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3 Big Things Today, August 28, 2020
1. Soybeans and Corn Mixed in Overnight Trading
Soybean and corn futures were mixed in overnight trading as some precipitation is expected in the driest parts of the Midwest, though exactly how much each area will receive is in question.
Storm warnings have been issued in parts of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin where the weather could turn severe. Still, that should bring some much-needed rainfall to areas suffering from drought conditions.
In Illinois, only “widely scattered” thunderstorms are expected today and tonight.
In Iowa, about 23% of the state is under is under a severe drought while another 6.5% is seeing an extreme drought, the U.S. Drought Monitor said in a report released yesterday.
Under a severe drought, dryland corn will see “extremely low” yield and livestock will be stressed. In an extreme drought, however, pastures turn dry, livestock producers will have to sell cattle, and crops will see increased levels of toxins and pests, data from the monitor show.
At the start of this week, 69% of the U.S. soybean crop was in good or excellent condition, down from 72% seven days earlier, according to the Department of Agriculture.
Only 64% of the corn crop earned top ratings vs. 69% the previous week, the USDA said.
Soybean futures for November delivery rose 3¾¢ to $9.45¾ a bushel overnight on the Chicago Board of Trade. Soymeal gained $1.50 to $304.60 a short ton, and soy oil fell 0.03¢ to 33.47¢ a pound.
Corn futures for December delivery were down ¾¢ to $3.57¾ a bushel.
Wheat futures for September delivery added ¾¢ to $5.51½ a bushel, while Kansas City futures gained 1¼¢ to $4.73½ a bushel.**
2. Weekly New-Crop Corn Sales Higher While Bean Sales Decline
New-crop corn sales jumped while bean sales plunged week-to-week, according to the USDA.
Corn sales for delivery in the marketing year that starts on Sept. 1 were reported at 1.18 million metric tons, the agency said. That’s up from 723,300 tons a week earlier.
China was the big buyer, taking 666,000 metric tons, Mexico bought 233,000 tons, an unnamed country purchased 156,200 tons, Japan was in for 50,000 tons, and Guatemala bought 20,300 tons, the USDA said in a report.
Old-crop sales for delivery before the end of the month totaled 270,4000 metric tons. Japan bought 97,900 tons, Taiwan took 91,200 tons, Mexico was in for 52,300 tons, Colombia purchased 45,800 tons, and China bought 19,400 tons.
Soybean sales for delivery in the 2020-2021 marketing year, meanwhile, dropped to 1.87 million metric tons last week from 2.57 million the previous week, government data show.
An unknown country bought 822,000 tons, China purchased 592,000 tons, Pakistan was in for 136,000 tons, Indonesia bought 75,800 tons, and Thailand took 74,500 tons.
Sales for delivery before Aug. 31 came in at 50,400 metric tons as purchases of 213,500 tons by the Netherlands, 168,600 tons by China, 71,500 tons by Spain, 21,600 tons by Lebanon, and 20,200 tons by Thailand were offset by cancelations of 469,300 tons by unknown countries, the USDA said.
Wheat sales for delivery in the grain’s marketing year that started on June 1 totaled 764,100 metric tons, up 46% week-to-week and 41% from the same time frame last year.
Mexico bought 134,300 tons, China purchased 123,000 tons, an unnamed country took 102,500 tons, Indonesia was in for 86,100 tons, and the Philippines bought 53,600 tons. Ecuador canceled cargoes for 9,800 tons and Sri Lanka nixed shipments for 3,400 tons, the USDA said.
3. Strong Storms Expected to Make Their Way Through Upper Midwest Today
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for parts of southeastern Minnesota as a line of thunderstorms moves through the area, according to the National Weather Service.
Wind gusts of up to 50 mph were recorded earlier this morning, and large hail and an isolated tornado can’t be ruled out, the NWS said in a report early this morning. The storm is moving east at 50 mph.
More storms are possible this afternoon in the region with hail up to 2 inches in diameter and wind gusts of up to 70 mph the main threats, the agency said.
In south-central Wisconsin, meanwhile, thunderstorms are expected to hit the area today with some turning severe. Heavy rainfall, some hail, and strong winds are the main threats, the NWS said.
In Iowa, strong storms are expected this afternoon and evening, mostly east of Interstate 35, the agency said. Large hail, damaging winds, and an isolated tornado are all possible.


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#NewsBytesWeeklyRecap: Next-gen Xbox, OPPO AR glasses, iOS issues, and more
This week in tech we saw some tempting hardware announcements, including that of the next-generation Xbox Series X console and OPPO's AR glasses. Google also introduced some nifty upgrades for its software, hardware products, while Apple faced flak for bugs in its offerings. Let's take a look at the biggest stuff that happened in tech this past week.
First, Xbox Series X and OPPO's AR glasses
The biggest news of the week was undoubtedly the unveiling of Xbox Series X console with an improved new controller, 8k support, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, variable refresh rate, auto-latency mode, and solid-state storage. Then, at an event in Shenzhen, OPPO unveiled its first-ever pair of AR glasses with dual fisheye cameras and two buttons that can be used for zooming, volume, and navigation.
Microsoft's new icon-pack, updates for Snapchat and OnePlus TV
In other developments, Microsoft unveiled a pack of more than 100 redesigned icons for its apps and services. The company has revamped the logo of Windows too. Then, Snapchat confirmed the testing of a deepfake-like tool that would let you morph your face into GIFs/videos and OnePlus released an update bringing Netflix on the OnePlus TV.
Apple's battle with security flaws, bugs, glitches
Apple released iOS 13 with major bug fixes and new parental controls but that release introduced another bug that allowed kids to bypass parental restrictions and talk to strangers. Some issues also surfaced in Mac, with one particular bug shutting the 13-inch MacBook Pro down at random. However, the company acknowledged the glitch and issued a fix for the same.
Droom also suffered from a security flaw
Droom, the popular marketplace for used vehicles, also dealt with a security issue that risked critical personal and financial information of millions of its users. It remains unclear if the glitch was ever exploited.
Google's nifty upgrades for Gmail, Assistant, Pixels, Android Messages
While Apple struggled with bugs, Google spent the week upgrading its key hardware, software products. First, the company announced the first 'feature drop' bringing new capabilities into new and old Pixel phones. Then, it introduced the ability to directly attach emails in Gmail, an interpreter mode for Google Assistant on smartphones, and verified SMS and spam-protection features for Android Messages.
Finally, some phone and laptop launches to wrap things up
Only a few phones debuted this week, but the new Vivo V17 with 48MP quad cameras and Samsung Galaxy A71, A51 drew most of our attention. Xiaomi, meanwhile, launched Redmi K30 as well as an all-new RedmiBook 13 in China. Among other things, Dell launched G5 5090 gaming desktop PC, HP debuted Spectre x360 13 convertible laptop, and Realme teased new truly wireless earbuds.

domain: news


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New cars have always been unveiled at auto shows. Boring and perfunctory auto shows. But on Monday, Ford took the road less (read: never) traveled.
Armed with funny guy Mike Rowe, CEO Alan Mulally, and a truckload of video content, they systematically unveiled their snazzy new 2011 Ford Explorer via its official Facebook page. Absurdly enough, it’s the first time a carmaker has unveiled a fresh model anywhere other than an auto show. Could this spark a new trend in the automotive world? 54 thousand eager fans, excited to check out (and possibly buy!) your new vehicle; or a room full of the industry’s elite, seers of innumerable new car launches, yawning and droopy-eyed. Hmm…
At precisely 7:40 am EST, Ford rolled out its brand new Explorer to their salivating Facebook audience — but not before tantalizing fans with pre-unveil segments with Mike Roe. Ford also used the opportunity to introduce fans to their top executives and the vehicle’s designers throughout a full day’s worth of video content, delving deep into the new 7-passenger model:
And the grand reveal:
Let’s not forget their social media hot shot Scott Monty, who no doubt pushed for and orchestrated the shift away from the normal year-in year-out new model introductions. With his help, Ford’s become one of the best cases yet for applied social media — especially so for aging, distressed brands. That is, if they keep it up. The Explorer’s content-backed social media launch can be seen as but a stepping stone in the brand’s revival.
One such effort executed by us at Story (surprise, surprise) comes to mind here: a blitz we carried out for Dodge’s Ram brand on the day it was announced they’d received the Motor Trend Truck of the Year award. The full-on digital press room served as an informational hub and content source, helping arm and enable real-time publishing.
Granted, breaking the industry mold involves a lot of risk. Last year the official Honda Crosstour Facebook page quickly turned into a hotbed of negativity. it goes to show: if you put yourself out there, you might not like what you get back.
We applaud Ford on taking a risk. If the industry-first Facebook reveal is any indication, the embattled American automaker is becoming the leading example of how US automakers can turn things around—by diminishing expensive ad-spends and shifting their priorities to content production and conversation kick-starters. Keep on truckin’, Ford.


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Article by Joanna Sarah-Freedman
A festival dedicated entirely to pickles exists, and it might just be our dream.
Yup, Picklesburgh is a three day event that takes place annually in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – and if you love yourself a gherkin, it sounds like the real dill.
This year, the event took place on July 21st, and ran up until the 23rd, offering everything from live music and pickle merchandise to pickle juice eating contests.
Whilst there hasn’t been official confirmation of a Picklesburgh 2024 yet, it’s been running very successfully since 2015, so we think it’s safe to assume it’ll be coming.
Check out a clip from this year below:
Let’s set the scene for you…
As you enter, there’s a giant pickle floating in there air (naturally), and you can expect a whole bunch of food vendors selling pickle themed meals, including the likes of chocolate covered pickles, kimchi, pickle sandwiches and tahini pickle ice cream. Oooft.
There will also be boozy pickle options too, including pickle beer and cocktails. Plus, you can indulge in pickle flavoured moonshine and slushies as well.
The pickle juice competition was a blast this year, so if you’re a true pickle fanatic, you can see if you can beat the current record, which is five seconds to consume 32 ounces.
Pickle moonshine not included #picklesburgh2022
After social media videos of this year’s Picklesburgh did the rounds, it’s safe to say that people were jealous they didn’t hear about it earlier.
“I found out ab picklesburgh late bc my fyp decided to show me after it ended and now i’m definitely going next year idc if it’s by myself… y’all don’t understand how much i love pickles man omggg (sic),” said one person on Twitter.
Whilst another wrote: “Omg there is a pickle festival?! Called Picklesburgh & I’ve never heard of this…looks amazing.”
“I keep getting picklesburgh videos on my FYP ultimate fomo rn (sic),” a third chimed in.
“Actually, my number one goal in life is to go to Picklesburgh at least once,” said a fourth.
Petition to bring this festival over to the UK, stat.
Featured image: Picklesburgh/ Instagram: Downtown Pittsburgh


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A new Instagram account featuring stylish outfits has emerged as a way for University of Connecticut students to express their senses of style and spread positivity.
The @uconnfitchecks page was created by Gavin Vitale, a first-semester digital media and design student. Students send “fit checks,” or pictures of their outfits, to the account to be posted.
Vitale’s inspiration for the account came from other UConn-related Instagram pages that he believes contribute to a happier atmosphere at the university.
“I was inspired by many of the other ‘uconn posts’ Instagram pages, like @uconn.sleepcam and @uconn_grass. Their posts never fail to make me smile and always boost my mood,” Vitale said via direct message on Instagram. “I realized there was nothing stopping me from creating an account and making others smile, too.”
Vitale said he loves seeing and complimenting others’ creative outfits in real life, and he hopes his Instagram page allows for students to engage in this exchange of fashion inspiration and kindness on a larger scale.
“Whenever I’m walking around campus, I love admiring everyone’s unique fashion sense and style. And anytime I get a chance to compliment someone on their outfit, it’s crazy to see how fast their face lights up. Essentially, I want to do the same thing with @uconnfitchecks,” Vitale said. “I’m hoping that with each new post, there’ll be more people hyping the outfits up in the comments, spreading good vibes and all around, just making people feel good!”
The page has been well-received by UConn students, according to Vitale, who was surprised by the number of photos that have been sent in since his first post on Oct. 8.
“So far the general reaction has exceeded anything I was really expecting, and it’s been amazing how many people have DMed the account pictures of their outfits,” Vitale said. “I can’t wait to hopefully see the account grow so that it can reach more people and spread more positivity.”
Featured image from uconnfitchecks Instagram


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MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Reimagine Recycling program, an initiative of Save Philippine Seas and Coca-Cola Philippines, proudly announces five community-based programs that have received up to PHP 500,000 of grant funding.
Now in its fifth year, Reimagine Recycling continues to support groups that champion circular economy solutions, address solid waste management, and enhance the well-being of the informal waste sector. This year, the initiative also focused on projects preventing waste leakage in riverine and marine ecosystems and grassroots initiatives.
Reimagine Recycling provides essential reinforcement through capacity-building workshops on stakeholder management and communications, mentoring, and financial grants.
“We have seen how transformative Reimagine Recycling has been for our past grantees. The funding helps them get to the next level in terms of scale and scope, and the networks of Save Philippine Seas and Coca-Cola Philippines also help create connections with other stakeholders in the waste value chain,” shared Anna Oposa, Executive Director of Save Philippine Seas.
Supporting sustainable initiatives
Following a competitive application process that opened in October 2023, the following projects were selected for grant funding from Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, which can help expand and build a stronger foundation for their respective initiatives:
- RezBin is an initiative by siblings with backgrounds in the startup industry. Realizing that poor disposal habits, aside from the lack of recycling facilities, are also the main causes of plastic waste issues in the Philippines, the project aims to make plastic disposal easy and enjoyable, fostering positive and sustainable habits among Filipinos.
- THREADS by PAMMÉ is a training program for informal trash collectors focused on plastic waste recycling. PAMMÉ repurposes plastic waste into sustainable fashion products, contributes to recycling markets, and supports informal livelihoods.
- Love for Green Universe addresses inadequate access to fresh food in urban areas worsened by environmental concerns faced by farmers. The project empowers farmers by repurposing PET bottles as durable UV sheets for crop protection, providing a sustainable alternative to commercially available sheets susceptible to adverse weather conditions.
- After conducting surveys in the coastal barangays of Naawan, Misamis Oriental, COAST discovered community concerns such as beach plastic litter, household plastic management, and reliance on single-use plastics. COAST takes action through initiatives like regular coastal clean-ups, public forums, and strategic partnerships to raise awareness, empower communities, and lay the foundation for sustainable practices.
- Upstyle was founded to transform waste into opportunities for environmental and societal betterment, driven by the escalating waste crisis and economic challenges in certain communities. Their goal is to teach upcycling as a livelihood project, working with dedicated volunteers to create products from waste materials and imparting this skill to communities, providing a sustainable means of earning a living.
Coca-Cola Philippines President Tony Del Rosario expressed gratitude for the ongoing collaboration with Save Philippine Seas in promoting marine conservation. He commended all teams participating in Reimagine Recycling Year 5, saying “Each proposal is truly promising, with a significant impact on the environment and our communities. It was inspiring to connect with brilliant young minds driving change in nation-building through innovative circular economy initiatives.”
Cecile Alcantara, President of Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, also affirmed the foundation’s commitment to supporting innovations that empower communities and inspire Filipinos to initiate their waste solution programs. “As advocates for positive change, we firmly believe in the transformative power of collaboration and its ability to create a lasting impact in our communities,” Alcantara said.
The Foundation reports that past winners of Reimagine Recycling continue to scale up, expand, and benefit underprivileged communities.
- Alon and Araw, which started as a free surfboard borrowing program for local children in exchange for regular participation in weekly beach clean-ups, now work with over 40 underprivileged fisherfolk families vulnerable to threats of climate change. They organize sustainability-related activities for more than 70 children between five to 18 years old, whom they call ocean defenders.
- According to the Philippine Textile Research Institute, the country generates the equivalent of 303 Olympic-size pools of textile waste annually. To help address this problem, Barrio Studios devised an idea to transform textile waste into higher-value goods. Through their efforts, they champion textile recycling in the country, help businesses become more sustainable, and create more green jobs for women.
- Smart Recycle PH helps users connect with verified collection partners for their recyclable materials and get to know and shop for sustainable products and services. They assist consumers in earning Smart Recycle Points and converting them into trees with RAFI One to Tree. The initiative has recovered more than 350,000 kilograms of recyclables, received 1,000 tree pledges, and increased its partners to 60.
In 2018, The Coca-Cola Company announced its global ambition to support a circular economy to help eliminate waste through the continual use of packaging as a valuable resource. In addition to the Reimagine Recycling program, Coca-Cola Philippines is accelerating more waste management solutions through the implementation of “May Ikabobote Pa”, it’s consumer engagement initiative that aims to inform and engage consumers about the actions they can take to recycle their empty plastic bottles.
For more information about Reimagine Recycling, visit savephilippineseas.org. You may also read more about Coca-Cola Philippines’ initiatives at coca-cola.com/ph/en/sustainability.


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Healthbox, a Chicago-based business accelerator for healthcare startups, opened applications to the program, set to begin in January 2012.
Founded by Sandbox Industries Managing Director Nina Nashif, Healthbox is a 3-month program, which will be hosted in a collaborative workspace in Chicago from January to April of next year. It will provide each of the 10 participants with $50k in seed capital and access to a broad group of mentors.
The business accelerator, which was introduced by Sandbox Industries in May, simultaneously launched its website and announced strategic partners among healthcare organizations in the provider, payer, investor and retail spaces, including BlueCross BlueShield Venture Partners, Walgreens, Ridgeview Medical Center, the California HealthCare Foundation, Merrick Ventures, and a investors and entrepreneurs.
Strategic partners will provide Healthbox participants with mentorship, guidance, beta site testing, and access to their broad customer bases.
Applications will remain open on the website (www.healthboxaccelerator.com) for approximately eight weeks. in September and October, Healthbox’ leaders and mentors will host networking events in key cities across the country – including San Francisco, San Diego, Minneapolis, Nashville, Boston, New York City and Chicago – in order to promote the program and encourage applications.
Sandbox Industries is the fund manager for BlueCross BlueShield Venture Fund, a corporate venture fund sponsored by the BlueCross BlueShield Association.


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The OFT wants to find out if the games put undue pressure on children to pay for additional content amidst reports that many children have run up bills of hundreds of pounds buying “cheats”.
Although many games are free, revenue is generated by asking players to purchase pay coins, gems or other virtual items to speed their progress through levels.
Extras are priced very differently, with some costing only a few pence, but the most high-priced were £70.
In January, regulator PhonePayPlus revealed it had seen a 300 per cent increase in complaints from consumers about the bills generated when they buy add-ons for games and other apps.
More than a quarter of children aged between five and 15 now own smartphones according to Ofcom, and many more have access to their parents’ devices.
This has led to the creation of an apps industry which has grown up around the increasing usage.
The games are particularly popular with children as many of the characters featured are iconic figures like the the Smurfs and Playmobil.
The OFT wants to hear from parents who have seen firms aggressively pushing in-game content to their children.
As part of its investigation, the OFT wants to find out if the games are “misleading, commercially aggressive or otherwise unfair” when they give people the chance to buy extras. It also wants to find out if children are being specifically targeted by such applications.
“We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs,” said Cavendish Elithorn, the OFT’s senior director for goods and cons
The investigation comes alongside reports about children spending large sums on virtual items for smartphone and web games.
In March, five-year-old schoolboy Danny Kitchen, from Bristol, managed to rack up charges of more than £1700 while playing the Zombies versus Ninjas game on his parents’ iPad. The money has since been refunded by Apple.
Makers of games that strongly encourage children to buy or pressure them to ask parents to buy on their behalf could be breaking laws on fair trading, said the OFT.
Mr Elithorn said the OFT did not want to ban in-game purchases, but wanted to be sure that games-makers are complying with relevant laws.
Consumer groups or parents with evidence of games aggressively marketing in-game extras should contact the OFT, it said.


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The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has paid out just over 97,500 claims, totalling £1.725 billion for farmers in the first few days of the payment window, which runs between December and June.
The payments cover the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), Countryside Stewardship (CS) revenue and Environmental Stewardship (ES) schemes. Eligible landowners should expect to receive their full payment within the window.
As announced in the Agricultural Transition Plan, Direct Payments will gradually be reduced over a seven-year period, starting from this BPS year. The biggest reductions will initially be made to the higher payment bands.
This money will be repurposed for schemes that incentivise sustainable farming and profitable food production, rewarding farmers for actions that improve air and water quality and protect wildlife and soil health.
In order to ensure that farmers are adequately supported throughout the transition period, the farming resilience programme will be available throughout the first three years of the agricultural transition period to help those most affected by the phasing out of Direct Payments. This will help farmers plan and manage their businesses through the transition to the new system.
Rural Payments Agency chief executive Paul Caldwell said: “We understand that it has been a challenging year for rural communities, which is why we’re working hard to get payments made as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“We have already paid more than 97,500 claims, totalling £1.7bn, but we know there is more to do and we understand the importance of these payments to the rural economy.”
Payments are made direct to bank accounts via BACS transfer so farmers are advised to ensure that the RPA has the most up to date details.


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Saudi Arabia is a country of car enthusiasts. This destination features the highest ratio of cars to people of any location and demand for vehicles continues to go up. In 2013, car sales were up by at least 11 percent at times. Looking at the reasons for growth as well as what appears to be the future of this market can offer valuable insight into the constantly changing automotive sales across the world.
Image Credit: Rami
Why such a change in volume?
High consumer demand is one of the most important reasons for growth in the automotive market. This especially comes from workers who have moved to the country from other locations with large populations such as China. Another element is first time drivers who have come to appreciate the wide variety of cars available to consumers. Economic issues are also significant to sales in the country. Higher incomes for many Saudi Arabians mean that more vehicles from options like Nissan dealerships are available at all price ranges. Specialty car makers with editions that sell for figures upwards of one million dollars especially look towards the area.
Which brands are popular?
Brands from across the world have edged their way into Saudi Arabia’s crowded marketplace. Middle-class consumers in Saudi Arabia prefer selections from Japanese, Korean and American automotive companies. Toyota is claiming a large market share, the Corolla and Camry models proving popular with many buyers. Younger Saudi Arabians are also looking for smaller cars.
What lies ahead for car sales in Saudi Arabia?
The forecasts envisage a growth of 80% over the next five years. Car makers expect to sell more than one million cars in Saudi Arabia by 2020. Officials are also looking at setting up production deals that encourage manufacturers to build as well as sell their vehicles in the country.
The potential growth of auto sales, as well as possible involvement from automakers, makes Saudi Arabia a prominent destination for car enthusiasts. Automotive brands that are already important to the country may also find their own way to become a major factor among its consumers. These changes will continue establishing the area as a major travel location for drivers from across the world.


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New York City based people: a new event is headed your way. NY Tech Day is an event aimed at being an exposition for New York City-based startups. The event will be taking place in the Flatiron district on April 19th. Following the desires of the NY tech community, the event will be free to attend.
Co-founder John Petersen described it as a “pseudo-science fair” for the NY technology community. He was kind enough to give us a heads up on what the day would include.
The day will be split into two parts. The first part is the Expo, where startups will be able to demo their products, work on hiring, and – importantly – pursue funding. This is then followed by the Award Ceremony, which is split up into two parts. It will feature a discussion on the State of the NY Tech Community, as well as the prize presentations, where one startup will have the opportunity to present their startup to the entire crowd.
Although attendance is free, space is limited, so make sure to sign up as soon as possible if you intend to be there. For attendees, or for general information, you can head over to their website. For startups wishing to be a part of the exhibition, you can contact them at email@example.com


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In the past, you would go to the hotel gym. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to go to the gym hotel. Confused? It’s not as strange as it may sound. The popular Equinox gym will soon be unveiling its own hotel of sorts in New York and it’s not the only major name opening what’s called a “lifestyle hotel”. Retail store West Elm also has plans in the works to unveil its own hotel within the South and Midwest areas of the country in 2018.
These new branded hotels aim to appeal to core customers that are already familiar with the brand in question. The familiarity means the hotel already has a potential customer base and solid following without having to start from scratch.
Before Equinox decided to launch a namesake hotel, the company ran the idea by its customers and determined that over ninety percent of them would be interested in staying at a branded hotel. The first of these will be a 72-story mixed use building opening in New York’s Hudson Yards. Besides Equinox fans, Equinox is also looking to attract affluent guests.
What do you think of these branded lifestyle hotels? Would you choose a stay at one of these hotels over a traditional hotel brand such as Marriott?
This update is being brought to you by Matrix Renovations, one of the leading companies in hotel renovations. To learn more about their hotel renovation solutions as well as the company’s construction and installation services, contact them at +1-855-6-MATRIX.


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Jeff Lawson, co-founder and chief executive officer of Twilio Inc., center, rings the opening bell on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Sept.17, 2018.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Cloud communications provider Twilio said Monday it is acquiring Segment, a customer data infrastructure company, for $3.2 billion in Twilio Class A common stock.
Shares of Twilio jumped more than 5% in premarket trading. If the company holds on to its premarket gains, the stock could open at a record high Monday.
“Together, Twilio and Segment have an incredible opportunity to build the customer engagement platform of the future,” said Peter Reinhardt, Segment’s co-founder and CEO. “We created Segment to help businesses set themselves apart in the digital age and deliver rich, connected customer experiences built on high-quality data. By joining forces and applying our customer data platform to Twilio’s engagement cloud, we’ll be able to make the entire customer experience seamless from end-to-end.”
The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year.
Earlier this month, Twilio said in a filing that it anticipates more third-quarter revenue than the $401 million to $406 million range it provided in August, sending its stock higher. Analysts polled by Refinitiv had expected $407.9 million in revenue for the third quarter.
Twilio stock has been on a tear. It reached a 52-week high on Friday, jumping to $310.64 per share. Shares of the company have gained more than 211% year to date, while the S&P 500 has climbed more than 7.6%.


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NORDIC SYSTEM INTEGRATORS WELCOME OPEN SOURCE INITIATIVE TIZEN
28th September - The open source driven ecosystem for smart devices gained momentum today with the introduction of Tizen by Linux Foundation and limofoundation.org. This open source project will help provide business opportunities for Nordic software companies with global reach having worked in MeeGo-development projects earlier.
In order to make the existing competencies and solutions available to mobile operators, wireless carriers and device manufacturers, a group of Nordic Systems Integrators demonstrated strong support to this new initiative, Tizen. The companies, Cybercom, EB (Elektrobit), Ixonos, Nomovok and TDi, with the capability to deliver turn key solutions, including white-label mobile devices, applications and services to customers in the telecom sector, have jointly over 4,500 engineers with a strong background in wireless technologies and solutions.
”We are happy to see the announcement that Linux Foundation and LiMo are developing Tizen together. This will open up new business opportunities for mobile carriers, device manufacturers and service providers. Cybercom will be joining forces with participating companies and bring our expertise to the joint offering”, says Petteri Puhakka, CEO of Cybercom.
Hannu Huttunen, President Elektrobit Wireless Business Segment: “We at EB are excited about Tizen. We feel that with our competence of delivering turnkey smartphones, this new initiative gives us the potential to help OEMs and Operators to help bring Tizen devices to the market.”


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Christmas is on! Uptown Lexington Inc. has a full slate of holiday events
2019 Miss America will be grand marshal of the Christmas parade
For many Davidson County residents, the 2020 Christmas season felt like the Grinch skulked into town and loaded up all the usual holiday events and whisked away a good measure of everyone's Christmas cheer.
Crowd control mandates by Gov. Roy Cooper to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus halted the Christmas parade and many other traditional events.
But planning for the 2021 holiday season is on at full blast in the Uptown Lexington Inc. office, with not only all the usual events set to happen this year but a new Pop Up Market.
"I am excited," said Jacob Gordon. "This is my first year planning a parade."
Gordon was named executive director of ULI in November 2020.
CHRISTMAS EVENTS IN UPTOWN LEXINGTON
Nov 14-20: Decorating trees in uptown Lexington District with Christmas lights.
Nov. 20: Pop Up Market, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Bull City Ciderworks, 599 S. Railroad St.
Nov. 20: Uptown Christmas Decoration Contest begins; uptown merchants will decorate their buildings and windows for a chance at five cash prizes
Nov. 21: Uptown Lexington Christmas Open House, 1-6 p.m.
Nov. 21: Lighting of big Christmas tree on the Square.
Nov. 27: Small Business Saturday with downtown merchants and restaurants. Voting begins in the Christmas Decorating Contest.
Dec. 6: Uptown Lexington Christmas Parade, Main Street.
He is also excited about who he secured as the grand marshal for the Uptown Lexington Christmas Parade — Nia Franklin, the 2019 Miss America and a former Davidson County resident.
Before the parade can march down Main Street and before Main Street closes for the annual Christmas Open House carriage and train rides there have to be lights. From Nov. 14-20, locals will notice workers stringing white lights on the Chinese lace bark elms that line Main Street.
The lights will be wrapped around the trees differently this year, based on the advice of arborists with Frady Tree Service, which has performed a lot of maintenance work on the trees.
"Previously, the lights were fastened on the trees with zip ties," Gordon said. "They stayed up year-round. The limbs were growing around the zip ties. It was hurting the growth of the trees."
This year, the lights will be strung around the trunk of the tree and then go up into the canopy, but not be wrapped around every limb. Gordon said his office wants to hear from the public about whether they like or do not like the new light stringing method.
On Nov. 20 from 10 a.m.- to p.m. the new Pop Up Market will take place at Bull City Ciderworks. Uptown Lexington is partnering with the Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce and the Davidson-Davie Community College Small Business Center for this event.
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The Pop Up Market will feature shopping with more than 30 vendors, storytime with Santa at 10:30 a.m., a paint and sip with Art 101 at 12:30 a.m., as well as Christmas ornament-making activities and a Toys for Tots Toy Drive all day. In addition, there will be food trucks. Bull City Ciderworks is located at 599 S. Main St.
In 2020, when ULI was forced to cancel the Christmas Open House because of the governor's crowd control mandates, the merchants in downtown Lexington banded together to put on their own Christmas Open House.
"I was new on the job and supported them any way I could," he said "This year, we'll have all the usual things."
This year Uptown Lexington is back in the director's chair and bringing back the horse-drawn carriage and wagon rides and train rides. The train rides will be free for children. The carriage and train rides will cost $10 per person or $30 for four to six family members or small groups. The rides will leave from near the Square. Only cash will be accepted.
Pour Folks Pizza food trailer will be on-site making flatbread pizzas for sale and two groups of carolers from Rich Fork Baptist and Light of the World churches will roam throughout the downtown area entertaining.
Santa will be on hand for visits at the Square beginning at 1 p.m. Photos will be taken by Matt Hand with Side Street Studios and uploaded to an album later on Facebook for parents to download and print. If you want Hand to make a print, it will cost $5.
The day will end with a concert from 5-7 p.m. by the Raleigh Ringers at the Edward C. Smith Civic Center. Tickets are available on the civic center's website at https://www.smithciviccenter.org/. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for children younger than 12 to attend the handbell performance.
In addition, the large Christmas tree on the Square will be lit at 6 .m.
While uptown, view all the holiday-decorated buildings and windows and vote on your favorite The business receiving the most votes will claim the $1,500 first-place prize in the Uptown Lexington Christmas Decoration contest. Second place will receive $1,250; $1,000, third place; $750, fourth place; and, $500, fifth place
"It's not just decorating windows this year," he said. "It's not really fair when some stores have these huge windows for displays, and some have only one, small window so we decided to make it where merchants can decorate the buildings, too. We're asking they be complete by the Open House date."
How voting will take place has not been decided yet. Gordon said it will likely be a combination of voting in person at the stores and voting online through the Uptown Lexington website at https://uptownlexingtonnc.com/.
Uptown Lexington Inc. sponsored Christmas events will end with the annual Christmas parade at 6 p.m. Dec. 6. The parade will start on Main Street near Hemsted Street and make its way down Main Street, ending at West Ninth Avenue. So far about 35 entries have reserved a spot in the parade. Entries are being accepted through Nov. 22 on ULI's website. A Google form can be filled out on the site or a PDF downloaded and filled out.
Gordon said he is most excited that Franklin will serve as the grand marshal for the parade.
"I thought with her being local it would be great to have her for the grand marshal."
Jill Doss-Raines is The Dispatch trending topics and personality profiles senior reporter and is always looking for tips about businesses and entertainment events, secret and new menu items, and interesting people in Davidson County. Contact me at firstname.lastname@example.org and subscribe to us at the-dispatch.com.


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News and interviews on David Thodey including trends, features, blogs and community conversations from an Australian business perspective.
Friday, 29 October 2010
Telstra jobs go in restructure, IMF warns Australian housing prices overvalued, Whitehaven Coal in takeover talks
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
The Commonwealth Bank says it is replacing cheap debt; the Greens are unhappy with the proposed Singapore takeover of the ASX; and Australian shares are flat in morning trade today
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Malcolm Turnbull says the Coalition no longer opposes Telstra's retail and wholesale split, but wants to examine the bill to make sure all changes are right and necessary.
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
The Australian sharemarket opens lower this morning following a weak lead from Europe and Wall Street.
Microsoft's release of their new Windows 7 Phone system means there's much more competition in the smartphone market. Is it time to buy a new phone?
Thursday, 07 October 2010
Of course the NBN is not commercially viable, otherwise the government wouldn’t have to do it. But the extent to which it is subsidised in the interests of nation building should be calculated and published.
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Telco analyst warns Telstra should consider rebranding its various departments in order to claw back market share and ready itself to fight against smaller, fast-growing competitors.
Yet another transformation of Telstra is underway, but it will be impeded by investors clamouring for dividends. And all the while, Telstra is failing to understand key growth areas of its business.
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
US consumer confidence falls to a seven-month low, with investors now becoming increasingly worried about the strength of the country's economic recovery.
Monday, 27 September 2010
Scores of handsets run on Google's Android operating system are flooding the market, at prices that will allow Google to have a direct relationship with end users – pushing the likes of Telstra to the background.
Wednesday, 01 September 2010
Fast-growing tech support SMEs Geeks2U and eNerds say they are unfazed by Telstra’s decision to start its own premium support service.
Monday, 16 August 2010
Telstra is refunding customers who breached their smartphone data limits in July, after the company’s online data usage monitoring tool broke down for two weeks.
Friday, 13 August 2010
There is a common message emerging about Australia’s economic outlook – the next 12 months are extremely uncertain.
Telstra struggling to manage $364 million of bad debts, with more smartphone users suffering “bill shock”, refusing to pay as they rack up huge amounts of data and voice usage.
Thursday, 12 August 2010
It’s been a mixed morning for the telec industry, with Telstra disappointing the market with a 4.7% fall in net profit and Optus continuing its solid growth with net profit up 22%.
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Telstra will shed over 300 management jobs in the coming weeks as part of a move to simplify the company’s internal structure and reduce red tape.
Monday, 28 June 2010
Telstra chief executive David Thodey says the $11 billion agreement with the NBN Co. is a very encouraging milestone.
Thursday, 24 June 2010
Analysts say TPG may consider buying AAPT to build scale
Speculation circulates that TPG could acquire AAPT, in another sign the market will continue to consolidate ahead of the rollout of the NBN.
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
Analysts argue that while the Telstra/NBN deal may be beneficial for many, it will still change the telecommunications market forever.
Monday, 21 June 2010
Telstra finally strikes deal over the NBN, agreeing to shut down parts of its copper-based networks and move customers to the NBN in exchange for $11 billion in compensation.


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"We are happy to sign up Dentsu as our creative partner in India after a long pitch process involving the best agencies in the country. We have high expectations on ourselves and Dentsu to build a strong partnership in India and use our collective knowledge, creativity and experience to launch IKEA in the most successful way," said Ulf Smedberg, country marketing manager, IKEA.
While the exact size of the account could not be ascertained, industry experts say it could go up to Rs 200 crore. The agency is expected to start work on the account in November.
Dentsu is expected to create a separate team for the brand with members from planning, below-the-line, and creative departments among others.
‘Team IKEA’ will handle the account from its Delhi office with operations in Bengaluru. The campaign is expected to start from Hyderabad where IKEA will launch its first store sometime next year. IKEA, which is investing Rs 700 crore on its first store in Hyderabad, is known to be one of the largest advertisers in the world.
In India, it plans to open 25 stores over next 10 years with an investment of Rs 10,500 crore.
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Saranathan Lakshminarasimhan1612 days ago


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Burger King changes its logo for the first time in 20 years and now it looks like this
This new reinterpretation will include the company logo, uniforms, restaurants and food packaging.
Mexican brands dominate the Brand Finance ranking of the most valuable in Latin America in 2020
Corona tops the list with a value of $ 8 billion.
Tennis inspired by Day of the Dead? This is the new Nike collection
The models refer to two elements present in Mexican offerings: papel picado and marigold flowers.
5 Digital Marketing Mistakes Every Brand Should Avoid
The internet is offering marketers the perfect opportunity to reach out to their customers and influence their decisions


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Going to the extent of suggesting that children should be allowed to mess with the cooking and connect emotionally with the food they eat, well-known Chef Manjit Gill feels it is important to “understand our food”.
“We all have to understand our food first. We have to communicate with our food. We must have proper understanding of the goodness of our food. This is very important,” Gill, the founder-president of the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations and chairman of the World Cultural Culinary Heritage Committee (Worldchefs), told IANS in an interview.
Gill, who is busy with the preparations of the World Heritage Cuisine Summit & Food Festival 2018 (in which chefs from 40 countries are expected to participate) being held at the historic Gobindgarh Fort in Amritsar from October 12 to 14, says that Indian food is culturally rich even though there has been little effort get it into a “structured and scientific” format.
“In India, we don’t have education on culinary skills. So far, we have only hotel management institutes where everything about the hospitality industry is taught. For the first time now, we have set up the Indian Culinary Institute (in Noida near Delhi) to teach specialised culinary skills to students,” Gill, who is the Food Consultant for the ITC Hotels and board member of the Institute of Hotel Management (Pusa), said.
“We do not have proper textbooks to teach about our Indian food. There is no terminology for Indian food. Our institutes are teaching only Westernised food. For example, no one even teaches you how to make a basic thing like “paneer” (cottage cheese) in a scientific and structured way,” he pointed out.
Gill, who has been in the food business for over 40 years, said: “India is in transition. We can say that it is still struggling to get a good ethnic restaurant. Our food is based on the principle of wellness and sustainability. We have to understand this. Every region has a different flavour and local food is very important. The concept of seasonal food, which is emphasised in all regions in the country, is important as it is based on centuries of experience of what food is required in what season.”
Gill agreed that many restaurants are using too much oil and ghee in the name of tasty Indian food.
“The restaurant culture in India is about 40-50 years old. If you put more fat (oil/ghee), you end up cooking carelessly. The balance of six tastes has to be maintained in good food,” he added.
Born in a Sikh family from Delhi, Chef Gill made it to being among the top-rated chefs starting from very humble beginnings.
His family situation was such that his father, Tara Singh, a lawyer and former prisoner of war (PoW), had to agree to keep his children, including Gill, completely vegetarian so that they could study in a school run by Jain missionaries.
Starting as a Sous Chef at the ITC’s Maurya Sheraton (now Hotel Maurya) in New Delhi in the mid-1970s, Gill was part of the team that took the restaurants there to popular heights in the 1980s and 1990s.
Indo-Asian News Service (IANS)


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The takeover bid by Xerox Holding Corporation (NYSE:XRX) against HP Inc (NYSE:HPQ) has heated up matters between the two companies over the course of this month after it was revealed that Xerox was willing to offer HP shareholders $22/share to sell their stake in the company. Last week Xerox CEO John Visentin, in a strongly worded letter, stated that if HP Inc's board of directors does not open the company's books for due diligence by the end of the day yesterday, then Xerox will take its offer directly to HP's shareholders.
Following Its Letter Last Week, Xerox Announces Decision To Take Takeover Bid Directly To HP's Shareholders
A letter by HP's CEO and Chairman yesterday served to systematically dismantle Xerox's narrative against it. HP stated that Xerox itself is struggling to perform well, as the company has consistently missed on Wall Street's earnings estimates. The company's management went on to further state that Xerox's funding choices for the takeover offer will ensure that the new entity formed after the deal will take on serious debt.
Now, Xerox's CEO John Visentin is out with his reply. In his latest letter, Mr. Visentin states that HP's decision to continually spur Xerox's advances ''defies logic'' as it will let HP's shareholders benefit from immediate cash benefits and a stake in an entity that will be an ''industry leader''.
In response to HP's allegations that Xerox should first set its own house in order and then make takeover offers, the CEO turns to the company's three-year strategic plan it announced in February. Mr. Visentin states that Xerox has outperformed all three parameters laid out in this plan and the fact that the company's stock is 96% above year-to-date showcases market confidence in its progress.
Xerox's top executive also disputes HP's claim that by selling off its interest in Fujifilm, Xerox let go of viable future prospects. Mr. Visentin states that his company sold its interest in the company at 20x aggregate cash flow for 2019 and ensured that it won't run out of products to sell as a result.
In his most important claim, Mr. Visentin also states that HP's management lacks faith in itself to realize $2 billion in synergies that it had hoped would materialize following a merger with Xerox (NYSE:XRX). Finally, Xerox's CEO has also confirmed that the company will now take its proposal directly to HP's shareholders. The date and timing of when it intends to do this have not been shared.
Thoughts? Let us know what you think in the comments section below and stay tuned. We'll keep you updated on the latest.


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Nordstrom partnered with Balsam Hill to create Christmas tree lots for holiday shoppers at 21 Nordstrom stores across 13 states, Balsam Hill announced on Tuesday. It's a first-time partnership for both companies.
Nordstrom began debuting the tree lot displays Oct. 8 through Oct. 15, and they will remain available throughout the holiday season. Among the Nordstrom locations that will feature the tree displays are the Nordstrom Stores in New York City, the Mall of America in Minnesota and California's South Coast Plaza, per the company statement.
Nordstrom will offer both virtual and in-store "tree events" during the season, and the trees available for purchase will range in shape and size to fit smaller and larger spaces, Balsam Hill said in its announcement.
While Nordstrom seeks to turn its spaces into winter wonderlands to woo customers, other retailers are experimenting with customer experiences outside their storefronts. Earlier this month, Lowe's introduced curbside trick-or-treating ahead of Halloween. And earlier this week, Walmart turned its sizable parking lots into a space for contact-free events.
Claire Magat, chief people officer and head of growth at Balsam Hill, said in the announcement that the partnership allows customers to view its merchandise in person. The companies hope to get consumers in the holiday spirit with the help of knowledgeable sales staff, the availability of various lighting options and the ability to see the faux trees up close. But the availability of virtual events may be a necessity this year, as many consumers continue to stay away from physical stores.
With the COVID-19 pandemic creating economic and in-store shopping anxiety, the 2020 holiday season is predicted to look very different from a brick-and-mortar perspective. Research from Sensormatic Solutions suggests that in-store shopping during the usual six-week holiday shopping period could drop between 22% and 25% from last year. And the International Council of Shopping Centers predicts that this year's holiday spending could rise by only 1.9% to $862.2 billion, with many customers opting for click-and-collect over in-person visits.
Per a survey from PwC, 55% of shoppers said COVID-19 was their top concern around holiday shopping, and many consumers have also endured financial challenges due to the pandemic, including receiving reduced income, working fewer hours or facing layoffs.


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New 4-Legged Concept Car Could Change the Game for Emergency Rescue and Handicap Transportation
A car with the ability to climb walls and step over holes using a set of robotic legs could transform the way rescue teams operate in disaster zones.
With millions of people from the world every year needing humanitarian assistance following natural disasters, the “Elevate” is a new concept vehicle that has been designed to cover terrain beyond the limitations of even the most capable off-road vehicle.
Elevate can be driven by first responders to locations like a traditional electric car – but when the terrain gets tough, it can use its “highly dexterous” robotic legs to move in any direction.
It can climb a 5-foot wall, step over a 5-foot gap, walk at 3 mph over tricky terrain, and achieve a 15-foot-wide wheelbase, all while keeping its body and passengers completely level.
The legs, which can ‘walk’ like a mammal or reptile, also fold up into a stowed drive-mode, in which it cuts off power to the joints and uses an integrated passive suspension system to maximize battery efficiency.
Since Hyundai unveiled the design for the car earlier this week, the company says that Elevate will not just benefit people in disaster zones, either – disabled people who don’t have access to a ramp outside their house could hail an Elevate taxi to walk up to their front door, level itself out, and allow the wheelchair to roll inside the home.
Elevate is part of Hyundai’s Centre for Robotic-Augmented Design in Living Experiences (CRADLE), which aims to enhance transportation on and off the road.
“When a tsunami or earthquake hits, current rescue vehicles can only deliver first responders to the edge of the debris field,” said John Suh, vice president and head of Hyundai Cradle. “They have to go the rest of the way by foot. Elevate can drive to the scene and climb right over flood debris or crumbled concrete.”
Elevate has been dubbed the world’s first ‘Ultimate Mobility Vehicle’ and is being revealed in concept form at this week’s Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In a statement, the manufacturer added: “At CES 2019, Hyundai Cradle is presenting a totally new vehicle concept that combines the power of robotics and EV technology to take people where no vehicle has been before.
“The quadrupedal Hyundai Elevate will redefine the boundaries and perceptions of vehicular mobility. Its four highly dexterous and movable legs can be utilized in ways beyond the imagination to allow Hyundai’s inception of a new vehicle category – The Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (UMV).”
The manufacturer is also unveiling an electric concept car which can autonomously drive to an empty parking space to be charged up.
(WATCH the concept video below)
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We were proud to be the only CO2 heat pump provider at the conference and thrilled to share our Stand with new partners Panasonic. We had significant interest in our Stand, including a visit from Lily D’Ambrosio (Victorian Minister for Climate Action, Energy and the State Electricity Commission.) It was exciting to provide detailed information about our products and how they are specifically designed to reduce environmental impact and obtain optimum savings for consumers.
Our Managing Director Chris Taylor discussed this on the ‘Pumped for progress’ panel, detailing how CO2 heat pumps reduce greenhouse emissions at an affordable rate for Australian families whilst also complying to governmental standards. The panel generated robust discussion, including recommendations for the introduction of a ratings system for heat pumps to empower Australian consumers to make informed decisions. The panel highlighted the importance of collaboration between industry leaders and when there is collective focus on good outcomes for Australian consumers the industry will continue to improve in its consistency.


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East London’s Brick Lane is famed for its curries, however a new report has found a steep decline in curry restaurants over the last 15 years.
A new film and report by race equality think tank Runnymede Trust looked at the cultural significance of the narrow street, also known as Banglatown, and its unfortunate decline of late.
As part of a two-year research project focusing on Brick Lane’s restaurant and retail sectors, the report, called Beyond Banglatown, highlights the unique contribution of the Bangladeshi community to Brick Lane and its world-renowned curry houses.
The research analyses the area’s rapid gentrification over the last 15 years and the impact of new businesses on the UK curry capital.
The area became a heartland for the Bangladesh community when they migrated during the 60s and beyond.
The area has a rich history of migration- home to Huguenots fleeing religious persecution, Irish fleeing the famine, Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe, to seafarers from across the world who disembarked at the nearby imperial docks, to post-war labour migrants from South Asia, including Bengalis.
Many Bangladeshis and their families also came to the UK to escape the chaos and upheaval around the time of the country’s war of independence in 1971.
But the report says this community has been excluded and displaced by this process of regeneration.
The report highlights a steep decline in Brick Lane’s curry restaurants, with a decrease of 62% in just 15 years.
It found that in the mid-2000s there were 60 curry houses compared to just 23 in early 2020.
While hipster cafés, vintage clothes shops, delicatessens and boutique chocolatiers have boomed on Brick Lane, Bangladeshi-run curry restaurants have struggled.
Restauranter Shams Uddin who has ran his business, The Monsoon, for 21 years has said the Brick Lane curry house landscape has been diminishing for some time.
He tells us: ‘On a Sunday we used to get 90-110 people. This Sunday, we only served 13.’
At the time we called him, at 5pm on a Monday, he says they haven’t had any customers at all on the day.
‘That’s how we’re doing,’ he says.
‘Banglatown is one of the most affected areas in the U.K because our customers are based on office workers and tourists. But without them, we are struggling.
‘We used to have customers in the summer from America, Canada, Japan, Europe at this time because of the summer holidays. But now not even a single customer is a tourist.’
Shams says business was slow even before the pandemic and he is apprehensive about the future.
‘I am worried, I see a dark future for Brick Lane. Banglatown needs special care and support from the government.’
Prior to the pandemic, there seemed to be a drop in sales, which Shams says is partly due to supermarkets offering cheap curry deals.
‘Ready meals in supermarkets are also affecting us,’ he says. ‘If it’s £4 or something for two people, it becomes impossible to survive in this industry. Consumers should think about that.’
Shams feels there’s no point in The Monsoon taking part the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, as customers are so few and far in between.
They also have to pay full-price for groceries which Shams says the government should subsidise if it wants businesses to boom again.
Vendor Abdul Ahad, who runs restaurant City Spice, also says Brick Lane businesses were already suffering but coupled with a global pandemic, they have been struggling even more.
He tells Metro.co.uk: ‘The pandemic has been, well heartbreaking. Brick Lane being an area that thrives off of tourists, city workers and domestic tourism has seen a very big shift in footfall, from having tons of people crowd the street prior to Covid to now having people come in, in the tens to the street on a daily basis.
‘Footfall has dropped by around 85% easy and this has had a huge negative impact on our business and I’m sure other businesses around the area.’
While other restaurants around the county can adapt to takeaways, unfortunately being so close to the City of London, means City Spice is finding it difficult to fill seats as there is a lack of office workers who pop in.
‘The fixed costs of running a business in Brick Lane are so high that these days, working off of takeaways alone would not be feasible,’ adds Abdul.
While Abdul is thankful to the customers who have frequented the establishment in the past, he thinks the government can do more to help.
He adds: ‘Help from the council would definitely be welcome and perhaps necessary, given that current government support is honestly not enough to cover the costs of running a restaurant in Brick Lane and the costs of sustaining the business until things get better.’
Abdul is hopeful his business can return to near-normal levels in the future.
The authors of the report also want a range of measures to help the restaurants to survive and evolve.
These include government support to weather the Covid-19 crisis, investment and training for restaurateurs, and formal recognition of the Bangladeshi community to the history of Brick Lane, and global London.
To that end, they’ve developed an education-focused website, which captures the project’s findings for schools and teacher so they can learn about the significance of Banglatown.
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Tag: social media
According to a survey from travel website ebookers, over two thirds (39%) of Brits no longer send postcards to loved ones due to a national obsession with social networks. The trusty postcard has been replaced with status updates and tweets as 49% of British holidaymakers spend time checking and updating social networks when on holiday.
Whilst social media has been prominent for many, many years, especially for recreational use, most non-digital agencies would agree that the last 24 months have really seen it explode in the PR World. It has crept up the agenda for all of our clients here at Cirkle and social media is now present in virtually
This year’s X Factor is proving how influential social media can be on generating support from the public. Last year Simon Cowell introduced live audiences to the audience process, bringing the public closer to the judging panel to have their say. But with social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter the ‘judging’ goes beyond
I was recently asked to contribute a post to the Social Collective blog, which features a series of forward-thinking opinion pieces by those working with social media. I was very honoured to be in such good company, and I’d love to hear any thoughts you might have on the post I submitted, which focuses on
A new survey from myvouchers.co.uk shows that one in five people have spiked their own food with something to avoid paying for it. It does seem remarkably high and pretty appalling given the lengths brand owners go to to develop the highest quality products whilst adhering to stringent and complex manufacturing processes. Occasionally however things
With the rise in popularity and range of social media platforms available, it seems that everyone I know is part of this phenomenon. Whether it be Twitter, Facebook or blogging, they are all at it.A recent survey by myjobgroup.co.uk revealed that two million of British workers spend over an hour a day surfing social media
There is no doubt that technology is making it easier for brands to connect with consumers. Online platforms and more specifically social media have created an opportunity for brands to engage with consumers by building meaningful dialogue in a space that invites conversation, enables peer-to-peer interaction and ultimately drives word of mouth through brand advocacy.
Marketers are constantly looking for the ‘next big thing’ in social media, and Foursquare is the widely touted frontrunner this year. Part game, part loyalty scheme, Foursquare is a free service that combines social networks and maps, allowing users to check in at locations all over the world through their smart phones and the internet,
So here is an interesting theory for you… Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, sparked a raft of digital discussion with her bold statement that email “is probably going away.” The argument is this – social networking sight and SMS services will overtake email, with only 11% of teens using email and preferring this more interactive way


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To your a trip to the intersection regarding 38th Path and you can il Method from inside the south Minneapolis, some one is seen strolling with the art gallery in front of Mug Dinners in which George Floyd try killed of the cops a couple of years back Wednesday.
They simply take images or need videos of their head to into cellphones. Someone else get-off flowers, cards, sketches or any other souvenirs. Some remain quietly.
But also for the individuals doing work from the more or less a couple dozen companies around the intersection, it is a later date working. To some of the entrepreneurs, there can be a growing sense of becoming invisible and you can missed 24 months shortly after riots after the Floyd’s passing caused more $500 million when you look at the destroy.
“We are really not the reason they come with the urban area,” said stylist Natasha Clemons, who owns Clemons Mindful Salon toward Chicago Opportunity, just a few m regarding the memorial web site. “They come to see everything around us all.”
Because they hold the art gallery and you can celebrating Floyd’s existence, business owners say the metropolis has not yet complete adequate to build consumers, and you will by themselves, feel safe. They require enhanced the police presence and you will better attention to making the space organization-friendly, for example broadening the new intersection to match increased traffic and you can parking. And they like to see plans doing his thing in the place of merely in writing.
“All the companies where intersection are striving,” told you Erik Hansen, director out-of economic rules and you may advancement into the city of Minneapolis. “We are going to continue to be involved in viewing how we can drive resources compared to that intersection.”
To help having difficulties enterprises within intersection, the fresh Minneapolis City Council voted into the . New money, forgiven in the event the spent within this a year for providers expenses, was $fifty,100 for each. Thirty money was in fact awarded to own an entire $1.5 billion.
Clemons utilized the financing to spend the newest book on her behalf health spa, and that she open into the toward Chicago Avenue, only a couple doors down from Glass Ingredients
Particular organizations, such as for example Dragon Wok, finalized inspite of the $fifty,one hundred thousand financing. Glass Snacks including are a receiver. Calls toward providers weren’t returned. A clerk in the industry got called cops regarding Floyd just like the out of a prospective fake $20 costs.
The final a couple of years have been specifically difficult for the master out-of Mill Area Autobody into the il Method, among the longest-standing businesses around the intersection. The particular owner, which asked not to be understood due to the fact their situation is still not resolved, is actually assaulted from the his store and you can honestly damage.
The security worries are on greatest out-of their business questions. He currently are facing COVID-19 downturns when Floyd are slain. After the riots – along with the rectangular very around the shop – he had less people. Some of his mechanics, concerned because of their own protection, prevent.
Clemons finalized an effective multiyear book thirty day period just before Floyd’s kill, as well as in the brand new months one to followed, spent money and time into remodeling the space. Shortly after Floyd is murdered, Clemons don’t consider looking for another type of location. The expenses off cracking the woman book could have been too expensive and you can she try set aside having appointments for the next a couple months.
“The complete urban area is ablaze at that time, however, staying in one to urban area try the trusted invest the new urban area,” she told you.
Crime are up in the region, that has been acquiesced by Minneapolis police. Including, business is off by the pandemic, not enough vehicle parking towards the Chi town Opportunity and you will a rise in individuals creating their tresses.
To stay unlock, the hair day spa has to multiple their client base, Clemons told you. She spends veggie products and things free from creature cruelty, that helps attract consumers, but it’s lack of.
“Today, it is far from economically steady to continue while i have always been,” she said. “My personal team can’t prosper already. I don’t know if the its the region, or COVID, otherwise what.”
Carmen Valdes, manager from Caval Servicios, a tax-thinking service towards 38th Roadway you to mainly serves the fresh new Latino people, in addition to struggled into the twin demands of the pandemic and you may improved crime.
COVID suggested many of the girl subscribers were unable to document the taxes myself. Additionally, coach services from the city enjoys as the started rerouted to George Floyd Square, pushing many of Valdes’ members simply to walk multiple prevents to obtain so you can this lady work environment.
Valdes said an upswing within the crime also offers impacted the lady business. She previously kept her work environment open until once the late once the ten p.m., the good news is shuts at the six p.meters.
“I found its way to south Minneapolis inside the 1999,” Valdes said. “It had been really hushed and you will a pleasant lay. We liked they. We nonetheless enjoy it. But not too long ago, it has been problematic for me personally and you will my website subscribers.”
As the 2018, her money have decrease on the 40%, she told you. In that span, she’s scale back on expenses, in addition to removing assistant ranks. The latest forgivable loan possess helped, but Valdes told you she actually is alarmed the modern economic conditions commonly direct to help you a great deal more economic dilemmas.
“I’m not sure just what will takes place for the cost savings when you look at the another season,” she said. “Maybe a depression is originating? I’m worried about it https://onlineloanslouisiana.net/cities/lake-charles/.”
Dwight Alexander, the master of Tobacco cigarette regarding the Gap, and you will Sam Willis, holder regarding Just Chicken into Chicago Method, state instantaneously addressing guests flow around the memorial do improve customers interest.
New tangible barricades one nevertheless surround new statues, illustrations and other factors at the art gallery webpages has hindered customer website visitors the past couple of years, and work out it difficult to possess delivery automobiles to decrease out of supplies, Alexander said.
The previous Speedway gasoline channel towards 38th Street, gutted when you look at the riots, has grown to become shielded inside murals and you may are rebranded the fresh “Man’s Ways” by activists. Predicated on standing regarding the city, officials spoke into the home owner a year ago that will be reconnecting on the owner this spring to the intention to check on options to buy the site.
Particularly Alexander, Willis said the town would be to strive to result in the site way more respectable eg areas of Uptown, downtown Minneapolis otherwise River Street.
“It looks like a 3rd-industry country after you become right here often,” the guy said. “If this is a memorial for the community observe, wouldn’t you would like they to appear glamorous?”
Each other companies obtained the fresh new forgivable finance
“I individual which,” said Alexander, whoever nearest and dearest-focus on barbeque cafe could have been on the Chicago Path getting two decades. “I am here towards the lasting.”


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Lotte Duty Free’s luxury boutique shopping zone at Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka has undergone a renovation across 443sq m of space.
Bulgari (89.3sq m), Bottega Veneta (62.8sq m) and Gucci (105.8sq m) opened in June following the unveiling of a Loewe (39.7sq m) store in January.
The shops bolster a lineup that includes the likes of Tory Burch (56.1sq m).
Tiffany & Co (89.3sq m) is set to make its debut in the second half of the year with six brands.
OVERCOMING THE CRISIS
The South Korean travel retailer says it has taken pre-emptive steps to prepare for the restoration of global tourism by restructuring its overseas shops portfolio.
In this way, the stores serve to draw the gazes of travellers by spotlighting brands’ unique values and trend-led concepts.
Lotte Duty Free says the renovated Gucci boutique store has the highest sales share among Kansai Airport’s duty free brands.
“Based on the operational know-how accumulated over the past 40 years, we will successfully settle the newly renovated Kansai Airport store,” said Lotte Duty Free CEO Kap Lee. “Lotte Duty Free will make every effort to overcome the crisis and take another leap forward.”
The volume of international passengers departing from KIX in 2019 totalled approximately 12 million.
Lotte Duty Free entered Japan’s duty free business at KIX Terminal 1 in 2014. In March 2016, Lotte Duty Free opened its downtown Tokyo Ginza duty free shop.
For an in-depth interview with Lotte Duty Free CEO Kap Lee, click here.


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There has been a host of disruptive technologies that hit 2017, becoming the talks of conferences, boardroom discussions and technology roundtables around the globe. While the talk about the “Future is now” and machines taking over has never been more vocal, might the narrative change to “it’s more of humans and machines being in the same loop?”. 2018 promises to be a year that technology truly touches and improves all aspects of our lives, enabling the new age of digital enlightenment. Affecting both consumers and businesses on a large scale.
Here are some of the technological trends that will steer the world this coming year, welcoming us to the future.
- Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Deep Learning
Humans of the world continue to churn out large volumes of data, while business users are trying to mine that data to determine patterns and predict user behaviour. AI implementation, propagating through machine learning and deep learning will become more universal, because of its ability to develop more intelligent products and services. Personalised experiences, based on user preferences will be more common, yielding in consumer appreciation of intelligent devices and peripherals.
As businesses seek to make better and faster decisions, Business Intelligence and data analytics adoption will be on the increase as well as AI and Machine learning.
Artificial intelligence will have a bigger influence in the process of relationship building among colleagues, customers, and partners. Facial recognition technology will be built into remote collaboration tools to read visual cues.
AI and machines will soon become prevalent in the business and professional world. Machine intelligence has the potency to sway worker demand and displace millions of jobs. The workforce industry is on course to be disrupted, jobs such as virtual assistants, to manual labor and intermediary services are at the forefront of this disruption. Even though humans are integral to certain fields, certain optimised processes can be fully automated with embedded technology.
Machine learning gaining more traction in 2018 is unavoidable, as it’s being integrated into all technologies, like Apple who launched machine learning for iOS apps. Platforms are adding it to make life and software more intelligent and advanced. It will take over mindless, repetitive and time-consuming tasks.
We have seen a rise of chatbots in customer service and support in the past few years, chatbots Today, chatbots— the automated, human-like chat responders are going more mainstream as people see their benefits, especially in customer service and support. Unlike human customer service and support reps, chatbots don’t have the physical and mental inconsistencies that can degrade service levels. Moreover, AI-powered chatbots are learning how to respond to customers and predict what they want.
Based on customer history or questions customers ask during a chat session, AI-powered chatbots can ask users what they need and even ask leading questions, all to improve the support experience.
Business users, too, are eager to have computers understand natural language. Natural language processing can enable these business users work with a computer directly via speech. In response, the computer can render a visual or auditory response, depending on the user’s preference. The use of natural language bots will amplify from use as automated customer service agents to become routine for daily living.
In 2018 Home bots will do more than just respond to inquiries, to being able to provide timely information such as, “It’s time to take your medicine” and also “keep on eye on the kids and your pets”.
Bots will be able to augment your purchasing decisions and give notifications regarding future occurrence such as “don’t make that purchase or you will be over your credit limit” or “your cable subscription expires in two minutes.
Bots will help children by improving education, act as financial investment advisors and even teach you yoga.
- Digital Currencies and Blockchain
Blockchain technology is a way of securely managing access and information. The core of blockchain hinges on the idea of decentralization, which essentially distributes power and risk equitably across players in a network.
Blockchain, the technology behind cryptocurrencies reaching over $300 billion in total value , is on a clear path toward wide adoption, with proofs of concept shifting toward production and leading organizations exploring multiple concurrent use cases.This adoption of blockchain technology will result in enabling consumers to purchase physical products and services using cryptocurrencies from the world’s major online retailers.
The new year will be the time for standardizing the technology, talent, and platforms that will drive future blockchain initiatives.
Blockchain technology won’t be limited to cryptocurrencies in 2018. Blockchain is now discovering applications in diverse regions and sectors, including government. It may be the end to paper ballots, enabling a change on how votes are collected and minimizes the risk of fraud or manipulation. Blockchain technology may be what helps more voices get heard in government matters and policy decisions.
While Bitcoin has gripped attention and skyrocketed in value, more digital currencies are springing up to challenge its leadership. A daring prediction will be that some major retailers will hop on the cryptocurrency bandwagon and issue their own secure currency next year.
- Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality
As AR/VR slowly begins to integrate into our environments, its many use cases are becoming imminent. With the swift transformation in the way we interact with technology and data, there has never been a better time to embrace digital reality.
Ultimately, our forms of interfacing with digital information will likely no longer be screens and hardware but gestures, emotions, and gazes. This represents a stride comparable to historic transitions from client-server to the web, and web to mobile.
A projected total spending on AR/VR products and services will spike from $9.1 billion in 2017 to nearly $160 billion in 2021 says the International Data Corp. (IDC).
AR/VR use cases in industries such as enterprise (education and training for employees, Modeling for companies looking to adopt more of an iterative design process and ) and retail/Sales (consumers will have the ability to “try” before they buy, do side by side virtual comparisons of similar products) .
- 3D Printing
Even Though 3D printing is still relatively new, it is disrupting manufacturing, and other industries, in many optimistic ways. The plunge of talent into the 3D printing scene has brought about a host of new insights.
In traditional manufacturing, some sort of cutting tool is used, to cut or hollow objects out of a material. However in 3D printing, the object is created by adding layers of material. The variety of materials used in 3D printing has increased, now almost any conceivable material can be used: plastic, metal, concrete, liquid, powder, even chocolate or human tissue!
3D printing allows far more complex shapes to be created than in traditional manufacturing, while using less material. It also allows for much greater customization of products, without worrying about economies of scale.
Recently, 3D printers have become affordable and easy for use by the average consumer. As demand for 3D printing continuously surges, 3D printers will be as commonplace as desktop inkjet printers.
3D printing opens up amazing opportunities for manufacturers and consumers alike as it continues to advance. Crafting ideas and designs into real life objects will become easier and cheaper.
2018 will see of seeing this technology continue to penetrate the manufacturing and consumer segment even more.
- The Internet of Things (IoT)
The huge gains in connectivity will enable steady growth in IoT, driving lots of investments in the sector. while there are some painstaking issues, such as fragmentation, potential data breaches and security issues, the advent of blockchain technology might have the answers to these issues like IOTA’s tangle technology.
With more and more devices coming online every single day, we’ll see a rise in more consumer-friendly, easy-to-use connected devices.People are cozying up to the convenience of Siri, Alexa, and Google Home, and will continue to court connected and smart devices that are fun, new, and convenient.
The potential for fast growth can never be underestimated in this uber-connected world. Many of the IoT products that are already on the market will become more advanced, easier to use.
Then there’s the concept of smart cities, where nearly all its processes will be shaped by IoT. There are some countries already formulating the concept of smart cities, giving telling signs of something groundbreaking happening in the future.
Indeed, the future always comes bundled with unpredictability. Even Though these trends are pertinent to the imminent digital revolution,it is hard to say how fast they will unfold. But we can be confident of the fact that the future will be different than what it is today.
It seems from the direction of these trends that machines will take up most human work. Where will everyone go and do when machines can do our work for us? This is the question, amongst others, that will be lingering in our minds in 2018.


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As we’re looking forward to the future of Star Wars now that it’s a part of Disney, let’s continue our look at the best Dark Horse Comics Star Wars graphic novels – either stand alone stories or series published by the company over the last 22 years. Dark Horse has done a phenomenal job with the franchise, and the future will soon see what’s in store for the company and one of the most highly-sought licenses.
Ultimate Star Wars Graphic Novel Library was going to be a limited edition collection of comics collected in 10 hardcover volumes. It was going to published by Hamilton Collections, but was cancelled before it had even begun due to a relative lack of interest/orders . The stories that were going to be collected are all based around the Original Trilogy - beginning with stories from just before and going out to . Randy Stradley posted proposed content of all ten volumes on the Dark Horse Comics message boards.


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It'll split long before $800/share. At $800/share it commands too large a chunk of the Dow to be acceptable.
Sentiment: Strong Buy
More like Visa in the Dow now won't be hobbled by last year's web of litigation.
Amex recently won preliminary approval for their settlement with retailers, we're all one step closer to being out of the woods.
We're 2 for 2 now on credit card companies (AXP and DFS). Here's hoping that success trickles up to Visa and Mastercard.
They are buying around 25 million shares per year, 120 million shares at today's price would be over 26 billion dollars.


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The Turing-NLG system contains a whopping 17 billion parameters which make it the biggest model in its class which is known to the public. Google’s BERT model contains 340 million parameters, OpenAI’s GPT-2 has 1.5 billion parameters, and Nvidia’s Megatron-LM has 8.3 billion parameters.
Vole claimed on Monday that, like its rivals, you give Turing-NLG a writing prompt, and it uses this to generate what it predicts are human-like follow-on sentences.
“Microsoft is introducing Turing Natural Language Generation (T-NLG), the largest model ever published at 17 billion parameters, which outperforms the state of the art on a variety of language modelling benchmarks and also excels when applied to numerous practical tasks, including summarization and question answering”, Vole claimed.
Like its predecessors, the 17-billion parameter model is built out of transformers, an AI architecture that processes incoming text and output words in a parallel fashion that takes context into account.
Meaningful or human-like text is tricky for machines to generate because there has to be an appreciation of context: sentences that flit wildly between subjects come across as nonsensical, so there has to be some kind of train of thought, no matter how artificial or vacuous it is.
But Vole is being coy about its hardware and is refusing to release papers about how it works.
Boffins said that they used “an Nvidia DGX-2 hardware setup” and split the model across four V100 GPUs. A total of 256 V100s were required to train the hefty model on 174GB of internet-scraped text, we're told.
Vole has withheld the model, too. A “private demo” has been given to a small number of academics for testing and feedback purposes. It’s possible that Redmond won’t release the model at all, but it hinted that the state-of-the-art results provided “new opportunities for Microsoft and our customers. "We don’t have any details to share about future plans”, a spokesVole said.


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Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama had another banner year of vehicle production in 2016.
According to figures released by the company, the Montgomery plant finished the year producing 379,021 vehicles. The total was down slightly from last year's total of more than 384,500, but still showed strength through the production of the Santa Fe Sport.
It also looks as though Alabama will finish a second consecutive year with its three automakers producing more than 1 million vehicles. Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in December announced it had a record-breaking production year in 2016, with the plant producing 369,538 vehicles and engines. 2015 saw the largest annual production total in the history of the state industry.
According to company figures, in 2016, Hyundai Alabama produced:
36,176 Santa Fe Sports.
Those numbers roughly line up with projections earlier this year, though the company earlier this year had slightly higher projections for the number of Sonatas and Elantras to be made.
The Santa Fe began production in June. Hyundai spent just over $50 million at its Alabama plant to get ready to build the SUV, primarily for equipment and line improvements needed to mass produce the vehicle.


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Market offering gift wrapping
MARQUETTE — Individuals may bring their locally purchased holiday gifts to the Downtown Marquette Farmers Market this month for complimentary gift wrapping.
They just need to show how their receipt from any downtown Marquette business.
The Downtown Marquette Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through Dec. 18 at the Marquette Commons.
Each week, a different local organization will take over the gift wrap table:
≤ Dec. 4, Onagomingkway Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution;
≤ Dec. 11, Social Justice For Us; and
≤ Dec. 18, Campfire CoWorks.
All gift-wrapping supplies are supplied by the Marquette Downtown Development Authority, which sponsors the Downtown Marquette Farmers Market.
For up-to-date information about the DMFM,follow it on Facebook and Instagram @mqtfarmersmarket or visit www.mqtfarmersmarket.com and join the e-newsletter mailing list.


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The name-change for the tourism advocacy organization signals a greater focus on local issues in advocating for its 150 members.
San Antonio once dominated the tourism market in Texas, but statistics show that fewer people are looking for traditional tourism.
When Lonely Planet ranked San Antonio #8 on its list of “unexpectedly exciting places to see in the United States in 2016” last week, local officials in the visitor industry were understandably excited to share the news that the “new San Antonio” is getting noticed.
According to a new study, the annual economic impact of San Antonio’s hospitality industry, one of the local economy’s largest sectors, continues to increase from $8.1 billion in 2003 to $13.4 billion in 2013, a 66% increase.
Any good industry representative knows that tourism is no longer just about hotels and theme parks.


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Zynga has hired the team behind Cocos2d Ricardo Quesada and Rolando Abarca. Cocos2d is an open source development engine that is used by Atari, Zynga, Gamevil, ngmoco, etc.
“Ricardo and Rolando bring amazing mobile developer talent to the Zynga mobile team as we look to create and deliver the best social mobile gaming experience for our players anytime and on any device,” said Zynga said in a company statement. “We look forward to advancing the cocos2d for iPhone open source project alongside the cocos2d for iPhone developer community.”
Zynga will be moving Ricardo and Rolando to the Zynga San Francisco office from South America. Zynga hired the two by acquiring the company Sapus Media. Quesada will continue to maintain the cocos2d community.
“We will be paying them to continue to develop the platform, as well as work on tools for Zynga, to make sure we can leverage the (platform) in the best way possible,” stated Zynga’s CTO Cadir Lee. “Over time, we’re going to do more and more with a variety of game engines, whether it’s 3D, HMTL, 2D – we want to make sure we have a complete portfolio.”


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The UK’s ongoing supply chain crisis, with both Brexit and COVID related issues, has resulted in an extremely unwelcome vortex of challenges for the retail sector. This has spared unsurprising concern from consumers and suppliers alike. Warnings of disruption from sector leaders at various points across the supply chain, whether from retailers or shipping executives, has been met by consumer angst and has resulted in a call to action for many in the run-up to Christmas.
To reduce the risk of late deliveries, consumers are planning to prepare for Christmas earlier than they usually would. However, some fear that consumers - rightly rushing to secure gifts for loved ones - may exacerbate the UK’s already stretched supply chains. With the world’s biggest shipping company continuing to divert vessels away from Britain’s ports due to congestion and gridlock, there is a real risk of delays and shortages in the run-up to Christmas. In our mind, this analysis misses the point and in this article, I’m going to explain why.
How are our buying patterns changing this Christmas?
Customers expect a reliable service from businesses. For reasons beyond their control, this may not always go to plan. However, the very least customers require is transparency and open communication if there are issues along the way. Whilst the logistical challenges businesses are facing are clearly severe, and delays in many cases will be unpreventable, it is essential that these same companies prioritise the customer experience and do not look to shift blame. A first-class customer experience and transparency of process can still be delivered in times of turmoil – in many ways, this is when it is at its most important.
A new report, conducted by parcelLab, illustrates widespread concerns, and ongoing coverage of the supply crisis has motivated consumers to prepare early for Christmas. We found that almost half (47%) of online shoppers plan to order earlier this Christmas compared with previous years. Moreover, 29% revealed they had already completed their holiday shopping or had plans to do it before December.
With consumers bombarded by marketing material and pressure growing as early as September, it is commonly quipped that Christmas is arriving earlier each year. This year, it is consumers who are taking the initiative. These actions may appear somewhat drastic given Christmas is still nearly two months away.
However, in the context of repeated failures from retailers to deliver basic functions - even outside of supply chain issues - they become much more understandable. Nearly two-thirds of consumers revealed that they have previously had a package delayed by more than one day, with a further two-fifths reporting they have ordered packages that never even arrived.
These findings speak for themselves: there are clear shortcomings when it comes to the customers online shopping experience. This will not be new information for many customers, but when combined with an international supply chain crisis decisive action becomes the only option.
Can customer experience save the supply chain crisis?
The above-mentioned consumer expectations for delivery are not unreasonable. However, our findings show that online retailers are not living up to basic promises regarding delivery and communication. There are numerous ways retailers can respond, even amid an ongoing supply chain crisis. Let’s walk you through the three main principles that can help retailers meet customers’ expectations this holiday season.
1. Enhancing transparent communication
The first, and most simple, is transparent and clear communications – especially if things don’t go to plan. Consumers should be immediately notified when their order is dispatched and provided with accurate tracking, while also being informed of any delays with an explanation. The option of rescheduling should also be as simple as possible, along with streamlining the return process.
2. Prioritizing experience
Most poignantly for businesses looking to learn from the ongoing crisis, is that our research revealed consumers will punish businesses that don’t prioritise the customer’s experience: nearly half of consumers claimed that a poor experience would stop them from shopping with the retailer again. This is a lesson retailers must take to heart.
3. Practicing accountability
The supply chain crisis will increase the likelihood of delays and shortages , therefore, making it key to offer the customer traceability and accountability. There needs to be an emphasis on enhancing the experience at each touchpoint for the customer, ensuring a proactive line of communication with the customer and helping to manage expectations, reduce enquiries, and in the process building brand loyalty.
Consumers have come to expect accurate delivery dates and a seamless and transparent experience. Before gifts make it under Christmas trees, they will have to navigate some of the most severe traffic jams that modern supply chains have faced. It is vital – amid these challenges – that the customer experience is prioritised and that expectations are managed via clear communication. Retailers will find consumers can be very understanding. The only hurdle to jump is establishing the right practices to assure customers they’re always put first.