text:
Apple has announced the date of the WWDC 2023. This year will be an exciting edition, because Apple is expected to announce much more than software updates. We also expect to see Apple's mixed reality headset for the first time. Block your calendar, because these are the dates!
June is always about WWDC for Apple and that is the case again this year. The WWDC is Apple's annual conference for developers, where the latest developments in software (and sometimes hardware) are discussed. As Apple fans, we learn what's new in the latest iOS update, while developers learn how to improve their apps and what new features are coming. The WWDC 2023 has now been officially announced via a press release, with a date. WWDC 2023 will be held from June 5 to June 9, with the important keynote on Monday June 5.
WWDC 2023 date announced: June 5
During the presentation on Monday, June 5 around 7:00 PM Dutch time, Apple will discuss key announcements from WWDC. At least we can expect the unveiling of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS 14, watchOS 10 and more there. Apple highlights the most important improvements for the new features, after which the first beta for developers is released shortly afterwards. During the rest of the week, Apple will discuss how to implement the new features in apps in various sessions for developers. Sometimes some extra useful functions pop up that are not discussed in the presentation. The keynote can be followed via a live stream and at iCulture we will of course report extensively on it, also during the rest of the week.
But it's not just about software. This year we expect a large part of the presentation to be about hardware. Apple's long-awaited mixed reality headset, possibly named Reality Pro, will finally be unveiled here according to the most reliable sources. Apple originally wanted to do that this spring, but that unveiling had to be postponed until WWDC. There is no confirmation yet that Apple's headset will finally be shown. But everything points to it really happening in June.
What can you expect from iCulture?
At iCulture we naturally follow all developments closely. You can read all about the new software updates and other new products on our (mobile) website in extensive articles as soon as the news is announced. This way we keep you informed of all topics that come up during the presentation and you can immediately join the conversation with other iCulture readers in the comments below the articles. Are you not at home or near a computer? We also report on all important news via our Twitter account @iCulture. You can also watch the Apple live stream from this article.
WWDC 2023: Everything about Apple's 2023 developer conference
WWDC 2023 is Apple's annual developer conference for 2023. Every June, Apple announces here all innovations in the field of software. When is WWDC 2023 and how will Apple host it this time? You can read that in our overview of WWDC 2023.
Below you will find Apple’s official Dutch press release:
Apple Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off June 5, 2023
The entire conference is available online to all developers, with a special event at Apple Park on June 5
Swift Student Entries Challenges may be submitted from now until April 19
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA, March 29, 2023 — Apple today announced that this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will take place online June 5-9. In addition, developers and students will have the opportunity to attend a special experience at Apple Park on the first day. All developers have free access to WWDC23, where the latest features of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS are presented. As part of Apple's commitment to providing developers with the best possible support in creating innovative apps, this event gives them the unique opportunity to speak directly with Apple's engineers. In addition, they will be offered insights into new technologies plus a variety of tools to help them realize their vision.
“WWDC is one of our favorite times of the year at Apple because it’s an opportunity to connect come with the talented developers from around the world who make this community so extraordinary,” said Susan Prescott, Apple's Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations.
In addition to keynote and State of the Union announcements, this year's online program includes sessions, one-on-one Labs, and opportunities to interact with Apple engineers and other developers. speak. In addition, developers and students will have the opportunity to attend the keynote and the State of the Union address on June 5 at Apple Park, while the rest of the community watches online. The number of places for this event on location is limited. Check the Apple Developer website or in-app for how to sign up.
WWDC23 will also feature the Swift Student Challenge to support the next generation of developers. This challenge is one of many programs Apple has created to help not only developers, but anyone who enjoys programming and wants to learn more about it. Students from around the world are allowed to build and submit an app playground with a theme of their choice. They work in Swift Playgrounds, a revolutionary iPad and Mac app that allows you to write code in a fun, interactive way with the Swift programming language. Students can now submit their creation for this year's challenge. The deadline is April 19. For more information, visit the Swift Student Challenge website.
Ahead of WWDC23, Apple will announce new information about this conference in the Apple Developer app and on the Apple Developer website.


text:
SsangYong has announced it is developing two electric cars: an electric version of the new Korando crossover and a new petrol-electric hybrid.
The latter is currently nameless, but SsangYong says it will seat five and is slightly smaller than the electric Korando.
The Korando EV has a 179-kilometre range and a 150km/h top speed; though how quick it is and when it will arrive we're not told. Information is scant on the hybrid too, though it has the same top speed.
Meanwhile, SsangYong has been working on four new engines: one petrol and three diesel. The petrol unit is a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with 211hp and 300Nm, while the diesels come in two capacities.
There's a pair of 2.0-litre units named Active Diesel and Green Diesel, both with around 152hp. The injection pressure is 1,800 bar, we're told, but we don't know what the CO2 emissions figures of either are. They are, says Ssangyong, about 30 percent more efficient than the current generation SsangYong diesel.
The final diesel under development is a 2.2-litre twin-turbocharged unit boasting around 223hp and with a heady 2,000-bar injection pressure figure.
All the engines are likely to see the light of day in the recently announced - and debuted in Geneva - SUT 1 pickup truck. It goes on sale in early 2012 in Korea 'and other markets'.
It has real wood trim for the interior (none of that plastic muck) and a rear deck that can 'carry sports equipment with ease,' including an almost infinite number of ping-pong bats.
The four-wheel drive car isn't confirmed for Ireland as yet, but by the sound of it SsangYong is ready to have another crack at enticing Europe. We'll keep you posted.

domain: news


text:
Drawn in by the proximity to huge financial centers and increasing opportunities to work side-by-side with top industry firms, the Big Apple has become a booming hub to financial technology (fintech) startups. Rising demand for innovative solutions has further helped strengthen the ties between two traditionally distant counterparts.
According to a recent report by Accenture, the fintech trend is on the rise, and the money is pouring in. Investment in New York's financial technology venture sector is now growing two times faster than Silicon Valley since 2008 and many banks have joined the bandwagon by launching their own multi-million dollar in-house VC funds. Vendors are also trying to attract early-stage companies and savvy entrepreneurs through incubator and mentoring programs.
In a relieving take on Silicon Valley's culture where age and experience too often equal unhip and obsolete, Wall Street firms are relatively non-discriminant. In addition to the younger contingent with wildly diverse backgrounds, industry veterans are starting up firms to address what issues they experienced in the field.
Perhaps what's most impressive is just how very open and involved established financial service firms are with the entrepreneurial community. An industry observer can see the big players are doing their best to keep tabs on the revolving door of mobile, analytic, cloud regulatory compliance, and data security solutions.
This is perhaps epitomized by programs like the FinTech Innovation Lab sponsored by Accenture and The Partnership Fund for New York City. Now in its fourth year, it has been successfully pairing handfuls of fintech startups with financial institutions including Bank of America, Barclays, Capital One, Citi, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and UBS.
The best part? Although the industry participants play a role in narrowing down the pool of startup applicants, Accenture ultimately assigns the startup to the firm where they will spend 12 weeks receiving high-level mentorship and expert product and business development advice.
Imagine, powerful industry players willing to dedicate months of time and resources on small firms they had probably never had on their radar before. It's hardly something you'd expect an established firm to sign up for without significant potential for return.
Matching solutions to problems
Narrowing down and assigning the pool of startups can be complicated, explains Bob Gach, global industry managing director of Accenture’s Capital Markets practice. It's a process made more difficult by the industry's tendency to not publicly disclose the internal problems that need solving.
It's a sentiment mirrored by David Reilly, the technology infrastructure executive at Bank of America, who was on hand at last week's Innovation Lab Demo Day for LMRKTS and RevolutionCredit, the two winning startups BofA mentored. He explained there is a diverse range of niche solutions presented by the dozens of applying startups, and it's not likely the entire panel of executives see the potential application or how the product can be tweaked to solve specific problems.
LMRKTS, for example, is helping banks reduce risk in their derivatives portfolios with algorithms to identify excessive counter-party credit risk, and by suggesting trades to reconcile the exposure. It's a holistic solution to a massively expensive industry problem that often goes unmentioned, explains Reilly, but those involved in the space have taken a strong interest in experimenting with the startup's solution.
"Startups are key to our long term-ability to stay on the cutting edge," Reilly explains. "We want to give exposure to executives across the bank to these kinds of companies."
Reilly adds that Bank of America also engages with startups through the bank’s annual technology innovation summit in Silicon Valley, which began in 2009. During the first day of this event, bank executives meet with emerging technology thought leaders to discuss Bank of America’s strategies, needs, and goals; on the second day, 40+ hand-selected startups present their solutions to bank executives. According to Reilly, nearly 17% of the companies at the summit have become vendors for the bank.
By the numbers
Global investment in financial tech ventures has increased more than four times the rate of overall VC investments in the past three years, reports Accenture. "Global fintech investment tripled between 2008 and 2013 from $928 million to $2.97 billion and is expected to double again to between $6 billion and $8 billion by 2018. The first quarter of 2014 was the most active on record, with $1.7 billion invested globally."
New York has made up a significant portion of that investment, and according to Accenture has received $1.1 billion in fintech investments between and 2008 and 2013, including $430 million in the last year alone. "In the first quarter of 2014 it had $151 million in investment -- its third-highest quarter on record. New York fintech investment could grow to $950 million by 2018, according to the study."
Based off the success of New York's FinTech Innovation Lab, Accenture launched the incubator program in London in 2012, and recently announced its expansion to Asia-Pacific in Hong Kong. According to the report, since 2008 investment in Asia-Pacific fintech ventures has increased nearly fourfold to $104 million in 2013.
“New technologies have made it possible for small ventures to research and develop powerful solutions for industry ‘pain points’ and create growth opportunities," said Gach in Accenture's press release on the Innovation Lab. "By opening their doors to these ideas, banks can accelerate their own innovation agendas and drive growth and efficiency. We are proud of the impact that the FinTech Innovation Lab is having on the fintech ecosystem and of the work that has been done by the entrepreneurs and financial institutions in this year’s program.”


text:
THQ claims high ground against EA
Former EA vice president Danny Bilson (who now works for competitor THQ) claims work on an Iraq war game was halted due to controversy.
Bilson outlines work on a shooter based on the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which was eventually cancelled due to the unease it caused among EA's business partner.
Bilson explains to CVG, "When I worked at my former company [EA], I had to go to the UK in the middle of the Iraq war and try to talk to them about a game that we never wound up finishing."
It ought to come as no surprise given that EA has moved forward with an equally controversial game based on the war in Afghanistan. Yet, Bilson has little room to claim high ground over EA at a time when THQ is marching forward with shooter Homefront.
In the same interview, Bilson exclaims "This isn't about social responsibility. It's about drama." So when you're watching Americans die on US soil in Homefront, don't get your panties in a bundle--it's just drama, man.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III is coming to the PS3 and Xbox 360 after all
- Tomonobu Itagaki's Devil's Third gets a release date
- Adr1ft is coming to PC and consoles at the end of the summer
- EA gives the new Mirror's Edge a name – Mirror's Edge Catalyst
- ZombiU PS4 and Xbox One port reportedly in the works
- Mike Bithell's Volume to be released this August
- Gearbox's new shooter Battleborn gets a pre-E3 trailer
- Steam Controller launches in October, Steam Machines arrive in November
- Gears Of War devs Black Tusk change their name to The Coalition ahead of E3


text:
Starwood Hotels & Resorts launches an engaging and multi-lingual news portal designed to provide international journalists, bloggers and other external audiences with easy access to major Starwood news. This includes corporate announcements, the latest news on the company’s nine unique and compelling lifestyle brands and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) offers and promotions. Created to shake up the traditional corporate news page, the new Starwood Media Centre uses innovative design and the latest technology to deliver major news, high-definition video content, high-resolution images and social media channels in an easy-to-use format, specifically targeted to the needs of today’s journalist.
In an effort to reach global media audiences, Starwood Media Centre currently offers content in seven different languages including English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Arabic and Russian. The site provides direct access to Starwood’s social media channels including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and offers a RSS feed. In addition to the web portal, Starwood has also launched a Starwood Media Centre mobile application providing access to news, company information and contact details at the touch of a button for journalists on the go.
“With the creation of Starwood Media Centre, we wanted to completely re-invent the way in which we communicate news to our target audience of journalists around the world with a focus on quality content, brand-driven design and advanced technologies,” said Oliver Bonke, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East Region (EAME). “As the market leader in digital innovation, we are proud to once again differentiate ourselves in the hospitality industry with the launch of Starwood Media Centre.”
Highlights of Starwood Media Centre include:
Brand-focused design. Reflecting the distinct look, feel and ethos of each of Starwood’s nine iconic lifestyle brands and SPG, providing a true online branded experience.
Major news. The most recent press releases and materials featuring major Starwood news, including earnings and corporate announcements, growth strategies, hotel openings and restorations, new brand initiatives, partnerships and updates on SPG.
Rich media assets. High-resolution hotel and event photography and slick travel-related videos in high-definition. Photo and editorial video content showcases the latest hotel openings, brand initiatives and new Starwood destinations.
Social media integration. Direct access to Starwood’s social media channels, including a live Twitter feed on the site from @StarwoodBuzz, Starwood’s Twitter handle.
Mobile application. Providing simple access to the latest news, brand information and contact details whenever and wherever a journalist might need it. The mobile application responds to the needs of today’s global journalists who are interacting with mobile technology on a daily basis.


text:
PUBG Mobile Lite has been the top-rated free sport at the Google Play Store in just 3 days of its India launching, Tencent Games has declared. Even though the India launch of this game took place a week, PUBG Mobile Lite was available for nearly a year at the Google Play Store. It was originally established in August 2018 for its consumers in the Philippines. PUBG Mobile Lite is a toned-down variant of this PUBG Mobile game also includes a bigger map with assistance for only 60 players in the game.
Google Play now reveals PUBG Mobile Lite since the very best free sport in India. PUBG Mobile Lite can also be the top trending match in the nation at this time, whereas PUBG Mobile is your top-grossing match.
“The prevalence of PUBG Mobile Lite may result from the fact that a substantial sector of the Indian smartphone marketplace includes entry-level smartphones’ and today due to the brand new lighter variant – PUBG Mobile Lite, this section has access to some match that was outside their reach,” the organization said in a statement.
To remember, PUBG Mobile Lite was assembled with Unreal Engine 4 and can be optimized for Android mobiles with less than 2GB of RAM. It includes a smaller map created for 60 players, unlike the 100 from PUBG Mobile. PUBG Mobile Lite is just around 491MB to download and requires 590MB storage area when installed.
Even in the game styles, Classic has only 1 map Erangel, and Arcade has War, which has unlocked once you hit level 10.


text:
PARIS— A French court annulled a 1.1 billion-euro tax adjustment imposed on Google by France's tax authorities, saying Wednesday that the way the California firm operates in France allows it to be exempt from most taxes. The French tax administration had argued that Google was required to pay taxes in France for 2005-2010 because the American company and its...
"Right now, the FCC has rules in place to make sure the internet continues to be an open platform for everyone," Zuckerberg wrote.
A new feature in the latest beta of iOS 11 suggests Apple is about to allow live broadcasts from iPhones.
More than 80,000 websites are taking part in an online protest against the FCC's plans to roll back net neutrality rules.
With Seeing AI, Microsoft demonstrates its machine learning capabilities while catering to an audience that technology often ignores.
U.S. stock markets aren’t offering the best opportunity and investors should taking bets against them, a chief information officer at a London-based investment manager has told CNBC.
Websites will display a message urging people to send a letter to the FCC.
Jim Cramer says that competition can interrupt the money-making process even for stocks that are not underperforming.
Entrepreneurs are opting to set up shop in business-friendly states with low taxes, financing options and a rich talent pool.
Texas again beat California as the top technology-exporting state in America as it attracts Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook and others.
Tax deals for companies like Apple, Facebook and Amazon can cost millions per job. A new accounting rule will put sunlight on these deals.
Nilay Patel, editor in chief at The Verge, and Max Wolff, market strategist at 55 Institutional, discuss Amazon's Prime Day deals and their fight for the consumer's living room with the Echo home assistant platform.
Stumbling technology stocks could soon face another hurdle if the Fed follows through on raising interest rates, Credit Suisse strategists said.
Alphabet's newest venture capital group, Gradient Ventures, has made its first investments in artificial intelligence start-ups.
3. Plague Inc., Ndemic Creations. Geometry Dash, RobTop Games AB. Geometry Dash, RobTop Games AB.
We haven't had a major new technology company in more than 10 years.
It's "snap, crackle, pop," CNBC's Jim Cramer says.
American technology companies are bringing automation and robotics to the task of battling mosquitoes in a bid to halt the spread of Zika.
Expecting EPS to climb, Credit Suisse raised Facebook's 2017 price target and set a lofty 2018 prediction at $220.
The Google Brain research group wants to find better ways for engineers and end users to interact with AI software.


text:
- Prince coming to Australia
- Prince tickets too hot to handle
- Prince's five-star Melbourne show
- Prince adds Perth Arena show
When is a front-row ticket not a front-row ticket? When you've paid $750 for one to the Prince concert, apparently.
Prince fans who bought VIP tickets for the rocker's Australian tour this week are seeking answers from Ticketmaster after being told there was a mistake with what they believed were the best seats in the house.
Despite having paid top dollar for what they thought were seats in the first five rows of Melbourne's State Theatre, premium ticket holders were told late last week they would in fact be seated in rows 6-15.
The Facebook pages of Ticketmaster and promoter Dainty Group were flooded on Friday with messages from fans, confused after being sent emails informing them of a ticketing glitch, which reportedly showed "incorrect seating locations" in the original booking emails.
The following day, Ticketmaster and Dainty announced more tickets would be available on the tour, leaving fans to ask whether the shows had in fact sold out at all, as claimed the previous week.
A Ticketmaster spokesperson blamed the glitch as a human error and said VIP ticket holders would be seated in the rows they paid for.
"Due to human error, a small number of VIP package customers received email confirmations with incorrect seating details. Fewer than 100 customers were affected across four shows. Ticketmaster has rectified the issue and contacted the impacted patrons."
A Ticketmaster gift card of $100 has been offered in compensation, but ticket holders say the experience has left a bad taste in their mouth.
One VIP holder who didn't want to be named paid $1500 for two front-row tickets and received an email on Tuesday confirming her front-row seats EE 7-8.
The seating plan for the State Theatre shows these being literally the best seats in the house, in the centre of the front row. However, on Friday night she and her husband received a second email saying they would be seated in the sixth row, to the side.
"It's meant to be for my 40th," she told Fairfax. "It's not a small amount of money. For all of that to happen is such a nightmare. They've handled this so badly. It's something I should be excited about and now I'm like, 'Who cares?' "
The confusion appears to be over the top-tier "ultimate" package – valued at more than $900 – and second-tier "platinum" packages (more than $750 with booking fees) at the Melbourne concerts. At least one customer claimed on Dainty's Facebook page, in a post that has since been deleted (apparently by the page's administrator), that the ultimate package wasn't available when he purchased his tickets.
According to Ticketmaster, the difference between the $900 ultimate fan package and the $700 premium fan package is that the former comes with seating in the first five rows. Both include a pre-show cocktail party and merchandise.
One ticket holder said on Facebook the $100 voucher was useless and was angry the email was sent out late on Friday.
"Thank you for sending me an email six minutes after your call centre closed for the week to inform me that two VIP seats I purchased on Tuesday were incorrectly allocated," Rose Le wrote on the Ticketmaster page.
"Now I'm relegated to undesirable seats further back, to the side of the theatre ... My contract with you was for seats in row BB. $100 in Ticketmaster credit in future is of no use to me."
Another Melbourne VIP ticket purchaser said she was upset that loyal fans of the singer had braved long queues on Tuesday when tickets had gone on sale, only to be seated in the same area where a fresh batch of tickets was made available after the show had supposedly "sold out".
"It's unfair for his real fans that have jumped on a midday straight away and have been slammed through the website and then to see this ticket re-release days later. When I saw the Facebook stuff last night I was beside myself."
The announcement of additional seats, posted on the Dainty Group Facebook page on Saturday, was hijacked by angry VIP ticket holders, some of whom said they had written to Consumer Affairs over the confusion.
That post was deleted on Tuesday afternoon following Fairfax enquiries.
Eagle-eyed ticket holders complained on a separate post on the Dainty page after noticing their original complaints had been deleted.
"Kudos on deleting my last comment," one man wrote. "However as a holder of 2x Ultimate Package VIP tickets I am still yet to receive any information regarding tonight's pre concert event or the fact that my seat has been changed. Could I expect an email sometime today or doesn't my $2k go that far?"
Prince's Piano and a Microphone tour kicked off on Tuesday night at Melbourne's Arts Centre.
Get the Morning Edition
Sign up for our daily wrap of the news you need to start your day.


text:
Crowfall State of the UI
A guided tour of what’s new and what’s in store for the Crowfall user interface.
Videos You May Enjoy
Articles You May Enjoy
- Neverwinter News - The Cloaked Ascendancy Launches Feb 21
- Neverwinter: The Cloaked Ascendancy, the next major update to the MMORPG, will launch on February 21 on PC.


text:
Last year, Paris approved a 3 percent revenue tax, dubbed “GAFA” (meaning Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon) on companies with profits of more than €25 million ($28 million) in France and corporations making over €750 million (around $890 million) worldwide, resulting in a harsh reaction from the Trump administration.
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has warned about a possible reaction from the French government if the US proceeds in January with its planned trade sanctions over the digital services tax.
“If there are American sanctions against the French decision, which … is the application of French law, we will immediately seek a riposte at the European level”, Le Maire told the press.
The French minister previously said he would press Joe Biden, saying that European nations would be able to reach a compromise with the politician projected to be the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
After the tax on digital services targeting American tech giants was adopted last year, Washington threatened to tax imported French products such as wine and cheese up to 100%. US President Donald Trump also warned he would impose tariffs on other European countries if they adopt bills similar to the French legislation.
Le Maire, in turn, warned that the EU should be ready to impose a European tax if no global agreement with the US is reached by the end of 2020.
In December 2019, the European Parliament also addressed the dispute and called on the bloc’s authorities to create its own digital tax policy, should a global deal not be reached by 2021.


text:
(Crain's) -- A giant German auto supplier is looking to unload some or all of an engineering facility in the northwest suburbs where electronic devices like OnStar are designed, a 346,000-square-foot building that the company inherited three years ago as part of a $1-billion deal with Motorola Inc.
OnStar designer 'exploring options' for suburban building
Continental Corp. plans to the cut the workforce to 500 employees by the end of 2010 from 720 employees now at 21440 W. Lake Cook Road in Deer Park, a spokeswoman says. Hanover, Germany-based Continental has owned the seven-story building since 2006, when it acquired Motorola's automotive unit. Three years ago, about 800 people worked there.
Continental has hired real estate firm Rosemont real estate firm Colliers Bennett & Kahnweiler Inc. to market the space for lease, but the Continental spokeswoman says the company could sell the facility.
"We're exploring a number of options," she says.
The marketing effort comes as 28.3% of the top-quality, Class A office space is available for lease in the northwest suburbs, the highest of any submarket in the Chicago area, according to tenant rep firm Studley Inc. And many tenants seem content to bide their time.
"There are a lot of big users sitting on the sidelines, waiting to take advantage of an opportunity like this," says Kevin McLennan, senior managing director in Studley's Chicago office.
Built earlier in this decade by Motorola, the building has 277,200 square feet of office space and parking for 1,280 cars in an adjacent garage and lot. It includes a cafeteria and fitness center, which helps boost the total space to about 346,000 square feet.
Continental currently is offering the first four floors, with the top three available in August 2010, according to real estate data provider CoStar Group Inc.
If another company steps up to take the entire building, Continental would move its employees to another Chicago-area office building, the spokeswoman says. The company also has a research facility in Northbrook.
The Deer Park building is the headquarters for the Continental's Infotainment and Connectivity unit, which designs electronic devices like the OnStar communication system and BMW Assist. It also houses engineers for the company's powertrain unit.


text:
THRIFTY shoppers got a Boxing Day surprise when Poundland started flogging stock - for fifty pence.
Bargain hunters took to social media to declare their shock after walking into the budget store yesterday.
Among the items being flogged for half price included a Home Alone DVD, a Simpsons mugs and Christmas crackers.
Announcing the sale, the store tweeted: "Our 50p sale is now on in stores! Christmas decorations, gift wrap & more are now 50p."
Dozens of Brits readying themselves to raid the shelves could barely contain their excitement at the news.
CHOC 'N' GNAW RAPPoundland hit with hefty fine as nibbled Chocolate Santas and mouse droppings found on shop floor
Ryan Crooks wrote: "Even Poundland is having a maaaad Boxing Day sale."
While Aimee Rowlands tweeted: "No way is Poundland doing a 50p sale what."
More than 14 million Brits hit the high street today to catch the sales.
Experts reckons almost £4billion pound was spent - more than double that of Black Friday last month.
Eager bargain hunters were pictured crowding round the entrance of Next branches.
While those seeking designer brands fought to get into London's iconic Selfridges store.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.org or call 0207 782 4368


text:
Modern Family co-creator details episode shot entirely with Apple products — In a behind-the-scenes look at an upcoming Modern Family episode shot completely on iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2, co-creator and executive producer Steve Levitan said using the iOS devices didn’t dramatically change the production process, and revealed that tomorrow’s show is not the first time producers turned to Apple’s handset for in-show footage.
Apple Pay adoption keeps climbing: Chase says 1 million customers are now on board — Chase’s early numbers on Apple Pay adoption are promising: more than a million of the bank’s customers have added debit and credit cards to the service since it launched last October.
Five apps for signing documents with your iPhone and iPad — These five that cover all the bases, letting you sign, fill out forms, connect to your cloud storage accounts, and use’s iOS 8’s share extension, among other features.
Microsoft Band adds MapMyFitness & HealthVault support, but still no Apple HealthKit — The wearable fitness tracking Microsoft Band received an update this week adding support for biking, and integration with MapMyFitness and Microsoft’s own HealthVault service, but it still lacks compatibility with Apple’s HealthKit tools and Health app for iOS 8.
Forcing iCloud Contacts & Calendars to Sync — If your iCloud calendar or contact data isn’t syncing between your devices, an important troubleshooting step is to figure out where the bottleneck is. Here’s how to fix it.
Wacom Bamboo Stylus Fineline — Steve Sande reviews the new fine-tipped, pressure-sensitive stylus.


text:
LinkedIn India has said the top 25 startups collectively created about 18,000 jobs in the past year and also it is expected to create more than 19,000 new employment opportunities in the next year. To be regarded for this year's list, companies had to be Seven years or younger, privately-held and should have 50 or more employees.
These are the Top 10 Startups in India,2019
Global headcount: 15,000
The Fve-year-old hospitality startup OYO , founded by Ritesh Agarwal when he was 18, is considered to be among the top hospitality chains in India. OYO is an India’s largest hotel network with more than 100,000 rooms in 230 cities. OYO is valued at more than $10 billion within this short period of time.
Over a last nine months,OYO has ventured into Malaysia, China and the UK and also it is planned to expand into Europe and the U.S within next year. This company is planning to hire over 10,000 people globally by the next year .
Global headcount: 980
This three-year-old Cure.Fit wellness company has four offerings that is no-equipment gyms, health food, yoga and meditation centres, and primary care. This company offers both Online and offline services for mental healthcare, fitness, nutrition and therapy and They provide services through cult.fit, eat.fit, mind.fit & care.fit.products
CureFit has just raised $120 million from current investors and acquired premium gym chain Fitness First in a deal worth $30-35 million. One of the reason for this company growth is employee benefits. Because they offer flexible working hours, unlimited leave and food allowance.
Global headcount: 93
Just three year old Bangalore based internet company Tapchief comes in this list for very first time. Tapchief is a platform for connecting users with the experts for professional advise.
Global headcount: 480
Razorpay was founded to help business payment process in 2014. Razorpay is an online payment platform that allows users to use net banking, debit or credit cards for merchant payments. This year Razorpay moves up five places to fourth position.
Global headcount: 900
Bounce is India's first smart mobility solution which was founded in 2014 in Bangalore and offers job opportunities on finance, operations, engineering and product destign. This Metro Bikes company is the world's fastest growing bike sharing starup and they planned to create 5,500 new jobs in the coming months.
Global headcount: 89
Playment is a five year old data labelling platform which attracts many techies by its innovative projects like autonomous vehicles, drones and mapping. They generate training data for computer vision models at scale.
Global headcount: 4,500
Five year old Logistic Business company, Rivigo comes second time in this top startup list. Its unique “driver relay model” helps to service major brands including Marks & Spencer and Maruti Suzuki.
Global headcount: 300
Mumbai based Three year old digital insurance platform, Acko is a private sector general insurance company in India. It offers personalized policies based on customer behavior and data analytics.
Global headcount: 400
Pune-headquartered Two year old healthcare platform Mfine comes in this list. Mfine is an AI powered online healthcare app that gives you instant online access to medical advise from the best hospitals.
Global headcount: 85
InterviewBit is a Pune-headquartered interview preparation site which is most popular site amongst the software engineers. This year it moves up 12 places in LinkedIn's top-startup list and it is planned to double the head count in next 12 months.It provides support to job candidates via range of practice questions and on-demand mentors.
Learn and improve .Net Skills: https://www.infinetsoft.com/
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both incredibly successful soccer players, and they have each won a large number of trophies and awards throughout their careers.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are both considered to be among the best soccer players in the world. Both players have had highly successful careers.
Al-Nassr FC is a professional football club based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The club was founded in 1955 and has won several domestic and international titles.
Vivo sub-brand iQOO has launched the company’s latest 5G smartphone- iQOO Z1x 5G in China on July 9, 2020.
This episode describes. making of magnets, how to they working on it. Video mad by discovery uk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says the Israeli military’s aerial operations in the Syrian airspace are in flagrant violation of the incumbent Damascus government’s sovereignty as tensions are simmering between Moscow and Tel Aviv over the downing of the Russian Ilyushin Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft in the western Syrian province of Latakia.
The permanent residency card will grant them the same access to education and healthcare in government institutions as Qatari nationals.
According to the latest leak, Samsung Galaxy A91 may launch in India at the end of this year.
Xiaomi India has just unveiled it's latest flagship killer- Xiaomi Mi 10 5G smartphone in India.
Honor has just launched the Honor 9A smartphone for the global markets and the price starts from €149.90 (US$ 169.6 / Rs. 12,810). Read on to know more.


text:
As the Paris fashion shows get under way next week, there is one collection that is being more eagerly anticipated than most. It's not the work of a French fashion house, nor is it created by a big-name designer - the show that every editor can't wait to see is that of a 27-year-old from Sunderland.
Gareth Pugh left college just five years ago, but the designer's outlandish creations, from sculptural silhouettes made from chain mail to PVC, balloons and Perspex, have made the industry sit up.
As the designer prepares to unveil his first collection for men, he has all the makings of the next big British name in international fashion. Some are comparing him to Alexander McQueen.
He already has one of the world's biggest stars behind him. Singer Beyoncé Knowles recently declared herself a Pugh fan and wore one of his dresses at the 2008 MTV Europe Music awards.
The designer describes his work as autobiographical and often inspired by Sunderland, where he grew up with his mother, who worked in a call centre, and his father and brother, both policemen and both called Trevor. Straight after graduation in 2003 he appeared on a Channel 4 reality show called Fashion House, in which young designers battled for the prize of a catwalk show in Rome. Pugh didn't win, but the setback proved no more than a glitch.
"When I was in Paris this week his name was being touted around in all the major fashion circles," said Richard Mortimer, who has hosted fashion week parties and after-show events as well as editing fashion website ponystep.com.
Lulu Kennedy, director of Fashion East - a showcase event at London Fashion Week for young design talent which gave Pugh his first break - said the fact that Pugh had moved to Paris was a shame for London Fashion Week. "But that's where the big houses show and the store buyers actually do their buying, as it's the final stop for the season, so they've seen all the different collections," she said. "From a business point of view, it really makes sense."
Pugh plays down the attention. "People have told me they're excited about something interesting happening in menswear," he said.
"I think people are expecting something ridiculously outrageous, but it's not going to be. I'm not saying it's going to be Armani; it'll have a slant that'll be specific to me. I've always had men in my show until the last one, so it was nice to concentrate on menswear. It's like designing for myself, so it's been an easy flow of ideas."
Pugh's rise to fame has been dramatic. His final collection for his fashion BA degree at Central St Martins in 2003 was spotted by editors at style title Dazed & Confused and soon appeared on the magazine's cover. In 2005, he created costumes for Kylie Minogue's Greatest Hits tour and he was also picked for Fashion East. By the time he showed his first full collection in February 2006, he had an eclectic following: US Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour sat in the front row alongside Pugh's mother.
Pugh has a very British eccentricity which imbues his creations with a sense of fun and has led to the comparisons with the likes of McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. "Gareth actually sticks his neck on the line," added Mortimer, who has known Pugh for five years.
While creativity is vital, it doesn't pay the bills. One criticism of Pugh's work has been that it's unwearable, more art than fashion. As recently as March 2007, Pugh said he had yet to sell a single dress. "If you see his designs close up, there's brilliant craftsmanship in them," said Mortimer. Others argued that, while Pugh's shows centre on theatrical pieces, they include well-made coats and dresses.
This season is a bold time for the designer to launch a new menswear collection. A number of established labels - including Valentino, Marni and Fendi - have cancelled their shows due to the economic downturn.
Pugh says that he thinks it's a good time for creativity and ideas. "Before, it was just making a dollar and shipping out tons of mass-produced clothes. If someone wants to justify spending £1,000 on a jacket now, they'll want something a bit different rather than just plain cashmere."
Jeremy Langmead, editor of Esquire magazine, said: "Menswear is a cautious business at the best of times and, with the economy as it is, many men are seeking sanctuary in double-breasted suits, shirts and ties. I think to have Gareth's take on the times will be a welcome and entertaining diversion. The only worry is that, while there is an incredibly strong underground movement in fashion at the moment, centred around the East End still, it tends to involve guys in their teens and early twenties. They will appreciate Gareth's work, but are there enough of them able to pay for it?"
Gary Edgley, senior menswear buyer at Selfridges, says he's keeping an open mind until after he's seen the show next Sunday, but that he'll definitely be watching with a view to buy: "He's one of the biggest designers in Britain, and I think his style is going to translate well to menswear. There's a lot of military and armoury influences." He also believes that the climate isn't necessarily a problem: "In times like these, anything can happen. If you produce something really special, then people will go for it."
For now, Pugh's main worry is whether the clothes will even make their debut. "My menswear had to be rushed through at the Italian factory I use," he said. "The vast majority won't be ready until the day before. I know what I want and what I've designed, now it's just a case of whether other people can deliver. My worst-case scenario at the moment is that the delivery van which is coming through the mountains will go off the edge of a cliff."
Britain's style leaders
• At 24, Stella McCartney's collection was modelled by Naomi Campbell.
• At 33, Paul Smith opened his first menswear shop in Covent Garden.
• At 35, Vivienne Westwood was designing clothes for the Sex Pistols.
• At 16, Alexander McQueen landed a Savile Row apprenticeship.


text:
MUMBAI: Former Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan is looking to expand his fitness chain business, ProSport Fitness, by opening around 15 exclusive centres in the next two years. The company is also in talks with realty developers and hospitals to take up management of physiotherapy units in hospitals and consultancy and management of gyms in India.
“We are expanding with a multipronged strategy including franchisee model, company-owned centres and alliances with hospitals and developers. ProSport has a holistic approach to fitness in general and we will cater to various segments,” Zaheer Khan, founder, ProSport Fitness, told ET in an exclusive interaction.
Khan ventured into the fitness business in 2014 with ProSport Fitness by opening its first centre at Lower Parel in Mumbai. On Friday, the company started one more fitness hub in Nashik.
“In the next two years, we are looking to set up around 15 fitness centres and currently our geographical focus would be the western region,” said Khan. The company will open a fitness centre in Pune and Mumbai each in the next few months. It is planning to expand in tier-II cities by offering professionally managed physiotherapy and injury management services currently not available.
Currently, ProSport Fitness is looking for investments in company-managed centres and is investing in real estate that will be acquired for operation in these centres.
“We are looking at the right kind of alliance and waiting for the right partner to join if the vision is aligning. We are looking to raise Rs 15-20 crore but until we get the right partner, the growth will be self-financed,” said Khan.
The company is also planning to launch its intern programme in June this year with an aim to develop fitness trainers.
In a meeting held about a month ago between executives from both companies, people familiar with the matter said Amazon had also asked Future Group for a generous compensation in return for withdrawing its objections to the Reliance deal. The six-hour meeting was attended by Future Group's founder Kishore Biyani and other officials, while Amazon India's legal head Rakesh Bakshi and other executives represented the US giant.


text:
Economic Analyst Kelvin Chisanga has shed light on the persistent depreciation of Zambia’s currency, the Kwacha, attributing it to a confluence of diverse factors.
Mr. Chisanga highlighted key elements such as the strength of the US Dollar on the global market, monthly fuel reviews within the country, and a generally low economic profile leading to decreased export output.
According to Economist Chisanga, the Kwacha’s decline follows a period of appreciation in the first weeks of the third quarter but has since been marked by low conversions on the US Dollar side and reduced copper production throughout the year.
He emphasized the local market’s heightened demand for the US Dollar, driven by a sustained importer drive that began in mid-September, coupled with a noticeable scarcity of the universal currency in the domestic market.
Mr. Chisanga expressed concern that the current depreciation level could significantly impact Zambia’s key economic fundamentals, affecting various sectors of the domestic market.
The recent depreciation, now in its 10th week, has had pronounced effects on inflationary pricing and prompted reactions from the Bank of Zambia’s monetary policy rate, causing a noticeable shakeup in the market.
To address the situation, Economist Chisanga emphasized the need for a robust policy framework to expand the country’s export base. He pointed out Zambia’s historical low profile on the export bill, advocating for measures to balance import demand, particularly in intermediate goods.
He highlighted the impact of the current import composition, where farming inputs, fuel, and seasonal goods contribute significantly to the trade deficit.
Mr. Chisanga noted that the local forex market experiences reduced supply channels at this time, driven by established patterns and a limited number of prominent suppliers of dollars annually. Offshore auctions have also played a role in shaping these dynamics.
Copper export, a crucial component of Zambia’s trade balance, was identified as a key factor in generating mining tax payments and attracting project funds.
He underscored the importance of a credible budget and the role of the Central Bank as a primary source of foreign exchange inflows through open market operations.
In an effort to mitigate forex demand pressure, the Bank of Zambia has provided substantial support to the domestic forex market, contributing nearly $1.5 billion throughout the year.
Economist Chisanga concluded by urging a comprehensive approach to address the various contributing factors and stabilize the Kwacha’s value in the global economic landscape.


text:
There’s nothing virtual about Electronic Arts’ latest earnings report. The video game maker reported better-than-expected revenue and earnings for its latest quarter.
EA’s shares are up 5% this morning, to $82. Much of the good news stems from the company’s latest soccer game, FIFA 17, which was released in September. Meanwhile, two of its other new games — Battlefield 1 and Titanfall 2 — are receiving rave reviews and could boost results in the coming months.
Wedbush Securities points out that the latest versions of Battlefield and Titanfall are two of EA’s three-hugest rated games in the last four years, per Metacritic scores, an aggregator of critics’ reviews.
Wedbush thinks the company is downplaying the games’ potential success. “Given the very high review scores, we are confident that each will exceed sales of the prior versions for each franchise,” Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter wrote to clients on Wednesday.
Shares of Electronic Arts are up 25% in the last six months. And bullish analysts see more gains. Wedbush bumped its “price target” for EA to $95 after the earnings report. That would be another 15% of gains still to come for the stock.
Big Picture: Electronic Arts is benefiting from a strong lineup of new games. The stock, up 5% Wednesday, could rise another 15% or more in the coming months.


text:
1 of 2
AT THE BEGINNING of 2020, Sojitz G Auto Philippines (SGAP) announced that it was targeting to open 15 dealerships that year and 15 more in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic initially scuttled efforts and, said SGAP in a release, “Dealership expansion plans were either pushed back or canceled.”
Nonetheless, the company said it “continues to sail through pandemic challenges as it beefs up its efforts not only to attain sales targets but also to rapidly expand the dealer network to be able to cater to more customers all over the country.” SGAP currently has 11 Geely dealerships nationwide; another 13 are slated to open soon. The company reported that it recently appointed new Geely dealers in Bacolod, Dagupan, Marilao, Bacolor, and Sumulong.
According to SGAP President and CEO Yosuke Nishi, “We are taking a more aggressive approach in reaching out to more customers in the country this year as we keep up with our target network expansion schedules which were stalled by the long-standing global crisis.”
Geely has emerged as one of the strong contenders in the country — performing above expectations last year in areas of product quality to sales volume.
“As the crisis is seen to take longer, this year will definitely be another tough year to battle for many businesses. On the brighter side of things, I would like to believe that Geely was introduced in the Philippines at the right time, at a point where buyers are now demanding for more high-tech and safety features in cars they wish to purchase yet still reasonably priced,” Mr. Nishi continued.


text:
Sony names new managing director of Korean operation
Born in 1967, the new director started working at Sony in 1992 and was in charge of semiconductor sales and marketing in Singapore and Hong Kong.
He was appointed head of marketing for consumer products at Sony Korea in 2007 and spearheaded the opening of Sony outlets in southern Seoul and Namdaemun Market in central Seoul.
He took over as head of sales and marketing for device solutions at Sony’s headquarters in 2011.
He later served as managing director of Sony’s Malaysian and Indonesian units between 2012 and 2017 and returned to Korea in 2017 as president of its consumer products division.
Sony Korea said the new managing director hopes to solidify Sony’s leadership in Korea and connect consumers with the company’s products based on “his deep understanding of the Korean market.”
By Seo Ji-eun
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)


text:
Beyond Meat to cut 19% of its workforce amid sales slump • TechCrunch
Besides meat plans to lay off about 200 employees, or 19% of the workforce, according to a submit the application as prescribed Friday reveal.
Company Sales decline is quoted and said the layoffs were “based on cost reduction initiatives aimed at reducing operating costs … and targeting active cash flow in the second half of 2023.”
Beyond Meat expects to complete the cuts by the end of the year.
The company’s shares, which opened Friday on the NASDAQ exchange, were down 87% from their 52-week high, falling even further in mid-morning trading following the layoffs. Shares hit a 52-week low of $12.76 earlier in the week and last traded around $13.95, bringing the company’s market value below $900 million.
As part of the job cuts, the company said the role of chief growth officer/North American president has been removed. Deanna Jurgens, who holds that role, will leave the company on October 17.
Additionally, chief financial officer Philip Hardin has informed the company that he will be stepping down on October 12 to “pursue another opportunity.” Lubi Kutua, who was previously Beyond Meat’s vice president of financial planning, analytics and investor relations, has been appointed to that role by the board, effective October 13.
The company also cut its full-year revenue guidance, projecting third-quarter net sales of around $82 million, down 23% from the same period in 2021. Full-year 2022 net sales expected is about $400 million to $425 million, which would be 14% to 9% year-over-year. The company previously forecast year-end revenue of between $470 million and $520 million, the filing said.
A request for comment on the changes from Beyond Meat was not immediately returned.
The company announced a 4% reduction in workforce in August, but the news also came when its chief executive, Douglas Ramsey, left the company – his last day was Friday – after his recent arrest got him charged with assault after he allegedly bit a man in the nose. Jonathan Nelson was promoted to operations and supply chain.


text:
Ethical supply chain programme ICTI CARE has launched a new PLUS initiative focused on small businesses.
Committed Brands PLUS for Toy SMEs provides instant access to ICTI CARE’s searchable database of over 1,300 toy factories, detailed profiles on factories’ ethical performance, and ICTI CARE certification audits.
In addition, small businesses will join a global network of brands and retailers that are committed to the ethical sourcing of toys.
ICTI CARE Committed Brands PLUS offers a tailored package of features for Toy SMEs and benefits include:
- Membership of the world’s largest community of toy brands and retailers working together to raise ethical standards in the toy industry supply chain
- Instant access to ICPS – our Global Ethical Sourcing Database
- Connect with factories to receive critical compliance updates
- Signal to buyers & retailers your commitment to Responsible Sourcing
- Benefit from our global network of on-the-ground experts and partners
- Receive marketing support and be featured on our website/publications
“Expectations from customers are growing, and toy buyers everywhere want to see toys manufactured ethically in factories which respect the rights and wellbeing of workers," said Carmel Giblin, CEO and president of ICTI CARE.
"At the same time, a raft of new legislation on key ethical concerns like modern day slavery, coupled with global sustainability initiatives such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, means that toy companies of all sizes must understand and address risks within their supply chains.
“Our new PLUS initiative for Toy SMEs equips smaller toy companies with affordable tools and the support they need to meet these expectations and source responsibly."
Companies with an annual revenue in toys or games of under $30 million who join the Committed Brands PLUS program before November 11th 2016 will receive an exclusive offer giving them an additional year of benefits for free.


text:
Uniboard invests $7M to boost MDF capacity at Mont-Laurier plant
Manufacturer says wood fibre mat-preheating technology will boost productivity at the facility.
Engineered wood products
LAVAL, Que. — Uniboard is investing $7 million to install a new wood fibre mat-preheating technology at its Mont-Laurier MDF plant to increase productivity.
The company says the process innovation is the first for a North American MDF facility. The Mont-Laurier plant employs 91 workers.
Uniboard Canada Inc. is a manufacturer of engineered wood products, with an installed capacity of over 640 million square feet of raw particleboard, high-density and medium-density fiberboard. Its mills in Val-d’Or, Sayabec, Mont-Laurier and Laval, Que. employ over 800 people.


text:
Wirecard, a German financial services and technology company, has reached an agreement with US-based travel technology company Sabre to cooperate in the field of payment processing and joint payment innovations.
As per terms of the agreement, Sabre will integrate Wirecard’s payment services in its own payment platform.
The integration will enable Sabre to process all types of payment transactions originating from all sectors within the travel industry, including airlines, hotels and rental cars, among others.
Additionally, both firms have agreed to collaborate together to develop payment innovations for the tourism industry.
Both partners are currently piloting a scheme dubbed ‘Sabre Mobile Concierge’, which will allow Sabre to provide a whole host of services such as check-in, excess baggage, on-board sales, upgrades and much more through a mobile device.
The service will avoid long queues at the check-in counter and while waiting to board.
Wirecard vice president for partner management Michael Santner said: “As a global market leader, Sabre is an important player within the travel industry and is redefining standards.
“Through this partnership, we can set payment trends within the industry and in future offer customers solutions from a single source.”


text:
Submitted by: Johnson Controls, Inc.
Posted: Apr 14, 2008 – 05:00 PM EST
Apr. 14 /CSRwire/ - MILWAUKEE, WI - April 14, 2008 - Johnson Controls, a Fortune 100 company that creates smart environments for vehicles, homes and workplaces, today announced the release of its 2007 online sustainability report. Prepared using Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, the online matrix provides stakeholders with a detailed review of the company's financial, environmental and social performance over the past year.
The matrix complements the company's 2007 Business and Sustainability Report, which was released in January and is available in 24 languages. The online matrix uses GRI's new G3 reporting framework, which provides companies with a more uniform and transparent set of metrics to systematically report on sustainability initiatives and results.
The matrix offers readers a quick, easily accessible database of the company's achievements in 2007 across a wide range of topics. Highlights include:
- New figures on the impact of the company's business activities on the environment and society; and
- Details of the company's partnerships with organizations like the Clinton Climate Initiative, the Student Conservation Association and the UN Global Compact.
"Sustainability has recently emerged as a critical issue for every organization. However, Johnson Controls has been offering our customers more comfortable, safe and sustainable solutions for the past 123 years," said Chuck Harvey, vice president of Diversity and Public Affairs for Johnson Controls. "As the world's largest energy efficiency provider, we recognize that we should lead by example. We believe the new online GRI matrix helps demonstrate our current initiatives as well as our long-term commitment to sustainability."
In February, Institutional Investor Magazine cited Johnson Controls as America's Most Shareholder-Friendly Company in the category of consumer - autos and auto parts for the second consecutive year. Johnson Controls was also recognized as one of the world's leading companies for sustainability by Sustainable Asset Management (SAM) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC). The company's commitment to sustainability has earned it industry and community recognition around the world, and it is listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, the Domini 400 Social Index and the FTSE4Good U.S. Index.
To view the GRI matrix and to download the 2007 Business and Sustainability Report, please visit www.johnsoncontrols.com.
About Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings. Our commitment to sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, good corporate citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the products and services we provide to customers. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.
For more information, please contact:
For more from this organization:Johnson Controls, Inc.


text:
4J Studio has finally launched a massive update to Minecraft for the Xbox 360. Better known as TU18, the update added tons of new contents into the game. Among them is the fireworks feature and it became one of the most popular element in the world of Minecraft.
Prior to the update, 4J Studio explained that the fireworks will allow players to celebrate the 2015 New Year in the open world sandbox title. Also, the game developer nurtured the players by revealing that they can produce fireworks by harvesting gunpowder.
In detail, the amount of gunpowder used will determine the height and size of the firework. Also, mixing it with special items like a golden nugget will result in a star shaped firework.
Well, the players did listen to 4J Studio which results in a super bright sky at Minecraft on the first second of 2015. Even today, there are still many players showing off their fireworks in the game. There is simply no doubting the fact that fireworks is the best feature in Minecraft at this moment.


text:
Toy retailer joins H&M at Barons Quay
Toy shop The Entertainer will be the fourth retailer to join Barons Quay in Northwich, alongside Asda, Marks & Spencer, and H&M, after exchanging contracts on a 3,000 sq ft unit at the 225,000 sq ft retail and leisure scheme.
The Entertainer will take possession of the unit near Asda at the end of September with the store set to open in time for Christmas trading.
The retailer has 20 stores across the North West, with its nearest stores to Northwich in Chester, Ellesmere Port, and Altrincham.
The toy shop’s deal follows H&M taking a 21,500 sq ft unit at Barons Quay in May this year; once it opens, The Entertainer will be the sixth tenant and the fourth retailer at the development.
Asda and Marks & Spencer are the retail anchors for Barons Quay, alongside an Odeon Cinema and Wildwood Restaurant, although there are still around 14 units still vacant ranging between 15,000 sq ft and 1,500 sq ft in size, with a further 13 listed as under offer.
The retail agents on the scheme are Brasier Freeth alongside GCW, the latter joining in April to attract more tenants to the development.
With The Entertainer’s letting, the 225,000 sq ft development is nearly 60% full, around two years after the first phase opened in 2016. Cheshire West & Chester Council’s total spend on the development is expected to be around £71m.
The council’s cabinet member for economic development and infrastructure, Cllr Brian Clarke said: “This is exciting news for the town and for local residents.
“Negotiations are currently underway with several other retail and leisure businesses and we would hope to announce these over the coming weeks and months – adding to the fashion retailer [H&M] who signed-up to Barons Quay back in May.
“The Council has always seen Barons Quay as a long-term commitment and just one part of a wider regeneration programme for the town centre.“
Andrew Milner-Walker, head of property at The Entertainer said: “We pride ourselves on being the best loved toy shop; one that creates memories and delivers outstanding customer service so that families want to keep coming back.
“We chose Northwich as it’s a town with big ambitions, and we see The Entertainer as being part of the transformation of what is already a busy and vibrant place to shop”.


text:
This Saturday April 5 marks the second annual International TableTop Day.
For the uninitiated, International TableTop Day was the brainchild of Internet superstars and gaming devotees Wil Wheaton and Felicia Day, known for their YouTube series TableTop.
While on the surface, International TableTop Day is a day to celebrate board games, card games, roleplaying games, dice games, and any other games and activities played around a table, the true spirit of the day is the socializing and communal gameplay that comes from sitting around a table with friends and loved ones, leaving phones and distractions behind, and enjoying a game.
Like last year, this year’s TableTop Day is a truly worldwide event, with game stores, hobby shops, and many businesses opening their doors and offering space for friends and strangers alike to play games. On the TableTop Day website, a map cataloguing events across the world on April 5th has over two THOUSAND events and counting listed!
While the PuzzleNation offices aren’t open on April 5, I will definitely be celebrating the day at home with family and friends; we’ve got several terrific games lined up to play, including Qwirkle, 12 Days, Gravwell, Scattergories, and a few others to be determined.
Not only that, but the following week, in the spirit of International TableTop Day, the PuzzleNation crew will be getting together with our friends at Penny/Dell Puzzles and hosting a belated TableTop Day event for our fellow puzzlers.
Let us know what you’ll be playing for International TableTop Day! You can share your pictures with us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr, and make sure to check out the growing library of PuzzleNation apps and games! (They’re perfect for sparking some communal puzzling!)
And, most of all, simply enjoy a game with friends and loved ones. Happy International TableTop Day everyone!
Pingback: PuzzleNation Product Reviews: Loonacy | PuzzleNation.com Blog


text:
The closure comes ahead of the busy holiday season.
Wanna own a piece of history?
It's the work of a Minneapolis ad agency.
There's no word on if Al Vento is coming back.
Introducing Bring Me The News' new food writer, Lindsay Guentzel.
The Minneapolis vegan food shop is fighting the global conglomerate in the courts.
The city's 'Census Man' made an appearance in the piece about the U.S. population count.


text:
Last year Jeff Louman of Louman Huibregtse Associates told the Sunnyside City Council about an action plan for revitalizing the city's downtown core.
Last night he returned with Colie Hough-Beck, landscape architect for HBB Landscape Architecture. The pair went before the council to review the ideas presented last year and to let the council know a possible funding opportunity could potentially provide $2.7 million for the project through a Surface Transportation Program grant.
That funding, said Louman, would make it possible to start construction in 2014, if secured.
Presenting renderings of what downtown Sunnyside could potentially look like, Hough-Beck said the steering committee indicated the heart of the downtown revitalization project would be the intersection of South Sixth Street and East Edison Avenue. She said the committee advised planners on streetscape designs that are important to the community.
Louman suggested opening up the space by widening sidewalks and exchanging diagonal parking within a four-block radius of South Sixth Street and East Edison with parallel parking.
He said those who provided input did not want to give up a lot of parking, but the streets should not be designed like those in Grandview with one side of the street filled with parallel parking and the other side having diagonal parking. Louman said the transitions from the portion of the streets designed in such a way would be confusing for motorists.
Louman said bulb-outs would be used at entrance intersections like South Sixth Street and East Franklin Avenue, but they were not planned for the central intersection at South Sixth Street and East Edison.
Councilman Don Vlieger said he would like to see bulb-outs at the main intersection and believes it would be appealing.
Louman said his staff was led to believe the intersection was to be left free of the design element for large trucks, but Vlieger said South Sixth Street is not a designated truck route and signage could be installed indicating that truck traffic is prohibited.
The discussion turned back to Hough-Beck, who continued to share elements of the design that have been discussed during steering committee meetings.
Brick pavers along the edge of the sidewalks and scored concrete were among the preferred material choices for the walkways.
"The steering committee wanted tree grates for the trees closest to the corners," said Hough-Beck, stating the choice was made to help preserve the roots and prevent pedestrians from trampling over the base of the trees. She said globe lighting like the light fixtures historically used in Sunnyside was an attribute the steering committee liked about the design.
To draw the eye and delineate the downtown corridor from the remainder of the city streets, Hough-Beck said the group decided bulb-outs would be useful at the entrances to downtown. The group thought story poles might be an interesting feature of those entryways.
Vlieger and Councilman Jason Raines did not like the story pole idea. They both said the story poles depicted in the graphic rendering of what the streetscape would look like were unappealing.
Louman said, "This is really a community decision and it's about the community identity...these are ideas."
He said the story poles in the rending were merely place holders and Sunnyside's story poles could look entirely different, something unique to the community.
The two council members said they would like to see bronze statues located at the corners.
Community members were provided an opportunity to speak and Bill Flower agreed with Vlieger and Raines, stating he believes "...the bronze statues are our story poles."
Dale Beck spoke before the council, stating he doesn't like the idea of removing parking from the downtown core. He said, "Sunnyside has always had a parking problem."
Neither he nor Flower indicated there is a benefit to larger sidewalks.
Beck said there aren't any restaurants in need of outdoor seating areas and the existing businesses would not benefit from a wider sidewalk area.
Flower said foot traffic wasn't impeded in the past when the city's downtown businesses had sidewalk sales and its hardware stores placed merchandise out front.
Beck also said he isn't pleased with the plan because there are still a lot of variables. He said a decisive plan is needed and the city needs to stick to that plan.
Jennifer Beck continued the thought, stating, "I don't think we have to get extravagant."
She said the couple's downtown jewelry store has suffered from a lack of business since the downtown corridor has stopped being the center of commerce. "We have become a destination," Mrs. Beck said of the store, stating people who patronize the business do so with a concerted effort.
She said the customers that do visit the store are typically farmers with pick-up trucks. She believes limited parking would hinder their access to the store.
Jon Nelson spoke in favor of what was presented to the Sunnyside City Council members. He said, "Sunnyside has to start somewhere...the plan presented is a good start."
Nelson said he believes the concept is a way for Sunnyside to begin the effort of revitalizing the community.
The estimated cost for a complete downtown revitalization, including upgrades to utilities, is $3.66 million. Base street improvements, Louman estimated at a cost of $2.3 million.
Louman urged council to seek a Surface Transportation Program grant but said he was willing to return to the council with revisions to the design suggested by the council members, including a rendering of what the corridor would look like with parking like Grandview's, as well as bulb-outs near Centennial Square.
Sunnyside Interim City Manager Frank Sweet said he believes it is important to make the downtown corridor more appealing.
"It's fantastic that you've found a way that we maybe can construct this in 2014," he told Louman.


text:
Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Shelley Osterloh ReportingRising water on Utah's lakes and reservoirs has meant rising sales for Utah boat dealers, and with Memorial Day weekend ahead, a lot of people are looking to have some fun on the water.
Matt Meservey plans to fish this weekend on his boat.
Matt Meservey: "We have so much water in the reservoirs now, there's a lot more places to put in and get out, so I think it will be a great year."
Many boaters share that optimism and that's meant increased sales at boat supply stores like West Marine.
Seth Drew, Asst. Store Mngr., West Marine: "Since last week to two weeks, we have at least doubled and the trend is going up more. As it gets warm out there, people are getting excited, getting ready to go and have fun."
Local boat dealers are coming out of a drought of their own. The state's largest dealer, Peterson Marine, is selling to first time buyers as well as folks coming in for the big boats.
Ty Martinez, Gen Mngr. Peterson Marine: "Over last year we are up about 20 percent, 20 to 22 percent. And we are selling on average between the two stores, probably somewhere around 15 to 18 boats a week, which is a nice feeling."
And boat service departments are busy too. At Beckstrands they have more than 30 boats in the parking lots waiting to be summarized before Memorial Day weekend.
Jerry Greaves, Beckstrands Marine Sales and Service: "They are coming in early and staying late and we are trying to get as many people out on the water as we can for Memorial Day."
There was a 30-minute wait this afternoon at the DMV, many people trying to renew boat and RV's before the holiday. But officials say 65% of those waiting could stay home and renew online instead.
Jodi Monaco, DMV: "You can print a temporary permit right from your own computer and that will get you through the weekend. And in three to five days you'll have that decal, but you'll be perfectly legal and you can get right out on the water."
And out on the water is exactly where most boaters plan to be this weekend.
The Division of Motor Vehicles reports that licensing of boats is up 12% over last year at this time --- another sure sign that the drought's end means more boaters will be out on the water.


text:
The first major official survey of procurement abuses in Japan’s hotel industry has uncovered a culture of intimidation that forces suppliers to buy unwanted goods to keep contracts.
The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) launched a full-scale investigation and found that more than 40 percent of hotels and Japanese-style “ryokan” inns were asking suppliers to buy products and services they didn’t need. In more than 80 percent of those cases, the suppliers acceded to the hotels’ demands.
The products the hotels were hawking included seemingly minor items such as tickets for dinner shows, Christmas cakes, New Year’s dishes, summer and year-end gifts, and meal coupons, but the cumulative costs were a major burden for some suppliers.
The operator of a fruit and vegetable store in the Kyushu region told The Asahi Shimbun that the head chef of one hotel called him every year-end to sell tickets to dinner shows.
Each ticket costs more than 10,000 yen (about $125) and, as several shows are held at the hotel every year-end, all of his store’s December profits had gone to buy tickets in some years.
The man, who asked not to be named, said most of the other attendees at the events were owners or employees of other suppliers.
“I cannot reject the request when I am asked by the chief chef of the hotel that places orders with my store,” he said.
The operator of a fish shop in the Tohoku region, who also wanted to remain anonymous, said suppliers at one hotel had agreed to buy a certain number of Christmas cakes every year depending on the extent of each business’ turnover with the hotel.
“I have never refused the purchase. That could hurt my business with the hotel,” the man said.
Since November 2011, the FTC surveyed 1,625 suppliers selling foodstuffs and other products to 5,975 hotels and inns. About 2,533 of those hotels and inns had asked 950 suppliers for unrelated purchases and about 2,053 managed to sell the goods. The FTC will now investigate whether particular sales constitute an “abuse of a superior bargaining position,” which is banned under the Antimonopoly Law.
“If we find an illegal act, we will take strict measures against the hotels or inns involved,” said an FTC official.
It was the first time that the FTC had conducted a large-scale survey of the demands made by hotels and inns on suppliers. Many of the suppliers that responded to the survey were small companies with 10 employees or less.
About 20 percent of the suppliers said the demands had decreased in recent years, but more than 40 percent said either the number of demands or their monetary value had increased or remained the same.
In some cases, the buyers and head chefs of hotels explicitly threatened to deal with new suppliers or to cut their business entirely if purchases were not made. One supplier said meal coupons were sent without consent and their total amount was deducted from its monthly bill.
In another case, an association of suppliers controlled by a hotel was used to handle the back-channel sales. The association harvested amounts ranging from several hundreds of thousands of yen to several millions of yen from each supplier, depending on each firm’s turnover with the hotel, and bought tickets for dinner shows and other programs.
The office of the association is located in the hotel and its management is controlled by the hotel.
One supplier said it had been explicitly implied by the hotel’s staff that it should return 5 percent of its sales back to the hotel in “support money” because the hotel’s business was suffering.
The Japan Ryokan and Hotel Association, which represents about 3,000 hotels and inns, said: “We delivered the FTC reports to our members. We are telling them to improve compliance.”
Nobuyuki Okamoto, professor of tourism at Teikyo University, said the FTC survey showed the old-fashioned practices of the hotel and inn industry in Japan. However, with an increasing number of foreign tourists to Japan, he said the persistence of such customs was unacceptable.
“Hotels and inns should raise their awareness of corporate ethical issues,” he said.
- « Prev
- Next »


text:
Increased public spending on infrastructure, especially at a time when money is cheap, is the best way to boost growth in Canada's sputtering economy, argues Liberal party stalwart and former federal finance minister Ralph Goodale.
When Ashley Burnham became the first First Nations and first Canadian woman to win the MRS. Universe contest in Belarus last week, some of the focus on her spilled over on to Dabney Warren, one of the women who designed the dresses she wore. “I was so surprised by the influx of First Nations people messaging me, supporting me […]Comments ()
Vickie Laliotis hits some of our city’s best bashes to snap photos for our weekly Social Seen column.
The fashion industry is often berated for attempting to squeeze us all into its ridiculously under-sized clothing and perpetuating an unhealthy image of beauty.
Richelle Massey and Ken Morrison made extra special, rock ‘n’ roll memories on their wedding day.
A plus-size Vancouver model says she's been boosted by the support she's received since battling back against cyberbullies who body-shamed her online.
My interest in fashion came two ways. First as a teen, I became fascinated with ELLE magazine mostly because, ahem, of the editorial shoots involving Elle Macpherson, among others.


text:
Consumers in tier-III cities were 1.4 times more inclined towards spending on apparel than tier-I cities, it said
23 Jul 2020 12:08 PM
German payments provider Wirecard on Monday admitted 1.9 billion euros that auditors say are missing from its accounts likely “do not exist”
23 Jun 2020 3:06 PM
Auditors say the 1.9 billion euros that were supposedly sitting in trust accounts in the Philippines likely do not exist.
22 Jun 2020 7:55 PM
Eastern and northeastern regions of the country have played a key role with the highest share of loan portfolio at 35 per cent.
19 Dec 2019 11:49 AM
In June quarter, fintech space witnessed deals valued $63.3 million, the lowest quarterly deal value since Q 3 2014.
02 Aug 2019 2:22 AM
CCI should look into dominance of these four global auditors and whether they are thwarting competition.
22 Jul 2019 1:29 PM
Deloitte Haskins and Sells LLP is contesting the government's call for the ban on the auditor for its alleged involvement in a financial fraud.
16 Jul 2019 2:12 AM
The pre-Budget survey 2019-20 conducted by KPMG (India) included responses from 226 respondents spanning across industries.
30 Jun 2019 12:36 PM
Interestingly, there have been other lucrative and potentially key sectors in India as well, which can come up really big.
17 Apr 2019 1:13 AM
Both organisations said that formal guidance based on well-defined cybersecurity policy will be important for reducing the cyber risks.
23 Feb 2019 12:19 PM
Denial comes after a prior claim made by an executive of the US technology giant following a client complaint in March.
25 Apr 2018 11:06 AM
After a complaint filed, Microsoft is looking into the methods that KPMG uses to crack down on the illegal use of its software in India.
14 Apr 2018 8:04 AM
The solution includes HP hardware, GST invoicing software by KPMG, cloud storage for storing invoice data, among other things.
17 Oct 2017 2:34 PM
Number of banking fraud cases involving Rs 1 lakh and above has increased to 5,076 in the fiscal ending March 2017, from 4,235 in 2012-13.
18 Sep 2017 6:56 PM
India's domestic aviation sector is one of the fastest growing in the world.
26 Jun 2017 3:44 PM
The report reveals that the online education industry will grow at a healthy rate of 8x, to become a $1.96 billion industry by 2021.
30 May 2017 5:42 PM
The company is followed by Amazon and KPMG India in the second and third place respectively.
18 May 2017 6:43 PM
Under the PMGKY blackmoney declarants have to mandatorily park 25 per cent of that wealth in zero-interest, four-year-no- withdrawal scheme.
28 Nov 2016 8:24 PM


text:
Newly released research has revealed the top celebrity style icon in Australia is British singer Harry Styles.
The former One Direction lead recently caused a fashion sensation by starring on the front cover of Vogue in gender-fluid couture. As well as in Australia, Styles is also the most searched for fashion icon in 17 other countries, including New Zealand, the UK, Ireland and Mexico.
Billie Eilish tops the list of celebrities that people Google for fashion inspiration in 19 countries, including Canada, Portugal and South Africa. The singer embraces over-sized and loose-fitting ensembles, reportedly so others can’t comment on her body shape, and people around the world are, if Google data is anything to by, loving it. Often in matching baggy trouser and top ensembles on the red carpet, she’s regularly seen in head-to-toe Gucci, Burberry or Louis Vuitton.
The research, compiled by Money.co.uk, uses 12 months of Google search data to find out which celebrity Australians are turning to the most for fashion inspiration.
The number of online searches for hundreds of the world’s most famous and stylish people alongside the word ‘outfit’ were collated, to reveal which celebrity looks are Googled the most.
Lady Gaga features on the list in third place, with France searching for her outfits the most for their style inspiration, along with other countries such as Belgium and Colombia. A fashion maverick since the day she became famous, Gaga’s outfits have ranged from meat dresses to Audrey Hepburn-esque gowns.
Although none take the top three spot, it’s interesting to see that three of the Kardashian/Jenner family make the top ten global list. Kylie Jenner, 23, places highest in fourth place, with Zimbabwe, Belize and Laos all searching for her fashion looks the most.
Kim Kardashian is in sixth place, countries such as Bulgaria and Botswana search for her outfits the most, and Kendall places eighth with four countries Googling her style more than any other celeb.
Royal style still reigns it seems, with Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton both featuring as top searches around the world. Meghan Markle, who now lives in California with Prince Harry, has the most Googled style in Tunisia, Madagascar, and Monaco. The future Queen of England, Kate Middleton, is the top celebrity fashion search in Italy.
According to the data, the most fashionable men are British singer Harry Styles and Canadian rapper Drake. With very different styles, Drake favours more subtle outfits filled with retro Nike sportswear and tracksuits.
In both Europe and Asia, Billie Eilish tops the list, whereas in Africa Ariana Grande is the most popular celebrity style icon. Lady Gaga is both North and South America’s most searched for fashion icon, and in Oceania Harry Styles’ outfits are being searched for the most.
Top celebrity style icons around the world
|Celebrity||Number of countries they are the most Googled fashion icon|
|Kim Kardashian West||6|
Hayley Fisher [pictured] is the AUNZ Country Manager at Adyen. In this op-ed, she discusses the upcoming holidays sales season and explains marketers can help drive sales. Over the 18-months the pace of ecommerce has accelerated to new heights. According to latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), a record $44.2 billion was […]
TPG Telecom has announced it will hold a creative pitch to further develop the Vodafone brand here in Australia. Last year’s merger between Vodafone and TPG brought together a family of brands under the TPG Telecom group, with the creative shift to position Vodafone for the future. While Vodafone’s long-standing relationship with WPP will continue, […]
Following 18 months of intermittent lockdowns across Australia, shopping centre giant Westfield is launching a new service that will tap into the ecommerce boom. The new service, named Westfield Direct, will take on the likes of Australia Post by providing shipping directly to customers. Shoppers will also be able to select items from an online […]
SBS has been recognised as one of Australia and New Zealand’s Most Innovative Companies, in the prestigious annual list published by the Australian Financial Review and Boss Magazine, from over 700 nominated organisations. Ranked third on the Media and Marketing list, SBS was the only media company to make the list, recognised for its growing and evolving multilingual digital services, exemplifying SBS’s innovative culture and strategy. SBS provides multiplatform services in more than […]
Twitter has confirmed it is experimenting with a new ad format which will see ads placed within conversation threads for the first time. The company’s Revenue Product Lead Bruce Falck made the announcement on Thursday. “Starting today, we’re trying something different and testing a new ad format in Tweet conversations,” he posted on Twitter. “If […]
In exciting news today, Mushroom Group is thrilled to announce much lauded Aussie music program The Sound will return to the ABC this November! Celebrating some of our best musical talents since its launch in 2020, The Sound Season 3 will debut on Sunday 7 November at 5.30pm (local time). Viewers can watch The Sound on ABC TV each Sunday afternoon or catch up with the latest episodes via ABC iview. Across Season […]
Strategic design and innovation company AKQA has received the top industry ranking in the 2021 AFR Boss Most Innovative Companies List. This is the third consecutive year the company has been acknowledged by the AFR for its commitment to innovation in the media and marketing category. The Most Innovative Companies Awards were presented via a […]
National news brand, The Australian, has launched a new podcast from Hedley Thomas, Shandee’s Story. Shandee’s Story is the culmination of six months’ work by Thomas, the award-winning investigative journalist behind The Teacher’s Pet and The Night Driver podcasts. The podcast investigates a harrowing cold case. Shandee Blackburn was left to die after a frenzied knife attack as she walked […]
Greater Bank has won a Silver Award at the 2021 Step Two Intranet & Digital Workplace Awards with its Intranet Built on the Elcom Digital Employee Experience Platform. The global awards recognise outstanding contributions to the fields of intranets and digital workplaces, honouring remarkable solutions that deliver business value to their organisations and then share […]
Two new research reports have revealed key drivers for ‘commerce content’ and the massive revenue opportunity it presents for digital publishers and brands. Published by independent media organisations, commerce content allows readers to understand the goods and services promoted by an editorial team. It’s now a major part of the partnership ecosystem, and a way […]


text:
Note from Editors:
The Smithsonian launched its first #crowdfunding campaign “Reboot the Suit” in Kickstarter to preserve the spacesuit that Neil Armstrong wore when he landed in the moon July 20, 1969. The campaign raised more than $550,000 from 7,000-plus individuals around the globe, exceeding the target amount.
by Catherine Clifford
A bunch of small donations is proving one giant leap for the Smithsonian.
Last week, the museum partnered with Kickstarter to launch its first-ever crowdfunding campaign, aiming to raise $500,000 for the preservation of Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit. The campaign has since topped that goal, raising more than $550,000 from 7,000-plus backers across the world.
The suit, which was worn by Armstrong when he landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, is currently in a climate-controlled environment out of the eyes of the public. The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum wants to put it on display in time for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo mission in 2019, and then incorporate it into a new permanent exhibit in 2021. The money raised in the “Reboot the Suit” campaign will be used to prevent further deterioration of the suit and build a special display case. It will also be used to create a digital, 3-D model of the suit.
Why did the museum turn to crowdfunding? The Smithsonian receives federal money to support building operations and maintenance, research, and safeguarding the collections, but conservation efforts, like this one are not covered by federal appropriations.
The restoration project is the first of several the museum will launch in conjunction with Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Kickstarter in the coming year. Kickstarter bills itself as the #platform for creatives, and it makes a point to support and cater to artists. In that vein, partnering with the Smithsonian was an ideological fit.
“Kickstarter is a place that honors creativity, past and present. We celebrate creators who are shaping the future — but we can’t begin to think about what lies ahead without looking back,” the crowdfunding platform wrote in a blog post announcing the partnership. “By supporting the work of preserving and sharing cultural artifacts, we can inspire future #innovators to keep making amazing things.”
Read the full article:
Curated from The Smithsonian and Kickstarter Partner Up to Preserve Neil Armstrong’s Spacesuit
Note: Featured Image credit to museumofflight.org


text:
LED-based monitors continue their march toward completely taking over the world, and Hewlett-Packard is one of many monitor vendors doing little to stop this.
In fact it's actively contributing to the conquest. Soon we'll all be using them, saving a couple dollars every year on power and what then, huh? What then?!
Well, I, for one, welcome our new LED-based overlords, hence this blog. Today, HP announced a number of IPS displays; this, however, is not one of them. The HP Compaq LE2202x is a 22-inch (with 21.5-inches of actual viewing space) display with an LED-based backlight … Read more


text:
Neiman Marcus recently hosted an elegant runway show of Carolina Herrera’s Spring 2017 collection in the couture section of its Union Square store. So chic!
Electric Fashion by Christine Suppes, with photos by Frederic Aranda, is one of the most exciting fashion books of the year. Here are 6 reasons why!
On October 30, 2014, Sir Jonathan Ive will receive the prestigious “Bay Area Treasure Award” from SFMOMA’s Modern Art Council,
Neiman Marcus Union Square and Vanity Fair recently celebrated the 20th Anniversary of “The Art of Fashion,” with a fabulous brunch and fashion presentation.
Neiman Marcus recently held an intimate dinner to celebrate three Dom Pérignon vintages at its Rotunda Restaurant in San Francisco.
Neiman Marcus, with Barbara Brookins and Gail Glasser, recently hosted a reception and book signing in honor of Gladys Perint Palmer, author of the wonderful new book, “Adam and Yves.”
The book provides a tongue-in-cheek history of fashion. As Valentino Garavani remarked, “her drawings have life.” And the book is indeed a lively thing to read, with every turn of the page showing an unexpected juxtaposition of major moments in world history and fashion.
For more information visit http://www.gladysperintpalmer.com / www.gladysperintpalmer.com
Neiman Marcus and Vanity Fair, with writer Amy Fine Collins, recently hosted a luncheon in celebration of Vanity Fair’s 2013 International Best Dressed List. Guests included some of the West Coast’s best dressed women, such as Vanessa Getty, Pamela Joyner, and Sobia Shaikh. It also provided an opportunity to meet Alan Morell, the new general manager for Neiman Marcus’s Union Square store, following the move of our beloved John Capizzi to Bergdorf Goodman in New York.
The Four Seasons Hotel recently hosted the 10th annual San Francisco Gala of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), and Donna Sachet was there to report back to us.
Charisse Nash arrives in style at the Nordstrom Designer Preview We recently had the pleasure…


text:
The best and worst locations for passing the National Car Test (NCT) in Donegal have been revealed.
In 2016, the test centre in Carndonagh passed 51.6 per cent of the 7,195 vehicles tested, giving it the ninth highest pass-rate in the country.
However, in Derrybeg 56.9 per cent of vehicles tested failed. The Derrybeg centre was fourth in the list of fail percentage.
According to the figures, Kilkenny could be the best destination for motorists looking to pass the test, with 55 per cent of vehicles tested given a pass.
Motorists are allowed to book a test at any of the 47 centres nationwide.
In a statement to The Irish Times, Sinead McKeon, a spokeswoman for NCT operator Applus, said a number of factors can affect the outcome at different test centres.
“The age-mix of vehicles tested in one location compared with another and this can affect the overall pass rate for that centre,” said Ms McKeon.
“For example, 4-year-old vehicles have an average pass rate of 80 per cent, whereas 10+ year old vehicles have an average pass rate of 37 per cent.
“The mileage a car has undergone can also be a factor, with higher mileage vehicles being prone to failure. This particularly affects some rural locations.”Tags: