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These guys are building a pyramid of over 15,000 “Jerry Maguire” VHS tapes in the desert
We can imagine coming across many things in the desert: bones, strange plants, an animal or two. But a pyramid of VHS tapes? Um, no. Never that. Nevertheless, dreams do come true and the comedy video collective, Everything is Terrible! are not only building a pyramid of 15,00 video tapes, they are making those tapes all Jerry Maguire. You know, the famous rom-com starring Tom Cruz.
The group has been collecting copies, most of which were donated, of Jerry Maguire for eight years and hope to build their pyramid in the California desert. The Jerry Maguire Video Store which was presented in January at iam8bit Gallery and presented a re-creation of the video stores that we all remember from the 1990s. The kick was that the store was stuffed full of Jerry’s, instead of Dude Where’s My Car or the top shelf tier of pornos, as they told Vice.
Co-creator, Dimitri Simakis was asked by Vice about the importance of the specific movie. He said:
Absolutely nothing, and I think that’s the point. Jerry Maguire is a movie version of a piece of white paper, and yet every thrift shop, every flea market, and every fledgling video store has a disturbing amount of Jerry Maguire tapes. They’re like these perfectly ripe cherry tomatoes that you see from a mile away, and you can’t but notice a pattern.
It’s not going to stop with the pyramid either. The collective is presenting this project as a performance piece. In the video below, viewers can see a figure, dressed in Jerry Maguire tapes, marching over — you guessed it — more Jerry Maguire tapes. Passing by the Church of Scientology, the Hollywood Star, and finally making it to the gallery space where the exhibition was held, the video presents a surreal representation of what the absurd project aims to achieve. It’s creepy and hypnotic, all at the same time.
The collective has a GoFundMe Page for the pyramid where funding will go towards design, land, contraction materials, and of course, more VHS tapes.
When asked about their dreams for the future of the Jerry Maguire pyramid, Simakis said, “we dream of seeing this on display at a fancy museum, because why wouldn’t we? One thing we know for sure is that we will never, ever do something like this again. Not to say we won’t continue on this path of doing really dumb stuff, but the buying and shipping of Jerrys has cost us thousands of dollars, and we want to give the project the grand finale it deserves.”
No word yet on if Cruise will be involved in any way, but one can hope.


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OLPC Requests Monetary Donations to Buy Laptops
In a major strategy shift, the Cambridge, Mass. foundation that plans to provide laptop computers to poor children around the globe is asking wealthy individuals and corporations to help pick up the tab by purchasing hundreds or thousands of the machines.
The bid for support from philanthropists comes as the nonprofit One Laptop Per Child Foundation faces manufacturing delays and competing low-cost laptops from commercial vendors that have caused some analysts to question whether the project is in crisis. “I think they’re at a very critical moment,” said Josh Bernoff, an analyst with Forrester Research in Cambridge.
The new program is the foundation’s latest effort to expand the sales of its low-cost machine, called the XO laptop. The machine is intended to sell for $100, once it goes into mass production; for now, it’s priced at $200. The foundation originally expected governments in developing countries to buy millions of the computers for distribution to schoolchildren. But foundation chairman Nicholas P. Negroponte ’66 has acknowledged that cooperation from governments has been slower than he’d expected.
So in September, the foundation for the first time offered to sell XO machines to individual users, on the condition that the buyer pay $399 for two laptops. The buyer gets one, while the other is donated to a child in a developing country.
Now the foundation has begun a program called “Givemany,” for donors willing to pay for hundreds or thousands of XO machines. It’s a three-tiered program. A donor who buys 100 to 999 machines will pay $299 apiece, and choose the institution that will get these machines. But $99 of the price will be used to pay for more laptops, to be distributed by the foundation. Thus, someone who buys 100 machines will also fund the distribution of 50 more laptops.
Donors can also choose to buy 1,000 to 9,999 machines at $249 each, or 10,000 or more computers at $200.
The foundation is still negotiating government purchases of the laptops, and says it’s nearing deals with several countries — “three or four, and more will follow,” said Robert Fadel, the foundation’s director of finance and operations.
But because the foundation has little cash of its own, it needs a lot of paying customers to cover manufacturing costs. “They’ve basically set it up so they have to sell them by the thousands or the millions to these governments,” said Bernoff. “Their whole model is based on their selling them in massive quantities.” Bernoff suggested that the Givemany program may be needed to boost sales to a level that makes the project economically viable.
“This is symptomatic of the fact that the business proposition wasn’t very clearly thought out initially,” said Roger Kay, a computer industry analyst and the president of Endpoint Technologies Corp. in Wayland. “The price point was a little higher than they said, and some of the governments who pledged money, it turned out it wasn’t really pledged.”
Kay said the foundation lacks well-developed distribution channels to deliver the laptops. He also warned that developing countries are often rife with government corruption, and that the foundation has no way of ensuring its laptops will end up in the hands of needy children.
Meanwhile, the foundation has pushed back the date when full production of the XO laptop will begin. Quanta Computer of Taiwan was supposed to start making the machines this month, but the manufacturing launch has now been moved into November.
At the same time, another Taiwanese computer company called Asustek has just unveiled its own entry into the ultracheap laptop market. The Eee PC will cost as little as $299. It runs the free Linux operating system, like the XO laptop. But while the XO laptop is intended only for the poor, the Asustek machine is a commercial product, for sale to consumers worldwide. Besides, the Eee PC is capable of running Microsoft Corp.’s popular Windows operating system, something the XO can’t do.
Last week, an Asustek executive said his company had already won an order for a million of the machines from a country he declined to identify.

domain: news


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The Global Market Development Center’s (GMDC) latest research report identified a top opportunity for transformation in the retail industry: supporting consumers’ health and wellness.
Williams-Sonoma’s CEO Laura Alber was honored as Woman of the Year at the World Retail Awards, presented at the 12th annual World Retail Congress in Madrid.
Kohl’s, the HOMEWORLD BUSINESS® Retailer of the Year for 2018, quickened a multi-dimensional multi-year turnaround program during the fourth quarter, surprising observers, vendors and other retailers with earnings advances and comparable sales gains that made it a standout in retail.
Europe-based property management company Unibail-Rodamco has entered into an agreement to acquire U.S. mall operator Westfield. The deal, according to a Reuters report, is valued at $16 billion.
They might not admit it now, but there were plenty of people in retailing rooting for Ron Johnson after he announced JC Penney’s plan to attract new customers with exclusive brands and experiences that wouldn’t need coupons and one-day sales as the primary bait.
The spring 2017 New York Tabletop Market’s Spring 2017 Breakfast Seminar will feature a program titled “E-tail vs. Retail: Tales of How to Maximize Sales in Tabletop.”
Hackers have more opportunities than ever to infiltrate retailer networks, according to SecurityScorecard.


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Burger King has released an ad calling out bystanders who don't intervene when they see others being bullied.
The ad opens with students explaining why it's difficult to stand up to bullies.
"It's been hard for me to stand up for other people because I feel like I'm already a target," one student said.
"It's just easier to do nothing," said another.
The ad claims 30 percent of students worldwide are bullied each year, before revealing a social experiment: Burger King had actors bully a high school junior in front of other customers.
They also had a staff member punch a Whopper Jr to see which 'junior' people cared about more.
While 95 percent of customers complained about the flattened burger, only 12 percent stood up for the student being bullied.
"To feel defenceless, that's one of the worst things in the world," one customer said.
"I've been that kid so if I see it, I'm going to do something about it."


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Spend a 'fiver' and support your local shopsPublished Monday 10 February 2020
Hot on the heels of an inaugural campaign in October 2019, a host of local independent shops and businesses across Harborough District are taking part in their second Fiver Fest.
The new campaign will run from Saturday 15 February to 29 February 2020 with Harborough Market, Harbs Collective and Taste Harborough members coming together with a host of independent businesses, cafes, shops, and market stalls, to showcase special £5 offers available in store.
The ‘Fiver Fest’ idea sprang out of the national Totally Locally campaign – which promotes ways to make towns more vibrant and resilient – as a way to promote the huge impact that spending just £5 extra per week in local independent businesses can have across the UK’s High Streets.
Cllr Phil King, leader of Harborough District Council, said: "The Totally Locally campaign have estimated that If every adult in Harborough spent just £5 extra per week in their local independent shops and businesses, it would bring an estimated £17.8 million per year extra into the local economy. The Fiver Fest campaign is a great opportunity for people to visit places in the District that they may not have seen before and to boost our local economy at the same time.”
Jarrod Burke, Chairman of Harbs Collective and local business owner, said: “A simple campaign like this highlights what great value products and services can be found in our local Independent businesses and shops. At a time when we all face fierce competition from online sales, it is important to support our high streets, so we hope the campaign encourages shoppers to visit their local town centres.”
Find out more about Fiver Fest at www.totallylocally.org/stuff/fiver-fest
- More articles in the news archive


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Online pre-loved luxury goods marketplace Vestiaire Collective has unveiled a new movement to champion sustainable fashion.
Launching a global campaign, titled "Think first, buy second", the company will be removing brands such as H&M, Zara, Uniqlo, Mango, Gap from its platform. The movement aims to bring to light the pressing issues of textile waste and fashion overconsumption.
According to Vestiaire Collective, the year 2023 marks the second year of its Fast Fashion Ban which brings its list of banned brands to 63. This year’s campaign also invites users to be a part of the movement in light of the upcoming Black Friday sale.
The campaign is leveraging on AI technology, will include a video and visuals of piles of clothes located in some of the most recognisable locations such as Marina Bay Sands, Times Square, or The Eiffel Tour to replicate what textile waste and landfills would look like in consumers' own countries.
The company also posted a video on its social media page, panning to show the view of New York City, with the logo of different fast fashion brands appearing on the billboards as pieces of clothing fall from the sky to fill up the streets.
The campaign will also encourage social media users to take the pledge in an effort to turn Black Friday into a Better Friday. Participants can choose between pledging to only buy second-hand this Better Friday, until the end of the year, in 2024 or to stick to second-hand forever.
Vestiaire Collective also gathered key industry experts to help build a framework defining fast fashion based on the five criteria fueling overproduction and overconsumption:
1. Low price point: estimated average price point, also considering the repairability component
2. Intense renewal rate: the estimated number of collections or number of new items drops per year
3. Wide product range size: the number of items available at a given moment
4. Speed to market: the production cycle time, from designing phase to finished goods in store
5. Strong promotion intensity: the frequency and intensity of sale promotions
According to the company, the fashion industry produces 100 billion garments every year. As people consume more and wear less of such clothing, 92 million tons of textile waste gets discarded on a yearly basis. It also noted that banning fast fashion only works if consumers shop more consciously, and the company encourages buyers to think critically about their purchasing habits and the true impact of their choices.
As such, Vestiaire Collective created an educational journey for buyers and sellers who will see informational messages at every step of their shopping or listing experience. They will also receive practical alternatives for their existing fast fashion items via an online guide with resources for donation strategies and sustainability insights.
Vestiaire Collective has always stood strong in its belief to champion sustainability through second-hand fashion. Last year, luxury label Alexander McQueen and luxury reseller Vestiaire Collective came together on a new initiative to support sustainability in the fashion retail space.
Developed to push the industry toward adopting more eco-friendly practices, the debut of the "Brand Approved" programme marries Vestiaire's commitment to circular retail with Alexander McQueen's approach to durability in luxury fashion.
At the launch, selected clients of Alexander McQueen were contacted and given the opportunity to sell back their previously-owned garments, which will then be authenticated by the brand with the offer for a buy-back price.
The North Face and Online Ceramics partner up to promote sustainable fashion
CASETiFY X PRIVATE POLICY NY partnership brings sustainable fashion concept to runway
Malaysia Aviation Group ventures into sustainable fashion with Perakan-inspired shoes
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The majority of APAC consumers expect companies to act and communicate about diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). Meanwhile, only 3% of them noted that they remember getting information on the topic from their employers, survery finds.
Conducted by FleishmanHillard’s in-house research and analytics practice, the study surveyed 5,106 people across the APAC in September last year, including Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, revealing their consumer perceptions and needs regarding DE&I.
The study found that 51% of respondents agreed in the importance of “making people with different backgrounds more included in society” versus 11% who preferred to keep the current societal structures. Across Asia the population is active in advocacy, with 84% noting that they advocate for at least one issue. Economic issues including economic status, employment status and income top the list, followed by more commonly recognised DE&I topics such as gender, social status/ class, cultural background and religion.
Additionally, 94% of respondents cited at least one action that companies could take to showcase an authentic commitment to DE&I. It shows that organisations taking actions on DE&I are being prioritised over those without commitments or plans in APAC today.
“From diversity of gender and religion to equity in important economic issues like housing and income, DE&I doesn’t look the same in any two markets in the region. It’s really important to understand these differences as a brand and as an employer to be able to deliver on these values with a range of stakeholder groups.” said Lynne Anne Davis, Asia Pacific regional president, FleishmanHillard.
Don't miss: Capgemini to relocate Asia Pacific headquarters to SG from HK
The report showcases the need for organisations to rethink the way they are engaging with stakeholders and provides a guide for brands that want to act more relevantly and authentically to meet the needs of stakeholders in the region.
“What we saw in the data is a unique lexicon for DE&I that stakeholders across the business world, governments and beyond can use to build a more equitable and inclusive society. While the language used to discuss these topics differs, the need for change is high. Especially when it comes to the elements needed for all to build a better life – education, income and safety. We saw respondents actively taking a stand and pushing for change in these areas,” said Leela Stake, FleishmanHillard FH4Inclusion lead and co-lead for the True MOSAIC DE&I practice.
With 90% of respondents expect companies act and communicate about DE&I and only 3% of respondents noted that they remember getting information on the topic from their employers, FleishmanHillard suggested a few steps for organisations to take around DE&I in APAC such as define the strategy with a plan and actionable goals with commitment, communication and transparency and engage in conversation around DE&I topics and invest in additional training and education. Furthermore, companies can tailor communications for each market and speak to the elements of their global DE&I strategy that resonate in that market.
“Even though priorities are different depending on the population you’re speaking with, people in the Asia Pacific region overwhelmingly call for action from governments and from companies to improve society. This may come through training and education, or it may come through DE&I leaders in the region making discreet, actionable plans to improve their organisations and workplaces,” said Michael Rinaman, managing director of TRUE Global Intelligence in APAC and global analytics lead at FleishmanHillard.
Study: Users shift from search to social with rising desire for purposeful use of Internet
Study: Sustainability key in decision making for Muslim Gen Z travellers
Study: Is TikTok going to be the next king of search in SEA?
Survey: Over half of HongKongers spend consumption vouchers on non-durable goods


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Introduction Several companies have invested heavily in Big Data in recent years. This increase in the use of big data analytics has resulted in
This article was published as part of the Data Science Blogathon Author's image taken online at befunky.com According to experts, the 80%
This article was published as part of the Data Science Blogathon. Introduction functionalities of the underlying operating system. The python module makes this
Overview Chinese giant Baidu has launched its own automated machine learning platform Currently, EZDL allows to build two types of models: classification of
Sin spam, notifications only about new products, updates.


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Billionaire David Einhorn, who has been shorting Tesla stock for years, is demanding that Elon Musk resign amid Tesla’s solar panels fires. | Source: REUTERS / Carlo Allegri (i), EUTERS / Brendan McDermid (ii). Image Edited by CCN.
Einhorn’s investment firm, Greenlight Capital, has been shorting Tesla stock for years. Accordingly, he has a financial interest in seeing it crater.
Walmart sued Tesla after solar panels caught fire
Earlier this week, Walmart filed a lawsuit against Tesla, claiming that the solar panels installed by Tesla caused fires at seven stores between 2012 and 2018.
The lawsuit immediately caused Tesla’s stock to plunge mid-week. It staged a mild recovery, at least until today’s stock market sell-off.
Ironically, the Walmart lawsuit came days after Musk relaunched Tesla‘s solar division to much fanfare, claiming its services could save you $500 a year.
Musk also bragged on Twitter that installing a Tesla solar roof or panels on your home is “like having a money printer on your roof.”
Einhorn to Elon Musk: Pay attention, moron!
Amid the Walmart lawsuit debacle, a furious Einhorn tweeted that “Elon Musk should resign.”
The notorious short-seller added that a product recall should’ve happened long ago. He tagged the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in his scathing tweet.
Interestingly, David Einhorn hasn’t tweeted since last August. So he came out of his self-imposed Twitter exile just to jab at his longtime foe.


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Nintendo unveils more details of Wii U ahead of E3 showing
Monday, June 04, 2012 4:41 PM
Nintendo kicked off this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo this morning with a special video presentation from president Satoru Iawata, who released a few more details about its upcoming new console, the Wii U.
With many anticipating technical specs of the new hardware to dominate this year's show, Iawata explained in his direct presentation, which was launched on YouTube, that the Nintendo E3 show scheduled for Tuesday will focus almost entirely on software for the Wii U.
He used the video to show off some of the console's new features, including the finalised design for its innovative controller, the Wii U GamePad. Sporting all the buttons and analogue sticks of a conventional controller, it also features a large touchscreen in the centre and a front facing camera as well.
The core idea behind the console is that gamers will have two integrated screens – one on the controller and the other your television. In theory, this will lead to the opportunity for new gameplay possibilities such as asynchronous local multiplayer, as revealed in the various tech demos at last year's E3.
But the Japanese console maker is thinking bigger is time around and, with online services such as Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network making the Wii's online offering feel quaint by comparison, Iawata explained that the hardware of the Wii U will be key to changing how people connect with one another when they're not in the same room.
At the heart of this is the newly unveiled 'MiiVerse', Nintendo's answer to social networking. Serving as the main hub of the Wii U's interface, the video game network will allow gamers to see what their friends are doing using the same Mii avatars that were so popular on the Wii.
Beyond this, there will be the opportunity to converse with friends by typing on the touchscreen or drawing picture messages. It will also be possible to take screenshots from games and share them, as well as video chatting.
It remains to be seen how Nintendo will ensure that the network remains a family-friendly atmosphere for its younger users - something that hasn't always been the case with Xbox Live or PSN. But according to Iawata, the ultimate aim is that: "Even with no-one else in the room, you won't feel alone."


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Car rental company Hertz has ordered 100,000 Teslas, making it the largest electric vehicle rental company in the world.
Announcement of the deal, which Hertz hopes to see fulfilled by the end of 2022, pushed Tesla market value to over $1 trillion – only the fifth such firm ever to reach this milestone. Shares in the electric carmaker climbed 12.6% after it struck the Hertz deal. While brands such as Ford and GM make more cars, Tesla has been the world’s most valuable carmaker for some time. Previously only Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Google-owner Alphabet have reached a $1tn valuation.
Despite this, however, Tesla is reported to be struggling to fulfill orders owing to a serious backlog caused by global supply chain problems. “Our backlogs are continuing to grow and average customer wait times are extending,” the company’s chief financial officer Zach Kirkhorn told investor.
Starting in early November though, customers will be able to rent a Tesla Model 3 at Hertz airport and neighbourhood locations in major US and select European cities. Hertz also is installing thousands of chargers throughout its location network. Customers who rent a Tesla Model 3 will have access to 3,000 Tesla supercharging stations throughout the US and Europe.
“Electric vehicles are now mainstream, and we’ve only just begun to see rising global demand and interest,” Hertz interim CEO Mark Fields told journalists. “The new Hertz is going to lead the way as a mobility company, starting with the largest EV rental fleet in North America and a commitment to grow our EV fleet and provide the best rental and recharging experience for leisure and business customers around the world.”
Hertz says that it will offer a premium and differentiated rental experience for Tesla EVs. This will include digitised guidance to educate customers about the electric vehicle, and “an expedited EV rental booking process through the Hertz mobile app”.
EVs will comprise more than 20% of Hertz global fleet and they are expected to be supported by a combination of Level 2 autonomy and DC fast charging in approximately 65 markets by the end of 2022, and more than 100 markets by the end of 2023. Hertz adds, however, that these ambitions could be affected by factors outside of its control, “such as semiconductor chip shortages or other constraints”.


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Kate Spade dead at 55 – Fashion designer found hanged at New York flat after ‘leaving suicide note to 13-year-old daughter’
Spade leaves behind husband of 24 years Andy – actor David Spade’s brother – and daughter Frances Beatrix who was in school at the time.
Her husband is reported to have been in the flat, at 850 Park Avenue on the Upper East Side, when the housekeeper found her body, reports claim.
As medical examiners were seen entering the apartment block where the Kansas City-born designer lived, the rich and famous have been paying tribute to the fashion icon.
Chelsea Clinton, 38, tweeted: “My grandmother gave me my first Kate Spade bag when I was in college. I still have it. Holding Kate’s family, friends and loved ones in my heart.”
And Ivanka Trump, 36, wrote: “Kate Spade’s tragic passing is a painful reminder that we never truly know another’s pain or the burden they carry.”
Journalist Guy Raz, who featured Spade on the How I Built This podcast last year, said he was “totally shocked” to hear of her death.
Model Tess Holliday tweeted: “Kate Spade & her brand have always been so kind to me the past couple years & I’m crushed to hear about her passing.”
In a 2002 Glamour Women of the Year interview, Spade told the magazine how she wanted to be remembered.
“I hope that people remember me not just as a good businesswoman but as a great friend,” she said. “And a heck of a lot of fun.”
Spade met her husband while they were working together in a clothing store in Phoenix, Arizona, at university.
The launched Kate Spade Handbags in 1993, initially selling handbags before expanding to include clothing, jewellery, bedding, legwear and fragrances.
It became one of the biggest names in female accessories, and stars including the Duchess of Cambridge, Anne Hathaway and Taylor Swift have been pictured with her handbags.


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A shopper in Australia found a spider in her bag of Italian Style Salad, but it wasn't just any tiny spider, it was a huge, hairy arachnid.
The woman and her daughter took video of the spider crawling around in the bag. "It's reanimating," a woman is heard saying on the video. "Oh my God."
The video was posted to the Facebook page of Woolworths Supermarket chain with a message by Zoe Perry. "Shopping as per usual for Italian Style Salad Mix....get it home....Mum goes to open the packet and we are greeted by...." wrote Perry.
She signed the post, "Kind regards, An arachnophobic family."
Woolworths responded to the post on their page. "We're very concerned about this Zoe, and take incidents like this very seriously," the store responded. They also asked for her phone number so they could follow up "ASAP."
Watch the video (mobile app users click here):


text: We already knew that the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is a serious performance beast ready to bring some impressive numbers on the track. But now Chevrolet has upped the ante with the introduction of the most track-capable Camaro ever, the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, which debuted last weekend before the big race in Daytona. On top of the 650 horsepower and 650 pound feet of torque already provided by the Camaro ZL1, the 1LE package adds racing-based suspension and aero technologies, as well as exclusive Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R summer-only tires. “The new Camaro ZL1 1LE offers the supreme track experience,” said Mark Dickens, executive director, Chevrolet Performance Variants, Parts and Motorsports Engineering. “It’s the pinnacle of Camaro performance and advances the 1LE’s nearly 30-year legacy of uncompromising, track-tailored capability.” Phillips Chevrolet in Frankfort and Lansing has Illinois’ Largest Chevy Inventory, including a great selection of Camaros which the ZL1 1LE will join later this year.


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The Turkish Ministry of Economy has decided that the anti-dumping duty on motorcycle tires from Vietnam will stay for another term of five years, the Vietnam Competition Authority confirmed Wednesday.
The Turkish ministry announced its decision on Tuesday after investigating of imports of tires from Vietnam.
It set the tariff between 29 and 49 percent, similar to the original rates imposed in 2004.
In 2004, Turkey for the first time levied the duty on motorcycle tires from Vietnam in response to a complaint lodged by Anatolia Rubber Ind. and Trade Inc.
In 2010, it reviewed the measure for the first time and chose to keep it. Last year, it reviewed the duty again.


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Eros Group, the sole distributor of world-renowned brands Samsung, Hitachi, Linksys, Candy & TCL and one of the leading players in consumer electronics, telecom, and allied multi-products in the Middle East, was awarded the esteemed SuperBrands 2011 Award. The award was presented to Mr. Niranjan Gidwani, Deputy CEO of Eros Group by Mike English, Director of SuperBrands Middle East, at the celebratory night held at Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City on Monday night.
Comprehensive assessments led to Eros Group being conferred with the sought-after ‘SuperBrand’ status by the UAE SuperBrands Council, a ten-member group made up of eminent figures from the business world. Eros Group was chosen as one of the SuperBrands along 60 other brands in the UAE from over 700 brands that were reviewed.
Mr. Niranjan Gidwani, Deputy CEO of Eros Group said, “I am grateful to accept this award on behalf of the entire Eros Group family. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our stakeholders, customers and employees for their contributions which have steered us to achieve a reputation of consistency and excellence. Eros Group has come a long way from its humble beginnings over four decades back, as today we boast of a wide range of brands under our umbrella, each one significantly adding to our success.”


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Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice Celebrates First U.S. Location in Tustin, California Tustin opening
Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice opened the doors of its first U.S. location at 13824 Red Hill Ave on Sept. 10, marking the occasion with a grand opening celebration.
“We are thrilled to be able to share our one-of-a-kind dish with the Tustin community,” said founder Xiaolu Yang, who opened the first Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice in 2011. “This grand opening is a milestone for our brand, marking the first time we’ve been able to share our signature Huang Men braised chicken and rice with American customers. We can’t wait to help the community build their own memories around our home-cooked, taste-of-childhood flavors.”
The festivities of the grand opening will continued throughout the opening week, and the first 100 guests to visit the location won a $20 gift card for a future visit to the store.
“Our restaurants are focused on providing customers with an easy, delicious experience, and that starts with our signature braised chicken and rice dish,” said CEO of the U.S. group, Xinyu Zhang. “We aspire to bring the flavors of our delicious dish to as many people as possible around the world, starting in Tustin on Sept. 10. Following this grand opening, we look forward to expanding Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice across the entire state of California and beyond.”
Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice is dedicated to ensuring the quality of its signature dish starting with the consistent flavor of the sauce and simplifying the dining experience for customers. The dish is a treasured memory of Yang’s own childhood, and he aims to help more families and children experience these special flavors and create their own cherished moments together enjoying the comforting, home-style meal.
More information on franchising with Yang’s Braised Chicken Rice can be found at www.facebook.com/yangsbraisedchickenrice.


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More home sales, fewer listings driving up prices
But pending sales surge shows signs of abating
A continuing shortage of homes for sale drove up prices in the Seattle area in February, according to a new report. But there are signs the market could be changing.
The median sales price of a house was $420,000 in Seattle and $365,000 in King County in February, up 15.1 percent and 18.5 percent, respectively, from a year earlier, and 6.1 percent and 4.3 percent from January, the Northwest Multiple Listing Service reported Tuesday.
Supply and demand are fueling the increase, with sales of all homes up 15.3 percent in the city and 7.2 percent countywide from February 2012, but the number of homes for sale down 39.9 percent and 45.3 percent, respectively. At the current sales pace, it would take two months to sell all the homes listed in Seattle and just over that countywide, down from an inventory of 3.9 months in the city and 4.5 months countywide a year earlier.
Supply is at its lowest level since May 2005, during the housing boom, Windermere Real Estate President OB Jacobi noted in a listing service news release. "The impact of low inventory levels is stiff competition among buyers, often resulting in homes selling for well over asking price."
But Pending sales -- which don't all close, but can be the best indicator of recent activity -- fell 1.6 percent in Seattle and rose just 0.5 percent countywide. That could reflect an abating of the sales surge or people having trouble finding something to buy.
"We have plenty of buyers and desperately need more sellers," Mike Gain, CEO and president of Prudential Northwest Realty Associates, said in the news release.
The start of the spring sales season this month should provide more indication of where the market is headed.
The median condo sales price was $259,000 in Seattle and $210,000 in King County in February. That was up 28.2 percent and 31.3 percent, respectively, from a year earlier, and 7 percent and 12.9 percent from January.
The dramatic increases in median sales prices are skewed somewhat by a decreasing share of sales of homes in or under threat of foreclosure. These homes typically sell at a discount.


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It’s long been held that in great amounts of data lie opportunities for great marketing. Klaviyo, a marketing platform for e-commerce businesses, uses Amazon SageMaker to deliver on this promise for over 42,000 brands around the world.
Boston-based Toast is a cloud-technology platform that was “purpose-built for the restaurant industry,” says Aman Narang, President and Co-founder of Toast. We recently sat down with Narang to chat about restaurant industry trends, why they picked Boston to headquarter in, what challenges they’re facing, and what’s on the roadmap ahead.
Completely All Connected Together: Talking with Fuze Leaders Aaron Evans, Doug Jones, and Khoder Shamy
Boston-based communication tech startup Fuze is bridging the gap between players in global enterprises, but it’s not crossing a babbling brook. It’s traversing a stormy stretch of open ocean. Fuze leaders sat down to tell us more.
Kyrus is focused on solving what we call the associated “patient access paradox”–a situation in which patients wait long periods to see providers while appointment capacity simultaneously goes unutilized, even at top health systems.
AWS Startup Spotlight


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Love affair between Miami Heat fans, Dwyane Wade never cooled
MIAMI — The “We Want Wade” chants started when the Heat fell behind 9-0, and picked up again at 11-3.
The shouting and screaming at 5:19 of the first quarter, when Dwyane Wade checked in, was much louder, and much longer. It was love.
He was officially home again.
Wearing the Heat’s new Miami Vice jerseys for the first time, with his familiar No. 3 on the back, the 36-year-old franchise icon stood at center court and saluted with a brief wave. The game was on, and he was all business.
In the upper level of AmericanAirlines Arena, Angie Escobar cheered along with several rows of middle schoolers. When she planned Friday’s field trip months ago, she had 47 eighth-graders at Deerfield Middle School who were eager, but not quite ecstatic, to go to a Heat game.
“All the kids were like, ‘Who are they playing? Milwaukee?’” Escobar said, describing the reaction as “ Ehhh.”
Come Friday, the matchup didn’t seem so bland.
“When we found out yesterday,” she said, “the school was going crazy.”
Escobar, wearing a white Dwyane Wade jersey, spoke three hours before the game, as she walked along Biscayne Boulevard. To be specific, a few in her group weren’t walking. They were floating.
“I texted so many people,” said one of her students, Tariq Baker. “D-Wade’s back. It’s crazy.”
“This is Wade County,” said Jermaine Edwards.
How many Wade fans in their group of 47?
“46!” someone in a No. 3 jersey called out. The lone dissenter was not identified.
“I’m more hyped than I’ve ever been before,” Troy Lysengen said. “This is the luckiest our school’s ever been.”
“And all for the low price of $23!” cracked a nearby pal.
That’s a smart kid. Before Wade’s return was announced, tickets to the game could be had for less than $30. After the news, they spiked to the hundreds. By tip-off, they were $75 on StubHub.
Which is the same price as one of those coveted “Miami Vice” jerseys, in white, “blue gale” (aqua) and “laser fuchsia” (pink), that were selling in the team store. ESPN reported the No. 3 Wade version went on sale at 5 p.m. Thursday, and orders from more than 100 countries came in by 7 a.m. Friday. Heat merchandise sales were up 8,000 percent from the previous two days, ESPN said.
The only one in the building sporting a No. 3 “Vice” jersey: Wade himself. The hot new item had yet to arrive, and store representatives said orders would ship by June.
At the team store in the arena, they produced a rack of red-and-black Wade jerseys and t-shirts and placed it front and center of the store. When the gates opened 90 minutes before tip-off, it was clear that few patrons actually needed a No. 3.
They just pulled them from their own closets.
“This is the most exciting news I could ever imagine,” said Deerfield Middle teacher Tyler Piontkowski, clad in a red No. 3 t-shirt.
“He is Miami. He’s the guy. We’re so happy to have him back. We missed him so much. Heat games are not the same without D-Wade.”
Piontkowski is 28, which means he was middle-school age when Wade was drafted in 2003.
“Wade is this generation’s [Dan] Marino,” he said. “There is nothing more perfect and beautiful than having him home. It’s so right. It feels perfect.”


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Engineered wood products were on show at the 2016 Timber Design Awards at Luna Park in Sydney in September. The 17th awards organised by the Timber Development Association showcased the use of timber and engineered wood products in designs ranging from community centres, commercial buildings and restaurants to houses and furniture. EWPAA CEO Dave Gover commended the use of engineered wood products in many of the winning designs.
“We saw a whole range of products being used in the nominated and winning designs – from plywood and LVL, to glulam and CLT,” Mr Gover said. “The designs really highlighted the versatility of engineered wood products, which is one of the many benefits in choosing these products as a primary construction material,” he said.
Mr Gover said it was evident that an increasing number of architects and specifiers are driving the specification and design of buildings using engineered wood products.
Dave Gover, CEO, Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (left), presents the EWPAA Timer Panels Award to Colin Odbert and Ross Styles of Architectus for the The Gipson Commons, St Michael’s Grammar School, St Kilda, Melbourne, at the 2016 Timber Design Awards in Sydney.
“It’s fantastic to see that there is continuing growth in the use of timber and engineered wood products in the design and construction industries,” he said. “These products have significant benefits to the environment and are fast becoming the preferred choice for sustainable design and construction.”
He said that due to a heightened awareness of climate change and carbon emissions, wood stood apart as a renewable construction material with a better-than-zero carbon footprint. As the seventh most forested nation on earth, it makes good sense, both economically and environmentally, for Australian buildings to be constructed from wood.
“The vast majority of Australian forests carry independent sustainability certification; a testament to our forestry industry’s commitment to sustainability,” Mr Gover said. “Occupants of timber buildings also report positively on their environment, finding them to be conducive to quieter, calmer and more productive living.”
The EWPAA was the proud sponsor of the Timber Panels Award, which was won this year by Architectus Group for its design of The Gipson Commons at St Michael’s Grammar School in St Kilda, Melbourne. The award was accepted by Ross Styles and Colin Odbert, director and principal at the Sydney studio of Architectus, on behalf of their Melbourne office. The Timber Design Awards judges noted that the Gipson Commons project used plywood wall paneling to promote a calm building environment for the school, through its warmth and sound attenuation. In attendance at the Timber Design Awards were architects, builders, designers and engineers, as well as delegates from various forestry and wood products organisations and industry bodies.


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By Daniel Lanyon on Tuesday 2 February 2021
The two platforms have become increasingly popular with fintech firms in recent years, most recently helping to raise money for the likes of Curve, Mintos and Snoop.
Crowdcube and Seedrs, the UK’s two largest crowdfunding platforms, face closure unless a planned merger can go ahead, the firms have warned in evidence submitted to the Competition and Market Authority.
The two firms announced in October their plans to merge into a single entity, but the UK’s regulatory body overseeing market competitiveness, the Competition and Market Authority (CMA), is yet to fully approve the deal.
“It is a pro-competitive transaction that, first and foremost, is about the survival and sustainability of an innovative method of equity finance in a David vs. Goliath battle against the established providers of SME equity funding. If the Merger is completed, the market in which we operate—and our particular segment of that market—will become more competitive and dynamic, and customers will realise significant direct and indirect benefits,” Seedrs said in a statement.
Crowdcube meanwhile said the business model was still unprofitable and therefore greater scale created by a new entity would bring about sustainability.
“The activity of each of the parties, equity crowdfunding, has (to the best of Crowdcube's knowledge), never been profitable for any service provider anywhere in the world,” it said a written statement.
“..following the proposed merger, the best features of both parties' platforms, various synergies of their operations, and a range of efficiencies can be realised which will improve the competitiveness of the combined platform, improve the unit economics of providing services to SME customers and enable more cost efficient operation of the combined business than is possible for Crowdcube's (or most likely also Seedrs') business,” it added.
While the CMA is still ongoing in its analysis, which is currently being fast-tracked, the regulator has initially flagged the merger as having the potential for substantially lowering competition (an SLC result).


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Tegel’s Chicken Nugget earns Heart Tick
March 5 2003
Tegel’s Chicken Nugget
earns Heart Tick in fight against
Tegel has come out today saying chicken nuggets don’t have to contribute to the country’s child obesity problem.
It has “re-invented” the chicken nugget in response to consumer’s growing concern about the nutritional value of fast foods and the link to child obesity in New Zealand.
Now carrying the Heart Foundation Tick, Tegel’s new generation of battered Chicken Nugget aims to get ahead of competitors on its nutritional benefits – rather than price.
Tegel says improving the battered chicken nugget is part of the on-going initiatives New Zealand’s food industry is undertaking to address child obesity.
Tegel’s Managing Director Bruce Scott said last year New Zealand children ate their way through a dizzying 48 million chicken nuggets sold through supermarkets alone.
“Add to this the growing concern about child obesity, and you might think twice when grabbing your next bag of nuggets out of the freezer.
“But you don’t need to feel guilty about the convenience of feeding your children the chicken nugget because it’s come a long way since hitting the market 20 years ago.
Celebrating the Nugget’s 20th Birthday, Tegel has developed a recipe made with non-GE crops and ingredients, which has become the first chicken nugget to earn the Heart Foundation Tick in New Zealand or Australia.
“The popularity of the chicken nugget shows the strength in children’s purchasing power and how important this has become in leading the development of new added-value products.
“There is also a strong call for more healthier and balanced meals, which are convenient, quick, easy to prepare and taste good,” Mr Scott said.
“For Tegel, children are now its fastest growing consumer in the frozen food section, which generates an estimated $55 million in retail sales for the company”.
Children are interested and enjoy the growing range of frozen chicken added-value products because they are a good source of protein and taste great, and for parents, they are quick to cook because of the portion size.
Tegel Category Manager Melissa Butler said the rise of the chicken nugget has been overwhelming with Tegel experiencing 269% growth from producing 114T in 1995 to 421T (more than 20-million nuggets) last year.
“The nugget market is growing year on year and Tegel believes the household penetration for nuggets could be higher if we listen to consumers’ concerns”.
Early last year Tegel undertook consumer research on chicken nuggets that showed parents were concerned about “unhealthy” fast food connotations.
“While they felt it was okay to have some fat in a child’s diet, they felt guilty about serving nuggets regularly as part of a well-balanced healthy meal. Tegel saw this as a barrier to growth,” she said
“We worked on developing our recipe so we could earn the Heart Tick because it is a respected symbol and reassures consumers”.
All Tegel’s battered chicken nuggets and Spacies (nuggets in the shape of stars, moons and rockets) have the National Heart Foundation Tick – meeting strict fat and sodium levels.
The target age of consumers of chicken nuggets is between one and 14. There are 882,000 children living in New Zealand under the age of 15.
- Over 48 million chicken nuggets (132,000 a day) were sold throughout New Zealand retail outlets in 2002
- The National Heart Foundation has given Tegel’s chicken nugget the Heart Tick
- In 1995, about 312 tonnes (15.5 million) of chicken nuggets were sold in New Zealand supermarkets
- In 2002 supermarkets sold about 1002 tonnes of chicken nuggets (48 million).
- Over the last eight years there has been a 221% increase in overall consumption of chicken nuggets sold through retail.
- Quick service restaurant McDonald’s is understood to have sold the first chicken nugget in 1983
“Healthy eating and healthy physical activity are of major importance in the prevention of obesity in both children and adults. Healthy eating of a variety of foods is key to obtaining a balanced diet with the necessary balance of nutrients. Low fat chicken in a varied diet is an excellent source of protein and liked by children”. – New Zealand Nutritional Foundation – March 2003.


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Despite its market share gain drastically slowing in its second month on the market, Windows 10 now powers 110 million devices, Microsoft’s Terry Myerson said. Beyond that, Windows 10 users have:
All that attention has enticed a new whale into the Windows Store ecosystem: Facebook. The social giant is creating new universal Windows apps for Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger—apps that should scale across and work on all Windows 10 devices. That should please Windows Phone users who have been stuck using the janky Microsoft-made Facebook app for all these years.


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Home Depot (HD -0.53%) is scheduled to report fiscal 2022 first-quarter earnings before the markets open on Tuesday, May 17. Since the pandemic's onset, the home improvement retailer has had an incredible run. Revenue and profits surged as consumers took to home improvement projects while spending more time at home.
The trend may have peaked, and Home Depot is expecting an end to revenue growth in 2022. With expectations lowered significantly, investors will be looking for Home Depot to perhaps report better-than-expected sales in the first quarter.
Expecting a pause in revenue growth this year
In its most recent quarter, which ended on Jan. 30, Home Depot reported sales of $35.7 billion. That was a 10.7% increase from the same quarter the prior year. Folks have splurged on home improvement since the pandemic's onset. Working, learning, exercising, and entertaining more at home, people needed to update their homes to accommodate the lifestyle change.
"Fiscal 2021 was another record year for The Home Depot. We achieved a milestone of over $150 billion in sales," said Craig Menear, chairman and CEO. "Our ability to grow the business by over $40 billion in the last two years is a testament to investments we have made in the business, our ability to execute with agility, and our associates' relentless focus on our customers."
Indeed, fulfilling the surge in customer demand was no easy feat, and management can be given credit for stepping up to the challenge. That said, as economic reopening gains momentum in 2022 and is already at elevated levels, Home Depot expects flat revenue growth for 2022. Still, Home Depot is optimistic it can expand earnings per share in the low single digits for the year, despite flat revenue growth.
Of course, investors were not happy with the modest expectations for 2022. As a result, Home Depot's stock is down nearly 30% off its highs in late 2021.
What this could mean for Home Depot investors
Analysts on Wall Street expect Home Depot to report revenue of $36.36 billion and earnings per share (EPS) of $3.62 in Q1. If the company meets those projections, it will represent decreases of 3.04% and 6.22%, respectively, from the same period the year before.
Note that expectations from Wall Street are below trend for what Home Depot management has forecast for 2022. Therefore, shareholders might be relieved if Home Depot is not forced to lower targets for the year. However, if management does lower targets for 2022 and the stock falls considerably on the news, it could be a buying opportunity for long-term investors.
Home Depot has done an excellent job growing revenue and earnings over the long run. Undoubtedly, the near term will be volatile as consumer behavior evolves through economic reopening. Still, investors can reasonably assume Home Depot will settle into a nice groove once economies reach a new equilibrium.


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Melbourne, May 23: Ford Motor Company said on Thursday that it is closing its two Australian auto plants and ending production in the country in 2016, amid soaring manufacturing costs and plummeting sales.
The closure of the plants in the state of Victoria will mean the loss of twelve-hundred jobs and will transform the company into an import-only brand in Australia.
Ford began making cars in Australia in 1925 and is the third-largest auto manufacturer in the country.
"The decision we announce today was not made lightly and we understand the very real impact that this will have on our team," Ford Australia President Bob Graziano told reporters at the company's Melbourne plant.
"We came to this conclusion only after thoroughly reviewing our business and exhausting all other alternatives," he added.
Australia's stubbornly high dollar has put pressure on the country's auto manufacturers - making locally produced cars far more expensive than those made overseas.
Last month, Ford's chief competitor, Holden, said it was cutting 500 jobs amid the high dollar and falling demand.
"It's not easy days in manufacturing," Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said following Ford's announcement.
"The strength of the Australian dollar obviously bears down on Australian manufacturing and it does make it a difficult environment for manufacturing to prosper."
The automaker also released its annual financial report, which showed a loss of 141million Australian dollars (136 million US dollars) after tax for the 2012 financial year.
That follows a loss of 290 million Australian dollars (283 million US dollars) in 2011, and a total loss of 600 million Australian dollars (586 million US dollars) over the past five years.


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The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would provide a much-needed boost to efforts to research medical marijuana, which, in turn, could bolster legalization efforts and industry markets.
The Senate previously approved a separate piece of MMJ research legislation, so lawmakers from the two chambers still must sort out their differences and agree on a final measure.
The U.S. House passed HR 5657, the Medical Marijuana Research Act, by an overwhelming 343-75 margin on Monday, The Hill reported.
Those who voted against the bill were all Republicans.
The legislation would:
- Provide a path for qualified researchers to study flower and other marijuana products sold in state-legal programs.
- Streamline the process for researchers seeking to conduct marijuana research while still maintaining safeguards against misuse.
- Increase the number of federally licensed marijuana growers and expedite the timeline for approvals.
- Require the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to report within five years on any research showing medical benefits from marijuana use.
“These common-sense regulatory changes are necessary and long overdue,” NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said in a statement.
“Currently, the limited variety of cannabis cultivars accessible to federally licensed researchers does not represent the type or quality of cannabis products currently available in legal, statewide markets.”
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Last month, Senate lawmakers passed Senate Bill 253, the Cannabidiol and Marihuana Research Expansion Act, which also seeks to streamline the research process.
However, that bill would continue to limit access to federally licensed growers.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has been sharply criticized for years for stalling in expanding federally licensed marijiuana growers beyond the University of Mississippi.
Last year, the agency finally announced it had reached agreements with a handful of applicants to grow marijuana for federally approved clinical trials.


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There’s certainly been plenty to smile about over the past few weeks – fantastic weather and the little matter of the England football team powering their way through the early rounds of the World Cup.
We may be thousands of miles away from Russia but the success on the pitch has filtered all the way down to Sunderland, where the city’s Business Improvement District has come up with a result of its own.
The mobile FanZone launched to give the city the opportunity to come together and share not just the football action, but also all of the major sporting events of the summer.
And for city centre businesses there’s no doubt at all that it’s been a win-win situation.
Karen Dickman, owner of Port of Call and Gatsbys at Park Lane, said the support and the boost for companies because of the FanZone was “beyond our wildest expectations”.
“It has been an absolutely fantastic success,” said Karen.
“The turnout and support for the first England game was just incredible and not just for our business but also for other businesses in Park Lane that I’ve spoken to.”
Karen also praised the BID for staging the FanZone.
“They deserve complete credit for this,” she said.
“I know the BID team put their heart and soul into organising the FanZone and it’s having a really positive impact on businesses across the city – we couldn’t be more pleased.”
There was also screams of joy during the England v Panama game – and not just because the team won 6-1.
The FanZone bus was stationed in Low Row for this match and once again businesses were on a winning streak.
Chris Smith, general manager of The Lambton Worm said his business had also had a fantastic day.
“It was absolutely incredible, the turnout, the atmosphere everything,” he said.
“It’s great that this time round the bus is moving around the city so lots of businesses can benefit.”
His words were echoed by Clare Davison, general manager of Greens at Low Row.
“It was such a well organised event with a really lovely family atmosphere,” she said.
“It was a great day for businesses in the area and well done to the BID for putting it together – hopefully we can have more events like this.”
And it’s not just the FanZone that’s gone mobile – the BID team is also out and about at some of the major events this summer, spreading the word on what Sunderland has to offer to both visitors and local residents.
Its pop-up city centre will be at both the Tall Ships Race and the Sunderland Airshow, where copies of the BID’s very first Little Book of Offers will be up for grabs.
The booklets – which are free – contain a whole range of fantastic offers and discounts from retailers across the city centre, covering everything from bargain afternoon teas to spectacular deals on cocktails.
Offers from national chains such as Nandos and McDonald’s are also included, as are cut price cinema tickets and even a free pork pie at Dicksons when you spend £2.
A voucher for a meal for a family of four for £20 at The Lambton Worm is just one of many amazing meal deals and anyone in need of a new bed can take advantage of a £150 discount from the Durham Bed Centre.
“There are some spectacular deals to be had, no matter if you’re just looking for somewhere to have a night out want to have a pit stop for a coffee and cake,” said Sharon Appleby, Head of Business Operations at Sunderland BID.
“We’re sure the Little Book of Offers will be really well received and the fact that we can share it with the thousands of visitors we’re expecting in the weeks ahead will hopefully bring huge benefits to retailers across the city.”
Further information on all BID events can be found at www.sunderlandbid.co.uk


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RONA Board Names New President and Chief Executive Officer
March 19, 2013
RONA inc.’s board of directors today announced the appointment of Robert Sawyer as president and CEO of the company, effective in April.
Robert Sawyer has more than 30 years of experience in a major Canadian food company and specializes in retail operations and distribution to dealers operating under different banners. Under his prior employer he held various executive positions and helped improve the profitability in several different areas. Before joining RONA, Sawyer was executive vice president and COO.
Dominique Boies, acting CEO, remains RONA’s executive vice president and CFO. He will assist Sawyer and serve on the corporation’s management committee.
In Category: Headlines
Related: Canada, Ceo, Rona Inc


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Milk vs. Milk: Samsung Sued
Just days after the launch of its new Milk Video, Samsung has been sued by a company called Milk Studios, over the name.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Milk Studios, described as "a photography and media company," has filed suit, alleging trademark infringement. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York. The report said:
Samsung “intentionally, willfully and knowingly” used the Milk name for its music-streaming services to take advantage of the “cachet” associated with Milk Studios


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Mehr als 160.000 Rechteinhaber vertrauen uns bereits in der Wahrnehmung ihrer Leistungsschutzrechte. Erfahren Sie hier, wie auch Sie von der GVL profitieren.
26. March 2020.
GVL has adopted an additional type of short-term assistance: Advance payments to GVL producers of sound recordings were launched today. At the same time, we are working at full speed on advance payments for performers.
With the advance payments to its producers of sound recordings, which are starting right now, GVL is making a further contribution to the financial support of its rightsholders. By doing so, it intends to counteract the acute economic effects of the corona pandemic, especially on independent labels.
In consultation with its committee representatives, GVL has decided to support all eligible producers of sound recordings with an advance payment on the initial distribution for the 2019 usage year, which is not scheduled until September 2020. The advance payments amount to a total of up to 46 million Euros.


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Five Guys eyes North High Street space in Clintonville
It appears Five Guys has its sights on an open restaurant space in Clintonville.
The national burger chain, which has a dozen stores locally, has expressed interest at 3645 N. High St., the site of a former Chase Bank branch.
The application lists 3645 N. High, but the 2,902-square-foot vacancy is at 3655 N. High.
The Clintonville Area Commission on Dec. 1, in a 7-0 vote, recommended three variances for the property, the most significant being a reduction in the number of parking spaces from 60 to 41, installation of bike racks and trash collection would be from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays.
It was unclear who a future user might be, but according to minutes from the Nov. 16 CAC zoning and variance committee meeting, it was noted Five Guys was interested in the space, but it was not confirmed.
The zoning and variance committee also recommended approval of the variances.
Stephen Hardwick, chairperson of the committee, said the buffering between the building and neighbors seems to provide an adequate shield between residents and businesses.
Hardwick said he doesn't believe the restaurant use is too intense for the site, which has a dedicated parking lot in the back.
“It fits the building,” he said of a restaurant. “It’s an appropriate use for the building.”
Five Guys has agreed to close by 10 p.m. and intends to use the front patio for outdoor dining, according to meeting minutes.
No one from the Lorton, Virginia-based, company could be reached for comment.
The space is between Sbarro, which is a pizzeria, and Philosophi Salon & Salt Spa, between Winthrop Road and Northmoor Place.
The Columbus Board of Zoning Adjustment is to make a final determination on the variance.
Nina Hawranick, owner of the Winemaker's Shop at 3517 N. High St., said she doesn't see a downside to another restaurant in the area.
"That would be great for Clintonville," Hawranick said.
"The thing that's attractive about that is Clintonville has become so much more walkable to destinations (such as restaurants)."


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As the Christmas party season begins in earnest the conversation around driving while drunk is going to crop up for a lot of us as we all pick our designated drivers or figure out who will be paying for the taxi home.
“In-car connectivity is one of the major transformational technologies of the automotive industry. Listening to audio during a car journey was considered a positive way to start the day, with over one third of drivers admitting the reason they listened to audio was because it relaxed them and put them
BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's automobile sales fell about 14 percent in November from a year earlier, the country's top auto industry association said, marking the steepest such drop in nearly seven years in the world's largest auto market. The November drop comes on the heels of
It is almost as if Porsche concluded the Macan had had it too easy for too long. Save the larger Cayenne SUV, it outsells all other Porsches combined and instead of the numbers gracefully declining over the years, Macan sales started ridiculously strongly in 2014 and have continued getting stronger every
SAO PAULO/TOKYO (Reuters) - A Rio de Janeiro apartment containing cash, art works and personal belongings of Carlos Ghosn has become the latest battleground between the indicted former Nissan Motor Co Ltd chairman and the automaker. Ghosn is seeking to retrieve "personal belongings, documents,
WASHINGTON (AP) — General Motors is fighting to retain a valuable tax credit for electric vehicles as the nation's largest automaker contends with the political fallout triggered by its plans to shutter several U.S. factories and shed thousands of workers.
Tens of thousands of Moscow residents have taken up car-sharing to combat soaring parking costs and a dwindling number of spaces, a trend that has made the Russian capital one of the world's fastest growing markets for such schemes. JP Morgan put the number of daily car journeys at 60,000 this autumn
Tokyo prosecutors say Nissan ex-chairman Carlos Ghosn, automaker and 2nd executive charged with underreporting pay.
It could have been worse. It could have been that the Kia e-Niro’s much-vaunted 301-mile combined range was halved, or at least drastically reduced. As it was, the reassessment required after Kia’s discovery of a cock-up by the external agency which discerned that range figure – which Kia had to reveal
A massive cargo ship docked in the Chilean port of San Antonio at the end of November, carrying it its belly the first 100 electric buses from China that Chileans hope will revolutionize their public transport system. Chile’s ambitious plan to face down its capital Santiago's notorious smog problem
Which new car is the best all-rounder of all? The car that ticks every box – a master of all trades, one that you could use to fit whatever needs you might have? On the face of it, the Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo – once you’ve wrapped your mouth around its name – seems to be a strong candidate
All the best adventures begin at 5am in the back of a Mercedes V-class people carrier, and this morning is no exception. It’s freezing, I didn’t have breakfast and a gust of drizzly air follows me in as I climb aboard, but I’m not bothered. Today is an important day, and our brief trundle through London
The well-respected and independent Thatcham vehicle testing laboratory has given the 2018 facelift model Fiat Panda one of the lowest ratings in its history – zero points (the maximum is five points). Only one other car, the Fiat Punto in 2017, has plumbed such depths in the modern era. Matthew Avery
By Somnath Chatterjee Tata Harrier has remained one of the most talked about upcoming SUVs in the country. Here are few questions that potential customers might want to ask: For finance stories, please visit Yahoo Finance
If your car has developed a fault, or for consumer advice, turn to Honest John by emailing firstname.lastname@example.org
Jean-Phillipe Imperato, director general of the Peugeot car brand, and a man so French in demeanour he ought to be designated a national monument (and kept away from the gilets jaunes). Up he pops for us on video link at the International launch of the Peugeot 508 SW estate car. The 508 SW (for Station
The Bloodhound 1,000mph British land-speed record attempt has been axed after a backer failed to appear to rescue the team after it went into administration six weeks ago. The Bloodhound team headed by founder Richard Noble and Andy Green required another £25 million to guarantee its funding, but according
TOKYO (AP) — Nissan, the Japanese automaker under scrutiny after its former chairman Carlos Ghosn was arrested on suspicion of financial misconduct, is recalling 150,000 vehicles spanning 11 models in Japan for dubious inspections for brakes and steering.
Chennai, Dec 7 (IANS) With two new 650cc motorcycles, Eicher Motors Ltd now hopes to further consolidate and grow its market share in the global mid-weight motorcycles (250cc to 750cc) segment, said a senior company official. Launching the Interceptor INT 650 (price Rs.250,000 - Rs.270,000) and Continental


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The push to raise the minimum wage continues in Maryland. Governor Martin O’Malley and other state lawmakers are in favor of an increase, and now one county is set to vote on it.
A federal judge in Baltimore will hear a challenge to Maryland’s new gun-control law Tuesday, the same day the measure containing some of the nation’s tightest firearm restrictions is scheduled to take effect.
The D.C. Council will consider decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana.
The D.C. Council issued a legislative rebuke to Wal-Mart on Wednesday, approving a bill that would require the retail giant and other big-box chain retailers to pay their employees a “living wage” of at least $12.50 an hour.
Baltimore’s city council backed off on a ban of styrofoam products used by restaurants and carryouts.
Baltimore is seriously considering a ban on Styrofoam cups and containers. The goal is less litter on land and in the water.
The Baltimore City Council has passed a bill that would require local hiring for contractors, despite concerns about its constitutionality.
Assault rifles–banned. Gun buying–limited. The governor signs Maryland’s tough new gun law, and it’s already meeting major resistance.
Maryland’s comprehensive gun-control measure is constitutional, Attorney General Doug Gansler wrote in a 25-page legal review made public on Wednesday.
Millions of dollars in online sales go untaxed every year in Maryland. Now the state wants Internet retailers to collect the taxes from online customers.
There’s finally a breakthrough for patients who use marijuana as medicine.
A shark fin bill passed by Maryland lawmakers is drawing support from fishing and conservation interests.


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Bad credit? Require cash now? simply grab that guitar that is electric the part and mind for a pawn shop. Cash-strapped Д±ndividuals are swapping precious jewelry, music systems and gadgets that are electronic money like no time before.
вЂњThe pawn transaction is an easy to use, no-questions-asked loan that is securedвЂ™s working well for people,вЂќ Sterne Agee analyst Henry Coffey stated.
Payday loan providers, who make tiny, short-term loans resistant to the borrowerвЂ™s next paycheck, are spending more within their pawn operations as stricter laws and unemployment that is rising their main company less appealing.
Loan providers like Ezcorp Inc, First Cash Financial solutions Inc and money America Overseas Inc have observed reduced earnings in the payday front but strong outcomes from their pawn operations.
Weighed against payday advances that carry sky-high rates of interest — often much more than 300 % — pawn loans are effortless regarding the pocket plus don’t need to be paid back in the event that debtor chooses to forfeit the security.
Businesses are pouring money and resources that are managerial their pawn services and products, that are growing for a price maybe not observed in days gone by decade, Coffey stated.
A lot of the change in focus was spurred by regulators who will be attempting to control the attention rates charged by payday loan providers.
The Ohio Legislature passed a bill a year ago to effortlessly cap the attention price on pay day loans at 28 %, a blow to payday lending facilities when you look at the state.
Fort Worth, Texas-based money America closed 42 shops in Ohio, as well as on Thursday it reported a fall in fourth-quarter revenue and lowered its 2009 profits outlook.
Various other states are going to cap interest levels at 36 %.
вЂњI think thereвЂ™s going become plenty of noise regarding that,вЂќ said Stephens Inc analyst David Burtzlaff.
вЂњThe 36 % rate of interest caps have already been mentioned a great deal, and also you canвЂ™t run at that price. Simple math wonвЂ™t allow it, because of the loss prices these businesses encounter in the product.вЂќ
Analysts additionally anticipate the lending that is payday to handle opposition from President Barack Obama, who required caps on interest levels and enhanced disclosure during their campaign.
вЂњIt poses a lot more of a risk than earlier, but because of the environment we donвЂ™t understand whether he (Obama) will require away the last credit rating choice at this time,вЂќ Burtzlaff stated.
To conquer earnings shortfalls in the payday front side, the businesses have actually considered expanding their pawn operations.
First Cash said it expects 75 % to 80 % of its profits during 2009 in the future from pawn operations, yet others aren’t far behind.
Fueled by brand brand brand new development prospects, U.S. pawn financing organizations are now actually aggressively expanding south associated with edge where need continues to be high. Analysts think Mexico might be a significant development car for the loan providers moving forward.
вЂњCulturally the pawn item has been around Mexico for an extremely time that is long it really is well accepted,вЂќ Burtzlaff stated. вЂњAll of the organizations have large amount of space for store expansions.вЂќ
First money said it expects significant development in consumer traffic and deal volumes in Mexico in ’09.
First Cash expects to start 55 to 60 new shops in Mexico and a limited quantity of brand new pawn shops in the usa this present year, while Ezcorp intends to start 30 to 35 pawn stores in Mexico.
But Mexico is certainly not going be an open industry when it comes to U.S. businesses, and regional pawn store operators may provide competition that is tough.
Development in Mexico continues to be in a phase that is relatively early while the company there clearly was dominated by tiny independents in addition to one big quasi-government-owned pawn store string Monte de Piedad, Sterne Agee analyst Coffey stated.
A strengthening dollar against the Mexican peso and volatility in silver rates may additionally produce headwinds when it comes to U.S. pawn operators.


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Tokina had all of its new cinema lenses on display at NAB 2014. In addition to the ATX 11-16mm T3.0 and 16-38mm T3.0 lenses, Tokina also had is upcoming 50-135mm cinema lens on display. [click to continue…]
Redrock Micro showed off how to rig up its microRemote follow focus for the Movi and other handheld electric gimbals at its NAB 2014 booth. [click to continue…]
Zeiss has its collection of CZ.2 cinema zoom lenses on display at NAB 2014, including CZ.2 15-30mm T2.9 lens that was announced just prior to NAB. [click to continue…]
At NAB 2014, G-Technology announced a new pro line of Thunderbolt 2 storage solutions – The G-RAID Studio and the G-SPEED Studio. [click to continue…]
Previously, I shared the Sony A7s press conference unveiling and a rudimentary ISO test of the Sony A7s with several sample images at 100% shot on the show floor for NAB 2014.
As you may recall, the Sony A7s was announced alongside a new 28-135mm cinema power zoom lens. Here is what the lens looks like attached to the Sony A7s. [click to continue…]
Blackmagic unveiled the Cintel Film Scanner, a new real-time film scanner for 35mm and 16mm film, at NAB 2014, which was the culmination of Blackmagic’s purchase of the film scanning company Cintel over a year ago. [click to continue…]


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On the first day of Eurobike, when Shimano will be hoping that their new hydraulic road discs will be one of the big draws, it's a touch embarrasing for them that they've also had to issue a recall for their mechanical road disc callipers: BR-CX75, BR-R515 and BR-R315.
"Shimano has identified a potential performance issue with these brake calipers", says the recall. "So far, no injuries are reported. As a responsible company where the safety of our customers has top priority, Shimano is voluntarily recalling the brake calipers concerned. Shimano is replacing these with improved brake calipers in which the issue no longer exists."
So it's not clear from the recall exactly what the issue is – and everyone we could ask for more details is busy setting up at Eurobike – but it seems to be something to do with the calliper adjustment. "Readjustment of worn brake pads in the case of the brake calipers concerned should be performed by the bicycle dealer. However, it cannot be excluded that consumers and dealers will adjust the brake pads incorrectly. This can lead to that the braking force is being more difficult to control and brake performance can be influenced."
If you have a bike that's affected, or you're not sure, head over to your local Shimano dealer to have your callipers checked out.
Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.


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Final Fantasy VII Remake Delayed to April
Earlier this morning, the Producer of Final Fantasy VII Remake, Yoshinori Kitase, announced a message. After making the difficult decision, Final Fantasy VII Remake has been delayed to April 10th, 2020. The original release date was announced for March 3rd, 2020, so this change pushes it out another five weeks. The developers wanted to use the extra time to polish up the experience to deliver a game more in-line with their vision. This may also be due to the demo data leak, which may have prompted the team to try and make some adjustments. Either way, the end result is a delay.
Are you upset by the delay? Do you think it’s best they have more time to work on it? I remember a similar delay for Bioshock: Infinite, and that worked out just fine. We definitely think the extra time will be worth it here too, as we still enjoyed our time with the game. It even made it to being our Best of E3 2019 winner. Let us know what you think in the comments below.
[…] Fantasy VII Remake wasn’t the only Square-Enix game to get delayed today. Earlier today, Crystal Dynamics announced that Marvel’s Avengers was also getting a delay. […]


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MILAN, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Italian luxury eyewear maker Luxottica looked at a possible deal with French rival Essilor but decided not to pursue it and is no longer considering it, Luxottica’s new co-chief executive said on Monday.
“A deal with Essilor was explored, about a year and a half ago, but it was concluded that there were not the right conditions to go ahead,” Enrico Cavatorta told an analyst call.
“It was an opportunity that was analysed, it’s a year-and-a -half old, it is not on the table today,” he added.
He said there were a number of reasons, including a shareholding governance issue, why it did not go ahead.
Cavatorta took over as new co-CEO of the world’s largest eyewear maker by revenue on Monday, as long-standing CEO Andrea Guerra stepped down after falling out with Luxottica’s key shareholder and Chairman Leonardo Del Vecchio.
A possible deal with Essilor has been reported to be one of the issues over which Del Vecchio and Guerra had disagreed as it would have strongly diluted Del Vecchio’s stake.
But Cavatorta said Guerra, Del Vecchio, and the board had all agreed not to go ahead.
Reporting by Valentina Za, editing by Stephen Jewkes


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Ghanaians have no choice but to pay more for goods and services, as the country’s inflation rate keeps soaring.
There is currently no end in sight with the inflation rate, which keeps defying measures put in place by government.
The rate has moved from 33.9 percent in August 2022 to 37.2 percent in September 2022.
This new figure was released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) on October 12, 2022.
This is a 2.0 percent month-on-month increase from the 33.9 percent rate recorded in August 2022.
However, the rate is also 37.2% higher than that of September 2021.
Year-on-Year inflation varied upwardly by 2.2 percentage points between August (31.7%) and September (33.9%) 2022.
Food inflation was 37.8% while non-food inflation was 36.8%.
Inflation for locally produced items was 35.8% while inflation for imported items was 40.7%.
Western Region recorded the highest food inflation (47.0%) and Eastern Region, the highest non-food inflation (42.0%). Eastern Region recorded the overall highest inflation (41.0%) followed closely by Western Region (40.2%) and Greater Accra Region (39.3%).
Transport (68.7%) recorded the highest rate of inflation in the Eastern Region, for food inflation in the Western Region, Fish and Other Seafood had the highest rate of inflation at 64.0%.
More than 90 percent of the sampled items recorded an increase in price.
Source: Citi newsroom


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As of today, March 14th, Tobacco companies will no longer be able to sell cigarettes in branded packaging. All cigarette released for sale from today must be sold in plain, olive brown generic packaging.
Retailers have until the 6thJune to get rid of their branded tobacco stock, from which point it will only be permitted to sell tobacco in plain packaging.
ASH – Action for Smokefree Aoteroa 2025 says that the introduction of plain packaging is long overdue. ASH Programme Manager, Boyd Broughton said: ‘ASH first campaigned on plain packaging thirty years ago and it has been 55 years since cigarette advertising was banned, on TV and radio in New Zealand. It’s astonishing that over half a century later we are only just finishing the job’.
The tobacco industry has exploited and abused its power for far too long. ‘Tobacco companies have spent millions of dollars fighting this measure since the early nineties. They have spent large on TV campaigns, legal challenges and setting up fake retail associations to fight it. This has been a marathon battle against a global giant’ said Broughton.
However, Broughton says that this is only one of a suite of strategies recommended by the Māori Affairs Select Committee to achieve a Smokefree 2025 goal and New Zealand has a lot of work left to do. ‘We only have seven years left to achieve the Smokefree goal. It’s a sprint to the finish, and we urge the new Government to start running’.
One measure he proposes is to take advantage of less harmful alternatives to smoking.
The law will not apply to e-cigarettes and vaping products. Broughton said: ‘It is important that this law change discriminates against the most harmful tobacco products – the cigarette. Since New Zealand banned tobacco advertising on TV in 1963, cigarettes have killed over quarter of a million New Zealanders – and continue to cost us over 5,000 lives and over 800 Māori lives per year. There are safer alternatives, and letting people know about these instead of cigarettes could save a lot of early and preventable deaths’.
A brief timeline of tobacco advertising in New Zealand
1948 - First campaign by the Department of Health on the harms of smoking
1963 - Cigarette advertising banned in television and radio in New Zealand
1973 - Cigarette advertising on billboards and cinema screens banned
1974 - Health warnings appear on cigarettes
1990 - Smokefree Environments Act bans tobacco sponsorship of sporting events
- Health Sponsorship Council established to replace tobacco sponsorship with Smokefree branding
1995 - Tobacco sponsorship ends
- Tobacco branding on shop exteriors banned
1997 - Size of tobacco advertising in stores in reduced, and retailer incentives to sell cigarettes are banned
2004 - All workplaces, schools and early childhood centres required to go smokefree
2008 - All cigarettes and tobacco pack are required to have graphic health warnings covering 90 percent of the pack
2012 - All point of sale advertising of tobacco is banned, and cigarettes and tobacco product must not be on display
2018 All cigarettes and tobacco must be sold in plain packaging
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A year ago, it would have been a bit of a stretch to declare Carat a U.S. media-buying powerhouse. But after the year Carat has just enjoyed, there’s no denying the Eurocentric shop has become a major player.
Carat grew U.S. revenue 30 percent to $125 million in 2012 YOY, according to Adweek estimates. This, as it picked up lead buying responsibilities for two of the most formidable American corporations, General Motors and Macy’s, as well as new business from staple client Procter & Gamble. Meanwhile, Carat strengthened its strategy bench with hires like Mike Vitti, svp, group director of data and analytics. It also earned industry accolades (including a gold Effie for its work on Johnnie Walker), while helping drive double-digit sales growth for brands like Nivea.
“We’re at a tipping point in our American operations,” says Doug Ray, North American president, who this month was also appointed president of Carat Global. “The U.S. is very much leading in many ways some of the work that we’re doing as a global network, and I think we’ve become perhaps, or are becoming, an iconic U.S. media operation.”
The agency’s performance also caught the attention of Japanese holding company Dentsu, which last July continued its aggressive push into Western markets by announcing plans to buy Carat’s London-based parent network Aegis for $5 billion. (The deal appears on track to close, pending regulatory approval in China.)
“Carat’s resurgence in North America has really made them one of the fastest growing agencies in the world,” says Tim Andree, president and CEO of Dentsu Network. “That was a strong contributing factor to our rationale to pursue the acquisition of Aegis.”
That boom is in no small part a result of Ray’s leadership, for which he was named one of Adweek’s Media All-Stars last November. His new global title has also given him two bosses: For North American duties, Ray reports to Nigel Morris, Aegis’ CEO for the Americas and Europe, the Middle East and Africa; for global, he reports to Nigel Sharrocks, CEO for Aegis Media Global.
In January, only six months after Ray was named North American president, GM announced what would become the single biggest driver of growth for the agency’s business in 2012, choosing Carat to handle consolidated global planning and buying responsibilities. The account, previously spread across 108 shops in 50 countries, represents some $3 billion in billings globally and was the largest single contract ever awarded in advertising, according to Carat. GM—which, according to Kantar shelled out some $1.17 billion across U.S. media in the first three quarters of 2012—is now the agency’s largest client by revenue.
“In the selection process, we were looking for an agency partner with the sophistication to leverage global marketing opportunities,” explains Paul Edwards, GM’s executive director of global marketing strategy. “Carat presented an innovative approach and a service model that drives significant marketing value for both our global and regional brands.”
Still bearing the stigma of a government bailout and working to cut costs across the board, GM never made bones about the fact that squeezing more value out of its marketing budgets was a key factor in its decision to streamline agencies. The automaker’s total U.S. outlay on media was down 9 percent from Q1 through Q3 versus the same nine months in 2011, per Kantar. Still, the $1.78 billion GM shelled out over full-year 2011 made it the third largest spender on advertising in the U.S. that year, behind only P&G (another of Carat’s largest clients) and AT&T.
In any scenario, the process of transitioning a bulk of business so large (in GM’s case, from Publicis’ Starcom) would be a feat. Carat pulled it off.
“We built and hired a fully functioning Detroit office that now has over 200 people in it,” explains COO Steven Feuling, who directs the agency’s work on GM brands. “We hired the vast majority of those people in the first 60 days, which I think was pretty much a Herculean effort.”
Still, the highly visible, hardball peculiarities of GM’s approach to the market over the past year suggest it was an especially challenging new client. In the days leading up to Facebook’s IPO in May, GM made headlines by pulling all paid ads from the social network, citing ineffectiveness and undermining the Wall Street debut. That same month, GM announced it would not air ads during the 2013 Super Bowl, claiming the $3.8 million price tag (up from $3.5 million in 2012) was too steep. Meanwhile, during the upfronts, the automaker sought dramatic price cuts from the networks of as much as 20 percent, even as other advertisers were negotiating single-digit increases. In July, GM ousted outspoken marketing chief Joel Ewanick, reportedly for mishandling a $559 million sponsorship deal with British soccer team Manchester United.
Carat declines to comment specifically on the tumult early in the days of its relationship with GM. “The client came to [some of] those decisions well before we were in a position to influence some of the strategies,” explains Ray. “Some of those decisions happened within the first 30 days of us starting to transition the business.” (The agency began the transition in late January of last year.) “Some of those decisions were certainly based on their collective experience over time.”
Naturally, Ray would rather talk about the evolution of Carat and the agency’s desire to avoid the industrywide commoditization of media-buying services.
“As we look at the return on investment that different technologies and digital channels are bringing, [they] are significantly higher than some of the legacy media that’s out there,” he explains. “We have to change the way we do things and we have to change the way that clients think about media. I think that’s what we’re trying to do with GM. We’re fully aligned and in lockstep, and we are working as a well-oiled machine with GM.”
Adds Edwards, “Carat has used the business model and its scale to bring value and efficiency to the business.”
Even as it took on GM’s business, Carat continued to attract other new accounts. In August, it won buying duties for adventure camera brand GoPro, which spent $16 million on media in 2011, per Kantar. In October, the agency locked up another big win in the form of broadcast and online responsibilities for Macy’s. The retailer, which handles print buying in house, spent $372 million on TV, radio and digital in 2011, Kantar estimates.
Carat says it is early yet to show fruit from its labor for both GM and Macy’s. But its work on Pampers, a Carat client since 2004, helped the brand last year become P&G’s first ever to cross the $10 billion mark in global revenue. Meanwhile, Carat’s work for Gillette Fusion ProGlide Styler razors helped the new product carve out an 18 percent market share, per Nielsen Answers.
It’s little wonder that P&G last year recognized Carat as one of its most effective partners with an Excellence Award, the agency’s third such honor in as many years.
Carat continues to translate that goodwill into still more assignments from the CPG giant. In July, P&G awarded the agency Gillette Venus, the women’s razor brand, which spent $39 million on media in 2011, per Kantar. (The business was previously handled by Starcom MediaVest Group). Carat’s work on P&G’s hit London Olympics effort, the “Thank you mom” campaign, earned it expanded responsibilities for the next round of games, the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
It’s easy to wonder whether, considering such head-spinning growth, the agency’s reach has exceeded its grasp.
Ray, for one, doesn’t seem concerned.
Observes the executive, “We’ve transitioned so much business in the last two to three years, we’ve become almost precise from a military perspective.”
Pictured at top: Steven Feuling COO, Carat; Nigel Morris CEO, Aegis Media Americas and EMEA;Doug Ray,President, Carat North America, and president, Carat Global.


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Sony is reportedly winding down one of its longest standing studios, as VGC says multiple sources have told it "the vast majority" of development staff at Japan Studio are being let go.
According to the site, Sony is keeping Japan Studio's business and localization staff, and the team behind the Astro Bot series of games, Asobi Team, will take on some of the Japan Studio developers and continue as a separate Sony-owned studio.
VGC notes that a number of Japan Studio developers have announced or implied their departures from the studio in recent days, among them Bloodborne producer Masaaki Yamagiwa, video manager Ryo Sogabe, and executive producer Masami Yamamoto.
Asobi Team head Nicolas Doucet was appointed the new studio director of the Japan Studio a little over a year ago, but changes at the studio began to pile up late last year, with Gravity Rush director Keiichiro Toyama leaving to co-found Bokeh Game Studio and Bloodborne producer Teruyuki Toriyama announcing his own new studio to create original games.
Japan Studio was founded in 1993 and produced a number of franchises, including Ape Escape, Patapon, LocoRoco, and Knack. It also assisted other studios in making Sony exclusives like The Last Guardian, Days Gone, and the PS5 launch remake of Demon's Souls.
Sony representatives did not immediately return a request for comment.
Update: February 26, 2021 -- A representative from Sony Interactive Entertainment has confirmed key details from earlier reports of the changes to Japan Studio. The company's full statement is below:
"In an effort to further strengthen business operations, SIE can confirm PlayStation Studios Japan Studio will be re-organized into a new organization on April 1. Japan Studio will be re-centered to Team Asobi, the creative team behind Astro's Playroom, allowing the team to focus on a single vision and build on the popularity of Astro's Playroom.
"In addition, the roles of external production, software localization, and IP management of Japan Studio titles will be concentrated within the global functions of PlayStation Studios."
Additional reporting by Matthew Handrahan.


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Sobering idea – Irish Distillers file NFT patent for ‘virtual bars’
Want to take Dry January that little bit additional within the years forward?
ry sipping a digital whiskey in a digital bar.
Irish Distillers, which is owned by French drinks large Pernod Ricard, has filed an utility to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for metaverse and non-fungible token (NFT)-related emblems for Jameson whiskey.
In the appliance, it claimed plans for digital bars and drinks, digital clothes and merchandise, shops promoting digital items and NFTs, and on-line marketplaces for buying and selling digital items and NFTs.
A spokeswoman from Irish Distillers stated: “Like many global brands with a curiosity in the growing popularity of the digital universe, in 2022 Irish Distillers began seeking registration of existing Jameson brand IP in new trademark classes to support its future endeavours.”
Drinks manufacturers have been experimenting with digital worlds, with Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg vowing that the metaverse is the place we’ll all socialise sooner or later, albeit to a lot scepticism.
Pernod Ricard has stated Maison Martell would grow to be the primary of France’s nice cognac homes to enter The Sandbox metaverse, permitting guests a digital tour of the Martell Chateau.
Diageo’s Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan hosted digital joyful hours on the world’s first NFT convention final 12 months, and Diageo hosted a branded digital bar at Decentraland’s Metaverse Fashion Week.
When Johnnie Walker launched its first NFT assortment with artist BossLogic at public sale, it offered out inside 10 minutes.
As properly as utilizing the metaverse as a advertising device, manufacturers additionally need to shield their NFT and metaverse mental property from fraudsters.


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Audeze's $99 Bluetooth cable makes iSine headphones 'wireless'
The Cipher Bluetooth Module promises eight hours of wireless playback.
Marshall taps Alexa for its first smart speakers
"Alexa, turn it up to 11."
Ascape Audio's earbuds boast wireless sound in a convenient package
The AscapePods' charging case powers your phone and the earbuds.
Apple's HomePod speaker needs an iOS device to work
It has Bluetooth 5.0 but you can't just stream audio over it.
HTC's U11 will support Bluetooth 5.0 when Android O arrives
The U11's Bluetooth speeds will soon be a lot faster.
Samsung's Galaxy S8 is the first phone with Bluetooth 5.0
Expect stronger connections to all your accessories.
Bluetooth 5's faster, longer-ranged wireless is here
The standard, that is -- it'll be a few months before devices show up.