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Lenovo has forayed into the AR segment with the unveiling of its C200 smart glasses, launched at a pre-CES 2017 event.
The new smart glasses are powered by Linux and can be utilized for business and enterprise purposes. The organization claims that they have enhanced artificial intelligence and augmented reality-based features. The C200 accompany LTE connectivity and offer an easy to use experience.
The C200 have a modular design with consists of a pocket unit and the smart glasses themselves. Weighing 60g, they can be used with a companion New Glass app and connect to the pocket unit for increased performance. Lenovo will also be giving accessories to carry the units on belts, and in addition in the pocket.
Lenovo recently launched its first Windows Holographic platform-compatible VR headset at a pre-CES 2017 event in Las Vegas.
According to a report on The Verge website, the new headset is evidently smaller and lighter than products like Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. It further addresses that the design of the headset is pretty much similar to Sony PlayStation VR, as it ‘suspends the lenses in front of user’s eyes,’ rather than strapping them in one place.
The report also adds that since the showcased headset is still a prototype, not much is known about the way it works. Lenovo’s new VR headset uses six degrees-of-freedom tracking, according to report. This is basically means that there are no additional camera requirements.
It’s significant that Lenovo has not showcased any motion controllers for the headset, rather than relying on third-party apps based on Windows Holographic platform’s specifications.
Checkout Latest IT news at itvoir.com
Sameeksha Bhardwaj, From ITvoir News Desk


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Confused.com is offering four prizes of £1,000 to householders who get a home insurance quote through the comparison site this month.
The giveaway follows recent research by the website, which found that a third of UK homeowners have never switched home insurance provider.
This is despite the fact 70 per cent of Confused.com’s home insurance customers could potentially save money on their premium, the site claimed.
To motivate people to shop around for a better deal, four lucky customers who get a quote in March will be randomly selected to win £1,000 to spend on household bills.
Gareth Kloet, head of home insurance, said: “As we all know, money is a topic of much discussion and many people can’t afford to buy those essentials for the home, or even pay some bills.
“We wanted to give our customers a helping hand, not only by saving them money by using our comparison site but by also giving them the chance to win £1,000 to spend on things they need.”

domain: news


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- YouTube music chief Lyor Cohen says the big record labels fear that Spotify and Apple Music will one day dominate sales and distribution.
- Cohen says there's one remedy for this: YouTube and diversifying the way they distribute music.
- The labels, however, have said for years now that the one music service that holds unfair sway over them is YouTube.
To hear Lyor Cohen tell it, the long-running conflict over music licensing between YouTube and the major record labels is over.
“We're now starting to have real connective tissue,” said Cohen, YouTube’s global head of music who was in San Francisco promoting the upcoming launch of YouTube’s latest subscription music service. “We’re working together in building these products.”
That’s a big statement. For the past two years, leading up to the recent licensing negotiations, the music industry has routinely labeled YouTube as an enemy of recording artists. Music videos helped turn YouTube into an entertainment juggernaut, but in return the world’s largest video-sharing site paid peanuts to artists, or at least that was how the record companies saw things.
But that was before the top three labels, Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Warner Music Group completed licensing deals earlier this year with YouTube. Far fewer complaints are coming out of the record companies now, and Cohen said the improved relationship is about more than just money.
According to him, Spotify and Apple Music, the top two subscription services, frighten record executives far more than YouTube does.
“Forget the past,” Cohen told Business Insider on Friday.
He said that YouTube is now "working in collaboration with the industry because the industry is terrified that this could be a two-horse race" between Apple and Spotify. The music industry thinks partnering with YouTube to distribute music could prevent such a duopoly, he said.
The suggestion is that Spotify and Apple Music pose a threat to the labels. Should they obtain too much power over the distribution, they could, presumably, dictate terms to the record companies.
Cohen says this even though Spotify and Apple Music have been credited by the labels with helping to spearhead a music-industry comeback. Last year, worldwide music sales grew 8 percent, the third increase in a row after 15 consecutive years of declining revenue. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), subscription services put far more money in the labels’ pockets than YouTube-esque services, which sell ads.
And if any company has imposed its will on the recording companies, it’s YouTube, according to Cary Sherman, the RIAA’s CEO and Chairman.
During the past two years, he has often accused YouTube of possessing an unfair advantage at the negotiating table with the labels.
When the music companies and YouTube can’t agree on the licensing fees YouTube must pay, the labels are allegedly told to yank their songs from the site and attempt the near-impossible task of removing the millions of unauthorized clips that users themselves inevitably post to YouTube.
Because of safe harbor provisions in copyright law, YouTube and parent company Google are shielded from liability for any copyright violations committed by users. Sherman says that’s YouTube’s trump card, what makes the site such a power in music today.
What’s interesting to note is that only one label has ever tried removing music videos from YouTube and that’s Warner, in 2008. The record company, home of such acts as Ed Sheeran, Madonna, and Wiz Khalifa, eventually caved after failing to prevent users from posting and reposting the company’s videos to YouTube.
And who at Warner made that decision? Cohen, in his former life as a record mogul.
Despite all this, Cohen says the labels need YouTube as a counterbalance to Spotify and Apple Music.
“From what we heard, the industry wants to get on a plane with two engines--one is advertising and the other is the subscription model,” Cohen said. “We’re one of the most obvious candidates to help them build two engines.”
Get the latest Google stock price here.


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This year’s Tyre Safety Month is set to be bigger and better than ever before, with the CJAM team in full flow, raising awareness of the annual campaign through multiple PR and marketing channels. The theme of this year’s campaign, which aims to prompt motorists around the country into taking action on tyre safety, is ‘Time for a change?’. Key areas of focus will include the benefits of winter tyres, as well as the importance of regularly checking tyre air pressure, condition and tread depth.
A steady stream of national, regional and consumer media activity will take place throughout October, while garages, tyre fitters and retailers around the country have already been fully encouraged to support the campaign by offering free tyre safety checks. CJAM has created a wealth of striking promotional material to help stakeholders get behind the campaign, including a stunning winter tyre film on ice, posters, leaflets, web banners, DVDs, animations and a dynamic infographic. New for 2012, the CJAM team has also developed a Facebook app to allow motorists to show their commitment to checking their tyres online.
“Tyre Safety Month gathers fresh momentum every year,” comments Christine Joyce, Managing Director, TyreSafe. “We’re delighted to be delivering the marketing of the campaign again this year, and we’re already receiving strong interest and support from many different organisations, including road safety, emergency services and the police, in addition to the UK tyre trade.”
CJAM works tirelessly throughout the year to increase stakeholder engagement with TyreSafe campaigns. Having worked with TyreSafe since its inception in 2006, CJAM has helped the award-winning safety organisation go from strength to strength. Christine and her team regularly achieve high quality media coverage for Tyre Safety Month and many other major campaigns, consistently exceeding their targets.
“With news just in that tyre related road accidents have increased in the past year, this month’s campaign will be particularly important in terms of communicating the message the safe tyres save lives,” concludes Joyce. “I’m proud to be supporting such a worthwhile cause.”
For more on Tyre Safety Month, visit http://www.tyresafe.org/campaigns/tyre-safety-month-2012.


text: HARRISBURG – The Libertarian Party of PA has adopted a Resolution Supporting Food Freedom and Unregulated Food Production. The resolution passed unanimously after a recent hearing in the case of Amish raw milk farmer Amos Miller took place in Lancaster. The resolution affirms the Party’s unwavering support for the rights of individuals to participate in commerce free from government interference, urges lawmakers to recognize and respect these rights, and condemns the PA Department of Agriculture and State Police for raiding Miller’s Lancaster County farm, demanding they immediately stop interfering in private food commerce. The Party’s Executive Chair, Greg Deal said they are committed to preserving the rights of individuals to purchase, sell, and consume food products of their choice, free from government interference. The raid on Miller’s farm and the seizure of his raw milk products by state agents is a violation of food freedom, and they demand an immediate end to such harassment.


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Rebecca Murtagh – SES NY Speaker
Search Engine Strategies in New York City was the venue for the “Meet the Experts” session where Rebecca Murtagh, an internationally-recognized expert in digital strategy, search, social media and marketing met with SES attendees to answer questions and engage in discussion on Conversion Optimization.
Held at the Marriott Marquis in March, 2013, SESNY was the host for those seeking the latest in search engine optimization and marketing to attend seminar sessions, panels and informal discussions.
Search Engine Watch Column
In addition to being a speaker Rebecca Murtagh, CEO of Karner Blue Marketing LLC of Albany NY wrote her March 2013 column for Search Engine Watch on ‘Selling SEO to the C-Suite‘.
Her post was inspired by the SES session: SEO in the Boardroom, presented by Seth Besmertnik, CEO of Conductor, Chuck Price, CEO of Measurable SEO, and moderated by Simon Heseltine, Director of SEO at AOL.


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An important step for the circular economy: recycling complex plastic food packaging
In a joint project with chemical company SABIC and food giant Mars, Landbell Group has successfully recycled and processed plastic waste in a way that it can be used as new food packaging – thanks to a new and innovative chemical recycling technology.
Until now, packaging made from recycled materials has been unsuitable for new food packaging because it did not meet the high-quality requirements. To avoid negative effects on human health, food packaging material must be free of any contamination which cannot be ensured with conventional recycling technologies.
The new pyrolysis process allows the used mixed plastic to be recycled at molecular level. With this technology, the plastic is heated to very high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment and broken down, producing pyrolysis oil. This can then be used like a fossil raw material to produce high-quality packaging, which is also suitable for the food sector.
“Mixed used plastic from flexible consumer packaging is difficult to sort and recycle mechanically,” says Uwe Echteler, Chief Operating Officer for Landbell Group. “However, as demonstrated in this closed-loop project, we can facilitate effective advanced recycling solutions that allow plastics and packaging manufacturers, as well as OEMs and brand owners, to reclaim and benefit from the value of mixed used plastics while at the same time reducing fossil depletion and enhancing their carbon footprint.”
In the coming weeks, Mars will use the new packaging material, which was collected by Landbell Group and processed into certified polypropylene by SABIC, in its snack bar brand, KIND®.
For more information on the new technology, please contact us.


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Former Port Covington Sam's Club for lease again after Postal Service departs
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The former Sam’s Club in the Port Covington Shopping Center is back on the rental market.
The United States Postal Service’s last day in the 130,600-square-foot building was Jan. 4, said Freda Sauter, a spokeswoman for the Postal Service. Bethesda-based Finmarc Management Inc., the property owner, is seeking a new tenant.
“We’re just looking for a user that would be a good fit for the property, whether that’s industrial, office or retail,” said David B. Fink, principal managing member for Finmarc.
Finmarc would entertain offers for short-term or long-term users, Fink said.
The United States Postal Service used the shopping center during the holiday season as a sorting and distribution facility.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in 2007 announced it would close the Sam’s Club store in Port Covington. The South Baltimore site has not had a user since then.
Fink, who co-owns the property with Finmarc Management principal managing member Marc F. Solomon, has said the building is not for sale.
Jack Lambert is responsible for driving breaking news coverage on the BBJ's website, baltimorebusinessjournal.com. His specialty coverage areas are sports business and transportation. However, Jack goes where the news is on a daily basis.
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Russian Anonymous Marketplace, RAMP, Dark Web Drugs How a Russian Dark Web Drug Market Outlived the Silk Road (And Silk Road 2) WIRED : ". If. Marketplaceurl: russian darknet market Notes: Biggest Russian. Tag Archives: Russia. News Russia Might Ban Tor and Virtual Private Networks. US Justice Department shuts down Russian dark web marketplace Hydra The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has shut down Hydra Market. The Russian stock market fell by 30 in dark markets russia. dollars from the end of October to its nadir on Jan. 24. It can fall much more. Traders say exports of refined products from Russia have also held up well during the first weeks of the war, but this market is even harder to. Russia's Dark Cloud over Emerging Markets Spiking oil and grain prices are intensifying inflationary pressure. Russia has a relatively small.
Russian dark web market Hydra wants 146M in Bitcoin to expand globally Infamous Russian dark web marketplace Hydra is seeking to raise 146. Announced sanctions against Russia-based virtual currency for cybercriminals including scammers and darknet market operators. Jun silkkitie market link 14, 2022 -. Dark clouds loom over Moscow as sanctions have crippled the Russian economy, leaving the ruble at record lows and the central bank with. The largest marketplace on the Darknet-where thousands of criminals anonymously bought ToRReZ Market dark net unboxing 2022. Russian darknet market. Ferum Shop was the prime target, with Elliptic revealing that it was the biggest stolen credit card marketplace in the world before its seizure. Sales on a Russian-language Dark Web marketplace known as Hydra have skyrocketed in the past four yearswith more than russian darknet market.
Blocked by the Russian government, Twitter has entered the Dark Web and people For insightful reports and views on business, markets. There are good reasons why the dark web marketplace Hydra has thrived in Russia. Russian Anonymous Marketplace, RAMP, Dark Web Drugs How a Russian Dark Web Drug Market Outlived the Silk Road (And Silk Road 2) WIRED : ". If. Vladimir Putin, Russia's new president, won the admiration of his people advocated shock therapy to silkkitie market darknet push a market economy in Russia. The US Justice Department is charging Russian oligarch Konstantin seized the "Russia-affiliated Hydra darknet market -- the world's. Russia's dark cloud over emerging markets Russia has a relatively small economy, which accounts for less than 2 percent of world silkkitie link output.
Charity campaign for Ukraine. Join the ECB and other central banks across the euro area in helping the people of Ukraine in these dark times for Europe. Read. What's more, any curbs on Russian oil exports could send already skyrocketing If Russia were eventually shut off from the global 2022 darknet market market. Russian police acknowledged today that they were responsible for taking down RAMP Russian Anonymous Marketplace a Tor-based market that. Russian dark web market Hydra wants 146M in Bitcoin to expand globally Infamous silkkitie darknet market Russian dark web marketplace Hydra is seeking to raise 146. The Russian ships engaging in dark activity include vessels We may see a parallel global market emerge where there is internal trading. The largest marketplace on the Darknet-where thousands of criminals anonymously bought ToRReZ Market dark net unboxing 2022. Russian darknet market.
Russian Resident Indicted on Conspiracy Charges Related to Operating Hydra The Department of Justice will not allow darknet markets and. Dark-web souk Hydra: Servers and 25m in crypto-coins seized. US also charges Russia-based web host owner regarding cyber-crime market. German authorities have shut down the server infrastructure for darkfox link Russia's dark web marketplace Hydra, seizing 23 million (dark markets russia million). Mega dark-net market is a Russian marketplace that has been around for a while. Since its launch in 2022 the market did not experience much. Russian-language dark web marketplace Hydra has pulled in a huge russian darknet market billion worth of cryptocurrencies in 2022. Some vendors known for selling stolen crypto cards for crypto like bitcoin on the dark web have been shut down by Russian officials.
Dark Markets Peru
In another recent incident, a hacker stole dark markets russia a massive trove of databases from a breach notification site DataViper and ended up selling it online. Usually each unit of product is tagged with a piece of paper containing a unique secret word which is used to prove to the sales layer that a dead drop was found. There are carding sites where you can take credit card information and have them encoded onto new cards, or get access to other people's account information. Ins Darknet kommen Sie am bequemsten mit dem Tor Browser. But the DNM exit scam playbook is so well-known now (reassuring users for days as the market wallets get drained) that even if what they're saying is true, it's difficult for anyone to believe them. Most people will not buy guns on darknet just because they could, most people feel that they don’t need one.
“They also buy gift cards from other sources in bulk.”
Dark Markets Philippines
But now in 2021, the number of telegram user grows exponentially and so so does the telegram channel and medical null is not an exception for this there is a lot of new medical channel emerging created by very renowned people in this medical community so all these news channels are also good dark markets russia and worth joining so here we are sharing some new. With this you are done with the modifications of the profile settings. In my opinion, which may be slightly bias, this is a hugely viable backup option now compared to Reddit, as this is the final nail in the coffin for using their site. Both these marketplaces, though Dream in particular, were the heirs to the throne vacated by the AlphaBay and Hansa marketplaces following the law enforcement takedowns of those sites in summer 2017. Students and their importance to the institution appear as the Enrollment and Recruitment issue in the Transform scenario. Of course every market can exit, but ones who have build in wallets are much more likely to exit since they have much more money to steal! Credit Score reports are one of the most highly traded PII (personally identifiable information) in the darknet markets.
You can follow us on Linkedin, Twitter , Facebook for daily updates.


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Performance Food Group is moving its food distribution plant from Santa Cruz to Gilroy. The company said it will build a 195,000-square-foot food processing plant on Monterey Road, which will replace its current location in Santa Cruz. The move could mean nearly 60 new jobs in Gilroy, as the company expects to retain 70 percent of the current 190 person workforce. However, it is unclear how the commute will affect the retention of long-term employee.
By: Bryce Stoepfel, Published in Gilroy Dispatch
Click to read more: Performance Foods Group Coming to Gilroy


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Whether it?s the original McLaren F1, the SLR it built for Mercedes-Benz, or the new MP4-12C, there?s little question that owning a McLaren supercar is a rare privilege. But even that wasn?t enough for one owner, who commissioned the British racing team turned automaker to build the bespoke supercar you see here....
Mercedes Benz has confirmed that its longstanding partnership with British sports car manufacturer McLaren to build the SLR supercar will soon come to an end, and to celebrate production of the last SLR Roadster a special edition mo... Read Post
The 2009 Mercedes Benz McLaren SLR Stirling Moss has been unveiled and with just 75 copies of the $1.01 Million boutique supercar being produced, it's a fitting start for the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. The SLR Stirling Moss acts as the... Read Post


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In the months since that story, there have been a number of surveys that look at teen music habits. Nielsen’s 2013 Year End US Music Report found that teens listen to more music than any other age group (almost six hours per week) and have the greatest number of music apps installed on their phones (seven).
Which music listening options resonate the most with teens?
Here’s the breakdown from Niche based on responses from almost 7,000 2014 high school graduates:
Piper Jaffray also recently looked at teenagers’ music consumption habits but went beyond digital to paint a fuller (if not clearer) picture.
Other streaming services
What is notable – and curious – in both sets of data is the fact that YouTube doesn’t appear.
This feels like a major omission given the realities of teens, YouTube and music. Consider Sia. Her album, “1000 Forms of Fear,” debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at No. 1 with sales of just over 52,000 units. On YouTube, the video for her song “Chandelier” has been viewed more than 71 million times since it was posted in May. Clearly, not all of those views came from teens, but, again according to Niche, 55% of teens report using YouTube on a daily basis. 97% say they have used it at least once.
YouTube’s role as a music source – especially among teens – is not new. Two years ago, The Wall Street Journal reported on the trend, citing Nielsen data. According to the story, 64% of 13-17 year olds reported YouTube as their preferred means of listening to music (compared with just 44% of those over 18). Google recognizes YouTube’s potential as a music source and has announced a new subscription service to be launched later this summer.
What are marketers to make of this mish-mash of metrics? Some of the numbers seem at odds with each other and others are missing all together.
First, marketers need to recognize that music is in transition like never before. According to Nielsen’s 2014 Mid-Year Music Industry Report, sales are down in most areas (total album sales -14.9%, digital album sales -11.6%, digital track sales -13 percent and CD sales -19.6%) but are looking up for streaming (audio on-demand +50.1 percent and video on-demand +35.2%) and vinyl (up 40.4%).
Second, streaming is where the action is. Many marketers are up to speed on services like Pandora, Spotify and iHeartRadio. For reaching teens, however, the most popular music service might not be a music service at all.
Third, if YouTube is going to be used to reach teens with music, marketers must realize that the channel has some unique capabilities and limitations. The primary limitation is that it is far more heterogeneous than music-only services, with issues of quality and control far harder to manage than elsewhere.
The capabilities are interesting. Not only can a brand create curated musical playlists but they can also inject other content within a list. This can be either content that is in keeping with a playlist theme, branded content that appears within the playlist or advertising that appears over videos. However, it’s important to keep in mind that, for many teens, YouTube for music isn’t primarily a visual thing. That means any content inserted into a playlist should have a strong audio element.
Music is an incredibly powerful medium in the lives of teenagers. They are constantly looking for new ways to use and incorporate music into they way the connect with friends. Take, for example, apps like Shuttersong, which allows teens to mesh music with images; or DJ Studio 5 and Ninja Jamms, which allow people to remix and share music they make themselves.
Discovering ways to use music to entertain and engage them should be a priority for marketers. To do this well means staying on top of the changing ways way teens are discovering and consuming music. This is an ongoing process that shows no sign of slowing down.


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It just never seems to end! China’s counterfeiting and pirating of intellectual property appears to be the MO for their business model. An editorial in SupplierBusiness, an IHS Automotive publication, on March 19 commented on the conviction of a counterfeit turobocharger manufacturer in China as one more challenge for suppliers doing business in China and trying to protect their intellectual property.
In fact, according to SupplierBusiness, in spite of increasing oversight by the Chinese government, “suppliers and automakers must play cat and mouse with counterfeiters” to catch these companies. The editorial noted how the week of March 12, saw “one of the largest counterfeiting busts” ever in China. A manufacturer based in Fengchang City in Liaoning Province, was convicted of manufacturing counterfeit Honeywell Garrett turbochargers. The two people charged were sentenced to a year in prison with an additional year on probation along with a fine. ...


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What does the COVID-19 stimulus mean for you?
Various stimulus packages have been implemented by state, territory and federal governments around the country, designed to limit the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis.
Master Electricians Australia said it is committed to keeping members up to date with details of support packages for businesses (including how to access them) and communities as they come to hand.
The federal government’s second ($66bn) package includes support for companies to stay in business and keep people employed. It also provides assistance for households, casual workers, sole traders, retirees and those on income support.
To date, $189 billion has been made available by all levels of government to support Australians and businesses through this period.
For more information about stimulus packages as they apply to each state and territory, see below.
Australia Capital Territory
- $20 million in funding to fast-track infrastructure projects and maintenance on government-owned community, school and other buildings.
- Increased subsidies for apprenticeships and traineeships to access nationally recognised training. Subsidies will be provided directly to RTOs with no application required.
- $750 rebate for small business owners with electricity usage below 100 megawatts per year. Rebates will be automatically applied to the next electricity bill in June or July 2020.
- ACT businesses with Australia-wide wages of up to $10 million can defer their 2020–21 payroll tax, interest-free until 1 July 2022. Business will need to complete an online application at revenue.act.gov.au to confirm eligibility.
- Commercial property owners with an average unimproved value below $2 million are eligible for a rebate on their commercial rates fixed charge.
- 12-month waiver of the food business registration for licensed venues and liquor licensing fees from 1 April 2020. Outdoor dining fees for 2020–2021 will be waived.
- $150 rebate on residential rate bills in 2020–21.
- Freeze on levy for fire and emergency services, vehicle registration, parking and public transport.
- $200 additional rebate for households receiving the Utilities Concession through their electricity bill. This will be automatically applied.
- $250 one-off bank payment to be made from Housing ACT to all social housing households by June. Eligible households will be contacted directly.
New South Wales
- $700 million in additional funding for NSW Health.
- $450 million to waive payroll tax for businesses with payrolls of up to $10 million for the rest of the financial year.
- $56 million to bring forward payroll tax cuts, raising the threshold limit to $1 million next financial year.
- $80 million to waive fees and charges for small businesses including tradies, bars and cafes.
- $250 million to employ additional cleaners for public infrastructure and buildings.
- Over $250 million for maintenance on public assets.
- $500 million to bring forward capital works and maintenance.
- $30 million home improvement scheme. Home owners can access a $4000 voucher if they contribute $1000 of their own money or a $6000 voucher if they contribute $2000 of their own.
- Registrations for businesses to provide their services will open 30 March and home owner applications open 6 April.
- $20 million business improvement scheme. Territory businesses will have access to a $10,000 grant to purchase goods and services to make permanent physical improvements to a business (land and/or building) that help improve its efficiency and customer experience. An additional grant of $10,000 is available if the business matches the investment.
- $5 million immediate works grants package. Not-for-profit and community organisations can access grants of up to $100,000 for renovations and upgrades. The first $50,000 will be paid as a grant, and the government will match costs on a dollar-for-dollar basis for any work exceeding $50,000 up to a cap of $100,000 in total.
- Registrations for businesses to provide their services will open 30 March and grant applications open 20 April.
- $5 million structural adjustment package. To help public venues adjust to the new requirement of capping indoor meetings at 100 people, funding will be made available to install partitioning.
- All government fees and charges — including electricity, water and car registration will be frozen (no increase due to indexation) until 1 July 2021.
- Eligible businesses that hire a Territorian in the next 12 months will receive a payroll tax concession and won’t be liable for payroll tax on those wages for two years.
- $500 million funding for business loans of up to $250,000 with an initial 12-month interest-free period for businesses to retain staff. Details about accessing the loans will be made available on the QRIDA page.
- $25.25 million assistance package and payroll tax deferrals of up to $20,500 per month until July 2020. Businesses with an annual wage bill of up to $6.5 million will be able to self-assess whether they have been impacted by COVID-19.
- Providing further support to Brisbane-based Queenslanders, the Brisbane City Council announced on 20 March the waiving of small business charges, rents, levies and fees during this period.
- $350 million funding for construction with the bulk of the spend in the next 12 months. It will focus on ‘shovel ready’ construction projects including roads, hospital improvements, electrical upgrades and fire safety upgrades.
- $22 million in ‘eco-tourism’ initiatives.
- $15 million boost to regional health projects.
- $5 million in funding for regional aged-care facilities.
- $50 million will be allocated to fast-track maintenance on public buildings over the next 12 months to provide an injection into local trades and communities around the state.
- $50 million in interest-free loans over three years will be made available to encourage local government to upgrade, renovate and to do necessary maintenance to improve tourism and other assets.
- $20 million in interest-free loans to small businesses in the hospitality, tourism, seafood production and exports sectors.
- Payroll tax liabilities will be waived for hospitality, tourism and seafood industry businesses for the remainder of the financial year.
- Other businesses with payrolls of up to $5 million will be able to apply, based on the impact of virus, to have their payroll tax waived for April to June 2020.
- The targeted Small Business Grants Program will provide $5000 grants for businesses that hire an apprentice or trainee in the tourism, hospitality, building and construction, and manufacturing industries.
- $80,000 will be provided to the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to provide HR and IR assistance associated with COVID-19 to businesses.
- $550 million package for payroll tax refunds. Small and medium-sized businesses with a payroll of less than $3 million will receive full payroll tax refunds for the 2019–20 financial year.
- Small and medium-sized businesses will also be able to defer any payroll tax for the first three months of the 2020–21 financial year until 1 January 2021.
- $500 million to establish a Business Support Fund. This will support hospitality, tourism, accommodation, entertainment, retail and arts.
- $500 million to establish a Working for Victoria Fund to assist those who have lost their jobs to find other opportunities.
- Commercial tenants in government buildings will be able to apply for rent relief.
- 2020 land tax payments will be deferred for eligible businesses.
- Outstanding supplier invoices with be paid within five days by the government.
- $402 million allocated to freeze household fees and charges including electricity, water, motor vehicle charges, emergency services levy and public transport fares until at least 1 July 2021.
- Energy Assistance Payment (EAP) doubled to $600 to support vulnerable Western Australians, including pensioners.
- $17,500 in one-off grants to small businesses that pay payroll tax.
- $1 million payroll tax threshold brought forward by six months to 1 July 2020.
- Businesses impacted by COVID-19 can defer payroll tax payments until 21 July 2020.
During a period when businesses have experienced huge disruption, a fresh digital marketing...
The ICT industry has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic — despite the fact...
Without a steady cash flow and streamlined payment processes, it can be difficult to sustain your...


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The white goods giant Whirlpool is to recall an extra 55,000 washing machines after identifying possible faults in a further 21 models, nearly five months after announcing its original recall of more than half a million units in UK homes which were at risk of catching fire.
Up to 519,000 appliances sold under its Hotpoint and Indesit brands between October 2014 and February 2018 were a fire risk because they could be affected by a door lock flaw that could lead to overheating, the US company admitted in December last year.
The company revealed today it has now located 210,000 affected machines on its original recall list – equivalent to 40% – since launching a national campaign to track them down in January. That month it added another 5,000 to the list.
But today it further expanded the recall, saying the integration of Indesit’s computer system with Whirlpool had recently revealed the additional “at risk” machines.
More than 3.1 million people have now contacted the company to check if their washing machines are part of the recall, it added, while over 95% of these people have been given peace of mind that their appliances are not affected.
The announcement, made in agreement with the government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) which is monitoring the situation, sought to reassure owners of the machines that might be faulty that they can still have them repaired by engineers or replaced – for free – during the lockdown. Engineers entering peoples’ homes will be required to adhere to social distancing and will wear full personal protective equipment, it said.
The company is continuing to advise consumers with affected models to unplug their machine until it can be repaired or replaced, or to wash at only 20C or colder if they have to use it. The alternative is washing by hand as public launderettes are now closed.
Jeff Noel, a vice president of Whirlpool, said: “We remain committed to this recall in spite of the global coronavirus pandemic. With people spending more time at home under the current social distancing measures, it’s more important than ever that this safety issue is tackled swiftly.”
Electrical safety and consumer groups expressed their concern that potentially dangerous machines were still in UK homes. Lesley Rudd, chief executive of the charity Electrical Safety First said: “It is alarming that five months into this recall we are only now hearing of these extra models which pose a risk to owners. This new discovery throws into question the robustness of the original investigation. It’s vital that these machines are removed from people’s homes as soon as possible.”
The washing machine recall comes in the wake of criticism of Whirlpool for selling more than 5m fire-prone tumble dryers that the company failed to recall for four years until forced to do so by the government’s regulator.
Unlike the issues relating to the washing machine recall there were a number of high-profile fires linked to the recalled tumble dryers which were reported to have caused devastating damage.
At the end of last year, Whirlpool agreed to pay an undisclosed amount in compensation to victims of the Shepherds Court fire which broke out in 2016, leaving many residents in the west London tower block needing alternative accommodation.
Source: Read Full Article


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Nintendo claimed the top two spots among best-selling new videogame systems in the U.S. again in March, despite widespread shortages.
In the first quarter of 2007, Wii has already sold over 1 million systems in America, and the Nintendo DS stands at almost 1.25 million for the same period. According to NPD sell-through information over the first five months of its availability, the Wii is the fastest-selling new console in over a decade.
So far this year, Nintendo has sold more videogame systems than all other manufacturers combined. While shipments of the Wii hardware are expected to grow based on increased production, demand remains at unprecedented levels. For the Nintendo DS, the highly anticipated releases of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl on Sunday will guarantee Nintendo’s continued success in Q2 and beyond.


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The partnership gives customers an easily deployable solution that controls online traffic.
Akamai Technologies, Inc. and Queue-it, a startup that provides virtual waiting room software, have announced the expansion of their solution to offer enterprises a better way to handle surges in website traffic. The partnership gives customers an easily deployable solution that controls online traffic, treats site visitors fairly, and scales across Akamai’s Intelligent Edge Platform.
Akamai and Queue-it first partnered in March 2021 on a joint “Vaccine Edge” offering, which helped governments and health systems worldwide handle spikes in COVID-19 vaccine registration site traffic. The partnership lets enterprises integrate Queue-it’s virtual waiting room without touching their codebase via Akamai’s EdgeWorkers edge computing solution.
“Everything from hyped product releases to critical government applications now happen online,” said Queue-it CEO Niels Henrik Sodemann. “The expanded Akamai-Queue-it partnership helps today’s leading enterprises deliver fair online experiences no matter how much traffic the internet throws their way.”
“Today’s news shows the role edge computing can play in executing on critical internet campaigns across various business models,” said Shawn Michels, Vice President, Edge Product Management, Akamai. “Much like Akamai and Queue-it helped governments and health systems rapidly spin up vaccine registration waiting room capabilities, any organization doing business online can easily and securely deploy the same functions at massive scale.”
The Akamai-Queue-it solution is available to customers globally. For more information about the capabilities and simple implementation process, visit https://queue-it.com/blog/akamai-edgeworkers-waiting-room/.


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Poland is willing to provide information about the beef scandal
Poland must deliver by March 25 all the information regarding the implementation of actions previously recommended by the European Commission in order to eliminate all restrictions applied by the Czech Republic on Polish beef exports.
At the beginning of this month, Czech Minister of Agriculture Miroslav Toman has asked the European Commission to mandatory checks on Polish beef exported in the EU after finding the presence of salmonella in one consignment of beef from Poland. At that time, minister Toman expressed his belief that this is the right measure to follow until the Polish side provides convincing evidence that the slaughter of animals is carried out under veterinary supervision, and hygiene during meat production meets the requirements of legal regulations.
A tripartite meeting was held on March 18 in Brussels on the withdrawal by the Czech Republic of restrictive checks on beef originating in Poland. It was attended by Polish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski, Czech Minister of Agriculture Miroslav Toman and EU Commissioner for Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis. The parts have agreed upon the subject with the condition that Polish officials will provide this information until March 25 to their Czech counterparts.
(Photo source: Gov.pl)
The entire supply chain in South Australia is to benefit from AU$7.5 million state funding with a...


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Stephane Ashpool, founder of French label and retailer Pigalle, has been awarded the ANDAM Grand Prix style award, marking the first time a label with a streetwear vibe has won the prestigous French award. Past winners include Gareth Pugh, Anthony Vaccarello, Giles Deacon, Iris Van Herpen and Maison Martin Margiela to name a few. The prize will allow Ashpool to expand his label’s production and also have global distribution via The Corner.com. He will also as receive a cash prize and mentoring from Chanel’s president of global fashion, Bruno Pavlovsky.
Founded in 2008, Pigalle gained cult status as a niche streetwear brand with limited distribution and a devoted following among the trendsetters like Asap Rocky who famously rocked a lot of Pigalle in 2013 and contributed to the label’s international visibility. Of the influential rapper, Ashpool has said, “He’s from Harlem, which is in my opinion is one of the places in the world that can build trends. They come out with trends… and then the rest of the world, step by step, follows.”


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Dawn of a new era at Pall-Ex
Pall-Ex has become the first UK palletised network to be owned by personnel from within the business and throughout the membership.
The founder of Pall-Ex, former Dragons’ Den star Hilary Devey, sold the business in October for an undisclosed sum.
Founder members of Pall-Ex David Fairbrother of ADD Express Ltd, Maggie Larimore of PMB Pallets Ltd and Craig Stevens of STD Developments Ltd, negotiated the transaction alongside Kevin Buchanan, Group Managing Director of Pall-Ex. RUN D.M.C Investments Ltd, a company created by David Fairbrother, Maggie Larimore and Craig Stevens, funded the initial membership part of the acquisition.
Maggie Larimore, one of the founder-directors of Run D.M.C, commented: “We are delighted that more than 70% of Pall-Ex’s UK membership will be shareholders and that the senior management have chosen to commit their long-term futures to help us grow.”
Kevin Buchanan, CEO of Pall-Ex Group, said: “The senior management have bought into a five-year vision to build Pall-Ex, which is already an outstanding brand, into a market-leading European network. We are already in discussion with our International partners to invest further into Pall-Ex Group to deliver an ambitious development programme. We are also actively growing our UK network membership, to further increase our shareholder members within Pall-Ex UK.”
“I am excited about this journey and how far we can take the business, we have some key developments happening in the next few weeks, and so will be releasing information about these in due course.”
The new owners are also discussing shareholder options with Pall-Ex’s International partners, to further grow the European arm of the business.
Ms Devey, who started Pall-Ex in 1996, decided to step away from the day-to-day running of the business after almost 25 years, but will continue to work with the new owners in an ambassador role.
Pall-Ex recently won a Global Freight Awards for its MyNexus system. Technology is now at the forefront of the business, with major advancements expected in the next few months, including a ‘pioneering’ Transport Management System (TMS).
Since distributing 117 pallets on its first night on 29th November 1996, Pall-Ex has grown into a European network that handles thousands of pallets every night, with partnerships established across the continent.
Posted on: December 4th 2019


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In just over a week, Sydney craft mecca The Quarrymans will host its second annual Craft Cider Festival, featuring an all-star line-up.
Taking place Saturday, 14 March, Australian breweries such as Young Henry’s, Prickly Moses, Australian Brewery, Batlow Cider and Bilpin Cider will have stalls to showcase their drinks in the country’s fastest-growing category.
Complementing the cider will be a pig-on-a-spit in the beer garden, as well as an apple-bobbing competition, with delicious prizes up for grabs.
“Cider is one of the fastest growing drink categories at the moment, with Australian breweries leading the way,” says Nick Tindall, general manager of Laundy Hotels, adding the Quarrymans hosting an event such as this is a “no-brainer”.
“The staff and I at the Quarrymans Hotel pride ourselves on bringing new and exciting experiences to pub patrons, and our Cider Festival will definitely be one of them.”
Tickets are $30 available now at the hotel, and include five standard ciders.


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Sipher raises $6.8 million for its World of Sipheria game
Vietnamese game developer Sipher has announced a $6.8 million seed round.
The investment was led by
- Arrington Capital (Enjin)
- Hashed (Sky Mavis, Mythical, The Sandbox) , and
- Konvoy Ventures (Sky Mavis)
Other investors included Dragonfly Capital, BitKraft, Delphi Digital, Alameda, Yield Guild and various angels.
Sipher was founded by local billionaire Nguyen Trung Tin, who is the company’s CEO.
“First and foremost, games are meant to be fun,” Tin says.
“They are meant to be social. They are meant to invigorate, excite and bring people together for a common purpose, to enjoy time spent with each other.
“This is true for the most classic and for the most futurist of games. This is what makes games the most powerful medium for sharing and discovering amazing moments together.”
To-date Sipher has launched 10,000 of its genesis Sipher Inu NFTs and plans to launch its first playable version of its game World of Sipheria, which includes coop dungeons soon.
There will also be another 10,000 NFT launch under the title Sipherian Flash, with more planned over the next 12 months, including a land NFT sale.
World of Sipher is a casual fighting and exploration game, built on the Ethereum blockchain that is planned for a full release in 2023.


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The stage is set for a sizzling showdown as Australia’s best butchers prepare to battle it out for the prestigious titles of 2019 National Sausage King.
After winning their way through regional and state rounds, 48 finalists from around the country will be hoping to snag victory in the Grand Final cook off in Fremantle, WA on Saturday, 16th February 2019.
The annual event will be contested across six categories: Traditional Australian Beef, Traditional Australian Pork, Poultry, Australian Lamb, Continental and Gourmet where butchers have free creative licence.
In 2019, this has led to culinary creations with mouth-watering ingredients like Canadian maple and smokey bacon as well as more unusual combinations like wallaby, tomato and jalapeno.
Judges will score both raw and cooked sausages, grading them for flavour and texture as well as shrinkage, splitting and crinkling.
Contestants must also ensure that their sausages meet Australian Food Standards Code by containing at least 50 percent fat free meat.
Organised by the Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) the competition attracts huge interest from the nation’s 3200 independent butchers and is widely regarded as the meat industry’s premier event.
“Every year we are amazed at the interest we receive from butchers across Australia from country towns to capital cities,” said AMIC Chief Executive, Patrick Hutchinson.
“It’s an event that just gets bigger and shows that butchers still play an important role.”
And the statistics prove it: each year, Australians spend $660 million on about 94 million kilograms of sausages and despite the growing popularity of gourmet varieties, the traditional beef banger remains the most popular.
Along with a new National Sausage King, the Best Butcher’s Burger will be awarded in beef and gourmet categories where again, imaginations have run wild with entries including taco beef and sweetcorn and an adventurous lemongrass burger in shredded coconut.
“Innovation really has been the key for butchers as they continue to evolve and develop their offering to meet the demands of customers who are often keen to try new and exotic pairings while also enjoying the traditional range,” said Mr. Hutchinson.
And emerging talent will be recognized too with young finalists from each state being put through some grueling challenges in their bid to become National Apprentice of the Year.
Source: Australian Meat Industry Council


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USDA is releasing new farm program payment information that could help set the record straight about who actually receives a wide array of farm-related government payments and why.
Responding to a new Freedom of Information Act request, USDA has begun releasing information from the Farm Service Agency’s Permitted Entity File and is scheduled to start providing information from its Section 1614 Database in August.
While expressing concerns about possible violations of privacy rights from the disclosures, farm organizations say they believe the releases may help clear up misconceptions about farm program payments, including those created by the Environmental Working Group Web site.
“Especially given identity theft concerns, American students or senior citizens would not want their names splashed in a newspaper because they received school loans, grants or social security benefits, and our farm families should have the same reasonable expectation of privacy,” said Paul Combs, chairman of the USA Rice Producers Group.
“Nonetheless, the tracking of farm payment amounts will help conclusively prove that farm critics have been resorting to distortions and half-truths when the facts do not suit them.”
Last week’s release of payment information by USDA disclosed information from the Permitted Entity File, a mechanism created in the late 1970s to administer the then-new farm program payment limitation rules.
The PEF maintains records on the relationship between a parent entity and all embedded entities and individuals within them, but does not include information on how a parent entity distributes dollars among its members.
In the past, farmer-owned cooperatives have been singled out for negative newspaper articles and speeches on the floor of Congress because of millions of dollars in farm program payments – such as loan deficiency payments – that were actually passed on to members by the cooperatives.
Entities for farm program payment purposes can include corporations, joint stock companies, associations, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, limited liability companies, irrevocable trusts, revocable trusts, estates, charitable organizations or similar organizations, but not cooperatives.
The 1614 database information is being compiled in compliance with Section 1614 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. The 2002 farm bill says payments to farmers must be tracked directly to a person, rather than to a corporate structure, to ensure farmers are in compliance with limitations on farm payments.
When completed the database will include information about the allocation of direct and indirect benefits to entities and individuals receiving payments through entities.
USDA officials say the database will include benefits issued from October 2002 to March 2006 by the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and other government agencies.
The Environmental Working Group has gained considerable notoriety since it began listing farm program payment recipients on its Web site in November 2004. The EWG claims it has received 54,655,850 hits on the Web site as of June 13.
e-mail: [email protected]


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Twitter says it will no longer provide updates to its app for devices running iOS 9 and older. In the changelog for the most recent iteration of the app, Twitter explained that it is “streamlining our app development for all clients. As a result, devices on iOS 9 or older will no longer receive updates from Twitter.” Twitter goes on to say that people interested in the latest features, bug fixes, and security improvements to the app will need to update their iPhone or iPad to iOS 10 or higher. Apple’s iOS 9 is nearing three years old, and Apple is on the cusp of releasing iOS 12. Twitter for iOS 9 will still offer base functionality.
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Disney on Thursday announced that its Disney+ streaming service has hit 86.8 million subscribers. It reached that milestone in just 13 months after its launch. Disney also announced that it will raise the price of the popular streaming service by $1 per month, starting March 26, 2021.
The monthly cost for Disney+ will increase to $7.99 a month or $79.99 per year. The Disney Bundle, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Plus, will also increase by a dollar to $13.99 a month.
Both bits of news came on Disney Investor Day, which saw the company announce new franchises and content coming to the service, including 10 new Marvel series, 10 new Star Wars series, and multiple Disney Animation studios projects.
Disney appears to be following Netflix’s lead when it comes to price increases. Disney’s streaming rival last raised its prices in October. Netflix COO Greg Peters said that if Netflix is delivering more value for users, then there is “an opportunity to occasionally go back” and ask members “to pay a little bit more.” Apparently, Disney feels the same way about its service.


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About Curaleaf Holdings, Inc.
According to financial analysts, Curaleaf Holdings Inc. is presently selling cannabis at an annual rate of roughly $1 billion per year, and executives expect that only to increase: During the COVID pandemic in 2020, U.S. sales of legal marijuana/cannabis product grew 46 percent year-over-year to $17.5 billion, and Curaleaf surfed that wave well, watching its stock soar 274 percent.
Founded under the name PalliaTech in 2010, Curaleaf originally operated out of New Jersey, with a research center in Colorado. Financier Boris Jordan’s investment group Sputnik took a 35 percent stake in 2013, and in 2018, before going public on the Canadian Securities Exchange, the company changed its name to Curaleaf. Jordan is still on the board as Executive Chairman.
Currently headquartered in Wakefield, MA, Curaleaf has made solid growth over time through acquisitions in the cannabis industry: Most recently, it acquired the cannabis oil brand Select in 2019, and the following year it acquired Colorado-based infused-edibles maker BlueKudu—and with its 2020 purchase of Chicago-based competitor Grassroots Cannabis, Curaleaf became the world's largest cannabis company by revenue. The acquisition of Select was synergized into a partnership with music and pop culture magazine Rolling Stone, to create new cannabis products. As Gus Wenner, Rolling Stone’s president and COO, commented at the signing of the deal, “Music and cannabis go hand in hand.” Known as “Rolling Stone by Select,” the line will feature two products: a pre-roll as well as a proprietary pod system, with those formats including a number of strains and flavors.
Employing around 4,000 people, the company operates 101 dispensaries, 22 cultivation sites, and 30 processing sites in 23 states. Curaleaf says it wants to maintain close relationships with its communities, from hiring locally to supporting community initiatives, adding, “Our scale means that we also have the resources necessary to lift up and support small businesses to facilitate a dynamic and diverse cannabis industry.” Curaleaf offers good—even great—pay (depending on your specific occupation in the company), health insurance, free lunches, and other benefits, including discounts at the dispensaries.
301 Edgewater Place, Suite 405
Wakefield, MA 01880
Phone: (781) 451-0150
Employer Type: Public
Founder and Executive Chairman: Boris Jordan
CFO: Joe Bayern
CEO: Ranjan Kalia
Trimming & Packaging


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July 25, 2014
The government is hoping the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will repeat the success of London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics – on and off the track and field.
Figures just published reveal that the key aim to give British trade and industry a £11bn boost in the four years following the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics has been surpassed in half that time.
According to the second annual Olympic legacy report, £14.2bn has been generated in contracts, direct investment and additional sales. Following the games, tourism businesses benefited greatly as international visits to the UK increased by 6% in 2013 to 33m, with a 13% rise in visitor spend to £21bn.
Almost three quarters (70%) of all Commonwealth Games contracts have been awarded to Scottish businesses, many of them smaller in size, while UK Trade & Investment says British businesses are anticipating £7bn of sales in Commonwealth countries overseas during Glasgow 2014.
The Prime Minister, David Cameron, said: "Part of our long-term economic plan is about promoting every part of our country to the world and Glasgow's Commonwealth Games will give us another fantastic platform to do this. It follows on from London 2012, which was not just an amazing sporting event, but also a great opportunity to secure a lasting economic and sporting legacy for the whole UK.
"This government will continue to work on behalf of every hardworking business in the UK to drum up trade, encourage investment and pave the way for growth so we can generate jobs, pay our way in the world, and create stability, security and a brighter future for our country. I'm confident we can build on our experience in London and make Glasgow 2014 so much more than just an amazing sporting event."
Business secretary Vince Cable added: "The delivery of London 2012 on time and on budget led to hosting nations turning to the UK to help deliver their own events, with supply opportunities running into the billions. The UK's future prosperity will not come from relying on domestic markets alone and during the Commonwealth Games we are giving another major push to encourage firms across the UK to sell overseas and foreign businesses to invest here."
Addressing a business conference in Glasgow before the games officially opened, Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, said: "One of the Commonwealth Games committee's proudest boasts is that 70% of all contracts have gone to local businesses in Scotland, and ensure that the games create employment and training opportunities for thousands of young people. The legacy of these Commonwealth Games won't just be the magnificent physical infrastructure that all of you will see as you go through this city. The real legacy will be the impact on people - the human legacy."
The revamping and building of Glasgow 2014 venues alone has created 6,000 jobs and provided a £52m boost to the Scottish economy, according to a report published in April by the Scottish government.


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Track Car Performance Magazine is pleased to announce a new partnership with the MSA Time Attack Championship.
In 2017, Track Car Performance, published by Kimberley Media Group, will become the official media partner for the series, covering all the season’s eight rounds.
Originating on the race tracks of Japan, Time Attack has risen to become one of the most significant and engaging motorsport phenomena of our time.
Travelling to some of the UK’s top circuits, Time Attack strives to inspire an entirely new generation of car and motorsport enthusiasts and consequently the events regularly attract huge numbers of spectators.
“Time Attack is all about nailing down the quickest lap time on any given day,” explains Time Attack UK founder Andy Barnes. “It defines the art of purposeful car modifications, by rewarding aftermarket tuning champions and embracing the entire spectrum of tuning levels, from track day production cars to full-blown, record-smashing, 1,000+ horsepower monsters.”
Introduced in 2006, the UK Championship has grown into the largest and most professional Time Attack series in the World.
In 2010, it was formally recognised by the Motor Sports Association (MSA), the UK governing body of motorsport, as an official form of motorsport with specific rules and formats, now written into the MSA Yearbook.
Multiple classes are employed to give relevance and purpose to a wide variety of cars and drivers, from entry-level street classes to the Pro categories. This results in close competition and sees drivers pushing the limit in order to set the fastest lap time of the day.
Organisers are keen to point out that it’s easy to get involved, as Championship coordinator Simon Slade explains: “Our Clubman classes are based on standard specification cars and the rules follow production sprint and hill climb regulations. Therefore, all you need is a decent seat, a set of harnesses and a hand-held fire extinguisher plus a race suit and helmet for the driver – and that’s it! It’s a non-contact sport – unlike racing – and as it’s all about setting the fastest lap, there’s no head-to-head competition.
“Our Clubman classes are based on standard specification cars and the rules follow production sprint and hillclimb regulations. Therefore, all you need is a decent seat, a set of harnesses and a hand-held fire extinguisher, plus a race suit and helmet for the driver – and that’s it!
“It’s a non-contact sport – unlike racing – and as it’s all about setting the fastest lap; there’s no head-to-head competition. Therefore, drivers are more likely to go home with the same shape car they started with, which is always a bonus.”
William Kimberley, editor-in-chief of Track Car Performance Magazine, said: “We are delighted to become the official media partner of the UK Time Attack Championship.
“At Track Car Performance, our aim and game is to discover, uncover and celebrate the world of track car competition, from ‘Bring Your Own Vehicle’ meets, to full-on competition days.
“Motorsport doesn’t have to be expensive, and it doesn’t have to be traditional. Time Attack UK is an exciting and growing championship for all to enjoy and we’re very much looking forward to working with them this season.”


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Beverage giant PepsiCo on Monday purchased Israel's fizzy drink maker SodaStream for US$3.2 billion, a boon for a company that has enjoyed a resurgence after being targeted by anti-Israel boycotters in the past.
PepsiCo said it was acquiring all SodaStream's outstanding shares at $144 per share, a 32 per cent premium to the 30-day volume weighted average price.
Earlier this month, SodaStream reported its strongest results in company history, a 31 per cent year-over-year jump in revenues to $172 million, an 89 per cent leap in operating profit to $32 million and an 82 per cent climb by net profit to $26 million.
READ: Why sparkling water is positively bubbly
PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi called the companies "an inspired match" since both companies aim to reduce waste and limit their environmental footprint.
"Together, we can advance our shared vision of a healthier, more-sustainable planet," she said.
SodaStream produces machines that allow people to make fizzy drinks in their own homes and has positioned itself as a provider of a healthy product in contrast to traditional sugary, carbonated drinks. SodaStream CEO Daniel Birnbaum said the move with PepsiCo marked a "validation of our mission to bring healthy, convenient and environmentally friendly beverage solutions to consumers around the world."
READ: Coke looks to water machines as new cash stream
Three years ago, SodaStream shut down its West Bank factory amid international boycott calls and opened a sprawling new factory deep in Israel's Negev Desert instead. Actress Scarlett Johansson was previously a brand ambassador for the company. She parted ways with the international charity Oxfam because of a dispute over her work with SodaStream.
Monday's sale looks to inject another big tax payout to Israel following previous the sales of Israeli companies such as the mobile navigation app Waze, which was acquired by Google for about $1 billion, and Mobileye, which produces technology for self-driving cars and was gobbled up by Intel last year for $15 billion.


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In an attempt to pass his economic stimulus package President Obama was recently quoted as saying, "I don’t care if you are driving in a hybrid or an SUV, if you are driving toward a cliff you’ve got to change directions."
It could be construed that his statement was meant to suggest that hybrid owners are Democrats while SUV owners are Republicans.
But do the facts and more importantly demographics bear out this suggestion?
According to Hybridcars.com the typical Prius driver is not your Hollywood hipster 20-something-year-old but instead older than the average car buyer—closer to 50 rather than the average age of 40.
The site also goes on to report that:
- hybrid drivers have higher levels of education
- Twice as likely to claim to go skiing, hiking, or practice yoga than non-hybrid owners.
- They consume more organic food, yogurt, and decaffeinated coffee than the general population.
group also indicated above-average tech savvy skills. Within the last
month, 78 percent used e-mail. Nearly a third either used their mobile
phone for text messaging or taking photographs, while more than a third
used a digital-video recorder, satellite TV, or a video game system.
- Politically, 14 percent called themselves Republican, 38 percent Democrat, and 34 percent identify
So perhaps Obama was correct about the political demographics of hybrid drivers.
Hybrid car sales have certainly fallen of a cliff.
According to the most recent report in USA Today:
"Sales of the leading hybrid, Toyota's Prius,
which has no gasoline equivalent, fell 28.6% last month vs. January
last year, Autodata says. That was less than Toyota's 31.7% overall
drop but a far cry from last summer when dealers had waiting lists for
It's a "very bad car market, but Prius is not
immune," says Toyota spokesman Mike Michels. "Gas prices have abated to
a point that people have a fairly short memory." Regular gas averaged
$1.91 a gallon nationwide Thursday vs. $2.98 a year ago, AAA says."


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SMALL BUSINESS LOANS New bill would allow cannabis businesses to apply for SBA loans Democratic U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen of
Jazz Pharmaceuticals Jazz Pharmaceuticals, which has become the world’s largest exporter of medical cannabis products since it bought GW Pharmaceuticals
MIDTERM ELECTIONS How will congressional election outcomes affect cannabis reform? The midterm congressional election will have significant implications for federal
FAB 5 FREDDY New York, Hip Hop culture and the normalization of cannabis As cannabis legalization spreads, Hip Hop artists
CBD RESEARCH Researchers find that CBD has heavy metals and plastic contaminants More than 500 products analyzed by a team
COLOMBIAN CANNABIS US delegation on a cannabis fact finding mission in Colombia A U.S. congressional delegation has visited Colombia on
AMID the economic chaos that dominated the headlines over the past week, nearly half-a-dozen UK-based or UK-listed cannabis companies released
COMMITED TO SAFE Schumer is still committed to cannabis banking reform The House sponsor of the Secure and Fair Enforcement
The Arizona state University study found high levels of contaminants in cannabis products.
© 2023 Prohibition Holdings Ltd. All Rights Reserved.


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GamersFirst is in the minds of gamers for its successful relaunch of APB: Reloaded, which went from a lightning-fast shutdown to a successful free-to-play title. The company is also developing new games based on original IPs for future release. But there's some rumbling going on behind the scenes at the company, as the company's parent corporation, K2 Network, saw the resignation of its CEO, Joshua Hong. Bjorn Book-Larsson, former COO and CTO, has been promoted to the CEO position, with Hong's future uncertain.
The official statements claim that the transition of power was amicable and pre-arranged, but it also comes on the heels of worldwide layoffs from K2 and rumors of a power struggle behind the scenes. Rahul Sandil, the company's public relations chief, claimed that there was no truth to these rumors and that the plan was to move forward from simple localizations of titles developed in foreign markets. Sandil went on to confirm that APB: Reloaded continues to be a large-scale success for the company and that further development will be centered around work that Book-Larsson had already seen during his time as CTO and COO.


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According to developers who signed up to the Accelerator, they’re finding themselves with a major advantage over other local app-makers in being shown how to incorporate Apple’s latest tech. And it’s working out pretty well for Apple, too!
Apple’s brand new App Accelerator in Bengaluru, India, is officially open for business!
Plans for the 40,000-square-foot office space were first announced by Tim Cook during his visit to India last year. The App Accelerator’s purpose is to offer guidance, inspiration, tutorials, and feedback to local developers building iOS, tvOS, watchOS, and Mac OS apps.


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Digital payments firm MobiKwik has entered into the wealth management business with acquisition of Clearfunds, an online wealth management platform.
This is the first acquisition made by MobiKwik. It will help the brand to strengthen its foothold in the digital financial services sector.
The financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed. But, MobiKwik said that it is planning to invest $15 million over the next year to scale up its wealth management business.
107 million customers of MobiKwik will soon be able to start investing in mutual funds.
Upasana Taku, Co-founder and Director, MobiKwik, said, "This acquisition will help us get a headstart in the wealth management domain. We will continue to look at strategic investments or acquisitions that can add value to our business."
"This is the first-ever acquisition by MobiKwik as we look to build out our full-stack fintech platform and deliver more financial products to our 107 million-plus customer base. We will continue to look at strategic investments or acquisitions that can add value to our business," Taku added.
Post acquisition, Kunal Bajaj, Clearfunds Founder and CEO, will lead MobiKwiks wealth management business. He has around 18 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to starting Clearfunds, Kunal was Managing Director and Head of equity sales at Jefferies India.


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Rent-A-Center Donates $20,000 to Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan
October 15, 2013 Business News(PRLEAP.COM) Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan recently received a donation of $20,000 from Rent-A-Center. Cost of food can be high and millions of people in the United States live in food-insecure households. That is the reason behind Rent-A-Center's donation of $250,000 to eleven food banks across the nation this year.
The donation comes on the heels of another recent donation of 10 refrigerators earmarked for partner agencies of the Gleaners Community Food Bank from Rent-A-Center. Cost-cutting has prevented many food banks and other organizations from being able to afford high-quality appliances and other basic necessities.
In addition, a grassroots hunger-relief campaign is being staged across Rent-A-Center's 3000-plus U.S. stores throughout September. Dubbed "Soup to Nuts" and in support of Hunger Action Month, this virtual food drive leverages Rent-A-Center stores as collection points for cash donations. The donated funds will be distributed to food banks across the country at the conclusion of the month-long campaign.
"We appreciate Rent-A-Center's continued support," said Gerry Brisson, Senior Vice President of Advancement of Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan.
Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ: RCII), headquartered in Plano, Texas, operates more than 3,000 stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico. The company employs over 21,000 coworkers. Visit www.rentacenter.com for Rent-A-Center cost and pricing information as well as more information on the company's giving programs.


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Apple’s WWDC will be taking place in the middle of the year and if you were hoping that Apple would take the opportunity to announce a new product, like the iWatch or maybe a revamped Apple TV, you could be disappointed. This is according to Re/code’s John Paczkowski who claims that his sources have informed him otherwise.
According to Paczkowski, “Sources familiar with Apple’s plans tell Code/red that Tim Cook will not use WWDC to unveil Apple’s mythical wearable device. Nor will he use it to show off a new Apple TV, or even preview the new software the company is developing for it.”
Instead it seems that WWDC will be more focused on software, like the upcoming OS X 10.10 and iOS 8, which we guess is to be expected since WWDC is catered towards developers of Apple’s software. Paczkowski’s sources also seems to confirm an earlier report by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who revealed what he thinks is Apple’s roadmap for 2014.
Kuo’s report states that devices like the new iPhone, iPad, iWatch, and Apple TV will only be launched in the later part of the year, towards the end of Q3 2014 to be exact, which is why we can’t say we’re too surprised to find out that WWDC will be keeping its focus on software, not hardware.
Of course nothing is official until Apple makes it official, but in the meantime we suggest that you keep your hopes and expectations down to a minimum, lest you end up being disappointed. However for Mac and iOS users, we guess there’s still the changes and upgrades in OS X 10.10 and iOS 8 that we can look forward to.


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Weak retail sales could be a bad sign for the nation's economy in 2014.
If you've been busy shoveling snow and haven't heard yet, retail sales fell 0.4 percent in January, a weak reading considering Wall Street was expecting sales to be unchanged from the previous month.
Nasty weather has played a big role in the dearth of spending, even though shopping is an All-American pursuit that ranks right up there with watching a ballgame or sipping a cocktail.
Americans are more hunkered down in survival mode than they are a live-and-let-live mentality. "You can't focus on your normal life. We are not being consumers," says Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist ...


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Henrik Fisker is relaunching his namesake automotive company and kudos to Jack Kavanaugh and his Fiskar Nanotech team on their technological advances leading to the development of a new battery pack that will achieve unparalled range and longer battery life!
Henrik Fisker Is Starting a Namesake Car Company Again
According to the legendary automotive designer, the new brand will come out with a technologically advanced, premium electric car sometime in 2017.
Henrik Fisker has relaunched his namesake company, he told Bloomberg.
The charismatic Dane said his newly minted Fisker, Inc. will showcase a premium, all-electric vehicle in the second half of 2017. In a private phone call on Monday, he called it a “spiritual successor” to the Fisker Karma electric car he launched in 2012.
“We have really been working in stealth mode,” Fisker said. “For the last two years, I have been looking at battery technologies and wanted to see if there was something that could really give us a new paradigm. We had the strategy of developing the technology as fast as possible without getting tied down to a large organization, which would hold us back. Now we have the technology that nobody else has. And there is nobody even close to what we are doing out there.”
The designer credited with creating the BMW Z8, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and Aston Martin DB9 saw his Fisker Automotive Inc. go through a structured bankruptcy auction in February 2014, where Wanxiang Group bought certain assets, excluding the Fisker brand. Fisker, Inc. is Henrik Fisker’s new entity and Fisker Nanotech is its battery division, a new private corporation based in northern California. Fisker is the chairman and chief executive officer of Fisker Inc; Jack Kavanaugh is the chairman of Fisker Nanotech.
Details about the new car—and specifically, the new technology—remain scarce. Kavanaugh said he hopes they will achieve unparalleled range and battery life, thanks in part to a new packaging method and to lightweight materials in the battery pack.
“The technology emanates from several professors from UCLA who have been working on energy storage,” Kavanaugh said, noting that the batteries will contain some lithium but not be the conventional lithium-ion batteries found in such things as the Tesla Model S. “We have already developed prototypes that you won’t see anywhere else.”
The team claims that the new Fisker model, which has yet to be named, will deliver more than 400 miles in driving range and possess an industry-leading battery life that will potentially match the life of the vehicle. The plan is to develop it at Fisker Nanotech’s prototype-and-manufacturing facilities in California, Kavanaguh said. It will feature more rear legroom and headroom than any of its closest competitors.
If all goes according to plan, the car will also lead the way for Fisker Inc. to develop and produce a second, mass-market, affordable electric vehicle in the years following the initial car’s launch. That one will retail for less than $40,000 but still have a longer electric range than competitors, Fisker said.
Fisker, who lives in Los Angeles, said the ultimate goal of creating the new battery technology is to sell it to an OEM (original equipment manufacturer). The idea is to move the entire auto industry, as it were, from VHS to DVD mode, he said.
“Fisker will be doing all of the testing, and that gives us a huge advantage, but that doesn’t mean we will be sitting on [the technology] alone,” he said. “We will also be looking at selling this technology to other OEMs because if you want to reach true mass-market potential, we need probably, eventually, an OEM. We are having very superficial discussions right now with a couple of them.”
Meanwhile, Fisker is maintaining imposing production schedule in many fields, including roles as head of design and product strategy at VLF Automotive, the company he founded with Bob Lutz and Gilbert Villarreal in January 2016, and as CEO of HF Design, a design-and-innovation company that makes products for automotive, lifestyle, home, education, and smart devices. The company launched a 164-foot super-yacht series with Benetti Yachts earlier this year.
Fisker declined to say much about how it will look; expect to see images by mid-2017.


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There is little question that this has been a rough weekend for Samsung executives, who have been dealing with the latest events in a public relations nightmare that just won’t stop unfolding. It all started shortly after Samsung released its new flagship Galaxy Note 7 phablet, when reports that the phone was spontaneously exploding began sweeping the web. Samsung would ultimately determine that some units were equipped with faulty batteries, and the company had no choice but to issue a global recall of the 2.5 million handsets that had been shipped to distributors worldwide.
But that was only the beginning.
Samsung was quick to state that the problematic batteries that were causing Galaxy Note 7 handsets to go up in flames all came from one factory. So the company shifted all production to another supplier and began shipping replacement devices to retailers so that they could swap out affected Note 7 models for new “safe” phones. Of course, you’ll immediately notice that placing the word “safe” in quotes does not bode well.
Replacement Note 7s then began exploding. The first reported incident happened aboard an airplane on the tarmac, and then a replacement Note 7 reported ignited and burned a 13-year-old girl’s hand. But the most damning report thus far involved a Kentucky man who was in contact with Samsung after his replacement Note 7 exploded. Despite the obvious and serious risk these new Note 7 phones appear to present, Samsung said nothing and even considered trying to “slow him down” so that he wouldn’t go to the media with news of his exploding phone.
Several additional reports have since surfaced, and now it appears as though Samsung is finally beginning to take action. The company has reportedly halted production of the Galaxy Note 7 while it investigates these new incidents, and all US carriers have stopped selling the phone. What’s more, wireless carriers are allowing returns or exchanges regardless of when a Note 7 was purchased or swapped.
The company has stayed quiet over the past week as reports piled up, but on Sunday Samsung finally issued a brief statement.
“We are working diligently with authorities and third party experts and will share findings when we have completed the investigation,” a Samsung spokesperson told The Verge. “Even though there are a limited number of reports, we want to reassure customers that we are taking every report seriously. If we determine a product safety issue exists, Samsung will take immediate steps approved by the CPSC to resolve the situation.”
No, this response doesn’t do much to appease users who now wonder whether or not their Note 7 devices are ticking time bombs, but at least the silence has been broken. Regardless of what happens at this point though, BGR still recommends that all Galaxy Note 7 owners return or exchange their phones immediately in order to ensure their own safety and the safety of those around them.


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Exciting news out of Chicago and New York for the design industry:
VSA Partners has announced that they have acquired ownership of Tender Creative, a New York based digital creative agency. Tender Creative has had a strong emphasis in digital design and development and worked on branding solutions for Estee Lauder, Fontainebleau Resorts and MoMA.
VSA and Tender Creative have shared Nike as a client and, eight years ago, worked to rebrand Converse.
In VSA’s attempt to expand and accelerate their digital and brand marketing capabilities and their presence in New York, Dana Arnett, CEO of VSA Partners says “Tender enhances our ability to deliver fully integrated strategic and creative services that very few agencies are able to operationalize in a holistic manner.”
Joining these two companies seems to be the perfect fit. They’ve already worked together and each company is able to compliment the other in what they can bring to the table.
Tender’s co-founder Dean Di Simone is now Partner, Executive Director, of VSA’s New York office. “We are thrilled and motivated by what we’re building together and look forward to shaping the way people see, think about, interact with and experience brands in bigger and more impactful ways,” he says.


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comScore: Apple Leads September 2013 OEM Marketshare at 40.6%
Apple continues to top the US smartphone market with 40.6% of OEM market share in September, 0.1% down compared to a month prior, according to comScore’s most recent report. Google’s Android maintained its position as the #1 smartphone OS with 51.8% of market share in the country.
Smartphone market penetration currently stands at 62% in the US, up from 60.8% recorded a month prior, as 147.9 million people in the country own a smartphone. By comparison Canada has reached 62% of smartphone adoption rate by the end of 2012.
In the race for smartphone market share Apple has maintained its #1 position by retaining 40.6% of market share. The Cupertino-based smartphone OEM was seconded by Samsung with 24.9% while HTC ranked third.
In terms of smartphone OS, Android is still the king of the market with 51.8% share, while Apple maintained a strong second position with 40.6%. BlackBerry retained 3.8% of market share, while Microsoft has grown 0.2% compared to June 2013, as it now accounts for 3.3% of the US smartphone OS market.


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Thick Black Smoke Billows From Parking Garage Fire in Brooklyn
Noxious smoke from a multi-vehicle fire incident at the Kings Plaza shopping center in Brooklyn, New York, filled the immediate area and spread to surrounding neighborhoods on September 17.
The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) alerted an all-hands, multiple-vehicle fire at the Kings Plaza shopping center parking garage at 8:48am, local time. Within an hour the FDNY escalated the situation to a seven-alarm.
No deaths were reported at the time of writing, but the FDNY confirmed three civilian and 18 firefighter injuries, all non-life-threatening.
Credit: Lola Bastinado via Storyful


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Snickers Releases First Manziel Commercial Univ. Of Toledo Signs Deal With Cavaliers 49ers Renew Deal With U.S. Bank College Football Marketing Notes Comcast-NASCAR Deal To Be Announced Bellis Not Likely To Strike Endorsement Deals Jordan, Federer U.S. Open Chat Boosts Sales Tony Hawk Named Sony Action Cam Endorser Jordan Talks Federer Shoe Collaboration Ford Field Gets Title Sponsor For Bowl Game
Upcoming Conferences and Events
SBD/January 27, 2014/Marketing and Sponsorship
As Bobcats Prepare For Name Change, Hornets Gear Producing Record Sales Numbers
Published January 27, 2014
BACK THE BUZZ: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's John Lombardo notes the franchise next year "will have some new business benchmarks." Bobcats officials are "budgeting that the rebranding will push sales of full-season-equivalent tickets to more than 10,000, up from 8,000 this season, and that the club will hit" a 90% renewal rate among current season-ticket holders for the '14-15 season. Team execs said that the Bobcats "have never had" 10,000 full-season ticket holders. Leaguewide, 10,000 is "seen as a key sales benchmark." Meanwhile, the merchandise gains are "expected to continue as well, especially once the team unveils its new uniform this summer" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/27 issue).


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LEGO has done it again. Today, they have released a movie poster based on the upcoming Thor: The Dark World. It is to promote the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes video game coming out later this month. LEGO has a history of releasing movie posters based on various movies such as Iron Man 3 back in April. Thor: The Dark World opens in theaters on November 8th.
**Via USA Today**


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Shanghai hails foreign investment milestones
Shanghai's commercial sector has witnessed remarkable development in the past 30 years, with foreign investment playing a significant role in promoting consumption, boosting market confidence, and creating a global shopping destination.
At the celebration for its 30th anniversary on Thursday, the Commercial Working Committee of Shanghai Foreign Investment Association selected and released the 30 milestone events of foreign investment in Shanghai's commercial sector, reviewing the representative events of opening-up and promoting commercial development, and showing the important role of foreign investment in the city's social and economic development.
The 30 milestone events cover various aspects of the city's commercial sector, such as retail, wholesale, online, offline, catering, home furnishing, sports, entertainment, art and fashion. They also reflect the changes and trends of the city's consumption market, such as the emergence of new business formats, new consumption concepts, new consumer groups, and new consumption scenarios.
In 1989, KFC restaurant in Dongfeng Hotel was the city's first Western fast food outlet. McDonald's, Pizza Hut and others followed suit.
Some of the milestone events are:
- In December 1989, KFC opened its first restaurant in Dongfeng Hotel, the first Western fast food restaurant in Shanghai. McDonald's, Pizza Hut and other western fast food restaurants followed suit, bringing new dining options.
- In July 1992, the State Council issued a reply on the issue of foreign investment in the commercial retail sector, approving the first four foreign-invested retail malls: the Shanghai No. 1 Yaohan Mall, Times Square, Orient Shopping Center and Jusco.
- In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization. To fulfill its commitments, in 2004, the Ministry of Commerce issued the Measures for the Administration of Foreign Investment in the Commercial Sector, allowing foreign investors to set up wholly foreign-owned commercial enterprises in the fields of commission agency, wholesale, retail, and franchising. Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Hermes and a large number of foreign-invested commercial enterprises entered Shanghai.
- In September 2002, the Xintiandi project built by Shui On Group opened, the first urban complex project based on the transformation of old shikumen (stone-gated) buildings.
- In 2018, the city's commerce commission issued the Three-Year Action Plan (2018-2020) to Fully Promote the "Shanghai Shopping" Brand and Accelerate the Construction of an International Consumption City, proposing to make the city a global new product launch site, a leader in international consumption trends, and a "shopping paradise" that everyone yearns for.
- In May 2020, the inaugurated Double Five Shopping Festival kicked off, launching the first Global New Product Debut Season. Louis Vuitton's 2021 spring/summer men's collection, Coach's new winter collection and other products made their global debut in Shanghai, forming new carriers for global launches such as the Shanghai Exhibition Center and the West Bund area in Xuhui District.
- In November 2021, LVMH Group, Kering Group, and Richemont Group, all participated in the fourth China International Import Expo. Since then, the three major luxury groups have attended the expo every year.
Wu Xingbao, executive vice president and secretary-general of the Shanghai Commerce Association, said that the release of the 30 milestone events was not only a systematic review of the foreign-invested enterprises that entered Shanghai, but also a demonstration of the city's long-term commitment to opening up.
Liu Min, deputy director of the Shanghai Commission of Commerce, congratulated and thanked the guests for their contributions to Shanghai's commercial development. She pointed out that over the past 30 years, foreign investment has been an important part of Shanghai's commercial development, while the city has also issued a series of policies to attract and utilize foreign investment, promote consumption, and boost market expectations and confidence.
Shanghai's consumption market has continued to recover this year, reflecting the vitality and resilience of its economy, Liu said. She expressed the hope that "foreign commercial enterprises in the city would further strengthen their confidence in Shanghai's development, seize the opportunities of its modernization, and jointly write a new chapter of its development."


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This E3 2015 trailer shows off quite a bit, including the ability to play as certain amiibos. Seeing Link grab the top of the flagpole while Zelda victory music plays is pretty darn awesome!
It was also announced that the game will include a fun booklet, and sizable one too at nearly 100 pages! In an era where printed material is going the way of digital, this should be an appreciated collectible.
Fans of amiibo will be thrilled to know that Super Mario Maker embraces the popular toys. Compatible amiibo will let Mario take on their appearance via the mystery mushroom, and their are many being planned. A new, larger sized, 8-bit Mario amiibo was also shown off.
With a September 11th 2015 release date, it won’t be long before Mario fans everywhere start crafting the levels of their dreams.


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Ola Electric has re-launch its Ola S1 electric scooter in India. While the S1 electric scooter was launched back last year, Ola Electric pulled it off from the market to meet the sales requirement of its higher variant – the Ola S1 Pro. On Indian Independence day, the company also announced its first electric car which is slated for launch in 2024.
Ola S1 Price and Availability
Since the vanilla Ola S1 is back, the company has brought it at an introductory price of INR 99,999 (ex-showroom). This introductory price will be valid for limited number of buyers of the Ola S1. The company is accepting the booking of S1 at Rs 499 which will be open till August 31 and deliveries will start from September 7. It comes in five colours – Porcelain White, Neo Mint, Coral Glam, Jet Black, and Liquid Silver.
Ola S1 Features
The ARAI-certified range of standard Ola S1 is 141 km while the company claims a ‘True Range’ of 128km in Eco mode. The distance ranges for Normal and Sports modes are 101km and 90km respectively. Ola has made the Hyper mode and cruise control feature exclusive for its S1 Pro variant.
Ola S1 can achieve a maximum speed of 95kmph with an acceleration from 0-40kmph in 3.8 seconds and from 0-60kmph in 5.9 seconds. Ola S1 sports a smaller 3kWh battery pack compared to the 4kWh of S1 Pro but both the electric scooters produce a peak power of 8.5kW. The charging time of the battery is 5 hours.
ALSO READ: Maruti Suzuki launched the Swift S-CNG variant in India
It will run on in-house MoveOS and will get updated Move OS3 with S1 Pro on Diwali. Design and other features remain unchanged including reverse mode, smart touchscreen display, Bluetooth/GPS connectivity, 36L boot space, LED headlamp, alloy wheels, etc.
Ola First Electric Car
Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO and founder of Ola Electric, has announced and revealed highlighting features of Ola’s first electric car. The upcoming EV is buzzed as the fasted and sportiest electric car to be produced in India. It is claimed to gain acceleration from 0-100kmph in just 4 seconds, offer a range of more than 500km per single charge, and drag go-efficient of less than 0.21.
ALSO READ: These are India’s safest cars under ₹20 lakhs [July 2022]
The company also reveals Ola electric car to have assisted driving capability, keyless feature, all-glass roof, and handle-less. Nonetheless, Ola electric car will also run on MoveOS. The brand has, however, not revealed the design but only shown some glimpse with a teaser video.
Mr Aggarwal said during the announcement, “Indian car makers are conservative, thinking that we only want small cars or maybe mid-sized cars. Global automakers think that the Indian market is not ready for world-class technology and sell their ‘hand-me down’ tech in India. We need to change this.”