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We and all the other winners had the honor of walking away with a trophy designed and produced by the only known and established black South African glassblowing artist, Kgotso Pat. The trophy is a true epitome of youth empowerment and development. The list of winners can only be described as “The Gold Standard of Excellence”. Pat on Brands believes in the power, impact and potential the youth has to change the world. In a world with a high rate of unemployment and lack of opportunities ,it is imperative for the youth to continuously upskill and possibly open their own businesses to create jobs and generate wealth for generations to come.
More than 500 entrepreneurs, marketers, academics and celebrities gathered at The Capital On the Park hotel in Sandton to celebrate and support South African youth-owned brands. These awards sparked so much conversation across different media platforms and people across different industries. Thebe Ikalafeng – Founder and Chairman of Brand Africa, stated during his keynote address “We need to support local brands because brands build companies and companies hire people and people pay tax and tax builds a country. As an advocate for a brand-led African renaissance he spoke passionately on how purchasing from local brands is a direct investment into our community.
Our Founder and CEO, accompanied by the team, accepted the award on behalf of the organization. Her acceptance speech left a resounding echo as she said “Our deepest fear is not that we’re inadequate, but that we’re powerful beyond measure, Elevate Africa believes that the solutions to Africa’s problems are within Africans. We just need to go out and speak them with confidence, make our leaders and the world listen to us.” She went on to say that “This is not the last you will hear of Elevate Africa, we are only just getting started. We are in Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, France, DRC, the USA and we plan on elevating Africa in its entirety.” We are grateful to Pat on Brands and the YOBA team for seeing our work and believing in our vision. Having only been in operation for a year this award was a stamp of affirmation that we are exactly where we need to be and doing exactly what we are destined to be doing.


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With the words "corporate responsibility" finding their way into the mouths of more and more business leaders, PR giant Ketchum has launched a new corporate responsibility unit, promoting what Ketchum's Raymond Kotcher calls a "21st century management philosophy that advances commercial and financial success by demonstrating respect for ethical values, people, communities, and the physical and social environment." Richard Edelman, president and CEO of Edelman PR Worldwide, is also leaping on the corporate responsibility bandwagon and urging clients to partner up with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meetings in New York, Edelman said his company has conducted a new poll showing that European opinion leaders trust NGOs more than corporations and governments.
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Tobacco company ordered to pay VT millions
Deceptive advertising practices
A Vermont judge has ordered R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company to pay Vermont $8.3 million for deceptive advertising of one of its tobacco products.
The state attorney general's office sued the company for advertising its Eclipse cigarettes as a "risk reduction" product.
The attorney general said Tuesday the judge has issued an injunction banning Reynolds from making such a claim without backing it up with studies accepted by the scientific community.


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VidCon, the largest, hippest conference of online creators, kicked off on Thursday, and if you’re not there, at least you can feel like you are – people are freaking out about it on the Internet.
YouTubers like Tyler Oakley, Grace Helbig, Lilly Singh and more – as well as thousands and thousands of their adoring fans – are tweeting about the convention in Anaheim, California, while attending panels, discussions, meet-and-greets, performances and taking gratuitous selfies, of course.
If the FOMO is getting to you, pretend that you’re actually there by joining in on the online party:
• WATCH the new famous at INSTANT.me. Join the conversation with the hashtag #INSTANT and experience INSTANT online @instantdotme (Twitter), @instantdotme (Instagram), @instantdotme (Snapchat), Facebook.com/instantdotme (Facebook), and @instantdotme (Musical.ly).
Make sure to check PEOPLE.com for videos, photos and articles on the biggest news out of this year’s event. We have a feeling it’s only going to get more intense.


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Chief Health Inspector Lionel Michael has said the removal of expired food from supermarkets is a routine practice.
He spoke to our reporter after inspectors from the Central Board of Health removed a variety of expired items from a supermarket on Factory Road. (Antigua News Room earlier reported that it was Chase but the owners have since confirmed that this is not the location in question). We apologize for wrongly identifying the business.
Chase says no expired goods have been removed in the last three months.
The business in question is Cash Saver or Oops.
Michael said he doesn’t know why there is a hoopla around this issue given that items have also been removed from a number of other establishments for the year.
It is an offense to sell expired goods to members of the public who are always asked to check the expiry date on items before purchasing.
It is a common practice in Antigua & Barbuda for merchants to reduce the prices on items that will soon expire.
Among the goods removed where canned foods, bread, dairy products, candies and other none-perusable items.
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Founded in 2010 as OcuSpec, the company raised a $1.3M seed financing round in June 2011 with investments from enterprise capital corporations Andreessen Horowitz and Founders Fund, SOSventures in addition to a number of angel buyers. Fewer than half of People—39%—expect that scientists could have developed the technology to teleport objects, and one in three (33%) anticipate that humans can have colonized planets other than Earth. Cellular units are practically always the fastest means to achieve to your target market, regardless who they might be. As per a latest survey report, virtually 60% of cell consumers worldwide use a mobile phone as their important web source.
Whereas my potential technology may be a bit idyllic, it is not far off from MIT’s Wear Ur World. Following are new know-how innovations which can be taking off around the globe and right here in Australia. Within the case of businesses which have …Continue Reading


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The leading iPhone Application Discovery Portal propelled another application from obscurity to App Store number 1 with Chalkboard Stunts reaching the top App Store rankings over the weekend. The physics-based application was joined in the top 25 by The Creeps At #10 and Color Magic Deluxe, a non-game Photography application, which performed surprisingly well, reaching the overall 5th spot. “We had another impressive week,” said Joe Bayen, CEO at FreeAppADay. “We were particularly ecstatic with the performance of Chalkboard Stunts as well as the great showing by Color Magic Deluxe which revealed that non-game apps can also achieve great success in the App Store.”
FreeAppADay.com was also proud to feature ‘Stachetastic an instant crowd pleaser also featured on the Ellen Degeneres show (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeT_36LajBg&feature=player_embedded)
“We are constantly working to offer more diversity to our audience,” said Stacy Kramer, VP of marketing at FreeAppADay.com. “Games have been disproportionately featured on the site and bringing ‘Stachetastic has been a great addition to our application lineup.”
FreeAppADay.com was also recently featured on the popular tech site www.online-tech-tips.com (http://www.online-tech-tips.com/cool-websites/download-iphone-apps-free/) and labeled as a prime location to “obtain expensive iphone apps for free.” The site also confirmed that its newly acquired FreeiPadAppADay.com site will be live and operational on iPad Launch Day, Saturday April 3rd.
FreeAppADay.com is a social networking website built to facilitate iPhone application discovery as well as offer a centralized location for iPhone enthusiasts and developers of polished iPhone applications.


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Blog: Energy shots a slow burner for GSK?
Michelle Russell | 18 February 2011
GSK's annual Soft Drinks Live event is always guaranteed to arm journalists with a raft of product launches to take back to the office with them. But, this year we also got a clue as to which launches have not gone so well.
Last year the firm was keen to talk up its GBP5m (US$8.1m) spend on the Lucozade brand in a bid to boost sales of its Lucozade Alert Plus energy shots. The shots were launched in the UK in September 2009.
This year, however, the group's approach is more muted.
Speaking to journalists at yesterday's Soft Drinks Live event, Suzy Smith, Lucozade marketing director, said the shots have fallen a little flat.
“We had huge expectations for the [shot] category that haven't been matched,” Smith said. “We haven't walked away though. We believe it will take time, we want to see how it can be more accessible and bring more consumers to the category.”
It seems that, while the energy category on the whole is a major growth driver for the firm, the shots category in particular is proving a little harder to succeed in.
For those people looking to the Red Planet as shining utopia away from all things earth, look away now....
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Earlier this month, I was most-kindly invited by Accolade Wines to visit the Royal Albert Hall in London. The reason? They wanted to see a tennis great in action, and then give them a guided tour thro...
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Prices of Critical Metals will impede the penetration of EV vehicles in China. An academic paper has highlighted the challenges with a sobering market analysis. The world-wide demand for the critical metals of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese will put pressure both on production and pricing. Getting buy in from the world’s largest market of EVs is critical to the world achieving its decarbonisation objectives.
Importantly, it was expected that China would achieve a 49% percent penetration of EV’s by 2030 and 67% by 2060. Nonetheless, with the rising demand and cost of the four key critical minerals used in battery manufacture, estimates have now been reduced to 35% by 2030, and 51% by 2060. According to the Wang paper published in February’s Nature Communications, this will increase cumulative carbon emissions by 28% higher than was anticipated.
It should be noted that EV’s currently has a penetration of 16% in Australia. This represents in absolute numbers 10,479 passenger vehicles.
EV Penetration in Australia
In addition, electric vehicles accounted for 3.8% of all new vehicle sales in Australia in 2022. Their market share varies dramatically by region. Indeed, market share was strongest in the Australian Capital Territory. Almost 10% of all new cars bought in 2022 were electric, up from 5% in 2021. State governments in Victoria and Queensland are expecting the penetration of EV’s to increase to 50% in 2030.
Undoubtedly, the rising price of critical minerals will put pressure on manufacturers to keep EV products competitive with traditional cars. This will impact penetration even further at a time when infrastructure with recharging situations is still a highly contentious issue. Reports on the range of electric vehicles are also unnerving some would be purchasers. It will be interesting to see how quickly the market settles particularly with some of the government initiatives that were introduced to support EV purchasing.


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Pattern contributes toThe European House – Ambrosetti’s conference "Today and tomorrow's scenario for competitive strategies" that will take place inVilla d'Este, Cernobbio, from 4th to 6th September 2020, with the supply of aspecial version of their EMask.
The conference is confirmed to be an internationally known event. Heads of State and Government, top representatives of international institutions, ministers, Nobel laureates, entrepreneurs, managers and experts from all over the world have been gathering every year from 1975 to discuss the greatest impact issues for the global economy and society as a whole.
Pattern's Emask, customized with the hashtag #Cernobbio2020, is a 100% Italian certified supply chain product, built in an innovative and sustainable way, as it consists of washable fabric and replaceable filter.
A message of support and trust to theItalian textile supply chain and sustainability issues.


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For those of you who’ve pre-ordered, the wait is over; Blackmagic has begun shipping their new pocket cinema camera.
While the release of the much awaited Cinema DNG Raw capable camera at $995 is exciting, the real exciting piece of news was that Blackmagic 2.5k Cinema Camera (the original), is having it’s price dropped by $1,000, bringing it down to a mere $1,995. Considering purchasers of the original Blackmagic Cinema Camera are still receiving a copy of DaVinci Resolve included with their purchase — a color grading application that retails for $995 — the Blackmagic Cinema Camera is effectively the same prices as the Pocket Cinema Camera. We recommend spending the $1,000 savings on a battery system and an extra SSD if you have any left over.
We do feel bad for everyone who just recently purchased a new Cinema Camera from Blackmagic at the $2,995 price point, but such is the nature of tech purchases.
The one bit of unfortunate news is that the Blackmagic 4k Production Camera will need more time for completion. Here’s hoping we don’t experience a repeat of last year’s Cinema Camera delays.
In the meantime, the new Pocket Cinema Camera and a substantial price reduction on the original Cinema Camera will be more than enough to hold us over for a few months.
Click “Press Release” below to read the email from Grant in full.
Mike Wilhelm is Videomaker's Content Director.


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The Fayrouz L’Original fashion and style event, tagged “Party for the Originals” had some of the biggest names in the fashion, music and movie industries come together to celebrate Nigeria’s sense of originality in fashion.
The event, which held at the Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island yesterday, Wednesday, December 18, 2013, was hosted by IK Osakioduwa and featured exciting activities including a runway exhibition of designer outfits by top designers, Mai Atafo, April By Kunbi and KinaButi who were celebrity judges for the competition, Mr. & Ms. Original.
Starting out with a lush cocktail session where guests had to spend unique Fayrouz currency from the Central Bank of Original, celebrity scouts, Uti Nwachukwu, Tee A, Osas Ighodalo and Ebuka Obi-Uchendu mingled with guests while selecting uniquely styled guests who would take part in the Mr & Ms Original competition.
“The idea behind Fayrouz “Party For the Originals” is to introduce the L’Original platform which celebrates young and upcoming designers who want their work to be recognized in the fashion industry. This platform is to helpuniversity students compete as an expressive group in creating exceptional style which exhibits originality through fashion.” Senior brand manager, Fayrouz and Climax, Nnenna Ifebigh-Hemeson said during the show.
Port Harcourt’s finest, Burna Boy who is known for his original style in music opened the show to the delight of guests in attendance. He later came on stage to perform hit songs like Like to party, Run my Race, Tonight, Yawa Dey, Remember Me among other tracks.
At the end of the competition, Ms. Efosa Ogbeide and Mr. Rume Okoh beat six other contenders to win the Mr & Mrs Original titles due to their bespoke outfits and they will work with some of the biggest fashion designers in the Nigerian fashion industry like Mai Atafo, KinaButi in building their own unique designs.
“Ms Original, Efosa’s style showcases originality. If I wasn’t wearing mine I’d totally want to wear hers. Originality is about standing out that’s why I picked her.” Esosa said during the competition.
In the spirit of giving, top designers, Mai Atafo, April By Kunbi and Kinabuti later gave away their unique pieces that were exhibited on the runway during the L’Original auction where guests had to bid with Fayrouz currency.
Davido who was the last act for the night drove guests wild with excitement as he came on stage with B-Red to perform hit songs like Skelewu, Gobe, One of a Kind among other hits. Official DJ for the night, DJ Sose took over the stage and had guests dancing late into the night with an amazing mix of Nigerian contemporary music.
Guests in attendance include Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, Tomi Odunsi, Deji Awokoya, Sheifunmi, among many others.


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Gmail users use less energy than Yahoo mail users, study says
What does your email address say about your energy consumption? According to energy efficiency software company Opower, it could say a lot.
The company’s resident number crunchers say that Yahoo! Mail users spend about $110 more a year on energy in their households than Gmail users do. And Opower is quick to point out that the extra kilowatt hours expended by these profligate Yahoo users in a year could power the island of Barbados.
Data came from households across the country, and controlled for differences in climate, according to Barry Fischer, a writer and analyst at Opower. And even though Yahoo users tend to have larger residences, Fischer said the numbers indicate that they still use more energy per square foot in their homes.
But a closer look at the beautifully designed blog post reveals a lot about Opower’s reasons for releasing this viral-ready data on its new blog, Outliers.
Opower sells software to utility companies that evaluates consumers’ energy efficiency. As a result, the tech start-up has access to the email addresses and energy stats of tens of millions of energy users worldwide. Consumers can also use the software to evaluate their own energy use via a Facebook app and other services.
So check out the other conclusions Opower cites about your email address: Gmail users are younger and less likely to be married, and therefore out of the house more. Gmail users also live in more urban areas and share apartments with other people. They have better credit, are hotter dates, are better traveled, and maybe even have better taste in snacks, the blog post goes on. You might be feeling like an old fuddy-duddy right now if your email ends in yahoo.com.
Oh, and what’s this? “Gmail users are 30% more likely than Yahoo users to sign up for an in-depth online analysis of how they can reduce their energy usage,” the report says.
So if you want to prove you’re just as smart as those sexy, sophisticated, urban Gmail kids, maybe you should find out if your utility company works with Opower to give you tips on conserving energy! Well, the blog doesn’t exhort readers to do just that, but you get the idea.
The release somewhat reminded us of a past “study,” released by a company called Aptiquant. It said that Internet Explorer users were not as smart as Web surfers who used other browsers. The person who distributed the press release internationally later admitted that the numbers and Aptiquant were both fake.
Opower says their numbers are real – they’re funded by Silicon Valley venture capital firms and according to a 2011 report on the PG&E website, they deliver a “personalized behavior-based energy efficiency program to 10 million residential customers this year through mail, email, websites, smart phone applications, and text messages.”
Fischer said that Opower, which just launched the Outliers blog as an outlet to crunch and interpret the company’s vast data set, wasn’t “looking to call people out. We’re just looking to shed some light on how different people use different levels of electricity.”
For the first Outliers blog post, the company wanted to use its raw numbers to engage consumers. “There’s been a sense that Gmail subscribers are early adopters of technology,” Fischer said. “We wanted to see if we had observed data on that.”
Apparently they did, but it remains to be seen whether Yahoo users will be glad to hear about it.
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By Ashley Reyes
National Tire Safety Week—a consumer tire safety awareness campaign by the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) taking place June 28–July 4—provides members of the SEMA Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) and other tire industry businesses with an opportunity to educate motorists about proper tire care and maintenance while increasing brand awareness and generating positive PR.
To help companies prepare in advance, the WTC will host a live webinar on May 19, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT) to share details about this year’s campaign theme, “Do Your Part, Know Your Roll.” Webinar participants will learn how staff can educate customers about tire care, safety and challenges related to tires.
- The importance of air pressure—effects on mileage, wear, gas mileage and load capability.
- Tire Industry Association (TIA) highlights for tire safety—inflation pressure maintenance on tire life and performance, and the benefits of regular rotation, PMS maintenance and tire repair.
- California law that requires replacement tires to be low rolling resistant.
- The RIM (Read, Inspect, Mount) Safety Program
- Tire registration challenges—Current voluntary registration requirements put the burden on retailers to provide customers with information. Switching to a mandatory system would put all of the burden on retailers. Without electronic ID, a mandatory tire registration and recall recovery system would be an unreasonable burden for retailers.


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Another iPhone worm similar to the "Rickrolling" malware has been found targeting users in the Netherlands. The BBC is reporting on this variant of the threat, calling it "Clearly malicious" because it attempts to both remotely control affected iPhones and also steal personal information such as bank login IDs.… Read more
Another iPhone worm has been spotted in the wild.
Unlike the previous exploitation, which merely changed a jailbroken iPhone's wallpaper to a picture of Rick Astley of "Rickrolling" fame, this new threat allows hackers to steal sensitive information.
According to security firm Sophos, which wrote about the exploitation after a Dutch ISP spotted it late last week, the worm attacks jailbroken iPhone and iPod Touch devices only.
The worm "uses command-and-control, like a traditional PC botnet," Sophos wrote in a blog post on Saturday to warn users about the exploit. "It configures two startup … Read more
Over the weekend there were reports of the "Rickrolling" worm that targeted jailbroken iPhones which had SSH installed and still used the default password. While definitely a security hole for those who enabled these features, the threat was more of a prank and "proof-of-concept" than anything truly malicious. Yesterday, however, antivirus and security software developer Intego released information on another worm that has been built to steal information from these iPhone users.… Read more
Along with Apple's growing popularity, the various platforms Apple produces (iPhone, iPod, and Mac OS) are becoming more and more of a target for hackers and malware developers. The latest discovered threat affects jailbroken iPhones which have SSH installed and active, and installs a wallpaper of Rick Astley that has the phrase "ikee is never going to give you up" in red letters.… Read more
Well, this hacker has quite the sense of humor.
Reports started spreading this weekend that iPhone users in Australia had been falling victim to "ikee," a worm that replaces default wallpaper with a picture of Rick Astley, the British pop singer whose song "Never Gonna Give You Up" has gained eternal infamy thanks to the mainstreaming of the "Rickrolling" prank craze. The photo is accompanied by the message "ikee is never gonna give you up," and it's apparently quite difficult to remove. According to security firm Sophos, this is the first worm detected that targets the iPhone.… Read more
Scammers are targeting social networks with phishing scams and relying more heavily on worms and Trojans to attack computers, according to security trend reports to be released Monday by Microsoft and McAfee.
Phishing attacks saw a big spike in May and June, primarily because of campaigns targeting social-networking sites, according to Microsoft's report covering the first half of 2009. Gaming sites, portals, and Web sites of banks and retailers were also popular targets for phishing attacks, the report said.
Trojans, including rogue security software, remained the most prevalent category of threats, while Microsoft statistics show that worms rose from … Read more
A few weeks ago, I received e-mails from two developers within the space of about two hours. Each was pitching a new, "totally unique" puzzle game, and would I like to review them?
Now, I'm a sucker for puzzlers, especially on the iPhone, but the App Store is already teeming with them--each one claiming to be "original," "addictive," "brain-teasing," and so on. How truly unique could either of these newcomers be?
The first one, Connected, instantly reminded me of countless lay-the-pipe-before-the-water-escapes games--until I started playing it.
Connected does involve pipes, but … Read more
AVG Free provides the bare necessities when it comes to security, but that should be enough for savvy Windows users. You'll get a combined antivirus and antimalware engine, LinkScanner, and e-mail scanning. AVG Free 9 introduces a few new features, with improvements focused on performance, including claims of faster scan and boot times. One new feature is the Identity Theft Recovery Unit. Only for users in the United States, ITRU is a business partnership with Identity Guard which provides "consumer identity theft solutions," accessible only from the AVG toolbar in Firefox and Internet Explorer.
The interface is … Read more
AVG's most popular product is its free antivirus, but the company also makes two enhanced security suites that are geared for users who don't mind paying for additional protection--as long as it's worthwhile. AVG Anti-Virus 9 introduces a few new features, claiming faster scan times, faster boot times, and other under-the-hood improvements.
Users who've used AVG 8 will find the interface nearly identical, and generally it's easy to use. From the main window, though, you must double-click to get further information on any feature, whether virus scanning, firewall protection, or updating. We'd like to … Read more
Using the latest version and definition updates of Microsoft Security Essentials (MSSE) downloaded from the Web, AV-Test ran the product through a series of tests on Sept. 29 and 30 to judge its effectiveness at fighting malware.
To check static known malware, AV-Test pitted Security Essentials against the most recent WildList, a sampling of 3,732 viruses and other threats compiled by the WildList Organization. Microsoft's product successfully detected and blocked all of the samples in both manual … Read more


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Internet shutdowns are becoming a worrying normal in Africa and are costing the economy
Bitland aims to use blockchain to safeguard land title registrations.
Q&A with Ghanaian startup deploying electronic voting in various institutions across the country
Kennedy Kanyi has developed arguably Africa’s first programming language
ICT based research may be limited but it can offer a great source of solutions for the continent
What might 2017 look like for tech in Africa?
In the wake of recent protests over exorbitant higher education fees e-learning could provide a solution
Young West Africa startup is providing API system that aggregates all African mobile wallets to send and receive payments in one single gateway
All over Africa e-learning is catching on, but countries are doing it differently.
Legacy mobile technology still provides plenty of opportunities
Tomer Harel co-founder of Spectoos picks his six most innovative companies from across the continent
How one startup is providing smallholder farmers with agri-insurance products for safe farming through MNOs and weather stations in East Africa
Increased internet penetration in Africa will cause a demand for local content
Jon Collins’ in-depth look at tech and society
Phil Muncaster reports on China and beyond


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Vietnam, India ink 12 business deals
Vietnam’s top lawmaker hosted private meetings with executives of leading Indian companies operating in IT, manufacturing, oil and gas, and Covid-19 vaccines.
Vietnamese and Indian businesses on December 17 signed 12 memorandums of understanding (MOU) during the ongoing visit to India paid by Vietnam’s National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.
Fields of public health, provision of pharmaceutical materials, drug and vaccine production, oil and gas, information technology and technology transfer, education, and tourism are covered in the exchanged MOUs inked at the “Vietnam India Business Forum” organized by the Embassy of Vietnam and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
On the same day, more deals signed between businesses of the two countries included one worth US$4 billion by Saigon Telecommunications Technology Joint Stock Company (SAIGONTEL) and Ecologic Engineering Private Limited.
Under the agreement, the two companies will focus on long-term infrastructure projects in some big manufacturing hubs of Vietnam like Thai Nguyen (where Samsung factory is located), Hai Duong, Dong Nai, and Ho Chi Minh City.
In addition, they will invest in innovation hubs and high-tech manufacturing centers such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamilnadu, Maharastra, Uttar Pradesh, and Bangalore, the areas named the Silicon Valley of India.
The companies will also invest in developing human resources.
SAIGONTEL, a member of the Saigon Invest Group (SGI) managing 38 industrial parks (IPs) nationwide, is providing infrastructure and telecommunication services in IPs and supplier of Telco, GOV, NMC, SMB for partners around the world.
Ecologic Engineering is the Indian branch of US-based Quantum Corporation, one of the world’s leading data storage and management companies. Ecologic Engineering is currently developing industrial zones, logistics service centers, transport, and industrial infrastructure in India and Vietnam.
|Vietnam’s National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue meets HCL Technologies Chairwoman Roshni Nadar Malhotra in New Delhi on Dec 16. Photos: VNA|
On December 16, Vuong Dinh Hue met executives of HCL Technologies Chairwoman Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Bharat Biotech’s Co-founder and Managing Director Suchitra Ella, and Hinduja Group’s Chairman Prakash Hinduja, calling for their investment in Vietnam.
HCL said its plan is to develop HCL Vietnam into the largest global IT distributor outside its headquarters in India with 8,000 employees in the next three years, 90% of them are Vietnamese.
|Vietnam’s National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and Bharat Biotech’s Co-founder and Managing Director Suchitra Ella.|
Bharat Biotech has its Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin licensed in Vietnam, vaccines against rabies, and bid for some national vaccine providing projects in Vietnam. In talking with Suchitra Ella, the Vietnamese top lawmaker said the NA empowered the government to conduct special measures against the pandemic and will soon adopt special mechanisms in medical equipment, Covid-19 drugs and vaccines. The move would enable Bharat Biotech to expand investment and transfer vaccine production tech to Vietnamese partners.
|Vietnam’s National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and Hinduja Group’s Chairman Prakash Hinduja.|
Meanwhile, millionaire Prakash Hinduja said Hinduja Group considers building a car assembly plant in Vietnam for both commercial and military purposes.
It also seeks investment opportunities in finance-banking, automation, IT, renewable energy, and cybersecurity.
Trade and investment cooperation
Trade and investment cooperation has been one of the main pillars of bilateral relations between these two nations.
In terms of investment, India has poured nearly $1 billion in more than 300 projects in Vietnam with a focus on the processing and manufacturing industries.
In terms of trade, the two-way turnover in the first 10 months of 2021 reached nearly $11 billion, up 40% on-year, and surpassed the value of 2020. The bilateral trade turnover grows 20% annually, having doubled over the last five years. It may well exceed $12 billion this year.
India is currently amongst the top 10 biggest trading partners of Vietnam while Vietnam is India’s fourth-largest trading partner in ASEAN.
Leaders of the two countries said trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and India has achieved positive results in recent years but is not proportional with the potential and advantages of both sides.
The economies of the two countries have many similarities, which can support each other. Specifically, India can become a supplier of input materials for Vietnam in industries such as textiles and garments, shoes and leather, and machine manufacturing; at the same time, creating more favorable conditions for Vietnamese products, such as consumer goods, electronics, agricultural and aquatic products, wood products, rubber, to penetrate deeply the Indian market.
Besides, Vietnam also offers a wide scope for cooperation and mutual support in the fields of textiles and garments, high-tech agriculture, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, information technology, energy, infrastructure, and mining, the India Times reported.
Chairman Hue told Indian media that Vietnam is calling for new waves of investment from Indian corporations in the fields of information technology, digital transformation, processing and manufacturing technologies, automotive industry, ICT, innovation, and renewable energy.
- Danish Crown Prince's visit to Vietnam promotes green solutions
- Penny Wong arrives in Hanoi, affirming new Australian cabinet relations with Vietnam
- Vietnam, Hungary to sign new parliamentary cooperation agreement
- Vietnam entirely justified in exercising self-defense against Khmer Rouge: Carl Thayer
- Australia launches plastics innovation hub in Vietnam
- Vietnam, South Korea eye Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
- UNDP, Netherlands boost circular economy capacity building for Vietnam businesses
- 55th anniversary of Vietnam-Cambodia relations observed
- Vietnam’s 1st Goldman Prize awardee jailed for tax fraud
- South Korea’s biggest airline resumes direct air route to Danang
Vietnam to draft national action plan for circular economy adaptation
Hanoi welcomes over 8.6 million visitors in first half of 2022
Agritech, Greentech, Deeptech and Foodtech - foreign funds interests in Vietnam
Australian Foreign Minister enjoys Pho ga in Hanoi
Hanoi GRDP growth hits 7.79% in first half
Hanoi selects final design of Tran Hung Dao Bridge
Fiercer storms forecast to hit Vietnam towards year-end
Bun cha listed in the British Queen's Platinum Jubilee Cookbook
Hanoi seeks UNESCO’s support in culture, education and tourism


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On Tuesday 4 February, SBC will welcome 900 industry guests to its popular London Baby networking session, with BetConstruct on board as sponsor of the headline.
Held at the end of ICE’s first day, London Baby is known for providing post-show networking opportunities with leading industry decision-makers, great entertainment and outstanding hospitality, including free food and drinks throughout the evening.
For 2020, the party moves to a chic new central London venue, Proud Embankment, which recently underwent a super-luxury, Gatsby-style makeover complete with an iconic, sweeping staircase flanked by gold palm trees and decadent art deco features.
Mikayel Sarukhanyan, deputy CEO and chief business officer of Betconstruct commented: “BetConstruct is delighted to sign up as a headline sponsor for the best sports betting party during ICE. London Baby is the perfect platform for our existing customers and potential future customers to unwind after a hectic first day in ExCeL.
“It also provides an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in sports betting to network with like minded people and make important connections in a more intimate environment.”
Guaranteed to be one of the best industry networking events of 2020, London Baby marks the continuation of a close collaboration between SBC and BetConstruct, with the gaming solutions provider also expected to be represented at the CasinoBeats Malta, Betting on Sports America, Betting on Sports Europe and SBC Summit in this year.
SBC CEO and founder Rasmus Sojmark stated: “We’re delighted to welcome BetConstruct as a headline sponsor of London Baby for a second consecutive year.
“London Baby is always one of the highlights of ICE week, providing extensive networking opportunities in a great party atmosphere. It’s a sign of how popular the event is with the industry that leading suppliers such as BetConstruct are always keen to be involved.”


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18:35 14th Jun, 2012
F-Secure Chief Raises Security Concerns Over Siri, Calls It "Unsafe For Business"
Warns that users' private information being relayed to Apple's data centres is a major security risk.
F-Secure Vice-President Maria Nordgren has deemed Siri to be a bad idea, from an information security point of view. According to Nordgren, the virtual assistant's all-encompassing access to user data makes it a risk for businesses and users storing sensitive data on their iPhones. Siri has access to your contacts list, calendar, and other personal information, but the worrying part is that it communicates with Apple's servers to process the information for a response.
If hackers get a hold of this wealth of information, it can be leveraged for malicious intent that can potentially compromise interests of corporates as well. According to F-Secure, Apple's lack of transparency regarding its corporate security policy is most concerning. Worrying details such as who can access data collected by Siri, how long it is stored, and the extent and context of its usage haven't exactly been disclosed by the iPhone maker.
"Four out of ten users don’t worry about corporate data and don’t think it will leak. Take Siri, it’s cute right, I like it but if you ask it a question, the data is not stored on the iPhone — it goes to a datacentre in Oregon", explains Nordgren while addressing a press conference in Helsinki. She underscores her point rather ominously by adding, "If anyone was interested in that information you're screwed".
This news comes on the heels of IBM's ban on Siri from its staff iPhones, over security concerns. With the Siri coming over to iPads with iOS 6, chances are many more corporations may take the same stance as IBM, since the tablet is popular with businesses and is given to employees as well.
- Philips rapidly expands its smart audio product portfolio by launching Headphones with one touch Google Assistant and Active Noise Cancellation
- Goldmedal Electricals launches smart i-Sense Senso Switch
- Newly launched Vu Cinema TV sold out on Amazon within 24 hours!
- Havit launches high bass neckband with 12 hrs battery in India at 1299/-
- ADCOM Launches “Vision” - LED Headphones for Ultimate Gamers
- LAVA Launches Z71 with Dedicated Google Assistant Key
- Detel launches Amaze – Truly Wireless Bluetooth Speaker in India
- Airtel Wi-Fi Calling’ crosses One million users
- Fujifilm India unfold its innovation prowess by showcasing Photo Imaging Product Portfolio at CEIF 2020
- DOLBY RAISES THE BAR FOR IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES AT CES 2020


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Ticking the boxes for 2024
Ticking the boxes for 2024
Technological innovation, the creation of a unique sourcing department and the delivery of inspired products, all enhanced with sustainable approaches, were at the forefront of Asian Trails’ achievements in 2023.
These developments strengthen our ability to deliver exceptional products and services in a new year set to be highly favourable for the travel industry – with tourism in the Asia-Pacific forecast to rebound to pre-COVID-19 levels in 2024, according to Asian Development Bank data.
Asian Trails’ CEO Laurent Kuenzle said: “I believe 2024 is really going to be Asia’s year. We were the last global region to open after COVID-19, so it took longer for Asia to get back on the travel map.
“Very clearly for 2024, with borders reopened and more convenient visa-free entry offered in many of our regional countries, Asia is firmly back on the map!”
Major investment in technology has driven the expansion of our business. Our state-of-the-art B2B connectivity platform eConnect has evolved into a cutting-edge reservation portal since its launch at the World Travel Market in 2022.
Our global connectivity to hotels, activities, transfers and multi-day tour reservations at the click of a button enables us to present our products online more effectively compared to a standard brochure. We can update content, benchmark our rates and product details and share instantly with online travel agencies. You can learn more about eConnect here.
Besides new technology adoption, another highlight is the shift from a conventional product team to a well-resourced and streamlined sourcing unit.
Previously, a lot of our initial contracting was performed by the product team; day-to-day negotiations were done by inbound teams; the signing of contracts and loading were completed by the product management side; and extra allotments and securing promotions were undertaken by the commercial team.
These processes have been assigned to a dedicated larger unit of skilled professionals tasked with taking sourcing to the most sophisticated level in the DMC world.
This new approach enables us to manage contracts and relationships more efficiently, proactively engage with suppliers, engage in ongoing conversations as to how we can improve collaborative approaches, share data and capitalise on as many promotions as possible.
The sourcing team’s access to new technology has equipped them with tools to provide the best services to hotels – in particular, access to static and dynamic rates and immediate confirmation of bookings.
Laurent said: “Our sourcing innovation has enabled us to buy better, faster and more efficiently and this is reflected in improved figures. These results translate into better prices and conditions for our customers. To read more about Asian Trails’ superior sourcing team, click here.
Product delivery has also been upgraded post-COVID-19. After our destinations re-opened, many clients did not have sufficient staff capacity to accommodate new rollouts and upgrades of existing products.
Laurent said: “We are now continually connecting new customers to our online system and expanding our portfolio. We are designing new products and enhancing existing products to ensure they are fun, dynamic and meet clients’ high expectations.”
The last year also saw increased corporate social responsibility activities and a deeply entrenched commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism. For example, we took part in a collaboration to support cyclo drivers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and helped to supply water to a drought-prone village near Bagan, Myanmar.
Laurent said: “These are strong pillars in our company. It is not just about creating sustainable products – there is greater emphasis on making our existing products more sustainable and also selling more sustainable tours.” Read about our more eco-friendly transport options here and our commitment to responsible travel here.
Looking ahead to 2024, Laurent said: “The technology is in place, the product focus is in place and an experienced sourcing team is in place. This strong foundation will enable us to provide our customers with the best services possible in 2024 and beyond. The message for this next year is positivity!”
Chief Executive Officer, Asian Trails


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ITHACA, N.Y. — The popular vaping brand Juul announced this week that it will discontinue a number of flavors and end social media accounts, at the same time acknowledging that a serious problem with young people using e-cigarettes has developed.
E-cigarettes have exploded in popularity in recent years. They’re advertised in several windows on the Ithaca Commons and can be easily found in individual shops, convenience stores and online. They are marketed as a way to help cigarette smokers quit tobacco, and often do just that. But, their popularity with youth has reached “epidemic levels,” some say, and stricter regulations are likely coming soon.
E-cigarettes work by heating liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals to make an aerosol. The liquid for the pods, often called “e-juice” or “e-liquid,” comes in all sorts of flavors, and some flavors seem obviously eye-catching to young people. Flavors like “sour gummy,” “candy crush” or “bubble gum” can easily be found online. Though Juul does not sell candy flavors, it announced this week that it has stopped sales for its mango, fruit, creme and cucumber flavors to more than 90,000 retail stores. The flavors will still be available online, but through a strict age verification system, the company’s action plan states.
The shift away from fruity, appealing flavors comes pretty late in the game, said Jeff Niederdeppe, an associate professor of communication at Cornell. Though the companies say they are geared toward people switching away from cigarettes, Niederdeppe said, “You have to wonder if cotton candy crush is really what a smoker who’s looking to switch is likely to choose.”
At the Exscape Smoke Shop and Vapor Lounge on the Ithaca Commons, employee Zach Tompkins said some customers quitting conventional cigarettes do turn to unconventional e-liquid flavors. Some longtime smokers, Tompkins said, find it easier to quit with flavors that don’t remind them of tobacco.
Even so, Tompkins said most people who purchase Juul products at the store are in their early 20s. “It’s definitely the younger generation coming in wanting Juul, a majority of the time,” he said. Tompkins attributes the appeal of Juul less to its flavors than to the e-cigarette’s sleek, small design. “It’s the cool new thing,” he said, “and it’s easy to hide from parents.”
Juul’s move to cut back on flavored products comes ahead of likely FDA regulations on e-cigarette liquids.
In September, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb issued a statement declaring underage nicotine use was reaching epidemic levels. “One factor we’re closely evaluating is the availability of characterizing flavors. We know that the flavors play an important role in driving the youth appeal. And in view of the trends underway, we may take steps to curtail the marketing and selling of flavored products,” Gottlieb wrote.
The FDA is expected to announce regulations that would ban the sale of fruity and sweet flavored e-cigarette liquids at gas stations and convenience stores, while allowing them at more tightly regulated vape and tobacco shops, according to reporting by the Washington Post. Tobacco, menthol, and mint flavors, which are intended to help cigarette smokers transition to e-cigarettes, would continue to be available at all retail outlets.
New York, meanwhile, is considering a ban on e-liquid flavors other than tobacco or menthol for all retailers across the state. The state Department of Health filed a proposed rule change on Nov. 7 but has since withdrawn the proposal pending further review. The proposed rule stated, “Regulations are necessary to address the alarming increase of e-cigarette use among New York’s youth,” and said, “restricting the availability of flavored e-liquids will deter youth from initiating e-cigarette use and reduce ongoing e-cigarette use.”
Marketing has shifted over the years for Juul Labs, which has been at the center of an FDA investigation about whether it deliberately marketed its devices to youth. In a statement, Juul Labs said it was never their intent to have youth use their products.
“We don’t want anyone who doesn’t smoke, or already use nicotine, to use JUUL products. We certainly don’t want youth using the product. It is bad for public health, and it is bad for our mission.”
Even if marketing does shift and flavors do come off the shelves, Niederdeppe said it doesn’t help all of the young people who have become addicted to nicotine.
At the local level, the Health and Human Services Committee of Tompkins County Legislature will be considering local licensure for retail tobacco, vaping and smoking paraphernalia because while the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance requires that retailers obtain a license to sell tobacco products, there is no system of registering retail outlets that sell vaping devices, materials in the agenda from Tobacco Free Tompkins state.
State data shows that e-cigarettes have become increasingly popular with middle school and high school students in recent years. In 2016, 14 percent of middle school students said they had tried e-cigarettes compared with about 7 percent in 2014. At the high school level, 44 percent of high school students indicated they had tried e-cigarettes compared to 2014.
Ted Schiele, of Tobacco Free Tompkins, said while they don’t have the latest data about use in Tompkins County, he said there’s “no reason to believe it’s not a big problem here.”
For the first time this year, students in Tompkins County will be surveyed about vaping. Results will likely be available early next year. The youth survey takes place every two years and is a collaborative effort between Tompkins County Youth Services, the Community Coalition for Healthy Youth and a federal grant, TST BOCES, the Alcohol & Drug Council and local schools.


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A Minnesota farm where turkeys were being raised for Jennie-O Turkey Store was badly damaged by a storm on June 20.
The storm, which was described as “brief but powerful,” was reported to produce large hail and winds that reached speeds of up to 78 miles per hour, according to KEYC. The affected farm is located near the community of St. James, in Watonwan County.
Two of three barns on the premises experienced major damage. Video footage of the barns showed portions of barn roofs that were torn from the barns, as well as large pieces of roofing on the ground.
About 16,000 birds were housed in each of the barns, but it was not immediately known how many turkeys were injured or killed in the storm.
The family living at the turkey farm was able to find shelter in town and no members of the farm were harmed in the storm, according to the report.
Jennie O Turkey Store, a subsidiary of Hormel Foods, is the second largest turkey company in the United States, trailing only Butterball in terms of production. According to the WATTAgNet Top Poultry Companies Database, Jennie-O Turkey Store slaughtered an estimated 1.23 billion pounds of live turkeys in 2018, which was a 1.2 percent increase when compared to the company’s production figures of 2017.
During Hormel Foods’ second quarter of fiscal year 2019, it reported that Jennie-O Turkey Store’s profits declined 45 percent as the company faced the lingering impact of two product recalls related to Salmonella concerns, as well as start-up challenges as it upgraded a processing plant in Melrose, Minnesota.
Hormel Foods is headquartered in Austin, Minnesota, while Jennie-O Turkey Store is based out of Willmar, Minnesota. Steve Lykken, who previously led Hormel’s Applegate subsidiary, was named president of Jennie-O Turkey Store in 2017.


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It's bad enough when our personal and financial information gets exposed during a data breach. It's adding insult to injury when we become identity theft victims because some other criminal got their hands on the information and had a shopping spree.
For each of the retail breaches that we've seen this year, such as Target, Neiman Marcus, P.F. Chang, and numerous others, the unpalatable reality is that the attackers don't hoard the millions of credit card numbers they've stolen for their personal use. Instead, they turn around and sell them to other cyber-criminals on underground data exchanges. And as a cyber-crime expert explained to DEF CON attendees on Friday, these exchanges "have a good deal of administrative oversight" and are professional. The underground forums are not the ad-hoc efforts or "Wild West" marketplaces you may have imagined.
Understanding how the cyber-criminal underground operates is essential in order to effectively target cyber-crime gangs and disrupt their operations, Tom Holt, an associate professor at Michigan State University specializing in cyber-crime, said during his talk. The best way to shut down the criminal enterprises is to go after these data exchanges, Holt said. Removing the entire forum disrupts criminal activity much more effectively than going after individual groups.
"Taking out an entire site is going to have a much more dramatic impact," he said.
Data dumps of credentials, such as username/password combinations, and those with payment card details, are among the most popular products sold on these exchanges, Holt said.
"When we think about the markets themselves they are organized in a unique fashion," he said.
He described the inner workings of the data exchanges ("formal organization") and outlined the relationships between buyers, sellers, and other participants in the resale transactions ("peers and colleagues"). These are also highly professional interactions, with heavy emphasis on customer service. For example, a seller on a forum offered to replace any credit card numbers that didn't work with fresh ones, Holt said. The buyers who offer customer support tend to have more profitable criminal enterprises. The exchanges focus on usability, such as offering a seller feedback mechanism for buyers to rate how satisfied they were with their transactions. Administrators even remove buyers with negative ratings from the forums.
"If you want people to come back and buy from you on a consistent basis, offer them something and give them a reason to come back to you," he said.
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$178-million expansion project takes off at crowded central Vietnam airportThe airport is currently operating at double its capacity having received 3.3 million passengers already this year. Privately-owned Cam Ranh International Terminal JSC (CRTC) on Thursday began cons...Luxury Vietnam resort plans exclusive airportGuests will be able to touch down in style on their way to the five-star complex. Vietnam’s southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has agreed in principle to allow Ho Tram Project Company to construc...Vietnam carriers sign $6.5 bln, 40-plane dealVietnam carriers bought 40 airplanes from France's Airbus. Vietnam carriers bought 40 airplanes worth $6.5 billion from France's Airbus Tuesday, as President Francois Hollande is visiting the Sout...
Vietnam’s banking system declared safe by Ministry of Public SecurityClients are more likely to get scammed if they don't protect their personal data. Vietnam’s bank card and online transaction security is relatively secure compared to other countries, and fraud usu...Secutech VIETNAM 2017 at SECC, HCMCVISCO will be present at this exhibition with 02 new distinctive products for security system.
Laser cinema projectorsLaser cinema projector, a new trend in cinema industry, sp2k, cinema to graphy, cinema screens, media, lenses, livestreaming, display, barco, digital camera, Solution, digital camera Solution, Digital...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO VISCOWithout the support and trust of its customers/partners, VISCO's 26th anniversary would be incomplete. Hopefully, at the age of 27, VISCO will have the honor of serving/collaborating with beloved cust...VERICOM - VISCO is Vericom's sole distributor in Vietnam and Myanmar market.#Vericom #Cat6a #structuredcabling #smartbuildings #cablingsolutions #spesystemalliance #singlepairethernet #spe #IIoT #IoT #Keystonejack #toolless #Cat8 #coppercable #datacentersolutions #microdatace...
Laser cinema projectorsLaser cinema projector, a new trend in cinema indu...VERICOM - VISCO is Vericom's sole distributor in V...#Vericom #Cat6a #structuredcabling #smartbuildings...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO VISCOWithout the support and trust of its customers/par...Secutech VIETNAM 2017 at SECC, HCMCVISCO will be present at this exhibition with 02 n...


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Don’t worry Red Hot Roasters nuts, the coffee company isn’t moving far.
Effective Jan. 30, Red Hot Roasters will start operating out of the former Old Standard Auto Garage, 1399 Lexington Road, just across the street from its longtime Lexington Road store, according to an email from Sondra Powell who co-owns the business with her brother Jason Powell.
“We needed to move, but we wanted to stay in the neighborhood where we started,” Powell said in the email. “We looked out our front door and noticed a ‘For Lease’ sign was up at the old garage for the first time ever.”
Since 2006, Red Hot Roasters has operated out of a space connected to the Marathon gas station at the corner of Lexington Road and Payne Street.
The new location will allow Red Hot Roasters to keep its drive-thru service in the Irish Hill neighborhood as well as add a pick-up counter, outdoor seating, bike racks and an expanded summer drink menu, Powell said in the email.
“We are still a fun, quirky place to get coffee,” Powell said in the email. “You can get all your traditional favorites, socialize and enjoy them in a relaxed and authentically Louisville setting.”
She added that the larger space, as well as a new location in Butchertown, will allow the company to grow its wholesale business.
Insider Louisville broke the news that Red Hot Roasters plans to open at 1009 E. Main St. in late spring.
The two-story, 1,500-square-foot renovated building in Butchertown will house the company’s main roasting operations. It also will feature outdoor seating and a small cafe stocked with treats from Wiltshire Pantry and Ehrler’s Ice Cream.
Red Hot Roasters will be part of the Butcherblock development that already includes shops Stag + Doe and Louabull, Vietnamese restaurant Pho Ba Luu, and doughnut shop Hi-Five Doughnuts. Hi-Five Doughnuts is expected to open Thursday morning.


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The Wall Street Journal reported that SEGA is close to buying Rovio for $1 billion, a US senator asked Sony to provide copies of all exclusive gaming agreements, the initial sales of Hogwarts Legacy turned out to be 256% higher than Warner Bros.’ expectations. Entertainment, — we tell you what happened in the gaming industry this weekend.
According to sources of The Wall Street Journal, the Japanese company SEGA decided to buy Rovio for $ 1 billion. The deal may take place at the beginning of this week. Shortly after the article was published, both companies confirmed that they were in talks, but stressed that they had not yet made a final decision. They did not comment on the amount of the transaction announced by The Wall Street Journal journalists.
U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer is concerned about how Sony competes with console manufacturers. He sent a letter to the company’s CEO Kenichiro Yoshida and asked for a number of internal documents. Kramer wants to see: 1) unedited copies of all exclusive agreements that Sony has concluded with game developers and publishers, 2) copies of agreements prohibiting the release of games as part of Game Pass and other competing subscriptions, 3) Bungie purchase documents, and 4) all Sony correspondence with the US government and regulators about competition in the gaming market.
The initial sales of Hogwarts Legacy probably greatly exceeded the expectations of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Arien Darby, the company’s senior global brand manager, wrote in a LinkedIn profile that the game sold 256% better than planned. Recall that in the first two weeks Hogwarts Legacy sold over 12 million copies and earned $ 850 million.
▪miHoYo reported that over 10 million people have pre-registered in its new game Honkai: Star Rail. This figure was achieved in a little more than two months: the company opened registration on February 10. Honkai: Star Rail will be released on April 26 on PC and smartphones, and will later appear on PlayStation.
▪Spotify closes the Heardle — a musical puzzle in which you have to guess the song by the first notes in six attempts. The game will stop working on May 5. Spotify bought the puzzle last July, saying that Heardle would increase interactivity on the platform.


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A dispute between two companies involving in the importation and sale of cigars must be heard through arbitration, an appeals court has ruled.
In a reversal of a lower court ruling, the appeals panel found that an agreement between the two parties to resolve through arbitration was binding.
Yam Export & Import, which had entered an agreement to market and sell cigars imported by Nicaragua Tobacco Imports, appealed against a decision by Judge Rodney Smith of the Miami-Dade Circuit Court to allow the action to proceed through the courts system.
The appeals court, in a unanimous opinion filed Jan. 29 and penned by Judge Vance Salter, with Judges Edwin Scales and Fleur Lobree concurring, found an agreement between the two companies that any disputes was final and binding.
"There is no question in this case that the three conditions of arbitrability have been met, these parties entered into a valid written agreement to arbitrate; an arbitrable issue exists; and Yam did not waive its right to arbitrate through conduct inconsistent with the exercise of that right," Salter wrote. "For these reasons, the trial court’s order denying Yam’s motion to compel arbitration is reversed, and the case is remanded for the entry of an order granting that motion."
Nicaragua Tobacco imports and sells cigars under the brand name 'Cuban Crafters,' while Yam markets and sells the products retail from premises in Miami-Dade County, the appeals court noted.
The parties entered into a licensing and leasing agreement in January 2016. Under the agreement, Yam leased space and fixtures from Nicaragua Tobacco and inked a deal to produce and sell the latter's product.
Both waived the right to trial by jury and agreed any disputes would be resolved under commercial arbitration rules.
By early 2019, the disputes began and Yam filed a claim against the tobacco importers in the the American Arbitration office in Miami. A case number was assigned and schedule drawn up.
On the same day Yam delivered its claim, Nicaragua Tobacco filed a circuit court complaint asking for a emergency temporary injunction linked to products already delivered to the retailer.
"The trial court denied Yam’s motion to compel arbitration in an unelaborated order," Salter said. "From the hearing transcript, it appears that Nicaragua Tobacco persuaded the trial court that Yam’s withholding of payment after it filed its arbitration demand waived all Yam’s 'rights to dispute or arbitrate this matter on [sic] any Court.'"
In its reversal of the decision, the appeals court also noted, "Regarding the question of whether Yam waived its right to arbitrate because of a financial default, that very dispute itself is an arbitrable issue."


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40,000 petrol outlets across the country and 400 petrol bunks in the city are to be remained open as usual on April 23. Federation of All India Petroleum Traders (FAIPT) earlier called for a nationwide one day strike on April 23, so as to pressurize government for accepting their demands and to implement Apoorva Chandra committee report. As the government has accepted for most of the demands, FAIPT had called off the strike.
The government had agreed to the dealers’ demand of increasing their commission and has now fixed the dealer’s commission at 1.49/litre on petrol and 0.91 paise/litre on diesel. The other demand that the IOC, BPCL and HPCL should follow ‘prescribed guidelines’ before opening new retail outlets was also agreed by the government.
The government has also accepted to implement most of the recommendations made in Apoorva Chandra committee’s report.
Source: Economic Times


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My last blog post on `unhappy IT employees’ provoked someone I know to share the details of a job offer she received from one of the biggest and most admired Indian IT companies. It was for a senior position. It was also a new position with global...
Sujit is the business editor, Bangalore, in The Times of India. He has been with TOI for 17 years, starting as an Assistant Editor on the Edit Page. He has been tracking technology for over a decade, and intensively tracking it for the past four years. He writes regularly for The Times of India on enterprise and consumer technologies, new trends in them, and how these are impacting businesses and people. He has been particularly focused on technology innovations being done in India, and in identifying Indian companies, including start-ups, that are doing extraordinary technology work. Besides being in charge of the business pages of TOI in Bangalore, he has been overseeing the weekly technology page in TOI, Bangalore, and actively contributing to it.
The views expressed in Tech-a-tete are the author´s own.
The blog will discuss enterprise and consumer technologies and how these are impacting / will impact businesses and people. Technology is changing extremely rapidly. Technologies such as virtualization and cloud computing, technologies that are enhancing mobility features and collaboration, and hardware advances are bringing remarkable new efficiencies, are allowing smaller businesses to adopt IT, and are changing the way we work and live. The blog will also discuss technology initiatives being undertaken in India. Almost every MNC today has a significant R&D base in India. Numerous start-ups have spawned, and many of them are making an impact globally. Many of the initiatives are directed at creating unique products for India. The blog will also discuss conditions in Bangalore and how that is impacting India’s Silicon Valley.


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The company added that widespread fostering of new innovations in financial services, consisting of cryptocurrencies, "might call for substantial expenditures" in order to adjust to developing industry standards as well as consumer preferences. OTHER THAN AS EXPRESSLY LAY OUT IN THESE REQUISITES OR ADDITIONAL STIPULATIONS, NEITHER GOOGLE NOR ITS SUPPLIERS OR REPRESENTATIVES MAKE ANY SPECIFIC ASSURES ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS.
Net Element is creating a decentralized crypto-based environment to work as a structure for a number of value-added solutions that can connect vendors and also consumers directly, using blockchain technology, while enhancing the financial efficiency of all transactions conducted within the environment.
You may develop your own Google Account, or your Google Account may be assigned to you by an administrator, such as your company or university. You could stop using our Provider at any time, although we'll be sorry to see you go. Google might also stop supplying Providers to you, or add or develop new restrictions to our Services at any moment.
The recent choice follows steps by a number of UNITED STATE financial institutions to stop permitting bank card acquisitions of Bitcoin and also other cryptocurrencies. In the last couple of months, records have also linked North Korea to cryptocurrency mining efforts as well as other efforts to make use of the digital money as a way to escape permissions.
Popular passion in digital currencies has actually removed in the last numerous months, aiding send bitcoin from less than $1,000 at the start of 2017 to a high over $19,000 in mid-December. The federal government's main problem is suppressing the use of cryptocurrencies for money laundering, Bloomberg records.
The Reserve Bank of Iran states it is accepting various other institutions to develop a brand-new system to control and also avoid digital money in Iran. There are worries that the rise of state-backed cryptocurrencies might pose an obstacle to international initiatives to regulate monetary purchases and also impose permissions.
Elsewhere in the record, the legislator asked for more clear policy on cryptocurrency in an effort to manage the marketplace. While cryptocurrency is created to be a lot more safe and secure compared to its conventional paper or steel equivalent, the fact that it resides in a virtual world leaves it vulnerable to hacks as well as phishing scams, much like other electronic asset.


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Facepalm: Elite Dangerous has spent nearly a 12 months attempting to get well from the disastrous launch of its final enlargement. Despite progress made by current updates, the sport now suffers one other main blow with the cancellation of console growth.
Frontier has introduced it’s cancelling the launch of its most up-to-date enlargement for the console variations of Elite Dangerous. Going ahead, consoles will solely obtain vital updates for the multiplayer area sim whereas the PC model will nonetheless obtain updates for present and future expansions.
Frontier founder David Braben defined that for the reason that final enlargement titled Odyssey, growth of Elite has proceeded on two codebases: one for Odyssey gamers and one other for console gamers in addition to PC gamers who hadn’t bought Odyssey. Braben mentioned Elite’s growth can solely go ahead if Frontier focuses completely on the post-Odyssey codebase, which forces the corporate to stop console growth. Presumably this implies the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One video games received’t be upgraded for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles.
When Frontier launched Odyssey on PC, it was suffering from poor efficiency and bugs. It nonetheless has a “Mostly Negative” score on Steam.
Soon after launching Odyssey, Frontier delayed the console variations indefinitely whereas it launched patches for the PC, earlier than finally making its choice this week. There have been 10 updates for Odyssey to date with the eleventh set to exit on March 11.


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Wednesday, September 05, 2012
Jeannie described herself as a skeptical person, but even she fell victim to a computer scam.
Hackers are tricking people into installing malicious software that could capture sensitive data. They call potential victims, offering help to correct a computer problem.
“I got a call from a man who said he was a Microsoft windows consultant,” Jeannie said. “He said I had an infection in my computer and he needed to get in that file and clean it up."
But Jeannie isn’t the only victim. The Better Business Bureau reports many people have fallen for the scam.
Robbie Namee, BBB spokeswoman, said the scammer also tries to get credit card information to pay for the service.
“Once you log them you are giving them access to your computer,” Namee said. “If you keep your checking and savings account banking, you are giving them access to that information."
Namee suggests hanging up on suspicious callers asking for access to computer information. Those who have already fallen victim should turn off their computer, to keep scammers from monitoring personal sites. A computer service company can delete the malware.


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The US government confiscates illicit electronic cigarettes, while numerous new ones are being introduced.
The Associated Press examined data from both government and industry sources and found that while federal officials are confiscating more unapproved electronic cigarettes at U.S. ports, there is still a large influx of thousands of new flavored products being imported from China.
The numbers highlight the disorganized condition of the country’s $7 billion vaping industry and bring up concerns about the approach the U.S. government can take to prevent the availability of fruit-flavored disposable e-cigarettes, which are being used by 10% of American teenagers and young adults.
According to the data from analytics firm Circana, the number of distinct vaping products being sold in American stores has increased by 27% to over 11,500, compared to 9,000 in June. This information is not widely available.
According to Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a psychologist at Stanford University who creates educational materials against vaping, the FDA may target one product, but the manufacturers find ways to work around it and teenagers are also able to find ways to access it. Halpern-Felsher also mentions that it is too simple for companies to make minor changes to their products and reintroduce them into the market.
Halpern-Felsher regularly revises her curriculum to stay current with the latest vaping brands and trends.
Based on sales data collected from gas stations, convenience stores, and other shops, it appears that the majority of recently released products are disposable e-cigarettes. These products have generated a total of $3.2 billion in revenue during the first 11 months of this year.
The FDA has approved a few e-cigarette options for use by adult smokers, while also evaluating products from major companies such as Juul. Most other e-cigarettes are deemed illegal by regulators.
According to Brian King, the tobacco director at the FDA, individuals who engage in illegal activities do not openly promote their wrongdoings. This applies to those attempting to bring illegal tobacco products into the United States as well. In response to questions from AP, King stated that the FDA and other federal agencies are implementing strategies such as import alerts to prevent the entry of these illegal products at the border and discourage others from attempting similar actions.
Despite a record number of products being seized, the sales of e-cigarettes continue to rise.
Last month, according to an FDA database, authorities denied entry to 148 shipments of tobacco products, primarily vaping items from China. These rejected imports are typically disposed of.
As of the end of November, authorities in the United States rejected 374 shipments this year, which is more than twice the number of 118 rejections in 2022.
This year’s collection consisted of Esco Bars valued at $400,000, which is a brand that was recently added to the list of prohibited imports in May. The information posted by the agency is typically preliminary as it requires time to complete refusals.
However, recent events have demonstrated the ease with which companies can navigate import restrictions.
In July of 2022, the Food and Drug Administration prohibited numerous e-cigarettes made by Chinese company Fume, including the flavors Pineapple Ice and Blue Razz.
After the prohibition, there was a decrease in the sales of Fume, but the company introduced a variety of fresh items and reported $42 million in sales in the United States during the third quarter of 2023, according to the data. Approximately 98% of these sales were generated by products that were not included in the FDA’s “red list” of items that could be seized.
The methods used by the industry for shipping are also posing a challenge to the effectiveness of import restrictions.
In the month of July, officials from FDA and customs discovered and seized $18 million worth of illicit vaping products, including a popular brand called Elf Bar. However, the packages were falsely labeled as various items such as shoes and toys rather than e-cigarettes, which meant that authorities had to manually open and confirm the contents of over twenty containers.
Circana, previously known as IRI, limits the availability of its data and profits from selling it to businesses and researchers. The AP was granted access by an unauthorized individual under the condition of anonymity.
The FDA does not have a set schedule for revising its lists of imports, but has stated that it is closely observing cases where companies attempt to evade detection.
According to King from the FDA, we have a range of options available to us for addressing these tactics.
The agency has limited authority to impose penalties on foreign companies. Instead, regulators have issued numerous warning letters to American retailers that carry their goods, but these do not have legal enforceability.
The FDA is currently facing challenges in completing a long-term evaluation of applications from manufacturers seeking to sell their products to adult consumers, despite efforts to collaborate with customs officials.
According to Circana, the sales of FDA-approved tobacco-flavored products are only $174 million, making up just 2.4% of the vaping market this year and are not well-liked by consumers.
According to Marc Silas, owner of 906 Vapor shop in Michigan, there is no demand for these products. He states that if there was a demand, they would be readily available on the shelves, but that is not the case.
Public health organizations have taken legal action against the FDA due to their dissatisfaction with the slow review process. The FDA had initially planned to finish all major pending applications this year, but they have now stated that it will likely continue into the following year.
The delays have sparked concerns regarding the effectiveness of the existing regulatory system for e-cigarettes.
According to Scott Ballin, a health policy consultant and former employee of the American Heart Association, the FDA is struggling to adapt to a changing environment with outdated methods. The agency’s current process of individually reviewing a large number of products has put them in a difficult position.


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Uber reportedly continued to lease more than 1,000 vehicles that had been cited for a recall over a fire risk and after one such vehicle caught fire earlier this year on Singapore roads.
The ride-sharing operator purchased 1,200 Honda Vezel units from various parallel import companies including Sunrita, because it would cost 12 percent lower than authorised Honda distributors, according to a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report, which cited internal documents. Rental agreements signed with Uber drivers stated that vehicles they rented were in "perfect running condition", the report said.
Uber, though, had gone ahead to purchase the Vezel units even after Honda in April 2016 released a recall advisory for the model, noting that a faulty electrical part could spark a fire. It urged owners to have their vehicles serviced.
On its part, Sunrita sent out an alert to Uber regarding the recall and said it would replace affected parts by the end of August last year. However, it failed to do so due to a shortage of replacement parts. While Uber sent e-mail messages over the following months reminding Sunrita to resolve the matter quickly, the former continued to lease the faulty vehicles to its drivers, noted the WSJ report.
Furthermore, Uber claimed that all affected Vezel units in its fleet since then had been rectified, but Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) revealed that this figure actually stood at just 9 percent. Local daily The Straits Times reported Friday that the transport regulator said its figures were based on latest information provided by importers and dealers.
It was not against the law here to trade cars affected by recalls, but sellers must notify buyers of such recalls and buyers would have to acknowledge they were informed of the defect.
After an Uber-owned Vezel caught fire in January this year, the ride-sharing company's regional team in an internal e-mail suggested affected vehicles be retrieved to avoid "unnecessary risk", according to WSJ. However, the company's Singapore general manager, Warren Tseng, said doing so would incur about S$1.4 million in associated costs, including rental fees and driver salaries.
An Uber spokesperson told The Straits Times it took action to rectify the issue following the January incident and admitted it "could have done more" in response to safety recalls.
The US company had been experiencing a tumultuous year, which saw the departure of its CEO Travis Kalanick following allegations of sexual harassment in its workplace.
It also faced increasing competition in Singapore from fellow ride-sharing operator, Grab, which had been shoring up investments--including a latest US$2.5 billion round lead by SoftBank and Didi Chuxing--and expanding its presence across the region.


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Mauritius’ state-run State Trading Corporation (STC) has, through its Petroleum Pricing Committee (PPC), raised the price of Mogas (gasoline) to Rs67.40 per litre – a yet another increase of 10%.
Gas oil (Diesel) has also been increased by 10% and will now be sold at Rs49.60 per litre.
The new retail price for both gasoline and diesel is effective as from 00.00 hr on Wednesday 20 April 2022.
The price hike adds to the increasingly heavy burden of Mauritians struggling through one of the the island nation’s worst financial crisis.
This is the third price hike of 10% in 4 months.
In a statement released on 19 April 2022, the PPC of the STC said it took note of the evolution of world prices of Mogas and Gas Oil, which have been continuously increasing since the past months.
“It has been noted that at the last PPC meeting of 26 February 2022, the retail price of Mogas (gasoline) should have been increased by Rs12.40 per litre or by 22.24% and that of Gas Oil (Diesel) should have increased by Rs17.05 per litre or 41.59% but the increases were limited to a maximum of 10%.”
The fuel price hike comes 24 hours after the STC increased the price of a 12kg LPG cylinder by Rs60 – from Rs180 to Rs240.
Mauritius, according to economists, is fighting a crisis triggered in part by a depreciation of the Rupee, which means it is paying more to import staples like food and fuel.
Since the beginning of the year, the Mauritius rupee has fallen by over 20% as cost of living skyrockets, while world prices of Mogas and Gas Oil, have been continuously increasing since the past months.
Last week, the Bank of Mauritius (Bank) has intervened on the domestic foreign exchange market for an amount of USD 200 million, equivalent to Rs 8.6 billion.
The fuel price hikes come as public agitation grows against the government – already plagued with numerous corruption scandals and claims of “incompetence when dealing with public funds.”


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Click below to download our latest round up of the global product recall data and our analysis across food, consumer products and automotive. A key finding from this period is that the number of different foods recalled in 2022 is set to be 60% higher than in 2021 according to the US FDA data. This projection means the average number of different food products recalled per event is likely to be at its highest since 2017!
Consumer Product Recall Alert: Bacterial contamination in cleaning products
The US CPSC issued a recall for multi-purpose cleaner earlier this month (Feb 8th 2023) due to bacterial contamination risks. Although this is just a


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The launch which was preceded by an enormously popular world wide digital media campaign aptly called#musicinabottle had thousands of young Nigerians inspiring and generating conversation around the topic for many weeks before the launch.
The electrifying atmosphere and highly expectant guests were a perfect complement for the launch, as the audience couldn’t hold their excitement at the unveiling of the sleek limited edition bottle.
The Star Music limited edition 60cl bottle comes in a new exciting blue sleeve capturing photos of the city landscape and featuring a special code on the bottle that introduces a television commercial with 2face Idibia and Wizkid when scanned.
Speaking at the exclusive event, Walter Drenth, Marketing Director of Nigerian Breweries said “It’s been a number of milestones this year for Star-most notably the Star Music App, an exciting music and lifestyle brand that is fast gaining popularity amongst users. Our new limited edition bottle is the perfect complement to the STAR Music family and its launch here today is borne out of the need to continue providing exciting alternatives to our consumers.”
“We call this new bottle ‘The Rockstar’ he says proudly, “bold, effervescent and always the life of any party-which we believe are some of the many positive values of consumers of Star Lager and Star Music” He added.
Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Nicolaas Vervelde, reiterated STAR’s commitment to continue providing unique products, and platforms that enhance consumer’s lifestyles. “It’s the core of everything we do here at Nigerian Breweries and we’re pleased that our consumers appreciate the efforts we make to achieve this,” he added.
Other guests at the event include DJ Xclusive, Teju Babyface, Yaw, Toke Makinwa, Efa, Ebuka Obi Uchendu, Dr Sid, Kelvin Orifa, Beverly Naya, Toni Kan and many more.
Exciting star performances from 2Face Idibia, Tiwa Savage, Lynxx also added more colour to the evening.


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Disney+ to debut in India on March 29
The video streaming service will launch through Hotstar, the OTT service from Star India that Disney India acquired during the merger of Fox with Disney, which was completed last year…
Hotstar's VIP/Premium service which is the subscription based video on demand service from the platform, is likely to be rebranded and called Disney+Hotstar.
Disney India acquired Star India’s video streaming app Hotstar through Disney’s acquisition of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox. In India, this meant the merger of the entertinament network under Star India, including the sports network Star Sports, and the OTT service Hotstar. Until now, Disney has had no significant presence in the digital streaming space in India, and having Hotstar in the network gives it a distinct edge as it enters the market.
Hotstar is home to not only the content from the Star India and the erstwhile 20th Century Fox library, but also to HBO’s originals. Apart from this, it houses sports properties from domestic tournaments like the Indian Premiere League, Indian Super League, and Pro Kabaddi, to the international matches under the Board for Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the International Cricket Council (ICC) among others.
Iger also revealed during the webcast that Disney+ has amassed 28.6 million paid subscribers, as of Monday, February 3.
“We believe the subscriber growth to date and the overall reaction to Disney+ reflects a variety of factors that include the uniqueness of the service, an excellent user interface and the high quality of our brands and content,” said Iger. “Although our volume will increase, we remain focused on providing quality content from our core franchises and brands, not just quantity, as we continue to build our portfolio.”
Disney+ launched in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands on November 12, 2019, followed by its debut in Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico a week later on November 19. The service will launch on March 24 in markets across Western Europe—including the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and Switzerland. Additional Western Europe markets, including Belgium, the Nordics and Portugal, will follow in summer 2020.
Disney+’s library includes classic movies and shorts, popular series, recent theatrical releases and a growing slate of original content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and National Geographic. Furthermore, new original Marvel Studios series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and WandaVision will premiere on Disney+ in August and December, respectively, and that the highly popular series The Mandalorian, from Lucasfilm, will return to the service in October.


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HOUSTON – Welcome to Made in Texas, where we write about products made in the Lone Star State.
Today, we’re featuring the shotguns created by the oldest family-owned firearm manufacturer in the U.S., O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc.
Mossberg firearms were originally created in Connecticut by founder Oscar Mossberg and his sons Iver and Harold. But since 1989, a significant amount of the company’s product has been manufactured in the Lone Star State.
The story behind the Mossberg company and why it moved to Texas
O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., the largest pump-action shotgun manufacturer in the world and the oldest family-owned and operated firearms manufacturer in America, entered the firearm industry in March of 1919 out of New Haven, Connecticut, according to the company’s website.
By 1989, over 90 percent of the company’s total production was based in Eagle Pass at its subsidiary facility Maverick Arms Inc., according to the American Rifle Man website.
In 2014, Mossberg decided to have a 116,000-square-foot expansion of the Texas factory after the state of Connecticut passed a gun-control bill that banned some of the company’s most popular products, according to a Forbes article.
Today, the company still has its corporate headquarters in Connecticut but almost all firearms are manufactured in Texas.


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GPA Training, Inc, is pleased to announce that President and Director of Learning & Development, Ian Coburn, will be the keynote speaker at Nissan’s Northwest Region Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Meeting, taking place in Seattle on August 22nd, 2018. It marks the first time GPA has worked with Nissan. “We are always excited to work with OE’s to expand our reach to new dealers, helping to enable them to increase their success,” says Coburn. “It is an honor to be asked, especially by such a quality brand as Nissan,” he adds.
Coburn, author of The Customer is Never Right: Sell More Trucks, Cars, Buses, Parts . . . Anything in One Month, “will focus on getting past gatekeepers, cultivating your own leads as a sales rep, time and territory management, and a number of techniques for controlling the conversation in order to be certain customers always get what’s best for them,” explains Rod Belscher, Truck & Commercial Operations Manager for Nissan North America, and organizer of the meeting.
GPA Training, Inc, focuses on providing training and development programs for every customer-facing role in the dealership, emphasizing soft skills. The organization is on the cutting edge of eLearning, offering all live curriculum in a digital format that works with or without an LMS, on all mobile devices. “Our industry spends a lot of time on tech for consumers—online presence and videos, complete mobile functionality, and so forth. Those same consumers want that same tech, in fact more, on the job, which is where we tend to drop the ball,” notes Coburn. “This is why GPA Training offers and educates on eLearning as part of our services.”
You may learn more about GPA Training at www.gpatrain.com.


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LANSING, MI – Twenty-five wine experts gathered August 3 in East Lansing for the 33rd annual Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition. Judges included five Master Sommeliers, and internationally known authors, winemakers and wine educators. Leading the group through the day was food and wine writer Christopher Cook, who judged at the competition for 12 years before becoming its superintendent in 2001. Cook is also a judge at wine competitions throughout the United States and abroad.
Don Koivisto, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture, welcomed the judges to the competition. He noted there is strong recognition at the state level of the importance of the wine industry to the state’s economy, and expressed his delight in witnessing the industry’s rapid growth in the past decade.
There was a great showing of wines from areas throughout the state, with gold medals split evenly between the Northern and Southern growing regions. Silver medals were awarded to wineries from all major growing regions, including the Upper Peninsula where there are now three commercial wineries producing wines from grapes grown in Michigan.
The Michigan competition is a favorite for many of the judges, as they are eager to learn about the state’s exciting, rapidly growing industry. Wayne Belding, Master Sommelier with The Boulder Wine Merchant, commented that “tasting such a broad range of Michigan wines confirmed my opinion that there is a rising tide of wine quality throughout mid-America.”
Joe Borrello has judged at this competition every year but one since it was first held in 1977 … wedged between the horse and cow barns at the State Fairgrounds. Borrello says the competition—and the wines—have come a long way since then. “This year’s judging was an excellent presentation of wines and what Michigan is capable of accomplishing,” he said. Borrello is president of Tasters Guild International, which sponsored the Best of Class Dessert trophy, to be presented to the winning winery at a Gold Medal Reception at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing this evening.
Veteran Judge Dr. G. Stanley Howell, formerly with Michigan State University’s Horticulture Department, was the competition’s superintendent for several years prior to Christopher Cook taking the helm. Howell has followed the growth of the Michigan wine industry closely and noted, “The red wines from the 2007 vintage were outstanding and are a portent to Cabernet Franc joining much renowned Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay wines in recognition of their excellence.”
Forty-four of the state’s 73 wineries entered a record 399 wines for this year’s competition, which is open only to wines produced from Michigan grapes and other fruit. Gold medals were awarded to a wide variety of wines—from bone-dry reds to deliciously sweet ice wines—from all of Michigan’s major grape-growing areas. At the end of the day, judges awarded the top “Best of Class” awards to eight wines from a group of 52 gold medal winners, including eight double gold.
The top award-winners are:
Best of Class Dry White: Black Star Farms – 2009 Arcturos Pinot Gris
Best of Class Dry Red: Bowers Harbor Vineyards – 2007 Cabernet Franc, Erica Vineyard
Best of Class Semi-Dry White: Black Star Farms – 2009 Arcturos Riesling
Best of Class Semi-Dry Red: Lawton Ridge Winery – AZO
Best of Class Sparkling Wine: Black Star Farms – 2008 Sparkling Wine
Best of Class Dessert Wine: Fenn Valley Vineyards – 2008 “42” Ice Wine
Best of Class Fruit Wine: Uncle John’s Fruit House Winery – Franc N Cherry
Best of Class Rosé: Forty-Five North Vineyard & Winery – 2009 Blanc de Pinot Noir
In addition, Chateau Fontaine won a Judges’ Merit Award for their 2009 Woodland White, a semi-dry white wine made from Auxerrois, a little-known grape variety in the United States, originally from France.
A complete list of medal-winning wines is available online at www.michiganwines.com. The Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition is sponsored by the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council, which is administered by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. For more information about the wines and wineries of Michigan, contact the council online, or by phone at 517-241-4468.


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Broken Age Retail Release Arriving This Spring For PC, Mac And Linux, Will Protect From EMP Bombs
Double Fine's Broken Age, the first adventure game from legendary producer Tim Schafer in sixteen years, is widely available for digital download across several platforms. Today it was announced that a physical edition will also be available.
Nordic Games announced a partnership with Double Fine to bring the 2014 Game of the Year contender to retail outlets this spring for PC, Mac and Linux.
The official press release is quite amusing, exactly what you'd expect from a trickster like Schafer. "After releasing Costume Quest, Psychonauts and Stacking for retail in 2014, this marks another important step in our almost heist-free cooperation" said Reinhard Pollice (side note: best name ever), business & product development director at Nordic Games. "With Broken Age, 2015 starts off great for aficionados of the adventure game genre. Our intel also suggests that Germany is a veritable stronghold when it comes to pointing and clicking, hence the new German voice-overs for Broken Age make us very happy."
"I am very excited about the retail version of Broken Age," said Double Fine President and CEO Tim Schafer, "And also relieved, as having a widely distributed, physical copy of the game will make it more safe from solar flares and EMP bombs and stuff like that. As long as people store their disks in fire proof safes. People do that, right?"
No word on whether the retail edition will come with anything extra, or simply just the game disc. The first 'Act' of the game was released last January onto several platforms last January, including Ios and Android devices. Act 2 is scheduled for release this spring, and given that Double Fine's COO added, "people who purchase the physical copy can get to playing the exciting conclusion without having to wait for the game to download!" you can expect to receive the whole experience when Act 2 drops.
As described perfectly in the press release, "Broken Age is a timeless coming-of-age story of barfing trees and talking spoons."
What more do you want out of life?