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By Craig Zammit
SYDNEY: Intel Australia has taken its next step beyond wireless Centrino technology to unveil Intel Viiv – a new platform designed to assist digital home convergence and to help drive the content market for digital devices.
At the Australian launch at Fox Studios in Sydney yesterday, Intel made the bold claim that in years to come Viiv will be looked upon as significant as the introduction of the television.
With the new Intel Viiv technology, consumers now have a wireless platform with which they can download content such as movies, games, music and more and then play that content via a television on any screen in the house, via the use of Digital Media Adapters (DMA).
DMAs take content stored on a users PC and make it available in any other room or on any digital device. Viiv enabled products featuring integrated DMAs will be released in the second half of 2006. Other entertainment devices, such as soon-to-be-released Xbox 360, will be compatible with the Viiv platform.
With local content providers such as Telstra BigPond, Quickflix, Destra Music, Ubisoft, Adobe, Muvee and many more on the way, Viiv is looking to cater for every taste and every market by accommodating a broad spectrum of quality content.
Viiv is run on Microsoft’s Windows Media Centre edition PCs and is deigned to streamline the process of connecting multiple devices to work together in a highly user-friendly environment.
The launch of Intel Viiv will represent a significant opportunity for retailers as well, with everything from HD-ready television sets, wireless routers and even PCs looking to benefit from the technology.
“Retailers love the product,” Intel national marketing manager Australia and New Zealand, Kate Burleigh told current.com.au.
“They love the platform, because they can see how it will help driving incremental business into their stores,” she said.
Burleigh also pointed to the level of commitment in product development to make it as simple as possible for consumers to set-up an Intel Viiv system in their homes.
“The worst case scenario for us is that consumers get this great product and are excited about it, only to find that they have so much trouble connecting it that they go back to retailer and claim it doesn’t work,” she said.
During the development of Viiv, Intel discovered and repaired more than 2,700 faults to ensure that consumers would enjoy a seamless and simple experience.
With the Intel Viiv platform able to transfer downloaded content to and from any digital device, including mp3 players, users can now download songs via their Intel Viiv equipped television and then simply transfer the content direct to their mp3 player.
Creative has launched a line of its Zen mp3 players which are Viiv-friendly. Identified via the Viiv sticker on the box, the plug-and-go nature of the Zen players means no more installing drivers and fixing settings.
“The Intel intellectual property that has gone into making different devices work together is great. If you see that sticker on a product, then as soon as it recognises it, it’ll just work. It’s very simple,” said Burleigh.
With an optional television tuner card, users can also record, pause and rewind live television with the ability to store it on the built-in Viiv hard drive for later viewing.
A plethora of industry support for the technology exists, with countless Viiv PC designs from companies such as Claritas Technologies, Acer, NEC, Dell, HP, Optima, MiTAC, Altech computers, Alloys Australia and many more.
“We have more than 110 Viiv PC designs worldwide, and that number will grow to more than 250 throughout 2006. That is absolute ubiquitous support from all the PC manufacturers around the world,” said McDonald.
“We have tremendous support from the content industry, tremendous support from the PC industry and we also have tremendous support from consumer electronics.”
The Intel Viiv platforms will be available from Harvey Norman, Dick Smith Powerhouse, Domayne and Myer and will retail for anywhere between $1,999 and $5,999 depending on users preferences and requirements.

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Will UWB Succeed In Spite Of Its Standards Battles
The ridiculous and completely unnecessary UWB standards battle doesn’t show any signs of getting cleared up any time soon — but that won’t stop the various contenders from starting to come out with incompatible, non-standardized hardware. Glenn Fleishman has a nice writeup for Mobile Pipeline looking at the state of UWB today, including the standards issue. What’s interesting, is the question of whether or not UWB can succeed in spite of the standards battle. Obviously, having a single standard that everyone could rally around would probably be a better solution — but with heavy marketing and various relationships, some believe that the world will just be fine with at least two different kinds of UWB (coming out under different brand names, of course). While it’s likely to eventually succeed, just because the technology is too useful not to succeed — it still seems like this standards problem will slow stuff down. It already has stalled out some efforts over the past few years, but vendors now need to figure out which one to support, if any, and that could seriously slow down adoption. People will need to make sure the products they buy are actually compatible, and vendors may shy away from placing bets until a “winner” is clearer. UWB is a great technology, but so far, the various companies backing it have done a lot of things very badly in trying to get it to market.


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SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — Samsung will not be allowed to import certain smartphones and tablets, following a ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission on Friday.
The commission ruled that the devices violate Apple patents. Samsung smartphones and tablets with the Android operating system are affected because Apple claimed their iOS operating system was infringed upon with regards to the iPhone and the iPad.
Friday’s ruling is part of an ongoing issue that we’ve been talking about for more than a year now. Apple had already won a $1 billion judgment against Samsung.
But this battle goes beyond just Apple and Samsung and really speaks to the nature of the tech sector going forward.
In many ways I think that Apple’s gripe is really with Google and Android, but Samsung is the biggest player in the game as far as competition goes. It’s hard to believe some of the things they’re arguing over, including rounded corners. Who knew that rounded corners on a cell phone could be patented?
At the end of the day, they’re looking at how Apple arguably pioneered the smartphone as we know it. These rulings, however, have to do with a lot of older Samsung devices, so it doesn’t mean that Samsung is going out of business. They still have plenty of devices that aren’t impacted by these rulings.
Hopefully, these court battles will stop and we’ll see more competition in the marketplace where we all get to vote with our dollars. These rulings and proceedings keep the lawyers happy and rich, but it doesn’t do much for the consumers.
(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)


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With reports galore that Google will likely release its Android-based ‘Nexus One’ smartphone at a press conference at its Mountain View, California, headquarters on January 5, the indications thus far point to a full T-Mobile network support, including its 3G network, for the first Google mobile device.
A February-filed, this-week-released, patent application by Google reveals endeavors towards building games on top of digital videos with the help of an interactive annotation system. In its patent filing, Google is evidently looking to patent “a method of providing an interactive game based on a digital video” using its YouTube and Google Video services.
With industry watchers buzzing about Google's own Android-based phone, supposedly to be called 'Nexus One,' for weeks, the official unveiling of the device appears to be round the corner - most likely at the January 5 "Android press gathering" that Google is hosting at its headquarters in Mountain View, California.
- Samsung signs deal with Amazon.in to sell Galaxy K Zoom handset in India
- GE unveils smart LED light bulb – ‘Link’
- Report: iPhone 6 likely to be launched one month earlier than expected
- Huawei officially unveils its new high-end Ascend P7 smartphone
- Samsung launches its ‘Galaxy K zoom’ camera specialized-smartphone


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eBay began rolling out same-day shipping two years ago, but the service has been limited to select ares of New York and San Francisco. That’s set to quickly change, however, with the company’s acquisition yesterday of Shutl, a same-day ecommerce delivery service. By the end of 2014, eBay is hoping to expand same-day shipping to 25 cities across the world, according to Engadget. It’s a bold step in terms of expanding eBay’s reach, and a direct challenge to Amazon’s current dominance in quick shipping.
Shutl is currently a delivery service that pairs with traditional retailers to offer same-day delivery in Manhattan and Chicago. According to their website, there fastest delivery was 13 minutes, 57 seconds after order-placement, and customers can track Shutl’s progress in real-time through their website. VentureBeat reports that most of the company’s deliveries are done within an hour, making the wait only somewhat longer than ordering a pizza.
As services such as this become available to customers, traditional ecommerce practices will be disrupted. Shutl prices its delivery service around $7 to $10, which is roughly the same (or less) than many online sites charge for standard ground delivery that takes 3-5 days. Amazon meanwhile will surely respond to eBay’s aggressive move with an increased push for same-day delivery from its own warehouses.


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Our special report on architecture and engineering highlights the latest trends, the best of the best. Ingram Micro is on the sales block once more and Ruby’s Diner 2.0.
SOFTWARE: Goldman, Carrick among top investors
Business software maker Mavenlink Inc. has laid out an aggressive local expansion plan as it eyes an initial public offering.
20-something tech entrepreneur made waves mid-2017 when paid $35M for Huntington Beach marina … did so again when asked 56K Twitter followers whether he should buy VR headset maker HTC Vive … 56% said yes … Luckey founded virtual reality co., sold to Facebook $2B … Forbes estimates wealth at $730M … Time magazine cover story … Business Journal Person of the Year 2014
Members of Orange County’s business community gathered Thursday at Hotel Irvine for the Business Journal’s fourth annual Innovator of the Year Awards.
Says Alcon Recall Product-Specific
Stockholders of San Clemente-based medical device maker Glaukos Corp. (NYSE: GKOS) got an early Christmas gift last month, as the product failure of a competitor firm in the emerging micro-invasive glaucoma surgical (MIGS) sector sent the company’s stock up about 40% to an all-time high, while adding about a billion dollars to its market value.
Longtime CEO ceded reins to Robert Bouttier May 2012, who stepped down in 2017 as OC 500’s John Boyle named to post … McKernan led group for 21 years, growing SoCal membership 70% to 6.2M, bought AAAs in several states … SoCal AAA is largest in US … began career in Pasadena branch 1966 … led information systems, financial management areas … Business Journal’s OC 50
Habit Burger Restaurants Inc. said a franchisee will develop nine locations in Eastern Washington and Idaho, with the first ones scheduled to open early next year.
Staffing Boom Grows Sales Nearly 2,000%
When Matthew Blake was asked how many offices Nexem Corp. has nationwide, he hesitated before saying, “That’s a dynamic number. It might be more than 50.”
Left No. 2 Irvine Co. role in 2016 to launch entitlement-development firm … remained adviser to Don Bren …now point man for Bren’s bid to bring Amazon’s HQ2 to Irvine … formal bids were due mid-October … Santa Ana mayor in 1980s and ’90s before current long-term pol OC 500’s Miguel Pulido elected
University of California, Irvine will be opening the doors to its new 65,000-square-foot “active learning” building next week.
Brea’s West Coast Prime Meats Joins the Herd of Fastest-Growing Private Companies
Craig Nickoloff’s bachelor’s degree in cartography and geography from California State University-Long Beach 44 years ago seems disconnected from his career of running restaurants and supplying them with great meat.
Companies make, sell complex precision components for aerospace, defense, oil and gas industries … R.A. is Markall’s manufacturing arm… 5th-gen OCer … left career as opera singer to earn Chapman MBA through
The Philharmonic Society of Orange County in Irvine named Tommy Phillips president and artistic director, effective Oct. 1.
VC-Backed Sock Maker Expands Presence
San Clemente-based sock and underwear maker Stance was already one of Orange County’s fastest-growing private businesses the past few years, even without a stand-alone retail presence in the area or a formalized marketing brand campaign.
Lake Forest-based Johnny Rockets Group Inc. named President Mike Nolan its chief executive, effective Oct. 1, replacing John Maguire, who has left the company.


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Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja and Obinna Chima in Lagos
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele on Tuesday gave conflicting prognoses of the Nigerian economy, with the fund forecasting that the Nigeria economy was likely to contract by 1.8 per cent this year, warning that it was heading towards recession.
Emefiele, on the other hand, during a closed-door briefing with the Senate, informed the upper legislative chamber that the economy was suffering from stagflation.
A recession is defined as a significant decline in activity across the economy, lasting longer than a few months. It is visible in industrial production, employment, real income and wholesale-retail trade.
Economic stagflation refers to a period of little or no growth in an economy (of less than 2 or 3 per cent annually) and relatively high unemployment – economic stagnation – accompanied by rising prices, or inflation, or inflation and a decline in GDP.


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B$Z: Under Armour to Acquire MapMyFitness
November 15, 2013
Under Armour to Acquire MapMyFitness, One of the World's Largest Open Fitness Tracking Platforms
Press Release from Under Armour
Reaching over 20 million registered users, MapMyFitness is an open platform, seamlessly integrating with more than 400 fitness tracking devices, sensors and wearables
Brand's acquisition accelerates its capabilities in the digital and personalized training space and advances its vision to create the ultimate digital community for all athletes
Baltimore, MD - Today, Under Armour (NYSE:UA), the leading sports performance and innovation brand, announced the acquisition of MapMyFitness, the fitness technology company powering one of the world's largest digital fitness communities.
With this acquisition, Under Armour will be uniquely positioned at the forefront of sports and technology and will continue to deliver game-changing solutions to how athletes train and perform. As part of the collaboration, Under Armour will add depth to its digital capability, offering athletes an elevated training experience through new digital products and platforms.
MapMyFitness has one of the largest connected fitness communities in the world and offers a diverse suite of websites and mobile applications under its flagship brands, MapMyRun and MapMyRide. Utilizing GPS and other advanced technologies, MapMyFitness provides users with the ability to map, record and share their workouts.
"This partnership is about Under Armour enhancing our digital expertise to drive the future of performance innovation for the global athlete community," said Kevin Plank, Founder and CEO of Under Armour. "We will build on the community of over 20 million registered users that MapMyFitness has cultivated in the connected fitness space, and together we will serve as a destination for the measurement and analytics needs of all athletes. Innovation has always been at the core of our company, and now we are better positioned to design open, digital products for the athlete of tomorrow and become more proactive in providing solutions that will help people across the world lead healthier lifestyles."
Robin Thurston, MapMyFitness Co-Founder and CEO said, "MapMyFitness has engaged and built a global community, making advanced training tools more accessible through our web and mobile platforms. The combination of Under Armour's powerful commitment to athletes and innovation and our connected fitness technology allows us to better serve the needs of athletes around the world."
As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Under Armour, MapMyFitness will continue to operate out of its headquarters in Austin, Texas.
Under Armour intends to initially finance the $150 million acquisition of MapMyFitness with borrowings under its existing revolving credit facility, cash on hand or a combination thereof, while it evaluates longer-term funding options for the transaction. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2013 and the Company's previously provided 2013 guidance and preliminary 2014 outlook remain unchanged.
Under Armour was advised by the investment banking advisory firm, Peter J. Solomon Company and the law firm King & Spalding LLP. MapMyFitness was advised by the investment firm, Allen & Company and the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich Rosati, Professional Corporation.
About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour (NYSE: UA), the originator of performance footwear, apparel and accessories, revolutionized how athletes across the world dress. Designed to make all athletes better, the brand's innovative products are sold worldwide to athletes at all levels. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.uabiz.com.
MapMyFitness is the leader in Connected Fitness - building the world's largest digital fitness community by providing interactive tools to make fitness social, simple and rewarding. The flagship consumer brands - MapMyRun, MapMyRide, and MapMyWalk - are among the most popular apps on iOS and Android and the cloud-based platform has been supporting millions of users since it launched in 2007. MapMyFitness is an open platform, seamlessly integrating with more than 400 fitness tracking devices, sensors and wearables. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, MapMyFitness has over 100 employees and offers integrated marketing and advertising solutions, premium consumer subscription products, and a SaaS platform that helps partners of any size tap into advanced fitness tracking technology, workout database, nutritional data, calorie calculators, and 160+ million of the best running, cycling and walking routes around the world.


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Sainsbury Talks to Acquire Home Retail Said to Stall Over Priceby , , and
Grocer said unwilling to pay more than 150 pence a share
Argos owner Home Retail said to want at least 170 pence
J Sainsbury Plc’s plan to acquire Home Retail Group Plc is in limbo as the U.K. retailers struggle to reach an agreement over price, according to four people familiar with the matter.
Sainsbury is unwilling to pay more than 150 pence a share, which would value Home Retail at about 1.2 billion pounds ($1.7 billion), said one of the people, who declined to be identified as talks have yet to be concluded. Home Retail won’t sell for less than 170 pence, that person said.
Sainsbury has until Feb. 2 to make a formal bid for the Argos owner under U.K. takeover rules and is unlikely to seek an extension to that, another person said. The deal may fall apart this weekend, two of the people said, though no final decision has been made and an offer is still possible.
Representatives for both companies declined to comment.
Home Retail shares fell as much as 12 percent to 125 pence in London after the Financial Times reported that talks had stalled. Sainsbury stock rose as much as 3.9 percent.
Home Retail would be Sainsbury’s biggest acquisition, giving it more than 800 Argos stores and a vastly expanded product delivery network. The grocer is seeking to fight back in a market beset by discount competition where efficient distribution has become crucial in winning the increasing number of shoppers that want to order online.


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Nintendo have announced that new Wii U & 3DS Bundles are coming to Australia in time for Christmas. To celebrate the release of YO-KAI Watch, two new 2DS bundles will release for $169.95 which include copies of the game.
On the 5th of November, Nintendo will release a Mario Kart 8 & Splatoon Wii U Premium bundle which will include a pre-installed version of Mario Kart 8 and download code for Splatoon. This will retail for $439.95
Shipping and discount codes are added at checkout.


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Drive-in theaters are making a comeback as families look for a safe alternative to traditional indoor movie theaters, which remain closed in much of the country. A select few outdoor theaters remained in operation over decades during the rise of mall culture. They’re joined by a wave of new drive-in movie venues popping up all over the country. A large screen propped up in an empty parking lot has never seemed so welcoming to young and old alike. We’re all looking for somewhere to go and something to do.
Local small business owners who shut down traditional indoor movie operations to comply with Covid-19 social distancing have been reopening old drive-ins or setting up make-shift theaters in parking lots to recoup lost income. Many owners are inspired by the question “what can we do to keep our name out there and bring the community together?”
Old and New Drive-ins Rely on Family Favorites
Patrons are flocking to new drive-in theaters in states like Iowa, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, while owners of drive-ins in California, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri say they are mindful of social distancing. Seeing a movie at a drive-in can offer limited human contact since customers are required to stay in their cars during the showing.
Drive-ins draw customers by featuring older, family-favorite movies that charm kids and parents alike. A Queens, NY diner operations manager launched a drive-in to raise money for charity by showing classics like The Sandlot, Grease, Dirty Dancing and The Greatest Showman. In Long Island, NY, an adventure park launched a series featuring Toy Story, Cheaper By the Dozen, and Dr. Doolittle along with screenings of Night at the Museum and The Sandlot. A Miami live events production company partnered with an indoor recreational complex to use its massive parking lot as a drive-in for showing Sonic the Hedgehog and the original Jurassic Park.
Walmart Opens Pop-Ups, Tribeca Features Drive-In Series
These entrepreneurs are joined by two American icons combining forces to open more outdoor theaters across the country for a limited run of hit movies. In August, Walmart will begin drive-in pop-ups at 160 of its store parking lots. The big box chain is partnering with the Robert De Niro-backed media company Tribeca Enterprises to program films. Walmart will offer curbside pickup for treats and food at its adjacent physical stores. More than 300 showings are slated for the event, which will run until November. Locations and movie titles will be available soon on the Walmart Drive-In website (click here).
“This family-friendly night will include hit movies, special appearances from filmmakers and celebrities, and concessions delivered right to customer vehicles,” Walmart said in a press release.
Tribeca Enterprises has also announced a new “Tribeca Drive-In” series (click here), rolling out in July at locations in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, and Arlington, Texas. “The Tribeca Drive-In series is a tribute to movies and the shared experience of watching them, even if from our cars,” DeNiro said in a statement. Part of the programming’s proceeds will go to Black Lives Matter.
How to Find a Local Drive-In
An Internet search will turn up locations of drive-in movie theaters near you. One source of information is DriveInMovie.com (click here). This website offers a database of outdoor theaters across the country, along with advice on how to safely enjoy the drive-in experience.


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According to the report, the total value of monthly sales also fell during the quarter by 22 percent.
Sedo CEO Tobias Flaitz expressed concerns around the coming flood of generic Top Level Domains and its effects on domain price.
“We’re going to see the market flooded with hundreds of new domain extensions in the coming months and years, and our data shows that investors and corporations are evidently warming up to the idea of using different extensions,” Flaitz said. ”It will take time and effort before we see mass adoption of new TLDs, and Sedo is contributing its part to raise awareness through global marketing, sales efforts and partnerships with applicants. The fact that more extensions than ever are being traded and successfully used for business is a promising development.”
The study showed that of Sedo’s 9,589 sales in the past quarter, 48 percent were $500 or less, while 6 percent were over $5,000. The median for Sedo sales was $551, while the mean reached $1,830. The highest priced gTLD continues to be .com, while .info continues to fade.
While .com continued to be the extension of over half of all domains sold, traditional extensions like .net, and .org accounted for less than 10 percent of the total. This is despite the fact that a previous Sedo study indicated that 54 percent of people would be hesitant to click on a domain name with an extension other than .com, .net or .org.
Sedo competitor VeriSign had a strong second quarter, beating analyst expectations and raising its revenue outlook for the year to $952 million to $962 million, from its prior forecast of $945 million to $960 million.


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The Hydropothecary Corporation partners with Molson Coors, sending the cannabis company’s stock skyrocketing on both the Canadian and American markets today.
According to an official press release, Molson Coors Canada, a Canadian sub-unit of Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE:TAP) will be teaming up with The Hydropothercary to develop a non-alcoholic, cannabis-infused product.
Cannabis-Infused Non-Alcoholic Beer
The Hydropothecary Corporation partners with Molson Coors and the pair hope to develop many cannabis beverages ahead of the national recreational legalization of cannabis in Canada. This new venture will function as a stand-alone startup company that has its own independent management team and board of directors.
Recreational cannabis will become legal across Canada on October 17th, and the clock is ticking. Molson will own 57.5 percent of the venture, while Hydropothecary holds 42.5 percent.
“The new company will combine the proven beverage experience of Canada’s leading brewer with a recognized innovator in the fast-growing cannabis sector to explore the highly anticipated consumable cannabis market, which is expected to be legally permissible in Canada in 2019,” the release said.
As part of the agreement, Hydropothecary is going to issue share-purchase warrants to Molson, and both companies hope to close the deal before the end of September.
Edibles are already a huge part of the cannabis industry in Canada and the US. If Molson Coors can get ahead of everyone, they just might seal the deal for the top cannabis-infused beverage. It is illegal to infuse cannabis with any sort of alcoholic beverage, hence the non-alcoholic beverage deal.
Hydropothecary Stock Movement
According to Yahoo Finance, The Hydropothecary Corporation (OTC:HYYDF) traded extremely well on the US market today and closed the day at $3.74 a share. The stock was up $0.46 (13.97%) from yesterday’s close.
On the Toronto Stock exchange, the company (TSX:HEXO) took a substantial boost as well. According to Yahoo Finance, HEXO closed the day at $4.83 a share, up $0.48 (+11.03%).
Featured Image: Depositphotos/© 3DSculptor


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from phgfoundation by
UK-based DNA sequencing company Oxford Nanopore has showcased new nanopore sequencing technologies in development.
The new technologies previewed at the company’s London Calling event were a new version of MinION to be released in 2016, the promethION, and an automated sample preparation system called Voltrax. Reporters were not allowed to attend at the company-organised meeting on Thursday, but Oxford Nanopore tweeted about the updates from the conference.
Two years ago the company launched the MinION device, a low throughput sequencer and the first portable device to perform rapid DNA sequencing in real time. Last week’s event saw the company showcase their new technologies in the pipeline, such as the Voltrax, an automated sample preparation, which aim is to help Oxford Nanopore reach the goal of getting sample preparation down to 10 minutes. Available later this year, the portable palm sized device is designed to take a biological sample as an input and convert it into a library for use in nanopore-sensing applications, such as DNA, RNA and protein sequencing.
The conference saw a prototype of PromethION, a benchtop instrument that will offer higher throughput than the MinION device; PromethION will be launched later this year via a restricted early-access programme for selected experts, similar to that used for the MinION.
There was also news on the ASIC – application specific integrated circuit – that processes the nanopore signal and forms a key part of the MinION and PromethION devices. Delegates heard that the upgraded ASIC has 3000 channels, allowing it to read 1000 bases per second; the current version has just 512. In addition, Oxford Nanopore announced that they have separated the nanopore sensing membrane, which carries the nanopore chemistry, from the ASIC, which will permit better control of the two and allow reuse of the ASIC. The new chip will be part of the new MinION MKII device to be released in 2016 and of the promethION.
Translocation speed of the DNA through the nanopores has reportedly been increased, although the impact of the increased speed on the quality of the sequence data is not immediately clear.
Pricing plans were a big topic, with a new ‘pay-as-you go’ structure announced. Under the pricing scheme, using the MinION MkII will cost US$20 for the first hour with a data output of about 5 Gigabases (Gb). The MinION Access Program (MAP) will continue as the means by which Oxford Nanopore is making its products commercially available for the time being.
Source – phgfoundation


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A California meat-packer has announced the largest U.S. beef recall. Reuters reports:
Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co voluntarily recalled all of its beef produced since February 1, 2006. USDA said Hallmark violated rules against the slaughter of "downer cattle" -- that is, animals too ill to walk.Whether you eat beef or not, do you really want to eat sick beef?
"This is the largest beef recall in the history of the United States, unfortunately," said Agriculture Undersecretary Richard Raymond.
Based in Chino, California, Hallmark/Westland has been closed since early February. Company officials were not immediately available for comment.
The Humane Society of the United States showed videotapes on January 30 showing workers at the plant using several abusive techniques to make animals stand up and pass a pre-slaughter inspection. These included ramming cattle with forklift blades and using a hose to simulate the feeling of drowning.


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AACL Ladysmith has won the NP200 Bakkie #bravectocares
We are so excited and immensely grateful that AACL Ladysmith has won the NP200 Bakkie through the Bravecto South Africa #FeedTheFurryNation campaign. The campaign was run for loyal Bravecto users to support welfare organisation.
This was planned long before the start of COVID19 but became even more important during lockdown, when welfare organisations lost most of their funding and demand was increased on them. It was heart-warming for the Bravecto brand to be able to help in this desperate time by donating half a million Rand’s worth of food, which amounted to around 23 tons of dog and cat food to shelters nationwide. From us all at AACL would like to thank the vets, veterinary support staff and pet owners that supported this campaign and helped us make it a success.


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Cape Town, 1 September 2020 – Just nine months after launching to market, 63% of The Harri, a new 48-unit apartment block and mixed-use property development going up at 75 Harrington Street in Cape Town’s East City Precinct, has sold off-plan. Only 16 of 42 studio apartments remain unsold, while just two of the six loft apartments are still on the market.
Construction has already begun, with a completion date of April next year. This follows neighbourhood construction which began last year of a new mixed-use development at 84 Harrington Street, which includes retail units, a restaurant, co-working space and residential living, and the recently completed The Harrington, a new mixed-use retail and commercial development at 50 Harrington Street.
“We sold right through lockdown,” says Jeff Kleu, co-developer with Steven Lampert, both of property-development company Sepia and Silk, which bucked a trend of national property sales plummeting by up to 70% in the month following the hard lockdown that began at the end of March. “We sold to investors wanting to buy to rent, parents buying an apartment for their student kids or a holiday flat, and to locals as well as Zimbabwean, German and USA nationals.”
The Harri’s units are priced between R1 299 995 and R1 999 995 for a studio apartment ranging in size from 24,5m2 to 32,5m2, and R2 499 995 for a two-storey loft apartment. The development, which is optimally located in the heart of Cape Town’s design district, offers a blend of apartment living with open-plan, tastefully furnished co-living and co-working space, and includes fireplace lounges, a TV room with a large smart TV and access to Netflix, three dedicated Zoom (video chat) rooms, a rooftop terrace with a gas braai and mini-bar area, and hotel-grade amenities like wifi, a concierge, a housekeeping service, and 24-hour security.
Right now it’s a buyers’ market, Kleu notes. “Since we launched, interest rates have dropped from 10,25% to 7%,” he says. “This plays directly into the hands of the buyer because they’ll be paying substantially less on bond instalments, or it enables them to buy a much better apartment at a higher price point.”
Harrington Street has been at the heart of much of the recent revival of the East City, which was previously a gritty industrial-commercial area. Major developments here include the upgrading of the Cape Town City Hall at a cost of R27 million, The Old Granary at R31 million, the purchase of the Nicro head office on Harrington Street by a European company, Groupe SOS, for R30 million, and the opening last year of a R75-million five-star boutique hotel on Church Square.
Sandra Gordon, research economist for Cape Town’s Central City Improvement District, points out that while development activity was initially concentrated at the lower end of Harrington Street, developers have shifted their attention to the area above 50 Harrington Street, and she cites as examples both The Harri and 84 Harrington Street. “Numerous applications submitted to the City suggest that a variety of new retail and food outlets are set to open their doors, which will really cement the East City’s reputation as a trendy precinct that sees people flock to the area at the weekend,” she adds.
Kleu agrees, and notes that the magnetism of the area lies in its revival of old historic buildings in beautiful retail stores, galleries, artisanal bakeries, restaurants and bars, as well as its close proximity to Gardens Shopping Centre, Virgin Active Wembley Square, and several MyCiti bus stops. For Joburgers or foreigners, the fact that it’s in the heart of the city, and only a few minutes’ drive from iconic tourist hotspots like Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront and the Atlantic Seaboard’s “golden mile” beaches, adds immeasurably to the appeal of the area.
The Harri was creatively conceived by Steven Lampert and Lisa Blacher who were seduced by the contagious energy of the East City Precinct, which motivated them to invest in the area by purchasing 75 Harrington Street. They then joined forces with Jeffrey Kleu, who in collaboration with Lampert have injected their unique expertise, to create The Harri. Lampert is the founder of KidKraft, Inc., a global premium wooden-toy manufacturer and distributor. Lampert is no stranger to identifying a concept and expanding it on a global scale, having built KidKraft from a fledging toy company in 1993 to one of the largest toy companies in the world, with offices in Dallas, Amsterdam and Hong Kong. Kleu is a property investor, developer and broker whose most recent project was Park Corner in Rosebank, Johannesburg, an eclectic mixed-use development that’s had rave reviews in, among others, the Mail & Guardian, Habitat magazine and Wanted Online.
For further information, visit www.theharri.co.za or call 072-729-7504. Follow the development’s news on Facebook (@theharricpt) and Instagram (@theharricpt).
For more information, please contact:
Craig Dummett – Press Manager for The Harri


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They say that underground aquifers need plenty of restocking yet before normal water levels return.
But ask them to invest in some new reservoirs, a national water grid or some desalination plants and they prefer to
change the subject. As for redoubling efforts to reduce the vast volume of water the companies lose to leaks they insist they are going as fast as they can. It clearly is not fast enough.
Given the extended deluge we have suffered the notion of a water shortage has proved impossible to sustain in the South-west, the Midlands and parts of Yorkshire and they have been told they are no longer in drought.
But in Eastern and South-eastern counties, where it has rained just as heavily there is no such recognition and drought orders remain in force.
If our soaking wet spring has taught us anything it is that relying on groundwater sources for half of the entire national water supply is a shambolic way to go on.
It is time for hard-pressed consumers to be given a break and for the highly profitable water supply industry to up its game.


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Niti Aayog, an Indian government policy think tank, is producing an index to rank Indian states based on the number of digital transactions made, according to Economic Times. The move follows the government’s demonetisation of Rs 500 (US$7) and Rs 1,000 ($14) banknotes and the launch of BHIM, a mobile payment service unveiled by prime minister Narendra Modi earlier this year.
- NFC mobile payments roll out in Saudi Arabia
- VTB switches on Huawei Pay at retail outlets across Russia
- P2P payments gain acceptance across all US age groups
- Malibu adds NFC tags to 300,000 bottles for ‘Because Summer’ campaign
- Mastercard and Worldpay to let merchants accept payments direct from customers’ bank accounts


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Amazon to Hire 70,000 Seasonal Workers
SEATTLE: Amazon.com said it expects to hire more than 70,000 full-time seasonal employees across its order fulfillment centers in the United States, a 40% increase from last year.
Amazon, which has about 88,400 employees, said it has converted more than 7,000 temporary employees in the United States into full-time employees so far this year.
"We're looking forward to converting thousands more after this holiday season," said Dave Clark, Amazon's vice president of worldwide operations and customer service.
Retailers typically hire seasonal employees in the weeks leading up to the holiday shopping season to work in stores and help in distribution and fulfilling online orders. Amazon said its seasonal employees are eligible for health care benefits.
Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, is spending billions of dollars on expansion, which has taken a toll on its earnings.
It unveiled two new high-definition tablets last week with a unique on-screen helpdesk feature it hopes will give it an advantage over devices from rivals Apple and Google.
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After the state cannabis board ordered testing of the contaminated lot, it came back with a reading 100 times higher than the certificate of analysis reading showed.
Alganesh Michael’s Vermont catering business is up against some of the top restaurant chefs in the Northeast.
The Cannabis Control Board chair said the tainted product from Holland Cannabis had not been tested before it was sold and should never have been on store shelves because it was not registered with the board.
Haymaker Bun Company of Middlebury is among the first-ever nominees for outstanding bakery, a new category.
“We’re getting buried in our own trash,” said state Rep. Amy Sheldon, D-Middlebury.
“It is an unexpected place of entrepreneurial energy,” said David Bradbury, founder of the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies.
Northern Vermont University-Johnson had plenty of dormitory rooms available.
The South Burlington company also has chargers in the works for everything from medical devices to electric vehicles and lift trucks.
The number of registered medical cannabis users has dwindled since 2018. Advocates are trying to reform the system to ensure its survival.
Current law prohibits such sales, but growers hope to change that in the coming legislative session.


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Androgynous fashion is taking the fashion world by storm breaking gender stereotypes.
While fashion has always been one dimensional and labeled as men’s wear or women’s wear, genderless fashion is proving to be a big trend. On day three of Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2018, four labels came together to put together a show that breaks free from the gender stereotypes. Fashion labels Anaam, The Pot Plant, Bobo Calcutta and Bloni were part of the #GENDERBENDER show. Ayushman Mitra’s Bobo Calcutta launched a new collection called Ludicrous Legacy, which was all about combining art with fashion. Models dressed in multicolored, sequined outfits roleplayed and interacted with each other as Ayushman created a painting on a canvas in the background. Talking about his collection Ayushmaan says, “It celebrates the identity of people in the way they dress, behave and laugh. There’s a touch of influence from postmodernist Japanese artist and also of Berlin nightlife, you know when there is a clash of colours, textures. Irrespective of what people think, one should wear what they want to wear.” The Pot Plant by Resham Karmchandani and Sanya Suri unveiled their new collection called 100% Human, drawing attention to the human aspect rather than gender. “The idea is that we live in a society where people always label and tag us but we want to exist beyond that, and that is what we explore in 100% human. The clothing was also designed in a way that it can go on anybody no matter what gender they identify with,” says Reshma. The collection was heavy on the green with oversized circular prints. The models exchanged their layers to depict the gender fluidity of the clothes. Further breading the gender boundaries was Anaam by Sumiran Kabir Sharma. Their latest collection Behrupiya was woven out of Merino Wool and Muslin Mix, giving the outfits a loose and free-flowing look. To break the gender divisions even further, Sumiran got transsexual models to display his collection. Talking about his experience Sumiran says, “We cast six real identities from the queer community and it was the first time ever we had trans women and men as models. It was challenging because they had to relive the scars and that’s why the act was emotional.”
Day three of Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2018 started with Anvita Sharma's label Two Point Two. With inspiration from Japanese kimono, their collection Simultaneity stole the lime light. The oversized jackets and cowl neck blouse gave the collection a bold look. Bollywood stars Huma Qureshi and Saquib Salim walked the ramp for Anvita.
To combine technology and sustainability, Australian company Tencel and designer Rajesh Pratap Singh came together and ended the day two of Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2018 on a high. The collection Welcome to the Jungle was all about Indian inspired prints like Banarasi, Jamdaani, hand block prints and Chanderi. Although the silhouettes were mostly traditional, Rajesh added a contemprorary touch with his styling. Bollywood actor Rajkumar Rao walked the ramp for Rajesh, dressed in a all white. Actor Rahul Bose and actress Patralekha attended the show to support Rajesh.


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Today, Walmart announced Walmart InHome, a new service today that not only delivers your groceries but also puts them into your fridge while you’re away.
InHome will be available this fall for 1 million customers across Kansas City, MO, Pittsburgh, PA and Vero Beach, FLA (Florida gets everything). Walmart shoppers at participating stores will be able to select the InHome delivery when they place an order. Delivery people will be granted access through a homeowner’s existing smart home/lock set up. The Walmart delivery people will also be wearing connected cameras, and will livestream their delivery, which the customer can watch on the Walmart app.
There are some things Walmart didn’t call out specifically with today’s announcement. We don’t know how much an InHome delivery fee will be as opposed to standard delivery. And Walmart said the delivery drivers would undergo an “extensive training program,” but didn’t mention anything specifically about background checks. And the company didn’t say whether the livestream of the driver includes audio or two way communication.
This isn’t the first time Walmart has tried to go from grocery aisle to home fridge. About two years ago, the company partnered with smart lock maker August and third-party delivery provider Deliv for an in-home delivery service, but that obviously didn’t pan out as people can now use whatever smart locks they have to grant home access.
Walmart’s persistence however, comes at a time when its arch rival, Amazon, is trying to make deliveries into your home as well with its Key program. Rather than having drivers wear cameras, Amazon works with a series of approved smart locks and connected cameras to stream deliveries. Perhaps seeing that people were squeamish about letting strangers into their homes, Amazon has also launched delivery into a shopper’s garage (one step removed from the actual house), as well as into car trunks.
The question remains, however, for both Amazon and Walmart, exactly how many people will let strangers in their house (even while livestreamed) and into their fridge.


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Time Inc. announced today that it will shutter the print edition of Teen People, continuing the title as an online-only publication.
In a memo to employees Tuesday, Time’s CEO Ann Moore and John Huey, Teen People‘s editor-in-chief, promised, “We will continue to invest in the brand through TeenPeople.com, which shows promise and growth.”
Magazine ad sales have been losing share to Internet ads in recent years. According to TNS Media Intelligence, consumer and Sunday magazines grew 3.6 percent last year, while B2B magazines declined by 0.3 percent. During that same time, Internet display advertising grew by 13.0 percent.
A similar move was made earlier this year by Hachette Filipacchi with its ElleGirl title, which ceased print publication in favor of an online-only presence.
The print magazine and Web site launched together in 1998. The last print magazine will be the September issue, which hits newsstands August 4. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, this is just the first of many titles that will lose their print editions in coming months.
A class action lawsuit against an internet-connected pleasure device highlights the potential pitfalls a growing number of companies will face as they embrace ... read more
Google sparked a small firestorm last week as reports surfaced that its intelligent assistant device Google Home delivered an unsolicited advertisement to unsuspecting owners.
According to Internet Retailer's newly released The Best Digital Marketers in E-Commerce report, Target is the most effective marketer in online retail. So why is it struggling overall?
The rise of YouTube and digital video generally has a lot to do with the rise of the internet and the abundance of digital video content. But YouTube's ascendency is also the result of Google's savvy use of algorithms.


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Image Credit: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today
October 12, 2016 - 4:40pm
Updated: October 12, 2016 - 5:32pm
KAMLOOPS — It's a small device that could save your life. Having a smoke alarm in your home, increases your chance of surviving a fire by 50% and fire officials are advising homeowners to check their smoke alarms, which have a lifespan of 10 years.


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If you're looking for stocks that are setting up in a base ahead of their next earnings report, here's one that fits the bill: Planet Fitness ( PLNT ). It's expected to release its latest numbers around Mar. 1 and is currently approximately 10% shy of a 35.13 entry. The chart pattern is a second-stage consolidation .
[ibd-display-video id=2360792 width=50 float=left autostart=true] Understand that buying a stock just ahead of earnings can be risky since you typically don't have enough time to build a profit cushion before the latest quarterly numbers come out. Be sure to follow sound buy and sell rules to minimize your exposure.
Planet Fitness showed 19% earnings-per-share growth in its most recent report, while sales growth came in at 12%.
Consensus analyst estimates call for EPS growth of 15% for the quarter, and 19% growth for the full year. Annual earnings-per-share estimates were recently revised upward.
Note: Dates for earnings reports are subject to change. Check the company's website for any updates.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


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Even an enormous entertainment empire like Walt Disney Studios can't escape every aspect of the economy, and it is starting to show.
Entertainment powerhouses like Disney are really cashing in on the world’s need for escapism. But even the Kingdom of Mickey Mouse can’t completely break away from real life. Earlier this week, the company’s second-quarter financial results exceeded analysts’ expectations, with strong results in three key business areas – domestic theme parks, streaming, and television advertising. But financial bosses said the impact of Covid-19 is still being felt in their Asian theme parks.
In a statement via Deadline, Walt Disney’s Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy warned that the company could experience a $350 million loss from its Hong Kong and Shanghai theme parks. The predicted blow to these parks’ operating income this quarter has slightly tempered the division’s positive outlook. But it’s worth noting that some of Disney’s international parks haven’t been open full-time during the last quarter.
Paris Disneyland is celebrating its 30th anniversary, but parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong each experienced temporary closures due to spikes in local Covid cases. While the latter location reopened on April 21, Shanghai’s resort closed in late March and is still shuttered until further notice, CNBC reports. However, during the company’s earnings call with analysts, McCarthy said progress at the Paris theme park shows that things can improve in Asia too.
With Disney Paris’ first new Avengers Campus-themed offering set to open this summer (as part of an ongoing expansion) and strong demand at a large hotel called Marvel’s Avengers, the European location is preparing for a cash influx in the coming months. Speaking about these developments McCarthy said, “What we are seeing in Paris gives me hope [although] hope is not a strategy, that our parks in Asia will see that same rebound when their Covid-related headwinds abate.”
Meanwhile, investors were eager to see Disney’s subscription numbers for the second quarter since Netflix reported a financial hit in its most recent quarter. Fortunately, Disney added 7.9 million subscribers to its streaming service. The numbers were 52% above what analysts had projected. But the entertainment giant’s shares still fell more than 4% before the closing bell on Thursday. The stock news comes after shares hit a 52-week low of $104.79 the previous day.
The drop wasn’t completely unexpected since Disney’s share value has been slumping since the beginning of the year. In January the figure dropped by 30%, and more than 40% compared with the same time last year. CNBC explains that this is due to investors wondering if the company can sustain its streaming growth while questioning how increased inflation and a possible recession could impact its other business ventures.
Locally, Disney’s theme parks have shown signs of bouncing back from pandemic restrictions. Revenue for the company’s parks, experiences, and products segments more than doubled to about $6.7 billion during the second quarter, compared to the same period last year. According to the report, this growth was a result of increased attendance, hotel bookings, and cruise ship sailings. Higher ticket prices and higher spending on food, beverages, and merchandise also contributed.


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Uber Shamelessly Adds Surge Prices In Area Near Sydney Hostage Crisis
Uber fares skyrocketed to outrageous levels during the Sydney hostage crisis on Sunday but then diminished to nothing once the company realized the danger at hand.
A regular customer told Mashable that this would price a trip to the airport at up to $185 when it would normally cost almost $100 less.
Three hours into the crisis, Uber tweeted that the fares were increased to get more drivers to come to the area.
We are all concerned with events in CBD. Fares have increased to encourage more drivers to come online & pick up passengers in the area.
Another tweet was sent a little over a half hour later declaring that rides from Sydney’s Central Business District would be free and that those who paid the heightened fares would be fully compensated.
This decision seems to have been influenced primarily by widespread condemnation of the price hikes on social media.
The company, originally founded in Australia, also released a statement saying that the increased fares were a result of an automated function that raises fares based on demand.
According to Mashable, New York’s attorney general said last July that Uber would now put a price cap during “abnormal disruptions of the market,” which means any sort of mass crisis.
No agreement of the sort, however, appears to exist in Australia.


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game– category –
Here is a free website to create a Snoopy-style character.Snoopy is famous all over the world. Snoopy is famous all over the world, and you can make your own character by arranging Snoopy and his characters. You can also create your own characters. Get Peanutizedhttps://em-tr761.com/L2075/jx126...
Operation: Skyfire is a global event in Fortnite. Take on the mothership and stop the alien invasion!Epic Games announced on Friday, September 3, that its battle royale shooter "Fortnite" will host a one-time event called "Operation: Skyfire" starting at 5:00 a.m. on Monday, September 13. "Fortnite" is a battle royale shooter that was...


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The team from Mulpha have just announced plans to host a yearly event at Sanctuary Cove that will celebrate all things outdoors, which they're calling Outdoorx. With decades of event-hosting experience, the same team that brings together the hugely successful Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show (SCIBS) each year are predicting to attract as many as 30,000 visitors to the first Outdoorx, taking place in September 2019.
Johan Hasser, Mulpha's events general manager, notes that the outdoor recreation industry is presently in an excellent position to respond to growing demand for lifestyle products, believing that the launch of their event couldn't come at a better time.
Outdoorx will showcase a variety of lifestyle categories displayed across seven different precincts: caravans, motorhomes, 4WD, camping, trailerboats, water sports and tourism.
Each precinct will contain various activations and diverse dealer interactive displays, allowing curious attendees and prospective buyers to experience a wide range of products in one go.
“We want Outdoorx visitors to see the vehicles, vessels and gadgets as they've never seen them before and will work closely with our exhibitors to ensure they create custom, innovative and interactive displays that wow the senses,” says Hasser.
Additionally, the show will also feature a range of entertainment and family-friendly activities, making it suitable for the whole entourage.
Caravan and Motorhome Club of Australia CEO Richard Barwick expressed his own positivity, saying: “It is our strong belief that Outdoorx has the potential to become the number one consumer show in Queensland, if not Australia.”
Rob Gallagher, CEO of Outdoorx's official media partner Emprise Group shared a similar sentiment, noting: “This is exactly what the market needs and the public are going to be blown away by the experience.”
So far, exhibitor interest is said to be strong, with a number of major brands already committed to take part, though none of the participating brands have been announced just yet.
Outdoorx will take place from September 13 to 15 at Sanctuary Cove – stay tuned for more information.


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SEC Investigates PayPal Over Its PYUSD Stablecoin
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Yesterday, PayPal received a subpoena from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requesting documents related to the PYUSD stablecoin, the global payments firm revealed in its quarterly earnings report.
“On November 1, 2023, we received a subpoena from the US SEC Division of Enforcement relating to PayPal USD stablecoin,” PayPal wrote in today’s quarterly earnings report. “The subpoena requests the production of documents. We are cooperating with the SEC in connection with this request.”
PayPal entered the stablecoin market in August through a partnership with crypto firm Paxos to launch PYUSD, which is regulated and fully backed by the US dollar, according to the companies.
The SEC investigation highlights regulatory scrutiny around stablecoins as adoption increases. Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, recently intervened in the SEC’s case against Binance, arguing financial trading laws shouldn’t apply to stablecoins.
PYUSD was the first stablecoin introduced by a major financial services company. Its launch raised concerns in Washington about tech platforms expanding into digital assets. House Financial Services Committee member Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) warned it could allow big tech to dominate stablecoins.
PayPal has steadily increased its crypto offerings, letting customers buy, sell, and hold tokens since 2020. It expanded these services to its Venmo app in 2021. This year, PayPal enabled transfers of crypto assets to other crypto wallets.
The SEC probe threatens to heighten tensions over pending crypto regulation in Congress. Lawmakers are divided on issues like whether tech firms should be allowed to issue stablecoins. The investigation into PayPal’s PYUSD will likely add urgency to those debates.


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Rules & Regulations
Updated Rules & Regulations have been released for the 2021 Athens World Coffee Championships; the World Barista Championship, World Brewers Cup, World Cup Tasters Championship, and Cezve/Ibrik Championship. You can find the rules now on worldcoffeeevents.org/rules, which are primarily focused on COVID-19-related precautions, which have been introduced to facilitate better logistics for competitors, coaches, judges, and volunteers at the event, hosted at the Specialty Coffee Association World of Coffee Show from June 23-26, 2021.
Across the four competitions, a number of changes have been introduced to facilitate safer judge evaluation of drinks, while ensuring that local social distancing guidelines are maintained. Additionally, existing rules that apply to Competition Bodies (CB) have been centralized and clarified in a new section, covering variations to the competition format, and the appeals process at CB level.
As a result of the COVID-related changes to Head Judge tasting at the World Barista Championship, the Rules & Regulation committee have clarified a number of existing rules on sensory judge evaluation to encapsulate the current scoring process more accurately.
We understand that these rules updates are being launched in an uncertain time for competitors around the world — we have made no changes that impact the total scoring or weighting for any championship in order to minimize the impact for competitors while providing increased precautions at the WCC event in Athens.
- 2021 World Cup Tasters Championship Rules & Regulations
- 2021 World Cup Tasters Championship Summary of Changes


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The line today announced it would reposition the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor to the Big Apple from the Los Angeles area in March 2013, boosting its capacity in the city significantly.
The Splendor will sail year-round out of New York, taking the place of the smaller, 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle, which is scheduled to begin sailing year-round out of the city in April of this year. The Carnival Miracle, in turn, will head to the West Coast to offer cruises to Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska.
Carnival says the Carnival Splendor will sail the same eight-night itineraries to the Caribbean as the Carnival Miracle is scheduled to sail. The swapping of the two ships will result in a 41% increase in capacity in the New York market, the line says.
On its way to New York, the Carnival Splendor will sail a series of three 13- to 18-day South America voyages as it repositions from Long Beach. The ship is too large to reach New York via the Panama Canal.
The Carnival Splendor's first sailing out of New York will take place March 23, 2013. The ship will operate three different eight-day itineraries that include such ports as Port Canaveral, Fla.; Nassau and Freeport, The Bahamas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.; and Grand Turk.
The ship also will operate a single seven-day Bermuda sailing departing April 16, 2013.
The departure of the Carnival Splendor from Long Beach marks the end of the era for Southern California-based cruising as it was the last ship sailing year-round, seven-night itineraries out of the region. Cruise lines have cut back significantly on cruises from Southern California ports in recent years as demand has waned, in large part due to growing violence in nearby Mexico. Cruises to Mexico had long been the mainstay of Southern California ports.
While the Carnival Miracle is replacing the Carnival Splendor on the West Coast, it will not remain in the Los Angeles area year-round. Instead, it will spend part of the year sailing to Alaska out of Seattle.
A spokesperson for Carnival notes the line still will offer seven-night cruises out of the Los Angeles area seasonally. In addition, the line still has a second ship, the Carnival Inspiration, operating year-round three- and four-day cruises from Long Beach.
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As a part of destination building initiatives, Mahindra World City Jaipur hosted a prominent delegation from the Russian Federation, led by Mr. Alexey Repik President of “Business Russia” accompanied by Government officials representing various Russian regions and territories and also leaders and heads of several prominent Russian companies. Mr. Alexey Repik, is the founder and owner of the Russian Hi-tech pharma company R-Pharm and has created Business Russia, a group of 7,000 private companies, which seeks to build trade links with countries that have been considered enemies of Russia.
The visit was organized by the Government of Rajasthan and included interactions with senior Rajasthan state government officials, along with business-to-government and business-to-business meetings. The visit followed participation by India and the state of Rajasthan in the international industrial trade fair 'INNOPROM 2016', held earlier this year in Russia. The objective was to explore possibilities of mutual co-operation for 'Make in India' and 'Make in Rajasthan.
The delegation toured MWC Jaipur and gained insights into Rajasthan's unique business advantages as they visited Mahindra Spares business unit. During their visit to MWC Jaipur they were also shown a brief presentation on the vision of Mahindra Group to drive industrialization in the state of Rajasthan and how the Mahindra Group plans to contribute to exports and employment. The delegation was really impressed with the efforts of Mahindra Group into making Rajasthan an ideal choice for business and thus contributing to” Make in Rajasthan” and “Make in India” initiatives.
Mr. Alexey Repik, President of “Business Russia” commented – My sincere congratulations to Mahindra World City Jaipur! Amazing project!


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By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
12/13/2013 (1 year ago)
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
While the redesigned Ford Mustang is gathering a lot of excitement currently, the iconic American car maker has since announced that they will be offering 23 brand new models in the coming year. Ford also plans to add 5,000 jobs in the U.S. and another 6,000 abroad, while opening three assembly plants.
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Ford's president of the Americas Joe Hinrichs said in a media briefing that in addition to new products, 16 of which are targeted at the core North American market, the company also plans to introduce two new versions of its high-mileage EcoBoost engine family.
The 2014 roll-out will include more product launches "than in any other year in our history," Hinrichs said.
Hinrichs declined at the meeting to discuss the new products in detail. There have been allusions to what these models may be . in addition to the redesigned Mustang, the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKC crossovers, there will be a Super Duty version of its F-Series pickup.
Insiders say that Ford may also unveil a brand new version of its light-duty F-Series truck before the end of 2014.
Ford intends to build product momentum in the New Year. Ford will be directly challenging major rivals such as General Motors and Toyota. Toyota has been beating Ford in retail volume.
Ford Motors took a week of downtime this month at its Fusion sedan plant, in spite of increased demand for the midsize model.
Ford has added 14,000 U.S. jobs over the last two years. Of the planned additional 5,000 new workers in 2014, 3,300 of these will be salaried positions, many in research and development.
Four hundred of those will be dedicated to power train development, with 100 focusing on battery-based technology. Since the U.S. and other key markets are drastically reducing emissions and mileage standards, this could be a make-or-break proposition for car makers.
Two of its three new assembly plants will be in China. The automaker was relatively late to enter that market, especially compared with GM and German rival Volkswagen. The hard work and expansion has paid off for Ford as there was a 50 percent bump in sales this year.
By Hannah Marfil (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Protesters in Tampa have burned down an American flag because of their belief that, like the Confederate flag, it signifies and uphold in the slavery and genocide from the country throughout history. Organizers of the protest denied they planned on burning the flag, ... continue reading
By Talia Ramos (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Mississippi has the greatest number of people not participating in healthy, physical activities than any other state in the country, according to research. Using the data collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about American's exercises, ... continue reading
By Ken Blackwell
This is Ground Zero for the war on religious liberty. The political left-including gay-marriage activists-are saying that your First Amendment rights concerning same sex 'marriage' are limited to what you say in church or in your private home. You can't live it ... continue reading
By Matt C. Abbott
There have been numerous statements and articles written about the very disappointing (but not surprising) gay "marriage" ruling handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Most notable was the excellent statement issued by Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, ... continue reading
By Nikky Andres (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
A New Black Panther Party affiliate group is planning to stir up a rally in the state of capitol of South Carolina on July 18. On that same day, a protest is also planned by a KKK white power group. Heat is brewing as a possible face-off is developing in Columbia, SC. ... continue reading
By CNA/EWTN News
An effort to remove the statue of Bl. Junipero Serra from the U.S. Capitol has been set aside for the time being. Los Angeles (CNA/EWTN News) - A statue of Franciscan missionary and saint-to-be Father Junipero Serra has stood in the U.S. Capitol since 1931. However, a ... continue reading
By Deacon Keith Fournier
The Declaration of Independence was the birth certificate of the United States of America, a Nation often called the American Experiment because of the very fact that it was founded upon principles. The words are still memorized by schoolchildren and can bring a ... continue reading
By Deacon Keith A Fournier
What conclusion, dear brethren, do you come to? Surely it was not by chance that this chosen disciple, was missing in the first place? Or that on his return he heard, that hearing he doubted, that doubting he touched, and that touching he believed? It was by ... continue reading
By Matt Hadro, CNA/EWTN News
As bishops warn of current threats to religious liberty in the United States, Catholics can take heart that such challenges have faced them before, and they have persevered, one Church historian says. Washington D.C. (CNA/EWTN News) - "It's okay to realize that ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
It was bound to happen. After the Supreme Court ruled same-sex unions legal in all 50 states, other proponents of non-traditional arrangements are clamoring for equality under the law. Nathan Collier, along with his wives Victoria and Christine have applied at ... continue reading


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South Africa is one of the top wine producers in the world yet, nearly 30 years after the end of apartheid, the industry is still dominated by white-owned wineries.
Black-owned brands account for less than 1% of wine sales per litre in South Africa, even though black South Africans make up over 80% of the population.
A determined group of black women winemakers wants to change this.
Vivian Kleyhans, who founded her brand Seven Sisters Vineyard in 2005, told the BBC’s Africa Daily podcast about the challenges she faced back then.
“After 1994 to about 2000-2002 it was still very much apartheid years. And in those years policies were changed to include people of colour in the industry.
“We really had to investigate this opportunity and our involvement in a very white, male-dominated industry.
“We did not belong to the wine industry. It belonged to a minority group of people.”
Vivian Kleyhans founded her brand almost two decades agoImage caption: Vivian Kleyhans founded her brand almost two decades ago
After facing too many obstacles within South Africa, Ms Kleyhans found an importer in the US who agreed to sell her wines there.
“I’m still not selling my wines in the local market. I’ve decided if I want to make money it’s not going to be in the local market,” she said.
Other black women winemakers say they have also struggled to sell their products in South Africa.
Now, a group of them, including Ms Kleyham, have been given financial support to export their wines from British company On Cloud Wine.
Among the winemakers who has benefited is Nondumiso Pikashe, who has been in the business for 20 years.
“You have not been exposed to the world of wine your whole life so you have to dig deep and rely on your confidence, because you also don’t have networks in that space,” said Ms Pikashe, owner of Ses’fikile Wines.
“It was up to me to feel unintimidated and say, despite the huge challenges ‘I can still overcome.'”


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PROJECTED OPENING DATE: Late August 2019
1121 New Hampshire Ave NW
Vinoda Basnayake, local hospitality entrepreneur, has partnered up with Cuban cigar maker Arian Castañeda to release their latest concept: Casta’s. This new rum bar and cerveza garden, housed in an indoor-outdoor venue, will be serving up cocktails in favor of rum as well as plates like Cubano sandwiches and yuca fries. In terms of decor, guests can expect a vibrant atmosphere that borrows influence from Cuban culture.


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News on Target (Ticker: TGT) continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.
The steepest equity selloff in four months added to profits for short sellers betting against one of the bull market 's biggest winners: chain stores.
There wasn't a parking spot to be had near the doors. Two lonely shopping carts occupied the entrance - the rest were taken.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the economy added 209,000 jobs in July, which fell slightly below analyst expectations.
Target has tapped former PepsiCo executive Brian Cornell as its new CEO, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday .
Nordstrom's Canadian expansion has sparked controversy after Target's recent blow from their own expansion.
The note from Goldman Sachs can't be making for pleasant reading for the folks in Bentonville, Ark.
Though the U.S. unemployment rate has plunged since the start of last year to a five-year low of 6.1 percent, the Gallup Organization has found that consumers' view of the economy is the glummest it's been in seven months.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a notice Thursday indicating a new and virulent form of malware called "Backoff" has been used to infiltrate retailers' computer systems.
Target announced this morning that it has hired a new CEO to replace Gregg Steinhafel , who stepped down in May in the continued wake of Target's massive holiday security breach.
Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock.
By SAMANTHA HENRY Associated Press She once called Donald Trump "a maggot, a cockroach and a crumb."
President and CEO of Sam's Club Brian Cornell speaks during the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. shareholders' meeting in Fayetteville, Ark., in this June 4, 2010 file photo.
Target 's search for a new chief executive appeared to be coming to an end, with the Wall Street Journal reporting early Thursday that an outsider had been chosen to lead the marquee Minneapolis -based retailer.
Jul 13, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; World pitcher Jose Berrios waves his cap as he leaves the mound in the first inning during the All Star Futures Game at Target Field.
In a future world people are divided into factions based on personality, a teenager is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group.
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Updated: Sat Aug 02, 2014 12:45 am
Copyright © 2014 Topix LLC


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Lowe's Canada, proud co-presenter of the 2018 Bonneville 808 Challenge to benefit Fondation de l'athète d'excellence
Boucherville, QC – September 21, 2018 — Lowe’s Canada, a leading Canadian home improvement company operating or servicing over 630 corporate and affiliated stores under different banners, including RONA, Reno-Depot and Ace, is proud to join Fenplast as co presenting partner for the second edition of the Bonneville 808 Challenge. The cycling fundraiser for the Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence will take place in Mont Tremblant on September 22 and 23. In addition to sponsoring the event, a Lowe’s Canada cycling team is participating in the 125 km course.
"We are proud to be sponsoring the Bonneville 808 Challenge once again this year, and to support Québec’s student athletes throughout their athletic journey," said Jean Sébastien Lamoureux, Senior Vice President of Communications, Public Affairs, and Compliance at Lowe’s Canada. "Lowe’s Canada’s purpose is to help people love where they live. Encouraging people to live healthier lives, including balancing athletic, academic, and professional pursuits, is certainly a perfect example of that."
As part of the partnership, Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence will award Lowe’s Canada bursaries to student athletes later this year.
About Lowe's Canada
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving more than 18 million customers a week in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With fiscal year 2017 sales of $68.6 billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,390 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 310,000 people. Based in Boucherville, Quebec, Lowe’s Canadian business, together with its wholly owned subsidiary, RONA inc., operates or services more than 630 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores in a number of complementary formats under different banners. These include Lowe’s, RONA, Réno-Dépôt, Dick’s Lumber, Contractor First, and Ace. In Canada, the companies have more than 28,000 employees, in addition to nearly 5,000 employees in the stores of RONA’s independent affiliate dealers.


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Inflation continues to haunt middle and lower-income working folks in the United States as the administration of President Brandon is still unable to properly resolve the inflation crisis.
In an interview with Fox Business, conservative economist and commentator Larry Kudlow talked about it and blamed Brandon’s policies for the ongoing situation. (Related: Federal government hides true rate of inflation by changing how CPI is calculated.)
“Big time pessimism is out there and Brandon owns it because inflation is the cruelest tax of all. It continues to haunt middle and lower-income working folks. It has driven up interest rates on credit cards, home mortgages, car loans, et cetera. Inflation is rising faster than wages and government spending and bank bailouts have gotten under the skin of Americans,” said Kudlow.
“I don’t really want to say America is in decline, but I do fret and I will say for the umpteenth time: We need leadership that will be a guardian for economic growth and prosperity and then good old-fashioned values will soon return to a more confident America.”
Inflation still running at a high pace, Americans very concerned
A survey by the Conference Board, a non-profit business research organization, noted that Americans are optimistic that the American economy will get better in the near future.
But despite the slightly higher consumer confidence, inflation expectations remain very high. Americans expect prices to rise by at least 6.3 percent in the next 12 months, similar to how survey participants felt about the economy in February.
Ataman Ozyildirim, senior director of economics at the Conference Board, explained that consumers are more likely to feel confident about their future economic prospects while remaining “slightly less optimistic about the current landscape.”
This is supported by a Wall Street Journal-National Opinion Research Center poll, which found that nearly two-thirds of Americans believe inflation is a major concern.
“No matter how much they increase your pay, everything else is going up,” said Kristy Morrow, a coordinator for a hospital in Big Springs, Texas, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
To make matters worse, the Federal Reserve just increased interest rates by 25 basis points (0.25 percent) this March, the ninth interest rate hike since last year. This increase takes the benchmark federal funds rate to a target range of between 4.75 percent and five percent. This rate sets what banks charge each other for overnight lending and feeds into the rates of consumer debt like auto loans, credit card debt and mortgages.
“The process of getting inflation back down to two percent has a long way to go and is likely to be bumpy,” said Fed Chair Jerome Powell. He also rejected the idea of cutting interest rates to pre-inflation crisis levels for the remainder of 2023.
“We are committed to restoring price stability and all of the evidence says that the public has confidence that we will do so, that will bring inflation down to two percent over time,” Powell added. “It is important that we sustain that confidence with our actions, as well as our words.”
“[Inflation] would have to be a lot softer to take the hike out. By stopping here, it exposes them to risk of inflation expectations accelerating,” claimed Tom Simons, money market economist for investment banking group Jefferies. “If they do that, they are risking having to make bigger moves later when they don’t know what the environment will look like. It makes sense to stay the course and keep everything in check. They do have more work to do.”
Learn more about the Brandon administration’s policies at JoeBiden.news.
Watch this clip from the “War Room” on Real America’s Voice as host Steve Bannon talks to Peter Navarro, former special assistant to former President Donald Trump, about how the inflation crisis is solely a product of Brandon.
This video is from the News Clips channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Alarming new numbers show why countless Americans will starve to death in the year ahead with one retailer who ‘can’t afford’ to sell eggs anymore.
Federal Reserve will keep increasing interest rates despite worsening banking crisis.
Federal Reserve to print another $2 trillion in fake fiat funny money to bail out financial terrorists, further devaluing dollar.
The endgame of the banking crisis is hyperinflation and currency collapse: WATCH as Andy Schectman explains.
Hyperinflation meets the Great Depression – Andy Schectman warns Mike Adams about the catastrophic banking collapse now accelerating.


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On July 7, 1941, a ceremony and fashion show was held on the steps of City Hall showcasing 25 of New York’s “prettiest needleworkers” sewing inaugural “New York Creation” labels on 25 award-winning garments. The young women threaded gold needles and pressed their feet on the pedals, marking the first of what would be hundreds, if not thousands, of promotional campaigns encouraging shoppers to wear clothes “Made in the U.S.A.”
These were the World War II years, a rocky time for international fashion. For decades any fashionista worth her Worth knew that Europe, particularly Paris, was “the only place for mode,” as the saying went at the time. But Europe was under siege, and many design houses were struggling to stay afloat. Gabrielle Coco Chanel, deep in an affair with a German officer and working as a spy for the Nazis, closed her fashion house in 1939, saying that wartime was not the time for fashion. Mandatory fabric rations swept across the continent, making it impossible Read More »
Twenty-three-year-old model Beverly Valdes needed a job. Her race had limited her to “Negro fashion shows,” and two major houses had recently told her that she was too small and too tall. As they say, the third time’s the charm: Valdes answered an advertisement placed a month earlier by French-born designer Pauline Trigère, and beat out 40 other hopefuls to represent Trigère’s clothing on Seventh Avenue. According to the New York Times article that broke the news on June 23, 1961, the designer picked Valdes simply because she possessed “a long waist, good shoulders and a good neck.” As for those customers who would not want to buy a dress worn by a black women, Trigère later told the Times, “We only lost one customer in Birmingham, Alabama. We didn’t miss her.” Read More »
Born on June 9:
Max Raab, American clothier and filmmaker; 1926
Ossie Clark, British designer; 1942
Johnny Depp, American actor and style icon; 1963
Cameron Bunce, American model; 1981
Happy day to all June niners! Why, I ask you, would you be a one-trick pony, when you could be a multiple-trick pony? Like Max Raab, born in 1926, you have the unique ability to reinvent yourself. Max started off working for his father’s men’s clothing store, but soon turned his focus to women’s wear, and by the early 1960s The New York Times was calling him the “dean of the prep look.” Still unsatisfied, Max got involved with producing and directing movies (he was an executive producer on A Clockwork Orange). In the next year, I want you to take a page out of Max’s book and feel free to excel in more than one area. What if you’re not excelling in even one area yet? Well, then you’re going to have a very busy 12 months. Better get to it!
Photo: Max Raab, photographer unknown
On June 3, 1900, the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union was founded.
If you were a teenage immigrant in New York in the early 1900s, you might have worked in a dress shop. And if you worked in a dress shop, you would have worked nine-hour days, Read More »


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When General Motors Corp. filed for bankruptcy and reorganized in 2009, the makings of a Wall Street darling emerged from the wreckage.
Aptiv Plc, which grew out of the parts unit spun off from the iconic automaker, soared to $48 billion in market value earlier this year after transforming into a savvy technology company built for the shift toward electric, autonomous vehicles.
Now, though, the industry is being upended anew in ways that could challenge Aptiv. Carmakers, taking lessons from the chip shortage and the playbook of insurgent rival Tesla Inc., are moving software and engineering tasks in-house. Silicon Valley giants are elbowing into the sector, with the likes of Intel Corp., Qualcomm Inc. and Nvidia Corp. seeing opportunity in cutting-edge vehicles that are essentially giant computers on wheels.
Those forces are reordering the $1.3 trillion auto supply chain, creating openings for newcomers and threatening an entrenched industry pecking order that is dominated by carmakers and their direct, or tier one, suppliers such as Aptiv.


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San Diego-based National University (NU) has been selected by Amazon to serve as a national provider for the company’s Career Choice program, which offers Amazon hourly employees full tuition at NU to learn new career skills.
Amazon announced today that the company will pay its employees’ full tuition for more than 40 bachelor’s and associate degree programs offered by NU, the flagship institution of San Diego-based National University System, which comprises three universities serving more than 45,000 students.
Amazon says its Career Choice program is an education benefit designed to empower employees. The program meets individual learners where they are on their education journey, providing full college tuition, industry certifications designed to lead to in-demand jobs and foundational skills like English language proficiency, high school diplomas and GEDs.
Amazon is investing $1.2 billion to “upskill” hundreds of thousands of their U.S. employees by 2025 to help move the workers into higher-paying, in-demand jobs.
“We have a profound opportunity to provide working adults with educational experiences that help them excel in their current roles while building the skills and credentials they need to pursue their long-term career aspirations,” said Dr. Michael R. Cunningham, chancellor of the National University System.
“This new collaboration with Amazon Career Choice will enable us to unlock the benefits of college access and completion for more working adults throughout the United States, creating pathways to long-term social and economic mobility,” Dr. Cunningham added.
In joining the Career Choice program, NU brings expertise in developing workforce-relevant degrees and credentials designed specifically for working adults.
NU will provide Amazon employees throughout the U.S. with online courses and some onsite classes at Amazon fulfillment centers, with tuition fully funded through the company’s assistance program.


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SEGA has released a new video interview featuring Hideo Nakano, the voice of Takechi Hanpeita in the upcoming Like a Dragon: Ishin! that’s scheduled to release on February 22, 2023 for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and PC.
Takechi Hanpeita is Ryoma’s sworn brother and the leader of a revolutionary group, and in this interview, Nakano talks about the excitement behind diving into his role, his thoughts, and his motivations as the new voice actor for Takechi Hanpeita.
Check it out below!
Like a Dragon: Ishin! is scheduled to release for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and PC on February 22, 2023.


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Wishbone Onboard at Wellington Airport
Press Release for Immediate Release
Wishbone Onboard at Wellington Airport a Welcome Arrival
Wishbone, New Zealand’s own ‘ready to go’ food brand has taken flight by launching its first concept store at Wellington Airport.
Built on the success of Wishbone’s conveniently located retail stores in Auckland and the capital, its owners and directors Andrea Gibson Scarlett and Shayne Scarlett saw positioning the brand closer to the comings and goings of Arrivals and Departures as an obvious next step and an exciting opportunity.
The Wellington-based company’s commitment to charging no more than High Street prices for their extensive menu is music to many travellers’ ears who until now have had no choice when it comes to value for money. And according to Wishbone’s store staff it’s the flight crews and ground staff who have been the first to thank them for getting onboard.
“Typically airports in New Zealand offer travellers a limited choice of healthy food at reasonable prices and we saw an opportunity for that to change. We’re really proud to offer people an affordable, healthy and convenient option and we’re delighted with the glowing feedback we’ve had from customers already” says Wishbone’s CEO Ms Gibson Scarlett.
“We know from experience in our Auckland and Wellington CBD stores that people are getting busier and have less time to prepare their own meals but they still believe in eating well. And people whose careers revolve around airports, far from a streetful of cafes and restaurants, are most in need of what we have to offer” she adds.
Wishbone has developed a reputation for making quality, fresh food for people in a hurry, in convenient locations. With a footprint considerably bigger than its average inner city store, the company has been able to take the brand’s winning formula to a new level. An evolution of their successful CBD model, the new concept store allows passengers to dine-in while waiting to board. And the store’s bar-like design means customers can stop for ‘coffee in a real cup’ - a pastime proving popular with those waiting to meet and greet family and friends.
Located en route to the airport’s domestic arrival and departure gates, the store’s layout makes it quick and easy for customers to access the extensive menu. Open chillers lining one wall tempt passersby with fresh food made by professional chefs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Muesli with fruit, sandwiches, salads, wraps, hot soups and chowders, Heat ‘n’ Eat meals, muffins, scones, cookies, slices, and hot and cold drinks. Every product is labeled with nutritional information. And the Wishbone Strip™, a quick and easy guide for customers to differentiate between low G.I, low fat, gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian meals, is currently being rolled out on all Wishbone’s products.
Open 7 days and licensed, the new concept store has allowed the company’s R & D team to develop a number of new product ranges aimed at the busy traveller. The Easy Meal is packaged as a single serving and already heated so quick and easy to eat on the go. Included on the Easy Meal menu is Smoked Chicken Pasta, Cottage Pie, Butter Chicken with Rice. A new range of larder products including relishes, jams, marinated calamata olives, feta and antipasto is also available in pottles for taking away. And every Kiwis’ favourite sweets – jaffas, milk bottles and jetplanes - sold in pottles are the perfect in-flight treat.
Wishbone identified a gap in the market and approached Wellington Airport about the potential to improve the quality and choice of food on offer at the airport. The idea for Wishbone to have a presence amongst the existing catering companies, who until recently have operated as a duopoly, was soon born and has since become a successful reality.
Wishbone’s Managing Director Shayne Scarlett explains “There is a trend for large multinational catering companies to dominate Arrival and Departure lounges in airports around the world, and in most cases meals are no longer complimentary onboard short domestic flights. Wishbone is a much needed and long awaited alternative. And a great advertisement to support New Zealand’s international reputation for quality food and hospitality.”
Opening the new concept store has seen Wishbone employ an additional 8 retail staff and 4 chefs. This takes the company’s total number of staff to over 75 and includes a core team of professional chefs who work around the clock to ensure fresh food is delivered daily to its now 12 stores (9 in Wellington and 3 in Auckland). Wishbone also supplies its popular Heat ‘n’ Eat range to supermarkets.
Founded in 2000 with a single store in Woodward Street (Wellington), Wishbone’s fast paced growth, vision and drive was acknowledged in 2003 and 2004 when ranked in the Deloitte/unlimited Fast 50 Companies, an elite ranking of the fastest growing companies in New Zealand.
Given the positive response to Wishbone’s launch at Wellington Airport one can only imagine its traveling fan club will be putting their hands up for Wishbone in other New Zealand airports soon. In response to whether Wishbone’s latest move towards the tarmac is the beginning of a plan to climb aboard other New Zealand airports, Ms Gibson Scarlett sounds enthusiastic.
“We’re always looking for new ways to bring Wishbone closer to people who appreciate fresh, quality food in a hurry so if the opportunity arises we’ll certainly have a good think about it!”