text:
Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo On Switch Replaces Hong Kong Flag With China Flag
On Nintendo Switch, Capcom has replaced the flag of Hong Kong with the flag China in Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, which is included in the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. The game, first released in 1994, features a character from Hong Kong named Fei Long, who is based on Bruce Lee.
In the original Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo, Fei Long’s flag in the character select screen is the British Hong Kong standard. The flag was changed in subsequent entries after the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997. In addition, the Rising Sun design on the back wall of E. Honda’s stage in Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo has been deleted due its link to Imperial Japan, though Street Fighter in Capcom Arcade Stadium still uses the USSR flag for Zangief.
In recent years, China has wielded extreme power over video games, even forcing Blizzard to suspend professional Hearthstone player Blitzchung after he expressed support for Hong Kong on the Hearthstone Grandmasters stream. In response, several Hearthstone players threatened to boycott Blizzard, while numerous employees walked out carrying umbrellas, a symbol of resistance in the Hong Kong protest.
In addition, US senators, Ron Wyden and Marco Rubio, as well as representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mike Gallagher and Tom Malinowski, sent a letter to Blizzard, asking that the suspension be lifted. The letter said that, given Blizzard’s importance in the gaming community, the decision to suspend Blitzchung “could have a chilling effect on gamers who seek to use their platform to promote human rights and basic freedoms.”
Devotion, a first-person psychological horror video game created and developed by Taiwanese game developer Red Candle Games for Steam in 2019, was banned after Chinese players protested over a negative reference to China’s president, Xi Jinping, in the game. Meanwhile, in 2020, Animal Crossing New Horizons was banned in China after players posted pro-Hong Kong signs in the game.
Recently, China censored a number of words in Genshin Impact, developed by Shanghai-based studio miHoYo, including Taiwan and Hong Kong. In response to China’s censorhip, Cai Wu, head of China’s Ministry of Culture, has said, “We want to open the window a crack to get some fresh air, but we still need a screen to block the flies and mosquitoes.”
Source: Read Full Article


text:
In all sincerity, I wish Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Robert Atkins the best of luck in their government-sponsored, monster-truck Duel of the Diets. Be it Atkins' no-carb approach or Ornish's no-fat-eat-your-veggies route, may the healthier weight-loss program win.
But, you know what?
When one diet triumphs and receives the U.S. Department of Agriculture's stamp of approval, for most Americans it won't amount to a hill of refried beans.
After the I-told-you-so shouting dies down, the majority of people in this country will do exactly what they have been doing for the past 50 years:
Eat whatever they want.
Millions will get inarguably and officially fat doing this. Millions will simply put on more weight than their current dress or trouser size comfortably accommodates or more than the government says is "good" for them. Many of those millions will feel guilty about this, but they will eat what they want anyway.
Tens of thousands of lucky people will gain no extra weight even though they consume everything they want, which will enrage their friends who can't so much as walk by a cheeseburger without gaining two or three pounds.
And, sadly, too many Americans (mostly girls and young women) will also keep eating what they want, but they'll deliberately throw it up because they suffer from a psychological malady you never find in Ethiopia, Bangladesh or countries where people routinely starve to death.
To a handful of all these millions of people, the results of the Ornish-Atkins duel will truly matter. But most minds -- and caloric intake -- will not be changed.
People who deeply believe in the healing powers of whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables will keep turning up their nose at prime rib and bacon-and-cheese omelets.
People who believe that "a lot of this health stuff is a crock" will figure that a switch to Ranch Lite salad dressing is good enough.
The latter probably are the same people who pay little or no attention to the dietary guidelines that the government revises and publishes every five years.
This year, according to the recently released advice, about 55 percent of American adults and children are believed to be at least overweight. And, say the feds, about 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 10 kids are flat-out obese.
Have we reached this corpulent state of affairs because Americans don't know that soda pop, Ding-Dongs, Cheetos and almost everything you can buy at McDonald's and Burger King are loaded with fat, salt, sugar or all of the above?
Of course not.
The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services (not to mention Dr. Ornish) have been trying to hammer that information into our heads for decades.
Do most of us listen?
No, we go back for seconds at the all-you-can-eat popcorn shrimp bar and pay $1.50 extra for a scoop of French vanilla ice cream to top our Dutch apple pie.
Believe me, when more than half the folks in your country are considered officially overweight, information is not the problem.
But try convincing someone like Margo G. Wootan.
She is director of nutrition policy for a consumer organization called the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and she thinks people actually read and heed the government's dietary guidelines.
This year, as she told The New York Times, she's particularly peeved that the feds "caved in" to heavy pressure from the sugar industry and soft-pedaled the wording in the guidelines.
Instead of warning Americans to "go easy on beverages and foods high in added sugars," the guidelines now say to "choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake of sugars."
In Wootan's circle, where people no doubt pay attention to details, such a wording wimp-out is a big deal. In an intelligent society that pays more than lip service to the importance of diet and nutrition, it would be a big deal.
But the USA is not such a society. Take a look around.
However you slice it, 55 percent fat is a heck of a lot of marbled meat.
Stephanie Salter is a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner, P.O. Box 7260, San Francisco, CA 94120. Her e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.org.

domain: news


text:
While Apple Pay is already available all across the globe, the expansion is not quite finished just yet.
There are still some unserved markets out there, like Mexico. But that appears to be changing soon (via 9to5Mac). Some folks have already been able to add their cards from the local bank Banregio to the Apple Wallet app, indicating that Apple Pay support is right around the corner. However, there is a catch.
To make it work right now, the users need to add their card from the Banregio bank, but change the iPhone’s region to an area where Apple Pay is already supported. The card will be added successfully, but it won’t be properly verified from the bank because the bank hasn’t officially announced Apple Pay support yet.
Other individuals have tried to use other bank cards and add them to the Wallet app, but they haven’t worked. That could be a sign that Banregio will be an exclusive launch partner for Apple Pay in Mexico, with additional banks added to the mix at a later date following the public launch.
Here’s a video showing off the card being added to the Wallet app:
When Apple Pay arrives in Mexico, which could be soon, it would be the second Latin American country to gain support following Brazil’s support arriving back in 2018.


text:
Unbeknownst to many Canadians, our country’s most sacred brand was under American control for nearly 15 years. In 1995, Tim Hortons was bought up by Wendy’s, the U.S. burger chain that reportedly dropped $400 million for the Canadian donut giant.
After the 2002 death of Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, Tim’s was spun off into its own American entity in 2006. Despite most of the company’s operations taking place in Canada, the famous double-double franchise remained headquartered in Delaware until 2009, when corporate ownership was shifted back north of the border.
* Video: How Tim Hortons tests its coffee
Have your say
Is now a good time to buy a house?
Thanks for being one of the first people to vote. Results will be available soon. Check for results
- Yes, prices will continue to rise.
- No, Canada is facing a housing bubble and prices will eventually fall.
- I don't know.
Surat in the Indian state of Gujurat is known as the world's capital of diamond polishing, but fluctuating currencies are threatening business.
Date 16 hrs ago, Duration 3:24, Views 697
Date 14-03-08 4:54
Tooltip Information:U.S. Job Numbers & The Fed, Markets [03-07-14 4:05 PM]Video by:Description: Dan Haugh, President of PTI Securities & Futures crunches the U.S. jobs numbers and their impact on the markets and the Fed.Rating: 4Views: 762
Date 14-03-08 5:34
Tooltip Information:Global Auto Sector Posts Record Vehicle Sales [03-07-14 12:30 PM]Video by:Description: In this morning's report, Scotiabank highlights the growth of the global auto sector in 2013, mostly driven by China. BNN speaks to Carlos Gomes, Senior Economist & Auto Industry Specialist about how Canada is doing by comparison.Rating: 4Views: 190
Date 14-03-08 5:02
Tooltip Information:Managing Geopolitical Volatility [03-07-14 [2:25 PM]Video by:Description: Mike Ryan, Chief Investment Strategist, Wealth Management Americas, UBS tells BNN how he's navigating the geopolitical volatility right now.Rating: 4Views: 528
Date 14-03-08 5:23
Tooltip Information:Canada and U.S. jobs [03-07-14 12:15 PM]Video by:Description: Paul Ferley, assistant chief economist, RBC Capital Markets talks about the latest job numbers from the U.S. and Canada.Rating: 5Views: 156


text:
A vulnerability lets hackers gain entry to people's computers using Philips Hue smart bulbs. Here's how to protect against it.
Philips Hue has listed the risk as "high" severity and is urging users to update their devices immediately.
Ring says it will introduce new security features after hackers broke into a camera in an 8-year-old's bedroom, where they could watch and talk to the child
The company said hackers were able to break into the camera in part because of weak passwords. It's unclear what Ring's security improvements will be.
Residents haven't been receptive to police departments' requests for video footage from Ring smart doorbell cameras, so Amazon is offering guidance.
Nick Clegg, Facebook's head of global affairs and a top lieutenant to Mark Zuckerberg, suggested that the firm is not an "exclusive club" like Apple.
From cloud computing to devops, these are the startups that are poised to make waves in 2019.
Google released a 'Home Alone' holiday ad featuring 38-year-old Macaulay Culkin and it's everything a '90s child could ask for
Google has released the perfect holiday ad: a 'Home Alone' remake featuring a 38-year-old Macaulay Culkin.
Samsung just unveiled its first-ever Bixby smart speaker alongside its new Galaxy Note 9. They also showed off improved S Pen features, a new Galaxy watch, and a partnership with Fortnite and Spotify.
Hackers reportedly took over a digital parking lot kiosk and connected it to a porn site for no apparent reason — and it hints at a worrying trend
Devices connected through the Internet of Things are the source of many creative hacks, according to the Darktrace 2018 Threat Report.
Google eliminates Nest's CEO role and tucks the once promising 'Other Bet' into another business group
Google has pushed out Nest CEO Marwan Fawaz after receiving employee complaints about his leadership, according to a CNET report. Google plans to integrate the Nest unit within Google home devices unit, led by Rishi Chandra.
A $178 wine bottle that connects to Wi-Fi raised $6 million from investors, and now the startup is shutting down
Kuvée, a startup making a wine bottle with a color touchscreen that connects to Wi-Fi, announced in an email to customers on Wednesday that it is shutting down.
This beautiful $300 security camera can recognize faces and keep track of your kids — and it's backed by some of the biggest names in tech
The Lighthouse camera combines 3D sensors with artificial intelligence to track your kids and pets, or alert you intruders.
VMware CEO reveals which tech will have the most impact on the world, and why Elon Musk is wrong on AI
CEO of VMware Pat Gelsinger on the economic impacts and ethical challenges facing the four tech superpowers of the world.
DIGITAL HEALTH BRIEFING: Amazon job posting raises more healthcare speculation — Change Healthcare acquires NDSC — Venture funds' interest in AI grows
A new job posting at Amazon is fueling speculation that the company is planning to enter the healthcare market.
C3 IoT, an almost failed startup founded by a colorful billionaire who was trampled by an elephant, has raised another $100 million
C3 IoT isn't just a second act for billionaire Tom Siebel, it's a come-back story for a man who was literally trampled and a company that almost died.
10 years after cold calling his way into a job, this Ghanaian founder just got $15 million to grow his thriving start-up
Tesla uses Nyansa's products to monitor its manufacturing tools. Hospitals use it to keep life-saving machines online.
Consumers aren't embracing smart-home devices as much as other connected gadgets, thanks to security and privacy concerns, a new survey indicates.
DIGITAL HEALTH BRIEFING: Microsoft, UPMC partner for digital hospitals — EHR access is easier with Apple FaceID — Health apps could save $7B annually
UPMC announced a partnership with Microsoft to collaborate on the design of three “digitally-based specialty hospitals.”
IFTTT, which provides a kind of connective tissue to link disparate services and devices, is opening up its platform to individual developers.
Nest reportedly has several new devices in the works that could fill some major gaps in the connected smart home.
Companies worldwide will spend $3.5 trillion on IT in 2017 and these 9 trends will start to capture more of that money.


text:
US retailer GameStop intends to close some 320 stores this fiscal year as part of ongoing restructuring efforts.
The company shut 321 outlets in its last fiscal year ended February 1, 2020, and expects to close a similar amount during the current business year.
GameStop executive vice president and chief financial officer Jim Bell:
GameStop currently operates over 5,500 stores across 14 countries.In fiscal 2020, we will continue in our efforts to de-densify our store base, focused on maximising product productivity of the entire fleet. We anticipate store closures to be equal to or more than 320 net closures we saw in fiscal 2019 on a global basis. We want to emphasize that these store closures are a very specific and proactive part of our de-densification plan and they are not related to recent business trends.
GameStop ends 2019 with sales down year-over-year, but 'increased fina
GameStop's end-of-year reporting for the 2019 financial year totes a newly strengthened balance sheet created by the year's cost-cutting and reboot efforts.


text:
Google and Sagefrog Marketing Group to Host Google Partners Connect Event
Written by Stephanie
SagefrogMarketing Group, a leading Google Partner, is hosting Google’s Partners Connectevent at the Sagefrog Marketing Group headquarters in Doylestown, PA on May 21stfrom 2:00 to 3:00 pm EST.
Sagefrog Marketing Group, a leading Google Partner, is hosting Google’s Partners Connect event at the Sagefrog Marketing Group headquarters in Doylestown, PA on May 21st from 2:00 to 3:00 pm EST. Google Executives will lead the discussion on business growth initiatives, via live telecast, and Google certified experts from the Sagefrog Online Marketing Team will be present to help answer questions. Presenters and topics include: Arjan Dijk, Vice President, Global Small Business Marketing – how small businesses can succeed on the web. Fred Vallaeys, Google AdWords Evangelist – how businesses can navigate online advertising and expand their online presence. Ben Wood, Director Channel Sales Americas – how small businesses should approach working with an agency, what resources the Google agency team provides, and the importance of working with an online professional. “Sagefrog has worked with Google for more than 10 years. We were one of the first certified Google agencies in the greater Philadelphia and New Jersey area, and remain a leading Google Partner today,” said Mark Schmukler, managing partner at Sagefrog Marketing Group. “We are excited to host this Google event and offer business professionals the opportunity to learn directly from Google Executives about how to grow their business.” All interested attendees should contact Andrea Panno at 215-230-9024, email
, or complete the webform to learn more about the event.


text:
WILLEMSTAD - Credible sources indicate that Aqualectra is short of cash and that is due to less consumption of electricity and water and the deteriorated payment behaviour of customers.
Zero has not been reached yet, but if the current trend continues, it will be before the end of this year. Unless drastic measures are taken that relate to the collection of the debtor balances and further cost reduction.
The corona crisis has brought about a lot, including a precarious financial situation at several companies, either due to the lockdown or due to the deteriorating economic conditions.
Especially the fact that hotels, companies and industrial customers are not operating means that the utility company expects much less sales.
The source says that the management is now taking into account that it will close the year 2020 with 8 percent less electricity sales and 1 percent less water consumption compared to 2019.
However, it is mainly the deteriorating payment behaviour of customers that affects the energy company.
The utility company says it has "already taken several cost-saving measures." However, more measures are needed to ultimately keep the company financially healthy, said the source.


text:
Several international logistics providers have signed an agreement with the World Economic Forum to support the global distribution of the Covid-19 vaccines.
Several international logistics and supply chain providers have agreed to support the global effort to distribute the Covid-19 vaccines, in partnership with the World Economic Forum and UNICEF.
Signatories include AP Møller – Maersk; Agility; CMA CGM; DSV Panalpina; UPS; DP World; MSC, and others.
The agreement to support COVAX participant countries includes an engagement with governments, customs authorities, UNICEF, and NGO’s.
The agreement will see the World Economic Forum (WEF), and logistics providers aim to fill any gaps in Covid-19 vaccine distribution, to ensure appropriate “calls for action”, and the efficient distribution of the vaccines.


text:
FRANCE: Pernod sees mixed start to the year
The French wine and spirits group, Pernod Ricard said today that its consolidated sales for the first quarter fell to €726m, compared to €740m for the same period last year, as the group continued to disengage itself from non-strategic activities, and was hit by the weak dollar.
Wine & Spirits sales (excluding duties and taxes) for the period amounted to €704m, compared to €713m for the same period last year. However, on a constant structure and exchange rate basis, sales increased by 5.4%.
Volume growth was more encouraging with the company's 12 key brands increasing by 7.3%, with Chivas Regal up 8%, Martell up 6%, The Glenlivet up 8%, Jameson up 14% and Havana Club up 14%.
In a statement Pernod said that the two key growth drivers were Asia and North America.
The Asia-Pacific and Rest of World region experienced the greatest progression, posting a 12.9% organic sales growth rate. China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore progressed strongly thanks to Chivas and Martell sales. The strong development of local brands enabled India and Thailand to enjoy double digit sales growth.
North America also achieved a strong performance (+8.6% organic growth rate). In the US, Chivas and Martell depletions were positive. South and Central America posted contrasting performances (+0.6% organic growth rate), with the turnaround of operations in Brazil and Argentina offset by a disappointing performance in Venezuela.
Pernod also said there were the beginnings of a recovery in France, which achieved an organic growth rate of + 4.6%, partially as a result of technical effects. Ricard, Jameson, Havana Club, Chivas, Aberlour and Wyborowa achieved good performances.
The rest of Europe was a mixed bag, with Greece, Italy and Scandinavia enjoying good growth, while the UK, Ireland and Spain had more modest growth. Different non-recurring factors adversely affected this region's performance during the 1st quarter of 2004, without impacting its full year growth prospects.
"As a result, this favourable beginning of year strengthens the group's confidence for 2004," the statement said.
As Pernod Ricard, Allied Domecq and Fortune Brands close in on the biggest drinks industry deal since the sale of Seagram, opinion about how the deal will be structured and who stands to win and lose ...
Maxxium Worldwide could come under pressure if Pernod and Fortune's Allied Domecq bid is successful, according to press reports today (14 April)....
It's been a quiet day on the Pernod/Allied Domecq front....
Conflicting reports circulated this weekend over whether Bacardi International is looking to form a counter-bid for Allied Domecq....
Todays press reports into Pernod and Fortune's hopes to buy Allied Domecq warn of possible conflicts and set a date for completion....
Pernod Ricard and Fortune Brands are considering a US$13 billion bid for Allied Domecq, the world's second-largest spirits company. Were it to take place, Pernod and Fortune would split Allied's brand...
Pernod Ricard and Fortune Brands are hoping to buy Allied Domecq for around 670p per share, according to press reports....
The US consumer goods group Fortune Brands has confirmed it is in talks about launching a joint bid with Pernod Ricard for Allied Domecq....
- Comment - Diageo Spins the Guinness Wheel... Again
- Diageo's Labels Give Industry Something to Digest
- Comment - 'Craft' and the Danger of 'Romance Copy'
- Who should Stock Spirits Acquire?
- Is A-B InBev/SABMiller 'Mega-Merger' Off?
- Diageo lines up UK innovations push
- Craft is an 'abused' term - Pernod Ricard exec
- Pernod Ricard queries nutritional label use
- SPI Group 'disappointed' over Stolichnaya ruling
- Diageo's Guinness Golden Ale
- Global rum insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research
- Global non-Scotch whiskies insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research
- Champagne: Less Than Bubbly
- Beer Market Insights Africa 2014
- ALDI 2015: Radically transforming Anglo Saxon grocery markets


text:
The fuzzy little meerkats who hate it when you mix up their website have become cartoonised in their own Comic Books.
The 16-page comic book, Meerkat Movies: A Heroic Journey, is a two-part series featuring meerkats Aleksandr and Sergei. The comic book is in conjunction with DC Entertainment – the parent company of DC Comics – and is hot off the heels of Compare the Market’s partnership with the new Superman vs Batman: Dawn of Justice.
The comic was illustrated by Neal Adams – the artist behind iconic super heroes such as Superman, Batman and Green Arrow. It was written by comic book legend Tony Bedard.
The comic book plays on the brand’s own initiative of Meerkat Movies, a movie ticket offering for loyal customers of comparethemarket.com.
The comic cartoon follows Aleksandr and Sergei as they don their favourite super hero outfits and run through the streets of LA to make the movie in time.
However, while the men in bandannas let the meerkats through with confused looks upon their noggins, rampant dogs were not nearly as kind. We’re left on a cliffhanger, unsure whether the meerkat duo will make the film.
On how it was made, Aleksandr said: “I did great job, but Sergei make process even longer than it should have been. He went to toilet every 20 minutes.”
The first part of the comic can be downloaded here. And the second part will be available for download May 27 2016.
Freedom Foods and 72andSunny Sydney have launched the first advertising campaign for Australia’s Own range of plant-based beverages. The campaign introduces a new visual world and identity for the brand and captures the healthy, positive feeling you get when spending time in nature and when consuming Australia’s Own certified-organic, plant-based beverages. As well as featuring […]
Nine creatives from APAC are among the 94 finalists from 27 countries in The One Club for Creativity’s prestigious Young Guns 19 competition, celebrating international creative professionals age 30 or younger. The finalists from APAC are: Hiu Ching Kung, graphic designer, Hong Kong Lam Ieong Kun, graphic designer, illustrator, indego design, Macau Raxenne Maniquiz, graphic designer, illustrator, Santa Maria (Philippines) Kiyotaka […]
OOH transit company Adflow has announced the success of the first phase of its regional expansion program. Adflow’s regional footprint has increased by 60 per cent to now include 65 regional locations. With 9.1 million people living regionally in Australia (growth of 1.1 per cent experienced in the 19/20 Financial year) and most regional centres […]
Freshworks, a leading software company, has started trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, marking an important milestone for the company. The company priced its IPO at US$36 per share (AU$49.76), raising about US$1 billion (AU$1.4B), resulting in a total market capitalisation of AU$13.7 billion (US$10B). Freshworks, which was founded in India, has strong roots […]
Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) is the biggest player in the holiday shopping game and Google’s most recent research suggests consumer interest for the peak sales season starts much earlier than retailers may realise. The pandemic has fundamentally changed buyer behaviour over peak sales season, with Google suggesting that global consumer interest in Black Friday […]


text:
Zenith Bank says it’s introducing a new loan product, the Z-Woman Business Package, to help women-owned businesses scale their operations. The new product is part of an ongoing drive to boost Nigeria’s small and medium-sized, the bank executives have explained.
Read more about Business
The Z-Woman Package offers loans of up to ₦10 million to SMEs in which women hold a majority stake. The sectors targeted in this program include beauty and style, confectionery, agriculture, and fitness, among others.
The package is aimed at helping these businesses expand their working capital, purchase raw materials, and upgrade their infrastructure. Beneficiaries could also get free digital skills training, and free exhibition stands at Zenith Bank’s events.
Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, has explained that Z-Woman provides a platform for women to partner with the bank to grow their enterprises.
Businesses in which women hold a majority stake of at least 55 percent are eligible for this program.
Loans under the Z-Woman program have a tenor of between 12 and 24 months. Zenith Bank offers a 9 percent interest rate and a 1 percent management fee on these loans.
Sign up to the Connect Nigeria daily newsletter
Disbursement of the loan is subject to the recipients’ acceptance of the BVN covenant for loan repayment. The bank will also conduct credit checks to determine the ability of the applicant to repay the loan.
Visit a Zenith Bank branch closest to you to find out more, and to apply for the Z-Woman loan.
Enquiries can also be sent via email to firstname.lastname@example.org.
Featured Image Source: Nairametrics
Did you find this article useful? Contact us: email@example.com


text:
The Center for an Urban Future’s 2020 “State of the Chains” report found that 1,057 chain stores in the city closed their doors this year, including 135 Metro PCS, 89 Spring, 70 Duane Reades, 51 GNC, 49 Starbucks, and 22 Papyruses.
This number translates to an astonishing 13.3% overall decline in chain-stores, the largest percentage drop since Urban Future’s began its reports 13 years ago.
“If the national chains are scaling back like this, I have to imagine it’s twice as bad for mom-and-pop stores, who don’t have the same ability to weather a storm or get access to financing,” said Urban Future’s Executive Director Jonathan Bowles said.
The city lost 3.7% of chain stores in 2019 and 0.3% in 2018.
Other notable losses include 30 Subways, 30 Baskin–Robbins and 18 Dunkin’ Donuts stores.
A few chains came out stronger this year, despite the city’s totalitarian lockdowns and devastating economic policies.
Popeye’s opened 11 new stores, and Chipotle Mexican Grill opened 6.
Manhattan, which has been under one of the strictest lockdowns in the country, lost 520 chain stores.
Bowles remains optimistic that the end of the lockdowns will bring employees back into their office buildings and a rush of new restaurants and retailers.
“We are going to see a new wave of entrepreneurship,” Bowles said. “People who were fortunate enough not to have businesses at this time, and we also might see some chains go into different parts of the city that were not as hard hit as Manhattan.”
New York City has not backed down from its lockdown policies, however, which will remain a significant obstacle even as the coronavirus poses virtually zero threat to the vast majority of the healthy population.
Office work may never return to normal either, as employees accustom themselves to the ease of a work-from-home routine.


text:
SAN FRANCISCO — Smartphone shipments rose 36 percent worldwide in the fourth quarter as the sleek devices supplanted personal computers and other gadgets on holiday shopping lists, according to a report released Friday.
The findings from the research firm International Data Corp. (IDC) are the latest sign of the technology upheaval being wrought by the growing popularity of smartphones that can perform a wide variety of tasks, including surfing the Web and taking high-quality photos.
Companies whose fortunes are tied to the PC industry have been particularly hard hit by the shift to smartphones and tablet computers.
While some smartphone models were in short supply during the holiday season, fourth-quarter PC shipments fell by 6 percent from the previous year, according to another IDC report released earlier this month.
- Cleared after stabbing, former UW student wants his life back
- Driver arrested after I-90 crash that killed 2
- Costco delays credit-card switch
- WSDOT chief ousted by Senate Republicans after 3 years on job
- Death of Oregon ultramarathoner rocks community of runners
Most Read Stories
IDC estimates 219 million smartphones were shipped during the final three months of last year. That compares with nearly 161 million in the same 2011 period. Smartphones accounted for about 45 percent of all mobile-phone shipments in the fourth quarter, the highest percentage recorded by IDC.
Samsung retained its bragging rights as the smartphone leader, shipping nearly 64 million devices for a 29 percent share of the global market.
Apple ranked second with nearly 48 million iPhones shipped during the fourth quarter, translating into a market share of 22 percent.
For all of 2012, IDC estimated nearly 713 million smartphones were shipped worldwide, a 44 percent increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, annual PC shipments fell 3 percent from 2011, IDC said. It was the first annual decline since 2001.
Entering 2012, Apple held a slight edge over Samsung in the smartphone market. But Samsung sprinted past Apple during the year as it introduced an array of models.


text:
Crystal Dynamics? reboot of the Tomb Raider was met with critical acclaim as the game featured a new take on the series by making it more about survival rather than head-to-head combat. The sequel for Tomb Raider launched last year for the Xbox One and last January for the PC. The PS4 version is still nowhere to be found, so when will Square Enix release the Rise of the Tomb Raider PS4 version?
Rumors suggest that Rise of the Tomb Raider for the PS4 has been cancelled already, thanks to Square Enix?s silence regarding the game. However, neither Square Enix or Crystal Dynamics has confirmed that the PS4 version has been cancelled.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is a timed Xbox One exclusive, meaning that the game will launch on other consoles eventually. It launched on Nov. 10 for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 and Jan. 28 for the PC. And slowly but surely, the PS4 version is inching up on us.
Fans expected Sony to finally unveil a PS4 release date for the game at E3 2016, but sadly, Lara Croft was nowhere to be found. The game is expected to arrive late 2016, but no concrete date has been set yet. Amazon is still accepting orders for the game, and the release date on the digital retailer says that it?ll be on Dec. 30 this year, but it?s very likely that it?s just a placeholder date.
There are still several gaming events wherein Square Enix could reveal the release date for the Rise of the Tomb Raider PS4 version like the Tokyo Game Show happening this September and Gamescom 2016 this August. By late into 2016, we?re guessing Square Enix is eyeing a Q4 release for the game, so a September reveal is suitable. It?s also possible that the release date will be announced on its own rather than on the big stage.


text:
EP approves EU aid for former workers at Irish jeweller and Greek retailer
Workers at fashion retailer Sprider Stores in Greece and at jewellery maker Andersen Ireland Limited in Ireland are to receive EU aid worth €8.8 million to help find or create new jobs. The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) aid applications, already accepted by the Council of Ministers, were approved by Parliament on Wednesday.
Irish jewellery firm to get €1.5 million for 171 former employees
The jewellery maker Andersen Ireland Limited was forced to make 171 workers redundant as imports from Asia came to dominate the European market. This was exacerbated by growth in online sales as Andersen continued to rely on traditional distribution channels. The company operated in Rathkeale, in a region already hit by economic difficulties and high unemployment.
The €1.5 million EGF aid - the first to respond to difficulties in the jewellery sector - is for career and education support, as well as grants to start new firms.
Parliament approved the application by 568 votes in favour, 72 against and 12 abstentions.
Greek retailer to get €7.29 million for 761 people
Greece applied for EGF aid when fashion retail company, Sprider Stores, hit by the financial and economic crisis, made redundant 761 workers in Central Macedonia and the Attica region. Retail sales were hit by rising unemployment and a drastic reduction in loans to the private sector, due to the general austerity measures. The Greek economy has been in deep recession for the sixth consecutive year, with GDP down by a quarter and private consumption down by a third.
The €7.29 million EGF aid is mainly for training, job-search assistance and career guidance.
Parliament approved the application by 573 votes in favour, 75 against and 15 abstentions.
The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund was set up to provide additional support for workers made redundant as a result of major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation or the financial crisis and to help them find new jobs.
Between 2014 and 2020, the annual ceiling of the fund is €150 million. Redundant workers are offered measures such as support for business start-ups, job-search assistance, occupational guidance and various kinds of training. In most cases, national authorities have already started taking measures and have their costs reimbursed by the EU when their applications are finally approved.


text:
The developers at Guerilla Games, behind Killzone: Shadow Fall and Horizon Zero Dawn, did not specify if these other games will have graphical enhancements when launching for PS4 backward compatibility on PS5.
The team did not specify at what frame rate it will work on the new Horizon Zero Dawn console.
Ready… Set… Play! #PS5
🏹 Horizon Zero Dawn is backward compatible and save files can be transferred from PS4 to PS5.
🔴 Killzone Shadow Fall is backward compatible, save files can be transferred, and it can run up to 60 FPS on PS5. pic.twitter.com/b3wGCyU9Dd
— Guerrilla (@Guerrilla) November 12, 2020
Killzone: Shadow Fall is a first-person shooter that entered the PS4 launch lineup in 2013. Horizon Zero Dawn, by contrast, came out closer to the end of the console – in 2017, and in 2020 it appeared on PC.
The PS5 went on sale in six countries on November 12 and will be available worldwide on November 19. According to Sony, the console is backward compatible with all PS4 games with the exception of ten titles.


text:
52% of Australia's mobile phone customers expect to make most of their calls by mobile rather than landline next year, but VoIP take-up has been slow, according to the 2005 A.T. Kearney Mobinet study.
Proposed initially in 2016, it is estimated that the RBS would raise something in the region of $40 million by[…]
Nah mate, not needed. NBN Co has it all under control. ;=)
Your article states:"Most people we have spoken to agree that ACS should become more commercial, and that the transition from[…]
This is a cartel monopoly. Liberals idea of "competition". Fibre would provide competition. But not when these criminals get to[…]
They can't exactly sell fibre "spectrum" can they ? Not theirs to sell. People are for sale here.


text:
The new version of Windows Phone OS, codenamed “Mango”, is going to bring in more capabilities that app developers can leverage. At MIX’11, Microsoft announced that Windows Phone “Mango” is going to bring in multi-tasking capabilities which allow the apps to run in the background and process tasks. Apart from this their development platform is going to allow developers deeper integration into the phone’s API and hardware access. Apps can now make better use of LiveTiles and access the camera and motion sensors. Developers will get early access to these through the new version of the SDK which should be out in May.
In related news, according to Microsoft’s press release Skype is coming soon to Windows Phone as well! Read the press release after the break. With all these going into the Windows Phone OS, a combination with this and Nokia’s hardware seems to looking better each day. What say you, does the mango taste yummy yet? We’d love to hear your comments!
Here’s the a segment from Microsoft’s Press release regarding the new capabilities which will come soon Windows Phone.
New Opportunities and Capabilities for Windows Phone
Today, Microsoft provided the first deep look at the development platform for the next version of Windows Phone, arriving on new and existing handsets later this year. Developers will soon have updated Windows Phone Developer Tools. Improved tools include a performance profiler and sensor simulation, enabling developers to build more integrated and high-performing applications. The new application platform enables developers to take advantage of the following:
- Application multitasking for background processing, audio and file transfer, and fast application switching
- Deeper phone integration so apps can, for example, take better advantage of the versatility of Live Tiles
- Access to the camera and Motion Sensor library so developers can build apps that incorporate device hardware and build augmented reality experiences
Developers will be able to take advantage of these new capabilities to create even more creative and engaging Windows Phone apps and games.
The free Windows Phone Developer Tools for the new Windows Phone OS will be available to developers in May. With 38,000 registered developers, more than 13,000 available apps and 1.5 million downloads of the original Windows Phone Developer Tools, developers are the foundation of the fast-growing Windows Phone ecosystem.
“Windows Phone is an incredibly fun and easy platform for developers to work with, and Kik was thrilled to have the chance to create a concept with the phone’s next-generation developer tools,” said Ted Livingston, CEO, Kik Messenger. “In only two weeks, we had an amazing new app that looks and feels like an extension of the phone itself, creating a customer experience like nothing we’ve seen before.”


text:
While rumours have been swirling for several weeks that video games for the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 would cost $89.99 CAD, an increase from $79.99 CAD for current Xbox One and PlayStation 4 titles, it seems at least one publisher isn’t quite ready to commit to the price jump.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed during an earnings call on Wednesday that the company’s upcoming titles for the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 will still cost $59.99 USD ($79.99 CAD) — at least for now.
Guillemot’s statement that Ubisoft’s “Christmas releases” will still cost $59 USD ($79.99 CAD) indicates that while the price isn’t going up now, it probably will in the future. It’s likely when Ubisoft’s games switch to only being developed for next-gen systems, the price will increase. Current games like Watch Dogs: Legions and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla are set to be released on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 as well as the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
When the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 first released, games in Canada received a price bump up to $69.99 CAD, which at the time was a $10 increase. Since then, the price of games in Canada has increased even further to $79.99 CAD, which has often been blamed on the value of the Canadian dollar as well as the increased cost of game development.
Last month 2K revealed plans to sell the Xbox Series X version of NBA 2K21 for $89.99 CAD, prompting speculation other video game companies would likely follow suit.
Back in early July, Shawn Layden, the former head of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios, stated AAA game development isn’t sustainable. In the interview, Layden suggested game length and pricing will need to be adjusted in the next video game console generation.
While some game developers are promising to offer free cross-generational upgrades, including CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077, many aren’t. Microsoft also plans to launch a new ‘Smart Delivery’ feature that ensures you only to need to “purchase a title once in order to play the best available version for whichever Xbox console they choose to play on.”
There are currently allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse at Ubisoft. Several key members of Ubisoft’s leadership team have been removed from the company.
Via: The Verge


text: It seems every week there is a new food recalled due to contamination of one sort or another.\nThis week we give you Dongé brand Coulommiers raw milk cheese due to a possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.\nAnd yes, it’s confirmed that the cheese product has been sold in Quebec.\nLes Dépendances, the parent company, recalled the cheese yesterday, July 2, 2019.\nThe Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting an investigation into its other products, which could lead to more recalls. So check your fridge. The raw milk cheese was also sold cut in half and in quarters.\nCFIA\nThe recalled products are listed above, including their size and the markings that would be found on the contaminated cheese, including best before dates and packing codes.\nREAD MORE: The Government Of Quebec Might Soon Let Montreal Landlords Demand A Security Deposit From Tenants\nThe Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can be tricky; food may not smell or look spoiled. But with symptoms starting from nausea, fever, muscle and headaches, and more severe symptoms for those with lowered immunity (like death), it’s better to be safe than sorry.\nView this post on Instagram Camembert style, Baron, Morion and Cinta (Neufchatel). All ready to brighten up your cheese board. . . #cheese #artisancheese #camembert #chaource #baron #coulommiers #crottin #goatcheese #milkywheycheese A post shared by Milky Whey Cheese (@milkywheycheese) on Mar 27, 2019 at 11:12pm PDT\nLes Dépendances asks that if you’re unsure if you have purchased this product, it’s best to contact the retailer.\nThis is not the first time the brand has had to recall a product due to the same possible bacterium. In 2014, as a precautionary measure, they recalled their Dongé Brie de Meaux.\nIf you think you may have been exposed to the Listeria bacteria and are experiencing symptoms, it's best to contact your doctor right away.\nCheck out the product photos below to see if you could be at risk:\nCFIA\nCFIA\nThere have been no reported illnesses caused by this product to date.\nTo read the full article and to keep up to date on further Food Recall Warnings, visit the CFIA website, check it out here.\nFor more information on the 2014 recall, check it out here.


text:
Police said the incident started when Al-Doaifi attempted to roll a shopping cart into the store and struck the exit door. A customer told her she was using the wrong door, prompting Al-Doaifi to spit in the person’s face before turning and walking into the store to go shopping, police said. “Her actions were directed at random people based on their ethnicity, and that’s according to her own statement,” said police spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez. Witnesses said Al-Doaifi, accompanied by her 2-year-old son, also spit at another customer who apparently got too close to her. The spittle missed in that case, police said. Workers at the store were notified and called police. Several patrol officers approached Al-Doaifi to talk in the store and asked her why she spat at customers. “Americans are pushing us around,” Al-Doaifi stated before officers took her into custody, according to reports....“She’s also had an incident with one of her Florida Tech professors,” Martinez said. “She also spit at the professor. They have initiated procedures to have her sent back to Saudi Arabia.”We don't know where she's from -- oh, right, Saudi Arabia -- but here in America, spitting on someone is cause for a good ol' fashioned American beatdown.
Update: The woman Nuha spat on is a sista.


text:
Penneys have announced the closure of their stories in Ireland until further notice.
The budget fashion retailer made the announcement just after 6pm this evening.
It follows the closure of Dublin shopping institutions Arnotts and Brown Thomas.
Ireland is currently under immense pressure to slow down the spread of COVID-19, which is expected to infect 15,000 people by the end of the month.
It has led to the closure of pubs, shops and restaurants across the country with thousands of jobs lost.
In a statement posted on social media, the retailer said: "With the health and welfare of our employees and customers front of mind, we have made the decision to close our stores in the Republic of Ireland, until further notice.
"Penneys has overcome many challenges over the past 50 years, and we pride ourselves on our agility and our ability to adapt.
"We thank all our employees, customers, suppliers and partners for their continued support."


text:
Yahoo still has Millions of Users but that’s not Helping Its Revenue
Yahoo once a popular name with the Internet users has lost its charm over the years. For almost two decades Yahoo! built one of the most frequently visited sites in the U.S. The company's online display advertising business was also quite robust but over the years something went wrong.
The investors have lost confidence in the company and have been successful in pushing the company to look for a sales deal of its core business.
So the question arises, what actually went wrong at Yahoo? The company could not maintain its stride with the changing world over the years. It caught up with the changing Internet era in the initial years but lost its advertisement earning war to Google and Facebook.
Yahoo's status as the third ranking website in account of most visited, did not translate into earnings. Though the website has more than two hundred million visitors every month in the US but investors feel breaking it up will brighten up its financial prospects.
Yahoo is exploring a sales option and on Tuesday the company's executives said they will carry on looking for a suitable buyer. Yahoo reported its revenue has dropped eleven percent compared to last year, but still it will move ahead with plans of expanding its mobile and video advertising.


text:
Upcoming Low-Cost iPhone Case Hits Best Buy, Reportedly Stocks on April 5
While we await official news of a heavily-rumoured new low-cost Apple smartphone being referred to as the ‘iPhone SE 2’ or ‘iPhone 9’ expected to make its debut sometime this spring, an alleged case of the upcoming 4.7” iPhone has just hit Best Buy hinting at a sooner than expected release of the budget device.
According to the source, the above image has been shared by a Best Buy employee showing an Urban Armor Gear case designed for the new ‘4.7-inch 2020 ?iPhone?’. While there is no specific name on the case box, it is not unusual for cases made before a new iPhone is officially launched.
Moreover, Best Buy employees have been instructed not to merchandise these cases until Sunday, April 5, a date that may reflect a potential release of the upcoming low-cost iPhone.
“We can’t confirm the source of the case, but this does indeed look like one of the cases that manufacturers like Target and Best Buy get ahead of when a new ?iPhone? debuts, as case manufacturers send these cases to retail stores early to be one of the first manufacturers to have a case available to customers at launch.”
It is also believed that Apple may announce the low-cost ?iPhone? at any point via a press release.


text:
The founder of Satyam Computer Services has been found guilty of a financial scam that brought the Hyderabad-based outsourcer to the verge of collapse before its rescue by a rival.
Satyam Computer Services, the Indian outsourcing company hit by an accounting fraud in 2009, has been merged with parent Tech Mahindra.
Satyam Computer Services is setting up a business applications testing center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for payments company MasterCard, reflecting a growing interest among customers to sign up new business with the Indian outsourcer as it recovers ...
Indian outsourcer Satyam Computer Services went into loss again in the quarter ended March 31, after the company took a charge to settle a class-action lawsuit in the U.S., the company said Monday.
Indian outsourcer Satyam Computer Services has agreed to pay a US$10 million penalty to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to settle charges of financial fraud, the SEC said.
Outsourcer Satyam Computer Services has challenged in a court in India a demand for rupees 6.16 billion (US$134 million) from India’s Income Tax Department, adding a new twist to the problems at the troubled company.
Indian outsourcer, Satyam Computer Services, which is on the recovery after a corporate scandal, said that revenue and net profits grew in the third quarter ended Dec. 31.
Indian outsourcer Satyam Computer Services plans to offer cloud-based services to customers as one of many plans to recover ground it lost during a financial scandal at the company.
The planned merger of Indian outsourcer Satyam Computer Services with Tech Mahindra, its dominant shareholder, will lead to the creation of an outsourcer focused on key segments like telecommunications, manufacturing and enterprise applications, a co...
Satyam Computer Services' revenue skidded in the Indian fiscal year, even as a new management tried to reassure customers and employees, according to financial results released belatedly by the company.
Satyam Computer Services will be delisting from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in October, as it is not able to comply with the stock exchange's requirement to file its delayed financial results by an Oct. 15 deadline.
The board of Satyam Computer Services, the Indian outsourcer involved in a financial scandal, is meeting on 29 September to consider financial results of the company that were delayed after the scandal.
The former chairman and founder of Indian outsourcer Satyam Computer Services was released on bail on Wednesday by the High Court in Andhra Pradesh, state of south India.
Indian outsourcer Satyam Computer Services has received permission from the country's Company Law Board (CLB) to delay to Sept. 30 the filing of its 2008 and 2009 financial results.
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
- 2 Portable power: Venom Blackbook 13 Zero review
- 3 Alcatel Idol 4S review: King of the mid-range?
- 4 Witness a 241% Australian price hike: Dell Latitude 7370 review
- 5 Is this the best value phone on the market? Moto G4 Plus review
Join the PC World newsletter!
Latest News Articles
- Medical device security ignites an ethics firestorm
- Got big data? Check out these 100 best practices for keeping it secure
- Mozilla launches free website security scanning service
- Privacy Shield data transfer agreement now shelters 200 companies
- Dropbox prompts certain users to change their passwords
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
- FTPrincipal Business Consultant- Wealth ManagementNSW
- CCWeb Content SpecialistNSW
- CCSenior Android DeveloperVIC
- CCContract Junior Programmer (JAVA/J2EE/SQL) 160902/JP/709Asia
- CCProject Manager - Expense Management SystemVIC
- CCDB2 Database AdministratorACT
- CCSharepoint ArchitectACT
- CCSenior Technical Specialist - Active DirectoryVIC
- CCSolution Architect - POSVIC
- CCChange AnalystNSW
- FTJava DeveloperNSW
- CCSenior Server and Storage Support EngineerNSW
- CCSr. Project Manager- Infrastructure- Data Centre,VirtualizationNSW
- CCSenior Change Analyst, WealthNSW
- FTApplication AdministratorACT
- FTJava Tech Lead - Full StackNSW
- CCJava DeveloperACT
- CCETL DeveloperACT
- CCSenior Project Manager, Cyber Security TransformationNSW
- CCContract Analyst Programmer (.NET/SQL Server) 160829/AP/267Asia
- CCChange ManagerNSW
- CCBusiness AnalystNSW
- CCEmail Production SpecialistNSW
- FTDefence Network EngineerACT
- FTSenior Business AnalystVIC


text:
Rachel Lissner, originally from Washington D.C., applied for Canadian citizenship on May 11 and wanted to mark the occasion with a treat from her favourite Montreal bagel spot, St. Viateur.
Proudly tossing bagels since 1957 ?? pic.twitter.com/TdpF0Fxug2
— StViateurBagel (@StViateurBagel) May 22, 2020
The only problem was that shipping topped more than $16 for two-dozen bagels, but Lissner wasn’t giving up on getting her bagel fix. She went online to community Facebook groups for Dufferin Grove and Seaton Village and asked her neighbours if they’d be interested in splitting shipping costs.
One hundred people later, Lissner ordered 440 pounds of St. Viateur bagels (more than 2,000 bagels in total). Lissner also raised $880 for a local non-profit organization, Sistering. She told CTV News that combining the two was a “no-brainer.” St. Viateur donated generously to the organization as well.
PSA: @StViateurBagel ships overnight from Montreal to Toronto pic.twitter.com/B6YflhE3S6
— Avery #SeeYouOnTheInternet Swartz (@AverySwartz) April 29, 2020
Lissner’s favourite St. Viateur flavour is rosemary with rock salt, but the most popular flavour ordered was the standard sesame seed bagels in the epic order.
Lissner’s bagel order is the biggest St. Viateur has ever filled.
St. Viateur bagels are sold throughout the Toronto area at Metro locations.
The bagel shop has also set up online shipping to the Toronto area directly through their website including special “bagel boxes” that allow you to mix and match varieties and logo-emblazoned merchandise.
Order by 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 23 to get fresh bagels next week.


text:
Ducati has taken the curiosity off from a much-talked discussion about a streetfighter that includes the famed V4 Motor that debuted in Panigale V4. Now, Ducati has officially released photographs of the streetfighter V4 prototype and that too looks astonishing. It consists of all the looks and ingredients of a Mad Motorcycle such as the chiselled fuel tank, sharp front end, beefy golden suspension and bug like headlamps finished in red.
The bike will be shown at EICMA 2019 but will go on sale in early 2020. Ducati also intend to take part in 2019 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb action with this monster as the company believes ‘Race to the Clouds’ is the ideal testing grounds for this bike. At the event the Streetfighter V4 will be ridden by Carlin Dunne, who is a former Pikes Peak Champion. Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati, said “Streetfighter V4 is the Panigale for road riding; so there was no better stage than the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb for what will be the highest performance Streetfighter ever put into production.”
Streetfighter V4 will draw the mighty power from the same 1,100 cc engine from the Panigale V4, additionally it will be missing the weight of the fairing, gets higher and wider handlebars, and specially designed aerodynamic profiles by Desmosedici Stradale. We hope that this streetfighter will make its way to India as Panigale V4 already retails here.


text:
New York City's 'big test' begins with easing of some coronavirus restrictions
City enters Phase 1 of reopening Monday, though large swaths of economy still shut down
The city that never sleeps had a curfew for much of last week. Famous stores were boarded up after days of unrest. The lights are out on Broadway theatres, and the subway no longer runs overnight.
But after three bleak months, New York City began reopening Monday after getting hit first by the coronavirus, then an outpouring of rage over racism and police brutality.
With the virus in check — at least for now — New York is easing restrictions that shut down schools, businesses and much of city life in March.
Construction, manufacturing, wholesalers and previously "nonessential" retailers can resume work during Phase One of reopening, with restrictions. Retailers can reopen for delivery and pickup, though customers can't yet browse inside.
"So far, so good," construction management company owner Frank Sciame said as job sites started humming again, with new precautions such as health screening questionnaires and lower limits on the number of workers allowed in construction hoists. "Let's hope it continues."
"New York," he said, "will always come back."
Some major store chains took it slow: Macy's declined to give a date for starting curbside pickup at its flagship store, where smash-and-grab thieves hit amid last week's protests over George Floyd's death. Saks Fifth Avenue, which girded itself with razor wire last week, and Tiffany's may launch pickup service later this week.
Owners of smaller shops were eager to reopen, even if they didn't expect much business.
"We are going to be open every day for the sake of showing life," said eyewear designer Ahlem Manai-Platt, who was reopening a lower Manhattan store.
"This is a triumph for all New Yorkers that we've gotten to this point," Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
But he warned the city against letting its guard down and risking a resurgence of the virus: "We got this far by doing it the right way, by doing the social distancing, the face coverings. We've got to keep doing it at those work sites and everywhere if we expect to keep moving forward."
Distancing guides on public transit
Overall, more than 21,000 people citywide have died of confirmed or probable COVID-19. One of the most recent, it was announced on Sunday, was the New York City Police Department's chief of transportation.
At its peak, the virus killed more than 500 people a day in New York City in early to mid-April. The number has since dropped into the single digits. New hospitalizations, which topped 800 a day in late March and early April, were down to 67 on Saturday.
Reopening the economy could spark a resurgence of the virus as people circulate more.
"All eyes will be on New York this next couple of months," said urban policy expert Jonathan Bowles, executive director of the Center for an Urban Future. "The city now has to prove that it really knows what it's doing, that it can still be a dense city like New York and yet figure this out."
Sam Solomon wondered what the new normal would look like.
"I don't know if it's ever going to be like it was," said Solomon, 22, who has a health-related job.
After months of relative isolation, "It's going to be an adjustment being around so many people," said the native New Yorker, who never thought she'd have to get used to crowds.
New York City, population 8.3 million, has already reawakened somewhat as warm weather drew people outdoors, more restaurants offered carryout service, and thousands of people marched in protest over Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police.
Subway ridership is ticking back up after plunging from 5.4 million rides per weekday in February to under 450,000 in April, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said.
Commuters will find subway schedules back to usual Monday, with signs showing people how far apart to stand — or try to — on platforms. The 1 a.m.-to-5 a.m. shutdowns that began in early May will continue so trains can be cleaned.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo took a subway ride Monday to send a message of safety.
Many activities, such as indoor dining and gym workouts, aren't yet allowed, Broadway theatres and other big venues remain shuttered, and New Yorkers are still required to wear face masks when close to others in public.
Months of physical distancing, mask-wearing, handwashing, shock and fear have made New Yorkers better prepared to keep the coronavirus under control, health experts said.
"It's going to be a big test," said Dr. Bruce Polsky, a city resident who is chairman of medicine at NYU Winthrop Hospital.


text:
According to TIME, US manufacturing growth has outpaced that of other advanced nations, adding about 500,000 jobs in the past three years. Further, the article notes, the number of factory jobs in the US has increased for the first time in more than a decade.
A key component of this resurgance, according to the article, is the reshoring trend that finds companies from Apple to Airbus bringing manufacturing back to the US. The authors attribute this transition in part to cheaper American energy thanks to the shale boom, but they also note that today’s factories “aren’t the noisy places where your grandfather knocked in four bolts a minute for eight hours a day.” In other words, as we have often written about, today’s manufacturing is less about brawn and more about brains!
With these changes to the “factories of the future” in mind, the article suggests that it is extremely important to prioritize education in the kinds of high-tech skills tomorrow’s manufacturers will need to continue growing jobs here at home. TIME subscribers can read the full article here. Non-subscribers can still check out some TIME material here.
Share this Post


text:
Apr 21, 2013
By WEFUX WITTIT
Going by the Alias, A Couple of Nerds, this awkward twosome published a series of their own hilarious engagement photos. Casey Grim and Adam McLaughlin strike...
By WEFUX WITTIT
4 years ago
Nothing says “baller” status like ultra fancy silk pajamas! Impress the ladies, or yourself, with these up and coming silk threads.
When you are getting ready to go out on...
Apr 09, 2013
When Ray J released his new single “I Hit it First”, his album cover went viral. The pixelated image of Kim Kardashian on the beach caused a ripple effect over the internet...
Mar 14, 2013
Save up your money for the end of the year. Nike Air Jordan will be releasing some HEAT!
Some sneakerheads and shoe enthusiast have lukewarm feelings about the Air Jordan...
Mar 13, 2013
Friendly Reminder for March 23rd Air Jordan XI “Bred” Re-Release!
Everyone has been talking about the recent blog and tweet posts from Nikestore and Footaction...
Mar 05, 2013
Wondering why you’re not having any luck getting your Air Jordans online during the release date?
My oh my has the shoe game changed. Recently people have been spending...
Mar 04, 2013
Most billboard signs display random gibberish about a business, but these advertisements are on another level of WTF.
Check out the gallery below
Mar 02, 2013
Russian photographer, Murad Osmann, is taking his viewers on an adventure with his new photo series “Follow Me To”. Not only can you see stunning views from around the...
Page 17 of 23
The official WEFUX WITTIT Tee is almost here. We're soon gonna be giving away free shirts to all our loyal followers. Stay tuned!
Contact us for more info


text:
TOPIC - It’s time to show tourism 'the love'
Darlene Grant Fiander - Tourism Connection
(Originally published in the July 2012 issue of the Nova Scotia Business Journal)
At a time when countries all over the world are waking up to the value and opportunity a healthy tourism industry can have for their struggling economies, Canada has taken a step backwards.
In March, the federal government announced cuts to the Canadian Tourism Commission, the body responsible for marketing Canada, which will see a reduction in 2013 to $58.5 million. This steady reduction, down from $100 million a decade ago, is greatly contributing to Canada’s eroding international market share. To put things in perspective, 10 years ago 35 per cent of tourism revenue in Canada came from the international market; today it is down to only 20 per cent.
In comparison, as the United States finds a renewed love for tourism, it is investing millions to keep Americans home and an additional $20 million this year to convince Canadians to join them. By now many of you have seen the Brand USA campaigns encouraging us to cross the border and spend our money there.
As well as not being competitive from a marketing perspective, Canada has become one of the most expensive destinations for air travel in the world. As I mentioned in a previous column, last year over five million Canadians went to the U.S. to purchase cheaper airline tickets, in many cases to fly to other parts of Canada.
While these national issues work themselves out, at a provincial level we need to do what we can to open up access into the province and encourage business.
The recent announcement by the provincial government to establish an expert panel to review the research on ferry service into southwest Nova Scotia was welcome news; however, every day with limited access into the province we continue to lose business. The reality is that numerous jobs have been lost — ferry workers, dockyard workers — hotels have closed as have many small businesses. This was not just a ferry to Nova Scotia, it was highway to the United States, one of the most lucrative markets in the world.
For rural revitalization this access point is key. It is time to reestablish a link to the United States and get back to building trade and tourism into the province. With a new business model that is integrated and supported by existing marketing efforts, this could be the beginning of renewed interest in the Nova Scotia destination. Now is the time.
Darlene Grant Fiander is the president of the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia and executive director of the Nova Scotia Tourism Human Resource Council. Darlene has worked in the tourism industry for over 25 years. You can reach Darlene at email@example.com


text:
For the last 25 years, milk advertisers have used the iconic "Got Milk?" campaign to tout the benefits (and ~cool~ factor) of dairy. Specifically, every two years, Team USA's Olympic athletes have proudly sported bright white milk mustaches to support the notion that milk doesn't just build strong bones, but also gold-medal-winning athletes. (Indeed, Kristi Yamaguchi just recreated her "Got Milk?" ad to celebrate the anniversary of her Olympic win in 1992.) After all, what could be more wholesome than an American athlete fueling a gold-medal performance with a tall glass of milk?
Well, to the six athletes featured in the new Switch 4 Good commercial, it's anything but.
The ad, which played for the first time during the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games closing ceremony, shows Olympic athletes proudly stating that they've ditched dairy and live a plant-based lifestyle. The lineup includes weightlifter Kendrick Farris, swimmer Rebecca Soni, sprinter Malachi Davis, soccer player Kara Lang, alpine skier Seba Johnson, and cyclist Dotsie Bausch, who is leading the charge in the campaign. The mission behind Switch 4 Good is to raise awareness about the "big four" benefits of switching to a plant-based diet: health, performance, sustainability, and ethics.
"I switched to a whole-foods, plant-based diet about two and a half years before the 2012 Olympic Games," says Bausch. "I stood on the Olympic podium at almost 40 years old, the oldest competitor ever in my specific discipline. My diet change was the key factor in me being able to recover quicker, decrease inflammation, and have all of the stamina and energy I needed to compete against competitors who were 20 years my junior. When I won the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympic games, I was 100 percent vegan."
This isn't the first splash that plant-based, dairy-free life has made in the typical All-American pool of milk: Khloé Kardashian got people buzzing when she said that giving up dairy totally changed her body. Documentaries like Forks Over Knives and What the Health have had people seriously considering the switch to total veganism. Plenty of people are adopting more plant-based (though not necessarily vegan) diets as a sort of in-between option. Not to mention, there's the unbelievable selection of non-dairy milk options that are now available pretty much anywhere: Pea milk? Oat milk? Algae milk? The options are never-ending. And the dairy milk industry is seeing a visible shift on the grocery store shelves too; milk consumption in the U.S. has been steadily declining since the mid-'90s, according to AdAge. Meanwhile, compared with 2004, there are now more than five times as many Google searches for "dairy free":
Plenty of experts still argue that the benefits of traditional dairy outweigh any negative health risks and, let's be honest, giving up cheese and ice cream forever is a tall order for most people. But this Switch 4 Good commercial certainly marks a shift in the mainstream perspective on dairy and human health.
So, the milk mustache might soon be no more—or, at least, it could be made from almond milk.


text:
Health Canada has issued a recall notice for thousands of
dishwashers it says could be a potential fire hazard.
The agency is recalling about 61-thousand dishwashers sold
between January 2013 and May 2015 because the power cords can
overheat and possibly spark a fire.
The affected brands are Bosch, Thermador, Gaggenau, Kenmore and
Some models in Canada are listed here. Image via CTVnews.ca
There have been no injuries reported, nor damage reported in
Canada — but Health Canada says there are five reports of property
damage in the United States. Link to CPSC page
Health Canada’s website has a full list of the recalled models.
Anyone who owns one of these dishwashers is advised to stop using
it immediately and call the Safety Recall Hotline at 1-888-965-5813
for a free inspection and repair. (The Canadian Press)
Photo credit: JennAir.com
Health Canada Recall Website


text:
In a post-pandemic era, a lucrative streaming market continues to grow. It’s drawn the attention of corporate giants like Disney and Apple, keen to both corner the market and stimulate demand. Increasingly, Advertising-based Video on Demand (AVOD) appears to be the tool of choice.
Content remains king
A demand for content is fuelling the rapid improvements in tech and platforms available to consumers. There is no end to the number of players producing or curating content. Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+ & Disney+ may be the biggest, but there is a growing tail of providers, eager to lure consumers onto their proprietary platforms.
The cost of producing content is dramatically increasing, with shows costing £15m+ per episode not uncommon. Global market inflation is exacerbating this situation, as will the outcomes of the recent actors’ strike, where demands on streaming giants are to provide a ‘fairer split of profits.’
Providers look to drive revenue growth through base numbers, yet consumers are increasingly fickle. Concerned only about the latest trending show, they freely switch provider and binge series to evade costly subscriptions. 52% of UK consumers have access to at least one Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) service; however, just 14% support three or more. Disposable income is a key factor, the cost of living crisis causing subscriptions to fall by two million in 2022.
This inflation puts significant pressure on production budgets, but if you can’t be king without content, providers share a sticky conundrum.
AVOD as the potential solution
Amazon, according to a recent news article, is poised to wade into the AVOD space, following both Netflix, who launched Q4 2022, and Disney+ (whose launch is imminent). Since 2019, Amazon’s Freevee service has touted an ad-funded model that is integrated with its Prime Video content. However, reports are that Prime members will soon be offered a lower-tier ad-funded subscription model.
A potential win for Amazon on many fronts, this would open Prime to a whole new audience. Freevee consumers would be encouraged to take up Amazon’s e-commerce offering at a new, low price point. Consumer loyalty would be up, with subscribers willing to retain Prime at competitive rates. The addition of ad revenue will also subsidize the creation of future content.
For advertisers, Amazon’s offering will be unique in that brands will take advantage of Amazon’s first-party e-commerce behavioural data. Bespoke targeting audiences will be constructed around shopper behaviour, and conversion could be linked directly to sales.
A saturated streaming market
AVOD uptake will not necessarily follow through to engagement. Open questions also remain about consumer perception of ads in their content, and inventory is limited. Netflix is all too aware of these headwinds, with reportedly only 200,000 UK subs on their ad-funded tier and stringent controls on ad inventory. However, Netflix remains confident and confirms plans are in place to stimulate growth in the coming months.
Audience fragmentation is something we’ve learned to navigate, yet walled gardens and the rise of SVOD create unwelcome obstacles. AVOD is forcing open cracks in the SVOD barrier, granting our brands access to an enticing ecosystem of premium content and engaged audiences.


text:
Control 2 will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The promise is great for the fans.
Players, regardless of their preferred platform, have long been accustomed to it. A title is often released on a limited number of platforms, with others coming later. Sometimes you have to wait a very, very long time before such and such a game appears on such and such a platform. Today we will learn good news about the game Control 2.
Control 2 coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC
Remedy hasn’t unveiled a spin-off of their Control game yet, but that doesn’t stop the developer from releasing a full-fledged sequel. The company and publisher 505 Games have announced the joint development of Control 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. This is not surprising, given that both companies announced a “big budget” last year (which is why this sequel is what we are interested in today) last year, but it is good news for all those who liked the first opus.
Promise big for the fans
The creators did not share any details of the plot or game mechanics, even the release date. Even the teaser image is posted too early, except for what looks like a checkpoint. However, Control 2 will still use the $51.5 million Remedy Northlight engine. According to Remedy, the work is still in the “concept stage”.
The desire for a sequel is quite logical and understandable, given the great success of the original game and despite the lack of news about the spin-off. Control has sold 3 million copies since its launch in 2019, and 1 million of those copies have been in the hands of gamers since last June. The third-person action also received very good reviews, winning no less than 20 Game of the Year awards. In other words, the license has already been a huge success. Remedy and 505 Games intend to take full advantage of this advantage.


text:
For our fourth #QTalk we welcomed a Breast Cancer survivor to share her journey.
Qubit recently welcomed Peter Storr to our London HQ where he hosted our latest QTalk. QTalks ...
On the 6th of July we hosted our first QTalk in celebration of London Pride 2018, read about ...
At Qubit we're launching QTalks, a series designed for Qubytes to broaden horizons, raise ...
Receive regular blog updates directly to your inbox.
In our first 2019 QTalk hosted in New York, athlete and actress Katy Sullivan gave a talk about the importance of perseverance and being in the moment.
Qubit CMO Leah Anathan speaks to our design team about all the creativity, collaboration and effort that goes into creating an inspirational brand video.
Qubit's VP of Product discusses what is needed to achieve personalization at scale, and how Qubit's new family of products can progress you on that path.
© 2018 Qubit. All rights reserved.


text:
SA-UK TRADE TIES
Rob Davies puts to rest Brexit fears
SA and the UK have ‘reached an understanding’, while the regional customs union has contacted the UK on trade terms
Brexit will not cause any interruption to SA’s trade and investment ties with the UK. The two countries having agreed to continue under a deal that parallels the new European Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed in 2016.
Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said late last week that SA and the UK had reached an understanding and the Southern African Customs Union had written to the UK government three weeks ago to confirm that the relationship with the UK would continue on the same favourable/preferential terms as the EPA. But he said his priority was regional integration on the continent, and SA was not yet looking to explore other opportunities for trade with the UK which would open up once it left the EU.
Though commentators have identified agricultural products, including fruit and wine, as areas where SA would have the potential to achieve even more favourable access to the UK market than it has to the EU single market, Davies indicated that the UK would have to build the international trade negotiating capacity to negotiate at least 50 other bilateral agreements and SA’s approach for now was "let’s just roll this over".
The UK is due to leave the EU in two years after Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Brexit at the end of March, and she has sought firm support for the process by calling a surprise June 8 general election.
Speaking at the British Chamber of Commerce in SA last week, Davies said he engaged with the UK government in January and agreed on overall parameters and a framework for ensuring there would be no interruption in trade and investment relations.
SA’s bilateral trade with the UK had recovered to the levels of 2008 over the past four years, Davies said, and SA ran a significant trade surplus with the UK, which is second only to Germany as SA’s largest trade partner in Europe.
There were more than 300 UK direct investment projects in SA worth R63.5bn in 2003-16, creating 4,857 jobs and 79 foreign direct investment projects from SA into the UK worth R1.87bn. Davies also emphasised the importance for SA of the trade in services and of the key role of London in investment transactions involving SA.


text:
Dow Chemical reviews options on agri unit, rejigs JVs
As part of its massive restructuring plan, Dow Chemical Co has taken up several measures to increase the bottom line of the company. Dow has decided to review all the available options for its farm chemicals and seeds unit, which has been suffering from sales drop. Dow Chemicals is also considering an option to buy a stake of Coming Inc in a Silicon joint venture (JV). It has increased the dividend payout and is also in the process of offloading its stake in a Kuwait JV engaged in petrochemical products.
With an objective of simplifying the business structure, Dow Chemical has been reducing the number of JVs. Exploring several options available for Dow Chemical, analysts feel that it may merge its agri unit with Monsanto Co or DuPont or sell it totally. Monsanto prefers to grow through acquisition route. Its recent acquisition bid for Syngenta AG couldn't succeed.
Dan Loeb, an activist investor, advised Dow to split its agri unit. It's been advised for separating specialty chemical units from petrochemical divisions as well. Market analysts forecast that the agricultural unit of Dow may tie up with DuPont. The Chief Executive of DuPont has resigned from his post recently.
The continuous drop in agricultural commodity prices coupled with expensive fertilizer output is forcing farm-based companies towards consolidation. Dow is also reducing low-margin commodity chemical business activity in addition to slowing down its century-old chlorine unit.
Dow Chemical has decided to spin off a considerable portion of #mce_temp_url# and merge it with chemical maker Olin Corp in an estimated deal of $5bn and had also decided to separate US Gulf Coast chlor-alkali and viny, global chlorinated organics and global epoxy businesses. It also planned to merge all these separated business into Olin.
The net income of Dow rose over 50 percent to $1.59bn or $1.09 per share during the third quarter ending September. The sale proceeds of $621mn from AgroFresh specialty chemical business added to the net income. Operating profit surged 14 percent to 82 cents per share. The drop in raw material prices increased the margins of Dow. Revenues dropped 16 percent to $12.04bn.
Andrew Liveris, chairman and CEO of Dow Chemical, concluded the sale of chlorine business on 5 October 2015 enabling the company to focus more on higher-margin businesses such as plastic packaging, seeds, and pesticides. Dow business includes polyethylene and other plastics, which offer higher margins to the company. The lower price on naphtha refined from crude oil is benefiting factories in the Europe.
Established in 1943, Dow Coming Inc is engaged in silicon-based products for aerospace, automotive and electrical segments. Dow has raised $1.5bn in pretax proceeds by offloading some stake in MEGlobal, a joint venture with Petrochemical Industries Co of Kuwait. Dow is also planning to slash its stake in another Kuwait joint venture called Greater EQUATE.


text:
A Look Back at Innovation Daily
Each day, Innovation Daily checks the pulse of global innovation--courtesy of Innovation America. Below, we take a look at a handful of relevant stories compiled from the last week.
comments powered by
- 6 Economists Every Entrepreneur Should Know About
For years, I've rejected the false choice that entrepreneurs are forced to make when it comes to the subjects of political science and comparative economics.
- A Bezos-Funded Center for Innovation Explores Seattle's Tech Roots
From Seattle's well-known corporate behemoths—Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, Nordstrom, Costco—to its less-obvious innovators, like Nirvana and Dale Chihuly, a new permanent exhibition funded by Jeff Bezos explores the idea that innovation is a key part of the city's identity.
- Small Business Study Ranks California Last
Fox & Hound
An item we missed while on break is yet another report claiming that California is not business friendly. The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council ranked California 50th in an extensive index measuring state policy measures on small business.
- Alabama Could Legalize New Method for Small Businesses to Raise Capital: Crowdfunding
Alabamians trying to start small businesses in a tough credit market may soon have a new method that will allow them to raise small amounts of capital from many Alabama investors.
- 3 Things To Know About Corporate Venture Capital
Corporate venture capital (CVC) funds are on the rise. Consider the growing number of big companies creating funds to find promising startups: Google Ventures, Intel Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, Novartis Venture Funds, Samsung Ventures, AOL Ventures, Dell Ventures, Dow Venture Capital, Microsoft Ventures, and Citi Ventures. And that's just a short list.


text:
Amid Controversy, Kim Kardashian Joins New Naked Yoga Class
If there’s one thing Kim Kardashian loves, it’s attention.
She created quite a stir after the premiere of Kourtney and Kim Take New York showed her participating in a nude yoga class.
The 31-year old socialite announced today that she has plans to take it up a notch to boost ratings.
“Now that I’m not married, I can exercise the way I want,” the air-headed entrepreneur told OMGG.com. “I’m going to participate in the world’s first televised yoga orgy next week.”
[related_posts limit="5" image="0"]
Comments are closed.


text:
GBA Tactics Ogre Details
New details have been revealed on Nintendo's upcoming GBA strategy RPG, Tactics Ogre: Knight Lodis. The game, which should be released this summer in Japan, boasts a new battle system for this installment. Height and weather will figure into your strategy; for example, if you knock your opponent off a ledge, their received damage will increase from the fall. Spells can be cast to influence the weather, thereby causing flooding or snow. No American release date has been given yet for Tactics Ogre: Knight of Lodis.
Shin Megami Tensei has received a Japanese release date. The remake of the classic MegaTen game will be released on May 31st for the PlayStation, at 4800 yen ($39.50 USD).
One Fourth, From Software's PlayStation 2 RPG project, has been cancelled.
Sony has announced that Dark Cloud will be shown at E3, but no word yet on ICO. Sony has also given Dark Cloud a North American release date of May 28th.
Capcom will be showing Breath of Fire for the Game Boy Advance at this year's E3. E3 will be held May 17-19 at the Los Angeles Convention Center...and yes, we will be there again this year.


text:
Sharing spectrum is likely to get a whole lot easier thanks to the databases that Google and others are creating.
Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) members are tired of seeing the rural broadband community get the short end of the stick.
Sprint reportedly extended support for its CallingPlus service to LG's G6, but the carrier isn't boasting about the feature.
One of the pioneers of SDN is confident it will play an important role in 5G.
Nokia said it will cut as many as 310 positions as it shifts its focus from virtual reality to digital health.
A relatively calm wireless environment likely benefited the nation's two largest carriers in the third quarter, but that could change.
The news comes as Samsung stands to reap billions from Apple iPhone X sales.
Google launched its Pixel 2 smartphones, making the phones exclusive to Verizon Wireless.
A diverse set of players is pushing the FCC to set aside more spectrum for unlicensed users in the 6 GHz band.
Google focused primarily on user experience and artificial intelligence as it introduced its second-generation Pixel on Wednesday.


text:
A shareholder in Troy-based Horizon Global Corp. is pushing the towing and trailer equipment maker's board to explore a sale or merger of the company after several quarters of what the shareholder calls "persistent gross underperformance."
The Peter Kross Trust is asking the company's board to put the issue to a shareholder vote in its annual proxy filing. The trust says in a letter to the board that it, along with other family-related trusts, owns about 1.5 percent of the outstanding shares of Horizon.
In a letter to Horizon's board of directors, the trust criticizes the company's independent directors for receiving "substantial board fees while owning very little stock, most of which was obtained as stock awards."
"As the Independent Directors have virtually NO SKIN IN THIS GAME, and the Company has persistently underperformed under their oversight, it appears that they are not aligned with the interests of shareholders and are not managing the Company in the best interests of it shareholders."
Kross said he was a shareholder in TriMas Corp., from which Horizon spun off in 2015, and said he has acquired more shares since the spinoff.
"We have received the proposal, and it will be addressed through the appropriate process," Horizon Director of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations Christi Cowdin said in an email. "In the meantime, we are fully focused on ramping up the Americas for the prime 2019 season, continuing strong execution in our Asia-Pacific region and executing our business improvement initiatives in Europe-Africa."
Bizon replaced Mark Zeffiro, who resigned from the company in May as part of a restructuring push following a $57.5 million net loss in the first quarter of 2018. James Tindell, division finance officer, filled Bizon's vacated role as interim president of its Americas division.
Sales declines have led to losses for the company. For its third quarter, which ended Sept. 30, the company reported a loss of $32.8 million on sales of $227.8 million, compared with net income of $6.9 million on sales of $240 million in the same quarter last year.
Those results missed expectations, according to the Associated Press.
After that report, which came out last week, the company's stock lost more than half its value in a day and has continued to decline. Year-to-date, the company's stock has fallen 86 percent to $1.90 as of mid-day Wednesday.


text:
Former 'Friends' star Matt LeBlanc has signed a two-series deal to host popular car show Top Gear, reports the BBC.
Mercedes-Benz is the first automaker to build hybrid cars on the African continent. The new C350 e will be built at the automaker's factory in East London.
Copyright 2011. TopCar SA is a division of Media24.
Site by OnNet.


text:
In an ambitious endeavor to bolster consumer confidence in mobile transactions worldwide, payments industry pioneer AP Technology recently unveiled The Mobile Payments Bill of Rights at the 2015 Mobile Payments Conference held in Chicago. As of press time, the next scheduled stop for this document was a mid-September presentation by AP Technology before members of Congress to discuss industry perspectives on how to manage mobile payments responsibly.
"We're advocating a hands-off policy," said Greg Wilfahrt, Chief Mobility and Marketing Officer at AP Technology, who authored the document in collaboration with payment partners. "We believe that folks in the mobile payments ecosystem can create their own best practices." He noted that the timing of the document was motivated by the fact that the mobile payments sphere is still nascent, and the best time to carve out best practices is when innovation is in its early stages.
According to AP Technology, the document itself is not meant as a directive from one company but rather is intended to be a simple, flexible, living document owned by all that encourages transparency, multiple layers of security and accountability.
"We are hopeful that companies worldwide will add to and adopt the Bill of Rights and that the articles within will evolve, as consumer preferences mandate," said Richard Love, Chief Executive Officer at AP Technology. "Now is the time for businesses and service providers to commit to a level of 'best practices' for the benefit of consumers."
The document, divided into six sections, is absent of legalese for brevity. "What we wanted to do was address several vital items in the bill with regard to everything from payment fees and how consumer data is handled, to transaction security and more, with the ultimate goal being to empower consumers by implementing best practices not just in the United States, but around the world with regard to how people can purchase from their mobile devices anywhere, anytime," Wilfahrt said.
He also acknowledged that up to this point, most of the industry focus has been on payment technology and how to deliver mobile payments cohesively. "Sometimes we get too ingrained in the minutiae of payments from the technology to the flow, but it's the consumer at the end of the day that's going to weigh in and tell us how transactions ought to happen," he said.
Following, reprinted with permission, is the original document. To download a free copy, visit www.aptechnology.com/mobilepaymentsbillofrights.
In order to create and maintain a safe, secure, and progressive environment for transactions occurring on mobile devices and to instill business and consumer confidence in payment processes that promote the anywhere-anytime growth and global exchange of goods and services, this Mobile Payments Bill of Rights was created. The intent of this document is to protect and to serve the interests of mobile consumers, while providing enterprises and mobile payment providers with "best practice" guidelines. By incorporating the Mobile Payments Bill of Rights into their business practices, enterprises will promote safe, convenient, and frictionless transactional experiences that encourage the purchase of products and services available via mobile devices.
1 Secure Transactions
2 Clear Description and Pricing
3 Privacy, Marketing Best Practices
4 Prompt Possession and Satisfaction
5 Customer Service and Technical Support
6 Customer Confidence - Mobile consumers have the right to say, "No."
The Green Sheet Inc. is now a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals. Click here for more information.
Notice to readers: These are archived articles. Contact names or information may be out of date. We regret any inconvenience.Prev Next


text:
Please see Letter to the Premier from NCCI President Murray Brown and NCCI Vice President Rob Neely
Dear Premier and Cabinet,
The Noosa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) represents hundreds of Noosa businesses across all sectors.
We write to you today to implore you to conduct an immediate review of your stated position of keeping the Borders closed until September 2020.
The wider Noosa Shire relies primarily on four business pillars, Aged Care, Construction, Retail and Tourism, and but one of these have been pushed into recessive numbers since the outbreak of Covid – 19.
Since March this year, our local Tourism Economy has lost up to ~$100 million per month in revenue out of a total yearly revenue of ~$1 Billion. So, to this point in time our business community and employees have had ~$300 million wiped from it and with your stated plans to keep the borders closed until Sept 2020 our community will lose another $300 million dollars. A massive 60% of our yearly tourism revenue will be gone!
The NCCI has been representing and lobbying for businesses in the Local Govt Area since 1981, and it was in its formative years some 30 years ago (1989) when Australia was gripped by industrial unrest that caused major disruption to domestic air travel as Airline pilots squared off against their employers. That dispute brought Noosa to its knees and our community suffered for the following 5 years, losing hundreds of jobs to capital cities which tore at the fabric of our community. We have members that still remember that time and they are saying that the continued closure of the Qld Borders is far worse now than the effect of the 1989 Pilots Dispute.
Up to 40% of our tourism is from Interstate travellers and with another 14% from International tourists our businesses and their employees cannot cope with another 3 months of this fiscal haemorrhaging due to Interstate borders being closed.
As there is no longer any medical advice to validate your stance of continued closure through to September we suggest, in fact we implore you to act now and revert back to your original stated position of a July 10 reopening of the Borders and we need to know as soon as possible.
Vice President NCCI


text:
JC Penney Pleads with Customers to Return
(NEW YORK) — J.C. Penney’s new TV commercial can be summed up in three words: please come back.
The department store chain, which has fallen on hard times in recent years, is airing a 30-second spot this week that suggests attempts at modernizing the store were a failure.
Part of the voiceover in the new ad says, “It’s no secret, recently J.C. Penney changed. Some changes you liked and some you didn’t, but what matters with mistakes is what we learn.”
It goes on to say, “We learned a very simple thing — to listen to you, to hear what you need, to make your life more beautiful. Come back to J.C. Penney. We heard you.”
J.C. Penney had abandoned its discount policy, only to reinstate it. It instituted a three-tier pricing policy that confused everyone and then tossed it to the curb.
The retailer revamped the store’s campaign strategy to focus on lifestyle, but customers complained they just wanted to know how much products cost.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio