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The scientific community has remained skeptical of the existence of the Yeti, a proposed missing link between man and ape. Yet tales abound from the valleys of Nepal: strange footprints, hair samples traced back to prehistoric bears, and ominous shadows glimpsed in blizzards. In the West, a similar myth is taking shape, strange whispers from the valleys of Silicon tell of something emerging. It's a Yeti of a very different sort, but it may yet prove to be the missing link.
According to a report first published on The Information, Google is planning to join the jostling giants of Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. Anonymous sources suggested that it will be a streaming platform, a dedicated piece of hardware, a subscription-based service, and that Google is cajoling developers to join them under its solar-panelled panoply of roofs. Quite what all this will amount to remains to be seen, and there are reasons to be skeptical of streaming services – the largest of all being bandwidth – but there are also reasons to rejoice.
Google's recruiting of Phil Harrison is shrewd. He spent fifteen years at the top table in Sony Computer Entertainment, and three years in Microsoft's Xbox team. He also served as a board member and advisor at Atari and Gaikai – the latter of which was bought by Sony and became PlayStation Now. Time at the top, and time spent with streaming tech, will serve Harrison and Google very well.
He also has a reputation for shepherding developers. With a background in indie development, Harrison keenly understood the potential of new games and emerging technologies. He helped clear the way for PS3 exclusive LittleBigPlanet, and he was an evangelist for EyeToy despite it not having the full backing of Sony’s stateside management. The EyeToy may not have a decorated CV but it inspired the next wave of devices like Kinect and PlayStation Move – which saw new life with PSVR.
As Microsoft has recently proven, swallowing up five game studios like a great green whale, excellent leadership alone isn't always enough. Executive vice president of gaming, Phil Spencer, has struggled valiantly to get the Xbox One unstuck from the muddy mire of its launch with a spansule of good decisions; sometimes, though, you need a sharp tug of the pursestrings. It's comforting – at least when it comes to this – to know that Google has more money than God, and if the tech giant is committed to more than just dipping its toes in the brackish waters of the game industry, then filthy lucre will be no obstacle.
I want to teach the world to stream
Based on the evidence, Google is all in – until it isn't. Remember the Nexus Player? Yes, quite, neither do most. It was an all-round home entertainment box that was designed in collaboration with Asus; it was powered by Android, running most games developed for the platform; and it was only $100 at launch. Weeks later it seemed to melt into myth – precisely where Yeti currently resides until these whispers become announcements. Then there's the softly-stalled Google Glass, which stopped prototype production in 2015, and was teased again in 2017 without any payoff. Google has a history of abandoning projects, but perhaps the hiring of Harrison and the aggressive developer courting points to a renewed faith in streaming.
Indeed, that faith is doing the rounds. Ubisoft co-founder and CEO, Yves Guillemot, recently hymned the joys of a streaming future. In an interview with Variety, he predicted, 'Streaming will become more accessible to many players and make it not necessary to have big hardware at home. There will be one more console generation and then after that, we will be streaming, all of us.'
Phil Spencer has taken up the chorus, too. In a recent interview with The Guardian, he offered a unified vision of the future, saying, '[Streaming] is going to help the AAA game industry grow much faster.' Even more intriguing was Spencer's keenness to smooth over the craters and cracks of the gaming landscape, dissolving the divide between the big players. 'The more we work together as an industry, better things happen,' he said. 'You have an Android and I have an iPhone; I can still call you. That would be my hope: that we still compete, but we compete on creative and quality.'
To that end, a report has surfaced detailing Microsoft's supposed hardware plans. The new system, codenamed Scarlett, is apparently two new systems: one traditional model, which plays games the usual way, and one dedicated streaming device. The Scarlett Cloud – which, if it isn’t a Level-5 JRPG, is certainly a strain of venereal disease – has Microsoft with one foot on the dock and one in the boat. It will reportedly run parts of the game on the hardware, while outsourcing the rest to the cloud. The streaming device will apparently be the cheaper option of the two – a strong incentive to encourage people to buy in Spencer's vision. One he summed up by saying, 'That is our goal: to bring high-quality games to every device possible on the planet.'
It all sounds a lot like the Hilltop Coca-Cola advert of 1971, and I'm having great difficulty banishing visions of Spencer, Harrison, Guillemot, and all the top gaming execs, choiring like those hillside hippies. (Perhaps, in the full spirit of partisanship, I'll join the PC master race and seal myself in a vault somewhere.) Still, an emboldened landscape bodes well, but how can Google thrive in that space? It may be that, as more companies join the game-streaming space, we will start to see new kinds of division. In a similar fashion to the way Netflix competes with Amazon Video, Disney, Hulu, and HBO Now, we might end up seeing exclusive games for different streaming platforms.
Competing on 'creative and quality,' as Spencer suggests, would see Google in a propitious position. The suite of benefits for developers is formidable. Consider Niantic, which had lain warmly in Google's incubator before hatching and fluttering off to join the Pokemon company; it demonstrated handily how Google Maps, augmented reality, and GPS tech can transform traditional game design. Now, if cloud-streaming can bestow the power to play even the most graphically taxing games on mobile devices, TVs, and monitors anywhere, then Spencer’s misty-eyed vision begins to look a lot more real, and the possibilities begin to look a bit tasty.
Integration with YouTube, as has been suggested by anonymous sources speaking to Kotaku, might help YouTube Gaming stay buoyant next to Amazon's Titanic, Twitch. Depending on the ease with which it’s integrated, it may even prove itself an iceberg capable of sinking its rival. Video streaming poses delicious ARG possibilities. Picture the fourth-wall flirtations of Kojima, having us check the back of the Metal Gear Solid box for that codec frequency; now, imagine someone meshing live stream events and videos with games – quests spilling out anywhere in the real world. Anywhere with a high-speed internet connection, that is, which brings us to the hefty Thwomp bearing down on the entire enterprise.
With Microsoft announcing work on a streaming service, and EA's new 'cloud gaming' subscription model – which it demurely demonstrated at this year's Electric Triple – the appetite for streaming is ravening. The problem facing these companies is simple: bandwidth. Streaming games from steroidically-enhanced machines stowed away on a server farm somewhere, and doing so at a bracing lick, is enough to cause a lot of machines to break into a sweat. It's the sort of thing which has to be flawless, because even the smallest stammer of input lag gives most games a pulmonary embolism.
While bandwidth isn't a problem uniquely facing Google, it may be the best suited of these behemoths to tackle it. Google Fiber, a fibre optic broadband service, began in 2010, and has crept outwards: first in Palo Alto, then Kansas City, before spreading to Austin, Charlotte, Atlanta, and snaking its way down to Texas. It's an eerie image, Google's power spreading like occult Ley lines on a map; soon, the entire globe will be belted by fibre optic longitude and latitude.
Perhaps, driven by desire for seamless streams, we might welcome our new Mountain View overlords. Google Fiber offers up to one gigabit per second for upload and download – roughly a hundred times faster than what most home users have access to. It will need to keep expanding to cover the U.S. before it reaches the rest of us – baby steps.
There are templates for a sublime game-streaming platform, but that's all they are. With PlayStation Now often offering up shaky performance – even at higher bandwidths – Nvidia GeForce Now's limited game library and high price point, and Xbox Game Pass sensibly opting to let players download the games instead (for now), streaming is all but a lovely-sounding folktale. But it’s on the way, and if any company can cause a welcome disruption to the way we play games, and the kind of games we play, then Google has a fantastic chance. It could be the first company to absolutely nail it, to make accessibility the bedrock on which it builds, to make the myth a reality.


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Karachi: One of the most visited and leading news website of Pakistan, AwamiWeb yet again presents its viewers with an entertaining and helpful service of watching Online Cricket. With the new service, the people around the world could watch Twenty20 Cricket World Cup 2012 Live Streaming on AwamiWeb.
The live Streaming of T20 World Cup 2012 could be watched here. The online streaming of T20 WC 2012 has provided the people specially the Internet fanatics an easy access to watch their most awaited cricket tournament.
The cricket lovers who spend their maximum time on Internet, working in the offices have shown immense pleasure with the exciting and exclusive service of AwamiWeb. We will continue to bring up new and fresh services for our viewers in the future also.

domain: news


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rochester Downtown Alliance encourages holiday shoppers to support downtown small business this holiday season
ROCHESTER, Minn. --- November 18, 2016 --- Small Business Saturday, a day to support local small business, is November 26, 2016, and the Rochester Downtown Alliance (RDA) is excited to continue to raise awareness about the day and why it is important to “Shop Small.”
Through “mini-grants” facilitated by the RDA, select downtown small businesses will be hosting special in store activities, deals, and sales during Small Business Saturday. Grant recipients include: Collections Fashions, Friends’ Bookstore, Refashion Consigned Furniture & Clothing, Tangerine Gifts, The Nordic Shop, Lasker Jewelers, and Shops at University Square. Visit DowntownRochestermn.com/sbs for details.
#SHOPSMALL SELFIE CONTEST
Show your support on Small Business Saturday by taking selfies at local downtown small businesses and be entered to win a $100 gift card to a downtown business of your choice!
How to play:
In addition to winning a $100 gift card, the winning post will be featured on RDA social media pages and on the Downtown Rochester website!
Media Contact: Ender Göçmen
Rochester Downtown Alliance
Office: (507) 216-9886
Created by American Express in 2010, Small Business Saturday serves as the ceremonial kickoff to the holiday shopping season for small businesses across the United States. In 2015, 95 million consumers shopped at small businesses on Small Business Saturday and spent an estimated $16.2 billion at independent retailers and restaurants on the day, according to the 2015 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey.


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I was supposed to post about this last week since this was brought up during a conversation in the pantry with two Atenean friends. We were talking about the food options in Katipunan when someone brought up how BonChon Chicken opened a branch there last August 31.
Anyway, Blue Eagles now have their very own BonChon Katipunan! Now, that’s a great addition to the usual Katipunan food fare! It’s right in front of Gate 3 at the 2nd Level of the Regis Center so it’s quite accessible.
With this newest branch, BonChon now has a total of seven branches in the metro: Ayala Triangle, Greenbelt 1 (my branch), SM Megamall, Acropolis, Robinson’s Galleria, Greenhills Promenade, and Katipunan! Wow! BonChon sure is expanding fast with plans to open branches at Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Trinoma, Bonifacio High Street, Tomas Morato, Alabang and the University Mall in front of De La Salle University (Of course, the Green Archers want their own BonChon!).
Let’s all watch out for further announcements from BonChon Philippines! The next BonChon branch might be right next to you!
Thanks to BonChon Chicken Philippines for the photo.


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Albania’s economy expanded by 4.32 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2018, after an upwardly revised 4.46 percent growth in the previous period. Output slowed for fixed investment (1.48 percent from 4.5 percent in Q1) and production fell for government spending (-3.43 percent from 2.47 percent). On the other hand, output advanced faster for household consumption (3.35 percent from 2.98 percent). Meanwhile, net trade contributed positively to growth, as exports rose 3.89 percent (4.99 percent in Q1) and imports went up at a softer 2.01 percent (8.2 percent in Q1). On a seasonally adjusted quarterly basis, gross domestic product went up 1.34 percent, following a 1.15 percent gain in the first quarter. GDP Annual Growth Rate in Albania averaged 4.11 percent from 1996 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 13.50 percent in the fourth quarter of 1999 and a record low of -10.84 percent in the fourth quarter of 1997.
GDP Annual Growth Rate in Albania is expected to be 2.70 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate GDP Annual Growth Rate in Albania to stand at 3.80 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Albania GDP Annual Growth Rate is projected to trend around 3.70 percent in 2020, according to our econometric models.


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The deal comes as part of an ongoing relationship between Tander and the customer Audi squad, which has included a number of Bathurst 12 Hour starts, with the car set to run a striking blue and orange Audi Sport livery.
Tander, who has never raced a front-wheel-drive car before, is set to shake the Audi down this afternoon ahead of opening practice tomorrow.
“The new Audi that I’m driving at Phillip Island looks fantastic. The blue and orange really stands out,” said Tander.
“It is fantastic to have the continued support for Audi Sport for the event. I’ve enjoyed a growing association with them and it’s great for that to transfer into this new touring car category.
“The shakedown laps this afternoon will be really important. Even though the car is brand-new, it will be ready to go, but it will simply be good for me to get a feel for it before we launch into practice tomorrow.”
This weekend's TCR Australia action will be broadcast live and free by Motorsport.TV.


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Platinum Equity has agreed to acquire the steering and half-shaft operations of auto supplier Delphi Corporation for $190 million (€132 million), according to documents filed with the Bankruptcy Court of Southern New York. As part of the sale Delphi will also receive $257 million from its former parent company, General Motors.
Delphi spun out from GM in 1999, and filed for bankruptcy in October 2005. Delphi decided to sell its steering and half-shaft business in 2006, and in January 2007 Delphi selected Platinum as the stalking horse bidder for an auction for the division.
Platinum, led by Beverly Hills billionaire Tom Gores, has acquired several corporate orphans from the battered US automotive industry. In September Platinum agreed to pay $500 million for two of PPG Industries’ automotive glass making divisions.
In 2005 the firm acquired American Racing Equipment, which makes aftermarket high performance automotive wheels, for $40.5 million. Platinum added on Boyd Coddington Wheels in 2006 for an undisclosed amount.
Platinum is one of many investors involved in the Delphi bailout. Delphi agreed earlier this year to accept $3.4 billion in financing from an investment group that includes Cerberus Capital Management, Appaloosa Management, Harbinger Capital Partners, Merrill Lynch and UBS Securities. The deal involved the purchase of $1.2 billion in convertible preferred shares and $200 million in common stock. An additional $2 billion was set aside to buy any common stock left unsubscribed as part of a planned rights offering.


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There’s Officially 1 Blockbuster Video Location Left on EarthPhotos via Getty Images, Joe Raedle Movies News Blockbuster Video
And then, there was one.
As recently as last year, the legacy of Blockbuster Video was still hanging on by a thread in a handful of disparate locations. For years, franchisees maintained a foothold of Blockbuster locations in Alaska, where slow connection speeds and spotty internet access made streaming more difficult. But alas, even the Alaskan locations fell to the tide of entropy, closing in 2018 and leaving the Blockbuster of Bend, OR as the last location in the U.S.
And now, you can make that the last Blockbuster on Earth, a title with all the tragic gravitas of the last of a species, living alone in captivity, knowing it will never reproduce.
The Bend store inherits the mantle following the just-announced closure of the second-to-last Blockbuster, which was located in Morley, Australia, a suburb of Perth.
“We knew change was coming but were a bit surprised how quickly it affected our customer base once Netflix hit the Australian market,” said owner Lyn Borszeky. “We put in a pretty good effort to be the last one in Australia, I suppose, but it was going to happen eventually and now is the time.”
The Bend location, meanwhile, has seemingly benefited from the notoriety of being the very last of its kind. It’s become a tourist destination, both for 1990s kids and parents wanting to show their own children how video rental worked at the height of the rental chain’s popularity. At its peak, Blockbuster operated more than 9,000 locations. Now, it’s just Bend—a location that commemorated its endangered status with a collaboration beer last year.
Can the Bend store do the impossible, and continue to succeed where 9,000 other Blockbusters failed? Let’s hope they can keep the dream alive.


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Like Haitians themselves, coffee has African roots. Throughout much of its colonial and post-colonial history, coffee was a major export and source of livelihoods. However, mismanagement, deforestation, natural disasters, political instability, and embargos have resulted in a dramatic decrease Haitian coffee exports. Yet, Haitian coffee is good - unusually good. Can Haiti revive and expand its coffee industry? Just Haiti and Singing Rooster are two organizations that believe it can. Buying from either of these organizations is a great way to support both your coffee habit and Haitian farmers.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) recently announced the approval of two grants for Haiti totaling US $90 million. One grant is devoted to the development of an industrial park between Ounaminthe and Cap Haitian while the other is devoted to modernizing Haiti's energy sector. This is worth noting as investment outside of Port au Prince is unfortunately still rare. The IDP's support for the energy sector will allow for upgrading the Peligre Hydroelectric Dam and promotion of solar energy projects.
Below is an article Phil Cruver, President of KZO Sea Farms, wrote for the Christian Science Monitor on the need for a modern aquaculture industry in Haiti. With half the fish consumed worldwide each year having been farm-raised, this is clearly a growth industry. But could it work in Haiti? Even traditional fisheries are rare in Haiti despite its oceans having become largely overfished. However, aquaculture could provide jobs, affordable protein, and contribute to better marine management. It is certainly worth considering.


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Spar Scotland will be passing some prices onto customers to mitigate inflationary cost pressures, but is taking steps to protect the brand’s value perception.
Colin McLean, chief executive of wholesaler CJ Lang, which operates Spar Scotland, warned 2022 will be a “tricky year” for the convenience industry and stressed the importance of offering customers value.
He told betterRetailing: “We will have to pass on some costs due to inflationary pressures, but we’re working to manage that. We’re the only symbol group to have ran an 18-month TV campaign in Scotland.
“Our quarterly research shows the importance of value perception to our customers and we’re making some inroads in addressing how we support customers during what will be a challenging time.
“The TV campaign is helping reinforce the idea that you can still get great deals at Spar Scotland.”
Describing the inflationary pressures, McLean attributed the issues to rising energy prices, the shortage of lorry drivers and changes to wages.
“Next year will be tricky, but we will continue to work closely with suppliers and customers to ensure our offer remains competitive.”
Chilled was another area which McLean identified as experiencing industry-wide issues. “We recognise it’s poor at the moment, but we are confident there is still a big opportunity for independent retailers.”
The firm is helping its estate take advantage of the opportunity by upgrading chillers and freezers in stores. It is also investing in upgrading its multi-temperature delivery fleet. “We’re making a big investment in refrigeration. We also want to bring our fleet up to date and we’re replacing vehicles which have been there for six to seven years. It’s the first stage of an update to our vehicles.”
Although McLean acknowledged CJ Lang had arrived “slightly later” than its competition in addressing issues at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, he claimed its partnerships with local suppliers has given it an advantage over rivals.
“While being Scottish doesn’t make us exempt from the rest of the issues experienced by the UK, it does enable us to navigate these challenges more flexibly. We are a major wholesaler that sources 50% of products from Scotland. This has enabled our supply chain to hold up, and we’ve been able to keep our volumes moving,” he said.
McLean’s comments come as CJ lang recorded a 9.4% annual increase in turnover to £212.5m for the year ending 30 April 2021. The period also saw pre-tax profits rise to £3m.
Read more symbol group news


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By Sam Wilson
BBC News, Napa Valley
Creating wine is all about getting the balance right.
You have to find the best location, with good soil, the right range of temperature, and rain at certain times of year. You must plant the right grapes.
And then you must get lucky with the weather.
Napa Valley's temperature range makes it ideal for wine grapes
So it is no wonder that winemakers are especially aware of the issue of climate change.
Some studies have suggested that the wine map could be changed completely if global warming proceeds apace over the coming decades.
In North America's most renowned wine-growing region, Napa Valley in California, current conditions are near-perfect.
"You have the climate, you have ideal soils and a history of winemaking that goes back to the turn of last century. It's a combination of those things that makes Napa Valley unique," says Jeff Virnig, winemaker at Robert Sinskey Vineyards.
A subtle variation of temperatures and conditions in different places means "you can pretty much grow any grape variety here in this valley".
Some scientists say global warming could turn that all on its head.
A study by the America's National Academy of Sciences last year suggested that the area of the US suitable for growing premium wine grapes could decline by 81% by the end of the century.
Findings like that have alarmed wine industry figures around the world.
Pancho Campo, a Spaniard who put on the first international Global Warming and Wine conference last year, urged attendees to "spread the word... It might not help sell wine today, but global warming will bite us all in 20 years' time".
He had particular reason for concern, as studies suggest Spain would be one of the first wine-growing areas to become unviable.
The effects on cooler regions, however, might be beneficial, at least initially.
In Bordeaux, for instance, recent vintages have been acclaimed, following a succession of warm summers that have allowed it to ripen its grapes more consistently than before.
The US study suggested that climate change could make viticulture much more successful in northern parts of Europe, at the expense of Spain, Italy and the south of France.
At Napa's Sinskey Vineyards, they believe the worst-case scenarios are alarmist.
"The sensational aspects that you hear - that's doom and gloom," says owner Robert Sinskey.
As a farmer who has seen many unexpected weather events in his time, he is reluctant to say definitively that the climate is in flux.
Chardonnay grows at the cooler end of the Napa Valley
"What we can say is we have an impression that change is happening. Are we in crisis mode? No we're not."
In any case, Napa Valley growers believe their proximity to the Pacific coast may protect them from the worst effects of climate change.
"As the interior of California heats up, coastal regions actually cool off," says Terry Hall, a spokesman for Napa Valley Vintners.
This is because hot air inland rises, drawing in cool, moist air from over the sea.
"2005 was the warmest year ever in the US," he says. "For us [in Napa], it was a very cool year.
"The headlines read that Napa's going to hell in a handbag," he says. In fact, he says, "microclimate cooling may be as big an issue for us as global warming."
Napa's refusal to panic over climate change does not mean it is unconcerned, however.
Mr Hall says it is vital not just to accept that climate change is under way, but to "make that a cornerstone of your agricultural decisions".
That might mean planting different varieties, or thinning fewer leaves from the vines to provide more shade.
In Sinskey's case, it means trying to make practices as environmentally friendly as possible.
Walking round the vineyard, winemaker Jeff Virnig shows how he allows grass and plants to grow between the vines, to recycle organic material into the soil. The grass is grazed by sheep.
"One of the reasons we've gone to organic farming practices is we figured we'd be better able to buffer against extremes of weather," says Mr Virnig.
By raising the level of organic material in the soil, he explains, it can hold more water, which is useful both in dry and wet periods.
The winery is also decked with solar panels, that produce 75% of the power needed on the site. Its trucks and tractors run on biodiesel.
Robert Sinskey believes that as someone who makes a living off the land, he has a responsibility to work in "the most efficient, least intrusive way possible".
Sheep help Sinskey Vineyards keep their operations organic
He says that also makes good business sense.
"Our customer base are highly educated. If they're not practising green, they're thinking about it. If we can inspire in any way and also be true to the spirit, and non-damaging, there's a security in doing business that way."
And if the worst-case scenarios come to pass, getting the right acidity and crispness in his pinot noir will be the least of his problems.
"If we were to see dramatic change, we'd have to kiss our business goodbye," he says.
"But I think there'd be bigger concerns than our business. We'd be concerned about basic survival."


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New licensed apparel trends, Man U appoints Asian casino resort partner, a recap of Disney's D23 Expo … this is the news that shaped the week of Aug. 17.
As fashion licensors, licensees and retailers from around the world head to Las Vegas for the bi-annual MAGIC trade show,
outlines five trends driving the licensed apparel market.
Manchester United has named Donaco International as its first official casino resort partner in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and South Korea.
Disney took Anaheim by storm last weekend with a host of announcements about upcoming film projects, new theme park additions and consumer products at the D23 Expo.
The Joester Loria Group and King Features have partnered with Body Rags Clothing for a lifestyle program that celebrates two American icons–Pepsi and Popeye.
Scooby-Doo and his crime-busting pals will soon be embarking on a new animated adventure, as Warner Bros. Pictures prepares
Subscribe and receive the latest news from the industry.
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31 Days and Beyond is a national initiative designed to educate, support, and provide resources to black-owned businesses in America during key times of the year, including August which is National Black Affairs Month.
Currently, the stability of the economy remains uncertain amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore the arsenal of support and resources for 31 Days and Beyond has increased with the return of the initiative’s national sponsor, the law firm Husch Blackwell.
The law firm will provide pro bono legal services to eligible Black-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses and non-profit organizations in Milwaukee and Madison through a special collaboration between “31 Days and Beyond” and the law firm’s own national initiative to support minority businesses, “HB Communities for Change.”
To find out if a business is eligible or volunteer services, go here.
L. Maxwell McKissick, director of marketing and television and film producer, created and founded 31 Days and Beyond last year to serve as a catalyst and call to action for Americans to work together and support entrepreneurs. blacks, black businesses, and historically black colleges. and universities (HBCU).
McKissick is also the founder of the national non-profit association SERVE 60 and the marketing company Blue Jade Branding, Inc.
“Historically, black Americans have long suffered from the racial wealth gap and black businesses have been plagued even more with a myriad of challenges and inequities on the road to success in America,” says McKissick. “This is the main reason I felt compelled to create this campaign and initiative so that other black entrepreneurs could receive much needed support and resources, such as legal services, through a workable platform,” durable and designed to help shut down racial wealth. difference.”
The 31 Days and Beyond initiative focuses on three key areas and objectives: Increase awareness and visibility of Black Owned and HBCU businesses across America; Create, develop and manage an Economic Empowerment Fund to support Black-owned businesses and HBCUs which will provide small business grants and scholarships up to $ 1,000; Create, grow and manage The Give Black Network, a nationwide network of business professionals who will donate an hour or more of skills or services to support a black-owned business.
“We are thrilled to return as a partner of the 31 Days and Beyond initiative and collaborate to make a difference in communities by helping to close the racial wealth gap,” said Quinncy McNeal, pro bono lawyer for Husch Blackwell. “Quality legal services are essential to the success of any business and, for many minority-owned businesses, this essential need can be prohibitively expensive. ”
To learn more about how you can support the 31 Days and Beyond initiative or to be part of The Give Black Network and apply for Husch Blackwell Pro Bono Legal Services, click here.


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Owners of public electric-vehicle charging stations would do well to bill their customers about a $1 per hour. That's the rate where they can make money but won't make EV drivers feel gouged, according to the Christian Science Monitor reports, citing several members of the EV charging station industry.
- Great used cars for less than $10,000
- Owners say these cars aren't very good deals
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- Find and compare 2017 Models
There are no questions about this topic.Be the first to ask!


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Angela Edmunds had some work to do when she moved into her new retail space at 777 South Broad — quick work.
“I call it ‘extreme makeover boutique edition,’” she says of Boutique 77, the new pop-up shop for her clothing and accessory company, Showroom 77. “We literally built it from scratch in four weeks, and we had to open one week early.”
While Boutique 77 does have a spontaneous pop-up shop feel — it will only be around for three months — the space is packed with local and national labels for the holiday shopping season. Only a couple weeks into its run, Boutique 77 is the only East Coast outlet to carry Los Angeles label Estava Morioka, and they’ve scored some coveted luxury pocket squares from Armstrong and Wilson. It’s also functioning as a Center City outlet for Manayunk’s Octavio Miles Boutique, exposure Edmunds sees as important for independent designers as well.
“It was always a goal to one day have a storefront side of the company — it gives a great opportunity for designers to test out the Philadelphia market,” she says. “And for me, as a pop-up during holiday shopping season, it’s the best time.”
“It’s contemporary,” says Edmunds of the eclectic boutique’s style. “You have something casual — from a casual jumper to a little dress that could be good for New Year’s or an office party, from handmade jewelry to costume jewelry, from $20 to $110 to $350.”
777 S. Broad St.
Style in the city
Fashion and art social
AmareSinh will be showing fall/winter looks in a fashion show (there’s also a sample sale), while local artists Christine Stoughton and Nancy Sophy will also have work on display. Wednesday, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., AxD Gallery, 265 S. 10th St., www.amaresinh.com
Adam fringed skirt
Fringe was a major trend on the Spring/Summer ’11 runways. Work the look now with a fringed skirt by ADAM. The best part: It’s now marked down 70 percent, and it’s lightweight enough to take you straight through to spring and summer. $70, www.theoutnet.com METRO/KH


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In the four years since Monster has been manufacturing Beats by Dre headphones, Dre's line of premium headphones have been insanely popular. Despite their high price tag, the brand has become one of the bigger names in the industry and was designed on the premise that good music requires good headphones. Now it seems Dre has set his sights on another aspect of the music industry: Streaming.
Earlier this year, Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor revealed to fans that he was working on something special with Beats by Dre. According to Pitchfork, Reznor revealed a little bit more about that project during a recent profile with The New Yorker. Reznor said that he's currently playing a part in the design of a new music streaming service. Dubbed Daisy, the service is scheduled for launch early next year.
Pitchfork cites Reznor as describing the service as a "platform in which the machine and the human would collide more intimately." Daisy would provide intelligent curation and both computer-generated suggestions ("[using] mathematics") as well as suggestions from "connoisseurs."
Reznor compared the new service to Spotify, but didn't talk about the price model Daisy will employ. For example, Spotify has both free and paid tiers, and the former is ad-supported. Right now, there's no details on whether Daisy will be offered on a subscription basis, will charge per song, or will be an ad-supported service. While the service and technology behind it will a be a key factor in Daisy's success, the cost to the consumer will be one of the biggest factors.


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Alajuela — As Uber drivers in the United States and around the world went on strike Wednesday to object against the platform’s wages and working conditions, a familiar outcry sounded at Juan Santamaría International Airport.
Small but intrusive protests held by taxistas — angered by Uber’s deregulated existence and its encroachment on their wages — disrupted traffic in parts of the Greater Metropolitan Area.
At 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. by Costa Rica’s busiest airport, a group of taxistas, holding signs and yelling slogans, blocked traffic leading to the terminal from the highway. While the group was small, their discontent wasn’t. Most of those who flanked the doorway leading to the “arrivals” level had something, or more, to say about it.
Roberto Quiroz, an owner of an airport-only taxi, said he hoped the protests would take place every day until the government acted on Uber. He voiced frustration about how long the disruptive platform has existed with little progress.
Uber started operating in Costa Rica in 2015 — albeit in a legal grey area — and their prices often undercut that of official taxis. From the airport to downtown San José, the price of a taxi can range from $30-$60, while a similar ride on Uber often sets a rider out less than $20.
Though there has been dialogue on the federal level about legalizing and regulating the platform, so far nothing concrete has been accomplished.
According to Quiroz, a lot of the taxistas’s anger stems from the current legal framework that does not impose taxes on Uber drivers’s earnings.
One of the two organizers of Wednesday’s protests, Miguel Lizano, said his wages had fallen 70% since Uber ride-sharing began in Costa Rica. He says the reduction in riders and the amount of taxes, insurance and fees a licensed taxi driver has to pay mean he can hardly make ends meet.
Prior to another planned march Wednesday night, Lizano said he hopes the taxi drivers’s message gets across soon. If it doesn’t, he says, he will continue to protest until their issues with Uber are addressed.


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After shutting down approximately 42 websites over the weekend owned by adult site operator Go Entertainment, Inc. for violating a court order, Acacia will be taking off the kid gloves by Nov. 30 of this year and raising its royalty rates.
Newport Beach, Calif.-based Acacia Research, parent company of Acacia Technologies group, has been at the forefront of the adult world lately over a group of patents the company owns that enable the transmission and receipt of digital audio and video content over the Internet. This streaming technology is commonly used by many adult entertainment websites.
Since firing the initial warning shots at the adult entertainment industry in July 2003 for patent infringement, Robert Berman, senior vice president of business development, told XBiz that Acacia has been offering special deals to all adult sites that step forward and license the technology they were formally using for free. Those introductory deals have included certain waivers for past patent infringement and discounted royalty rates based on gross revenues.
But all that is about to change, Berman told XBiz.
"We've been waiving a lot of royalties occurring prior to July 2003, royalties that the law says we may be otherwise entitled to," Berman said. "But as of Nov. 30 of this year, we are going to raise our royalty rate and no longer offer waivers for past infringement. This is not an ultimatum, just a change in policy."
Berman added that his company is giving the adult industry fair notice of the royalty hike and that a signed agreement needs to be received by Nov. 30 in order for companies to continue to take advantage of Acacia's introductory rates and waivers.
Acacia recently licensed its DMT technology to Trade News Corp, the owner of CECash and Cyber Erotics; Matrix Content; Interactive Gallery, a wholly owned subsidiary of New Frontier Media Corp.; and Cyber Entertainment, a subsidiary of Dellwood Holdings, which owns operates more than 100 adult websites.
Acacia currently holds 41 licensing agreements for its DMT technology, with several more on the way, Berman told XBiz.
"We have done exceptionally well with our licensing program and given the [adult] industry ample time to make a decision on whether to license our technology," Berman said. "Although we will still offer licenses after Nov. 30, we will no longer offer the advantages given to our early licensees."
Acacia has also made recent revisions to its licensing agreements based on comments from early licensees, which are available for viewing at the company's website.
In reference to Go Entertainment, Inc., which is now an Acacia licensee, Berman told XBiz: "Our intent is not to shut down websites, it is to license them. But in instances where sites continue to use our technology without a license, we will use all powers within the law to stop them."


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China Literature Ltd., an online literature platform operated by Tencent Holdings, has filed an IPO prospectus to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. No financial details were disclosed. But the company, formerly known as China Reading Ltd., is reportedly seeking US$800 million via the float.
Hong Kong-listed Tencent is the company's largest shareholder, with a 65.3% stake. Carlyle Group and Trustbridge Partners own 12.2% and 6.2%, respectively.
Tencent announced in March that it would spin off its online publishing and e-book unit and seek a stand-along IPO in Hong Kong. The unit was formally established by Tencent in 2015 after it acquired Cloudary Corp., the literature arm of Shanda Group, the largest Chinese online publishing platform at tha...
This news article comes via , who is the copyright owner of this information and news. FintekAsia.com has licensed the rights to this article and any republication or re-distribution in whole or in part of this content is strictly prohibited without the express consent of China Money Network


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United States Senator
March 7, 2007
Good afternoon. Today's hearing marks the first time in more than four years that we have held an oversight hearing to examine the enforcement of our nation's antitrust laws. Today we will hear from Assistant Attorney General Barnett and FTC Chairman Majoras - both able and talented public servants. We particularly commend Chairman Majoras for her leadership and her efforts to bring more competition to the prescription drug market.
However, we are very concerned with the direction that the Antitrust Division has taken under this Administration. With the exception of criminal enforcement, there is an alarming decline in the Division's antitrust enforcement efforts across the board, particularly with respect to mergers. Compared to the last four years of the Clinton administration, the number of merger investigations initiated by the Justice Department in the most recent four years has declined by nearly 60 %, and the numbers of mergers challenged has declined by 75 %.
These aren't just statistics, these are real cases affecting consumers in many sectors of the economy. Whether it is the Whirlpool/Maytag deal, AT&T's acquisition of Bell South, or anti-competitive conduct in agriculture, the division has simply not done enough to protect consumers. As a result of this permissive, hands-off approach, the Division is encouraging even more consolidation, including companies who have lost their attempts to merge to try again in this environment. To quote the New York Times, merger policy [QUOTE] "often appears to be little more than 'anything goes.'" It is hard for us to disagree.
While all of these issues are worthy of significant attention, the most important antitrust issue for me and my constituents this year is AirTran's bid to acquire Midwest Airlines in a hostile takeover. As you know, Midwest Airlines is a true success story. Midwest Airlines is a unique company in the airline industry - an airline that offers the highest quality of service, and is actually beloved by its customers. Midwest Airlines has been recognized as the best domestic airline more than 45 times in the past 17 years by a variety of industry surveys. Beyond this, Midwest Airlines is vital to the economy of Wisconsin and the Greater Milwaukee area. It offers direct service to 36 key business centers everyday from its hub in Milwaukee. Should AirTran acquire Midwest Airlines and decide in the future to reduce service from Milwaukee, the negative consequences for the Wisconsin economy would be enormous.
Unfortunately, the business model of AirTran is very different than Midwest Airlines. It is a no frills, discount airline with low ratings for quality and customer service in industry ratings. No one doubts that the quality of Midwest's stellar service offered to consumers will suffer should AirTran complete this acquisition. Even more worrisome is AirTran's history of promising high levels of service when entering new markets and then abruptly breaking these promises and sharply reducing service. Dallas/Fort Worth, Washington Dulles and Pittsburgh are just three examples of cities in which AirTran has sharply reduced service in recent years contrary to optimistic promises made just a few years earlier. In sum, an acquisition of Midwest Airlines by AirTran would likely cause a substantial injury to consumers - specifically the many thousands of travelers and businesses throughout Wisconsin and around the nation who rely on Midwest Airlines for reliable, high quality, and competitively priced air travel.
I was therefore very disappointed and surprised to learn that the Justice Department recently closed its investigation of the AirTran/Midwest deal after only a cursory review lasting fewer than 30 days. Despite the obvious dangers of this acquisition in terms of frequency of service and quality of service for the many thousands of Midwest Airlines customers, your division did not initiate the full "Second Request" investigation that most in the industry expected. I cannot understand how the Justice Department could conclude after such a cursory review that this deal would pose no risks to competition and consumers. Mr. Barnett, I will ask you about this very important deal and for a commitment to reopen this investigation to examine its impact to consumers and businesses in Wisconsin.
So, we will discuss this essential issue and if time permits others including: consolidation in the oil and gas industry; reverse payments in the pharmaceutical industry; mergers and investigations in the agriculture sector; the interpretation of the Tunney Act, among many others. We will be monitoring your agencies carefully, Mr. Barnett and Chairman Majoras, with respect to these and other issues as you carry out your vital responsibilities on behalf of American consumers.


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Last year, speculation ran high that Apple would announce the next generation iPad as soon as January. That month has past, and there was no big announcement, so now a number of tech spec sites are speculating that Apple might be hosting an event next week to officially debut iOS 4.3, which they believe might also serve as a surprise platform to unveil details about iPad 2.
Historically, Apple tends likes to unveil next-gen iPhone and iPad models in January (and June), but January's big event was all about the current iPhone's availability with a new carrier, Verizon. It's possible that Apple was holding off the iPad 2 until after February 10 when the Verizon iPhone hits shelves.
Most sites agree that a release date would be sometime in March 2011, after a February launch. Rumors about the iPad 2's tech specs include near-field, high-tech cases, and a smaller display.
Check out some of the best iPad wallpapers for your current iPad.


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GRAND RAPIDS — Jesse Girod will never buy clothes as a gift for Father’s Day or any other holiday.
“He’s the worst person to shop for ... neckties and most clothes are absolutely out of the question because he has them all,” said Jesse Girod, 30.
Instead, he went antique shopping and found an old sign that says “Fitzgeralds” on it, which is the perfect gift to display in Jerry Girod’s clothing store — Fitzgeralds Men’s Store in Breton Village — which he started 31 years ago.
Jesse Girod has had the family store on his mind since October, when he decided to move back home from California to help run it.
He turned down other opportunities in business to get into the retail “grind” with his father.
“I love working with my dad,” Jesse Girod said. “Our relationship has grown so much from working because we have to make decisions together. We have to get along as father and son because, when we argue, at the end of the day, we have to make up. We still have work the next day.”
His decision to join the retail store’s staff surprised Jerry Girod, but is not so shocking in an area where 89 percent of the local firms are family-run, according to Grand Valley State University’s Family Business Alliance.
West Michigan is known for family businesses, thanks to success stories named Amway, Meijer Inc., Haworth Inc. and Bissell Inc., among others — all firms where fathers passed leadership roles to their children.
Family businesses thrive on a national scale, as well.
In 2003, family enterprises comprised 80 to 90 percent of all firms and contributed 64 percent to the gross domestic product, according to a 2003 study in Family Business Review.
The last West Michigan survey was completed in 2001, but the alliance’s Ellie Frey doubts much has changed.
Frey said that, despite the recession, most family businesses have more longevity than other firms and tend to aim for next-generation success before quarter profits.
“This community understands the important of family businesses more so than other communities,” Frey said. “Family businesses are more flexible, take more risks and give back to the community.”
She said West Michigan’s philanthropic reputation is largely due to the family business model that often values community enrichment.
‘Heritage of family business’
“One thing I most admire about West Michigan is its heritage of family business and the impact that it has in making this a wonderful place to live, work and play,” said Fred Keller, 67, who owns manufacturing company Cascade Engineering. “The distinct difference is how the owners think of their business compared to publicly-owned companies. It can be difficult thinking about how to positively impact the community when it’s not a family business.”
His daughter, Christina Keller, studied international development and is focused on sustainable solutions. When the 29-year-old felt boxed in at larger corporations, she decided to head back home to work at her father’s 37-year-old business a year and a half ago.
“I realized the value in a smaller business,” she said. “Grand Rapids is a center for sustainability, and my dad has great innovative ideas.”
She leads Cascade’s Triple Quest Business Unit, one of 15 branches, which manufactures Hydraid BioSandwater filters. Under her leadership, the filters have been deployed to countries struck by waterborne-illness such as Haiti, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.
Fred Keller, a long-time community activist, has garnered admiration and imitation from Christina Keller, who now strives to lead in local sustainability initiatives.
Passing the baton
Eastern Floral’s Bing and Jason Goei had a different start.
Besides having worked together before in a wholesale company and other projects, they took on the task of buying and rebuilding a bankrupt Eastern Floral, now headquartered at 818 Butterworth St. SW, in 2001.
It is now nationally known within the floral industry, with seven locations in West Michigan.
Jason Goei, 39, is carrying out a succession plan and faces different challenges in terms of taking on more company leadership than the younger Keller and Girod, who are still starting out. But, like them, he admires his dad.
“The biggest thing I picked up from him is the integrity and honesty in how he works,” Jason Goei said. “We have different strengths, weaknesses and personalities, but he always does the right thing and I try to do that too.”
Over the past decade, Bing Goei has struggled in handing the reigns over to his son and son-in-law Rick Huisman, but he said that the more grandchildren he has, the easier it becomes.
“It was a learning experience for both of us,” said the elder Goei, 63, a former candidate for state representative and member of the West Michigan Business Hall of Fame.
“It is a challenge that every family-owned business has with a succession plan, because that responsibility really lies on the father and mother to make the break and allow the children to function as leaders.”
The Girods said it took time to realize what their new roles encompassed at Fitzgeralds once Jesse joined management.
“Being a family business, we do everything,” Jerry Girod said. “But you both can’t do everything. We figured it out and, now, it allows us more time to focus on different things. It’s very fascinating that I can teach him an equal amount of what I can learn from him because his generation views one situation so differently than my age group.”
Fred Keller said he experienced the “full nervousness a father would feel” when Christina rose to a leadership position. He wants her to succeed but is reluctant to intervene in her affairs.
“The fact is, the best way to learn is to experience all of the difficulties and challenges firsthand and learn from them,” he said. “My major objective is to be a resource and teach her how to be the best servant leader.”
Handing down something as lofty as a business poses struggles for a father, especially since only two-thirds of all family businesses survive a second generation. But the rewards are hard to beat from a dad’s point of view.
“The fact that he would want to work with me and would choose — out of all of the opportunities he had — working with me makes me very happy,” Jerry Girod said.
E-mail Ursula Zerilli: email@example.com


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Sony has finally confirmed the PS Vita UK release date as 22nd February 2012, coinciding with a simultaneous US and European release date.
The announcement was made by SCEA boss Jack Tretton and was further confirmed by the EU PlayStation blog
The Japanese release date for the PS Vita was confirmed as December 17th, meaning that UK gamers will have an additional three Vita-less months to wait before they get their hands on the next generation handheld.
The PS Vita may seem a rival for Nintendo's 3DS but is more likely to go up against devices like the iPad 2 and various Android tablets for UK gamers portable gaming needs.
The PS Vita UK price is expected to be around 229 GBP, for the wi-fi only model, with 3G enabled PS Vita's available for around 279 GBP.
Still with a UK release date of February 22nd now confirmed, it's probably time to start saving those pennies with 2012 offering a bold new frontier in portable gaming.


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Braintree Selects Clarus Communications for Messaging and Public Relations(December 14, 2011)
CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwire) -- 12/14/11 -- Braintree (www.braintreepayments.com), an online payments provider for many of the fastest-growing and most discerning online businesses in the world, selected Clarus Communications (www.teamclarus.com) as their public relations agency. Clarus Communications is tasked with delivering public relations strategies and activities that drive sales leads and increase brand awareness for Braintree.
Founded in 2007, Braintree has grown rapidly and now is processing more than $4 billion in annual credit card transactions. Braintree's explosive growth earned it a spot on the 2011 Inc. 500 list as the nation's 47th fastest-growing private company, with a three-year growth rate of 4,200 percent. Braintree ranked first in the online payments industry. Braintree attracted a $34 million Series A investment from Accel Partners in June 2011. The company's client list reads like a Who's Who of influential technology companies, including LivingSocial, 37signals, OpenTable, GitHub, Airbnb, Heroku, Fab.com, Animoto, Shopify and HotelTonight.
"Clarus Communications has a record of helping high-growth companies generate leads and meet aggressive sales goals by significantly building their brand awareness and focusing their message," said Tracey Weinberg, vice president of marketing for Braintree. "We are off to a fast start and are excited to further build Braintree's reputation as the best payments solution for mobile, social and online businesses."
"Public relations can be an effective tool for helping high-growth companies move to their next level of growth," said Mara Conklin, president of Clarus Communications. "We have a successful history of working with the company's executive team at another company and are pleased that we can help them build awareness of Braintree."
About Clarus Communications
Clarus Communications is an independent, business-to-business (B2B), public relations firm that specializes in delivering measurable results and driving revenue for companies. Clarus Communications' programs create sales opportunities for clients by helping them focus their message, engage with more prospects and strengthen existing customer relationships. Clarus has offices in Chicago, Philadelphia and Bentonville, Ark. More information is available at www.teamclarus.com, on Twitter @TeamClarus or Facebook www.facebook.com/ClarusPR.
Copyright @ Marketwire
Related Keywords: Clarus Communications, Marketwire, Inc., ,


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WIKIPEDIA | Photo Courtesy
Nintendo is doing pretty well right now, sitting pretty in the Wide World of Sp-Video Games. Stocks are up, their games and consoles are selling well and the public is satisfied with their gaming experiences on Nintendo consoles.
Given their recent bumpy financial history, Nintendo may be having a talking heads moment of, “Well, how did we get here?” Thus begins the comeback story of Nintendo in 2017. Actually, we have to hop into 2016 for a bit to get some context real quick if you’ll bear with me.
There was this console called the Wii U that you probably haven’t heard of due to its multiple marketing problems upon launching in 2012 and throughout its lifetime. The brainchild of Nintendo, the Wii U was an attempt at innovation in the home console space complete with dual-screen capabilities and other features. It was a dud. It was confusing to consumers (“Is this a new Wii, just a new controller or what?”), the design wasn’t very sleek and third-parties avoided it like cows skirting an electric fence. In late 2016, the Wii U resembled an anemic, 10,000-year-old Energizer Bunny begging to be put out of its misery, but Nintendo had to keep urging it to keep going and going and …
“Surprise, we’re going to reveal our new console code-named NX in the morning, so tune in people!” Nintendo said in so many words via Twitter in October 2016. Hints at NX had been made by Nintendo for about a year prior, but this was actually the moment — it was time to see what the “big N” had up its sleeves to usurp the deadweight Wii U. A trailer was put online the next day for the Nintendo Switch. It was some fascinating, strange, hybrid thing that was not only a portable handheld console with a touchscreen, but it came with a dock that plugged into a TV to turn it into a full-blown home console. The kicker was that it looked slick, played the long-awaited new Zelda game and, if it worked as it appeared, it could be revolutionary.
Cue 2017, where in January, Nintendo gave a live presentation for the world to inform eager gamers about the Switch. The release date was set for March 3, 2017. They laid out the details: price, battery life, features, specs and of course games. “Splatoon 2,” “Xenoblade Chronicles 2,” “Skyrim,” “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe,” “Super Mario Odyssey” and others were all announced to be released that year.
However, the highlight for many was right at the end of the presentation, when Tatsumi Kimishima, president of Nintendo, did a classic “now for one more thing” announcement. Though we didn’t know it at the time, this announcement would end up being the initial push of the Nintendo Switch snowball that has become the juggernaut we see today. Kimishima let the video play, and it was an incredible trailer for the new Zelda game. To the roar of the crowd around the world, the trailer revealed: “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” would also be releasing March 3, 2017, making it a launch title.
The buzz was palpable. Nintendo had already shown the innovative gameplay and gorgeous visuals present in “Breath of the Wild” at E3 2016, but now we knew that it was going to be available day one on the shiny new Switch. This was a console that we could take with us anywhere we went, so the adventure didn’t have to be put on hold upon leaving the house.
The launch hype was massive. The reviews for “Breath of the Wild” indicated that Nintendo truly had something special here; nearly all major gaming publications reported a perfect score. The remarks “masterpiece” and “greatest of all time” were tossed around like confetti. Pre-orders for “Breath of the Wild” would end up exceeding the number of Switches initially sold due to high demand for both and the supply being scarcer for the console.
So, March 3 came, and Nintendo was off to the races. As reported by Ars Technica, 2.74 million Switches were sold worldwide within the first month. This was a hot item to have, and scarcity was an issue that not even Nintendo foresaw. According to The Wall Street Journal, they would end up having to double their planned production over the course of the year. It became apparent that the volatility of the system was not just a novelty, so the allure of a flexible console with a stellar game to be played was quite strong for many.
This became a common theme as the year went on. Nintendo had a potent plan to release a big first-party or AAA title about once a month in 2017, with “Breath of the Wild” in March, “Mario Kart” in April, “Minecraft” in May, and so on. Indies also found a home on Switch in droves, with excellent games such as “Thumper,” “Golf Story,” “Steamworld Dig 2” and “Stardew Valley” adding to a superb library.
Christmas and the holiday season only accelerated the Switch’s momentum. Strategically releasing “Super Mario Odyssey” in October greatly contributed to holiday demand, as both kids and adults longed to run and jump as the Italian mascot. NintendoLife reported that until December, 3.3 million consoles had been sold in the U.S. alone, and the last month of the year added on a cool 1.5 million to the total for 2017. The figure of 4.8 million Switches sold in the U.S. in 2017 set a new record for fastest selling console in U.S. history, even surpassing the phenomenon of the Nintendo Wii. According to Forbes, the worldwide total sales of the Switch, as of the end of 2017, was 14.6 million, eclipsing the total sales of the Wii U’s entire lifespan at 13.56 million. This is a turnaround and a half for Nintendo. Forget Bitcoin; I should have bought Nintendo stock — it has doubled its worth since March.
Nintendo’s one-two punch of a clearly innovative console in tandem with remarkable games such as “Breath of the Wild” and “Super Mario Odyssey” has created a perfect storm of success for the company. It’s noteworthy that they achieved such an outcome by releasing a console that does not conform to Sony and Microsoft’s pattern of pursuing power.
When Nintendo succeeds by taking chances and trying new things as they have, it is beneficial to the video game industry as a whole. Designers and developers may be inspired to deviate from the status quo by exploring different methods, priorities and mindsets to create totally new gameplay experiences. Such an outcome would be incredible for the gaming industry and video game enthusiasts alike, because when game companies innovate, everyone wins. With this hopeful outlook, I eagerly await what 2018 has in store.


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By Tapiwa Mkabeta WINDHOEK Recent increases in petrol and diesel prices will compel businesses to adjust production costs and product pricing to cushion the negative effect of the price hike. The fishing and transportation sectors, due to the nature of their operations, are apparently the worst affected. Unleaded petrol went up by eight cents per litre and 16 cents for diesel. Mihe Gaomab II, an economist with the Namibian Economic Society (NEC), says the recent fuel increases will definitely affect both the shipping and fishing industries as well as the transportation sector. Gaomab said that the fuel increases have an adverse effect on production in the various industries. He said that though not directly connected, airlines are faced with the same predicament of the recent global increase in jet fuel to US$66 (approximately N$396) per barrel, which is bound to affect the aviation industry. The rate at which fuel prices have increased in the past ten months is a cause for concern. Some companies have had to reconsider their production costs in the aftermath of the fuel price hikes. Like many other transport companies, the FP du Toit Group is trying to adjust to the recent fuel hikes. Ralph Dorfling, the managing director of the company in Namibia expressed concern about how the fuel hikes would affect the company’s customer base. “It is unfortunate you can never predict when you are going to have another fuel increase,” said Dorfling. Transportation companies operating within the borders and outside the country are faced with a predicament with the difference in fuel pricing across the borders. Dorfling pointed out how fuel forms the largest expense component in the transportation industry, particularly for Namibian companies. With many companies conducting budget revues during the year, coping with such fuel hikes has been a constant battle in the transportation and fishing industry. High fuel prices are one input that can adversely affect fish processing in the fishing industry. Some fishing companies have expressed concern about how such hikes have hindered business, where some firms are struggling to protect and keep their customer bases. In the fishing sector, some companies are trying to work through the fuel increase by cutting all possible costs in the available avenues. For most fishing companies that are export-based, the exchange rate has also not been favourable for business. As much as the industry has felt more than a pinch from the fuel hikes, with the rate at which global fuel prices are increasing and Namibia being a small player in the global industry, the fuel prices have become a bitter pill to swallow.
16.5 ° C


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VERSACE – LAMBORGHINI ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF : THE NEW LAMBORGHINI MURCIÉLAGO LP 640 ROADSTER VERSACE AND THE EXCLUSIVE VERSACE COLLECTION LP 640.
Milan, 23rd June 2008 – Versace and Lamborghini, collaborators since 2006, proudly announce the launch of the new Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640 Roadster VERSACE and a unique collection of accessories, both to be previewed for the first time at the Maison's Via Gesù 12, Milan on Monday June 23rd, 2008.
To create the new super roadster, the Maison Versace's designers joined forces with designers from the Lamborghini Design Centre (Centro Stile)and specialists working on the "ad personam" project. This Lamborghini program allows individual clients to create personalised sports cars, choosing the equipment specification, the colour of the exterior body and of the interior fittings.
The new limited edition Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640 Roadster VERSACE, which will be produced to order, displays a pastel white livery and the Versace Greek key motif on the lower part of the door. Equipped for the very first time with a transparent engine hood that reveals the powerful V12 engine, this model has been reconfigured internally. The cradle seats are clad in black and white leather, while opulent full grain soft nappa leather – hand-embroidered with the Versace Greek fret motif - upholsters the instrument panel, the doors and the central console.
The rigorous design and minimal lines of the Murciélago engine hood inspired the Versace Collection LP 640 range of accessories, which will also be previewed for the first time globally.
Exclusively crafted in black matte calf skin, models include: a trolley bag, suit carrier, sports bag, as well as a briefcase, suitcase, gloves, driving shoes, belt, wallet, key ring, beauty case, hat and a pair of jeans. These hand-made accessories boast traditional craftsmanship, stitching and edging à la française and a palladium-engraved tag displaying both the Versace and Lamborghini logos.
This prestigious accessory collection will be exclusively available at Versace Boutiques and selected Lamborghini showrooms beginning in November 2008.
Gianni Versace's CEO Giancarlo Di Risio emphasised: "This new super car and the exclusive Collection LP640 represent a natural evolution of excellence for both Versace and Lamborghini through the creation of these unique, one-of-a-kind projects."
Stephan Winkelmann, president and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., said: "Our collaboration with Versace turned out to be an excellent experience and is an example of how we are pursuing our strategy of developing luxury products outside of luxury sports cars. We are proud to be in this prestigious, Made in Italy partnership with Versace, which adds to our other recent successes."
After the release of the Aventador Superveloce the big question now is will Lamborghini show us the Huracan Spyder at the IAA in Frankfurt
(added on May 26. 2015)
Rumor has it several of the official worldwide dealers for Automobili Lamborghini SpA have already sold out their allocation of the Aventador Superveloce
(added on May 21. 2015)
One of the biggest events of the year at Brooklands celebrating the UK obsession with all things Italian.
(added on May 17. 2015)
The Lamborghini Aventador LP750-4 Superveloce has completed the lap at the famous Nurnburgring in less than 7 minutes
(added on May 16. 2015)
Nimrod Luxury tuning performance cars created the very impressive Avanti Rosso based on the Lamborghini Aventador
(added on May 14. 2015)


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Author: Rosanna Robins (Read Aritcle on Hallam FM by clicking here or read below)
It comes as we’re being warned the rising cost of formula is pushing some parents to try and steal it
A South Yorkshire baby charity has told us it’s thinking about providing formula milk due to a growing number of parents struggling to afford it.
It comes after we told you this morning about warnings of a health emergency – with charities reporting that some parents are being driven to steal it because of the soaring cost.
Baby Basics was founded in Sheffield and now has 55 branches around the UK.
It previously hasn’t given out formula, partly due to issues around needing to work with health professionals who want to encourage breastfeeding.
‘We hear stories of mums watering down formula and reusing nappies’
But CEO Cat Ross says families are becoming desperate:
“The need is growing. We’ve seen in our supermarkets it’s moving behind the checkout because formula milk is becoming one of the most shoplifted items.
“But also we hear stories of mums watering down formula in the same way we hear stories of mums reusing nappies because they can’t afford to buy another pack of nappies.
“At the end of the day a mum wants to be able to feed her child, and parents will go to whatever lengths they have to be able to do that.
“We don’t right now provide formula milk, but we’re also determined that actually we need to overcome those challenges to be able to support families with this need.
“We’re continuing to see a massive increase in demand. That’s everything from clothing, toiletries, nappies, toys and beds.
“And we’re also seeing a drop in donations. Everybody is struggling with the cost of living, so somebody who previously may have decided to donate their cot to us can’t afford to do that anymore because they need to sell it to pay their electric bill.”
Cat is also reminding families who are struggling to check if they are eligible for the Healthy Start vouchers, which is an NHS scheme aimed at helping people who are pregnant or who have young children.
“There may be people thinking they can’t apply for the Healthy Start voucher either because of their immigration status right now or because they’ve got immigration status but it says on their judgement ‘no access to public funds’,” says Cat.
“If you have at least one child under four years old that is a British citizen that was born in the UK, you can still access Healthy Start vouchers. And it’s worth going online and getting that application in because you can use those vouchers to help buy milk.”


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Restaurant Chain Battles McDonalds Over Texas Burger
LAKE JACKSON, Texas (AP) _ It could be called a case of Texas hamburglary.
But to Lake Jackson restaurateur Richard Cox, the flap over McDonald’s ″Texas Homestyle Burger″ is no laughing matter.
″We have been using the Texas burger concept for 17 years,″ said Cox, owner of the Red Top restaurant chain that features ″Texas Style Burgers.″
″They copied everything we did,″ Cox, 45, said Monday. ″They thought it was a good idea and went ahead and used it, and they didn’t think anyone would challenge them.″
Cox has sued and has obtained an injunction against McDonald’s using the name in ads in his end of Brazoria County until June 4, when the case is to be tried.
The man who heads the corporation that owns the six McDonald’s in the county is doing some challenging of his own.
″He is trying to portray himself as a small independent businessman run over by a large corporation,″ said Robert D. Humason Sr. of Lake Jackson. ″He’s fighting me. I’m down here struggling with six stores.″
Humason heads Dewey Corp., which owns the McDonald’s restaurants in Brazoria County, south of Houston.
Cox, who owns six Red Top restaurants in Brazoria County and one in Houston, said the McDonald’s ad campaign for their burger is almost identical to his Texas Style Burger.
In a petition, McDonald’s denied using Cox’s concept, saying its promotion relies on generic logos that don’t belong to Cox.
Humason said Cox didn’t have the marketing concept registered and does not hold sole rights to the three words in contention.
Cox said the McDonald’s ads are so similar that confused customers have brought McDonald’s coupons to Red Top.
But Humason said of 174,000 coupons distributed during the marketing drive, only three were mistakenly taken to Red Top restaurants.


text: To curb consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, a Dutch city will make history by becoming the first in the world to outlaw meat advertisements in public places. In 2024, the prohibition will go into effect in Haarlem, a city with a population of around 160,000 and located to the west of Amsterdam. The meat was recently added to a list of products that are thought to be contributing to climate catastrophe. It has been criticized by the meat industry that the municipality is "going too far in telling people what's best for them" by prohibiting advertisements on Haarlem's buses, shelters, and screens in public areas. The municipality of Haarlem has come under fire from the meat business for "going too far in telling people what's best for them" by forbidding advertisements on its buses, bus shelters, and screens in public places. Carbon-absorbing forests are cut down to provide livestock grazing, and the nitrogen-rich fertilizers used to grow their feed can worsen air and water pollution, contribute to climate change, and deplete the ozone layer. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is also produced in enormous amounts by livestock. Ziggy Klazes, a councilor from the GroenLinks party who introduced the meat advertising ban, claimed she had no idea the city would be the first in the world to implement such a policy when she submitted it. "We are not about what people are baking and roasting in their kitchens; if people wanted to continue eating meat, fine," she said, according to the Haarlem105 radio station. We cannot inform people about the climate catastrophe while urging them to purchase items that contribute to it. Naturally, there are a lot of individuals who think the choice is ridiculous and patronizing, but there are also a lot of people who believe it's okay. If it is picked up nationally, it would only be very wonderful. It is a signal. Many GroenLinks groups are interested in trying it out because they believe it is a good idea. The restriction also applies to vacation flights, fossil fuels, and vehicles that rely on fossil fuels. Due to existing contracts with companies that supply the products, the ban has been postponed until 2024. The decision is met with some resistance inside the Haarlem council, with critics claiming that it stifles free speech. Trots Haarlem leader Sander van den Raadt observed: "It is remarkable that the municipality of Haarlem is holding a large poster campaign that you can be yourself and love whomever you want in Haarlem, but if you like meat instead of soft grass, 'the patronizing brigade' will come and tell you that you are completely wrong." According to research by Greenpeace, meat consumption needs to be cut to 24 kilograms per person annually from the current average of 82 kg, or 75.8 kg in the Netherlands, the EU's top meat exporter, for the EU to achieve its goal of net zero emissions by 2050.


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Broadcasters Pull the Plug on Consumers in 48 Markets
Washington, D.C. – A tidal wave of broadcaster blackouts hit consumers from coast to coast, as the calendar turned to 2017. Broadcasters deliberately took down local channels in dozens of markets in 25 states across the country, leaving hundreds of thousands of innocent consumers without local programming. Broadcasters pulled the plug on these loyal TV fans despite offers from some ATVA member companies to retroactively compensate broadcasters after reaching a new agreement; broadcasters selfishly refused, choosing instead to use the nuclear option, leaving viewers in the dark.
“Broadcasters ambushed innocent consumers on New Year’s Day with a tidal wave of television blackouts,” said American Television Alliance national spokesman Trent Duffy. “Broadcast tycoons have brazenly and deliberately hijacked pay TV viewers once again, holding college football bowl games, the last weekend of the NFL’s regular season and network premiers for ransom in a naked ploy to extract more money from consumers.”
Outdated laws allow broadcasters to demand consumers pay higher and higher fees for ‘free’ TV. When pay TV customers resist these often-massive rate increases, broadcasters yank stations off the air, holding their programming for ransom until consumers pay up.
“These brass knuckle tactics have no place in American society,” said Duffy. “The FCC must consider the public interest in retransmission consent negotiations. This wave of broadcaster blackouts is more evidence for why the FCC and Congress must act to protect consumers.”
Hundreds of thousands of pay TV consumers in the following communities are currently blacked out by local broadcasters:
Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM; Baltimore, MD; Birmingham, AL; Boston, MA; Burlington, VT; Cincinnati, OH; Des Moines-Ames, IA; Fort Smith, AR; Greensboro-Winston-Salem, NC; Greenville-Spartanburg, SC-Asheville, NC; Harrisburg-Lancaster, PA; Jackson, MS; Kansas City, MO; Louisville, KY; Milwaukee, WI; Monterey-Salinas, CA; New Orleans, LA; Oklahoma City, OK; Omaha, NE; Orlando-Daytona, FL; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland-Auburn, ME; Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA; Savannah, GA; Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL; West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, FL; Fort Myers-Naples, FL; Shreveport LA; Jacksonville FL
Oklahoma City, OK; Tulsa, OK
Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Raleigh/Durham, NC; Minneapolis, MN; Myrtle Beach, NC; Charleston, SC
Idaho Falls, Pocatello and Lewiston, ID; Grenada and Cleveland, MS;
TV Blackout Crisis Continues as Broadcasters Rake In More Money from Viewers
TV blackouts hit a record in 2015, affecting more than 12 million Americans. Since 2010, millions of Americans have seen dark screens instead of watching their favorite channels due to more than 600 broadcaster blackouts. Blackouts have soared in the past five years. ATVA began keeping track of broadcaster blackouts in 2010. Since that time there have been:
- 48 blackouts in 2017
- 104 blackouts in 2016
- 193 blackouts in 2015
- 94 blackouts in 2014
- 119 blackouts in 2013
- 90 blackouts in 2012
- 42 blackouts in 2011
- 8 blackouts in 2010
When blackouts finally end, consumers get their programming back, but at a higher cost:
- SNL Kagan also projects that over time over 50%of affiliates’ retrans payments will go to the networks.
- SNL Kagan data shows that retrans fees are the fastest rising part of programming costs
- According to an ATVA analysis of publicly available industry data and SNL Kagan data, fees have grown an astonishing 22,400% [no, that’s not a typo] since 2005 and more troubling, have seen 40% annual increases over the last 3 years.
The American Television Alliance (ATVA) brings together an unprecedented coalition of consumer groups, cable, satellite, telephone companies, and independent programmers to raise awareness about the risk TV viewers face as broadcasters increasingly threaten service disruptions that would deny viewers access to the programs they and their families enjoy.
For more information about ATVA, visit our website. Follow us on Twitter @ATVAlliance.


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Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi to release first tablet – sources
BEIJING/TOKYO (Reuters) - Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi will soon release its first tablet, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, expanding the fast-growing company's product lineup in a potential challenge to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Apple Inc.
Xiaomi this week said it would hold a launch event in Beijing on May 15, but declined to give details or comment further. The sources could not confirm whether the tablet would be unveiled at that event.
The four-year-old Chinese company, which reached the No. 5 spot in its home market in the final quarter of last year according to Chinese research firm Analysys, is a standout among China's crop of emerging smartphone makers that are expanding the market with lower-priced products.
They are also creating new opportunities for parts suppliers in Japan, including display makers Sharp Corp and Japan Display Inc, as they bolster their offerings of high-specification features to compete with global brands. Xiaomi lists Sharp as a display supplier on its website and the sources said Sharp would make the displays for the Xiaomi tablet.
Xiaomi scored a hit last year with the Mi 3, its flagship smartphone that sold 100,000 units in 90 seconds when it was released online in October. Its low-cost Redmi handset has also sold strongly in China and was recently launched in Singapore.
Xiaomi, which is more than doubling its sales every year with plans to sell 40 million phones this year versus 18.7 million last year and 7.2 million the year before, has cemented its reputation in the expanding high-end Chinese smartphone market to compete against the likes of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL] and Lenovo Group Ltd.
Following the March launch of a 5.5 inch-screen "phablet", Xiaomi will next release its first tablet, fitted with a 7.9 inch screen, and has already ordered parts, the sources said. It will likely be called the "MiPad", they added.
Xiaomi, which was founded in April 2010 by entrepreneur Lei Jun, is among a host of young homegrown handset brands in China that also include Oppo and Coolpad.
They are now looking to expand abroad after winning over Chinese consumers with advanced features at lower prices than comparable handsets from Apple and other well-known brands.
(Reporting by Paul Carsten in Beijing; Reiji Murai and Sophie Knight in Tokyo; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Mark Potter)
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DAVOS, Switzerland - Central banks have done their best to rescue the world economy by printing money and politicians must now act fast to enact structural reforms and pro-investment policies to boost growth, central bankers said on Saturday.
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Ties up with three companies for distribution
NEW DELHI: Television viewing in 300 cities across India has taken a new dimension with the launch of the Tata Sky satellite television services at the Taj Palace Hotel here on Tuesday.
Tata Sky, the 80:20 joint venture between the Tatas and STAR, that had received the `Letter of Intent' from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry for the launch of its Ku band direct-to-home (DTH) service last year, said it was a relatively late entrant in the market because it wanted to bring the best of digital technology to the service.
The service promises superior digital quality picture and sound.
Besides offering a variety of channels, the company has topped it up by a special introductory offer whereby viewers pay only Rs. 200 a month towards subscription charges with the hardware consisting of the dish antennae and digital box for Rs. 2,999.
Vikram Kaushik, Managing Director and CEO, Tata Sky, said, "We are confident that offering a television service that is second to none, while providing top-of-the-line convenient and efficient customer service to our subscribers throughout every contact point, including sales, service and billing, will set us apart from the competition."
Hailing it as a new paradigm shift in television marketing, Mr. Kaushik said the company had tied up with LG, ITC International Business Division and Indian Oil Corporation as part of its distribution drive.
Tata Sky takes direct responsibility for hardware installation at subscribers' homes, as well as for providing after-sales service besides retailing its hardware and prepaid recharge vouchers through popular consumer electronic stores to enhance customer convenience.


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WASHINGTON - An I-Team investigation into food stamp fraud received national attention on Capitol Hill Thursday night.
Members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing to question officials who oversee the nation's food stamp program.
The hearing started with what Scripps Howard News Service exposed in an ongoing investigation on food stamp fraud in the nation.
"What whistleblowers have done for us could have prevented many of those stores from being back in business," said California Rep. Darrell Issa (R).
The meeting followed with almost two hours of tough questioning.
"These retailers have violated the law, and we don't debar them, then shame on us. Anyone want to respond to that?" said Rep. Jackie Speier (D) of California.
Kevin Concannon, the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, attempted to explain why disqualified vendors still accept food stamps, even after the USDA busts them for fraud -- some as many as four times.
"While a vast majority of retailers follow the rules, a few bad actors will always seek to exploit SNAP," said Conncannon.
But, Concannon's own inspector general, the USDA's Phyllis Fong, testified that more could be done.
"USDA has implemented regulations, and as a whole, the department could do a better job at implementing that," Fong said.
Food stamp scams cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Store clerks secretly ring up a case of beer as a box of cereal or charge $100 on the card and give $50 in return.
Repeatedly gaming the system for cash means recipients are even buying big-ticket items.
"It's critical that we focus our efforts on retailers who bypass the system that we put in place to control access," said Fong.
That's why the government permanently bans about a thousand retailers nationwide for fraud every year. But the Scripps investigation revealed nearly a third of the disqualified sites were approved to trade in food stamps again.
"Scripps Howard exposed fraud you were not aware of, correct?" asked Issa.
"Correct," answered Concannon.
The USDA says they're now doing more to combat fraud. That means stricter rules and stiffer penalties. But that's not enough for chairman Issa.
"The next analysis on the level of waste has to be one that's independent from the USDA," said Issa.
In Thursday's testimony, Concannon disputed what the Scripps investigation exposed.
"Our results show that the issues may not be as widespread as first reported by Scripps," said Concannon.
After the hearing, a reporter for Scripps tried to get the undersecretary to explain the discrepancies, but he and his staff couldn't give an answer.
"You made your mistakes, and you're unwilling to admit it," said Concannon.
Neither Concannon nor his staff ever contacted Scripps to correct the reports.


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Men spend 15 per cent more on their credit cards than women, according to new research.
Men favour sports, toy, and DIY stores - spending up to 79 per cent more on these purchases than women.
In comparison, women use their cards 87 per cent more in chemists, 83 per cent more in clothes shops and 36 per cent more in department stores than their male counterparts.
This is according to research from Santander which investigated credit card spending habits.
Food and fuel biggest spend
Santander say supermarket shopping and petrol are the two biggest credit card outlays for both men and women.
It found that 19 per cent of women’s credit card spending is done at the supermarket till compared with 14 per cent for men.
When it comes to filling up the car, petrol accounts for 11 per cent of mens credit card spending compared with 8 per cent for women.
Women use their credit card the least number of times in restaurants, on cars and electrical gadgets. These areas account for less than 5 per cent of their total card spending.
Clothes and interior furnishings account for the smallest percentage of credit card spending for men.
Adam Mussert, Santander Cards, says: "It's revealing that people seem to conform to gender stereotypes in their credit card usage.
"Women use their cards more in clothes shops and department stores and men spend more on their vehicles, in sports shops and in bars and restaurants."
But depending on what you’re buying, where you're buying and the credit card you’re using, all that spending can mean the difference between boosting your bank balance or not.
Earn as you spend
With cashback credit cards you earn money on your spending - typically up to 5 per cent. However, this is usually a headline rate which can often fall after an initial introductory period.
The Capital One World Mastercard has a 5 per cent cashback rate which lasts for three months.
After this, it reverts to a much lower rate of between 0.5 per cent and 1.25 per cent, depending on how much you spend.
With other cards like the Santander 123 credit card you’ll earn different rates according to what you buy - 1 per cent on supermarket shopping, 2 per cent in department stores and 3 per cent on petrol.
Beware of card fees
However, if you book some theatre tickets or a holiday on the card for example, you won’t get a penny back.
But a word of warning for both sexes - while the option to get money back on all your usual spending sounds great, the trade off with cashback cards is that some have a fee.
The Santander 123 credit card has an annual £24 fee which means if you use it for your supermarket shopping you must spend in excess of £2,400 a year to start making money, more than £1,200 in department stores or £800 plus a year on petrol.
Save and donate!
Confused.com is donating £5 to children's charity the NSPCC for every credit card taken out through the site in April.
The money raised will be used by the NSPCC to end child cruelty and make a real difference to the lives of children in the UK.


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Brave account director Helen Trevorrow will lead a six-strong team and report to Sunsilk brand manager Ali Morris. Brave joint managing directors Annabel Hillary and Charlotte Ashby will have ‘hands-on’ roles.
‘Some major changes are planned for PR during next year,’ said Trevorrow. ‘LF was looking for an agency that can give a broader reach, because it is to launch new Sunsilk products next year.
‘We have an absolute client split and we offer across-the-board reach to make the brand stand out in what is a very crowded category.’
Sunsilk shampoos and conditioners were discontinued in the UK more than a decade ago. Sunsilk hairspray was discontinued last year. The brand returned to stores in March 2003 in a multi-million-pound bid to revive its past successes.
Cairns, handed the Sunsilk account last February without a pitch, retains consumer PR for LF’s Impulse, Sure, Timotei, Vaseline Intensive Care and Persil Non-Bio brands.
‘We didn’t have a lot of time to prove ourselves,’ said Cairns deputy managing director Charlotte Clarke. ‘The client appointed a new marketing and brand manager a few months after we were hired and she had different ideas. It’s a one-off situation and we still increased business with LF on several accounts.’


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Image: Pepper the robot. Photo credit: Ben Mack
du is ramping up its digital innovation efforts, with the launch of its Idea Hub.
Launched on a typically sunny Dubai day to a crowd of several dozen on the 35th floor of du’s headquarters in the Media City area, the event kicked off with a video presentation highlighting du’s desire to use the hub to help make the UAE “the smartest country in the world.”
The media launch followed a visit by H.E. Oman Bin Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, who was accompanied by a number of du executives and leaders.
The Minister said: “Our goal is to use AI to strengthen services and completely transform how UAE residents connect to the government.”
He said more. “It is imperative to not only refine current strategies, but also to invest in future opportunities. AI will allow us to offer a number of innovative use cases, including augmented and virtual reality, the Internet of Things, smart city applications and remote surgery, amongst many others, as part of the UAE’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031.”
Osman Sultan, du’s chief executive, said somethings similar. He said: “We believe that ICT is our biggest opportunity in the future to enhance the UAE’s position as a global hub for tourism, commerce and, more importantly, as a happy place to live.”
He added: “We are heavily invested in leveraging futuristic technologies and platforms, building and deploying the Dubai Pulse platform, and collaborating with a variety of partners and pushing ahead with smart city use cases, deployments of innovative technologies, and pushing the boundaries of digital adoption and digital transformation in government entities.”
Jihad Tayara, du’s VP of ICT, expanded on Sultan’s words and the purpose of the hub. “We’re embarking on a digital transformation story,” he said, adding du has been involved in more than 25 smart services projects in Dubai’s Silicon Oasis, a 100% government-owned free zone that facilitates and promotes modern technology-based industries.
Tayara said ICT is the fastest-growing part of du’s business – and that it’s expected to continue to grow. “We’re building the digital backbone of the city.”
The timing for opening the hub was right, Tayara said, because customers were continuing to ask what du was doing in the ICT and smart cities space. “The main outcome is about engaging customers,” he said.
“It’s not just about innovation. It’s about showing collaboration. Innovation is the fruit of that collaboration.”
Partners for the Ideas Hub include Virgin, WiFi UAE, Datamena, Smart Dubai, and more. Said Tayara of the importance of collaboration, including with other telcos: “It’s really beyond telcos. We’re competing with all the digital systems integrators. And we’re partnering with them. It’s about collaboration.”
The launch also included a demonstration of Pepper, a robot which can show videos make hand gestures while speaking, and answer questions – and also be interviewed.
Said Pepper: “I can tell you many things.”


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Apple is all set to announce the flagship iPhone 5S and a low budget iPhone for the entry-level smartphone market in September. 5S is reportedly not going to bear any design change but a possibility of new color in addition to its black and white models cannot be denied.
According to a report by Makotakara, the new color would be gold which will join its flagship iPhone of black and white color. Recent photo leaks by BGR also suggest the same. However, the site denies any such possibility claiming the golden color is of SIM card strays for 5S. On the other hand, the site boasts about a camera upgrade with a dual LED flash, a faster processor and more RAM to the new Apple iPhone 5S.
The report by Makotakara also states that the low-cost iPhone would be available in various colors chosen from the plenteous cases sold by the company for iPhone 4 and 4S. It further adds that the low-cost iPhone for $99 would be offered in black, white, blue, pink and orange in coming September after its release.
However, the reports are not confirmed till the company does not make any official announcement of colors for 5S and low-cost iPhones as well.


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The $142 million sale of Francis Bacon’s triptych of Lucian Freud has a matching, perhaps a bit tenuous, trio of lessons for the broader world of finance, the author writes.
While Cooper Tire and Rubber and Apollo Tyres, are locked in a legal battle over a $35-a-share takeover offer, the deal still has justification, even at a lower price.
The big questions are about John Chen holding the top two jobs at the troubled smartphone maker and his commuting from California.
There now appear to be noticeable differences among the publicly traded private equity companies. It should be a welcome change, even if it reflects some short-term thinking about a long-term business, the author writes.
The interest in stateside I.P.O.’s of Chinese Internet companies is a striking contrast with the recent past, when accounting scams and poor governance prompted many to shun Chinese stocks.
Endo’s deal for Paladin Labs of Canada will involve creating a new holding company based in Ireland to house both firms. The move should significantly reduce Endo’s tax rate.
Calling off an auction without a buyer in hand can leave a company in a precarious position, the author notes.
Restrictions enacted after the Enron scandal mean advisory services employees at Booz & Company could end up battling with PricewaterhouseCoopers accountants over clients.
Bondholders in the Brazilian energy company OGX have a better chance of recovering more money by injecting more cash. But there are dangers if Eike Batista pushes them too far.
With a union trust and Fiat at loggerheads, a stock offering could end up being a lot of work for nothing, the author contends.
Deutsche Bank’s prized fixed-income franchise has lost market share in each of the last two quarters. And a regulatory focus on gross leverage positions may make it harder for the bank to stay in fixed income’s top three
The South Korean giant has almost $40 billion in cash. It can afford to mimic Apple by giving more to investors.