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The world’s largest soft-drink maker saw its shares reach a 52-week high of $74.48 as news of its 8 percent increase in earnings for the first quarter-ended March 30 began to spread through the markets. Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) announced that earnings climbed to $2.05 billion or 89 cents per share, up from $1.9 billion or 82 cents per share from just one year ago. The company that also makes Minute Maid juices, Vitaminwater, Powerade energy drinks and Dasani bottled water reported that revenues grew by 6 percent to $11.1 billion, an increase from $10.5 billion for the same period one year ago. A consensus of analysts had expected revenue of $10.8 billion for the beverage giant. Bloomberg reported that Coca-Cola global revenue increased by 5 percent with all geographic operating units posting revenue increases for the first quarter. The North American unit accounted for just 44 percent of all revenue with international units representing 56 percent of all company revenue.
The company took advantage of its ability to raise prices in the U.S. and in many international markets. Prices increased by 3 percent for the quarter versus 1.5 percent for all of 2011. Coca-Cola has also been experimenting with offering consumers and retailers different size beverages. As recently as 2008 they only offered 20-ounce bottles in addition to 12-ounce cans and 2-liter bottles. Now customers may find 7.5-ounce cans, 14-ounce, 12-ounce and 12.5-ounce bottles of their favorite refreshment. Global growth included gains in India of 20 percent, China improved 9 percent, and Brazil rose 4 percent. Demand for bottled water increased 15 percent and energy drinks continued their spectacular rise by 25 percent. The brand’s Coca-Cola beverage only gained 4 percent. One area of concern continues to be foreign currency exchange as it had a 2 percent negative impact on earnings and may further depress net income in coming quarters.
The company is in the third year of its 2020 Vision program to realize broad-based improvement in the 200 countries that the company serves along with the many brands that Coca-Cola is responsible for bringing to consumers. The company reported that it is well on its way to recognize $500 to $650 million in annualized-savings by the end of 2015. This is despite the long, hard effort to manage rising commodity costs that have squeezed margins to 61 percent from 62.5 percent from one year ago. Costs of goods sold rose by 10 percent for the first quarter as ingredients continued their upward move. This hasn’t stopped rival soft-drink maker PepisCo (NYSE: PEP) from making inroads on Coke’s dominant position in the marketplace. Company chief executive officer Muhtar Kent remarked that despite the challenges of the U.S. economy recovery that “…it’s still a better place than Europe.” He added that “We are highly focused on creating value for consumers, customers, communities and investors.”
A Sweet Spot
The soft-drink market has been decreasing in the U.S. for seven years now, but Coca-Cola has been able to offset that loss by selling more from the bottled-water and energy drinks segments. Coupled with the offer of smaller sizes to the ever-budget conscious consumer and the company looks to have avoided some of the pitfalls that its competitors have found themselves struggling to manage.
International sales continue to climb and support their many brands as Coke marches toward the London Summer Olympics and one of its splashiest advertising and marketing efforts in recent memory. The world’s attention will be focused on the Olympics later this summer and Coca-Cola will be keeping an eye on how many of its brands are attracting consumers and wooing drinkers from other beverage companies.


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25 September 2017
Royal Caribbean tells Australians ‘this is not a cruise’
Royal Caribbean International has asked Australians to “Come Seek” a different cruise experience and join the “world’s biggest playground”.
The ad uses the slogans “this is not a cruise, this is a Royal Caribbean cruise” and “this is not your dream holiday, this is your next holiday”.
The brand campaign, created by Hulsbosch, aims to differentiate Royal Caribbean from its competitors by showing Australians the different activities on board such as snorkelling, indoor sky diving, surf riding, dodgem cars, rides and entertainment shows.
Kathryn Valk, director of sales and marketing at Royal Caribbean, said the campaign aims to help Australians and New Zealanders reconsider everything they think they know about going on a cruise.
“The TVC will open both new to cruise and existing cruisers to the possibilities and imagination of a holiday on Royal Caribbean, and to holiday experiences around the globe which simply can’t be matched anywhere else, on land or sea,” Valk said in a statement.
Hans Hulsbosch, ECD at Hulsbosch said the ad will “cement” the cruise line’s leadership position in the market.
Hans Hulsbosch – Executive Creative Director
Chris Round – Copywriter
Bettina Clark – Art Director
Sharif Monem – Senior Account Director
Hannah Sharp – Senior Account Manager

domain: news


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Tiny Storage Computer (SOS ), a provider of data-storage systems, with 2001 sales of only $9 million, is doing battle with the giants of the industry--companies such as Hitachi and Veritas Software. Storage has sued both for patent infringement. And Storage may take on even bigger foes, such as Hewlett-Packard, EMC, and IBM. Storage has been emboldened by its success with Seagate Technology, which settled in December on an infringement suit that Storage filed in March, 2001, against Seagate's XIOtech unit. Storage said XIOtech violated its patent on specific data-storage methods. Seagate agreed to pay $2.5 million for licensed use of a Storage patent. "This first win brings huge pressure on other defendants, such as Hitachi, to settle," says John Faessel, publisher of On the Market newsletter.
Storage is lining up more lawsuits, says Mike Kicera of McDonald Investments, an affiliate of multiregional bank KeyCorp., which has bought shares. A top Dallas law firm, Sidley Austin Brown & Wood, is handling Storage's lawsuits.
Seagate's settlement was based on a 5% royalty on patent-related sales, so Kicera figures the Hitachi case might mean a win of $250 million--or $13 a share. "That's significant for a small company like Storage," says Kicera, who believes Hitachi and Storage are in talks for a settlement. Storage, now at 6.31 a share, could run up to 25 in 18 months, says Kicera--taking into account a Hitachi settlement, which he expects. Storage CEO Theodore Goodlander declines comment on the lawsuits. Hitachi couldn't be reached.
By Gene G. Marcial


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Will the latest UV drying techs win over sheetfed litho?
Monday, January 25, 2016
Last month IST (UK) launched a service that enables UK printers to retrofit LE-UV, LED-UV or conventional UV drying technology onto installed or secondhand equipment.
The move marks the latest in a long line of developments in the growth in usage of UV technology in sheetfed litho printing in the UK over the past few years.
Heidelberg has also recently entered the UK UV market, showing an LED UV press for the first time in the UK at an open house event in November.
It has already installed more than 20 LED presses in Japan, where there is an energy-saving imperative for businesses, and the technology has also proved popular in Europe, with presses already installed in Switzerland and Germany.
As clients increasingly demand shorter turnaround times and use more uncoated stocks, more and more litho printers are looking for a way to compete with digital printers on short-run work, and UV technology is proving to be the best option in many cases.
Conventional UV curing, which uses mercury lamps as a UV source, has been around for many years but newer types of UV curing – namely LE-UV, also known to Komori users as HUV, and LED-UV, are currently leading the way (see box).
The main draw of UV curing is that ink dries instantly, saving on storage space and time and allowing work-and-turn or finishing to be completed immediately.
“I think if you’re in the short-turnaround market with offset material it’s a huge advantage as there could be up to three days drying time with certain grades of offset material,” says KBA UK product and marketing manager Craig Bretherton.
“Web-to-print businesses would find the ability to turn around work in a matter of hours a major benefit and would likely charge a premium for that service as well.”
The rise in the new UV technology has been brought about not just by an increasing number of manufacturers starting to offer the technology, but additional factors such as inks being better and more readily available.
The new inks used in LE-UV and LED-UV curing also give prints a sharper and brighter appearance than the ‘flat’ results traditionally produced by conventional UV inks.
“If you were to print UV in a commercial market with a commercial press five years ago, the inks had a matt finish and were not oil-based gloss products,” says Heidelberg UK press product specialist Matt Rockley.
“Developments now enable us to match conventional ink with a UV product.”
UV technology can also open up new revenue streams by enabling printers to print on plastics, foils and substrates with a high surface tension. This opens up potential opportunities including loyalty cards and stickers and effects such as UV varnishes and high builds.
One reason conventional UV is seen as a less enticing prospect than newer UV technology is the fact that the mercury lamps the technology uses are likely to be phased out of the print industry over the coming years.
“Now there is an alternative that works and is credible, more legislation will come down on the mercury lamps,” says Bretherton.
Apex Digital Graphics managing director Bob Usher adds: “Conventional UV gives off a large amount of ozone, which has to be ducted out of any print works. LED UV completely eliminates powder spray so the machinery and the print works become completely decontaminated from powder.
“The lamp life is also around 18 times longer than that of a conventional UV lamp, which printers have to continually change.”
But there are drawbacks to all types of UV curing. Owing to their extra sensitivity, UV inks are more expensive than standard inks, adding a potentially large cost to a printer’s consumables bill.
“If you’re a high-volume user it can be up to three times the price but users have found that all the other benefits – such as bringing finishing work back in-house, more floorspace, quicker reaction times and the ability to print on difficult substrates – are worth it as they’re making more money,” says Bretherton.
The actual need for a UV press is also dependent on the type of work carried out by a printer and its typical run lengths.
“If you were to do 15,000 sheets of a job on a long perfector, that might take an hour and five minutes including the makeready, so why would you need dry ink?” says Rockley.
But overall, the new types of UV curing have given more choice and, crucially, the ability to compete back to commercial offset printers in the short-run quick turnaround markets.
Both the supply and demand of the technology is quickly growing and 2016 could prove to be a banner year, particularly with Drupa on the horizon, though this is dependent on how much importance litho press manufacturers and suppliers place on UV at the show. Typically they are keeping tight-lipped on the issue at this stage.
“It’s real live technology now and everybody that we’ve shown it to is extremely positive about it,” says Bretherton.
Usher concurs: “We’re seeing a lot more enquiries now. What’s accelerating it is the improved economy. Printers are far more willing to borrow and that leads to the ability to take a risk to buy something new.
“I think the growth in the modern types of UV curing will happen dramatically. Everybody is on the bandwagon and promoting it, UV is the buzzword.”
It may be time to reassess the options for UV drying
John Charnock, managing director, Print Research International
The benefits in UV curing is that the sheets come off the press already dry and the ability to use inter-deck drying so that the ink from one unit is dry before the next colour is printed. UV is also used when printing on substrates with a high surface tension, such as plastic.
The challenge with conventional UV systems is that the press has to be cooled with water because of the high heat generated by traditional UV dryers, and this high heat also leads to a risk of fire – not something you want in a print works.
At the time I was buying for St Ives the company had a zero tolerance to fire risk and so all UV presses in the group had to have an automatic CO2 fire suppression system, which is a significant additional cost. This infrastructure was expensive and, combined with the higher cost of ink and higher cost of the UV lamps and curing system, made it prohibitive in many cases.
The massive benefit of LED UV is that the UV drying system is significantly cheaper and the lower heat/energy requirement of LED makes it much safer and therefore a more attractive process.
LED UV appears to be taking off in Europe both in the large-format arena and the offset arena, but take-up has been slow in the UK as many believe the inks are very expensive and the systems require horrible photo-initiators.
However, that is not so much the case today as there have been huge advances in the technology; low-migration inks and process systems as well as other developments that make LED UV significantly more attractive.
That tied with the lower operating costs, fewer emissions, low odour and much lower fire risk make LED UV at least a consideration for new investment.
If you are looking for differentiation, LED UV offers some attractive propositions and I suspect we will see an increasing number of installs over the coming years.
What has been your experience with new UV technologies?
David Lamdin, director, Selsey Press Runs a B2 Komori Lithrone with HUV (retrofit by Benford UV in 2014)
“For short-run jobs HUV is a lot quicker because you can take the job straight out of the machine after printing and do whatever you want with it. Customers especially like the print onto uncoated stocks, which is a lot crisper, sharper and brighter because it’s not soaking in. There’s an increase in ink cost - but for short-run work it doesn’t make much difference - and the metallic inks are also not quite 100% there yet.”
Ian Gatfield, production director, Wincanton Print Ordered the UK’s first Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75 LE-UV press
“We’re a very quick-turnaround print company and the LE-UV will allow us to deal with uncoated stocks and bespoke papers faster and eliminate marking issues. Our press also has Inpress Control so to have that with UV ink will give us such an advantage with quicker makereadies. The inks are up to three times more costly, so for longer runs I could see that being an issue but we’ll run a conventional press alongside the LE-UV press to do those.”
David Bland, director of sales and marketing, Blackmore Installed the UK’s first KBA LED UV press, a Rapida 105, last year
“We’ve seen huge benefits in electricity saving and having a perfectly dry sheet coming out the end of the press means the press is shorter as you don’t need a coating tower or extended dryer. It’s opened up an entirely new market for us, we used to put many more jobs out to digital printers but because it’s such a quick press and quick makeready we’re now able to compete both in the B2 market and on the smaller digital jobs.”
Unlike conventional UV curing, neither LE-UV/HUV nor LED-UV technology use mercury lamps as a UV source
In LE-UV, LE stands for ‘low-energy’ and refers to the power of the lamps compared with standard mercury lamps
In Komori’s HUV technology, the H stands for ‘highly reactive’, which refers to the nature of the inks. They are more sensitive, so don’t need as much energy as standard UV inks and can be used with lower-output lamps
Both HUV and LE-UV use lamps that are doped with iron. These lamps don’t emit the shorter UV wavelengths that generate ozone, and as a result obviate the need for ozone extraction. Additionally, as they consume less energy they produce less heat, so require less cooling, which helps reduce the power consumption of the UV curing system
In LED-UV the LED stands for light-emitting diode. The UV they put out is in a much narrower band of wavelengths that don’t generate ozone. LEDs are more efficient at converting electricity to electromagnetic radiation than conventional bulbs, however they do generate heat, so heat extraction is still needed


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Dublin sandwich bar looks to expand in London
O’BRIENS, the fast-growing Irish sandwich bar operator, is targeting London and the South East for expansion opportunities in its attempt to build a chain of 400 to 500 stores in the UK.
The Dublin-based group, which already has 235 outlets in 11 countries, is mainly seeking to expand by licensing the concept to franchisees, although acquisitions are also on the menu as a means of speeding up the present pace of expansion of about 25 to 35 new stores a year.
Brody Sweeney, the founder and managing director, admitted that he had held talks last year about buying the struggling Coffee Republic group. He said he was intrigued that the chain had recently started converting its coffee shops to made-to-order sandwich bars. “They seem to


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The week we’ve all been waiting for is finally here! Our cast and crew have been working since the start of the year to bring the Aladdin production to life and after getting a sneak peek into rehearsals we can report it will be truly spectacular.
Tickets will be available to purchase online for the remainder of the week and will only be available to purchase at the shows if they haven’t sold out.
Friday 4th June – 7:00pm (Foyer open at 6:00)
Saturday 5th June – 3:00pm (Foyer open at 2:00)
Saturday 5th June – 7:00pm (Foyer open at 6:00)
Theatre doors open 20mins prior to the show.
Souvenir programs will be available for purchase before the show for just $5. (Card only, no cash).
The production goes for one hour only and there will not be an intermission. Due to this, and COVID considerations, snacks will not be available for purchase.
Please be mindful that no videoing or photography is permitted during the performance. There will be an exciting opportunity to take photos with the cast after the show in a special themed area.
*Feature photo thanks to Dominika Lis and Dolphins News


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Gears Tactics and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla make the Xbox Series X lineup look better than it did a week ago.
Prior to this week all we knew was that the Xbox Series X was coming sometime in November. The Series S hadn’t even been officially confirmed. Now we know both will come out on November 10 and have a clearer picture of what games they’ll launch with. Neither will have the big, first-party allure of Halo Infinite, which Microsoft announced back in August would be delayed until 2021, but as far as launch lineups historically go it’s looking much more decent:
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- Gears Tactics
- Tetris Effect: Connected
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon
- Destiny 2: Beyond Light
Whatever the real reason behind Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s release date getting bumped up a week (hey Cyberpunk 2077), it now means someone picking up a Series X at launch will have a big, open world role-playing game to try out on their next-gen console. Microsoft also announced today that the excellent XCOM-like, Gears Tactics, will make its console debut on November 10 as well. It’ll be available on both Xbox One and Series X, and of course is already out on PC. Based on the dozen hours I spent with it on my not great but not terrible PC, it’ll still meaningfully benefit from the next-gen jump where it will run in 4K at 60 FPS.
Tetris Effect, while two years old at this point, is still one of the best Tetris games, and its Connected expansion adding multiplayer is debuting first on the Series X. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the RPG-spin on the long-running series which came out earlier this year in Japan. It’ll come to PS4 and PC in November as well, but Series X will be its timed-exclusive next-gen launch, now three days ahead of its November 13 release on other platforms.
Then weirdly enough there’s Destiny 2’s next expansion, Beyond Light. Destiny expansions are big, and while not exclusive, this is possibly the closest we’ll ever get to new Xbox hardware launching alongside something new from Bungie. The expansion, normally $40, is also included for free with paid Game Pass subscriptions. And while Bungie hasn’t yet confirmed when they will arrive, the next-gen versions of Destiny 2 will run at 60 FPS, something console players have been desperate for.
This current list is on par with the over 20 games the Xbox One launched with once you include day-one next-gen upgrades for games that will already have come out like Watch Dogs: Legion, NBA 2K21, and Marvel’s Avengers. And whereas Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag had already been out for two weeks when it came to Xbox One and PS4, Series X has the benefit of launching alongside Valhalla.
There’s still no eye-catching if shallow exclusive like Ryse: Son of Rome. Xbox One also came out with a new Forza. It’s still strange that in an era where Microsoft owns more studios than ever, its new Xbox has no first-party exclusives coming out of the gate. Instead, the Series X is relying on good timing and deals with third parties to grease the launch wheels.
I wish Series X also had Spider-Man: Miles Morales but it doesn’t. The closest thing to it is the timed-console exclusive The Medium, but it was conspicuously absent from today’s Series X announcement. It’s currently slated to come out before the end of the year, but who knows what still might get delayed in the weeks and months ahead.


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SEATTLE — Overweight or obese women who have less-than-optimal levels of vitamin D and lose more than 15% of their body weight experience significant increases in circulating levels of this fat-soluble nutrient, according to a study released last week by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
“Since vitamin D is generally lower in [people] with obesity, it is possible that low vitamin D could account, in part, for the link between obesity and [such] diseases [as] cancer, heart disease and diabetes,” said Caitlin Mason, lead author of the paper, published online May 25 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “Determining whether weight loss helps change vitamin D status is important for understanding potential avenues for disease prevention.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D helps promote calcium absorption and is needed for bone growth and bone healing. Along with calcium, vitamin D also helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. The nutrient influences cell growth and neuromuscular and immune function, and also reduces inflammation. Many gene-encoding proteins that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis (programmed cell death) are modulated in part by the vitamin.
The yearlong study involved 439 overweight to obese, sedentary, postmenopausal Seattle-area women, ages 50 years to 75 years, who randomly were assigned to 1-of-4 groups: exercise only, diet only, exercise plus diet and no intervention.
Those who lost 5% to 10% of their body weight — equivalent to approximately 10 lbs. to 20 lbs. for most of the women in the study — through diet and/or exercise saw a relatively small increase in blood levels of vitamin D (about 2.7 ng/mL), whereas women who lost more than 15% of their weight experienced a nearly threefold increase in vitamin D (about 7.7 ng/mL), independent of dietary intake of the nutrient.
“We were surprised at the effect of weight loss greater than 15% on blood vitamin D levels,” said Anne McTiernan, director of the Hutchinson Center’s Prevention Center and principal investigator of the study. “It appears that the relationship between weight loss and blood vitamin D is not linear but goes up dramatically with more weight loss. While weight loss of 5% to 10% is generally recommended to improve risk factors, such as blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugars, our findings suggest that more weight loss might be necessary to meaningfully raise blood vitamin D levels.”
About 70% of the participants had less-than-optimal levels of vitamin D when the study began; at baseline, the mean blood level of vitamin D among the study participants was 22.5 ng/mL. In addition, 12% of the women were at risk of vitamin D deficiency (blood levels of less than 12 ng/mL).
The optimal circulating range of vitamin D is thought to be between 20 ng/mL and 50 ng/mL, according to a recent data review conducted by the Institute of Medicine, which found that blood levels under 20 ng/mL are inadequate for bone health and levels higher than 50 ng/mL are associated with potential adverse effects, such as an increased risk of developing kidney stones.


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Rogers Communications Inc. customers now have 18 more destinations in Asia and Oceania where they can now use the Roam Like Home service, the carrier announced Wednesday.
Nearly 2.3 million customers have used the service, which allows Canadians travelling in certain countries to pay a flat rate for mobile data, since its launch in 2014.
While Roam Like Home was initially restricted to the U.S., it’s now available in more than 100 countries, with Rogers announcing the addition of China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, India, Pakistan, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand, to the list.
According to a recent study commissioned by Rogers, nearly 2 million Canadians plan on travelling to Asia this year, and 95 per cent plan on bringing their smartphones along for the trip, whether it’s to keep in touch (a reason cited by 73 per cent of respondents), take photos or videos (66 per cent), or check email (66 per cent). The company also said that travellers to Asia are almost a third more likely than visitors to other regions to bring a device in order to access the Internet.
Using the Roam Like Home plan, Rogers customers are charged $10 per day for unlimited local calls and text messages when visiting an eligible destination (except for the U.S., where visitors are charged $5 per day), for a maximum of $100 for 10 days ($50 for customers visiting the U.S.).
Bell Mobility offers a similar U.S. package, called Roam Better, though Bell customers travelling elsewhere would need to purchase one of the company’s international packages, which vary in price. A 30-day travel pass for “Zone 1,” which includes western Europe, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, and New Zealand, starts at $30.
If you’re not with one of the Big Three, don’t worry – there are lots of other options available.
Vancouver-based Roam Mobility Inc. offers a SIM card that travellers to the U.S. can insert into an unlocked phone for $9.95, with the company offering a range of talk, text, and data options for between $2.95 and $7.95 per day.
Toronto-based KnowRoaming offers a similar package, allowing travellers to pay $10 for a sticker they can affix to their current SIM card (though again, the phone must be unlocked) which connects them to local networks – and their pay-as-you-go rates – in more than 200 countries. In China, for example, a KnowRoaming user would pay 34 cents per minute for calls, or 21 cents per text message, while users in Australia would pay 18 cents per minute to call a landline, 30 cents per minute to call a mobile phone, and 25 cents per text message. KnowRoaming also offers unlimited data packages, which start at $7.99 USD per day.
Of course, U.S.-bound travellers always have the option of buying a U.S. SIM card, inserting it into an unlocked phone, and temporarily buying a pre-paid plan from a U.S. carrier.


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Earlier this week, we heard that Xiaomi’s Redmi was getting ready to unveil the Notice 11R with twin rear cameras, and in the present day, the corporate introduced that it’ll launch the Redmi Notice 11R on September 30 in China.
Redmi mentioned the Notice 11R will include a 90Hz display screen and a 5,000 mAh battery. It’ll have 5G connectivity and each SIMs will help 5G networks.
The corporate additionally shared a poster revealing the Notice 11R’s design, paying homage to the Poco M4 5G. That is no shock because the Redmi Notice 11R is claimed to be a model of the Poco M4 5G, which is not all that totally different from the Redmi Notice 11E already out there in China.
If the Redmi Notice 11R is a rebadged Poco M4 5G, it can include the Dimensity 700 SoC, 6.58″ FullHD+ LCD, and Android 12-based MIUI 13. It’ll have 18W charging and include three cameras – a 5MP digital camera on the entrance and a 13MP main digital camera on the rear joined by a 2MP depth sensor.
Poco M4 5G
Redmi says the Notice 11R will go on sale in China tomorrow beginning at 10AM native time, however the firm hasn’t revealed its pricing.


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The year is half over and we’ve mostly seen all that year has to offer as far as smartphones go. Except, of course, for Apple new iPhones and Samsung’s last hurrah for the year. We already took a look at the premium phones that landed in the market in the first few months of the year and was admittedly at … Continue readingRead More »
The EnviroMinute series gives a fresh, good news approach to the environment in 60-seconds. Airing nationally, each feature looks at solutions developed by companies around the globe.
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Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. Instagram is officially in the long-form video game, and AT&T is ready to reveal WatchTV. But video doesn't just live on your phone, and AMC's new subscription will make for an exciting MoviePass competitor....Read More »
When five young royals show up at the same party, you know it's going to be a good one. On June 19, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice attended the Serpentine Summer party in London, and they were joined by Lady Kitty Spencer , Lady Amelia Windsor , and Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece .Read More »


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Lenovo's Alexa-powered Smart Assistant may look like Amazon's Echo speaker, but it improves upon the original in a few notable ways. The company's Smart Storage, meanwhile, provides a means of sharing media across multiple devices.
It looks like the Moto X isn't dead just yet. Pictures of what the phone could look like have been leaked online, showing a very Moto Z-esque design, including an all-metal body and a large, round camera module.
While there's no official word on whether or not Lenovo is even working on a Droid Turbo 3, a concept designer has come up with a beautiful concept for it -- including a nice-looking 16MP Hasselblad camera sensor.
Lenovo is set to follow the Phab 2 Pro, which was the first consumer-facing Tango phone, with another Tango phone, according to a Lenovo general manager. It's looking like 2017 could be an exciting year for Google's Tango.
Lenovo's Jeff Meredith recently confirmed in an interview that the company will release a third Yoga Book in 2017 sporting Google's Chrome OS operating system. Currently, Lenovo offers two models: one with Android and one with Windows 10.
Leaked documents point that a refreshed ThinkPad X1 Carbon will be announced at CES 2017. The new laptop builds on the current machine's strengths, with a new touchscreen option, Kaby Lake processor, and Windows 10 Hello support.
It looks like Lenovo isn't done with Google's Project Tango yet -- according to CEO of the Lenovo-owned Motorola, the Moto Z could get a Project Tango mod, allowing the device to map indoor areas in 3D.
Recently leaked documents reveal that Lenovo is currently working on the successor to its just-launched Miix 510 2-in-1 Windows 10 PC. It will be based on Intel's seventh-gen CPUs, and support augmented reality.
It looks like Lenovo is set to make a big push with the Moto brand. The company has announced that it will sell all its phones under the Moto name from now on, while continuing to sell computers under the Lenovo name.


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LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. & BURLINGTON, Mass. – Zebra Technologies Corporation intends to acquire Profitect Inc., a privately held provider of prescriptive analytics for the retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industries.
Using machine learning and prescriptive analytics, Profitect’s solution identifies opportunities to improve sales and margin using data from across the value chain for improving inventory and pricing accuracy, out of stocks, supply chain inefficiency, unsellable merchandise, and assortment discrepancies.
The solution identifies a potential opportunity and can generate suggested actions, sending them directly to a worker’s mobile device, providing step-by-step instructions for resolution. By enabling users to understand and act on data, Profitect customers typically realize sales lift, as well as margin and labor productivity improvement enabling a better overall consumer experience.
Zebra will also use the investment to accelerate the development of its Savanna data platform through the acquisition of Profitect’s technology, talent, and skillsets. Combining the real-time data that Zebra solutions capture, with Profitect’s access to operational data, machine learning, and prescriptive analytics, Zebra will work with its partners to empower front-line workers even more – across all verticals – with the insights they need to make better, faster, smarter decisions.
“The acquisition of Profitect expands our relevancy deeper and wider in global retail operations while advancing our software capabilities to make our Enterprise Asset Intelligence vision even more accessible,” said Anders Gustafsson, CEO of Zebra Technologies.
“We have had a strong relationship with Profitect for the past five years through Zebra Ventures, and we are excited to take our strategic investment to the next level by welcoming the Profitect team to the Zebra family.”
Zebra expects to fund the acquisition of Profitect with a combination of cash on hand along with fully committed financing available under its credit facility. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2019. The transaction is expected to be immaterial to sales and profitability in the near term. Financial terms of the acquisition are not being disclosed.


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61.1% of the seniors that tried CBD said that it helped reduce their pain, and 45.6% reported improved sleep quality. Seniors also reported having reduced anxiety, stress relief, and a more positive mood.
Hemp has wide-ranging applications in many industries, but it has attracted particular interest in the wellness industry because of its abundance of phytochemicals, and in particular, its high content of cannabinoids — like CBD — which are proving to have many uses for pain relief, inflammation reduction, general mood improvement and much more.
Here’s a look at what a handful of scientific studies have found in recent years concerning CBD’s medical usefulness.
“…know that all hemp CBD oils are not created equal! A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found nearly 70 percent of hemp CBD oil sold online was mislabeled.”
Opioid-sparing CBD helps physicians lower dose, duration, and frequency of opioid use for Migraine and Chronic Pain. Case example: “Within three months I was able to get rid of the Vicodin. Within six months I was preventing my migraines altogether and I have not had a migraine in six years,”
Farmers grew more than 78,000 acres of legal hemp last year, the advocacy group VoteHemp reported. In 2017, they grew about 26,000 acres and in 2016, the total was less than 10,000 acres.


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Privately-owned InQuira, which was founded in 2002 and has more than 200 employees, offers software used to collect and share information with customers through online forums and assistance and through live support.
“With InQuira, Oracle will provide an integrated suite of proven solutions that deliver a comprehensive and highly personalized experience for every customer, across all channels,” Anthony Lye, senior vice president of customer-relationship management for Oracle, said in a letter to customers.
InQuira boasts more than 85 large corporate customers, including Silicon Valley firms such as Intuit (INTU), Juniper and eBay (EBAY), according to an Oracle presentation on the acquisition. The company’s workers will join the Redwood City tech giant after the deal closes, expected this fall, Lye said.
Contact Jeremy C. Owens at 408-920-5876; follow him at Twitter.com/mercbizbreak.


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Techs that COVID-19 imposed on businesses
COVID-19 pandemic is a very powerful world crisis that took over the glorious history of businesses within two months of lockdown. In some countries, Lockdown was announced suddenly, making it massive pressure on unready businesses and threatening the survival of entire sectors.
But it was for sure an opportunity for some sectors to reconsider their business models and realize how important and crucial technologies can be to determine their survival during a global crisis!
Here are some major must-have technologies and digital solutions that COVID-19 made businesses consider!
COVID-19 has transformed online shopping from a nice-to-have to a must-have around the world Those already owning e-Commerce platforms were fortunate to keep up with their daily business-to-business and business-to-consumer transactions and only relying on their stocks while the customer shops comfortably from home. it’s based on social e-commerce platforms, online shopping, and mobile commerce solutions.
It includes online food ordering services, which are not a virus-immune system to opt for but still can be supervised in the right way to ensure business continuity for restaurants and stores. China already invented delivery-robots to avoid in-person deliveries.
Everything can support delay except for education. COVID-19 made e-Learning from optional to a must! educational institutions started offering courses online to ensure education was not disrupted by quarantine measures. Technologies involved in distant learning are similar to those for remote work and also include virtual reality, augmented reality, 3D printing, and artificial-intelligence-enabled robot teachers.
Proposed digital solutions can be live classrooms, online examinations, and online assessments.
Telemedicine, on-demand lab report, and patient management systems: can be an effective way to contain the spread of COVID-19 while still providing essential primary care. Wearable personal IoT devices can track vital signs. Self-diagnose apps contain Chatbots can make initial diagnoses based on symptoms identified by patients. on-demand
How would life be without apps such as google pay and PayPal in such a crisis? No ATMs, no banks, and a high risk of using cash that might carry the virus. Digital and contactless payments enable people to make online purchases and payments of goods, services, and even utility payments, as well as to receive stimulus funds faster, and safer.
However, according to the World Bank, there are more than 1.7 billion unbanked people, who may not have easy access to digital payments. The availability of digital payments also relies on internet availability, devices, and a network to convert cash into a digitized format still it is certain that it’s the only future and no way behind!
Bureautic companies :
Covid-19 made the “working from the home” system a new norm. A huge challenge that companies lacking the adequate tools had to face. some of the main digital solutions that became compulsory for those businesses are :
- Virtual private networks (VPNs) and voice over internet protocols (VoIP) for a smoother workflow
- Owned Virtual meetings apps: google meet, DUO, zoom, and other apps saved the moment but they have some limitations including the meeting session duration, voice quality, and screen sharing options. Developing your own company’s virtual meeting tool is needed for better and more organized meetings
- Cloud technology-based solutions: cloud technologies are necessary to access files anywhere and from any device
- Data-driven software solutions: like CRM, ERM, and that help Keeping your team on track and to maintain everyone’s regular workflows and tasks while you’re all working remotely will require a top-notch project management tool.
On-Demand service companies :
Pick up and Delivery Solutions, Logistic Solutions, and Hyperlocal Delivery Systems are already a core bone for a lot of businesses. The Coronavirus crisis struck across the world created a whole new reason for organizing and employing them. it ensures the access economy or shared economy and fulfills consumer demand on the basis of immediate access to goods and services.
AIML: Organizations large and small are seeking solutions to understand where the new normal may be going when we emerge from the Coronavirus crisis. Companies are now using multiple AIML applications to analyze the root cause of various consumer and business issues and solve them efficiently. It’s become a self-fueled system where the enormous amount of data that is generated every day is aiding decision making and creating even more relevant data.
To conclude: COVID-19 made the world realize how the economy should stop relying on human interactions to make things work. Labor-intensive businesses, such as retail, food, manufacturing, and logistics get easily affected but such scenarios need a more robust system based on technologies. It was an opportunity and a strong push for businesses to evolve in matters of used digital solutions.


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Both smartphones are expected to arrive in second half of next year.
Apple reportedly is planning iPhone models with 4.7 inch and 5.5 inch curved screen.
Enjoy the fast paced Need for Speed game, totally street racing style with some immensely detailed graphics and gripping challenges.
In this, users have to bring together music outlines to play in the music box.
|GM to introduce wireless charging in select 2014 models Buy a new car today, and it’s likely to come with Bluetooth to wirelessly stream phone calls and music from your smartphone. It doesn’t do away all the cord clutter in your cabin, unfortunately. If you want to charge your phone, you still need a USB cable. Several manufacturers are racing to integrate wireless charging tech, and it looks like GM may be the first to deliver on a large scale. According to a Bloomberg report, the company is hashing out details with the folks at Powermat. GM invested in Powermat back in 2011 and integrated its charging system in the 2012 Chevy Volt. It’s no surprise that GM now wants to expand the partnership. While that’s certainly good news, it’s not good news for everyone. There’s no single wireless charging standard right now, so a built-in Powermat in a 2014 GM vehicle isn’t necessarily going to charge your smartphone. Powermat probably has the biggest consumer presence of the three (which includes Qi), but there aren’t a lot of phones on the market yet that ship with wireless charging capabilities. You can always buy a Powermat case to clip around your phone, but not everyone wants the added bulk of a wireless charging “backpack.” Unless you’re keen on hardware hacking, though, you don’t have an alternative with a device like the Galaxy S4 or Lumia 920. Their first-party charging kits are Qi compatible. The same is true for Verizon’s LG G2. Theoretically, though, this news may turn the tides, since Powermat now has added leverage with device manufacturers. Now that the company can say, “Hey, one of the world’s largest automakers is shipping our chargers,” it should be easier to convince manufacturers to adopt Powermat tech in their phones. Then again, GM has unsurprisingly locked Powermat into an exclusive deal. That either means that it plans to offer onlyPowermat chargers in its vehicles — or that it’ll be the only company to offer both Powermat and others like Qi. Let’s hope it’s the latter. Quoted from http://www.geek.com/news/gm-to-introduce-wireless-charging-in-some-2014-models-1568044/||2013-09-18||Tomato|
|Which is better phone Xolo Q1000 or Micromax canvas HD 116?||2013-08-29||Kaushik|
|Which phone is best android phone below 10k?||2013-08-25||Kaushik|
|Best iPhone,iPad & Android News Apps When you’re on the go, your smartPhone is never far from your hand. Being out doesn’t mean being out of touch when your device is loaded up with apps to keep you in the know. Whether it be breaking news, sports, the latest technology rumors, or getting all of your social updates in one place, these apps keep you in the loop.Imagine being able to just put your favourite newspaper on to iPhone, iPad & Android, ready to pull out and read whenever you wanted? Well PressReader does just that.It literally places more than a thousand newspapers from all over the world just a click smartphone.There are a number of iPhone, iPad & Android news apps that will satisfy your inner news junkie with breaking news alerts, in-depth reporting and lots of multimedia content. Here is the list for the best iPhone,iPad & Android news apps. http://www.apps-catalog.com/products/news-apps https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nanostuffs.apps_catalog https://itunes.apple.com/app/apps-catalog-best-apps-lists/id645785418||2013-08-02||Sneha Gupta|
|Is Nokia Lumia 520 worth purchasing than nokia lumia 620? which is best?||2013-07-06||seshi reddy|


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Small business optimism posted the largest month-over-month gain since May 2018, rising 2.3 points to 104.7 in November. The exceptional Optimism Index reading was bolstered by seven of the 10 Index components advancing, led by a 10-point improvement in earnings. Owners reporting it is a good time to expand increased by 6 points and those expecting better business conditions increased by 3 points. The NFIB Uncertainty Index fell 6 points in November to 72, adding to the 4-point drop in October and the lowest reading since May 2018.
“This historic run may defy the expectations of many, but it comes as no surprise to small business owners who understand what a supportive tax and regulatory environment can do for their companies,” said NFIB Chief Economist William Dunkelberg. “As the two-year anniversary of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s passage approaches this month, small businesses, the world’s third largest economy, are using those savings to power the American economy.”
Earnings, or the frequency that owners report positive profit trends, rose 10 points, 1 point below the record set in May 2018, to a net 2 percent reporting quarter on quarter profit improvements. Stronger profits negated some cost pressures (especially labor) limiting the need to raise prices. A net 12 percent of all owners (seasonally adjusted) reported higher nominal sales in the past three months, up 8 points and the highest level since May 2018.
“Owners are aggressively moving forward with their business plans, proving that when they’re given relief from the government, they put their money where their mouth is, and they invest, hire, and increase wages,“ said NFIB Chief Economist William Dunkelberg. “Owners are most closely focused on issues that directly impact their business, including the real, significant tax relief they were given two years ago, and they’re anxious to see that relief made permanent.”
As reported last week in NFIB’s monthly jobs report, a net 30 percent of small business owners, seasonally adjusted, reported raising compensation (unchanged) and 26 percent plan to do so in the coming months, up 4 points and the highest level since December 1989. Job creation jumped in November, with an average addition of 0.29 workers per firm, the highest level since May. Finding qualified workers though remains the top issue for 26 percent reporting this as their number one problem, 1 point below August’s record high.
Owners raising average selling prices rose 2 points to a net 12 percent, seasonally adjusted. Price hikes were most frequent in the retail trades (7 percent lower, 24 higher) and construction (6 percent lower, 23 higher). On balance, inflationary pressures are weak on Main Street as confirmed by government inflation reports.
November reflects a stark departure from previous months of clatter months about a possible recession that dampened owners’ economic outlook. But the current focus and noise in Washington, D.C. around impeachment is proving to have little, if any, impact on small business owners, no different than during the impeachment proceedings of President Bill Clinton.
Job creation jumped in November, with an average addition of 0.29 workers per firm, the highest level since May. Net job creation had faded from February’s 0.52 workers per firm to September’s 0.10. November’s strong course reversal is a positive sign in filling more open positions. Finding qualified workers though remains the top issue for 26 percent reporting this as their number one problem, 1 point below August’s record high. Twelve percent (up 1 point) reported increasing employment an average of 2.7 workers per firm and 3 percent (down 4 points) reported reducing employment an average of 1.7 workers per firm (seasonally adjusted). Sixty-one percent reported hiring or trying to hire (up 1 point), but 53 percent (88 percent of those hiring or trying to hire) reported few or no “qualified” applicants for the positions they were trying to fill. Thirty-eight percent of all owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period, up 4 points and 1 point below the record high last reached in July.
A seasonally-adjusted net 21 percent plan to create new jobs, up 3 points. Not seasonally adjusted, 19 percent plan to increase total employment at their firm (up 1 point), and 5 percent plan reductions (down 1 point). Thirty-one percent have openings for skilled workers (up 1 point) and 15 percent have openings for unskilled labor (up 2 points).
Click images to view
Sixty percent reported capital outlays, up 1 point from October’s reading. Of those making expenditures, 42 percent reported spending on new equipment (up 2 points), 23 percent acquired vehicles (down 1 point), and 20 percent improved or expanded facilities (up 2 points). Thirty percent plan capital outlays in the next few months, up 1 point. Trade policy is impacting many small firms adversely; about 32 percent recently reported negative impacts, nearly unchanged from earlier this year. Making major commitments about production and distribution will be more difficult until import and export prices are stabilized with trade agreements.
SALES AND INVENTORIES
A net 12 percent of all owners (seasonally adjusted) reported higher nominal sales in the past three months, up 8 points and the highest level since May 2018. The net percent of owners expecting higher real sales volumes fell 4 points to a net 13 percent of owners, the lowest reading since November 2016. Actual sales volumes are strong, but owners are less certain of future sales growth. The net percent of owners reporting inventory increases rose 2 points to a net 2 percent, responding to reported increase in sales. The contribution of inventory investment to GDP growth in the fourth quarter is likely to rise as owners build up stocks. The net percent of owners viewing current inventory stocks as “too low” rose to 1 percent, a gain of 5 points, suggesting that inventory stocks are less excessive now relative to sales growth. The net percent of owners planning to expand inventory holdings fell 2 points to a net 3 percent, a solid number. Overall, owners feel that the prospects for growth still justify adding to inventory stocks.
COMPENSATION AND EARNINGS
Seasonally adjusted, 30 percent reported raising compensation (unchanged) and 26 percent plan to do so in the coming months, up 4 points and the highest level since December 1989. Ten percent cited labor costs as their top problem, 1 point below the record high level reached in September. In retail, 18 percent report labor costs as their main issue, a record high for this industry. Retailers are facing compensation pressures due to labor shortages, but also higher minimum wage laws passed in many parts the country and wage competition with large firms. Retail owners are still not passing on higher compensation costs, with only a net 13 percent (not seasonally adjusted) reporting higher selling prices.
Three percent of owners reported that all their borrowing needs were not satisfied, unchanged and near a record low. Twenty-eight percent reported all credit needs met (down 1 point) and 58 percent said they were not interested in a loan. Three percent reported their last loan was harder to get than in previous attempts, also near a record low. Two percent reported that financing was their top business problem (up 1 point). The Fed’s most recent interest rate cut will lower borrowing costs but at these low levels, the rate cut will make many banks less willing to make longer term loans, fearing that interest rates will rise in the future and eliminate the profitability of those loans.
The net percent of owners raising average selling prices rose 2 points to a net 12 percent, seasonally adjusted. Unadjusted, 8 percent (down 2 points) reported lower average selling prices and 17 percent (up 1 point) reported higher average prices. Seasonally adjusted, a net 22 percent plan price hikes (up 2 points). While only 1 percent plan to cut selling prices, 8 percent reported cuts in November, suggesting that most price cutting is an unanticipated, unplanned response to market conditions – a healthy process.
The small business economy continues to defy expectations in its historic run of strong optimism. This historic run is no surprise though to small business owners who understand it is due to a supportive environment from which to operate. As we near the two-year anniversary of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which includes the Small Business Deduction, owners continue to hire, raise wages, and invest in their business.
The current focus and noise in Washington, D.C. around impeachment has little if any impact on small business owners, no different than 21 years ago during the Clinton impeachment proceedings. Looking at the Index, it showed little variation over the 1998-99 period that includes the pre-impeachment news coverage, the impeachment proceedings, and its aftermath. The initial 2019 path is starting in similar fashion, albeit at a stronger position. So far, it appears there is little to no indication that the impeachment proceedings are having much, if any, economic impact.
November reflects a stark departure from the previous clatter months earlier about a possible recession that dampened owners’ economic outlook. The constant drumbeat of news reporting on the topic generated some concern among small business owners reflected in September’s drop in optimism. But as in the late 90s, a strong economy appears to prevail political disruptions when there is little effect on policies impacting the economy or small business sector.
What really matters to small business owners are the issues that directly impact their business. And right now, the biggest problem is finding qualified labor to fill open positions for 26 percent of owners, far more than those citing taxes or regulations. Two years ago, Congress and the President provided real, significant tax relief to small business owners. Now owners are anxious to have their tax cuts made permanent, so Congress needs to get back to work.


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Medical experts say why people are taking interest in taking these vitamin supplements?
According to new research vitamin supplement can give harm effect instead of useful effect to the health. Therefore, wasting money and time on these vitamin supplements, we should think before taking them that whether, we are feeling are not, the need of taking them.
Medical experts in the presence of Professor “Sir Petroaikry Smith” have taken opinion from more than 35 selling vitamin brands in Europe. From laboratory test they came to know that many benefits that were written and labeled on them were not present in them.
In London, medical experts have online surveyed on more than 1263 vitamin brands, from this research they came to know that there is no benefit for using them and instead of benefits they have many side effects, which are dangerous for health.


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We still have a little bit of time left to go until Fila’s Black Friday 2020 sale arrives. But you can scroll down the page to check out the ad from their last Black Friday sale to get an idea of what’s likely to come. We’ll be updating their sale details as soon as we know more so be sure to either check back or signup to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news and updates. Happy bargain hunting!
Last Year’s Black Friday Ad
Updated on Friday November 29, 2019: We just received the official Black Friday sale details from Fila!
Starting today, shop fila.com with promo code 25SITEWIDE to get 25% off site-wide on all footwear, apparel, and accessories. You’ll also see a number of new specials on their sale page. Sale ends at 11:59 PM PST on December 1, 2019. Available for US customers only, while supplies last.
Some product exclusions may apply so be sure to check the terms and conditions in the ad posted below for full offer details.
You’ll find a complete list of Fila’s current offers and coupons located below. Keep you’re eyes open for good deals as we head into Thanksgiving weekend.
See below for Fila’s last few years of sale history. It’ll help you get a better idea of the types of deals they typically run on Black Friday and through the holiday weekend into Cyber Monday.
What will you be getting at Fila’s Black Friday sale this year? Let us know in the comments below.


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Maimi’s next Blu-ray gets cover, title
Maimi’s Blu-ray releasing October 21st has finally gotten a title and a cover, revealed courtesy of the official Hello! Project website. Her 2nd Blu-ray release will be titled “Flowing” and features a cover with Maimi in a red dress in front of a white stucco building (pictured above). The Blu-ray can be preordered by people living overseas at CD Japan, but quantities are limited.
Posted on September 28, 2015, in News and tagged Yajima Maimi. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.
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Equities researchers at Guggenheim initiated coverage on shares of Monster Beverage (NASDAQ:MNST) in a report issued on Thursday, September 13th, The Fly reports. The firm set a “buy” rating and a $72.00 price target on the stock. Guggenheim’s price target indicates a potential upside of 27.46% from the company’s previous close.
Several other equities research analysts have also commented on the company. ValuEngine lowered Monster Beverage from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 23rd. BidaskClub lowered Monster Beverage from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, August 24th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Monster Beverage from $61.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, June 11th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Monster Beverage from $68.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, July 19th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on Monster Beverage from $63.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, July 12th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. The company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $64.69.
Shares of Monster Beverage stock traded up $0.30 on Thursday, hitting $56.49. 2,376,400 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,011,120. Monster Beverage has a one year low of $47.61 and a one year high of $70.21. The firm has a market cap of $32.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.63, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 1.36.
Monster Beverage (NASDAQ:MNST) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 8th. The company reported $0.49 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.47 by $0.02. Monster Beverage had a return on equity of 24.39% and a net margin of 25.27%. The company had revenue of $1.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.39 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Monster Beverage will post 1.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Monster Beverage announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, August 8th that authorizes the company to repurchase $500.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the company to purchase up to 1.5% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are typically an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.
In other news, insider Emelie Tirre sold 17,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.91, for a total value of $1,035,470.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 46,847 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,853,450.77. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 9.70% of the company’s stock.
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MNST. Janus Henderson Group PLC increased its position in shares of Monster Beverage by 414.7% during the second quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 4,279,018 shares of the company’s stock valued at $245,188,000 after acquiring an additional 3,447,585 shares during the last quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Monster Beverage by 24.4% during the second quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 5,468,514 shares of the company’s stock valued at $313,346,000 after acquiring an additional 1,071,066 shares during the last quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH purchased a new stake in shares of Monster Beverage during the second quarter valued at approximately $56,494,000. Millennium Management LLC increased its position in Monster Beverage by 133.5% in the second quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 1,099,631 shares of the company’s stock worth $63,009,000 after buying an additional 628,708 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in Monster Beverage by 10.1% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 6,792,151 shares of the company’s stock worth $388,579,000 after buying an additional 623,336 shares during the last quarter. 64.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
About Monster Beverage
Monster Beverage Corporation, through its subsidiaries, develops, markets, sells, and distributes energy drink beverages, soda, and its concentrates in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Monster Energy Drinks, Strategic Brands, and Other. The company offers ready-to-drink packaged drinks, non-carbonated dairy based coffee and energy drinks, and non-carbonated energy shakes primarily to bottlers and full service beverage distributors, as well as sells directly to retail grocery and specialty chains, wholesalers, club stores, drug stores, mass merchandisers, convenience chains, food service customers, and the military; and concentrates and/or beverage bases to authorized bottling and canning operations; and ready-to-drink packaged energy drinks to bottlers and full service beverage distributors.
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It wasn’t too long ago that you could head out at night with no plan, hit the bar and make some questionable decisions.
These days, with social outings nixed, the thrills and regrets of night life have gone to the wayside as well, with most of us just sitting at home each weekend like social pariahs or graduate students.
As owner of Aviation Gin, Ryan Reynolds wants you to bring back that spirit of reckless revelry by ordering bottles online, with 30% of proceeds being donated by the distiller to the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild to support the bartenders who “really, really miss you.”
The brand’s newest spot, narrated by Reynolds, celebrates the era of indulgence we remember from the distant past of February 2020 while also encouraging you to keep the debauchery alive in the safety of your own home.
Created by Reynolds’ content studio, Maximum Effort, and production house Escape Velocity, the spot was released today across Aviation’s social media feeds.
The bar scene, which likely couldn’t have been filmed amid the limitations of social distancing and production lockdowns, was actually shot before the pandemic for an unreleased spot with a different premise—one reviving Reynolds’ supposed “feud” with Hugh Jackman.
While the quarantine era has obviously had a big impact on retail sales of alcohol amid bar closures, the trend of alcohol delivery and ecommerce was already gaining steam before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Like many marketers, Aviation Gin’s ability to produce traditional videos has been largely stalled by lockdown in recent months, but the brand has certainly remained active in social media. Last month, Aviation surpassed advertising giants like Nike and Apple by racking up enough fan votes to win Adweek’s 2020 March Adness competition, its second consecutive year as champion in the bracketed brand tournament.
Don't miss the Brandweek Sports Marketing Summit and Upfronts, a live virtual experience Nov. 16-19. Gain insights from leading sports figures on how they navigated a year of upsets and transformation and what's in store for the coming year. Register.


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One passerby told the BBC that they thought the advertisement was "a bit sick." A PETA spokesperson said it was "speciesism."
The author says she wants her child to decide which type of diet he wants to follow when he's older.
"My license plate literally says 'love tofu.' I'm a vegan," Peter Starostecki told WGME, adding that he had no ill intentions.
The author is vegan and raising his children vegan. He's run into challenges with eating at birthday parties and deciding whether to go to zoos.
A cafe's 'Peppa Pig' ad selling bacon sandwiches outrages parents who say it's traumatizing for their kids
Some vegans said the use of the children's cartoon character to promote a meat dish was upsetting, according to EdinburghLive.
Angry vegans are suing Burger King for 'contaminating' Impossible Whoppers by cooking them on the same grill as meat products
The vegans accused Burger King of misleading advertising because its plant-based meat is cooked on the same broiler as their meat burgers.
Here's how to make sure you're getting all the vitamins and minerals you need while following a vegan diet.
If you've eaten meat and dairy for most of your life, going vegan can lead to significant changes within your body. A well-balanced vegan diet can benefit cardiovascular health and prevent disease, but the benefits can be offset by deficiencies if diet isn't managed carefully from the beginning.
The vegan diet can have some major positive impacts on your health, but that doesn't mean it doesn't come with some risks. From junk food vegan snacks to vitamin deficiencies, here are the scary things that can happen on a vegan diet if you're not careful.
Veganism has a lot of true pros and cons, but it also has a lot of myths surrounding it. From weak muscles to expensive groceries, here are some of the most common myths about being vegan and why they just aren't true.
'I was falsely accused of offering online sex': YouTube's vegan community is dealing with a nasty online harassment scandal
It started when Anna Scanlon criticized Charles Marlowe-Cremedas in a private Facebook group. Marlowe reacted by making a series of videos insulting her and spreading unsubstantiated videos about her sexual activity. Now, Scanlon is suing him for libel and defamation of character.
With the recent rise of veganism, here are some effects you may expect to see in your brain and body that are worth considering before you take that leap.
From politicians to business moguls to entertainers, these are some of the most powerful vegans in the world.
VIDEO: I could of been eating these a long time ago!
An NYC shop created a doughnut that's decorated with tiny doughnuts and called it 'doughnut-ception'
Cinnamon Snail, a vegan doughnut shop decorated its doughnuts with smaller doughnuts, then topped those even even tinier doughnuts. It's called "doughnut-ception."


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Glorioso’s Italian Marketon Milwaukee's Brady Street will begin closing on Mondays due to a shortage of workers.
The grocery store and deli said in a statement Wednesday that to start, the store will be closed Monday, June 14 and Monday, June 21. They will announce further closings on Mondays going forward.
“We continue to have labor shortages across all departments," said Michael Glorioso, General Manager of the store, in the statement. “As a result, we have had to take several immediate actions, including closing the store on Mondays, to provide some relief for our overworked staff. We will continue to monitor this situation until we can add the appropriate number of staff to the teams.”
Glorioso’s has been around since 1946, specializing in Italian foods and drinks for order and for customers' grocery needs.


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News and Events
AIC awards TASCC Certification Body contract to Kiwa: 6 December 2018
The Agricultural Industries Confederation has announced that Kiwa has been appointed as the certification body (CB) to run the Trade Assurance Scheme for Combinable Crops (TASCC) for the next four years.
Ian Muirhead appointed Policy Manager for AIC Scotland: 28 November 2018
Ian Muirhead from West Stirlingshire has been appointed as Scottish Policy Manager for the Agricultural Industries Confederation which represents agrisupply businesses involved in animal fed, crop protection, fertiliser, grain marketing and seed.
AIC welcomes Parliamentary report on nitrate in water: 23 November 2018
The Agricultural Industries Confederation has welcomed the report, published by the UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee into Nitrate in water which recognises the progress made by the agricultural industry over recent years.
AIC welcomes new initiative on online plant protection sales: 19 November 2018
The Agricultural Industries Confederation welcomes the announcement from the British Pest Controllers Association (BCPA) and the Crop Protection Association that an agreement has been reached with leading online trading platform eBay to restrict online sales of professional rodenticides and plant protection products.
Collaboration and innovation emerged as key themes at the Agricultural Industries Confederation’s Agribusiness 2019 conference, held against the backdrop of hourly news on Brexit.
Andrew McShane elected AIC Chairman : 23 October 2018
Andrew McShane has been elected Chairman of the Agricultural Industries Confederation to take over from Nick Major who has held the post for the past two years.
AIC disappointed Agriculture Bill lacks trade detail: 12 September 2018
Lack of details on trade and failure to acknowledge food as a ‘public good’ within the Government’s early announcement of its Agriculture Bill are disappointing for the Agricultural Industries Confederation.
Farm advice can drive productivity: 14 August 2018
Joining the knowledge chain from basic research to advice tailored to individual farms is key to improving UK farm productivity, explains AIC Chief Executive Robert Sheasby
Agri-Brexit Coalition – Review and Future Plans: 8 August 2018
The eight trade association members of the Agri-Brexit Coalition met at the AIC office on Monday August 6th, to review progress to date and make detailed plans for the autumn programme.
The opportunities for British agriculture post-Brexit will be top of the agenda for this year's Agribusiness conference organised by the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC). The conference, to be held on November 14th at the East of England Showground, Peterborough, takes the theme of 'Creating a resilient UK Agri-food supply chain.'


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It looks like the auto industry's case of recall-itis is still contagious: Honda has now announced it will recall 344,000 Honda Odyssey minivans and 68,000 Honda Element crossovers manufactured for the 2007 and 2008 model years. For a concern over the vehicles' brakes.
According to the automaker, "Honda has received customer complaints of brake pedals that feel 'soft' or that gradually exhibit a pedal height that gets lower (closer to the floor) before the vehicle stops. In affected vehicles, this condition tends to very slowly increase over time."
Apparently, very small amounts of air can find their way into the models' "Vehicle Stability Assist modulators" when those systems are performing routine self-checks. Problems can then occur if too much air builds up in the modulators. However, Honda has clearly indicated that the problem is only a potential one that does not necessarily affect all the vehicles being recalled.
Honda customers can expect an official notification of the recall by the end of the February; the automaker also has announced that, after April 19, customers can call (800) 999-1009 or log on to Honda's website to see if their vehicles are involved.
The current Honda Odyssey, which is not among those affected by this latest issue, was the best-selling minivan in America in 2009 and remains a strong sales performer for the automaker this year. In February, Odyssey sales increased 11.4 percent over the same time in 2009. February also saw the debut of a significantly revised 2011 Odyssey at the Chicago Auto Show; the new minivan is expected to go on sale this fall.
The 2010 Element, also unrecalled, competes as an aging but still-effective entry in the small crossover segment, where it's positioned as a slightly bigger and more useful box than vehicles like the Scion xB or Nissan Cube. The Element is nearing the end of its life-cycle as well, but Honda has yet to provide details about a future model. Sales of the Element were down 14.8 percent in February.


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Patriots’ Brady to promote UGG apparel
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is joining his supermodel wife in the world of fashion — the NFL star will team up with UGG to promote their men’s line, the Boston Herald reported Tuesday.
In 2011, Brady will be featured in a series of advertisements for the brand’s line of casual footwear, outerwear and accessories for men.
"I have worn and loved the UGG brand for a long time," said Brady, 33, who is married to supermodel Gisele Bundchen — also a fan of the comfy, shearling boots.
“We have decided that we needed to just get the word out there that it’s a brand for guys,” Angel Martinez — CEO of Deckers Outdoors which manufactures UGG Australia — told CNBC’s Jim Cramer, “to give guys permission to wear UGG. And who better to give guys permission to wear UGG than … Tom Brady.”


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Tourist footfall in Meghalaya sharply declines
The ongoing protests over the Citizenship Bill across the country have impacted the tourism industry. Hotels, Resorts in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong have been adversely affected by the ongoing protests.
These months are the busiest season for the tourism industry in Meghalaya, with many domestic and foreign tourists arriving to visit popular places such as Mawsynram, Shillong and Cherrapunji.
The period between November and February is usually considered to be the peak of inbound tourism within India.
In view of the protests, countries such as US, the UK, Israel, Canada and Singapore issued travel advisories to their citizens to “exercise caution” or avoid travel to northeastern states.


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DISSIDIA 012 FINAL FANTASY ARTICLES
September 13, 2010 - Square Enix made formal announcement today of something we reported on last week courtesy of Jump. Dissidia Final Fantasy is getting a sequel, and it's going playable at the Tokyo Game Show later this week.
March 17, 2010 - Tetsuya Nomura second hand Tweets about his upcoming projects, and even hints at a Dissidia Final Fantasy sequel.
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- PlayStation Portable


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Food safety expert Neal Hooker, an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, studies consumer perceptions and government regulatory responses to food recalls.
PAMELA WILLITS talked with him about recent recalls and the need for change.
Last summer we had the tomato and chili pepper recall. The recent peanut recall covered 44 states and involved 600 reported cases of salmonella related illnesses, including nine deaths. Why are we seeing more recalls and what can be done to better protect our food?
We’re seeing larger recalls of greater scope due to enhanced technology and better regulations. Still, I think the trend is going in the wrong direction. Recall should be the last resort.
Part of the problem is we have a complex food supply chain, at times involving foreign food sources: for example, the China pet food recall. In a short supply chain, a result of efficient transportation, product can reach the stores before a problem is detected. Even locally grown or organic doesn’t always mean it’s safe. We need technology that detects problems before they enter our food chain.
How successful are recalls? Are consumers heeding the messages?
Recalls are triggered by an illness outbreak, so it becomes a case of which came first, the chicken or the egg. With fresh produce, the vast majority of recalls occur after the shelf life has already expired.
After the initial recall, consumers tend to develop recall fatigue, tuning out continuing news and leaving them at risk during an expanding recall. We saw this with the peanut recall, which evolved from 30 to 60 to 100 to finally 2500 contaminated products.
How do recalls affect companies in terms of revenue and litigation issues?
Well, Peanut Corp. of America is bankrupt. In the past, poultry recalls have lead to plant closings. In 2003, a class act lawsuit was filed against a leading grocer following a meat recall for not notifying customers sooner. As a result, information obtained through customer loyalty cards is now used in recalls to notify consumers of possible tainted items recently purchased.
So, on the other side is greater goodwill, as we saw during the peanut recall when Kroger expanded its recall to include store-baked products. In effect they’re saying, “Don’t shoot the messenger; we’re acting on your best interest in announcing this recall.”
What kind of impact do recalls have on customer and brand loyalty?
Typically, customers return to their buying patterns within four weeks. You can rebuild brand loyalty if the right things are done during and after a recall, like Tylenol did [after tainted capsules killed seven people in 1982] by acknowledging the problem, reinforcing their marketing message and introducing tamper proof packaging.
With the recent appointment of Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture,there’s been talk in Washington of replacing the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture with a single food safety agency. What are the inherent problems with the current system and how would that change come about?
The majority of the Food and Drug Administration’s budget oversees drugs and medical devices, with the remainder focused on food safety. The USDA, which oversees meat and poultry, was designed to also promote agriculture. It raises the question of how can they regulate food safety as well as promote meat sales. With the exception of infant formula, neither the FDA nor the USDA can require a recall. It’s still voluntary on the part of producers and retailers.
I’d liken the creation of a single food safety agency to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, which was developed when water, air and soil regulations became too wide spread across multiple agencies to successfully enforce.
How does our present system compare to other countries?
We do some things better, but there’s room for improvement. Other countries are looking more aggressively at salmonella risks – the United Kingdom has focused on eggs, Denmark on pork and New Zealand on lamb. These countries plus Australia, Ireland and Canada adopted a single food safety system about 10 years ago. The rest of the European Union adopted a similar system six years ago.
As it took a major crisis in other countries to prompt change to a single system, the peanut recall may be our tipping point.
Article originally appeared in The Ohio State University Alumni Magazine, May-June 09.


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Google today has updated a couple of its apps -- Chrome to Phone and Google Docs.
Chrome to Phone, which was rolled out alongside Android 2.2 Froyo in 2010, is a slick little service that lets you send links from your computer directly to your phone. No e-mailing, no ... whatever -- just click "Chrome to Phone," and it zips from big screen to small. Today's update brings an "updated look and feel," fixes crashes when copying text and adds support for landscape.
Google Docs also got a sizeable update today. New is the ability to make any file available for offline access, and your'e also able to manage content while offline, including seeing files that are out of date. Such offline content will be synced while over Wifi, and you can star and rename files without a connection as well. And nearly as important is a further improvement to how GDocs looks on an Android tablet -- not the first time it's gotten a makeover.
Snag the updates in the Android Market, or at the links below.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Netflix StreamFest: How to watch Netflix for free this weekend
Netflix StreamFest is a 48-hour streaming festival where everyone in India will be able to access the streaming service for free. All you need to do is set up an account and stream all the TV shows and movies that Netflix has to offer without paying anything. Here's how to watch Netflix for free in India during StreamFest.
Samsung’s first ‘budget’ foldable phone could launch early next year
As per a new report out of Korea, Samsung will launch three new foldable phones next year. While the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Galaxy Z Flip successors will arrive in Q3 2021, the company may launch its first "budget" foldable early next year.
Have you gotten the One UI 3.0 update on your Galaxy S20?
On December 3, Samsung announced that One UI 3.0 is officially rolling out to the Galaxy S20 family. Have you gotten the update yet?
These photo printers make it easy to print from your Android phone
Do you want to be able to print photos directly from your Android phone? Well, now it's easier than ever and we have found the best photo printers to choose from in 2020.


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ann taylor Page 1
Funnily enough, our utopia would not include Glenn Beck.
We haven’t seen images from Kate Hudson‘s line with Ann Taylor yet, but in this exclusive video, the actress-slash-designer reveals a tiny bit more about her collection.
Kate Hudson has signed on for another ad campaign with Ann Taylor, but that’s not all — she’s mentoring young women and also designing a capsule collection for summer 2013.
There’s no shortage of people who love fashion on Tumblr, and because of that fashion brands have been a lot quicker to hop on that bandwagon than they were with other social networking tools. But some people who work in fashion are mad as hell that the blogging platform hasn’t created a way to measure how much of an impact they’re having on their customers. Case in point: Julie Friedrickson, the Digital and Social Media manager at Ann Taylor, the first fashion company ever to start a Tumblr.
“We still stay in touch, but it’s been a while since we have seen each other,” an Ann Taylor-clad Bridget Moynahan told us of her former co-star Maria Bello. “Both stars represented at Ann Taylor’s fall preview and cocktail party on Wednesday evening, held at LES hotspot Beauty + Essex. “I guess you could sort of call this a reunion.”
…And not merely by saving us a trip to Mexico. That’s because creative director Lisa Axelson makes a point of going there at least once a year, and brings her inspirations stateside for the rest of us to enjoy. This year, Ms. Axelson went to Tulum, and incorporated both her “fantasy” and “reality” version of the Mexican woman into her whimsical yet practical summer 2011 collection, which previewed to the press this Thursday at Chelsea’s The Glass Houses.
Natalie Portman isn’t the only celebrity with a sparkly new ad campaign out — Katie Holmes (for Ann Taylor), Leighton Meester (for Missoni) and Rumer Willis (for Badgley Mischka) are also getting in on the action.
So. Heidi Klum hasn’t been a former Victoria’s Secret Angel for two weeks, and she’s already landed another job. The supermodel and TV host will reprise her role as the face of Ann Taylor, replacing actress Naomi Watts, and will star in the brand’s holiday campaign again this year. Which, OK. Cool. She’s still working and getting paid and whatnot. And while we certainly don’t want to insult her newfound home, does anyone else think it’s a little bit of a step, well, down?
They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery but you’ve got to believe that somewhere (most likely a sun-drenched cottage in Montauk) J.Crew-guru Jenna Lyons is getting a little steamed. I mean, how would you feel if a handful of your rivals decided to pilfer through your carefully orchestrated playbook and copy your every move?
Ann Taylor’s Loft is the latest brand to take a stab at new media marketing — and so far, they seem to be doing it right. Using Tumblr as their platform, Loft has created LiveLoveLoft.com, a photo-heavy lifestyle site with posts covering nine separate categories including Styling, Beauty, Travel, Home, and Health.


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INF; Splash News Online
What goes up, must come down — at least that’s the case for Britney Spears‘s X Factor style.
Though our love for the pop icon will never wither, we can’t seem to figure out what’s going in the wardrobe department over at her upcoming FOX show.
Style-wise, the judge started the season strong, showing off her toned bod in a skin-tight, hot-pink… Continue reading Britney Spears’s Latest ‘X Factor’ Look: Daisy Dukes, Sequins … and Zebra Print?
Moshe + Eddie Brakha
Mark your calendar: Fashion’s Night Out is Sept. 6. And if you needed an even bigger reminder, there’s this: a couture-clad Kendall Jenner busting out of a Beverly Center shoebox in an ad for the evening.
Teen model Jenner is the face of the Beverly Center’s Fashion’s Night Out bash in L.A., which will include celebrity appearances, in-store events… Continue reading Kendall Jenner Gets Her Kicks in Latest Fashion Campaign
Courtesy Nicole Richie; Inset: Splash News Online
The partially pink hair trend refuses to dye … er, die. Nicole Richie became the latest lady to hop on the bandwagon Tuesday; the Fashion Star judge posted a picture of her freshly colored bright-pink tips on her website, captioning the shot as “Tickled Pink.”
The new hair color isn’t so shocking since Richie is known for… Continue reading Who’s the Latest Star to Try Dip-Dyed Hair?
Halle Berry probably doesn’t need makeup — the woman is flawless! — but even so, she has some favorite products.
In this exclusive behind-the-scenes look at her latest Revlon commercial (below), the brand ambassador reveals a weakness for neutral lipsticks. “I think lipstick is a very important part of any woman’s makeup regime,” she shares.
Her commercial highlights Revlon ColorStay… Continue reading Go Behind the Scenes at Halle Berry’s Latest Revlon Shoot


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The monthly look at commodity prices in June is out and it shows that some growers will have some reason to smile.
Hay is up more than 20 dollars per ton from June of 2016 in Washington, but it’s down nearly $30 in Oregon. The milk price is up across the Northwest. And spring wheat has held steady or increased and topping $5 per bushel in Washington and Oregon.
On the flip side, winter wheat prices dropped significantly from a year ago, potato prices dropped 55 cents per hundredweight in Oregon and 15 cents in Washington. Barley growers also got more than 60 cents less per bushel than they did a year ago.
The trends in the Northwest mostly matched up with what was happening nationwide.
If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org.


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A Nebraska charitable foundation has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for patients battling cancer from the sale of one of America’s deadliest bullets. The unlikely pairing underscores that, while gun manufacturers in the U.S. face mounting pushback for their role in a string of mass shootings, the makers of the ammunition that goes into those guns have largely escaped scrutiny. That’s certainly the case for the Critical Defense Lite bullet, made by Hornady Manufacturing of Grand Island, Nebraska. The round’s hollow tip is designed to split apart upon penetrating the body, allowing it to shred as much as 60% more flesh and organ tissue than a regular bullet. It’s also pink — so consumers know that when they buy the bullet, a portion of the sale will go toward fighting cancer. Hornady has sent proceeds for the past six years to the Grace Cancer Foundation, also based in Grand Island. The ammo promotion is the charity’s best fundraiser by far. Despite such alliances, ammo manufacturers may soon find themselves increasingly in the spotlight. Walmart said last week that it would restrict the type of ammo it sells in its stores. The move followed several recent mass shootings, including one massacre in a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, that left 22 dead. Walmart didn’t specify what brands of ammo it would no longer sell. But shares of the largest publicly traded non-military ammunition makers, Vista Outdoor and Olin, both fell on the Walmart news last week and are down 28% and 14% since the El Paso store shooting in early August. On Tuesday, Vista Outdoor told analysts that Walmart’s ammo ban could cut as much as $40 million in revenue from its current fiscal year, which ends next March, but that it expects bullet buyers to go elsewhere. Analyst Gautam Khanna at Cowen & Co., who follows Vista Outdoor’s stock, earlier this month said the Walmart move would add a new obstacle for the company. [full article]
BUCKMASTERS.COM From the Archives – It might be impossible to determine the extent of
Bob Rogers is the Editor and Publisher of GunPro Plus, America’s premier daily digital gun news portal. After a successful 20-year career as the Editor for a major magazine in the gun industry, Bob launched GunPro Plus to bring his industry expertise on gun news into the digital realm.


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The problem with discovering what to watch via over-the-top devices is that you’re really not much better off than you were using a cable electronic program guide. Neither is the content provider.
A new automated content discovery software system from San Francisco-based ColorTV aims to change that, gathering info on individual users’ preferences and steering them to it. Obviously, ColorTV should be pretty interesting to advertisers too.
CEO Giancarlo Maniaci has a useful analogy; digital music services that intuit what a user listens to, and suggests sound-alike tracks.In ColorTV’s case, it suggests look-alikes, broadly. It uses audio from video streams and image recognition technology to discover what you’re watching, and then suggests more of it in the same vein.
Among OTT apps, Netflix’s recommendation engine is hailed for doing something like that. Its analytics have even determined when viewers get hooked on a series, or when and if they get bored.
Broadcast apps leave you out there by yourself. But Maniaci says its ColorTV software, called Spectrum, does the same kind of analysis. Its machine-learning personalization service gives viewers suggestions based on what they’ve watched before, and on the reverse side, it gives programmers real-time data about who’s watching and who’s tuning out.
“We want to solve discovery,” he says, and so does everybody else.
What’s interesting to me is that ColorTV’s system adds the possibility of using promos that show directly after a viewer has completed watching a program, pushing them toward content that, let’s say a network, is promoting. Driving real-time tune in with promos helps create audiences (though I wonder if in practice they become exactly the kind of promos that drive a lot of us crazy).
Right now, apps from broadcast or cable networks just dump a bunch of content in your lap and more or less say, figure it out. The ColorTV deal is more helpful, not just to viewers, but in theory, to advertisers too. The big data dashboard ColorTV shows could be real-time dynamite. It lets broadcasters in on viewer analytics, right down to a single viewer.
That kind of applied data can change things quickly, like color TV sets did when they were introduced. Partly, that’s why ColorTV took that name. More prosaically, Maniaci says, ColorTV is a well-known and easy to remember appliance.
The SDK has been tested via Apple TV and is now available for Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Roku and Chromecast apps. NBC via Pivmo is an early client; another non-network content provider is seems poised to jump in soon. But while it may seem the most logical users would be established networks, Maniaci says, “It’s not just NBC creating content. There’s BuzzFeed. There are lots of digital providers.”
Certainly, the market does seem mighty large. The slide show ColorTV shows would-be customers quotes Jupiter Research that predicts 332 million OTT customers worldwide by 2019, from 92 million now. Diffusion Group estimates ad revenue from OTT will grow to $41.5 billion in 2018 from $8.4 billion now. Being in early, if ColorTV delivers what it says, can be huge.
In its early use, with one million users able to use ColorTV’s content presentations for 20 apps, Maniaci says he can document a 51% increase in consumption, and a 10% decline in viewer “bounce.”
Maniaci was the co-founder and CEO of Tapit, a pioneering mobile ad tech firm sold for $23 million in 2013. Chris Richards, the chief tech officer and the other founder at Tapit, has the same position at ColorTV, which just started at the end of 2015. Taiwan’s Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, provided $1.5 million in seed money. Foxconn’s John Hui is a ColorTv adviser.


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History was made last night with both a record-setting crowd at AT&T Stadium and more households than ever before watching WrestleMania on WWE Network.Neymar $95 million $79 million $25 million Soccer 5.In February, the NHL and NHL Players’ Assn.He led the Texans in tackles, yet again, posting 10 on the afternoon.Keisuke Honda 10.These tournaments would be held within a localized circuit structure that reduces costs and increases opportunity for players, and reduces staging costs for organizers, per ITF.
Our new ads champion Virgin Media’s outstanding broadband services with super-fast legend Usain Bolt in the starring role, Richard Larcombe, director of advertising and sponsorship for Virgin Media, said in a statement.By Barry Janoff December 13: Is All-Star forward Blake Griffin out of the Los Angeles Clippers locker room?Go tagless.At the meeting, Bill Mayer was there, Bill Peterson was there.Indiana Pacers Visa Athletic Center, Orlando 7 PM �?Los Angeles Lakers vs.
The $500 million purchase is Lululemon’s first acquisition and underscores its goal of being more than an apparel brand: �?: Under Armour has informed UCLA that it is attempting to terminate its record $280-million apparel deal with the school.The comprehensive partnership also includes support of tournament television broadcasts and sponsorship elements surrounding Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day.Serena Williams 3.Denver Nuggets HP Field House, Orlando ESPN 1 PM �?Utah Jazz vs.offered Oberto.
down from last’s year’s $6 billion spend, down even farther from the record $7 billion spend in 2017, and the lowest such total since 2014, according to the National Retail Federation, Washington, DC.are projected to spend more than $6 billion on food for the Fourth of July this year.San Antonio Visa Athletic Center, Orlando 8 PM �?Houston Rockets vs.Mayweather gets a multi-part series with Stephen A.


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All by Mama
All by Mama and My Chapter Co. have partnered up to open their first ever pop up shop here on Brighton’s infamous lanes. The collective provides a platform for parents who run small businesses alongside family life to sell and promote their products.
The shop will also host free daily family activities, including story time, baby sensory and a ‘pitch-night’ to inspire you to startup your own business!
And we’re delighted to announce that All by Mama have extended their pop up until 1st July!
Check out the website for the full event schedule.
Find at 11 Dukes Lane.
Our Spring Issue is out now!
The Dukes Lane magazine Spring Edition is out now – and we've gone digital!...
Dukes Lane Magazine now available online!
A quick update from the team at Dukes Lane
Brighton, we have an announcement. Due to current circumstances, the retailers on Dukes Lane have had to make the difficult decision of temporarily closing in the interest of public safety. This includes putting our pop-up program on hold until th...
Big Scary Monsters Brighton Pop Up
Following the success of their previous popup events in London, Cardiff and Glasgow, independent record label Big Scary Monsters will be taking over 11 Dukes Lane until Friday 20th March. If you miss out this month, fear not, as Big Scary Monsters...
Work in Progress: University of Brighton Presents
'Work in Progress' by the University of Brighton Department of Photography is Dukes Lane's latest pop-up exhibition....