text:
Alrosa calls for end to $25,000 ceiling on individual diamond exports.
Diamonds in the treasury of Yakutia, Russia's diamond capital. Picture: The Siberian TImes
The move comes as Russia revamps its diamond business as a key part of the strategy to boost the country's Far East.
This year Alrosa announced the opening of a Eurasian diamond centre in Vladivostok that will allow the company to double diamond sales, reaching $1 billion a year in the Asian-Pacific region by 2018.
But there is a hiccup in the plan after the realisation that individuals can only take diamonds with up to $25,000 out of the country without being tied in red tape.
The diamond giant's vice president Rinat Gizatulin highlighted the issue to the Russian Finance Ministry in a letter, reported Vedomosti.
Alrosa calls for end to $25,000 ceiling on individual diamond export. Pictures: Kristall Smolensk, The Siberian TImes
For stones worth more than $25,000, a 'customs export procedure' is needed but this cannot be carried out by an individual. Gizatulin told Vedomosti that the company is proposing either to increase the top limit, or eliminate it.
A 3-4 karat dismond could cost $25,000, according to analyst Oleg Petropavlovsky.
According to The Diamond Registry website, a round 2-karat diamond can cost between $11,800 and $48,400. Abolition of the top limit will allow ex the market capacity, according to Gizatulin.
Alrosa sold $454 million in diamonds in September, said the Russian diamond monopoly. This included $435.1 million in uncut diamonds and $18.9 million in cut diamonds. Overall sales totaled $243 million in August.
'There was good demand in September for almost all categories of rough diamonds, in keeping with our expectations. Sales were significantly higher than in September 2015,' said vice president, Yury Okoyemov.
New enterprise will work with rough diamonds from Alrosa, which holds the world's largest reserves in Yakutia.
Besides, it is impossible to halt global warming which has been underway for many decades, insists the president.
Hot spring summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin can be start of 'win-win' relationship.


text:
Hate ads? Download Brave web browser. Fast, secure, built in ad-blocking.
When we first heard of Motorola’s Triumph, it sounded pretty intriguing: a Blur-less Motorola Android, being sold free-and-clear for about $300 on Virgin Mobile pre-paid. Sure, it doesn’t have dual cores or a 3D display, but the hardware is no slouch, either. Our appreciation for the handset makes this all the more upsetting, as apparently there are a host of problems plaguing some Triumph owners.
One of the two big issues concerns the smartphone’s display. Some users have noted erratic behavior, from a few pixels blinking, to full-screen flickering, all the [...]
If you’re an Android user with simple tastes, Motorola’s Triumph on Virgin Mobile probably caught your eye, with its plain-vanilla Android implementation, straightforward design, and no-contract pricing. We had been anticipating the Triumph for tomorrow, July 19, but as is all too common amongst smartphone releases, the situation is just slightly more complicated.
In a press release last week, Virgin announced that the Triumph would not be available on July 19, but on July 20, instead. This is very important when you look at the main focus of that press release, [...]
For a smartphone that’s not state-of-the-art and lacks any real gimmick, we’ve been paying pretty close attention to the Motorola Triumph on Virgin Mobile. If anything, it’s what the phone lacks that we find so interesting: no custom Android UI, and no contract required. We don’t get to see many phones worth mentioning initially released without carrier subsidies in the States, after all, so we were very interested in seeing how the Triumph would be priced to compensate. We’ve got our answer now, and it’s not too bad.
Best Buy is now accepting [...]
After catching a glimpse at the then-unnamed Motorola Triumph for Virgin mobile back in April, the smartphone made its formal debut at Sprint and Motorola’s NYC press event earlier this month. At the time, the best info we had on when to expect the Triumph to go up for sale was simply sometime this summer. Now we’ve been able to pin the release down to a specific day, with the revelation of an advertisement claiming the Triumph will become available on July 19.
The Triumph, you may remember, is a no-nonsense Froyo Android, eschewing user interface customizations in [...]
Motorola looks to be preparing an Android Froyo-powered handset for prepaid carrier and Sprint subsidiary Virgin Mobile USA. Although the phone resembles several of Moto’s current offerings, including the Droid X, Droid 2, and Atrix, it seems to be a brand new piece of hardware. Most notable here is the fact that unlike the majority of Motorola’s Android devices, this one seems to lack the Blur UI, which has come to meet with very mixed reactions. Also interesting is the fact that three columns of icons are visible on the homescreen of the likely-WVGA display, something [...]
This afternoon in New York City, Sprint and Motorola’s press event has revealed the Photon 4G, just as we were expecting, along with the Motorola Triumph on Virgin Mobile pre-paid.
Available Photon 4G specs match what was earlier leaked: the Android is very Atrix-like, with a qHD display, dual-core Tegra 2, and a gigabyte of RAM; the most obvious difference between the smartphones is the Photon 4G’s screen measures in at 4.3 inches, over the Atrix’s 4.0. Like the Atrix and the re-tooled Bionic, the Photon 4G will support Motorola’s laptop dock. In [...]

domain: news


text:
Audi Brings Back a Fan Favorite
The A3 TDI Sportback is coming back
Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.
Audi debuted the 2015 A3 TDI Sportback at the New York International Auto Show today. It's a tech-filled, compact, diesel wagon that will go on sale in the U.S. next summer, and it's only here because of its loyal fans.
The TDI Sportback will join a host of other new cars wearing the A3 badge, including a sedan, convertible, diesel sedan, plug-in hybrid wagon, and performance-oriented S3 sedan. They all will debut in the U.S. over the next 18 months.
But the TDI Sportback is special. The diesel engine was responsible for half of the sales of the 2008-2012 A3 Sportback, which Audi of America president Scott Keogh called "a cult classic in the epicenters of the creative class."
According to Keogh, the TDI Sportback has returned thanks to an outpouring of support.
"We clearly did not want to forget our passionate Sportback loyalists," said Keogh. "The postings, the tweets, and the E-mails can settle down now.
The rapid expansion of the A3 lineup is a sign that Audi is making a strong bet on the compact premium segment, a class of vehicles that appeals to younger buyers and downsizing empty nesters alike. Keogh calls it "new luxury," which—in his words—is versatile, elegant, compact, and efficient.
We saw the A3 interior back in Frankfurt last year, and came away impressed with high-end finishes and clean interior lines.
The A3 also features an updated version of the Audi Connect infotainment system, with optional dedicated 4G LTE connectivity provided by AT&T. That connection allows for constant access to Google Maps, Facebook, Twitter, and streaming audio including online radio stations.
A new smartphone app, announced today, even lets users select destinations from GPS data encoded in photographs. So if you took a picture at your favorite beach, your Audi can get you back there next summer.
With its 150-hp, 2.0-liter diesel engine, the TDI Sportback promises improved fuel economy and cargo room—perfect for city dwellers who go on weekend road trips. We're awaiting concrete numbers for pricing and fuel economy.


text:
Federal Screw Works
posted a narrower third-quarter loss Friday despite a 7% sales decline.
The St. Claire Shores, Mich., maker of auto parts lost $571,000, or 42 cents a share, for the quarter ended March 31, compared with a year-ago loss of $2.5 million, or $1.82 a share. The year-ago quarter was hit by a charge of $1.8 million, or $1.28 a share, on the closing of the company's Chelsea unit.
Sales dropped to $22.1 million from $23.8 million a year earlier.
Federal Screw also declared a 10-cent regular quarterly dividend, payable July 3 to shareholders of record June 2.
On Friday, Federal Screw was flat at $16.50.


text:
Mahindra and Mahindra has sold 41,863 units of vehicles in total from their portfolio. During the same moth last year, Mahindra sold 36,727 units during representing a growth of 14%. The company launched its new sub 4 metre SUV- the Nuvosport in April to strengthen its product portfolio, and the added numbers from the sales of the new model has helped the car maker strengthen its sales numbers.
The Passenger Vehicles segment of the company (which includes UVs, Cars and Vans) sold 22,655 units in April 2016 as against 19,464 units during April 2015, a growth of 16%. The company’s domestic sales stood at 39,357 units during April 2016 as against 34,467 units during April 2015, a growth of 14%. In April 2016, the Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles segment sold 472 units, registering a growth of 82%. Exports for April 2016 stood at 2,506 units, a growth of 11%.
Speaking on the auto sales performance for April 2016, Pravin Shah, President & Chief Executive (Automotive), M&M Ltd. said, “At Mahindra we are happy to have begun the new financial year with a growth of 14%. We do hope that the Honorable Supreme Court, while taking a decision on diesel vehicles ban in NCR region on May 9, will take cognizance of all the facts including the role that the automotive industry plays in the country’s industrial growth. Going forward we hope to maintain our growth momentum with our wide range of product portfolio as well as the new launches of variants and refreshes, as per the need of our customers. “
Sales Summary April 2016
|Cars + Vans||1171||1523||-23%|
|LCV < 3.5T||11834||10594||12%|
|LCV > 3.5T||641||475||35%|
|Total Domestic Sales||39357||34467||14%|
|Total Sales (Domestic + Export)||41863||36727||14%|


text:
- Event Coverage
HP today unveiled a new category of web-enabled printing solutions that will allow users to print from any email device to any HP printer from anywhere in the world.
Toshiba Laptop division's 25th birthday launches in style with two new notebook models including a dual-touchscreen notebook and an update to the ultra light Portege R series.
Belkin did the less tech-savvy folks a good turn today with the introduction of four user-friendly 802.11n routers engineered with fun applications and easy setup process. Here are some highlights from the launch.
We've brought you a glimpse of Philips' upcoming audio products with our recent trip to Belgium. Now, witness their incoming AV fleet as we bring you highlights from their official launch held at the ritzy Hard Rock Hotel.
Besides the official Android 2.1 update for its earlier Xperia X10 series, Sony Ericsson also just announced new devices such as the Android-based Xperia X8, a Walkman phone called the Yendo with Walkman featuring full touchscreen capabilities, and another GreenHeart device, the Cedar.
We check out some of the cool stuff and key highlights from the annual communications and broadcast trade show event, CommunicAsia and BroadcastAsia 2010.
At Nokia Connection 2010, the Finnish outfit introduced its 12-megapixel with 720p video recording juggernaut, the Nokia N8. Also new was the Nokia X5 aimed for the hip and trendy crowd. Here's a quick hands-on impressions of these two new Nokia devices.
Here's Part 2 of our PC Show Coverage and we have even more deals for you! So, before you head down to brave the crowds at Suntec City this coming weekend, be sure to use this article to help you get the best bang for your buck!
You've seen our preview coverage but still can't make up your mind. You fear the inevitable crowds that make shopping a hassle. Well fret not, with our coverage of PC Show 2010, you'll be able to get the best deals before you make up your mind on what to buy!
It's mid-year and time for the usual quarterly IT fair for all your gadgets and gizmos! That's right, PC Show 2010 is right around the corner and we've got the latest scoop on the upcoming deals! So, get your wallets ready and head on down during the 10th to the 13th of June at Suntec Singapore!
- Acronis True Image 2017 New Generation is the first of its kind to protect against ransomware
- You can pay for rides on public transport with EZ-Link Wearables
- Thousands of watch faces are coming soon to the Samsung Gear S2 and S3
- Report: Worldwide app downloads grew 15% in 2016, revenue up 40%
- ASUS rumored to launch the ZenFone 4 series in May
- Apple said to have delayed launch of new iPads to second half of the year
- Tag Heuer will unveil a smartwatch powered by Android Wear 2.0 in May
- "Irregularly-sized" batteries and manufacturing issues caused the Note7 fires?


text:
Anyone who has walked past a nail salon is familiar with the noxious odors that emanate from acrylic nails, polishes, and removers. Customers getting manicures and pedicures endure the smell temporarily, but manicurists who inhale these evaporating chemicals for hours expose themselves to health risks.
The smells come from volatile organic compounds, or VOCs — compounds that easily become vapors or gases. These substances have been linked to health problems ranging from headaches and respiratory irritation to reproductive complications and cancer. In a normal room-temperature environment, VOCs evaporate and humans breathe them in.
Our research team, along with colleagues at Colorado State University, recently investigated chemical exposures in six Colorado nail salons and found that employees spent their days exposed to high levels of VOCs. Participating technicians, who had worked in salons for up to 19 years, reported suffering headaches and skin and eye irritation.
We measured levels of benzene and formaldehyde in the salons, and determined that exposure to these known human carcinogens was increasing the workers’ lifetime cancer risks above one in one million — the level that many U.S. agencies consider acceptable in regulating exposure to harmful substances.
A 2015 New York Times exposé highlighted underpayment and poor working conditions in New York nail salons. However, it failed to address chemical exposures that salon workers experience daily.
Several research groups have sought to characterize and quantify VOC exposures in the nail salon environment, using standard measurement techniques and self-reported health surveys. Their research shows that nail salon workers are exposed to higher levels of VOCs than they would typically be expected to encounter in most homes, occupations, or urban environments. As a result, these workers frequently experience work-related health symptoms.
Our study measured 10 VOCs, including the carcinogens benzene and formaldehyde. We found that VOC levels in the six salons where we monitored regularly exceeded common threshold levels for odor and inhalation risk. In some cases this posed a significant risk of cancer over a 20-year exposure period.
Twenty workers answered questionnaires about their personal health. Among them, 70 percent reported some form of short-term health symptom related to their employment, while 40 percent reported multiple related symptoms.
We worked closely with salon owners to enlist volunteer nail technicians to participate. Having owners’ support was instrumental, since it allowed salon workers to accurately report on their health and working conditions without fear of reprisal.
Many people view cosmetology as a relatively safe profession, but it isn’t. We found that exposures to aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes — collectively referred to as BTEX — resembled those previously reported in studies of oil refinery workers and auto garage technicians.
Our results aren’t unique. A 2018 Iranian study found similar concentrations of benzene, ethylbenzene, and xylene in Tehran beauty salons. Another study conducted that year in Michigan found concentrations of toluene at over 100 parts per billion, which is roughly 30 times higher than reported urban outdoor levels.
Regulation of this kind of workplace exposure has not kept pace with science. Many U.S. occupational safety and health exposure limits have not been updated for nearly 50 years. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, readily acknowledges that many of its permissible exposure limits are “outdated and inadequate for ensuring protection of worker health.”
OSHA offers only guidance and recommendations for businesses, effectively shifting the burden of worker protection onto private industry. This is especially problematic in the nail salon industry, where more than 90 percent of salons are small businesses that employ fewer than five people and do not have safety personnel on staff.
Inadequate cosmetic product regulations and labeling requirements make it hard to know which products are actually safe. A 2012 study by the California Environmental Protection Agency found that 10 out of 12 nail products labeled “toluene free” still contained up to 17 percent toluene. Products labeled free of the so-called “toxic three” ingredients — dibutyl phthalate or DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde — actually contained greater concentrations of DBP, an endocrine-disrupting compound, than products that made no claims at all.
Owners often work in nail salons, so they generally support efforts to improve air quality inside their businesses. Those who we interviewed typically had some understanding of the problem and wanted to fix it, but didn’t always know how.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and OSHA all publish healthy nail salon guides. Yet owners in our study had never heard of them — perhaps because the guides are only published in English, while many nail salon workers are Asian and Latino immigrants with limited English language skills.
Several grassroots community organizations have published guides to improving salons’ air quality in both Vietnamese and Chinese. These references discuss ventilation and use of personal protective equipment, which are paramount for mitigating chemical exposures in the workplace.
Small changes, such as running ventilation continuously, wearing nitrile gloves and utilizing proper charcoal face masks, can significantly reduce worker exposure. Results from our most recent study also suggest that placing large activated carbon sinks in salons could effectively remove VOCs from the air. We are currently experimenting with embedding these chemical-absorbing materials into pieces of art that can hang on salon walls.
Another priority is conveying information to larger audiences and advocating for more safety training in cosmetology certification programs. Education and training are particularly important for ethnic minority groups.
Many workplace standards enforced by OSHA, such as those regulating exposure to toxic and hazardous substances, apply to nail salons. However, cosmetic manufacturers are not required to obtain federal approval for products or ingredients before they go on the market, or to file product information with the agency.
In contrast, California passed a bill in 2018 that will require manufacturers to provide ingredient labels on any professional cosmetic products manufactured after July 1, 2020 and sold in the state. The campaign for this common-sense reform was largely led by advocacy groups like the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative. Practical steps like this can improve conditions for workers who receive little attention but are exposed to serious health risks on the job every day.
Lupita D. Montoya is a research associate in the Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering Department at the University of Colorado Boulder. Aaron Lamplugh is a research scientist at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder.


text:
A recent InternetRetailer.com article citing Juptier’s report, Effective E-mail Marketing, states that many email marketers have under-performing campaigns because they fail to take such steps such as segmenting offers to groups of consumers and conducting A/B tests to determine the most effective promotions. The article gives a couple of interesting stats.
- 40% of marketers employ email testing strategies
- 31% use email click-through data
- 47% of email testers realize average conversion rates of more than 3%
eINFO – a collection of articles and studies about email marketing


text:
Found at lot #3309, the very first production C7 ZR1 is going to be one of the highlights of the upcoming Scottsdale Barrett-Jackson auction that kicks off on the 20th of this month. This car is being auctioned off for a good cause, and someone is going to get the ultimate supercar in the C7 lineup, and it’s quite the icon for anyone’s collection, as long as they have deep pockets.
Barrett-Jackson is waiving the auction fees for the car, so the entire purchase amount will go to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. This foundation was started by the Siller family in honor of the memory of one of their own who was an FDNY firefighter who lost his life during the tragic events on 9/11. This charity offers assistance to first responders and those who have been seriously injured in the line of duty and service.
The 2019 Corvette ZR1 is the quickest and most powerful Chevy Corvette ever made. Powering the super beast is a 6.2L supercharged engine that puts out 755-horsepower and 715 lbs-ft of torque. Backing the ultra-powerful engine is a seven-speed manual transmission. Its 0-60 mph numbers are said to be under 3-seconds, and the car will likely cover the 1/4-mile in the 10-second range. It has an official top speed of 212 miles an hour with a limiter that will kick in at 215-mph to keep the tires from tearing apart. Buying one new will cost you just under $120,000, so expect to see this one going for much more than that, although, there’s no reserve on this lot.
In addition to the ZR1, another Corvette is heading to Arizona where its proceeds will benefit charity. CEO and Chairman Craig Jackson and his wife, the VP of Brand Strategy for the company, Carolyn, will donate their personal 1988 Chevrolet Corvette 35th Anniversary Edition to benefit the American Heart Association.
Rick Hedrick ended up plucking down a massive $925,000 for the very first C7 ZR1 — adding to the laundry list of Number One’s in his massive collection!
Shawn Henry is a Texas native who has spent the majority of his career building and selling F-Bodies and Corvettes. Now studying journalism, he is taking a new direction with his love of GM Performance vehicles.


text:
Inflation surges in France and Italy dent German confidence
Soaring consumer prices stroke fears of record of eurozone inflation15 April 2008
PARIS - Consumer prices have risen at rates not seen since the 1990s in France and Italy and have dented German investor confidence, figures showed Tuesday, stoking fears that record eurozone inflation has further to climb.
Annual inflation in March in the 15-nation eurozone, of which France, Italy and Germany are members, came to 3.5 percent in March, its highest level since the creation of the euro in 1999 and well beyond the European Central Bank inflation target of just under 2.0 percent.
Lehman Brothers in a commentary said the latest reports, "together with stronger-than-expected data from smaller eurozone countries ... point to a possible upward revision to the final eurozone inflation data from 3.5 to 3.6 percent in March."
Juergen Stark, an ECB board executive member, meanwhile warned at a conference in Brussels that mounting inflationary pressure, fuelled largely by food and energy prices, "is having an adverse effect on consumer confidence".
"Containing these inflationary pressures is therefore crucial," he said.
Stark also called for moderation in wage negotiations, fearing that big hikes in pay packages could fuel an inflationary spiral.
"Once inflation expectations have come unanchored and a price-wage spiral has started, restoring stability will be very costly in economic terms," he said.
The impact of higher consumer prices on the German economy, the eurozone's largest, was readily apparent in the latest ZEW institute reading of German investor confidence for April, which spoke of "extraordinary" price pressures.
The institute's indicator fell 8.7 points and now stands at minus 40.7 points, down from minus 32.0 points in the previous month. Economists polled by Thomson Financial had expected the index to rise to minus 29.0 points.
"Economic expectations were affected by the extraordinary high price pressure in Germany this month," the ZEW said in a statement Tuesday.
"High rates of inflation reduce the available income of consumers and, hence, weaken private consumption. Low numbers of incoming orders of German companies point to slower growth in Germany as well."
Earlier Tuesday France and Italy both reported spikes in their annual inflation rates that they blamed on the food and energy sectors.
France's annual rate jumped to a near-17-year high of 3.2 percent in March, the statistics institute INSEE reported Tuesday.
Compared to February, French consumer prices were up 0.8 percent, their sharpest monthly surge since 1987.
The annual figure for March was the highest reading since August 1991 and came after a 2.8 percent rise in February from the same month in 2007.
Energy prices were up 2.7 percent in March from February and 12.7 percent compared with March 2007. Food prices gained 0.4 percent from February and 5.3 percent on the year, according to INSEE.
"Household finances are in for a rough ride in 2008," warned economist Mathieu Kaiser of the BNP Paribas bank.
The fear is that strapped households will cut back on spending, a key driver of the French economy.
"There are today good reasons to fear a softening in household consumption in the months ahead, especially if French consumer confidence continues to erode significantly," said Aleander Law of the research group Xerfi.
He predicted that French economic growth would be limited to 1.4 percent this year. The government has already revised its target to 1.7-2.0 percent from 2.0-2.5 percent.
In Italy the annual inflation rate surged to 3.3 percent in March, its highest reading since September 1996, the statistics institute Istat reported.
Consumer prices in February had risen 2.9 percent compared to the same month in 2007.
The rising cost of basic needs such as petrol, electricity and food staples - including pasta - contributed to public frustration with the outgoing centre-left government of Romano Prodi ahead of the elections won Monday by conservative leader Silvio Berlusconi.
[AFP / Expatica]


text:
Hyundai Motor America recently announced that it has chosen Randy Parker, a Nissan executive and former chief of Infiniti sales in the United States, as its new vice president of national sales.
Before his appointment as the new sales chief for Hyundai, Parker served as division vice president for Nissan’s light commercial vehicles sales based in Yokohama, Japan. He held the position for a year after vacating his post as vice president of Infiniti in North America from February 2015 to April 2018.
Parker will assume responsibility in Nissan starting May 30. His transfer follows Hyundai’s appointment of former Nissan executive Jose Muñoz as global COO and CEO of Hyundai Motor America in April. Muñoz was the former chairman of Nissan North America from 2016 to 2018.
Parker will be in charge of sales and distribution of Hyundai vehicles in the U.S. He will also be responsible for sales strategies and dealer relations, as well as overseeing the brand’s seven sales regions. He will report to Hyundai America COO Brian Smith.
In a statement, Smith showed confidence in Parker, saying, “Randy has built a career on leading teams, working collaboratively with retailers and implementing sales strategies that deliver profitable growth.”
When Parker was head of Infiniti North America’s operations, the brand’s U.S. sales went up to 153,415 in 2017, a 15 percent increase compared to its 2015 sales. It, however, dropped to 149,821 the year after.
The last executive to be formally named vice president of national sales at Hyundai Motor America was Derrick Hatami before his departure in June 2017.
Hyundai’s U.S. sales fell 13 percent in 2017 with 664,961 units and was relatively flat the following year. This year, however, they were up 1.7 percent from January to April.
The brand is looking to launch new products and crossovers this year.


text:
Jump to content
April 17, 2019
Samuel Callahan says his family was forced out of their home due to food scarcity. The nearest grocery store is a 20-minute drive, and most residents do not own their own car. Taylor Langele took this photo on March 23.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Desktop version |


text:
The flashy story about American Apparel over the last year has mostly been about ousted CEO and founder Dov Charney's unethical workplace behavior, but those salacious tales have obscured the other major reason why he was shown the door: The company as a whole has been failing for years. Charney (who has filed numerous lawsuits to regain his position) departed the company after several years in the red, and while stories of his misbehavior make for racy copy, the real reason he was dismissed was probably his sub-standard management skills.
Yesterday, the company announced plans to cut about $30 million in operating expensive the old fashioned way, but closing underperforming stores, shrinking the size of existing stores, trimming payroll expenses and working to move into more profitable markets. The company also has high hopes pinned on its upcoming, revamped fall collection, its first under new CEO Paula Schneider, to drive sales.
The kicker is that the company's management is conceding at the outset that the new plan may not be enough to return the company to profitability. “Even if American Apparel increases revenue and cuts costs, there can be no guarantee that the company will have sufficient financing commitments to meet funding requirements for the next twelve months without raising additional capital, and there can be no guarantee that it will be able to raise such additional capital,” it said in a statement released along with the plan.
Many retail analysts have repeatedly pointed to the company's firm policy of manufacturing its products exclusively in the U.S. as a drain on profits, but the firm has repeatedly expressed its commitment to this strategy as one of the brand's defining values that attracts customers. At this point, the industry is waiting to see if American Apparel can turn itself around without a bankruptcy or being sold to a bigger company that may dismantle its domestic manufacturing policy. To its credit, the company and Schneider are being unusually transparent about the chain's condition in hopes to attract outside investment by showing that they are doing all the right things in the face of difficult conditions, but the news overall is somewhat less than promising. American Apparel fans should be keeping their fingers crossed for the chain's survival.
The comments to this entry are closed.


text:
128 www. bus- ex. com JANUARY 10 improve quality. If we can figure out a way to save water or handle fruit easier, we make those investments each year as we go." Shortly after starting operations, Southern Gardens made perhaps its biggest innovative leap of all. Recognizing that the higher quality of NFC juice would be a hit with consumers, it converted the plant from concentrate to NFC almost immediately. " We were one of the first in the industry to move to NFC, and today this is the norm," Kress says. " We knew that marketers were going to move in that direction." A major key to the successful move to NFC juice was the construction of aseptic storage tanks, which enabled the company to keep the juice cold and sterile without freezing, which in turn optimizes quality, he explains. Southern Gardens achieved another innovative breakthrough in collaboration with its transport suppliers, using liquid nitrogen to keep juice at a constant temperature in the tanker, irrespective of the outside temperature or distance traveled, Kress says. This breakthrough enables Southern Gardens to extend its markets as far as California, a three- or four- day drive. Currently, the company is developing disease- free trees in its nursery, one of the few in Florida that is compliant with the latest state agriculture regulations, Kress adds. The nursery may be expanded, he says, and whatever happens to the Everglades plan, Southern Gardens will still remain a major supplier of citrus trees to the Florida industry. Southern Gardens has also demonstrated its leadership of the industry with its strong record on the environment. " Nothing leaves the plant as waste," Kress says. " Any water we generate or use in our processes is reused multiple times and then diverted to irrigate our groves." In addition to its protection of the environment, Southern Gardens has set an industry example in its continuous grove inspections and quick uprooting of diseased trees. It has conducted its own research and collaborated with state and university scientists in seeking tools to combat first canker and now the greening disease that kills citrus trees. The first two field trials of the company's internal disease research work, as approved by the USDA, have been planted in the company groves. These trees are resistant to canker and greening in the lab; planting in a commercial environment will confirm resistance. Jackie Burns, interim director of the Citrus Research and Education Center at the University of Florida, says Southern Gardens has been a " pioneer in tackling important issues in the citrus industry" and a " role model" in its rapid removal of diseased fruit- bearing trees, even at the cost of crop revenues. " They are very forward- thinking and do whatever needs to be done," Burns says. " We'll always be a friend and a partner with Southern Gardens and the people who run it." Southern Gardens' processing plant remains one of the most efficient in the world and has topped global rankings for 12 of the last 14 years, according to Donn Sabato, US sales and service manager for JBT FoodTech Citrus Systems, which leases juice extractors to Southern Gardens and other citrus processors. " Customers pay per box, so their productivity is easy to measure," Sabato says. " Southern Gardens is one of the most automated and efficient plants in the world. And they have a great team." Not stopping its quest for further efficiencies, Southern Gardens embarked on a conversion to SAP ERP software in 2008 to optimize operations and lower costs. Dick DeFazio, CEO of Performance Consulting Associates, says his firm helped Southern Gardens with its SAP
Southern Gardens Citrus JANUARY 10 www. bus- ex. com 129 As for the future, Southern Gardens is continuing to explore new initiatives, such as developing aseptic pulp that could expand markets to China and India and working with John Deere and Carnegie Mellon to design a driverless tractor that would enable the company to operate 24 hours per day in the groves. Additional mechanization of harvesting methods is also being explored, as is a possible switch from trucks to rail transport, Kress says. Optimistic about the future, Kress says Southern Gardens' vertical integration, which extends from growers to its own processing plant and its network of distributors and manufacturers, sets the company apart from its competitors and lays the groundwork for the years ahead. " We're known for high quality and customer service," Kress says. " And it all comes down to the commitment and strength of our management team and all our employees." conversion, redesigning storerooms and spare parts repositories and improving preventive and predictive maintenance procedures in the process. " Southern Gardens did very well" in implementing SAP models and taking ownership of the change process, DeFazio says. Everglades Farm Equipment Co., Inc. offers a full line of GreenStar products to help you learn from yesterday, get more done today, and prepare for a more productive and profitable tomorrow. No matter where you farm, what you grow, or the size of your operation, our integrated GreenStar products help you save time, money and costly inputs, year after year. Everglades Farm Equipment Co.


text:
Today, the James Beard Foundation announced updates to its awards categories for the forthcoming 2023 awards in a response to changing trends in the restaurant industry. One trend the foundation has picked up on: Bread is back and better than ever.
Given the proliferation and excellence of cookbooks focusing specifically on bread in recent history, it’s no surprise that the James Beard Awards will now include a specific category to recognize the best bread books published that year. According to a press release from the foundation, the bread book category will “include books with recipes focused on the art and craft of making bread, including ingredients, techniques, equipment, and traditions.” To be eligible, books must have been published in the 2022 calendar year.
Over the past 10 years, bread bakers have been recognized frequently in the baking and desserts category, with Kristina Cho’s Mooncakes and Milk Bread winning in 2022, Sarah C. Owens’ Sourdough: Recipes for Rustic Fermented Breads, Sweets, Savories, and More winning in 2016, and Ken Forkish’s Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza winning in 2013. And with so many great bread and bread-adjacent books published in 2022 (think The Miller’s Daughter or Bread Head), and an ever-growing list of bread books to come in the future (Maurizio Leo’s The Perfect Loaf, King Arthur’s Baking School, and more), competition for the new bread category will surely be steep. (The baking and desserts category will remain to recognize cookbooks on desserts and sweet and savory baking and pastries.)
And while home bakers’ bread cookbook shelves have grown in 2022, so have the number of professional bakers: In 2023 the awards will also include a new category for outstanding bakery, which will recognize a “baker of breads, pastries, or desserts that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations, while contributing positively to its broader community.” In an interesting twist, this baker does not have to have a brick-and-mortar — so pop-ups and cottage bakeries will be considered — but they must have been baking for the public for the past three years to be considered. The outstanding baker category, however, has been eliminated in favor of acknowledging just one outstanding baker or pastry chef, defined as a person “working as a pastry chef or chef who makes desserts or breads for the past three years.”
Other notable changes to the 2023 awards include a book awards category for Food Issues and Advocacy, a dedicated award for beverage-focused journalism, and an expansion of the outstanding bar and outstanding wine program categories to encompass drinks of all kinds. This means a wine bar is eligible to win in the former category and a restaurant serving great cocktails can be up for the latter award, now called outstanding wine and other beverages program. The foundation is accepting entries and nominees for all categories now through November 30.
Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Foundation Awards.


text:
Fintech heated up a bit in February meaning you could have missed out on some of the biggest stories. Here are some of the top stories we saw in January 2024.
Google Pay winds down in US in favour of Google Wallet
Google announced it will be killing off Google Pay in the US, with the app no longer being available from the 4th June.
Americans will still be able to use the tap to pay feature through Google Wallet moving forward.
This came after Google Wallet was rolled out worldwide in 2022, but in the US they had kept both apps until now.
EU adopts instant payments rules
The European Council adopted instant payment rules which will allow for 10-second payments in euros for consumers and businesses in the EU and in EEA countries.
The rules were agreed last year by the Council and European Parliament.
There will be two stages to the rules coming into force, with a shorter period for euro zone and longer for the EEA countries.
Capital One to acquire Discover
In a potential shape-up to the card world, Capital One made a $35 billion bid to acquire Discover Financial Services.
The combined power of these two platforms could enable them to compete with payments giants Mastercard and Visa.
The deal received some pushback from lawmakers like Elizabeth Warren over its potential to “threaten financial stability”.
American Express adds ‘Plan It’ BNPL offering to credit cards
American Expressed launched its new ‘Plan It’ function to the UK market. This allows credit card holders to pay off purchases on their statement, or a portion of their monthly bill, in instalments, in a buy now pay later (BNPL) fashion.
Under the arrangement, customers with a credit card can select any transaction above £100, or an amount from their most recent statement, to put into an instalment plan for 3, 6 or 12 months.
Users will be charged a fixed monthly fee for using this function, but will not be charged interest on any balance in their instalment plan.
TCS could take over the running of Faster Payments
According to reporting from Sky News, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has emerged as a leading contender to take over the running of the UK's Faster Payments Service.
Pay.UK is running the process as part of the UK's New Payments Architecture, which will replace the current Faster Payments and Bacs retail interbank payment system, with clearing and settlement taking place over a single purpose-built central infrastructure.
Faster Payments is currently operated by Vocalink, owned by Mastercard.


text:
Nagpur News: Two unidentified mobike-borne youths snatched a mangalsutra and gold chain worth Rs 36,000 from a middle-aged woman on Monday night. The incidence took place at 9.30 pm in front of Madhvi Jewellers, Maharana Chowk. According to information, Meena Ravikant Bhandewar (40), a resident of Plot No. 465, Sadbhavana Nagar, was going back home with her daughter after visiting Kalyaneshwar Mandir, Mahal on her scooty (MH 31 DB 7489). Two unidentified youths came from rear on a red colour Pulsar bike and snatched away the mangalsutra and gold chain worn by Meena. Before she could raise an alarm, the robbers sped away.
On the complaint of Meena, Nandanvan police registered a case under 392 and 34 of the IPC.


text:
The first quarter of this year has been a grim one for proponents of freer trade. While the G-20 will undoubtedly call for a successful conclusion of the Doha Round this week in London, no one expects it to happen. Last November the G-20 pledged not to engage in any protectionist policies, but as the World Bank pointed out last month, this was honored only in the breach. The Bank concluded that seventeen of the twenty countries had implemented a combined forty-seven measures to restrict trade at the expense of other countries. With the recession, global trade looks set to shrink for the first time since 1982. The WTO recently predicted a 9 percent reduction in cross-border trade for this calendar year.
Despite these depressing figures, most analysts do not believe that the global economy will see a reprise of the protectionist heydays of Smoot-Hawley. The Cato Institute's Dan Ikenson argued this month that, "Although some governments will dabble in some degree of protectionism, the combination of a sturdy rules-based system of trade and the economic self interest in being open to participation in the global economy will limit the risk of a protectionist pandemic." He has a point. After all, we live in a world of the World Trade Organization, the European Union and NAFTA. Even if there is some protectionist backsliding, no one is going to withdraw from the WTO. Absent that, what's the worst that could happen?
For the record, I believe this sentiment is correct-for now. With each passing month of contracting economies shedding large numbers of jobs, however, politicians will feel increasing pressure to use every tool in their arsenal to protect existing workers. It is an unfortunate rule in politics that industries vulnerable to imports are usually better organized than consumers.
This leads to an interesting thought experiment-could the major trading states enact high protectionist barriers while still complying with their WTO obligations? Unfortunately, this scenario is not too difficult to paint. Consider the following steps:
- Antidumping explodes. Countries are allowed under the WTO to apply goods-specific duties if they suspect that the exporting firm is hawking their wares at below-market prices (ignore for the moment the question of why getting a discount is a bad thing). When demand gets slack, antidumping investigations explode. According to Brandeis' Chad Brown, antidumping investigations increased by 31 percent in 2008, while there was a 19 percent jump in the number of applied duties. While antidumping used to be the province of the developed world, Brown's data suggests that developing counties were responsible for nearly three-quarters of these investigations. Which brings us to….
- Bound tariffs become applied tariffs. Most of the developing countries in the WTO have two tariff schedules-the maximum rates they can levy (the bound tariff) and the rates they actually use (the applied tariff). For the past decade, the applied tariffs in some countries have been much lower than the bound rates. India's average applied rate is approximately 14 percent; it could raise its tariffs to 50 percent without violating any WTO commitment. Similarly, Brazil could increase its applied tariffs from 12 percent to 31 percent and still be a member in good standing of the World Trade Organization. The International Food Policy Research Institute estimates that if all countries raised their applied tariff to their bound levels, global trade would fall by 7.7 percent over the next five years.
- Green sanctions. In March, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu testified before Congress that he was open to the idea of applying additional tariffs on carbon-intensive imports as a "weapon" in case China fails to curb its greenhouse gas emissions. A violation of world trade law, you say? Not necessarily-the WTO hasn't ruled on this issue, and some experts think that such tariffs would be permissible. Of course, China is less than thrilled with this possibility-and for good reason. Green sanctions against China would do little to reduce global warming, because China's carbon-intensive sectors-cement and steel-are largely geared for internal consumption. As a stalking horse for greater protection of domestic industry, however, Chu's proposal will have many supporters.
- Non-tariff barriers for everyone! Even if tariffs are bound, other measures can restrict trade levels. As the "Buy American" debate demonstrated, government procurement practices can be used to block imports. Subsidies to aggrieved sectors (cough, automobiles, cough) in the developed world can also be used to keep out foreign products. If all else fails, large economies can always impose more stringent regulatory barriers.
- Currency wars. The WTO has no jurisdiction on the manipulation of currencies as a means to boost a country's balance of trade. In theory, the IMF is supposed to prevent these kinds of tactics. In practice, Beijing prevented the IMF from even talking about the problem. If the dollar falls precipitously in value, expect to see a rash of competitive currency devaluations, and frequent use of the term "beggar thy neighbor".
- Real wars. The United States has not been reticent about going to war during the past decade. Russia invaded Georgia last year. China has been making threatening noises in the South China Sea this year. During economic downturns, the incentive to launch "diversionary wars" increases. If a great power engages in an actual war, this is an invitation for other countries to impose trade sanctions of one form or another as punishment.
- Get out of the WTO free - for 18 months. Finally, the major trading states-the United States, European Union, China and Japan-can just decide to use their escape clause and ratchet up tariffs as high as they want. This would violate the WTO, and these countries would likely lose any dispute that arose from such a move. Of course, the wheels of trade justice grind slowly. It would take the WTO about eighteen months to finalize such a ruling. When the Bush administration applied steel tariffs in March 2002, they were able to keep them in place until December 2003 without consequence. The European Union still bars hormone-fed beef from the United States, even though the WTO ruled against them. In a worst-case scenario, the WTO disintegrates because countries defy the rules and are judged to be in breach. This lets the complainant countries do what they are allowed to do when there's noncompliance-apply more trade sanctions.
To repeat, this probably will not happen. Too many people benefit too much from cross-border trade for the world to revisit the nineteen thirties. Still, the possibility of a vicious cycle is not zero. Policies like those listed above would dampen economic growth, which would reduce trade levels even further, which would ratchet up political pressure to protect even more. For a free trader like myself, this scenario is vivid enough to give me nightmares for a good long while.
Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a senior editor at The National Interest. His next book, Avoiding Trivia: The Role of Strategic Planning in American Foreign Policy, will be published by Brookings Institution Press later this month.


text:
Tesla Battery Working day outlines battery tech that could established the business up as a mobile producer, and global EV domination. Kia reveals a new hybrid and plug-in hybrid SUV for the U.S. Ford will be making a bunch of EVs in Canada. And Volkswagen’s first EV for the U.S. masses has arrived. This and additional, below at Environmentally friendly Vehicle Reports.
The 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid have been revealed on Tuesday. Kia expects a 30-mile electric powered variety from the PHEV, and the Hybrid’s envisioned 37 mpg is adequate to leading the Toyota Highlander Hybrid as the maximum-mileage three-row car with out a demand port.
The considerably-hyped Tesla Battery Working day revolved all around a new cell format, a new process, and an full rethink to being vertically built-in. With it, Tesla promises that it could halve the value of cells and ramp up to create 3 terawatt-hours of its have cells by 2030—in addition to those people becoming produced by suppliers in the meantime. And, CEO Elon Musk advised, Tesla could become a mobile supplier to other automakers.
The initially of Volkswagen’s electric powered motor vehicles for the masses, “for the thousands and thousands, not millionaires,” the ID.4, is out, and it has a price tag, alongside with very first facts on specs and capabilities. Versions of the ID.4 electric SUV arriving early in 2021 will commence at $41,190 like spot, but a 1st Edition edition arriving later this year gets all the extras (other than all-wheel drive) for $45,190.
Green Car Studies acquired up close and inside of the ID.4 earlier this week, and remaining with some very positive impressions—except for one vital component that’s clearly a do the job in development.
And Ford programs to develop 5 electric powered-car designs in Canada starting off in the 2025 product 12 months, with the last of these five getting into creation in 2028. This has us active speculating just what they could possibly be.


text:
There is uncertainty over whether the Bauer and Pacific Magazines deal will go ahead, despite getting approval for the $40m sale from the ACCC on Thursday.
The Australian is reporting Bauer is refusing to confirm if the deal will proceed, with CEO Brendon Hill failing to return calls and cancelling scheduled media interviews.
However, in an email to B&T on Wednesday, the day before the ACCC handed down its decision, Hill said: “We are still 100 per cent committed to the deal. A larger company, with increased scale and reach, is even more imperative in these troubled times.”
On Friday B&T attempted to get in touch with Hill for additional confirmation but did not receive a response.
It is likely the impacts and economic slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is behind the uncertainty.
Seven sent out a press release yesterday following the ACCC’s decision welcoming the sale.
Seven CEO James Warburton commented: “We welcome today’s regulatory approval of the sale of Pacific Magazines to Bauer Media.
“This transaction provides $40 million in cash consideration (pre-adjustments and leave provisions). Additionally, the $6.6 million of advertising we are receiving from Bauer over three years further enhances the value of the sale, allowing the titles to continue to reach the valuable audiences SWM commands.
“Pacific Magazines has always been an important part of Seven West Media and will leave a lasting legacy, and I want to personally thank the hard working and dedicated team who have worked tirelessly to transform the business in response to changing market conditions.
“These efforts mean that Pacific’s assets will have a bright future as part of a larger group with Bauer, and SWM will maintain a relationship through the successful television show Better Homes and Gardens,” Warburton said.
However, there was no additional word from Bauer Media.
The ACCC has spent months reviewing the potential sale, confirming yesterday that ” the proposed acquisition is unlikely to substantially lessen competition in any market.”
It added: “Magazine publishers have suffered significant and progressive circulation and revenue declines in the last ten years, which has resulted in less investment in content and fewer retail promotions. In particular, the ACCC noted that significant circulation and revenue declines in the last few years has resulted in the closure of magazine titles, with further magazine title closures in the future regardless of the proposed acquisition,” the statement read.
Today, Integral Ad Science (IAS), a global leader in digital ad verification, released its Media Quality Report (MQR) for H2 2020, providing transparency into the performance and quality of Australian digital media, alongside global comparisons. Integral Ad Science’s H2 2020 MQR highlights brand safety, ad fraud, and viewability trends across display, video, mobile web, and […]
Quintis Sandalwood has appointed Illuminate as its global PR partner following a competitive pitch process. Proudly Australian, Quintis produces and markets Indian Sandalwood oil, logs, chips and powder products across the world to major companies in industries such as fragrance, aromatherapy, cosmetics, handicrafts and Traditional Chinese Medicine industries. Illuminate will be responsible for a global communications […]
Hopefully the weekend has given everyone enough time to recover from B&T’s 30 Under 30 awards and prepare themselves for our official photo dump! We shared some of the highlights last week, and now you can peruse all of the pictures taken on the night. Thank you to everyone for attending this year’s awards, and […]
Kinderling Kids Radio (Kinderling) has announced the completion of its move from DAB+, where it launched six years ago, to a direct-to-consumer streaming model, accessible online or through the Kinderling Kids iOS and Android app. The Parent Brand, the parent company of Kinderling Kids and Babyology, made the decision to shift as streaming and on-demand […]
Most people over 60 stay on top of their health with regular check-ups. Whether it’s eyes, prostate or breasts, they realise at their age it’s important. But one that gets ignored is hearing. They’d rather live with gradual hearing loss, and continually ask what, huh, pardon or sorry until it seriously impacts their life and […]
Creative communications agency Connecting Plots has been appointed by Casella Family Brands to handle the social media accounts for [yellow tail] wine in Australia. The win follows an audit of the Casella Family Brands social activities, which led to [yellow tail] rethinking its approach to social media and how it aligns with its overall marketing […]
v2food, has appointed HERO’s B.B.E as the lead strategic and creative agency for the brand following a competitive pitch process. v2food is an Australian pioneering food technology business with a global vision to feed the planet sustainably. After launching nationally in 2019, v2food has been on a mission to offer Australians an easy alternative to meat […]
Magnite (Nasdaq: MGNI), the largest independent sell-side advertising platform, today announced it has been working with Adform, the only independent global ad management platform covering all aspects of the digital campaign lifecycle, to scale first party identifiers in privacy-safe ways. With the pending elimination of third-party cookies, the industry must establish future-proof identity solutions for publishers and buyers.
The Commercial Producers Council is delighted to announce the appointment of Martin Box (pictured) as its new Co-Chair, effective immediately. Box, Head of Production at Airbag, joins Co-Chair Pip Smart, and fills the vacancy left by Lucas Jenner who steps aside from the Co-Chair role after four years of service, in accordance with the CPC’s […]


text:
Apple's iPhone SE announcement: what to expect from Monday’s event
Apple's biggest products, just smaller
The announcements are shaping up to be a sequel to those made at Apple's last event, held six months ago. There, Apple announced the iPhone 6S, iPad Pro, an expansion of Apple Watch designs, and updates to iOS. This month, picture all of that repeated, but smaller. The current speculation is that Apple is about to unveil a new 4-inch iPhone, a smaller iPad Pro, and additional Watch bands. It might even use this as a chance to launch an update to iOS 9.
How to watch Apple's iPhone SE spring event
All of the updates are set to kick off at 10 a.m. PT when CEO Tim Cook will take the stage. For those not able to follow along live from Cupertino, Apple will be live streaming the event on its website so you don't have to miss a second.
As usual, Apple limits its live video feed to those running Safari on an iOS device (iOS 7 and later), Mac OS X (10.8.5 with Safari 6.0.5 or newer) or those with a second or third generation Apple TV with 6.2 or later. Windows 10 users can also watch on Microsoft's Edge browser.


text:
The Sarasota County business district offers cheap rents — and big opportunities.
In roughly the last decade, land values in the Gulf Gate business district have fallen by nearly 40% on average, with some owners losing more than half the value of their property after the onset of the recession, according to a Sarasota Observer analysis of property records.
That has hurt investors, some of whom have owned their buildings for more than 30 years.
But the decline has kept rents low, allowing young entrepreneurs to invest — and thrive —in the area. In turn, that is sparking an evolution that could change the face of a district primarily known as a nightlife destination.
Nicole Leffler, the 34-year-old owner of Wild Ginger Apothecary and Wild Ginger Lifestyle on Superior Avenue, has leased another storefront with plans to open a lounge under the same name this week. The three businesses, the first of which she opened in late 2014, focus on eco-friendly health and beauty products, nutrition and fitness.
“I opened this store on a super tiny, tiny budget,” Leffler said. “I had been planning to do this store for a decade, but financially, it just wasn’t in the cards.”
Leffler isn’t alone. Chad Abel, 39, opened Able + Willing Supply Co., a socially conscious apparel store, next door to Wild Ginger in December. He said he has invested as much as $8,000 to reimagine his business’ new home, which was once a salon.
“I wouldn’t be able to put this store downtown,” said Abel, who worked as a freelance creative director in Boston prior to coming to Sarasota. “It’s definitely one of the reasons that I chose this location.”
When Becky Shultes, 29, bought Heavenly Cupcakes in 2012, she said it was difficult fitting in with the other businesses in Gulf Gate. Clockmakers, consignment shops and salons had been operating there for decades, while bars and restaurants mostly brought crowds in the evenings.
“I kind of felt like a loner,” said Shultes said.
Now, using coupons and her cupcakes, she partners with one of the newest additions to the district: the Clever Cup Coffee Shop. The cafe and gallery, which opened in January, features Heavenly Cupcakes’ baked goods.
“I think what we’re trying to do is create a little Brooklyn.” — Lindsey Nickel-de la O
The four owners of the Clever Cup, all under age 40, spent about $52,000 to convert the former consignment shop into a hip java joint that features live music Friday nights on Gateway Avenue.
“We invested a lot of love and passion and time to make this place amazing,” said co-owner Lindsey Nickel-de la O, whose sales were up 73% this month over January. “We feel like our investment was right to be here.”
Leffler and Nickel-de la O, who lends her public relations expertise as creative director of Sarasota-based Nickel Communications, are crafting a formal map of Gulf Gate to advertise the area to tourists and residents who may not know that the district offers everything from sushi to pierogis.
“I think what I love about Gulf Gate is how eclectic it is,” Shultes said while sipping a raspberry mocha at the Clever Cup Tuesday.
While Shultes and Nickel-de la O have found a symbiotic relationship on Gateway, Wild Ginger features a shelf of flyers advertising other Gulf Gate businesses, such as Inside Out Nutrition & Fitness.
Also on Superior Avenue, Leffler hosts First Friday events in her storefront parking lot. The initiative is supposed to bring merchants together and create more awareness about Gulf Gate.
“I would love to see more young entrepreneurs come into the area and bring more of a variety of things a younger audience could come here and enjoy,” said Abel, a participant in First Friday.
Challenges and opportunities
But First Fridays rarely draw more than a handful of stores to participate. And with a wide variety of businesses in the district, it has been difficult to form a merchants association.
“The bars don’t need a tremendous amount of boost from the nightlife standpoint,” Nickel-de la O said.
Sarasota County requires 60% of owners to sign off on becoming a business district, which would help owners in the area lobby for more capital improvements. A self-taxing district could also fund new pavement or landscaping.
“I’d love to see them clean up the medians,” said Nickel-de la O.
Still, business owners interviewed by the Sarasota Observer said they have seen an uptick in foot traffic, even though some are specialty stores with niche audiences. And, even in the face of dipping property values, all were happy with the burgeoning scene of hip storefronts.
“I think what we’re trying to do is create a little Brooklyn,” said Nickel-de la O. “Sarasota can have its downtown and Central Park, but we’re kind of OK being Brooklyn.”


text:
Resistance 3 News
Displaying 31–33 of 33 articles
It's a well-documented phenomenon in the game news industry that secret information gets leaked fairly regularly. It's almost unavoidable. But why is that not the case with other media coverage? It seems to be most prevalent when it comes to gaming blogs and game publishers. Such is the topic of this week's Sessler's Soapbox. Adam talks about...
Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version Insomniac Games hasn’t said or shown much about their recently announced threequel Resistance 3, however, the developer has confirmed that the game will release sometime in 2011. Read More?
Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version You knew it was coming, right? Everyone (me included) who was bemoaning the fact that Resistance 3 was nowhere to be seen at E3 can now breathe easy: we got the official announcement at Gamescom. Since the release of Resistance 2, we’ve listened to your feedback to help fine-tune what we know...


text:
A key gauge that forecasts the economy had its biggest monthly drop in more than four years in February, a private research group said Tuesday, raising the possibility of a slowdown in the red-hot U.S. growth rate in the months ahead.
The Conference Board said Tuesday that its index of leading economic indicators fell 0.3 percent in February, to 106, after rising a revised 0.2 percent in January, to 106.3.
The decline was the first in the index since September and the largest since the index fell 0.4 percent in January 1996, the business-funded research group said. It also was deeper than analysts had expected.
The reading suggests that efforts of Federal Reserve policymakers to slow the U.S. economy are working.
The Fed has raised rates five times since June in an attempt to prevent the economy from overheating and rekindling inflation. Further rate increases are expected, although analysts said stock market declines would make them less necessary.
Gary R. Thayer, chief economist at A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. in St. Louis, noted that stock market gains of recent years have been widely credited with fueling the consumer spending boom that has powered the economy's growth.
"The [market] correction may temper consumer spending and fit into what the leading indicators are saying--that the economy will cool off," Thayer said.
This, in turn, "could reduce the likelihood we will see significant further rate increases."
The leading index is watched closely because it is a barometer of economic activity in the next three to six months.
"Signals for the immediate future point to continued expansion, although not at the breakneck pace of the fourth quarter of 1999," when the U.S. economy grew at a 7.3 percent annual rate, said Ken Goldstein, the Conference Board's chief economist.
The nation's current economic expansion is in its 109th month; it surpassed the record of the 1960s expansion in February.
The Conference Board said that 8 of the 10 components of its leading index declined in February, with the greatest impact from interest rates and drops in building permits and new orders for capital goods. Average workweek and manufacturers' orders for consumer goods rose in February, the report said.
David Orr, chief economist at First Union Corp. in Charlotte, N.C., noted that the drop in the index largely was due to interest rates and sectors sensitive to rates.
"That is one of the things the Fed has been hoping for," Orr said.
But he warned that the Fed would be looking for more before it stops raising rates.
"They'll need to see something in car sales or home sales--two or three months of a distinct change in consumer enthusiasm," Orr said.
The index of coincident indicators, which measures current activity, was up 0.1 percent in February following a rise of 0.4 percent in January.
The index of lagging indicators was up 0.8 percent in February.


text:
To support the roll out of its new fare structure across the local area, First Bus has organised a series of roadshows which will take place over the next few days.
Fares for journeys on First buses will change from 6th July, which will affect those travelling in and around: Bath, Cheddar, Chepstow, Chipping Sodbury, Chippenham, Clevedon, Dursley, Frome, Glastonbury, Midsomer Norton, Nailsea, Portishead, Radstock, Salisbury, Saltford, Street, Thornbury, Trowbridge, Wells, Weston-super-Mare and Yate.
To ensure people know what is happening and why, First will have a team of people out at the following locations on the following dates, handing out information and providing advice to bus users whose bus fares are likely to change.
- Wednesday 25th June, Weston-super-Mare (Regent Street) from 10am to 4pm;
- Thursday 26th June, Bath (Southgate Shopping Centre, by the Apple store/Debenhams) from 9am until 7.30pm;
- Friday 27th June, Yate shopping centre, from 10am to 4pm;
- Monday 30th June, Keynsham (library) from 10am to 2pm.
In addition, the company is currently producing 50,000 leaflets which will explain the changes in full.
The booklets outline the different fares available, for instance listing the period products available and the deals available for families travelling together. The leaflets will be made available to pick up on the buses themselves, and from key locations like travel shops, bus stations and libraries.
Sarah Wallbridge, Senior Marketing Manager for First in West of England said: “We have deliberately picked busy locations, and mostly shopping centres, for these roadshow events so that we can talk to as many people as possible, ensuring that they know what is happening and why.
“In many cases the same locations were used when we were running our fare consultation events, so in returning to them we are bringing things full circle and are doing what we can to show those people who took part in the consultation what has happened as a result of their feedback.
“We hope that people – whether they are existing bus users or not – will come along to these events to find out more about the changes that are being made.
“If people can’t come along in person though they should be able to get the same information on the buses in the coming weeks, or from our specially created website www.fairerfaresforall.co.uk.”
In addition to running the events, First is also using newspaper and on-bus advertising to communicate the changes.
First is also updating the fare information displayed on buses themselves (on vinyl stickers by the doors). The latter acts as a prompt for bus users so they know, as they board, how much popular tickets cost (for instance day, week and monthly ticket prices are often shown). This means bus users can make informed decisions regarding the best ticket for them.
Customers wanting more information about what is happening and why are also able to log onto the specially created website. They can also tweet First to ask questions regarding the changes using the hashtag #fairerfares and the company will endeavour to reply to them directly.


text:
Nestle And Starbucks Form “Global Coffee Alliance” With Deal Worth $7.15B!
Nestle and Starbucks just inked a deal to form what they’re calling a “global coffee alliance,” and that’s not just corporate hyperbole — it’s a big deal. Nestle will pay Starbucks $7.15 billion upfront in cash for the right to sell Starbucks packaged products in places including supermarkets. And people will be able to buy Starbucks capsules to use in their Nespresso and Dolce Gusto coffee machines. “With Starbucks, Nescafe and Nespresso, we bring together three iconic brands in the world of coffee,” Nestle Chief Executive Officer Mark Schneider said in a joint statement. The deal doesn’t include ready-to-drink products. (Bloomberg)


text:
This week Hilton Quarry Superspar joined other supermarkets against the plastic bag fight and confirmed it had ditched plastic in favour of other options.
Superspar manager Sunil Mothilal said it had replaced plastic bags with brown bags or material bags or customers could bring their own shopping bags.
“The brown bags are more expensive than plastic but we are looking at the long term and we have tried to keep the cost as low as possible. We have had a lot of positive feedback,” said Mothilal.
The company posted this photo on their social media page which has already had thousands of shares.
So we all know that plastic is bad for the environment however, in case you need a few reminders, here are some statistics on the effects of plastic in the environment:
- An estimated 6 billion plastic bags are consumed in each country every year.
- 10% of the plastic that is produced worldwide each year winds up in the ocean—70% of which sinks to the ocean floor where it will never biodegrade.
- Every square kilometer of the ocean has approximately 46,000 pieces of floating plastic which get mistaken for food by some marine mammals passing by. Other wildlife will unfortunately get tangled up in the loose plastic and drown.
- Plastic bags that are buried in landfills can take up to 1,000 years to decompose and during this time, they undergo photo-degradation, a process by which an item (in this case, plastic) is chemically broken down through the absorption of sunlight, therefore contaminating soil and water.
- The production of plastic bags also use up millions of gallons of oil, contributing further to the already existing greenhouse gas problem.
Not surprisingly, plastic bags are the worst option to choose at the store due to the several environmental implications they have on the environment. Paper bags are also an option, but cannot really be reused.
Material, reusable bags are the best option and one of the great things about reusable bags is that they are manufactured responsibly without using environmentally harmful materials. Each reusable bag can eliminate hundreds and thousands of plastic bags and be used thousands of times.


text:
Fall Flair Arts & Crafts Show set for Sept. 6, 7
Northwest Florida Daily News
DESTIN — Fall Flair Arts & Crafts Show will be held 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 6 and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 7 in the Life Center at Destin United Methodist Church, 200 Beach Drive.
Many talented vendors will sell their works. Lots of homemade goodies will be available at the bake sale. Enjoy lunch in the Soul Cafe.
Fall Flair is sponsored by Destin United Methodist Women with proceeds benefiting Church missions. Call 543-0304.


text:
From 24 July, these workers will earn £10.10 ($13.90) an hour, up from their current hourly wage of £9.55 ($12.47).
The move is part of the company’s £200m investment in its workers, which also includes an extension of colleagues’ discount allowance and new employee training.
In addition, Tesco will increase the skills payment of its delivery drivers to £0.90 an hour from 1 May, as well as raise the hourly pay of its customer delivery drivers and click and collect assistants to £11 from 24 July.
The company will also offer any vacant hours to colleagues working less than 16 hours a week.
The pay rise announcement comes after Tesco reached an agreement with trade union USDAW.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below formBy GlobalData
Tesco UK and Ireland CEO Jason Tarry said: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement with USDAW that recognises the vital role our colleagues play in our business now and in the future, giving them a well-deserved pay rise, more access to extra hours and setting out a long-term commitment and investment in their careers at Tesco.
“These investments in our colleagues are central to making Tesco what we truly want it to be: a great place to work for all. A place that attracts and retains the best talent in the industry.”
Other supermarket chains, including Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Lidl and Aldi, have also increased their basic pay rate.
Earlier this month, Tesco shared plans to make its British-grown bedding plants peat-free as part of its plans to reduce its carbon footprint.
The company will reduce its use of peat by 95% across its UK bedding plant range, with the aim to make the products fully peat-free next year.


text:
Food and fuel prices pushed India's annual retail inflation rate higher in October, official data showed on Monday. According to the data furnished by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, October's consumer price index (CPI) inflation rose to 3.58 per cent from 3.28 per cent reported for September. However, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the CPI inflation last month was lower than 4.20 per cent recorded in October 2016.
Copyright © 2020 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service


text:
TCL has by no means been shy about showcasing its display concepts at commerce reveals, and this 12 months isn’t any completely different; the corporate is (nearly) exhibiting off a few these prototypes at CES 2021. Allowing for that there’s completely no assure these ideas will ever attain market, they’re nonetheless a enjoyable glimpse at a potential way forward for show tech. First up is a cellular system with an AMOLED “rollable” display which may prolong a 6.7-inch show as much as 7.8 inches. TCL says the system is lower than 10mm thick with a 3mm bend radius.
An identical idea seems in one of many extra unintentionally humorous promotional movies we’ve seen at CES to this point this 12 months. It’s an extendable show idea that unrolls on two sides, like a scroll, or an “I’m Gonna Steal the Declaration of Independence,” which is a technical time period.
TCL says the display itself can also be thinner at simply 0.18mm thick. The corporate tries to drive residence the space-saving benefits of this idea with a video of a hiker pulling it out of a bag on the path. Sadly, it seems to be about as genuine as our favorite folding gadgets of sci-fi do.
TCL does seem to have a working prototype model of this know-how, although it’s smaller and never fairly as robust-looking because the hiker video would recommend. And whereas the corporate says it can deliver a foldable / versatile product to market this 12 months, we’d put our cash on an everyday ol’ folding cellphone — it’s been working on one for a while now — reasonably than one in all these ideas.


text:
Ice cream wars: Unilever takes on Nestle in the US
In the world’s living-large ice cream market, it’s always been about the tub. Well over half of the US’s $12-billion in annual ice cream sales comes from products served up in pints and half gallons, says Greg Miller, a senior principal at the food and beverage advisory firm Parthenon Group.
Lately, though, Americans have begun to shift toward European-style single servings on sticks or in cones. So-called frozen novelties now account for 21.2 percent of the US market, according to researcher Euromonitor International, and that share is growing. This change presents a new front in the ice cream wars for Unilever (UL), the global market leader eclipsed stateside by Nestlé.
Through Breyers, Klondike, Ben & Jerry’s, Cornetto, and other brands, Unilever controls roughly one-fifth of the $85 billion worldwide ice cream market, according to data compiled by Bloomberg Industries. That nearly $13-billion in annual sales makes ice cream the single biggest seller for the London- and Rotterdam-based consumer-goods conglomerate, about 15 percent of its total revenue, according to Euromonitor.
Yet in the US, Unilever hasn’t been able to match Switzerland-based Nestlé, the world’s largest food company, which owns such brands as Häagen-Dazs and Dreyer’s. Single-serve frozen novelties, which are much more expensive per serving, give Unilever a chance to catch up.
“Novelties make ice cream more of a snack,” says Chris Brockman, an analyst at market researcher Mintel. “It’s where the market has the most potential to grow.”
Unilever has capitalised on that potential with its chocolate-coated Magnum bars. First introduced in 1989, the bars are sold in 50 countries — they’re Europe’s top ice cream brand — but only recently arrived in the US.
Kevin Havelock, president of refreshment at Unilever, says the company’s managers feared for years that the Magnum brand wasn’t “strong enough” to make it in America. They were wrong.
In 2008, the longtime head of Unilever’s US ice cream business retired, and Havelock started planning to bring Magnum across the pond. The product did so well in domestic test markets two years ago that Unilever pushed up its US rollout from 2012 to April 2011. Supported by a marketing budget of about $15 million, Magnum became one of Unilever’s “big bets” of last year, Havelock says.
The bet paid off, with Americans snapping up more than 100 million Magnum bars — so many that supplies ran low, forcing Unilever to ship more boxes from Italian factories to meet demand.
Sales hit $100-million in the first year, surpassing Unilever’s forecasts by 50 percent. Wal-Mart Stores has since expanded its offering of the bars from four flavors to six, and has begun stocking Magnum in its Sam’s Club warehouse chain. Helped by brisk US business, global Magnum sales have doubled since 2006 and are expected to top €1-billion ($1.24 billion) this year, making ice cream a standout in Unilever’s sluggish food unit.
Still, Unilever will be hard-pressed to unseat Nestle’s Skinny Cow, the best-selling frozen novelty in the country, which has 7.1 percent of that market to Magnum’s 2.2 percent, according to Symphony IRI data…..
Businessweek: Read the full article
Trackback from your site.534 Views


text:
When you already have Tim Cook as an investor before heading into a Kickstarter campaign, chances are you’ve already got a winner on your hands. At least, this has been the case for a group of enthusiastic shower aficionados who are already making a splash on Kickstarter with their Nebia Shower.
Led by CEO Philip Winter, whose prior experience at a startup building waterless toilets for the developing world provided a foundation for spearheading water-saving products, the Nebia Shower team have created a shower system that atomizes water into millions of tiny droplets that creates a far more efficient blast of water than existing systems – ten times greater to be specific (and they have testing results to back it up). While creating a more efficient spray of water is one thing, the team has also managed to do so while saving up to 70% of the water normally used in traditional shower head systems (which they can also back up).
With over five years in development, the company has adopted a number of technologies from aerospace engineering to help develop the backbone of their fully self-installed shower system, H2MICRO™ technology. The patent-pending advanced nozzle system technology was influenced in-part by thrusters from space rockets and has been described by some users as feeling like “stepping into a warm cloud”.
For most of the five years in development, functional prototypes of the shower system existed as various combinations of modified PVC pipes. With the help from Box Clever, a young industrial design firm made up of Yves Béhar’s fuseproject alumni Bret Recor and Seth Murray, the Nebia team turned their rough prototypes into what is arguably one of the most user-friendly and best-looking shower systems you’ve likely ever seen.
“Five years ago, we had an idea: to design a significantly superior shower experience that uses significantly less water,” says the company.
“We have built dozens of prototypes and have had over 500 people test Nebia. We experimented with countless configurations and variables implementing the many learnings we gained along the way.”
Within 24 hours of launching on Kickstarter, the new company has already raised nearly $1 million with an initial goal of just $100K and 29 days left to go in their campaign. According to crowdfunding campaign tracker Kicktraq, Nebia is on track to raise nearly $15 million by the end of their campaign at their current rate of funding. In comparison, the Coolest Cooler raised just over $13 million when it shattered Kickstarter records last year.
Although they have already sold out of their earliest reward brackets, those interested can purchase their own Nebia system for $299 during the campaign before it retails for $399 in 2016.


text: SEGA has confirmed in the latest edition of Japanese gaming publication Famitsu that there’s a third and final 3D Classics Collection coming to the Nintendo 3DS. The collection which is titled SEGA 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage will include Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Afterburner 2 as well as a game from a survey that was included in the previous game. This has yet to be announced by the company. The titles that fans would like to have seen the most include Wing Wor at #5, Gain Ground at #4, OutRunners at #3, and Virtua Racing at #2. SEGA 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage is coming to Japan on December 22nd.


text:
PINAULT TO CHINA: François-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive officer of Gucci’s parent company PPR, is planning a four-day trip to China to support Gucci’s two principal corporate social responsibility programs established in that country through collaborations with the China Children and Teenager’s Fund and the Tsinghua University.
Gucci will host a dinner on Sept. 6 to reveal it will help establish five Amblyopia Medical Training and Treatment Centers in different cities — one each year over five years. The first center opened in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province on Aug. 8.
This story first appeared in the August 23, 2011 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today.
Gucci and CCTF started their collaboration in 2008 and the Italian luxury firm has so far donated more than RMB 12 million, or $1.87 million.
In addition, on Sept. 7, Pinault will hold a lecture for about 450 students at the Tsinghua University “sharing his personal experience and management philosophy with the aim to inspire young talents in China who are interested in pursuing their careers in the retail and luxury sectors,” said Gucci. The company started its collaboration with the Academy of Arts & Design of Tsinghua University in 2009, providing scholarships to underprivileged students. In January, Gucci announced the establishment of a new three-year project, the “Gucci Education Fund for the Arts,” to help develop fashion and art education at the university, offering scholarships to support underprivileged students and the funding of international academic exchanges, among others.


text:
In a very interesting turn of events, No Man’s Sky is getting investigated by the Advertising Standards community after receiving many complaints regarding the title. Many said that the released game did not match the promised one presented in screen shots and promotional material.
The watchdog launched its investigation after receiving “several complaints” about No Man’s Sky advertising.
The ASA has the power to have advertisements it believes are in breach of its code of conduct withdrawn, and prevent them from appearing again. If an advertiser refuses to comply with an ASA ruling, it can impose sanctions, such as asking internet search websites to remove a marketer’s paid-for search ads.
This extends to not just looking over press material, but also asking questions to No Man’s Sky studio Hello Games, Valve and even Sony itself.
The ASA has contacted both Hello Games and Valve and asked them to respond to a raft of questions relating to No Man’s Sky advertisements.
Complaints centre around screenshots and videos that feature more advanced animal behaviour, large-scale combat and ship-flying behaviour than ended up in the launch version of the game. Complainants also say screenshots misrepresent the graphical quality of the game.


text:
The video-on-demand (VOD) market is a fragmented one. The top 10 VOD companies (Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, iTunes, Hulu, Home Box Office, Verizon Communication, Ericsson, Maxdome GmbH, and Canalplay) control only slightly more than 34% of the global market. Recently, the market fragmented even more, with new players entering the market, and old players adding services to attract subscribers.
Let’s look at the video-on-demand market by the numbers:
$1.58 billion: The amount of capital Disney controls in BAMTech, giving it a 75% stake in the company. BAMTech manufactures VOD platforms. The move comes as Disney ended its distribution deal with Netflix and plans to launch its own service in 2019. Netflix will have access to Disney films until 2020. “This acquisition and the launch of our direct-to-consumer services mark an entirely new growth strategy for the company, one that takes advantage of the incredible opportunity that changing technology provides us to leverage the strength of our great brands,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said. The service will be available only in the U.S. and will feature both Disney films and television shows. Source: The Verge
$200 million: The amount Amazon paid for LoveFilm in 2011. Today, Amazon is planning to end the DVD renting service in the UK and Germany, the two remaining markets where it operates, at the end of October. The company cited a decrease in rentals over the past several years. In the U.S., Netflix still operates its DVD rental business, but probably not for long. In 2016, Netflix saw DVD rentals drop 7%, while subscription streaming jumped 23%. Source: Venture Beat
$5.99: The monthly subscription to cable network FX’s commercial-free VOD service for Comcast users. Called FX+, the service gives users access to all programs produced for FX and FXX as well as programming that aired on FX when the network was newly launched. FX acquired the rights to the latter group specifically so the programming could be offered on FX+. More than 1,000 episodes will be offered on the service. Comcast also recently added AMC Networks’ VOD service. Source: Broadcasting Cable
$12.95: The monthly subscription fee for Apple Music, which gives users access to Apple TV when it launches next spring. Only two shows are scheduled thus far – “Planet of the Apps” and “Carpool Karaoke”, but more will come soon, further to a reported $1bn investment in TV content. Apple began planning its VOD service in January. The goal is to create, “an entire cultural, pop cultural experience, and that happens to include audio and video,” Apple Music’s Jimmy Iovine said. Two Sony Pictures executives have been hired to help develop the service. Source: MacWorld
55%: The percentage of ad-break-revenue content partners on Facebook’s new VOD service Watch will receive. Facebook will receive the remaining 45%. The service became available August 10 in the US to a small group of testers. Facebook’s goal with the service is to have users frequently checking their newsfeeds for programming they can’t find elsewhere. As testing continues, the service will become available to more users. Facebook funded a percentage of the new programming, but most were funded by the content creators. Source: Tech Crunch
Top photo © Geber86/GettyImages


text:
By the end of 2019, Nintendo Switch had sold 52.48 million units and 300 million units of software. The top three software sales were Mario Motorsport (22.96 million copies), “Super Smash Bros.” (17.68 million copies), and “Super Mario: Odyssey” (16.59 million copies), all of which were among the top 10 sellers:
Among non-first-line IPs, Fire Emblem: Three House sold 2.58 million copies, making it the best-selling series; third-party “Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order” sold 1.02 million copies.
The company raised its forecast for the current fiscal year, raising Switch sales from 18 million units to 19.5 million units.
Nintendo has lived more easily in the Mobile game space than its traditional gaming business, making almost $1 billion with little effort.
“Fire Emblem Heroes” contributed more than half of the company’s revenue to $656 million; even more amazingly, the downloads accounted for only 4% of all mobile game downloads, but contributed most of the revenue, with an average of $41 per customer download and an amazing efficiency.


text:
NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM – The Kazakhstan-Germany Business Forum is underway in the Kazakh capital, Kazinform correspondent reports.
In his opening remarks, First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Roman Sklyar noted that Kazakhstan offers the most favorable conditions for potential investors. Thanks to its geopolitical location, according to him, Kazakhstan serves as a link between Europe and Asia.
Roman Sklyar stressed that Kazakhstan is committed to consistently develop and strengthen the strategic partnership in all avenues with one of its largest trade and economic partner in Europe, Germany.
In his remarks the First Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that Germany has invested over $5,5 billion of direct investment into Kazakhstan’s economy since 2005, mostly into processing industry.
Sklyar emphasized that despite the restrictions caused by the global pandemic Kazakhstan and Germany managed not only to maintain the uptrend in bilateral economic cooperation, but also continue to promote specific projects and proposals in virtual format (remotely).
He went on to add that nowadays Germany is one of the most important partners for Kazakhstan as the two nations have in place a number of inter-governmental agreements aimed at deepening of trade and economic cooperation, encouragement and mutual protection of investment.
«Cooperation between our countries continues to develop robustly as it was boosted by two visits of Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Germany in 2019 and 2020. A governmental group was established to solve the problems arising within the framework of implementation of joint investment projects,» Roman Sklyar added.


text:
This rollover video shows why the Jeep Wrangler gets a marginal IIHS Rating. Despite ‘good’ ratings for driver safety, multiple rollovers earn the Jeep a ‘marginal’ overall IIHS rating
When this new model Jeep Wrangler was first tested in Europe it scored a 1-star rating. Subsequently on arrival to Australia, along with more ‘standard’ safety items, ANCAP scored it a 3-star rating.
Perhaps this series of tests by the USA’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, (IIHS) may cause ANCAP to review the rating assigned to Jeep Wrangler. But in reality, those owners of Jeep Wrangler and others thinking about getting into the iconic off-road vehicle won’t pay too much heed to tests. Ford Mustang went down the same path – iconic overcomes safety.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS, has released crash test information for the current-generation Jeep Wrangler Unlimited JL. It’s mostly good news, with one glaring exception: When put through IIHS’ 40-mph, driver-side small overlap frontal test, the organization’s 2019 Wrangler Unlimited JL Sport rolled over on its side.
According to IIHS, after FCA raised questions with the test—the automaker claimed that it had not seen this sort of vehicle behavior in its own tests—IIHS ran it again. The vehicle rolled again.
It goes without saying that this is not what you’d want to see happen in a crash test. It makes for dramatic video footage, and it’s definitely something to keep in mind when shopping for a new vehicle. It has also earned the Wrangler Unlimited a “marginal” safety rating from the organization—one step above the lowest possible grade of “poor.”
Read below the top line, however, and it gets a little more complicated. The Jeep actually earns a “good” rating—the highest classification IIHS awards—when it comes to the vehicle structure and safety cage, and all driver injury measures, as well as driver restraints and dummy kinematics.
Interestingly, IIHS says the Wrangler Unlimited did just fine in its 31-mph side crash test, in which it earned a “good” rating. You watch that test unfold here:
Despite this, IIHS notes, “a vehicle tipping onto its side is not an acceptable outcome for a frontal crash, and as a result, the Wrangler’s overall rating was downgraded to marginal.”
Further, “Rollovers—even partial ones like those that occurred in the Wrangler tests—are especially dangerous crashes, in part due to the risk of complete or partial ejection. This is a particular concern in the Wrangler, which has a roof and doors that can be removed. The Wrangler also lacks side curtain airbags designed to deploy in a rollover to keep occupants inside. It is not required by regulation to have side curtain airbags because of its removable roof.”
You’ll recall that the small overlap frontal test caused considerable automaker consternation when it was implemented in 2012. In this case, IIHS did not offer any particular insight into why the Wrangler JL performed poorly in its tests, especially when its predecessor, the Wrangler JK, earned a “good” rating.
But the Wrangler is something increasingly scarce in today’s marketplace: a traditional, high-riding body-on-frame convertible truck with removable doors, a folding windshield and two solid axles—and as we’ve said before, solid-axle vehicles (sometimes) have solid-axle problems. It is intended to be able to go anywhere off-road, and its design and engineering reflect that. Never mind that most buyers use them solely on-road.
A modern Jeep, especially a brand-new Wrangler JL, is unquestionably safer than a vintage SUV by almost any imaginable metric. But it comes with certain tradeoffs, and this performance in the small overlap frontal crash test is apparently one of them. With that in mind, these IIHS finding should be used to inform your decision to purchase or avoid a Wrangler (or any other vehicle, for that matter), not necessarily to make that decision.
I can help you to buy any new car cheaper. #Cheapnewcars #betternewcardeals


text:
Last month System76 and HP began teasing an HP developer laptop with AMD Ryzen SoC and running Pop!_OS
Collaboration between Linux computer and software firm System76 and HP is pushing for greater commercial adoption of open-source software and hardware optimized for Linux.
Thursday announced a new premium computer line designed to attract a wider audience to the developer-focused HP Dev One laptop computer.
Software developers want a customized device optimized for the way they code, added Tylitha Stewart, vice president and global head of consumer services and subscriptions at HP.
We are working to develop new features and optimize current ones into Pop!_OS at a much faster pace than previously possible,
This interesting announcement suggests HP realizes that developers are a significant enough market to warrant specific products and attention, noted Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.
It is equipped with an 8-Core AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5850U Processor 1 and AMD integrated Radeon Graphics.
It is loaded with 16 GB of RAM memory provided by DDR4 @ 3200MHz and offers 1TB PCIe NVMe 3×4 NVMe M.2 2280 Solid State Drive storage. Its full HD display shines with 1,000 nits brightness.
HP Dev One is available now with a starting price of US$1,099.