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‘Fun on wheels’ is motto of Central Classic CarsWritten by Sarah Ottney | Editor in Chief | email@example.com
Part showroom and part working garage, Central Classic Cars is run by three area car enthusiasts who like to have “fun on wheels.”
The shop, at 8444 Central Ave. in Sylvania, opened in January. Owners Chuck Putsch and John Coppus of Tiffin and Ken Wise of Sylvania have been friends for decades. They buy, sell, repair and restore classic cars and are in the process of expanding the business, adding a second building and more equipment for body work.The shop deals almost exclusively in classic cars and most of the vehicles are convertibles, Putsch said.
“Convertibles are fun things. Everybody loves them,” Putsch said. “You park this [restored turquoise 1955 Ford Thunderbird] outside and people will stop just to look at it. As soon as I have cars parked out in the grass on Central and the flags out front here and cars parked out front, it’s like a magnet. It brings people in. I have people who come in just to look around and see what we’re doing. So it’s a place to hang out.”
Also on display in the shop is a 1931 Studebaker Commander owned by Coppus’ grandfather and two 1958 BMW Isettas, tiny two-seaters resembling today’s smart cars. A 1965 Ford Econoline pickup truck is another vehicle that draws a lot of attention, Putsch said.
Putsch, who owns a 1961 Morgan, is a retired golf professional for whom cars have been a hobby for years.
“Cars were always a hobby, my interest away from golf, and I’ve done that forever,” Putsch said. “I have the opportunity to drive all sorts of cars in this business. It’s kind of a car guy’s dream.”
Coppus is president and owner of Coppus Motors in Tiffin, a third-generation family-owned business started by his grandfather in 1926 and the oldest operating Mercedes-Benz dealership in the country.
“The sales part is really fun. We get to meet a lot of really neat, interesting people,” Coppus said. “I think the business is kind of unique. I don’t think there are many around doing what we are doing.”
Wise is a partner at Findlay/Wise Wealth Management and an avid car collector.
“Ever since I could drive, I’ve loved cars,” Wise said. “I have cars that are slow and cars that are really fast. I’m attracted to their aesthetic quality. I like to look at them as much as I like driving them. You could hang them on a wall.”
Of the three owners, Wise is perhaps the most passionate about cars, Putsch said.
“He lives and breathes cars,” Putsch said. “It’s not even a hobby; cars are a passion for him.”
The shop is decorated with pennants, neon signs and other memorabilia.
“My grandfather was one of the first import dealers and, being a dealership as long as we have, we have a lot of memorabilia. So it was an opportunity for us to display it and it makes for a classy showroom,” Coppus said.
A series of hanging murals featuring race cars, classic cars and driving scenes cover the walls. Customers can order murals, including vintage photos or photos of their own vehicles, to decorate their home garages.
“It’s kind of that really friendly, ‘car-guy’ atmosphere where it’s a hangout more than it is a business you might say,” Putsch said. “People are excited when they come here. This is a place where they come to enjoy themselves and enjoy the whole experience. It’s a different atmosphere (than a dealership). We have unique things and it’s more like myself and another person getting together and talking cars and having a good time doing it. We want them to feel comfortable here, comfortable with us, so they’ll be a long-term customer and friend, so they can come by just to see what’s new and talk a little bit, talk cars.”Space will soon double after construction of a second 5,000-sqaure-foot building is complete. The new space will serve as a showroom, allowing the current space, now divided between a shop and a showroom, to be used exclusively as a shop.
Central Classic Cars recently acquired some shop equipment, including a paint booth, from Vintage Restoration, a nearby car and motorcycle restoration business.
Its owner, Tom Bibish, decided to return to teaching and limit his business to vintage motorcycles by appointment. For more information, contact him at (419) 205-0796 or visit Vintage Restoration on Facebook.
“It was a good business. We had a lot of fun, made some good money, met a lot of new people and supported local business, but it was just getting to be too much because I couldn’t find qualified help,” Bibish said. “We just had so much work and you don’t want to let quality suffer just to get the job done. Those guys there [at Central Classic Cars], they are good car guys and I think everything’s going to be fine. It worked out well for everyone and I feel real good about it.”
Putsch said his favorite part of the job is the search for cars.
“It’s like fishing; you just never know what you’re going to pull out,” Putsch said.
Talking to car enthusiasts is also enjoyable, Wise said.
“The best thing about cars is you just meet lots of wonderful people,” Wise said. “I’ve been all over the country going to car shows and you might not like the kind of cars I like, but there’s that common passion. That’s the one thing I can say about cars. It’s a wonderful social thing. You get to meet a lot of really, really neat people. We have a lot of fun and we’re just trying to do something that’s a little bit different. For me, it’s a hobby business. I’m not in it so much to make money as just to satisfy a fix. It’s just fun. We’re all having a blast.”
For more information, visit centralclassiccars.com.


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- Gaming-as-a-service is growing in popularity
- Google is aiming to popularize its Google Stream service
- The company has already made deals with AT&T and Capcom
Google is increasingly concentrating its efforts on its Google Stream service, looking for new deals. This is the cost of support for Stadia.
Gaming as a Streaming Service
With global chip shortages caused by the pandemic, many products like Nintendo’s Switch have been in short supply. Along with that, electronic components like GPUs have been rising in price. All of this has hindered gamers from playing heavier games. To combat this, some companies have started to offer “cloud gaming”, sometimes called gaming on demand or gaming-as-a-service. This type of service essentially allows a player to play a game on a remote server, on a different beefy machine. This is streamed to the user’s device, or more colloquially, playing a game remotely from a cloud.
One such service offered by Google is called Stadia. Recently, the company has announced plans to expand its operations by making deals with Bungie, Capcom, and even some companies outside of the gaming space, like Peloton. A report by Business Insider says that Google has “deprioritized” Stadia as a consumer platform and it aims to use the technology behind the service to create new deals with partners.
Google’s new project is aptly called Google Stream and it focuses on offering high-definition broadcasting options for games to potential partners. This is a sign Google is not so interested in its specific gaming projects, but rather in the technology behind the cloud service.
Google Makes New Deals
So far Google has already made deals with large communications and game companies, including AT&T and Capcom. The former is already using the technology to allow players access to Batman: Arkham Knight via a web browser. Meanwhile, Capcom is using Google’s technology to run demos on its website. There are also rumors of a rapidly advancing deal with Bungie. However, with Sony buying Bungie for $3.6 billion, it is unclear how Google will involve itself in future projects.
Additionally, there are rumors that Peloton’s first game release, Lanebreak, is powered by Stream. However, Business Insider’s sources did not confirm this.
Speaking of sources, Business Insider talked to many current and former Google employees working on the project. They said that only about 20 percent of all work is being used on Stadia as a consumer platform. The rest of the human and time resources are used to secure deals with other companies, and the proof-of-concept work on Google Stream has become the internal priority.
Although Google is restructuring its workforce to projects like Stream, Stadia will continue to receive support for the time being. A spokesperson told The Verge that about 100 new titles will be added to the service’s pre-existing library of more than 200 games throughout 2022. However, only time will tell how Google Stream will perform compared to other more established services like Nvidia GeForce NOW, which recently opened RTX 3080 memberships to everyone.

domain: news


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WESTFIELD, NJ – Scotch Plains- Fanwood residents are urged to support the anti-littering work of the New Jersey Clean Communities Council by shopping at an environmentally-conscious boutique in Westfield on Satruday, Nov. 22.
Eileen Fisher (9 Elm St. in Westifled) is doing its part to support the New Jersey Clean Communities’ annual Environmental Student Exchange – to be held next year in Stanhope on March 19, 2015 – by donating 10 percent of sales on Saturday, Nov. 22 to support the program. The event runs from 12:00 noon to 4 p.m. in downtown Westfield.
“We are extremely grateful to Eileen Fisher for supporting one of our signature statewide events,” said Sandy Huber, executive director of the New Jersey Clean Communities Council (NJCCC). “The `Salute to Sustainability’ event promises to attract more than 500 students from different regions throughout the state to Waterloo Village. The children will work together on environmental projects and consider ways in which New Jersey can do more to remain litter-free.”
NJCCC is expected to have children on hand at Eileen Fisher during the four-hour promotion at the clothing store at 9 Elm St., on the northbound side of the Westfield Train Station. Participating in the event will be Morgan and Amanda Hayes from Gordon Parks Academy is East Orange, along with Madison Foti from Williamstown Middle School in South Jersey.
To further encourage sales, Eileen Fisher will be offering $30 coupons for purchases of more than $50.
Huber said Eileen Fisher made a connection with NJCCC because of its sustainable clothing line manufactured with recycled materials. “This clothing company is leading the way in the garment industry with sustainability and encouraging young people to do the right thing for the environment,” she said.
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MOSCOW, August 29 (RIA Novosti) - Google announced it is currently developing a system for unmanned air vehicles, or drones, to conveniently deliver goods from altitudes of 130 to 200 feet to a customer’s doorstep, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Google started working on drones in 2011 and said it expected it would "take years to develop a service with multiple vehicles flying multiple deliveries per day," the newspaper reported.
Google X has already tested one of its drone prototypes from its Project Wing to transport supplies such as first aid kits, candy bars, dog treats and water to two farmers in Queensland, Australia, earlier in August. The prototype is 2.5 feet high and 5 foot wide with a single wing and four propellers. The prototypes can be seen in action, its packages placed in the middle of its wing, in a YouTube video released by Google X titled, “Introducing Project Wing.”
"I don't know that Google is much better positioned than Amazon or anyone else in terms of technology, but the company has a track record of being influential in terms of policy," Ryan Calo, a law professor at the University of Washington who studies robotics and privacy, was cited as saying by The Wall Street Journal.
The commercial use of drones is currently not allowed on a widespread level, but the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) is showing progress, having approved in June the first commercial drone flight over land for energy company BP. Other companies experimenting with drones, such as Amazon and Domino’s Pizza, hope Google will pave the way.
Regulators are wary of drones due to their shaky technology and privacy concerns. Google reported that precise navigation and noise control were part of their plans to minimize privacy and safety risks, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The FAA announced earlier this year it was not considering autonomous drone delivery, but Calo believes influential corporations like Google and Amazon have the power to change their minds.
Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are aircraft either controlled by pilots from the ground or function autonomously following pre-programmed routes.


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Posted on: 05/21/13
To media companies grappling with the challenges of multiplatform content management, one thing is clear: The technology and processes they use must serve an increasingly mobile audience. To better reach these always-on-the-go readers, publishers are rolling out mobile-first strategies and...
Posted on: 05/16/13
Washington, D.C.—Atlantic Media, parent of the Government Executive and Nextgov media brands, this summer will launch Defense One, a new multiplatform media brand serving the U.S. defense and national security community.
Posted on: 05/07/13
The Financial Times responded to the demands of tablet customers last month, rolling out a redesigned Web app that allows readers to choose between a static edition with a fixed article set or a dynamic edition with a continuously updated content stream. The app enables readers to swipe left to...
Posted on: 05/02/13
Las Vegas—Timeless Communications Corp., which publishes b-to-b brands Projection Lights & Staging News, Stage Directions and Front of House, has purchased the assets of Needham, Mass.-based Symphony Publishing.
Posted on: 04/25/13
On the heels of reporting first-quarter results, the New York Times Co. announced a series of strategic initiatives to spur revenue growth that will begin to be rolled out in the fourth quarter. Several new products are under development at price points lower than all-digital-access and print...
Posted on: 04/17/13
While most media companies are using the HTML5 standard to make websites designed for desk- and laptop devices equally accessible on mobile devices, The Economist is going in the other direction—creating a tabletlike experience for the traditional Web—with a Google Chrome app that it...
Posted on: 04/17/13
New York—The Wall Street Journal has consolidated six of its blogs into one new one covering global finance, markets, and mergers and acquisitions. The blog, called MoneyBeat, will incorporate content that had been in such others as MarketBeat, Overheard, The Source and all the Deal Journals.
Posted on: 04/16/13
The Penton Technology Group launched redesigned Web properties for SharePoint Pro and Windows IT Pro in March, updating the infrastructure to accommodate an increasingly mobile and social audience. “Our two big goals were to improve the user experience and to improve the environment for our...
Posted on: 04/15/13
Vienna, Va.—Washington Technology, published by 1105 Government Information Group, is launching an Insider Membership program that puts more than 70% of the brand's website behind a paywall. In addition, the group's GCN (formerly Government Computer News) is unveiling two new digital products,...
Posted on: 04/15/13
Fort Atkinson, Wis.—Cygnus Business Media has named Deirdre D'Aniello as publisher of landscape magazines Green Industry Pro and Yard & Garden, as well as GreenIndustryPros.com. She was most recently the East Coast sales manager for Lodging Hospitality Magazine at Penton Media.
Posted on: 03/22/13
Fort Collins, Colo.—Penton Technology Group has redesigned the SharePoint Pro and Windows IT Pro websites for Microsoft-focused IT professionals. The updated sites are optimized for mobile viewing and feature simplified navigation, topic-focused pages, more powerful search functionality and...
Posted on: 03/18/13
New York—This spring, Buzzfeed will introduce a business section designed to leverage the power of the social Web. Peter Lauria, most recently Reuters’ editor for technology, media and telecom for the U.S., is joining Buzzfeed next month to lead the effort.
Posted on: 03/14/13
Carlsbad, Calif.—Business.com Media has relaunched the Business.com website and introduced a new logo. The site was redesigned based on data on the behavior of millions of buyers who use the site and feedback from advertisers.
Posted on: 03/13/13
New York—The New York Times announced plans to introduce a prototype version of NYTimes.com in advance of major site changes to be implemented later this year.
Posted on: 02/04/13
New York—The Wall Street Journal has introduced a full digital platform for Journal Reports, a print franchise of the Wall Street Journal that provides in-depth features and reporting.
Posted on: 01/22/13
American City Business Journals' weekly business journals, published in 40 metropolitan areas, are paid-subscription products in print and online—and always have been, said Whitney Shaw, ACBJ president-CEO. The company's websites operate under a “freemium” model, where certain...
Posted on: 01/21/13
New York—Media merger and acquisition activity will be strong over the next 24 months, according to the third annual “Media Growth Survey Report” from media investment bank Jordan, Edmiston Group and Econsultancy, a digital publishing and training company.
Posted on: 01/08/13
UBM Tech introduced an online environment to support its DESIGN West conference last year, offering engineers a social environment in which they could rate content, make recommendations and interact. The platform, developed by UBM Studios and called DESIGN on Demand, won multiple awards from the...
Posted on: 11/20/12
McLean, Va.—USA Today has relaunched its iPad app, featuring a new design and several new capabilities. The app, available from the iTunes app store, provides larger images and live video coverage. It also carries breaking news, interactive weather mapping and commentary.
Posted on: 10/09/12
In early September, when Thomas Publishing Co. relaunched ThomasNet.com, it included, for the first time, a part search capability. This new tool uses state-of-the-art semantic technology to make parametric search more efficient.


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Ubisoft has announced a new technology that they are calling Ubisoft Scaler. It takes the components and systems of traditional game engines and transforms them into microservices in the cloud. This will move the closed, single-processor systems of today to a distributed model across a potentially unlimited number of machines.
Ubisoft Scalar is changing the game
- Games using Ubisoft Scalar can use a virtually unlimited amount of computing power, and thus run anything from virtual worlds of unprecedented scale and depth to vastly detailed simulations that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
- By placing microservices independently in the cloud, Ubisoft Scalar enables developers to update and improve one service without impacting others, or even add new features or components to a game without interrupting play sessions.
- Ubisoft Scalar’s purpose is to remove technical constraints for game developers, enabling them to focus on creativity and design for never-before-seen player experiences.
Ubisoft Scalar is currently in development in Ubisoft Stockholm in collaboration with Ubisoft studios located in Malmö (Ubisoft Massive), Helsinki (Ubisoft Redlynx), Bucharest, and Kyiv. Ubisoft started the Stockholm studio in 2017, with a number of Battlefield veterans from the EA DICE studio.


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AUO and CMO to start shipping 12.1-inch panel for HP LED-backlight notebook in June, say sources
Rebecca Kuo, Tainan; Esther Lam, DIGITIMES
AU Optronics (AUO) and Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO) will start shipping 12.1-inch panels for Hewlett-Packard's (HP's) upcoming notebook slated to launch in the third quarter, according to industry sources.
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Today, at TechCrunch Disrupt, Erick Schonfeld sat down with Bill Gurley, partner at Benchmark Capital and and Michael Grimes, Managing Director and Co-Head of Global Technology Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley, to discuss the current IPO market. As Facebook, LinkedIn, Jive and Millennial Media consider taking their companies public over the next few years, GreenDot, an under the radar startup is filing for a $2 billion IPO today.
When asked what will be the one IPO that will change the current market, Gurley said that he didn’t believe that their would be one single public offering that would shake the market and influence other companies.
Many companies, of course, are waiting for profitability before going public. Gurley says that a company can also enter the process without profitability but needs to be every convincing.For example, Salesforce wasn’t profitable at the time of their IPO, says Gurley, but co-founder Marc Benioff made a compelling case that the company would be profitable in the near fture.
Grimes adds that more isn’t necessarily better when it comes to revenue. He says that a $50 million run rate could work better than a $100 million run rate depending on the business model.
Gurley doesn’t seem to think there is a need for a super high-quality company to go public to open up the IPO floodgate. As he told the audience, LinkedIn has brought on public company veteran Skip Battle as a board member, signaling that the professional social network is prepping for an IPO in the next year. And Skype filed a registration to take the VoIP company public a few months ago. Facebook is looking to IPO in 2012 at the earliest but Gurley said that with 500 million users Facebook could go public at a cattle auction.
Gurley and Grimes also highlighted the fact that companies based outside of Silicon Valley, such as Greendot, are going public but don’t get as much attention as those in the Valley.
So what’s the reasoning behind taking a company public? Grimes says that the liquidity for founders and employees, increased capital for M&A as well as additional exposure to a brand are all positive results of an IPO.
Both Grimes and Gurley expect 40 to 50 companies to IPO in the tech space over the next year, including Skype and LinkedIn.


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Four Models of the EV giant Tesla have zoomed past the homologation phase and are now up and ready for a full-fledged launch in the Indian market. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highway on Monday released the approval for the four electric variants, deeming them fit for Indian roads.
The approval comes in the wake of efforts by the Central government to hop on the electric bandwagon and decarbonize vehicles, reported Tesmanian. Recently, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari stated his intention to introduce Ethanol and flex-fuel for vehicles in the country. According to the government, it is planning to increase EV penetration in the country to 30 per cent by 2030.
Although the models that are approved are not declared, it is believed that Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, which have also been spotted while testing on Indian roads, are available in four models. Homologation for the models is a major milestone conquered by the company, as without it, Tesla couldn’t have rolled out their variants on Indian roads.
However, homologation still doesn’t guarantee a launch and the company is still a few steps away from selling its cars to Indian citizens. This is because Tesla has been in talks to reduce their prices, according to Indian pockets. In a tweet, the founder and CEO, Elon Musk called out the stringent policies of the country but was hopeful regarding a reduction in prices.
According to the Indian policies, electric vehicles with cost insurance and freight (CIF) value more than $40,000 have a 100 per cent import duty, and those with a CIF value less than $40,000 have a 60 per cent import duty. Tesla Model 3 and Model Y variants fall between $38,700 and $41,200, becoming the cheapest models that the company has to offer. The Model S and Model X fall between $81,200 and $91,200. Whatever price it may be, we hope to see a Tesla waiting silently on a signal soon.


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We like Fat pipe - they have go in their advertising. It is not the nicest guy on the block, but a tone of street smartness..
So smart that they now took over the throne at the WFC as the most used stick...
The Floorball Super Shop FSS writes...
"Last Sunday the Swedish national team won the 10th Men’s World Floorball Championships in Gothenburg after defeating Finland in the big final, however, if we talk about the sticks, the finns were the winners with the brand Fat Pipe, which was the most popular one for the players according to statisticscompiled by FSS during the championship."
|Image via Floorball Super Shop|
Full article here
What surprised us is Jolly, Canadian - but also Salmings lower number? Is that maybe related to Salming's new big focus on running?


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A 2015 Forbes piece reported that the number of businesses owned by African American women grew 322% since 1997, “making black females the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S.” Further, statistics from the “2015 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report” by American Express indicate that of the 30% of all businesses owned by women in the U.S., African American women control 14% of these companies (or an estimated 1.3 million businesses).
At the time, Margot Dorfman, CEO of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, reported that her organization saw an increase in membership from Black women entrepreneurs. “We attribute the growth in women-owned firms to the lack of fair pay, fair promotion, and family-friendly policies found in corporate America,” she said.
“It’s important for everyone, not just Black men but white men and everyone in between, to support Black women. They have been underrepresented for so long, but they are the most educated and have the most advanced degrees,” Mike Street, founder of TechFam, told TNJ.com, at a Network Journal tech event back in 2018.
Zanade Mann shares Street’s sentiment. She recently launched Black Women’s Business Collective, a crowdsourcing initiative that was created out of a growing need to provide access and resources to Black and Afro-Latina women business owners who experienced financial challenges in the wake of COVID-19.
I spoke to Mann to find out more about the collective.
TNJ.com: When and why did you launch Black Women’s Business Collective?
Zanade Mann: The Black Women’s Business Collective was created in June 2020 in response to the devastating effects of COVID-19 on small business owners. Government backed loans and grants became less of an option for Black business owners, and I knew it was time to create something that would curate the best tools and resources to help business owners reset.
TNJ.com: How will Black Women’s Collective help Black women entrepreneurs whose businesses have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Zanade Mann: The collective helps Black women business owners in four ways: We will provide financial resources in the form of grants to help new business owners with startup costs. We partner with investors who are interested in funding diverse enterprises. We provide mentorship and accountability partners through our ally network. And, we provide a long term learning platform to teach essential business skills in order to help Black women scale their businesses.
TNJ.com: Overall, what are some of the problems Black women entrepreneurs face in getting their businesses to scale?
Zanade Mann: There are many problems Black women face in scaling their businesses. Some are uncontrollable. However, there are two problems that the Black Women’s Business Collective can solve, access to capital and access to networks.
In order to overcome these challenges Black women business owners must be open to networking, have a willingness to learn, and get their business affairs in order so that they are not only legitimized, but are prepared when opportunities arise. The true key here is to stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready.
TNJ.com: What kinds of access and resources are crucial for businesses to thrive?
Zanade Mann: Businesses need access to the rooms where decisions are made. They need to be in social settings (virtual or not) where people with access can access them. It is also important to have a listening ear and access to good mentors and advisors; this can take a business a long way.
Allies are one of the greatest resources that can help take a business from no sales to sold out in 30 days. We need each other, and this is why The Collective is here: to gather business owners, partners, investors, allies and supporters to keep the entrepreneurial ecosystem going. If Black women can be a trillion dollar spending power, then we deserve several seats at the table.
TNJ.com: Tell me about The Phoenix Fund and how it works.
Zanade Mann: The Phoenix Fund is near and dear to my heart. As someone who has had to bootstrap my businesses in the early years, I understand the financial barriers to entry for some Black women business owners. The fund, named after my youngest daughter, is a testament that no matter the barrier, you can keep going and make your dreams come true.
I would save every penny to pay for my web hosting, knowing there was an end goal. I know how it feels to want to start a business, but can’t afford to do so. And now with the economic downturn, there are many Black women who want to start but cannot. The Phoenix Fund seeks to eliminate financial barriers for startup costs such as LLC formation, domain and web hosting, and marketing and design.


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This week join 9to5Mac’s Zac Hall and Benjamin Mayo to discuss Apple TV+ shows and movies, the launch of Paramount+, what’s new in the recent batches of betas, loads of rumors that cover the next few years of iPhones releases, and more.
Zac Hall @apollozac
Benjamin Mayo @bzamayo
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Nissan Kicks to be launched here next month
Nissan has unveiled its second e-Power model - the Kicks urban crossover. Like the Serena e-Power multipurpose vehicle, the Kicks runs on pure electric power. Its battery is recharged by a 1.2-litre petrol engine which makes 129hp and 260Nm.
The hybrid behaves like an electric car, with instant torque and "one-pedal driving". It comes with a suite of active safety features, including Intelligent Trace Control (a lane-keeping assistance) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. The car will be launched in Singapore next month with seven airbags and a price tag of around $100,000.
Lotus, Centrica team up to transform EV ownership
Chinese-owned British sports carmaker Lotus has teamed up with Centrica (parent company of British Gas) to develop a new model for electric vehicle ownership that "fully integrates future mobility and energy".
By making the car an extension of the home, capable of storing electricity, minimising emissions and generating new income by providing services to the energy market, the companies aim to redefine the customer relationship with cars - one controlled by smart devices at home and on the move.
The energy company will also facilitate a sustainability programme which leverages "innovative, low-carbon technologies and helps mitigate the environmental impact of everything from manufacturing through to sales and the day-to-day activities of Lotus employees".
The partnership will help establish a new global charging and energy infrastructure for the maker of the Evija super electric car.
Volvo cars to be powered by Luminar's Lidar technology
Volvo Cars is partnering tech firm Luminar to provide Lidar for its next generation of vehicles. Lidar is short for light detection and ranging, a guidance system widely used in autonomous vehicles.
The partnership will deliver Volvo's first fully self-driving technology for highways from 2022, the Chinese-owned Swedish carmaker says. Lidar sensors emit millions of pulses of laser light to scan the environment in 3D, allowing them to accurately detect where objects are.
BYD flagship electric car can clock 3.9-second century sprint
BYD has announced a car which might well be a Chinese version of something in between the Tesla Model 3 and Model S.
The Han EV, its upcoming flagship model, is the first to feature the company's "blade battery", which promises enhanced safety, improved range and compactness.
A high-performance silicon carbide motor-control propels the Han EV from zero to 100kmh in 3.9 seconds. The car promises a range of 605km. There is no word on when the model will reach showrooms.
Discounted rates on car subscription for healthcare workers
BMW Financial Services and Sime Darby are offering healthcare workers discounts on its Access by BMW car subscription platform during the circuit breaker. They are also waiving the one-time activation fee of $1,000. With the offer, a BMW 1-series is now available to healthcare professionals for $1,500 a month, or $50 a day. This is about 34 per cent cheaper than the lowest rate Access charges for the 1-series.
Fiat Chrysler, Peugeot to withhold 2019 dividend payout
The boards of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot have decided not to pay ordinary dividend for last year because of "a collapse in consumer demand resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic", Reuters reported.
The health crisis has thrown the global car industry into the worst tailspin since the 2008-2009 financial crisis.
Consumer demand for vehicles has plummeted as governments across Europe and the United States enforce lockdowns. The two companies also confirmed that preparations for their merger are advancing with respect to antitrust and other regulatory filings.
Porsche extends car warranty worldwide
Porsche is extending its new car warranty by three months. Warranty plans expiring between March 1 and May 31 will be extended free of charge for customers worldwide.
This also applies to customers who have already purchased a Porsche Approved warranty following the expiration of their new car warranty.
BMW Group to cut up to half of drivetrain variants BMW Group will eliminate up to 50 per cent of its current drivetrain variants from next year in a transition towards "enhanced flexible vehicle architectures".
By the end of 2022, BMW says it intends to save more than €12 billion (S$18.4 billion) through efficiency-boosting measures.


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Delray Beach, FL (PRWEB) January 16, 2013
VitalMax Vitamins Has Withdrawn Its BodyGuard Supplement Press Release of January 15, 2013. It Was Issued in Error and That Press Release is No Longer Available.
About VitalMax Vitamins:
Since 1997 VitalMax Vitamins has offered a great selection of high quality vitamins that have been researched and developed by leading anti-aging and alternative medicine doctors and nutritionists. All of their supplements are formulated with the purest of materials under strict manufacturing standards by the FDA and GMP guidelines. VitalMax Vitamins is considered one of the most trusted nutritional companies in America.
VitalMax Vitamins mission is to provide the most advanced nutritional formulas based on the latest research, all at affordable prices. They also offer a resource to retrieve some of the most current health news that can’t be found anywhere else on the internet with their health information website: HealthyAnswers.com.
HealthyAnswers.com offers the opportunity to take control of ones medical health. Too often the medical community is not telling you the whole story. It’s their goal to give you all the facts and a more natural way of dealing with many illnesses.
The health information contained within their website is invaluable. Their Free natural health newsletter will provide up-to-date natural health news and information. They have a panel of expert medical practitioners that have combed through hundreds of studies… medical journals… and news reports to help you make the right health decisions.
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France rejects imposing a ban on skinny models... because it would discriminate against 'thin people in the workplace'
- Socialist politician Olivier Veran said skinny models 'glorify anorexia'
- Demanded prison terms for fashion bosses hiring underweight girls
- Also called for fines of up to £60,000 and said models must provide a medical certificate of health before taking to the catwalk
- But France has rejected the proposal, saying it is unfair on thin people
- Amendment was rejected in parliament because it could 'discriminate against jobseekers on the grounds of their weight'
France has rejected imposing a ban on super-skinny fashion models - beause a law would risk discriminating against 'thin people' in the workplace.
Left-wing MPs had demanded six-month prison terms or fines of £60,000 for fashion bosses who 'glorify anorexia' by hiring underweight girls.
They had called for models to carry medical certificates showing their body mass index - calculated by dividing one's weight in kilogrammes by the square of one's height in metres.
Scroll down for video
Unhealthy: France has rejected imposing a ban on super-skinny fashion models. The ban was called for by a Socialist politician who said prison sentences to be handed out to fashion bosses who employ them
Socialist politician Olivier Veran told French daily Le Parisien: 'It's intolerable to promote malnutrition and to commercially exploit people who are endangering their own health.
'A level of acceptable body mass index should be set and enforced. Websites encouraging young girls to lose weight should also be banned.'
But the nation's parliament yesterday rejected the socialist MPs amendment to France's new health bill on the grounds that it would 'discriminate against jobseekers on the grounds of their weight'.
Mr Veran and fellow MPs said they would now re-write their amendment in the hope of incorporating it into the bill, which will be debated again later this year.
Thin: Olivier Veran had demanded that all models be forced to present a certificate of good health before being allowed on the catwalk. France said such rules would risk discriminating against 'thin people'
There are now 40,000 people in France suffering from anorexia, around 90 per cent of whom are adolescents, according to the latest health ministry figures.
French socialist politician Olivier Veran had led calls for a change in the rules over super-skinny models
In Norway, MPs have proposed that images of airbrushed fashion models should come with a 'cigarette-packet' style health warning in a bid to tackle eating disorders.
One suggested text for the Norwegian warning would read: 'This advertisement has been altered and presents an inaccurate image of how this model really looks.'
Spain has already barred models below a certain body mass index from the Madrid fashion shows. Italy has insisted on health certificates for fashion show participants.
And Brazil is considering demands to ban underage, underweight models from its catwalks.
Medical experts around the world have warned against the dangers of ultra-skinny catwalk models, and images airbrushed to make girls look thinner, which they say encourage anorexia in girls as young as six.
Fashion guru Giorgio Armani said two years ago that the fashion industry had a duty to 'work together against anorexia'.
He added at the time: 'The industry has to recognise the link between its preference for abnormally thin models and the growth in eating disorders among young women.'
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Yum China (YUMC) Trims Q3 View on Delta Variant-Led Woes
Sep. 15, 2021, 10:24 AM
Yum China Holdings, Inc. YUMC recently provided an update on its business for third-quarter 2021. As the Delta variant of coronavirus has caused unexpected shutdowns and supply chain-related challenges, the company trimmed its outlook for the third quarter of 2021. Following the news, the company’s shares declined 4.7% in after-hour trading session yesterday.Q3 Outlook in DetailAs a result of the spread of the Delta variant, the company has witnessed substantial operating deleveraging. Adjusted operating profit (excluding special items) is likely to be reduced by nearly 50% to 60% for the third quarter of 2021 from the year-ago period.During the height of the outbreak of the Delta variant this August, the company had to shut down more than 500 stores across 17 provinces and only continued the takeaway services. Same-store sales in August 2021 declined by mid-teens percentage year over year and nearly 20% from August 2019. This downside was primarily attributed to the 20-30% drop in same-store dine-in during August 2021. Also, on a same-store basis, the company witnessed a sudden drop in sales at transportation and tourist locations of roughly 40-50% year over year.Although the third quarter is seen as a strong period for sales and margins, the impact of deleveraged sales owing to the spread of the Delta variant has sharply reduced sales.Furthermore, restaurant margins are pressured by the declining favorable impact of commodity prices and wage inflation of mid-to-high single digits. Also, the company has started spending on promotions to drive traffic.However, the company is optimistic regarding its long-term business growth in spite of the pandemic¬-related volatility. Strengthening its offerings for dine-in, delivery, takeaway and retail, Yum China expects to open 1,300 gross new stores in 2021.Strategies Mitigating ChallengesYum China considers its employees and customers to be its top most priority. The company exhibited flexibility in responding to the past outbreaks and will continue to focus on driving sales and building on its strength with the implementation of some strategies.The company leverages over a 330-million-member base with various privilege programs, Super Apps and other digital channels that result in repeat purchases. Additionally, it captures off-premise occasions with its easy to deliver menu and appoints dedicated riders to ensure availability to drive off-premise sales. Yum China also attracts customers with innovated menu items like the upgraded hand-tossed pizza at Pizza Hut, which are mainly suitable for delivery. Moreover, Yum China strategizes various methods for cost cutting and improvisation of labor productivity.So far this year, shares of Yum China have gained 7.3% compared to the Zacks Retail - Restaurants industry’s 14.2% rise. The company is benefiting from its gradual shift toward digital and content marketing to expand customer base. Also, continuous menu innovation, strategic investment in unit expansion and strong brand recognition are expected to effectively drive sales in 2021 and beyond.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchZacks Rank & Key PicksCurrently, Yum China carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Some better-ranked stocks in the same industry include The Wendy's Company WEN, Yum! Brands, Inc. YUM and Jack in the Box Inc. JACK, each sporting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).Wendy's earnings for 2021 are expected to rise 42.1%.Yum! Brands has a three-five-year earnings per share growth rate of 12%.Jack in the Box has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 26.4%, on average.Time to Invest in Legal MarijuanaIf you’re looking for big gains, there couldn’t be a better time to get in on a young industry primed to skyrocket from $17.7 billion back in 2019 to an expected $73.6 billion by 2027.After a clean sweep of 6 election referendums in 5 states, pot is now legal in 36 states plus D.C. Federal legalization is expected soon and that could be a still greater bonanza for investors. Even before the latest wave of legalization, Zacks Investment Research has recommended pot stocks that have shot up as high as +285.9%.You’re invited to check out Zacks’ Marijuana Moneymakers: An Investor’s Guide. It features a timely Watch List of pot stocks and ETFs with exceptional growth potential.Today, Download Marijuana Moneymakers FREE >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Jack In The Box Inc. (JACK): Free Stock Analysis Report Yum Brands, Inc. (YUM): Free Stock Analysis Report The Wendys Company (WEN): Free Stock Analysis Report Yum China Holdings Inc. (YUMC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research
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The Connected Pet Comes of Age. Smart Tag Engages Owners in Dog's Life
Denver Launch Party and Indiegogo Campaign Kicks Off June 25
“Pettag+ is about the next generation of engagement in your pet’s life within an ecosystem of apps and products that track and share information around feeding schedules, play, potty training, exercise, and a variety of actions from medication adherence and vaccinations to random acts of love,” said Shahir Ahmed, founder and emerging tech startup veteran.
As a busy, traveling professional, Ahmed wanted the ability to see that his dogs were fed, loved and played with while he was on the road. “I discovered a product roadmap that could connect with human behavior on many levels and help new pet owners, parents and kids manage this important responsibility,”
Kids today learn rules from games, and award-winning pet product designer Peter Ragonetti wanted to create a playful interface. “Our fun, inviting design is tied to rewards-based incentives that help build stronger bonds between people and their pets,” he said. “The Pettag+ is rugged yet attractive, runs on a watch battery, and is half the cost of today’s GPS-based systems. Our focus is more about playful engagement: choosing goals, tracking activities and viewing progress – anything from counting the number of fetches and tracking your walks to confirming that your dog’s health requirements are being met.”
As one of the first “connected pet wearables,” the Pettag+ founders chose Denver’s SpireMedia to design the User Interface, ReFactory in Brooklyn to build the American-made circuit boards, and Indiegogo to crowdfund the first user-inspired applications.
“In celebration of this product launch and crowdfunding campaign, we’re inviting everyone in the Denver pet community to join us at SpireMedia for food, drinks, and pre-ordering the first Pettags,” said Ahmed.
To RSVP for the launch party the evening of June 25th, please visit www.pettagplus.com.


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Hispanic gamers are more likely to buy console video games, less influenced by price points in their choices, and consider themselves gaming novices, according to a survey by Univision, which will team with GameSpot to produce a Spanish-language games portal.
Univision commissioned the study of the Hispanic gamer market, which sociologists consider undeserved by and underrepresented in video games, so that its results would coincide with the news of its partnership with GameSpot, unveiled today. Univision is the top Spanish-language broadcaster in the United States. It'll soon begin hosting a games portal on its site, with content supplied by GameSpot. A news release said some of that content will be exclusive to Univision's portal and originally produced in Spanish.


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In recent years, Meta has consistently rolled out numerous engaging features designed to facilitate connections, discover communities, and foster business growth. Undoubtedly, it stands out as a pivotal platform for business expansion, catering to enterprises of all sizes by promoting brand visibility, facilitating advertising efforts, and generating leads for businesses.
Meta ad-free subscription in Europe
Yes, you heard it!
In response to the evolving regulatory landscape in Europe, Meta has rolled out a fresh subscription model for an ad-free experience in various European regions, including the European Union, the European Economic Area (which includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway), and Switzerland. Users on Facebook and Instagram now have the option to pay a monthly fee ranging from €9.99 to €12.99 for an uninterrupted experience on Meta-owned social media platforms. Those who opt for the free usage will continue to see relevant ads.
The pricing structure differentiates between €9.99/month for web users and €12.99/month for iOS and Android users. However, starting March 1, 2024, an additional charge of €6/month on the web and €8/month on iOS and Android will be applicable for each extra account listed in a user’s Account Center.
We’re all familiar with the potential annoyances posed by ads, such as intrusiveness, irrelevance, and frequency, impacting our online experience. Now, with Meta’s introduction of an ad-free option could have implications for businesses in terms of marketing and development.
The positive aspect is that advertisers can still conduct personalised advertising campaigns in Europe, reaching users who opt for the free, ad-supported online service. Looking ahead, Meta is committed to ongoing investments in developing tools that uphold the value derived by both individuals and businesses from personalised advertising, all while granting users control over their ad experience on Meta platforms.
Meta is facing EU ban on targeted advertising
Now, onto some not-so-ideal update……
On November 1, 2023, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) declared a ban on Meta using users’ personal data for targeted ads in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA). This decision is a response to Meta introducing a subscription model as an ad-free option for users.
The ban follows a request from Norway’s data regulator, which had already prohibited Meta from sending targeted ads based on user data collected without clear consent. According to the EDPB, Ireland’s data regulator, responsible for overseeing Meta’s operations in Europe, must take final actions within two weeks, and the ban will be in effect a week later.
Meta has been informed of the decision and plans to seek user consent for targeted ads. The EDPB is currently reviewing Meta’s proposal for a consent-based approach. This ban could impact Meta financially, especially if advertisers reduce spending more than what is generated from users choosing the ad-free subscription.
The EDPB chairwoman emphasised that the imposition of the ban was a result of Meta failing to comply with prior directives. It is now crucial for Meta to bring its data processing in line with regulations and put an end to any unlawful practices.
Explore the latest features and updates from Meta in 2023
Even though Meta is an established player in social networks and remains a key tool for social media marketing, it’s vital for them to stay current. In today’s digital landscape, where the internet plays a central role, continuous improvement and the introduction of new technological solutions are essential for catering to both users and businesses. Regardless of challenges like the current ban in Europe or the introduction of Meta’s new ad-free subscription model, it’s crucial for both business owners and casual users to stay informed about the latest market trends and discover new opportunities.
In early July, Threads made its debut to the public and received an outstanding response from users within a short period of time. It’s a smart move for Meta to offer an alternative after Elon Musk’s not-so-well received actions to Twitter by both regular users and businesses.
Threads can be shared on Instagram and Facebook, making it a versatile platform. The goal is to increase brand awareness and create a “Fear of Missing Out” (FOMO) among users. This strategy aims to grow a brand’s organic following on Threads and align with the platform’s overall adoption. By cross-posting content, brands can capitalise on Threads’ popularity to boost visibility and attract more followers naturally. Besides, Threads also offers tools like trending topics, hashtags, and content recommendations, aiding advertisers in amplifying messages and increasing visibility.
Seize the excitement surrounding the new platform to establish a more personal and relatable connection with your audience. Adopt a less polished and more authentic voice, distinct from the aesthetics of platforms like Instagram.
- AI-powered features
Meta is dedicating resources to advance AI technologies, aiming to assist businesses in crafting and overseeing their advertisements with greater efficiency. Among the latest tools introduced are a background generator, image expansion feature, and text variations. Also, Meta has enriched its AI experience by incorporating AI stickers across various platforms such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook Stories. This effort is geared towards providing businesses with enhanced capabilities for creating and managing their ads effectively.
Furthermore, Meta has introduced Meta AI, an innovative interactive assistant crafted to mimic human conversation. It features 28 unique AIs, each possessing a lively personality. Some even take on a human touch by embodying cultural icons and influencers like Snoop Dogg, Kendall Jenner, and Tom Brady. It’s available on WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram. However, the excitement doesn’t end there—more new characters are on the way! How thrilling!
- New ad formats for Reels
The expansion involves the introduction of fresh formats such as carousel and collection ads. These new options empower businesses to create more engaging and visually appealing advertisements on the Reels platform. Carousel ads typically feature multiple scrollable images or videos, whereas collection ads combine images or videos with a product grid beneath, offering users a more interactive and immersive advertising experience.
- Enhanced targeting and reporting
Meta is simplifying the process for businesses to display their ads to the correct audience. They’ve introduced fresh choices for interests, demographics, and behaviours. Meta also offers tools to gauge the effectiveness of ads, providing valuable information to help businesses enhance their results.
Alvarez and Marsal. (2023). Five Reasons why Threads should be in Your Marketing Strategy.
Bornov Engineering. (2023). Upcoming Updates on Meta in 2023.
Gain, V. (2023). Europeans will be able to use Facebook and Instagram ad-free.


text: BEIJING, March 22, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AutoNavi Holdings Limited ("AutoNavi" or the "Company") (Nasdaq:AMAP), a leading provider of digital map content and navigation and location-based solutions (LBS) in China, today announced it has entered into an agreement to fully acquire PDAger Mobility Inc. ("PDAger"), a location-based service provider in China and major partner in China Telecom's mobile navigation business. Under the terms of the agreement, AutoNavi, which had previously made a strategic investment resulting in a 20% ownership stake in PDAger, will acquire the remaining 80% stake from other PDAger shareholders for a total cash consideration of approximately US$8.3 million. PDAger was founded in 2001 and was one of the first companies to offer mobile navigation applications in China. PDAger has cooperated with China's leading smart phone makers to pre-install "NaviTo," a personal navigation application, across various popular handsets. Beginning in July 2010, PDAger partnered with China Telecom to develop and operate "E Navi," a 3G mobile navigation application of "E Surfing," an industry leading 3G services brand offered by China Telecom. "E Navi" provides smart phone users with mapping, local search, routing, turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation, GPS services, real-time traffic information and access to in-depth points of interest across China. AutoNavi's chief executive officer, Mr. Congwu Cheng, commented, "PDAger's partnership with China Telecom demonstrates PDAger's trusted research, development and marketing capabilities. By fully integrating PDAger into our Location-based Solutions business, we will capitalize on PDAger's mobile navigation solutions and relationship with China Telecom to further enhance AutoNavi's leading position in China's LBS market." Mr. Cheng added, "China has the largest number of mobile subscribers in the world, and China Telecom, with its high-speed and stable CDMA network, is one of the fastest growing of the three Chinese telecom carriers. According to China Telecom's annual results announcement on March 22, 2011, the company had 12.3 million 3G mobile subscribers in 2010, an increase of 202% over its 3G subscriber base in 2009, representing 13.6% of its total mobile subscribers. By leveraging PDAger's high-quality products and partnering capabilities, AutoNavi will have a new gateway to a growing user base that is bolstered by China Telecom's strong growth and the expansion of 3G mobile internet usage in China."


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On August 18, 2009 FANUC LTD. announced that the GE FANUC joint venture will be dissolved. As the result of the dissolution, FANUC AMERICA will become both the service and system supplier for FANUC CNC in the Americas. This transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, and is expected to be completed in 60-120 days.
Thomas S. Migala, FANUC AMERICA President and CEO said, “The dissolution of the joint venture structure will afford FANUC AMERICA an unparalleled opportunity to bring even more value to our customers as we continue to focus on providing factory automation products and services. This action will allow FANUC AMERICA to better serve all customers in the Americas with all CNC factory automation products and services.
This action is clearly in the best interest of our customers and in the best interest of the respective parent companies.. For FANUC AMERICA, this is a culmination of the natural state of the business. It is clear that FANUC LTD. and FANUC AMERICA have set the future strategic direction to further invest in the CNC business in the Americas


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Tag Archives: Cannabis Benchmarks®
Experts say the region’s legal cannabis sector could face a long and costly recovery following a series of catastrophic wildfires..
Despite drop, new report tracking U.S. spot prices for wholesale cannabis finds “remarkable” stability given recent political uncertainty. (more…)
One of the big marijuana stories of 2017, so far, has been the continuing drop in legal cannabis prices. (more…)
Experts say a combination of factors will continue to pressure legal growers and manufacturers. While 2016 was a landmark year..
Leading Cannabis Technology Innovators Partner to Launch World’s First Cannabis Wholesale Pricing Estimator
Confident Cannabis™, a division of CC Software, LLC, and Cannabis Benchmarks®, a division of New Leaf Data Services, LLC, have..


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Brazil Industry Posts Longest Streak of Gains Since 2012
(Bloomberg) -- Brazil’s industrial production rose for the fifth straight month in September, representing the longest streak of gains since 2012, as billions of dollars in fiscal stimulus spurs broad-based consumer demand.
Output rose 2.6% from August, above the median estimate for a 2.4% gain from economists in a Bloomberg survey. Industrial production increased 3.4% from a year ago, returning to pre-coronavirus levels, the national statistics agency reported on Wednesday.
Emergency government spending amid the pandemic has propelled sectors such as durable goods while also lifting investments, the central bank said this week. At the same time, factories have benefited from the roll-back in social distancing measures. Still, some analysts warn that an eventual reduction in government stimulus at year-end may weigh on the recovery going forward.
What Our Economist Says
“With a fifth consecutive monthly advance, Brazilian industrial production has finally recovered from its pandemic plunge. The significant rebound in the third quarter bodes well for GDP growth.”
--Adriana Dupita, Latin America Economist, Bloomberg Economics
Read more here
In September, production rose in 22 of the 26 sectors surveyed by the statistics institute. Capital goods output, which is considered an indicator of future investments, jumped by 7% on the month while durable goods surged by 10.7%.
Analysts surveyed by the central bank have pared bets of an economic contraction this year to roughly -4.80% from -6.50% at the start of July. Still, officials including Economy Minister Paulo Guedes have said that emergency spending must be limited as debt nears 100% of gross domestic product.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.


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In another sign of just how hard the UK's big grocery retailers are finding things right now, Morrisons has lost its place in the FTSE100, it was announced on Wednesday night.
The supermarket, which is Britain's fourth largest by market share, has been struggling to compete in the super competitive grocery market, and the demotion to the FTSE250 reflects a share price drop of nearly 50% since late 2013, and more than 17% so far in 2015.
The struggles of the British supermarket sector right now are pretty well documented. Aldi and Lidl, the two German discounters, are continually stealing market share from the big, established retailers, while online grocers like Ocado and Amazon Fresh are providing competition from a totally different direction.
The most recent data provided by major retail analysts Kantar World Panel showed that the German supermarkets now have a combined 10% of the UK's grocery market, and are consistently robbing all the big supermarkets, excluding Sainsbury's, of market share.
Morrisons is finding the changes particularly difficult to adjust to though, and it has seen its market share fall by 0.5% so far in 2015, according to Kantar's data.
Alongside dropping market share, sales for the company are also doing terribly. Morrisons' like-for-like, and total sales have both fallen in every quarter in 2015. In its most recent update, sales had fallen by 2.6% in the three months to November.
At the time, chief executive David Potts gave a pretty lukewarm response to his company's results, saying:
The business is moving at pace on the long journey towards improving the shopping trip for customers. Our priorities for the rest of the year are unchanged - to stabilise trading, reduce costs and further improve the capability of the leadership team. We are making good progress in many areas and customers are noticing improvements.
Morrisons' troubles in recent years have been compounded by the failure of their convenience stores. M Local — first created in 2011 as a competitor for Tesco Express and Sainsbury's Local — was an unmitigated disaster for the company, and Morrisons were forced to sell the 140 stores to private investors for just £25 million ($37.3 million) in September. All 140 of the stores were making a loss.
It is expected that the demotion will mean that shares in the company are sold off by big tracker funds, the BBC reports. So far though, investors don't appear to be too worried about the demotion, and shares are up around 0.7% in early trade on Thursday morning.
Along with Morrisons expulsion from the top table of British shares, both G4S, the security company, and Meggitt, which does aerospace engineering, have also dropped into the FTSE250.
The demoted companies will be replaced by WorldPay, Provident Financial, and Irish investment firm DCC.


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FIDO Security Keys are easier to use and more secure than other forms of 2FA, and solve the problem of man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks by providing cryptographic proof that the user is in possession of the second factor and that they’re interacting with a legitimate service, reports the Google blog.
MORE FIDO in the News
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Passwords have been the longtime standard for securing online accounts,...June 24, 2022
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A tech industry coalition including Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc. and...
CNET: Learn About Passkeys, the No-Password Login Tech Coming to iOS 16 and Android
Apple recently showed off a new replacement for passwords coming...


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Software piracy in Canada exceeded $1.1B in 2011
TORONTO - The value of computer software piracy in Canada totalled just more than $1.1 billion last year with 40 per cent of computer users admitting they acquired software illegally, according to a study released Tuesday.
The Business Software Alliance study found that nearly one in three copies of software was unlicensed in Canada in 2011.
"If 40 per cent of consumers admitted they shoplift -- even rarely --authorities would react by increasing police patrols and penalties," said Jacquie Famulak, head of the Business Software Alliance Canada committee.
"Software piracy demands a similar response: concerted public education and vigorous law enforcement," Famulak said in a news release.
The study also found that admitted software pirates in Canada were predominantly male between the ages of 25 and 34.
Globally, the study found that piracy rates in emerging markets towered over those in mature markets -- at 68 per cent, compared to 24 per cent, on average.
The global software piracy rate was at 42 per cent in 2011, while a steadily expanding marketplace in the developing world drove the commercial value of software theft to $63.4 billion.


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Further, even after receiving funding, founders still need to ensure that their finances are in order.
In the article “How to Manage Personal Finances; Mistakes Founders Make at Various Stages” published in EconomicTimes.IndiaTimes, Srikanth Bhagavat, MD/Principal Adviser of Hexagon Wealth and Co-Director of the Bangalore Founder Institute, gives tips on how to avoid personal financial blunders both before and after a company receives funding.
Prior to receiving funding, entrepreneurs who fund the launch of their own company must pay special attention to their financial stability.
Budget with a Limited Income
With a lack of a steady income, expenses must be budgeted accordingly.
Cut Down on the Luxuries


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Phil Spencer clarifies his previous comments about DLC Exclusivity and more
Phil Spencer has returned to comment on some statements recently released on Twitter, where he indicated that timed exclusive DLCs as deleterious for the video game industry.
In a recent exchange of tweets with fans, Phil Spencer, boss of Xbox, had shared his idea of growth for the world of video games, explaining that in his opinion the companies that pay for exclusive time on DLC not do good for the industry.
Responding to those who pointed to note that Microsoft, in the past and present, have similar behaviors, Spencer clarified his position, turning off any possible controversy nip in the bud.
“People getting worked up on this, Never said Xbox has never done this, not calling out others, just not practice I like, that’s it,” commented the head of the gaming giant of Redmond.
@bxrocboy People getting worked up on this, Never said Xbox has never done this, not calling out others, just not practice I like, that’s it
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) December 23, 2016
A convincing denial, or is it a Microsoft policy born before the recruitment of Spencer as the head of Xbox, from which they would like breaking free in the future?
What do you think of the temporary DLC exclusivity agreements? Are these a necessary marketing move or they really hurt the growth of industry? Let us know your opinion in the comment section below.


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AST & Science LLC announced plans Dec. 16 to become a publicly traded company through a special purpose acquisition company.
SAN FRANCISCO — AST & Science LLC announced plans Dec. 16 to become a publicly traded company through a special purpose acquisition company.
In what is becoming a trend in the industry, AST & Science is merging its business with New Providence Acquisition Corp. as it prepares to trade on the Nasdaq exchange in the first quarter of 2021 under the ticker symbol ASTS.
The transaction is intended to raise money for the company’s campaign to build a space-based cellular broadband network capable of linking standard mobile phones.
As part of the transaction, AST & Science also is rebranding itself as AST SpaceMobile. AST SpaceMobile expects to garner as much as $462 million through the transaction, including up to $232 million in cash from New Providence Acquisition Corp. and an additional $230 million from investors including Rakuten, Vodaphone, American Tower and UBS O’Conner, who have agreed to purchase common stock at $10 per share, through a private investment in public equity agreement.
Abel Avellan, AST SpaceMobile chairman and CEO, will continue to lead the business post-transaction, according to the news release.
“AST SpaceMobile’s low latency, space-based platform will allow hundreds of millions of people across the world to access high-speed, cellular broadband service in areas where there was previously no such service,” Avellan said in a statement. “Working directly with our strategic partners, we are on track in executing on phase one of our commercial launch as we set the stage to bring our game-changing space network for global mobile connectivity.”
New Providence Chairman Alex Coleman said in a statement he sees AST SpaceMobile as a “pioneering company with revolutionary technology, access to a built-in customer base, and a flexible and scalable business model that addresses one of the largest challenges to global connectivity.”


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PSA Peugeot Citroen and Bollore have signed a strategic cooperation agreement which will see the two companies team up to jointly produce and sell electric cars.
The strategic cooperation is also a joint commitment to develop shared mobility solutions, including car-sharing schemes using conventional and electric vehicles.
PSA Peugeot Citroen will manufacture Bollore’s Bluesummer, a four-seat cabriolet electric car with an urban driving range of 200km.
The Bluesummer will be produced at Peugeot-Citroen’s Rennes factory from September, with a maximum of 3,500 vehicles set to be made per year.
Peugeot Citroen enter car-sharing market
As part of their commitment to sustainable mobility, the two companies will also cooperate in the area of car-sharing, initially in Europe and then by creating a joint venture designed to deploy car-sharing solutions worldwide.
This joint venture would involve using electric vehicles (passenger cars and commercial vehicles) as well as low-emission internal combustion vehicles.
The strategic cooperation agreement between PSA Peugeot Citroen and Bollore reflects the two companies shared commitment towards sustainable mobility, aligned with their common goal of becoming a leading player in the car-sharing market.
The agreement also leverages the two companies respective expertise and experience, with PSA Peugeot Citroen having set up various car-sharing operations since 2013, while Bollore is already present in the electric mobility market, having designed several electric vehicles.
Chairman of the Managing Board of PSA Peugeot Citroen, Carlos Tavares, said the agreement helped both companies to achieve their vision of creating cleaner mobility options.
“The agreement signed between our two companies reflects the vision that Vincent Bollore and I share of clean, sustainable mobility solutions that enable us to provide our customers with the freedom to get around, which we consider a fundamental right in today’s society,” he said.
Bollore’s deal with Peugeot complements one the company signed with Renault in September 2014, which involved the production of its Bluecar model at Renault’s plant in northern France.


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Inflation has been off the charts since the beginning of the year so one would think a high Consumer Price Index report wouldn’t be a surprise to traders. But the way that indicator impacts the market is a bit more complex.
As we look to see if today’s news will cool the current rebound rally we are seeing, take a look at how the CPI releases have impacted the S&P so far this year.
The vertical lines are the days the monthly CPI numbers came out. In most cases this year the news reflected rising prices, yet the response by the market has varied. This would indicate that it is often priced in before the news comes out. The big exceptions to that would be when it is much higher (or lower) that the market expects or when it is a trigger for other action as a result of rising prices. The Feds have indicated they are going to keep jacking up rates until they feel they have slowed down inflation.
Trying to trade this type of economic news can cause even the best trader some serious headaches. Using the right option strategy can be a great way to catch a breakout that results from unexpected news. Don Fishback has outline some of the most of effective options strategies in his “QuickStart Guide” and even explained which conditions in which they perform best. If you haven’t read it yet, grab a copy here.
Keep learning and trade wisely,
Market Wealth Daily


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- Volvo has confirmed that the 2014 Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar, which share technology from the Polestar racing cars, will go on sale in the U.S. next June.
- The action "marks the start of an extended Polestar production model range," said Volvo in a statement.
- Pricing was not announced.
The action "marks the start of an extended Polestar production model range," said Volvo in a statement.
Pricing was not announced.
Initially, Volvo said the 2014 Volvo S60 Polestar was bound for the Australia market as a pilot project. But on Tuesday it confirmed that the S60 and V60 Polestars are set for sale in Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the U.S.
The Swedish automaker said additional markets and final production numbers will be revealed next year.
Upgrades include modifications to increase the rigidity of the chassis, high-performance Ohlins shock absorbers and 20-inch Polestar wheels. The brake system is modified with six-piston Brembo calipers.
Exterior cues include front splitters, along with a new rear spoiler and diffuser.
The six-cylinder, turbocharged T6 engine gets a new twin-scroll turbo and intercooler to produce 350 horsepower.
The six-speed automatic transmission features a new paddle shift system.
The cabin gets new materials and Polestar colors.
Edmunds says: Performance enthusiasts here should snap up these special Volvos.


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Petrochemical Bioparaxylene PEF News 06-11-2019 - Arhive
Petrochemical Bioparaxylene PEF News
China – Polyethylene Terephthalate
PET and its chain are are assessed mixed.
Crude oil price is in downward trend.
Polyamide 6 and its chain continue to lose ground.
Acrylonitrile is steady.
PET Bottle grade export 790/830 $/ton – PET Bottle grade domestic market 6,450/6,550 yuan/ton – PET Filament grade SD domestic market 6,050/6,150 yuan/ton – PET Filament grade BR domestic market 6,150/6,250 yuan/ton
PTA Taiwan 610/620 $/ton – PTA domestic market 4,800/4,900 yuan/ton – MEG 530/545 $/ton – MEG domestic market 4,500/4,600 yuan/ton – PX Korea 780/790 $/ton.
Polyester POY 150D/48F domestic market 6,800/6,950 yuan/ton – Polyester DTY 150D/48F domestic market 8,600/8,750 yuan/ton – Polyester Staple PSF domestic market 6,900/7,000 yuan/ton
Crude Oil Prices Trend
Compounds based on polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) need greater resistance to hydrolysis and aging in hot and humid environments when used in automobiles. For instance, the high electrical power densities of high-voltage systems in electric vehicles lead to greater temperature loads. Furthermore, additional thermal loads arise when charging the battery. In combustion engines, there is a trend towards turbocharged engines, which results in increased temperatures in the engine compartment.
Around 3000 international exhibitors will showcase their innovations at the 50th edition of Heimtextil, the international trade fair for home and contract textiles, to be held during January 7-10, 2020, in Frankfurt. The fair will see more sustainable products than ever. There will be more than 250 companies which will bring sustainably produced textiles.
The Green Directory, a separate exhibitor index focusing on the theme of sustainability that will be published by Heimtextil for the tenth time in 2020, lists these companies and their product innovations. The number of companies included in the directory has increased considerably and is higher than ever before. Petrochemical Bioparaxylene PEF
At Luxe Pack, in Monaco, and Cosmetic 360, in Paris, the Nordic manufacturer known in the luxury industry for its high-end cartonboards presented a series of innovations based on the multiple properties of cellulose pulp, whether to replace plastic in packaging or oil derivatives in cosmetic formulas.Petrochemical Bioparaxylene PEF
There is definitely a lot going on in northern Europe! Indeed, Finnish-based Sulapac is preparing a new generation of cosmetic packaging with Chanel, while Sweden’s BillerudKorsnäs is discussing with L’Oréal and other partners the industrialization of the cardboard bottle, and Helsinki-headquartered Metsä Board is preparing the future for cardboard with a new innovation centre in Äänekoski.
The Hohenstein Quality Labels Tested Workwear and Corporate Fashion are used to label workwear with particularly high demands on product safety and quality. © HohensteinHohenstein, the testing services provider and research partner, has released quality labels for tested workwear and uniforms to emphasise product safety, quality and the durability of workwear.Petrochemical Bioparaxylene PEF
The quality labels combine all the demands made on modern workwear. Their clear product information provides certainty from the supply chain onwards. They include quality parameters, such as testing for harmful substances with Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex and other technology testing.
The Society of Plastics Engineers’ Thermoforming Division is changing its annual conference from every year to every other year, officials announced Nov. 4.
The division has canceled plans for the 2020 SPE Thermoforming Conference and will hold the next conference on Sept. 20-22, 2021 in Grand Rapids, Mich. Petrochemical Bioparaxylene PEF
“For the past several years, the division’s board of directors has received feedback from attendees, sponsors and exhibitors that an annual conference is no longer what the industry needs,” said Eric Short, chairman of the SPE Thermoforming Division.
When offered a choice between two packaging options for the same quality of product, a huge majority across Europe – nine in ten respondents (91.5%) – said they would choose the packaging with 85% less plastic. When asked if they would pay a 12½% premium for this reduced-plastic packaging option, 62% of respondents said they were willing to do so.
These are just some of the results emerging from new research from DS Smith, Europe’s leading sustainable packaging company, published today.
Some sweet-toothed individuals might dream of a room full of candy floss. The fairground treat certainly has its appeal, but what if you had to find an object as thin as a one cent coin hidden inside the sugary mass? A sticky problem, for sure.Petrochemical Bioparaxylene PEF
Now, let’s imagine we are dealing with tufts of man-made fibre instead, the kind used as feedstock for spunlaced nonwovens. This is when things get serious – the most critical medical and hygiene applications for these products demand zero-tolerance of any contamination fragments larger than 1 mm. Still a big task, yet the Uster Jossi fibre cleaning system has the solution, finding and ejecting unwanted substances in the blink of an eye, manufacturer Uster explains.
The Prada fashion group has signed what is billed as the first business loan in the luxury goods sector linking the annual interest rate to practices that help the environment.
Prada said Tuesday that the five-year, 50 million-euro ($55-million) loan with Credit Agricole Group will see interest rates lowered based on “achievement of ambitious targets related to sustainability.” Petrochemical Bioparaxylene PEF
US October ethylene contracts settled for the majority of the market on Monday at an increase of 0.75 cent/lb ($17/tonne), mostly driven by higher spot prices.
The settlement puts October ethylene contracts at 29.75 cents/lb ($656/tonne), as average spot prices rose and cracker cash costs were mostly flat. At least one participant did not settle October contracts at that price. Petrochemical Bioparaxylene PEF
Petrochemical Bioparaxylene PEF News


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Around Brooklyn: Closed for pandemic, Park Slope bar throws haiku contest
Closed for pandemic, Park Slope bar throws haiku contest
Freddy’s Bar and Backroom, a famous bar in Park Slope (where this writer’s friends have performed many times) is sponsoring an online haiku contest for its stir-crazy bar patients. One haiku by customer Nancy Drew read, “Corona bottle/glows in a dark bar/last call/last call!” Another contributor, Laurel Lindahl, wrote, “Freddy’s, oh Freddy’s/I’ve missed your sweet tater tots/and also the booze.” A state court order effectively shut down bars to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Freddy’s owners promise to reopen, according to Patch.
Grocers grapple with soaring prices
What Brooklyn grocer Kareem Dolah called “Styrofoam white eggs” used to cost between 75 cents and $1.10 wholesale. Now, he says, that price has gone up to around $4. Dolah took over the Met Grocery Store on Nostrand Avenue from his father, who started the business in 1973. Like other grocers, Dolah says that shipments from wholesalers are often coming in incomplete, and he has expanded his source of suppliers, Gothamist said. Michael Ruhlman, author of “Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America,” said that New York grocers usually operate on thin margins, with net profits hovering between 1 and 1.5 percent.
City expands categories for who can use day care centers
The city is expanding the categories of New Yorkers who can send their children to city-run regional enrichment centers. Eligible employees now include restaurant, food, takeout and delivery workers, and residential and commercial building staff, the Department of Education announced Friday. The move comes as the total number of RECs is reduced because demand is less than anticipated. Starting this week, the DOE will operate 57 RECs, which can accommodate up to 23,000 kids. There are 18 in Brooklyn, 11 in the Bronx, 15 in Queens, ten in Manhattan and three in Staten Island, according to NBC New York.
Project Balloon Bomb brings color to Brooklyn streets
Christina Cartegena founded Brooklyn Balloon Girls eight months ago. Her business originally designed balloon garlands, backdrops and art for parties, all of which have been canceled during to COVID-19. Now, she has started Project Balloon Bomb, which places rainbow-colored balloon installations on various shuttered business and other areas. Her first Balloon Bomb was at Fierrins, a candy shop in Park Slope. She’s also been contacted by the Flatbush Avenue BID to do some installations there. “Hopefully just seeing balloons out of their window or as they’re driving by, or going to the store for essential items, maybe that’ll just cheer them up a little bit and let them know that they aren’t alone,” she said.
Overwhelming number of retail stores seek rent relief
Retail tenants in Brooklyn are requesting rent help from their landlords in droves as the pandemic rages on and forces many stores to shut down indefinitely, according to The Real Deal. The real estate online publication detailed responses from 80 retail property owners. About two thirds of the landlords surveyed said between 75 and 100 percent of their retail tenants had asked for rent deferrals or forgiveness. About 80 percent of the landlords said they had not developed a policy for rent relief but were instead dealing with it on a case-by-case basis. Ofter Cohen, founder of Terra CRB, said his firm got the general impression that people on all sides of the retail equation were trying to be reasonable and accommodating during the crisis, The Real Deal reported.
Real-life horror story: suspect says he killed, ate dad
A 26-year-old allegedly stabbed his father to death at their Dyker Heights home on Wednesday morning and may have partially eaten him, according to amNewYork. One high-ranking cop told amNewYork that, “it’s one of the worst crime scenes I’ve ever seen. He was missing body parts, we don’t know where they are.” The suspect, Kahled Ahmade, allegedly went to a Dyker Heights bagel shop and told cops who were there that he had killed and eaten his father. The suspect underwent a wellness check at the stationhouse.
Drive-through testing site in Flatbush
In Flatbush, a landmarked Sears store has been turned into a drive-through coronavirus testing site, according to Untapped Cities. The entrance to the testing site consists of multiple white tents in the Sears parking lot on Bedford Avenue. You have to have an appointment to get a test, which you can get by calling the COVID-19 hotline at 888-364-3065. According to the state Department of Health website, having drive-through testing sites reduces density by keeping people who are sick or at rick of having contracted out of the facilities where they could infect other people.
Ortiz wants to extend Census counting process
Asssmelbymember Felix Ortiz, D-Sunset Park-Red Hook, said recently that he welcomed the U.S. Census Bureau’s announcement that it is extending the counting process from Jul 31 to Oct. 31 due to the COVID-18 crisis. “An accurate count can make a major difference in the quality of our lives. Our medical facilities and hospitals would improve with better and more accurate data. We’d have more doctors, nurses and medical supplies with a higher census count,” said Ortiz.
Stringer announces online workshops for small biz
City Comptroller Scott Stringer announced recently a biweekly series of online workshops to expand access to available resources, services and business and minority and women-owned business enterprises impacted by COVID-19. The Comptroller’s Office will provide presentations via Zoom on a range of topics including financial resources from the federal, state, and city government as well as the private sector, and current business opportunities within city and state procurement. Interpretation services will be available in 12 different languages including American Sign Language, Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Mandarin, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu.
Architectural Digest praises design of Brooklyn restaurant
Architectural Digest has praised Rule of Thirds in Greenpoint, a space that embodies the Japanese principle of Mottananai, a concept of “mindfulness, gratitude and intention.” The restaurant is the latest addition to the A/D/O building, a community hub and multipurpose space. While Rule of Thirds is currently closed due to the coronavirus, neighborhood residents can still find inspiration from its design. It incorporates a variety of wood components, including a light Douglas fir throughout the main dining area and a contrasting dark walnut for the bar. As far as color is concerned, it employs muted shades, especially green, to evoke the “lush embrace of nature.”
Sea Wolf survives via online connections
A restaurant in the heart of industrial Brooklyn, Sea Wolf, has been surviving by going online, according to Verizon News. Owner Dan Cirpriani, a Marine Corps veteran, says he is using the same strategy as he did during the first Gulf War: “Adapting our operations and strategy every day as new challenges arise.” He relies on online connectivity to communicate with his customers and rally support for his former employees. Local companies have also donated to Sea Wolf — for example, one firm donated 10 cases of sparkling water, a distiller mailed a case of hand sanitizer and a bakery delivered packaged pastries and cookies.
‘Ice Cream Girl’ compiles video of residents singing ‘We Are the World’
A Bay Ridge woman, who calls herself the Ice Cream Girl because she’s been driving an ice cream truck for years, has compiled a video of local residents singing “We Are the World” in hopes of spreading joy amid the coronavirus pandemic. Maria Campanella says that one of her friends, Frances Mignano, suffered after her uncle died on April 3. Mignano, who collaborated with Campanella on the project, says the lyrics spoke to her and that with everything going on, joy and gratitude can go a long way.
Compiled by Raanan Geberer.
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U.S. Harvest Ramping Up: Reports are coming in from various corners of the U.S. wine industry regarding this year’s harvest. This Napa Valley update shows that expectations are high due to the “exceptional” summer weather. In Washington state, all signs point to a record harvest due to “near-perfect” temperatures, according to the Tri-City Herald.
Record Auction in Sonoma Mirrors Harvest Hopes: Separately, Sonoma’s annual harvest auction raised a record bounty amid high hopes for this year’s crop (A Dry Creek Zinfandel vine pictured at right), according to a Santa Rosa Press Democrat report. A quote from the article indicates the hope for the harvest: "This year has been consistently warm, and the vines set a heavier crop," said Greg Morthole, winemaker for Rodney Strong Wine Estates. "I'm expecting a bountiful crop of a much-better-than-average vintage."
Casino Executive Dabbles in Burgundy: A Macau gambling executive named Louis Ng recently dipped into the French wine business by purchasing Château de Gevrey-Chambertin in Burgundy for $10 million. Many wondered what the plan for the winery might be – Answers can be found in this Wine Spectator report.
New Developments in Napa: Three recent articles highlight some changes at some Napa wineries. For example, Constellation Brands is altering the Robert Mondavi Private Selection brand in several ways, Buena Vista winery is focusing on its history amid renewal, and several Napa real estate purchases are heralding increasing interest in high-end vineyards.
Washington Wine Sales Dissection: Initial returns from Washington state’s efforts to privatize liquor sales have left many folks scratching their head. As this blog post suggests from The Wine Economist, “the combination of higher taxes and fees plus distributor mark-ups have pushed the price of spirits higher on average (for now at least) than under the state store system.” It’s a terrific read, analyzing the changes in retail approaches in the state post-privatization.


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MOSCOW/GENEVA: TASS/ The EU was able to convene an arbitration group to resolve the dispute between the European Union and Russia in the WTO due to restrictions on imports of pork, the Russian Federation continues to insist on the groundlessness of EU claims, Russian Ministry of Economic Development said in a statement on Wednesday.
“As previously reported, at the first meeting of the dispute resolution, Russia blocked the establishment of a panel within the dispute ‘The Russian Federation measures against the import of live pigs, pork and other pork products.’ However, according to WTO rules, the panel is automatically established in case of second appeal. Therefore, a dispute panel was established at a meeting on November 21,” the statement read.
Russia continues to insist on the groundlessness of this step by the EU and proceeds from the full and timely implementation of the decision on the dispute, the ministry stressed.
A sales representative in Geneva, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed this information to journalists. “The LFS agreed with the European Union’s second request to create a panel of arbitrators to determine whether Russia had fulfilled the earlier decision that slammed the Russian ban on the import of live pigs and pig products from Lithuania, Poland, Latvia and Estonia, as well as EU ban on the import of live pigs and certain types of pig products,” the source said.


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VIDEO: Mixed picture across Devon
A month on from the reopening of non-essential shops, footfall in Exeter is beginning to climb. The picture around the rest of the county is mixed. Plymouth has 57 per cent of the footfall of this time last year. In Exeter, the figure is 67 per cent.
Lillie Hayter from Sobey's Vintage Clothing on Gandy Street, Exeter says they had initial concerns that reopening wasn't working out well, but business picked up once bars and restaurants began trading again a couple of weeks in. A busy city centre leads to more customers.
Ray Robbins of Plymouth City Traders Association says business has been good, but everyone fears a second spike.
A week before wearing face masks in shops becomes compulsory, this short report from BBC Spotlight looks explores the ups and downs of retail life as the pandemic continues.


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Walmart is expanding its presence in Canada, with a plan to open its first Korean BBQ joint in Calgary in the coming months.
In an announcement Wednesday, Walmart said it plans to open a “Khoi BBQ” in Calgary’s Little Italy neighbourhood, a new addition to its existing Korean BBQ operations in Calgary and Vancouver.
“We’re excited to be opening the doors of our first Khoi Barbecue in Calgary,” Walmart Canada CEO Greg McLeod said in a statement.
“The city is a perfect location for our Khois BBQs, and the city is an ideal location for this one.”
McLeod said the Calgary location will be the first of its kind in Canada.
“Our Khoisan BBQ will be an authentic Korean BBQ experience with the best barbecue available,” he said.
“It will be a great addition to our Khaanbao” chain of restaurants.
McLeod also announced that a second location is being planned for Little Italy in the next few months.
“When the first Khaani Barbecue opens, we will be able to provide a great place for our guests to enjoy a great selection of Korean BBQ, and we look forward to welcoming our guests and the community to our new location in Calgary, as well,” he added.
McLennan said the expansion will help to “add to our footprint” in Canada and is part of Walmart’s efforts to expand in Asia.
McDonald’s is the third company in Asia to open Korean BBQ restaurants.
In August, the company said it would open a restaurant in Beijing.
And last month, Walmart announced that it would be opening its first U.S. Korean BBQ restaurant in the Phoenix area.
In its announcement, Walmart noted that its Canadian restaurant will be located at the same Calgary location it is currently operating.
The company said its expansion will create 1,000 jobs and generate $1.5 million in annual economic activity.
Walmart is expected to open Khaans BBQ in Little Italy by the end of the year.
McKenzie said the company is “very excited” to expand its Canadian operations and that it will be opening new stores and stores in other parts of the country.
The Calgary location is expected a first for Walmart, which is the first U, European and Asian company to open such a location.
McLean said the expanded location will also help to fill the growing demand for its Khaangbao brand of Korean barbecue.
“As we continue to expand our global footprint, we are looking forward to opening more Khaaan BBQs across Canada, including Calgary,” he noted.
“This expansion will add to our existing Korean barbecue operations in Canada to help fill our expanding demand.”
McKneely said Walmart has more than 100,000 stores in Canada today.


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Europe 'investigates Apple's iPhone tactics'
London, May 27, 2013
The European Commission is investigating whether Apple is using anti-competitive iPhone sales tactics and technical restrictions to squeeze out rival smartphone makers from the European market, according to documents seen by the Financial Times.
According to a questionnaire sent last week to several European mobile network operators, the commission is focusing on distribution terms that might favour Apple by ensuring no rival can secure a better sales deal, said the newspaper.
Apple said its contracts comply with EU laws, said the FT.
The inquiry is the result of private complaints from mobile operators and is at a preliminary stage.
Before a formal probe can be launched, the commission would need to be confident that Apple was dominant in the EU smartphone market, which may be hard to show given the popularity of Samsung Electronic's Galaxy handsets. - Reuters
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