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A bill that would allow Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture students to taste their craft before they turn 21 has passed through one house of California’s legislature.
Wesley Chesbro (D-Arcata) introduced Assembly Bill 1989, which would allow students enrolled in an accredited winemaking or brewing program to taste — but not drink — alcoholic beverages for class.
Shannon Leary, a wine and viticulture junior, testified in favor of the bill at a committee hearing of the California Assembly on May 7, at the request of wine and viticulture department chair Jim Cooper.
“The bill is not at all about underage drinking,” Leary said. “It’s about professionally tasting wine, so it’s sip and spit. There will be no consumption of alcohol for underage students. It’s going to be tasting the wine, and then spitting it back out.”
Leary said the bill would increase the competitiveness of Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture graduates, allow them to graduate sooner and give them more experience to draw upon in their careers.
Cal Poly wine and viticulture graduates face competition in the job market from graduates of programs in Washington and Oregon, both of which have bills allowing students 18 or older to taste alcoholic beverages, Leary said. Washington began allowing 18- to 20-year-olds to taste wine in 2013.
If students are able to start tasting earlier, they will have more experience that will benefit them when they enter the wine industry, Leary said. Students would be able to train their palettes earlier and learn about wine tasting etiquette.
A bill easing restrictions for wine and viticulture students will also allow them to graduate sooner, Leary said. Some of Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture students take a year off to work or travel while they wait to become eligible for classes that require them to be 21.
Despite the loosening of rules surrounding the drinking age that the bill would bring, Leary said the law will not be abused.
It would only apply to those who have chosen wine or brewing programs as their major. In addition, faculty would supervise classes involving wine tasting, making sure students merely taste, not drink, the beverage.
“I think there’s also a lot of respect with students in this industry,” Leary said. “They understand that this is important, and it’s not something to be taken advantage of.”
The bill passed 73-2 in the California Assembly. Now the bill has been sent to the Senate, where it awaits a vote. If the bill passes the Senate, it will then be sent to Governor Jerry Brown to be signed or vetoed.


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The biggest retail conference in the Philippines is happening on August 9 and 10 at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.
Organized by the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), the two-day National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo (NRCE) 2018 is expected to draw in more than 3,000 participants from the retail industry. NRCE 2018 is an annual event now on its 25th year.
This year’s theme is “Reinventing Retail,” which aims to address the challenges faced by brick-and-mortar stores brought about by the rising digitization of businesses.
“It is now time for retailers to step up the ante in their business. Keep up with the pace of the industry and create strategies to meet the current consumer demands, as well as achieve a perennial advantage in an increasingly demanding industry,” the PRA said in a statement.
Leading this year’s conference speakers are Wijnand Jongen, CEO of Dutch e-commerce association Thuiswinkel.org, and Massimo Volpe, chairman of the Forum for International Retail Association Executives and general manager of Retail Institute Italy. They are the keynote speakers for the first and second days, respectively.
There will also be breakout sessions on the supermarket track (Day 1) and digital transformation track (Day 2). The first day will discuss trends in consumer, retail, management and innovations in the field, while the second day will focus on topics such as social media, analytics, design thinking and business transformation.
Other confirmed plenary speakers for Day 1 are Vic Tria, first vice president and head of PLDT Alpha, PLDT Enterprise; Jocelyn Cheung, senior analyst from Euromonitor International (Singapore); and Jane Ng, executive director of Kantar Millward Brown (Philippines).
Plenary speakers for Day 2 include Santanu Dutt, head of solutions and architecture of Amazon Web Services (Philippines and Malaysia); Robert Hayes, senor vice president of TaskUs (Southeast Asia); Juan De Lascurain, CEO of Dream Big World (Spain); Nika Diwa, consultant and stylist of Business Works; and Xin-Yi Wong, sustainability manager of H&M (Singapore).
Entrepreneur PH is a media partner of the NRCE 2018.
For more information, please visit the event website http://www.nrce-ph.com/
Pauline Macaraeg is Entrepreneur PH's data journalist. Follow her on Twitter @paulinemacaraeg

domain: news


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Start-up or small businesses need every help or assistance they can get, especially a business with a lot of potentials. In this day and age of technology constantly evolving, a business needs to update or upgrade to keep up with the fast-changing times. But, not all small-to-medium enterprise (SME) can afford the more popular IT software. So, what to do? Check Servio Technologies and what they can offer!
SERVIO Technologies gets closer to its goal of providing all-in-one IT Solutions to Filipino Businesses with major investments from Mega Global Corp. and Jadel Holdings.
All Filipino entrepreneurs aim to grow their businesses, especially those who started small. Those who have made it big, on the other hand, don’t stop in their progress. But businesses, no matter how big or small, are bound to face difficulties along the way. In this day and age, many business’ needs and concerns can be addressed by information technology (IT) products and services. The challenges lie in having enough resources to equip businesses with IT solutions, and more importantly, finding a trusted IT solution provider. All this can be found in SERVIO Technologies, a newly established Filipino IT solutions company, which specializes in developing innovative and affordable software products and services for Philippine businesses.
Its top three offerings are:
• SERVIO Small Business that sells and supports ANY and ALL cloud-based IT solutions that a small business might need for a subscription fee of just ₱4,950 per month;
• SERVIO Enterprise that provides digital business solutions for large businesses, such as accounting, HR, payroll, and customer service software that are deployed in the cloud or on-premise, with permanent or subscription licenses
• SERVIO Digital Protection Service, a cybersecurity service that assesses vulnerabilities, alerts for potential breaches and assures remedies for damaged digital assets for just ₱250 per device per month.
Recently, SERVIO joined Streetpark Production Inc.’s “The Final Pitch.” Airing on CNN Philippines, the country’s first and only business reality TV show features young Filipino startup founders as they pitch to their successful counterparts as investors.
In a recent episode, SERVIO co-founder Bryan Paul Javier pitched to Mega Global Corp.’s CEO William Tiu Lim. “We want to be able to grow our business in the next three years and this is a critical investment for us. If we are to be successful in our business, we will also be helping a lot of small businesses in the country,” Javier said in his final pitch.
Seeing its potential, Lim offered SERVIO a long-term investment that will help not just small businesses but also larger businesses. Trusting Lim’s experience and expertise, SERVIO co-founder and CEO Joey Gurango accepted the Mega investment, which will be used for new solutions development and acquisition, marketing, and partner channel development. Part of the investment is the inclusion of SERVIO in Mega’s Innovation Hub.
Since “The Final Pitch”, SERVIO has also gained another investment and industrial partner in Jadel Holdings Company Inc. “We really look forward to working with by these partners and learning from them on how we could successfully grow our business,” ended Javier.
To know more about Servio, check out it’s Facebook page on – https://www.facebook.com/servioenterprise/.


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Nine out of 10 of Wegmans’ Virginia locations sold out of the wines, according to the Rochester, N.Y.-based grocer, dousing the efforts of the National Organization for Women. About 300 members of the organization’s Prince William County chapter pressured Wegmans to stop carrying the product, the Washington Post reported.
No Trump-branded wines are sold in Wegmans’ Pennsylvania stores, a spokesperson for the company said, with no plans to carry Virginia wines outside of Virginia. The company sells 237 different wines from 58 Virginia wineries, the spokesperson said.
Jo Natale, vice president of media relations for Wegmans, said the company has carried the wines since 2008, three years before the brand was sold to the Trump family.
“How a product performs is our single measure for what stays on our shelves and what goes,” Natale said. “Individual shoppers who feel strongly about an issue can demonstrate their convictions by refusing to buy a product. When enough people do the same, and sales of a product drop precipitously, we stop selling that product in favor of one that’s in greater demand.”
Other companies, such as Nordstrom and Under Armour, have received both boycotts and support for their connection, perceived or otherwise, to the 45th president. While some have made public statements regarding President Donald Trump, others have let business run its course, preferring to let sales guide decisions over politics.


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There has been a spate of illnesses and even deaths recently from the consumption of raw milk. It is no surprise, then, that Food Safety News Reports that insurance carriers are dropping liability coverage for farms that sell raw milk. Treating a single vulnerable patient, such as a child or an elderly consumer, for Listeria or E. coli can rack up $1 million in medical bills; a wrongful death lawsuit could cost even more. Going uninsured could bankrupt a farm for even a single case, never mind a small cluster of cases. Nor are these cases a result of poor farm practices; they happen at even the most careful and conscientious farms.
But one quote in the article really jumped out at me:
“Most of the entities we work with are larger commercial operations and are not engaged in the sale of raw milk,” explained Tami Griffin, deputy national director for Aon’s Food Systems, Agribusiness & Beverage Group.
“That said,” she told Food Safety News, “we do work with, and have relationships with, underwriters who are in the business of insuring farms, and I would say that they are increasingly concerned about what farmers are selling to consumers through farmers markets, farm stands, etc.” [Emphasis mine.]
Any food item, from your backyard garden to apparently pristine produce in the largest grocery store, can be contaminated with something. Much like the insurance companies who are dropping coverage for raw milk, savvy consumers practice risk management. We wash produce (even that which says it is prewashed), and then we largely ignore the issue because the risks are fairly small for whole produce in this country.
Why, then, would farms who practice direct sales be called out for special attention? Pessimistically, I can think of several reasons, none of which are worth sharing because I choose never to spread FUD. But it may be a small piece in what is an increasingly hostile market environment for small producers, even as consumer demand for local produce and direct farm sales is going up.
In the meantime, if you are a purchaser of raw milk, you may find your supply drying up, or even find yourself signing a contract which waives liability.


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TDC approves strategic plan, drops marketing firm
PANAMA CITY — The Bay County Tourist Development Council has given the green light to continue down the current marketing path through 2020, but a different firm will lead the effort.
The TDC on Tuesday approved of the latest update to its 2020 strategic plan, which supports the marketing effort the council has been following in recent years. However, the firm currently handling the TDC’s advertising, Fahlgren Mortine, did not make the list of five firms under consideration moving forward.
For the last seven years, the TDC has been paying Fahlgren Mortine $24,000 a month to manage its tourism marketing campaign. Several TDC members said Fahlgren has done a decent job, but they are not satisfied with the digital advertising product the firm put out.
The five firms now in the running are Fuse Ideas, Luckie, Barker, Miles and Bright Red. The TDC agreed to have officials from all five firms come in to make presentations and offer price estimates for future work.
TDC Chairman Philip “Griff” Griffitts said he likes the idea of a smaller agency handling the TDC’s advertising campaign because they are more inclined to give personalized service.
“You just want somebody who loves you,” he said, adding big firms “get on the airplane, they put a media plan together and when they land they present it.
“I want somebody who wants to be a partner with us.”
TDC member Buddy Wilkes said Fahlgren still should be considered, as it has handled marketing and advertising during several successful years for the TDC.
“I thought they at least deserved the right to come back and defend themselves,” he said.
Fahlgren officials could not be reached for comment.
The strategic plan calls for promoting tourism year round, which led to a discussion by the board about what is being done to bring in more visitors in March and August. March tourism declined substantially this year in the wake of new laws the city and county passed to “tone down” Spring Break, including banning drinking on the beach in March.
TDC Executive Director Dan Rowe said the council is lining up several events to compensate for that lost business.
“We are generating some success with interest for events coming in March,” Rowe said, mentioning TDC officials have a meeting with organizers of Emerald Coast Cruizin’ about having a second show in March before tossing out other possibilities. “There is a boat show that wants to take place at Aaron Bessant Park in March; the Scottish Festival is coming back, and they want to grow that. We are looking at doing a partnership with the Chamber on the UNwineD event with craft beer, wine and craft spirits at the very end of March.”
Wilkes asked what can be done to bring in more business in the slower months, particularly August, with Rowe responding that August numbers have been good lately.


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Canadian meat packaging giant Maple Leaf Foods suffered a cyberattack on Sunday, prompting multiple system outages and disrupting operations at multiple facilities.
In a short press release, Maple Leaf Foods said it became aware of the issue over the weekend and immediately began working with cybersecurity and third-party specialists to investigate the outage.
Maple Leaf said it expects ongoing service and operational disruptions as it works to resolve the outage, and said it has no ETA for restoration.
“Upon learning of the incident, Maple Leaf Foods took immediate action and engaged cybersecurity and recovery experts,” the company said. “Its team of information systems professionals and third-party experts are working diligently with all available resources to investigate the outage and resolve the situation.”
“The Company is executing its business continuity plans as it works to restore the impacted systems; however, it expects that full resolution of the outage will take time and result in some operational and service disruptions,” Maple Leaf Foods added.
“The Company will continue to work with all its customers and suppliers to minimize these disruptions in order to continue delivering the nutritious food people need.”
For the moment, the iconic Canadian firm has not provided any additional details regarding the number of impacted systems or sites.
No threat group has claimed responsibility, and according to investigators at Bleeping Computer, there have been no announcements on cybercrime forums listing Maple Leaf Foods among new victims.


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Kyocera DuraForce Pro for Verizon Approved by FCC
The FCC today approved new Kyocera phones that seem to match the just-announced DuraForce Pro. One supports both CDMA and LTE 2/4/5/13, a combination unique to Verizon. A separate version compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile networks was also approved today.
Review: Kyocera DuraForce Pro
Kyocera's DuraForce Pro is a capable, rugged Android smartphone for outdoor types who demand a lot from their hardware. No rugged phone is without compromises, but the DuraForce Pro has fewer detractors than most.
Hands On with Kyocera DuraForce Pro
Kyocera's flagship rugged smartphone is the DuraForce Pro. This is one tough handset that combines brawn and brains into a compelling, water-and-drop-proof package.
Samsung Grows Galaxy S Family with S10, S10+, S10e, and S10 5G
Feb 20, 2019
The tenth edition of Samsung's Galaxy S series of flagship phones includes, for the first time, four different models spanning a range of sizes and price points. Samsung announced the Galaxy S10 series today at an event in San Francisco.
T-Mobile Last Major US Carrier to Offer Kyocera DuraForce Pro
May 26, 2017
T-Mobile today added the Kyocera DuraForce Pro to its roster of Android handsets. The phone has been available to AT&T and Sprint customers since last year, and to Verizon customers since January.
Verizon Now Selling the Kyocera DuraForce Pro
Jan 5, 2017
Verizon Wireless has added the Kyocera DuraForce Pro to its lineup of rugged handsets. The phone is available to Verizon customers starting Jan.


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Greg Foran, who was named president and chief executive officer of Wal-Mart China in February 2012, has been chosen to head the discounter’s troubled Asian division, where store closures and weak sales have been thwarting the retailer’s efforts to reverse slowing growth in the U.S.
Foran, a 30-year retail veteran who joined Wal-Mart in 2011, began his career in New Zealand and Australia, starting with a part-time job stocking shelves and eventually becoming head of Woolworths’ Supermarket Division.
Foran’s operational skills were cited as one of the reasons for the announcement. Wal-Mart is hoping to gain a stronger foothold in China.
When he took the China position, Foran succeeded Scott Price, who was then president and ceo of Wal-Mart Asia and interim ceo of Wal-Mart China. Now Foran is again taking over Price’s role.
Price will return to Wal-Mart’s Bentonville, Ark., headquarters to become executive vice president of international strategy, including development and real estate and mergers and acquisitions.
Foran will be succeeded by China chief operating officer Sean Clarke, who will become the ceo of Wal-Mart China.
Price joined the retailer in 2009 as Asia ceo. Under Price’s tenure, Wal-Mart initiated a program in Asia to comply with stringent U.S. antibribery laws and dealt with the Indian government’s fluctuating position on foreign investors being allowed to open retail outlets.
Prior to Wal-Mart, Price was ceo of DHL Express in Europe and Asia-Pacific, and held several positions for Coca-Cola in China.
Foran, Price and Clarke’s new positions are effective June 1.


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« October 2008 Table of Contents
Editor's Note: Feed issue runs deep
By Fiona Robinson, Editor in Chief
October 01, 2008
When it comes to higher commodity prices and the economy, no
one has been left unscathed, including aquaculture companies.
Feeding fish is not just a
"drop-pellets-in-the-water-and-watch-it-boil" affair. Fish
farmers, long the darling of the retail and restaurant
industries that have been able to plan buying programs far in
advance, are facing increased pressures to raise prices.
Assistant Editor James Wright peels back the complexity of
the subject in this issue's Top Story, Feeding Frenzy, on p.
24. Any reader who deals with farmed seafood will be interested
in learning about the many variables aquaculture producers are
facing when it comes to feed, not the least of which is
skyrocketing fishmeal prices.
This is the seafood industry, after all, so you can't escape
watchful NGO eyes. Non-governmental organizations are
pressuring fish farmers to reduce fishmeal concentrations in
some feeds, which they claim reduce s pressure on subsistence
fisheries like anchovies. The story also touches on the growing
fish-oil supplement market, which is siphoning more and more
fish oil once destined for the fish-feed market.
As this issue went to press, overseas headlines detailed
that some fish feeds in South Korea were contaminated with
melamine, a plastic byproduct that can be used to increase the
protein content of food but can be lethal if consumed in large
amounts. Chinese officials were quick to point out that the
fish feed ingredients, contaminated squid powder, did not come
from China - yet another reason fish farmers are on edge. The
fish-feed dilemma is complex, and considering the aquaculture
industry's rapid growth, one that will be in the spotlight for
years to come.


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Halo Infinite broke the mold by offering free-to-play online multiplayer. While players were largely thankful for this unique switch-up, problems have persisted since this portion of the game launched on November 15, 2021, three weeks before the campaign hit shelves. 343 Industries has been working hard to correct some of the more egregious issues that players are experiencing and an incredibly lengthy new community update blog post is explaining what can be expected going forward.
The development team first addresses the elephant in the room–desync and the overall online experience. Sandbox team lead engineer Richard Watson explains that the team has increased the priority of low pings to Halo Infinite‘s servers in the matchmaking progress. “This step should help you match with local players, and therefore have a better connection, more often. As you get more of these local matches, instances of playing on further data centers will also decline,” the post explains.
The devs also believe that recent tweaks will have a very noticeable effect on matchmaking in less-populated regions, including Australia and Asia.
The newest update should also prevent players from ‘geo-filtering’ online matches, improving online stability. The term refers to the process of manipulating router settings or system files to trick Infinite‘s matchmaking system to “give them matches hosted on servers located near them.” According to the team, “when players do this, it creates a small benefit to them at the cost of making the match worse for everyone else.” Basically, it causes unstable matches for other people in the lobby.
Halo Infinite is available to play on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. In just over one month, the game has amassed 20 million players, making it the biggest launch in franchise history and the biggest Halo game in terms of players. Earlier this month, Head of Creative Joseph Staten announced that the Halo Infinite‘s seasonal roadmap, Co-Op, and Forge would be delayed. No updated release date has been announced.


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SALT LAKE CITY -- For the first time ever, Utah ski resorts are working together and partnering up for their season passes.
The ski season hasn’t even begun, but industry experts said these new passes should make skiing more affordable to locals, bring in new tourists and boost Utah’s local economy in the winter.
With this year’s first snow, skiing and snowboarding is now on the minds of many Utahns and even avid snow sports enthusiasts from out of state.
“At the end of the day the real benefit is going to go to the skiers and snowboarders,” said Emily Moench, Communications Manager with Snowbird.
Moench is talking about the many different passes and perks offered this year, and the unprecedented partnership between Utah’s ski resorts.
“This year we're offering premium pass perks, and if you buy a season pass at either Alta, Snowbird, Deer Valley or Park City, you get three tickets to the other three resorts that you can use anytime,” she said.
Talks to partner between Utah’s ski resorts have been in the works, but now it’s actually happening.
Susie English, Director of Communications with Ski Utah said, “What's great is it's just this wonderful added benefit for skiers, and so if you've always had a Deer Valley pass or always only had an Alta pass you now can have those passes but also experience different resorts around the state.”
Another new pass this year is the Canyon’s Epic Pass. It gives customers access to 26 different mountains in four countries.
Steve Pastorino said he’s confident this will bring new tourists to The Canyons and Utah’s other ski resorts.
“There are Epic Pass holders all over the country, and this is the first that this season pass is available for skiing in Park City,” he said. “They've heard about this amazing destination, they watched the Olympics, and now this is the year we think that our guests are going to come check us out.”
Of course, there’s always a bottom line. The hope is that these new perks and passes will draw tourists from Colorado, California, and other nearby ski hubs. These new passes start as low as about $350 and range up to more than $1,000, depending on the resort.
Again, there’s the Epic Pass, Mountain Collective, Big Cottonwood Pass, and the Best Benefit in the Wasatch. More details on these passes can be found here.


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(Natural News) In yet another example of how technology can at times work against our best interests, a family in Portland felt compelled to contact Amazon recently after a private conversation was recorded by the voice-controlled smart speaker “Alexa” and subsequently sent out to a random person living in Seattle.
“My husband and I would joke and say I’d bet these devices are listening to what we’re saying,” explained Danielle, who did not want her last name disclosed. She went on to describe an alarming phone call that she received from one of her husband’s employees in Seattle, who told her to “unplug your Alexa devices right now” because “you’re being hacked.”
“We unplugged all of them and he proceeded to tell us he had received audio files of recordings from inside our house,” Danielle said. “At first, my husband was, like, ‘no you didn’t!’ And the (recipient of the message) said ‘You sat there talking about hardwood floors.’ And we said, ‘oh gosh, you really did hear us.’”
Danielle said that she felt that her privacy had been invaded, and that she’s no longer going to be using the Amazon Alexa device because she simply can’t trust it any more. (Related: Amazon has quietly decided to start photographing your home each time they make a delivery.)
When the local news station KIRO 7 reached out to Amazon for a response, the e-commerce giant issued the following statement: “Amazon takes privacy very seriously. We investigated what happened and determined this was an extremely rare occurrence. We are taking steps to avoid this from happening in the future.” (Related: A new Amazon patent admits that it will listen in real-time for “trigger words” that could get you arrested and imprisoned.)
Experts have warned of this possibility
Truthfully, stories similar to this one about the Amazon Alexa listening in on private conversations aren’t that rare; as a matter of fact, they seem to be becoming increasingly common. Worse still, these recorded conversations could potentially end up in the wrong hands.
Last June, a security expert issued a dire warning to users of electronic assistants like the Amazon Alexa and the Google Echo, explaining that these devices could be hacked by criminals and used to steal important and personal information.
According to cybersecurity expert Dr. Jason Nurse, even though the electronic assistant devices put out by Amazon all have an “activation” word (“hey Alexa,” for example), hackers could potentially find a way to make it so that these devices are listening in on your private conversations around the clock. Once that is accomplished, all it would take is a quick sentence or two about your banking information – perhaps as you talk on the phone with your financial advisor, for example – and the hacker could do a tremendous amount of damage to your livelihood and peace of mind.
In order to test if a security breach like this was truly possible, a team of researchers at the security firm Checkmarx began fiddling with the Amazon Alexa to see how easy it would be for a hacker to hack in. After just a few clever manipulations, they were able to achieve their goal, thus proving that the warning made by Dr. Jason Nurse last June is entirely legitimate.
It would be wrong to say that devices like the Amazon Alexa and similar electronic assistants are entirely bad in nature. Indeed, they do make life much more convenient and come with a number of neat features. However, if the future is going to include advanced technology like this, then companies like Amazon are going to have to work harder than ever to ensure that the privacy and safety of their customers is not compromised. Read PrivacyWatch.news for more coverage.


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Cannabis brands sponsoring concerts
We are now in the final season of Canadian cannabis prohibition. The plant will be federally legal this fall and with this comes a huge wake up call for the marketing departments of some licensed producers. Once the Cannabis Act comes into force on October 17, many of the current tactics utilized by LPs will be banned. Let’s take a look at all the ways that cannabis companies are currently skirting the ACMPR marketing regulations and spreading their brands.
Licensed producers such as Tweed, Aurora and UP Cannabis have all sponsored music festivals over the summer. LP’s new recreational brands can be seen at a variety of events across the country. Under the Cannabis Act, sponsorship of any public event is forbidden. Health Canada has responded to this non-compliance by stating that it’s prepared to crack down on producers who are sponsoring music festivals and other gatherings. The department warns that it is paying attention and has noticed other promotional activities that violate Bill C-45. HC hasn’t been as clear about these other types of promotional activities and hasn’t publically penalized any companies for breaking the advertising rules, yet.
Before the new bill comes into effect, licensed producers are technically supposed to be abiding by the marketing regulations set out under the ACMPR. Those regulations treat cannabis as a narcotic and state that no advertising to the general public is allowed. And any advertisement that is created Licensed producers are not allowed to purchase advertising on social media platforms to spread awareness or sell products. However, they can privately pay influencers to post on their own social media accounts about the brand. They have also started enlisting these influencers to purchase advertising on their behalf, running ads for the LP on social media coming from the influencer and not should have the symbol "N" clear ly and conspicuously displayed in the upper left-hand quarter. It is safe to say that licensed producers are simply not allowed to advertise using billboards and other OOH tactics, but they do. I’ve yet to seen an “N” symbol on any of them either.
Under the upcoming Cannabis Act, promotion by means of a testimonial or endorsement is completely forbidden. It is yet to be seen how this will play out with partnerships like Tweed and Snoop Dogg. Testimonial and endorsement are ambiguous terms, the words used in these regulations need to be defined. LP Invictus appointed music legend Gene Simmons as their “Chief Evangelist Officer” – is this allowed? UP will be naming strains after numerous The Tragically Hip song names – is this allowed? Beleave has signed a “brand licensing agreement” with film stars Jay and Silent Bob that allows them to develop proprietary strains together – is this allowed? We don’t know and we won’t know until the smoke clears. There is some serious clarifying to do on the part of Health Canada.
Licensed producers are not allowed to purchase advertising on social media platforms to spread awareness or sell products. However, they can privately pay influencers to post on their own social media accounts about the brand. They have also started enlisting these influencers to purchase advertising on their behalf, running ads for the LP on social media coming from the influencer and not the company.
There is no mention of this specific tactic being restricted in the regulations. However, this may full under the restriced testimonial/endorsement or general advertising tactics depending on how the monitoring agency sees it.
Licensed producers are not allowed to market towards the general public currently, but they can advertise towards their own patient base through email lists and other tactics. They can market towards those that have announced themselves as marijuana users through cannabis-specific publications and websites (such as AdCann). They can create a true following and identity through social media. Think branding, not advertising. Under both the ACMPR and Cannabis Act regulations, non-promotional information is not considered advertising. Inform your audience, don’t sell them.
With all that being said, I personally disagree with both the current and upcoming marketing regulations that this industry is subject to. I completely understand why licensed producers are acting the way they are and taking advantage of these next few months before the new rules officially kick in. If the legal market is ever going to have a chance at competing with the grey market they need to brand and advertise in more effective ways. If they aren’t allowed to do this, the “creative compliance” will continue.


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Former high-ranking Intel executive Diane Bryant is leaving Google.
Bryant, who led Intel’s data center business and was one of the company’s highest ranked female executives, joined Google’s cloud computing unit in late November as chief operating officer. 244 more words
Present day business requirements are accelerating the drive towards off-premises, service-oriented IT solutions. Companies are moving fast towards digital transformation to keep up with the changing expectations of customers. 270 more words
Shares of VMware are booming after Dell Technologies said Monday that it’s returning to the public markets.
The data center software giant’s shares were up nearly 10% to $161.17 in midday trading, indicating that investors were pleased with Dell’s… 157 more words
Free online backup has been widely popular on account of quick, solid web associations. The interest is justifiable: you can store your documents on the web and afterward get to them from any gadget that is associated with the web, including work areas, PCs, tablets and cell phones. 1,184 more words


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Just days after DISH Network announced a wide-ranging TV carriage deal with Disney that includes rights for an over-the-top (OTT) service, arch-rival DirecTV is following suit with a similar play.
Still basking in the success of House of Cards, Netflix has launched another original series From Dusk Till Dawn exclusively for members in Canada, Ireland, Netherlands, Nordics, UK and Latin America.
Zee's over-the-top (OTT) video platform Ditto TV has teamed up with Fortuma to introduce a new mobile payment option to subscribers wishing to access its 70 live channels or video-on-demand (VOD) services.
Despite facing a legal injunction against operating in Utah and the rest of the tenth district circuit of the United States, Aereo is launching its over-the-top (OTT) video streaming service in greater Austin area on 3 March. Greater Austin is Aereo's fourth market to launch in Texas and includes a 12-county area.
With its House of Cards setting the new standard for both quality and demand, Netflix is also setting the pace when it comes to distribution to world markets, IHS Technology has revealed.


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Apple Executive Resigns
Published 4:00 am, Tuesday, April 16, 1996
Another week, another Apple Computer Inc. executive leaves.
David Nagel, who ran the company's worldwide research and development division for one and a half years, yesterday resigned to become president of AT&T Labs, the telecommunication giant's 1,900-person research unit.
"It was a pretty remarkable opportunity," said Nagel, who will focus on speech recognition and wireless communications technologies. "It's one of the best jobs I can imagine."
Apple CEO Gil Amelio will fill in for Nagel until a replacement is named, Apple said. Analysts said it is important for Apple to name a successor soon or high-profile projects such as its Copland operating system may slip.
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"This is a fairly big loss," said Pieter Hartsook, editor of the Hartsook Letter, an industry newsletter based in Alameda. "Nagel is a stronger technologist than he was a manager. There is some brain drain there."
Nagel, 50, dismissed rumors he was miffed that new Apple Chief Administrative Officer George Scalise would take over R&D operations as part of an ongoing restructuring.
On Friday, Scalise -- a former National Semiconductor Corp. official who worked under Amelio -- took over developer relations. Nagel also denied he was leaving Apple because it is financially strapped. The Cupertino computer maker will report a $700 million second-quarter loss tomorrow.
Nagel said Amelio "knows exactly what to do and I have great confidence in him."


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This year's theme: "Ascendant"
“Ascendant” promises to be a bigger production than ever. It will take place on the 24,000 square foot indoor field house in the brand new Richard C. Call Arena which will be transformed into a dreamlike space by the Fashion Program students. With plenty of space and seating for 2,000 guests, the students will be putting on one huge production. The only show will be on Saturday, April 28 at 7 p.m. so make sure to get seats today.
Tickets to attend the show are available in advance for $5 per person until 4:30 p.m. on April 25. After that, tickets will be available at the door for $8 per person. To purchase tickets in advance, e-mail email@example.com today.


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By Niyi Tabiti
Come december 2011, the duo of Banke Meshida and Ugonna Omeruo would be hosted because of what is considered as their valuable contributions to the Nigerian fashion and beauty industry.
Banke Meshida is one of Nigeria’s most successful make-up atists.
She has been in the industry for more than a decade, doing make up for high profile personalities. Just recently, Banke joined the fashion cabinet of Nigeria’s first lady, Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan as her official make up artist.
When it comes to make up, believe me you can bank on Banke!
If you want to be a top makeup artist like her, cosmetology schools can help you enter this exciting profession.
City People would be hosting Banke @ Ember Creek , Awolowo road, Ikoyi on 5 December 2011.
Ugonna Omeruo would be hosted to a lavish party by City People magazine on 10 December 2011 @ Ember Creek.According to the invitation Ugonna is being hosted because of her remarkable rise in Nigeria’s Fashion Industry.
Dress Code is look simply glamorous.


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Reports indicate that Verizon is preparing to roll out an Android Jelly Bean update for their Galaxy Nexus smartphones.
Droid Life confirmed the authenticity of the update, and also mentions Verizon Galaxy Nexus owners would be updated to the latest version of Android Jelly Bean, 4.2.2.
The update will bring a lot of new features, with one of the major being the new on-board radio.
A member of XDA Developers, the den of Android development community, has released a screenshot that shows how the update looks on the handset.
The same member revealed previous Verizon Galaxy Nexus OTA updates in the past. He reports the new radio seems to work well after receiving the update.
Other features users will receive include lockscreen widgets and Photosphere. The update is expected to roll out to users in the next couple of days.
Let us know when you get the update and what you think of it in the comments section below!


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NOTE: A brief description of the five I-3 zone winners and four sector winners is available at http://innovacorp.ca/news/news/i-3-winners-2013-2014 .
A Sydney-based company developing technology that protects companies and governments against website and network attacks is receiving a $100,000 seed investment from Innovacorp to implement its go-to-market plan.
Innovacorp announced Heimdall Networks is the provincial winner of the I-3 Technology Start-Up Competition, ending a five-month search to find the best start-ups in Nova Scotia.
“Innovacorp’s I-3 Technology Start-Up Competition once again demonstrates the strong entrepreneurial spirit that is pervasive in Nova Scotia, and the compelling business ideas germinating here,” said Premier Stephen McNeil. “Fostering that entrepreneurism is vital to growing our economy.”
Heimdall Networks has developed a solution that identifies legitimate and illicit network traffic, filtering out the bad traffic while letting the good traffic through.
“Winning this competition allows us to complete our beta trials and implement our go-to market plan and make some key hires to build out our sales and marketing team,” said Jim DeLeskie, founder and CTO of Heimdall Networks.
The provincial I-3 competition began Sept. 4, and Innovacorp received 228 submissions from entrepreneurs across Nova Scotia.
The competition finds and supports high-potential early stage Nova Scotia knowledge-based companies, and encourages entrepreneurship across the province. These businesses will fuel economic growth.
“Innovacorp’s I-3 competition is about creating real companies, with real market potential,” said Stephen Duff, president and CEO of Innovacorp. “Heimdall’s compelling technology and sound business plan puts them in great standing to compete in the global network security marketplace.”
The I-3 competition allows Innovacorp and partners to improve the business-building help they provide.
In total, $900,000 in cash, seed investment and in-kind services was awarded to winners. First-place zone winners each received $100,000 in cash and in-kind services and the second-place winners won a $40,000 package. Also, this year there were four $25,000 cash awards for the best submissions in information and communications technology, life sciences, clean technology, and oceans technology.
Heimdall Networks won the Information and Communications Technology category, Spring Loaded Technology won Life Sciences, Atlantic Motor Labs Inc., was the top Clean Technology entry and Natural Oceans Technology Inc., won Oceans Technology.
The previously announced zone winners are Heimdall Networks, Extrify, from New Glasgow, CelluFuel Inc., from Brooklyn, Queens Co., Fenol Farm Inc., from Mount Uniacke and Spring Loaded Technology of Halifax.
Innovacorp is Nova Scotia’s early stage venture capital organization. To learn more about the I-3 Technology Start-Up Competition, which takes place every two years, visit www.innovacorp.ca .


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The unemployment rate surged to 10 percent in Obama’s first year in office and has fallen gradually since then, landing at 8.2 percent as of June. Part of the decline has come as some Americans have gone back to work, but also because many workers have dropped out of the labor force.
During the first three months of 2009, the economy slumped at an annual rate of 6.7 percent. Since then the GDP has been growing and slowly recovering, but the rebound has been a lackluster one compared to those following prior recessions.
Gas and food prices have had a few temporary growth spurts in the past few years, but overall, inflation has remained relatively low, held back by falling home prices and stagnant wages.
WEB EXCLUSIVE: Orange County faces a number of key proposals, measures and local elections next month. Learn about them here.
Consumer spendingAmid slumping home prices and rising unemployment, consumers pulled back on their spending during the recession. Stimulus programs temporarily boosted auto sales and home purchases in 2009, but since then, spending has picked up only gradually. Consumers are focusing on paying down debt instead.
More than 3 million Americans have lost their homes to foreclosure since early 2009, but bank repossessions have fallen in half since they peaked in September 2010.
The financial crisis of 2008 spurred spending increases and tax cuts. That’s a key reason why debt held by the public has increased since 2008. That jump will have to be paid off with interest. Much of those emergency measures will end, so for the next decade, annual deficits should be much lower than they’ve been recently. But over the long run, debt is still projected to grow faster than the economy.
While you're here, check out:
≈ OC METRO magazine's current issue and past issues ≈


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City crews around the Puget Sound region are ramping up efforts to fix potholes before fall’s wet weather kicks in.
The City of Tacoma recently had crews out on Tacoma Mall Boulevard, patching and repairing trouble spots.
The city says the area is one of the largest business districts in the city, and they’re trying to get road work done now, before holiday shoppers flock to the stores.
“With the amount we’re going to have people in here doing shopping for the holidays and going to the restaurants, we just like to get in here about a month or two before that and make sure the roads are as passable as possible and have the best ride possible,” says Mason Moore, a supervisor with the Tacoma Public Works Division.
If you know of a pothole in your area that needs fixing – the city would like to know about it. You can report it by dialing 311, or reporting it on the city’s website.


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Update: The new Google Maps app is now available on the App Store.
Google announced an update for its Google Maps for iOS app today that adds a fresh new Material Design layout focusing on bright colors and real world surfaces and shadows. The software’s refreshed interface is set to roll out over the next few days, with new features like dinner reservations from OpenTable (US only) and enhanced information cards with photos and reviews of popular attractions near your location.
Apple’s Maps app, introduced as part of iOS 6 in 2012, has had its fair share of technical issues and was the source of a PR crisis and the ejection of multiple long-time Apple executives. But two years later, if data from UK carrier EE is any indication, Apple Maps usage appears to be on an upward trend. Here’s the latest usage data for Apple Maps from the network:
Just a little more than a week after acquiring Beats, Apple has now reportedly acquired Spotsetter. According to a report out of TechCrunch, Apple quietly snatched up the company mainly for the technology and two founders behind the service. Spotsetter was founded in 2012 by ex-Google Maps engineer Stephen Tse and Jonny Lee. Both Lee and Tse’s LinkedIn profiles now say they’re employed by Apple, as well.
Google released a major feature update to Google Maps for iOS today bringing a handful of useful features for navigation and travel with your iPhone and iPad including integration with the private transportation service Uber.
First up is a feature found on many dedicated GPS devices: lane guidance. The feature will present which lane is necessary with current directions to help you avoid missing important turns. Notably, Apple’s Maps software does not currently offer this feature. Google says lane guidance is currently only available for users in the US and Canada… Read more
After Mark uncovered it last April and Apple announced it last June, this week we’ve seen a steady stream of details about Apple’s iOS and car integration following Apple’s marketing push. There’s plenty more coverage on the way as we continue to explore what CarPlay means for Apple and its users, but now we want to hear from you. What effect will CarPlay have on your next car purchase?
Cars certainly aren’t purchases you make impulsively (or often), and CarPlay seems to address that by relying on the iPhone (something we may purchase impulsively and often) for much of the functionality. Among other things, will CarPlay be on the list of things you look for in your next car purchase? Read more
New documents leaked by Edward Snowden and reported by The New York Times, The Guardian and ProPublica detail how the NSA and its British counterpart can collect users’ personal data through smartphone apps. The reports specifically mention popular apps like Angry Birds, Twitter, Google Maps and Facebook and claim the NSA is capable of intercepting information ranging from location, age, and sex of users to address books, buddy lists, phone logs, geographic data and more:
The N.S.A. and Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters were working together on how to collect and store data from dozens of smartphone apps by 2007, according to the documents, provided by Edward J. Snowden, the former N.S.A. contractor. Since then, the agencies have traded recipes for grabbing location and planning data when a target uses Google Maps, and for vacuuming up address books, buddy lists, phone logs and the geographic data embedded in photos when someone sends a post to the mobile versions of Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, Twitter and other services.
At least one of the app developers, Rovio, is not surprisingly unaware of any of the activity mentioned in the documents, but it will be up to the app developers, Apple, and Google to address the issue and clarify for users if their personal data is safe. In a recent interview with ABC, Apple CEO Tim Cook commented on the controversy over surveillance programs and promised he would press congress for more transparency: Read more
Apple Maps may not have had the best of starts, but data from ComScore shows that most iPhone users have stuck with the app rather than reinstalling Google Maps. Google Maps lost 23M iPhone users in the US alone in the last year, with similar numbers expected elsewhere.
The figures show that in September this year, 35M iPhone owners used Apple Maps, against just 6M for Google Maps – the latter including around 2M who were using older versions of iOS unable to run Apple Maps.
The story is essentially a simple one: while techier iOS users may choose their own apps, the majority of iPhone owners use the apps that Apple provides. And if you apply that to other services, that may not bode well for technologies like Pandora … Read more
Google announced today on its Google Maps blog that it’s finally tapping into the talent and technology it picked up with its acquisition of Waze back in June by integrating real time incident reports from Waze into Google Maps. The new integration means that when Waze users report incidents for everything from accidents to road closures, Google Maps users on both iOS and Android will now be able to benefit:
Users of Google Maps for Mobile will now benefit from real time incident reports from Waze users. This means when Wazers report accidents, construction, road closures and more on Waze, the updates will also appear on the Google Maps app for Android and iOS.
The features will initially be limited to users in certain locations, including: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Switzerland, UK and the US. In addition, as Google first hinted back in June, the company will also be integrating Google Search into the Waze apps on iOS and Android, while the Waze Map Editor now has access to Google Street View imagery: Read more
As reported on 9to5Google last night, Google is rolling out a huge update to its maps app for Android but they are also promising the updates will hit iOS ‘soon’.
- Designed for tablets: A dedicated tablet design brings all the features of this new app to Android tablets and iPads, which makes exploring the world from the comfort of your living room much more fluid, smooth and fun.
- Enhanced navigation: In addition to current traffic conditions, we’ve added two new features to help you navigate around traffic. You can now see reports of problems on the road that you can tap to see incident details [Hello Waze]. While on the road, Google Maps will also alert you if a better route becomes available and reroute you to your destination faster. This feature is available only on Android and is coming soon to iOS.
- Reviews, Zagat and Offers: There’s a new 5.0 star rating system that gives you a quick read on how your friends and others rate places like restaurants, bars and cafes. For an expert’s opinion, the Zagat badge of excellence and curated lists are integrated into search results so you can quickly spot the very best places. From “Best Restaurants to meet for a drink in NYC” to “Best Restaurants in the Mission” in San Francisco, Zagat’s there to help you uncover the local gems.
There’s also a lot of housecleaning, including retiring Latitude (another one bites the dust!) and some changes to offline and My Maps.
The updated Android app looks a lot like the Maps app Google released for iOS at the end of last year (prominent reviewers called the iOS Maps app much better than Android’s Maps app). Another interesting fun fact: Because carriers and manufacturers are so slow to update Android, only 60% of Android users will be able to use the new maps (Android 4.03+ only), while over 90% of iOS users are on iOS 6+, which will get the new features. Read more
We showed you significant updates to Google Maps which leaked early this morning, and Google just announced updates to Maps at Google I/O.
Google also announced that its Maps API is used by over 1 million active sites and accessed by 1 billion unique visitors weekly.
Maps will now feature a 5 star rating system for locations across all platforms. Users can now swipe across results in a simple, gesture user interface. Zagat reviews are now more prominent with badges and cards simplifying its appearance. These cards now include a new Offers experience with partners including Starbucks.
Google Maps for Mobile also includes improvements to rerouting in transit and explore features. Google Maps for iPad was demoed during the keynote, which we expect to see with the iPhone update this summer. Read more
Temple Run: Oz: Developers of the Temple Run franchise have once again teamed up with Disney to release a game built on the Temple Run 2 engine but set in the world of an upcoming Disney film. This time Imangi Studios brings the Temple Run gameplay experience to the world of Oz in support of the upcoming Oz the Great and Powerful film. The game is available for 99 cents now and features new gameplay elements you haven’t seen in past Temple Run titles.
• Stunning environments inspired by the film – explore them all.
• Fly in a hot air balloon – earn even more coins.
• Explore different locations in Oz – follow sign posts!
• The environment changes as you run – test your reflexes.
• Compete in weekly challenges – beat your friends!
Google Maps version 1.1: Google Maps for iOS gets the ability to search Google Contacts, quickly access search for local places, and select between Kilometers or Miles. Google announced the new features in a blog post and also noted that it is rolling out the English version of the app to seven new countries including: Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE.
Your Google Contacts are now integrated into Google Maps for iPhone – meaning that when you’re signed-in and search for a friend’s name, their address will appear as a suggestion (if you have their address saved). Simply tap their name to see the address, which will visible only to you, on the map. To learn an easy way to keep your Google Contacts synced with your iPhone, click here.
* Search your Google Contacts; sign in to have your saved addresses show up when you search for friends and family by name.
* Quickly search for local places by selecting popular categories such as restaurants, bars, cafes, gas stations, etc.
* Choose between Kilometers or Miles for your preferred distance units.
* Note that some features may not be available in all countries.


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The all-inclusive spot market into the US was level during the week ending April 1 as post-Lunar New Year demand had yet to recover and North Asian cities remained largely under lockdown as coronavirus cases spread.
The Asia-US premium spot market has been in decline in recent months, as the Lunar New Year and Beijing Olympics put a hold on US import demand, which has yet to return in full force as the market is in the seasonal spring off-period.
But intermodal issues persist as landside market forces have yet to find balance amid a dearth of chassis and non-fluid rail networks.
“In my opinion, the only market force that could realistically push rates down is lower volume,” said a US-based freight forwarder. “There is a lull from CNY return.”
During the week ending April 1, S&P Global Commodity Insights heard market value rates into the US West Coast at the $8,000 to $10,000/FEU levels as wider pockets of FAK space opened up, while some premiums were closer to $13,000/FEU for rapid loadings.
The USEC and Gulf markets remain under pressure, however, amid strong demand and widespread congestion at key ports such as Charleston, South Carolina, Norfolk, and Houston.
Similarly, the FAK spot rate from North Asia to North America held firm during the week, and PCR13—Asia to USWC—was assessed March 31 at $8,000/FEU, a discount of $4,000/FEU to North Asian cargoes bound for the US Atlantic Coast.
“As of late, not a lot of premiums,” said another US freight forwarder. “There’s still some, but it’s been a lot less than what it was. We anticipate that tide to begin to turn as we turn the corner to peak.”
Southeast Asia stable
The all-inclusive premium rates were stable in the Southeast Asia-to-North America trade lane as lower manufacturing in China was offset by concerns of supply chain disruptions and higher fuel costs, sources said.
The average freight for Southeast Asia to North America was heard at $17,000-$18,000/FEU for East Coast and $15,000-$16,000/FEU for West Coast, unchanged from a week ago.
“The demand is rather weak as many manufacturing units in China have come to a halt amid ongoing COVID shutdowns …we are also getting some discounted rates from carriers like OOCL but, overall, there is no decline in prices due to anticipation of a cargo backlog and port congestion when lockdown is lifted,” a source based in Singapore said.
The truckers’ shortage in not just China but also the US, the UK, and Canada, continue to stress the supply chain further, the source added.
Meanwhile, some carriers also announced GRIs of 2,700/TEU and 3,000/FEU on the Asia-North America route, effective May 1, two sources said.
“The carriers are trying to push GRIs expecting heavy cargo volumes in May but it’s unlikely that such steep increases will materialize,” a freight forwarder based in India said.
Container rates on the Indian Subcontinent-to-East Coast North America trade route remained stable at elevated levels as equipment shortage and blank sailings continue to plague the market, sources said.
On the first day of its launch, Platts Container Rate 39—Indian Subcontinent-to-East Coast North America—was assessed at $13,000/FEU and PCR40—East Coast North America-to-Indian Subcontinent—at $1,500/FEU.
“Most carriers have reduced capacity allotment[s] in India despite a slowdown in global trade amid the ongoing Russia[-Ukraine] war and China shutdowns … there is no clear explanation but they keep using capacity crunch as an excuse to quote high rates,” a freight forwarder based in India said.
The rising bunker fuel costs may usher in more troubles, the freight forwarder added.
To complement the spot container freight rate on the route, S&P Global Commodity Insights has also launched two daily Platts container freight bunker charge assessments and two daily Platts container bunker excluded assessments for the Indian Subcontinent to East Coast North America shipping lane, effective April 1.


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Las Vegas: Motorola Mobility and Lenovo on Tuesday said they will use Intel processors in smartphones and other devices, giving the chipmaker its first entry into a market it has long coveted.
Intel Corp. has struggled to bring down the power consumption of its chips so that they can be used in phones without draining the battery in a matter of hours. Meanwhile, phone-style chips from other manufacturers are starting to encroach on Intel's PC chips, by becoming the chips of choice for tablet computers.
Lenovo Group Ltd. will be first out the gate, with a smartphone called K800 for the Chinese carrier Unicom in the second quarter, according to Liu Jun, a senior vice president at the company. The phone will have a 4.5-inch touch screen and will be able to stream video to TV sets equipped with Intel's Wireless Display technology.
Jun spoke as the guest of Intel CEO Paul Otellini, who was making a keynote speech at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. He was joined on stage by Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. CEO Sanjay Jha, who said he will have Intel-powered phones in testing this summer and ready for consumer hands a few months later....more
09:25 AM, Jan 11, 2012
Tokyo: NTT Docomo Inc, Japan's biggest mobile phone service operator, said Tuesday it will partner with South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co and other Japanese firms to develop chips for smartphones. Docomo and Samsung will be joined by NEC Corp Panasonic Corp and Fujitsu Ltd in the venture. Docomo will invest $5.8 million to create a subsidiary in preparation for the start of the partnership, it said in a statement. Fabricating...
02:23 PM, Dec 27, 2011


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In this region of Siberia, long synonymous with gulags and hardship, shoppers mobbed an Ikea store last winter with the vigor of a miners’ riot.
They loaded their outsize yellow shopping carts with clothes, housewares, appliances and small furniture.
The store and the surrounding Mega mall, opened last year on a bluff beside the Ob River, are expecting 12 million visitors this year — bursting with pent-up consumerism and oil rubles, unbothered by the economic uncertainty roiling much of the rest of the world.
Siberia, where Russians waited in long lines to buy food with ration cards not long ago, is the improbable epicenter of a huge mall boom. As retail businesses shrink in the US, provincial Russian towns like this one have become targets of retailers and shopping center developers from around the world. Malls in this area are even poaching managers from as far away as California.
Across the great expanse of Russia — on plots cleared of birch groves and decrepit factories, on the territory of old airports and collective farms — big-box stores are rising at a rate of several a month. Russia is projected to open twice as much mall space as any other European country this year, and Europe will open more shopping centers this year than ever.
All that retail space is spawning a consumer culture in industrial towns that once had little of either.
“Your eyes open wide, there is so much to buy,” Tatyana Salamatina, a retired engineer at one of the city’s military factories, said in the food court of the Mega mall.
“You should carry a basket,” instead of pushing a cart, she advised, because “then you know by the weight when you have too much.”
To be sure, malls are nothing new in Moscow, where money from oil and other industries has always pooled. Indeed, in Moscow and the surrounding region, 38 malls are scheduled to open before 2010.
What is new is the dispersion of wealth in the Russian provinces that have, for centuries, been poor.
The proliferation of malls in Siberia is transforming the drab gray landscape on the outskirts of these cities into a tableau of Day-Glo green and purple outlets and providing a slim ray of hope to retailers whose business is lagging elsewhere.
Russian retailing has become such an alluring business that Ernst & Young and KPMG highlighted the sector last month at an investor road show in London.
In a sign of how trickle-down petroleum money appeals to retailers, at a time of near-record oil prices, Russian developers were expected to open 4.6 million square meters of retail space in shopping centers in the second half of last year and this year, said Cushman & Wakefield, the real estate company.
That is more than double the new shopping center area planned in Poland, the European country with the second-largest pipeline of malls in development.
“You have this incredible purchasing power in these cities retailers want to tap into,” said Charles Slater, a partner working in the Russia office of Cushman & Wakefield, which advises mall developers headed to the Russian hinterlands. “There is a race for land.”
That is another reason sparsely built Siberia is so popular.
Developers are turning to the 12 provincial cities in Russia with populations of more than 1 million, islands of prosperity with population inflows from rural migration and rising purchasing power, ripe for malls.


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Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown to control the spread of the novel Coronavirus, movie theatres are closed and many big banner films have been postponed from their original date.
A barrage of films are waiting for release after the lockdown is lifted and in such a scenario, it will be difficult for filmmakers to accommodate all films for a theatrical release. Owing to the current scenario, many films will have opted for a direct digital release and will be streaming online on OTT platforms.
Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana's Gulabo Sitabo was the first film to mark it’s release on the OTT platform and many other films including Vidya Balan's Shakuntala Devi, Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani starrer Laxmmi Bomb, Alia Bhatt-Sanjay Dutt’s Sadak 2, Ajay Devgn’s Bhuj, and many others will now directly release on Disney + Hotstar.
However, Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan’s comedy-drama Coolie No 1 might see a theatrical release only. The makers are keen on releasing the film on the big screen and have also decided on a release date as well.
Reportedly, the makers of Coolie No 1 held various meetings to decide the release route for the film. After several meetings, the makers concluded that as the film is a comedy-drama, it will be a relief in these dire times of anguish and thus, the makers have picked a New Year’s release date, January 1, 2021 to showcase the films in theatres.
The report adds that filmmaker David Dhawan received many offers from the OTT platforms, however, he is ardent for a theatrical release for Coolie No 1.
As per Bollywood Hungama’s report, “The idea is to bring in the New Year with laughter. Varun’s Mr. Lele, which has been shelved, was initially eyeing the New Year release, and now that slot will be taken over by Coolie No. 1. That’s the target for now, however it all depends on the on-ground scenario. Even though Sooryavanshi and 83 have announced their release dates, there lies a strong possibility of a delay in both the films if the cases keep on increasing. It’s all tentative for now.”
Speaking of Coolie No 1, the film is a remake of 1995 Govinda and Karisma Kapoor starrer and features Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan together for the first time on screen. It also stars Jaaved Jaaferi, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Shikha Talsania. Earlier, it was scheduled to release on May 1, 2020 but was postponed in the wake of the Coronavirus outburst in the nation.


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Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Dept. is selling pink badges for St. Jude
YALOBUSHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department is raising awareness and helping some sick children at the same time.
This month the agency is selling pink patches for $10.
This patch is for Breast Cancer Awareness.
The money goes to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
You can purchase them at the administrative office in Water Valley.


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Sony has officially announced the release date and price for its PlayStation 5 Access Controller, which aims to provide enhanced accessibility for gamers with disabilities. This innovative and customizable controller design will soon be available for pre-order to PlayStation 5 users.
In recent years, there has been a growing focus on improving accessibility in gaming, recognizing that it can be a significant barrier for individuals with disabilities. Game developers have been incorporating features to assist gamers with various challenges such as epilepsy, color blindness, and light sensitivity. However, addressing physical limitations requires advancements in hardware design. To address this need, Sony has developed the PlayStation 5 Access Controller, joining other tools like the Xbox Adaptive Controller.
Sony has announced the PlayStation 5 Access Controller release date which has been in development for five years, will be officially released on December 6th. The controller will be priced at $89.99 USD, although prices may vary depending on the retailer. To secure their controller on launch day, customers will have the option to pre-order the PS5 Access Controller starting from Friday, July 21st.
The new controller features a joystick and a circular keypad, offering users the ability to customize button configurations. Each kit includes nineteen button caps of different shapes and sizes, as well as 23 removable tags that players can use to label specific commands. Users have the flexibility to assign multiple functions to the same button and can save up to 30 different control profiles on the PS5 Access Controller. Additionally, the joystick can be personalized with adjustable positioning and a choice of three different stick caps, allowing players to find their preferred setup.
In addition to its customizable features, the PS5 Access Controller offers versatility through its four 3.5mm AUX ports, enabling users to connect third-party sticks and accessories for further customization. It can also be paired with other PlayStation 5 controllers, allowing for simultaneous use of up to two PS5 Access Controllers and one PS5 DualSense wireless controller in a single system. The controller’s design accommodates usage on a flat surface or a standard AMPS patterned mount, providing flexibility in different gaming setups. Its round shape enables users to operate it from any 360° orientation.
Pre-orders for the PS5 Access Controller will be available on July 21st at 10 am local time in select countries including the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Portugal. Customers can pre-order directly from direct.playstation.com or through participating retailers. Pre-order details for other regions have yet to be announced by Sony.


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finds that many people in a committed relationship have lied about purchases or their spending habits. While most of the responses focused on small shopping purchases and other more minor issues, there were some more significant concerns as well.
Here’s a quick list of some of the survey’s findings.
• 46 percent of people have lied about money to a partner
• 32 percent of women and 17 percent of men have hidden purchases from a partner
• Just 8 percent of men would pretend a new purchase was old (more than 25 percent of women admitted it)
• Women were 25 percent more likely to lie about purchases, and 50 percent more likely to hide receipts.
Honesty Remains the Best Policy
Despite the issues that some couples face, 70 percent of women and 63 percent of men felt that being honest about money issues was critical, saying it was just as important as remaining faithful.
Other experts told the source that money is a frequent source of relationship stress, and stressed that if debt is an issue they should be open to it. Taking out cash loans to cover secret purchases isn’t a productive step.
The poll concluded by saying that 13 percent of respondents had broken up or divorced over secret spending habits or other money issues, making honesty as a major relationship issue.…


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In chip shop queues and fish restaurants across the country a dangerous epidemic is spreading. It started in TV land and has quickly worked its way through the general public and continues to spread its reach with no sign of slowing.
It is, in fact, the misconception that cod – the battered British favourite – is in short supply and that eating it is an ecological crime.
With a small army of TV chefs continually banging the drum for ‘more sustainable’ alternatives like pollock and pilchards, it’s little wonder that the idea has taken hold. At Collins, however, we believe cod remains an extremely sustainable choice if sourced properly – and we should know, given our extensive work around sustainability on the high seas.
Fears held by consumers that cod stocks are depleted and must be restored are actually unfounded. Granted, fresh fish from the North and Irish Sea is limited by European quotas and stocks are managed carefully.
But the Frozen At Sea cod that we supply is fully sustainable and caught from the Barents Sea and in Icelandic waters, most of which is now approved by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
Not only are fish stocks in these areas abundant, but quotas set by the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission have even been increased this year by approximately 249,000 Tonnes – up 33% on last year – and are due to be increased again in 2014. This would be a strange move if the celebrity chefs were right and cod and haddock were nearing extinction.
Critics may argue that a fish supplier like us has an agenda to allay the fears of our customers. But we’re extremely proud of our support of the MSC, as well as the Responsible Fishing Scheme, and strive to ensure our supplies are traceable right back to sustainably operating vessels.
We believe that healthy waters cannot be maintained without eco-friendly fishing and we make it our mission to promote and practice ethical choices in seafood to support marine environments.
We do this while working closely with well-respected trawler operators that cover the Faro islands, Norway, Iceland, Germany, Scotland and Russia and are equally passionate about responsible sea fishing as we are.
Quality and sustainability are two of the most important aspects we consider at Collins. All our Frozen at Sea Fish is of the highest quality and, where possible, is MSC approved from fully traceable sustainable waters.
And so it is sustainability-focused operators like us – and not whimsical and ill-informed TV chefs – who are leading the way in protecting our underwater ecosystems.


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Alpha Destination Management develops five-year growth plan
After making strong footprints in the travel and tourism industry in the Middle East over the past 20 years, the Alpha Destination Management is embarking on the next phase of its game-changing growth by launching a five-year development plan that will significantly contribute towards achieving the goals of Dubai Tourism Vision and Expo 2020.
Under its 2016-2021 Plan, the destination management company intends to open offices in the US to attract more tourists to UAE and Dubai, in addition to launching unique promotional and marketing initiatives in health and sports tourism segments, among others. Beginning October 27, the company is launching a unique once-in-a-month full moon yoga meditation session in the desert package.
Ghassan Aridi, CEO, Alpha Destination Management, said: “Our success has been entwined with the growth and development of the UAE and Dubai as a year-round business and leisure destination. In the past 20 years, we contributed enormously in attracting millions of tourists from across the world to UAE and Dubai. We are perhaps the first tour operator in the world or the region to devise a five-year strategic growth plan on the lines done for countries for destination marketing.” He said the plan will help the company tap new tourism source markets while consolidating the position in the markets that have been strongly contributing to the tourism growth in Dubai and other parts of the UAE.
Alpha, he added, intends to expand the scope of its cooperation and collaboration with other government departments for tourism promotion in the region.
“We are eager to be a front runner in achieving the goals set for the Expo 2020 and Dubai Tourism Vision in terms of attracting tourists to Dubai and the UAE. It is undoubtedly a great opportunity for a proactive company like us. We don’t wait for an opportunity to benefit but work towards creating opportunities that benefit everyone,” he added.
Stating that Alpha has remained the number one operator in the UAE and the entire Gulf /Middle East region in terms of bringing the highest number of tourists to Dubai/UAE over the years, Ghassan attributed the company’s success to several key factors like quality of services, excellent tourism products offering and high customer satisfaction levels.
He also cited collaboration and tie-ups that Alpha has with leading travel and tourism companies in overseas markets as another crucial contributor to the company’s success story. The high business output by Alpha has been recognized globally through several awards given by the government and trade bodies in the region and overseas markets.
Ghassan asserted that Alpha continues to enjoy an advantageous position in several outbound tourism source markets like the UK, Russia and China from where it brought thousands of tourists to Dubai and other parts of the UAE every year over the past two decades. The plan will place a great emphasis on strongly tapping the incentive travel business, along with attracting more American tourists to the UAE/Dubai.
The industry expert said Alpha has remained committed to the professional development of its staff through specific training programmes and other knowledge-update initiatives and the company encourages the employees keen on pursuing higher studies in tourism and related fields.


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Inditex, world's largest textile company and owner of brands such as Zara and Massimo Dutti, has presented its results in 2017. The Spanish company billeded 8.7% more, until reaching sales of 25,336,000,000 euros. Net profits were 3.368 billion euros, 6.7% higher. Both figures are a business improvement in an exercise in which direct competitors have receded in sales. However, it is a slowing of growth, compared to figures of previous years, as sales grew 11.5% and 15.5% in previous two exercises.More information
- Inditex plummets 7% in stock market up to three years minimum and drags Ibex
- Inditex, Mercadona and English court scale among World trade giants
- Zara's Group sells 9.5% more and wins 2.341 billion in nine months
The strong fall in bag (7% in one day) that company suffered a few days ago and pointed towards a rise in slower results this year. First thing in morning, confirmation of accounts also did not sit well with action of Inditex, which has fallen by 5%. However, it has been recovering and at noon was practically at same price on Tuesday, at 24.2 euros. And at close, it has remounted with force: it ended with a rise of 3.8%.
The exercise, as noted by Pablo Isla, president of company, has been marked by " tremendous volatility of currencies" in many markets and "an abnormally warm Autumn", which has influenced entire textile sector. "And in this context we have generated growth," he said. At results press conference held in Arteixo, he recalled that y accumulated a business growth of 59% since 2012. "Almost 10 billion more. Sustained growth while we were preparing company for future, "he said. In case of Spain, it has pointed out that sales have risen by 4%.Click on photo
The company, in its annual results (ranging from February 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018) reveals one of its best-kept secrets in recent years and includes for first time direct references to its volume of business over Internet. "Online sales grew 41% to 10% of group's net sales in 2017. The online sale accounts for 12% of total in markets with online sales. The company has Internet sales in 49 markets worldwide, after opening just today in last two: Australia and New Zealand.
That is to say: The company, which until now had never revealed figures of its virtual business, indicates that sales by that channel contribute to its business about 2.53 billion euros per year and that in a single year has climbed more than 40%. Making separation and taking into account what online business grows, it can be concluded that sales of physical stores rose 6% last year.The dividend will rise by 10.3%
The Board of Directors of Inditex will propose to General meeting that will be held in July payment of a dividend of 0.75 euros per share, a 10.3% higher than previous year. Of this amount, 0.375 euros per share will be paid on 2 May 2018 and anor 0.375 euros on November 2, 2018. Thus, it would deal in total 2.337 billion euros among shareholders. This means that, as main shareholder, with 59.29% of shares (a package of 1.848 billion of titles), founder Amancio Ortega will receive this year 1.386 billion euros in dividends.
Pablo Isla had resisted until now to offer data of electronic commerce, because it pointed out that its two businesses, that of stores and that of sales by Internet, are so integrated that y could not separate figures of sales. However, this Wednesday, Isla, at results press conference held in Arteixo, has explained that y have decided to give this year data of Internet sale "because this exercise was right time, to relevance it is having".
In face of question of wher Internet sales are subject to more pressure on expenses (for delivery services, etc.) or for profitability, Isla has pointed out that "online sales do not dilute to benefit in any way" and that re is no impact or penalty on margins.Repeat bonus for template
At end of year, staff of group consisted of 171,839 employees, a total of 9,389 workers rar than at end of 2016. Of se, about 1,900 jobs have been created in Spain.
The company launched in 2014 a special bonus for its workers, which was linked to rise of its profits. This year bag to be dealt will be 42 million euros, just like last year, after an extra contribution of group. "This plan divides 10% of net profit increase, so this year amount to be distributed would be 21 million euros, which group will also increase in anor 21 million", explains company.
This remuneration is to be distributed between approximately 88,000 people with more than two years of seniority in company on March 31, 2018, which is an extra average pay of more or less 477 euros. The company recalls that, apart from this bonus, re are or variable amounts in salaries, and that incentives and premiums destine anor 520 million a year.Store openings and closures
"During year, Inditex maintained an investment of 1.8 billion euros destined to constant impulse and technological updating of its integrated model of stores and online", he explains in his statement Inditex. Isla has pointed after that figure, about 600 million have been destined for investment in Spain, both stores and logistics and technology.
Isla has valued results and has pointed out that y are result of work of six years. "In 2012 we started working to prepare company for future," he said. He has ensured that that year y launched technologies such as RFID and plan to reorganize stores, with larger premises that absorb several of small existing ones.
As for physical trade, company ends exercise with 7,475 stores in 96 different markets. In fact, it has made greatest number of inaugurations since 2012, but it has been accompanied by closure of many or stores that has been accumulating in larger premises for years. Thus, net balance of openings is reduced. "Inditex has been very active in optimization of stores during year (524 openings, 341 absorptions, 144 extensions and 122 reforms). The net openings in 2017 were located in 183, "explains company.
In its communiqué sent to stock exchange regulator, Inditex recalls that in square meters it continues to grow apace: "The total area of sale stood at 4,739,427 square meters at end of year", which represents 7% more than in 2016. In last six years group has transformed 80% of its commercial area with 2,994 new openings, 2,148 reforms and extensions and 1,046 absorptions of older units, he points out.Zara, jewel of crown
By chains, one that increased its sales was Uterqüe, smallest of group, that contributes to business 97 million of billing, 17% more. In growth, it is followed by Pull Bear and Oysho, with 12% rises (up to 1.747 billion and 570 million, respectively). However, jewel of crown is still, by far, Zara: Its sales grow 8% in year, until reaching 16.62 billion euros.
The operating income (EBITDA) of 2017 exercise was 5.277 billion euros, 4% more. The operating (EBIT), in 4.314 billion, 7% above previous year. And same grew in gross margin, up to 14.26 billion, at 56.3% of sales (57% in 2016).
In face of 2018, company expects to invest 1.5 billion euros, to allocate to reforms, technology and logistics. They expect to open between 350 and 400 stores and will continue to absorb stores in larger ones. "We estimate around 200 store takeovers," advanced Isla.The president, Pablo Isla, won 10,690,000, 3% more
The President and CEO of Inditex, Pablo Isla, received a remuneration last year of 10,690,000 euros, i.e. 3% more than previous year, when y were 10,372,000, between fixed salary, variable and shares. In particular, of this amount, 6,570,000 euros were cash payments (3,250,000 salary, 100,000 euros fixed salary and 3,220,000 variable). The remainder, 4,120,000 euros, is value of shares accrued that year.
The total remuneration of Board of Directors of Inditex was 12,620,000 euros, compared to 12,160,000 of previous year. Apart from Isla, or directors of Inditex (including Amancio Ortega) receive for participating in this business body between 100,000 and 300,000 euros per year of retribution.


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As the PC industry falters, Intel suffered such disastrous sales last quarter that it began cutting wages and other marginal measures going forward. AMD’s server PC sales also fell dramatically — a whopping 51 percent year-over-year — but the company managed to turn a small profit despite the sky-fall. So why aren’t CPU and GPU prices dropping? In a call with investors on Tuesday night, CEO Lisa Su confirmed that AMD has been “reducing shipments” of chips for some time to balance supply and demand.
“For the past two quarters we’ve either sold through or reduced consumption,” Sue said, as observed by PC Gamer. “We shipped less in Q3, we shipped less in Q4. We will reduce to a lesser extent in Q1.
With the pandemic abating and inflation rising, fewer people are buying CPUs, GPUs and PCs. It’s a hard, abrupt reversal from just a few months ago, when companies like Nvidia and AMD were churning out graphics cards as quickly as possible to keep up with surging demand from cryptocurrency miners and PC gamers alike. Now that GPU mining is dead, the shelves are full of unsold chips.
Update: Drew Prairie, AMD’s VP of Communications, reached out with the following explanation: “We ship below consumption because there is too much inventory in the channel and partners want to carry lower levels of inventory based on the demand they see and their expectations. The idea that we are doing this to keep prices “high” for their business…is not correct. Our server ASP was flat year-over-year due to a mix of CPUs shipped.
This article was originally published with the headline “AMD is sending chips under pressure to keep CPU, GPU prices high,” but has been updated to reflect AMD’s clarification.
Despite the painfully high price tags of the new next-generation GPUs, the last-generation GeForce RTX 30-series and Radeon RX 6000-series graphics cards are still selling. Most High prices considering their two year old condition. Strategic low shipping helps companies maintain high prices for their goods.
AMD isn’t the only one doing it.
“We’re continuing to watch every day in terms of the sales we’re seeing,” Nvidia CFO Colette Kress told investors in November. “So we shipped less. We are suppressing gaming at this time so we can fix that inventory in the channel.
Since then, Nvidia has released the $1,200 GeForce RTX 4080 and $800 RTX 4070 Ti, two very high-priced graphics cards in an attempt to position them as enthusiast-grade top sellers of the RTX 30-series, rather than treating them as regular cyclical upgrades. have. AMD’s $900 Radeon RX 7900 XT offers similarly disappointing value, and the company recently released a blog post positioning its new GPUs as enthusiast-grade top sellers.
Gross margin is a key metric for chip companies, which invest tons of money in R&D and cutting-edge technology processes. AMD’s market tactics helped it achieve a 51 percent non-GAAP gross margin last quarter, while Intel forecast a 34.1 percent gross margin for the upcoming quarter (hence its belt-tightening moves).
All of this helps explain why street prices for standalone GPUs haven’t dropped, even as deals on desktops and laptops have started to pick up. We expect—hope?—that sanity will return to graphics card prices as shares fall and competition rises, reflecting AMD and Intel’s recent CPU price adjustments. This morning, Intel announced that it will drop the price of its Arc A750 graphics card to $250, instantly making it a rare tempting target for PC gamers on a budget.


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Kia Classic winner and four recipients of year-end Kia Performance Awards to receive Optima Limited
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA, March 5, 2012 – The partnership between Kia and the LPGA continues to grow with the announcement of the Kia Performance Awards. The awards, which will be presented at the season-ending CME Group Titleholders in November, include:
- Kia Power Drive – Awarded to the player with the longest average driving distance
- Kia Drive to the Top – Awarded to the player with the most top-10 finishes
- Kia Most Compelling Performance – Recognizing a player with exceptional performances throughout the year; this award will be chosen by fans through an online vote
- Kia Community Assist – Recognizing a player who makes exceptional contributions to charity organizations or community programs
Winners of the Kia Performance Awards will receive an Optima Limited, as will the winner of the upcoming Kia Classic, to be played March 19-25, 2012 at La Costa Resort and Spa.
"Kia is one of the fastest growing auto brands in the U.S., and sports marketing initiatives such as our involvement with the LPGA have significantly raised awareness and consideration for the brand and our vehicles,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. “We are pleased to offer an enhanced prize package for the winner of this year’s Kia Classic. The Optima Limited is Kia’s most refined and premium product offering to date, and we are excited to showcase the vehicle to golf fans at the Kia Classic and reward some of the tour’s best players for their outstanding performances."
“The Kia Performance Awards are a great extension of our expanding relationship with Kia,” said Jon Podany, LPGA Chief Marketing Officer. “We are thrilled that Kia has integrated a player performance program into its broader relationship with the LPGA.”
Kia serves as the title partner of the Kia Classic, the Official Automotive Partner of the LPGA and the Official Tournament Vehicle to eight LPGA events.


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Microsoft has just announced one of the biggest deals in its history, per the Telegraph. The company says it will buy LinkedIn for $26.2 billion in cash, or $196 per share—a 50% improvement on its closing price Friday, reports the Wall Street Journal. Microsoft says LinkedIn will "retain its distinct brand, culture, and independence," while CEO Jeff Weiner will keep his post, reporting to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. The deal—approved by both boards and subject to approval by LinkedIn's shareholders—is expected to close by the end of the year.
"I've been thinking about this for a long time," Nadella says in a video. "The LinkedIn team has grown a fantastic business centered on connecting the world’s professionals," he adds in a release. "Together we can accelerate the growth of LinkedIn, as well as Microsoft Office 365 and Dynamics as we seek to empower every person and organization on the planet." Weiner adds there's "a lot of excitement" surrounding the deal, which will let both companies "dream big." LinkedIn's shares jumped 48% to $194.28 as the deal was announced, while Microsoft's shares fell 3.3%, per Reuters. (Read more Microsoft stories.)


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Dutch Judge Orders PS3 Seizures – Including Those in Homes
LG and Sony have been fighting a little legal war over the Blu-Ray technology in the PlayStation 3. Last week, LG won a skirmish in that war when customs officers were ordered to seize thousands of consoles. Yesterday, they ratcheted things up a notch, according to a report in The Guardian.
LG has now won a court order that will allow it to seize PS3s anywhere in the Netherlands, even those already in homes. Wait, what now? Can you imagine how that would go over? Someone shows up at your door and wants to take your PS3 because Sony and LG are in a patent pissing contest. The rage on the web would be epic.
Sony’s taking the whole thing in stride, saying only,
Sony was notified at the end of February by customs authorities in the Netherlands that an inspection would be made into imports of [PlayStation 3s]. We believe this is due to a petition made by LG Electronics, alleging that Sony may be infringing LG patents related to Blu-ray technologies.
However, this is only a preliminary injunction, that has resulted in shipments being temporarily withheld. It does not indicate any acceptance of LG’s allegations. We consider these allegations unwarranted, and will take appropriate measures including filing a claim of opposition to courts in the Netherlands. We will not comment on any further details.
We’ll have to wait and see how this shakes out, but in the meantime, stay tuned for reports of civil disobedience in the Netherlands as gamers rally to protest police taking their consoles.


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The new Olympus F1.2 lens is coming! According to the latest rumors from FT5, Olympus will launch a new f/1.2 lens line soon and this very first lens will start shipping this summer. The announcement date is yet unknown. Olympus is rumored to display that lens as a prototype at the CP+ show in late February!
So far, there are two Olympus F1.2 prime lenses sold at eBay:
Read more Olympus Lens Rumors