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Not surprisingly, the annual wine competition at the Asheville Wine and Food Festival is dominated by established producers, stretching from the Yadkin Valley to the western mountains. It was something of a surprise, then, when Pittsboro’s Fair Game Beverage Co. scored a trifecta on Saturday, taking home gold, silver and bronze medals for its fortified wines. Not bad for a company that only introduced its first bottle in June 2014.
“We competed at the State Fair last year, where Ferris won a silver medal,” says Chris Jude, referring to the winery’s full-bodied red blend. “And this year, Asheville gave it the gold.”
Judges also recognized Fair Game for its Tipper Scuppernong, which earned a silver medal, and the Tipper Peach, which won a bronze.
“I see our wines as unique and different from what’s going on in North Carolina,” Jude says. “Customers tell us it’s like nothing they’ve seen before. It’s been a great reception from the restaurant community, and now, to get that from the wine community, is just great.”
Jude says Fair Game was greeted warmly by some of its better known competitors, including one that he especially admires, Jones von Drehle Vineyards of Thurmond.
Fair Game was the only Triangle winner in the wine competition, but it was joined by TOPO of Chapel Hill and Crude Bitters of Raleigh in Elixir, the event’s cocktail competition. Three of eight participants used Fair Game’s Apple Brandy as an ingredient. (Fair Game suggests several tempting cocktail recipes on its website.)
This spring, Fait Game introduced an Apple Brandy, along with a sorghum-based No’Lasses. Jude hopes to add another option this fall. He protectively describes a “vodka infused with a secret ingredient.” A new batch of Tipper Apple, a cider-based wine aged in bourbon barrels, will be bottled for sale, too.
“We might have a new rhum agricole, too, which we’ve been working on for a year,” he says. “Thanks to the new law allowing sales of spirits at distilleries, it’s one of the things we look forward to offering to customers on site.”


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Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has suggested that 'Fortnite' will return to iOS and iPadOS in 2023. Here's how that could happen.
Since August 2020, Epic has steered clear of Apple and the App Store after breaking rules over payment systems, which led to a major lawsuit over the App Store's policies. In tweets marking the new year, it seems Tim Sweeney believes progress will be made during 2023.
Next year on iOS!— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) December 31, 2022
In a December 31 tweet, Sweeney posts the brief message "Next year on iOS!" A continuing post replying to it has Sweeney sharing an image from within Epic's game "Fortnite."
Sweeney doesn't go into detail following the cryptic tweets, deciding instead to discuss mathematics, but the proclamation could be interpreted a number of ways.
An unlikely reconciliation
The most obvious would be a return of "Fortnite" to the App Store. Since the August 2020 update that added a secondary payment system alongside the existing Apple In-App Payments platform, the game has been banned from the App Store in its entirety.
There is a small possibility this could happen, however that would require a major reconciliation between Apple and Epic. Given the appeals process for the major lawsuit is still rolling along, that may take some time to complete.
In a December interview, Sweeney insisted that he'd fight Apple to the Supreme Court, if that's what is required to achieve victory. "We are simply going to fight as long as it takes to get what we're asking for," said Sweeney. "And if Apple would settle for that, we would settle it today."
In practice, it is the simplest result from a technical standpoint. All it would require is Apple to simply allow "Fortnite" back into the App Store, and for Epic to update its game.
The likelier scenario is that Epic makes an iOS app store.
In Europe, the Digital Markets Act will force Apple to allow third-party app marketplaces to exist on iPhone and iPad. If uncontested by Apple, the law could result in Apple enabling that functionality in the fall of 2023, though resistance from Apple could push a change into 2024.
However, on December 13, reports surfaced claiming Apple is already working on changes to its software and services to comply with the rules, including enabling third-party app storefronts without going through the App Store itself.
Such activity from Apple is likely to be a preparatory move rather than something that will actually be introduced. Given Apple's continued resistance to side-loading and alternative app marketplaces from security and privacy standpoints, it's also the option that Apple will resist from implementing as much as possible.
Earlier in December, Sweeney continued railing against Apple and its policies, under the guise of it being anticompetitive. Sweeney likened Apple's management of the App Store to railroad monopolies blocking oil refineries from using the infrastructure.
AppleInsider will be covering the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in person on January 2 through January 8 where we're expecting Wi-Fi 6e devices, HomeKit, Apple accessories, 8K monitors and more. Keep up with our coverage by downloading the AppleInsider app, and follow us on YouTube, Twitter @appleinsider and Facebook for live, late-breaking coverage. You can also check out our official Instagram account for exclusive photos throughout the event.

domain: news


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Lamonts Apparel Inc. announced on Thursday that it will close its University City Shopping Center store as part of an effort to emerge from bankruptcy.
The U-City store opened in August 1991 and employs between 30 and 40 people, said Rivian Bell, a spokesperson for Lamonts.
Four stores - out of the company’s chain of 42 - have been slated for closure due to poor performance. Stores in Hillsboro, Ore., Missoula, Mont., and Twin Falls, Idaho, also will be closed.
“Each of these stores has been an underperformer due to specific market conditions or inadequate store size,” Alan Schlesinger, chief executive officer of Lamonts, said in a press release.
Spokane’s two other stores, at Manito Shopping Center and Shadle Center, and Coeur d’Alene’s store will remain open.
The stores due to be closed will hold going out of business sales in November and will close after the Christmas shopping season, Bell said.
Lamonts is based in Seattle and employes about 1,600 people. The company went into bankruptcy in January 1995 and hopes to emerge in January 1997, Bell said.
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Local apparel company offers support for first responders as a way to honor mothers
In honor of mothers and first responders on the front line of COVID-19 pandemic, UB4Me Apparel has designed a "Moms are Essential T-shirt." For every shirt sold $2 will be donated to First Responders Childrens Foundation.
By: UB4Me Apparel
Local apparel company offers support for first responders as a way to honoring mothers
As we honor moms in the month of May as well as support those serving in our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a small business UB4Me Apparel has designed a t-shirt that will make a wonderful gift that gives back to first responders. We are donating $2 of every shirt sold to First Responders Children's Foundation. 1stRCF.org This is a great opportunity for all small business owners to give back to those on the front line!
"We think every mom is essential, and we think every mom would love to wear this shirt knowing it supports the First Responders Children's Foundation,"
First Responders Children's Foundation established the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund which awards grants to first responders experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation will also fund temporary housing and need-based grants to first responders and public safety agencies across the country. College scholarships for children of first responders who have passed away as a result of COVID-19 are also available.
As of 4/20/20, First Responders Children's Foundation has:
-Funded more than 11,000 hotel room nights so first responders don't have to go home and infect their families or can self-quarantine.
-Awarded more than $800,000 to hundreds of first responders to date in support of COVID-19 financial hardship.
-Distributed more than 100,000 FDA-certified, surgical-grade masks to first responders without disrupting the supply chain of N95 masks for hospitals.
-Is preparing to distribute a significant amount of hand sanitizer to first responders and toys to children of first responders.
-Is preparing to continue to support first responders for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
UB4Me Apparel, a local small business based in the Atlanta area, has designed stylish women's t-shirts that benefit local and national charities for the past 10 years including CURE Childhood Cancer, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Atlanta Mission, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and more.
To Oder: https://tinyurl.com/
For more information on First Responders Children's Foundation or to donate directly, visit: http://1strcf.org/
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Is your personal trainer about to go union?
Is the push to “go union” coming to your gym or fitness center? Fitness workers are an intermediate class of worker. They are skilled but their pay is not that great and they rarely get benefits. At a gym chain that is hoping to be the largest in the world the gym workers are attempting to change all that by forming a union.
They want more flexibility about taking on private clients outside their gym work. They want coverage for injuries they incur while doing their gym work, and they want benefits and higher pay. This particular story is about a gym chain in Canada. But could these demands soon be coming to gym chains here in the United States. And what would that mean for membership pricing in the highly competitive market of fitness location companies?
Listen to the whole story on CBC Radio using the player below.


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Addressing a long-standing demand, Modi said it would boost value addition, supply chain improvement and infrastructure projects.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an important announcement on a recent Sunday, fulfilling the long-standing demand of stakeholders in the turmeric sector in Telangana.
He disclosed the setting up of a National Turmeric Board, a major step aimed at benefiting turmeric farmers across India.
Addressing the World Turmeric Conference 2023 in Mumbai on September 27, Hemant Patil, Member of Lok Sabha representing Maharashtra’s Hingoli constituency, highlighted the efforts made over the years to create a Turmeric Board. He expressed disappointment that it has not been implemented so far.
However, after the Prime Minister’s announcement, Patil welcomed the decision and expressed hope that the board would be set up in Hingoli. Maharashtra has been actively advocating for the formation of a Turmeric Board in recent years given its status as a leading producer of Turmeric.
PM Modi explained that the National Turmeric Board will serve various objectives, including adding value to the supply chain of turmeric and meeting the infrastructural needs of farmers. He congratulated the turmeric farmers in Telangana and across the country for the formation of the board.
Additionally, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the importance of turmeric in India, where it occupies a prominent position as a major producer, consumer and exporter.
He noted that awareness about the health benefits of turmeric had increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to an increase in demand for the spice globally. He stressed the need for a more professional approach to the turmeric value chain, involving production, export and research.
Currently, India contributes about 80 percent of the world’s turmeric production, producing about 1.1 million tons of the spice annually.
Turmeric exports have been on the rise, especially since the start of the pandemic, with total shipments around 1.5 lakh tonnes.
Finally, Modi’s announcement of a National Turmeric Board is an important development for India’s turmeric industry. This is expected to provide tangible benefits to turmeric growers, promote value addition and promote the country’s position as a major player in the global turmeric market.
From Telangana, I am pleased to announce the formation of the National Turmeric Board. This will benefit crores of hardworking farmers. pic.twitter.com/ch8V7FDRYi
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 1, 2023
First Published: 02 Oct 2023, 10:50 IST
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Nokia is taking the dramatic step of making its satellite navigation software free to current and future owners of its smartphones as the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer intensifies its fight against Apple's iPhone and handsets using Google's Android platform.
The Finnish company, which makes roughly four out of every 10 phones
sold worldwide, spent €6.5bn (£5.6bn) on map firm Navteq in 2007, but
from today will let anyone with a recently introduced GPS-enabled
Nokia device – such as its X6 or 5800 - download its navigation
service and maps for free from its Ovi mobile application store.
To date Nokia has sold more than 80m compatible handsets worldwide and users of older devices such as the N97 will be offered the chance of
downloading the service over the next few weeks. Contrary to initial
expectations, Nokia is not, however, allowing users of one of its
earliest smartphones - the N95 - free access to its satnav service.
Full satnav direction services – for both road users and pedestrians – will be available across 70 countries from today, with extensive maps available in more than 100 others.
The move is likely to infuriate satnav companies such as Garmin and TomTom, which charge up to £100 for in-car satellite navigation systems and will see their market effectively undercut by Nokia. It will also threaten companies that currently charge for downloadable satnav mobile phone applications – such as US-based ALK Technologies, whose CoPilot UK product currently costs £26.99 for iPhone users.
Nokia executive vice president Anssi Vanjoki denied that the decision to give its satnav service away for free is a defensive move against companies such as Google, which are increasingly encroaching on the company's turf.
"It is a very offensive move if you will," he said. "We are not talking one product for one country, we are talking map coverage in 183 countries, launching simultaneously globally in 76 countries with 46 languages and with millions of devices already out there, plus with all of our new products being equipped with this. So it does not sound too much like defence to me."
But giving away sophisticated turn-by-turn car and pedestrian satnav direction services to entice customers to choose one of its smartphones over devices such as the iPhone and Google's Nexus One is symptomatic of Nokia's desperation to get back into the high-end mobile phone market.
The company has seen its share of the lucrative smartphone market come under sustained attack. It was slow to create a viable touchscreen rival to the iPhone while bitter rival Rim has successfully moved its BlackBerry line of mobile devices from the boardroom to the classroom, enticing a new generation of younger users. There have also been successful touchscreen launches by Samsung, which has already overtaken Nokia in the UK market. After more than two years of development, Google's Android platform is starting to become a major force in the mobile market.
Google recently unveiled its first own-branded Android device, the Nexus One, to rave reviews. The internet company already has an extensive maps business and offers turn-by-turn directions in the US.
Outside North America it relies upon mapping data from Tele Atlas, owned by TomTom, and is not able to give full satnav services. But it is rumoured to be building up its own maps database outside the US with a view to launching turn-by-turn direction services at some point.
Vanjoki also denied that the dramatic volte-face suggests that the company now thinks Navteq is worthless. "Quite the contrary," he said. "Right now, what is happening is we are unleashing all this power based on the Navteq acquisition which will help Nokia in three different ways: first of all this becomes a tremendous average sales price defender for our products because it will be completely unique – there is nothing similar available from anyone else; secondly this will be a demonstration of the capabilities and precision of the Navteq maps, so their business will be improved; and thirdly, there are all these developers that are developing applications based on the quality of the maps and then we can distribute those through Ovi store which is another business opportunity for us."
Nokia is also making its maps available to any third party developer that wishes to build applications on top of them. These applications will be sold through the Ovi store and already Nokia is offering its customers free Lonely Planet and Michelin Guide information on its maps.
"It becomes a giant environment for mash-ups," Vanjoki said. "Where people can deliver new applications and immediately they will have a huge customer base available to them".
Nokia's maps service also allows people to share their location with friends on Facebook, adding pictures and status updates. Its maps also include information about local attractions and events within walking distance of a user's location through a deal with San Francisco-based local information aggregator Wcities, which has data for over 350 cities worldwide.
Nokia will still allow other satnav companies to use Navteq's data for their services. Navteq's maps, for instance, are used by Garmin.


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Deutsche Börse (the German stock exchange)is seeking a solidarity with a number of Swiss companies in order to expand the ecosystem for digital assets.
The tradability of digital assets in traditional marketplaces has been difficult. With some exceptions, digital assets such as cryptocurrencies can only trade via exchanges.
But the trend is increasingly towards integration into traditional markets. Finally, one realizes that measured by the return on investment, bitcoin investments are one of the most lucrative investments of the past two years. You can not miss that.


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We are candles manufacturer from China, mainly produce glass jar candle, taper candle, stick candle, pillar candle, Dinner Candles, LED Candles etc. the materials can be soy wax, paraffin wax, beeswax, coconut wax, etc. based on customer requirement. various scents available.like vanilla, lavender, jasmine, lemongrass, etc. LED Taper Candles,LED Flameless Taper Candles,Mini Stick LED Taper Candles,Yellow Taper LED Candles Hebei Seawell Import and Export Co.,Ltd , https://www.hebeiseawell.com
According to the reporterâ€™s knowledge at the scene, the scenes of the 10th anniversary celebration of the Cognac brand of Foshan Carnival Co., Ltd. and the 2012 winter new product ordering event were exceptionally hot, attracting more than a thousand industry professionals to attend the meeting. The scene was magnificent. At the same time, the General Assembly also invited CCTV Childrenâ€™s Channel Director Wang Guoyu, Guangdong Provincial Government leaders, Foshan Municipal Party Committee Chairman, Guangdong Designers Association President, Googleâ€™s senior leaders, BMW Asia Pacific General Manager and other celebrities to attend the meeting and become nearly ten. China's children's wear industry has been the most splendid group ever! It is worth mentioning that the conference also mobilized four BMW X1 and four Toyota Camry to help out on the spot, as a huge reward for the Coke Keqi brand dealers, its shocking and magnificent scene is the industry's most!
In this "Happy Decade Years? Thanksgiving Decade" celebration and new product launch, the company's chairman, Mr. Yan Jiahua, and the CCTV Children's Channel, Wang Guoyu, held a grand cooperation and signing ceremony, and formally wrote the book. CCTV's strong strategic blueprint for the future. As we all know, as the most authoritative and influential TV media platform in China, CCTV can undoubtedly witness the cooperation with CCTV and is a manifestation of the companyâ€™s strong brand capital. In this regard, the companyâ€™s chairman, Mr. Yan Jiahua, said in an interview with a media reporter that cooperation with CCTV on the occasion of the tenth anniversary is a witness to the brilliant ten years of the Cognac brand of the carnival company and a strategic layout for market expansion.
At the same time, at the celebration meeting, the reporter also noticed that the company had donated 12 students from poor students in Hengyang, Hunan Province, reflecting the love and gratitude of a loving company. It is reported that Kek Keqi has been tirelessly engaged in public welfare undertakings, never vocal, but perseverance, which has also become a "different" in the children's products industry in China. In addition to this, in the new product release section, Creche can fully display its latest 2012 winter apparel products. Due to its novel style, fine craftsmanship, and fashionable design elements, it has won a wide range of participating dealers. Praise.
It is reported that Foshan Carnival Co., Ltd. is a leading brand in the children's products industry in China. After a decade of baptism, it has become a leader in the children's wear industry. In fact, the company's success is largely due to focus, and Yan Jiahua's own phrase "Never make business other than children's wear" is the best interpretation of the company's unique personality. "Focusing on innovation and pursuing passion" is the driving force behind the embarrassment. "Yonghuai's Gratitude" is the guiding target of its public welfare undertakings. Based on this, Que Keqi can adopt an advanced "brand franchise agency" business model. , has formed a systematic brand identification system, operation decision-making, management system, training system. "Happy ten years? Thanksgiving ten years", we have reason to believe that with the start of the Foshan Carnival Company Coco Keqi 10 years celebration, China's children's wear industry is another legendary decade will soon begin!
We are candles manufacturer from China, mainly produce glass jar candle, taper candle, stick candle, pillar candle, Dinner Candles, LED Candles etc. the materials can be soy wax, paraffin wax, beeswax, coconut wax, etc. based on customer requirement. various scents available.like vanilla, lavender, jasmine, lemongrass, etc.
LED Taper Candles,LED Flameless Taper Candles,Mini Stick LED Taper Candles,Yellow Taper LED Candles
Hebei Seawell Import and Export Co.,Ltd , https://www.hebeiseawell.com


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Every year, between 20 and 50 million tons of electronic waste is generated! As the rate of new electronic devices increases, it becomes more imperitive to create green electronics. Springboarding from this need, researchers at the University of Wisconsin led by Prof. Zhenqiang Ma have created a material from wood to mount electronic componets. Every month this column shines a light on the technology of our future- Fireside Chats’ latest installment is on Prof. Ma’s Cellulose NanoFibrils (CNF).
Ma’s team has created a material that can replace rigid, potentially toxic, non-biogegradable, and non-renewable silicone boards which are widely used today. CNF boards are flexible, biodegrade from a common fungus, can be made with plant matter, and are non toxic. The greatest challenge to CNF is the availability of cheap silicon boards, which makes up 99% of a computer chip.
CNF is made by processing wood waste found at paper or lumber mills until the wood fibers have broken down into much smaller particles. The ‘gel’ that is created from this process is then freeze dried to remove any remaining water. An epoxy coating developed with the US Department of Agriculture’s Forest Products Library is then applied to make the material smooth enough to mount circuitry. This coating also keeps the CNF board from absorbing moisture which might cause the board to expand or warp.
Although the technology is ready for production, greater demand for e-waste reduction, rise in silicone cost, or the need for flexible chips may be required before this new material is utilized. Biodegradeable chips may have additional uses compared to traditional chips. The military is interested in technology that can degrade quickly if the device contains sensitive information. Medical research is being conducted to find ways to make electronic devices that are implanted into the human body safer and more effective. Our world increasingly relies on electronics to accomplish everyday tasks, hopefully new materials such as CNF will protect future generations from harmful e-waste.


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Apple boss Tim Cook took the witness stand for the first time in his company's major legal battle with Epic Games over an alleged monopoly.
Epic, maker of the hit video game Fortnite, claims Apple's tight control over iPhone apps hurts competition.During his appearance, Mr Cook argued that keeping control of the App Store helped keep iPhones secure.
He also said he did not know if the App Store made a profit, telling the court Apple did not break down the figures.
Facing questions about the level of profit the App Store generates from the 30% commission it takes on sales, he said: "We don't have a separate profit and loss statement for the App Store."
Cook was being questioned about his oversight of top-level decisions around the App Store's policies.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers also questioned Mr Cook, asking about a survey that showed 39% of developers are dissatisfied with the app store.


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US: Soyuz-Victan backs US ice hockey team
Soyuz-Victan is backing its pending US launch with the sponsorship of the country's ice hockey team.
The Ukrainian vodka producer said yesterday (1 May) that it had secured a five-year agreement with the US National Men's Ice Hockey Team. Financial details were not disclosed.
Soyuz-Victan will showcase its sponsorship of Team USA during the World Ice Hockey Championships, to be held in Riga, Latvia, between 5 May and 21 May. The company is an official sponsor of the World Championships, as well as the Russian Hockey Federation, the Russian National Hockey Team and the Russian Hockey Championships.
"Ice hockey is a critical element in our marketing programs in Europe," said Yaroslav Bondarenko, director of export marketing, "and we are pleased to be able to extend our sponsorships into the American market to support the impending launch of our products. The SV logo now will proudly be displayed on helmets and jerseys of two of the top contending teams (USA and Russia) in the world championship games."
Reports earlier this year claimed that the company is planning a partial float on the London Stock Exchange in the second half of this year. Soyuz-Victan will also launch SV Supreme vodka in the US later this year.
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brand for fans of Japanese culture, has announced the availability of new tees featuring characters from “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.” Expanding on the collection first launched earlier this year, the new apparel celebrates the tech and body-mod-obsessed city of the future.
The collection includes several new tees in short-sleeve and long-sleeve, which feature characters from the anime series, including David, Lucy and Rebecca.
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Crime: Larceny 2023-006825
UPDATE FEMALE SUSPECT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AND HAS NOW BEEN ARRESTED WITH 30 WARRANTS FOR LARCENY:
On 2/3/23 at ABC Shore Drive, the pictured subjects are seen entering the store and picking up different bottles. The male and female are known to frequently steal from this store. The male is seen taking four different bottles and then exiting the store. The female is seen taking three different bottles and leaving shortly after. They then got into an older model green Honda with no tags.


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“ByteDance let us know today they would not be selling TikTok’s US operations to Microsoft,” the company said in a statement Sunday. … The Trump administration is citing suspicions that China-based owner ByteDance is sharing user data with the Chinese government. ByteDance and TikTok have denied those allegations.
Is Microsoft going to Tik Tok?
Microsoft says it’s not acquiring parts of TikTok’s operations, after its bid was rejected by TikTok owner ByteDance. After weeks of talks and very public back and forths involving the Trump administration, Microsoft ultimately failed in its attempts to acquire TikTok.
What will happen when Microsoft buys TikTok?
The acquisition also means that Microsoft will gain access to user data that could impact how other products and services are developed inside the company. In a statement on its blog post, Microsoft guarantees to transfer and keep all the personal information of America’s TikTok users in the country.
Why is Microsoft interested in TikTok?
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has revealed that it currently in talks to buy the U.S. operations of TikTok, the popular Chinese video application which has come under scrutiny from the U.S. government due to concerns of privacy and ties to the Chinese state.
Which country buys TikTok?
The Chinese government will still have to approve the deal, thanks to the country’s update to its technology export bans that would require ByteDance to obtain a license from China before it can sell TikTok’s algorithms and AI technology to a U.S. company.
Is Tik Tok owned by China?
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (Chinese: 抖音; pinyin: Dǒuyīn), is a Chinese video-sharing focused social networking service owned by Chinese company ByteDance.
Is the Tik Tok Ban happening?
TikTok’s app will no longer be available to download in the U.S. following a Trump administration ban that starts this weekend. The ban, which the U.S. Commerce Department attributes to national concerns, will affect the Chinese-owned video service starting at midnight on Sept. 20.
What’s the problem with TikTok?
In TikTok’s relatively short existence, the app has come under fire for various security weaknesses. Lawmakers and regulators who are wary of Chinese technologies have targeted the app’s vulnerabilities and branches of the U.S. military have prohibited the use of the app on government-issued devices.
Who owns TikTok?
TikTok ultimately struck a partnership deal with Oracle and Walmart that would include the U.S. businesses buying a stake in the app and providing secure technology. Under the terms of the deal, ByteDance would still own 80% of the business, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC last year.
Can I buy stock in TikTok?
Since it’s not possible to buy TikTok stock from the stock market, there might be other possibilities for investors to invest in ByteDance pre-IPO. … The way it works is that shareholders of private companies can sell their stock options to investors.
How would TikTok benefit from being partially owned by Walmart?
As a partial owner of TikTok, Walmart could pop the hood and better understand the powerful social media app. It could gather more data about how to make its ad campaigns or videos more potent. It could even tinker with how the app works to give it a leg up or box out other retailers, she said.
Why does Walmart want TikTok?
The company said Thursday that its interest in the app stems from the way it has “integrated e-commerce and advertising capabilities in other markets,” and added that TikTok could bolster Walmart’s access to consumers.
Is there a dirty version of Tik Tok?
Many parents have asked: Is there a dirty version of TikTok? Yes there are dirty versions of Tiktok including asstok which stands as an adult alternative for nude Tiktok version for.
Which country is TikTok not banned?
Since June of 2020, TikTok has been banned in India.
Involvement of the Chinese government.
|Australia||Not currently banned||Investigating concerns|
|European Union||Not currently banned||Investigating concerns|
Who is the CEO of TikTok?
ByteDance: CEO of TikTok’s Chinese owner to step down. Zhang Yiming founded ByteDance in 2012, developing his company into a global force with TikTok.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — OmniVision Technologies Inc. shares fell in the extended session Tuesday after the digital-imaging sensor company's third-quarter outlook disappointed, while J.C. Penney Co. shares rose after the retailer pulled a double-digit same store sales rise out of the bag for November.
Shares of OmniVision (OVTI) fell 13% to $13.89 on heavy volume after the company said it expects adjusted fiscal third-quarter earnings of 28 cents to 44 cents a share on revenue of $310 million to $340 million. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expect earnings of 43 cents a share on revenue of $399.5 million.Bloomberg J.C. Penney jumps after the retailer reports same-store sales rose 10% for November.
For the fiscal second quarter, the company reported adjusted earnings of 60 cents a share on revenue of $397.2 million. Analysts expected 43 cents a share on revenue of $392.1 million.
Meanwhile, shares of J.C. Penney Co. (JCP) rose 5.3% to $10.64 on heavy volume after the ailing retailer said it was pleased over its Thanksgiving holiday weekend performance, logging a double-digit same-store sales risefor November. The stock was the most actively traded in the after-hours session, with more than 5 million shares changing hands.
Shares of Guidewire Software Inc. (GWRE) rose 5.2% to $47.30 on moderate volume after the insurance software maker topped Wall Street estimates for the fiscal first quarter.
Ambit Biosciences Corp. (AMBI) shares fell more than 37% to $8 in moderate volume. The small-cap biotech said it will not file an accelerated approval application with the Food and Drug Administration for its leukemia drug quizartinib after the agency disagreed with the company about the use of certain study data to support the drug's efficacy.More stories from MarketWatch
J.C. Penney strategy pays off with sales jump
Apple price target at $650 on China, more institutional investors
U.S. stocks fall for third day on taper worries


text: Pacific Sunwear of California psun is forecasting earnings of 44 cents per share for the fourth quarter, a penny ahead of Wall Street's current consensus estimate. The Anaheim, Calif., casual apparel retailer cited strong January results for the outlook. Company same-store sales jumped 20.4 percent for the four weeks ended Feb. 1. Total sales for the month surged 38 percent to $43.7 million from $31.7 million in the same period a year earlier. The stock closed Wednesday at $15, up 0.4 percent.


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LAST UPDATED : Jul 24, 2019, 01:22 PM IST
- Low costs, tax sops boost car leasing
As individual car lease, hits mass market brands including Hyundai, Toyota, Mahindra and Fiat, auto marketers are targeting self-employed and professionals to make leasing more popular in India. This segment of customers opt for individual lease options mostly to avail of the tax benefit on its entire rental amount.
- SpiceJet offers 19 more flights from city starting May 4
No-frills carrier SpiceJet on Thursday announced launch of 19 more flights connecting the city with various other domestic destinations, beginning this weekend. This the fourth time SpiceJet has expanded its network in less than a month, particularly since the grounding of Jet Airways last month.
- New way for self-driving cars to 'see' objects
Scientists have developed a simple, cost-effective method to allow self-driving cars to 'see' 3D objects in their path. The laser sensors currently used to detect 3D objects in the paths of autonomous cars are bulky, ugly, expensive, energy-inefficient -- and highly accurate.
- Lok Sabha aspirants to bear cost of advertising criminal antecedents, say poll officials
The election expenditure of candidates will have to reflect the advertising expenses of their criminal antecedents on television and newspapers and it will not be borne by the political party, poll officials said.
- Lucknow zoo tickets to cost you 30% more
A trip to Lucknow Zoo will now cost you more. The Lucknow Zoo Consultative Committee decided to increase entry charges and the price of toy train tickets by over 30%. The new prices would effective Monday onwards and the zoo administration’s decision comes after a gap of six years.


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Anthony Horth, world recognized fashion and landscape photographer, has announced the launch of his flagship NYC gallery, opening with his Mother Earth Kimberley - Australia exhibition which spectacularly documents one of the most remote and scared regions of his native land.
Having called New York a second home since the late ‘80s, Horth has enjoyed an illustrious career spanning 35 years in the US and abroad. While he made his mark predominantly in the fashion scene for iconic brands such as Tiffany’s, Armani, Versace and titles including American Vogue and Mademoiselle, he has more recently turned his attention to landscapes.
Horth’s inaugural New York City exhibition brings to life the mesmerizing beauty of the Australian landscape. Throughout the series’ 21 stirring images, Horth pays homage to the original landowners and their story of its creation, known as The Dreamtime.
The Anthony Horth Gallery will open its doors with Mother Earth Kimberley – Australia on April 26, between 6pm and 9pm at 40 Wooster St, New York 10013. It will run until June 15, 2018, with open hours 10am – 8 pm Sunday through Thursday and 10am – 9pm, Fridays and Saturdays. More information here.


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San Francisco rarely teems with the Christmas spirit. There are no big parades, those city-sponsored snowflakes hardly dent the bustle and grime on Market Street, and the rain doesn't exactly scream winter wonderland -- no one dreams about a wet Christmas.
This lack of merrymaking was evident over the weekend. A stroll up Market Street past Old Navy and the Cable Car turnaround revealed precious few Santa hats, and the street vendors largely carried the same knick-knacks found in August. The expansive craft fair SF Bazaar (formerly Bazaar Bizarre) didn't have a single holiday-themed booth. Sweaters and scarves don't count -- in San Francisco, they're not even seasonal.
It was beginning to look a lot like unemployment for a writer tasked with finding holiday-themed shopping tips. Terrasol Boutique's Christmas Shoppe saved the day. It was like finding a steamy cup of hot chocolate in an otherwise bland refrigerator.
It's a role the owners are happy to fill.
"For me, it's like a two month Christmas party, and the thing is, in here, we don't get any grumpsters," said Stephen Trimble, who co-owns Terrasol with his husband, Alberto Rojas.
The couple have owned the store for 10 years, and live in San Francisco near Union Square. Terrasol operates as a seasonal boutique, so they go all out for holidays. There is a Halloween boutique and a Valentine's Day version in addition to the Christmas Shoppe. The store first opened on Larkin St. and moved to its current location on Polk five years ago.
Trimble confirmed that San Francisco's Christmas spirit isn't quite what it used to be, but he thinks it's making a comeback.
"When I first moved here, Saks Fifth Avenue and everybody decorated their windows, and now it's just merchandise," he said. But this year, "As soon as Halloween went down people were asking about Christmas."More »


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Coordinating the shipment and delivery of the multitude of materials needed to build a cruise ship was a balancing act before Covid-19, but supply-chain issues born from the pandemic are turning the industry on its head.
Carnival Cruise Line, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Seabourn have all said in the last six months that supply-chain disruptions were causing them to delay bringing ships back into service or finishing ones under construction.
“I’ve never seen anything like this, and I don’t think anyone else has, either,” said Lawrence Rapp, a principal consultant for cruise line newbuilding and operations at Seawise Consulting Group. “Of course, you’d have containers that would go awry or things that would be delayed, but not anything like the regularity in the volume that we’re seeing now.”
Before the pandemic, ships came out on time, said Rapp. The Emerald Azzurra had already delayed its first sailing in January by six weeks due to the “continually changing travel landscape” brought by the pandemic. A few days before the mid-March maiden voyage of the 100-passenger vessel, shipping containers loaded with its furniture and decorations had yet to arrive, with dining tables, chairs and art missing.
“We suddenly realized things weren’t coming,” said hotel director Petros Zarpanely, who dispatched teams to scour Jordan, where the ship was docked, to find temporary replacements at furniture stores. Unsure the icemaker would arrive on time, the crew bought more than 1,100 pounds of ice.
Lindblad Expeditions has faced similar scrambles throughout the last year to source its vessels.
“We’ve been on the phone trying to chase down lines, china, pillows and other parts,” Bruce Tschampel, Lindblad’s vice president of hotel operations, said at the Marine Hotel Association’s Symposium at Sea in October, according to Cruise Industry News.
“We’re really remote where our ships are. When we get a container, it’s like Christmas. All the presents get opened, and if we’re missing something, we’re in big trouble.”
According to Rapp, the shipbuilding and delivery process is one of the most complicated endeavors on the planet, one that he compared to “sending people to the moon.” Coordinating suppliers and contractors is a finely tuned process, and one where one contractor’s work will dovetail with another’s and then another’s.
The consequences of supply-chain delays has ripple effects through the cruise ecosystem. It puts pressure on shipyards that have an obligation to deliver projects on time and can land them in default of their contracts and be financially costly. Too many of those delays, said Rapp, could make shipbuilding unprofitable.
When cruise lines cancel sailings, that’s costly for the ports and businesses that rely on cruise passengers and means more unpaid work and the possible loss of commission for travel advisors.
Of course, canceling departures and issuing refunds is very costly for the cruise lines. Up until now, Rapp said that some lines were OK with the delays due to depressed demand during the pandemic, when many ships were already in lay-up and not sailing. That gave the shipyards and cruise lines room to negotiate delivery timelines that didn’t exist before the pandemic.
With travel restrictions being lifted and destinations reopening, the lines may not be so flexible.
Several ships have faced repeated delivery delays. One is Seabourn’s Venture, the luxe line’s first expedition vessel, which was originally due in June 2021. The line cited “pandemic disruptions and related supply chain challenges” at the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy, when it pushed back its launch to December 2021, then again until April and now July.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is still waiting on its first ship, the Evrima, which was originally scheduled to debut in January 2020 but was repeatedly set back by issues at the Hijos de J. Barreras shipyard in Spain and then the pandemic. Two years ago, the ship’s owners took ownership of the yard but they still haven’t gotten the Evrima out to sea. Citing “ongoing supply chain and labor challenges created by Covid and the impact on construction operations,” the ship is now set to sail on Aug. 6.
And last September, Carnival delayed until 2022 the return to service of several ships, citing supply chain issues.
Delays are all over the globe, said Walt Nadolny, a maritime professor emeritus at the State University of New York who formerly worked for Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line. He noted that those delays are a problem for ships that may be waiting for furniture from Sweden, glassware from Italy, tile from Mexico and soft goods from India.
Many supply-chain delays are coming from China, whose zero-Covid policy has slowed productions and deliveries, as well as America’s West Coast ports, where congestion is contributing to “enormous” delays in deliveries in products from Asia.
With the war in Ukraine adding yet another wrinkle, Nadolny said that ship designers might begin looking closer to the shipyards for finishing materials.
“I think it will take a while to clear up,” he said of the delays. “I really don’t think we’re going back to a fully integrated global economy anytime soon. Between the pandemic and the war, I think we’re looking at doing things closer to home, which is maybe good for closer-to-home, but bad for prices.”
Tom Stieghorst contributed to this report.
Source: Read Full Article


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Video game development platform Unity Technologies acquired a visual scripting software called Bolt for an undisclosed sum.
Ludiq (parent company of Bolt) chief executive officer Lazlo Bonin said in a blog post Monday that Unity only bought Bolt, not Ludiq’s other two software offerings, and that Bolt will become an official Unity product.
“This acquisition will empower Unity developers worldwide with a production-ready visual authoring tool that helps artists, designers and programmers collaborate on their game or application,” Bonin wrote. “Thanks to Unity’s involvement, Bolt will benefit from a wealth of resources and experience… while its users can continue to rely on the same level of quality support and trusted new releases they had come to expect.”
Bolt was in the process of releasing a second-generation software update that Bonin says will still happen under Unity. “We are working closely with Unity engineers to transition the technical know-how of the codebase in order for them to release and improve Bolt 2,” Bonin said.
San Francisco-based software Unity Technologies launched in 2004. The Unity game engine is perhaps best known for its use in developing Ubisoft’s “Assassin’s Creed” video game franchise. The platform is used in many other games; it supports 3D, 2D and virtual reality game-building on over 25 platforms including Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s PlayStation consoles.
“Today, passing the torch to Unity means Bolt will enter an exciting new phase of its life. While letting go of a project you love is never easy, I have met the amazing people at Unity who will carry it forward and I am confident that Bolt is in the best of hands,” Bonin said.


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By Bella Douglas
On Friday morning, New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art confirmed that the theme for its annual Costume Institute exhibition and Met Gala will be “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons”. Rei Kawakubo will be the first living designer since Yves Saint Laurent in 1983 to be the sole subject of the Met’s iconic fashion exhibition.
“Rei Kawakubo is one of the most important and influential designers of the past forty years,” said Andrew Bolton, curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. “By inviting us to rethink fashion as a site of constant creation, recreation, and hybridity, she has defined the aesthetics of our time,” he commented to Vogue.com.
Per tradition, the 2017 Met Gala will take place on May 1st, the first Monday in May. Kawakubo will serve as honorary chair alongside Anna Wintour, Pharell Williams, and Katy Perry. The exhibition is slated to open on May 4th. It will feature nearly 120 Comme des Garçons womenswear designs by Kawakubo, dating back from the label’s first runway collection in 1981, all the way to her most recent shows.


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Mobile phone retailer harnesses power of LED with massive installation situated on busy London commuter route
It chose the screens for its building at Portal Way in London, which faces inbound London traffic on the busy A40 and is being used by the company as an advertising medium.
The installation comprises 24 by five panels of Lighthouse’s new Impact 12 and measures 18.5 metres (61 foot) wide by 5.8m (19ft). The display has 6000 nits of brightness, which is suitable for viewing behind glass and in direct sunlight, as at Portal Way, and the large panel size (each one measures 768mm high by 1152mm wide) made installation quick and easy.
Conversion provides brand opportunity
“CPW has owned the building for a number of years,” explained Carphone Warehouse head of finance, Rob Murray. “It was originally occupied by TalkTalk, which was part of our group at the time, and they had a successful advertising banner there. We decided to update it and replace the traditional paper-based banner with a digital screen, which could be used by the group for advertising, but also by other big outdoor advertisers.”
CPW employed specialist advisors, UniLED Solutions and Big Sky Banners, to help them with the process of deciding which screen was their best solution. “We were presented with various options based on criteria such as price, quality and service,” Murray said. “We looked at around 20 different products initially, which we narrowed down to a shortlist, and then finally met with just a few of those.
Passing pricing and reliability tests
“We chose the Lighthouse screen based partly on price and partly on the quality and longevity of the screen – we didn’t want to install it and then find that in five years time it wasn’t as bright, or wasn’t working at all.”
An additional bonus for CPW was the proximity of Lighthouse’s UK office to the Portal Way building. “Some of the companies we looked at didn’t have any presence in the UK and we were keen to have an easy contact route,” Murray added. “Lighthouse also has a number of screens installed around the UK and those in the London area allowed us to see them in action and assess their suitability.”
Content for the screen is managed remotely by London-based UniLED Solutions.
“We’re very pleased with the screen so far,” concludes Murray. “We have had a number of top brands advertising on the screen including Barclays, Virgin Active and Tesco and have also used the screen to advertise our own brands.”


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Samsung has rolled out the Android 9 Pie update for its SamsungGalaxy J7 Duo smartphone. The update is currently rolling in India. The smartphone was launched in India in April last year with Android Oreo.
SamMobile reports, the update brings the July 2019 Android security patch to the Galaxy J7 Duo. In addition to new features from Android Pie, the phone will also get Samsung’s latest One UI version 1.1. which includes the Digital Wellbeing feature. The update comes with firmware number J720FDDU4BSG7 and it is 1270 MB in size.
Other One UI features include a system-wide Night mode, navigation gestures, improved battery life, a Kids Mode quick toggle, and the Lift-to-wake gesture support. One can also manually check for the update by going to Settings ->About Phone -> Software Update -> Download update manually. The update may take some time to reach your device since it is likely to be available in phases.
To recall, theSamsung Galaxy J7 Duo features a 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display along with 4GB RAM and 32GB internal storage which can be further expanded up to 256GB via micro SD card slot. The phone now runs on Android Pie operating system and it is backed by a 3000mAh battery.
The smartphone is powered by a 1.6GHz octa-core Exynos 7 series processor. On the camera front, the device sports a dual camera setup of 13-megapixel primary camera with LED flash, f/1.9 aperture and 5-megapixel secondary camera. It has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies and video calling.
Meanwhile, as per a report,Samsung Galaxy Wide 2 has also received Android 9 Pie update in South Korea with firmware version 727SKSU3CSG3. The smartphone was initially launched with Android Nougat back in the year 2017.


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Samsung Galaxy S III Finally Gets Android 4.1 Jelly Bean Update In Canada
Galaxy S III owners in Canada have just been treated to an early Christmas gift, courtesy of Samsung. The company is now — finally! — rolling out its Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update over-the-air to those on Bell, Rogers, TELUS, and Virgin.
The update comes several months after it first made its way to Galaxy S III handsets in Europe, but many will feel it’s been well worth the wait. In addition to Google Now, Android 4.2 brings Project Butter to Samsung’s flagship smartphone, providing users with smoother, slicker performance all-round.
It also adds the Pop Up Play functionality, and a new “Blocking Mode” that prevents the device from alerting you to new notifications — much like Apple’s new Do Not Disturb feature in iOS 6.
The update weighs in at 318MB, so you’ll want to ensure you’re connected to Wi-Fi before beginning the download. Alternatively, you can plug your handset into your Mac or PC and update it using Samsung’s Kies application.


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Music Gear News
Guitar signed by The Killers goes up for charity auction
The guitar is valued at around £1,600 and all the proceeds will go to WaterAid, the official charity of the Q Awards, and will be listed on eBay alongside other items from the world of music from artists such as Emelie Sande, The Cribs and Dionne Warwick.
Bidders have the chance to enter the auction from December 6th to 16th and will be able to get their hands on unique music memorabilia to take pride of place in their homes.
The Killers recently had to cut a show at Manchester Arena short after Flowers complained about problems with his voice and left the stage after just four songs and subsequently cancelled their appearance the following night.
However, the band were quick to apologise to fans that purchased tickets and have rescheduled the shows for February 2013.
The Killers have also announced a huge show at Wembley Stadium set to take place in June next year.
Posted by SR.Posted on 3 Dec 2012 16:28 to category : Instruments News
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EMERYVILLE — A decorated tree on display in Bay Street’s shopping district defies holiday tradition in quite a few ways, beginning at the first step: Nobody cut this one down.
The recently completed shopping cart holiday tree, built with 84 carts stacked into a 34-foot tower, is on display in the Bay Street courtyard outside the AMC movie theater. It originated in Santa Monica, where installation artist Anthony Schmitt has made the structure a fixture for the past 15 years.
“I grew up with grandparents who said work with what you have,” he said. “And I saw a shopping cart in a park in Santa Monica 15 years ago and thought, ‘I should try to make a tree with those.’ “
The tree has become a tradition in Santa Monica, a regular listing in the city’s public holiday events and a draw for tourists and local shoppers.
Schmitt demurs from labeling the project a Christmas tree — “I like a tree that includes all people, not one denomination or another,” he said — but thinks the tree holds some meaning for Thanksgiving. Each of the carts at the Emeryville structure contains three glittering ornaments, symbolizing a tradition in Schmitt’s family.
“We always start Thanksgiving dinner with three kernels of corn, to symbolize the meager first Thanksgiving meal the Pilgrims had,” he said. “But there was something to celebrate despite the winter cold, so they did. So we all say three things we’re thankful for and eat the corn before we dig in to the feast.”
Schmitt’s favorite thing about the project: “I love things that promote conversation.
“The shopping cart symbolizes both people who have everything and people who have nothing,” he explained. “Some people go to the store and put whatever they want to take home in a shopping cart; for other people, a shopping cart is their home — it holds everything they have in the world. This doesn’t leave anyone out.”
The Emeryville tree was completed several days ago but will be the focus of a lighting ceremony on Thursday.
Contact Sean Maher at 510-208-6430.
Baskets of Hope: A Celebration of Giving and Lights starts at 6 p.m. Thursday. Those who want to attend the free event are encouraged to bring a donation of clothing to the One Warm Coat program, which will be stationed nearby.


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Orlando's downtown core and the neighborhoods that surround it boast some of Central Florida's most complex living patterns.
From Michigan Avenue to Lake Eola to Dubsdread Golf Course, it's a crazy-quilt landscape where condo towers rub shoulders with high-rise offices; quiet brick lanes cross traffic-clogged thoroughfares; and residential streets bump up against shops and eateries.
Sometimes known as the "center city," it's really a patchwork of offices, homes, stores and restaurants along blocks both pricey and poor -- places such as the recently thriving Thornton Park section on the east side and the still struggling Parramore neighborhood on the west side.
It includes College Park, where residents have begun to debate the wisdom of mid-rise development, and old Colonialtown, where a residential revival begun in the 1980s is well under way. And there is the surprising retail corridor known as Vietnamtown for its Asian ownership and themes.
Of the five areas spotlighted by the Orlando Sentinel for this study of home-price appreciation, downtown Orlando recorded the lowest rate of growth for its median home price during the past two years -- 26 percent.
But it also had the highest price per square foot -- $205.
Both figures are likely to increase as the area adds amenities and as more people decide it's worth paying extra to avoid the Orlando area's sometimes brutal commutes.
It's also the only location among the five where the average dwelling size shrank between 2003 and 2005 -- from 1,528 to 1,405 square feet. The reason for that, and the relatively low appreciation rate, is also the chief reason the center city has drawn increasing interest: condominiums.
Thanks to a slew of condo conversions and urban in-fill development, about 40 percent of the area's home sales during the past year have come from typically smaller condos and town homes. Two years ago, only about 10 percent of the area's existing-home sales involved condos or town homes.
Those more densely populated developments have brought with them new city dwellers who want restaurants and retail within walking distance.
Leland McKee, who bought a Thornton Park town home in 1999, estimates that his property has tripled in value. He said his only complaint so far is that he didn't buy more than one unit.
"I like the city," McKee said, pointing toward the nearby intersection of Central Boulevard and Summerlin Avenue. Pointing back to his town house, he added: "Yet it seems residential. It's the perfect combination."
But drive one mile west on Central, to where it hits Parramore Avenue, and you'll find Hearlie Mae Donaldson worrying that her part of downtown has been waiting more than three decades for the perfect mix.
Hearlie's Flower Box has been a fixture on the corner of Parramore and South Street for 35 years, as the neighborhood went from stable to troubled to climbing back.
Donaldson remains patient -- and hopeful. After all, she said, things have gotten better in the past two decades. But she still compares it with the area's heyday in the 1950s, when Parramore was a thriving strip of black-owned businesses.
"It takes time to ease people this way and that," Donaldson said. "But we need to give Parramore back its good name."


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Realme has officially launched the budget Realme C3 which is the first phone to be powered by the MediaTek Helio G70 SoC. The entry-level smartphone will offer users a decently powerful chipset for an incredibly low price. The company has priced the base variant of the device at just Rs. 6,999. It is the successor […]
Category: realme C3
Realme C3 with Helio G70 to feature 5,000mAh battery!Realme C3 with Helio G70 to feature 5,000mAh battery!
Realme has confirmed the use of MediaTek Helio G70 on the Realme C3. This makes the Realme C3 the world’s first smartphone to use the new MediaTek SoC. While no other detail is yet available for the device, the revelation of the SoC will give us few expectations for the ultra-budget handset. MediaTek advertises its […]
Realme is betting big on budget space, and it’s evident in its current product line-up. Realme currently offers the Realme C2 (C2 2020) on its ultra-budget segment, with the realme 5i and realme 5 just a couple dollars away. But things do happen fast for Realme, and the new player is now again ready to […]


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SANTA ANA – Albertsons grocery stores will pay more than $3.3 million to settle a lawsuit that alleged the chain improperly handled and disposed of hazardous waste at its stores.
The suit, which was filed in Orange County Superior Court in May, affects all 188 Albertsons stores in California and two distribution centers. The company did not admit fault in the settlement. The suit was filed by 11 agencies, including the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and agencies in Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
Under the settlement, which was signed June 4 and served Tuesday to Albertsons representatives, the company will pay $2.27 million in civil penalties, cover the costs of the investigation and provide funding for environmental projects, prosecutors said.
The hazardous waste included over-the-counter medicine, batteries, aerosol products, pool chemicals and other products that had expired, been damaged or otherwise could not be sold. According to prosecutors, employees threw out the items in dumpsters or took them to third-party processors who were not certified to receive hazardous waste.
The settlement also provides for Albertsons to develop systems and training to ensure its employees follow state hazardous waste laws. Company officials must submit progress reports to prosecutors for the next five years.
Contact the writer: 714-704-3706 or firstname.lastname@example.org
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Why National Single Window Hasn’t Commenced In Nigeria – Customs
· AfCFTA: Nigerian ports will be uncompetitive without single window – APFFLON
· Why multiple alerts, numerous units will remain – Shittu
By Kenneth Jukpor
Nigeria’s bid to ease the cargo evacuation process at seaports and curb the influx of substandard products into the country via an operational National Single Window project is being scuttled by a tussle for leadership among regulatory agencies at the seaports.
Some of the agencies jostling for the regulatory role include; Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Nigeria is the only country without this single-window platform in Africa. This has made the cargo clearing process at Nigerian ports more strenuous and complicated both to importers and regulators, when compared to the practice at other ports, even in the West and Central African sub-region.
Single Window is a trade facilitation tool that can significantly reduce the time and cost associated with cross-border trade and expedite seaport transactions.
The Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), ACG Modupe Aremu revealed that this inter-agency rivalry is currently the major hindrance, while engaging the national executives of the African Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) in Lagos, last week.
APFFLON, led by its National President, Mr. Frank Ogunojemite, had identified the absence of a national single window as an impediment to expeditious cargo clearance at the ports, stressing that efficiency wouldn’t be attained at Nigerian ports until a national single window is available and operational.
Ogunojemite stressed that the absence of a national single window has placed Nigerian ports in a disadvantageous position with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) as the seaports will remain uncompetitive until the synergized online platform is developed.
He recalled that the single window platform was one of the major setbacks identified by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) team which visited Nigeria in 2020 amid preparations for the year’s economic outlook for Nigeria.
MMS Plus recalls that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, stated in June 2020 that the National Single Window project as well as deployment of scanners at the nation’s seaports would take place before the end of the year, 2020.
The Minister was speaking at an investigative hearing on the incessant influx of fake, substandard and counterfeit products into the country, organized by the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Commerce; Industry; Information; National Orientation; Ethics and Values.
According to him, “this will significantly improve cargo turnaround time at our ports, promote efficiency and transparency, thereby removing the corruption opportunities that fuel the entry of substandard goods into the country, and enhance Nigerian ports’ competitiveness in the West African region.”
The Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, ACG Aremu noted that Customs would need to get a definite order from the federal government to take the lead, amid the continued struggle for leadership of the National Single Window.
She posited that until such clarity is provided by the federal government there might be no headway for the Single Window project, pointing out that Customs already has an efficient online portal, the Nigerian Customs Integrated System (NICIS II), which is linked to SON and NAFDAC.
Meanwhile, the Zonal Coordinator frowned at the unprofessional practice of having multiple alerts on a single consignment as it leads to delays in cargo clearance even as she advised freight agents and importers to avoid such complexities by being compliant.
Aremu stated that she would engage Area Controllers over multiple alerts following numerous complaints on the issue, adding that she already discussed the menace and its effects with the Area heads recently.
“We shouldn’t have five alerts on one container. It wouldn’t be tolerated at all. We have told the Area Commands, especially in Tin Can Island Command where the challenge is prominent as you have reported. However, the consequence of false declaration should be total seizure, but we are being lenient with the Demand Notices (DN). You have to talk to your importers and colleagues to do the right thing because we are partners in progress,” she told APFFLON leadership.
According to her, in a recent meeting with the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ali (Rtd.), the Customs management looked at the challenges that keep freight agents at the ports for longer than the ideal duration and agreed that DNs shouldn’t take time to get to the Area Controller.
Speaking with MMS Plus on the reasons behind multiple alerts by Customs, a former President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu observed that the targets given to Area Commands and consequent propensity to make fiscal returns has turned every Customs unit into revenue collector.
“This issue of multiple alerts wasn’t the practice ten years ago, so we need to start asking how we degenerated to this point? Some of these alerts come from the headquarters but everyone knows that this practice is totally wrong. One of the problems is that every Customs officer has been given the power of discretion. The problem is such that some Area Controllers who tried to put guidelines or rules on these alerts have been summoned to Abuja because each Customs unit that has access to make an alert is answerable to one authority at Customs headquarters,” he said.
He noted that although Customs Intelligence Units (CIU), Valuation, Deputy Controller Revenue and every unit in a Customs Command should report to the Area Controller, such reports are merely for notification because some Area Controllers can’t query the alerts.
“For example, if someone places an alert on a consignment that paid N5million as duty saying the figure should be N10million and the Area Controller looks at it and agrees with the freight agent; the Area Controller will be reported to his superiors because the first notion will be that the CAC is compromised and he could be removed or penalized one way or another. That’s why these units seem to be very powerful. On the other hand, you find it difficult to explain this challenge to the senior officers at the headquarters because they would refer you to the Area Controller or say it is just a suspicion and you have to convince the CIU official that you did the right thing. This practice has slowed down the process of cargo evacuation,” Shittu said.
The veteran freight forwarder also stressed that after Customs examination officers refuse to release cargoes even though they are convinced that what is declared is correct, but they ensure the freight agent has gone through the various units.
Some of the alerts and Customs units which intercept consignments include; CIU, Valuation, Monitoring, Federal Operation Units (FOU), Customs Strikeforce.
However, at some commands like the Tin Can Island Port, freight agents have noted that the alerts are expanded to include APM Revenue and Special Assistants to the Area Controller, whilst the Command allegedly uses non-service personnel for dispatch of cargoes as a means to extort freight agents.
When contacted on these issues last week, the Customs Public Relations Officer at Tin Can Island Port, Mr. Uche Ejesieme said that complaints about the utilization of non-service personnel for the discharge of consignments hasn’t been brought to his notice at the command.
On the nuisance of multiple alerts, he said, “An item properly classified may have issues relating to value, while other items may have issues with valuation. So, these things are technical.”
“We had envisaged this because of the Command’s penchant for trade facilitation under the leadership of Comptroller Abdullahi Musa as the Area Controller at Tin Can Island Port. Sometimes, stakeholders refuse to comply with certain good concepts and initiatives that could address these issues. Last year, the Controller had a meeting with stakeholders where we agreed to have a one-stop-shop for alerts. The idea was to collapse all the alerts into one platform where all alerts will be reconciled. An office space was provided for this in Tin Can and facilities were provided.”
“We did it in such a way that the relevant units which make alerts always met to reconcile issues instead of allowing stakeholders to move back and forth on such issues. I can’t explain how that project was abandoned but I’m sure the fault didn’t come from Customs. We developed the template, created an office and put the facilities in place. I recall that the Controller led stakeholders on a site visit to the place because it was his brainchild.”
Ejisieme, however, assured that Tin Can Island Port Customs is trying to re-introduce that one-stop-shop platform for alerts in a bid to address stakeholders’ woes on the issue.
According to him, the units found in any Customs command are; Valuation unit –responsible for addressing issues that affect value, CIU is responsible for intelligence gathering, Post Clearance Audit to audit post clearance, Systems Audit for daily intervention on goods processed in the system, while resident officers examine cargoes, release them and perform other ancillary functions.
“Queries are bound to happen across these units but the major challenge is the issue of compliance which has become a recurring decimal in the value chain. These issues wouldn’t arise if freight agents and their importers resolve to comply with the extant trade rules. The Customs system is configured in such a way that alerts would usually come up when there are discrepancies in the documentation,” he argued.


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Alphabird today announced that it has acquired Media Social, an early pioneer in the distribution of viral video marketing campaigns, for an undisclosed amount. Media Social has gained acclaim from agencies and national brands for delivering social video activation strategies centered on driving consumer engagement and interactivity.
The acquisition will bring together Media Social’s years of experience and strategic insights in the social video space with Alphabird’s Flight media platform to further empower brands and content producers in creating unique connections with consumers.
“Since inception, our goal at Alphabird was to build out and/or acquire companies that fulfill our vision of being a vertically integrated video audience development company, and we are now there,” said Chase Norlin, CEO of Alphabird. “Combined, Alphabird and Media Social, along with our recent acquisition of Placevine, we now offer the broadest array of social video activation strategies on the market today.”
“Alphabird’s philosophy and approach was highly complementary to ours,” added Media Social founder Rome Viharo.” It's an alignment of technology platforms, knowledge, and an understanding of the myriad distribution strategies available in online video.."
Media Social was launched in 2008 by Viharo and Maf Lewis, whose team has run successful YouTube strategies for global brands. Beginning immediately, Alphabird will execute on the planned integration of the two companies’ products, customers and employees that will deliver increased value for media buyers, online publishers and audiences.
As a result of the acquisition, Alphabird now has offices in the UK, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Alphabird is a vertically integrated audience development company that guarantees targeted, engaged audiences for online video on a performance basis. Alphabird was an early pioneer in the distribution of Click-To-Play video content and has delivered tens of millions of engaged viewers for major studios, agencies and Fortune 1000 brands.
The AlphaBird investor group is led by Joe Abrams. Abrams co-founded Intermix in 1998, the predecessor company to MySpace, which was sold to News Corp. in 2005 for $580 million. In 1983, Abrams co-founded The Software Toolworks, Inc., a publicly held developer, publisher, and distributor of educational and entertainment software, which was sold to Pearson, Plc. in 1994 for $462 million.
About Media Social
Media Social was launched in 2008 by Rome Viharo and Maf Lewis, whose team has run successful YouTube strategies for global brands. Run by noted social media guru and TED speaker Rome Viharo, the company has worked behind the scenes of some of the Web’s most prestigious advertising campaigns. Media Social partners with top agencies, brands and studios to develop and implement social or viral media strategies and content.


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Global smartphone chip shipments grew 6 percent in Q3 2021 and MediaTek has emerged as the leader with a 40 percent share, according to Counterpoint.
MediaTek’s revenues increased sequentially as the mix of the mid-end and high-end smartphone chip business grew. The blended ASP will continue to increase due to the launch of flagship products in Q1 2022 and an increase in chipset prices starting Q4 2021.
4G chipsets continued to be in strong demand due to the ongoing shortages, which have affected 4G chip more.
Qualcomm grew 9 percent sequentially due to dual sourcing from foundries. Qualcomm dominated the 5G baseband modem shipments with a 62 per cent share. The refreshed portfolio in the Snapdragon 7, 6 and 4 series will further help it gain share in Q4 2021.
“The key to Qualcomm’s revenue growth was its ability to dual-source manufacturing of components, namely the Snapdragon 800 series chips and its premium 5G modem. Qualcomm led the 5G baseband market with a 62 percent share,” Parv Sharma, Research Analyst, said.
Apple maintained its third position in the smartphone chipset market in Q3 2021 with 15 percent share. Apple’s chip market share will grow further in Q4 2021 due to the launch of the Apple iPhone 13 models and festive season. However, component shortages will affect festive season sales for Apple.


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Our nation’s largest veterans service organization was contacted by the NFL to put up an ad during the big game this year.
Yet, when the time came for the AMVETS to submit the ad containing the hashtag “#PleaseStand,” the NFL rejected it. Disturbed by their actions, the AMVETS are now claiming that the NFL “censored” their television advertisement due to the criticism the widespread protests against the country has caused during the playing of the national anthem.
The television ad was projected to cost the group nearly $30,000, where it would feature veterans saluting the American flag and end with important information about donating to the charitable organization. Marion Polk, the AMVETS National Commander expressed how the NFL rebuffed the ad but did not give a logical reason for their decision.
The National Football League has rejected a proposed advertisement from the American Veterans group, also known as AMVETS, that asked those in attendance to “#PleaseStand” for the national anthem.
The ad, which was intended for the NFL’s official Super Bowl LII programs, was in response to football players protesting during the national anthem in order to raise awareness of racial injustice.
Stars and Stripes reports that AMVETS was “surprised and disappointed” after the NFL rejected its ad. “The NFL said it does not want to take a position on that. Really, by not letting us run an ad, we think they are taking a position,” said Joe Chennelly, the national director of AMVETS.
Brian McCarthy, the NFL’s vice president of communications, said in a statement that Super Bowl commercials are not the place for political messages:
The Super Bowl game program is designed for fans to commemorate and celebrate the game, players, teams and the Super Bowl. It’s never been a place for advertising that could be considered by some as a political statement. The NFL has long supported the military and veterans and will again salute our servicemembers in the Super Bowl with memorable on-field moments that will be televised as part of the game.
McCarthy said the NFL offered AMVETS the opportunity to change its ad to either “Please Honor Our Veterans” or “Please Stand for Our Veterans.” He also pointed out that an ad from the Veterans of Foreign Wars that read “We Stand For Veterans” had been approved to run during the program.
AMVETS stand by its first ad and claims it was not contacted by the NFL in time to change it:
— Marion Polk (@AMVETSNatlCmdr) January 22, 2018


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CORPUS CHRISTI - Since the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in a four-game sweep Thursday night, fans have been rushing to Academy Sports and Outdoors to buy Spurs championship merchandise.
"We opened our doors right after the game ended and had over 600 people waiting in line to buy the championship merchandise," said store manager Rene Benavides.
"Fans rushed in to only 700 shirts and hats that were in stock," Benavides said. Academy only allowed two products per customer. "We wanted to make it fair for everyone. Some people wanted five or six items at one time and that would not be fair to everyone that was waiting outside.
"The big item was the hats. Everyone wanted the hats because you can wear them with anything."
Officials at the Wal-Mart on Everhart Road said the store didn't stock Spurs items and an official for Target said store employees were not allowed to discuss specifics related to the store's sales or operations.
Shortly after 11 a.m. Friday, Academy brought out 200 youth shirts.
Matthew Melendez, 12, grabbed a shirt as an Academy employee wheeled out a rack, not waiting to see if it was the right size. He later found a shirt in his size.
"We waited for a good 30 to 40 minutes for the shirts to come out," said Matthew's grandfather, Luziano Melendez, of Corpus Christi.
The shirts had not been set out immediately because they were not priced. An hour later, more customers waited in line as 154 Spurs T-shirts in adult sizes arrived. Within 10 minutes, half the shirts were gone.
Leah and Marina Alley of Corpus Christi missed out Thursday night after the game. "We came down here last night and the line was too long. This (Friday) morning we found only kid-size shirts. So, we went to lunch and came back just in time." said Marina Alley.
Benavides said more shirts and hats have been ordered.
Contact Jim Sanchez at 886-3775 or firstname.lastname@example.org


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Chivas fires up stills at new Dalmunach Distillery
Chivas Brothers’ newest Scotch malt distillery, Dalmunach, is set to begin producing liquid this month for the group’s blended whiskies, Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s and Royal Salute.
The Speyside distillery is capable of producing 10 million litres of spirit per year from four sets of stills that are shaped to replicate those from the Imperial distillery, which previously occupied the site.
The stills have been positioned in a circular design as an aesthetic feature.
The distillery also features 16 stainless steel washbacks plus a 9.5m diameter mashtun.
Dalmunach, which is named after a nearby pool in the River Spey, is Chivas Brothers’ 14th malt distillery and has been built using environmentally-conscious technology such as heat recovery systems.
Laurent Lacassagne, chairman and CEO of Chivas Brothers, said: “As global demand for Scotch whisky increases year-on-year, our confidence in the long-term growth prospects for the category remains strong.
“The construction of the new Dalmunach distillery is a clear demonstration of our confidence and also of our commitment to invest to meet the significant growth potential.
“With their reputation for crafted excellence, our blended whiskies form a key part of the Chivas Brothers portfolio in both emerging economies and mature markets, so we believe the increased capacity which the new distillery will provide will help to drive the business forward in the years to come.”
The Imperial distillery, which occupied the site up until 2012, lay unused for 16 years prior to its demolition.


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Edge Gaming announced that it secured $10 million in a seed financing round for its new social platform, “Playables.”
“With ‘Playables,’ game developers can focus on perfecting the graphics and physics of their games while players themselves will be empowered to determine how the games are played and interacted with on their own terms,” said Edge Gaming CEO and co-founder Asaf Gazit. “This round is a vote of confidence in that new vision for gaming and the value it brings to developers and gamers alike. We look forward to continuing on our mission to put gamers in the driver’s seat.”
Israel-based games firm will use the investment to develop its new social platform called “Playables.” The platform will feature mini-games created from actual gameplay shared by users. These mini-games can be played by everyone on the platform. Furthermore, the firm will use the cash to hire new staff and further develop the platform, which is now in closed beta.
The Playables format will initially debut with AAA titles, later including a more comprehensive selection of titles on various platforms.
Playtika CPO Raz Friedman commented: “Edge ‘Playables’ format is the key to unlocking the full potential of social connection between gamers by offering countless new gameplay scenarios that further engages and enables gamers to enhance their skills. It’s going to change gaming as we know it, and we’re excited to support Edge with our vast expertise and knowledge in the gaming ecosystem, and through this investment gain a meaningful reach into the esports and creator economy worlds.”
“The way entertainment is consumed today — smaller content bites, higher frequency, hyper-customization, driven by creators and their communities — is finally being applied into games. Edge Gaming is enabling the future of gaming engagement by allowing players to get far more value from the games they love and the creators they follow,” added Lee Moser, managing partner at AnD Ventures.
Additionally, Edge Gaming has stated that it will look into blockchain integration and ways to enable NFTs and play-to-earn capabilities on its platform.
Send your news to firstname.lastname@example.org


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Cate Mathers named Chief Strategy Officer of It’s Friday
It’s Friday named Catherine Mathers as Chief Strategy Officer.
She joins the newly launched agency with over 20 years of experience gained in creative, digital, CX and media agencies. Mathers has spent the past eight years as head of strategy at The Works.
She has worked with some of the world’s most iconic and innovative brands including McDonald’s, Canadian Club, Jim Beam, Qantas, Subaru, Playstation, Pepsi International, Telstra, Optus and P&G.
His illustrious career has spanned Australia and New York and spans a wide range of industry categories, with his work having been recognized with numerous efficiency awards over the years.
Mathers’ brings a diverse, connected and integrated approach to marketing and communications; in which she combines her experience in branding, relationships, CX, media and social strategy.
She has also held senior positions including Director of Global Planning at Jim Beam, Head of Digital at Leo Burnett, and Communications Strategist and National Head of Social Media at media agency OMD.
Mathers said of his new role, “I love the agency ethos around Brand Energy. I think sometimes our industry is guilty of over-complicating things. Our job is to make things happen; that it’s people in action, products on the shelf or services at the door.
“Energy is the force that makes things happen. And having the power to make things happen is what excites me as a strategist. The It’s Friday team is top notch and we have an ambitious founding client to start with. It looks like the perfect storm.
“I’m excited about this collective strength and look forward to building a really big energy behind Domino’s and other brands to come.”
Co-founder Pete Bosilkovski said of Mather’s appointment: “It has been quite a journey to find the right strategic leader for us. We’ve been looking for a thinker who has strong convictions and relentless energy and drive to take the less convenient route to solving business problems.
“When we met Cate, we knew she was the perfect addition to the team. Her positivity and optimism are infectious. She has a great passion for tackling the most complex business issues and breaking them down beautifully. Cate’s superpower is her obsession with digging up a brand’s powerful energy and connecting it with consumers in meaningful ways, regardless of channel.
“For us, it was important to bring in someone who could impact the energy of a brand in a connected way. Having worked at some of the leading media, digital, CX and brand agencies, and on some of the biggest brands, Cate will be a force, helping to shape our clients’ brand experiences across owned, earned and paid channels, with equal energy. We are very happy to have Cate with us,” added Bosilkovski.
The key appointment follows the agency’s recent unveiling by founders Pete, Vince Lagana and Jeremy de Villierswith work already underway for Domino’s first customer.


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Nintendo says no Ambassador Program following Wii U price cut
"I know that this isn't what you were hoping for, but we appreciate your support of our products now and in the future," says Nintendo.
We'll begin emailing you updates about %gameName%.
Nintendo of America has said the company will not introduce an ambassador program for the Wii U, following the announcement of a price cut to the console last week.
Nintendo introduced the 3DS Ambassador Program to soothe customers who bought the handheld console for $249.99 before its $80 price drop in August 2011, and allowed eligible customers to download ten NES and GameBoy Advance games for free.
In an e-mail sent to Wii U daily, a Nintendo representative confirmed that "there are no plans for a similar program for Wii U."
"I know that this isn't what you were hoping for, but we appreciate your support of our products now and in the future," said Nintendo's Helena Toledo.
Last week Nintendo announced a $50 price cut for the Wii U Deluxe, roughly nine months after the console first launched, dropping the price of the 32GB console to $299.99, and also offering a bundle from September 20 with The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD included.
Following the Wii U price cut, the 8GB Wii U Basic model will be phased out.
The Wii U has sold 160,000 units worldwide between the start of April and the end of June, bringing its total to 3.61 million units overall.
Nintendo recently dated many of the console's upcoming titles, including Super Mario 3D World for November 22 and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for December 6.


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President Xi Jinping promised to cut China’s auto import tariffs and ease restrictions on foreign ownership in the country's auto industry amid an escalating trade dispute with Washington.
In a speech Tuesday at a business conference, Xi made no direct mention of the dispute with President Donald Trump but pledged to open China’s markets further and improve conditions for foreign companies.
Xi said Beijing will “significantly lower” tariffs on auto imports this year and ease restrictions on foreign ownership in the auto industry “as soon as possible.”
Xi vowed to open sectors from banking to auto manufacturing, in a speech that also warned against returning to a “Cold War mentality” amid his trade disputes with Trump.
China would increase imports, lower foreign-ownership limits on manufacturing and expand protection to intellectual property, Xi said. He cited the measures while saying China was entering a “new phase of opening up” in his keynote address Tuesday to the Boao Forum for Asia, the country’s answer to Davos.
“Human society is facing a major choice to open or close, to go forward or backward,” Xi told hundreds of investors gathered on the resort island of Hainan. “In today’s world, the trend of peace and cooperation is moving forward and a Cold War mentality and zero-sum game thinking are outdated.”
The long-planned speech -- marking 40 years after the first economic reforms transformed China -- was being closely watched after Trump’s plan to hit hundreds of Chinese products with duties.
The country faces a credibility gap after years of promises to free up the economy were followed by more centralized control, market-access barriers and state support for local companies.
Those practices are at the center of Trump’s threats to levy some $150 billion of tariffs against China. The U.S. has asked the the country to reduce its trade surplus by $100 billion, cut tariffs on cars and stop forced technology transfers by foreign corporations, among other things.
The trade spat has put pressure on Xi to counter the U.S narrative during his speech on the resort island of Hainan, which will be attended by leaders including Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde.
Since Trump’s election, Xi has presented himself as a champion of the existing global trading system. Last year, he countered Trump’s “America First” campaign promises in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he compared protectionism to “locking yourself in a dark room.”
On Tuesday, Xi’s speech also included a veiled swipe at such policies: “Paying attention only to one’s own community without thinking of others can only lead into a wall. And we can only achieve win-win results by insisting on peaceful development and working together.”