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Guest post written by
Mr. Bindas is a senior attorney with the Institute for Justice, which represents Ocheesee Creamery in its First Amendment lawsuit.
Who would have thought that “got milk?” was a trick question in Florida?
According to bureaucrats in the Sunshine State, skim milk that consists entirely of one ingredient—skim milk—cannot be sold as such. Rather, it’s “Non-Grade ‘A’ Milk Product, Natural Milk Vitamins Removed.” But, throw in some vitamin A additive and you get “skim milk.”
Confused? So was Ocheesee Creamery. For years, the small, family-owned creamery with three employees sold all-natural, pasteurized skim milk to very happy and loyal customers. And they called it what it was: “pasteurized skim milk.”
The Florida Department of Agriculture gets involved
But two years ago, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services got involved and things took a strange turn. According to these bureaucrats, skim milk can only be sold as “skim milk” if it contains the same amount of vitamin A as whole milk. Because vitamin A is fat soluble and is largely removed when cream is skimmed from milk, Florida insisted that Ocheesee either artificially inject the lacteal fluid of their bovines with vitamin A or stop calling it “pasteurized skim milk” and instead label it (you guessed it) “Non-Grade ‘A’ Milk Product, Natural Milk Vitamins Removed.”
To be clear, the department didn’t take issue with what Ocheesee Creamery was selling. It’s perfectly wholesome, perfectly safe, perfectly delicious and perfectly legal—it just isn’t skim milk, according to Florida.
This put the people at Ocheesee in a bind. Injecting their milk with an additive is a non-starter for the creamery, which adheres to an all-natural philosophy. In fact, many of its customers purchase its skim milk precisely because it contains no additives. At the same time, Ocheesee refuses to mislead its customers, and there’s no question that the government-mandated label would mislead consumers into thinking that something all-natural and wholesome is actually an artificial “product” drained of all nutritional value.
Attempts at alternatives
Ocheesee tried to work with the department, presenting a host of alternative labels that would explain the milk’s reduced vitamin A levels while still calling it what it is: skim milk. Ocheesee even offered to use the government-mandated label, provided it could supplement the label with language of its own to mitigate consumer confusion. The department refused to allow any of these alternatives.
Getting nowhere, Ocheesee acted on principle: It stopped selling its skim milk. This morning, it acted on principle again and filed a federal civil rights lawsuit to vindicate its First Amendment right to provide honest, non-misleading speech to its customers.
Florida’s actions present milk drinkers with an unpalatable choice: Would you like a glass of the scary-sounding, all-natural stuff or the pleasant-sounding, artificially injected stuff? They also present the courts with three profoundly important legal questions, the answers to which will have ramifications well beyond milk and well beyond the Florida Panhandle.
Three important legal questions
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Zauderer v. Office of Disciplinary Counsel established that government can compel speech—through mandated labels or disclosures—in order to “prevent deception of consumers,” provided that the speech it compels is “purely factual and uncontroversial information.”
But what happens when the government mandates labeling for purposes other than preventing consumer deception? After all, there is no risk that anyone buying Ocheesee Creamery’s “pasteurized skim milk” would think they were getting anything other than, well, pasteurized skim milk.
And what happens when it is the government-mandated label that threatens to confuse—or even deceive—consumers? That’s precisely what the Florida-mandated label would do. Nobody purchasing “Non-Grade ‘A’ Milk Product, Natural Milk Vitamins Removed” would think they were getting skim milk.
Finally, even if government can compel speech for reasons other than preventing consumer deception, and even if that compelled speech can go beyond “purely factual and uncontroversial information,” can the government prohibit a business from mitigating the harm caused by that speech with factual and uncontroversial information of its own?
A business has the right to tell its customers the truth
Ocheesee’s case aims to answer all three of these questions and establish, once and for all, what should already be obvious: a business has the right to tell its customers the truth.
Unfortunately, that’s not so obvious to the Florida Department of Agriculture.


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Dogecoin Core developer Patrick Lodder has announced the plan for the release of the upcoming update v1.14.6 on June 4 in a dedicated Dogecoin GitHub section. The announcement came nearly six months after the release of version current v1.14.5 of Dogecoin Core, which was released on November 9 last year. The plan gives details regarding important upgrades that the next version may have. It also gives some proposed deadlines from the developer’s end.
Way to build team! 🐕 pic.twitter.com/ZhipgEFs8J
— Doge Whisperer 🐕 (@TDogewhisperer) June 5, 2022
Dogecoin Core v1.14.6 release plan
The Dogecoin Core release plan contains a number of intriguing topics, which are prioritized as follows: what should be there for sure, what might appear, and what might be there but not necessarily.
High-Priority items (Must have category)
When analyzing the v1.14.6 release plan’s high-priority items, special emphasis is focused on those relating to the mitigation of known Bitcoin vulnerabilities. This technique will help limit the risk of attacks that might block Bitcoin nodes from receiving transactions from other nodes while also improving the overall security of the Dogecoin Core infrastructure. The new version will also help in protecting wallet users and will fix the potential vulnerabilities. It will also make the Dogecoin core wallet cheaper.
Should have category
There are certain items for which developers are trying their best but there might be some chances if these items will not be included in v1.14.6 release. The areas are dependency updates and some important clean ups. Other significant improvements prioritized in the proposal are all focused on user safety and making Dogecoin Core more ready to go.
May have category, nice to haves, non-critical for release
This part contains cleaning up the code, increasing secret entropy, cleaning up warnings for compiling and a few others.
Preparation for v1.14.7
In the future version of Dogecoin Core, the developers emphasize the need to clean up the wallet code, tighten up the overall user experience, and update those portions of the wallet architecture that influence the code dependence of all framework components.
The entire plan gives the gist of the v1.14.7 plan and the developer’s future readiness for the next v1.14.7. Meanwhile, according to Santiment statistics, the development activity of the most well-known memecoins is decreasing, while the price of DOGE itself is trading sideways.

domain: news


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The Surface Duo 2 is headed our way, and we're excited to see how Microsoft tweaked it to be a better device than its predecessor.
Microsoft has reinstated the PC Health Check app, a platform that analyzes whether one's PC is compatible with its operating system. Find out whether your PC is Windows 11 compatible today.
Many iPhone owners are wondering if they should ditch their iOS devices for the new, brand-spankin' new iPhone 13. Here's what we think.
Let's dive into the differences between the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Pro so you can make an informed buying decision.
Deathloop is a brand-spankin’ new stealth-action game with supernatural powers and a mysterious time-loop story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Rumors flooded in about the Apple AirPods 3 possibly getting revealed at Apple's California Streaming event on Sept. 14, but they were noticeably absent from the livestream.
iOS 14.8 is rolling out to iPhone users, and Apple highly recommends the update to address zero-click exploits.
The highly anticipated Apple event is poised to launch on Sept. 14, and we can't wait to see what the Cupertino-based tech giant has in store for everyone.
The Ledger Nano S and X are cryptocurrency hardware wallets that are exploding in popularity because they help keep investors’ digital assets secure, but the question is, which one is best for you?
Coinbase announced that it planned to make Shiba Inu a tradeable asset on its platform, but there was an indefinite delay. Now, users can buy and sell SHIB on Coinbase.
Shiba Inu, a relatively new token dubbed "the Dogecoin killer," is poised to get listed on Coinbase, the largest US cryptocurrency exchange.
Lenovo launched a new set of Smart Wireless Earbuds with active noise cancellation for less than $100.
A new study reveals that Bluetooth is riddled with security flaws that affect countless devices, including laptops, smartphones and more.
Asus announced a handful of laptops that content creators will appreciate, including the ProArt Studiobook 16, which sports a 4K OLED display and a sweet dial feature for fine-tuning Adobe workflows.
This tutorial offers easy, step-by-step instructions on how to buy ADA coin, a cryptocurrency that runs on the Cardano network.
According to a new survey conducted by SellCell, only 18% of Android users would consider getting the iPhone 13.


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Despite the Rouse Co.'s unprofitable 1990 and first quarter of 1991,its shareholders appeared content with company management's efforts to cut their losses in a recessionary real estate market.
At the company's annual meeting Thursday, shareholders watched a slide show that included a smiling woman offering two bottles of wine over trays of pasta salad while R. Harwood Beville, executive vice president foroperations, delivered an upbeat assessment of Rouse's upscale shopping mall business.
Although sales are off 1 percent, he said "considering that we are in the midst of a recession, this is a relatively healthy performance."
But that was in light of announcements by Richard McCauley, senior vice president, general counsel and secretary, that sales in the company's 79 retail centers had experienced "the worst January we've had in many years."
"I'm satisfied with the way the top brass has engineered this," said stockholder Gene Turano, who has been attending meetings religiously since he first bought shares in the 1960s.
And despite the fact that his shares were trading at $18 Wednesday,after trading at $26 two years ago, Turano was satisfied with his investment.
"If all my stocks did as well as this one, I'd be in a lot better financial position," he said.
He said he bought his shares at $8.50, and they have since split three times, meaning his original investment has been multiplied by 17.
Another shareholder, Louis Levy of Bethesda, compared the company's position in the stock market to that of a person sprayed by a skunk.
Being in the commercial real estate business puts Rouse in the company of troubled savings and loans, banks and other developers.
"It's kind of like guilt byassociation. People say, 'If you're in this business, you can't be doing well.' But look, they are doing well."
That was evidenced by reports showing revenues increasing, from $498 million in 1989 to $530 million in 1990, continued in the first quarter of 1991 with $134 million, up from $119 million in the first quarter of 1990.
Only four people asked questions after Rouse officers gave their presentation, and none of those questioned the company's strategy during the recession.
Particularly hard-hit by the poor economy last year were land sales in Columbia, which totaled a disappointing $22,991,000 in 1990 compared to $35,359,000 in 1989.
Earnings from those sales suffered an even greater drop, from $12.2 million in 1989 to $6.6 million in 1990.
Those drops contributed to a $1.8 million net loss in 1990, compared to a $9.7 million profit in 1989.
McCauley said the downturn is a direct result of the recession and banks' reluctance tolend money to developers.
The company's first-quarter report, released last week, showed Columbia land sales improving, with $3.5 million in earnings before depreciation and deferred taxes, compared to $1.1 million during the first three months of 1990. The improvement was attributed to commercial land sales near industrial parks in eastern Columbia.
Diagrams and aerial photographs of the four Columbia projects under way hung on the wall of the meeting room.
One of theprojects, the Gateway Commerce Center, involves remodeling the former General Electric Range and Microwave plants for use as distributioncenters and finding a new tenant for GE's existing distribution center. The latter building, the largest in the county at nearly 1 million square feet, will be vacant by the end of 1992.
Leasing or selling the former GE property, which Rouse bought back from the appliancegiant at the beginning of this year, may be difficult in light of company policy outlined at the meeting.
Despite the poor market for commercial real estate, Douglas McGregor, executive vice president for development, said the company would avoid reducing their prices to increase sales volume.
But Gerald Brock, vice president and seniordevelopment director, said the former GE property has a competitive advantage being an existing buildings with unmatched size.
Other Columbia projects under way include the Columbia Restaurant Park, formerly known as the Benson Business Center, which has development commitments from a hotel, a gas station, a fast-food outlet and one restaurant.
Development should start within 30 days on the first segmentof River Hill, Columbia's 10th village, Brock said, and the company is now grading the site for a village shopping center in Hickory Ridge.
One reason the company is not facing larger losses is that in 1988 its executives foresaw a saturation of the commercial real estatemarket, and began cutting back on new development and shifting to renovating and improving existing properties.
Because of that policy, the company is not locked into building speculative retail centers or office buildings as some developers are.
"In short, we're in anexcellent position to show strong increases in earnings when the economy begins to improve," Mathias J. DeVito, chairman and CEO, told the shareholders.
Shareholder Charles Cherry of Calvert County said management is handling the recession well, "much better than a lot ofbanks."
The meeting was conducted in the former Kittamaqundi Room, re-named the Spear Center for late company president Michael Spear.
Company executives and shareholders observed a moment of silence in memory of Spear, who was killed with his wife, Judy, and daughter,Jodi, in the Aug. 24 crash of his private plane.
ROUSE CO. FINANCIALUPDATE
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .1989 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1990
Revenues .. .. .. .. .. .$498.1 million .. .. .. .. .. .. $529.57 million
Net Earnings (Loss) .. .. 9.73 million .. .. .. .. .. .. .(1.81) million
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ...Year thru March 31
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .1990 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1991
Revenues .. .. .. .. .. .$119.4 million .. .. .. .. .. . . $134.2 million
Net Loss .. .. .. .. .. .. .3.5 million .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .603 million


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According to a survey conducted by the manufacturing trade body Make UK, 52% of UK manufacturers plan to grow their business during the next five years by over 20%. If manufacturing output for UK GDP increased from 10% to 15% this year, this could result in an additional £142 billion for the UK economy. This highlights how important the manufacturing sector is to the UK economy.
In this article, we discuss some of the areas where the manufacturing sector should be supported in order to achieve its growth plans. These areas include incentives for investment, building a larger workforce and local industrial strategies.
Incentives for manufacturers to invest
In a recent survey conducted by Make UK, manufacturers were asked to pick the top three initiatives that would help them grow their business within the next five years. Incentives for investments came out first in the survey with 46% of UK manufacturers believing that greater investment opportunities would help them to grow their business.
To enable manufacturers to invest in areas such as digital technology, industrial decarbonisation, innovation and staff they will need access to finance. However, the current economic climate is presenting difficult challenges for UK manufacturers that will be struggling to find the capital available to invest. Manufacturing trade body Make UK believes that the government should implement lending market interventions during this difficult economic period, such as the Recovery Loan Scheme implemented during the pandemic which ended in June 2022. Extending this kind of scheme would enable manufacturers to access the finances they need to grow and invest during a challenging economic environment.
In order to help manufacturing businesses grow they will need the right incentives to invest. The UK government has introduced schemes such as The Super-Deduction and the Annual Investment Allowance to provide incentives for investment. However, exclusions tied to The Super-Deduction such as leasing means that it has not been as accessible to all manufacturers. The Annual Investment Allowance is a much more accessible scheme. If the government wants to encourage longer term investments, then they will need to increase investment confidence. This could be achieved by making the increase in the Annual Investment Allowance permanent and extending The Super-Deduction scheme further than March 2023.
Investment for manufacturing apprenticeships – building a larger workforce
28% of manufacturers said that greater investment in apprenticeships would make a huge difference in their ability to grow. For decades the manufacturing sector has championed apprenticeships. However, since the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in 2017, apprenticeship numbers have started to fall in the manufacturing sector. This levy was designed to have a positive impact on the sector. Unfortunately, it appears to have done the opposite. The government has hinted that they will look to reform the levy, but more fundamental change is required. For example, employers should be given more flexibility on how they can spend the Levy funds. Furthermore, it has been suggested that the government should investigate the components surrounding the levy such as how employers and providers are incentivised to deliver training. Addressing these issues will help the sector develop the skills needed to achieve long-term growth.
Local manufacturing industrial strategies
27% of manufacturers said that support with local industrial strategies would help them grow their business. An important factor of a long-term manufacturing strategy is providing decision making power to local leaders. Manufacturers surveyed said that any public funding they receive should be allocated by the City Regional Major (25%) or Local Councillors (22%).
To ensure the growth of the manufacturing sector over the next five years, devolution will be an important element in achieving this as local challenges will need to be overcome with local solutions. Therefore the government should listen to manufacturers and give more responsibility to local leaders to make important decisions regarding any levelling up funding or schemes in local areas.
To conclude, manufacturers consider the following three areas as the most important to develop in order to achieve growth in UK manufacturing:
- Incentives for investment
- Building a larger skilled workforce
- Local industrial strategies
In order the incentivise long-term investment the government should extend The Super-Deduction and make temporary increases to the Annual Investment Allowance permanent to give manufacturers long-term investment confidence. To build larger workforces, the industry believes that the government should reconsider how employers and training providers are incentivised to provide more training. Finally, the manufacturing sector believes that more local strategies are needed to help the UK manufacturing sector grow nationally.
Responding to recent import and supply chain challenges, on 17 January 2024 the UK government launched the Critical Imports and Supply Chain Strategy, an initiative aimed at improving the nation's ability to adapt to global disruptions in the face of adversity. ...
On 26th November, HMRC's Department for Business & Trade unveiled its much-anticipated Advanced Manufacturing Plan. This plan was released shortly after the chancellor announced £4.5 billion in funding for growth and innovation in the manufacturing sector. The...
Challenges for the manufacturing sector in 2024 As we start 2024, the manufacturing industry finds itself at a crossroads of various customer demands, technological advancements and sustainability imperatives. Whilst this may present opportunities, it will also leave...


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A self-driving pizza van, robotic off-roader and stealthy automated research car tops our niftiest reveals list from the world's biggest technology show.
Putting in work now will pay off come springtime and beyond.
It is also hydrogen-powered and has a maximum driving range of 1,000 kilometres.
Governments in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. all provide enticing financial assistance to prospective EV buyers.
Once completed, the state-of-the-art store will be the largest Toyota dealership in Canada.


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The 2014 New York International Auto Show housed so many debuts including Alfa Romeo’s return to the United States. But nothing was a show stopper like the winners of the 2014 World Car Awards. And this year’s winners are:
2014 World Performance Car of The Year
Originally a list of 26, judges got down to the Porsche 911 GT3, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and the Ferrari 458 Speciale. Porsche took the World Performance Car of the Year award in the stretch for the 3rd year in a row at the New York International Auto Show.
2014 World Luxury Car of the Year
Mercedes Benz continues to feed the status quo of Luxury Vehicle enthusiasts. With just 10 entries including the Bentley Flying Spur and Range Rover Sport, Mercedes Benz S Class took the 2014 World Luxury Car of the Year award.
2014 World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year Award
BMW has been delving into the world a “Green” more and more in recent years. It’s interest in “going green” and innovative styles has afforded it this years World Green Car and World Car Design of the World awards collectively.
Audi has won The World Car of the Year Award 7 times; after a 4 year hiatus from taking the award… Audi won 2014 with it’s Audi A3 model.
The New York International Auto Show is on at the Jacob Javits Center from April 18th – April 27th 2014. Please make sure to check back for The Skinny NYC’s coverage of this year’s NYIAS event.


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- First Guy
- Posts : 2599
Join date : 2014-02-22
The US soft drinks giant is being sued by Californian fruit juice maker Pom Wonderful, who accuse Coca-Cola of misleading consumers about its Minute Maid drink "Pomegranate Blueberry" that contains only 0.5 percent of the two fruits.
Pom Wonderful attorney Seth Waxman said consumers were being misled by Coca-Cola branding the drink -- which was mostly apple or grape -- as "Pomegranate Blueberry."
Pom Wonderful, which sells 100 percent pomegranate juice, was suffering as a result of Coca-Cola's practices, Waxman argued.
Coca-Cola won an earlier case in a San Francisco court, which ruled that the company's labeling practices were consistent with US Food and Drug Administration rules.
According to Coca-Cola attorney Kathleen Sullivan, the FDA was responsible for a "national uniformity" of labeling.
Justice Anthony Kennedy asked whether it was "Coke's position that national uniformity consists in labels that cheat the consumers like this one did."
Justice Samuel Alito also asked whether consumers purchasing the product expecting to receive the health benefits of pomegranate juice "would be very surprised to find... that it has less than one-half of 1 percent of pomegranate juice."
A decision is expected in June.
- Ethical TraderTop contributor
- Posts : 5568
Join date : 2014-02-28


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vendor sells fruit near to a newly built shopping center in downtown
on February 1.
's retail market is expected to grow at a slower pace this year.
The retail market would grow at a slower pace than it did last year as high inflation in the domestic market and the global recession continue to bite deep, industry insiders say.
Phan The Rue, chairman of the Vietnam Retailers Association, said the retail market would experience more difficulties as the global economic recession has not yet showed signs of easing. "It would see no big growth in 2012."
Vietnam's retail market is strongly affected by changes in the world market, Rue said. The prices of many imported goods are seeing sudden fluctuations, which may hurt the domestic market if incomes of local consumers do not increase, Rue said.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry estimates that total retail sales will rise by 20 percent this year, compared to 24.2 percent last year.
Nguyen Thai Dung, deputy general director of the Big C supermarket chain in Vietnam, said high inflation, which still stands at around 20 percent, has decreased domestic purchasing power, hurting growth of the retail sales.
Consumption growth, in real terms, was only 4 percent in 2011, compared to 14 percent the previous year, he said.
Vu Vinh Phu, chairman of the Hanoi Supermarkets Association, said it was difficult for the market to do well amidst increasing unemployment and bankruptcy among local firms.
Due to thinner real incomes, local consumers will use 70 percent of their spending on food items, he said.
According to a survey conducted among 600 consumers by market research firm FTA late last year, 94 percent of the respondents said the inflation hike will affect their consumption habits in 2012. They said they would cut purchases at supermarkets and convenience stores, and move to traditional markets, which often offer goods with lower prices. They would also wait for discount sales, the survey said.
Despite the looming slowdown this year, Vietnam's retail market still holds big potential, experts say.
Since the country opened its market to 100-percent foreign retailers in early 2009, the entry of players like Metro Cash & Carry, Lotte Mart and Big C has seen modern retail formats grow more prominent in the country. Some foreign retailers are also expanding their distribution networks to Vietnam's rural regions where traditional retail channels still dominate the market.
The country currently has some 600 supermarkets, over 100 shopping centers, 2,000 convenience stores and 8,590 traditional markets. Only 15-20 percent of goods are purchased through modern distribution systems, while the remainders are distributed through traditional markets.
Two more major international retailers, including Japan's Aeon and Malaysia's Giant, entered the local market in 2011, and global giants like Tesco from the UK and US-based Walmart are expected to follow.
"Foreign investors will be more interested in the market after the global economic recession ends," said Dinh Thi My Loan, general secretary of the Vietnam Retailers Association.
The market could see annual average growth of 23-25 percent between 2011 and 2015, according to the association.
Pham Tat Thang, a senior researcher of the Trade Research Institute of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said Vietnam will become an attractive destination to foreign retailers when investment barriers are removed.
Rue said there are "too many stages" in the retail system now, increasing transportation costs and creating openings for fake and low-quality goods to infiltrate outlets.
Vietnam's retail market fell to 23rd place in the 2011 Global Retail Development Index by global management consultant A.T. Kearney. It went down from the top position in the 2008 to the 6th place in 2009 and the 14th position last year.
Although consumer confidence is high in Vietnam, poor distribution infrastructure and expensive retail space remain barriers to entry for foreign retailers, A.T. Kearney says in the report.
But the company said Vietnam's retail market is still attractive, with an expected market size of US$113 billion by 2012 and a growing population of 88.9 million.
Some industry insiders said Vietnamese consumers' shopping habits are changing, with more spending on modern retail outlets due to convenience and health-related issues. Many consumers say modern outlets gave them easy access to new products in clean surroundings, generating more confidence in food safety.
The big foreign retailers have tasted success in the Vietnamese market. The turnover of a foreign retailer in the market is several dozen times higher than a medium-sized domestic firm, Rue said. They have expanded their distribution networks in Vietnam, with both Big C and Metro late last year opening their 16th outlet in the country.
In the retail market, local firms are becoming less competitive than foreign ones due to limited capital and experience in the distribution sector, industry insiders say.
According to the Vietnam Retailers Association, most local enterprises in the distribution sector have small capital. Some 55 percent of local retailers have a capital of less than VND100 million ($4,761).
Furthermore, Vietnamese goods have still not been able to strongly penetrate both supermarkets and traditional markets. Thang of the Trade Research Institute said spending and consumption habits of Vietnamese people have changed a lot over the past few years, while goods production and trade have not developed correspondingly, facilitating the dominance of foreign products.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Ho Thi Kim Thoa has advised Vietnamese firms should improve their distribution system, and asked retailers and producers to strengthen cooperation toward meeting domestic consumers' tastes and demands.


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Deployment of Opsis TV and Docs TV on Android TV, covering more than 400 devices
May 14, 2020
OKAST, the turnkey solution for the creation of white label streaming platforms, continues to expand its range of services by enabling its customers to deploy TV applications in just a few clicks.
After being deployed on the operator Fransat at the end of 2019, OPSIS TV (the Netflix for theater) and DOCS TV (the documentary platform offering more than 1,500 films) are now available on the PlayStore Google Android TV. This integration allows the two SVOD (Subscription Video On Demand) to be available on compatible TVs (Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Sharp,…), French box operators such as Freebox mini 4K, Bbox Miami, SFR Connect TV as well as foreign boxes (Xiaomi, AT&T, Dish…).
The launch of these two applications, published by HDP Interactive, is a result of the current strong growth in SVOD consumption. Since March 16th and the beginning of the lockdown, Docs TV and Opsis TV have seen a significant growth of their subscribers, looking for diversified cultural contents.
Resulting from a partnership between OKAST and NGINE, the Android TV applications offer an optimized TV experience version of the existing web and mobile platforms.
OKAST makes it possible to create and control, from a single interface, audio or video streaming platforms that can be deployed on all types of devices and throughout the world, in just a few hours.
Cédric Monnier, CEO: “Reaching the largest possible audience is a key issue for the growth of any video streaming service. With the addition of Android TV, we are taking a strategic step forward, enabling our customers to be available now on more than 400 devices, including both OTT and connected TVs and a large base of IPTV boxes around the world”.


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This is amazing! It’s no secret Gigi and Bella Hadid have had dreams of walking in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show for years! Now, the sisters will share the runway in the 2016 show! In an adorable throwback pic their mother, Yolanda Foster, posted, Nov. 30, the girls are rocking little angel wings of their own as toddlers! See their cute photo here!
Gigi, 21, and Bella Hadid, 20, are two of the most successful youth models in the business today. They continue to prove their undeniable success with their booming careers. But, getting the chance to walk the sexiest runway in the world at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has been a dream the sisters have made very clear. With Bella making her debut on the VS runway, and Gigi coming back for a second year appearance, what mom wouldn’t take the opportunity to embarrassingly gush over their daughters? It’s not every day your both children become celebrity, supermodels. Yolanda Foster, 52, a former model herself, took to Instagram, Nov. 30, to post a nude photo of the girls wearing only white angel wings!
In the adorable and laughable snap, the girls are sitting next to each other with the biggest smiles on! Their matching blonde, wavy hair was down as they rocked their mini, white angel wings! Yolanda dated the photos 17 years ago. Wow, what a throwback. It was definitely an appropriate photo since the girls are taping the VS Fashion Show today, [Nov. 30], in Paris! The proud mother captioned the loving pic, “17 years after I photographed my “ANGELS” today is the day that they will be walking in the fashion show together…”. The former model even used the hashtags, “Excited”, “Grateful”, and “Proud Mommy”. It looks like she would get along with the signature, “Proud Mama” herself, Kris Jenner, 61.
Right before the show, there’s obviously a ton of fun backstage, and chaos. But, Gigi took the time to reveal her favorite part about the show in this cute Instagram video below! And, 17 years later, wings are still a staple in her life! Check it out:
@gigihadid shows her feelings at Backstage of Vsfs 2016!❤ #victoriassecret#vsangel#vsmodel#vsfs#vsfashionshow#adrianalima#alessandraambrosio#candiceswanepoel#lilyaldridge#elsahosk#marthahunt#josephineskriver#romeestrijd#jasminetookes#gigihadid#kendalljenner#doutzenkroes#taylorhill#mirandakerr#behatiprinsloo#sarasampaio#laisribeiro#barbarapalvin #vsfs2016#vsfsparis#vsfsparis16#vsfantasybra#vsfashionshow16 . . To watch all my videos go to #victoriassecret_angelss 💕
A post shared by Latest Models update (@models_ax) on
Gigi and Bella have been documenting their Victoria’s Secret journey on Instagram and Snapchat, and we can’t look away! Gigi even posted a scandalous pic backstage, where she flaunted MAJOR cleavage. She captured half her face in the sultry Snap, as she brushed her signature pink robe to the side to show off her chest in a white, lacy bra. Fierce!
Gigi and Bella’s modeling careers have seriously taken off! High-profile modeling campaigns, and their insane social media presence and girl squads are all key components to their success, among their many talents. The sisters seem closer than ever, and we’re so happy to see them working together and having fun! Be sure to check out the VS Fashion show when is airs, Dec. 5 on CBS. AND you can get all of the latest coverage right here, at HollywoodLife.com!
SO, HollywoodLifers, how crazy is Gigi and Bella’s throwback? Tell us below!


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The Street was mixed in its reaction to Red Hat's second quarter Friday; the company got a downgrade from ABN AMRO, while other analysts were neutral on its results.
Shares in the Linux operating system distributor were down 2 to 23.25, or 8 percent. There had been some execution worries for the company after its CFO departed in July.
Red Hat beat expectations Thursday, which according to First Call Corp. consensus, were for a loss of 2 cents a share.
ABN AMRO cut its rating on Red Hat to "outperform" from "buy," saying it was concerned about future revenue growth and revenue mix for the company. "Revenue growth was 15 percent, and while it was essentially in-line with our projections, we were hoping for more,'' analyst Keith Bachman said in a research report. One concern is the shift of the revenue mix to less profitable services revenue from subscriber revenue, ABN AMRO said.
J.P. Morgan analyst William Epifanio II said it was a "boring quarter" with no surprises. He said it was good news that Chief Financial Officer Hal Covert's departure hadn't affected the company's performance, and expects their search will be drawn out, as powerful CFO's are hard to come by. Epifanio maintained his "long-term buy" rating on the stock.
"It doesn't appear to be slowing them down," said William Crawford, analyst for Merrill Lynch, of the company's search for a CFO. The real question is are they becoming commoditized' -- increasing gross margins show that their not," Crawford said. Better-than-expected gross margins were the only surprise Crawford saw in the quarter. He maintained an "accumulate" rating on the stock.
In a conference call CEO Matthew Szulik said Red Hat was "recruiting aggressively" for a new CFO, but isn't going to rush it until they find the right person. Officials said they're committed to meeting previous revenue and margin goals, and see new products and services, as well as some acquisitions, in the pipe.


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AfCFTA will lead to uneven gains for members
The removal of trade barriers in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launched this year, will affect member states very differently, according to NAI researcher Jörgen Levin. Côte d’Ivoire, Zimbabwe and Kenya top the list of states that are likely to benefit greatly. Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar are likely to see relatively small effects.
The objective of the AfCFTA is to create a single market and deepen economic integration on the continent. Studies indicate that removing trade barriers between AfCFTA members is likely to have a positive impact on economic growth on the continent. The biggest benefits will come from so-called trade facilitating actions, such as cutting red tape at border controls.
Other reforms, such as the removal of tariffs, will have a smaller effect. The reason is that much of the work of removing tariffs has already been done by regional economic communities. For example, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) began a programme of tariff reductions in 2001.
The reforms would affect the AfCFTA’s 54 member countries very differently, Levin explains. According to a scenario analysis by the World Bank External link, opens in new window., real income gains in Côte d’Ivoire would be 13 percent higher by 2035 compared to a scenario without AfCFTA. In Zimbabwe, the effect would be 12 percent; in Kenya, Namibia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania around 10 percent. Madagascar, Malawi, and Mozambique, however, are clustered around an expected gain of 2 percent.
“The winners typically are countries with a large and diversified manufacturing sector. Those at the bottom tend to be countries with a low level of industrialisation”, Levin says.
But other factors come into play as well. South Africa, which has the continent’s most developed manufacturing sector, scores relatively low, with an expected added income gain of 4 percent.
The reason is that SADC, the regional economic community of which South Africa is a member, has already come a long way in integrating the economies of the region, which would make additional gains from the AfCFTA relatively limited.
Levin points out that the World Bank’s analysis is based on relative prices which means that high-inflation countries such as Zimbabwe could still benefit from AfCFTA in the scenario. The analysis assumes that the trade agenda is fully implemented without political blockages of reforms.
Levin stresses that trade in itself is not a key driver of economic growth. It is the indirect effects from trade that can lead a country towards a path of sustainable high incomes.
Open economies have a better chance of attracting investment and new technology. When foreign technologies are adopted they can contribute to economic growth if a country has a sufficient level of human capital. If trade can lead to reallocation of resources from unproductive to highly productive sectors, then that would also have a positive impact on economic growth.
While trade reforms can be important drivers for economic transformation, it is important to be realistic about what the AfCFTA can achieve, Levin points out. Even countries that benefitted the most would report modest annual income gains of 1 percent per year.
The success of the AfCFTA’s project to remove trade barriers also depends on the level of commitment among African governments, according to Levin. When African countries removed trade barriers in the 1990s, many of them were quick to put them back to protect national industries.
“The standard solution is to open up the market in order to stimulate exports and economic growth, while at the same time supporting and compensating those at the losing end. The problem is that most African states lack the social welfare systems and economic resources to do so”.
TEXT: Mattias Sköld


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Queens, NY. Developer says No Wal-Mart, Never
Willets Point, a neighborhood within Corona, in the New York City borough of Queens, has been the target of many redevelopment dreams over the years. Several years ago, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg referred to Willets Point as "another euphemism for blight." Bloomberg developed a plan in 2007 to replace the scrapyards and industrial sites of Willets Point with a sustainable and affordable mixed-use development including a convention center, thousands of new units of housing, almost two million square feet of retail, along with an elementary school, office space, new infrastructure, and 5,300 new jobs. For years the Willets Point redevelopment plan was mired in litgation.
This week, the Amsterdam News reported that the group putting together the Willets Point development had no plans to include a Wal-Mart, and never had plans to cut Wal-Mart in on the deal.
The statement from the Queens Development Group (QDG) came in response to an article in the New York Daily News that claimed Wal-Mart had been "quietly" lobbying city officials to be included in the massive project. But QDG told the Amsterdam News that their project near the Citi Field stadium was not about big box stores. One of the partners in QDG is Sterling Equities, one of whose owners also owns the New York Mets, which play at Citi Field in the Willets Point neighborhood.
"We have not had any talks with Wal-Mart about a location at Willets Point, and we have absolutely no intention of discussing this site with them," the QDG statement said. "There have been and will be no negotiations. They are simply not a part of our plan to build an enclosed retail and entertainment destination at Willets Point that will bring much-needed jobs and economic activity to the area and lead to the development of a new neighborhood."
The Amsterdam News interviewed Amy Traub as part of the Willets Point story. Traub is the author of a new study, "Not Made in America" which charges that Wal-Mart has helped destroy American manufacturing. Traub told the newspaper, "I think it's great that Wal-Mart is not being offered the site, because the company's entry into a new market depresses wages and eliminates more jobs than it creates. There's a tax burden associated with Wal-Mart as well. Wal-Mart employees often rely on Medicaid and other public benefits, since they can't afford the plan that Wal-Mart offers. That would affect the city when it comes to how many benefits they provide."
What you can do: Even though Wal-Mart has been pushed out of the Willets Point development, the retailer is reportedly still in discussions with one of the QDG partners, Related Companies, which is trying to pitch a Wal-Mart project for the East New York section of Brooklyn.
Readers are urged to email New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn at:
with the following message:
"Dear Speaker Quinn,
Great News this week that the Queens Development Group has stated publicly that Wal-Mart has no place in its WIllets Point development. Any big box store at that location would undermine the land use goals of Brooklyn to encourage local businesses and neighborhood shopping.
I urge you now to let the Related Companies know that your office would not look kindly at a Wal-Mart proposal in East New York for the same reasons that residents and businesses did not want a Wal-Mart at Willets Point.
Big box stores do not fit into an urban footprint, and Wal-Mart is a form of economic dislocation, not a form of economic development. Wal-Mart creates no new jobs, it merely displaces jobs at existing merchants."


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Before declaring war on Republic Industries last week, American Honda Motor Co.'s top executives met quietly several times with Republic managers.
In California, Florida and Georgia, Honda executives asked Republic Co-chairman Steve Berrard and others to slow their plans to acquire large numbers of Honda dealerships.
'They don't even negotiate in good faith,' Dick Colliver, senior vice president and general manager of Honda Division, complained last Tuesday, May 6, a day before American Honda filed its federal lawsuit against Republic. 'While we were negotiating with them, they went out and bought a Honda store.'
Legal experts say Honda will have a tough time stopping Republic.
Republic has just acquired an Acura store in Orlando, Fla., as part of its purchase of Courtesy Auto Group and has just announced the purchase of its first Honda store - Miami Honda - as part of the acquisition of de la Cruz Auto Group in Miami.
In its action, filed last week in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Honda accused Republic of attempting, in effect, a 'hostile takeover of American Honda's dealership network.' The complaint was filed after Republic announced it had reached an agreement to purchase Miami Honda.
Honda seeks unspecified monetary damages and a permanent injunction preventing Republic from soliciting Honda dealers. It also asks that Republic operate any Honda dealerships it acquires in accordance with Honda's dealer policies.
Honda joins Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. in opposing the fast growth of Chairman H. Wayne Huizenga's Republic Industries, which since December has grown from nowhere to become by far the nation's largest new-vehicle dealership chain.
Toyota is trying to block Republic's purchase of a Houston dealership.
Republic has been welcomed by the other four automakers whose dealerships are its core targets -Nissan, Chrysler Corp., Ford Motor Co. and General Motors, except for its Saturn Corp. unit.
Jac Nasser, president of Ford Automotive Operations, said late last week that he views the move toward public ownership as potentially beneficial for the industry.
'Huizenga's ... primary strategy and vision is built on enhanced customer satisfaction and service. We're all for that,' Nasser said in an interview. 'We also believe that he can help the overall Ford distribution strength. My personal view is that there is a lot of goodness in having a mix of different types of ownership in the distribution area: small, family-owned companies, medium companies and larger companies that have public ownership. That's healthy.'
Honda's suit alleges that Republic has engaged in unfair competition by refusing to comply with the Honda and Acura Dealer Sales and Service Agreement and American Honda's policy limiting the number of dealerships a public entity can own.
Honda contends Republic has neither the auto retailing experience nor the long-term commitment to the auto business that Honda wants in its dealers. Republic blasted Honda's suit as 'entirely without merit.'
Honda has retained Daniel Petrocelli, the lead lawyer on a team that won a multimillion-dollar settlement for the Fred Goldman family in the O.J. Simpson wrongful death civil case last year.
'It made sense to get a resolution of this issue very soon ... right away,' Petrocelli said.
Since December, Republic has bought 21 dealer groups with 103 franchises and sales of more than $5 billion.
'Republic's action is not in the best interest of the consumer, Honda or its dealers,' Honda Division's Colliver told Automotive News.
Honda's complaint notes that Republic has been in the automobile business only a short time.
Huizenga's 'track record is to build 'em up and sell 'em,' said Colliver. 'What happens if they do the same thing they did with Blockbuster? They could sell to a competitor of ours and we would have no control over it.'
Honda cites several objections to Republic's activities:
Republic has stated it wants to acquire about 50 Honda and 13 Acura dealerships, up to 20 percent of national sales volume, according to Honda's suit.
Republic's plans, including the one to develop the AutoNation USA name as a national retail brand, would dilute or conflict with the Honda and Acura brands.
Honda worries Republic ultimately would sell its dealerships to a competitor or some other entity over which Honda would have no control.
Republic denies it wants to buy 20 percent of Honda's U.S. volume.
Jim Donahue, Republic vice president of corporate communications, said: 'Earlier this week Republic proposed to Honda in writing a phased-in approach to the acquisition of Honda dealerships that would result ultimately in Republic having no more than a low single-digit percentage' of Honda's volume.
He pointed out that Hendrick Automotive Group already owns a far larger share. Colliver said Hendrick has 16 Honda and three Acura stores.
Donahue said Republic will continue trying to talk with Honda. He said Republic had already completed the purchase of Courtesy Auto Group in Orlando, Fla., without any objection from Honda. That purchase included an Acura point.
Donahue said the AutoNation brand 'applied only to the used-car business,' and would not affect Honda.
Republic management also promises not to use Republic's size to get special concessions from manufacturers, Donahue said.
Honda's suit 'is nothing more than a rather blatant attempt to usurp the rights of state motor vehicle boards around the country,' he said.
A TOUGH CASE?
Honda's suit contends Republic is engaged in unfair competition by trying to acquire dealerships without complying with Honda's dealer agreement and policy, and by disrupting Honda's contractual relationships with its dealers.
The legal question is whether manufacturers can prevent dealers from selling their stores to qualified buyers. Some observers say Honda will have a tough time proving Republic is doing anything illegal.
'I think Honda's got a horribly difficult row to hoe to make that stick,' said Dan Myers, a Tallahassee, Fla., lawyer specializing in automotive franchise law. Honda's suit 'damn sure reads more like The Star or the National Enquirer than a complaint. ... It just doesn't have a lot of case law in there.'
If Honda fails in federal court, Myers said, the battle will move to the states, where state motor vehicle boards have the authority to determine if a buy-sell transaction complies with state laws.
Said Colliver: 'If we wait for the states, we could have 50 cases on our hands.'
Some dealers voiced support for Honda's action. A small-town Honda dealer, who asked not to be named, said: 'I'll be surprised if Honda is successful in holding them off, although I hope they are. I like the idea of hands-on operators. Me going head-to-head with Huizenga is a little bit scary.'
Donald Levin, marketing manager of the Dave Mungenast multiline franchise in St. Louis, which includes Honda, Acura, Toyota and Lexus, said, 'Honda and Toyota have a broad spectrum of products that they want to have in stores at all times. What if Republic decides they don't want to carry all those products, decides that they don't make enough return on a Prelude? And even if you're just in this business just to sell cars, you still have to have a relationship with the customer, because cars are a very personal thing. They're not generic like cereal or shoes.'
Since entering the auto business late in 1996, Republic has left most top dealers in place to manage their dealerships, a number of which are in the Automotive News list of Top 100 dealership groups.
Mike Maroone, president of Maroone Automotive in Pembroke Pines, Fla., stayed on and took a job as president of the AutoNation USA new-vehicle group. Maroone Automotive is 33rd on the 1996 Automotive News dealer list with sales of $660.5 million. Lawrence Rich, a veteran of the JM Family Enterprises automotive financial and distribution empire, is president of AutoNation USA, Republic's chain of used-car superstores.
'If there's a chain of more experienced retailers in the country, I'd like to know who they are,' Republic's Donahue said.


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CINEMACON/LAS VEGAS – (March 20, 2014) – Christie®, the world leader in creating and sharing the world’s best visual and audio experiences, will showcase a wide range of innovative cinema projection, management and audio solutions, backed by its remote monitoring and support services, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, March 24 – 28 at Booth #2103A. As well, Jack Kline, Chairman and CEO of all of Christie’s operating companies will receive the 2014 Ken Mason Inter-Society Award from the Inter-Society for the Enhancement of Cinema Presentation, Inc. at the Inside the Cinema breakfast awards’ ceremony on March 25, in recognition of his outstanding long-term contributions to improving the motion picture experience.
Highlighting the trade show at CinemaCon will be daily demonstrations of Christie DLP Cinema® laser projectors, using 6-Primary (6P) color laser modules, in the Christie Innovation Theater. Earmarked for mass production in early 2015, these projectors will show how 3D light levels, color fidelity, image uniformity, viewing comfort, and a sense of immersion can be vastly improved, especially when combined with advanced color separation technology like Dolby 3D®, versus the conventional 3D systems found in cinemas around the world today.
Read the full press release


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NEW YORK — Less than a year after its launch, Hanley Mellon has lined up a lease for its first store, which will open this fall on the Upper East Side.
The luxury lifestyle company will relocate its showroom and offices to 29 East 61st Street, where half of the 2,400-square-foot space will be a boutique. The opening will be the first of what is expected to be three new stores in the next five years for the brand, which was founded by creative director Nicole Hanley Mellon and Matthew Mellon.
Inspired by travel, each collection is meant to be a snapshot of different global destinations as seen through the eyes and lens of Hanley Mellon. St. Barths, Antwerp, 15th century Northern Renaissance and Kenya are among the label’s recent collections. Even the Hanley Mellon trademark is the latitude-longitude coordinates for New York City.
Frederick Anderson, the firm’s president, said, “As we build the brand, it’s really important for people to be able to understand the true essence of what we’re about and to show the different products that we offer.”
To that end, a smattering of men’s wear, home pieces, furniture and accessories will be showcased in the new store, along with the women’s wear. “For the first time this fall, we will be sprinkling in a few ideas for men’s wear.” Anderson said. “The one thing we don’t want to be is pigeonholed as any one thing. The idea is to have people come in and shop, and to be intrigued by the Hanley Mellon lifestyle.”
Through a new partnership, the interior designer and architect Richard Mishaan is working on the new store, and also is designing a chair, table and other select furniture pieces that will be sold inside of it. Mishaan has his own ties to fashion. After studying architecture at Columbia University and apprenticing for Philip Johnson, he switched tracks to work as a fashion designer for a 10-year stretch and then returned to interiors in 1993 by opening Homer Design.
Aside from providing a place to test drive new products and to get immediate feedback from shoppers, Hanley Mellon’s first store “will really set the standard for how the brand looks and feels,” Anderson said.
Located between Madison and Park Avenues, the new boutique will share the same address as Jean Denoyer’s La Goulue, which is tentatively scheduled to reopen next year.


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Is Ripple’s progress forcing SWIFT to rethink its strategy?
Ripple has been the torchbearer of crypto-related payment solutions using the digital asset XRP. With Ripple expanding its reach globally and connecting niche countries, it has been gaining more and more prominence with every passing year. Interestingly, it would now seem that Ripple’s growing reach has been intimidating existing solution providers like SWIFT. In fact, according to an exec, SWIFT has been forced to rethink its strategy, thanks to the likes of Visa and Ripple.
Jürgen Marstatt, Head of SWIFT Germany, in a recent interview, noted that the firm had introduced a new strategy that shed more importance to the business transactions at the center of its offering. As per Marstatt,
“In the future, we will no longer just send the message from A to B, but rather add additional services to it. To this end, we have already started a number of initiatives in recent years, such as sanction screening or the acceleration of cross-border payments through our GPI project. We now want to standardize and integrate these individual components on one platform.”
This strategy is supposed to aid smooth and faster transactions consistently and in a transparent manner. This is something that its competitor, Ripple, has also been doing since the beginning. Ripple has collaborated with numerous banks around the world to facilitate cross-border payments and other solutions, developments that have been challenging for SWIFT since the firm now has to work on better and newer offers.
While SWIFT is trying to rise to the challenge posed by Fintech firms like Ripple and Visa, the arguments in support of Ripple replacing it are stronger than ever. In fact, just recently, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen had noted that XRP can be a replacement for an inefficient system like SWIFT’s, one that takes “days to move value” and involves “huge failure rates.” Larsen also said,
“…there was this one key component of cross-border payments which was fundamentally broken because they were dependent on a system built in the 70s – SWIFT and this asynchronous Swift correspondent banking system, which is just a nightmare.”
All things considered, it would seem that SWIFT is finally recognizing its problems, each of which it’ll have to resolve while also expanding on its services, to stand a chance against the likes of Ripple.


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As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, but it may be too early to be philosophical for Naples Bakery customers, saddened by the recent announcement that the popular Evergreen Park bakery will close after 97 years on Dec. 31.
The fourth-generation family bakery that has been at 3705 W. 95th St. since 1963, dates back to 1918, when Alphonso Lauro, a native of Italy, opened the original location at 67th and Wood Street in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood. He later moved to a bigger location nearby at 69th and Paulina.
He passed the business on to his son, Joseph Lauro. He died in 2000, and the bakery is now run by his daughter, Marijo Nowobielski, and her daughter, Jennifer Mavrogiannis.
Throughout its nearly 100-year history, many generations of Chicago-area residents came to the bakery that was known for its wedding cakes, and cakes for every occasion, as well as cannoli and all sorts of other pastries made using recipes handed down from Italy.
In the announcement placed on its front door at 3705 W. 95th St., and on its Facebook page, the bakery owners said “It is with a heavy heart and deepest regret that we must announce the closing of our bakery on Dec. 31... Naples Bakery has proudly served the Chicagoland community for the last 97 years. We have developed many friendships and loyal customers and for that we are forever grateful.”
According to the statement, Barraco’s Pizza, located next-door at 3701 W. 95th St., will be taking over the space as part of its expansion plans. Barraco’s is currently undergoing a renovation following a kitchen fire that occurred in September. The fire caused Naples to close for almost a week due to water and damage. Barraco’s, another family-owned business, bought the Naples building in October, according to published reports.
The owners of Naples later clarified their statement on Facebook, stressing that Barraco’s did not force them out, as some commenters had suggested.
“Over the last 36 years that Naples and Barraco’s have been neighbors we have become very close like a family. After 97 years in business the Naples family decided the time had come,” said the owners, who could not be reached for comment earlier this week.
As soon as the announcement was placed on Facebook, dozens of customers left comments about their traditions of going there, and how sad they were to hear the news.
“Your cannolis and sprinkle cookies are an indelible part of my childhood. Today, a wonderful reminder of my very missed grandparents. So sad to see Naples go. Thank you for giving so many delicious memories,” said one woman.
“I can’t remember a family gathering without Naples baked goods on the table,” said one woman who got her wedding cake there 47 years ago.
“The best chocolate doughnuts ever,” said Mary King, of Chicago’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood. “My mother used to go there, and I continue the tradition.”
Longtime employee Fannie Lambropoulos, of Oak Lawn, said she is as sad as the customers.
“I’ve been here working behind the counter for years and years. The customers are great and it is like a family. I’m not looking forward to my last day of work,” she said.


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Building and property maintenance firms are facing enormous challenges as they attempt to recover from the pandemic with a long-lasting crisis in the price and availability of vital building materials now facing them.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “Builders throughout the UK, particularly smaller firms, are struggling to recover from the pandemic as a result of the continued materials crisis. For some time now, demand for building materials has been outstripping supply, with this month’s data representing the second-fastest rate for input cost inflation since recording began.
He continued: “The FMB’s latest membership survey revealed the prevalence of this crisis within the sector, with 98 per cent of FMB members experiencing price increases for building materials. It’s vital that transparent allocation and pricing policies are implemented to help enable SMEs to have continued and stable access to materials. The Government should also re-evaluate their position with regard to issuing temporary visas for EU HGV drivers, to better enable the delivery of materials.”
The supply chain for most imported materials and goods had already been badly affected by unprecedented demand levels in North America, China and across Asian markets. The blockage of the Suez Canal earlier in the year added to problems and unusual weather patterns across the globe have seen forest fires, flooding and hundreds of thousands of homes damaged.
Berry continued: “Notwithstanding the wider economic impact risked by consumers choosing not to undertake building projects as a result of delays, there is also a real risk that the current environment is exploitable by cowboy builders. Builders are working hard to stick to agreed timelines, but consumers must be cautious about promises to complete jobs quickly and cheaply. All too often these will be too good to be true, and could well leave households at the mercy of unscrupulous cowboy builders.”
By Patrick Mooney, Editor


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New data out this week showsthat car sales in South Africa declined for a fourth straight month in August, in a month where the rand hit its lowest ever mark against the US dollar.
Data on Tuesday showed sales fell by 8.2% to 55,055 units, having contracted 6.1% in July.
Data provided by Lightstone Auto, and the The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) showed that the VW Polo Vivo sold the most units in the country, ahead of a fierce battle in the ‘bakkie’ segment.
According to Reuters, the automotive industry’s contribution to GDP has slowed to around 7.5% in 2014 from around 12% a decade ago.
Exacerbating the industry’s woes, the South African Reserve Bank raised the repo rate to 6% in July.
Naamsa said that it expects the downward sales trend will continue in medium term amid declining business confidence and consumer sentiment.


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Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Ellevest Launches Investment Site For Women In Austin
Ellevest, a new startup which is developing a online investment site specifically for women, said it is launching its service in Austin, which it says will be the first city in the U.S. to have access to its platform. The startup--based in New York--said it is looking to provide pratical, goals-based helps to women, to help them make investments and become more financially empowered. The startup, led by CEO Sallie Krawcheck, said that the launch in Austin is the start of a national rollout for the company. The company says it uses details on a woman, including her age, education and income, among other factors, along with unique goals, to design a personalized, investment portfolio. The company said it will charge 0.5 percent of assets per year for access to its services.


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Next at the Plate
The Roaring Fork Valley’s Dining Scene Gets Some New—and Reinvented—Players
Aspen newcomer Catch Steak joins a Snowmass outpost of local fave Kenichi and an expanded menu at Carbondale’s Batch Provisions, plus other tasty bits.
Forced to close, pivot, pivot again, reopen, reinvent their outdoor dining spaces, and keep their guests and staff safe during the coronavirus pandemic, Roaring Fork Valley restaurants and bars have had a whirlwind year-and-a-half. Unfortunately, some didn’t make it. But for others, the pandemic—and its ever-changing conditions and rules—carved out unexpected space for growth and reinvention. Here’s what’s new in the world of food and drink in Aspen, Snowmass Village, and Carbondale.
A good catch for Aspen
For some restaurateurs, the pandemic served as a springboard for expanding into Colorado. Mark Birnbaum, co-owner of Catch Hospitality Group, spent all of July 2020 in Aspen and fell in love with the mountain views from the rooftop at 515 E Hopkins Ave (previously occupied by Scarlett’s).
Now, a year later, he’s putting the finishing touches on the new Aspen location of Catch Steak, a modern steak house and seafood restaurant he opened in New York in 2019. Another one in Los Angeles is set to open this fall.
Catch Steak is a spinoff of the group’s successful seafood-centric Catch restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, Playa del Carmen, and Las Vegas. With hand-selected steaks from premium farms in the United States and Japan, scratch-made sauces and marinades, and an array of seafood options, Catch Steak is a lighter, fresher take on a classic steak house, Birnbaum says.
“There was so much about this location that spoke to us, from the discreet lobby entrance and elevator to the incredible indoor/outdoor rooftop with expansive views and wraparound terrace,” Birnbaum says. “The bones are so much like those of an ideal Catch location, you would think we built it from the ground up just for us.”
Added benefits in Base Village
Restaurant owners are also breathing even more life into Snowmass Base Village. Longtime Aspen sushi spot Kenichi—which has a sister restaurant, Izakaya, in Carbondale—will open in Snowmass in late summer. Aurum Food & Wine, an upscale restaurant serving seasonal, New American fare in Steamboat Springs and Breckenridge, plans to open its Snowmass outpost in late fall.
For Kenichi owner Brent Reed, the expansion feels like a natural next step. “As the Aspen-Snowmass connection gets a little bit stronger, as the development grows over there and there’s a little more year-round business in both Aspen and Snowmass, it seemed like the right fit,” he says. “We’re really proud to bring some great food and some great jobs to Snowmass.”
Though the pandemic created challenges for Kenichi and Izakaya, Reed says he tried to stay nimble and keep a positive outlook throughout the last year, an attitude that also helped propel him to open the Snowmass restaurant. “All negatives can be turned into a positive,” he says. “‘Stay calm and carry on’ was the motto I tried to follow and I’m still trying to follow.”
Meanwhile, Destination Hospitality Group’s Phil Armstrong considered bringing Aurum to the Roaring Fork Valley many times over the past five years but never found quite the right landlord—until he started talking with East West Partners about Snowmass Base Village.
When Aurum opens this fall, Armstrong expects the restaurant’s unmatched brand of hospitality to draw in diners, even from Aspen. “We want people to leave feeling like, ‘Wow, that was such an incredible hospitality experience; they paid such attention to detail,’” he says. “That’s what’s set us apart in every other market that we’ve entered. We put a lot of emphasis on the personal touches and remembering peoples’ names and preferences.”
Cocktails and pizza in Carbondale
For the owners of Carbondale’s Roaring Fork Beer Company and its Main Street tasting room, Batch, the pandemic provided an opportunity to sell the brewery and reenvision the latter as a full-scale bar, now called Batch Provisions.
Husband-and-wife duo Chase Engel and Aly Sanguily sold Roaring Fork Beer Company to the investors behind Carbondale’s Idylwilde Brewing last summer. At the same time, the couple pursued a full liquor license for Batch, which previously served only Roaring Fork Beer Company brews.
Now, the menu features many other craft beers, wine, and house-made cocktails (and mocktails). When Batch Provisions opened in March, diners could also take advantage of another new offering: artisan Neapolitan pizzas.
“It was an opportune time to sell, and although it was bittersweet, we now have a full bar, which we have always wanted and envisioned,” Sanguily says. “It’s been a whole new world since reopening. We have been at capacity every day with our customers really feeling stoked on all of the new offerings, and we are opening our demographic to people who wanted to hang at Batch but weren’t beer drinkers.”
Chef Mawa McQueen, who owns Mawa’s Kitchen in Aspen and the Crêpe Shack in Snowmass Base Village, has launched a new organic snack brand, Mawa’s GrainFreeNola ($14.95/bag). All five flavors are paleo, vegan, keto, and gluten-free, and each blends organic nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and ingredients like hibiscus flowers and shredded coconut.
The Beat in Carbondale, which pivoted to grocery and meal-kit sales during the pandemic, reopened once again as a veggie-centric restaurant in June. In addition to indoor dining, the restaurant launched the Beat Backyard, with a more casual, limited menu. “Think perfect outdoor happy hour and evening space surrounded by copious amounts of flowers,” says co-owner Lucy Perutz.
After 33 years in Aspen, Piñons closed in early April. Its downtown space will be filled by Casa D’Angelo, a popular Florida-based Italian restaurant owned by Chef Angelo Elia, who has a house in Snowmass.
Following a winter pop-up at the Snow Lodge, Dante—the historic New York bar and restaurant owned by couple Linden Pride and Nathalie Hudson—has taken up a year-long residency at the Chefs Club inside the St. Regis Aspen Resort. The menu features produce-driven, coastal Italian–inspired dishes and seasonal cocktails.
Longtime Aspen restaurateur Rob Ittner, most recently of Rustique, now directs food and beverage services at Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village. He’ll oversee the café as well as culinary special events.


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Ewert to be new Men’s Wearhouse CEO
- Greg Barr
The Men’s Wearhouse Inc. likes the way its new succession plan will unfold.
The Houston-based men’s apparel retailer said after the markets closed Thursday that Douglas Ewert, the company’s president and chief operating officer, will succeed George Zimmer, company founder, chairman and CEO.
"This is all about doing the responsible thing to prepare the company for a smooth transition over the next couple of years," Zimmer said in a Friday conference call with investors. "We are doing it now because we think it is the right time."
Ewert, who joined the company in 1995, will be president and CEO. The chief operating officer position will not be filled.
The board of directors has approved the succession plan for the 37-year-old company that will see Ewert, 47, move into the top executive slot in mid-2011. Zimmer, 62, the face of the company in television commercials, will continue as executive chairman of the board.
"George is an amazing brand," Ewert said after the call. "We have spent close to $1 billion marketing Men's Wearhouse and George, as the CEO, over the past 38 years. I'm very excited about the opportunity to leverage off the power of the brand."
Zimmer will “assist Ewert in matters related to the strategic direction of the company and he will continue to be involved in the company’s marketing activities,” the company said in a statement.
"Doug is perfect person to follow me," Zimmer said during the conference call. "I'm doing what I love, the company is well-positioned and Doug and I leverage each other's strengths."
Men’s Wearhouse (NYSE: MW), recently voted as one of the country’s top workplaces by Fortune magazine, has 1,200 stores in the U.S. and Canada.
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The Ministry of Finance has launched three policy initiatives designed to deepen financial inclusion and accelerate the shift to digital payments.
As part of the launch, the Ministry presented the government’s vision of building a highly digitized payment system that accelerates economic development and drives inclusive growth.
The three policy initiative include:
●The National Financial Inclusion and Development Strategy, developed in collaboration with the World Bank, aims at increasing financial inclusion from currently 58 per cent to 85 per cent by 2023, helping create economic opportunities and reducing poverty.
●The Digital Financial Services Policy, developed in partnership with the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), builds on existing technological gains to create a resilient, inclusive and innovative digital ecosystem that contributes to social development, a robust economy and a thriving private sector.
●The Cash-Lite Roadmap, designed in collaboration with the United Nations-based Better Than Cash Alliance, puts forward concrete steps to build an inclusive digital payments ecosystem. This includes better access to financial services, enabling regulation and oversight, and promoting consumer protection.
A statement from the Finance Ministry noted, “As part of these policy efforts, the government has set up a new Digital Payments Coordination Unit to drive effective stakeholder engagement on the implementation of key actions.
“The launch conforms to the call by the Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on financial institutions, telecommunications and fintech sectors to find innovative ways of turning mobile phones and the mobile money platforms into vehicles of economic emancipation for the many players in the large informal sector. He made this statement during the launch of QRPay and Proxypay by the Bank of Ghana in March 2020.”
The launch also reinforces the position of the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to the effect that “Digital payments help drive transparency, accountability, efficiency, as well as greater women’s participation in the economy. Moving away from cash helps our country advance towards achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
According to the Minister, public and private sector actors need to work hand in hand, digitizing in a responsible manner, to turn these new policy initiatives into tangible benefits for all Ghanaians. These assertions are even more relevant in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The launch significantly projects Ghana as a digital payment success story.
According to Dr Ruth Goodwin-Groen, Managing Director of the United Nations-based Better Than Cash Alliance, “Ghana is already recognised as a global digital payments success story! We look forward to continuing working with our members, the Government, as well as with the private sector and international organisations, to accelerate the new ambitious cash-lite roadmap, in a way that is responsible and responsive to the needs of all Ghanaians.”
The Deputy Head of Mission / Head of Cooperation at the Swiss Embassy in Ghana Matthias Feldmann noted that “SECO has been committed to supporting the growth of digital financial services in Ghana because we are aware of the substantial positive impact it has on driving financial access for the poor, unleashing innovation and making the economy more resilient. We are very proud to have contributed to the development of the DFS Policy and look forward to working closely with our Ghanaian partners to implement its pillars. Congratulations Ghana!”
According to the statement, “these policies reinforce the government’s unwavering commitment to digitizing the Ghanaian economy and providing the soft infrastructure that will enable the private sector, payment service providers and all other ecosystem players to innovate digital financial solutions in a conducive environment to the benefit of all Ghanaians.”
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While it is unlikely your local grocery store is currently accepting payment in bitcoin, you may have heard of this new emerging form of currency and may be wondering what is it; how does it work; and should you have some bitcoin stashed in your wallet?
Bitcoin is a new form of currency created in 2009 that only exists in digital format. At its core, bitcoin functions like other payment forms—you can purchase goods online or offline using your bitcoins as long as the seller accepts that form of payment. At present, not that many entities take payment in the form of bitcoin (coinmap.org is attempting to track physical locations that accept the currency), and people are likely buying bitcoins more as an investment with hopes they’ll go up in value over time.
According to Martine Niejadlik, Chief Compliance Officer at Coinbase, that may change in the future as bitcoin provides several benefits for consumers and merchants over other traditional payment options. Coinbase is a company providing consumers services for sending, receiving, selling, buying and storing bitcoin.
“When you pay with a credit card or check, there are a lot of entities and expenses involved to make that process work and each company gets a fee for their part of the process,” Ms. Niejadlik explained. “There are interchange fees and other potential expenses such as chargeback management and currency exchange fees. So when you purchase $100 worth of goods with a credit card, the merchant is only getting a portion of that, around $97 as the other $3 is covering the various fees involved.”
“With bitcoin, the processing fees are a small fraction of what is charged today. Accepting bitcoin provides the merchant opportunities to reduce expense and pass some of those savings on to their customers in the form of lower prices or offering discounts or coupons when paying with bitcoin – which is already happening today.”
Other potential benefits bitcoin proponents point out:
- Micro payments opportunities. In the U.S., the penny is the smallest currency component. In the online space, however, the vendor may want to charge at an even smaller currency value. For example, an online news journal may want to charge 10% of a penny for each page view. Bitcoin easily facilitates a “micro-level” pricing structure that existing payment options don’t.
- Ability to make a payment without sharing all your personally identifiable information to the merchant – kind of like using cash.
- International based online transaction may be more efficient and less expensive as bitcoins are not tied to any specific country’s currency (or regulations).
So, where do bitcoins come from?
This is a pretty easy to comprehend with other forms of currency. With cash, the U.S. government prints it. With credit cards, the card issuers set the available credit limit on our credit cards. The process with bitcoin is a bit harder to comprehend.
They are created through a process called mining, and as I understand it, people compete to “mine” bitcoins by solving complex mathematical computations to validate that bitcoin transactions are legitimate when a bitcoin transaction is posted. The winner is rewarded with a fee and “x” newly created bitcoins they can save or “sell” into the market.
How do you get access to bitcoins?
Since it is a virtual currency, you’ll need to set up a virtual wallet to convert your local currency (U.S. dollars) into and out of bitcoin currency as well as to store it. Companies like Coinbase have created processes and services to help consumers conduct these transactions easily, but bitcoin exchange services are another option.
Be careful as with any new technology, there is both potential risk and reward. Bitcoin is currently less regulated versus other payment options (checks, credit cards, cash) and bitcoin wallets are not insured by the FDIC (like standard bank accounts). Additionally, there has been news coverage that governments (U.S. and other countries) are concerned about taxation and their perceived lack of control over the currency.
“It is really important that anyone interested in bitcoin do their homework before making any investment decision given the currency is in its very early stage,” Ms. Niejadlik added.
When you think about it, the rate of evolution with payment options in the last one hundred years is quite remarkable. Many of us can remember when there were no credit cards or ATM machines–technology that is now used daily without a thought by most people. Will bitcoin be a similar phenomenon 10 … 25 … 50 years from now?
We’d like to hear what you think. If you’re interested or invested in Bitcoin, tell us why.
Tom Quinn is the Vice President of Business Development for myFICO® , and has over 20 years of experience working with consumers, regulators and lenders and regarding credit related questions and initiatives.


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Light House Coffee, a new coffee shop that will hire and help refugees and displaced people, is set to open in the fall around LSU.
Amber and Steve Elworth came up with the idea. The shop has launched a crowdfunding campaign through Indiegogo to spread word of its business. The goal is to raise $50,000, which will go toward buildout of the shop and some equipment.
Amber Elworth has a decade of experience working with international students and refugees. She is an English teacher at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge. She said while the couple does love a good cup of Joe, there is a bigger goal at Light House Coffee.
"Of course, we love coffee, but we're not opening for just that purpose," she said. "We want to supplement what Catholic Charities is doing in Baton Rouge."
She added that the hardest part for displaced people coming into Baton Rouge isn't getting the job, but rather getting out of the poverty cycle. At Light House Coffee, the Elworths want to help refugees with long-term self-sufficiency.
"We're really intentional about not just giving them a job, but we want them to excel and pursue their own dreams," she said.
Programs and specialty courses will be available to the employees.
For the foodies, the coffee will be specialty grade. A few food and light meal options might be available in the shop, too. For more information, visit facebook.com/lighthousecoffeebr.


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‘Companies Should Not Be Allowed to Use Hazardous Ingredients in Products People Use’: Michelle Pfeiffer Speaks Up for Safer Cosmetics
The beauty products we put on our skin can have important consequences for our health. Just this March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that some Claire's cosmetics had tested positive for asbestos. But the FDA could only issue a warning, not a recall, because current law does not empower the agency to do so.
Michelle Pfeiffer wants to change that.
The actress and Environmental Working Group (EWG) board member was spotted on Capitol Hill Thursday lobbying lawmakers on behalf of a bill that would increase oversight of the cosmetics industry, The Washington Post reported.
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
Company Safety Data Sheets on New Chemicals Frequently Lack the Worker Protections EPA Claims They Include
By Richard Denison
Readers of this blog know how concerned EDF is over the Trump EPA's approval of many dozens of new chemicals based on its mere "expectation" that workers across supply chains will always employ personal protective equipment (PPE) just because it is recommended in the manufacturer's non-binding safety data sheet (SDS).
By Pat Thomas
Throughout the U.S., major food brands are trying to get rid of GMO ingredients — not necessarily for the right reasons, but because nearly half of consumers say they avoid them in their food, primarily for health reasons.
But the CEO of Impossible Foods, purveyor of the Impossible Burger, is bucking that trend.


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Manufacturing is anything but dead in the Capital Region.
Our upcoming publication Growth & Change takes an in-depth look at the resurgence that is fueling the industry and propelling the economy.
We take a look at dozens of companies from new players in the region like computer chip maker GlobalFoundries to old-school manufacturers who produce everything from pills to pillows.
Manufacturing is a key part of our history, and the industry's rebirth is ensuring that it is a big part of our future too.
This publication takes a look at not one story, but the people and the products that are enabling manufacturers to grow.
Take a look at the video for a preview of the unsung heroes of our region's economy. Their stories will be brought to you in The Business Review's new Growth & Change publication, scheduled to be published on Sept. 13, 2013.


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On Monday night, the People's Procuratorate in Beijing's Chaoyang District approved the arrest of Kpop star Kris Wu.
Arguments from Wu’s supporters held firm even after the superstar’s detention. They represent some of the recurring voices against China’s feminist movement in general.
Singer Kris Wu, a judge on the hit hiphop show Rap of China, released a new rap song titled “Skr” on July 30. Wu took to Weibo to explain that his latest creation was a “diss track”, expressing his respect for rap culture and his goal of combating cyber bullying with music. “The controversy is […]
As previously announced, Xiaomi will hold a product launch at Wuhan University on April 25 and will officially release the new mid-ranged bezel-less Xiaomi Mi 6X.


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Billionaire entrepreneur, Elon Musk, was recently asked to perform a role in the Trump administration as a technology advisor, along with Uber CEO Travis Kalanick. The meeting that took place yesterday was, purportedly, not part of his official capacity as an advisor, but rather as a leading figure in the manufacturing industry. The meeting also included the heads of major corporations such as Ford, Johnson & Johnson, Whirlpool and Lockheed Martin amongst others.
Trump spoke to Musk about the future of manufacturing in the US and how to encourage businesses to flourish with the carrot and the stick method. The carrot would be cutting business regulations, although it wasn’t entirely clear what regulations would be scrapped, and the stick was a tax hike in imported goods. This has been an important mainstay in Trump’s pre-election manifesto. It is hoped that the deregulation will boost American industry and make American goods desirable again, whilst the tax increase will scare of anyone trying to get goods elsewhere.
“We’re going to be cutting regulation massively. Now, we’re going to have regulation, and it’ll be just as strong and just as good and just as protective of the people as the regulation we have right now. The problem with the regulation that we have right now is that you can’t do anything. … I have people that tell me that they have more people working on regulations than they have doing product.” – President Donald Trump.
It makes perfect sense for Tesla to be happy with the new strategy, as they have spent years fighting against industry regulations that limit the productivity of their operations within the auto industry. It also falls into line with the Tesla strategy of building everything ‘in-house’ as they have made clear when building the Gigafactory. The aim was to build a battery production plant in Nevada, where they roll in raw materials and roll out finished goods. Musk was reported to have also spoken about his other investments in Solar City and SpaceX which were given vocal support by the President.
“When somebody wants to put up a factory, it’s going to be expedited. And you have to go through the process, but it’s going to be expedited. And we’re going to take care of the environment, we’re going to take care of safety, and all of the other things we’re going to take care of. But you’re going to get such great service. There will be no country that going to be faster, better, more fair, and at the same time protecting the people of the country.” – President Donald Trump.
President Donald Trump likes Elon Musk. Whilst Musk was not a Trump supporter during the pre-election jousting, and even told an interviewer that he felt Trump was possibly the wrong man for the job, Musk just wants what is best for the environment and his companies’ ambitions to make the world a better place. If he has to cozy up to a President that he doesn’t necessarily agree with in order to meet those ambitions, he is pragmatic enough to see beyond the personal differences. Musk is also rather appealing to the White House, given that he is a billionaire immigrant who came from very little and made a fortune in Silicon Valley. He also has lofty ambitions and hires lots of workers to help him achieve those goals, which is something that Trump likes to hear about. Oh, and Musk is extremely popular as well, both amongst Tesla fans, Space fans and even environmentalists who appreciate his ambitions and contributions.
Elon Musk also has an ace up his sleeve which hasn’t gone unnoticed by the White House; SpaceX. SpaceX’s ultimate goal is to reach Mars, with or without the assistance of NASA and whilst the Trump administration is still debating how to proceed with NASA and space policy in general, SpaceX represents a rare opportunity for the government to back a private company to achieve international goals, and get the credit for it obviously.


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Diablo Immortal is "Pretty Much Ready" According to Co-Developer NetEase
Recent comments from the studio indicate that there is no Chinese approval hold-up as originally believed.
By Chris Morse
The upcoming Diablo mobile game may not be too far away from releasing, according to the latest report from Bloomberg. Yang Zhaoxuan, Chief Financial Officer of Diablo Immortal co-developer NetEase, addressed rumors that the game was caught in an approval backlog in China, which was reportedly holding up gaming releases across the market. While the country did tweak the process in which it green-lights new titles, Zhaoxuan says that doesn't mean there is any kind of hold-up to worry about.
In fact, the CFO went as far as saying the mobile game is "pretty much ready," but indicated that Activision-Blizzard would have the final say on when it rolls out to various markets. See below for his comments in full regarding the upcoming release.[blockquote-0]
As previously mentioned, this project is a collaboration between Blizzard and NetEase, with the latter company bringing to the table a history of mobile games development. Ironically, some of the studio's previous efforts already looked to be strongly inspired by the Diablo franchise's gameplay, which may be part of the reason why Blizzard decided to partner up on something more officially licensed.
Diablo Immortal seems like it will keep the spirit of the series alive, featuring all the primary hallmarks you would come to expect from one of these games, such as the online functionality, classes, combat, and dungeon crawling. However, long-time fans of the series were less than thrilled to be receiving a mobile spinoff in lieu of an announcement such as a new mainline Diablo game, which is something we will hopefully hear something about at BlizzCon later this year.
Regardless, it seems like this effort is almost complete, although we are still awaiting an official release date from Activision-Blizzard. On that note, stay tuned to Dead Entertainment for all the latest news and updates on this title as well as the Diablo franchise as a whole.
Diablo IV Developers Share Early Look at Sequel’s Itemization
The latest system design discussion is a deep dive into the broader direction the new game is looking to take with its loot.
Blizzard Shares Diablo IV Design Updates, Including Elective Mode Skill Selection
Those who were unable to use the feature in the BlizzCon demo feared it might be excluded in the upcoming new sequel.
Earlier Diablo IV Leak Proves Accurate, Hints at Release Window and Unannounced Classes
The game may be slated to arrive late 2020 or early 2021, at least for now.
BlizzCon 2019: Diablo Immortal Update and Gameplay Trailer
The ongoing event offered another update on the status of the upcoming mobile title and its features.


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EU: MEP's back plan to ban hormones in meat production
The European Parliament has approved moves by the European Commission to ban the use of six growth hormones in the EU meat and poultry production industry, because of concerns that they may harm consumers. The Commission wants to ban oestradiol 17 beta, testosterone, progesterone, trenbolone acetate, zeranol and melengestrol acetate. The proposal has been backed by the parliament's environment committee, which backed a report saying that the hormones "could have endocrine-disrupting, developmental, immunological, neurobiological, genotoxic and carcinogenic effects." The report also stressed that there were animal welfare grounds with the hormones, which are in use in the USA.
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