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Orangina is gearing up for summer with new ’Bikini and Trunk’ packaging for its 420ml bottles. Sporting eye-catching beachwear, the limited-edition designs are rolling out now. Already worth £9.8m (IRI data), Orangina continues to go from strength to strength, growing by 46.7% in the past 52 weeks.
From August onwards Orangina will be backed by a campaign, which includes sampling activity.
0203 727 2420 www.lrsuntory.com


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A St Helens family-run farming and haulage firm has appointed an administrator following two years of tough trading.
Directors of T Wilson & Sons (Farmers) Ltd, appointed Nicola Baker, of turn-around and recovery specialist Rushtons Insolvency, as administrator, on June 14.
The impact of the pandemic over the past year played a major part in the 45-year-old Rainford firm’s woes.
The business comprised a farming and haulage division.
The 1,800-acre farming division grew fresh vegetables and salad produce across Lancashire, Merseyside and Cheshire for customers including Aldi, Booths, Hello Fresh and a number of food service providers across the UK.
The haulage division had a fleet of 25 trucks and 40 temperature-controlled trailers that transported produce for a variety of food industry customers.
Despite a sale of the profitable haulage division to a significant customer, Preston-based Len Wright Salads, in May 2022, that safeguarded 42 haulage and support jobs, the directors were unable to secure a sustainable future for the farming side of the second generation family business in its existing format.
On April 29, the farming division of the business ceased to trade, with the loss of 35 jobs in the farm, packhouse and administrative roles, leaving the directors with no option but to place the company into administration.
Nicola Baker said: “The last few years have seen an unprecedented squeeze on many farms and aspects of food producing businesses, and, sadly, despite the strongly performing specialist haulage business, it was simply not possible for the company to keep trading as it was in the current economic climate.”
Len Wright Salads, which backed the new company that now operates the haulage business, has appointed former haulage director Rob Wilson to continue to run the haulage business under their ownership.
Ms Baker added: “The efforts of the Wilson family and a key customer of the haulage business have saved a significant proportion of the jobs involved, and the new business continues to provide haulage services for customers following its sale.
“However, the directors had a responsibility to cease trading and protect the creditors of the unviable farming side of the business.”
Ms Baker has appointed Eddisons Commercial to auction the remaining assets of the business, including a significant volume of farm machinery and food processing equipment which will be sold by online auction in the coming weeks.

domain: news


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Sprint's new promo is offering up to $800 for switchers, meaning that if you switch carriers over to the "Now Network" you'll be eligible for a $200 Visa prepaid card. To be eligible for the $800, it'll require four people, which is perfect for families who have a a plan with four users. This is a new promotion that Sprint has started as of today and although Sprint does not mention how long they will be offering this promotion, they do state that users will have 30 days from the date of activation to register the new account with however many new lines were activated if they want to receive the prepaid Visa cards that are being offered.
30 days is more than ample time to register seeing as how it could simply be done on the spot right after the activations are completed, but it also gives new customers some time to get it done should they not register things immediately. Switching carriers is not the only requirement to be eligible for the promotion, as new customers will also need to select and activate their lines on an Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data plan to receive the promotional gift of the $200.
Switching carriers and having an Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data plan look to be the only requirements that Sprint has set forth, and they're also not limiting this promotion to just all new accounts. If there is an existing account open, customers are still eligible for the $200 prepaid Visa card if they switch a number over to this account from another carrier as this is still a new customer to Sprint. If customers aren't switching a number over from another carrier but they are still activating a new line of service on their account, Sprint is still offering promotional benefits here too. For new lines that aren't coming from another carrier, Sprint is giving away $100 per line via a prepaid Visa card, which, isn't as good as the $200 from a carrier switch, but it is a nice little perk for a family account who may be adding a phone for someone that happens to be getting their very first phone.


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A class action lawsuit has been filed against Uber, on behalf of thousands of Australian taxi and hire car drivers, for allegedly operating illegally which provided the company with an unfair competitive advantage.
The lawsuit was filed on Friday morning at the Victorian Supreme Court by law firm Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, and will cover more than 6,000 drivers, operators, and licence owners across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia, making it one of the biggest class actions in Australian history.
The claimants allege Uber knew that its operations in Australia were illegal as its drivers did not have the proper licences or accreditations.
Uber also allegedly adopted a program to avoid the use of licences and accreditation, as well as "a policy to operate in any market where the regulator had tacitly approved doing so by failing to take direct enforcement action".
"Make no mistake, this will be a landmark case regarding the alleged illegal operations of Uber in Australia and the devastating impact that has had on the lives of hard-working and law-abiding citizens here," Maurice Blackburn head of class actions Andrew Watson said.
The class action's lead plaintiff is Nick Andrianakis, a taxi driver, operator, and licence owner from Brunswick, Victoria.
The class action will seek compensation for the loss of driver income for Uber's conduct between April 1, 2014, and July 31, 2017, which covers when Uber first entered the market to when the taxi industry was deregulated.
There will be no out-of-pocket costs or liability risks for the claimants, Maurice Blackburn senior associate Elizabeth O'Shea said, with the lawsuit to be funded by litigation funder Harbour.
Since Uber entered the Australian market, state governments around the country have made various attempts to address the activity of the world's largest ride-hailing company.
Meanwhile, in Victoria, Uber received the green light to operate in August 2017, after a decision passed by a Victorian County Court judge in favour of a Melbourne Uber driver in early 2016 effectively deemed the service as legal.
The lawsuit follows Uber's announcement to go public in April, with the IPO set to happen sometime this month. The IPO is expected to sell about $10 billion worth of stock, which would make it one of the largest US tech IPOs ever, coming in at an anticipated $100 billion to $120 billion.
- Class action lawsuit against Uber goes national
- Queensland government legalises Uber in wake of transport regulation overhaul
- Regulation on the cards for ride-sharing in Perth
- Driver's victory effectively legalises Uber in Victoria
- Uber and Facebook: Partners in crime
- Uber's flying taxi service pitched at government for trial in Australia
- Ride-hailing wars: Why Uber, Cabify are facing a Spanish backlash
- Uber launches free ride voucher program to help businesses attract and retain customers (TechRepublic)


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It’s been not-so-quietly simmering under the surface for a while now, but Wine Advocate’s latest initiative has confirmed one thing: wine isn’t just about the product’s quality anymore. As with the market zeitgeist for any sort of consumer product, sustainability has become a huge factor in determining the perceived value – and not just monetary – of a product. In the case of wine though, it comes with the added benefit: done properly, sustainable farming can also result in better wines.
Wine Advocate’s initiative comes in two parts. Two new search filters on the website sifting for certified organic and/or biodynamic wines; as well as a yearly award, the Robert Parker Green Emblem.
Awarded by their team of wine reviewers to wineries and producers, the emblem recognises “the most extraordinary cases of sustainable efforts in our wine industry”. Awardees are then permitted to carry the emblem on their wines – as long as practices at the winery continue to meet sustainability standards.
The first wave of Robert Parker Green Emblem awardees includes Chateau Pontet-Canet, the first biodynamic producer in Medoc; as well as Napa Valley’s Spottswood Estate, which has been a sustainability champion for over 30 years.
Says Nicolas Achard, CEO of Robert Parker Wine Advocate, “With the current health crisis, we are aware of the increased consumer desire for responsible and environmentally committed viticulture, and for easier access to these informations. In the Robert Parker Wine Advocate team, we share these concerns, which is why we decided to develop these two tools, including a brand new distinction, in order to highlight the vineyards that combine richness of taste and sustainable viticulture.”
Green practices and organic or biodynamic farming is hardly a new thing in the wine world. Given the fact that wineries have to look decades ahead, playing one’s part in keeping the soil healthy, or preventing climate change seems to be a no-brainer. Even outside of the no-holds-barred, maverick world of natural winemaking, “traditional” wineries have embraced biodynamic viticulture. Domaine Romanee Conti turned the entire estate biodynamic in 2007; while Louis Roederer’s 2012 vintage of Cristal (released in 2019) was made wholly from biodynamically-farmed grapes.
If anything, Wine Advocate’s – whose 100-point wine rating system can move mountains (of wine) – latest decision undoubtedly confirms that the future of wine is, perhaps a little too obviously, ensuring its own future.
Featured image: Chateau Pontet by Simon Beevers


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Ashok Leyland, flagship of the Hinduja Group, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yes Bank whereby the bank will extend retail financing to customers of Ashok Leyland’s commercial vehicles. Real Time News & Trading Trends Keep Liking Epic Research Private Limited Facebook – Twitter – YouTube – Pinterest –Linkedin – Google+ For more information ✆ – 0731-6642300 or Visit http://www.epicresearch.co Related posts: Epic […]
US stocks fell on Tuesday, with the Dow and the S&P 500 retreating further from milestone levels, led by a slide in Best Buy after a disappointing outlook. The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 8.99 points, or 0.06 percent, to end at 15,967.03. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 3.66 points, or 0.20 percent, […]
ADANIPORTS +3.93%, YESBANK +3.80%, AMBUJACEM +2.48%, BHARTIARTL +2.45%, COALINDIA +2.36%, For more information ✆ – 0731-6642300 or Visit http://www.epicresearch.co Facebook Twitter YouTube Pinterest Linkedin Google+ You may also like: Nickel futures up 0.91 per cent; aided by global cues, spot demand Sensex, Nifty still under pressure; Tata Steel, BHEL outperform No related posts.


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Bella Hadid released some thirst trap photos showing off her body in a bikini while chilling at the beach with her boyfriend Marc Kalman. It was all love in the photos via the Daily Mail;
Bella Hadid looked happier than ever as she posed for a series of sultry shots rocking a tiny bikini while enjoying a day at the beach with her boyfriend Marc Kalman.
While showing off her incredible physique in a patterned two-piece, the 25-year-old supermodel couldn’t stop smiling as she cruised around the ocean on a pink standup paddleboard with foot pedals.
In addition to sharing a video of herself rinsing out her damp hair as she took a dip, the five-foot-nine beauty uploaded footage of herself and art director beau’s latest adventure.
In the recording, which she paired with a remix of Fleetwood Mac’s track Dreams, the Kin Euphorics co-founder and hunk, 33, enjoyed some quality time on the water.
At one point, the lovebirds, who were first romantically linked two years ago, jumped into the water. Within an hour, the catwalk queen garnered more than 710,958 likes and thousands of comments on her post.
Who is Bella Hadid?
Isabella Khairiah Hadid (born October 9, 1996) is an American model. In 2016, she was voted “Model of the Year” by industry professionals for Models.com. Over the span of four years, Hadid has made twenty-seven appearances on international Vogue magazine covers.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Santa Barbara, California, Hadid began her modeling career at the age of sixteen. She was signed to IMG Models in August 2014, and made her New York Fashion Week debut the following month. In 2017, Hadid broke the record for the most Vogue September covers in one year by appearing in five international editions (China, Spain, Brazil, Australia and Arabia).
On September 1, 2021, Hadid became the co-founder and business partner of Kin Euphorics, a nonalcoholic adaptogenic beverage brand. She oversees the company alongside its CEO and founder Jen Batchelor.
Hadid will make her acting debut as a recurring guest role in the third season of Ramy
Flip to the next page to see Bella Hadid’s latest thirst trap photos…


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US retail sales fell moderately in February, likely payback after the prior month's outsized increase, but the underlying momentum remained strong, suggesting the economy continued to expand in the first quarter despite higher borrowing costs.
The report from the Commerce Department on Wednesday followed on the heel of news last week showing solid job growth in February, and raised hope that the Federal Reserve could fight inflation without pushing the economy into recession.
News on inflation was somewhat encouraging, with other data on Wednesday showing producer prices unexpectedly falling last month, leading to the smallest year-on-year increase in nearly two years.
Retail sales dropped 0.4% last month. Data for January was revised higher to show retail sales rising 3.2% instead of 3.0% as previously reported. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast sales would fall 0.3%, with estimates ranging from a 1.0% decline to a 0.5% increase.
Retail sales are mostly goods and are not adjusted for inflation. Economists said challenges adjusting the data for shifts in spending patterns at the end and start of the year as well as higher prices were among the factors that had exaggerated January's retail sales surge.
Consumers also still have a huge amount of savings accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fed has raised its benchmark overnight interest rate by 450 basis points since last March from the near-zero level to the current 4.50%-4.75% range.
According to Bank of America Securities, an analysis of the bank's card data showed that services spending significantly outperformed goods spending in February.
While this suggests the rotation of spending back to services helped to undercut retail sales last month, it should support overall consumer spending.
Excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services, retail sales rose 0.5% last month. These so-called core retail sales increased 2.3%% in January, revised up from the previously reported 1.7%.
Core retail sales correspond most closely with the consumer spending component of gross domestic product.
Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the US economy, slowed in the fourth quarter, helping to restrict GDP growth to a 2.7% annualized rate.
Growth estimates for the first quarter are currently as high as a 2.6% pace.
News by Reuters, additional reporting by ESM – your source for the latest retail news. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.


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Richard Branson's empire of Virgin brands rarely fails when it comes to innovation and keeping a step ahead of the competition. So I was really interested to see that Virgin Media has opened its first 'next generation' store, with interactive experiences at every turn - the next step in 'sensory retail'.
No doubt taking a leaf out of Apple's book, the store in Westfield swaps tills for tablets and aims to "deliver a sensory experience at every touchpoint". But an interactive wall where you can create a mobile package and motion-sensor-controlled screens take that innovation beyond Apple's room of laptops and create a truly interactive experience that customers can engage with and enjoy.
Audi is another innovative brand in retail, having created a fully multi-channel experience with its Audi City concept showroom. The store offers the chance to browse Audi's 36 models via four multi-touch tables and two screens, operated by body movement sensitive pads on the floor and cameras overhead. Visitors are then given a more bespoke service in a private room where they can touch or feel the sample interiors before any commitment to buy. Tesco has also used outdoor media to build a virtual shop in Korea and more recently at Gatwick and we have certainly seen an increase in demand for initiatives like this.
I think these examples highlight just how important it is for retailers to remain innovative in 2013 beyond, and to integrate digital strategies across all channels. Combining all channels - from e-commerce sites to the traditional 'bricks and mortar' retail outlets - to create a seamless and linked-up service for customers is key. Consumers are savvy - we know this. They want the most bang for their buck and they want to be rewarded for their custom. So being able to check prices on your smartphone, tweeting an enquiry and getting information in-store are now all assumed to be the norm.
The demise of the high street continues, and it's simply not possible for all retailers to invest in state of the art technology like Virgin has done. However it is vital that retailers constantly strive to improve the customer experience and look at how they can integrate powerful digital channels into their offering.
It will be interesting to see whether Virgin paves the way for more experiential retail strategies - as technology continues to evolve, this is undoubtedly something we'll be seeing more and more of. With 2013 just around the corner, are we set for the year of 'sensory retail'?


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To celebrate the commitment, dedication and determination of its original 16 founders, Great Western Brewing Company has unveiled its new premium beer brand, Original 16. The new brew, which arrived on shelves on March 20, is a crisp, refreshing Canadian Pale Ale.
More than 20 years ago, the brewery’s previous owner (one of the big national brewers) had slated the city-block-sized facility in downtown Saskatoon for closure. But 16 employees decided they weren’t going to let that happened. And they saved the brewery. It was renamed Great Western Brewing Company and began producing high-quality beer. Original 16’s March 20 launchdate was timed to clelbrate the anniversary of when the first bottle of Great Western beer came off the production line.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Original 16 beer is available in four-pack 473-mL cans, six-pack 341-mL bottles, 24 341-mL bottles and draught. It’s available at liquor stores, select privately owned cold beer and wine retailers, and in select restaurants, pubs, and lounges in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.
For more information, go to www.greatwesternbrewing.com.


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Nautilus to take $6.2 million hit on facility closing
Nautilus (NYSE: NLS) said it expects to incur $6.2 million in charges related to the closure of its Tulsa, Okla., manufacturing facility.
It will close the Tulsa site by the end of 2008 and move the work to a manufacturing facility in Independence, Va. The company at the time also said its distribution work would be consolidated into two centers in Independence and Portland.
In a filing Friday with the Securities & Exchange Commission, the closure will result in charges of $3.1 million for asset write-downs, $1.7 million related to terminating a lease and other facilities costs, and $1.4 million related to employee terminations. Of the charges, $2.6 million are expected to be cash, the company said.
Puma sales up 6.3 percent for Q2
Puma (PUMG.DE) said it kept its sales growth goal, as revenues from big sports tournaments offset the impact of sluggish U.S. consumer spending in the second quarter.
Puma, 68 percent owned by French retailer and Gucci owner PPR (PTRP.PA), still expects currency-adjusted single-digit percentage sales growth for 2008 despite slower consumer spending.
Puma’s second-quarter net profit rose 0.9 percent to EUR 45.6 million (USD $70.5 million) on sales of EUR 576.8 million (USD $891.8 million), up 6.3 percent.
The operating margin fell 40 basis points to 10.8 percent. The company said the almost flat development of the operating margin was a positive signal.
The situation in the United States, where Puma generates about a quarter of sales, continued to weigh, but Puma managed to improve U.S. sales and orders versus the previous quarter.
Year-on-year U.S. sales were down 0.9 percent in the second quarter and U.S. orders as of June 30 were down 14.8 percent.
(Conversion of Euros into U.S. dollars is for information only, is not necessarily relative to earnings, and is based on the currency rate as of Aug. 7.)
Costco July same-store sales rise 10 percent
Costco’s (Nasdaq: COST) same-store sales rose 10 percent in July including gasoline. Excluding the impact of gasoline price inflation, Costco said same-store sales would have risen 6 percent in the United States.
Total sales for the four weeks ended Aug. 3 rose 14 percent to $5.7 billion from $5.02 billion a year earlier.
Wal-Mart same-store sales rise 3 percent in July
Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT) says its July same-store sales rose 3 percent. Sales in stores open at least one year rose 3 percent at Wal-Mart and 3.5 percent at Sam’s Club. Including fuel, same-store sales rose 1.9 percent, including a 1.3 percent rise at Wal-Mart and a 5.1 percent increase at Sam’s Club.
Total sales rose for the four weeks ended Aug. 1 rose 9 percent to $30.16 billion, boosted by a 17-percent rise in international sales.
The company expects August same-store sales will rise 1 percent to 2 percent excluding fuel.
For more information about any public company on this page or its financial reports, as well as to view stock prices updated every 15 minutes, visit the SNEWS® Stock Market Updates. Click on: www.outsidebusinessjournal.com/cgi-bin/snews/stock_report.html.


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Audio-Technica starts search for UK’s best independent record shop
- Part of the audio giant’s Record Store Day 2013 celebrations
Leeds, UK 22-03-2013: Audio-Technica is kicking off a nationwide search for the UK’s best independent record shop. It’s in celebration of Record Store Day (20th April 2013), where hundreds of the UK’s independently owned record stores come together to celebrate the art of music.
Audio-Technica is now calling for the UK’s music lovers to nominate their favourite record stores via its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/audiotechnicauk) giving an insight into what it is that makes the shop so special, and why they love buying music there.
A public vote will determine which store is crowned Audio-Technica’s independent record shop of the year, with it winning £1,000 to put towards a special event for its loyal customers, whether it’s a one-off gig, giveaway or in-store party. The person making the nomination will also receive £200 money to spend on records in the shop.
Nominations are being taken until Friday 5th April before five stores are shortlisted for the final vote, taking place 8th April. The winning store will be announced just before Record Store Day on 17th April.
Audio-Technica senior UK marketing manager Harvey Roberts said: “The UK is seriously into music, and the heart of the industry is the independent record stores, run by fanatics, and catering to the fans. As a leading audio technology brand, we share that love and obsession of music. This competition is not only about celebrating Record Store Day and our independents, but about giving something back to the shops, and the fans – more important than ever when the High Street is experiencing such tough times. We can’t wait to see the nominations.”
Audio-Technica is not commercially affiliated with Record Store Day 2013.
Established in 1962, Audio-Technica is a worldwide group of companies devoted to the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of problem-solving audio equipment. Initially known for state-of-the-art phonograph cartridges, Audio-Technica now creates high-performance microphones, headphones, wireless systems, mixers and electronic products for home and professional use.
For more information, visit www.eu.audio-technica.com/en
Audio-Technica, which has its UK office in Leeds, sells microphones, headphones and high fidelity equipment across the world.
Celebrating over 45 years of audio excellence worldwide, Audio-Technica is a leading innovator in transducer technology, renowned for the design and manufacture of microphones, wireless microphones, headphones, mixers, and electronics for the audio industry. Users of Audio-Technica microphones and headphones include Katherine Jenkins, Metallica, Gwen Stefani, Linkin Park, The Pigeon Detectives, Ben Mynott and Eddie Halliwell.
UK: Harvey Roberts
Tel: +44 (0) 113 277 1441
Red Pepper Communications Ltd
Tel: +44 (0) 1371 877716
About Record Store Day
Record Store Day came into being in 2007 when over 700 independent stores in the USA came together to celebrate their unique culture. The UK followed suit and 2013 will see the sixth celebration of the UK's unique independent sector. This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists across the globe make special appearances and performances. Festivities include performances, meet & greets with artists, DJ's, in store quizzes and many other events.
For more information, visit www.recordstoreday.co.uk


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Entertainment One (eOne), Hasbro’s global content studio, outlined an exciting new content plan for Peppa Pig which confirms that 104 x 5” episodes have been greenlit for production, ensuring a continuous pipeline of fresh content through to 2027. The addition of this new animated content will take the total number of episodes in the Peppa Pig catalogue to an incredible 485.
Animation studio Astley Baker Davies (ABD), the original creators of Peppa Pig, will work closely with eOne to transition creative production duties to the award-winning British animation studio Karrot, with Andrea Tran at the helm as director. The animation style, music and voice talent will remain unchanged.
“As demand for Peppa Pig remains as strong now as it’s ever been, we couldn’t be more excited to announce that additional new episodes are underway. In creating the global evergreen preschool series, Astley Baker Davies have achieved a rare, once in a generation success story. The show’s enduring popularity is a tribute to their skill as storytellers and their dedication to the characters and their craft. We wish them every success as they embark on their next adventure,” said eOne’s Rebecca Harvey, EVP Global Brand and Marketing at eOne Family & Brands. “We remain committed to producing fresh Peppa Pig content that will continue to resonate with each new generation and that will underpin the long-term future of the property. We are, therefore, delighted to welcome award-winning British animation studio, Karrot, who will honor all the elements of the show that make it beloved of families around the world.”
“Peppa Pig has been a huge part of our lives. It’s a source of great pride that it’s given joy to so many children for so many years,”said Neville Astley, Mark Baker and Phil Davies of Astley Baker Davies. “Peppa will always be close to our hearts and we couldn’t be more pleased to be passing the torch to the extraordinarily talented team of artists at Karrot who will continue to deliver our adored Peppa to the world for many years to come.”
Key talent from ABD have been tapped to join Karrot, maintaining continuity and bringing valuable knowledge and experience of making the show over many years. This includes Phill Hall who joins as Head Writer having co-written numerous episodes of Peppa Pig since 2007.
Founded in 2008, Karrot is a BAFTA and Emmy award-winning studio that has built a strong industry reputation and is best known for creating charming British animated series’ including Sarah & Duck.
Jamie Badminton, Series Producer at Karrot said,“Peppa Pig has a charm and simplicity that is timeless and universal. It’s a giant honor to be continuing the legacy that Astley Baker Davies has created. We will remain faithful to their vision and look forward to being part of Peppa Pig’s future, enduring success.”
eOne continues to drive growth for Peppa Pig with an investment in new content, fresh CP lines and wide-reaching brand marketing plans. Series 9 kicks off this spring with the brand-new four-part U.S. special which sees Peppa and family take a road trip around America followed by a further 22 new episodes that will roll out globally throughout 2021. Inspired by these new episodes, the theme of ‘Peppa Adventures’ will extend into the exciting retail debut of the first ever global toy line from Hasbro.
The brand’s impressive digital footprint also continues to expand this year with the release of a second music album in July, new content on the official YouTube channel where Peppa Pig was ranked the #1 most streamed kids show of any age in 2020 and new Audio Stories for families to enjoy on-the-go. In the UK, an exciting partnership between Peppa Pig and Team GB will leverage excitement around the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. More recently, plans for a brand new Peppa Pig theme park in Florida’s Legoland have just been announced to squeals of delight and the attraction is set to open its doors in 2022.


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McKee Foods has launched two new Valentine’s Day lines: Little Debbie Vanilla Mini Donuts and Big Pack Valentine Cakes — Vanilla.
Bite-sized Vanilla Mini Donuts are coated in light pink frosting and adorned with a white icing pattern. These miniature treats offer a symphony of vanilla flavor.
Big Pack Valentine Cakes — Vanilla bring a classic taste to the Valentine's Day festivities. Individually wrapped and topped with light pink frosting and a white icing stripe pattern, these heart-shaped cakes are packaged in containers with six big snack cakes.
In addition to these introductions, Little Debbie is unveiling fresh packaging graphics across the Valentine's Day lineup. The new designs showcase a modern aesthetic, including light teal backgrounds and pink paper cutout hearts.
"We are thrilled to introduce our new Vanilla Mini Donuts and Big Pack Valentine Cakes — Vanilla to our cherished Little Debbie family," says Erica Cunningham, Little Debbie product manager II at McKee Foods. "These additions underscore our commitment to providing a diverse range of treats that cater to the varied preferences of our customers. Whether you're a fan of bite-sized indulgences or classic vanilla goodness, each new item ensure there's something for everyone to enjoy this Valentine's season."


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New Meta update allows creators to sell NFTs and offer subscriptions on Instagram and Facebook
November 3, 2022
Instagram and Facebook have announced a number of updates for creators on their platforms, as they look to expand their offerings and attract more creators to their platforms.
One of the most significant updates is the introduction of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on Instagram. Creators will soon be able to create and sell NFTs directly to their followers, both on and off Instagram. The platform will provide creators with a toolkit to help them create, showcase, and sell NFTs. Polygon is going to be the first partner for this feature, which will be tested with a small group of creators in the US before being expanded to other countries. The social media platform is going to allow its users to purchase the NFTs directly within the app through traditional in-app purchases on iOS and Android. At the time of writing the company is not going to take a cut of the creators' revenues from the sale of NFTs.
In addition to NFTs, Instagram is also adding support for the Solana blockchain and Phantom wallet, joining the other blockchains and wallets that the platform already supports, such as Rainbow, MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Coinbase Wallet, Dapper Wallet, Ethereum, Polygon, and Flow. Information about select collections that have had their metadata enriched by OpenSea, including the collection name and descriptions, will also be available on Instagram.
Instagram will be expanding access to the subscriptions feature to all eligible creators in the US. The platform began testing subscriptions in January with a small group of creators, allowing them to offer paid access to exclusive Instagram Live videos and Stories to their followers. Subscribers receive a special badge that helps them stand out amongst other people in the comments section and in the creators' inboxes.
Facebook is also making updates for its creators, including increasing access to "Stars", which allow creators to earn money directly from their followers on Reels, Live, and video on demand. The platform is also testing automatic onboarding for creators, which will automatically give them the ability to send Stars on their content. Stars will also be available on non-video content such as photos and text posts.
For creators who are already using Stars, Facebook is bringing Stars Party to Reels, which is a community challenge that ends with a celebration if the creator manages to reach their goal. Creators on Facebook will also be given more tools in the upcoming days to help engage with people who send them Stars, including a filter in Comments Manager that displays all of their Stars comments in one place, allowing them to reply to multiple comments at once.
In addition to these updates, Meta is introducing "gifts" on Instagram, starting with Reels, to give creators a new way to earn money from their fans. Fans can purchase Stars within Instagram to send gifts on Reels to their favorite creators. Like most other features, this feature is also currently being tested with a small group of creators in the United States and will be expanded to more creators in the future. Meta is also expanding its professional-mode profile setting on Facebook to all creators. This special mode is designed to be used by creators looking to monetize their followings on the social network and was previously only available to a select group of creators.
These updates come as the parent company Meta is looking to invest in expanding its creator user base and tap into new revenue streams from subscriptions and other offerings. The expansion of NFTs and subscriptions on Instagram is a strategic move to differentiate the platform from its largest competitor social media platform, TikTok, which has gained popularity among creators across the world in last few years. As Meta continues to build the metaverse, it will rely on the support of creators, and these updates appear to be aimed at making its platforms more attractive to them.


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Emmaus Mossley is marking Recycle Week 2019 by celebrating the waste reduction efforts of its community members and raising awareness of how best to reuse or dispose of unwanted household items.
In the six-month period from April 2019 to September 2019, Emmaus Mossley has reduced the amount of waste deposited to landfill by 91% compared to the same period in 2017. This reduction is thanks to improved processes, awareness raising, a new retail area and better management of stock and incoming donations.
Emmaus Mossley is supporting Recycle Now’s Recycle Week campaign, running from 23 – 29 September 2019. The charity is taking the opportunity to educate members of the public on the importance of reducing consumption, reusing what you can and recycling.
Steve Reynolds, Deputy Community Leader who oversees waste management at Emmaus Mossley, said: “This Recycle Week we’re keen to celebrate our own efforts and try to educate those who may not be aware of the reasons we cannot accept certain items.
“Unfortunately, sometimes people unknowingly donate unsuitable items or simply use us as an alternative to the tip. We do try to accept most household items, more so than many other charities, but unfortunately, we cannot accept items that are broken, unsafe, illegal to resell or unsaleable.
“Disposing of items that have been donated to us but are not suitable for sale or reuse, can be very costly when you add up the tipping costs, petrol, time and staffing needed. These are resources that can be better used within our charity, so we are keen to raise awareness with those who donate items to us. For anyone unsure of what we can or cannot accept please visit our website first before dropping items off or arranging a collection.”
Emmaus Mossley supports 26 formerly homeless people by providing them with a home and work in a community setting. The charity runs a large social enterprise in Mossley, selling donated and upcycled furniture, household goods, clothes and vintage wares.
Throughout Recycle Week, Emmaus Mossley will be offering items and materials for sale that may otherwise have been sent to landfill and on Saturday 28 September, the charity will be holding a one-day sale throughout its Secondhand Superstore.
Alison Hill, Director of Emmaus Mossley, said: “Our whole community has been working hard to reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill. It’s a big team effort that has included much improvement in our warehouse, better recycling rates, the launch of our Scrap Shed area and more items being transformed in our workshop and by our weekly upcycling volunteers.”
“We also couldn’t have achieved this waste reduction without our local supporters, customers and people who donate good quality items. By us all working together, we’re reducing waste to landfill, reducing costs to the taxpayer, doing our bit for the environment and helping to sustain the support offered by Emmaus Mossley.”
Now in its 17th year, Recycle Week is a celebration of recycling, organised by WRAP under the Recycle Now brand. The aim of the week is to encourage the public to recycle more, by demonstrating the benefits of recycling items from all around the home.
To find out more or support Emmaus Mossley head to www.emmaus.org.uk/mossley. If you would like to get involved or donate an item, please call 01457 838608 or visit the store at Longlands Mill, Queen Street, Mossley OL5 9AH


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Over the past few years, Palm has been great at creating hype to surround their events. They have been very successful in getting everyone in a tizzy before product announcements. Prior to this past CES, where they sat on the sidelines, Palm has done a fantastic job in creating buzz around their events. In many ways, I’ve considered Palm events to be Apple-like, save for the black turtleneck. When Palm announced the Pre in 2009, the run-up to the release was exciting and Palm delivered. Flash forward to 2011 and the hype machine is well underway. Now under HP, Palm is once again in a familiar place, on the big stage they’ve created. They skipped CES and now the lights will shine even brighter on the stage on February 9th. The invite says, “Think Big, Think Small, Think Beyond”. The past few weeks have brought no shortage of leaks surrounding Topaz, one of multiple webOS tablets expected to make their public debut on February 9th. Not much has been said or leaked regarding the most important piece of any mobile platform and that’s a long overdue update to webOS phones. Dan Ramirez at webOSRoundup put it best when he said, “smartphones are the epicenter of mobile computing”. The time for HP|Palm to deliver a hero phone is now and it’s vital to the success of any tablet or product that will be part of the larger webOS ecosystem said to be in the works.
When HP bought Palm, the plan was to run webOS on an assortment of devices, certainly a plausible idea. With the success of the iPad, tablets are all the rage. To date, there haven’t been any competitors to the iPad. The Galaxy Tab from Samsung opened to mixed reviews and even Google acknowledged the current Android OS wasn’t suited for tablets. That changed this week when Google announced the release of the Android 3.0 SDK, Google’s OS that allows developers to create apps for tablets. Google has over 200,000 apps in their Android Market and no shortage of third party developers. Motorola and Samsung will have tablets in the market by the end of Q1. HTC will likely join them, although the company hasn’t announced their tablet plans as of yet. Developers will likely get on board given their familiarity with development on the Android platform and the expected sales based on the sheer number of tablets available in the marketplace by year’s end. Google also has the ability to ship tablets with an array of Google apps, designed for Honeycomb (Android 3.0). While it’s not a given that developers will flock to Android 3.0 without seeing significant sales numbers of the Tab and Motorola XOOM, the tablet buzz at CES alone will likely get developers interested. iOS isn’t slowing down and neither is the iPad app count available in the AppStore.
Herein lies the trouble for HP Palm. They don’t have that large developer pool found on iOS and Android. Regardless of the elegance of webOS, developers haven’t flocked to the platform. This creates a horse before the cart scenario for Palm. I fully expect Palm to deliver an elegant looking tablet specific version of webOS. All the greatness of webOS built intuitively for a line of tablets. They’ll also announce the immediate availability of the webOS SDK that allows for apps to be created for the newly announced webOS tablets. The developer event happening February 9th will likely get existing developers pumped for webOS tablet development. This is all good stuff, but it’s not enough. A good portion of current developers will bring tablet versions of their apps to the App Catalog, while some will take a wait and see approach. Rumor has it that Palm will kick off another million dollar competition and that will certainly get some attention from developers. Still not enough. Developers want to see volume sales and volume sales will be harder to come by with a $400-$700 tablet (pricing yet to be determined). Volume sales are accomplished by handset sales. Something not achieved by either the Palm Pre or Palm Pixi line. The time to change that is now.
Building a Palm Superphone
At CES 2011, there was a common theme among phones coming out this year. Most included faster processors, large vivid displays in a black slab format. This is what people want. This is what sells. I’m just one person, but I’d say my opinion is likely in line with other webOS enthusiasts desperately waiting for HP|Palm to build a true superphone. Here’s my abbreviated checklist of wants:
- Large, vivid display
- Thin, black slab that doesn’t compromise size with battery life
- On-screen keyboard
- Super fast processor
- Build quality. Build quality. Build quality.
Sure, I could get into specifics, but I’m more concerned about the webOS experience this new phone will bring to the table. I don’t want a phone that needs to be overclocked in order to be on par with usability of other platforms. For all its beauty, I’ve also been disappointed with in-app experience. I still hold out hope that webOS 2.1 will improve things on my Palm Pre Plus. If the OS cannot improve it’s speed, then throw in dual-core processors. I don’t necessarily believe that Palm needs to compete in the Android space where specs help to drive sales. As I’ll touch on later, hardware cannot be ignored and can impact sales. Ultimately, Palm is about experience and that needs to improve. As an end user, I’m less concerned about the engine and more about performance.
From time to time, you hear about people leaving the webOS platform, largely due to the lack of new hardware. I see many of these same people, either on Twitter or our forums, missing webOS. For those who have drifted, a Palm hero phone would likely bring them back into the fold. Hardware clearly plays a role in selling phones. That applies to those who have experienced webOS and those considering a new smartphone. HP|Palm’s new phone will be on the shelves next to the likes of the HTC Thunderbolt, EVO 4G, iPhone 4 and the Droid family of phones. The new hardware must meet or exceed this group in addition to meeting performance requirements outlined above are met. Run of the mill isn’t enough when you’re running behind the pack. The same can be sound for Windows Phone 7. Despite several new and capable phones, Windows Phone 7 lacks a flagship phone.
On February 9th, HP|Palm will likely introduce a complete eco-system of webOS products. It would not be at all surprising to see tablets, phones, printers and maybe even a netbook.. Smartphones sell volume. Volume sales bring developers, the very same developers HP|Palm will need to bring dynamic new tablet-optimized apps to new line of webOS tablets. This latest comeback will feature an array of webOS devices, but Palm needs a hero phone on February 9th. Any comeback would be incomplete without one.


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Reuters reports in an exclusive story Wednesday that Rivian Automotive Inc (NASDAQ: RIVN ) is laying off 6% of its workforce in an effort to cut costs. The American EV maker, already grappling with falling cash reserves and a weak economy, is now bracing for what may be an industry-wide price war.
The falling EV prices were kicked off by cuts made recently by Elon Musk-led Tesla and Ford Motor Co . The price cuts by Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA ) and Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F ) are expected to hurt EV upstarts such as Rivian, Lucid Group Inc (NASDAQ: LCID ) and British startup Arrival (NASDAQ: ARVL ), which Monday said it would lay off half its staff.
Rivian is focusing resources on ramping up vehicle production and reaching profitability, Chief Executive R.J. Scaringe said in an email to employees on Wednesday announcing the job cuts.
Despite a blockbuster IPO in November 2021, Rivian's shares have fallen nearly 90% from their peak that month to Tuesday's close.
"We must focus our resources on ramp and our path to profitability," Scaringe said in the email, in which he apologized to employees for the necessity of the cuts.
Irvine, California-based Rivian, which has about 14,000 employees, will let go of about 840 staff in a move that will not affect manufacturing operations at its plant in Normal, Ill.
To further conserve cash, Rivian late last year canceled plans to build delivery vans in Europe with Mercedes. Earlier Rivian pushed back the planned launch of a smaller R2 vehicle by a year to 2026.
Last July, Rivian laid off staff and suspended some programs as part of a broader restructuring. As of Sept. 30, 2022, the automaker reported having $13.27 billion in cash and cash equivalents, down from over $18 billion a year earlier.
Shares of RIVN are down 5.13% in mid-day trading on Wednesday.
By Michael Elkins | Michael.Elkins@streetinsider.com
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A while ago, Kickstarter project Luci was discovered to be a scam, causing many backers to lose faith in crowdfunding products. In fact, this was not the first time that a project on Kickstarter has turned out to be a swindle. Last year, several gaming and food projects have also been discovered to be hoaxes, including Elementary, My Dear Holmes!, Kobe Redand Holovision, which have all betrayed the trust of Kickstarter backers.
Although there exists a small group of black sheep who attempt to con people of their money by launching fraudulent crowdfunding projects, crowdfunding sites are still a place where many hopefuls fulfill their dreams and provide an insight into market demand. As such, the benefits that crowdfunding bring are undeniable.
Here are some tips to help you to avoid falling prey to the slick scams.
Genuine campaigns feature pictures and videos of the actual products
In order to raise a big amount of money from backers, the originality or quality of the projects are not always key. Sometimes, touching videos or vivid pictures could instead be used to trigger the impulse of the backers. The effects in the video might be really cool, but what if the product just exists in the digital world?
In the case of Holovision, a Kickstarter campaign that promised real, life-size holograms, concept images leveraging the public’s misconceptions about holograms were used to mislead backers. According to Oliver Kreylos, the 3D computer graphics developer who examined the authenticity of the campaign, although the project design was theoretically feasible, the way Holovision’s technology was presented in the campaign was not.
“While there is an actual design for something called Holovision, and that design is theoretically feasible, and possibly even practical, the public’s impression of the product advertised on Kickstarter is decidedly not…it is definitely creating a false impression that might lead to very disappointed backers,” Mr Kreylos said.
Unusually high number of first-time backers
Many scam projects actually share a common feature – they all succeed in their funding. To allure more attention from the crowd, the project maker would create multiple user accounts–or hire people–to pump up the number of people backing the fake project.
This often creates the illusion that the project is popular and trustworthy, and attempts to spur genuine users into backing the campaign by tricking them into thinking that the early-bird offers are running out fast. Be sure to check out the profile of the campaign’s backers to verify the project’s authenticity.
Request your crowdfunding service provider to verify the project’s legitimacy
These days, it is becoming harder and harder to commit fraud on crowdfunding sites due to the need to verify credit card details and phone numbers before a project is launched on the crowdfunding platform. Crowdfunding service providers have also raised the standards for launching projects. However, despite the tightening of the rules, fraudsters will still find ways to exploit any gaps or vulnerabilities they can find, especially since no scammer has been taken to court so far.
If you have any doubts about the project, but you do not want to reveal it publicly or ruin the excitement for the crowd, relay your concerns to the crowdfunding service provider and let its team investigate into the legitimacy of the project. Be sure to raise your concerns early. History has shown that many fraudulent projects were suspended only hours before the due date of funding. Do not wait until it is too late!
More tips to keep your money safe from scammers in our next article. Stay tuned!
This story was translated by Dana Lin from HWTrek. The original story can be found here.


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The Indian economy is expected to grow at a healthy pace and consumers are feeling confident about spending money. According to International Monitory Fund (IMF), India’s economic recovery is likely to pick a strong pace with GDP rising at 7.4 percent in FY23.
Deloitte India’s report in collaboration with MAPIC India focuses on technology-enabled retail evolution, sharing a detailed overview of the new-age business models being adopted by different brands to earn consumer loyalty in recent times.
The report states that the retail industry is expected to see year-on-year growth of 10 percent to reach nearly $2 trillion by 2032. India is the world’s fifth-largest retail market, contributing more than 10 percent to GDP and nearly 8 percent to employment.
Post the pandemic-related disruptions, today, retailers are expected to accelerate the adoption of the omnichannel strategy to operate proficiently amidst mobility restrictions, supply chain disruptions, and increasing competition.
Further, increasing penetration of global brands has led to the emergence of new norms of loyalty for retailers where targeted marketing, personalized product selection, seamless purchase experience, customer loyalty programs, and supply chain resiliency, have taken the front stage.
While a large-scale convergence of online and offline channels will continue to happen, retailers are expected to invest in digital technologies to improve their operational efficiency and customer centricity and thrive in the rapidly changing and competitive consumer environment.
The following are a few examples of technology-based business models gaining prominence:
1. Targeted Marketing
2. Personalized Product Selection
3. Seamless Purchase Experience
4. Customer Retention and Loyalty
5. Supply Chain Management
Brick-and-mortar stores will continue to embrace digitization and dominate the retail channel in the country for consumers, shopping at their convenience will endure extraordinary growth in online sales in the future.


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2019 has been 'overwhelming' for Rihanna
Rihanna (Source: BadgalRiRi IG)
Even Robyn Rihanna Fenty struggles with achieving a healthy work-life balance.
With millions of fans the world over demanding another album from her, Rihanna took to Instagram recently and shared how she was coping with the pressures of life - family and business combined, and seeking to successfully navigate both.
"To all my friends/family/coworkers who I have yet to get back to in the past months...please forgive me. this year has been quite an overwhelming one, and I’m working on that ish called Balance. brb."
Over four million people liked the post.
But what was added to RiRi's plate this year?
In 2019, the Grammy-award winner added a new baby to her life - FENTY, her luxury fashion line in partnership with LVMH. In fashion, LVMH stands for Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE. It is comprised of 75 Houses inclusive of FENTY under its Fashion and Leather Goods section. This partnership was a first for the brand.
When FENTY was launched back in May, Barbados' Rihanna told Business of Fashion, "Designing a line like this with LVMH is an incredibly special moment for us. Mr Arnault has given me a unique opportunity to develop a fashion house in the luxury sector, with no artistic limits.”
Rihanna also dropped her Rihanna book this year.
These new initiatives added to her music demands and business portfolios of Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty.


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It seems we could have been calling Sony Ericsson’s first Android smartphone by the wrong name, at least according to a Tweakers forum member. That individual, who claims to have not only talked to Sony Ericsson staff about the device but to have played with a prototype, says that rather than the XPERIA X3, the handset will most likely be branded as the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10. They’ve also let slip some details about a possible launch window.
Unfortunately, that launch window is February 2010, a long time after the previously-tipped announcement in November. In fact, such a release date would put the Android smartphone in the right month for Mobile World Congress, rather than attempting to battle for coverage in January at CES.
As for his hands-on impressions, he found the XPERIA to be slim, speedy and pretty impressive, and happily showing none of the lag that some HTC Hero owners have reported:
“The device is super flat and further the size of the screen similar to that of the HTC Touch HD. Furthermore, the device is slightly rounded, according to the two-SE employees that the new trend in SE … What had struck me as the big screen and the thickness of the device. The device is really ultrathin fact! I also do not specifically on the camera side view, but the device is comfortable to hand and is much lighter than a x1” Sjef Sjef, Tweakers forum


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New Lake District cafe is full of beans
A Cumbrian couple are hoping to brew up business success after opening their own café in the Lake District.
Richard Metcalfe, 29 and his partner Jane Legge, 35 have opened Homeground Coffee and Kitchen, which is based on Main Road in Windermere. The café only began trading at the end of May but has already made its mark in the town.
The café, which provides brunch, light lunches and speciality coffee, has transformed the former Renoirs Coffee Shop and created eight new jobs.
Owners Richard and Jane, who have spent over 20 years between them in the hospitality industry, set up the business after being inspired by the ambition of similar cafes in other parts of the UK and abroad.
Richard said: “We wanted to recreate the relaxed antipodean style cafe culture that is ever growing around the country with all-day brunch and the highest quality coffee. We source many of our ingredients from local traders and make everything in-house down to our jams and sauces.
“There was a real gap in the market for a coffee shop like this in Windermere so it made good business sense to take the plunge and set up on our own. After three months of renovation and hard work, the investment has really paid off, with locals even queuing out of the door at the weekend.”
Kendal-based accountancy and business advisory firm Moore and Smalley advised Richard and Jane on the financial aspects of setting up the new business, including the purchase of the property and tax issues, as well as providing training on a new online book-keeping system.
Colin Johnson, partner and head of Moore and Smalley’s leisure and tourism team, said: “This area of the Lake District still has a focus on supporting local traders so it’s refreshing to see independent coffee enthusiasts like Richard and Jane making their mark.
“Homeground Coffee and Kitchen has already built up a strong following amongst Windermere locals and visitors and I’m sure they’ll continue to grow their fan base into the future.”


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LAVAL, Que. — Michelin Retread Technologies has extended its agreement with its first Canadian retreader Robert Bernard TRM Ltee.
"We are pleased to renew our strong partnership with Robert Bernard (TRM) Lte," announced Guy Pekle, president of Michelin Retread Technologies (Canada). "As the demand for MRT products strengthen and our growth continues, we remain committed to finding lower cost solutions for customers."
"We are proud of this milestone and we hope to expand the distribution of our MRT products in the near future," added Jocelyn Bernard, vice-president of Robert Bernard TRM Lte. "Our existing structure allows for the sale of high-end MRT products on the road, via our retail distributors and Michelin partners. We are confident that market response will be as good as it has been for the last five years where we have seen consistent, annual growth."
Michelin boasts 230 points of sale for retreads within North America. They focus on proven tread designs and high-quality standards, the company says. MRT treads are built with Michelin proprietary tread rubber compounds and designs, enhancing performance.
Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry. All posts by Truck News


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Asbury Automotive Group has terminated its $1 billion purchase of most of the luxury Park Place Dealerships in Texas days before the deal was scheduled to close.
Asbury, in a regulatory filing, said it notified the sellers Tuesday that it was ending its transaction agreements and would pay $10 million in damages. It did not specifically give a reason for the termination but said in the filing that it has borrowed $237 million from a revolving credit line and $110 million from its used-vehicle floorplan loan.
“The company increased its borrowing as a precautionary measure in order to increase its cash position and preserve financial flexibility in light of current uncertainty in the global markets resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak,” Asbury said in the filing.
The Asbury-Park Place deal was expected to be one of the largest buy-sell deals in at least a decade. Asbury announced in December that it would buy 10 luxury Park Place stores in Texas with 17 new-vehicle franchises in the Dallas and Fort Worth markets.
Messages were left Wednesday with representatives of Park Place Dealerships, seeking comments. Asbury declined to comment beyond its regulatory filing.
On March 16, in a regulatory filing, Asbury said it was exploring alternatives related to its deal with Park Place and said terminating the transaction would cost the company about $30 million in fees and expenses.
Asbury had said the deal was scheduled to close by the end of March.
Ryan Kerrigan, managing director of Kerrigan Advisors, a sell-side company in Irvine, Calif., said Tuesday there was uncertainty around whether Asbury would close the deal. Kerrigan cited Asbury’s significant drop in stock price over the past few weeks and its lower market cap, and the impact to the Texas economy amid lower oil prices as reasons Asbury might reconsider the purchase.
“The view of the economy has just changed so dramatically and there’s tons of uncertainty, so it’s hard to imagine that they’d be comfortable closing at the terms they agreed to last year,” Kerrigan told Automotive News.
Asbury shares surged 11 percent to $59.31 in early trading on Wednesday, after rising 17 percent during the record day on Wall Street on Tuesday. But the company stock as of Tuesday still was down 42.5 percent in three weeks and from its closing price of $93.03 on March 2.
Kerrigan said Asbury, the seventh-largest new-vehicle retailer in the U.S., and Park Place could have postponed the deal for a few months amid the coronavirus outbreak, or could have worked to negotiate a new deal.
Asbury said in the filing Wednesday that in the fourth quarter it recorded $1.7 million in expenses related to the transaction and expects to have $5.7 million of fees, accrued interest and other expenses in the first quarter connected to terminating the deal. It also had another $19.2 million in premium, fees and expenses related to redeeming $600 million of unsubordinated notes earlier this month to help pay for the transaction.


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The US-based beauty company said that Dolan would be stepping down from her role as chief financial officer on September 30 to “ensure a smooth transition of her responsibilities,” with Kvarda taking up the interim role from October 1. He will report directly to Debra Perelman, Revlon’s chief executive officer.
“I want to thank Victoria for her tremendous dedication and numerous contributions over the past four years as part of our team and I wish her all the best in retirement,” Perelman said in a statement. “We are fortunate to have Matt on board and look forward to working closely with him to drive forward the restructuring process in the months to come.”
The news follows Revlon filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy in June amid liquidity constraints caused by ongoing supply chain disruptions, rising inflation and obligations to its lenders, as well as other global challenges.


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More than 20 menu updates offering innovated favorites, enhanced portions and better value will hit Panera menus nationwide on April 4
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Panera Bread is excited to announce a new era at Panera is coming this April with the company’s largest menu transformation ever, refocusing on innovating and enhancing the core Panera items guests love the most: Soups, Salads, Sandwiches and Mac & Cheese. Filled with more than 20 menu updates – 9 delicious new menu items and 12 enhanced classics—the new menu offers guests better value through enhanced portions and lower price points, while also being easier for guests to navigate. Launching April 4 at bakery-cafes nationwide, the new era at Panera will make it easy for Panera associates to deliver guests an outstanding and delicious experience.
Originally published at https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/coming-april-4—a-new-era-at-panera-panera-announces-biggest-menu-transformation-in-brand-history-refocusing-on-guest-favorite-soups-salads-sandwiches-and-mac–cheese-302074789.html
Images courtesy of https://pixabay.com


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40 student businesses launching in Bruce, Grey, and WellingtonJune 26, 2019 10:00am
Saugeen Connects is helping students open 40 new summer businesses with start-up funding and extensive training.
The summer companies include various businesses within the agricultural, retail, service, manufacturing and educational sectors, plus many innovative concepts.
The economic development partnership between Brockton, Hanover, Minto, Wellington North, West Grey and the Saugeen Economic Development Corporation had students from Grades 6 to 12 pitch their ideas.
The program includes a meet-and-greet with sponsors, workshop training, start-up funding and an opportunity to earn bonus cash.
“The goal of the Student Start-Up Program is to ignite the spirit of entrepreneurism in our local youth,” said Rose Austin, general manager at SEDC. “We were extremely pleased with the quantity – and quality – of the respondents and are thrilled to provide the seed funding and workshop training necessary for these young entrepreneurs to see success.”


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Last night news broke that a FISA court granted the NSA an insanely broad warrant for literally every single call made by Verizon customers over a several month period.Tens of millions of phone calls.
It gets worse.
Apparently even though FISA judges are essentially just empty robes with a giant rubber-stamp attached, going to see them every time they wanted to spy on somebody was getting inconvenient for the NSA – mostly because that “somebody” was literally everybody, everywhere, for all time.
Enter PRISM, the Orwellian scheme which apparently began in 2007 with an NSA deal with Microsoft. Under the deal Microsoft allowed the NSA to directly access the personal data of Microsoft’s customers. Like, all of them.
And like any really, really bad idea it grew precipitously. Yahoo jumped on board in 2008. Google and Facebook joined in 2009. Skype, Youtube, AOL, and finally Apple this year.
What you search, what you browse, what you download. Every AIM chat, every VOIP phone call, every time you logged into any service with any of these companies, or made any Social Networking connections, the NSA was in the know.
It all sounds like a bad novel or some goofy conspiracy theory, but this is just the plain, undeniable facts, as presented to new NSA employees in a PowerPoint presentation (which has since been leaked). The presentation was apparently meant to get new hires up to speed on what they could expect in the way of cooperation when spying on Americans.
The answer is absolute, unfettered access to virtually everything done within the purview of any of the major US internet companies, with no questions asked.
Congress cheerfully defended the horrific abuse of privacy that was the FISA-Verizon fiasco – presumably we won’t be able to expect any better out of them after this.


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Retailers will feel impact of overtime pay expansion
WASHINGTON — Retailers can expect their labor costs to rise under a new proposal from the Obama administration.
On Tuesday, the Department of Labor unveiled a proposal whereby salaried workers who earn up to $50,440 a year would be eligible for time-and-a-half overtime wages when they work more than 40 hours per week. That is more than double the current threshold of $23,660, or $455 per week, established in 2004.
The proposal would raise wages for 5 million white-collar American workers, according to the Labor Department’s estimates. According to a report on Business Insider, food service managers, first-line servers of food preparation and first-line supervisors of retail store workers are among the top 10 categories most likely to be affected by the rule.
The proposal does not need congressional approval to be adopted. It will undergo a comment period before the Labor Department determines what to include in a final rule next year.
The National Retail Federation has argued against the pay expansion.
On Tuesday, the group issued a statement criticizing the proposal.
“This proposal isn’t a law but it certainly reflects one — the law of unintended consequences at a time when the economy and those struggling the most can least afford it,” stated David French, senior VP for government relations at the NRF. Our research shows that the managers who would supposedly benefit oppose this plan and that few workers should actually see more take-home pay. There simply isn’t any magic pot of money that lets employers pay more just because the government says so.”


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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
TAGUIG CITY, Philippines – Wendell Cunanan remembers his first pair of Vans sneakers. They were all white — and high maintenance — requiring daily cleaning so they’d be immaculate for his drum corps competitions at a Los Angeles high school.
A little over 20 years later, Cunanan is wearing his own custom spiderweb Vans, overseeing more than 20 concept stores as CEO of Vans Philippines.
Born in Manila, Cunanan immigrated to the United States in 1986 at 13. To that point, he had never heard of skateboarding. “When I first moved to the States, the first ever foreign sports to me were basketball and even volleyball, tennis and golf,” recounts Cunanan. “But what was this skateboarding thing?”
In the ’80s, skateboarding was just beginning to emerge from its relegation as a small niche to a ubiquitous counter culture, and Southern California was ground zero. In Huntington Beach, Santa Monica, Venice Beach and all over the Valley, more and more kids were grinding on park benches and “ollying” over gaps.
Vans was the sneaker brand that stood atop most skateboard decks due to their ability to grip a surface. The brand subsequently became synonymous with the movement.
“I remember my first ever skateboard; that sucker was heavy,” says Cunanan. “It was one of things that you buy at K-mart; that’s what my parents could afford. Actually, I had to beg my parents for it.
“My parents, they didn’t understand it. For me, it was like all the kids — I wanted to belong because we just moved there. I was more of a recreational skater. When (my friends) started doing the tricks, I just watched.”
Though Cunanan concedes that he can only go “from here to there” on a skateboard, his passion for the sport and the brand closely associated with it remained. So when asked in 2008 if he would be interested in leaving his job as athletic wear buyer at the now-defunct Shoe Pavilion to join Vans, only a slight moment of hesitation preceded his firm acceptance.
Five years later, Cunanan and his small, tightly-knit team continue to cultivate a brand that wasn’t visible in the country when he began vacationing here in 2005. Vans sneakers first appeared in 2009 in Manila department stores, before the first boutique opened the following year at Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas Center, Pasig. They are scheduled to open another store in July at Gateway Mall in Cubao, and already have locations in Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Subic, Palawan, Davao and Zamboanga, among other cities.
“I think the execution part is the biggest challenge for brands such as Vans because it’s very unique,” said Cunanan. “You’ve got to have a certain understanding of the brand, its core value, where it came from, so you can properly set it up in any country. You have to stick to the core; anything around it will follow.
“In the Philippines, cost is a big factor: the lower it is, the more affordable it is for the masses,” continues Cunanan. “Which is great; you need everybody to have a share in things. I think we’re known to be shoe collectors, just by virtue of who we are as Filipinos and that came from Imelda Marcos.
“Your biggest shoe collectors out there are really Filipinos. A lot of the well-known street shoe designers are also Filipinos. You’ve got the boys from Crocs, a couple of the designers used to work for Vans. A couple of Vans designers were Filipinos, street cats. I believe Creative Recreations are Filipinos.”
Events have been an integral part of driving the brand in the Philippines, such as the 3rd annual Go Skateboarding Day, which takes place on June 22, Saturday at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. Winners of qualifying tournaments in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and the National Capitol Region (NCR) will compete in a day-long series of events like Highest Ollie, Game of Ledge and Best Open Run.
They will be followed by the Championships with cash prizes totaling P85,000. All qualifiers from outside Metro Manila will be flown in and accommodated, all expenses paid.
“We changed it because last year…the problem was, if you didn’t make it to the qualifying, you’d be sitting there watching everybody skate for the rest of the afternoon,” says Cunanan. “It’s a ‘Go Skateboarding’ day, so we changed it up this year.”
The event is free to the public. It begins with registration at 8am and includes two free skate periods. It will conclude with live performances from Filipino rock bands Wolfgang and The Chongkeys at 9pm. The skating area will include more audacious challenging ramps than in previous years, says Cunanan.
Vans also hosted its first Summer Music Jam last May at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. It featured 7 local bands, including Kamikaze and Urbandub. Cunanan says he hopes to stage the next one outdoors, complete with an on-site skate ramp.
Fighting for their right
Though less celebrated than the country’s boxers and basketball players, Filipino skateboarders have figured prominently in the global scene. Willy Santos, a native of Subic Bay, was called “one of the best street skaters during the dark early 90′s” by Thrasher Magazine and had a Vans sneaker named after him in 1997. Aldrin Garcia, a Filipino-American from San Diego, CA, held the Guinness World Record for highest ollie — with a 45-inch measure — in 2011.
For Filipinos to improve, they need a place to skate. As Cunanan sits at Jamba Juice in Bonifacio High Street, walking distance from a Vans store at Market! Market!, concern sweeps over him. Bonifacio Global City, which has become a popular destination for skaters, has become a sort of skating battleground following several incidences of skaters being detained in the area.
“It’s very much like the ’80s, I remember all of it. It’s like deja vu for me,” says Cunanan, recalling the harassment that skaters faced in the States. “There were issues where skaters were stopped by local police or guards, they weren’t allowed to skate. [The police] had machine guns and stuff, but these were skaters. They will probably take off and ollie above you before they do anything.”
Earlier this 2013, Vans Philippines created a 12-minute YouTube video titled “Let Us Sk8” featuring testimonials from local skaters pleading to be allowed to ply their craft. “Sometimes the security guards don’t give us any warning, they just confiscate our skateboards,” said one skater, whose name wasn’t given. “Just like what happened in The Fort. They just hauled skaters inside a security van.”
“We’re not angels either,” says Cunanan. “But that’s why I tell the riders, ‘Let’s be responsible for our own actions first. Let’s be responsible so that maybe some people will allow us to skate.’
“But if we start breaking rules and do stupid stuff, then it’s going to be harder to get them to let us do what we want.”
Cunanan says that creating skate parks where skaters can ride unrestricted would be the best solution to the problem, but that the adequate public spaces are usually earmarked for basketball courts. He has already had commitments from the mayors of Cavite City and Quezon City to allow them to build skate parks, and has met with Senator Manny Villar to discuss the possibility of future parks.
“Hopefully, once the community is solidified, we’ll have more skate parks built,” says Cunanan. “But it takes patience, a lot of patience and a lot of talking. I tell the riders, ‘No promises except that I promise to try my very best.’
“In the mean time I’ll create a lot of these skate events in the community.” – Rappler.com
Ryan Songalia is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and contributes to The Ring magazine. He can be reached at email@example.com. An archive of his work can be found atwww.ryansongalia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @RyanSongalia
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Fast Retailing Co. and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees announced Wednesday they have established a partnership to assist refugees and displaced people around the world through the distribution of recycled Uniqlo clothing.
The agreement also states that Fast Retailing will start an internship program at its domestic Uniqlo shops for those who have been recognized as refugees in Japan.
This agreement marks the first time the UNHCR has established such ties with a Japanese company. Globally, the UNHCR has concluded such agreements with companies that include Microsoft Corp. and Nike Inc., making Fast Retailing the sixth company in the world to do so.
Johan Cels, UNHCR representative in Japan, explained during a news conference the importance of the cooperation with Fast Retailing.
“If people don’t have clothing, life is very difficult,” Cels said, adding that the lack of clothing makes it difficult for refugees to go out and find jobs or attend school, and that some fall victim to sexual violence. “Clothing is . . . about dignity, it’s about hope for a better life.”
In emergency cases, the UNHCR provides, shelter, food, water and medical assistance, but very seldom clothing, Cels said.
Under the Global Partnership Agreement, recycled clothing from Fast Retailing’s Uniqlo and g.u. stores will be distributed to refugees and displaced people around the world, a figure estimated to be around 36 million.
In June, the company will begin hiring refugees in Japan as interns. In a reciprocal move, employees at Fast Retailing will participate in a six-month internship at the UNHCR starting in September.
According to Yukihiro Nitta, director of corporate social responsibility at Uniqlo, no limit has been set for the number of refugees who can participate in the internships, which are estimated to last about one month.
Cels explained after the news conference that the organization had a strict screening process for companies that wish to launch a partnership pact.
The UNHCR has been working together with Fast Retailing since around 2006 and has already distributed 1.7 million pieces of clothing to refugees in countries including Thailand, Lebanon, Nepal, Uganda, Georgia and Pakistan.
“We believe that clothing makes people happy and that it has the power to make the world a better place,” said Tadashi Yanai, chairman and president of Fast Retailing, in a statement read out at the news conference, which he couldn’t attend.
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Your place in the sun
FIVE-MINUTE GUIDE TO... OWNING PROPERTY OVERSEAS
BRITONS stuck at home during the Covid-19 lockdown may be forgiven for spending their time searching overseas property portals and dreaming of buying a place in the sun once the pandemic is finally over.
Property markets in top destinations such as Spain, France, Portugal, Italy and the US are also in lockdown. However when they reopen, buyers will be out hunting for bargains.
They need to be realistic though, as flights may be costlier and some carriers could go bust, which could make it harder to access properties.
Overseas property and finance specialist Simon Conn said appetite for foreign property remains strong and will return once conditions improve: “Our customers are putting their plans on hold for now but eight out of 10 plan to press on as the pandemic recedes.”
There could be plenty of bargains out there, as financially stricken vendors rush to sell and potential buyers drop out after losing their jobs.
David Fuster, founding partner of Spanish law firm Fuster & Associates, expects a short-term dip in prices but a recovery once the pandemic is under control: “A search on foreign property portals suggest a 10 per cent drop in the sales price of second-hand homes, as many owners are under financial pressure right now.”
Those who have cash or can get cheap financing could find great buying opportunities, Fuster added.
Marc Pritchard, sales and marketing director at developer Taylor Wimpey España, said buyers may benefit from today’s low interest rates, but cautious lenders may tighten criteria, so start planning your finances in advance.
But tread carefully: “If buying new, look for experienced developers with the financial strength to survive the crisis.” Pritchard said buyers can carry out virtual online property visits, researching their chosen area using Google Maps and Images, or contact developers direct.
Dreams of a home in the sun endure. he added: “Spain’s sunny weather, beaches, golf courses, lifestyle and gastronomy will still be there when the lockdown ends.”
Bargain seekers also have to factor currency fluctuations into their calculations, as the pound has fallen 2.93 per cent this year against the euro and
6.68 per cent against the US dollar, making foreign property more expensive in sterling terms.
Edouard Metzger, chief technology officer at currency transfer service Pagofx, urged buyers to keep an eye on currency markets and be ready to send money at the right time.
“Also, beware of hidden charges by your payment provider which can wipe out any gains from moving money at the right time,” he said.
Conn advised that to insure a troublefree purchase, hire an independent lawyer and surveyor with no links to the vendor or developer and get all contracts accurately translated into English.
Those nervous about the impact of flights might consider buying a property they could drive to from the UK, for example in France, Spain or Portugal, he added.
Conn said one thing British buyers do not have to worry about is Brexit, regardless of what happens in withdrawal talks: “Britons will still be free to buy in the same way as people from non-eu countries, such as Switzerland or Russia.”
ALLURE: Bargain seekers will return


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NUCU, a cookware brand manufactured by Vollrath that targets the independent housewares segment of the industry, will be on display at ATK Seattle EATS.
The event, in which Cook’s Illustrated will be celebrating its 25th year, is a pop-up festival that usually takes place in Boston. This year, America’s Test Kitchen will be hosting it in Seattle. It will feature food from Seattle’s top restaurants, cooking demos, live music and is set to take place from November 2 to November 3.
“America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Illustrated are the gold standard for passionate in-home chefs,” said Jean Horvath, vp/NUCU. “We are excited to be sharing our products with home chefs and foodies that have a passion for creating memorable culinary moments. This festival is a great opportunity to meet with people that share our love of cooking, baking and eating.”


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Sprint Corporation (S) Cut to Hold at Zacks Investment Research
Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Sprint Corporation (NYSE:S) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Wednesday morning.
According to Zacks, “Sprint is on track with its network modernization and integration efforts, to fortify its position in the wireless industry. Sprint’s prepaid subsidiary has extended its unlimited offerings to its existing iPhone owners and has also inked deal with Apple to relaunch itself as an exclusive iPhone carrier. Sprint also offers attractive unlimited data plans to lure customers from rivals. We believe these efforts have driven the huge wireless subscribers. Sprint unveiled its Sprint MultiLine solution which allows businesses to add a company-owned number to their employees' personal phones for better businesses. For full-year 2017, Sprint has raised its outlook. Over the past one month, the stock price underperformed its industry. However, high cash burn from promotional offers and discounts, debt-laden balance sheet and decreasing cash flow have led to losses for Sprint. Further, Sprint operates in a highly competitive wireless market.”
A number of other brokerages have also commented on S. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Sprint Corporation in a report on Wednesday, August 2nd. UBS AG reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $9.00 price objective on shares of Sprint Corporation in a report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Cowen and Company reiterated a market perform rating and issued a $6.50 price objective on shares of Sprint Corporation in a report on Wednesday, August 2nd. Jefferies Group LLC reissued a sell rating and issued a $5.00 target price on shares of Sprint Corporation in a research report on Friday, July 14th. Finally, Barclays PLC reissued a neutral rating and issued a $8.00 target price on shares of Sprint Corporation in a research report on Wednesday, August 9th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $10.16.
Sprint Corporation (NYSE S) opened at 7.36 on Wednesday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $7.98 and a 200 day moving average price of $8.25. The stock’s market cap is $29.42 billion. Sprint Corporation has a 12-month low of $5.83 and a 12-month high of $9.65.
Sprint Corporation (NYSE:S) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 1st. The cell phone carrier reported $0.05 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.01) by $0.06. Sprint Corporation had a negative net margin of 2.08% and a negative return on equity of 3.66%. The firm had revenue of $8.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.14 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted ($0.08) EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 1.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Sprint Corporation will post ($0.83) EPS for the current year.
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of S. American Century Companies Inc. bought a new position in Sprint Corporation in the 1st quarter worth about $591,000. World Asset Management Inc grew its position in Sprint Corporation by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. World Asset Management Inc now owns 24,645 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $214,000 after purchasing an additional 693 shares during the last quarter. UBS Asset Management Americas Inc. grew its position in Sprint Corporation by 14.0% in the 1st quarter. UBS Asset Management Americas Inc. now owns 2,079,068 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $18,046,000 after purchasing an additional 256,051 shares during the last quarter. Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC grew its position in Sprint Corporation by 30.0% in the 1st quarter. Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC now owns 989,418 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $8,588,000 after purchasing an additional 228,456 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. grew its position in Sprint Corporation by 84.1% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 39,442 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $342,000 after purchasing an additional 18,018 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 13.95% of the company’s stock.
About Sprint Corporation
Sprint Corporation (Sprint) is a holding company. The Company, along with its subsidiaries, is a communications company offering a range of wireless and wireline communications products and services that are designed to meet the needs of consumers, businesses, government subscribers and resellers. It operates through two segments: Wireless and Wireline.
For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com
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Introduced in March 2019, the Oculus Rift S aimed to bring virtual reality to life at an affordable price. Facebook wanted (without really believing it) to offer a humble headset that would replace the 2016 Rift. For $ 399 only on PC, the Rift S never made it to find its place in the market against the PlayStation VR or the HTC Vive. After only two years of marketing, Facebook pulled the plug out of the socket.
The end of the Oculus Rift range
Facebook had already canceled the Rift 2 shortly before production began in 2018. With the end of the Rift S and the sale of the last few shares, Facebook confirms the end of the range. The American giant will now concentrate on its “Oculus Quest” collection, the second model of which was launched in late 2020. And this new headset seems to be the origin of this decision by Facebook.
The Rift S is currently still available in select chains around the world. However, as we announced last year, we plan to stop selling the Rift S in 2021. Generally, retail chains that are out of stock are not replenished.
Facebook spokesman on the site UploadVR
Launched in late 2020 at a price of $ 299 Quest 2 exceeded all expectations in just a few months. Facebook therefore wants to put everything on this headset to play independently without being connected to a PC. Facebook believes the Quest 2 is well on its way to becoming the first VR headset for the “general public”. Today, almost 20% of Facebook employees work in areas related to VR and AR (Augmented Reality). The company has already announced that it will incorporate face tracking technology into its next Quest models.
Oculus Quest 2 has been available since October 13, 2020 and is available in two versions. A first with 64 GB at a price of € 299.99 and a second with 256 GB at a price of € 449.99. Thanks to these accessories, it is possible to discover virtual reality without a PC and without video game consoles. Our editorial team is currently testing the helmet and we will publish our opinion on it shortly.


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Sony has launched new phone of XA series that is Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra. You known Sony was launch Xperia XA Ultra in previews year. Market of Xperia XA Ultra is not doing good business. Let's see what will be market value of Xperia XA1 Ultra. The company has not declared price till date. It will be available in market 2nd week of march.
If comes on camera part Company give you 23 MP Rear camera with f/2.0 and many more feature. Front camera is 16 MP with f/2.0 aparature. you can 2160P video by using both rear and front camera. You can get more feature in camera and video recording also that makes clear and very good quality video and images.


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It’s been rumored for what seems like forever, and Alaska Airlines has finally announced service to Hawaii.
- Seattle-Honolulu starts October 12th;
- Seattle-Lihu’e begins October 28th;
- Anchorage-Honolulu starts December 9th.
They have some great introductory fares of $109+tax each way, but don’t count on finding any seats left (after a day!) at that price. Instead, fares of around $160+tax each way are still available — which is pretty darn good. Alaska will apparently allow use of the Bank of America Visa $50 companion tickets on these routes, and the flights are upgradeable with miles and MVP Gold Guest upgrade certificates.
If you have or can score a $50 companion ticket on a $350-ish all-in ticket, and there’s upgrade availability, two people can fly first class from Seattle to Hawaii for $450 or so roundtrip + 40,000 frequent flyer miles. At least for bookings made by August 1.
Alaska’s award chart has been updated to reflect these new flights as well. And since these flights were literally just loaded into reservation systems, very few award seats have been taken yet… (Note that Continental, American, Delta, and Northwest frequent flyers can all redeem miles with Alaska…)


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Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has opened up the internet space by allowing the registration of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) and Indian business are queuing up to get their own space on the world wide web. By end of 2012 domain names like .tata, .reliance, .infosys, .wipro or .sbi could be a reality.
Currently the popular top-level domains on the internet are .com, .net, .org and .edu among 22 other TLDs along with country specific domain names like India’s .in.
In June last year ICANN announced that it would allow registration of custom web addresses in the gTLD programme. Peter Dengate Thrush, Chairman ICANN Board of Directors mentioned that this move would ‘usher the internet into a new age’. That may very well be true as Indian businesses and firms are trying hard to secure their spot on internet’s latest realty boom.
While anyone is allowed to apply for these gTLDs, application for registration comes at a hefty price. ICANN charges $1,85,000 or about just over 1 crore rupees for the application of one top-level domain.
Maintaining the domain will be costly affair too with $25,000 or about Rs. 14 lakh as annual renewal fees. And if an application is rejected, the application fees are lost. Additionally, if more than one bidder applies for the same gTLD, an auction will ensue. If an applicant loses the bidding the application fees are forgone.
gTLDs will allow businesses to register domain names like .bank, .online, .pepsi, .reliance, .bata, .adani, etc. Directi, an Indian firm, has invested over $30 million or about Rs. 165 crore in an attempt to secure 31 gTLDs which include .law, .app, .shop, .music, .hotel, .doctor, .bank, .deals, .website and more.
But their spending spree just doesn’t end at the application fee. Directi will go head to head with international organizations and conglomerates to battle it out in the auctions for domains which have been applied for by more than one bidder. For example, the .bank gTLD will go under the hammer as Directi will bid for it along with American Banking Association and other heavyweights.
Needless to say, established internet giants like Google are also pulling all stops to grab internet’s newest realty space. In an official blog post, Google announced that they are looking at not only grabbing obvious gTLDs like .google and .youtube but also eyeing popular and creative ones like .lol. Rediff reported that big Indian brands like Tata, SBI, Reliance and Mahindra & Mahindra are believed to have already applied for these domain names.
Registering a gTLD could also mean significant financial gain for an individual or company holding a prized string. For example ICICI, HDFC, SBI and Axis are some of the leading banks in India. Their websites are icicibank.com, hdfcbank.com, sbi.co.in and axisbank.com.
One can only wonder what price these industry leading corporate giants would pay to own a .bank gTLD. Similarly for an online shopping portal like Flipkart which had revenues exceeding Rs. 50 crore in 2010-11, shelling out a few crores for a .shop gTLD could very well be on the agenda.
Noticeably there are a huge monetary risks involved in registering a gTLD. But with risks come rewards and the gain potential to owning and operating a gTLD is hard to ignore.
A domain ending with .tata will definitely add to the trust factor and goodwill of the brand, company and the website. When you know someone is paying crores of rupees just to register and maintain a website, you know they mean business.
With Indians increasingly turning online to shop, surf and search, gTLDs could very well be the distinguishing factor between the big and small players in the online market place.