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Trade Speculates On Trade Deal, Crop Conditions Improve July 17, 2023
Wheat ended the day lower after confirmation of a seemingly bullish story. The trade has doubts about whether the end of the Ukraine deal will actually result in significant world export shortfalls. China's wheat crop was not hit by 30 metric tonnes as previously reported by some. It would be hit by 1 mt.
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You Won't Need A Key To Get In Your Tesla Roadster; Here Is How It Will Work
Tesla is in the limelight again, with the debut of its first ever electric pickup truck. Called Cybertruck, the vehicle is nothing less than what its name suggests. After all, building unconventional electric vehicles is exactly what Tesla does.
So naturally, nothing less can be expected from Tesla Roadster, its electric supercar, that is still in the making and is set to mark its global appearance next year. The embedded features in it, however, keep enthralling the enthusiasts as they are revealed.
An interesting one among them that was confirmed recently by Tesla Chief Elon Musk is the ability to run without a key. As the tech billionaire put it in a recent tweet - “It might not need a key at all”.
A cool door system makes it possible. As seen in the prototype, the Roadster makes use of a new door unlock system that only needs the owner’s finger touch to work.
Maybe won’t need a key at all— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 20, 2019
As can be seen in the video below, the Roadster has what looks to be a fingerprint reader right next to the door. Mind you, it's not a fingerprint sensor but just a touch sensitive button that will open the car door for you.
If this turns out to be true for the production ready variant, the system will definitely not be used for locking or unlocking the door per se. Instead, it will just be used for a key-less entry through opening and closing of the door without the need to press any button, even on the key fob.
Interestingly, this is also how the key card designed by Tesla currently works for the Tesla Model 3. The card came as a backup for the Tesla app, which was meant to be the primary way to open doors for the users. It didn’t work out though.
It will be interesting to see how the finger touch replaces the key fob in the Roadster. After all, Elon Musk has already made grand promises for the supercar, to the point that he even mentioned “flying” the car to probably be on cars someday.
What will feature and will not, will only be revealed once the car is launched sometime in 2021.

domain: news


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SAN MATEO -- AOL will purchase San Mateo-based Adap.tv for $405 million in cash in a move that will strengthen AOL's reach into online video and mobile advertising.
"AOL, like a lot of the early portals, is still trying to define what it means to be a digital media company," said Andrew Frank, a Gartner research vice president. With Wednesday's joint announcement by the two companies, Frank said, "it seems like they're making progress."
In 2012, Adap.tv, which calls itself a video advertising platform, supported more than 26,000 global ad campaigns on about 9,500 websites, the companies said. Revenue for privately owned Adap.tv has jumped more than 100 percent in each of the past three years.
AOL will buy Adap.tv for about $322 million in cash and $83 million in AOL common stock in a deal that's scheduled to close in the third quarter of this year. Adap.tv, founded in 2007, will operate independently as part of AOL's video operation, the companies said.
Amir Ashkenazi, Adap.tv's CEO, said in an email to this newspaper that it's too soon to comment on how the company's 230 employees -- spread around offices including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, London, India and Sydney -- will be affected.
He also declined to speculate on how ads on AOL or AOL-related content will be viewed differently, whether they're seen on PCs, tablets or smartphones.
While consumers on sites such as Facebook have complained recently and loudly about larger and more prevalent ads on their tablets and smartphones, Frank said that longtime AOL users are already accustomed to ads.
"If you're an AOL fan, then you're used to advertising," Frank said. "That's been their focus for a while. These companies all have to follow the consumer eyeballs wherever they go, especially tablets. That's where the consumer is. And we'll start to see more brand advertisers who are used to TV start to take digital video a little more seriously."
Tim Armstrong, AOL's chairman and CEO, said in a statement that "AOL is a leader in online video and the combination of AOL and Adap.tv will create the leading video platform in the industry. The Adap.tv founders and team are on a mission to make advertising as easy as e-commerce and the two companies together will aggressively pursue that vision."
Contact Dan Nakaso at 408-271-3648. Follow him at Twitter.com/dannakaso.


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From goofy grins to stand-out chins, the extraordinary expressions of more than 3,000 candy-faced hopefuls came in fast and furious in the Make Your Face a Maynards search – the first contest of its kind to transform one lucky Canadian into a delicious candy treat. Oshawa, Ontario’s own Jessica Winacott was randomly selected from the top 10 finalists to become a bite-sized confectionary celebrity as the face of Maynards, Canada’s #1 candy brand. (Legaspie, 2011)
Maynards was a confectionery manufacturer in the United Kingdom and Canada. It was best known for manufacturing wine gums, Sour Patch Kids and Sour Cherry Blasters. Following acquisition by Cadbury in the 1990s, it is now a brand of Mondelez International. In 2016, the brand was joined with Bassett’s to create Maynard Bassetts. (Wikipedia, 2017)
The summer of 2011, the Canadian chewy confectionery brand Maynards launched a contest inviting fans to take webcam pictures of their faces and use them as the basis for a new version of the candy that was distributed across Canada. Existing and non existing Maynard customers had the opportunity to morph their fabulous features into virtual candy caricatures based on one of Maynards’ most popular treats: Sour Patch Kids, Fuzzy Peach, Sour Cherry Blasters, or Swedish Berries. (Legaspie, 2011)
Between the launch of the campaign in late July, 2011 and the official close of submissions on Sept. 30 2011, more than 3,000 people entered their designs through a special ” Make Your Face a Maynards” app on Facebook. (Houpt, 2011)
Maynard’s brand awareness from the initial launch started to increase.The company’s Facebook Fan acquisition started to increase dramatically. The number of people who clicked the brand’s Like button shot from about 30,000 to more than 91,000, powered in part by fans telling their friends they might soon be able to “eat my face!” (Houpt, 2011)
Maynard’s launched the contest in 2011, after research that year found that 80 per cent of their consumers were 18 or older. (Winsa, 2011)
“Our candy user is a lot older than we expected,” says Jessica Sheth, the company’s brand manager. And that wasn’t the only surprise. The study also found that many adults were eating candy more than once a day. (Winsa, 2011)
The contest was geared to young adults whose ambition is to achieve fame through social media.
On Oct. 24 2011, Maynards officials drew up the winner Jessica Winacott who received $5,000, a year’s supply of their own candy, and a trip to the Hamilton factory where the treat is manufactured – as well received the fame that came with being the literal face of a new candy. (Houpt, 2011)
Entries were judged not only on the appeal of the photo submissions, but on the creativity of their expression and fit with the Maynards’ personality. Winacott designed herself into a Maynards Fuzzy Peach, making sure her big eyes and perfect pucker popped to depict the ‘peachy tang’ she describes in her entry. Overall, her candified features made for an unusual, expressive, and deliciously odd combination, perfect for a Maynards treat. (Legaspie, 2011)
“Our fans are passionate about their candy, and with this contest we wanted to give them the chance to have fun with their favourite treats,” said Jessica Sheth, Brand Manager, Maynards Candy. “As the grand prize winner, Jessica Winacott will be preserved in candy history as the first ever face of Maynards.” (Legaspie, 2011)
Fastforward almost 6 years to 2017 and Jessica was still able to relive her winning moment like it was yesterday. In an interview conducted over Facebook with myself on October 30th 2017, Jessica discussed what it was like winning the “face” of Candy and her experience with the Maynard ” Make Your Face a Maynards” campaign:
“At the time it was an unreal experience. The representatives from Maynard’s/Cadbury and The Hive did a fantastic job at curating a very rockstar couple of weeks for me when we were preparing and organizing media for the announcement and launch of the candies. I had the opportunity to travel to the factory where they make the candies, appear on TV, make a commercial, be interviewed on the radio, do a bunch of (now embarrassing) photo shoots for newspaper cover stories, and I was even the host of the Promo! Awards where the Hive won three or four Gold Awards (Best Integrated Campaign, Most Innovative Idea or Concept and Best Activity Generating Brand Awareness) & Best of Show for the campaign. I am incredibly grateful for my moment in the Maynard’s spotlight! (Side note: a years worth of candy is way too much candy). How did I feel to be the “face” of a candy? Outside of all the “eat your face” comments, it felt surreal. It was certainly a sweet “15 minutes of fame” and for a while I was recognized while I was at work, or out and about, and there were a few times where people would find me and want to pose for a photo or have me sign their bag of candies which was very cute. I always appreciated the excitement that the idea of a being a “candy girl” evoked especially with a younger crowd. Seeing the bags of Swedish Berries Starring Jessica out on the shelves was crazy, and I would always send pictures to my Mum, she was super proud. Being recognized and celebrated for making a silly face was a lot of good clean goofy fun and if I am going to be “known” for something, that’s what I want to be known for!”
Lessons for Others
Ensure the campaign is specific to your target audience, and market research has been conducted. Additional findings of their target audience were discovered which lead to metrics surpassing their initial KPI’s. Also using social media for brand awareness and engagement from current customers and potential new customers was key to the success of this campaign. Allowing your customers to create their own product and producing it along with a prize creates a buzz and customers are more intrigued as it had never been done before. The originality and creativity from customers surpassed Maynard’s expectations which can set an example for other companies to pursue.
Industry: Consumer packaged goods
Name of Organization Contact: Irene Rosenfeld
Authored by: M.F
If you have concerns as to the accuracy of anything posted on this site, please send your concerns to Peter Carr, Program Director, Social Media for Business Performance.
Houpt, Simon. “The Seriously Silly Side of Candy Marketing.” The Globe and Mail, 26 Mar. 2017, beta.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/marketing/the-seriously-silly-side-of-candy-marketing/article558239/?ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theglobeandmail.com&.
Legaspi, Melissa. “Chew on This! Maynards Candy Crowns the First-Ever Face of Maynards.” CNW, PRNewswire, 30 Oct. 2017, www.newswire.ca/news-releases/chew-on-this-maynards-candy-crowns-the-first-ever-face-of-maynards-508987791.html.
“Maynards.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Oct. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maynards.
Winsa, Patty. “Winning a Peach of a Contest Brings Fuzzy Fame.” Thestar.com, 7 Nov. 2011, www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/11/07/winning_a_peach_of_a_contest_brings_fuzzy_fame.html.


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Zylofon Arts Fund (ZAF), a subsidiary of Zylofon Group yesterday launched another captivating online cinema platform aimed at helping Ghanaian film producers to make more money from all around the world for their creative content and promote Ghanaian movies.
The portal which is targeted at being Ghana’s number one online cinema where only current movies from Ghana can be premiered and purchased is a pay per view website where the payment mode could be via VisaCard, MasterCard, Stripe, PayPal and MTN Mobile Money.
Speaking at the launch yesterday, a Board member of Zylofon Arts Fund Nana Brew said that apart from the platform’s intention to help film producers to make more money from around the world, it is also to create jobs and showcase Ghana’s creativity around the world.
The launch according to Attractivemustapha.com attracted top film-makers , representative from Ghana Actors Guild, Film Producers Association of Ghana, Arts and Tourism Writers Association of Ghana, Women in Creative Arts and others.
Zylofon Art Fund Office used the opportunity to urge all film producers who have current movies which are commercially viable but have not been placed online yet, to submit their works to ZAF for scrutiny and uploads onto the platform.
Zylofonview.com is also expected to view top class movies for viewers ecstasy.
Watch videos of the launch below


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There's no need to compromise on chic if you're looking for an eco-friendly wedding or engagement ring. Here, we talk to top ethical jewellers Ingle & Rhode about how to find the perfect jewel to say 'I do.' The hard decision has already been made; you’ve found the right person and are all set to to marry. And yet after making that monumental choice, a clutter of other choices spring up and need addressing, not least about the type and style of engagement or wedding ring to wear for - hopefully - the rest of your life. Should the ring be a diamond? A classic design or something more modern? The choices can feel endless but whether it’s a timeless piece or a cutting edge jewel, there are ethically-produced styles to cater for everyone. With a growing number of jewellers putting stock in sustainability, the options are broadening, even in the diamond trade which has been marred for the unethical practices some traders employ. Ethical jeweller Tim Ingle, the co-founder and … [Read more...] about Can you buy an ethical wedding ring?
Can you recycle cans
Dejanay Booth Detroit Free Press Published 11:13 AM EDT Mar 20, 2019 Shaving giant Gillette is teaming up with an international recycling company in a campaign aimed at keeping disposable razors, replaceable blade cartridge units and plastic packaging out of landfills, according to a report by Fastcompany.com. TerraCycle, an international company that specializes in hard-to-recycle materials, is partnering with Gillette for the program beginning this month. The Gillette Razor Recycling Program accepts all brands of disposable razor blades and cartridges, not just Gillette's devices. “We are very excited about our partnership with TerraCycle to offer recycling for Gillette, Venus or any razor brand across the U.S. This is an important first step toward sustainable solutions for shaving products and the start of an exciting journey with Gillette and TerraCycle," said Gary Coombe, CEO of Gillette, in a news release. "We are thrilled to bring this … [Read more...] about Not sure what to do with used razors? You can now recycle them
That is the verdict of city leaders as they showed off the brand new Household Recycling Centre in Fengate which is more than double the size of the existing site in Dogsthorpe, which closes on Sunday at 4pm. The new recycling centre is mostly undercover with extra parking spaces and no steps to navigate, providing a modern facility which it is hoped will encourage a boost in recycling rates and a drop in the huge levels of fly-tipping. And work is already underway to find a location in the north of the city for a second recycling centre. Peterborough City Council cabinet member for waste and street scene Cllr Marco Cereste said: “It’s an amazing facility. It’s much bigger, it’s laid out differently, it’s very customer friendly, and as you can see there are no steps. I think it’s a tremendous facility - a real boon for our city. “It’s all marked out, there is plenty of space, there shouldn’t be any issues … [Read more...] about First look inside Peterborough’s new ‘amazing’ recycling centre as Dogsthorpe site prepares to close
By Rebecca Beitsch, Washington Post Published 10:37 pm CST, Sunday, January 27, 2019 Tasis Karayiannis of Southern Recycling in Carbondale, Ill., is refusing mixed plastics because there’s nowhere to ship them. Tasis Karayiannis of Southern Recycling in Carbondale, Ill., is refusing mixed plastics because there’s nowhere to ship them. Photo: Gabe Neely-Streit /Southern Illinoisan Photo: Gabe Neely-Streit /Southern Illinoisan Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Image 1 of 1 Tasis Karayiannis of Southern Recycling in Carbondale, Ill., is refusing mixed plastics because there’s nowhere to ship them. Tasis Karayiannis of Southern Recycling in Carbondale, Ill., is refusing mixed plastics because there’s nowhere to ship them. … [Read more...] about China puts small-town recycling in dumps
Omar L. Gallaga Austin American-Statesman Published 8:56 PM EST Dec 26, 2018 The traditional time for airing out your closets and getting rid of all the clutter and stuff you no longer need is from New Year’s to spring. They even have a name for it: spring cleaning. Although, honestly, wouldn’t you rather be outside doing fun spring stuff instead of rummaging through dusty bins and junk drawers? I propose you carve out some time from your holiday schedule to take a look at the technology you’re not using and consider selling, donating, recycling or just tossing what’s no longer needed. Yes, I know you’re busy. But there are a number of good reasons to do it now. You could pick up a little bit of spending cash. Your gently used tech items that you don’t need but that others find precious make a good end-of-year donation for people in need. And if you found some tech gifts waiting under the tree, it’s a good time to make room for them in … [Read more...] about What you really need for the holidays: A tech purge


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DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Like most luxury high-rises, the recently opened Apex in South Park...
Apr 09, 2013 :
Seattle-based Intracorp will be partnering with ST Residential to market The Residences at Burien Town Square (BTB Advertiser), it was announced Tuesday (April 9).
Located in downtown Burien, The Residences at Burien Town Square feature 124 residential one and two bedroom condos, two-story...
Apr 05, 2013 :
More than 85 percent sold; incentives offered
Final home sales have begun for Mosaic on Hermann Park, the 29-story luxury high-rise in the Texas Medical Center, offering incentives for the new-home buyer.
With more than 85 percent sold, the remaining inventory is going fast.
Mar 05, 2013 :
Former Trump hotel on Lauderdale beach being offered for sale in bulk
By Paul Owers and Doreen Hemlock, Sun Sentinel
The Fort Lauderdale condo-hotel that was supposed to carry the Donald Trump name now is being offered for sale in one bulk deal, not unit by unit.
A flier marketing the...
Jan 18, 2013 :
ST Residential Announces Multi-Family Portfolio Sale
Attractive 13- Property Portfolio in High-Growth Markets Around the Country, Valued at Nearly $1 Billion, to be Released at NMHC's Annual Event
CHICAGO, Jan. 18, 2013/PRNewswire/ -- ST Residential, a manager of properties owned by a...
Dec 06, 2012 :
ST Residential's Mosaic on Hermann Park is taking its high-rise living to the top.
The two-tower, luxury high-rise near Hermann Park and the Texas Medical Center features The Mosaic Penthouse Collection, offering penthouse floor plans with up to 3,191 square-feet.
Penthouse homes are...
Nov 28, 2012 :
Mosaic on Hermann Park offers new buyer incentives
Final home sales have begun for one of Houston's top-selling condominiums at Mosaic on Hermann Park, the 29-story luxury high-rise near the Texas Medical Center. It is offering amazing incentives for the new home buyer.
With more than 85...
Nov 27, 2012 :
Lincoln Property Opens Downtown L.A. Apt. Tower
Lincoln Property Co. has begun lease up of APEX, a 30-story development in downtown Los Angeles, the first residential high-rise to begin renting units in the CBD since the downturn.
APEX, near LA Live in the downtown South Park neighborhood,...
Nov 15, 2012 :
Mosaic on Hermann Park, a 29-story high-rise steps from Hermann Park and the Texas Medical Center, offers many luxury amenities.
Keeping the comfort of everyone who lives at Mosaic a priority, ST Residential introduces another way to bring ease to homeowners' lives - The ST Residential Rewards...
Nov 14, 2012 :
New wave of buyers moving to Burien Town Square
By Steve Shay
The 124-unit Burien Town Square condo development has been burdened with the reputation of being a quiet complex for the wrong reasons, lagging sales. That burden seems to have lifted as a record number of customers have recently...


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Now that Nokia's taken the lid off its touchscreen "5800 XpressMusic" smartphone, the rosters are pretty much set for this Christmas shopping season's smartphone wars. Who's going to come out on top?
Unlike last year, when Apple's iPhone caught the mobile industry with their pants down, pretty much every major gadget maker has a touchscreen smartphone to sell this year. But Apple didn't spend the year standing still: Its phone now costs half what it did a year ago, will be available in ten times more countries than it was last year, and comes with access to the best widget marketplace in the business. For those reasons, we think Apple will easily clobber the competition this holiday season, selling at least the 5 million iPhones this quarter that Wall Street has been projecting.
Who's going to come in second? Tough to tell, given that the rest of the phones we're looking at will be available in different markets at different prices. But we have a hunch that Research In Motion's touchscreen BlackBerry Storm, coming to Verizon Wireless and Vodafone this fall, could be a big winner: RIM has comitted to spending a lot of money subsidizing and marketing their phones this holiday season, the BlackBerry brand carries a lot of weight, and Verizon will aggressively promote the phone.
What's the lineup look like?
Apple iPhone 3G. Device cost: $199 (8GB), $299 (16GB). Service: AT&T (U.S.; varies abroad). Service cost: Minimum $70/month in the U.S., plus SMS fees.
The iPhone won't be the cheapest smartphone in the bunch, but we think it'll sell the best, especially now that its price has been chopped in half and its international distribution has been expanded. Its app platform is a winner -- more than 100 million apps downloaded so far -- and its multimedia player is still the best.
RIM BlackBerry Storm. Device cost: Unannounced; $199 rumored. Service: Verizon Wireless (U.S.), Vodafone (abroad). Service cost: Unannounced; we're guessing $70-75/month minimum, plus SMS fees.
As rival AT&T has an exclusive deal to sell Apple's iPhone, we're betting Verizon Wireless is going to make RIM's first touchscreen smartphone one of the main phones they push this holiday season -- meaning promotional pricing, lots of advertising, etc. Because the Storm doesn't have a full keyboard, it might not delight RIM's enterprise customers. But the BlackBerry brand is catching on with consumers -- 60% of its new customers last quarter -- and unless this machine is complete garbage, we think they have a chance to sell a lot.
RIM BlackBerry Bold. Device cost: Unannounced; $299 rumored. Service: AT&T (U.S.), varies abroad. Service cost: Unannounced; we're guessing $70-75/month minimum, plus SMS fees.
RIM says their first 3G phone for GSM-based carriers has been selling pretty well where it's launched, with a 50/50 split between enterprise and consumer buyers. Most indications are that the Bold is a fine phone, but we think AT&T will favor Apple's iPhone in its stores.
Google/HTC/T-Mobile G1. Device cost: $179. Service: T-Mobile. Service cost: ~$65-75/month.
Google's first phone is a powerful gadget but lacks some of the elegance and simplicity that makes the iPhone so special. And if you thought AT&T's 3G network was limited, stay clear of T-Mobile's, which will only be available in a couple dozen major cities this year. When the GPhone launches this year, it won't have nearly the app store that the iPhone will have -- few, if any, commercial games, etc. So while we have high hopes for Google's Android platform in the future, we think this phone will mostly be for programmers and hard-core Google fans.
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. Device cost: Subsidized pricing unannounced; $391 unsubsidized; could sell as low as $149 after subsidy. Service: Unannounced; likely AT&T. Service cost: Unannounced; likely $70/month.
We haven't had a chance to play with Nokia's new touchscreen smartphone, but it looks nice, and has the benefit of Nokia's massive worldwide distribution network. What we're not sure about: How well popular software on the Symbian OS will work with a touchscreen for the first time. We've also read that the virtual keyboard leaves a lot to be desired. We're not sure when or where the phone will go on sale in the U.S., but we think it has a decent chance to sell well in Europe, where Nokia has a lot of support.
Samsung/Sprint Instinct. Device cost: $129. Service: Sprint Nextel. Service cost: $70-99/month.
Unlike the other phones we've mentioned, Sprint's Instinct doesn't have much of an app platform behind it. But it looks like an iPhone, which is apparently enough for some people -- it has supposedly sold pretty well, thanks to its low price tag. As long as Sprint keeps promoting it -- and not some of its other smartphones, like the Windows Mobile-powered HTC Touch Diamond -- it should stay popular, especially with current Sprint subscribers. But we don't think it'll do iPhone numbers.
Nokia Unveils New Touchscreen Phone, Vows To Beat RIM In Mobile Email
Where Is Microsoft's Smartphone? Everywhere, Says Redmond
Bottom Line: Apple's iPhone Still Beats Google's G1 Android GPhone


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High street Chocolate retailer Thorntons has announced that it will be closing all its 61 stores, putting 600 jobs at risk.
The Thorntons brand will remain on offer in supermarkets and other retailers, while its factory in Alfreton, Derbyshire, will make more chocolate for international markets.
The company said it had been badly hit by the pandemic, which forced its stores to shut their doors during the crucial Christmas and Easter holidays.
Adam Goddard, Thorntons retail director, said: "The obstacles we have faced and will continue to face on the High Street are too severe," said .
"Despite our best efforts we have taken the difficult decision to permanently close our retail store estate."
The 600 staff whose jobs are at risk will receive relocation support if they apply successfully for vacancies at Thorntons’ sites in Alfreton or Greenford in west London, the company said.
The closures will represent the latest departure of a longstanding high-street name.
Thorntons was already struggling before the pandemic. In the year to the end of August 2019 it reported a loss of £36m, only a slight improvement from the £38m loss the year before.
Joseph Thornton founded the company in Sheffield, using the slogan “Chocolate heaven since 1911”. It floated on the stock market in 1987, but has since struggled with competition from international rivals.
Thorntons was bought in 2015 by Ferrero, the Italian chocolate manufacturer, in a £112m deal. At the time of the buyout Thorntons ran 242 stores in Britain and Ireland.
Thorntons said it had spent £45m transforming the business with changes to the way stores operate and the introduction of new cafes but its plans had been thrown off course by the pandemic.
More than 17,500 chain stores and other venues closed in Great Britain last year, according to figures from the Local Data Company. That is an average rate of 48 closures a day.


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Why We Buy Beautiful, But Why We Don’t: The Truth Behind the Beauty Advertiser Strategy
Posted On October 14, 2021
Advertisers have been trying to convince you for years that beauty products are worth your money.
We’ve heard that a beauty product is more affordable than a regular product, more effective than a drugstore product, and more appealing than a prescription product.
But in reality, beauty products aren’t more expensive than they used to be, and they’re not even more effective.
There are a number of reasons for this.
For one, beauty companies are now able to create and market products at much lower cost per unit than ever before.
Advertising in the 1920s and 30s was a time when the average woman could afford a product from a handful of local beauty salons and beauty stores.
Today, it’s possible to find products for under $10 and even less than $20.
As a result, the beauty industry is being driven by consumers who are willing to pay less than their counterparts today.
As an example, the cosmetics company Clinique recently released a new mascara that was marketed as “the most affordable mascara ever.”
In fact, the brand’s formula costs about 30% less than its competitors’ mascaras.
However, the mascara also offers a wide array of benefits, including more natural lash-forming, a smoother finish, and an increase in volume, which could help customers who have struggled to find a mascara they love.
This has led to a trend among beauty companies to promote their products as affordable.
These ads can be a great way for advertisers to connect with potential customers by showing products that are affordable, effective, and appealing.
Here are five beauty ad strategies that help brands sell their products at a lower cost than they ever have before.
Get rid of the commercials.
Advertisements for beauty products have been around for a long time, and advertisers have tried to keep up with consumer demand by advertising the products at different times of the day, at the same time, or in different locations.
These days, advertisers often include in their ads multiple promotions that take advantage of different times and locations.
For example, a brand might advertise a product at 4:30 p.m. on the evening news, then offer it at 6:00 a.m., then at 6 p., then at 7 p.
This allows advertisers to create an enticing visual that gets people to take action, and it also helps them build awareness about the product.
For beauty companies, this tactic is a great marketing tool because they can promote their product in the right time frame and locations, but it can also result in them losing valuable advertising dollars.
In addition, ads for beauty can be extremely effective in getting consumers to act.
A study by the National Advertising Research Center found that, over the past three years, more than 1,100 beauty companies have lost more than $400 million because of ad campaigns that were less than effective.
Promote beauty products at lower cost.
This isn’t an exact science, but in order to maximize sales, advertisers can also create advertisements that promote their own products at cheaper prices than their competitors.
This is done by targeting the consumers who buy the products, but then offering them the same or lower price.
For instance, a beauty company might create an advertisement that features a product like a gel cleanser at a low price, while also featuring a product that costs $4.99, at a higher price, or at a discount.
This creates a more attractive brand image that appeals to the consumers, and then they can sell the products more cheaply.
For some beauty brands, this approach can be effective.
For Example, the Beauty Revolution beauty brand recently released an ad campaign that features its products at half the price of its competitors, with a similar theme.
This tactic is also known as “low-cost advertising,” and it has resulted in the company saving more than 50% of its advertising costs in the last three years.
Find out why you’re buying beauty products.
If you’ve been paying attention to beauty trends in the past few years, you may have noticed that beauty brands are getting more creative with their marketing.
They’re starting to include more product-related features in their advertising, such as product videos or product testimonials.
These videos are an important part of the advertising campaign, because they’re a way for marketers to demonstrate that their products are more effective and more affordable.
For many beauty brands this strategy can be particularly effective, because their products can become extremely popular over time.
beauty brands such as the Lancome, Estee Lauder, and Clinique have all launched their own beauty-related campaigns in the recent past.
For companies like Estée Lauder, this strategy is especially important because their brands have a very strong relationship with consumers, so they have a much greater ability to engage with consumers on an emotional level.
In some cases, these campaigns can even be more effective in promoting


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Policy Procedures Manual Template
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This year, the company is expected to unveil two new Nexus smartphones: the Nexus 5X made in collaboration with LG and the Nexus 6P developed in collaboration with Huawei.


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People living in the United States will not be able to use TikTok and WeChat from Sunday.
The US Department of Commerce has warned that TikTok and WeChat will be banned from app stores in the country from Sunday, September 20.
The Department in a press release on Friday said the ban was in response to President Trump’s Executive Orders signed August 6, 2020.
The statement read “ The department of Commerce today announces prohibitions on transactions relating to mobile applications (apps) WeChat and TikTok to safeguard the national security of the United States.
“The Chinese Communist Party, CCP, has demonstrated the means and motives to use these apps to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and the economy of the U.S. Today’s announced prohibitions, when combined, protects users in the U.S. by eliminating access to these applications and significantly reducing their functionality.
“The following transactions will be prohibited; Any provision of service to distribute or maintain the WeChat or TikTok mobile applications, constituent code, or application updates through an online mobile application store in the U.S.
“Any provision of services through the WeChat mobile application for the purpose of transferring funds or processing payments within the U.S.
“Any provision of internet hosting services enabling the functioning or optimization of the mobile application in the U.S.
“Any provision of content delivery network services enabling the functioning or optimization of the mobile application in the U.S.
“Any provision directly contracted or arranged internet transit or peering services enabling the function or optimization of the mobile application within the U.S.
“Any utilization of the mobile application’s constituent code, functions, or services in the functioning of software or services developed and/or accessible within the U.S.
“These measures ensure TikTok and WeChat will be removed from iOS and Google Play starting Sunday, preventing users from downloading the apps or updating them in the future.”
It also stated that TikTok has until November 12 to resolve the national security concerns it poses, adding that If this is done, the ban may be lifted.
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READ ALSO! Is N-Power Truly Empowering Nigerian Youths?


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TORONTO The Toronto International Film Festival kicked off on September 6 and wraps up this Sunday. Throughout the festival's duration, events ranging from large premiere parties to intimate sponsor lounges took place in venues throughout the city.
Offering more than just the chance to rub shoulders with celebrities, the events have become increasingly important vehicles for deal-making. “The industry has changed,” said Jordan Fogle, C.E.O. of the Mint Agency, which partnered with the Branding Bee to produce several events at TIFF this year. “In today's landscape, films are sold during the actual festivals or at the film's after-parties.”
Brands too seized on the opportunity to market their wares, creating striking activations with colourful bottles, offering free tattoos, and splashing brand imagery all over hotel spaces. Here's a look at some of the eye-catching details that set the backdrop for hobnobbing and big business during TIFF.


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by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
‘Oh, that’s an Android? We don’t want this. I thought it was an iPhone.”
There has been an ongoing battle between iPhone users and Android owners, and the fact that there’s loyalty (or disgust) amongst the users was proven again last week during an armed robbery in Washington, D.C.
According to KATV, a man was robbed of his belongings by two masked men, but when they realized the mobile unit was an Android, they promptly gave the victim back his phone.
“As soon as he parked the car, two masked gentlemen came up to him, armed,” she recalled. “They robbed him, took everything he had in his pockets, took the keys to my truck, and got in and pulled off.
She alleged that one of the men, when realizing that the phone he had just taken was not an iPhone, immediately returned the Android to the robbing victim.
“They basically looked at that phone and was like, ‘Oh, that’s an Android? We don’t want this. I thought it was an iPhone,” she said.
The woman said she used the vehicle for work as an Uber Eats and Instacart driver.
“That was my income,” she said. “That was the way I made money. I did Uber Eats and Instacart, so that was our livelihood.”
The incident took place on Wednesday, Nov. 29.
RELATED CONTENT: Georgia Digital IDs Now Available For Android Users At TSA Precheck
Source: Black Enterprise


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Volkswagen is investing heavily in electric vehicles after slowing down its diesel program following the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal.
The German automaker now says that its Zwickau factory in Saxony, Germany is going to be a major hub for the production of its next-generation electric cars.
That would be one of the most ambitious electric vehicle production goals in the world – equal to Tesla’s planned volume production of the Model 3 at the Fremont factory in California.
It would also be a significant development for the region since the Zwickau factory reportedly currently has a daily production rate of 1,350 cars.
Production will start next year and ramp up through 2020, according to the report.
VW’s series of “I.D.” concept vehicles powered by the company’s new MEB platform are expected to serve as the basis of a series of new production electric cars.
There’s the I.D., which is a Golf-size vehicle expected to be their first mass-market EV in 2019, there’s the crossover all-electric I.D. CROZZ Concept, and there’s the I.D. BUZZ electric microbus coming in 2022.


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Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.
It’s only 15 days until Christmas. No doubt much of the Christmas shopping is done, but what about that all…
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Digital TV News: Sony Pictures Television
Sony and Chicken Soup for the Soul launch Crackle Plus
May 14, 2019 – Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (CSS Entertainment) (Nasdaq: CSSE) have launched their new streaming video joint venture named 'Crackle Plus' and announce closing of related transactions.
News categories: Chicken Soup for the Soul, Sony Pictures Television, Digital TV, OTT, USA
Sony and Chicken Soup for the Soul form Crackle Plus joint venture
Mar 28, 2019 – Sony Pictures Television and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) have announced the signing of a definitive agreement to establish a new streaming video joint venture to be branded 'Crackle Plus'.
News categories: Sony Pictures Television, CSS Entertainment, Mike Hopkins, William J. Rouhana Jr, Digital TV, OTT, USA
Funimation licenses TiVo's Search, Recommendations and Insight modules
Mar 14, 2019 – TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) has announced that Funimation, a global anime content provider, has licensed the Search, Recommendations and Insight modules of TiVo’s Personalized Content Discovery (PCD) platform.
News categories: TiVo Corp, Funimation, Sean Moore, Big Data, Digital TV, North America, OTT, UX
45% of Thai consumers use pirated TV boxes
Nov 14, 2018 – In a recent study, commissioned by the Asia Video Industry Association's Coalition Against Piracy, into the content viewing behaviour of Thai consumers, it was revealed that 45% of consumers use a TV box which can be used to stream pirated television and video content.
News categories: Asia Video Industry Association, True Visions, Neil Gane, Sompan Charumilinda, Content Protection, Digital TV, Market Research, OTT, Set Top Box, Thailand
iflix and Wattpad to produce movies based on Wattpad stories from Indonesia
Aug 15, 2018 – iflix and Wattpad have announced a content partnership to bring Wattpad stories to millions of iflix users across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Over the next year, iflix and Wattpad will co-produce original movies based on Wattpad stories from Indonesia.
News categories: iflix, Wattpad, Sean Carey, Aron Levitz, Africa, Asia, Big Data, Digital TV, Indonesia, Middle-East
Nearly one in four Hong Kong consumers use pirated TV boxes
Jun 25, 2018 – In a newly released Casbaa survey of the content viewing behaviour of Hong Kong consumers, it was revealed that close to one in four consumers (24%) use a TV box which can be used to stream pirated television and video content.
News categories: Casbaa, Neil Gane, Louis Boswell, Content Protection, Digital TV, Hong Kong, OTT
Sony Crackle selects Nielsen for addressable advertising
Jun 14, 2018 – Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) has announced that Sony Crackle has selected Nielsen Marketing Cloud to power its addressable advertising capabilities across all devices and platforms including mobile devices, connected TVs, streaming boxes and gaming consoles.
News categories: Nielsen, Sony Pictures Television, Sony Crackle, Damian Garbaccio, Rene Santaella, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, OTT, USA, Worldwide
Piracy-enabling STB supplier closed down in Australia
Nov 28, 2017 – Following a joint investigation in Australia by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) and CASBAA's Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) into a large supplier of IPTV set-top boxes, pre-loaded to play pirated movies, television shows, sports programming, and other content has had these operations closed down in Australia.
News categories: CASBAA, Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, Neil Gane, Zoe Thorogood, Australia, Content Protection, Digital TV, OTT, Set Top Box
CASBAA forms Coalition Against Piracy in Asia
Oct 19, 2017 – CASBAA has announced the formation of the Coalition Against Piracy (CAP), an initiative to coordinate industry resources in the fight against rampant content theft. The CAP includes leading video content creators and distributors in Asia.
News categories: CASBAA, John Medeiros, Neil Gane, Asia, Content Protection, Digital TV
- NBC/Telemundo and NBC Sports offer local TV attribution with TVSquared
- DISH Media taps FreeWheel for both traditional and addressable linear TV
- Comcast and NuEyes enable customers with visual disabilities to see TV with Smartglasses
- Kantar to continue delivering TV trading currency in Israel
- TiVo chooses SpotX for monetization of CTV ad inventory
- SiTune introduces TV tuner for mobile ATSC 3.0 and 5G Broadcast
- Tappx to develop programmatic Server-Side Ad Insertion platform for TV
- TV Analytics market to grow to $655.4 million by 2025
- Telefónica moves RTVE video and radio content to HOTBIRD at 13°E
- VIZIO launches Direct Advertising business
- US media players get on AVOD bandwagon as market revenue soars
- Tru Optik partners with JamLoop for audience targeting on OTT/CTV
- Nordics lose a generation of viewers
- Hotstar releases India Watch Report 2019
- Juniper Research makes Top Ten Tech Predictions for 2020
- A1 Telekom partners with Vubiquity for TVOD launch in Bulgaria
- Strategy Analytics makes Media & Entertainment predictions for 2020
- Undertone and TVadSync create cross-platform TV targeting engine
- Global advertisers to increase adspend by 4.3% in 2020
- Amino and 24i to evolve Youfone's TV offering


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The Rise of Subchapter V
Bankruptcies are increasing, but the filings are coming under Subchapter V, which makes it easier for financially stressed small businesses to restructure.
Here are today’s highlights:
You can make more than $180,000 a year managing a fast-food location.
There is one clear benefit from remote work: It’s brought mothers back into the workforce.
Retailers can struggle with “Christmas creep.” It’s hard to get the balance just right.
Etsy shops are sustaining families in war-torn Ukraine.
For some businesses, there will be no soft landing: “Paper Plane Deli and Market in Charlotte, N.C., opened in March 2020, days before the city’s pandemic-related shutdown. Once the business was allowed to resume in-person dining, labor costs jumped by roughly 35 percent, owner Amanda Cranford said. She tried opening food stalls in other local businesses to boost traffic and revenue, but those efforts didn’t pay off. ‘I had staffed up to grow,’ Cranford said. ‘You can imagine how fast labor bleeds the profit out.’ Paper Plane closed at the end of September, giving Cranford more time to focus on Dish, a 21-year-old restaurant she also owns. The establishment, which closed for three months to replace its fire-suppression and ventilation system, faces increased competition from new entrants, she said.”
“Small-business bankruptcy filings are rising this year, a signal that increased interest rates, tighter lending standards, and higher operating costs are straining entrepreneurs. At the same time, some government aid programs that helped entrepreneurs through the Covid-19 pandemic have ended.”
“The increased bankruptcies are coming from filings under Subchapter V, a newer provision in federal bankruptcy code that makes it easier for financially stressed small businesses to restructure. Nearly 1,500 small businesses filed for Subchapter V bankruptcy this year through Sept. 28, nearly as many as in all of 2022, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute.”
“Congress created Subchapter V, which took effect in February 2020, because standard Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings were expensive and too restrictive for small companies, making it difficult for them to get a fresh start. Increased familiarity with the new options has contributed to an increase in filings, as has a temporary lift in the debt limit for Subchapter V filings to $7.5 million from $2.7 million, bankruptcy attorneys say.” READ MORE
Fast food chains are paying managers as much as $180,000: “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean wage of a restaurant food manager is $63,820 as of May 2022. But chains like Chipotle, Taco Bell, and In-N-Out Burger are paying some managers much higher than the industry standard, with salaries topping $100,000. At In-N-Out, a restaurant manager can earn more than $180,000 a year. To put these rare six-figure salaries into perspective, these managers are running one store. At McDonald's, a district manager supervising about five Midwest stores makes anywhere from $65,000 to $80,000 a year, according to LinkedIn job postings. The way these chains see it, paying top salaries to store managers leads to top results.”
“The average pay of a store manager at the iconic fast-food chain is more than $180,000 per year — including store profit-sharing, [In-N-Out] owner Lynsi Snyder wrote in her soon-to-be-released book about the chain's history. In the 208-page book, Snyder reveals how her grandparents, Harry and Esther Snyder, created a fast-food empire by, in part, paying employees and managers handsome wages.
“But to become an In-N-Out manager, you must work up from the bottom and learn every role necessary to run a restaurant, including working the drive-thru and flipping burgers.”READ MORE
Remote work has brought mothers back into the workforce, especially mothers of young children: “Nearly as many women are working now as before the coronavirus pandemic. Women’s labor-force participation was 57.9 percent in February 2020 and 57.7 percent last month. So-called prime-age women—those from 25 to 54—are working in even greater numbers: More than 77.6 percent of them are in the workforce, compared with 77 percent before the pandemic. Perhaps more surprising is the group of women whose employment has rebounded the most: Women whose youngest child is under 5 are ‘powering the pack’s upward trajectory,’ a recent Brookings Institution report found. In particular, mothers of young kids who are highly educated, married, and/or foreign-born are working in greater numbers today than before the pandemic.”
“‘Labor force participation among mothers with young children who have at least a bachelor’s degree has exceeded its pre-pandemic peak,’ the Brookings-report authors, Lauren Bauer and Sarah Yu Wang, write. The rebound has been so dramatic that, when I emailed Misty Heggeness, an economist at the University of Kansas, she emailed back, ‘What she-cession.’”
“Across Europe and America, work-from-home days have quadrupled since the start of the pandemic, and 35 percent of Americans who can do their jobs from home now work remotely all the time, compared with 7 percent before the pandemic. Last year, women were more likely to work remotely than men were, and women are generally more interested in remote jobs than men are. Julia Pollak, ZipRecruiter’s chief economist, told me that surveys the job site conducted show that 54 percent of men and 69 percent of women are interested in remote jobs.” READ MORE
THE 21 HATS PODCAST: DASHBOARD
About that government shutdown: When Gene Marks and I recorded this episode of Dashboard on Friday, we were pretty sure the government was going to shut down. That, of course, didn’t happen so you can fast-forward through our brief remarks early in the show—or perhaps you would enjoy hearing Gene state confidently that he’s known all along that a shutdown was inevitable. We also discuss what Gene’s been hearing from business owners as he criss-crosses the country talking to various groups. And Gene talks about the IRS’s decision to suspend the ERC program and what you should do if you fear you may have been overly aggressive in your application. Plus, he explains why he hates LinkedIn but keeps using it anyway. -- Loren Feldman
You can subscribe to the 21 Hats Podcast wherever you get podcasts.
Small retailers do not want to debut holiday displays too early—or too late: “Las Vegas beat a number of heat records this summer, but that didn’t stop one of the city’s warehouse stores from putting out faux Christmas trees on a Saturday in August. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ says Las Vegas resident David Langdon. ‘Total turnoff. Holiday merchandise is best put out after Halloween, and I’d prefer it closer to Thanksgiving.’ The premature holiday-decorating choices at big-box stores have been the butt of jokes for years, of course. It even has a name in merchandising circles—Christmas creep. But the truth is, it doesn’t make much difference: Shoppers don’t go to these stores for the ambience, and Christmas trees in August aren’t going to stop them from walking through the door.”
“Small businesses don’t get off so easy when it comes to their holiday decorations. Unlike the megastores, they rely on personal relationships with customers, and creating a welcoming vibe that the big names can’t. That means store owners are doing a delicate dance: If they put out decorations way too early, it could ruin the personal atmosphere and alienate shoppers. But if stores wait too long, they could lose out on critical early holiday sales.”
“At Daisy’s Mercantile in Alameda, Calif., planning for the winter holiday season starts in January and goes on all year behind the scenes, says owner Barbara Mooney. But the holiday sales pitches don’t start until October.”
“Originally, she started decking the halls in late October, but let the process stretch into mid-November—so that she would be decorating in the middle of the pack of local stores. Then, one year, the store had a huge leak from upstairs, and she couldn’t begin her decorating until the week before Thanksgiving. ‘Our Christmas sales tanked that year,’ she says.” READ MORE
Ukraine-based Etsy shops have had the highest sales rates in the world: One day last October in the southwestern Ukrainian city where Olena Hryhorenko lives, the lights went out. Her house lost access to electricity, water, and the internet. The streets turned pitch-black. In the darkness, she reached for a flashlight and started to knit. The blackout, caused by Russian attacks on Ukrainian power systems, lasted two days in Hryhorenko’s city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi and set the tone for a brutal winter of energy rationing and rolling blackouts. Over the next several months, Hryhorenko had electricity and water for four to six hours a day. At night, her family continued to dedicate limited battery power so Hryhorenko could practice her craft by flashlight. Hryhorenko, who is 19 and a university student, has knitted since she was 12 and started an Etsy shop called Toysknit in 2018, selling knitted deers, squirrels, and bunnies in Easter and Christmas garb.”
“Per capita, Ukraine has more Etsy items for sale than every large European country except the United Kingdom and Germany. It’s a skill that’s become a lifeline over the last 19 months. During the war, selling on Etsy and other digital platforms has been one of the surest ways to make money in an economy ravaged by war. For some Ukrainians, at times it’s been the only way.”
“‘It’s hard to imagine any Ukrainian family without at least one embroidery or knitting lover,” says Anton Gladkov, who runs the store WonderlandUkraine. ‘Over the years of [having a store on] Etsy, I realized that this is really much more developed in our country than in any other country in the world. That is why our products are in demand in the West.’” READ MORE
Based in Seattle, a mental-health startup combines, philosophy, psychology, and ChatGPT: “Erick Rivas and Simona Trakiyska are the co-founders of Kaji, an app featuring a library of self-improvement and wellness audio recordings, enhanced by a chatbot that personalizes content recommendations based on user preferences and mood. Kaji’s goal is to help users in ‘scuba diving’ into their own thoughts, said Trakiyska, a former journalist and wellness-focused content strategist who co-founded Seattle Yoga News and has been practicing yoga and meditation for more than 30 years. Rivas is the co-founder and former CTO of Limeade, an employee experience software company based in the Seattle area that went public in 2019 via the Australian stock market.”
“Rivas said the startup sets itself apart from existing meditation apps like Calm, Headspace, and Meditopia through its AI-driven recommendation tool. When users talk to the chatbot, they complete a brief behavioral assessment.”
“The app’s machine learning and AI then uses that information to create personalized audio playlists, covering topics such as grief, wisdom, loneliness, relationships, motivation, leadership, and more.”
“The app is free to start, with a subscription-based tier costing $7.99 per month and $69.99 annually. Rivas said the startup is also rolling out an enterprise option for employers to offer as a workplace benefit.” READ MORE
THE 21 HATS PODCAST
I’ve Never Had to Lay Off Anyone Before: This week, in episode 169, Sarah Segal tells Shawn Busse that the other shoe has dropped. A couple of months ago, as she’s shared here previously, Sarah lost two big clients in one week. Now she takes us through her decision to lay off three of her employees, including what it means for the business and what it means for Sarah’s own role in the business. Before the layoffs, she had gotten to the point where she was working on the business—but now that’s changed. “I'm not working on the business,” she says. “I am working for clients. I am getting the job done. I am making sure that we're successful with our clients, and that is my priority right now.”
You can subscribe to the 21 Hats Podcast wherever you get podcasts.
Thanks for reading, everyone. — Loren


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That was the question being asked by more than 30 buyers from global retailers at a meeting with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association in an attempt to begin addressing working conditions in the world’s second-largest exporter of textiles and apparel. The meeting Monday followed the collapse of an eight-story building containing apparel factories in the Dhaka suburb of Savar last week. The tragedy claimed the lives of 386 people, with several hundred still missing. The five apparel factories in the building reportedly employed 3,200 people.
A Stella McCartney sketch of a custom dress made from protein-based silk in partnership with biotech lab Bolt Threads. The dress will be displayed at The Museum of Modern Art's upcoming design exhibition, "Items: Is Fashion Modern?"


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Although Apple's latest quarterly fiscal results failed to meet Wall Street expectations, the company is still in a dominant position. Nowhere is that more evident than in the tablet market. According to Strategy Analytics, Apple commands 68% of the tablet pie, up from 62% one year ago. That gain hasn't come at the expense of Android tablets, which have the same 29% share they did a year ago. Instead, the percentage of Microsoft and "other" tablets has fallen.
Strategy Analytics' numbers show Microsoft with just 1% of the tablet market, a figure that's sure to increase once Windows 8 devices hit shelves this fall. It will be interesting to see whether the Metro-infused OS shifts market share away from Android, iOS, or both. The folks charged with tracking such things will have to figure out how many of the incoming Win8 notebook/tablet hybrids deserve to be counted with the more obvious tablet contenders.
Overall, the tablet market continues to experience rapid growth. iPad shipments went up by 83% year-over-year, and Android-based tablets enjoyed a 66% increase. Those Android shipments don't include Google's new Nexus 7, which seems likely to carve out a sizable chunk of the market due to its $199 starting price. The similarly inexpensive Kindle Fire made up over half of the Android tablet market earlier this year. Already, demand for the pricier 16GB version of the Nexus 7 has exceeded Google's expectations. Thanks to TechCrunch for the heads up on the Strategy Analyics numbers.
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What's driving the big cleanup of China's culture industry?
A thread runs through recent restrictions on online games and ‘sissy’ celebrity idols – Chinese President Xi Jinping’s concerns about the insidious influence on Chinese youth and the impact on his national rejuvenation goals
In tandem with China's common prosperity campaign that includes crackdowns on the monopolistic behaviour of Big Tech, there is a drive to clean up the gaming, culture and entertainment industries.
The motivation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government for doing so appears to be to create what they consider to be a healthy environment for the country's young people to grow up in.
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In order to meet increasing customer demand, Stora Enso will broaden its biocomposites raw material base at the Hylte Mill, Sweden to provide more choice in technical properties and selection of fibres.
Rengo Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Kita-ku, Osaka; Chairman, President & CEO: Kiyoshi Otsubo) announces that it has applied cellulose production technology to develop Xanthated Cellulose Nanofiber (XCNF®), a new cellulose nanofiber.
Domtar's Biomaterials team and research partners have been focusing time and resources on lignin development — specifically, developing lignin-based materials that could eventually serve as sustainable and biodegradable alternatives to petroleum and other fossil fuel–based products.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla--Jun. 27, 2018 -- Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. (NYSE: RYAM) and Borregaard ASA (BRG) announced today LignoTech Florida, owned 45 percent by RYAM and 55 percent by BRG, officially begun operations at the new lignin plant in Fernandina Beach.
A Vancouver-headquartered pulp company plans to add a high-value link in the value-added chain through the acquisition of Vancouver's S2G BioChemicals Inc. – a move that will push the company into the biochemistry space.


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GAIN Capital Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GCAP) has reported its volumes for the month ending August 2017, having undergone a strong performance across both its retail and institutional business, according to a GAIN statement.
In particular, GAIN Capital’s retail OTC trading volume was reported at $237.7 billion, an increase of 16.2 percent month-on-month compared to $204.5 billion July 2017. Across a yearly timeframe, the figure showed a similar picture, ticking up 23.9 percent from August 2016.
Furthermore, the average daily retail OTC trading volume during August 2017 came in at $10.3 billion, up 6.2 percent month-on-month from $9.7 billion in the prior month, coupled with a 24.1 percent rise year-on-year from $8.3 billion in the year ago.
Asia Exchange Empowering Traders Through New OpportunitiesGo to article >>
The metrics of active retail OTC accounts were flat, numbering 133,965 as of August 31, 2017, inching slightly higher by a factor of 1.2 percent relative to a year ago, and also up by the same percentage relative to July 2017.
In terms of its institutional metrics, ECN average daily institutional volume at GTX came in at $12.2 billion during August 2017, reflective of an advance of 20.8 percent from $10.1 billion in July 2017. Across a yearly timeframe, August 2017 showed a more substantial jump of 87.7 percent year-over-year from $8.1 billion in August 2016.
Finally, GAIN’s futures average daily contracts were reported at 24,699 during August 2017, up 4.6 percent month-on-month from 23,607 contracts set back in July 2017. This figure was offset by a 12.6 percent year-over-year drop.
On a related note, active futures accounts rose to 8,055 during the previous month, up 0.7 percent from 7,996 in July 2017 but again down 6.7 percent compared to August 2016.


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San Francisco’s Walt Disney Family Museum is bringing Home for the Holidays at Carolwood, an immersive exhibit celebrating Walt’s family and love of trains, back for a second season starting Nov. 9, 2017, through Jan. 8, 2018. [Read more…]
Starting mid-september, guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios can view models of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land in a renamed and remodeled One Man’s Dream. [Read more…]
Fans can finally get a detailed look at galactic outpost on its way to Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, thanks to the unveiling of a new Star Wars Land model at D23 Expo 2017. [Read more…]
The Walt Disney Company has unveiled key elements of Shanghai Disneyland, including its six themed lands and live entertainment, many of which are a first for a Disney park. [Read more…]
Towering above guests as they enter Legoland Hotel, a Lego dragon model has been installed at Legoland Florida Resort. [Read more…]
A decidedly smaller Orlando Eye observation wheel was revealed yesterday. But you can’t ride this one. It’s a Lego version which will be on display in the Miniland U.S.A section of Legoland Florida. [Read more…]
Hosts Banks Lee and JeniLynn Knopp bring you this week’s theme park and attraction news. On this week’s episode: [Read more…]
Legoland Florida is bringing back its kid-friendly Halloween celebration, Brick-or-Treat. The event takes place each Saturday in October from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. [Read more…]
The House of Presidents in Clermont, Fla. (just outside Orlando) has a beautifully detailed model of the White House. The model is currently decorated for Christmas, and it may be something interesting to see during the holiday week. [Read more…]
During her visit to Universal Orlando, Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson and her son Cy, age 8, encountered mysterious Egyptian guards at the entrance to the Revenge of the Mummy attraction in Universal Studios. [Read more…]
Legoland’s master model builders have begun the painstaking task of creating and caring for nearly 15,000 models that will be on display when the park opens this October. [Read more…]
Legoland Florida recently recieved their first of 50 shipments of Lego models for the new theme park. The life-size models were made by hand in Europe especially for Legoland and will be featured throughout the park when it opens this October. [Read more…]
This photo of a large model of the expanded part of Fantasyland has been appearing around the Internet this past week. It’s a bit different from the originally leaked blueprints of the redone Fantasyland at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. The Pixie Hollow area has been moved back a bit and the Dumbo ride has been moved to just before the current Barnstormer ride. The blueprint also shows a pooh meet and greet area, which isn’t clearly marked in the model.
Neither the blueprint or this photo of the model were officially released by Disney, so there’s no way to tell which is the newer design, but logic says it’s the model. The model also fits along with the officially released concept art, which can be seen in the video below.
• For more on Disney’s plans for Fantasyland, be sure to get a copy of the Winter 2010 issue of Orlando Attractions Magazine.


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Landlords should check white goods after Grenfell disaster
Landlords should check the white goods in their properties following the horrific blaze in London’s Grenfell Tower, the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) advises.
A Hotpoint FF175BP fridge freezer has been identified as the initial source of the fire that has so far cost 79 lives, according to the Metropolitan Police.
The government has ordered technical experts to establish the cause.
Greg Clark, Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said: “The safety of consumers is paramount. The device is being subject to immediate and rigorous testing to establish the cause of the fire.
“I have made clear to the company that I will expect them to replace any item without delay if it is established that there is a risk in using them.”
The product, which was manufactured between 2006 and 2009, has not been subject to product recalls and this testing will establish whether any further action is required.
Consumers who believe they may own a Hotpoint fridge freezer model number FF175BP (white) or FF175BG (graphite) should call Whirlpool Corporation’s freephone hotline on 0800 316 3826.
They said at this stage there is no specific reason for consumers to switch off their fridge freezer pending further investigation.
According to London Fire Brigade millions of faulty appliances could be in PRS homes across the UK.
The RLA advises landlords to check all appliances they provide to tenants to ensure they are not subject to a recall or in need of modification.
There are various recall websites, but registermyappliance.org.uk not only allows users to check their goods, but also allows them to register white goods and appliances, sending alerts of any recall or repairs programme.
Hotpoint said: “We have been made aware that the recent fire at Grenfell Tower in West London may have originated in a Hotpoint branded fridge freezer, manufactured between March 2006 and July 2009, model numbers FF175BP (white) and FF175BG (graphite).
“Please check your model and serial number, usually located on a sticker behind the salad container, or look for the model data label on your appliance.”
The company then advises those who own the fridge freezers to fill in an online form and tells them they can expect further updates from the manufacturer about the action it will take.
They are also told to follow standard safety advice, not overload plugs, ensure sockets are not damaged and check cables and leads are in good condition.
Business Minister Margot James has written to trade associations representing all major household appliance manufacturers outlining the Government’s expectation of action by their members, should a household appliance be found to have played a part in the Grenfell Tower fire.
People with concerns about product safety can also call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 040506 or the Government helpline on 0300 1231016.
The fire on June 14 destroyed 151 homes in the North Kensington block and in the surrounding area of the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Ninety-five buildings in 32 local authority areas have so failed fire safety tests - prompted after questions were raised about Grenfell Tower's cladding.
Before Grenfell, tower block fires in England were at an at least seven-year low, figures show.
According to newly-released Home Office statistics, there were 714 fires in purpose-built blocks of ten storeys or more in England in the 12 months to April - compared with 1,261 fires in 2009-10.
Of those high-rise fires last year, 56 spread further than the 'room of origin' and three people died, compared with 12 fatalities in 2009-10.
In an open letter released on Tuesday morning, people who live at the Hurstway, Testerton, Barandon and Grenfell Walks on the Lancaster West estate said: "The investigation must leave no stone unturned.
"It must identify each and every individual and organisation who must bear responsibility and accountability for this tragedy and the mishandling of the aftermath.
"There must be swift recommendations to ensure there can be no chance of a repeat of this disaster elsewhere.
It said the bereaved families and survivors needed time to recover and grieve - "not least in view of the paucity of support they have been afforded by the state and its agencies in the immediate aftermath".
Questions were raised about the cladding used on Grenfell in the immediate aftermath of the disaster and a nation-wide operation has taken place to identify and test buildings with similar cladding.
The firm that supplied Grenfell Tower's cladding has ended global sales of the product for use in high-rise blocks.
But it is no "great surprise" samples have failed fire tests, director of the Centre for Window and Cladding Technology David Metcalfe said.
He said it was never "entirely clear" under the regulations whether or not the products used in cladding had to be of limited combustibility.
What a filler material consists of is not defined, he explained, and regulations do not say "specifically the cladding should be of limited combustibility".
"Timber isn't an insulation product, it's not a filler material, so there's nothing stopping you using timber on a high-rise building - but the Government now are saying that all cladding should be of limited combustibility - there is a massive inconsistency there."
The government had a new "strict interpretation" of the rules, he said.
The letter from local residents, part of the Justice4Grenfell campaign, demanded their voices were "heard and fully included" in the inquiry into the blaze.
"We support the survivors and mourn the dead - they are our families, friends and neighbours, many of whom are still missing," it said.
Mrs May ordered a full public inquiry into the fire the day after it happened.
The group said bereaved families and survivors should be given funding for legal representation in that probe.
In a statement the RLA said: "It has not only caused tremendous empathy and grief for the victims but has prompted many of us to pause and reflect on how safe our tenants are.
"Regardless of tenure we all have a responsibility to try and ensure as far as we can that our tenants lives are not put in danger by preventing the devastating effects of fire.
"The RLA Landlord Advice Team has received many calls from members keen to ensure that they are doing all that they can to keep their tenants from preventable harm."


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Before the start of the full-scale Russian attack, Ukraine and Moldova built a railway line along the Serpneve-1-Basarabeasca route. From the point of view of transit potential, this branch is a strong commodity route from the ports of Odesa to the EU countries. Due to the war, plans for the development of a new commodity route were delayed, but the base for strengthening investment growth and scaling international business has already been laid. Now it has become known that on March 25, Ukraine and Moldova will launch the Serpneve-1-Basarabeasca activity.
"This will also serve as an impetus for the growth of investments in terms of business, the development of transit potential and logistics routes in the future," Serhiy Zvyagintsev, representative of the State customs service of Ukraine.
A separate benefit of the new route is compensating for the bridge's logistical load in Odesa's Zatoka territory, which stopped functioning due to regular Russian armed attacks.


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Bank of America is investing in a combination of digital innovation, platform consolidation and branch expansion.
Ulster Bank underwent a major refresh to encourage staff to use the technology it had invested in.
The global professional services company implemented Salesforce to unify its engagement with clients around the world and is creating a data platform to get a single view of the truth.
IT has a crucial role in fixing the human and technology disconnects that keep enterprises trapped in siloed monoliths, writes ServiceNow’s Jason Sutton
Google’s business model comes under scrutiny as author George Gilder argues for foundational security blockchain style. Does it make sense?
HPE and HP Inc are thriving in the post break-up years. Just those tariff concerns to deal with now…
At Mastercard, IT is an asset not a cost – as technology business management (TBM) sets resources and goals for agile development and continuous delivery
Payment network Mastercard sees digital transformation as an opportunity to explore new technology-enabled channels and find new markets
RBS has had a difficult ten years, after it nearly collapsed and took a government bailout in 2008. However, its fortunes are beginning to turn and it is driving digital investments.
Lloyds stakes a claim to be the biggest digital bank in the UK as its transformation program carries on.


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Excitement is building among Naruto fans worldwide as Masashi Kishimoto, the renowned creator of the popular manga series, announces the release of a new one-shot manga centered around the beloved character Minato Namikaze.
Titled “NARUTO Gaiden: Uzu no Naka no Tsumujikaze” (English Title TBD), the highly anticipated Minato one-shot manga will be published in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue 33, hitting the shelves on July 18, 2023.
The official Naruto website has confirmed the publication of Masashi Kishimoto’s new Minato one-shot manga, providing fans with a glimpse into the backstory of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Scheduled for release in three weeks, on July 18, the Minato one-shot will span an impressive 55 pages.
This special Minato one-shot is a part of the 55th anniversary celebration of Weekly Shonen Jump. Alongside the release of Issue 33, the milestone edition will feature Masashi Kishimoto’s new 55-page manga, “NARUTO Gaiden: Uzu no Naka no Tsumujikaze,” complete with color centerfold feature pages.
The announcement comes after the conclusion of the NARUTOP99 worldwide character popularity vote, where Minato Namikaze emerged as the winner, securing his place as the protagonist of this highly anticipated manga.
The plot of the one-shot will delve into Minato Namikaze’s journey as the Fourth Hokage and shed light on the ninjutsu he developed throughout his life.
Naruto fans will finally have the opportunity to uncover the untold stories and intricacies of Konohagakure’s legendary Yellow Flash, who sacrificed himself to seal a portion of the Nine-Tails inside his newborn son, Naruto Uzumaki.
To further heighten the excitement, Masashi Kishimoto has also unveiled a new illustration of Minato Namikaze, providing fans with a sneak peek of what to expect from the upcoming Minato one-shot manga.
The stunning artwork has generated considerable buzz among enthusiasts, who eagerly await the release of the manga to explore Minato’s untold adventures.
With the publication of “NARUTO Gaiden: Uzu no Naka no Tsumujikaze,” fans of the Naruto series will have the chance to deepen their understanding of the enigmatic Fourth Hokage, unravel his secrets, and witness the development of his signature technique, the Rasengan.
The anticipation surrounding the release of the Minato one-shot manga is palpable, and fans worldwide eagerly await July 18 to embark on a new Naruto adventure that promises to expand the rich tapestry of the beloved series.


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Facebook Messenger is getting better. As expected, Facebook announced a few updates to its messaging platform at F8 2018, including improvements to M, its digital assistant, and new ways for businesses to engage with customers through augmented reality.
Here’s what you need to know about the new features in Facebook Messenger.
AR in Messenger
Perhaps the most important new feature is augmented reality in Messenger — and it could seriously bring AR to the masses. The feature is aimed at businesses that might want to incorporate augmented reality into their Messenger experiences. For example, when a customer interacts with a business in Messenger, the business can prompt the customer to open their camera, after which they’ll see different filters and AR effects, depending on what the business wants to show.
This could be important for a number of different situations where visualizing a product is important. For example, you may want to see how furniture looks in your house before you actually buy it. A few brands will support the feature at launch — Asus, Kia, Nike, and Sephora. With Asus, you’ll be able to get a deeper look at a phone’s features, while Kia allows you to better see how the Kia Stinger looks up close, and even customize the car’s features. Sephora, as you might expect, allows you to try out different looks and styles.
Facebook is also working to improve Facebook M, the digital assistant that lives within
Facebook says it also plans on expanding the feature to Messenger users in the U.S. in coming weeks — so keep an eye out for it.
The two new features certainly seem to be largely business-focused, but hopefully they’ll make checking out products and interacting with businesses a bit easier.
- What does a check mark mean on Facebook Messenger?
- Facebook Messenger app adds calling, following WhatsApp’s lead
- Facebook’s Messenger and WhatsApp saw record usage on New Year’s Eve
- Facebook starts merging Instagram, Messenger chat features on iOS, Android
- Facebook now lets businesses charge for online events


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Citizens Advice has responded to a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) report today outlining the extent of credit card debt in Britain. More than 1.6million people can only afford to make the minimum payments on their credit cards, leaving them racking up interest payments and struggling to get out of debt. Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens … read more
Faulty goods, misleading claims and substandard services mean Christmas presents fly back on to the shelves in January, according to new figures from Citizens Advice. Analysis by the charity shows that people are more likely to call its Consumer service helpline with complaints about items such as toys, computer games and jewellery in January than … read more
Every year millions of people lose money through scams. We are all potential targets for the criminals who might try to scam us.


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We discuss the shortcomings of the APEC summit and the need for free trade in the Asia-Pacific region
Do exports help one economy grow at the expense of another – what do you think?
TFP have been awarded a prestigious highly commended award by Trade Finance Review (TFR) by providing a £1.25m revolving trade finance facility to Swiss Grill Ltd enabling it to grow its business supplying high quality gas barbeques to major retailers in 2012.
Small is beautiful and how to get out of the mess we are in...
COMMERCIAL FEATURE Small and medium-sized enterprises cannot always afford to buy the goods they need to fulfil their customers’ orders, but all too often banks are not prepared to provide the necessary funding.
According to the latest data from the International Trade Monitor (ITM), in the period October to December 2012, 52 per cent of SME business leaders expressed confidence in the current UK economic climate, an increase from 46 per cent the previous quarter. Equally, 53 per cent were confident that international trade conditions will improve over the next 12 months, an improvement of 10% since Q3.
Niall Mason joins TFP as Finance Director Designate. Niall joins TFP from Tricon International and will head up the finance function at TFP.
International Trade Finance - August 2012 - Issue 623 - pages 5 & 6
TFP has grown rapidly since it started in 2010 and has recently completed a partnership with Macquarie Bank.
Click on the link below to see the full article.
Alex Hawkes looks at alternative ways of lending and explains why Trade Finance is flourishing
CEO Chris Ash and Commercial Director William Tebbit interviewed for Ingenious Britain Supplement in Sunday Telegraph 8th July 2012
TFP interviewed in Sunday Telegraph
TFP is delighted to announce that it has secured a three year trade finance facility of £15m expandable to £25m from Macquarie Bank Limited. In addition Macquarie are investing in TFP and have acquired a 5% equity interest.
TFP continues to win new clients and help businesses fulfil their orders
Watch the video of CEO Chris Ash explaining trade finance; hear Stephen Roston of BS Clothing on how trade finance works for him.
Business Money features TFP in February edition.


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Several of the most popular Internet-connected baby monitors lack basic security features, making them vulnerable to even the most basic hacking attempts, according to a new report from a cybersecurity firm.
The possibility of an Unknown person watching their baby’s every move is a frightening thought for many parents who have come to rely on the devices to keep an eye on their little ones. In addition, a hacked camera could provide access to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices in a person’s home, such as a personal computer or security system.
The research released Wednesday by Boston-based Rapid7 Inc. looks at nine baby monitors made by eight different companies. They range in price from $55 to $260.
The cameras are often mounted over a baby’s crib or another place where they spend a large amount of time. They work by filming the child, then sending that video stream to a personal website or an app on a smartphone or tablet. Some of the cameras also feature noise or motion detectors and alert parents when the baby makes a sound or moves.Continue reading


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Honor Malaysia has announced the arrival of the Honor Play, a new gaming-focused smartphone, in Malaysia, Singapore and The Philippines. The launch event held at Sunway Pyramid saw the press and fans alike invited to test out the phone.
Honor Play is equipped with the Kirin 970, Huawei’s top-of-the-line processor in the market so far. A tall 6.3-inch screen with 19.5:9 display ratio and 83% screen-to-body ratio plus a big 37500mAh battery makes the hardware ready for the latest mobile games.
Besides that, Honor Play also has GPU Turbo- an improved software layer that is claimed to help ooze out better framerates, better than any other gaming smartphones, claimed Honor.
Honor Play will also support 3D audio surround sound and something called “4D Gaming”. Which all boils down to as specific vibration options. This is only available on specific games, however, with PUBG Mobile being the leading title and at least two more titles to have this support. We were told that the “4D Gaming” feature is the result of close partnership with Honor and game publishers/developers, in this case Tencent.
Here’s the full specs:
- SOC: Huawei Kirin 970
- Storage: 64GB internal with MicroSD support
- OS: EMUI 8.2.0 based on Android 8.1 Oreo
- Battery: 37500mAh
- Camera: 16MP + 2MP dual rear camera, 16MP front camera
- Screen: 6.3-inch, 19.5:9 display ratio
- USB Type-C and 3.5mm headphone jack available, dual nano SIM card support
A Capable Mid-Ranger?
While the many gaming smartphones announced this year are in the flagship range of RM2000 and above, Honor Play is retailing at only RM1249- a mid-range player amongst the many gaming smartphone titans. It will be available in Malaysia on August 10th, with Singapore recieving at August 8th for 429 SGD and The Philippines on August 13th for 15990 PHP.
As a smartphone, we can safely say it’s worth your money. As for how it is as a gaming device, stay tuned for our gaming review.


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The Rotation: Vol. 45
Changing Consumer Trends in Canada, Czech Republic's Legalization Plan, and Loblaws' Lobbying Efforts in Ontario
Canadians Increasingly Choosing Legal Market According to New Survey
A recent Canadian Governments Cannabis Survey reveals a noteworthy transformation in consumer behavior, indicating a significant surge in legal market dominance, reports MJBiz Daily.
- In 2023, 69% of Canadian cannabis consumers consistently chose legal sources, a substantial rise from 48% in 2022.
- The annual survey, encompassing around 11,700 respondents, serves as a key indicator of the legal market’s growing share.
- The top factors that most influenced where cannabis was obtained was price (42% reported it as their top factor) and convenience (15%).
- The survey explores the previously uncharted territory of First Nations storefronts, shedding light on their limited presence in Canada’s cannabis landscape.
The surge in Canadians consistently opting for legal cannabis marks a pivotal moment in the industry’s evolution. Although the accuracy of this type of survey may be questioned by some, the increased market share reflects growing trust in the regulated market. While challenges persist, such as the underrepresentation of First Nations entrepreneurs, the shift underscores a positive trajectory for the legal cannabis sector. As spending patterns evolve, the industry must adapt, emphasizing factors like price and convenience. This transition not only aligns with regulatory goals but also sets the stage for a more robust and transparent cannabis market in Canada.
Czech Republic’s Cannabis Legalization Dilemma
The Czech Republic unveils its plan for adult-use cannabis legalization, raising eyebrows as the proposal surprisingly omits provisions for a legal market., reports Forbes.
- The presented cannabis regulation bill, disclosed on January 10, excludes a framework for a legal market, deviating from earlier expectations.
- Despite ongoing efforts in Europe for cannabis regulation, the Czech bill limits legalization to possession, home cultivation, and the establishment of cannabis social clubs.
- The Pirate Party, a major proponent of legalization, considers the draft a ‘compromise version’ and plans negotiations for bill enhancements.
- Czech cannabis associations express dismay at the absence of legal market regulations, emphasizing the partial solution’s failure to address key issues.
The Czech Republic’s approach to cannabis legalization, sans a legal market, appears counterintuitive. While self-cultivation and cannabis clubs mark progress, the decision to exclude market regulations raises concerns. The government’s strategic plan, involving political dynamics and media sentiment, underscores the intricate challenges of cannabis legislation in the European Union. The absence of a legal market, though part of a larger plan, brings to light potential hurdles in navigating EU laws, mirroring the challenges faced by other member states like Germany. The delicate balance between domestic politics, regulatory ambitions, and EU obligations undoubtedly adds complexity to the journey toward cannabis legalization in the Czech Republic.
Loblaws Lobbying Ford Government for Cannabis Retail Rule Changes
According to Global News, Loblaws, the supermarket giant, is actively working to shape cannabis regulations in Ontario, with the goal of establishing a foothold in the growing cannabis market.
- Internal government documents reveal Loblaws’ meetings with Ford government officials to advocate for changes in Ontario’s cannabis market regulations.
- Loblaws proposed eliminating regulations restricting cannabis sales within stores housing other products, challenging the requirement for licensed stores to be physically separated.
- The grocery giant’s lobbying efforts date back to at least 2019, with renewed pushes in 2022, including suggestions submitted during the Ford government’s consultations for red tape reduction.
- Loblaws sought rule changes, including scrapping restrictions on companies selling both medical and recreational cannabis, and allowing companies with online sales platforms to enter the cannabis market.
Loblaws’ strategic push into the cannabis sector reflects the evolving landscape of legal cannabis in Ontario. While seeking changes to regulations, especially around the “store within a store” model, Loblaws faces mixed reactions. The desire to break down barriers in cannabis sales aligns with broader industry trends, yet concerns arise regarding potential advantages for big-box retailers over smaller businesses. The quest for transparency in policy changes is crucial, with critics cautioning against tipping the scales in favor of major corporations.


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One of the most coveted Air Jordan models will stop being produced indefinitely. According to Sole Collector, Jordan Brand VP of Footwear David Schechter revealed that the Air Jordan III will be tucked away for an unspecified amount of time.
"The Air Jordan 3 is going back in the vault. The last color just dropped," Schechter said during a Jordan Brand event in NYC tonight.
The colorway Schechter is referring to is the "Sport Blue" IIIs, which released on August 16.
Schechter said that the reason behind the decision was to "reset" the model made famous by Michael Jordan's free-throw line dunk in 1988. He added that when the sneakers do come back, it will be a fully remastered product.
Earlier, Jordan Brand revealed its spring 2015 lineup of remastered retros, which includes the "Oreo" IVs, "French Blue" VIIs, and all-new colorways of the X.
[via Sole Collector]


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Industry Blog – General
Security Review for Travellers and Companies in West Africa – Ebola Update May 2015Read more
The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from experienced PR and Communications agencies and enter into a long term agreement (LTA) with successful bidder/s for an initial one year period, to be extended for an extra 1 (one) year subject to acceptable performance.Read more
In October 2013, Cape Town Tourism’s Board of Directors took a collective decision to forfeit their monthly remuneration in favour of the Board Development Fund (BDF) that assists Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) with support to develop their tourism businesses.Read more
Following the rising trend of visitors wanting to access information about Cape Town wherever they are, Cape Town Tourism is proudly launching the very first Mobile Visitor Information Vehicle in Africa.
The innovative new Info Centre on wheels, affectionately named Thando, (which in the local African language Xhosa, is the word for love) will be launched and officially revealed at WTM Africa on Friday, 2 May. Thando will be available to view on stand A50, in the Africa Main Hall.
The vehicle will also be on display at the CTT Members Industry event on 29th of May, so save the date!Read more
The optimism displayed by Cape Town’s tourism sector ahead of the 2013/2014 season has been confirmed with businesses reporting an excellent high season overall.
Looking at the industry performance by sectors for the period of October 2013 till February 2014, and interpreting surveys done by Cape Town Tourism (canvasing over 500 industry members and more than 1600 visitors over 5 months) positive feedback has been received across the board.Read more
Indaba - one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar - is taking place at the Albert Luthuli Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban for three days from 10-12 May 2014.
This trade event attracts over 13,000 delegates from travel and tourism related industries presenting an opportunity to showcase Cape Town’s tourism offering and to promote year-round business with local and international trade.
Cape Town Tourism has secured prime space on the Wesgro stand in the DEC Hall and we are offering our members two key opportunities to join us on this excellent platform.