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We love our credit cards. These little rectangles of plastic (or, increasingly, metal) were originally used mostly for travel and entertainment. We still use them for those purposes, of course, and certainly for shopping, as well as for cash advances and to earn rebates or airline miles. These days, they have also become common for even the smallest purchases — cab fare, parking meter, a Caramel Cocoa Cluster Frappuccino. It is hard to imagine life without credit cards.
In recent years, Apple Pay and other mobile payment options have become increasingly popular, and industry sources project that cell phones will become the next likely payment device. Further in the future, implanted microchips could supplant both credit cards and mobile payment options. For now, though, credit card use is growing.
In the first quarter of 2018, new credit card accounts openings rose 4% from the same period last year. And while only about a third of adults between the ages of 18 and 29 carry credit cards, the credit reporting service Experian reported that “the tide is turning…” — and millennial credit card balances have grown 28% since 2011. Revolving consumer credit debt, which is comprised mostly of credit card debt, but excludes loans with fixed repayments and charge card debt, stood at $1.04 trillion in 2017.
Though many Americans use their credit cards for nearly all of their purchases, there are still some items most people do not realize can be purchased with plastic. Some examples include horses, gold bullion, Girl Scout cookies, and more. With a credit card these days, almost anything is possible.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) --- Daimler AG Trucks began preparing for a downturn in 2007, but now thanks to the credit crisis the slowdown in the sector could go on longer than expected, its top executive said Wednesday.
While Andreas Renschler counts falling diesel-fuel prices along with growing interest in alternative fuels and hybrid technologies as positives for big truck makers, Daimler Trucks -- which employs some 30,000 in the United States under the Freightliner brand, among others -- is keeping a close eye on the latest developments in the ailing global economy.
"We see downturns all the time," Renschler said. "Now we see the credit crisis, and it'll take more time to recover. The financial crisis is putting more pressure on our business."
Daimler made moves to curb production back in 2007, when the industry, which includes Paccar Inc. PCAR, -5.12% Navistar International Corp. NAV, -2.37% and Volvo, saw a drop of more than 40% in heavy trucks.
Despite the credit crunch, Renschler commented that the company's big fleet customers such as UPS Inc. UPS, -1.21% still have been able to get financing to buy new trucks.
"They have to find their solutions; we have to find ours," Renschler said.
Asked if Daimler Truck would bid for any Big Three assets if the companies went bankrupt, he replied that his company doesn't need to add any more properties. "We're not at all interested. We're well positioned with our brands. We think we're prepared."

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Al Jalila Foundation’s first NFT fundraiser to raise funds for medical research
Dubai: Al Jalila Foundation, a non-profit healthcare organization dedicated to transforming lives through medical innovation, and a member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, today announced that it has launched the first ever collection of Non-Fungible Tokens ( NFTs ) by a charity in the UAE.
The collection, titled ‘A Fingerprint on Humanity’, is the brainchild of visionary Emirati artist Maisoon Al Saleh and aims to raise awareness and generate funds for patients affected by life-threatening diseases in the UAE.
Dr. Amer Al Zarooni, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “In line with the Dubai Metaverse strategy to become a global hub for the metaverse community, we are proud to be the first healthcare charity in the UAE to accept donations in cryptocurrencies, bridging the gap between physical and digital currency. Our first NFT collection, “A Fingerprint of Humanity”, encourages our donor community to make a positive impact on patients. This initiative is part of our ongoing efforts to foster innovation within our fundraising channels and give donors around the world the convenience of supporting our health programs.”
The collection consists of five unique NFTs, with each NFT illustrated as a letter containing its most precious content: “hope”. Each letter represents a specific cause, such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental health and obesity. Taking inspiration from Al Jalila Foundation’s groundbreaking donor recognition wall, ‘Bassmat Rashid Bin Saeed’, Maisoon has incorporated a fingerprint on each wax seal that adorns the letters. The fingerprint symbolizes the lasting impact each individual can have on society.
Each NFT in the collection is color-coded to highlight a specific cause, and 100% of the proceeds from the sale of each NFT will go to support the Al Jalila Foundation. By owning one of these exclusive NFTs, collectors can establish a legacy and contribute positively to society, one NFT at a time.
Maisoon said: “I encourage artists to use their creative talents to support a charitable cause. My association with the Al Jalila Foundation dates back to 2014 when I curated an art exhibition that led to the creation of this series of NFT.
The NFT collection was unveiled at Arts DAO Fest, a cutting-edge cultural festival celebrating digital art and internet culture, bringing together worldwide industry experts and leaders. The festival was organized by the Dubai-based Arts DAO, which represents the Middle East’s most comprehensive web3 community.
Anas Bhurtun, co-founder and CEO of Arts DAO, said: “We are delighted to have Al Jalila Foundation as a charity partner for Arts DAO Fest. Innovation is the driving force behind Arts DAO and when we learned that Al Jalila Foundation would be the the first charity to issue NFTs to raise funds for patient care and medical research, we knew we had to introduce them to the web3 community we’ve established here in the Middle East.”
Out for sale
The NFT collection is currently for sale on OpenSea in Ethereum and ftNFT Marketplace in UAE Dirham.
Vigen Badalyan, co-founder of ftNFT, commented: “We are honored to have been chosen as the platform of choice by Al Jalila Foundation to unveil the UAE’s first charitable NFT. Our distinctive platform enables our clients to purchase NFTs in the UAE Dirham, something that sets us apart from others. We are happy to be a part of such initiatives that make a significant contribution to society.”
NFTs are digital assets that represent ownership or proof of authenticity of a unique item or content such as art, music, videos or even tweets. They are based on blockchain technology and can be bought and sold like traditional assets, but they are separable and cannot be exchanged for each other, hence the name “non-fungible.” NFTs have gained popularity in recent years as a way for artists and creators to monetize their digital creations and for collectors to own unique digital assets.


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Adelaide restaurants are pleading with the public to continue dining out, or order takeaway meals or gift vouchers to keep the industry alive through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Diners are reporting a downturn in trade of up to 50 per cent as South Australians begin to take refuge in their homes. Many are taking increased hygiene measures, such as spacing out tables and no longer accepting customers’ keep cups or cash as payment.
Adelaide institution, George’s on Waymouth, has restricted its restaurant seating to 50 and is offering its full menu as takeaway, with a 25 per cent discount.
“We have had massive cancellations, especially with group corporate and social bookings moving forward,” owner George Kasimatis said.
“It’s worrying times, but we will keep pushing and do what we can.”
Italian restaurant Nido in Hyde Park has also reduced its capacity, while Bar Torino in the city has cut back seating at the bar.
Emily Raven, owner of popular city cafe My Kingdom for a Horse, said business had dropped dramatically since the weekend. Sunday’s trade was down around 25 per cent, and Monday around 50 per cent.
She has launched a “touch-free” takeaway initiative called Distance Dining, whereby diners can phone order and pick up their meals at the cafe window 20 minutes later. She’s offering a 20 per cent discount on the food, to be paid with card.
“My priority is keeping my staff in work as long as possible,” Ms Raven said. My Kingdom has 20 staff members on the books.
Ms Raven said the industry needed clarification from the government on if, and when, a formal national quarantine would apply.
“Do we keep taking bookings? Do we keep serving people knowing there’s risk?” she said.
“It costs $18,000 a week to keep a business of mine, just to exist, so any closure has to be carefully orchestrated.”
20-seat restaurant, Lot 8 Aldinga, has already made the decision to close, offering takeaway only.
Richmond’s Karma and Crow is among the cafes that have reached out to followers on social media. Owner Janie Kammer encouraged locals to purchase gift cards, so that they could dine at a later date.
“Numbers are dropping every day,” she said. “We have never seen a decline like this.”
Restaurant and Catering Australia chef executive officer Wes Lambert said members had reported a spike in takeaway trade, “especially given the work-at-home initiatives”. He said Adelaide caterers were also being affected, with 80-100 per cent of catered events getting cancelled.
Ms Raven added: “We’re all going to take a hit. But want to make sure we can come back.”
HOTEL INDUSTRY REELING FROM CORONA CRISIS
South Australia’s hotel industry is facing “some of the toughest trading times ever experienced”, with some businesses likely to close as the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic keeps travellers away.
Australian Hotels Association boss Ian Horne told The Advertiser hotels were “bracing for the worst”.
“If it plays out as we expect, there will be business casualties,” he said.
“They’ve still got to pay rent, their mortgage, pay their employees, but they’ve got no business.”
Mr Horne said many hotel rooms were empty because people had been cancelling their trips to SA.
“No one is going to fly to Australia if they have to spend two weeks in isolation,” he said.
“This will be some of the toughest trading times ever experience in the modern era in terms of accommodation, and we’re only at the beginning of it – it will only get worse.”
Mr Horne said adding to the challenge was, “there is nothing to rely on from past experience,” and hoteliers were worried.
“Our phones have been inundated,” he said. “Everyone is largely running blind.”
There are 620 hotels across South Australia, employing 26,500 people.
Meanwhile, Mr Horne said some hotels were housing travellers who were self-isolating.
“There’s quite a sophisticated regime of identifying where people are from and managing things like laundry, room services, cleanliness (and) hand washing,” he said.
“Accommodation specialists are well versed in these sorts of things (although) we’ve never been challenged like this before”.
However, Mr Horne said the public should have a “high level of confidence” in the industry to manage any self-isolating guests.


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OAKBROOK, Ill. (WLS) -- An Oakbrook Center Macy's employee is blowing the whistle, claiming that he was part of a security team that was forced to racially profile Black and Hispanic shoppers.
Raul Montes Jr. said he began working at the Macy's in the Oakbrook Center Mall back in January and now refuses to return to work until "they make some changes."
"I was in a hostile work environment. I felt pressured to stop people. They had a quota. They pushed me! They pushed me," Montes said. "I have to be cathartic, they wanted me to stop African-Americans and Hispanics."
Those strong allegations are why Montes said he's blowing the whistle on what he claims are racial profiling practices at the Oak Brook store.
He claims that when a Black or Hispanic customer walks in the store, they are often labeled by a code.
"98 is the code for African-Americans; 97 was for Hispanics," Montes said.
He said he was part of a seven-person security team, which he said consisted of people who were white, Hispanic, and Asian -- but none were Black.
"They put the cameras on them. You got somebody else following them in the store, even when the man goes into a fitting room," Montes claims. "I knew it was wrong to do that, and I looked at it and I said, 'This is wrong!'
A Macy's spokesperson responded in a statement, saying:
"We have zero tolerance for profiling in our stores as reflected in our Customer Bill of Rights. We welcome, accept and respect every customer and are equally dedicated to creating a shopping experience that is inclusive and free from bias. We take this allegation seriously and are investigating this claim,"
"I'm crazy about Macy's, but if these allegations are found to be true, I plan to tear up my Macy's card," said Tio Hardiman, with Violence Interrupters.
Now, with a small group of supporters behind him, Montes said his stance on his former job is unwavering.
"I'm not going to return to this job to do this -- to follow minorities. I'm not going to do this," Montes said.
Macy's employee claims Oakbrook Center store racially profiled shoppers; company denies allegations
More TOP STORIES News


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Government misses 2018 inflation target
Government’s end of year Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) target of 8.9 percent for 2018 was missed narrowly, as the CPI hit 9.4 percent as at December 31, 2018.
Compared to the same period last year, the inflation rate was 11.8 percent. The December rate of 9.4 percent is 0.1 percentage point higher than that which was recorded in the previous month— November 2018.
According to Acting Government Statistician, David Kombat, the marginal rise between the two months can be attributed to both food and non-food groups experiencing an increment in their price levels.
“We can see that with the non-food group inflation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points—from 9.7 percent in November to 9.8 percent. And for the food group, it rose from 8.6 percent in November 2018 to 8.7 percent in December. These were mainly responsible for the slight increase we are seeing,” he said.
In the non-food group, five subgroups recorded year-on-year inflation rates higher than the group’s average rate of 9.8 percent. These are transport which recorded a rate of 13.6 percent; followed by clothing and footwear with 13 percent; furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance with 11.6 percent; and miscellaneous goods and services with 10 percent.
Four subgroups in the food group also recorded rates higher than the group’s average. These are coffee, tea and cocoa at 13.5 percent; fruits 11.4 percent; meat and meat products 10.9 percent; and mineral water, soft drinks etc. at 9.2 percent.
At the regional level, year-on-year inflation rate ranged from 7.5 percent in Upper East Region to 11.4 percent in Upper West Region. Five regions had rates above the national average. They are Upper West 11.4 percent; Brong Ahafo 10.3 percent; Western 10 percent; Ashanti 9.7 percent; and Northern 9.5 percent.
Inflation for imported items was also up 11.1 percent, which is 2.4 percentage points higher than that of locally produced items at 8.7 percent.
Meanwhile, government in the 2019 budget, has set an end of year inflation target of 8 percent. If measures are put in place by managers of the economy to ensure that this target is achieved, it will come as a boost to the business community as the Bank of Ghana will have the space to further reduce the policy rate, thereby moving banks to reduce their interest rates and encourage the private sector to access loans to inject in their business as capital.
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the central bank had to keep the policy rate at 17 percent in the last meeting in November 2018, citing inflation-risk as the main reason.
“Latest inflation forecasts show a continued disinflation path, but risks remain – especially from the external environment, which may impact adversely through the trade and financial channels. Given these considerations and weighing the balance of risks, the Committee decided to keep the policy rate unchanged at 17 percent while closely monitoring developments, especially in the global economy,” Governor of the central bank, Dr. Ernest Addison said.


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Anyone familiar with flying might have thought Universal Orlando Resort was imitating security officials at the airport. In a TSA-like move, the theme park banned guests…ala airport security…from bringing in bottled water.
It was only temporary.
But weeks later, Disney World beat up on selfie sticks. Banning them.
That created a rash of social media questions. Was everyone banning selfies?
No, not really.
But you might think anyone is welcome at any theme park anytime — carrying bottled water or a selfie stick, for that matter.
But not true.
Short people, stay away
Very short people (meaning kids), for example, are banned from selected park rides.
And there are other non-welcomes as well.
Here’s an effort to clear up security confusion at the theme parks. And more on what you should know on the subject in general.
The selfie stick issue has been simmering for a while.
Under its new policy, long-rumored because of the growing and often obtrusive use of the devices, poles are turned away at the Disney bag check. The sticks also won’t be allowed in Disney World water parks or DisneyQuest, a gaming attraction at Downtown Disney.
“We strive to provide a great experience for the entire family, and unfortunately selfie-sticks have become a growing safety concern for both our guests and cast,” said Disney World spokeswoman Kim Prunty.
Leave your selfie at home
Disney World is restricting the use of selfie sticks on attractions, insisting that they be stowed within the ride vehicle and not extended or otherwise used on the ride.
Disney is not taking away the sticks, but simply asking guests to put them away.
Guests are checked for the equipment during the routine bag check near the parks’ entrances. They have an option of turning in their selfie-sticks for pick-up later or to go back to their cars or hotel rooms to stow them.
Such sticks may be popular with the public, but Disney is not alone in not wanting you NOT to bring them with you.
Some tourist attractions around the world, including the Smithsonian, the Palace of Versailles, and the Coliseum in Rome have banned selfie sticks on their grounds.
A spokesperson pointed out that selfie sticks, along with all other loose items, are also not permitted on rides at the Universal Orlando Resort.
Universal stirred up some massive controversy earlier this year when they instituted an all-liquid ban at the park that lasted a week. It was heavily enforced. Can you bring your own water?
Guests entering the “bag check” area right before CityWalk during this test were instructed to discard all liquids, including drinks and water. Would-be guests were not permitted to enter the park until they left water behind, similar to security lines at the airport.
This caused massive backups and delays for other guests, according to news reports. Some guests even reported having trouble bringing medicine, baby formula and other necessary liquids into the park.
The backlash had an impact. After several days of the all-liquid ban, Universal ended it.
Universal spokesman Tom Schroder confirmed the end of the “test.”
What was behind it? No reason was publicly stated.
Rumors had it that it was really an effort to keep alcohol out of the park (which is much easier to sneak in without security).
For Universal, that was not the end of security initiatives.
Airport-style metal detectors
A pop-up metal detector appeared in front of the “Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket” roller coaster. Universal said this “security test” was only temporary.
Guest reaction was not positive — particularly after the water ban.
Universal has always encouraged guests to store personal items such as hats and wallets in free lockers while waiting to ride an attraction. But not long ago, riders outside “The Hulk” were asked to turn out their pockets before riding. Reports were that some people with smartphones were asked to store the item in a locker before riding the coaster.
That security measure was also temporary.
So it’s hardly a surprise that park-goers are at times confused.
So are guests still welcome if they bring in baby formula, medicine and other items?
Of course, park officials say.
But long-established park policies have also applied to short people, otherwise known as kids. Twenty one attractions at Universal have height requirements, with another 19 at Disney, according to one recent report.
You have to be at least 40 inches tall for some rides, or even 48 for others (such as “Revenge of the Mummy”).
This varies according to the ride.
Don’t come alone
Also, kids riding alone are not welcome unless they are with adults for some rides such as “E.T. Adventure” of even the “Simpson’s Ride.”
If it’s any consolation, some rides allow all heights such as “The Magic of Disney Animation” or “Spaceship Earth.”
There are also ages that are not wanted.
Only kids three years and older are allowed on “Space Mountain,” “Big Thunder Mountain” and “The Barnstormer.”
Disney World already prohibits items such as skateboards, inline skates, wagons, folding chairs and glass containers, according to its official website, which also lists “other items that we determine may be harmful or disruptive.”
If you want to bring a knife to Disney or another theme park, you are not welcome. Leave your Bowie knife at home
All weapons are banned, of course. And there are restrictions of the sizes of suitcases and strollers you can have.
Leave your pet at home unless he or she is a service animal under “your control at all times and on a leash.” Water bottles may be welcome these days but not glass containers.
Your conduct in the park itself is also a factor. Don’t try to re-sell that soft drink you bought here to another guest. Rules say you can’t try to sell goods or services of any kind.
You can’t feed any animals, and that includes birds.
And don’t try to portray costumed characters (this has happened).
Other Disney rules say you aren’t welcome if you use profanity or engage in other “offensive” behavior. Rules also require proper attire, which is defined as meaning shoes and shirts.
Rules also ban running (these type of bans are obviously not very rigidly enforced which seems ridiculous since kids run all the time).
Some parks have even more particular restrictions.
You can’t walk around with balloons and plastic straws in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park (“For the safety of our animals,” Disney says).
Good advice: check rules or use your common sense
There are other rules, and it’s probably a good idea to at least check them at the various parks.
Of course, common sense also plays a part.
And if the selfie ban is really bothersome to you, keep in mind it is not in effect everywhere.
SeaWorld Orlando does not keep you from taking your sticks there — at least not yet.


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When discussing the connection between food and our environment, it is necessary to touch on greenhouse gas emissions of different foods. Cattle is often touted as the worst offender, while rice is also blamed for a high amount of emissions. Transporting food of course releases emissions, and air transport is the least favorable option for the environment.
So – what percentage of greenhouse gas emissions is the food and agriculture sector actually responsible for? Our World in Data created a chart that shows how much each industrial sector releases, and as you can see below, the green section represents the Agriculture, Forestry, and Land Use sector.
Livestock and manure is indeed the biggest contributor in this sector, releasing a total of 5.8 percent of all greenhouse gases. When soil is tilled for agriculture this releases stored carbon, and this contributes a total of 4.1 percent of all greenhouse gases. Rice cultivation (which often involves flooding fields) leads to methane being released, contributing a total of 1.3 percent of all greenhouse gases.
Although Energy in Agriculture and Fishing is listed as a small 1.7 percent and Food and Tobacco is listed as 1 percent, it is likely that food and agriculture contributes more to the Energy section. Transport accounts for a large amount of emissions, but it is difficult to differentiate what amount of transport emissions comes from transporting food across the world.
With the recent Supreme Court decision to limit the EPA’s ability to moderate greenhouse gas emissions, it is more important than ever as consumers to be aware of what sectors contribute the most to total greenhouse gas emissions. Although many greenhouse gas emissions are out of our control, as consumers, we have the power to choose what companies we want to support and avoid. Our dollar is our power, and we can use it to buy foods and other products that have lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Future Foodie reports on the future of food, and how feeding ourselves will look as the state of our environment continues to change. As climate change continues to develop rapidly, the way we eat will also change. To keep up to date on what the future of our food looks like as the global climate changes, sign up for our newsletter below.


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Kauai, the South African healthy lifestyle brand, announced it has grown to more than 130 stores nationwide and is now expanding into Dubai. The first store, to open in December 2013, will be a pilot store, with several more stores planned over the next three years.
“Most of the world’s top brands have presence in Dubai and have been very well received. We have every belief that Kauai, the brand, is world class much like these other global brands. The property developers with whom we are opening our first store receive roughly 1500 applications a month from all over the world so it is with great honor and pride that our brand credentials allowed our proposal to be accepted,” says Kauai chief global development officer, Geli Briolas. “Our first store location was chosen as a strategic development location exposing us to the high standards expected from a discerning consumer whilst allowing ourselves to prove the concept before developing several more stores. The restaurants will operate under the name of Kauai Restaurants LLC in the United Arab Emirates.”
Dubai, known as one of the shopping hubs of the world and visited by over 60 million tourists per year, is a logical choice for the location of the first international Kauai store. The Dubai store, located in Park Island on the Dubai Marina, will be made from eco-friendly, sustainable materials keeping close to the heritage of the islands.
“We appointed a master franchisee who we believe will do justice to opening our brand across the entire Middle East. The group have a well-structured organization across the region, with excellent expertise pertaining specifically to the food and beverage industry,” Geli says. “Our Franchisees are Kauai-minded people who share our vision for bringing our best kept secret concept to the rest of the world. It was imperative for us to not choose a very large company with many brands in the stable, but rather one that could nurture the brand during our early years in the Middle East and thereafter accelerate store growth on a sound footing.”
Roughly 98 percent of the menu will remain the same as the Kauai South Africa offering, although slight adjustments have been made to include country-specific cuisine to suit the local palette.
After Dubai, Kauai plans to take their healthy food offering to India, then the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and possibly Germany. They have also received interest in Namibia and Botswana.


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A child reads books donated to a hospital through Starlight’s Wish List Platform. Photo courtesy of Starlight Children’s Foundation.
This holiday season, items from the wish lists of more than 500 pediatric facilities, including two in Long Beach, will be purchased, thanks to Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Through Starlight’s Wish List Platform, hospitals can request needed items, and people can purchase the items for them through an Amazon-like website.
“It’s just like shopping online at Amazon, except instead of the items getting delivered to your door, they get delivered directly to the hospitals that requested them,” said Sarah Clark, spokeswoman for Starlight Children’s Foundation.
This year, St. Mary Medical Center and Miller Children’s Hospital each have wish lists asking for items, such as toys, gift cards, games and DVDs.
Starlight’s Wish List Platform was inspired about four years ago and launched last September. Starlight, an LA-based charity, discovered it needed to create a business model that would allow them to support facilities including clinics, respite houses, hospices and camps that had yet to benefit from Starlight’s programs, Clark said.
“As a result, Starlight’s Wish List platform was created to be a model for donor transparency and support so that every donor, regardless of donation amount, can see the full needs of facilities they care about in local communities from coast to coast, and they have the power to point and click in a manner that provides timely, tangible and transparent support to our partner facilities,” she said.
Interested hospitals can register, create a profile and start a wish list by clicking here.
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We believe that everyone should have access to important local news, for free.
However, it costs money to keep a local news organization like this one—independently owned and operated here in Long Beach, without the backing of any national corporation—alive.
If independent local news is important to you, please consider supporting us with a monthly or one-time contribution. Read more.


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Vodafone might merge with Idea to create largest mobile operator in India
Vodafone has recently confirmed that it’s in talks with the Aditya Birla Group regarding the possible merger of Vodafone India and Idea. Vodafone is currently the second largest mobile operator in India followed by Idea in third place. The merger would create the biggest mobile operator in the country with almost 400 million customers and a 44 percent market share.
The merger does make sense for both companies, as they are facing increased competition from Reliance Jio. Reliance is owned by India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, and is currently offering its service to customers for free until the end of March — including 1 GB of 4G LTE data per day.
The strategy is to get as many subscribers on board in a short period of time, and offer them cheaper services than other mobile operators after the free period ends. It looks like the strategy is working. In only four months, Reliance Jio has reached 72 million subscribers. And the number just keeps on rising, as 600,000 users are reportedly signing up each day.
Vodafone wants to make it clear that the two companies are currently only discussing the possibility of a merger. A deal has not been made yet and might not happen at all. But if it will, we’ll probably hear about it quite soon.


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On December 13, 2017, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation witnessed a conclusion of a special investment contract (SPIC) between the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg and the pharmaceutical company GEROPHARM on the creation of a full-cycle production of life-saving medicines, including insulin and its analogues, within the territory of the Russian Federation. GEROPHARM became the first Russian pharmaceutical manufacturer to conclude SPIC.
As part of implementation of the investment project, the company will invest more than 3.3 billion rubles, including about 1.5 billion for the SPIC period, in the construction of a modern production complex in the town of Pushkin, St. Petersburg. Under the agreement, the company will create 100 high-tech job opportunities.
The new plant will be the first site in the Russian Federation to produce the substance of insulin analogues on a full-cycle basis.
“Implementation of the GEROPHARM investment project is an important stage in ensuring the drug safety of the Russian Federation,” said Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. “The production capacities of the new plant – more than 1,000 kg of insulin substance per year – will satisfy 100% of the country’s population needs for insulin preparation, as well as expand the export opportunities of the company.”
“Today a truly historic event took place – St. Petersburg signed its first-ever SPIC. Partly owing to this, the production of absolutely indispensable medicine that is in demand within the territory of our country will be provided,” said Sergey Movchan, Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg.
“SPIC is an effective tool designed to encourage businesses to create new production facilities in Russia. Its implementation will contribute to increasing the depth of production localization within the territory of the Russian Federation,” said Pyotr Rodionov, GEROPHARM CEO. – GEROPHARM, being a leader among domestic companies in the development and production of insulin preparations, is making every effort to provide patients with diabetes with modern and high-quality insulin biosimilars. Today, the company’s portfolio includes human genetically engineered insulins, which, according to the results of the 3rd quarter of 2017, occupy the first place in the genetically engineered insulin market. In the next several years, GEROPHARM plans to launch insulin analogues on the market, thus, all currently world-known insulin products will be produced in Russia on a full-cycle basis.”


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DALLAS RuffCoffinBreedlove has been awarded the advertising accounts of Lubbock National Bank and software provider Convio, the agency said.
Both clients conducted formal reviews involving undisclosed agencies, according to Tom Breedlove, managing director for the Austin, Texas-based shop.
The agency has been charged with revitalizing the brand image of Lubbock National Bank, Breedlove said. With locations in Austin, Lubbock and College Station, Texas, the shop will concentrate on promoting the client's special financial products and services in the coming year.
The first campaign, set to break in October, will include TV, newspaper, radio and direct marketing.
For Convio of Austin, the shop will create branding and market positioning using specific vertical media. The integrated sales and marketing campaign is scheduled to launch later this fall.
Convio provides Internet software and services to nonprofit organizations. Its target market is higher-education firms, charities and government associations.
Annual billings for both clients are undisclosed.


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For BMW, SAP S/4HANA is at the center of its multiyear project COSMIC, an ambitious new way that its finance IT team is developing to track data on its vehicles. The company’s decision to implement SAP S/4HANA in 2016 also made it one of the earliest adopters of the ERP system.
The automobile is a transformative invention that changed the technological, social, and economic fabric of our society. Now, we are witnessing a new era of accelerated automotive disruption, which according to McKinsey is likely to be far more impactful than the previous 50 years.
While industry analysts are not entirely clear what the future of automotive technology holds, we know that SAP customers in the industry are focused on three central trends: driving the business with artificial intelligence, applying automation everywhere, and moving to autonomous vehicles. These trends are putting pressure on automotive businesses to make their operations fully digital, organize and manage their data more effectively, and integrate and connect their critical business systems.
The automotive industry is undergoing more technological transformation now than it has in the past 100 years – and it’s not going to slow down anytime soon. With steep competition from global manufacturers and new market entrants, the industry is being pressured to consider digital strategies, manage costs, source materials through a global supply chain and remain compliant with local regulations.
Indus Motor Company Ltd., a Toyota manufacturer in Pakistan, needed to update its legacy ERP to meet growing consumer demands. Like other automakers, the company was challenged with managing costs, being efficient, and understanding customer needs. Indus knew it needed technology that would connect its teams from production to sales through one source of truth.
To Frank M. Rinderknecht, founder and CEO of Rinspeed, Inc., innovation is more than just a buzzword. Rinderknecht and Rinspeed have been pushing—or you could say, pulling—the automotive industry into the future for more than 40 years. The company’s newest project, a modular, fully automated vehicle called the “Snap,” is much more than pods on wheels. It’s a whole new way of thinking about transportation.
On Thursday, September 13, SAP announced the winners of the first annual Excellence in Automotive Awards at the Best Practices for Automotive conference. The three awards; Breaking the Mold, Digital Disruptor and Excellence in Operational Performance were hotly contested. Each nomination was evaluated by a panel of industry experts on how they meet and exceed the pre-defined standards listed in each category, as well as ranked against their competitors.
Frank M. Rinderknecht, founder & CEO of Rinspeed, will be a keynote speaker at the Best Practices for Automotive conference September 11-13, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan.
Who is Frank M. Rinderknecht?
Frank Rinderknecht is the founder and CEO of Rinspeed. He started this company in 1977 as a student at the Technical University of Zurich. Rinderknecht is an innovator, a revolutionary, a disruptor, and maritime enthusiast. But really, he’s best known best for Rinspeed’s concept vehicles.
“The auto industry will change more in the next five to 10 years than it has in the last 50,” General Motors CEO Mary Barra notably mentioned at the World Economic Forum two years ago.
The speed of change can certainly be seen with leaders like Tesla beginning to charge for their connected cars premium internet and therefore establishing a revenue stream. As well as outsiders like Waymo (Google’s autonomous car development company) making huge strides in producing reliable and safe driverless cars.Continue reading


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This week’s Openings and Closings begins with big news in the world of Chris Shepherd and Underbelly Hospitality:
UB Preserve, 1609 Westheimer, will close December 23. One of Underbelly Hospitality’s more casual eateries, it took the place of its predecessor Underbelly three years ago bringing in chef Nick Wong and allowing the menu to reflect his vision of Houston food. According to a press release, UB Preserv was the hardest hit of the group’s restaurants by the COVID-19 pandemic. There were plans to redesign and rebrand in hopes of revitalizing the concept for Wong and his crew. However, with the opening of UH’s Georgia James Tavern, other opportunities presented themselves. Wong, who had previously worked for a year at Gramercy Tavern in New York, also spent some time on the line at Georgia James Tavern. His feedback was invaluable and now he is moving to the GJ Tavern as executive chef. Also making the transition will be UB Preserv’s sous chef/ operations manager Leila Frank. General manager Tara MacMullen will be a busy bee assisting with all the transitions and openings before taking on the role of general manager at Underbelly’s new concept at Regent Square.
But wait. There’s more!
Everlong Bar & Hideaway will open in the UB Preserv Space in January 2022. Shepherd is a big fan of the Foo Fighters hence the Everlong name, which is also a hint at Shepherd and his team going for more permanence after the past five years of experimentation. Now, the Underbelly crew believe that they’ve fleshed-out the concepts that will remain everlong. Guests can expect the new concept to be a tribute to Shepherd’s rock ‘n roll heroes by pushing boundaries and delivering great food and old school cocktails at the same time. The Long Island Iced Tea will be part of the throwback cocktail menu. Feathered hair and parachute pants are optional.
Hay Merchant, 1600 Westheimer, will close January 2022. The announcement was made in August, as reported by the Houston Press. The closing of Shepherd’s casual craft beer bar is a sad one for its loyal patrons but a few of it dishes will make the move to Everlong, including the ever popular Korean Braised Goat and Dumplings and the Muffaletta. The restaurant will debut a brand new burger along with a menu of snacks and shareables. Lucas McKinney, former sous chef at Hay Merchant and GJ Tavern, will head to Everlong as chef de cuisine.
Kyle Rahe and Lisa McCoy will move to Everlong as managers, bringing Trivia Night with them.
Georgia James Steakhouse, 1600 Westheimer, was supposed to move to Regent Square, 1203 Dunlavy, with a huge new dining space and lounge in late January. However, that opening has been pushed to March 2022 due to City of Houston permits being delayed. In the meantime, Georgia James Steakhouse will move to Shepherd’s concept restaurant One Fifth, 1658 Westheimer, in early 2022, replacing One Fifth Red Sauce Italian, the final iteration in Shepherd’s multi-concept experiment. Georgia James will remain there until the Regent Square location is ready to go.
Underbelly Burger, 2520 Airline, is on track to open at Houston Farmers Market in December 2021 while Wild Oats, the Texas-inspired restaurant from Underbelly Hospitality’s culinary director, Nick Fine, is expected to open in January 2022.
And finally, for those who will be sad to see One Fifth Red Sauce end, they can dry their tears. The second Underbelly Hospitality restaurant that was teased for Regent Square has been announced. Drum roll, please! The new restaurant will be Pastore, serving red sauce Italian favorites. It will be focused on family, community and having a good time plus gigantic portions of lasagna.
The interior of Pastore is being designed by Amanda Medsger as a whimsical ode to traditional Italian-American family dining with a little Venetian inspiration from the late Italian architect Carlo Scarpa.
Pastore means shepherd in Italian so this is Shepherd’s first eponymous restaurant. Kind of.
Mala Sichuan Bistro, 600 N. Shepherd, will open at M-K-T Heights within the next month or so. Owner Cori Xiong told the Press that she is expects it to be late December or early January. A spokesperson for M-K-T Heights said in an email that the interior, by gin design group, is spectacular and unlike any other location of the popular Chinese Sichuan restaurant. It will also have a patio.
We will have more information and photos of the restaurant next week so stay tuned.
B.B.’s Tex-Orleans, 25635 US 59, opened November 15 in Kingwood. This is the 12th location for the Cajun-inspired restaurant which has 11 in the greater Houston area. It opened its first San Antonio restaurant this past September. Another location at 21441 Highway 249 is nearing completion and takes over the spot which was formerly a Pollo Loco.
The restaurant is popular for its boiled crawfish in season, homemade gumbo, fried seafood platters and boudin balls. It offers a variety of po’ boys from shrimp or oysters to chicken or Roast Beef Debris. There are daily specials and its desserts include Maw Maw’s Bread Pudding and Brooks Brownie Sundae. Maw Maw also makes a mean Bayou Tea from the Voodoo Bar.
Dutch Bros. Coffee, 22719 Morton Ranch, is shooting to open in Katy by the end of 2021, as reported by Community Impact. The drive-through coffee shop is on track to have over 500 location in 11 states within the next few months. For the Houston area, there have been three new stores open in Spring and one in Houston with another coming soon to Atascocita. There are even more slated for 2022, including a Tomball spot and another at Cypress Village Station off Highway 290, which is currently under construction.
The on-the-go coffee concept was founded by two brothers, Dane and Travis Boersma in 1992. The first Texas location opened in College Station this past January. It “Broistas” serve coffee drinks, hot or iced, tea, cocoa, smoothies and freezes and frosts.
The Ranch Bar and Kitchen, 13245 Jones, has closed and opening in its place this month is The Drunken Dog. We don’t have many details yet other than the fact that it will be dog friendly, have games, drinks and a full kitchen. In December it will host an event that includes some fellas with not very much clothing.
Holiday Gift Guide – Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe – Love and Lemons
Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese


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New fundraiser created for Kentucky breweries hit hard during pandemic
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - A brewery employee is using her editing skills to help local businesses statewide.
Kindsey Bernhard has seen firsthand how breweries have struggled throughout the pandemic.
“This whole project with the prints started when I was working for the Kentucky Guild of Brewers, which is the state’s guild here in Kentucky, before I unfortunately got laid off due to COVID-19,” Bernhard said.
She launched digital prints for people to buy, and is donating the money to the Kentucky Guild of Brewers.
At Ethereal Brewing, sales went sour in 2020. Owner Andrew Bishop said its finally recovering.
“It’s not like you can really catch up, you can’t really make up for 15 months’ worth of sales,” Bishop said.
Bernhard wanted to help businesses like his across the Commonwealth, so she designed the customizable digital prints to raise money.
(Story continues below tweet.)
The Kentucky native said beyond the bar, there’s a strong community.
“Monday, I put it out on social media and the response has been very overwhelming,” Bernhard said.
Bernhard and Bishop both said Kentucky’s craft beer community is different because it’s so tight knit.
“It’s a lot of ‘we.’ We talk to each other, check in on each other, see how things are going,” Bishop said.
He said with warmer weather, a higher capacity and distribution back up, and he’s now seeing the glass half full.
“It’s been night and day difference with our sales,” Bishop said.
He said he’s touched by Bernhard’s fundraising efforts.
“It’s been powerful to kind of see that kind of grassroots help,” Bishop said.
Bernhard says she wants to keep her prints digital for now so anyone from Pikeville to Paducah can purchase them. They are available online. She asks the public to message her on Twitter or Facebook to order. All of the money she collects will go to the Kentucky Guild of Brewers.
Copyright 2021 WKYT. All rights reserved.


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The average U.S. Cadillac dealer sold 176 new vehicles last year, while BMW and Mercedes-Benz stores sold more than 900 apiece.
By the end of next year, almost 1 in 5 Cadillac dealers are planning to give up their franchise, with hefty buyout payments in hand. But Cadillac will still have about twice as many stores as its German rivals.
That may be why, two weeks after the deadline to accept a buyout, General Motors was still negotiating with some dealers who were on the fence about sticking with Cadillac as it aims for an all-electric lineup around the end of this decade.
"They are so over-dealered compared to their competitors that it's going to take far more than 20 percent of the stores to close for the remaining Cadillac dealers to become more competitive with their luxury peers," said Alan Haig, president of Haig Partners, a buy-sell advisory firm in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
A nearly 20 percent reduction won't necessarily raise sales or profitability for remaining dealers by a similar amount, as most of those quitting likely have low-volume stores. "But it's probably the starting point to be competitive head-to-head" with other luxury brands, Haig said.
For any brand, the closure of about 150 dealers would be significant. However, given the size of the buyouts — generally $300,000 to $500,000, but in some cases much more — and the six-figure investments Cadillac is requiring for dealers to become EV-ready, it might seem surprising more aren't walking away.
The buyout terms prohibit dealers who even discussed one with GM from talking about it publicly. Ted Smith, president of the Florida Automobile Dealers Association, hasn't heard from anyone who is taking the money but said most dealers do want to sell and service EVs.
"I've never met a car dealer that didn't want to sell a car. I don't care if it's powered by a squirrel and a rubber band," Smith said. "My dealers are definitely pro-EV, and I'm so tired of hearing that they are not. They are motivated and prepared to sell vehicles that the customer wants."
Cadillac will give dealers who take a buyout a quarter of their cash upfront, with the balance paid after the franchise is terminated and other requirements are met, according to people familiar with the terms. Most dealers can continue selling new Cadillacs until the end of next year, a few months before the 2022 Lyriq electric crossover hits the market. They can sell used Cadillacs through 2024, unless their particular agreement states otherwise.
Some dealers, predominantly those with large stores, said they were unaware of the buyouts, which were first reported last month by Automotive News.
"There were many Cadillac dealers that had no idea this was even happening until I called them to ask, 'So, have you gotten your offer? What does it look like?' And their answer is, 'What offer?' They had no idea," said Stuart McCallum, who leads the automotive consulting and accounting practice for Withum accounting firm in Princeton, N.J.
Cadillac first contacted at least one dealer about the option Monday, Dec. 7, a week after the Nov. 30 acceptance deadline, according to a lawyer who asked not to be identified.


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LENOIR COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT) Lenoir County Transit rides are set to be free charge beginning Monday, April 20.
This will go into effect to increase social distancing and to limit the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Rides will be provides for essential-only trips. The following are deemed as essential:
- Rides to work for essential/critical workforce, such as front-line health care workers and first responders; grocery store, pharmacy and food industry employees
- Rides to purchase food and medicine (will be limited on case by case basis)
- Rides to essential medical appointments and/or treatments
For more information call 252-523-4171.


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It could be a stupid one; bitcoin could collapse tomorrow.This causes bitcoin holders to hoard their stash, which further reduces supply, which in turn boosts the price knipa sparks yet more media attention—and the cycle continues until the bubble pops. The odd amount was deliberate; Inom had been instructed by LocalTill to be exact in everything I did. I wanted a chance to ride a rocket ship. Partly due to its growing legitimacy as a currency but mainly because of speculators jämbördig me, the value of bitcoin is entering a bubble phase—its exchange rate with real-world currencies is hiking up at an incredible, likely unsustainable pace. But before Inom could get started, bitcoin took over the media. Instead, I wanted to buy bitcoins arsel pure, shameless speculation. You can see the latest prices at the top of the page here.
The New Yorker spoke to some of bitcoins' leading boosters about the future of the currency. Henry Blodget was calling bitcoin " the perfect asset bubble. You can see the latest prices at the top of the page here. Inom immediately put in a purchase befalla, and within seconds the deal was done. Three weeks ago, I began hearing about bitcoin everywhere I turned. I was the proud owner of 7. Partly due to its growing legitimacy as a currency but mainly because of speculators like me, the value of bitcoin is entering a bubble phase—its exchange rate with real-world currencies is hiking up at an incredible, likely unsustainable pace. When the bubble will burst, at what price and for what reason, is completely unpredictable. And until then, while prices are going up, you could make a lot of real money blid this digital funny money. This was a dizzying moment: Correction, April 10,
17.10.2017 : 23:57 Vushura:
Sie sind bestimmt recht
Alla rättigheter reserverade © 2018
Utvecklat Nohr Nordin


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There’s certainly no shortage of teasers for the Volkswagen T7 Multivan as the company’s commercial division has been releasing short previews of the people carrier for weeks on end. The latest episode reiterates the all-new van will adopt a plug-in hybrid setup for the very first time, one that will come along with a pure EV mode.
The Multivan eHybrid starts without sipping any gasoline and continues in zero-emissions mode at low speeds.
Because not all of us have caught the SUV bug, many European brands still have faith the ol' station wagon Read more
Volkswagen Philippines has announced the local comeback of the classic Volkswagen Multivan Kombi this Q3 of 2021. According to Volkswagen, from its Read more
Volkswagen would probably call the 2021 Jetta “pragmatic,” and rationality certainly is the name of the game for one of Read more
When an automaker invites you out to drive a redesigned model, on a track, back-to-back with its predecessor, you go. Read more
Audi customers have sensitive data exposed Volkswagen Group of America announced today (June 11) that more than 3.3 million potential Read more
This Europe-only passenger van is now built on VW's MQB platform. It seats up to seven, and the five rear Read more
All-new high-tech people-mover under consideration for the Australian market Volkswagen’s commercial division has finally revealed the new 2022 T7 Volkswagen Read more
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles never had such an extensive teaser campaign for a new product, not even for the Amarok, which Read more
The 2021 Volkswagen Arteon Big Sur concept arrives looking like the perfect sedan for the Incredible Hulk. VW says that Read more
Updated Volkswagen flagship sedan and all-new wagon to arrive in showrooms in late 2021 Volkswagen Australia has revealed pricing and Read more
Eighth-generation Volkswagen hatch will bank on new technology and decades of popularity amid stock limitations and the march toward SUVs Read more


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Customer relationship management or CRM software has moved from being a helpful tool in a business’s box to an absolutely essential part of user engagement. Netsuite offers cloud based CRM, resource planning and ecommerce utilities to its customers and the widespread adoption of its software has resulted in a stellar for the company. Following news that the company’s stock had hit a 52 week high this past week, the company has also revealed that it added over 500 companies to its customer roster. The companies defected from Netsuite competitor Sage who also offers CRM and ERP solutions but does so in an on premise solution.
According to the press release the customer left because they, “prefer(ed) NetSuite's (News - Alert) modern, integrated cloud solutions to the dated inefficiencies of antiquated on-premise software. NetSuite, the world's leading cloud ERP business suite, frees companies from the seemingly endless treadmill of ongoing and expensive software upgrades typical of products from Sage as well as other legacy, on-premise business computing systems.” Cloud options have been gaining ground on legacy based devices because of their flexible pay options and constant updates. Not having on site technology to maintain and
"Nothing has changed since NetSuite first entered the enterprise computing business and attracted the first customer away from Sage. NetSuite continues to deliver an innovative, integrated business solution developed on modern Internet computing principles, and Sage continues to develop dozens of disconnected, dead-end, on-premise software products," said James Ramsey, SVP Worldwide Sales and Distribution, NetSuite. "We welcome the more than 500 companies who have switched from Sage to NetSuite.”
The companies obtained range from business software providers to audio installation companies all of which ditch sage in an effort to save money and streamline their process. "NetSuite has helped us streamline our operations, become more profitable, and it has given us the ability to grow with fewer limitations. My competitors are scrambling to catch up with us now," said Catherine Helshoj, VP and Owner at Laguna Tools a wonder working tool company based in Irvine that was among the companies conscripted.
NetSuite’s innovative cloud based CRM solutions have made it a leader in the field, and with this news their reputation will likely grow even more.
Chris DiMarco is a Web Editor for TMCnet. He holds a master's degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University. Prior to joining TMC (News - Alert) Chris worked with e-commerce provider Suresource as a contact center representative and development analyst. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Chris DiMarco


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Talkspace, the platform that lets patients and therapists communicate online, has today announced the close of a $50 million financing round led by Revolution Growth. Existing investors, such as Norwest Venture Partners, Omura Capital, Spark Capital, and Compound Ventures are also participating in the round.
As part of the deal, Revolution Growth’s Patrick Conroy will join the Talkspace Board of Directors.
Talkspace launched back in 2012 with a mission to make therapy accessible to as many people as possible. The platform allows users to pay a subscription fee for unlimited messaging with one of the company’s 5,000 healthcare professionals. Since launch, Talkspace has rolled out products specific to certain users, such as teenagers or couples.
The company also partners with insurance providers and employers to offer Talkspace services to their members/employees as part of a commercial business. Today, Talkspace has announced a partnership with Optum Health. This expands TalkSpace’s commercial reach to 5 million people.
According to the release, Talkspace will use the funding to accelerate the growth of its commercial business.
Here’s what Talkspace CEO and cofounder Oren Frank had to say in a prepared statement:
Our advanced capabilities in data science enable us to not only open access to therapy, but also identify the attributes of successful therapeutic relationships and apply that knowledge throughout the predictive products we build, to the therapists that use our platform, and in the content we provide.
This brings Talkspace’s total funding to $110 million.


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Gender Reveal Lasagna? Villa Italian Kitchen Goes Pink or Blue
It’s a boy! for this expectant couple, which they learned after digging into Villa Italian Kitchen’s new Gender Reveal Lasagna.
You’ve heard about parties where baby’s gender is revealed with a pink or blue cake hidden underneath the frosting. Villa Italian Kitchen has gone one better—or weirder, depending on your point of view.
“We were brainstorming about what events would bring families together and Voila! We came up with gender reveal lasagna!” says Stephanie Beamer, division VP of franchise and catering for Villa Restaurant Group.
Asked if she thought she’d ever utter a phrase like that, she laughed. “You know never, ever, ever.”
Villa Italian Kitchen wanted a way to launch the latest “amped-up” version of their eight-year-old catering service, and held a brainstorming session or two to come up with ideas. “We were talking about hospitality, our family,” she says. “I have nieces, they do these gender reveal parties. One of my nieces did blue fireworks. There are so many weird things out there,” and they thought their cheese lasagna would be the perfect vehicle.
Starting last August the team began experimenting. “We use fresh ingredients. We were thinking, how could we get it this blue and pink so it was obvious?” They discovered a big dose of food coloring did the trick. How much do they have to use? “You’d be surprised, it’s not as much as you think,”she says.
The Gender Reveal Lasagna Catering Package features one cheese lasagna with a secret pink or blue interior, a tray of garlic rolls and a choice of salad for $139.99. Guests who film their reaction to the big reveal and share a video of the surprise on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #LasagnaReveal will be entered to win a quarterly catering giveaway. And one lucky pair of new parents will have their first week home from the hospital catered by their local Villa Italian Kitchen, the press release says.
As for the impact of the launch, it’s all been a blast. “We've had a lot of fun with the comments on the internet and the social media. People are definitely putting out their opinions, especially on Twitter,” she says.
My colleague Nick Upton at Franchise Times may have said it best: “OMG, I’d be so annoyed if I wound up at this party thinking I’m gonna eat some delicious food and they hand me blue lasagna. Garfield is rolling over in his grave.”
When told about his comment, Beamer laughed. “How funny, how cute. Yes he would, yes he would,” she agreed about Garfield.
She believes Villa Italian Kitchen’s “first-ever gender reveal lasagna” is a hit and a fit. “I think our brand is fun and quirky. This goes along with who we are,” she says. “We wanted to find a way to celebrate such a momentous occasion with them. We can’t wait to see all the videos of guests revealing their babies’genders to family and friends in such a unique way.”


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Tag Archives: convention
Avatar Travels to London Super Comic Con!
If you are attending the annual London Super Comic Con this weekend, be sure to stop by and visit with Avatar Press! The publisher will be set up and meeting fans as well as showing off new projects and books. … Continue reading
Posted in General News Tagged avatar press, cinema purgatorio, convention, london super comic con Leave a comment
Brooks – Ennis – Gillen – Burrows at Denver Comic Con
Memorial Day Weekend – May 23 – 25 – the Denver Comic Con will host four of Avatar Press’ biggest creators! This is an opportunity to meet each in person, get autographs, and hear stories from your favorite comic book stars. … Continue reading
Posted in General News Tagged autographs, avatar press, convention, denver comic con, Garth Ennis, jacen burrows, kieron gillen, max brooks, memorial day Leave a comment
Avatar Press Brings Big Guests to Denver Comic Con
Avatar Press is set to deliver huge guests to the Denver Comic Con this upcoming Memorial Day weekend 5/23 – 5/25. Fans attending the convention will have an opportunity to meet these incredible talents, get autographs, and buy exclusive merchandise: … Continue reading
Posted in General News Tagged avatar press, convention, denver comic con, Garth Ennis, jacen burrows, kieron gillen, max brooks, memorial day weekend, signing Leave a comment
Avatar Press on the Road to London!
It is the beginning of convention season and the Avatar Press crew is packing up for a trip across the pond to London Super Comic Con! Publisher William Christensen will be introducing fans to the latest Avatar Press comics and … Continue reading
Posted in General News Tagged avatar press, convention, Garth Ennis, kieron gillen, london super con, max brooks, simon spurrier, william christensen Leave a comment
Avatar Exclusive Prints for London SuperCon
Avatar Press is invading London SuperCon March 15 – 16 with huge guests like Max Brooks, Kieron Gillen, Simon Spurrier, and Jacen Burrows. ?The following exclusive convention edition artist prints will be revealed at the show and available for creators … Continue reading


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Okada Manila on Track for December Starting Construction focus on Phase 1 of Okada Manila a $2.4-billion incorporated resort located in the Philippine money, is nearing completion, parent business Universal Entertainment Corp. said on Friday in a filing towards the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The complex’s first facilities are set to available doors at the conclusion of the following month, although no certain date ended more chilli slot machine online free up being announced.
Final month, PACGOR Head Andrea Domingo stated within an interview for Reuters that stage one of the luxury resort may likely be launched on December 21. PAGCOR is well known to be the Philippine gambling regulator.
Initial period of the high priced and project that is expansive a hotel, excluding staterooms for VIP guests, multiple food and drink options, a casino, and differing more chilli slot destinations for non-gambling customers. The initial opening would cover 22 hectares of land, or half of more chilli slot machine app the entire plot the resort is placed to occupy.
Right Here additionally it is crucial to notice that Okada Manila is element of Manila’s Entertainment City, a multi-billion-dollar complex found in the heart associated with the Philippine capital. Amongst others, Entertainment City is defined to feature four hotel that is integrated more chilli slot machine big win casino resorts. Two of the Solaire Resort and Casino and City of Dreams Manila have previously opened doorways for visitors. Okada Manila could be the 3rd resort to be launched included in the larger-scale Entertainment City project. Resorts World Bayshore, the 4th such home, is set to be finished in 2018.
Okada Manila, initially promoted as Manila Bay Resorts, was initially scheduled to open doors in March 2015. Nonetheless, developers asked for a deadline extension from PAGCOR and were given such expansion in June regarding the year that is same. As a result, the resort’s conclusion had been pressed back again to the conclusion of 2016.
Early in the day this year, it had been stated that the property may be completed and soft-opened in November but, as Universal Entertainment and its particular Philippine subsidiary Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc. stated last thirty days, unfavorable play more chilli slot machine online weather conditions had hampered construction.
Universal Entertainment also pointed out in the Friday filing that it had been able to raise $400 million to construction that is complete to be able to start the complex by the year’s end. The money grew up through the private positioning of Series 2 notes at a yearly rate of 8.5per cent.
Universal Entertainment is owned by Japanese magnate Kazuo Okada and focuses on the manufacturing and distribution of pachinko, arcade games, as well play more chilli slot machine online free as other services and products for the video gaming industry.
Playtech Boosts Financials Division with Consolidated Financial Holdings Acquisition
Gambling computer software developer Playtech today announced that it has gotten a regulatory nod to obtain leading technology company Consolidated Financial Holdings A/S (CFH) in a bid to enhance its Financials division.
Created in 2008, CFH is just a technology company supplying a true number of digital products and services, including straight through processing brokerage. Thus, it gives its retail broker clients with top-tier tools aimed at assisting their operations. CFH more chilli slot machine free download’s brokerage platform currently providers significantly more than 400 customers and lovers in over 80 countries, with some of the BNP that is being Paribas Goldman Sachs, and Barclays.
The company produced revenue of $19.2 million and EBITDA of $5.7 million in the year ended December 31, 2015.
CFH is managed by British’s Financial Conduct Authority. Playtech today confirmed that it has gotten the necessary approval that is regulatory the aforementioned body to continue with the acquisition more chilli slot machine online australia deal.
The online gambling software developer would purchase a 70% stake in CFH upon the transaction’s completion, which is set to take place at the end of November under the announced terms. The remaining 30% will remain susceptible to put and phone choices involving the vendor and also the buyer and will be exercisable until 2019.
Playtech would be to pay around $120 million for CFH. The projected payment comprises an initial consideration of $43.4 million for the 70% stake the iGaming software developer is set to buy on November 30, 2016, and an extra consideration for the rest of the 30%.
Playtech said that CFH’s administration group will remain aided by the business following more chilli slot machine wins the transaction’s conclusion as well as in control associated with remaining 30% stake.
Commenting regarding the purchase, Ron Hoffman more chilli slot machine free online, CEO of Playtech’s Financials unit, said that the offer will strengthen their business’s offering in the B2B financial trading market and will stick it within an exemplary position for further acquisitions in future. What is more, the addition of CFH to the Playtech Financials household is expected to simply help the unit become one of the few businesses to offer both B2B and B2C brokerage platforms to worldwide customers.
CFH Chief Executive and Founder Christian Frahm added that joining Platech will give his business use of technology that is excellent opportunities to further establish itself as a leading B2B provider in the industry.
Playtech’s newly established Financials division provides CFDs broker and trading platforms much more than 25 languages and in 100 nations. Playtech stated week that more chilli slot machine tips is last its financial business has shown good improvement indications in first-time depositors and active clients because the start of this 12 months’s last half, although general performance has been affected by lower-than-expected market volatility.
Playtech’s Financials division generated income of €31.3 million the first half of 2016.


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Childhood pals open River Oaks shop
Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, July 12, 2006
For two Memorial High grads, fashion is the name of the game.
Will Davis and Brett Markey, both 30, decided last year they wanted to go into business together, but really weren’t sure what they wanted to do. Then it hit them — a clothing store. So at the end of April, the two opened Red Stitch in River Oaks.
“Brett has been in the clothing business a long time,” said Davis, who holds a full-time job with a commercial real estate company. “I have experience with business and wanted to do something on my own. I’ve always been into fashion, design and architecture. I’m into details and design stuff in general. There’s a history in clothing.
“I saw an opportunity with the store and went for it. It is much more creative than real estate. I’m not creative as an individual, but I appreciate others’ creativity.”
Markey, who was born in South Africa, grew up in the retail business and realized he should make his knowledge work for him.
“I knew Will had a sense of fashion, but when I found out he really liked it a lot, this seemed like a great choice,” he said. “We talked about opening a store at the end of last year and made the final decision to do it in January. I’m very hands on. I’m in the store every day. I really want to make a name for myself in the industry.”
Davis and Markey grew up playing soccer, both playing for Memorial. Now they are teaming up on a new adventure. They answer only to each other and their customers.
The store started with a large selection of women’s clothes, but the two are branching out into men’s clothing.
“We really want to have a men’s boutique in Houston because there really isn’t one,” Davis said. “The idea originally started as a way to provide a head-to-toe boutique with a mixture of major labels and products that would not kill the wallet. There’s something for everyone.”
Davis said they cater to everyone from preteen to adults.
“We had a 70-year-old woman in the other day and she really liked our flip-flops,” he said. “Seventy-five percent of the people who come in leave with something.”
The store is stocked from floor to ceiling with clothing, jewelry and shoes. From more than 100 vendors, including Penguin, True Religion, Sweet Tees, Michael Stars, Paul Frank, Free People, TAG and Soul Revival.
“I don’t think you can find a better women’s department in Houston,” Markey said. “All of our clothes are trendy — they are not at all risqué. There’s a fresh, new look every time you come in. Everything in our store is unique.”
There are many things that make Red Stitch one of a kind, including the price of its clothing. With the help of their friend and co-worker Julie Chow, they are trying to make the store the place to find what shoppers need.
“Our mark-up is under industry standard, and we have the best price point on denim,” Davis said.
“We want to be the store that if you need to find a shirt or shoes or a piece of jewelry quickly, you can get it here.”
The store has new items arriving weekly and specializes in customer service, especially special orders.
Now that the store is up and running and customers are coming, Davis and Markey want to expand its horizons.
“We want to get into special events,” Davis said.
“Maybe have clothing for a charity event or even have special events at the store like parties for girls or exclusive shopping times as part of a party for women.”
The store is located at 1965 West Gray St. and is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.


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|By RealWire News Distribution||
|January 31, 2014 05:13 AM EST||
Computop provides global payment solutions across illycaffè's European and Chinese markets
Bamberg - Computop, a leading payment service provider, has announced that it has provided global payment solutions for illycaffè, the Italian espresso and lifestyle brand, and has been instrumental in helping the world-recognized retailer to increase its subscription program turnover by 20% in Europe. As a result of this success, Computop has also supported illycaffè's expansion into China, integrating its Paygate 5.0 solution with illycaffè's corporate e-shop payment settlement system.
With an established reputation as a high-end category leader synonymous with global coffee culture, art and innovation, illycaffè exports its high quality coffee blend to over 140 countries around the world. Due to a subscription business model which was technically centralized but locally distributed from both a logistical and administrative standpoint, illycaffè needed a solution to manage the multiple complexities posed by recurring payments while also improving the customer journey by extending its MOTO (mail order/ telephone order) options.
"When it came to selecting a PSP to address these issues, we were looking for a provider with a strong multi-market European presence, an understanding of its core markets and the ability to deliver scalable implementations, as well as help us expand into the Chinese market," explained Fabrizio Dosi, Global head Business to Consumer division, illycaffè. "Computop's capability to meet our complete payment method needs - Visa, Mastercard, Amex, PayPal, iDeal and AliPay - was an additional asset."
Computop initially developed an e-commerce and MOTO solution across the group's core markets: Italy, Spain, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Austria. At the heart of Computop's solution is Paygate, its multichannel payment platform. PCI DSS compliant, Paygate provides secure payment solutions via a single interface that allows retailers to access over 50 payment methods across core currencies. In addition, efficient fraud prevention and tokenization are included for the customer's European marketplace.
Through the solution, illycaffè has been able to open up its subscription programme, a value-add for their loyal customer base. As well enabling the company to engage with an extended customer base in a new way, this has created a new revenue stream for illycaffè and, from a customer perspective, has allowed significant improvements to service levels through a larger, more comprehensive and flexible portfolio of payment methods.
"China is expected to become one of the world's top five coffee consuming countries; globalisation and rising incomes, combined with marketing drives are propelling the popularity of coffee drinking, particularly among young people. Therefore, this has led to a natural extension of our use of Computop's services with its local payment support in China using Alipay and other recognized local payment methods" said Dosi.
Computop was tasked with integrating a local payment tool with its corporate e-shop payment settlement system for which it implemented its Paygate 5.0 solution, enabling customers to access online payments via third party Chinese payment portals. Such is the success that the team in China is already looking at increasing online payments across a total e-shop transaction.
"Throughout its 80 year history, illycaffè has put innovation at the heart of its culture," said Ralf Gladis, CEO of Computop. "Taking service to the next level is a real focus for the business and we're delighted to be a part of that. Building on the success of this implementation, Computop is now working closely with illycaffè to develop its mobile payments platforms, starting in Italy and rolling this out in different languages across multiple European marketplaces."
Computop is a leading global payment service provider (PSP) that provides compliant and secure e-commerce, Point of Sale (PoS), m-commerce and Mail Order and Telephone Order (MOTO) payments globally. The company, founded in 1997, is headquartered in Bamberg, Germany, with local teams in the US, UK and China. Computop processes transactions totalling $8+ billion per year, for over 2500 large international merchants within industries such as retail, travel and gaming. Global customers include C&A, Fossil, Metro Cash & Carry, Samsung and TUI. In order to provide a complete multichannel solution for merchants, Computop has an international partner network and a global banking portfolio providing merchants with a seamless and secure transaction process, including its recent acquisition of assets from EOS Payment and Otto Group to provide payment services for merchants previously using the EOS Payment system.
For further information, please visit: www.computop.com
Jessica Mularczyk (US) Antonia Taylor (UK)
Ascendant Communications, for Computop
Tel: +44 (0) 208 334 8041
E-mail: [email protected]
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We are pleased to announce further successes of the members of the Lublin Medicine Cluster!
Medi-Sept and Herbapol were distinguished in the prestigious Forbes Diamonds ranking.
Medi-Sept company was awarded 1st place in the region and 7th in the country among companies, which in 2020 achieved sales revenues exceeding 50 and less than 250 million złoty. In addition, the company’s president, Przemysław Śnieżyński, participated in the panel discussion “How to develop business in a turbulent environment: new pillars of security” during the Gala on 12th of April 2022.
Herbapol, on the other hand, was ranked 3rd in the region in the category of companies with sales revenues exceeding PLN 250 million in 2020.
We warmly congratulate our Diamonds!


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Samsung forecasts profit fall as Apple challenges China domination
Tuesday 07 January 2014
Samsung Electronics took investors by surprise as it warned of much lower than expected profits after handing $1 billion in bonuses to staff to celebrate 20 years since its chairman set the target of becoming a global giant.
The world's biggest smartphone maker can easily afford the staff payout as it has a $50 billion cash pile, but it comes two months after the South Korean company increased its dividend by less than many shareholders had expected.
Fourth-quarter profits are expected to be $7.79 billion, or 18 per cent, lower than in the record third quarter and 6 per cent lower than a year earlier.
Kim Young-chan, analyst at Shinhan Investment, told Reuters: "Samsung's special incentive payments to employees, including domestic and overseas units, appear to have been much larger than the market expected."
Shinhan also warned that "marketing costs of its mobile business might have also been larger" as Samsung's Galaxy range comes under pressure from Apple, which launched both the iPhone 5c and 5s in the run-up to Christmas.
Samsung shares have fallen 10 per cent in the last fortnight amid fears it will face a further squeeze as Apple has signed a new deal with China Mobile to make iPhones available this month. China Mobile has been selling Samsung phones for seven years.
In 1993, Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee urged staff to "change everything except your wife and children" in a drive to turn it into a global player.
Samsung suffered a public relations nightmare at the glitzy media launch for its new curved high-definition 105-inch TV screen when celebrity guest star Michael Bay, the Hollywood film director, walked out because of a problem with the autocue.
Technology websites and social media have been abuzz with video clips of Bay's gaffe at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show, the premier event for global electronic firms to unveil new devices.
When the autocue failed, Bay told the audience he would "wing it" but soon walked off.
The director of Transformers later admitted on his blog he had "embarrassed myself", explaining he had "skipped over" the introduction given by a Samsung executive and that meant "the teleprompter got lost".
He confessed: "I guess live shows aren’t my thing."
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Get ready for a downpour of high fashion as the India Couture Week 2023 takes center stage. This much-anticipated fashion extravaganza, presented by Hyundai, promises to blend timeless craftsmanship with contemporary flair.
The FDCI Opening Show, featuring the globally acclaimed designers Falguni Shane Peacock, who recently made waves at the Cannes red carpet, will kick off the event in style.
Mark your calendars for July 25th, when the 16th edition of the India Couture Week will commence. This year’s lineup boasts an impressive roster of 16 shows, showcasing the finest couturiers from the country. Among the esteemed designers gracing the event are Anamika Khanna, Gaurav Gupta, Kunal Rawal, Suneet Varma, Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna, Shantnu & Nikhil, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rimzim Dadu, Dolly J, RoseRoom by Isha, and JJ Valaya.
Suni Sethi, Chairman of FDCI, shares his excitement about the event, stating, “In the 16th edition of the Hyundai India Couture Week, FDCI brings together masterful craftsmanship tailored to modern tastes. We are proud to announce our partnership with Reliance Brands Ltd., which will enhance and broaden the event’s appeal.”
He goes on to say, “We are also thrilled to continue our long-standing collaboration with Lotus Make-up as the Beauty Partner this season. With these exciting partnerships, this edition promises to captivate the discerning audience, showcasing the timeless elegance that couture embodies. We eagerly anticipate a mesmerizing display by the country’s leading couturiers in this unique event.”
The curtains will close on ICW 2023 on August 2nd with the Hyundai Closing Show, featuring the talented couturier Rahul Mishra, who recently presented his Fall 2023 collection at Paris Haute Couture Week.
The majestic Taj Palace hotel will serve as the primary venue for this grand affair, although some shows will be hosted at offsite locations across the capital. For those unable to attend in person, fret not! The shows will be live-streamed on FDCI’s digital platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and the official website.
Prepare to be enthralled as India Couture Week 2023 showers you with a deluge of fashion excellence, blending tradition and innovation in a mesmerizing display of style and craftsmanship.
Don’t miss India Couture Week 2023, the ultimate fashion extravaganza! Witness the fusion of tradition and contemporary style on July 25th-August 2nd at the Taj Palace hotel. Get ready for a captivating showcase of couture brilliance.
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Dodge’s 2 muscle cars, the Charger and Challenger are the brand’s best selling car and also one of the most stolen vehicles out there. This has prompted Stellantis to react before it seriously gets out of hand. The solution is a new software update that will further improve the security of the cars. The software update is aimed at models equipped with 392 HEMI V8 and supercharged 6.2-litre HEMI V8 engines.
The software update is expected to become available in the second quarter of 2021. When it arrives, it can be installed for free at Dodge dealerships. The company didn’t say much about the update, but it will add a new Security Mode to the Uconnect infotainment system. Without the right four-digit security code, the vehicle’s engine speed will be limited to 675 rpm. The goal is to help prevent both thefts as well as joyrides.
Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis verified the planned update in a statement which he said. “Today, Dodge is launching a new owner-customized ‘double verification’ security system,”. He further added, “When flashed into the computer of affected 2015 or newer Dodge muscle cars, the protective software will limit the engine output to less than 3 horsepower, foiling fast getaways and joyrides”.
Over 150 vehicles are stolen daily in the U.S and this software update will reduce the numbers (especially Dodge models). It is said that thieves target the high powered Dodge Charger and Challenger as they can easily evade capture.