives from the relevant authorities for slapping ban on sale of contaminated and substandard food items and juices.
The petitioner, Rana Faizul Hassan, general secretary of organization, requested the court to direct PSQCA to allow sale of only safe & standard food products and beverages in the province.
The petitioner submitted that reports of some newspapers showed that substandard and contaminated food products and beverages, including edible cooking oil, ghee, juices, milk, lemopani and flour, were being sold in the different districts of the province. He said that markets were flooded with the substandard items which are playing havoc with the lives of people.
He said that more than 0.15 million shops were devoid of mandatory food licences in the metropolitan, adding that only 2500 units were issued such licences. The petitioner stated that authorities were not taking action against shopkeepers doing business without such licences and selling unsafe food.
The post SHC seeks reports on petition against substandard eatables appeared first on Pakistan Press International.


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MUNICH — Satisfyer says it is reinforcing its mission to provide end consumers more affordable pricing, as well as increasing retailer’s sell-out and strengthening distributor margins with a new price deduction on its Satisfyer Partner line.
"We are delighted to announce a price reduction of more than 20 percent for our entire Satisfyer Partner line,” said Jerome Bensimon, vice president of sales for Satisfyer. “The steady growing success of our moderate priced line in conjunction of significant silicone price's reduction, has allowed us to reduce our price point to be even more attractive to end consumers."
The Satisfyer Partner single engine now has an MSRP of $29.95; Satisfyer Partner Whale and Plus now has an MSRP of $39.95; and the Satisfyer Partner Plus Remote now has an MSRP of $49.95.
Distributor margins of the Satisfyer Men also have been increased and are now standardized across the entire Satisfyer product range, the company says.
"But there is much more Satisfyer will proudly reveal in the coming weeks,” Bensimon said. “We've been working intensively on developing over 30 new toys the past 10 months investing our current annual sales in R&D.
"In the next weeks, we will be excited to introduce our brand new Satisfyer Vibes line, but also, two new Satisfyer Partner Toys, which offer 11 ways to enjoy and enhance sexual wellness. With the same excitement and energy, we will be presenting to the press any days, two revolutionary new Satisfyer Men, vibrating, heating and rechargeable heading to become men market segment new bestsellers."


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AUGUST 23 – METLIFE STADIUM
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 AT 10AM
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - (December 5, 2016) – After most recently taking home the most 2016 American Music Awards of any artist this year, global superstar JUSTIN BIEBER has announced his first-ever stadium tour across North America, as part of his wildly successful PURPOSE WORLD TOUR. The Purpose World Tour makes a stop at MetLife Stadium on August 23, 2017. Bieber announced the big news exclusively on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Tickets to the general public tickets will go on-sale beginning Friday, December 9 at 10 a.m. local time at www.aeglive.com. If tickets remain, fans can purchase at the MetLife Stadium Box Office beginning Monday, December 12 at 11am ET.
A number of VIP packages will also be offered on the upcoming tour, which – in addition to great seats – can include exclusive VIP merchandise and much more.
Additionally, $1.00 from each ticket purchased will be donated to Pencils of Promise, a charity which works to build schools and increase educational opportunities in the developing world. Details at www.pencilsofpromise.org
Since the North American launch of the world tour in March, Bieber has sold out 64 U.S. and 52 international tour dates, thrilling fans around the world with his dynamic, must-see live show. Bieber most recently dominated the 2016 American Music Awards with four wins – the most of any artist that night – for Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Purpose), Favorite Pop/Rock Song (“Love Yourself”) and Video of the Year (“Sorry”). He also joined the telecast by performing “Let Me Love You” live from his Purpose World Tour date in Bologna, Italy, marking his sixth performance on the awards show. Earlier in November, Bieber took home three MTV EMA awards – Best Song (“Sorry), Biggest Fans and Best Canadian Act – making him the top winner of the show. For more information, please visit www.justinbiebermusic.com.
With a global #1 album release in over 100 countries and consecutive #1 singles, Purpose is shattering records worldwide - including a record for having 17 songs in the Hot 100 in one week (beating The Beatles and Drake) - and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. PURPOSE signed CDs, vinyl and other limited edition items are available exclusively via Justin’s online store. Go to: http://smarturl.it/JustinShop.
About AEG Live
AEG Live is one of the largest live music companies in the world. The company is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music events and world-renowned festivals. AEG Live operates in North America, Europe and Asia through 16 regional offices that support its tours which include such artists as Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Kenny Chesney; produce or support over 25 music festivals, including the iconic Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival; and owns, manages or books more than 60 clubs and theaters. AEG Live presents more than 8,000 shows annually worldwide and conducts business under such globally renowned brands as AEG Live, Goldenvoice, Concerts West, Messina Touring Group, Marshall Arts LTD, and Madison House Presents. For more information visit www.aeglive.com.


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Star actor, Saheed Balogun who recently celebrated his golden age has been unveiled as the latest brand ambassador of Adron Homes & Properties.
The actor who has done many TV commercials and bill boards for Adron was officially unveiled few weeks back.
The first two cast movie producer in Africa was elated during the unveiling ceremony done last week.
At a recent press conference organized by the management of Adron Homes an elated Saheed Balogun said that he has always refused brand ambassadorship position saying he only accepted to become one at Adron because of the company’s quality of service, ingenuity and company/customer relationships that exists.
Saheed Balogun further urged existing and prospective customers to key into various packages Adron has got to offer before the year 2017 runs out.
On the terms and conditions of the contract, both Adron Homes and Properties Management Staff and the actor himself declined comment saying it is not for Public Consumption for now.


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Kevin Doyle: 'Northern Ireland will become "Bandit Country" if no-deal Brexit goes ahead'
THE road signs at the frictionless Irish border might as well say ‘Welcome to Bandit Country’ if a no-deal Brexit goes ahead.
On one level we should be grateful today that British Prime Minister Theresa May intends to live up to her promise not to introduce physical custom checks on this island.
But at the same there are so many questions about her no-deal plan that we would be naïve not to be deeply worried about the societal and economic impact.
Officials in Dublin have been left somewhat ‘gobsmacked’ by the “keep calm and carry on” message to businesses on this island.
There’s no doubt that Mrs May proposals are filled with contradictions.
For a start, Northern Ireland will be treated differently from the rest of the UK, where tariffs will be imposed on some EU goods if a Brexit deal fails to materialise.
Irish Government sources have repeatedly argued the original ‘backstop’ gives the North “the best of both worlds”. They would have unrivalled access to both the UK and EU markets.
However, the DUP argued against this on the grounds that the region would be different from the rest of the UK. Today’s proposals ensure the North will be UK’s backdoor.
There will be no import tariffs on goods entering Northern Ireland across the Irish border under May’s plans. However, businesses that sent products across the Irish Sea from Dublin or Rosslare will be hit with big taxes.
So beef, lamb, pork, poultry and some dairy going North travels into the UK without tariffs but if it goes direct there will be a bill. A smugglers’ dream.
There is an acknowledged risk in Whitehall of Northern Ireland becoming a "back door" for EU goods to enter the wider UK market tariff-free but the UK government says new laws will be introduced to crack down on anyone trying to exploit the system.
But one senior source in Dublin couldn’t contain their bamboozlement: “Under these plans the UK market could be flooded via Northern Ireland and Ireland with tariff free Irish beef, Spanish oranges, French cheese and Polish honey.
“Meanwhile UK produce becomes too expensive to export. If they get overwhelmed through Northern Ireland the documents say they’ll consider checks at ports. In other words, a customs border between Northern Ireland and mainland UK in Sammy Wilson’s constituency. It’s time to wake up, no one wants this.”
Then there is the possibility that the EU will demand its Single Market is protected from inferior goods travelling into the Republic.
It is no longer beyond the bounds of reasonable logic to imagine a scenario whereby people and goods can move from the Republic into the North without checks – but face them when travelling in the opposition direction.
The UK says the arrangement can only be temporary until a new trading regime is negotiated with the EU.
Ireland says they have already spent two years putting together the ‘backstop’ which solves many of the issues being flung around like mud in Westminster.
“Nobody claimed the backstop perfect was better but anybody living in the real world can see it’s better than what they’ve thrown into the mix today,” an Irish source said.
In May’s paperwork released today, she notes that “a negotiated settlement is the only means of sustainably guaranteeing no hard border and protecting businesses in Northern Ireland”.
“That is why we are, first and foremost, still committed to leaving the EU with a deal. In a no-deal scenario, the UK government is committed to entering into discussions urgently with the European Commission and the Irish Government to jointly agree long-term measures to avoid a hard border.”
In summary, after two years of negotiating on how to avoid a hard border her fresh plan is to negotiate on how to avoid a hard border.
In the meantime, ‘taking back control of their borders’ means leaving their only land border wide open.
At least we know Brexit means Brexit.
- Read More: Britain's stark choice: delay Brexit or face crash-out chaos
- Read More: No-deal Brexit preparation: No new checks on goods moving across Border into Northern Ireland - UK government


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Listen To The Article
Honey isn’t honey anymore, and the FDA is apparently just fine with that. Despite being pushed by Congress, food activists, the American honey industry, and beekeepers, the wise souls which hoisted the Monsanto Protection Act upon us refuses to establish new regulations on the golden gooey staple.
A Food Safety News ordered honey test was recently conducted at Texas A&M. The results are shocking, but not quite as frustrating as the FDA’s inaction on the topic. Less than 5 percent of honey on found on store shelves has reportedly been purity tested by the FDA.
Shoppers snagging honey off the store shelves at Walmart, Target, Costco, and Kroger are actually buying a pollen-free product the vast majority of the time.
Even though the label may say honey, the mixture inside those cute plastic bear-shaped containers is anything but, the bulk of the time. The FDA defines honey as any product possessing pollen. Many Chinese companies utilize an ultra-filtered process that drains all of the pollen out of the so-called honey before it goes into a container.
Why do they drain out all of the pollen you ask? To save money, of course. The ultra-filtering process removes the pollen and then shields the origins of the honey. Some Chinese companies cranking out the cheap honey substitute, being passed off as the real deal, have allegedly been tainted with heavy metals, illegal antibiotics, and pesticides. Some of the Chinese companies have also been accused of watering down the mixture with high fructose corn syrup.
There is no logical reason that America should have to purchase honey from China. We have bees in America, but struggling beekeepers are forced to compete against a far cheaper and inferior product from China.
The independent honey test ordered by Food Safety was conducted at the Texas A&M University by Professor Vaughn Bryant
. The study reportedly found that 76 percent of honey sold in some grocery stores did not contain a single drop of pollen, including samples from Giant Eagle, TOP Food, Harris Teeter, King Soopers , Kroger, Metro Market Safeway, A&P, and Stop 7 Shop.
A total of 77 percent of the honey tested from Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, H-E-B, and Target had the pollen filtered out. A total of 100 percent of the individual honey packets from McDonalds, Smucker, and KFC also had the pollen removed. All of the honey samples from Rite-Aid, CVS, and Walgreens contained no pollen at all. The study also found that honey purchased at farmers markets, Trader Joe’s, local co-ops, and PCC had the full amount of pollen.
Just like with raw milk, the FDA is far more concerned with adhering to pasteurization regulations than offering organic and healthy food to the public. Honey pollen purity levels should be at the leading topic of FDA policy standards. It defies common sense that a cheapo glub of sticky material can be labeled as honey when it does not contain a single morsel of pollen.
Pasteurization reportedly eliminates many beneficial components, including propolis. Raw honey has a strong track record as an anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial compound. Many preppers keep honey in their first aid kits and bug-out bags to use during emergency situations. Most of us are mindful of budgetary constraints when adding to our stock of supplies, but cheap pollen-free honey will not offer the health benefits of raw honey.
Since the FDA does not think that GMOs need to be labeled and believes than pollen-free gunk is the same thing as real honey, we must be even more diligent when filling up our grocery carts. The agency tasked with making sure that what goes onto our plates is safe has dropped the ball and appears to have no desire to play within the bounds of decency anytime soon.


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Gamepressure.com News 11 June 2019
Konami Announced eFootball PES 2020
ElMundo, 11 June 2019, 23:11
Konami officially announced the next edition of the popular series of football simulators Pro Evolution Soccer - eFootball PES 2020. The former FC Barcelona star - Andres Iniesta - takes part in the works on the game; we have also learned the game's release date.
Empire of Sin - Mafia and Prohibition in Paradox's New Strategy Game
Adrian Werner, 11 June 2019, 22:56
One of the fathers of the Doom series has joined forces with the developers at Paradox. The result is Empire of Sin, a gangster strategy game set in times of prohibition.
Trials of Mana Announced For 2020; Collection of Mana Gets Released Today
Michael Kulakowski, 11 June 2019, 22:39
During Nintendo Direct at E3 2019 Expo, a remake of the classic jRPG Trials of Mana was announced, which will be available for sale in 2020. From now on, Nintendo Switch owners can buy a collection of all three parts of the Mana series, released on Game Boy and SNES consoles.
Astral Chain - New Trailer and Release Date
Adrian Werner, 11 June 2019, 22:27
Nintendo Direct was an opportunity to show the new trailer of Astral Chain, an action game from the authors of Nier: Automata. The release date has also been confirmed.
Daemon X Machina - New Trailer and Release Date
Christian Pieniazek, 11 June 2019, 22:22
Nintendo showed a dynamic trailer of Daemon X Machina and shared its release date. The production, in which we operate powerful mechs, will debut before the end of summer.
The Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening - Trailer, Release Date, Level Editor
Milosz Szubert, 11 June 2019, 22:14
During a special presentation from the Nintendo Direct series at E3 Expo 2019, a new trailer of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening was revealed. Dungeon editor will be available in the game. Game received a release date, too. It's September 20, this year.
Microsoft Ends Backward Compatibility Program On Xbox One
Jakub Mirowski, 11 June 2019, 21:25
Microsoft has announced that the latest update to the Xbox One backward-compatible games catalog will also be the last. The Redmond giant will focus on refining this feature for the upcoming Project Scarlett.
Refreshed Version of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Gets Release Date
Paul Wozniak, 11 June 2019, 21:10
Bandai Namco and Level-5 officially announced a refreshed version of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, which will be released on PC and PS4 on September 20, 2019.
Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild Sequel Has Been Announced
Agnes Adamus, 11 June 2019, 19:37
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will get a sequel. During the Nintendo Direct conference at E3 2019, it was announced that a next installment of the series is in the works.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 The Black Order - Heroes Vs Thanos On A New Trailer
Milosz Szubert, 11 June 2019, 19:30
A new trailer of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order made its debut at Nintendo Direct E3 Expo broadcast. The title will be released on July 19, this year, on the Nintendo Switch console.
Watch The New Trailer of Fire Emblem Three Houses
Jacob Blazewicz, 11 June 2019, 19:26
Nintendo has shown another trailer of Fire Emblem Three Houses. The video focuses on the story of the new version of the popular tactical RPG series.
Contra Returns - New Trailer And Release Date Of Contra: Rogue Corps
Christian Pieniazek, 11 June 2019, 19:21
The Contra series is eternally alive, as evidenced by the fact that Konami has announced the next part of the series. Nintendo Switch owners can prepare for the arrival of Contra: Rogue Corps.
The Witcher 3 Gets a Nintendo Switch Version This Year
Agnes Adamus, 11 June 2019, 19:07
During the Nintendo Direct stream organized as part of the E3 2019 Expo, it was revealed that The Witcher 3 (definitive edition) will get to the Nintendo Switch console. The release is scheduled for later this year.
No More Heroes 3 - Crazy Series by Suda 51 Returns Next Year
Adrian Werner, 11 June 2019, 19:00
The E3 Expo Nintendo Direct show brought us the announcement of No More Heroes 3. It's a new installment in the crazy series of action games from Suda 51.
The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance - Netflix's Series Will Get an RPG
Adrian Werner, 11 June 2019, 18:57
During Nintendo Direct, The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance Tactics, a tactical RPG based on the upcoming puppet film, was announced.
First Gameplay From Luigi's Mansion 3 Shown on Nintendo Direct
Christian Pieniazek, 11 June 2019, 18:53
Nintendo showed first gameplay from Luigi's Mansion 3 for Nintendo Switch. Players can take a sneak a peek at gadgets that will allow the hero to face even the most terrible ghosts.
We Have To Wait More For New Fable
Michael Kulakowski, 11 June 2019, 18:48
Despite rumors, Microsoft did not announce a new installment of the Fable series on this year's E3 Expo 2019. As the company's representative confirmed, we will have to wait for the biggest announcements until next year.
Phil Spencer Explains Why Age of Empires 4 Skipped E3 2019
Christian Pieniazek, 11 June 2019, 18:38
Age of Empires 4 didn't show up at E3, but the game is alive and looks well. At least, these are the words of Phil Spencer from Microsoft, who praises Relic Entertainment team working on this title and convinces that the project couldn't get into better hands.
Remastered Versions of Commandos 2 and Praetorians Announced
Christian Pieniazek, 11 June 2019, 18:32
The Commandos 2: Men of Courage and Praetorians will get a remastered editions. The company responsible for their release, Kalypso Media, shared release dates and system requirements.
Phoenix Point - New E3 Trailer And Release Date Revealed
Adrian Werner, 11 June 2019, 18:23
The Snapshot Games team has released a new trailer for the turn-based strategy called Phoenix Point. Also, we got to know the planned release date.
Who is Johnny Silverhand Performed by Keanu Reeves in Cyberpunk 2077?
Bart Swiatek, 11 June 2019, 17:20
During Microsoft's conference on E3 2019, we learned that Keanu Reeves is involved in the production of Cyberpunk 2077 from the Polish CD Projekt RED studio. The famous actor will play the cult character of Johnny Silverhand. Who is the hero and what role does he play in the universe created by Mike Pondsmith?
Samurai Songs Performed by Refused in Cyberpunk 2077?
Jakub Nowak, 11 June 2019, 12:41
CDPR is gathering quite a cast for the new game. Thanks to a twitter investigation, we've learned the name of the band performing the song in the E3 trailer for the game.
Russia Intends to Block 9 Popular VPN Services
Conrad Hazi, 11 June 2019, 12:19
The Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Roskomnadzor, intends to block access to 9 popular VPN services. In March this year, 10 large suppliers were to receive requirements on limiting access to websites. Only Kaspersky Lab agreed to implement them.
18 Minutes of Gameplay From Ghost Recon Breakpoint
Milosz Szubert, 11 June 2019, 12:08
An eighteen-minute gameplay from Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, i.e. the next installment of the series of shooters from Ubisoft, was released online. The title will be published on October 4, this year.
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts - First Gameplay From E3
Adrian Werner, 11 June 2019, 11:57
The first gameplay from Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts has appeared on the web, coming straight from E3 2019. The material presents the gameplay and contains a set of new information about the project.
10 Minutes of Gameplay From Borderlands 3
Konrad Serafinski, 11 June 2019, 11:02
A new E3 gameplay from Borderlands 3 has appeared on the web. The material presents the character of Moze the Gunner - one of the playable heroines of the upcoming production. There's a lot of action coming up.
Darksiders Genesis Hardware Requirements and Gameplay
Jakub Mirowski, 11 June 2019, 10:50
THQ Nordic company almost 25 minutes of gameplay from Darksiders Genesis, a spin-off to the Darksiders series, which was announced a few days ago. The material focuses primarily on combat against hordes of opponents.
Dying Light 2 E3 2019 Gameplay
Konrad Serafinski, 11 June 2019, 10:43
In the Internet there are materials presenting the gameplay footage from Dying Light 2, coming straight from E3 2019. At the same time, the creators published a short interview with Tymon Smektała - the main designer of the title - on their channel.
Radeon RX 5700 Revealed; E3 2019 AMD Presentation Summary
Conrad Hazi, 11 June 2019, 10:11
Tonight, as part of the E3 2019 fair, AMD organized the Next Horizon Gaming presentation. During the game we could see for the first time new Radeon RX 5700 cards and a 16-core gaming CPU Ryzen 9 3950X. Almost all new products will be launched on the market on July 7.
E3 2019 Expo Square Enix Conference Summary
Michael Kulakowski, 11 June 2019, 09:38
The Square Enix conference accompanying E3 2019 will be remembered mainly thanks to the presentations of Final Fantasy VII Remake and Marvel's Avengers. Apart from that, during the event we got to know first details about Outriders, a shooter from People Can Fly.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Gets Rich and Expensive Collector's Edition
Christian Pieniazek, 11 June 2019, 09:29
Final Fantasy VII Remake received a rich collector's edition called 1st Class Edition. Both the content of this edition and its price are impressive. There is also a much cheaper Deluxe Edition available.
Marvel's Avengers - Release Date and First Gameplay Trailer
Konrad Serafinski, 11 June 2019, 09:24
The Square Enix conference on E3 2019 revealed the release date of Marvel's Avengers. The production also received the first trailer, in which we could see the some gameplay elements.
Outriders - Release Date and Trailer
Christian Pieniazek, 11 June 2019, 09:19
Polish studio People Can Fly presented its new work. The shooter called Outriders will take us to the dark universe of science fiction. In addition to the atmospheric trailer, the title has been given an approximate release date.
Circuit Superstars - First Trailer
Konrad Serafinski, 11 June 2019, 09:15
Circuit Superstars was announced at the Square Enix E3 2019 conference. The first trailer was also presented. The production will be released in 2020 on the leading gaming devices.
Stronghold: Warlords Announce - The Series Moves to Far East
Conrad Hazi, 11 June 2019, 09:13
During the E3 2019 fair, a new version of the Stronghold series was announced. It will be called Stronghold: Warlords and take us to the Far East. The devs are announcing new mechanics, and the first material of the production, announced for 2020 release, can be seen in the published video.
Final Fantasy VIII: Remastered Announced; Launch in 2019
Jacob Blazewicz, 11 June 2019, 09:10
At its conference, Square Enix announced Final Fantasy VIII: Remastered. The visually refreshed eighth installment of the series will hit the PC and the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch consoles later this year.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake - First Gameplay With Boss Fight
Christian Pieniazek, 11 June 2019, 09:03
Square Enix began its pre-E3 conference with Final Fantasy VII Remake, which will debut on March 3. We can see a fragment of the intro for this production, as well as a long gameplay. Besides, we found out that the title will be released on two Blu-Ray discs.
E3 2019 Expo Ubisoft Conference Summary
Michael Kulakowski, 11 June 2019, 01:55
This year's Ubisoft conference on E3 2019 did not bring too many exciting announcements to the players. The biggest one was Watch Dogs: Legion, a new installment of the popular series of sandbox action games. In addition, the publisher focused mainly on already released and announced productions.
Watch Dogs Legion - Price and Game Editions
Christian Pieniazek, 11 June 2019, 00:59
Just after the official announcement of Watch Dogs Legion, Ubisoft started accepting pre-orders for the production. Thanks to that we got to know the price and content of particular editions of the title.


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This is advertising that in some case kids (or their parents) possibly unthinkingly pay to see. And – they're on an unlimited-text-messages – it's probably a good idea for everybody to be aware of. As the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reports in "Retailers know texting is the totally best way to reach teens," "sale alerts, fashion tips and sweepstakes giveaways" have definitely moved from email to cellphones. " JCPenney, surfer/skate shop Tilly's and Beall's department stores all text-messaged sale alerts and offered downloadable ring tones and cell phone games as part of their back-to-school promotions this year." The Times says that "just around the corner" are ad techniques like stores sending text-message special offers to their "club members" who pass by with GPS-enabled phones and store signs with bar codes that, when captured with a shopper's picture phone, provide full sale info on the phone by text or voice. On the other hand, MediaPost.com reports that US 12-to-17-year-olds "are not particularly receptive to mobile ads. In fact, the relative simplicity of their phones and the fact that nearly 70% of teens need their parents to pay the bill … makes them poor campaign targets."
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NetFamilyNews – by Anne Collier
- What are we really seeing in the social media fishbowl?
- Spoiler alert: Kid loves teaching Twitter to Dad
- At the IGF: Youth participation = greater youth e-safety
- Enabling peer protection: Knowledge is empowerment
- Millennials’ changing social media use: Survey
- Heard of Twitch? Amazon has!
- Dealing with the nasties online
- Leadership in bullying prevention and so much more
Analysis & News – by Larry Magid
- High school kids show strong support for First Amendment
- UN bringing child rights into the digital age
- IGF attendees complain about censorship in Turkey while some advocate it for youth
- Internet Governance Forum topics include human rights, network neutrality and child protection
- Protecting children online needs to allow for their right to free speech
- It’s time for schools to upgrade both technology and pedagogy
- Why Google (and Facebook) should admit kids under 13
- As Ferguson struggles, Georgia teens create app to rate police departments


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Fine dining restaurateurs continue to woo customers back after the recession.
Visits to fine-dining establishments were up 5 percent in 2013, increasing for the third straight year, according to NPD Group, a market research firm. During the downturn the industry saw double-digit declines.
The fine-dining segment, which represents 14 percent of foodservice consumer spending, has been ahead of the industry since 2011. Casual dining visits have been down during the same period.
NPD analyst Bonnie Riggs said in a release that the segment is bouncing back because “fine-dining operators responded by making the changes necessary to appeal to their customer base and their customers have responded.”
The group points to more casual dress codes and dining atmospheres as factors that appeal to customers. Outside forces such as increased business travel also contributed to the rise, according to NPD.


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LG Chem is talking with SK Innovation to reach a settlement regarding a trade secret violation suit against the latter, and anticipates a resolution before October, the firm said Friday, Koreaherald.com reports.
“We can settle the case through negotiations before the final decision in October, should the settlement be on a reasonable level based on objective facts,” said LG Chem during a quarterly conference call with investors.
The US International Trade Commission has made a default judgement in favor of LG Chem against SK Innovation in March, saying SK Innovation had intentionally tampered with evidence.
SK Innovation has asked for a review, and the ITC is expected to deliver a final decision in October.
If the ITC upholds its ruling in October, SK Innovation will have to halt imports of EV batteries, parts and manufacturing equipment to the US.
SK Innovation has been accused of stealing trade secrets about lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, in the process of recruiting former LG Chem employees since 2017.
“As we are talking with sincerity and due diligence, we expect to see a swift and smooth resolution,” the LG Chem official said.


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Prop. 204 debate centers on Internet sales taxes
Critics of the state’s 1-cent sales tax initiative argued today that its passage would make it all but impossible to simplify the state’s sales tax code.
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The government may soon come up with a solution to address the tax concerns of the startups, the chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Sushil Chandra, said. The news comes a week after the interim budget failed to provide clarity to entrepreneurs and investors on the issues of angel tax.
While speaking at an event organised by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Chandra reportedly said that they will find a solution based on the received suggestions. He also added that the organisation will have to decide on which are the real startups that can be exempted from Section 56 (2) of the Income Tax Act.
While speaking at the event, Chandra also said that startups which are recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), formerly known as DIPP will be exempted from Section 56(2)(viib).
According to Section 56(2)(viib), angel tax of 30% will be levied on the excess amount raised by the startup than its fair market value which will be considered as income from other sources.
This announcement comes in after DPIIT held a roundtable conference in Delhi this week and had decided that the department will come out with the guidelines on the subject in the next five days as the final solution.
Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, had also assured the startups that the Centre will soon find a solution as he has taken the issue to the Ministry of Finance.
The brouhaha over angel taxes first surfaced in November 2018 when the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) sent notices to over 2,000 startups that have raised money since 2013.
Recently, a survey conducted by Indian Private Equity, Venture Capital Association (IVCA) and Local Circles revealed that about 70% of Indian startups that raised capital have received one or more notices from the Income Tax (I-T) department.
This caused a huge uproar in the Indian startup ecosystem when several startup founders and angel investors expressed anger over Twitter in a campaign which saw participation from ecosystem enablers such as TV Mohandas Pai.
Pai had termed the tax as “draconian” and said it was hampering startup innovation in the country.
The campaign had asked the government to remove the angel tax law as it would hamper the growth of startups in the country. Most recently, DPIIT secretary Ramesh Abhishek said that the central government has decided to constitute a small working group to assess the issues related to angel tax.
The startups were majorly counting on the government to come up with a solution to this issue during the interim budget but were however disappointed.
[The development was reported by ET]


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One of the world’s biggest soft drink producers Pepsi has set itself targets to reduce the amount of sugar in its drinks.
The move is part of plans to try and tackle a range of issues, from obesity to climate change. By 2025 Pepsi wants more than 60 per cent of its drinks to have 100 calories or fewer from added sugar per 340 millilitre serving, up from a 40 per cent share now.
Soft drink manufacturers have come under pressure around the world recently from health experts and governments, who blame them for fuelling obesity and diabetes epidemics.
Earlier this year the UK announced plans to introduce a new sugar levy on the soft drinks industry to combat obesity, while Portugal will introduce a sugar tax on soft drinks next year which is expected to raise €80m (£72m) for the public health service, it was announced last week.


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Stokes has poured its sauces into 100% recycled squeezy bottles.
New bottles made from food-grade recycled plastic will replace the brand’s current squeezy bottles over the coming week across its five-strong core range: Tomato Ketchup, Reduced Sugar Tomato Ketchup, Real Mayonnaise, Brown Sauce and Original Barbecue.
Stokes said it was the first to use 100% recycled squeezy sauce bottles in the UK, marking an ”integral step” in its plans to become ‘zero to landfill’ by 2021.
The packs feature “clear messaging” on the label, explaining why the plastic has a “slightly darker tinge” than before, something Stokes said was “an inevitable result of using recycled materials”.
Stokes founder and MD Rick Sheepshanks said despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the brand “felt very strongly that we needed to press ahead with this important change”.
“We are facing a monumental plastic problem on a global scale and our responsibility to do more when it comes to reducing our plastic usage has not gone away.”


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TravelCenters of America (NASDAQ:TA) announced its quarterly earnings data on Sunday. The specialty retailer reported ($0.37) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.72) by $0.35, Fidelity Earnings reports. TravelCenters of America had a net margin of 0.69% and a negative return on equity of 1.40%.
Shares of NASDAQ TA traded down $2.47 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $25.78. The company had a trading volume of 2,990 shares, compared to its average volume of 154,679. The company has a current ratio of 1.33, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $27.12 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $29.49. The stock has a market cap of $375.64 million, a P/E ratio of 6.63 and a beta of 2.04. TravelCenters of America has a 52-week low of $8.15 and a 52-week high of $35.99.
Several brokerages recently issued reports on TA. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of TravelCenters of America from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Credit Suisse Group raised shares of TravelCenters of America from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday. BTIG Research upped their price objective on shares of TravelCenters of America from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 27th. Finally, CIBC upgraded shares of TravelCenters of America to an “outperformer” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $10.00 to $13.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $34.25.
TravelCenters of America Inc operates travel centers and standalone restaurants in the United States and Canada. Its travel centers offer a range of products and services, including diesel fuel and gasoline, diesel exhaust fluid, and truck repair and maintenance, and roadside services, as well as operates full service and quick service restaurants, and various customer amenities.
Read More: What is the LIBOR?
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Debating the Costs and Benefits of Airbnb's Short-Term Rentals
"A report released Wednesday [March 11] from the pro-labor group Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy finds the commercialization of short-term rentals is exacerbating L.A.'s housing crisis and driving up the price of rent," reports Kristen Lepore.
The article quotes LAANE analyst Roy Samaan in explaining the findings of the report: "We boil it down to a pretty simple question of supply and demand,….When units are not available for rent, the supply of rental units is less and that means prices will have to respond."
Airbnb counters by citing research completed by Thomas Davidoff, a professor at University of British Columbia on contract for Airbnb, which found that "people sharing a home that wasn’t their primary residence increased rental prices by at most $6 - a third of one percent - over the past five years…"
The article goes on to provide more back and forth between critics of supporters of Airbnb, including an explanation about the fundamental difference between the two opposing sides gather and analyze the data to make their case.


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While some Whistler restaurants have turned to automation of services to help lessen the impact of staffing shortages, Squamish locals are not sold on the technology.
The real issue is housing, and using measures such as new technology to ease a lack of staff will only be a temporary fix, say some.
"If you go to Salted Vine or some of the other higher-end restaurants, you've got staff who are well paid, but if they haven't purchased a home or secured homes, they can't afford to stay here and you wind up with people moving to 100 Mile House, Kamloops, and everywhere else," said Edward Archibald, president of the Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association (BIA).
“Putting automation in… all it does is provide a stop gap that then starts disconnecting the social interaction, which then starts disconnecting the community even further."
A 2018 Squamish Chamber of Commerce survey showed that three out of four businesses (76 per cent) have had challenges recruiting or retaining staff this year.
The number of businesses facing "significant" challenges rose to 40 per cent this year, from 30 per cent in 2017.
Unsurprisingly, the number one reason cited for the staffing challenges is a lack of affordable housing.
Self-service is not something she has observed local businesses considering yet, local chamber president Louise Walker said. However, job fairs and a new training series for employers (Excellence Squamish) have attempted to draw and keep more qualified staff.
"People are getting creative with things that they can offer staff," said Walker.
Hunter Gather, which opened in Whistler in June of 2017, implemented counter service as well as online ordering through an app and their website, sidestepping table ordering altogether.
The system—developed by Revel Systems, based in California—works well, says Hunter Gather manager Alex Parsons.
"You can handle much higher volume of customers with fewer staff," he said. "If our restaurant was at full capacity with traditional table service, we would need probably at least 10 front-of-house staff members on, whereas we can actually run a full restaurant with five."
The system has had its quirks, he says, but aside from the occasional crash, which are "a nightmare," it's running smoothly.
"We've managed to resolve all the issues that we've had with the system, and I'm actually pretty happy with how it runs now. It's intuitive. It's easy to teach to people, the new staff learns it very quickly."
The restaurant offers an app, which allows customers to order from their tables; however, app exhaustion has prevented most from utilizing the option, even with the added incentive of discounts.
"It's surprising how few people use it," said Parsons, "It's pretty fluid for people who do actually use it. People just don't want to download an app anymore. They have too many apps."
In spite of staffing woes, the logistics of integrating new systems cause some to balk at the idea of self-service technologies.
"Without Quest University up the road, we'd be missing half our staff. We can use all the technology we want, but that's just the plain truth," said Cory Balano, co-owner of The Joinery, Cloudburst Cafe and Locavore Food Truck.
He says he is not confident that the transition to such a system would be viable for his eateries, citing training and cost of implementation.
"If I had somebody who didn't cost $7,000 a day to come and get it set up, and would train management and staff, then yeah," said Balano.
"It's just too much right now."
According to a study released in October 2018 by the Business Council of British Columbia, about 42 per cent of jobs in B.C. have "high potential" of being automated in the next 10 to 20 years.
The positions most likely to be automated (sales, service, business, finance, administration, trades, transport and equipment operation) make up 54 per cent of B.C.'s total employment.
"Routine, repetitive and rules-based tasks, and tasks requiring simple social interactions" are most likely to be automated in the next 10 to 20 years, it states, such as retail salespersons, food counter attendants, kitchen helpers, cashiers, transport truck drivers, restaurant servers, and office support workers.
Another Squamish business, London Drugs, implemented three self-checkouts to its store in October; a move, which manager David Stegemann says, was less about staff shortages and more as a way to improve customer service.
"We are having issues with staffing, but we got the self-checkouts because London Drugs is kind of future proofing itself," he said.
"As people get used to technology in stores, we keep up with the times, so to speak, and try to enhance our customers' experience, for that segment of the customer world that wants to use technology."
"Just from my perspective, I see less cash calls to the front, less interruptions, more opportunities for our staff on the floor to talk, converse and provide customer service in the aisles," he said. Rather than reducing staff positions, a role was created at the store, a "customer service ambassador," to attend to the self-checkouts.
Keeping the store staffed is a constant challenge, he says: "it's an issue that I can't take my foot off the gas pedal. The minute I stop thinking about hiring is when I can get myself into a hole."
More hesitation was expressed around the simple loss of human interaction.
"For me, when I go out, it's to be with people, be served, interact. So I think [self-service] would take that away. In terms of efficiency, I'm sure it's very efficient, there's little room for error," said Kelly Irwin, bartender at Backcountry Brewing.
"Relationship building and the trust, that's the fun part."
According to Archibald, potential loss of interaction could impact tourism.
"An iPad or app aren't going to be able to tell you the out-of-the-way spot to go check out or the unique restaurant," he said. "The more you take the human element out of it, the more you start taking out the human experiences, and the out-of-the-way and more unique elements to Squamish."


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The holidays are fast approaching, and shopping season is picking up steam. This year, more Canadians than ever are choosing to crack open those laptops and mobile devices than hit the mall – after all, nothing beats shopping in your pajamas!
From finding that perfect price, to online returns and fraud protection, we’ve got your online shopping basics covered. Read on for our tips!
Celebrating Cyber Monday
The online component of Black Friday has come and gone – and it was one of the biggest online shopping events in Canadian history!
Can’t wait to plan next year’s shopping strategy? Check out our best tips for finding Cyber Monday deals, coupon codes and more.
Read Allan’s Blog | Celebrating Cyber Monday
Avoid Online Returns Drama
What could be more frustrating than an online purchase gone wrong? From hours spent on the customer service line, to paying an arm and a leg in return postage, Canadians are right to be wary before clicking “buy”.
Avoid the drama – use our policy-hunting guide to vet a retailer before giving them your money – and learn how to report a sale gone rogue.
Read Diane’s Blog | Avoid Online Returns Drama
Online Fraud Protection: 14 Tips
As online shopping activity ramps up in time for the holidays, it provides the perfect cover for Internet fraudsters. Posing as hot deals or seemingly innocent links, these info hunters are looking to score your payment digits – and your identity.
Protect yourself – don’t hit the online mall without reading our 14 safety and fraud tips first.
Read Melanie’s Blog | Online Fraud Prevention
And in finance news headlines…
2.77%: A New Low for 5 Year Fixed Mortgage Rates
5 year fixed mortgage rates hit a new low this week, at 2.77%. This full service mortgage is available in Ontario and accessible to high ratio borrowers. Could we see more downward movement before next year’s anticipated rate hike?
Read Penelope’s Blog | 2.77%: A New Low for 5 Year Fixed Mortgage Rates
Mark Carney Leaving Bank of Canada: Pros and Cons
They’re saying Mark Carney’s new appointment as Bank of England Governor will be a great boon for the UK – but what does his new role mean for Canada’s economy? Will his departure have an adverse affect on the markets, interest rates and Canada’s economic growth?
Read Rubina’s Blog | Mark Carney Leaving Bank of Canada: Pros and Cons
What You Don’t Know About Your Credit Card
In celebration of Financial Literacy Month, RateSupermarket.ca offers their top tips for controlling your credit card, and paying down your balance. Check them out, and pay down that debt!
Read Kelvin’s Blog | What You Don’t Know About Your Credit Card
Mark Carney Named Bank of England Governor
In a surprise announcement Monday, Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney will be leaving his post to take top spot at the Bank of England. The move comes as the UK finds itself taking on more responsibility and a regulatory role for the European recession.
Read Penelope’s Blog | Mark Carney Named Bank of England Governor
Canadian Housing Market More Affordable: RBC
The latest data released by RBC shows housing market conditions in Canada are slightly more affordable due to softening prices and higher incomes. It’s good news for buyers – but what do long-term trends have in store?
Read Sean’s Blog | Canadian Housing Market More Affordable: RBC
38.9% of respondents say lack of budgeting know-how is to blame, as this integral finance skill is often overlooked.
37.5% think financial literacy is a topic that should be taught in school to prepare kids for financial success in adulthood.
15.3% say credit cards are the culprit, as shoppers are poorly prepped on their features and risks.
8.3% identified the challenges of creating an effective savings plan.
Check out this week’s poll question:
There could be a free $25 Tim Horton’s gift card in it for you!


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CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2022 — Provi, the largest online marketplace for the beverage alcohol industry, today announced its commitment to supporting the three-tier system through partnerships with key associations and organizations at the local and national levels. This enhanced support is a result of the company’s new corporate and industry affairs division which is composed of beverage industry veterans and former executives from Constellation Brands, Distilled Spirits Council, and Beverage Media Group.
Currently, the company is a proud supporter of state associations across the country including New York, Massachusetts, Texas, Tennessee, Illinois, and Colorado; a sponsor of wholesaler organizations such as Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) and National Beer Wholesalers of America (NBWA); and an active member of the Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS). In addition to sharing education around digital solutions within beverage alcohol, Provi will support initiatives around social responsibility which focus on the betterment of the industry, such as “We Don’t Serve Teens.”
“The hospitality industry has been greatly impacted by the pandemic, resulting in challenges to reach profitability due to ongoing labor shortages and inflation,” stated Melissa Fleischut, President and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association. “Having supporters, like Provi, is important as we learn about new ways to help our members take on the day-to-day challenges they face.”
In addition to associations whose members consist of businesses across each tier, Provi is also expanding its commercial partnerships with companies that share a similar ethos. Earlier this year, Provi announced a partnership with BevStrat to support growth for emerging brands.
Leading these partnership initiatives for Provi is Andrew Levy who will now serve as Provi’s SVP Strategy and Corporate Affairs, David Wojnar will act as SVP, Industry Affairs and Social Responsibility, and Ian Griffith who has moved into the role of VP, Industry Affairs, State & Local.
“Having been with Provi for close to two years and part of the beverage alcohol industry for nearly two decades, I’ve seen significant growth results when companies collaborate and support each other,” stated Levy. “We’re excited to further embed Provi into the industry and support the three-tier system.”
Over the last several months, Provi has increased its efforts to support organizations aimed to generate growth for on- and off-premise retailers. At the state level, Provi supports the New York State Restaurant Association, New York Association of Convenience Stores, Empire State Restaurant and Tavern Association, NY State Liquor Store Association, Metro Package Store Association, The Retailers Alliance, NYC Hospitality Alliance, Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Massachusetts Package Store Association, Texas Restaurant Association, Texas Package Store Association, Hospitality Tennessee, Illinois Restaurant Association and Colorado Restaurant Association.
“Through our association partnerships, Provi has been able to support the beverage alcohol and hospitality communities,” added Wojnar. “These groups are the heartbeat of the industry and Provi is proud to support them. We’re looking forward to expanding our efforts at a continued local and national scale”
Throughout 2023, Provi will be further developing its industry partnerships and actively becoming members and supporters throughout the beverage alcohol industry, in addition to other sectors such as technology, CPG, and food, among others.
To learn more about Provi visit: https://www.provi.com/
About Provi (www.provi.com)
Provi is the largest online marketplace that simplifies the complex process of ordering wholesale alcohol by connecting buyers, distributors, and suppliers. Active in key markets throughout the U.S., Provi's robust, online marketplace improves communication and efficiency for on- and off-premise buyers, distributors and suppliers. As of 2022, 10 percent of licensed retailers in the U.S. are on the marketplace. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Chicago, Provi has received a total of $125 million in funding, is valued at $750 million and has recently been named an Emerging Unicorn by Crunchbase. The company also received Built In Chicago's Best Places to Work recognition in 2022. In 2022, Provi joined forces with SevenFifty.
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How does Asus' £300 Z490 ROG Strix board stack up against the competition?
Rick looks back at a 20th Century classic.
MSI's new premium £400 Z490 board certainly looks and feels ace but can it handle Intel's Core i9-10900K?
First upgrade for the SODIMM COM.
Cortex-A53 cores and Wi-Fi, BT radios.
Still retailing for £30 or less.
Four USB ports and more GPIO.
Pin-compatible boards offer better specs.
Special Pocket Edition build for the Raspberry Pi.
VIA's low-cost ARM-based APC8750 has hit the UK, but can it lick the competition?
Enables overclocking and overvolting without warranty loss.
VIA has officially announced the VAB-800, a Cortex-A8-based pico-ITX single-board computer.
Hardkernel's ODROID-X costs significantly more than the Pi, but its performance could be worth the extra.
VIA has announced the ARM-based APC 8750, a neo-ITX machine clearly inspired by the Raspberry Pi.
May 15 2020 | 11:00
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George Floyd Death: Thousands Sign Petition To Rename Chicago Avenue To Floyd AvenueThe Coaliton for Justice, Peace and Love is calling on the City of Minneapolis to rename Chicago Avenue to Floyd Avenue in memory of George Floyd.
2nd Child Protection Petition Filed Against Adrian PetersonMore legal problems may be in store for Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. Prosecutors in Hennepin County have filed a second child protection petition. It comes days after Peterson pleaded no contest to recklessly injuring his 4-year-old son by hitting him with a switch.
Hennepin Co. Attorney Files Petition To Protect Peterson's SonThe Hennepin County Attorney's Office has filed a petition to protect Adrian Peterson's 4-year-old son. According to the county, they have filed a Child in Need of Protection or Services petition. The petition outlines some of injuries the boy sustained while visiting Peterson and also outlines a safety plan for Peterson and the boy's mother to follow.
Musicians + Sports: Weird Al Yankovic On His Chances Of Performing At The Super BowlA recent Change.org petition hoping to get Weird Al onstage during halftime of the year's biggest football game got the "Eat Singer" thinking just what he would do if ever given the opportunity.
Mom Group Protests Target's Gun PolicySeveral protests are happening right now across the country outside Target stores. A group of moms is calling for the retail giant to ban open carry of guns in its nearly 1,800 stores nationwide.
Advocates Of Medical Marijuana Continue To Ask Gov. To ReconsiderAdvocates of medical marijuana aren't giving up at the State Capitol, despite opposition from Gov. Mark Dayton. A bill to legalize medical marijuana is stalled at the legislature, but supporters -- including mothers of sick children -- are asking the governor to reconsider.
'Child In Need' Petition Filed For Boy StowawayA Child in Need of Protection or Services petition was filed in Hennepin County Juvenile Court Friday, regarding the 9-year-old boy who managed to fly to Las Vegas without a boarding ticket.
Former Gov. Ventura Likens Gov't Shutdown To TerrorismFormer Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura has compared the federal government shutdown to an act of terrorism and he's pushing a petition for people to voice their displeasure.
Petition Begs Obama To Fire Christian PonderThe Minnesota Vikings now have a 0-2 record for the season, and some are asking whether it's time for a major change. One fan thinks he has the solution: get rid of quarterback Christian Ponder. In fact, he took his issues to a higher authority.
Target Not Backing Down On Thanksgiving, Despite PetitionTarget is not backing down from its decision to open at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, despite the opposition of some 340,000 people who signed an online petition.
DNR: Supreme Court Denies Wolf Hunt Petition The Minnesota Supreme Court denied a petition Friday that sought a review of a request to stop Minnesota’s wolf hunt season, the Department Natural Resources said.
1,500 Sign Petition To Stop 5-Story Linden Hills Building About 1,500 people have signed a petition to keep the Linden Hills neighborhood of south Minneapolis just as it is.
Target Corporation Asked To 'Save' ThanksgivingA Target employee delivered petitions with more than 200,000 signatures to a company representative, asking that the stores Black Friday opening, currently slated for midnight on Thursday, be pushed back.
Target Responds To Petition Against Midnight OpeningTarget is joining other retailers like Macy's, Best Buy and Kohl's by opening at midnight on Black Friday That decision has resulted in an online protest.
Student Protest Proposed Cuts To Pell Grant ProgramThousands of Minnesota college students are upset over proposed cuts to the Pell Grant program. And they want lawmakers to know about it.


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WAILUA — Shoppers at the Kinipopo Shopping Center in Wailua enjoyed a different kind of pancake on Friday, ones which, while they had the appearance of a traditional pancake, had a pleasant potato-like flavor and a pudding-like texture on the inside.
This was part of Sustainable Boost’s ulu (breadfruit) pancake breakfast being held in celebration of the opening of its new retail space.
Sustainable Boost manufactures and sells flours and powders made from locally grown ingredients including taro, green banana and even farm-raised crickets. Prior to Friday, products were only available locally to wholesale customers and at farmers markets.
After several years of struggles, the retail launch was a huge milestone for owner Lourdes Torres.
Torres tried to launch the retail store five years ago, but a water leak destroyed much of her product costing the company tens of thousands of dollars and making the planned storefront unfeasible, according to Torres.
With no storefront, Torres pivoted to selling wholesale, at farmers markets and food expos on O‘ahu. In 2018, record flooding took out 70% of Sustainable Boost’s cricket population. And, when COVID restrictions shut down farmers markets in 2020, “that was almost the final nail in the coffin,” said Torres.
“To be standing here today, after all the blows that I’ve had, is an amazing moment,” she said.
Torres has big dreams of a more sustainable future on Kaua‘i.
“We want to save the food that is rotting out there, turn it into shelf-stable food so that we can enjoy it all year round in an affordable way that is nutritionally dense,” Torres said.
Sustainable Boost is on a mission to help people get over the “ick” factor when it comes to eating crickets.
“They are not akin to famine. They’re a viable source of nutrition and easy to farm,” Torres said. “It’s our dream for every family to have a little (cricket) farming kit on their countertops.”
Cooking with Sustainable Boost’s alternative flours requires some creativity. Michael Sterioff is the owner of Passion Bakery Café and does research and development for Sustainable Boost products.
“It’s very complicated to work with because it’s just not wheat,” Sterioff said. “(Without gluten), you have to process it completely differently. You have to think differently, you’ve got to hydrate differently it’s a lot of trial and error.”
For Sterioff there are big benefits to baking with these alternative flours.
“Each one has its unique flavors. Ulu is not far off from a potato in flavor. It’s a little more earthy and it has a definite different aroma than you would have with any other flours,” said Sterioff. “Taro is absolutely different than (traditional flours). First, they just have a lot of nutrition. And secondly, the differences in colors (enhance) your baking process.”
These non-traditional flours and powders have gotten the attention of more than just bakers.
According to Kaua‘i Athletic Club owner Josh Nations, cricket powder is a popular protein supplement for the CrossFit and bodybuilding community.
“It’s a really perfect form of protein. When you’re eating cricket protein, most of that is protein, not cholesterol and all that other stuff that’s in meat and dairy,” said Nations. “Anyone who’s looking for quality protein, I think is going to be drawn to crickets once they learn a bit more about it.”
Sustainable Boost is located at Kinipopo Shopping Center, 4-356 Kuhio Highway, Suite 117.


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TGDL - What does TGDL stand for? The Free Dictionary
References in periodicals archive
was contacted for comment but said nobody was available.
The residential scheme is part of a broader project being developed by TGDL
, which includes the development of a new PS200m Talbot Green town centre with a new retail and leisure offer as part of a broader regeneration.
Peter Courtney, Lunson Mitchenall, said: "We have been working with TGDL
on the initial works for this project for some time, so we are pleased to see that it is now being brought forward.


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Latest news from around the group...
DAF Trucks continues dominance of truck market above 6.0-tonnes for 26th year Network-wide DAF Service & Parts response delivers high KPIs during coronavirus pandemic DAFaid
Rockmount Vehicle Maintenance One of the most recent projects completed for Rockmount Vehicle is a batch of Strathroy Tankers. Works carried out: Full new chassis
A consultative design process between customer, bodybuilder and dealer ensured that the latest vehicles are perfectly specified for their role. Bevan’s relatively high bodies have
Early visitors have hailed the modern, efficient facilities and ample space for vehicle parking at the state-of-the-art branch in Birmingham opened by Mercedes-Benz Dealer Midlands
Date: 7 January 2021 Central England Co-op switches on to zero-emission Mercedes-Benz eVito for home delivery trials Customers of Central England Co-op are now receiving
Municipal vehicle specialist CP Davidson & Sons (CPD) has delivered its first trucks to North Warwickshire Borough Council. What’s not new, though, is the choice


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All five new Padró & Co. vermouths receive 90+ points in the new edition of the prestigious Guía Peñín
Vermouth Padró & Co. gets lucky. The prestigious ‘Guía Peñín’, a major reference tool for the qualification of wines and spirits, has given these new launches from the Bràfim firm top ratings. Of the five vermouths tasted for this new edition, the Dorado Amargo Suave scored highest, with 94 points out of 100. The Rojo Reserva Especial received 91 points. The other three vermouths (Rojo Clásico, Blanco Reserva and the spectacular Rojo Amargo) received 92 points.
In this new edition of Guía Peñín de los Destilados y la Coctelería, which also includes vermouths, a total of 180 vermouth references from different brands were tasted.
This new award can be added to those already received by Padró & Co. Vermouths: since their recent launch on the market they have not stopped receiving awards emphasizing their high quality, such as the Gold Vinari for the brand’s Blanco Reserva and the Gold and Grand Gold Medals for its Reserva Especial and Rojo Clásico, respectively, in the international competition Concours de Bruxelles Spirits Selection.
This good start has now been re-confirmed by the top scores from the Guía Peñín, the world’s most comprehensive manual, which recognises in this latest edition, the brand’s five vermouths by awarding them top scores.
Following the announcement of the ratings, the Salón de los Destilados took place at the Salón del Cóctel, this year in its sixth edition. Attendees were able to taste different types of cocktails, a number of which were made with vermouth.
- Terrace opening at Barcelona’s Hotel Jazz
Coinciding with International Jazz Day, held on 30th April every year, Barcelona’s Hotel Jazz opened its terrace in the best possible way: a careful blend of music and vermouth for all those present. Our vermouths made an excellent pairing for the music of The Teasers Blues Band, entrusted with bringing some…
- Vermouth Padró, featured in Cosmopolitan’s ‘Top Bodega’ section
Our Padró & Co. Rojo Amargo vermouth is in the limelight once again thanks, this time, to Cosmopolitan magazine. The publication recommends the vermouth in a Fashion Cocktails feature in its ‘TOP Bodega‘ section, describing it as the “ideal vermouth for explosive cocktail mixes”. The prestigious magazine has published a full…


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Yes, the Oculus Rift is now available for pre-order. Yes, it is $599 USD without the Touch Controllers. Yes, it is expensive. Is it too expensive? Well, that’s the question, isn’t it.
When the Oculus Rift announced its price on January 6, the Internet had a heart attack; gamers, analysists, apologists, and virtually everyone else interested in VR immediately started complaining or defending the price point. Palmer Lucky, founder and creator of Oculus, even took to Reddit in an attempt to explain the decision, as well as address his earlier statement about the price being in the “ballpark” of $350. There’s no disputing that the Oculus’ creator definitely fumbled the pricing announcement with his previous ramblings, as he admits himself:
I handled the messaging poorly. Earlier last year, we started officially messaging that the Rift+Recommended spec PC would cost roughly $1500. That was around the time we committed to the path of prioritizing quality over cost, trying to make the best VR headset possible with current technology. Many outlets picked the story up as “Rift will cost $1500!”, which was honestly a good thing – the vast majority of consumers (and even gamers!) don’t have a PC anywhere close to the rec. spec, and many people were confused enough to think the Rift was a standalone device. For that vast majority of people, $1500 is the all-in cost of owning Rift. The biggest portion of their cost is the PC, not the Rift itself.
For gamers that already have high end GPUs, the equation is obviously different. In a September interview, during the Oculus Connect developer conference, I made the infamous “roughly in that $350 ballpark, but it will cost more than that” quote. As an explanation, not an excuse: during that time, many outlets were repeating the “Rift is $1500!” line, and I was frustrated by how many people thought that was the price of the headset itself. My answer was ill-prepared, and mentally, I was contrasting $349 with $1500, not our internal estimate that hovered close to $599 – that is why I said it was in roughly the same ballpark. Later on, I tried to get across that the Rift would cost more than many expected, in the past two weeks particularly. There are a lot of reasons we did not do a better job of prepping people who already have high end GPUs, legal, financial, competitive, and otherwise, but to be perfectly honest, our biggest failing was assuming we had been clear enough about setting expectations. Another problem is that people looked at the much less advanced technology in DK2 for $350 and assumed the consumer Rift would cost a similar amount, an assumption that myself (and Oculus) did not do a good job of fixing. I apologize.
However, even with his explanation, the Internet is still pretty angry at the price. Regardless if Mr. Lucky is being completely truthful with his explanation (and we really have little reason to doubt him, currently), the anger towards the price is pretty silly.
I get why there are people angry. I mean, 600 bucks isn’t cheap for most of us, and the Oculus is something gamers have been eagerly awaiting, and now, it seems, the price point will be excluding a lot of potential consumers. I get that and I sympathize with everyone who will have to wait a bit longer to get their hands on the Rift (I’m one of those that will be waiting).
However, there are a lot of people out there who seem to think the price tag is arbitrarily high and that Palmer Lucky is just trying to gouge everyone’s pockets. On the one hand, I can kind of see where these people are coming from. After all, Samsung Gear VR is only 100 dollars, Google Cardboard is under $20, and the HTC Vive has yet to reveal its consumer price. So, from the standpoint of a relatively uninformed consumer, I can see how comparing these prices to $600 may make the Oculus’ price seem rather high. However, anyone who is legitimately comparing Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard with the Rift is probably a little out of their depth. There is no comparison, whatsoever. While we may be decades away from actual virtual reality, the Rift (and Vive) are the closest we’ve come so far. Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard are virtual reality technologies in name only. Strapping a box to your head and marveling at 360 degree video is a far cry from what the Rift and the HTC Vive can do.
But perhaps the biggest thing here that your average consumer (or at least the vocal ones) doesn’t seem to realize is that the first release of the Oculus Rift (and the Vive and Playstation VR) are probably not going to be very profitable, if profitable at all. In fact, it’s possible that Oculus, HTC/Steam, and Sony are going to take a slight loss on these first versions. “But Lee…” I can hear some of you saying, “…how is Oculus losing money when they’re charging us 600 bucks a pop!?”
The technology packed into these devices is still relatively cutting edge. It’s not cheap to manufacture. Components aren’t cheap to buy and it’s definitely not cheap to develop, package, and sell a product of this scope. Now, obviously, I’m not an accountant for any of the companies responsible for assembling and developing the Oculus Rift. I cannot say for 100% certainty that I’m right. However, it might shock some people to discover that Sony and Microsoft each sold the PS4 and Xbox One for a loss at their respective launches. Why? It’s not cheap to make this stuff, and if they charged a price that would net a decent profit, people likely wouldn’t buy the consoles, or at least not as many would. However, Sony and Microsoft have quite the advantage over Oculus when it comes to selling products for a loss. When you invest in a PS4 or an Xbox One, you are buying into a proprietary system. Sony and Microsoft can afford to take a loss, at least in the beginning, because consumers will make up for that loss by buying software, hardware, and peripherals for their consoles. The Oculus Rift will not have this advantage as their product is designed to work with all kinds of third party software and hardware. After you purchase the Rift, you won’t have to give any more money (aside from maybe the Touch controllers) to Oculus, if you don’t want to. Of course, they will definitely be offering you things to buy, they’re a business after all, but you can ignore that and still enjoy your Rift.
Despite the growing VR market, Oculus’ price isn’t so outlandish that it will leave a market gap for a competitor to fill. The Rift is essentially creating a brand new market: high quality, affordable, mass market VR. In the past, a VR market existed, for sure, but it usually had to compromise on quality or price. Meaning it either A. had to be high quality but thousands of dollars to buy, or B. lower quality and merely hundreds of dollars. And in both causes, the technology just wasn’t quite there yet. Even the expensive headsets suffered from fps lag, low resolution, odd motion tracking, or some combination of other performance issues. When it comes to VR, these issues are very problematic because of the motion sickness any kind of hiccup can create in its users. After all, it doesn’t matter how cool VR may be, if the FPS lag makes you want to vomit after 10 minutes, you’re not going to use it. This is part of the reason VR has, so far, never really taken off (among other reasons).
Now, however, technology is at a point where VR headsets for the mass market are a real possibility. So, let’s acknowledge that $600 dollars is a relatively hefty price tag, but let’s not pretend it’s simply unreasonable price gouging. The creation of new market with the possibilities that VR represents is a much more complicated affair than the simple greed of one company. If the expense is too high for you, wait a bit and the price of components will fall, competition will increase, and you’ll soon be able to snag a cheaper VR solution. Until then… you can still play all the games you want, just as you do now.


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Chicken imports are not devastating South Africa's poultry industry. This is the view of the David Wolpert, CEO of the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters in response to an opinion piece by Kevin Lovell, CEO of the SA Poultry Association. He writes:
Reading the emotive opinion piece by Kevin Lovell, one is left with the impression of imports being the marauding giant that is devastating our poor little defenceless local poultry industry. However, nothing can be further from the truth.
Imported chicken represents less than 13% of total chicken consumption in this country. This is hardly a dominant force.
Why do we import? There are two reasons:
1) Globalisation where countries trade more with one another than in the past, and it has been proven by notable researchers worldwide that globalisation benefits society’s poorer people.
2) We import because there is consumer demand for those products. Yes, consumers in SA want imported chicken, precisely because it is a quality product, far more so than our over-brined local botoxed product.
Why are local producers experiencing current difficulties? Because of high feed costs associated with the drought as well as the fact that local producers are almost totally reliant on heavily brined, low margin packs of individually quick frozen (IQF) products.
These arguably inferior products represent something like 65% to 70% of the turnover of the local chicken industry.
What local chicken producers need to do is to get their act together, revisit their business plans, produce a workable and coherent business model, which would include an export drive which is currently invisible, and concentrate on a product mix that enhances their margins and will excite the consumer.
Instead, they spend their time launching one vindictive action after another against imports, and constantly cry to government to grant them protection (they have more than enough of this already) - which is financed by poor consumers.
It is time to stop whingeing, stop attempting to trash imports, be satisfied with a massive 85% market share, and operate effective businesses that take into account economic realities of the modern commercial world.
*David Wolpert is CEO of the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters
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Economic gatekeepers are taking a closer look at blockchain as mainstream coverage of the Bitcoin bubble and Coinbase listing intensifies.
Finance authorities on all sides of the globe are seizing the chance to question the worth and usefulness of cryptocurrencies as public attention shifts to the room in the aftermath of Coinbase’s direct listing on the Nasdaq.
Bank of Korea governor Lee Ju-yeol said cryptocurrencies had “considerable limitations” as a method of payment, following a monetary policy meeting on Thursday, reports local outlet KBS World.
Although admitting that it was difficult to reliably value cryptocurrencies due to their unpredictable market volatility, Lee stated that the BOK had not changed its position that they had no intrinsic value.
Lee also mentioned United States Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, mentioning that the Fed’s chairman expressed his views on the crypto room.
Powell had earlier claimed in a virtual interview with The Economic Club of New York that cryptocurrencies were merely speculative, noting that they had not been widely accepted as a form of payment.
“They’re really vehicles for speculation. They’re not really being actively used as payments,” Powell said, according to CNBC.
The latest acceptance of bitcoin by big global payment processors contradicts Powell and Lee’s remarks. In recent months, Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal have all begun to adopt crypto payment solutions, while Tesla has launched Bitcoin (BTC) as a payment method for its electric car company.
That is not to suggest that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are a sure bet when it comes to payment methods. Owing to the small block size and resulting network congestion, Bitcoin’s total transaction cost is actually around $30. As a result, payment providers are often required to accept such processing costs as a cost of doing business before they can no longer do so, as was the case for gaming app Steam in 2017.
Powell and the cryptocurrency group agree on one point: cryptocurrency should be likened to gold — though for very different purposes. Proponents of cryptocurrency (particularly Bitcoin) argue that the technology should be used as a long-term store of value in the same way as precious metals are.
Powell, on the other hand, meant the analogy to be mocking. The Fed chairman’s view of gold seems to be little different than his view of cryptocurrencies.
“For thousands of years, humans have given gold a special value that it does not have,” said the chairman of the United States’ fiat-printing centre.


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Petrol prices dropped by Rs 0.74 per litre while diesel reduced by Rs 1.30 per litre
The fuel prices have been updated for the fourth time this year. The petrol prices have been reduced by Rs 0.74 per litre while that of diesel have been slashed by Rs 1.30 per litre. The new prices were brought into effect on April 15, 2016. The update in the fuel prices was done following the current international prices of petrol and diesel along with the INR-USE exchange rate.
According to an official statement from Indian Oil, the current level of international product prices of petrol and diesel and INR-USD exchange rate warrant decrease in petrol and diesel prices, the impact of which is being passed on to the customers with this price revision.
It further adds, the movement of prices in the international oil market and INR-USD exchange rate shall continue to be monitored closely and developing trends of the market will be reflected in future price changes.
The present prices of petrol and diesel in Mumbai are Rs 65.63 per litre and Rs 53.49 respectively while that in Delhi are 61.13 per litre and 48.01 per litre.
Team OD | 12 Feb 2018
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Australianit.news.com is running a rather interesting article about how add-ons have enabled publishers to tap into a completely different market than the so-called ‘hardcore gamer’.
“SingStar’s microphones, Buzz’s game show buzzers and, especially, Guitar Hero’s guitar-shaped controllers, have spawned a new category of game peripherals that
tap in to an audience wanting more than point-and-shoot action,” says the piece.
The site goes on to analyse Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo’s marketing strategies and what affect these new add-ons have not only on our gaming experiences but also on the role of the console in our homes.
Have a good read through the link.
By Mike Bowden


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Brits are facing rising costs on a number of everyday items, including the cost of living and diesel fuel. Energy bills are soon to increase dramatically, as energy regulator Ofgem announced that it would be extending the price cap to £2,000 - a £7000 increase.
There will also be a rise in VED tax next month, which will hit UK drivers with more added costs. This means many Londoners are struggling with their funds, and facing a situation which will only worsen over the coming months.
With all of these rising prices, any tips that come around for cutting costs here and there are welcome news. Luckily, automotive business Peter Vardy have shared some money saving tips, the Mirror reports. And one of them can see drivers save money by making just one simple switch.
Often, drivers realise they’re getting low on petrol once they’re already out on the road. This leads them to pop into the nearest petrol station to top up on gas. But not all drivers realise that some are cheaper than others - and supermarket garages work out cheaper on average than branded petrol stations.
Peter Vardy revealed that Brits wishing to save money who switch to exclusively supermarket petrol stations could save them up to £74.10 a year. Supermarkets Tesco, Asda, Morrison's, Sainsbury's and more have petrol stations.
Along with this tip, there are several other ways to save money on your driving costs.
Paying road tax annually
Not everyone will be able to, but those who have a chunk upfront and can afford to pay their road tax upfront should consider it - as it could save you money in the long run.
They said: "While it may be easier to spread the cost of road tax, it ends up costing more in the long run. Saving up to pay it in one lump sum can save you £29 per year."
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Reducing your car’s weight
Reducing the physical weight of your car can slash fuel costs, as it costs more to power your car the heavier it is. This can be cut by simply removing heavier items from the boot or back seat of your car.
Compare the Market said: "Removing any roof rack or roof box will also reduce wind resistance, and hence fuel consumption, too."
There are four other top tips for managing car costs:
- Doing your own car maintenance
- Avoiding premium fuel
- Keeping car insurance bills down
- Avoiding unnecessary car trips
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