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LIMA, the global trade association for the licensing industry, has appointed Rutika Malaviya as its official representative for India.
Malaviya (pictured with LIMA president Charles Riotto) is editor-in-chief of online publication Animation Digital Digest and founder/CEO of Mumbai-based creative agency Rooh Entertainment.
With more than 1.251 billion people, India is the second most-populated country in the world behind China (1.367 billion), according to the Central Intelligence Agency, and it’s long been on the radar of the licensing industry as a growth market.
Malaviya was previously a member of the LIMA India Advisory Committee. In her new role, she will focus on building LIMA membership in India and helping local members leverage the benefits the association offers.
Founded in 1985, New York-based LIMA has offices in London, Munich, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Melbourne, as well as reps in India, Italy, Korea, Spain, Turkey and the Middle East. The association also has members from more than 35 countries and provides them with access to interactive global directory LIMANET, educational programming and information, and global networking events.
Last year, LIMA conducted its inaugural global licensing study and found the industry generated US$241.5 billion in worldwide retail sales in 2014, with the character/entertainment sector accounting for 44% of the market.


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the biggest mercedes
suv, the 2024 mercedes
-benz gls-class, is getting a very subtle refresh. the new model year brings some styling tweaks inside and out, and some new feature changes. the main change to the exterior is the front fascia. the front grille is even more prominent than before, looking bigger and packing additional slats on the regular models. the lower part of the bumper has been reworked a bit, too. at the back, the only real change is the new taillights. and of course, the maybach and amg variants get unique grille inserts and other model-specific exterior cues. a couple new colors are also now available: twilight blue and alpine grey.

domain: news


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Wearables provider Fit Pay and Cascade Fintech, a US prepaid card and peer-to-peer (P2P) payment services provider, are teaming up to develop a new platform that enables cryptocurrency holders to make in-store purchases.
The platform, which is expected to launch in 2018, enables users to transfer cryptocurrencies into widely accepted forms of payment, and then stores that value on devices capable of making contactless payments. These cryptocurrency holders can then make transactions with the funds on their accounts at millions of retail locations worldwide with NFC-enabled POS terminals.
High consumer interest coupled with the stabilization of cryptocurrencies could turn this platform into a popular commerce tool in the near future. Cryptocurrencies made major headlines in 2017 as they saw massive gains in value — for example, Bitcoin reached highs of around $800 in 2016 and exploded to over $19,000 in 2017. This has garnered the interest of consumers, as millions of people have decided to buy these currencies as investment opportunities. However, once these currencies start to flatten out and consumers no longer fear missing out on large gains, many will likely try to find convenient ways to use these funds.
It's important to note that cryptocurrencies still have a long way to go because even if consumer interest does rapidly increase, merchant acceptance is still low. Merchant acceptance of Bitcoin was at an all-time low in July, for example, according to report from JPMorgan covered by Bloomberg — out of the leading 500 internet sellers, just three accept Bitcoin, down from five last year. In anticipation of rising consumer interest, players in the payment space will likely begin integrating the payment option into their offerings, which could lead to significant increases in merchant acceptance.
To receive stories like this one directly to your inbox every morning, sign up for the Payments Briefing newsletter. Click here to learn more about how you can gain risk-free access today.


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Tagged: nexus 7 dock
January 2, 2013 at 6:03 pm #24952
Two weeks ago we told you that you can pre-order the official docking station for the Nexus 7 online from retailer B&H. While the shipment date was initially missing, the website has been updated with some information you’ve been desperately longing to hear. As listed there, those who have pre-ordered the dock should be getting it delivered starting from January 10.
The date falls in line with what Asus Benelux has reportedly told the folks over at Android World. They have received confirmation from Asus that the Nexus 7 dock will be available in stores in Europe in mid-January. The price hasn’t been mentioned, but it’s expected to retail for €29.99.
The docking station comes with a microUSB port to charge the device and a 3.5mm audio-out port. Those who want to hook the tablet up to a bigger display will be disappointed to learn that the dock doesn’t come with a video output.
It’s odd how Asus and Google don’t seem to want to capitalize on the success of its popular tablet sooner, but the wait for the official accessory to arrive for many Nexus 7 owners should be over this month.January 2, 2013 at 6:09 pm #24953
It seems not much more than a stand to me… It would have been really great if it had come with an SD card slot so I could put camera pics straight on the N7.January 2, 2013 at 8:00 pm #24954
Where does it say you can pre-order it? I’ve been watching the B&H site since before Christmas and all I can see is the option to ask for an email when they get stock (anticipated now to be Jan 10th). There’s no “add to basket”.January 2, 2013 at 10:54 pm #24968
I saw this story earlier today, thanks for posting it!
I guess I remain a little skeptical and won’t get excited until I see it listed in the UK stores.January 4, 2013 at 9:48 am #25007
B&H stock availability now slipped again, to 16th Jan. Maybe it’s typhoon season in the South China seas :-(January 4, 2013 at 3:17 pm #25011
Meh, vapourware tbh. Wake me up at Easter ;-)January 5, 2013 at 12:06 pm #25022
Interestingly, just had an email from Asus UK, inviting me to shop there for N7 accessories. The mailing has a picture of the rubber travel cases, and a dock!!
Of course, there’s no dock actually on sale on the site, but still, if this is vaporware, they’re going to some lengths with it.January 6, 2013 at 4:46 pm #25032
I’m sure it will turn up! First one to get it wins a prize!*
*not really.January 8, 2013 at 6:51 pm #25097
Absolutely appauling!…This as got to be a typo!…..Everyone looking at different sites have been led to believe that this dock would carry a £35.00 price tag max!…How can Asus justify selling this moulded piece of plastic that does very little apart from fitting and charging the nexus 7 in landscape mode for £79.00? That seems to be the recommended price that Asus have suggested at the CES in Las Vegas.January 8, 2013 at 7:17 pm #25098
Well, when bloggers talk of the “three” pins on the side of the N7, what else can what they say be trusted? $40 seems to be the going rate on US sites. At a pinch, I’ll pay 40USD and get my daughter to pop it in the post, or bring it next time she’s over. If it’s 79UKP, someone’s joking.January 9, 2013 at 12:12 pm #25111
Don’t forget that the US version would expect a US power supply!January 9, 2013 at 12:35 pm #25118
Yikes £79, let’s hope that’s just a rumour. That’s over half the price of the entry level Nexus 7.
We’re fast approaching mid January so we should know soon.January 9, 2013 at 3:18 pm #25135
col48, I’d just be plugging in my UK mains charger and USB lead, wouldn’t I? Won’t the power socket just effectively extend the lead and feed juice to the pogo pins?January 10, 2013 at 6:14 pm #25163
Asus apologise ref article below they got there pricing wrong not £79.00 but £24.99 for the new official dock? http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/49079/asus-nexus-7-docking-stationJanuary 10, 2013 at 6:46 pm #25164
How do they mix up £24.99 and £79? May be £24.99 is the equivalent of 79 zlotys or whatever. Anyhoo, £24.99 is more like it. I’ve registered with the Asus UK shop and have my 10% code all ready :-)


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Study by Brian Friel and Paul Murphy
The use of multiple-award contracts has exploded in recent years, giving thousands of companies new “hunting licenses” to seek business opportunities with the federal government. Government spending through these so-called MACs reached $121 billion in fiscal year 2010, up from $81 billion in fiscal 2006, according to a Bloomberg Government study, “Big MACs:The Rapid Growth of Multiple-Award Contracts” (subscription required).
Multiple-award contracts, or MACs, are intended to reduce the government’s administrative costs by creating pools of pre-qualified vendors to bid on contracts to provide goods and services to federal agencies. These contracts represent powerful business opportunities for companies savvy enough to navigate the process.
Brian Friel is a federal business analyst with Bloomberg Government. He launched GovernmentExecutive.com in 1996 and turned the magazine’s website into a daily news operation with 100,000 subscribers. Friel’s 15 years of executive branch and congressional coverage include reporting for Government Executive, PlanetGov.com, National Journal and Congressional Quarterly.
Paul Murphy is a senior data analyst at Bloomberg Government. Before joining Bloomberg, he was president of Eagle Eye Publishers, Inc., a federal market research and data analysis company that in 1988 released the first complete electronic database of federal procurement spending.
Subscribers, log in to read more and see the impacts here.
To get access to this study and more, contact us.


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After what many have seen as a revival of the Tekken franchise in 2017, it's time for Bandai Namco to shift their sights onto their other major fighting game franchise. In the coming year, it's finally time to return to the tale of souls and swords eternally retold with Soulcalibur VI.
Dressed in his finest ceremonial robe, Katsuhiro Harada announced Soulcalibur VI on stage at The Game Awards. Running on the Unreal Engine, this next entry in the weapon fighter showed its stuff by featuring franchise staples Mitsurugi and Sophitia duking it out in a Roman arena. Attacks featured layers of particle effects beyond what we've seen in the past, although it's hard to say whether that's just for show at this time. In any case, we'll know soon enough, as Soulcalibur VI will take its place on the stage of history in 2018 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.
What are your thoughts on Soulcalibur VI? Are you excited to see the franchise return and hit PC for the first time? Let us know in the comments below!


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OnePlus has announced a limited-time price cut in the form of cashback on the OnePlus 5T smartphone. Customers looking to buy the phone can avail a cashback of Rs 1500 using a ICICI Bank credit or debit card on amazon.in (opens in new tab), the OnePlus online store and company’s Experience store in Bengaluru. OnePlus is also offering a 3 month no cost EMI option for OnePlus 5T purchased from amazon.in
The OnePlus 5T comes in two variants— 6GB RAM/64GB storage and 8GB RAM/128GB storage. Those buying the 6GB RAM variant using the ICICI Bank card can now get it for Rs 31,499 and the 8GB variant will cost Rs 36,499.
The cashback offer sees OnePlus following the footsteps of Samsung and Nokia after they slashed the prices for Galaxy A8+ and Nokia 8 respectively. Both the phones compete against the OnePlus 5T at this price point. The Nokia 8 is now available for Rs 27,489 and the Galaxy A8+ is selling for Rs 28,990.
Moto recently launched the Moto Z2 Force at Rs, 34,999, which comes with a shatterproof display and gives tough competition to the OnePlus 5T. So, if you are about to buy a phone in this price segment, our comparison between the two phones may provide you some help.
The OnePlus 6 launch is a couple of months away, and it seems the company is slowly clearing out the OnePlus 5T stock before the successor arrives. We have seen companies following a similar strategy ahead of a new launch.
Since it’s a limited period offer, customers can avail the cashback starting March 8 to March 14.


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A bake and rummage sale to benefit Kevin Hoffman, a 1988 graduate of Monticello High School who is battling stage 4 squamous cell cancer, is scheduled for Saturday and organizers are soliciting baked goods and sale items for the sale. Hoffman, who now lives in Warren with his wife Jennifer and their four children, is traveling daily to UAMS in Little Rock for radiation and chemotherapy.
If you would like to make this family’s Christmas a little brighter, you may make a monetary donation to the Kevin Hoffman account at Union Bank, donate baked goods and items for the bake and rummage sale, or drop by and make a purchase the sale Saturday morning on the parking lot behind Ray’s on U.S. 425 North in Monticello.
Donated baked goods and sale items can be dropped off at Hoffman’s parents’ home at 125 Falls Street near the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus or at Hoffman’s home in Warren at 28 Southern Courts.
For more information, call Jennifer Hoffman at 870-226-2360.


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The Toyota C-HR is a relatively fresh car in the the global market. Introduced in its home market in 2017, it's barely two years old but Toyota has decided it's time for a refresh, even in its relatively young life cycle.
So for 2019, the Toyota C-HR gets exactly that, a refresh. Granted, the changes won't be spotted in a passing glance, but a closer look reveals all the tweaks for this year. Also, they have introduced a TRD Sportivo Aerokit, further highlighting the updates.
Zoom in at the front, and you'll notice the faux skid plate on the apron. Bumper corners on the other hand have been redesigned, and a pair of chrome garnishes surround the corner air intakes. As for the rest of the front end, it remains largely similar to the current C-HR. That being said, the faux skid plates are part of the TRD Sportivo Aerokit.
Enhancements to the sides are a bit more pronounced, mainly dominated by thicker body cladding. The said cladding rises higher on the fenders and quarter panel, complementing the big, unpainted plastic molding on the doors. Those fender extensions are part of the TRD Sportivo Aerokit. What is new are the alloy wheels, replacing the contrast color scheme of the current model with a more conventional single-color, five-spoke set. As for the rear, it carries over unchanged, unless the kit is ordered.
There are no visual changes on the inside. However, the infotainment system has been given updated tech. Toyota says there's more functionality, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is now compatible to the new software.
Engines are also carried over from the existing C-HR. There's the 1.8-liter mill with 140 PS and 171 Nm of torque. There's also a hybridized version of the same 1.8-liter engine. The electrically-assisted powertrain has less power than the conventional gas engine, making 123 PS and 142 Nm of torque. Both engines shift via a continuously variable transmission although the boosted 1.2-liter engines (sold in other parts of the world) can be specified with a six-speed manual.
Will the Toyota C-HR make its way here? For now, it seems unlikely as the Toyota Motors Philippines has a B-segment high-rider here, the Rush. That being said, there's a lot of new cars rolling out of Toyota this year.


text: This article originally appeared on ABACUS Nintendo’s hottest new game isn’t officially available in China yet, so online peddlers are cashing in on the shortage by selling smuggled copies of Animal Crossing: New Horizons at soaring prices. Chinese authorities, who enforce strict approval rules on games, have only approved three Nintendo Switch titles since the console launched in the country last December. All of them belong to the Mario franchise. So Animal Crossing fans have been left to rely on unofficial third-party sellers who import physical copies from Hong Kong and other places, where the latest installment of the popular franchise debuted on March 20. On Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall shopping platforms, stores are selling imported copies for about 600 yuan (US$85), far more than it costs in Hong Kong (US$55) or the US (US$60). Even then, there seems to be no lack of customers: Sales figures listed on Taobao show some stores have sold thousands of copies. Meanwhile Chinese players who managed to get into Animal Crossing are already busy peppering their islands with pandemic-related references. (Abacus is a unit of the South China Morning Post, which is owned by Alibaba.) Purchase the China AI Report 2020 brought to you by SCMP Research and enjoy a 20% discount (original price US$400). This 60-page all new intelligence report gives you first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments and intelligence about China AI. Get exclusive access to our webinars for continuous learning, and interact with China AI executives in live Q&A. Offer valid until 31 March 2020.


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The newly renamed Cannes Yachting Festival got off to a glittering start last week with many of the industry’s leading names from 34 countries in attendance ready to unveil 100 world premieres at le Vieux Port.
The first day at the show - previously known as the Festival de la Plaisance de Cannes - was rounded off with a champagne reception on the rooftop of Club VIP on Albert Edouard’s Jetée 133. Show manager Sylvie Ernoult spoke of her satisfaction at maintaining the same levels of interest from exhibitors and visitors as last year in an increasingly difficult marketplace.
‘The feeling at the show is roughly the same as last year, it’s been a busy first day,’ she said. ‘We are expecting 50,000 visitors during the course of the show. We have the same number of exhibitors as last year, 480, which, in a difficult economic situation, is pretty positive. We also have the same number of boats in and out of the water. The industry is suffering and it’s not so easy so this is good news.’
With a growing number of exhibitors and visitors migrating from Genoa to Cannes and the recent announcement that Azimut-Benetti will not be displaying their yachts at the Ligurian port next spring, Sylvie added: ‘I don’t think we’re better than Genoa. We took an opportunity in Cannes because it is an international destination whereas Genoa didn’t have this opportunity. The Italian economy is suffering a lot, as is the yachting industry. It’s sad.’
So what sets Cannes apart from the rest? ‘First, the Cannes show has 550 boats, a huge variety of different sized boats and no other show is doing this,’ explains Sylvie. ‘It’s important that we are open to everybody. From €2,000 to €20million, everybody can find something to go out on the water in here.
‘When you are the first show in the calender, you give exhibitors the opportunity to announce their launches and provide their new models. Shipyards need to be innovative and create new things otherwise they don’t survive in this market. We give them the means to do this, so it’s the right place to be at the right time.
‘The sea trial is also unique at Cannes. It is the best way to sell a boat, it gives a lot of selling power to the exhibitor. If you put all this together, you have the magic of Cannes.’
The Azimut-Benetti stand on Jetée Albert Edouard was buzzing with visitors when OO chatted to group spokesman Giovanni Bogetto about the importance of having a presence at Cannes.
‘Cannes is one of the most important boat shows in the world,’ he says. ‘It is the first show in the oncoming season and this year we are presenting four new novelties - the new Azimut 77S, the new Azimut Grande 95RPH and the new Azimut Flybridge 50, while for Benetti, we are presenting the new Benetti Tradition Supreme 108.
‘We have 24 yachts here and it is a great showcase for us internationally. We have our dealer network present here and we are really optimistic.
‘Many people come to the Côte d’Azur from all over the world to holiday here. The weather is still good in September and the hotels and ports are close by, so it’s a combination of those factors that create Cannes and make it one of the most important shows to be at.’
This year, there was more emphasis on creating a lifestyle feel to the show to appeal to visitors outside of yachting. In a nod to New York Fashion Week, which was happening simultaneously on the other side of the Atlantic, Julien Macdonald Haute Couture and Galeries Lafayette held catwalk shows.
Celebrated graffiti artist Mr OneTeas gave a live performance on a huge white screen and Michelin starred chef Adeline Grattard of Yam ‘Tcha in Paris flew south for the day as Godmother of the inauguration of a Saba 50.
A show spokeswoman added: ‘We have more lifestyle brands here than ever before. It’s a conscious decision to attract people who are in Cannes for leisure to come and live the dream for a day.’
The social highlight of the six day show was the Luxmedia Yacht Parade on Saturday night, rounded off with a spectacular firework display at the Carlton Beach.
* All photos by OnboardOnline


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Popular children’s toy My First Puppy by Animagic, has been recalled due to choking fears.
My First Puppy was sold in large retailers, such as Argos, Tesco and Amazon, but toy firm Vivid are now urging anyone who has bought a My First Puppy toy to return them as soon as possible.
The products – which only went only sale for the first time recently – have been found to present a risk of small parts detaching, and could cause young children to choke.
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There are four different types of puppy toy, which came with eight accessories, including a lead and a brush, that children could carry inside a pet carrier.
This toy was originally on sale at other big retailers including Smyths and Very, but is now no longer available to buy.
The affected toys have the batch codes: 181008P3, 181102P3, and 181116P3.
How can I return this product?
Vivid has told customers that the toys can be returned to the shop they were bought from for a full refund.
You can also ring your retailer’s customer service helpline.
Argos has confirmed that it is supporting the recall, and you can ring the retailer for free on 0800 0113462 between 8am and 8pm Monday to Sunday.
A spokesman for Vivid said,”We have conducted an independent risk assessment, which concludes there is a low risk, however as a precaution we have taken the step to withdraw the products from sale and recall them from consumers.
“At this time, there has been no reported incidents with this product. No other Animagic or Vivid products are affected by this notice.”
For further information or advice on product recalls visit: tradingstandards.uk/consumers/product-recalls


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The board of directors of the CMA CGM Group met under the chairmanship of Rodolphe Saadé, the company’s chairman and chief executive officer, in order to review the financial statements for the third quarter of 2022.
According to the group’s statement, CMA CGM showed very strong financial results despite inflation, slowing consumer spending and economic uncertainty.
Commenting on the 2022 Q3 results, Rodolphe Saadé said, “The CMA CGM Group once again recorded strong results in the third quarter. Over the past two years, we have significantly strengthened our financial structure and developed our business through the entire supply chain.”
He added, “Declining demand has prompted a return to more normal international trade flows and a significant reduction in freight rates. In this new environment, we will continue to invest to strengthen our positioning in maritime shipping and logistics, accelerate our energy transition and provide our clients with even more efficient solutions.”
The French ocean carrier’s revenue stood at US$19.9 billion in the third quarter of 2022, mostly driven by the group’s maritime shipping business, while the company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) reached US$9.15 billion with an EBITDA margin of 46%.
CMA CGM noted it continued to strengthen its balance sheet, supported by its operating performance. Its net debt totalled US$78 million as of 30 September 2022, (after accounting for current financial investments), down US$5.3 billion from 30 June 2022.
Meanhwile, the Marseille-headquartered container line moved 5.7 million TEUs in the third quarter of the year, translating to a 4.1% growth compared to the same period in 2021.
CMA CGM Group expects energy costs to remain high, weighing directly on its operating expenses and, more generally, on consumer spending, particularly in Europe. Αt the same time, the company anticipates a faster return to more normal freight rates in the fourth quarter and lower margins.


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Opinion Editorial September, 2023: Beyond Meatings
If you're like me, you've attended your fair share of pointless meetings. We have known for a long time that these meetings should stop. After last month, so too does the rest of the world.
The media went into a frenzy last month over a meeting that didn't happen. Two social media moguls were supposed to meet to settle old scores in a modern-day duel. Farcical from the start, had the meeting taken place it might have been the most spectated event of the decade.The "Pointless Meeting of the Month" award went to the one held last month in Belem, Brazil. It was also about a fight. The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization comprises the eight countries that share the Amazon Rainforest. They are fighting to save it. Yet they failed to agree on the key milestone of ending Amazonian deforestation by the end of this decade. That was despite a large group of indigenous activists from the Amazon having gone to Belem to persuade them to do just that.
Out of context, their failure may not be catastrophic. But most Amazonian deforestation will continue to be done in the name of fossil fuel extraction and large-scale cattle farming. We have known since the 1971 publication of the seminal book Diet for a Small Planet that cattle farming is not the most efficient use of land for providing food. (We have known the same about fossil fuel extraction since around the same time.)
Despite these timeframes, we have not moved our diet beyond meat — even though anthropological observations and other studies confirm that we do not need to consume as much meat as we presently do. And the global population is now much larger than it was in 1971.
One company that has tried to move us beyond meat in the last few years is called Beyond Meat. Last month that company reported disappointing second quarter financial results. Among the reasons it cited was reduced consumer demand for plant-based meat substitutes.
The situation is more complex than just reduced consumer demand though. A study published last month in the journal One Earth found that the entire political and economic landscape in the US and the EU is tilted strongly in favor of the cattle and dairy sectors. For example, EU farmers receive 1,200 times more public funding than their plant-based meat competitors. If numbers like that are familiar to you, you probably recognize them from the fossil fuel sectors. It takes many meetings to establish such numbers.
This month's photo was taken in Mongolia. There, the diet is very heavily meat based. That is not due to consumer demand though. Mongolia has mostly arid, almost barren land. Most plant-based food is imported. So, the tradition of eating meat "five fingers" style, as demonstrated by the indigenous Kazakh people in this photo, is commonplace.
Ironically, only a few days after the meeting in Belem, the people of one of the member countries, Ecuador, voted to halt oil extraction in an area of its Amazon Rainforest. Their decision will help protect the area's indigenous communities. It also shows how political leaders can be out of touch with the will of their people.
At the present rate of deforestation, most of the Amazon could soon become as barren as Mongolia. It will then be too late for pointless meetings. In the meantime, we can use the time we waste in pointless meetings to learn instead how demand side economics can positively impact one of our most precious resources and can also show our solidarity with global indigenous peoples.
If you enjoyed reading this month's opinion editorial, please consider supporting independent, advertising-free journalism by buying us a coffee to help us cover the cost of hosting our web site. Please click on the link or scan the QR code. Thanks!


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Do you remember the Stern Report, the well-known tire industry market study commissioned by the National Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association back in 1983?
Named after its author and researcher, Professor Louis Stern, the study helped define the future for the independent tire dealer and provided guidance to the association in how it could best help its tire dealer members prosper in an ever-competitive marketplace.
Well we're long past due for an update of this landmark study.
Phil Friedlander Jr., the retired executive vice president of the NTDRA, said as much during his last year in office. In a speech in 1996, he urged the association to conduct a second market study for its members.
``There is no other place an independent tire dealer can get a view of the marketplace and the industry which is not colored by a tire company, private brand or other manufacturers in the auto and tire industries,'' he said. ``I would urge that this be a major consideration as early as 1997 but no later than 1998.''
Today's tire dealers could use another unbiased study on the tire market to help them prosper in the future. And today's successor to the NTDRA, the Tire Industry Association, could benefit from conducting such a valuable study for its membership.
Think about the importance and insight of one key finding of Mr. Stern's research. He determined that small independent tire dealerships would need to combine their purchasing and marketing operations in an effort to gain economies of scale to remain successful in the increasingly competitive marketplace.
That was a time when there were few tire dealer marketing groups like today. And he was right on.
As a story in this issue of Tire Business points out, most tire dealers today belong to either a buying group or marketing program-in some cases both. These groups have helped dealers retain their position as the primary distribution channel for replacement tires in North America.
In fact, so many dealers have joined these groups that one organization in Canada is openly soliciting members from competing groups as a way to grow.
A lot has changed in the North American tire business since 1983. Many tire companies that operated back then no longer exist, having been acquired in the wave of mergers that took place in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The retread industry has fewer players and tire dealers face a slew of new competitors in the retail and commercial segments as the entire industry becomes more global and fast-paced.
That's all the more reason why a new marketing study is needed. TIA should do that for its members.


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Malls are going all out this season to boost sales and foot traffic.
Friday, November 15, 2019
There will be spiked hot cocoa with Santa Claus and an ice rink at the Westfield Century City mall.
Actor Danny Trejo will host a silent disco tree lighting in Montebello.
And JiffPom, the Pomeranian with 9 million Instagram followers, is making a special appearance at the Beverly Center for Paws and Prints shots.
Malls across Los Angeles County are going all out this holiday season, offering a mix of celebrities, cocktails and parties in a bid to lure back shoppers who have abandoned brick-and-mortar stores in favor of online shopping.
Local mall executives realize it’s no longer enough to provide extended shopping hours, better parking services and a Santa photo booth.
“Holidays are a time to really move the needle,” said Najla Kayyem, an executive at El Segundo-based Pacific Retail Capital Partners, which took over management in January of the Shops at Montebello, a mid-tier mall in the San Gabriel Valley.
The company has already added “Wellness Wednesdays” and “Music Mondays” at the shopping center. For the holidays, Pacific Retail is using about a quarter of the mall’s annual marketing budget to provide nightly entertainment and gift wrapping. In all, the company anticipates about 2.5 million visits to the mall.
About 30% of all retail sales each year happen during the holidays. But because of a late Thanksgiving, the 2019 season has six fewer days than last year.
The National Retail Federation expects sales to jump 3.8% to 4.2% this holiday season to between $727.9 billion and $730.7 billion. Much of the rise will come from online and nonstore sales — which are expected to climb 11% to 14%.
“The mall in general is becoming a less relevant format for most consumers,” said Vince Tibone, a retail analyst at Green Street Advisors, which uses a proprietary grading system to rank malls based on sales, location, appearance and other metrics. “For the retailers that are close to bankruptcy, whether you have a good or bad holiday season will determine whether you get another year or not.”
Mid- and lower-tier malls, like the Shops at Montebello and the Westminster Mall, could suffer more than high-end destinations. Tibone said these struggling properties are often unable to even secure traditional mortgages to reinvest in making the mall more attractive.
L.A. County’s top malls, however, continue to pull in sales. Many, like Westfield Century City, have undergone massive upgrades that keep the mall interesting. Others, like the Beverly Center, have a niche format that caters to a high-end market.
Original Story HERE


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If you spend a good portion of your time outside of Florida, a new app built in Florida has been built to track exactly how much.
The information could be useful to Florida residents who own homes in multiple states.
The TaxBird app,available on iPhone for $19.99 a year, warns users when they are in danger of spending too much time in high-tax states — which would require them to file taxes there.
By tracking a user’s location, TaxBird notifies the user once it generates a report during the tax-filing season thatshows how many days a person spent in specific states.
TaxBird launched in October and has a handful of paying customers so far, including a small number in Central Florida. The company is small — consisting of co-founders Jim Simon and Brian Ochs with a developer who is moonlighting for the company.
Simon has been showing off the app this week at the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning conference in Orlando. Feedback there has been generally positive, with some asking questions that could lead to future products, said Simon. An Android version is in development.
He said he wasn’t expecting to start another business after receiving a nice-sized payout in 2015, when the transaction and data warehousing giant Oracle bought Datalogix for $1.2 billion. Datalogix had bought a company he had founded, Spire.
“We had retired and said we got lucky and that we didn’t want to work again,” said Simon, who said the windfall was enough so he didn’t have to worry about money “but we also didn’t go out and buy an airplane.”
Simon says TaxBird has been a simpler effort than Spire: “We have no employees so it’s less stressful for us,” he said.
Got a news tip? email@example.com or 407-420-5256; Twitter, @marcosantana


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Internet Calls Frustrating, But Worth the Trouble
I recently moved home after 11 years away, and immediately found myself accepting the job as de facto IT manager for my friends and family. I’ve been troubleshooting, computer shopping, and negotiating for more than a few folks.
This week’s issue has centered on consolidating cable, phone, and Internet services – and I’ve been encouraging my friends to ditch their traditional plans for the more friendly confines of single-billing.
The issue, though, is the phone. Most cable companies now offer VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) as an upgraded service. However, with a system such as Skype, the application that allows you to make free calls using only your computer (and possibly a headset if your PC doesn’t come with a built-in microphone and speaker), you can eliminate the VoIP phone completely, thus reducing the money you spend on your single bill.
Making that leap is a bit intimidating, though, especially for the casual user, and it’s made all the more difficult right now because Internet calls, according to a new study, are not as reliable as traditional phone services (not to mention the fact that it’s good to have a mobile backup in case your computer crashes). I haven’t had a home phone since 2002, and there hasn’t been a day that I’ve missed it (or the bill).
Still, for the technically savvy (or for those with access to the technically savvy), Internet telephony is a great way to save money on your ever-rising home data delivery bills (cable, phone, broadband, cell phone), while staying in touch with the world.
The inside story of how ChatGPT was built from the people who made it
Exclusive conversations that take us behind the scenes of a cultural phenomenon.
Sam Altman invested $180 million into a company trying to delay death
Can anti-aging breakthroughs add 10 healthy years to the human life span? The CEO of OpenAI is paying to find out.
ChatGPT is about to revolutionize the economy. We need to decide what that looks like.
New large language models will transform many jobs. Whether they will lead to widespread prosperity or not is up to us.
GPT-4 is bigger and better than ChatGPT—but OpenAI won’t say why
We got a first look at the much-anticipated big new language model from OpenAI. But this time how it works is even more deeply under wraps.
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14 Jan 2017
MANAMA, BAHRAIN – 14 January 2017: Ithmaar Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank, re-launched its Thimaar savings account for a new year, reducing the minimum amount of savings required to win a prize and increasing both the total number of winners and the total prize purse.
The improvements to Ithmaar Bank’s Thimaar offering were made in line with the Bank’s commitment to listening closely to its customers’ requirements and using their feedback to continuously improve its products and services. As a result, the new Thimaar reduces the minimum deposit to BD30, currently the lowest offered by any prize-based savings account in Bahrain, while also increasing the number of winners to 4,044, currently the highest in Bahrain, as well as the total prize purse to USD3,000,000, one of the biggest in the Kingdom. The new Thimaar Account rolls out from Sunday (ed note 15/01/17).
“Ithmaar Bank is committed to becoming the Islamic retail bank of choice,” said Ithmaar Bank Assistant General Manager, Head of Retail Banking, Mohammed Janahi. “In line with that commitment, we are constantly working to enhance our customers’ Islamic banking experience,” he said.
“Prize-based savings accounts have become an almost standard offering among both Islamic and conventional retail banks in Bahrain,” said Janahi. “However, having listened attentively to our customers’ feedback, we recognised a need to reduce the minimum saving required to be eligible for a prize. We also noticed a pronounced, perhaps obvious, customer demand for increased chances to win – and we restructured the new Thimaar accordingly,” he said.
In 2017, Thimaar will offer a total of USD3,055,000 in prizes – including USD1,020,000 monthly prizes, USD900,000 loyalty prizes, USD600,000 Eid prizes, USD200,000 semi-annual prizes and USD125,000 national day prizes – to a total of 4,044 winners, including 840 Junior winners.
Every BD30 maintained as an average daily balance qualifies a customer to enter the draws. The more customers save, and the longer they maintain balances in multiples of BD30, the more opportunities they have to win.


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Ford US chief departs abruptly after behaviour probe
FORD Motor Co said on Wednesday that Raj Nair, its president for North America, was leaving the company immediately after an internal investigation found his behaviour was "inconsistent with the company's code of conduct".
Ford did not give any details on what that behavior
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William Hill places all of its bets online as it buys remaining £424million web stake
William Hill splashed out £424m buying up the remaining stake of an internet joint venture it did not already own as part of an aggressive move online.
The deal to buy the 29pc holding in William Hill Online, held by partner Playtech, comes just three months after the UK’s biggest bookmaker bid £460m to snap up online gambling firm Sportingbet.
Britain’s bookies have been struggling to supplement their traditional store-based model with online versions after internet rivals took the lead and won customers with new brands.
William Hill used a strong set of full-year results to announce it would part-fund its near £1bn digital sortie with a £375m rights issue.
Chief executive Ralph Topping also said plans to catapult the firm’s market value to £5bn within the next five years would see it examine a move to run lotteries and own fruit machine distributors.
He said: ‘Based on an independent valuation of Playtech’s 29pc interest in the business, the board felt it was in the best interests to exercise a call option to assume 100pc ownership of William Hill Online.
‘I like to wake up in the morning and know I can make a decision without anyone saying no. This is a sensible route forward.’
A key element behind the timing of the buyout was that a clause in the Playtech contract gave it an option to invest in any acquisition within six months of William Hill making a purchase.
Now that the joint venture has been dissolved, this issue disappears.
‘This marks a major milestone for William Hill and rounds off a successful 12 months which have seen us take our first steps into the US and, through the pending Sportingbet acquisition, lay the foundations for growth in the attractive Australian market,’ Topping said.
However the shift online has not been smooth for the firm – it had a war of words with Playtech over the Sportingbet acquisition at the end of last year, and this followed a legal battle between the two firms some years earlier.
Back in October 2011, William Hill was forced to hire former Israeli intelligence officers to regain control of one of its subsidiaries after a revolt at its Tel Aviv office saw staff walkout and sabotage the computer system.
Topping posted a rise in pre-tax profit to £277.7m for the year to January 1 from £187.4m on sales of £1.2bn, up 12pc.
The shares rose 38.6p to 443.3p during yesterday’s trading while the dividend was up to 11.2p a share from 9.6p.
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Moët 'bullying' Australian couple over name
- Thursday 2 August 2001
The tiny family-owned vineyard in Queensland, called Channon Estates, is facing a legal battle with the world-renowned sparkling wine giant, which alleges that 'Channon' is too similar to its own name, and is misleading the public.
A letter from Moët & Chandon's solicitor requests that Channon Estate's owners, Robert and Peggy Channon, stop using their name, which is 'confusingly similar' to its own and could, 'deceive distributors, retailers and customers'.
Moët & Chandon is an international producer of sparkling wine, with vineyards in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Spain, and California. Robert Channon, who plans to open his 8ha property in small Queensland town Stanthorpe next month, is bewildered by the move.
'These are big bully tactics from a very large wine company,' he says. 'There is no similarity between our market or our products – we are no threat to them whatsoever.'
Channon, an ex-lawyer, has always had an interest in wine and this is his first vineyard venture. He planted his vines, including Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, on the property three years ago and has recently completed his first full harvest.
He says, 'We are terribly grateful to Chandon, we've have some great press, been on the national news and this can only be positive for the winery.
'I can't see why we would have to change our name,' he continues. 'We have received numerous emails and faxes saying this situation is ridiculous. But there's a 50-50 chance, we ought to be able to keep it. We will definitely be opening, the only question is, under what name?'
Tony Jordan, managing director and chief winemaker at Australia's Domaine Chandon, says, 'Moët is not wanting to crush a business here, it is simply a case of a company protecting its brand.'
'Channon has ignored the brands issue here. The point is that there is no threat of Moët being affected commercially, but there is always the potential for the registered name to become a commodity,' he adds.
The Channons face trademark proceedings over the next year, after which the case could end up being disputed in court.


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The new Cadillac Blackwing sedans, including the 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing, are the most track-capable vehicles Caddy has ever produced, arriving with heaps of power and performance, all without sacrificing luxury.Given the names, one would be forgiven for thinking that the new go-faster sedans should at least offer the twin-turbocharged 4.2L V8 LTA “Blackwing” gasoline engine, but according to Blackwing Chief Engineer Mirza Grebovic, the LTA simply wasn’t right for the new Cadillac Blackwing sedans.
The Cadillac Escalade May Soon Spawn a Stupidly Powerful SUV Recent spy shots show an Escalade testing with some interesting-looking tailpipes.Cadillac is positioning itself as GM's luxury EV brand, and has pledged to abandon internal combustion entirely by 2030.But that mission won't stop Cadillac from getting as much bang as possible from high-output V8 combustion engines while it still can.
Sponsored Links The 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing will be offered with three different wheel choices at launch, including one set of no-cost base wheels and two optional wheels.In this article, we’ll go over the different wheel choices available for the new ultra-performance sedan and point out what sets them apart from one another.
Fret not, V8 fans.No one will be taking away your CT5-V Blackwing and Escalade for many years.General M's bold electric vehicle plans have made plenty of headlines lately.The company announced an aspiration to convert its light-duty vehicle fleet to 100 percent EVs by 2035.
The enduring allure of the Blackwing 602.From woodworkers to Broadway legends, artists to Pulitzer Prize winners, one indispensable tool unites them all: a pencil known as the Blackwing 602.Created in the 1930s by Eberhard Faber, this writing instrument, characterized by its unique ferrule design and rectangular eraser, is famous for its smooth-as-silk graphite.
Sponsored Links Structural stiffness is an important factor in any vehicle, but especially in those which combine straight-line speed and high cornering forces to the extent of the upcoming Cadillac Blackwing ultra-high-performance luxury sedans.GM Authority has learned that the 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing are 40 percent stiffer than the “regular” V-Series models, namely the Cadillac CT4-V and Cadillac CT5-V.
Sponsored Links Late February, GM Authority exclusively revealed that production of the Cadillac Blackwing ultra-high-performance luxury sedans would begin at the GM Lansing Grand River plant in Michigan on July 5th of this year.We have now learned that this will be nearly a month before the regular 2022 Cadillac CT4 and 2022 Cadillac CT5 enter production at the same facility.
Get that Blackwing order in soon.The Cadillac Lyriq has been revealed in production guise ahead of schedule, and it has kept to GM's promise that it would see very few changes from the concept version.It's Cadillac's first-ever all-electric vehicle and is quite an impressive thing, boasting a range of over 300 miles.
Well, the Blackwing engine will live on in the Corvette Z06 without the turbos, that is by Robert Moore, on LISTEN 03:05 It’s been a while since we’ve heard about the Chevy Corvette Z06, and a lot has changed since then.It’s still going to be an amazing machine, of course, but if previous rumors were true, then GM has drastically changed direction.
When the CT5-V first launched, I was, admittedly, a bit shocked and appalled.After all, the CTS-V that came before was a sport sedan icon, packing V8 power to battle the likes of the BMW M5 and other super-sedans; the CT5-V, however, was equipped with a mere twin-turbo V6 that was significantly down on power versus the thermonuclear third-gen CTS-V. Of course, it quickly became clear that Cadillac had simply shifted its performance nomenclature around; the -V name was taking the role of the old Vsport label, while the full-bore performance cars take on the Blackwing label that once belonged to a high-tech twin-turbo V8 that only found a home in a handful of CT6 sedans before it was terminated along with that full-size luxury sedan.
Sponsored Links The upcoming 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing compact ultra-high-performance luxury sedan will have the same twin-turbo 3.6L V6 LF4 engine previously fitted to the discontinued Cadillac ATS-V. However, there is one difference between the two applications which can not be seen unless the engine is completely dismantled: the connecting rods. Here, we must do some preliminary explaining so that everyone can make sense of what follows. For the benefit of anyone unfamiliar with an engine’s inner workings,
The third-gen Cadillac CTS-V has been called many names, all of them good. The one we remember most is its “four-door Corvette” moniker, which is well-earned. The CTS-V uses the same 6.4-liter LT4 V8 unit as the Corvette Z06 C7, albeit with slightly less horsepower. Despite its prowess, the CTS-V, along with the entire CTS nameplate, was discontinued after the 2019 model year, paving the way for the recently launched CT5-V Blackwing, which comes with a slightly more powerful 6.2-liter V8, and better 0-60
NEXT STAGE: Addition in 2021 The CT4-V Blackwing has a 3.6-liter 472 hp twin-turbo V-6 with 445 pound-feet of torque.A manual six-speed transmission is standard, but a 10-speed automatic transmission is available.The high-performance variant is built on Cadillac’s rear-wheel-drive architecture.Racing elements such as shock tower braces, an underside shear plate and thicker rear cross members to improve chassis rigidity, and the stiffer structure leads to better steering response and handling, Cadillac said.
Not long ago, Cadillac revealed the breathtaking CT4-V Blackwing a luxurious yet performance-oriented sedan set to compete directly with BMW’s new M3, so this comparison was bound to happen.There’s not much to separate them on paper, so let’s take a closer look at both and decide which one is better.
Most of the recent attention on Cadillac has been for a certain pair of all-powerful hot rod-like sedans, the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing.However, neither represents the future of General Motor's luxury brand, but rather all-electric models like the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq.
The brand's transformation is underway.Most of the recent attention on Cadillac has been for a certain pair of all-powerful hot rod-like sedans, the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing.
In May 2020, GM Authority exclusively reported that the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing – then still in development – would not reach China, in much the same way that Cadillac‘s other high-performance sedans – the CT4-V and CT5-V – would not reach the Asian country. However, the
Put a pencil in Woody Guthrie’s hand and magic happened.
The 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing super sedan comes equipped with the supercharged 6.2L small block LT4 V8, which produces a GM-estimated 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque.
The 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is here, packing track-ready performance and sumptuous luxury in a single four-door wrapper.Now, we’re taking a closer look at what the new Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing has to offer with the following Option Pricing Summary.


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While the iOS version of Facebook may have gotten a much improved native app today, Android users are still stuck with an abomination of an app. There are constant complaints over just how terrible the Android app is, and what’s worse, Facebook knows it. So just how do they plan on fixing it? By forcing employees to eat their own dog food.
There’s an old term used in the tech-sector known as “dogfooding.” In the software business, it applies to the employees of a company using their own products to examine the user experience. According to Business Insider, who has talked with “a handful of ex-Facebookers and others familiar with Facebook’s plans,” that’s exactly what Facebook is doing in order to improve their Android app.
Facebook employees are being pushed, or forced in some situations, to use Android devices simply because the Android app is terrible. Facebook figures that if developers have to use the Android app, they’ll realize just how bad it really is and work to make something they themselves would want to use. This is absolutely brilliant.
If having to experience how atrociously slow and error-prone the Facebook Android app is day in and day out doesn’t force Facebook employees to come up with something better, I can’t imagine what will.


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Jun 20, 2016
Meet our experts at UL events
UL at KPCA (Korea Printed Circuit Association) Seminar
UL Korea held successful key customer seminars for PWB at the KPCA (Korea Printed Circuit Association) in April to promote safety business and performance testing services for PWB business. Crystal Vanderpan (Printed Circuit Board PDE of UL) and Irving Lee (Global Program Manager of UL) were invited as lecturers and provided in-depth information to Korea key customers who could potentially benefit from UL performance testing services.
- On April 25th, the UL PWB team conducted seminars for multiple BU of Samsung Electronics (VD, Network, Mobile, CS divisions) to promote the safety business and performance testing services at UL’s Korea Suwon Lab. The UL PWB team also visited Doosan Electronics (which is Korea’s largest laminate manufacturer) and conveyed key strategies of UL services to 28 Doosan engineers.
- On April 26th – 27th, the UL PWB team held further customer seminars which were attended by over 72 targeted PWB supply chain companies.


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Scott Robbins has been promoted to the position of senior vice president of worldwide sales for Crown International. Robbins previously held the position of vice president of worldwide sales for Crown.
Making the announcement was Mark Graham, president of Crown. "Scott's promotion to senior vice president underscores his great value to the executive team at Crown. Scott has done an outstanding job of leading the efforts of our sales and customer service teams over the past several years and has truly earned this recognition," says Graham.
Robbins has over 17 years of experience with Crown, starting in the service department in 1987 and working his way up the ranks through progressively more responsible positions in sales. During that time, Robbins temporarily joined Bose Professional where he worked in sales management for a few years before returning to Crown.


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The natural wealth of the Sahel: Plants resistant to climate change to ensure food security/ Article published by SOS Sahel. Article highlighting the importance of desert plants against desertification and the impact of Sahara Sahel Foods on local populations.
Using market ince
Using market incentives to foster regreening: the case of Sahara Sahel Foods: ETFRN News article. An article on the experience of Sahara Sahel Foods: To date how to channel income to rural Sahelian communities and promote reforestation, through foods from native, genetically wild perennials.


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Fashion-tech company seeks social media influencers to spread message of positive body image through fashion contest.
PLAYA VISTA, Calif., June 5, 2017 /CNW/ -- Xehar, a fashion forward company that offers personally styled plus-sized outfits, announces the launch of their international curvy model fashion line competition. Gathering 20 influencers from around the globe, Xehar starts their new campaign to promote confidence in women through inspiring fashion collections. Individuals are competing for a chance to have their own fashion line under the Xehar brand. The winner will be announced in July of 2017.
"Too often, we see non plus-sized models being used to sell clothing to the demographic of curvy women," says Hadari Oshri, founder and CEO of Xehar. "We are really excited to help find new voices and faces of real women who love fashion and embrace their bodies, curves and all."
Xehar doesn't just sell clothes, they treat every customer with an open heart and a desire to connect in ways that create real community. Educating and sharing life experiences of their customers, Xehar is tackling the challenges that many modern women face of low self-confidence, body shaming and bullying.
Xehar clothing lines range from professional style, casual, active wear, evening wear, shoes and accessories. The Xehar Curvy fashion line, now available at Walmart, offers a selection of carefully curated, high quality, modern clothing that reflect a stylish and self-confident appearance for plus size millennial customers.
"Much of the fashion available in retail and online stores cater to skinny women," says Amanda Collins, Xehar model. "This is a big problem, and one that is defeating for many women who do not fit the "ideal" body type."
Individuals who are interested in entering the #AConfidentYou curvy fashion line contest can apply at www.xehar.com/community.
About Xehar: Xehar is a fashion-tech company that was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: to offer designer clothes at revolutionary prices, using technology and their mobile application to make buying decisions easier, all while building confidence in women through inspiring fashion collections. Xehar has two main divisions, an online store called the Xehar Marketplace, and a mobile application called Xehar app. The company also serves as a final destination solution for fashion inventory systems. Learn more at xehar.com


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The Office of Student Involvement at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) hosted the Tacos and Tie-Dye event at the Last Chapter Pub on Oct.16. Student Involvement along with the marketing managers of the Last Chapter Pub, helped coordinate this event.
The event began at 2 p.m. and provided white t-shirts for students who attended the event to tie-dye. There was also a taco bar with an assortment of toppings for participants to choose from.
Students were able to watch the Sunday football game while deciding between a wide variety of colors to tie-dye with, including red, orange, pink, and yellow. Students could tie, design, and dye their own t-shirts while enjoying the tacos.
Mary Nicol, the food and beverage manager of the pub, was working this event. “We wanted to have an activity for students to come and take a break from homework,” said Nicol.
Two SNHU first year students, Elisha Borden and Emily Fendrich, were present at this event. Fendrich said, “The tacos were very good. They had really fresh food.”
This was the first year Student Involvement and the marketing managers of the pub held this event. With more participants and a wider range of apparel to tie-dye, students at the event reported that they would definitely come back next year.


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News & Opinions
The latest news and insights from Hanley Wood’s outspoken experts and key thought-leaders throughout the residential and commercial design and construction industry.
Woulda Shoulda Coulda: Real Estate Regrets to Avoid
Jed Kolko / Trulia / April 17, 2013
Trulia’s latest consumer survey revealed that 52% of people regret something about their current home or the process of choosing it. This season, under the pressure of tight inventory, buyers and renters have to try hard not to make the same mistakes
Spring house-hunting season is upon us. Home searches peak in March and April, and this year the search is especially frantic as inventory is near a 12-year low. Many homes don’t stay on the market for long, so buyers will have to move fast – especially in markets with bidding wars and competing investor activity. But when it comes to searching for a home, as with everything else, moving too fast leads to mistakes and regrets. To find out which regrets are most common – and who is most prone to making decisions they’ll later regret — we asked more than 2,000 consumers what, if anything, they regret about their current home and most recent home-search process.
Buyers in a Rush; Sellers, Not So Much
The biggest challenge for home buyers this season is the lack of inventory, which is down 20-25% year-over-year and near its lowest level since before the housing bubble. Our consumer survey shows that people think now is the time to buy, not sell: 75% of respondents agreed with the statement “it would be better to buy a home now than one year from now,” but only 32% of respondents (and just 29% of current homeowners) felt the same way about selling now rather than one year from now.


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By THE NATION
“As the Covid-19 situation in Thailand has been improving continually and the domestic supply of sanitary face masks is getting better, the Department of Internal Trade, under the Ministry of Commerce, had announced on August 11 its decision to allow manufacturers of sanitary face masks to sell to general consumers at a retail price not over Bt2.50 per piece,” said Sirikul Matevelungsun, GPO deputy managing director. “The GPO, therefore, is preparing to sell single-use sanitary face masks at Bt125 per box of 50 pieces at eight branches of GPO pharmacy in Bangkok and perimeter areas from August 19.
“In the early phase, we will sell 500,000 pieces and will sell 3 million more in the coming months,” she added.
“GPO is also readying the manufacturing, sourcing and stocking up of drugs, medical supplies and Covid-19 prevention equipment, such as N95 face masks and PPE suits, as well as alcohol hand sanitisers to prevent shortage of these necessary items in case there is a second wave of virus outbreak,” added Sirikul. “Furthermore, we have been actively researching and developing Covid-19 vaccine as well as other related products to help prevent the spread of the virus to reduce reliance on products from overseas.”


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Tag Archives: Mike Bithell
Fri, Oct 25, 2013 | 21:38 BST
Tue, Oct 08, 2013 | 03:28 BST
Three local talents have been nominated in the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain’s 2013 awards.
Thu, Sep 12, 2013 | 09:14 BST
GameCity 8 is heading to Nottingham in October and it’s bringing with it a slew of games, developers and friendly types to converse with, all in the name of gaming. Thomas Was Alone’s Mike Bithell will be there, showing off his new game Volume.
Thu, Aug 22, 2013 | 00:28 BST
Volume developer Mike Bithell has said story details regarding his sound-based stealth title will be revealed at a “top secret” event in October, possibly GameCity. Writing on the PlayStation Blog, the Thomas Was Alone creator didn’t have much new informaiton to share since the game’s announce earlier this month, but reiterated that the game is “remixable”, allowing users to craft their own levels, and that the protagonist does not kill. During gamescom, Volume was confirmed for PlayStation 4 and Vita, with other platforms to follow.
Tue, Aug 20, 2013 | 23:47 BST
PS4 architect Mark Cerny took to the stage during Sony’s gamescom press event and discussed more of the consoles technical innards.
Tue, Aug 20, 2013 | 03:31 BST
Mike Bithell’s terrific, BAFTA Award-winning platformer Thomas Was Alone has achieved an impressive number of sales.
Tue, Aug 13, 2013 | 11:30 BST
Volume is the new game from Thomas Was Alone creator Mike Bithell. We’ve got the first trailer, screens and details here.
Fri, Jul 12, 2013 | 08:56 BST
Thomas Was Alone creator Mike Bithell has suggested that the migration of mid-tier developers to the mobile space has left a large gap that indies are now taking advantage of.
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 | 20:24 BST
Thomas Was Alone creator Mike Bithell has said the title sold really well and Vita and attributes the uptake in the game game’s users to PlayStation Plus.
Fri, May 31, 2013 | 01:09 BST
An incredible line up of indie talent will provide entertainment during Game City 8.
Thu, May 02, 2013 | 22:52 BST
It looks like Mike Bithell’s new game will release on PlayStation 4.
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 | 03:51 BST
Mike Bithell wants players to be able to tell stories of their own in his new game.
Wed, Feb 27, 2013 | 16:54 GMT
Sony teased on Twitter earlier that it was going to announce a new indie title coming to PS3 and Vita. The teasing is over, because Thomas Was Alone designer Mike Bithell has announced on the PS Blog that the platformer will be released with Cross-Buy this spring. Upon release, the game will include a new creator’s commentary, a new timed exclusive DLC prologue “about a square who is given a jetpack,” and the Vita version will allow users to select characters or control the camera using the touchscreens. The game is being brought to the systems via Bossa and Curve.
Mon, Feb 04, 2013 | 12:12 GMT
Thomas Was Alone is the brainchild of coder Mike Bithell, and thanks to its success he has left Bossa Studios to work solo.


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Xbox One unboxed
Microsoft today posted an unboxing video for the Xbox One, three months before the next-generation console arrives on store shelves this November.
The console shown in the video is one of the first production units, Microsoft said, adding that fewer than 20 exist in the world. The system features the new 853mhz GPU announced last week.
The unboxing video, available below, is for a Day One Edition of the system, including a special Day One package, a uniquely branded controller with chrome D-pad, and a Day One digital achievement.
As was previously announced, the Xbox One itself sports a 500GB hard drive, slot load Blu-ray drive, IR blaster port, HDMI input and output connectors, a S/PDIF interface, three USB 3.0 ports, wired and wireless network support, and a Kensington Security Slot.
Microsoft also discussed the Xbox One’s new chat headset. Previously, it was announced that it would not be included with the standard system. However, this has now changed and every unit will include a headset.
The chat headset offers “3x the sampling rate of the Xbox 360,” Microsoft said. It is also described as “super lightweight”–weighing in at 44 grams. The headset also features a padded earpiece that can be worn on the left or right year, as well as a rotating mic.
Xbox One director of product planning Albert Penello added that the HDMI cable included with the system is a Category 2 HDMI cable and is rated for 1080p, 3D, and 4K. As for the system’s built-in wireless, it is A/B/G/N and supports dual-band 2.4ghz and 5ghz frequencies, compared to the Xbox 360’s single-band A/B/G/N at 2.4ghz.
The Xbox One launches in November for $499/€499/£429. Source


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Will be at the Plumb Club forum this weekend … Hope to see some of you there …
Now the news …
Zale to close 105 stores.
Friedman’s can auction assets.
– “Tale from Friedman’s trenches.”
LVMH buying Tiffany?
– Is Tiffany not upscale enough?
Chaim on “certifigate.”
Retail sales decline may slow.
Diamonds at the Oscars.
– Why these efforts are important.
– WWD: Leviev repossesses jewelry “during dinner.”
DDC retains term limits.
De Beers opens Hong Kong store.
Gitanjali USA gets new chairman.
Steinmetz factory opens in Botswana.
Diamonds spotlighted at war crime trial.
– Diamonds “too close” to African problems?
– Leona Lewis “stays away from diamonds because she cannot be sure of their provenance.”
Roger Clemens/jeweler “bashing” lawsuit.
Zimbabwe diamond production down 40%. Hell, meet handbasket.
New York diamond district stabbing. As Hedda notes: next time, call JBT!
– The Independent on “conflict diamonds.” Or: What happens when people get information from movies.
– I see a lot of anti-industry talk on the web; most of it is pretty one-sided. However, on this thread, after someone calls my comments “a load of crap,” someone named “Robo” (not me) does very well debating the cartel/blood diamond issues. Oh, Robo, whoever you may be, I salute you.
From the blog:
Have a great weekend …


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Black is the new black again, according to Tiger of Sweden Jeans.
Boring, you might say. But wait a second, this time the black has a weird twist.
The campaign Paint it Black is a collaboration between the fashion brand and the paint manufactor Alcro. Before this season Tiger of Sweden had developed a new shade of black and Alcro has transferred the Tiger of Sweden-black to wall paint you can buy in paint shops.
Therefor you can now match the colour of your home with your new jeans. Isn’t it amazing?
Agency: Lowe Brindfors


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Reconfirmed: Samsung Galaxy Tab Android tablet coming this quarter
Samsung has reconfirmed this to Reuters, although it didn’t unveil the exact launch date of the tablet. The company has also confirmed the tabled would have a 7 inch screen. It didn’t mention if it runs Android 2.2 Froyo, but it most likely will – since Android 2.1 is now old, and Gingerbread won’t be officially out until Q4.
The price of Samsung Galaxy Tab (or whatever its name will be in the end) is not known at the moment.
All these tablets could hurt Apple iPad sales, especially if they’d be launched in the US.


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WORLD BUSINESS BRIEFING; Indonesia: High Economic Growth
By BLOOMBERG NEWS
Published: August 16, 2007
Indonesia's economy grew the fastest in more than two years in the second quarter as exports rose and lower interest rates fueled spending and investment. The economy expanded 6.3 percent in the three months ended June 30 after gaining 6 percent in the previous quarter, the Central Statistics Bureau said. Private consumption increased 4.7 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, according to the report. Manufacturing expanded 5.5 percent, construction rose 7.8 percent and agriculture gained 2.4 percent. Government spending was up 3.8 percent. Exports rose 9.8 percent on rising overseas sales of commodities, including palm oil and coal, the report said, while imports increased 7.2 percent.


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Return to Transcripts main page
NASA Considers Four Potential Missions; Explanation Why Some Ancient Statues are Missing Noses; America`s Largest Retailer Relies Increasingly on Robots
Aired February 20, 2020 - 00:04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Today`s edition of CNN 10 gets off the ground with four proposed space missions and they go well beyond the moon and
Mars. I`m Carl Azuz at the CNN Center. Thank you for taking the time to watch our show. NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
has four ideas it`s looking at as possible future missions.
Two of them would focus on Venus. One of them would explore Jupiter`s moon Io and one of them would fly by Neptune`s moon Triton. I keep saying would
because these are just ideas at this point. They`ll each be researched by a team over a period of nine months and when the final proposals are made
NASA will then decide whether to turn them into actual missions.
So what would scientists hope to learn from all this? As far as Venus goes, one thing they`re interested in is its atmosphere which is toxic another is
the planet`s surface which is hot enough to melt lead. Venus` scorching rocky landscape could be mapped.
Jupiter`s moon Io is believed to be the most volcanically active place in our solar system so NASA would like to find out more about the eruptions
that happen there. And Triton, a moon that orbits Neptune could also be mapped and studied to see if there are signs of an ocean beneath the moon`s
None of these missions would involve astronauts. Robotic spacecraft would be doing the traveling and of course all of them would come at a cost. In
fact, the teams that are assigned these subjects will each receive $3 million just to come up with their proposals.
If any of those are approved for missions, space.com says each one would be limited to a price of $500 million but that doesn`t include the costs of
launching the spacecraft and supporting it while it`s in space. And for reference, the Juno mission alone from developing the spacecraft to getting
it off the ground to processing all of its information was more than $1 billion. NASA could choose to give two of these new missions the green
10 Second Trivia. The northern and southern kingdoms of what nation were unified in 3100 B.C.? India, Egypt, Persia or Japan. Events around the year
3100 B.C. resulted in the unification of ancient Egypt.
One thing you might notice when looking at many statues from ancient Egypt is that they`re missing their noses. Of course these artifacts are
thousands of years old. Someone might think the noses would be the first things to fall or break off but a museum curator in New York City was asked
the question so many times that he started researching why the noses were missing, and he found out that the faces were defaced on purpose.
The reasons are complicated. Power struggles between rulers. Changes in or disagreements over religion, political division, personal grudges. All of
these are likely reasons for the damage, the criminal acts, the vandalism.
But why specifically the noses? The curators suggest that because the nose allows someone to breathe, removing it would make that impossible and
effectively kill the statue that represents somebody. There are many other ways including natural ones. These relics decay or become damaged over the
millennia and ahead of its opening this year, the Grand Egyptian Museum hired a number of experts to bring artifacts back to nearly original
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s a labor of love. An army of conservationists and archeologists are delicately and skillfully restoring the treasure trove
that`s over 3,500 years old. It belongs to Egypt`s Pharaoh Tutankhamun, better known as King Tut. This facility`s 17 laboratories are being used to
restore up to 50,000 artifacts of this nation`s most precious relics. Up to 40 Japanese experts are overseeing this vast conservation project from
training local personnel to using their own high tech equipment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible) for this project. There is (inaudible) roughly (ph). (inaudible) and also (inaudible) microscope and do that
investigation without distraction.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The glass (ph) over here is fantastic because the visitor walks in the galleries can see the face of the statue of Ramses II.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Egypt`s treasures are being restored for their new home next door a $1 billion museum at the edge of the ancient Pyramids of Giza.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Grand Egyptian Museum will show more than 20,000 artifacts that have never been on display before. They were hidden in store
rooms, in magazines of the Egyptian Museum of Cairo from (inaudible) all over Egypt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: More than 7,000 construction workers are building this massive museum thanks to a loan of $750 million from the Japanese
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It includes a conference center which can house up to 1,000 participants of a conference. It has a cinema theater which can have
up to 500 visitors and it has about 28 shops and more than 10 restaurants.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (inaudible) being the resource for more to reason after the conservation (inaudible). It will attract more people to the
museum and I think I will - - we will contribute to this industry (inaudible) industry in the future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Business news. Some American retail companies are just now reporting what their sales were like for the 2019 holiday shopping season and at
least for brick and mortar retailers. Companies with physical stores, it wasn`t great.
Wal-Mart is the biggest retail company in America. It says in the few weeks before Christmas there was quote "softness" in sales of toys, video games
and clothing. It did see growth at its stores and websites that had been open for at least a year but the increase wasn`t as big as investors
Part of the reason for this, Thanksgiving fell later in November than usual. There were six fewer days between that holiday and Christmas. That
gave Americans less time to spend money and Wal-Mart`s not alone. Target, Kohls, Bed, Bath and Beyond, they all struggled last season. We told you
yesterday how Macys plans to close 125 stores in the three years ahead. There were exceptions though. Costco did well. TJMax had good sales and
Amazon what one business writer described as a blow-out holiday stretch.
Despite it`s disappointing Christmas sales, Wal-Mart said its largest business, groceries is doing well and the company expects a strong year
ahead. It`s been able to survive and thrive in the age of Amazon and it`s made a number of changes to do it. Online grocery pick-up and delivery is
part of that. There are also changes taking place in Wal-Mart stores themselves but it`s hard to say what the overall impact of robots will be.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Our last story this Thursday is about a match made in heaven, dog heaven. Honey and Duke are the names of the dogs. They`re rescue mutts in
South Carolina and apparently they`ve got a lot in common. They both love treats and they`re both dogs. So with costumes custom tailored for the
occasion and a ceremony attended by close human family and friends, Honey and Duke were officially united as dog and wife and the dessert truly took
To "heel" and to hold. From this "dog" forward. For "barker" or worse. Guess you could call that "howling" matrimony. They might have a leg up on
human weddings unless they needed a "prepuptual" agreement but we wonder what the groom will do when he sees his first "Honey Duke" list.
Listen it`s time for us to scoot but not before we mention Monticello High School. It`s in Monticello, Wisconsin. Thank you for subscribing and
commenting on yesterday`s show on You Tube. In fact, that`s the only way to get a mention on our show. We thank all of you for watching CNN 10. I`m


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Aiming to get cannabinoids into the kitchens of mainstream consumers, CBD Brand Mee has formulated a line of water-soluble formats.
A new report published by the MDPI points to nutrition being ‘neglected’ in UK undergraduate and post-graduate medical training.
Unilever is eliminating the word ‘normal’ from its personal care brands’ packaging and advertising as part of its Positive Beauty initiative.
According to a new NATRUE study, approximately 90% of consumers would be happy to pay more for a certified cosmetic product.
In a bid to take the complexity and stress out of tackling PMS, Yoppie has created three supplements to target the most common symptoms.
‘Rising investor concerns’ over corporate health impacts leads Tesco to increase its proportion of sales from healthier products to 65%.
Tea India has introduced a new line of Regional Single-Estate Teas in a bid to take them on an ‘exotic journey to the tea gardens of India’.
Plans by the EC to prohibit the use of hydroxyanthracene-containing extracts have been countered in a petition by the EHPM.
The first session of Natural Products Meets is now available to watch again on Diversified Communications’ YouTube channel.
Health food store Beanfreaks has closed the doors of its Cardiff city centre store, but is on the verge of opening a smaller concept store.
Tim Gaunt, on behalf of Natures Aid, pays tribute to Paul Marshall, co-founder of the VMS manufacturer, who passed away in February.
Somerset-based food producer Easy Bean has refreshed its chilled, plant-based one-pot meals with improved recipes and bright packaging.
The latest addition to Stem & Glory’s online store is a ‘finish-at-home’ vegan pizza concept – part of an expansion of its e-commerce offer.
Tom Oliver Nutrition has teamed up with the PGA to become its preferred provider of vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements.


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China-based Shandong Lingong Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. (SDLG) has celebrated the opening of its first store in Turlock, Calif., with the company calling it a critical step in launching its retail efforts in North America.
SDLG is operating the 10,000-square-foot store under the brand name VCES, and says the Turlock location is its “first dedicated brick-and-mortar location in the region.”
The mid-October 2013 event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and demos and test drives of the LG959 and LG938L wheel loaders made by SDLG. Alan Quinn, director of SDLG North America, welcomed the attendees, as did John Lazar, the mayor of Turlock, and Mike Mathews, VCES president.
“We’re very excited to launch our new dealer network in North America, and we couldn’t think of a better place than Turlock,” Quinn said. “It’s surrounded by a thriving agriculture industry and we have already connected with lots of excited customers who are interested in SDLG wheel loaders. We are honored to become a part of this great community.”
The SDLG dealer network in North America is now composed of seven companies in 12 locations. The dealerships are selling the company’s wheel loaders and other construction equipment, as well as providing parts and maintenance support. As well, a central parts depot in the Atlanta area supplies parts to dealers.
“This is a top-notch group of dealers who really know the business,” said Quinn at the grand opening. “SDLG will be supported by companies that have been selling and servicing construction equipment for decades. They are the backbone of SDLG’s rollout into North America and we couldn’t be more confident in these dealers’ ability to serve the market.”
The SDLG dealer network includes:
- ASC Construction Equipment of Bismarck, N.D., with additional locations in Buford, Ga.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Piedmont, S.C.;
- Construction Machinery Industrial of Anchorage, Alaska;
- Redhead Equipment of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada;
- ROMCO Equipment of Dallas and Houston;
- Sheehan Mack Sales & Equipment of Sioux Falls, S.D.; and
- Vantage Equipment of Syracuse, N.Y.


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The managing director of Asia Pulp & Paper talks about the need to work with others on the road to a zero-deforestation future.
Watch execs from Trucost and GreenBiz dive into an issue at the forefront of next-gen sustainability progress.
Leaders from Greenpeace, EDF and Green America see a promising future in working closely with Walmart, McDonald's, Hershey and other major companies to create change.
Watch the founder and CMO of ecoATM share his insights on bringing electronics recycling to the masses.
How does the consortium drive greener consumer product development? The organization's CEO, the managing director of EDF and the...
The corporate responsibility leader at PwC has learned that successful workplace engagement must be tangible and results-driven.
Forget the "green consumer." According to the CEO of the Shelton Group, companies need to focus on a different, more powerful audience...
The architect, author and CSO believes it's time embrace the relationship between shape and sustainability, form and performance.
The gamification guru shares the three F's behind a meaningful sustainability plan: fun, friendship and feedback.
Watch execs from McDonald's, the World Wildlife Fund and JBS USA dig in to the fast food giant's ambitious plan for better meat.
Mushrooms, meet Bubble Wrap. Here's how two unlikely partners are teaming up to improve product packaging.
Here's how Dow's partnership with The Nature Conservancy has driven significant change in the company.
The VP of data centers at Google discusses innovative ways the tech giant is mitigating its footprint as it strives to become net-positive.
Tate Cantrell, CTO of Verne Global, shares why energy drives everything from our food system to beer production — and the secret to...
Execs from Asia Pulp & Paper, The Forest Trust and Greenpeace discuss their effort to curb deforestation in Indonesia and beyond.
Watch the actress and co-founder of The Honest Company share her commitment to providing new moms with safe, design-driven, eco-friendly products...
The fifth annual State of Green Business report, published today by the editors of GreenBiz.com, takes an in-depth look at the data behind the green business movement. For the first time, industry
- Eco-Friendly Dentistry: Open Wide and Say 'Green'
- Seven Steps to Inject Sustainability Into Business Plans
- Wanted: Chief Sustainability Officer
- Infusing Sustainability Into the EPA's Mission
- Adobe's Youth Voices Program Works to Bridge the Digital Divide
The Fish 2.0 competition matches social entrepreneurs with investors in an effort to improve ocean sustainability.
- Sustainable purchasing gets its own umbrella organization
- Patagonia's new VC fund to invest in trailblazing green firms
- BMW and Fiat reduce EV range anxiety with loaner gas cars
- Sequestration is bad business
- JPMorgan Chase, UBS assess risks to tally natural capital costs
What happens when one of the world’s greener, smarter cities meets the hyper-connected world? We’re about to find out. Read more


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After testing badges as a way for creators to monetize their Live broadcasts, Instagram is now expanding the feature to more creators in more countries.
Back in May, Instagram introduced badges in Live that let fans participate in Live broadcasts and support their favorite creators. Viewers can purchase badges that appear next to their name and let them stand out in comments and unlock other features like a special heart and the ability to appear on a creator’s “badge holders list.”
The ultimate goal, of course, is to help creators monetize their Instagram Live broadcasts. According to Instagram, “this is another step forward in our vision to build a suite of tools that helps creators make money through branded content, shopping, content monetization, and direct support from fans.”
After testing badges with a small group of creators and businesses over the last few months, Instagram is now expanding the feature to more than 50,000 creators in new countries across the globe. As of last week, badges in Instagram Live are rolling out in France, UK, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, and Japan.
In addition to the above, Instagram also announced that it will be matching earnings from badges starting in November.
Badges will soon be expanding to many more creators around the world.
You might also like
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Instagram is rolling out a new Amber Alerts functionality to bring missing children alerts into your feed.On Wednesday, Instagram announced …
To celebrate its 3rd birthday and hitting 1 million followers @shop will launch an exclusive pop-up store in NYC.Instagram launched @shop …


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Albertsons Cos. completed the nation’s first delivery of a refrigerated grocery load with zero-tailpipe emissions technology by deploying a Volvo electric truck and an Advanced Energy Machines electric trailer.
The May 28 delivery of frozen food to a store in Irvine, Calif., represents a step forward in the effort to commercialize electric trucks and other green transportation equipment, local and state environmental regulators said at a news conference after the delivery.
“Albertsons is providing a great example of how this type of technology can reduce emissions and provide a sustainable zero-emission goods delivery option,” said Lisa A. Bartlett, an Orange County, Calif., supervisor and South Coast AQMD governing board member.
The nation’s second-largest grocery chain recently acquired two Volvo VNR Electric trucks to use at its distribution center in Irvine, Calif.
“As early adopters of leading-edge technology, Albertsons Cos. continues to pursue new delivery modes that will help reduce emissions,” said Tim Burke, vice president of transportation for Albertsons.
He said electric trucking “will also provide a better working environment for our drivers and grocery store staff.”
The grocery chain is an important Volvo customer. Its Southern California fleet uses only Volvo Trucks and covers 335 stores in a region that makes up the state’s southern half.
Although the delivery involved equipment just coming to market, it signals how many freight sectors can transition to zero tailpipe emissions, said John Boesel, CEO of Calstart, a nonprofit working to commercialize green transport.
“When you get a major OEM and a major fleet working together on an all-electric tractor-trailer rig, it sends a strong message that the technology is mature, reliable and ready to go,” Boesel said. “I would expect that Albertsons’ competitors will pay attention and will not want to be left behind using yesterday’s technology that is leading to climate change.”
Volvo is pushing rapidly into electric trucks. It launched the production of the VNR Electric at its New River Valley, Va., factory late last year. It has about 100 trucks ordered or in operation in the U.S., and has additional orders from customers in California and other states that it has not yet announced.
The VNR Electric is designed for regional heavy hauling. It has a range of 150 miles, and the powertrain produces 455 horsepower and 4,051 pound-feet of torque.
An Advanced Energy Machines electric trailer also was used in the delivery. (Jerry Hirsch)
Advanced Energy Machines has about 100 electric trailers in service, said Robert Koelsch, CEO of the Mesa, Ariz.-based green technology company. It uses rooftop photovoltaic panels to produce 25% to 50% of the refrigerated unit’s energy needs, depending on the weather and the temperature required for the cargo, he said.
While they cost about four times a conventional diesel refrigerated trailer, they have a payback at about 10,000 hours of use, Koelsch told Transport Topics.
Albertsons acquired the trucks as part of the Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions (LIGHTS) project.
The program is a collaboration among Volvo Trucks North America, South Coast AQMD and 12 other organizations. It is funded by a $44.8 million grant from the California Air Resources Board and an additional $36.7 million from Volvo Group. Volvo built 25 trucks as part of the project, and they are now being leased to customers through its financial services unit.
“We are confident that the Volvo VNR Electrics Albertsons is deploying in Southern California will enable the company to not only reduce its emissions, but to make reliable daily deliveries to its grocery stores throughout the region,” VTNA President Peter Voorhoeve said in a March 28 news release.
In April, Volvo scored its largest electric truck order to date. Quality Custom Distribution, a national food service logistics supplier, leased 14 Volvo VNR Electric trucks for its Southern California delivery routes. It will begin to operate the vehicles out of its distribution center in Fontana later this year.
“The experience gained from this program will help accelerate battery-electric truck adoption in QCD’s fleet, as well as other last-mile delivery fleets,” Mike Douglas, QCD senior director of strategic procurement, said when the deal was announced in April.https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=TransportTopics&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2hvcml6b25fdHdlZXRfZW1iZWRfOTU1NSI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJodGUiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3R3ZWV0X2VtYmVkX2NsaWNrYWJpbGl0eV8xMjEwMiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJjb250cm9sIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH19&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1398331954865528835&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ttnews.com%2Farticles%2Fvolvo-albertsons-complete-first-zero-emission-frozen-food-shipment&sessionId=acb10921fd8630cff2f869b03bf8c41ce7d6ea1c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=82e1070%3A1619632193066&width=550px
QCD operates a fleet of 700 Class 8 diesel tractors, of which than half are Volvo models.
California, especially Southern California and the region that stretches from the giant Los Angeles and Long Beach ports to the distribution and warehouse centers about 70 miles east, has become a testbed for electric trucking.
XPO Logistics, J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc., Ryder System Inc., Schneider National Inc., U.S. Foods Inc. and UPS Inc. all are testing pre-production models of the Freightliner eCascadias built by Daimler Trucks North America.
Market research firm IHS Markit expects estimates new registrations of Class 8 battery-electric trucks in North America to top 1,000 units by late next year as Volvo, Daimler and others increase production and fleets become more comfortable with the technology.


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Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police are investigating a robbery that took place at about 10:50 a.m. Monday, June 19 at the Apple store, 23 N. Santa Cruz Ave.
Witnesses told police that four suspects entered the store and stole a variety of display merchandise before fleeing on foot.
The suspects were described as males in their early twenties. They were seen leaving downtown Los Gatos in a black, four-door, newer model Dodge Charger that was heading to the southbound Highway 17 on ramp at South Santa Cruz Avenue and Wood Road.
The investigation is continuing and police are asking anyone with information to call them at 408-354-8600.


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(HedgeCo.Net) The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has filed a civil enforcement action in the Southern District of New York against defendants Dominick Vincent Carducci and his company VOS Capital Management, LLC (VOS Capital), both of South Carolina. The defendants are charged with fraud and misappropriation in connection with the unlawful operation of a commodity pool that purported to trade leveraged or margined foreign currency (retail forex). The CFTC complaint alleges fraudulent solicitation of at least 30 commodity pool participants, as well as the misappropriation of over $1.1 million of pool funds that defendants used to reimburse certain participants and for Carducci’s personal use, such as international travel, luxury automobiles, and student loan debt.
Starting in at least August 2016, according to the complaint, the defendants fraudulently solicited and misappropriated money from at least 30 individuals for pooled investments in retail forex. Between August 2016 and September 2018, the defendants received at least $1.1 million from pool participants for investment in commodity pools that would purportedly trade forex. The defendants, however, never traded forex on behalf of pool participants, and concealed their fraud by issuing false account statements to the pool participants.


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IT SEEMS fashion vloggers are leading the way when it comes to seeking out the best of this summer season’s deals.
Vlogger The Little Magpie is the latest of the social media fash-pack to release her expert tips for the hot holiday season including a bargain pair of trousers.
In her Matalan holiday lookbook video which was uploaded to her YouTube channel on Sunday, Amy Bell modelled the tropical print trousers along with an on-trend one shoulder gingham top.
The wide leg trousers come in a navy colour with a mutli coloured floral print for just £14 from Matalan.
And Amy’s not the only high-profile fan of the pants – with Denise Van Outen rocking them on a recent episode of The Show.
Amy admitted she loved the flattering high waist shape with a loose fit leg.
But if you were keen to snap up a pair, you may have to move quickly as YouTuber recommendations have had a habit of selling out fast recently.
It’s not the first time a vlogger’s recommendation has encouraged shoppers to hit the stores.
Cherry Wallis recently modelled the popular £8 Harry Potter T-shirt from Primark in her YouTube video, which had viewers racing to the high street.


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Plasma TVs - A Girl's New Best Friend!
Aren't women cool! According to an article at FoxNews, girls dig electronics more than we ever knew and it appears they really have a passion for Plasma TVs. According to the report:
Diamonds are no longer a girl's best friend, according to a new U.S. study that found three of four women would prefer a new plasma TV to a diamond necklace.
The survey, commissioned by cable television's Oxygen Network, which is owned and operated by women, found the technology gender gap has virtually closed, with the majority of women snapping up new technology and using it easily.
The article states:
The study found 77 percent of women surveyed would prefer a new plasma television to a diamond solitaire necklace and 56 percent would opt for a new plasma TV over a weekend vacation in Florida.
In fact the article states that women are becoming all-around geeks:
Women were found on average to own 6.6 technology devices while men own 6.9, and four out of every five women felt comfortable using technology, with 46 percent doing their own computer trouble-shooting.
So you heard it guys, go buy your women a new Plasma TV for her birthday. If she gets mad, just tell her the media told you to do it.
Read More in: General News | Plasma
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Posted by William Hungerford at August 3, 2006 7:45 AM