text:
April 16, 2018
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer via Tampa Bay Business Journal
For all of the doom and gloom surrounding brick-and-mortar retail, Woodlands Square in Oldsmar had never suffered too badly.
The 315,000-square-foot shopping center did struggle with some vacancy in the years following the Great Recession, but its owner, Palm Beach Gardens-based Ram Realty Advisors, was pleased with the property.
“I would say that this property recovered pretty nicely even prior to redevelopment,” said Jonathan Porter, Ram’s vice president of asset management and finance.
Still, with the center’s size and position off Tampa Road, Ram felt it could be doing even better. In late 2016, the group kicked off a massive redevelopment effort that brought in new anchor tenants and restaurants and renovated existing portions of the center. A two-way ingress and egress, at the Tampa Road light, was also added to improve access.
What made the redevelopment doable was a lineup of retailers that are in growth mode, even in an era of declining sales and shuttering storefronts. Specialty grocer Earth Fare’s commitment to the center was pivotal for the redevelopment, Porter said; Ulta Beauty drives foot traffic with an in-store salon and aisles of makeup to swatch and sample. Teen discount chain Five Below, where items are all $5 or less, has also succeeded in reeling in shoppers.
Restaurants were a big component of the redevelopment. The proprietors of Craft Street Kitchen, which is already in the center, opened Shaker n Peel, a new concept in the center. Green Market Café, Ruby Tuesday and Eve’s Family Restaurant also remain in the center.
Market timing was also a factor; Ram was comfortable with the spread between the cost of the redevelopment and the returns it could earn on rental rates, Porter said.
That spread, along with the fact that the property is held in a closed-end fund, means that Ram will likely consider selling the property in the months ahead.
“I would like to say we will be owning this thing five years from now because I think the best days are ahead of it,” he said.
Ram didn’t disclose the overall investment in the redevelopment, but renovating the center’s movie theater, AMC 20, represents $7 million alone — costs that the landlord and tenant shared.
“When you have tenants willing to put up their own capital and renovate, you know you’re doing something right,” Porter said.
Ulta, Porter said, isn’t just a win in terms of driving shoppers to the center. Building the new, stand-alone store in the middle of the parking lot — an expansive area that “looked like multiple football fields” — helped bring the center together visually. “It really connected the two sides and made it feel more like one center,” he said.


text:
Serellan LLC reboots Kickstarter page: TAKEDOWN has 5 days to go!
Just a quick heads-up, gamerfriends. Serellan LLC's Kickstarter project -- now codenamed TAKEDOWN -- was recently refreshed with new and much more enticing information about the game. Some of the info is the same as what was revealed to us in our interview with Christian Allen, but there's also a bunch of cool concept art on the Kickstarter page, too. Here's a little sample:
The Original OMGeeks have just pledged 100 USD to the Kickstarter to support the project! Head on over and take a look-see, and help them out if you're able!

domain: news


text:
Online privacy battle brings gains, setbacks
As we approach this year's Data Privacy Day, some experts believe we've begun to see real momentum in the field, as consumers become more conscious of the issues and regulators beef up enforcement.
"I've been pleased to see how much the conversation has grown over the last year," Nicole Ozer, technology and civil liberties director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, said during a Churchill Club panel discussion this week in observance of the Saturday commemoration.
"I think we're at a turning point finally, after a lot of years where there has been this exponential increase in technology and a holding pattern in privacy progress," she added.
None of which is to say the battle is won and the legal questions settled, or that the proliferation of new threats has stalled. Far from it.
But the increasingly common and aggressive use of online data seems to have shaken awake media, consumers, legislators and enforcers, who in turn have begun to draw deeper lines in the virtual sand.
Most notably, the Federal Trade Commission slapped Google, Facebook and Twitter last year over assorted privacy failings in a series of first-of-their-kind settlements that included 10 to 20 years of privacy audits.
The FTC has clearly signaled it intends to keep up the pressure this year and focus its gaze on mobile products and services, such as smart-phone applications, as The Chronicle's Casey Newton reported.
"We want to really get an understanding of what's happening with consumers' information," Julie Brill, an FTC commissioner, said this month in Palo Alto.
Switching off tracking
Another area of momentum in 2011 was Do Not Track, as almost all of the major Internet browsers added in a simple switch that allowed consumers to tell sites and advertisers that they didn't want information collected about their online activities.
To be clear, without accompanying laws, no company is legally bound to honor that request. But the growing debate - and threat of stricter legal mandates - kicked off conversations at the World Wide Web Consortium, a standards-setting body.
A committee of industry members and privacy advocates is trying to work out the appropriate means for implementing and complying with Do Not Track requests. So far, the ad networks and online platforms appear to be discussing the issues in good faith.
There's obvious pressure to do so because it's hard for any legitimate company to appear like a good actor if they ignore consumers' clearly stated privacy requests. Moreover, if nothing meaningful comes out of the standards body, regulators or legislators are likely to pick up the cause, said Ryan Calo, director of privacy at Stanford's Center for Internet and Society.
Little headway on rules
But for all that happened in 2011, new threats also emerged and some hoped-for laws never materialized.
Notably, efforts to pass a comprehensive set of privacy rules, such as the "privacy bill of rights" proposed last spring by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz., have made little headway.
"Privacy had serious traction, but I don't know if we quite had the watershed year that some thought 2011 would be," Calo said.
Paul Schwartz, faculty director for the Berkeley Center for Law & Technology, noted that the broad technological trends of the day, in and of themselves, raise "all kinds of data security and privacy issues."
The mere fact that more and more people are using social networks, smart phones, cloud computing, location-aware apps and mobile commerce means there are increasingly large troves of rich, personal data. These whet the appetites of businesses and hackers alike, and raise a host of complicated legal questions, he said.
New threats emerge
Among the other worrisome privacy developments that emerged in the last year:
-- In April, researchers announced at a San Francisco conference that Apple iPhones and 3G iPads carried a hidden file that stored a user's rough location at specific points in time. The unencrypted data also backed up to their computer, so anyone who stole the devices could fairly easily figure out everywhere their victim had been in the preceding months.
Sites routinely install small files known as cookies to identify browsers so they can personalize content, keep users logged in or deliver targeted advertising.
This new generation is harder to detect and therefore delete. In turn, the super-cookies can restore the user profile wiped out when ordinary cookies are removed. They were spotted on Hulu.com and Microsoft's Live.com, the researchers said.
-- Late last year, a programmer drew attention to Carrier IQ when he posted a video that appeared to show the company's smart-phone diagnostic software recording keystrokes, dialed numbers, text messages and browsing activity.
Carrier IQ, whose software is installed on more than 140 million smart phones from AT&T, T-Mobile and others, denied much of this. What it actually was collecting remains in dispute, but the event underscored the broad potential for data collection and transmission over smart phones.
The flip side to these developments is that the flurry of resulting media coverage has helped raise awareness among consumers and government officials. Legislators, for instance, called for hearings in the aftermath of both the Apple and Carrier IQ revelations.
Microsoft, which sponsored the Churchill event, released a survey of consumer attitudes toward privacy issues on Tuesday. It found that:
-- 91 percent of its 5,000 respondents have done something to manage their online profiles.
-- 17 percent of all respondents said they'd inadvertently shared information they intended to keep private.
-- 14 percent believed they had been negatively affected by the online activities of others.
-- 21 percent of that subset think it led to them being fired.
In the absence of stronger rules or better industry practices, consumers must take steps to protect their online profiles, privacy advocates say. Read tips for doing so from the Electronic Frontier Foundation at bit.ly/wuPx2U or Privacy Rights Clearinghouse at bit.ly/wD5Y1i.
"We should all be working to be good digital citizens," said Jules Cohen, director of online privacy at Microsoft, which also highlighted consumer guidelines this week. "Think a little bit before you share, and think about what you're sharing and with whom."
Dot.commentary runs three times each week. Follow @jtemple on Twitter or e-mail email@example.com.


text:
The USA Today posted a good article on the rising incidents of bedbugs in the US. You can check out the full article here. The article links to a website, bedbugregistry.com, where over 20,000 travelers have posted their stories of their bedbug encounters. The database has hotels from shady road side inns… to some of the top hotels in the country.
We took a look at the hotels in Southern California and were surprised to see many top brands on the list… and many with multiple reports. Bedbugs are a fact of life in the hotel industry. Just like any other complaint, handling the problem properly will usually keep you away from this type of bad publicity.


text:
SK Telecom, Samsung Electronics, Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI), Atmel and Axstone demonstrated interworking between heterogeneous Internet of Things (IoT) standards -- oneM2M and the Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC) -- at the CES show in Las Vegas.
OneM2M was established in July 2012 by a consortium of ICT standards development bodies to provide a common M2M service layer that can be embedded within various hardware and software; members include Alcatel-Lucent, Adobe, AT&T, BT, Cisco, Ericsson, Deutsche Telekom, IBM, Intel, Samsung, Sierra Wireless and Telefonica. The Open Interconnect Consortium (OIC) was created in July 2014 and consists of members that include Cisco Systems, General Electric, Intel, MediaTek and Samsung.
SK Telecom says interworking between different IoT standards is important as it can dramatically expand the overall IoT ecosystem by boosting the development of IoT products and services that can seamlessly interoperate regardless of standards. Release


text:
Topic: Scott Talbott
The bankers should pay, Obama says. But some think the money would come out of shareholders’ pockets, and others say the big banks would pass it along to consumers and businesses.
01/14/2010 06:57 pm
The bill gives government new powers to rein in 'too big to fail' companies and to protect consumers. The House is set to vote on the financial-regulation measures Friday.
12/11/2009 11:00 am


text:
Drone shots have taken over the latest whitewater edits. But there are drone shots and then there are drone shots. Considering the title sponsor commands the outdoor action cam market, you expect to see some of the most remarkable and creative aerial cinematography on display at the GoPro Mountain Games.
GoPro went a step further though at this year’s event. The brand turned the lens on professional RC race drone pilots Jay Christensen and Patrick Conroy to tell the story of how they’ve become the guys taking the controls on crazy video rides we can’t stop hitting replay on.


text:
AT&T said it that it signed up 146,000 new subscribers in the first two days it offered the iPhone, slightly down from some Wall Street expectations, but the promise of iPhone madness is still alive.
Wall Street analysts had predicted that AT&T would activate 200,000 iPhones in June, but the actual number reported on Tuesday when AT&T discussed second quarter results fell short of this goal. The iPhone, which is only being sold through AT&T, went on sale June 29th. AT&T's second quarter officially ended June 30th.
While sales may not have been as strong as some predicted, AT&T did say that about 40 percent of subscribers who bought an iPhone were new customers to AT&T. AT&T executives also said on the call earlier today that sales of the iPhone "continue to be strong in July with store traffic above historical levels."
This is great news for AT&T. The iPhone seems to be living up to its intended purpose of attracting new customers to AT&T. On the flip-side, AT&T's success at attracting new customers is likely bad news for competitors, such as Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.
In total, AT&T said its wireless division added 1.5 million subscribers during the quarter, down about 2.8 percent from the previous year and up from 1.2 million new subscribers in the first quarter. As of June 30, the company had a total of 63.7 million subscribers.
My guess is that the sales of the iPhone will grow steadily over the next couple of quarters. But the real value for AT&T in this five-year exclusive deal with Apple will be seen next year and the year after as Apple introduces new versions of the product.
There's little doubt in my mind that the iPhone is a game-changing device. Its interface is sleeker and more intuitive than any other smart phone I've ever seen. In fact, I think the iPhone does exactly what I've been telling handset makers and cell phone operators that a mobile Internet phone should do. "Don't make the 'mobile Internet' look different on my phone than it does on my PC," I say. "I want the same experience; the same look and feel; the same ease of use."
Most mobile cell phone executives I say this to are quick to tell me that it's technically impossible to shrink the Web experience onto such a tiny screen. Or they say that people don't want to do the same things on an Internet-enabled phone as they do on their PC. But I think the iPhone comes the closest to achieving my ideal mobile Web surfing experience. And if it's a big success, I think the rest of the pack will follow, trying to imitate what Apple has already achieved.
But the real key to making the iPhone more appealing to consumers, especially frugal consumers such as myself, is to get it on a faster 3G network. I can't see any reason to spend $600 on a phone that downloads Web pages at a snail's pace. And it's also very likely that Apple will follow the same strategy it has for the iPod, by introducing several different versions of the product to accommodate a variety of price points.
In fact, Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray said in a research note published Tuesday that he expects 45 million iPhones to ship in 2009. At that point he expects Apple to have two to three different iPhone models.
In a side note, AT&T's earnings weren't all about the promise of the iPhone. The company, which merged with BellSouth last year, reported strong earnings and subscriber growth across the board. Wireless was clearly the highlight of AT&T's second quarter with mobile data kicking in some high growth. Revenue from data services, which includes mobile Web surfing and e-mailing, rose 67 percent to $1.7 billion. And the company's average revenue per user or ARPU was up 3.6 percent to $50.63.
The company's DSL business didn't do too shabby either. AT&T added 361,000 new subscribers during the second quarter, a jump of 5.6 percent from the previous year. The company also said it had 200,000 video subscribers at the end of the quarter, a huge leap from the previous year when AT&T had barely rolled out TV service.
In total, AT&T posted net income of $2.9 billion, or 47 cents a share, compared with $1.81 billion, or 46 cents a share, a year earlier. Of course, a year ago, AT&T wasn't counting earnings from BellSouth, but still analysts were impressed with the company's overall growth.


text:
Irish payments company Planet has introduced an integrated digital payments service for multinational companies across Europe.
The new service will allow retailers to provide a simplified payment service that unifies multiple payment channels. Planet claims the integrated system will allow merchants to trade globally as the world reopens after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Established in 1985, Planet is a payments service provider that serves over 600,000 merchants and 100 financial partners across more than 70 markets on five continents. The company works with merchants in the retail, food, beverage, parking and retail sectors and helps to simplify complex payment processes.
Planet has 27 locations around the world and has representation in Europe, North and South America, the Middle East and Asia.
The company’s retail payment platform offers users acquiring, VAT refunds, processing and currency conversion all in a single device. Multiple payment methods are accepted on the platform, as well as the WeChat and Alipay digital wallets.
Planet noted its retail service has been further bolstered by android payment terminals which enable a more faster, efficient process at the till. The firm added its integrations with point-of-sale software providers means merchants can operate a fully integrated all-in-one retail service.
Copyright © 2021 FinTech Global


text:
On 9 and 10 October the first edition of the TECNO CONF 2021 event took place in Naples at the headquarters of our dealer TAG srls and CUCITECN srls who in full synergy invited all their customers and not only for a demonstration on the machinery of manufacturing companies represented. From well-known brands such as Durkopp, Pfaff, Strobel, Complet, Rigomac, MAICA as regards the sewing and IMA, Macpi, Battistella and GMP as regards the Cutting Room and finishing & fusing.
For IMA it was a real success. More than 160 customers arrived in the two planned days and all those present proved to be really motivated.
In particular, a complete line of spreading and cutting was exhibited and the projection system for stripes and checks was introduced for the first time, which attracted a lot of interest.
We hope it is only the first of a long series of events in Naples market!


text:
With the news last week that Twitter has inked a deal with Google to embed tweets into search engine results, digital marketers like myself are pretty excited! The search engine giant plus the social media giant are getting together and it looks like Google + Twitter = Love 🙂
Google + Twitter Sitting In a Tree…
Twitter is huge, it has around 284 million active monthly users busily tweeting away each day. Many tweet socially but more and more businesses have adopted Twitter as a major part of their marketing strategy. Google, meanwhile, is reported to have around 800 million active users per month although many speculate that the figure could be higher. The collaboration between Google + Twitter will take place in the 2nd half of 2015 and engineers are already working hard to make it happen. In fact, it’s been a productive week for Twitter who also struck a deal with Yahoo and Flipboard to promote tweets on their sites too.
What Does Google + Twitter Mean?
Basically the collaboration between Google and Twitter will mean that internet users searching for a topic will see tweets included in their search results. For marketers this extends their Twitter activity reach monumentally because it will not just be your followers or indeed the Twitter community who will see your messages.
1. Enhanced and updated content for Google users
2. More opportunities for Twitter to engage non users
3. Additional online exposure for Twitter marketers
It is unclear yet how the Twitter results will be filtered into the Google search engine results. Will it be ranked by Twitter account popularity? Will they be shown by virality (eg the number of times a tweet was shared) and will they be prioritised over websites discussing the same topics? How will Google prevent the first 100 SERP (search engine results pages) being filled up with tweets?
One thing is for sure… using hashtags, tweeting regularly and employing your brand’s keywords have never been so important!
Google + Twitter I can’t wait … how about you? Tweet me @charli_says


text:
Walmart customers in Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana and Ohio can now place online orders for beer and wine delivery.
Walmart shoppers in Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana and Ohio can now have beer and wine delivered straight to their homes. The expansion means alcohol delivery is now available from nearly 2,500 Walmart stores across 23 states.
In addition to beer and wine, select Walmart locations will also allow for the delivery of spirits, depending on local laws. To utilize the service, customers can use Walmart.com or the Walmart app, select Delivery and choose a delivery time and location for their items to be delivered.
Delivery times can be limited by local law when the order includes alcohol, and the customer is required to provide valid photo identification verifying that they are 21 years of age or older before receiving the alcohol products in their order.
Meanwhile, Walmart was recently unveiled as No. 1 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. The retailer also shared its financial report the for the first quarter of its 2024 fiscal year on May 18, with grocery and e-commerce largely driving its better-than-expected performance.
According to the Q1 financial report, sales surged both in stores and online, with a particularly strong start in February. Consolidated revenue climbed 7.6% to reach $152.3 billion, with net sales in the U.S. up 7.2% to reach $103.9 billion. Sales comps were up a similar 7.4% during the three-month period ending April 30.
Walmart’s global online sales were robust, rising 26% in this past quarter, compared with 17% in the fourth quarter of 2022. Walmart’s solid digital performance was fueled by gains in pickup and delivery, as well as advertising.
Each week, approximately 230 million customers and members visit Walmart’s more than 10,500 stores and numerous e-commerce websites under 46 banners in 24 countries. The Bentonville, Ark.-based company employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide.


text:
Black Friday is mere days away and America’s (make that North America’s) most-devoted consumers are busy doing their stretches, dressing themselves in layers, and plotting their battle plan for early Friday morning.
Retailers, of course, would like to help them in any way possible in order to maximize the amount of money flowing into their cash registers throughout the punishing annual bricks-and-mortar portion of the shopathon. More of that activity, of course, is moving online and mobile — but for those committed to the physical act of shopping, they’ll need help — and brand marketers are anticipating their needs.
For these seeking retail rejuvenation on Friday, a host of caffeinated beverages and coffee retailers are throwing incentives their way to get them to suck down as much as possible to refuel while on the run.
For those who tweet #dunkindonuts on Friday morning between 6 a.m. and noon Eastern, they’ll get put in the running to win one of six Keurig brewers and two boxes of Dunkin’s Hot Cocoa K-Cup packs. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven is handing out a free hot beverage for folks who come in on Friday and buy a Red Bull energy drink. Sonic Drive-Thru is opening early nationwide and offering its breakfast burrito at half price all day. What else could a crazed Black Friday consumer want? [more]
“Millions of shoppers will be setting their alarm clocks early on Black Friday,” stated Sonic Chief Marketing Officer James O’Reilly. “We’re doing the same and opening up at 6 a.m. or earlier to offer shoppers the chance to power up or refuel with half-price Breakfast Burritos all day.”
Starbucks’ Seattle’s Best Coffee chain is taking a different tack and giving away free coffee to retail workers (smart) while offering discounts to consumers, according to Marketplace.com. And don’t think Starbucks is slacking off. Walgreens has introduced a Black Friday app that will give users a mystery offer that consumers can swipe to reveal “exclusive Walgreens offers and discounts on Starbucks Doubleshot Energy Coffee products at their local Walgreens,” according to a company release.
The Wall Street Journal notes that coffee perks aren’t the only lure percolating. Shopping malls are adding valet parking, free refreshments, and relaxation lounges to help consumers get through the day. Other amenities that malls are adding include free package-holding services, coat check areas, security guards that will carry packages to cars, and child care centers.
“People tend to make more impulse and inspired purchases in person, especially if they’ve been made to feel like a first-class shopper,” Kit Yarrow, a professor of psychology and marketing at Golden Gate University, told WSJ.
And where there are people, there will be, of course, brand ambassadors and samples galore. Guerilla marketing firm Lucky415 tells Marketplace that its street teams could be up at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. so they can get cracking on passing out samples.
Jonathan Margolis of alternative marketing firm Michael Alan tells the site that he’s seen lots of companies pull such promotions as “vehicles ‘wrapped’ in ads for a brand, food trucks giving away freebies, outside projections of ads, and floor stenciling — temporary ads that look like graffiti on the ground,” the site reports.
And why not? Black Friday may be a nightmare to live through, but it is likely the best day of the year for wannabe social scientists in the marketing world to try out their craziest ideas. What’s the worst that can happen, other than consumers beating the heck out of one another for your product?


text:
Officials tout benefits of trade pact with U.S.
In a ceremony to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-Korea pact, former chairmen of the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) in Korea and officials of the Korea International Trade Association gathered at COEX in southern Seoul to mark the achievements of both countries since the agreement took effect in 2012.
“The two countries’ trade rose 15 percent from 2011 to 2015, while the global trade dropped 10 percent in the same period. This proves the FTA wasn’t a zero sum but a positive sum for both countries in expanding their pies,” said Joo Hyung-hwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy during his opening speech.
According to a KITA report released this week, both countries expanded their presence in each other’s respective import markets: Korean products exported to the U.S. in 2011 comprised 8.5 percent of U.S. imports and rose to 10.64 percent last year. In Korea, the percentage of U.S. products increased from 2.57 percent to 3.19 percent during the same period.
Korea has been one of the countries that the Trump administration said overly benefited from the FTA based on trade figures. The U.S trade deficit with Korea, in terms of goods and services combined, was $11.7 billion in 2015. Most of the loss came from Korea’s gains in manufactured goods.
Many of the panelists at the seminar, however, said that manufacturing goods was only part of a trade relationship between two countries. “There’s a tendency to fixate on the goods side of the equation [when evaluating trade balance], but we need to take a macro viewpoint to include service and direct investment,” said David Ruch, former chairman for Amcham Korea who served from 2009 to 2010.
Korea has made direct investments worth $51.2 billion to the U.S. in the last five years. The U.S. invested $20.1 billion in Korea. In 2014, there were 47,000 American workers at Korean companies, a nearly 30 percent jump compared to 2011, before the FTA.
On automobile trade, a topic frequently cited as problematic by Trump, KITA Director Lee Dong-bok pointed out that American carmakers’ share in Korea’s imported auto market increased from 9.6 percent in 2011 to 18.1 percent last year, while Europe and Japan both lost ground, shedding 3.7 and 3.4 percentage points each.
BY SONG KYOUNG-SON, KIM YOUNG-NAM [email@example.com]


text:
Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, Fox Corp. Face Stock Price Target Cuts
Tim Nollen, Macquarie media technology analyst, has decreased his stock price targets Walt Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Fox Corp., citing weak advertising markets and elusive streaming profitability.
Nollen is the latest Wall Street observer to weigh in on TV advertising budgets falling while marketers trim costs amid inflationary and recessionary risks, and revenue growth forecasts among U.S media stocks are cut. The expert reduced his price target for Disney from $120 to $110. While leaving the stock rating at “outperform”,
According to the media analyst, Disney stock could recover if Bob Iger, the newly reinstalled CEO, implements his profitability plan for Disney as well as the studio’s other streaming platforms. These plans could include Disney with ads as an additional revenue stream.
“We believe the lower priced ad-supported tier will attract price-sensitive viewers (crucial for getting to the management-guided 135-165 million worldwide Disney subs in 2024 plus up to 80,000,000 Disney Hotstar Subs in 2024), and will help resist churn. The ad dollars will also expand with ARPU (average revenue-per-user),” Nollen wrote in Jan. 4 research notes. The stock in Walt Disney rose $1.59 or 1.8 percent to $90.58 on Wednesday morning trading.
Macquarie analyst also mentioned current ad revenue drops due to the effect of a recession, and inflation stretching into 2023 to reduce Warner Bros. While maintaining an “outperform”, the Discovery price target has been lowered to $16, from $18, and maintained a $16 price target.
Nollen sees great success for Warner Bros., just like Disney’s ESPN. The renewal of the NBA broadcast deal for Turner Sports division saw Discovery, which pays approximately $1.2 billion annually to show pro basketball games. The Macquarie analyst sees the NBA costs rising at any rate, despite live sports remaining a bright spot in U.S media players.
“The problem with the NBA is that it is likely to demand significant price rises above the $2.6bn per year it receives from ESPN/ABC/TNT… It would not surprise to see the league demanding at least a 2x price hike, just like the NFL did in its renewal in 2023. We calculated that WBD could handle this, Nollen wrote. Stock in Warner Bros. Discovery rose 45 cents or nearly 5 percent to $10.00 in early morning trade.
Nollen also mentioned a weak advertising market to reduce Fox Corp.’s price goal to $30 from $32, while the stock rating remains neutral. However, Fox’s dependence on Fox Nation and the pay TV bundle may not be a virtue as ad spend declines and subscribers drop.
Nollen wrote that Fox’s dependence upon the pay TV bundle “has long concerned us,” and warranted a discounted valuation of peers. Nollen also noted Fox’s high exposure to advertising revenue in any economic downturn. In early morning trading, shares in Fox Corp. were slightly lower at 11 cents to $30.38
Paramount Global also received a reduction in its stock price target On continuing ad market declines it will drop to $15 from $16, while maintaining a neutral rating. Nollen notes that Paramount faces a major headwind due to its sharply rising content costs, especially since it plans to combine Paramount with Showtime later in the year.
According to the Macquarie analyst, profitability is Paramount’s biggest problem amid high content investment on streaming platforms. “So the near-term trajectory of overall earnings is straight down,” he said. The markets could benefit from any effort to reduce costs.
Paramount’s latest price cut is the most recent in recent days. Loop Capital Markets managing director Alan Gould released a research paper on December 23 that downgraded the Bob Bakish-run conglomerate to “sell” with an expected stock price target $14. One of the highlights was the direct-to-consumer (i.e. streaming platform) losses and uncertain guidance by the firm on profitability. “DTC division losses should reach $1.8-$1.9billion this year, nearly double the loss last year. Gould stated that management has projected that losses will peak in 2023 but has not given a time frame for breakeven.
Paramount Global shares also rose by 41 cents or 2.5 percent to $17.48 in the early trading.
I’m a journalist who specializes in investigative reporting and writing. I have written for the New York Times and other publications.


text:
Alan Wake 2 Review Embargo Details Revealed
Details regarding the review embargo for Epic Games and Remedy Entertainment’s upcoming survival horror game, Alan Wake 2, have been revealed.
It has been revealed that the review embargo for Alan Wake 2 is expected to lift towards the end of the week, on October 26, 2023 at 9 AM Eastern Time, a day ahead of the game’s launch on October 27, 2023. Fans can, therefore, look forward to hearing what critics have to say about the latest chapter in Alan Wake and newcomer Saga Anderson’s story.
The pre-load for Alan Wake 2 is expected to go live on PlayStation Network on October 25, 2023, two days prior to the game’s launch. It will come with the latest update pre-installed for those who pre-ordered a digital copy of the game, though a day one update may be rolled out closer to launch on October 27, 2023. Meanwhile, those who purchased the game on disc will need to download the day one update.
Previously, during a recent interview, Remedy Entertainment Communications Director, Thomas Puha, was asked whether a console like the Xbox Series S is a net positive in the eyes of the studio. He responded by stating that having to develop Alan Wake 2 for the Xbox Series S gave rise to some major issues.
Puha elaborated further by saying that, with the Xbox Series S, the CPU is pretty close to the one in the Xbox Series X, as there isn’t a massive difference in processing power. However, the GPU is an issue, he said. In addition, he mentioned that having less memory to work with is a pretty big problem. Furthermore, Puha talked about scalability, and how it is often brought up in relation to making PC games. He stated that memory is not a problem on PC. He pointed out that there’s a massive difference in power between the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. It’s a lot easier to scale on PC because of memory not being a concern on the platform.


text:
Simplified ribbon-Microsoft is introducing an updated simplified version of the ribbon that is created to help users focus on their work and collaborate easily with others.
Next up, with the new colors and designs, users can expect to see Fluent-Design inspired changes across the Office web apps. New features include the roaming pencil case and ribbon customisations across Office apps. The changes will spill over to select Insiders later this month and into July and August while commercial users can see the new search functions in select products from today. Office 2019, the next perpetually licensed version of the suite, will retain the existing ribbon interface.
For everyone else, Microsoft is moving forward cautiously, especially when it comes to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for Windows.
It sounds like these are just the first new features in a larger Office redesign. The new look, Microsoft says, sports a cleaner and simpler look while giving users the ability to customize it with the tools they use most, mimicking the experience of pinning items to your taskbar in Windows. The firm explained that users have muscle memory with the current ribbon, and it doesn't want to disrupt their work flow, so it will be careful in how this is implemented across those apps.
The new icons are meant to render more crisply and cleanly on screens of any size and to look better for those with vision impairments.now there are more than 10,000 different icons in Office, Friedman noted, and Microsoft wanted to make them more consistent and accessible from the get-go, using color, contrast and other design elements. Essentially, this ensures that icons have smooth lines and render correctly regardless of the display you view them on. Starting in July, it will be available in Outlook for Windows and Outlook for Mac in August. Leveraging the Microsoft graph, the new search experience will immediately bring up search recommendations when you place your cursor in the search box. The update is for Office.com and Office 365 users, and will begin rolling out to business customers and consumers in June. Word on Windows will also have to wait as Microsoft collects feedback from a broader set of users.
- Africa's most famous trees are collapsing, and scientists suspect a changing climate
- Your Internet Company Can Now Charge You More For Netflix And Facebook
- American Toddlers Eat So Much 'Added Sugar' That They Exceed Adult Recommendations
- Cavs may have been swept, but, hey, free Taco Bell today
- Pompeo 'hopeful' North Korea will move toward denuclearization in Trump's first term
- Malta: Stranded refugees and migrants must be immediately allowed to dock
- Paul raccoon reaches roof after scaling downtown tower, causing internet frenzy
- Golden State Warriors Roundtable: Should Steph have won Finals MVP?
- The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 Rumoured Easter Egg
- The pros and cons of drafting Luka Doncic No. 2


text:
There’s also a less-exciting Blade V10 mid-ranger.
At an event during MWC 2019, Microsoft finally unveiled the second version of the company’s HoloLens holographic headset. This time around, however, the company is repositioning the device as more of an enterprise solution rather […]
But would you pay $450 for one of them?
Over 100 million devices will get the feature, according to the company.
Today during MWC 2019, Sony unveiled two new mid-range smartphones that take after the company’s latest flagship, the Xperia 1. Called the Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus, the new devices offer ultra-tall displays with […]
Great for watching movies, but what else?


text:
AM General acquired by investment firm
A private equity firm has signed an agreement to acquire South Bend-based AM General from an affiliate of MacAndrews & Forbes Inc.
KPS Capital Partners, which is buying the manufacturers of the iconic Humvee, did not disclose terms of the transaction.
In October 2018, reports surfaced that the owners of AM General were seeking a buyer for the business in a deal reportedly worth about $2 billion, according to a report from Reuters.
The company designs, engineers, manufactures and supports specialized vehicles for military and commercial customers worldwide. Headquartered in South Bend, the company has manufacturing facilities in Mishawaka and Ohio and a technical engineering center in Michigan.
"We are excited to acquire AM General, a legendary American company and world leader in the design, engineering, manufacturing and support of light tactical and specialty vehicles,” Jay Bernstein, a partner of KPS, said in a release.
“We look forward to working with Chief Executive Officer Andy Hove, the company's management team, and all of AM General's employees to build on this great platform, organically and through acquisition,” Bernstein continued. “We intend to leverage the Company's commitment to research, technology, innovation and new product development, as well as its heritage and iconic brand name.
Hove said KPS has a reputation for building companies and is an ideal partner for AM General and the customers served by the business. “KPS' demonstrated commitment to manufacturing excellence, continuous improvement and commitment to invest in technology and innovation will only enhance the Company's ability to compete in today's military and commercial marketplace,” he said in the release.
Completion of the transaction is expected in the third or fourth quarter of 2020 and is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals.
Check back later for updates.


text:
Not such a g’day for vapers and smokers down under as the government rubber stamps Australia’s harsh nicotine law.
On hearing the ruling, Australian advocacy group Legalise Vaping warned that lives will be lost as vapers return to smoking in their droves, and says the ‘gloves are now off…‘
The new legislation will mean that from October 2021, nicotine for use in e-liquids can only be obtained via a prescription, and with many doctors anti-vaping, the demand may not be met.
It wasn’t all bad news though, a move by the idiotic health minister Greg Hunt – yes it rhymes – had tried to ban the importation of ALL vape devices.
However thanks to a ‘rebellion’ by 28 Coalitions MPs and senators, Hunt has backed away from the total ban.
Liberal senator Hollie Hughes said:
After the TGA and Hunt announcements, it’s clear they’ve listened, reversed position on the regulation, and that’s no longer on the table.
We welcome that move.
We’ve gone from an attempt to restrict vaping to what is fundamentally the status quo [on personal importation] with a step to legalisation through a national prescription scheme.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration says allowing the import of vape devices may sweeten the pill of the new nicotine rules adding:
…individuals attempting to import commercial quantities of nicotine e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine may be subject to importation and seizure of products and potential fines under existing regulation.
One member of the TGA that supported the ban told the media there was no proof vaping helped smokers quit:
…while some individual smokers have successfully used nicotine e-cigarettes to quit smoking, evidence at a population level is lacking.
Without any hard figures to hand, I still call BS on that one…
Australian vape advocacy group, Legalise Vaping vowed to fight on.
Spokesman Brian Marlow said:
The TGA’S decision to implement an October 2021 prescription only model for nicotine vaping is a slap in the face for Australia’s 500,000 vapers who have done the right thing and quit smoking for good.
At the recent Senate Inquiry into Tobacco Harm Reduction, we heard from public health experts, tobacco treatment specialists, vapers and even frontline health workers who all outlined why a prescription model simply will never work and will drive vapers back to smoking.
Yet the TGA has ignored all of the overwhelming evidence and is pushing ahead with a prescription model anyway.
Legalise Vaping Australia is calling on all pro-vaping MPs to fight back against the TGA’s decision and will be committing all resources towards this effort.
If my organisation has to mobilise 500,000 vapers against anti-vaping MPs, that’s what we’ll do.
The gloves are coming off.
The tough times down under keep on coming and NOW is the time for ALL Australia’s vapers to get involved by supporting, donating and signing up to Legalise Vaping.
It really IS time to prepare for the fight of your lives…literally.
For more info, read just 3 of my articles on Australia’s fight to legalise vaping:
SMOORE Secures Global VIP Pass!
It’s called the AEO Advanced Certificate, and vape giant SMOORE has received the first ever in China’s electronic atomization industry history.
Known as the ‘Global VIP Pass’, it will give the parent company of Vaporesso the edge on its competitors as it will save 30% of time spent clearing customs in over 40 countries.
It’s an incredibly tough thing to get and has taken SMOORE 2 years to achieve its goal and is rightly proud.
A spokesman said:
Applying for the AEO Advanced Certificate is far from easy.
It’s a complicated program involving a number of departments such as human resource, accounting, supply chain, logistics, quality inspection.
According to the customs statistics, there are in total 3,239 enterprises owning the AEO Advanced Certificate, accounting for only 0.22% of the registered enterprises in China.
The application requirements reach up to 30.
Even from the perspective of experts, the application difficulty is similar to that of a Mini-IPO.
To pass the exam, SMOORE set up a program team back in 2018.
9 departments have participated, over 30 training have been organized, and a 7,524-page file has been submitted.
The whole application thing lasts for nearly two years.
Great news and I guess congratulations is in order 🙂
and finally…An Early Christmas Present For Vapers In Estonia…
It’s been such a bleak year for the world in general and not just vaping – nuff said about that – so it’s nice to have one more bit of good vaping news before Christmas…
The Estonian Parliament has suspended tax on e-liquids in a bid to stop cross border sales and smuggling…are you watching Australia?
Figures suggest that due to the lofty vape juice tax, almost 80% of e-liquids in the country come from such operations – wow – that’s a lot lol.
Tax on e-liquids has been set at 0.2 euros per ml for the past two years and the Government seems a bit pro-vape too!
Tarmo Kruusimäe, Member of the Estonian Parliament and Chairman of the Parliament’s Smoke Free Estonia Support Group, said:
Suspending the collection of excise duty will make it possible to lower the price of e-liquids and thus offer consumers controlled and safe products at a lower price.
It has the potential to become a success story if we manage to reduce both the illicit trade and cross-border trade and at the same time offer less harmful alternatives to cigarettes at a more competitive price.
See how easy it is when politicians talk sense and act for the good of the country’s health?
Ingmar Kurg, CEO of NNA Smoke Free Estonia, and a member of the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO), was delighted:
Estonia’s example with over-taxation of e-liquids should definitely be an educational experience for other countries as well.
If laboratory-tested and legal products are made too expensive for consumers, they will look for solutions in the black market, self-mixing and cross-border trade.
Some people give up e-cigarettes and return to smoking, which happened in Estonia.
It would be amazing if more countries adopted this approach…or even the EU: *coughs*
Great news indeed and a lovely way to round off the last Vape News before Christmas 2020 – I guess we’re all looking forward to 2021 lol.
Speaking of which, the Vaping News will return after Christmas, and there might even be a 2020 round-up…
Let’s face it – it’s been one hell of a year!
OK, I hope Santa brings you the vaping presents you’ve asked for – God knows we all deserve a treat lol.
So that leaves me, on behalf of Jonny, myself and all of the amazing EcigClick team to wish you and your family a VERY Merry Christmas!


text:
The artwork of Hyperlite and Byerly Boards designer and illustrator Son Duong will be featured throughout June at Seattle board shop evo’s TimesInfinity Gallery. The exhibit’s grand opening was June 6.
In addition to his paintings and illustrations, Duong also exhibited some T-shirts and caps from his new apparel brand Diabolik Life.
Duong was also the featured artist in the First Friday Art Walk, a monthly artist showcase in Fremont, the eclectic Seattle neighborhood where evo is located.
Duong also designs for headphone manufacturer Skullcandy.


text:
Written by Sally Speich
One of the significant issues around waste and recycling is food waste. The USDA estimates that 30% to 40% of the food produced in this country ends up wasted. While this is horrifying enough with some 800 million people going hungry in the world, the implications for our waste stream and carbon dioxide production are huge. According to Scientific American roughly 8% of the world’s green-house gases come from food waste. Along with the actual food that is dumped uneaten there are packaging (a lot of which is plastics!) gas and diesel wasted in transportation, electricity and the chemicals like hydrofluorocarbons (a strong greenhouse gas) that are used in refrigeration that are also wasted.
The USDA estimates that our food waste corresponded to approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food in 2010. That number is rising daily with increased production to meet increasing population. Worldwide that estimate by the United Nations is that 1.3 billion tons (figure 2,000 pounds in each ton) of food is wasted world- wide. That is about 20 times as much. To put this in perspective just in the U.S. alone each year that is over 6 billion garbage bags of food waste. Figure each bag at 3 cubic feet; that would cover the towns of Farmington, Jay, Wilton and New Sharon 9 feet deep in garbage.
Where does all this waste begin and end? The October 2021, Scientific American gives statistics on a global level. (I could not find those for the U.S. alone.) They point out that in developing nations the averages lean toward more loss at the production and storage of crops while in developed nations more waste occurs at the market stage, in restaurants and in homes. The production end is farming. I could not discern the difference between smaller local farms and big agribusinesses but my guess would be that the larger businesses proportionally create a lot more of the waste. In general, fruits and vegetables seem to be the largest area where food is lost to weather, insects, fungus and bacteria and in general left unharvested for various reasons. Tubers like potatoes and root vegetables like carrots run a close second. Tubers also do not survive handling, storage or processing/packaging well which is a surprise to me as potatoes and carrots store well in a cold area for long periods of time. Overall, 54% of fruits and vegetables are wasted and 53% of tubers are wasted. Seafood also has a high loss in the production part of the cycle as well as in the distribution area, some 40% of the seafood harvested is turned into waste.
Overall, 22% of meat produced goes to waste from farm to fork. That is a lot lower percentage than the wasted plant produce. The true effect of the meat wasted lies in the fact that beef and other animal-based food production create much higher carbon dioxide emissions. Plant production is 10 to 50 times lower than most animal-based products when it comes to the amount of carbon dioxide that is produced in the process. The Scientific American article estimated that every minute the world wastes the equivalent of 65 cows of meat (doing the math that is 93,600 cows worth of meat a day!) Since most cows raised by big farms are heavily grained and not grass raised that means huge emissions in other carbon dioxide producing activities such fertilizing, watering and harvesting the grain as well as the storage and distribution (refrigeration, transportation) of the meat itself.
If we do not get this problem under control not only will hundreds of millions of people go hungry but millions of hectares of forest and grasslands will have to be converted to food production. By 2050 that will be more land than what is now the size of India. And in that same 30 years, there will be some 15 times the current emissions of carbon dioxide over what the entire U.S. now produces. Moving to solar and wind power, driving electric cars and better home heating are all important in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Reducing food waste is among the top five means of achieving lower greenhouse gas emissions. The consumption end of the food supply chain is where individuals can have an immediate effect. Some 10% of fruits and vegetables 8% of cereal products, 7% of meats, and 5% of seafood that make it into our restaurants and homes is turned into garbage. Reducing food waste is one of the easiest personal changes that we can make. One of the good results of reducing food waste is in monetary savings which is pretty immediate. In the next article, I will go into all the various organizations and individuals that are working to reduce the amount of food waste. Not only will these lower our carbon foot print but it saves time, energy and money at all levels of the food supply chain.
Happy Thanksgiving – enjoy your food, try not to eat too much and please use up those leftovers.


text:
Blog: January chill ruffles retailers
Leonie Barrie | 11 February 2008
If the January sales results posted by many US retailers last week were even worse than already weak forecasts suggested, the actions taken by some others show just how serious the continuing retail and economic turmoil is becoming.
Talbots and Charming Shoppes are the latest firms joining AnnTaylor Stores and Eddie Bauer in deciding to close sizable numbers of stores as they take preventative action to rein in their operations amid an uncertain economic climate.
Talbots, which sells apparel to women aged over 35, said it would shut more stores as it swung to a fourth quarter loss in the face of worsening economic conditions. In addition to the 78 Talbots Kids and Talbots Mens concepts already slated for closure this year, another 22 underperforming stores will now be axed.
And at Charming Shoppes, 150 stores – including 100 Fashion Bug locations and four Petite Sophisticate stores – are to be shuttered as the retailer attempts to get back on track. The measures are the result of an ongoing business review, and follow the axing of 150 jobs and the relocation of its Catherines operations last autumn.
Analysts by and large believe these changes are essential – particularly in the crowded women's apparel sector – and are reshaping the sector for a stronger rebound when the market improves.
But signs of a bounce-back don’t yet appear to be on the horizon. According to the International Council of Shopping Centers, same-store sales in January rose just 0.5%, the worst January since it began compiling the data in 1969.
And most worryingly, the slowdown seems to be crossing all sectors – including teen retailers like Pacific Sunwear of California, American Eagle Outfitters and Hot Topic, mall-based apparel chain Limited Brands, discounters such as Wal-Mart Stores, and even those targeting more affluent shoppers, like Nordstrom.
And heralding the way for a gloomy outlook for the department store segment, Macy's Inc revealed a 7.1% slump in January same-store sales and a restructuring plan that will see the loss of more than 2,500 jobs.
Continuing our look at what lies ahead for the apparel industry and its supply chain in 2017, the panel of industry experts consulted by just-style last week tackled likely shifts in the sourcing land...
This week our focus turns to first thoughts from a panel of industry experts consulted by just-style on the challenges and opportunities likely to face the apparel supply chain in 2017, with prospects...
Welcome back after the holiday break, and from the team here at just-style I’d like to wish all our readers a happy and prosperous New Year....
Apparel sourcing is a complex process built on a mix of location, logistics, lead-time, price, compliance, risk and reliability. And it's in a constant state of flux as retailers, brands and manufactu...
- Trump and the apparel industry – Infographic
- How US border adjustment tax could affect apparel
- British Brexit plans prioritise tariff-free trade
- $1.7bn package to boost Pakistan clothing exports
- Mexico riots hit apparel retailers and shipments
- Cambodia clothing exports at risk from Brexit
- Apparel brands urge Bangladesh PM to address wages
- American Apparel to shutter all stores?
- New project to digitalise European fashion chains
- Brands need to tackle Turkey factory refugee abuse
- Outdoor performance apparel 2016: A broader perspective
- Southeast Asia strategic sourcing review – a focus on Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar
- Anti-odour clothing: fresh fashion for an active lifestyle
- Global market review of lingerie – forecasts to 2022
- Global apparel markets: product developments and innovations, October 2016


text:
It looks like Microsoft might have a lot to offer in the coming year as the company is working on a couple of new hardware for 2019-20. The details about the new hardware comes from Brad Sams who revealed details about a couple of Surface products that might launch next year.
According to Brad, Microsoft is working on a table-top speaker powered by Cortana which will solely focus on productivity and will help the user be productive in the office or at home. Not only that, Microsoft is also working on a Surface Studio Monitor which will be just like the Surface Studio minus the CPU. Hence, users will finally be able to get their hands on a beautiful Surface branded monitor which can be paired with any other desktop cabinet. If this wasn’t enough, Microsoft also plans to partner with AMD and launch Surface devices powered by 10nm AMD chipsets. There is a chance that we will get to see AMD powered Surface laptops by the fall of next year. Lastly, the long rumoured Andromeda could finally make an appearance next year but it won’t be the device we are expecting. Microsoft will be making Andromeda larger than a normal smartphone which would mean that it can’t be fit into a pocket but it will still be foldable.
Apart from these, there is a good chance that Microsoft will surprise us with other Surface devices that are not on the list right now. Are you excited to see what Microsoft has in store for us next year? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.


text:
WhatsApp might finally be fixing its biggest annoyance, and getting a client for desktop computers.
The messaging app began life on phones, and has only made its way off them very cautiously. It launched a web version last year, but that is very closely tied to the phone – that must still be turned on and be on the internet if the web version of WhatsApp will work.
The suggestion only comes from some apparently leaked screenshots that ask people to translate important bits of text for the desktop app into other languages. And so it is possible that WhatsApp isn’t working on a desktop client at all, but it would fit closely with its ambitions.
Chat apps have become big business in recent years, with traditional names like Skype competing with new business-focused apps like Slack. Many of those continue to operate desktop clients, meaning that people can use them to talk in the workplace or elsewhere.
WhatsApp has apparently been looking to take on those apps by offering similar features, including tools that let people add attachments to their conversations. And so it’s possible that the company would explore bringing their chats to computers as well as phones.
The company has indicated in the past that it’s unwillingness to spread onto other platforms is partly because of its commitment to security and encryption. Using just one device allows the company to ensure that messages aren’t being read by other people, it has indicated.
It is possible to run WhatsApp on the desktop by installing third party clients, which wrap the web version into an application that can be run on the desktop. But those still come with the same limitations as on the web, and similarly depend on the phone.


text:
3D printing: a revolutionary technology in Namibia
Bjorn Wiedow is the co-founder and Deputy Director of the Fabrication Laboratory (FABlab) Design and Technology Centre at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST).
FABlab has become the local pioneering institution that has operationalized the innovative and cutting edge technology embodied in Namibia’s first-ever Three Dimensional (3D) printing machine.
3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file.
The technology is based on the principle where a digital model is turned into a solid three-dimensional physical object by adding material layer by layer.
“I am an industrial product designer by trade and my design philosophies of interest are in the realms of human-centred thinking and design for social upliftment. My passion is to be hands-on and I believe that with enough research and commitment, one can truly transform ideas into reality,” Wiedow told the Windhoek Observer.
“As an industrial product designer, the arrival of digital fabrication technologies like 3D printing and the Maker Movement has given me the opportunity to enhance my skills and I am now able to use every machine in the lab efficiently and create almost anything.
“3D printing offers a solution locally to potentially divert exorbitant import costs (for example) in order to prototype ideas and develop new functional products. People across the world are manufacturing their own bicycle frames, prosthetic limbs, and musical instruments all using 3D printing technology.
“The scope for local innovation is massive as the materials used are expanding from plastics to woods and even conducive filaments,” he said.
He says that 3D printing technology can save massive amounts of money in design and production, especially considering the affordability of making prototypes.
Students experimenting with the boundaries of creativity can utilize 3D technology to expand their understanding of the prototypes they wish to fabricate.
Mechanical engineering students at NUST are currently manufacturing gears at the FABlab centre, with some entrepreneurs making toys and drone parts among other creations.
“Our technology makes it cheaper if one wants to manufacture a single remote control unit for an air conditioner compared to, say in South Africa, where they may need between N$5,000 and N$6, 000,” Weider said.
“Here at FABlab, one would be able to make it [the remote control unit] themselves. We do not make things for people at our facilities, but assist them in their endeavours by creating an enabling environment for them. That same remote control unit made here could cost up to N$600, so there is a very big difference.
“In Namibia, unfortunately people are not adopting new technology as quickly as it is expanding. Since the first 3D printer in the country arrived at FABlab, we have discovered some underground-garage-based technologists, a maker group as well as a 3D printing company opening at the coast. So, things are blooming, but slowly.
“You would be able to start making models, which we are excited to see, with NUST architecture students currently doing so at the FABlab.
“As for giant scale, you would need a much larger printing bed to get to the level that China occupies in terms of capacity. On the other hand though, you could make a house using the Shopbot at FABlab such as they did in Barcelona, [as a demonstration] making 3D FABhouse at the International Academic Advisory Council (IAAC),” he said.
Wiedow says FABlab is a small-scale laboratory equipped with all the tools necessary to make things that one wanted, needed or that would provide an entrepreneurial venture with a tangible product.
He says the establishment of a lab in Windhoek was the start of Namibia’s very own movement as part of the continents ‘Afrimakers’, looking at solving problems on the continent such as clean water, healthcare and energy and providing African solutions, to solve local challenges.
“With Intellectual Property concerns, everyone has a choice at FABlab despite us wanting more people to be open-sourced and share ideas as it adds communication to global networking and problem solving. If they do not want to, one also has a choice to sign non-disclosure agreements and get to keep the rights to the technology they would have invented.”


text:
Bornxraised linked up with YG for a new capsule collection called "Born X Krazy," and the fashion label just released its Tokyo tour video. The rapper and crew hit the city's party scene in a fun, NSFW visual. The collection is inspired by YG's recently-surfaced sophomore album Still Brazy, and will be avialble online on June 24. In addition, there will be a Still Brazy art installation at 441 N. Fairfax in celebration of the collab. Watch the video above.
Receive the latest in music and culture in
You've successfully signed up for our newsletter
There was a problem with the sign up. Please contact email@example.com


text:
Amazon, Apple, Disney bid for NFL Sunday ticket rights, report
The NFL’s Sunday Ticket deal with DirecTV is in effect after the 2022 season, and the league is widely expected to move the package to a new service. Although DirecTV isn’t among the finalists in the package, three well-known streaming services have a legitimate shot at adding Sunday Ticket.
According CNBC’s Alex Sherman, three finalists for the deal are Amazon, Apple and Disney. All three services have submitted offers and have spoken with the NFL as the league makes its decision.
Sherman reports that the NFL wants at least $2 billion in the deal, which includes an NFL media stake as part of the package. In the current deal, DirecTV has paid $1.5 billion, and while the NFL would like to hit $3 billion, it’s unlikely to hit that number from any of the finalists.
Scroll to continue
In April, it was reported that Apple was the favorite to land Sunday Ticket, as they are the only one of the three finalists without an NFL relationship at the moment. Apple has invested heavily in sports this year, streaming Friday night baseball for MLB and agreeing to a 10-year contract to own the rights to all MLS games.
A sticking point in the negotiations could be that Apple wants worldwide rights to Sunday Ticket while the NFL may decide to sell them separately, Sherman reports.
More NFL coverage:


text:
After a collaboration started 3 years ago Ticinoplast and Plastchim-T are glad to release this first video that shows the impressive potentiality of this new product BOPE PEoneer® . The video is mainly filming the production process describing the main features of the film. The product is 100% recyclable and designed for mono material PE structure. BOPE shows high mechanical properties and toughness with excellent sealing integrity. It’s a perfect solution to preserve food integrity in packaging reducing waste. The BOPE PEoneer® family includes 3 main product groups: LLDPE films, HDPE films and blends of LLDPE & HDPE films.
“BOPE is a breakthrough technology in flexible packaging. The joint efforts of the participants in the BOPE development will lead to recyclable flexible packaging solutions which has now become an essential request by the market” as said by our MG Paolo Rossi.
Aksakovo, Bulgaria, 18TH March 2021 – The issue of recycling and sustainability has created a major shift from multi-material and multilayer films, where they are currently non-recyclable, to mono-material films. This has created a unique set of opportunities for the packaging film sector. The collaboration between Plastchim-T and Ticinoplast has produced a ground breaking innovation – the BOPE mono-material film (part of the PEoneer® BOPE family), tailored to reduce the carbon footprint. Both companies are committed to deliver and develop the perfect blend of products and technologies that provide better performance, total product protection and recyclability. Plastchim-T’s investment in the first in the world BOPE/BOPP hybrid line from Brückner Maschinenbau, opens new down-gauging possibilities to develop our sustainable solutions even further.
“Using the PEoneer® BOPE innovation will help with the creation of more efficient and thought-through packaging products that will address the many challenges on an environmental and economic level.” – said Mr. Faik owner of Plastchim-T.
Please find the video here:


text:
Ambassador of the Month
Recently added item(s)
You have no items in your shopping cart.
Visit our social media pages to enter!
For official rules, click here.
Sign Up for the latest News & E-Alerts from Team Anarchy


text:
Coping with Rising Costs of Living
Feb 16, 2022 ● 5 min
Over the last few weeks the UK has been subject to announcements of rising costs of everyday living. The changes in these payments will affect the vast majority of consumers, but lowest paid households are set to be hit hardest. They will see a massive increase of their income going towards utility bills compared to middle-income households.
This is bound to be a stressful time for those who are already struggling financially, especially those already in debt – so, there’s never been a better time to get debt assistance than now.
What’s Going On?
Rise in utility bills
The rising costs of energy are coming off the back of months of cold weather across Europe and hot weather in Asia, as well as a large spike in consumption as industries emerge from the pandemic. As a result, all countries are hiking up prices and the UK’s energy regulator Ofgem announced that the cap that energy providers can charge will be raised by 54%.
This will be effective from April 1st 2022 and it is expected that there will be a second new price cap later this year in October – on average UK households are expected to see a rise of around £700 annually.
Rise in interest rates
The Bank of England has announced a rise of 0.25% for interest rates in the UK, meaning an increase in the cost for consumers borrowing money.
If you pay a fixed rate for certain loans, such as mortgages, you will not feel the impact of this until the fixed period is over – after this, you will see an increase in any payments that include interest.
This is a temporary rise, as the Bank of England keeps inflation rates under control. But, even though these rates are expected to drop again this will still have a massive impact on consumers and many people will be less well off from these measures.**
What can you do?
Whilst the sting of price hikes may not be felt for another few months, there is help being announced for those who will be hit hard by increases. Government support such as council tax rebates and one-off grants are a couple of the solutions being discussed for those who are eligible – but even with lifelines like these, households will struggle to break even and most people will be worse off financially.
If these are not the only costs you are concerned about at the moment, it may be a good idea to reach out for support to see whether you can get further help with your finances.
Since the changes are impacting all providers in the UK, shopping around for cheaper alternatives at the moment will not be advisable, as there simply aren’t many better options. However, creating a budget may help you feel more in control of your finances and debts before the changes come into effect.
Changes in everyone’s cost of living is bound to induce stress, but this is likely to have even more of an impact on those already struggling. Whilst the rise of the cost of living is inevitable, it doesn’t have to mean that you have to plunge further into debt.
By speaking with one of our expert advisors at Money Advice, together we can look into ways you can reduce debt that you are already dealing with. Getting in control of your finances now may help alleviate some of the pressure as living cost increases come into play later in the year.
Don’t hesitate – get in touch with us for debt help today.
*House of Commons – Rising Cost of Living in the UK
**Bank of England – Why Have Interest Rates Gone Up?


text:
Rochdale town centre has been undergoing extensive redevelopment in recent years and the fruits are now beginning to be seen.
Number One Riverside has been open for a year and even sceptics, including some working in the building, are being won over to the advantages of the building.
Just across the river, the new transport interchange is in operation and a drastic improvement on the old bus station.
Assessment work is currently being carried out prior to the start of demolishing the 'black box' and the old bus station to create what is intended to become the site of a new leisure and retail development in the heart of town.
Work on a new £2.5million pound entrance to the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre on Baillie Street will commence once the existing overhead walkways from the black box/old bus station have been removed.
The Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre has new owners and the Council has taken back control of the market - a public consultation is under way to decide its future.
Marks and Spencer has confounded rumours of their exit from the town by starting work on refurbishing their Yorkshire Street store.
Metrolink reached the train station late last year and in spring this year the extension to the town centre will open.
The design for the opening of the River Roch in the town centre, the 'Rochdale Riviera', has been announced and includes glass viewing platforms to allow visitors to see the exposed medieval bridge in more detail as well as extensive greenery around the site.
The second stage bid for Heritage Lottery money to re-open the river will be submitted in February with the council expecting the results in the summer.
Whilst there are still issues with town centre business rates making trading in town difficult for many businesses and on-line shopping changing the public's buying habits, Rochdale is no different to many other towns in struggling to reinvent its 'High Street'. However, there can be no doubting the work that has gone on, and will continue to go on, to improve the town centre.
To encourage people to visit the town centre, and see for themselves the difference, Rochdale Online has teamed up with Rochdale Town Centre Management and are offering £200 to spend in the town centre to the reader who, in the opinion of Town Centre Manager Debbie Hernon, emails the best advert for the town centre in less than 200 words (one for each pound!), accompanied by a photo taken by you in the town centre (the photo is not being judged, just your words).
The winner must agree to their name and 'advert' being published and being accompanied on their town centre shopping trip to spend the prize by a Rochdale Online reporter who will write an article about your trip and take photos to be published on Rochdale Online.
Deadline for entries is 31 January.
Please email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Competition terms and conditions
The prize money must be spent in one day in Rochdale town centre. The winner will be accompanied by a Rochdale Online reporter who will pay for goods on behalf of the winner up to the value of £200.
The winner agrees to their 'advert' and a report and photos of their shopping trip being published on Rochdale Online.
One entry per person - anyone sending multiple entries will automatically be disqualified.
Employees/Agents of Rochdale Online Ltd and Rochdale Town Centre Management or associates are not eligible.
Only fully completed entries with bona fide information will be accepted.
A valid email address is required as the winners will be notified by email within seven days of the closing date. Any winner found to have used an invalid email address will be disqualified.
The winner will be selected from all correct entries by Debbie Hernon of Rochdale Town Centre Management.
If you are selected to be the winner but decide not to accept the prize or you break these rules, we may select another winner.
There is no alternative to the prize.
The Promoter's decision is final and legally binding on all entrants. No correspondence will be entered into. Entries that do not comply in full with these entry rules and conditions may be disqualified.
Submitting an entry signifies your acceptance of the competition rules.
Article from Rochdale Online http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/128/advertorials/84974/competition-win-200-to-spend-in-rochdale-town-centre
27 Jan 2014


text:
SHAREHOLDER ALERT: The Gross Law Firm Notifies Shareholders of Provention Bio, Inc. of a Class Action Lawsuit and a Lead Plaintiff Deadline of July 20, 2021
Billionaire George Soros is taking on these 3 “Strong Buy” shares
Some investors achieve legendary status and rise well above their competitors through a combination of luck and success. Perhaps no one exemplifies this more than George Soros, the Holocaust survivor who graduated from the London School of Economics after the war and went into banking to make a name for himself. He was incredibly successful. The hedge fund he founded, Soros Fund Management, achieved an average annual return of 33% from 1970 to 2020, making it the most successful hedge fund in history. Soros’ greatest single hit was on September 16, 1992 when he “broke the Bank of England”. He had taken a short position in sterling that was raised to $ 10 billion, and when the pound fell in response to political change, he personally made $ 1 billion in a single day. Soros wasn’t always right about his financial calls, but he’s more right than wrong. He is also known for his bon mots when it comes to talking about trading. “It is not about whether you are right or wrong,” Soros was quoted as saying, “it is about how much money you make when you are right and how much you lose when you are wrong.” With this in mind, we decided to look at the recent activities of Soros Fund Management as inspiration. With three stocks that the fund added to TipRanks’ database in the first quarter, we noticed that the analyst community was also on board, as each stock had a consensus rating of “strong buy”. Farfetch, Ltd. (FTCH) We’re starting out with an online retail inventory, Farfetch, a company that specializes in selling luxury goods and brands. Farfetch is a truly international company with headquarters in Portugal, headquarters in London and offices in New York and LA, Tokyo and Shanghai, and Brazil. Like many tech-centric companies, Farfetch has faced a loss – but in the first quarter of this year the company made an abrupt turnaround toward profitability. The earnings report for the first quarter of 21 showed after-tax income of $ 516.7 million compared to a quarterly loss of $ 79.2 million a year earlier. The company announced that these gross earnings included a one-time non-cash benefit of $ 660 million “resulting from the lower impact of share price on fair value items and revaluations.” Total revenue from operating activities was $ 485 million, up 46% year-on-year and higher than analysts’ forecast of $ 457 million. A key metric, the gross value of orders processed through the company’s platform, increased 49% year over year to $ 915.6 million. Farfetch’s success relies on a strong user base. The company has more than 3 million active customers and operates in 190 countries. Sellers on the platform have made available over 1,300 luxury brands. Even after falling in value in the first half of 2021, the stock is still up an impressive 234% over the past 12 months. One of the fans of FTCH is Soros. In its most recent release, Soros announced that its fund had purchased 125,000 shares of FTCH, a stake that is now valued at more than $ 5.5 million. Stephen Ju, 5-star analyst at Credit Suisse, rates FTCH with outperformance (ie buy) and a price target of USD 78. Investors can pocket a profit of ~ 88% if the analyst’s thesis prevails. (To see Ju’s track record, click here.) “We see the company positively if it maintains Adjusted EBITDA guidance as Farfetch will reinvest the higher revenue contributions to customer acquisition – which supports long-term adoption rates. We are modeling ~ 700,000 new customers for 2021, ~ 600,000 for 2022 and from 2023 our expectations are also unchanged at ~ 1.2 to 1.5 million, ”said Ju. The analyst summarized: “Our investment theses remain: 1) the large addressable market of $ 300 billion remains fragmented and penetrated, 2) the relative protection from competition from online, larger-cap competitors, 3) the risk increasing adoption of luxury goods in APAC and emerging markets. ” Most analysts support Ju’s confident stance on the online fashion company as TipRanks Analytics presents FTCH as a strong buy. Based on 8 analysts who were surveyed in the last 3 months, 6 rated the share as a buy and 2 as a hold. The 12-month average price target is $ 60.63, an increase of ~ 37% from current levels. (See FTCH stock analysis on TipRanks) Coursera (COUR) The next stock we’ll look at, Coursera, is a MOOC company – a massive online open quote provider. This niche takes advantage of the size and reach of the internet to bring a wide range of top quality university courses to the masses. Coursera is a leader in this field and since its inception in 2012 has offered more than 4,000 courses from over 200 universities in more than 30 degrees and at a lower cost than individual tuition. Through Coursera, students can take courses at world-class schools such as Imperial College London, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the University of Michigan and Johns Hopkins. The company is proud to have over 77 million students using its services. While the company is 9 years old, it is new to the public markets; Coursera held its IPO at the end of March this year. 15.73 million shares were made available on the NYSE at an opening price of $ 33. This was the high end of the initial price range, which was set between $ 30 and $ 33. In total, the initial public offering raised $ 519 million before expenses. At the beginning of May, Coursera published its first quarterly report since going public. The report showed total revenue of $ 88.4 million, up 64% over the previous year. The company’s gross income was $ 49.5 million, 71% higher than the prior-year quarter. George Soros saw an opportunity in that IPO and his fund added 105,000 shares in the company. This new position is valued at ~ $ 4 million at current stock prices. Among the cops is 5-star analyst Ryan MacDonald of Needham, who makes a clear, bullish case for Coursera stock. “With the growing role of automation, the growing skill gap and the shift to online learning, we believe Coursera’s comprehensive platform will help us share a large TAM that ranges in size from $ 47 billion to $ 50.6 billion. Dollar lies. While the COVID-driven tailwind to registered student growth in FY 20 leads to a difficult consumer segment in FY 21, we believe Coursera’s efficient GTM movement and shift to higher-end corporate and degree offerings will result in sustained growth of over 25%. and a gross margin, ”MacDonald noted. To that end, MacDonald rates COUR stock for a buy and its target price of $ 56 shows confidence in an uptrend of 47% over the next 12 months. (To see MacDonald’s track record, click here.) In his short time on the stock exchange, COUR has received 14 analyst ratings with a breakdown of 12 buys into 2 holds to aid the consensus rating for strong buys. The shares trade for $ 38 and their average target price of $ 54.67 implies an uptrend of 44% for a year. (See COUR stock analysis on TipRanks.) Sotera Health (SHC) Last on our list of new George Soros positions is Sotera Health, a holding company whose subsidiaries provide a range of healthcare consulting, laboratory testing and sterilization services. Sotera’s businesses are aimed at more than 5,800 healthcare customers in over 50 countries. The company has 13 laboratories that can perform more than 800 tests and 50 sterilization facilities. Sotera customers include 75 of the 100 largest medical device manufacturers and 8 of the 10 largest pharmaceutical companies. SHC shares went public on November 24th last year, in an IPO that sold 53.6 million shares and raised $ 1.2 billion. The capital raised was used to repay existing debts. The company has been working diligently to reduce debt, and in its first quarter 21 report stated that it had total debt of $ 1.87 billion and available cash of $ 108 million. Net sales for the first quarter were $ 212 million, up 13% year over year. Net income saw a strong profit that went from a loss of 1 cent per share a year ago to earnings per share of 4 cents. In the first quarter, Soros took a new position in Sotera and bought 179,274 shares of the stock. At current share prices, this stake is valued at over USD 4.3 million. Tycho Peterson, 5-star analyst at JPMorgan, likes SHC and rates the stock as overweight (i.e. buy). Its price target of USD 35 indicates an upward movement of 45% from the current trading level. (To see Peterson’s track record, click here.) Peterson confirms his stance: “First quarter results were generally strong and while forecasts remain unchanged, this should provide a way up for the 2021 balance as we continue to be fans of the company’s diversified operating platform, sticky multi-year contracts, efficient pricing strategy, and high level of oversight over regulators, all of which support the broad competitive gap, and FCF to aid in de-leveraging… “Overall, the road was up on Sotera -Shares agree; The stock recently made 8 positive ratings, which support the consensus rating of Strong Buy analysts. The shares are trading for $ 24.06 and their average price target of $ 31.75 implies a year-long upward movement of ~ 32%. (See SHC stock analysis on TipRanks.) To find great ideas for trading stocks at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, ‘a newly launched tool that brings together all of TipRanks’ stock insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the presented analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important that you do your own analysis before making any investment.


text:
The UNM Bookstores launches its 2023 Cyber Sale Nov. 23-26. Although both bookstore locations will be physically closed for Thanksgiving Break, the website, bookstore.unm.edu, remains open and offers an exciting Cyber Sale discount to online shoppers.
The 2023 Cyber Sale will offer 30% all Lobowear and Spirit Merchandise plus free ground shipping on orders over $100. Now is the perfect time to kick off the holiday season and save big on the newest Lobo styles and gear!
Shop online Nov. 23-26 at bookstore.unm.edu and automatically receive 30% off all Lobowear and Spirit Merchandise and free shipping on orders over $100 before tax and after discount. Happy shopping!
For more exclusions, information, store hours and locations, please visit our website at bookstore.unm.edu.


text:
The Internet replaces the pleasures that the virus has taken away from us, like a meeting in a cafe or a printed press. Poles transfer their activities to the network.Millions of viewers watch movies, favourite series or listen to music. The growth of people interested in this form of entertainment is so great that streaming service providers are forced to reduce the quality of picture and sound, because internet connections are loaded as never before. Entertainment based on online streaming breaks popularity records just right after computer games.
When a coronavirus pandemic cuts people off from outside entertainment, many people use their free time to play computer games. Not only the gaming industry, however, has seen growth, but the entire spectrum of services that have moved online or been offered online since the beginning.
People in Poland are also increasingly convinced to perform banking operations via the Internet. Opening a bank account in a Polish bank or servicing current payments in the era of the coronavirus pandemic are solutions that an increasing number of users are opting for. This is clearly supported by ease, convenience and safety of the operations.


text:
Chilli futures prices are projected to continue the positive trend on lower level buying. However, overall fundamentals are still weak due to poor export demand along with rising arrivals, which might weigh on prices in near term.
According to trade sources, export demand from neighboring countries is also remaining poor which might have negative impact on prices
As per data released by Spices board, during Apr-Dec, 2011 export of chilli was around 1,53,500 tones down by 19 % Y/Y
Domestic bulk buyers are also staying away from market in anticipation of further fall in prices
Chilli production estimates for this season is estimated around 12.5-13 lakh tonnes v/s 10.5- 11 lakh tones last year
Chilli NCDEX Feb-12 support: 5113 5167 resistance: 5284 5337 Trading Range 5160 – 5330


text:
Friday, October 7, 2016
Mouser Shows Off 3D Printed Car With Former Mythbuster's Star
Dallas- and Fort Worth-based electronics distributor Mouser is showing off a giant, 3D printed automobile, as part of its celebrity-driven video series featuring former Mythbuster's star Grant Imahara. Acccording to Mouser, they have debuted a video showing off a 3D-printed autonomous vehicle, created as part of its "Empowering Innovation Together" program. The car was developed with celebrity engineer Grant Imahara, along with its partner Local Motors. Mouser hired on Imahara in 2014 for a series of video segments, after Imahara left the popular Discovery Channel show with his other co-hosts. Imahara had been a longtime customer of Mouser before his rise into celebrity with Mythbusters. The Mouser series has a Mythbusters-like feel to its presentation, although it incorporates a significant amount of product placement and use of products carried by Mouser, in a short, YouTube friendly format.


text:
As more consumers and companies make the transition from conventional storage devices to the Cloud, Seagate Technology has had a difficult time trying to make a profit. The rapid changes in the storage market have seem to have caught the company off guard. Last July, the company announced it would be cutting 6,500 jobs over the next two years. Just last month, the company said it would be replacing its CEO and cutting 600 jobs.
Chief Operating Officer Dave Mosley will transition to the CEO role, while current CEO, Steve Luczo, will become executive chairman beginning in October. Until recently, the company has remained mum regarding the job losses. However, on August the 3rd of 2017, California received two WARN notifications from Seagate US LLC.
According to the notifications, Seagate will be permanently laying off 95 workers in the state of California. These workers are expected to lose their jobs on September 25, 2017. 44 of the layoffs will impact 44 Cupertino workers. The remaining 51 layoffs will target the company’s Fremont operations. While the company is incorporated in Dublin, Ireland, its operational headquarters is located in Cupertino, California.
Seagate Technology reported 4th quarter and year end 2017 financial results on July 25, 2017. The company reported revenue of roughly $2.41 billion for the last quarter. During the same quarter last year, the company generated $2.65 billion in revenue.


text:
With all the drama, and of course love, that Married at First Sight (MAFS) showcased each Sunday to Wednesday night, fans turned to social media to engage with the show’s talent and throw in their two cents on the events that took place.
There are many ladders to look to when assessing the relative successes of teams in the 2018 footy season.
With digital now a critical channel for brands, it’s no surprise that they’re actively looking to better understand and measure returns in the space. They’re also actively looking to social media and sponsorships as a way to amplify their digital returns.
This year’s Emirates Melbourne Cup well and truly lived up to its reputation as one of the biggest events on the Australian sporting calendar. Nielsen’s Social TV Ratings revealed that our nation’s most prestigious horse race was the biggest social episode on TV this year.
The market for dairy products is highly saturated, and driving new growth can prove challenging. However, Nielsen research shows that consumers who purchase cheese on a weekly basis have a very distinct profile and appealing to this group of cheese lovers could uncover new growth opportunities.
Global sports are thriving, but media consumption is changing before our eyes. And as the media world grapples with these issues, so too must the sports industry. But these challenges aren’t the only obstacles facing the sports realm.
Nielsen Digital Ratings (Monthly) data revealed 11.2 million Australians visited online content related to the sports category via any device during the month of March 2017, up 8% compared to February 2017.
The use of digital channels is gaining traction in the shopping realm for New Zealand consumers. This Christmas it's expected that a record 1.1 million people will be purchasing festive season items via the internet.
It’s Australia’s most famous Tuesday, Melbourne Cup Day. And with 4 in 10 Australians interested in watching the famous race, it’s one of the most valuable sporting sponsorships in the nation too.
Long lauded as the backbone of New Zealand's economy, farmers and growers work hard to 'get the job done'. Today the mood of rural consumers is looking up.


text:
First Peruvian blueberries exported to Canada
By By Carol NeshevichFood In Canada blueberries Canada oppenheimer group
After Canada officially opened its doors to Peruvian blueberries earlier in September, Camposol is first company from Peru to ship blueberries to Canada
By Carol Neshevich
Peruvian grower-exporter Camposol has become the first company from Peru to ship blueberries to Canada. This follows the announcement earlier in September that Canada had officially opened its doors to Peruvian blueberry imports.
Lima, Peru-based Camposol is working with Vancouver-based Oppy (The Oppenheimer Group) as a marketing partner in this venture. According to Javier Morales, Camposol’s general manager for fruits and vegetables, both companies are excited about the opportunity this represents, not only for blueberry lovers in Canada, but also for Peru and its people.
“The future for blueberries in Peru is very promising,” says Morales. “We anticipate that by 2018, 3,000 acres will be in production. Camposol is prepared for this great challenge, which means an increase in job opportunities and a better quality of life for as many as 10,000 Peruvian people.”
The first berries were dispatched Sept. 22, and are now available to consumers in Western Canada.
“As one of Canada’s oldest companies, we appreciate the significance of historic moments like this one can have on growers, retailers, and families throughout the supply chain,” says John Anderson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of The Oppenheimer Group. “We are glad our partner Camposol was able to serve the market so readily with high-quality berries, and are looking forward to the successful future of this program.”
Print this page


text:
“It is very close to what you saw two years ago at Frankfurt,” Porsche CEO Oliver Blume says of the forthcoming production version of 2015’s stunning Mission E Concept.
“It will be exciting but a bit different from the concept,” Blume told CAR Magazine at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
That’s for beholders to gauge once the production version of the Mission E is pictured in 2019, when the model arrives exclusively with electric powertrains. Oliver Blume did, however, make clearer commitments relative to the Mission E that will delight Porschephiles and — perhaps — convert Tesla fans.
Right from launch, the Porsche Mission E — likely a 2020 model year vehicle — will be marketed with a 350 kW charge rate that “will be enough for a 400-kilometer range on an 80 percent charge,” Blume says. That’s 250 miles of range from a 15-minute charge. All of this in a car that Porsche claims accelerates from rest to 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds and tops 155 mph, a car Porsche couldn’t have developed “so quickly without the 919” — the automaker’s Le Mans-winning hybrid endurance racer.
Porsche’s CEO says the company is in the final engineering phases for the Mission E, a car the company sees as filling the void in between the Panamera and 911. At least to start, the production Mission E — which Porsche calls a “fascinating sports car” — will be positioned alongside its sports car and sedan bookends. It will, says Porsche, be “priced like entry-level Panamera.”
Including delivery, Porsche USA’s entry-level Panamera starts at $86,050. The basic Porsche 911 Carrera is a $92,150 car.Porsche says the Mission E’s fully charged range will be 300 miles, but the company is considering different power outputs — expect S and GTS models, for example — which will presumably alter the range. The dual-motor format promises all-wheel drive. Different bodystyles are also under consideration.
Presently, the least costly Tesla Model S is the $69,500 rear-wheel drive 75 with 249 miles of range and a 4.3-second 0-60 time. Tesla also markets the $74,500 75D (with slightly more range and all-wheel drive), the $94,000 100D (335-mile range, 0-60 in 4.1), and the $135,000 P100D, which drops range by 20 miles but cuts the 0-60 time to a claimed 2.5 seconds.
At launch, however, faithfulness to 2015’s concept could end up as just as strong a selling point as the Porsche badge or Model S-baiting acceleration figures. Few and far between are cars with enough drama to match the Mission E’s eye-catching design.
Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Autofocus.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars and Instagram.