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Greene King plc (GNK) PT Lowered to GBX 667
Greene King plc (LON:GNK) had its price objective trimmed by Investec from GBX 850 ($10.98) to GBX 667 ($8.61) in a report released on Friday morning. The firm currently has a hold rating on the stock.
Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. N+1 Singer reiterated a hold rating on shares of Greene King plc in a research note on Thursday, June 29th. J P Morgan Chase & Co downgraded Greene King plc to a neutral rating and lowered their target price for the company from GBX 810 ($10.46) to GBX 750 ($9.69) in a research note on Friday, June 30th. Liberum Capital reiterated a buy rating and issued a GBX 780 ($10.07) target price on shares of Greene King plc in a research note on Friday, August 11th. Canaccord Genuity reiterated a buy rating and issued a GBX 850 ($10.98) target price on shares of Greene King plc in a research note on Friday, June 30th. Finally, Beaufort Securities reiterated a buy rating on shares of Greene King plc in a research note on Friday, June 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of GBX 752.67 ($9.72).
Shares of Greene King plc (LON GNK) opened at 539.50 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of GBX 664.50 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 696.77. The stock’s market cap is GBX 1.67 billion. Greene King plc has a 52-week low of GBX 533.50 and a 52-week high of GBX 805.30.
Greene King plc (LON:GNK) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, June 29th. The company reported $0.71 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.71. Greene King plc had a return on equity of 7.76% and a net margin of 6.65%. Analysts expect that Greene King plc will post $68.93 earnings per share for the current year.
The firm also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 10th will be paid a GBX 24.40 ($0.32) dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 10th. This is an increase from Greene King plc’s previous dividend of $8.80. This represents a dividend yield of 3.54%.
In other Greene King plc news, insider Rooney Anand sold 6,293 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 693 ($8.95), for a total transaction of £43,610.49 ($56,322.47). Also, insider Gordon Fryett bought 2,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 21st. The shares were purchased at an average price of GBX 659 ($8.51) per share, for a total transaction of £13,180 ($17,021.83).
About Greene King plc
Greene King plc is an integrated pub retailer and brewer. The Company operates approximately 3,040 managed, tenanted, leased and franchised pubs, restaurants and hotels, including brands, such as Hungry Horse, Chef & Brewer, Flaming Grill, Farmhouse Inns and its Greene King locals estate. The Company’s segments include Pub Company, Pub Partners, and Brewing & Brands.
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The fortress of security surrounding cryptocurrencies is under attack, as crypto hackers continue to compromise firms and make away with large amounts of cash.
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, announced on Thursday they had been compromised by hackers. The hackers stole two million BNB tokens, estimated to be worth around $570m, according to CNBC.
The firm temporarily suspended its blockchain network after a cross-chain bridge which linked with its BNB chain was targeted. Cross-chain bridges are used to transfer tokens from one blockchain to another.
“Cross-chain bridge designs remain a technical challenge, with variations across exchanges being attractive targets for hackers,” Suneet Muru, analyst at GlobalData, tells Verdict. “The Binance hack will likely lengthen the so-called crypto winter.
“However, it could also serve as a wake-up call in the long run for exchanges to self-audit their code, allowing for safer, more robust smart contracts to become foundations for future development.”
Oded Vanunu, head of product vulnerability research at cyber security firm Check Point, told Verdict that hackers are upping their game.
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“Hacking groups are making big efforts in the last year to hack these ‘injections’ points that connect networks and are looking for vulnerabilities mainly in the smart contracts and platforms assets such as bridges,” Vanunu said.
“Once hackers manage to exploit vulnerabilities on the platforms or on the ecosystem, they have direct access in the context of the blockchain networks.”
Katharine Wooller, MD at crypto wealth platform, Dacxi tells Verdict that Binance’s fractious relationship with global regulators is not helping.
“[There will be] more government oversight of both stable coins and custody arrangements,” Wooller says.
“Crypto enthusiasts should do ample due diligence on the exchange they use (regulator they are answerable to), and how their digital assets are stored and insured.”
This follows the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charging Russian Forsage founders with crypto fraud in August. Verdict reported that retail investors raised a whopping $300m through the alleged Ponzi scheme.
GlobalData is the parent company of Verdict and its sister publications.

domain: news


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Police: Men tried to buy expensive Rolex Watches with fake credit cards
LADY LAKE, FL – Lady Lake police have arrested two men on charges of buying Rolex watches through credit card fraud.
Elijah J. Scott, 22, and Maurice M. Jackson, 23, of Michigan, allegedly bought the watches at Jewelry Design. One was worth about $6,600, the other $9,000. They asked the store to order five more watches and they would pick them up later.
The cards turned out to be fraudulent. When the men returned for the other watches police were called. Officers did not find the two watches but did find two other Rolexes. They also found equipment in their car used to manufacture credit cards.
They were arrested and held without bond.
UPDATE - Two Michigan men were nabbed when they reportedly returned to the scene of the crime where they had allegedly attempted to fraudulently obtain Rolex watches.
The men had visited Jewelry Design at La Plaza Grande on Dec. 14 and obtained a $8,999 Rolex Submariner watch, according to an arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. They had paid for the watches using two credit cards which were later determined to be fraudulent. They also requested that the store order five more Rolex watches.
The men returned to the store on Saturday and police were immediately summoned. The men were found to be in possession of two Rolex watches and there was an instrument in their vehicle used for making credit cards.
The men were identified as 22-year-old Elijah Scott of Southfield, Mich. and 22-year-old Maurice Jackson of Detroit, Mich. Scott was also wanted on a Michigan warrant charging him with failure to appear on a charge of fraud.
Both men were arrested on charges of credit card fraud and booked at the Lake County Jail.
Bond was set at $66,000 each.


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World over, comic fans and movie lovers had waited with bated breath for the official premiere of what possibly is the last movie from the Marvel Studio installment – The Avengers. Ever since Thanos wiped out half of humanity in the Avengers Infinity War, fans had been eager to see what would become of him when Captain America, Thor, Black Widow and the superheroes who left return to avenge their fallen colleagues.
After about three goosebumpy trailers, countless reviews and theories of how Thanos dies, fans sat through the three-hour long movie as Amstel Malta hosted a special premiere on Wednesday, April 24th at IMAX Cinemas and in the usual fashion, they pulled all the stops to ensure everyone had a great time at the premiere.
While the rest of the world waited to begin lining at cinemas between April 25th-26th, when the movie finally opened to the general public, Amstel Malta gave a few lucky consumers the opportunity to beat the queue and be among the first people to see the Avengers in action before everyone else.
For the fans who got selected, they had the opportunity to meet others in the Marvel movie lovers community, share some of the thoughts on the outcome of the movie and ultimately make new friends while at it. There was also a lot of freebies for the selected consumers, and an immersive session with the brand and the people behind it.
Amstel Malta has been on a mission to help its target audience live their best lives, and this initiative is one of the many ways the brand is achieving its goals of resonating with Nigerian millennials. By being at the fore of exciting opportunities like this movie premiere, where young people get to create a lot of memories, the brand is ensuring they can help more young Nigerians live more interesting lives.
Other consumers who didn’t get selected for the exclusive screening, have also had the opportunity to experience the excitement after the larger premiere opened. The Avengers End Game has broken many grounds since its premiere, becoming the highest-grossing movie on opening weekend and Amstel Malta ensured that its most eager consumers got a chance to be part of history.
Over the years, the brand has identified unique things that bring excitement to her target audience and found ways to make them even more worthwhile. The early birds that made it to the Amstel Malta Premiere will cherish this excitement for a long time to come.


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In a Nielsen study conducted across 4 major Indian cities – New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad; 76% of LED Bulb brands and 71% of LED downlighter brands across 200 electrical retail outlets were found to be non-compliant with consumer safety standards, as prescribed and mandated for lighting products by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India. These spurious products pose a serious safety hazard for consumers besides causing significant loss in tax revenues for the Government of India, as they are illegally manufactured and sold.
The findings from the key markets surveyed showed that 48% of LED bulb brands had no mention of manufacturer’s address and 31% brands did not have a manufacturer’s name, i.e. these brands violate Indian legal metrology regulations and are manufactured illegally. Similarly, the study conducted on LED Downlighters showed that of the total sample size, 45% brands did not have a manufacturer’s name and 51% brands had no mention of the manufacturer’s address.
As per this study, almost three quarters of LED bulb brands surveyed in the national capital (73%) did not conform to BIS standards (absence of the BIS mark) and same is the case when it comes to LED downlighters. On a national scale, Delhi ranks as the city with the highest degree of violation of BIS norms in the country as the illustration below demonstrates.
The illustration below details out the city wise nature of violations and puts the data in a national context.
As per ELCOMA (Electric Lamp and Component Manufacturers’ Association), the total LED Market in India is worth Rs 10,000 crores, with LED bulbs and downlighters constituting 50% of overall LED market, being widely used across homes, offices and workspaces.
Rakesh Zutshi, President of ELCOMA and Managing Director, Halonix Technologies Private Limited said “The large number of non-compliant manufacturers of LED Bulbs and Downlighters threaten fair competition in the LED lighting market, especially for those companies that are compliant to all mandatory consumer safety standards. It is very unlikely that the manufacturers of these spurious LED Bulbs and Downlighters pay any GST to the government, thereby causing a huge loss to the exchequer”.
Commenting on the subject, Sumit Joshi, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Philips Lighting India said, “As per an ELCOMA study, the Indian LED Lighting market has grown from Rs 500 crore in 2010 to Rs 10,000 crore today and constitutes over 45% of the overall Rs 22,000 crore lighting industry in India, comprising of all categories like GLS, FTL, CFL and other lamps. Given the government’s push towards adoption of LEDs and their general consumer popularity, LED lighting will constitute a majority share of the total lighting market in the next few years. Given this scenario, it is important for the government to act against these spurious and non-branded products for safeguarding consumer safety and protecting their revenues against these companies.”
Sunil Sikka, Former President ELCOMA and Havells India Limited remarked, “The market share of spurious and non-compliant LED products is steadily increasing, much to the concern of compliant manufacturers in the country. This is also a huge concern for the average consumer because 76% of LED brands and 71% of downlight brands do not adhere to consumer safety standards as set by the Government of India. Despite these non-compliant products openly flouting government regulations, they are being openly sold in marketplaces around the country. This has led to an increase of unsafe and illegal products being used in households and offices by Indian consumers, endangering many.”
Raju Bista, Vice President, ELCOMA and Managing Director of Surya Roshni Ltd observed that these non-compliant products would also impact energy efficiency in the country – “Under the Unnat Jeevan by Affordable LEDs and Appliances for All (UJALA) Scheme, the government is targeting replacing 770 million incandescent bulbs across India with LEDs. To this end, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency(BEE) has also stated that star ratings for LED bulbs are to be mandatory to ensure only quality products are available to consumers. However, the growing number of non-compliant and illegal products is worrisome as the non-compliant manufacturers undertake various cost-cutting mechanisms, making them less energy efficient. As these manufacturers already flout industry regulations and BIS standards with no action being taken against them, it is extremely likely that they will be non-compliant with energy efficiency parameters as well.”
The Indian Lighting industry unanimously recommends a need for stronger enforcement for compliance to these safety standards prescribed and mandated by the Bureau of Indian Standards and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India. The spurious and non-branded LED products are a serious threat to not just the organized and compliant market players but also to the government’s key programs like Make in India and Demonetization. In addition, they also impact government’s tax revenue collections, which would have otherwise been contributed by the formal sector, defeat investment objectives and go against the ‘ease of doing’ business philosophy of the Government of the day.


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Hotly-anticipated shooter BioShock: Infinite has been delayed until early 2013, publisher 2K Games has announced.
Originally scheduled for an October 2012 release, the Irrational Games title will now be released globally on February 26, 2013.
Infinite’s creator, Ken Levine, took to the developer’s official website today to explain the reasoning behind the slip:
“When we announced the release date of BioShock Infinite in March, we felt pretty good about the timing. Since then, we’ve come to realize that some specific tweaks and improvements will make Infinite into something even more extraordinary."
“Therefore, to give our talented team the time they need, we’ve decided to move the game’s release to February 26, 2013. We wanted to let our loyal (and very patient!) fans know this as soon as possible," he added.
In addition to the delay, Levine also confirmed that Irrational does not intend on showcasing Infinite at E3 or Gamescom later this year. However, he did indicate that the next time it does rear its head, it’ll be in a near-complete state.
“We are also going to hold off on showing BioShock Infinite at the big events of the summer, like E3 and Gamescom. That way, the next time you see our game, it will be essentially the product we intend to put in the box. Preparing for these events takes time away from development, time we’re going to use instead to get the best version of Infinite into your hands in February,” explained Levine.
BioShock: Infinite is due out on PlayStation 3, PC and Xbox 360.


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Pharrell Williams to Receive CFDA’s 2015 Fashion Icon Award
Pharrell Williams has been honored many times for his achievements in music, and even received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last year for his countless contributions in entertainment and beyond. Now he can add another feat to the list, but this time in the fashion realm.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America has named the "Happy" artist their 2015 Fashion Icon. Announced Wednesday (March 18), the CFDA gave the honor to him due to his strides in style and his overall awesomeness as a person.
“If cool was a person, it would be Pharrell, not just for his looks and sense of style but for his kindness and openness. I cannot imagine anyone not seduced by him,” Diane von Furstenberg, who is president of the CFDA, said in a statement.
Pharrell will officially be given the award on June 1 at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York City, but he seemed to be surprised by the news. However, he shared his gratitude on Twitter.
The singer doesn't only take fashion risks on the red carpet, but he is also a designer in his own right. He's co-founded the Billionaire Boys Club line with BAPE owner, Nigo; collaborated with a number of brands including Adidas, Moncler sunglasses and Uniqlo; and worked on a jewelry line with Louis Vuitton.
Clearly his qualifications are endless when it comes to fashion, so this award is well-deserved.
The CFDA Fashion Icon Award was presented to Rihanna in 2014. At the event, the Bajan beauty wowed everyone by wearing a sheer floor-length gown that was covered in 216,000 Swarovski crystals. Previous winners of the award included Lady Gaga, Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Kidman, Johnny Depp and Kate Moss.
20 Words That Mean Something Completely Different in Hip-Hop


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Pop icon Britney Spears has explained why she deleted an Instagram post praising Jeffree Star after fans spoke out against the makeup artist in the comments section.
In mid-November, Britney Spears published an Instagram post gushing over makeup from popular YouTuber and beauty guru Jeffree Star.
The makeup mogul had sent Spears a collection of his products, including his Holy Mist setting spray — which Spears praised as “the bomb!”
However, shortly after being published, the post was removed, with many netizens attributing the deletion to commenters speaking out against Star in the comments.
Britney Spears explains deleted Jeffree Star Instagram post
It’s still unclear exactly why Spears deleted her message, but she shed a bit more light on the situation in another Instagram post nearly a month later.
In her post, Spears thanked a slew of other celebrities for sending her gifts amid the dissolution of her conservatorship, including Jeffree Star. She also mentioned deleting the previous post, saying: “I took it down because I realized it was too much!!”
Fans are a little confused as to the meaning of this statement, but overall appear to be happy with Stars’ return to social media. Unfortunately, Spears has also deleted this post, where she hit out at journalist Diane Sawyer alongside her peppy thank-you’s to fellow celebs.
This follows a statement from Star regarding Spears’s initial Instagram post, where he accused fans of “bullying” the pop star into deleting her message over his own past drama.
“It’s crazy that someone who has been in a mental prison for 13 years finds joy in something and y’all gotta bully her into deleting her post,” Star said. “That is so sad.”
Despite the comments that her post received, it seems that Spears is still a fan of Stars’ setting spray, and continued to promote it alongside other A-List products like Lady Gaga’s Casa Gaga makeup line.


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A new poll conducted by the Median agency for public broadcaster Czech Television suggests that 58 percent of the population supports the Finance Ministry’s flagship project, the electronic cash register system (EET). The system, which went online in the first of four planned phases on Dec 1, first affecting drinking and eating establishments and hotels and other accommodation, relays information electronically to the tax office as a means of clamping down on tax fraud. The system began working fairly smoothly, after month-long testing. Most venues and entrepreneurs had ample time to prepare and acquire needed software.
Roughly one-third of the population is not in favour of the system and at least one business closed for a day in protest; other businesses, for example small village pubs, not wanting to implement the system, have closed doors for good. According to the Median survey, 59 percent of those queried believe that information gained by the tax bureau would be abused. Forty-nine percent said they believed the system would negatively impact their business, and 14 percent stated that the EET would put them out of business. Meanwhile, some 40 percent of entrepreneurs told pollsters they had, or would, raise prices as a result. Those raising prices so far are eating establishments and those providing accommodation.
Among professions to be affected in coming waves, are for example financial services and artisans or craftspeople, as well as those in construction. The latter are more concerned about the system although they have not come under the system yet. Of businesspeople some 55 percent said they thought the new electronic cash system would improve tax collection but two-thirds also maintained that the system would increase administrative duties. The poll was conducted between December 7 and 10, questioning just over 900 people, news site lidovky.cz reported.


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“The brand is popular for providing cooling and respite from prickly heat caused during summer season and has high consumer connect,” said Emami in a note to the exchanges.
Officials said Emami identified a strong business fit that enjoyed high brand recall and the advantage of operating in Emami's focus markets and chosen categories.
Goenka said that in the company's annual report that most companies would have deferred launches of new products in such a weak market.
The company, which is backed by Emami, is also looking at achieving break-even by September next year.
The company had posted a consolidated profit after tax of Rs 39.58 crore in the same period of last fiscal, Emami Ltd said in a regulatory filing.
He was arrested along with seven colleagues from the wildlife NGO on January 24, and his death was announced by the family on social media late on Saturday.


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Chinese producer increases PS offers to local market
When compared to last week, the producer increased its prices by CNY250/ton ($38/ton) for GPPS and by CNY200/ton ($30/ton) for HIPS to CNY10,900/ton ($1396/ton without VAT) and CNY11,650/ton ($1492/ton without VAT) ex-warehouse China, cash including VAT, respectively.
In Asia, spot ethylene prices on Far East Asia basis are currently $245/ton higher than its early August levels. CFR China based butadiene prices and FOB Korea based styrene prices also increased by around $290/ton and $75/ton respectively within the same period.
More free plastics newsPlastic resin (PP, LDPE, LLDPE ,HDPE, PVC, GPS; HIPS, PET, ABS) prices, polymer market trends, and more...
- Upsurge continues to wreak havoc on Turkey’s PP, PE markets
- PVC rally roars back in Asia as supply worries mount
- China PP, PE markets join global rally after Lunar New Year holiday
- PE, PP and PVC supply crunch exacerbated on US absence, traditional trade flows upended
- European PP, PE markets set for 5th bullish month as shortage bites
- Turkey shattered as PP prices shoot up to surreal levels
- Polymer markets face one of most chaotic times
- Turnaround season set to get underway in Asia
- Crude oil heals COVID-inflicted wounds; now what lies ahead?
- Global shipping turmoil deepens, adding to the upheaval in plastic resins


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Mutual Understanding, Trust Urged for Sino-US Economic Ties
Shi made the remark when he met and held talks with Robert Zoellick, Trade Representative of the United States, who is here to attend the APEC Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade MRT), due to open Wednesday.
The two sides expressed satisfaction with their dialogues and cooperation within APEC, and agreed to make concerted efforts for the promotion of multilateral cooperation among APEC members and push forward the early launching of a new round of World Trade Organization (WTO) multilateral talks.
The two trade officials also reviewed the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries in recent years.
Shi, also chairman of the 2001 APEC MRT Meeting, said that it is in the interests of both China and the United States to develop a steady and healthy economic and trade relationship.
Zoellick said the U.S. government values the promotion of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. Despite differences, the two countries have a lot in common, he added. He said the U.S. side is willing to push forward the growth of bilateral economic ties.
During the talks, the two trade officials also exchanged views on China's accession to the WTO and other issues of mutual interest.
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alarms we tested failed
was recently an article in about an increase in the number of children dying from drowning accidents because they slipped out of their homes unnoticed through pet doors into their backyard pools (). As we've discovered at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, parents can't be too cautious. Keeping an eye on your child is essential and, of course, it's so important when it comes to pool safety, a topic that is always on our minds. We tested pool alarms and gate alarms a while back and were dismayed to discovered that four out of the ! Check out the evaluations the The Good Housekeeping Research Institute did to find out which products passed and which products to avoid.
you can't trust that any product on the market will work.


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If you watched the Super Bowl halftime show Sunday, you probably know, who awkwardly danced next to Katy Perry and didn't look particularly enthusiastic while doing it. If Tom Brady was the MVP of the actual Super Bowl, Left Shark was the MVP of the Super Bowl halftime show.
Indeed, Left Shark is one of the best memes to come out of 2015 so far, and a new Indiegogo campaign is banking on that success by selling shark suits so that we can all be Left Shark. Those who decide to back the project and purchase a suit don't need to worry about learning any complicated dance moves. Just put the shark suit on, put your hands in the air and wave them like you just don't care.
The campaign was put together by David Lam, an environmental engineer who says all profits from shark suit sales will be donated to an environmentally focused charity like the World Wildlife Fund or the Wildlife Conservation Society. Backers will ultimately decide which charity gets the money, likely via a survey after the campaign is over. The suits are expected to retail for $99, but early backers can snag one for $89. They are expected to ship to backers in May 2015, with US shipping included.
Not to miss the Left Shark wave, menswear company Bonobos has set up a landing page where people can express interest in a shark costume. If enough do, Bonobos says it will probably launch a crowdfunding campaign.
The Indiegogo project has already received double its $5,000 fundraising goal with 28 days left to go. So, assuming the project pans out, you'll already have secured your Halloween costume for this year. And, since Left Shark didn't bother to learn the right dance moves, neither should you. Just flail your arms and legs about in various directions like our beloved finned Super Bowl MVP, and your costume will be complete.


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Hire a Recovery Coach: Is Vitamin D linked to depression? At The Addictions Coach, we take a whole body approach to wellness and recovery. We couple coaching, nutrition and fitness to address all of our clients needs. Check us out at www.theaddictionscoach.com and call us at 1.800.706.0318
Research suggests vitamin D could affect brain function
By Jeremy C. Fox Globe Correspondent
When you think of vitamin D, you may think of bone health. For years, doctors have recommended vitamin D and calcium supplements to guard against fractures and osteoporosis.
But in recent years, the efficacy of those supplements has been widely questioned, while other research has explored possible connections between vitamin D and heart health, cancer prevention, and other health benefits.
Those connections have not yet been proved, but now studies on the relationship between vitamin D and serotonin production are taking researchers down a new path.
A growing body of evidence suggests that vitamin D — present in some foods and produced naturally when skin is exposed to sunlight — regulates the enzyme that converts the amino acid tryptophan into serotonin, a neurotransmitter believed to help regulate moods and direct brain development while in the womb.
“It is very important for guiding [where] neurons . . . go in the brain and how they shape the structure and the wiring of the brain,” said researcher Rhonda P. Patrick. “Without adequate serotonin in that developing fetus, the brain . . . doesn’t develop normally.”
Patrick, a postdoctoral fellow at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute in Oakland, Calif., said the degree to which vitamin D regulates serotonin isn’t yet clear. But psychologists and neuroscientists have established the effects of low serotonin by restricting tryptophan entering the brains of human test subjects, she said.
“What happens is their long-term decision making shuts down,” she said. “They become impulsive and aggressive, angry, unhappy. They have difficult time interpreting people’s facial expressions.”
‘Why do we feel better when we go out in the sun? Sun makes vitamin D in your skin.’
Vitamin D is naturally present in some foods, including fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, and tuna, and in small amounts in cheese, egg yolks, and beef liver, according to the National Institutes of Health. But most vitamin D in the human diet comes from its addition to foods such as milk, orange juice, and breakfast cereals.
Because vitamin D regulates about 1,000 different types of genes in the body — roughly 5 percent of the human genome — Patrick and her mentor, Bruce N. Ames, a senior scientist at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, believes the nutrient may play a much larger role in our health than previously realized.
Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health, said that the hypothesis suggests many avenues for further research.
“This work by Ames and Patrick is significant because it describes a potential pathway linking vitamin D with serious mental conditions, and may explain some of the features of these diseases,” Willett said in an e-mail.
Researchers are working to confirm Ames and Patrick’s hypothesis in the lab. Mark R. Haussler, a professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine — Phoenix, and Peter Jurutka, an associate professor at Arizona State University, have conducted experiments that support the hypothesis, Haussler said.
In successive experiments using synthesized DNA, then cells from human kidneys, then cells from the brains of rats and of humans, Haussler and Jurutka established that vitamin D produced effects consistent with Patrick and Ames’s hypothesis: It enhanced the ability of the brain cells to produce serotonin by anywhere from double to 30 times as much, Haussler said.
Haussler said a better understanding of how to regulate serotonin production could have a “huge impact, and all the way across the life span.” Haussler speculated that regulating serotonin in developing brains could potentially affect the development of autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Some benefits of vitamin D have been known for generations, Haussler said, though they might have been described in different terms.
“When I was young, my mother would say, ‘Mark, go out in the sun; you’ll feel better,’ ” Haussler said. “Well, you know, I usually did, and that’s a common-sense-type thing, but why? Why do we feel better when we go out in the sun? Sun makes vitamin D in your skin.”
But too much sun can also lead to skin cancer, he cautioned, and not all sun exposure will help produce vitamin D. In New England during the winter, the sun is too low on the horizon to help generate the production of vitamin D.
Doctors and researchers said that in this region and many others, it is beneficial to take a vitamin D supplement, at least during winter months, but controversies have arisen in recent years about the use of vitamin supplements and the tools for measuring vitamin D deficiency.
Late last year, a widely discussed editorial in the Annals of Internal Medicine encouraged the public to “stop wasting money” on vitamin and mineral supplements that had not been proved to prevent or slow the development of chronic diseases.
That editorial included a caveat that vitamin D supplementation remained “an open area of investigation, particularly in deficient persons” but nevertheless concluded that “current widespread use [of vitamin D supplements] is not based on solid evidence that benefits outweigh harms.”
Also last year, a study from Massachusetts General Hospital found that many of the 70 percent to 90 percent of African-Americans diagnosed as vitamin D deficient may actually have healthy levels of the vitamin — and are not deficient — because they are genetically disposed to carry more of the “free” form of the nutrient.
Willett, of the Harvard School of Public Health, said the anti-supplement editorial “was unhelpful as it lumped together a very wide range of doses and conditions.”
Willett said many Americans do not get enough vitamin D from diet and sun exposure and should take a supplement. His recommendation included African-American adults because, he said, science has not yet determined which forms of vitamin D benefit specific organs, and the “free” form may not be helpful in all instances.
There is no universal agreement about the proper dosage, but Willett recommends 1,000 international units per day for most adults. Patrick said that before taking a supplement, people should get tested and consult their physicians.


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Pullmantur Cruises added Iceland on Zenith’s summer 2020 itineraries.
Chen XinChuan, General Manager of COSCO Shipping (Xiamen), currently visiting the UK, paid a visit to Southampton Friday to take a look at Oriana, now owned by Chinese start up Twinkle Travel Cruise, a jv between China Travel Service (CTS) and China Ocean Shipping Group Company (COSCO) and currently sailing on a bareboat charter to seller, P&O Cruises.
Update: As of 4 p.m. local time Sunday, Viking Sky was docked in Molde. Passengers were to begin flying home Sunday night.
Rescue helicopters were evacuating people from Viking Sky after the cruise ship lost engine power in a storm off Norway's west coast on Saturday afternoon.
The 2022 world cruise aboard Crystal Serenity offers five embarkation and disembarkation choices ranging from 86 nights to 116 nights, with each option providing world cruise benefits.
Amália Rodrigues departed Porto for an inaugural cruise on the Douro on March 20 after a naming ceremony the day before. This is the sixth ship to join CroisiEurope’s Douro fleet.
The Port of Cromarty is experiencing a significant increase in passenger and cruise ship numbers visiting the Highlands.
Seabourn has contracted hospitality design icon Adam D. Tihany to create the indoor and outdoor guest areas of its two luxurious expedition newbuilds.


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GVC has welcomed today’s statement issued by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), mapping out the industry’s coordinated approach to providing a safer betting and gaming environment during the current COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
The firm has underlined its commitment to safer gaming initiatives with further enhancements to its responsible gambling safeguards. Collectively they will help to ensure the Group’s products can continue to be enjoyed as a safe form of casual entertainment and do not lead to customers playing beyond their financial means.
It comes up as a quarter of the global population is in some form of lock-down, stating that there is a clear risk that house-bound individuals may become isolated, depressed or be in financial distress.
Recognising the additional risk, GVC has deepened its responsibility to protect vulnerable customers from seeking to solve financial problems through gambling, or from developing other problem gambling behaviours.
Alleviating consumer risks, GVC has devised a number of new measures to strengthen its leading ‘Changing for the Bettor’ safer gambling mandate.
The operator has confirmed that its suite of safer gambling tools will be enhanced ‘in the coming weeks’, adding functions such as curfew setting, stake limit setting on slot games, and reverse withdrawal settings.
During this period of isolation, GVC has informed all operational teams to be ‘proactive in communications with customers’, ensuring that players are fully aware of safer gambling tools and self-exclusion procedures across the operator’s brand portfolio.
GVC brands have also been instructed to carry out reviews of customer behaviour ‘pre and post-home isolation’. The operator detailed that it has strengthened its problem gambling identification algorithms, adding two new ‘Markers of Harm (“MoH”) indicators.
Abiding to BGC’s approach, GVC added that its brands will only run responsible gambling-led advertising, with increased safer gambling messaging promoted across its active brand portfolio.
Issuing guidance to affiliates, GVC stated that its brands will not tolerate any referencing of pandemics or boredom to encourage play. The operator will establish a blacklist for advertising partners that breach its terms.
GVC CEO Kenneth Alexander commented: “At this time of unprecedented uncertainty, we are more committed than ever to keeping our customers safe while they enjoy our products.
“We are hugely sensitive to the potential for increased risk for some who are isolated at home or may have financial difficulties with reduced access to work. Our enhanced tools give customers the power to manage their spending and time in an effective way, and we are backing this up by carefully monitoring play through our markers of harm.
“As an industry, we have a clear responsibility to protect the vulnerable and we warmly welcome the coordinated approach announced today by the BGC which provides a template for strengthening player protections.”


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S.F. Fashion Center Tenants Moving On
Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, March 13, 1996
Nervous about the impending sale of the San Francisco Fashion Center tomorrow, a number of the tenants at the 8th and Townsend building are jumping ship.
"We feel that if there is a new buyer for the building, there is a possibility that there will not be a lot of money put toward us for marketing and promotions," said Lori Gamble, a wholesale clothing representative for Urban Outfitters.
Gamble and two dozen other tenants have signed leases at the nearby Gift center and Jewelry mart at 8th and Brannan, where they have been promised some marketing programs.
They are among the last tenants left in the 740,000-square-foot Fashion Center, which was foreclosed on last year. It will be auctioned off this week. Published reports have put the asking price at $27.5 million. Building manager Gerald Sorensen would not confirm that figure. Gamble estimated that the building is about 15 percent occupied. Sorensen would not release occupancy figures.
"The apparel industry is half of what it was when this building opened," he said.
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The $91 million center was built in 1990 by Atlanta-based Portman Cos., a family-owned conglomerate that also helped design the Embarcadero Center, the Pan Pacific Hotel and the Hyatt Regency and Park Hyatt in San Francisco. Designed as a wholesale center, the building started off with more than 200 tenants including Levi Strauss and Yves St. Laurent, but was never fully occupied.
A group of Bay Area investors offered to buy the troubled building last March, when it was assessed at about $56 million. But the deal fell through and Pittsburgh- based Mellon Bank foreclosed on the property.
Portman Cos. owes about $128 million to Mellon, according to Sorensen.


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With September on its way out, the final quarter of 2022 is upon us and promises some highly anticipated releases.Read More
It is without surprise that gaming sales have seen a spike during the coronavirus pandemic. So if you are a gamer yourself, maybe you’d like to switch and try one of these best-selling video games of the moment!Read More
From high performance to outstanding graphic quality, and amazing gaming experience, what are the consoles and gaming accessories of the moment?Read More
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Here is the answer!
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Here is all that we know about PS5 price, release date, specs and news info for Sony’s PlayStation 5 video game console. The gaming world is patiently waiting for Sony’s new release and there’s been numerous rumours on the new PS5 these last days. Some leaks put forward 5th February or 12th February as the […]Read More
With a new PlayStation and Xbox to come out in late 2020, next year is going to be an exciting year in gaming.Read More


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Why is that the cover image for this article? We’ll get to that later.
First, let’s talk about the two major announcements this week. Yesterday Sony Pictures TV announced that will acquire a majority stake, at 95%, of Funimation for $143 million dollars. That means they valued Funimation at $150 million. Funimation CEO Gen Fukunaga will remain as CEO and retain a minority stake in Funimation. Today Funimation posted a FAQ about the acquisition that basically states business will continue as normal. The deal with Crunchyroll/VRV has not changed, neither has the pricing for FunimationNOW. It also goes to state that Aniplex, which is owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan, is not involved in this transaction. It is important to note that while both Sony, one is Sony Pictures TV and the other is Sony Music Entertainment Japan.
The second major news this week is that Daisuki announced today that it will be shutting down it’s streaming service in October of this year. Daisuki was run by Anime Consortium Japan, which was a joint venture of multiple anime studios. Daisuki’s simulcast of Dragon Ball Super however will continue, despite the service shutting down October 31st. How this will be down will be announced at a later date. Daisuki Next service will end on September 29th, and the app will be unavailable to download starting October 2nd. Daisuki was founded in 2013 by Toei Animation, Sunrise, TMS Entertainment, Nihon Ad Systems, Denstu, Asatsu-DK, and…Aniplex. Daisuki eventually merged with Anime Consortium Japan in 2014 with the addition of Bandai Namco Holdings and the Cool Japan Fund. Bandai Namco purchased the rest of the shares for Anime Consortium Japan in March of this year, becoming the sole controller over Daisuki.
Let’s dig a little deeper here. Earlier this year it was reported that Sony and Universal were both eyeing in buying Funimation. Universal entered into a multi-year distribution deal with Funimation in 2015, where Universal would distribute the home DVD and Blu-Ray releases. A source had said that Universal had ended up passing, but Sony, as we now know, did not pass. It was also announced last month that Crunchyroll would be working with NBC Universal on new anime projects with an international appeal. Funimation and Crunchyroll, as you may know, entered into a partnership last year where the two began sharing libraries. Crunchyroll would handle the subbed simulcasts, where Funimation would focus on dubbing them within 2 weeks after they aired in Japan. Funimation would also handle the distribution of Crunchyroll’s titles.
Now that cover image is starting to come together now isn’t it? That’s basically how I feel now. There is no Pepe Silvia. Or maybe there is, and he really wants his mail. What does this all mean? Is it some large conspiracy? Maybe so, maybe not. What is for sure is that a lot of movement is being made as everyone tries to position themselves in the anime market. Let us know what you think of all of this in the comments. I’ll read them, I swear.


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The third season of Overwatch had teased a Valetine’s event with Hanzo, and now we get to see his Cupid version with what Blizzard is dubbing Loverwatch: Love Never Dies.
Apparently, they’ve made a dating sim out of the characters, and we get a look at it here:
So far, the game looks like it’s only dealing with three characters, Genji, Mercy, and Hanzo, and while I suspect that it will be about the teased romance between Genji and Mercy, it looks like the characters talk to the player themselves.
There’s even a cheeky joke with Genji needing healing, which is apparently still a thing even with Overwatch 2.
Admittedly Overwatch 2 didn’t make the best transition to free-to-play with a lot of longtime fans complaining about the new Battle Pass. With the third season though, players now have a chance to earn some Overwatch Credits which will allow them to buy any cosmetics of their choosing, instead of the earlier Battle Pass that only gave players pre-determined prizes.
Original director Jeff Kaplan may not be onboard anymore, but I’m hoping that the new team behind the game manages to give Overwatch a long stay among the gaming community—or at least we finally get that animated film.
You can check out the Loverwatch sim date here.
Loverwatch is currently available for desktop browsers. Overwatch 2 is available for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4|5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.


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The price of purple sweet potatoes in Vinh Long and Dong Thap provinces had just increased from VND40,000-VND50,000 per 100 kgs to about VND200,000 per 100 kgs, but in the past few days, it has dropped to about VND100,000 per 100 kgs due to the difficult export situation.
Son Van Luan, Director of the Thanh Ngoc Agricultural Service Cooperative in Binh Tan District of Vinh Long Province, has stated that at the end of May this year, the price of Japanese purple sweet potatoes for export dropped drastically to roughly VND40,000-VND50,000 per 100 kgs.
The consumption of purple sweet potatoes was difficult, causing farmers to suffer heavy losses. After that, many companies and individuals bought and supported purple sweet potato consumption to help farmers in Vinh Long and Dong Thap provinces. Thanks to that, the price of purple sweet potatoes went up to about VND200,000 per 100 kgs, kindling the hope of reducing the losses of farmers. However, in the past few days, the price dropped back to about VND100,000 per 100 kgs because the export faces difficulties, especially in the Chinese market.
Mr. Huynh Quang Nhat, a farmer in Binh Tan District, said that his family grew 10,000 square meters of purple sweet potatoes and planned to give his purple sweet potato field for other people to harvest. Because if his family picked purple sweet potatoes, he would have lost more money to hire workers. After that, the price of sweet potatoes skyrocketed, he was happy, but before his sweet potatoes were sold, the price had dropped again.
[ VND100 = € 0,0036 ]


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For the most innovative designers working today, form is just as important as flora.
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
MAY 07, 2013
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
2013 - MANDY'S AGRI PRODUCT L.L.C.
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KAGOME employees didn’t hesitate when they were asked to participate in World Sandwich Day on Friday.
75 staff tucked into sandwiches as Subway Echuca joined shops around the world for its largest fundraising event, the Subway Live Feed, an initiative to help fight hunger globally.
In Australia, Subway has partnered with our country’s largest hunger relief charity, Foodbank Australia, as part of the initiative that will assist the 3.6 million Australians who go hungry every year.
To support the movement, every local customer who visited a Subway shop on the day had the opportunity to buy a sandwich, salad or wrap, get one free for a friend and help Subway give a meal to someone in need through Foodbank Australia.
Kagome food service sales manager Mitch Austin said the day was a great mix of supporting a worthy cause and getting the team together to celebrate the company’s achievements.
“It’s a great initiative and we wanted to do our bit to help Subway in Echuca,” he said. “We’re all about local produce and we loved the chance to support locals today.”
Mr Austin also said it was a chance to reward staff and celebrate a milestone for the tomato processor.
“As of March next year, all Subway marinara sauce in Australia will be produced at Kagome Echuca using locally grown tomatoes,” he said. “We are very proud of that and wanted to give back to the staff for making it happen.’’


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When the PS2 debuted back in 2000, I happily bought one on day 2 of it’s release for $300. I was just finishing college, and was still playing video games on the Nintendo 64 — Mario64 and Goldeneye especially.
My PS2 has been a trooper, with most of it’s action coming from Gran Turismo and playing DVDs. It’s been sent back to Sony once for the infamous PS2 DRE error and recently crapped out again on me. But that wasn’t a big deal because around the first of the year, I was still thinking the Playstation 3 was going to be released at any time. But come February, I started following the news more closely. Thanks to integration of Blue-Ray and allowing Hollywood to control the specs of the format, the release of the PS3 has been pushed back to November.
Last week at E3, it was revealed that the upcoming price for the PS3 will start at $500. And the more desirable model with HDMI output for HDTV from Blue-Ray (yep, no HDMI, no HDTV from HD DVD’s or Blue-Ray) will run you $600.
I just read the History of Console Prices over at Curmudgeon Gamer, and his point is well made — that the PS3, when compared to console prices before it, adjusted for inflation, the PS3 is in fact not that bad of a deal.
But I beg to differ. Considering the preferred HDMI-equipped console is a must if you have an HDTV compatible screen, and that a game will now likely cost $80 or more, you’re facing a real budget of nearly $700 to get rolling with a PS3.
My opinion is extremely biased because most of my PS3 use would be for the upcoming HD version of Gran Turismo, “the Real Driving Simulator”. But based on that, consider that a BMW Club membership is $35, and their track days are $125 a pop… Well shit, that’s 5 tracks days! Screw the simulator, I’m leaving the confines of the house for a real driving experience!
And since I’ve only completed like 30% of Gran Turismo 4, I’m satisfying my GT fix with a new, small form factor PS2, which was just got it’s price dropped to $129.
Update: Looks like the PS3 games may in fact go for $80 or more.
Update 2: Yep, I thought so.
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But primarily, so say the doodlers, it's art for art's sake.
It's also far more complicated — so say many branding experts, design professors and technology critics.
“I spend all my time developing brands and considering ways that brands should stick to identities,” said Tereasa Surratt, creative director for the marketing firm Oligvy & Mather Chicago, “and what Google is doing here is incredibly unorthodox, breaking every rule of consistency. They're saying, ‘We're going to use our massively influential identity to celebrate an obscure mathematician, or whomever. The placement of our colors and letters are so rooted, you don't even need to read our logo to know what you're dealing with.' And now I look forward to it.”
Said Robert Brinkerhoff, the chair of the illustration department at the Rhode Island School of Design where several doodlers graduated: “A lot of (doodles) skirt legibility, so much so that if you go to Google.com expecting that logo, they're testing your visual literacy. Which is fascinating. On the other hand, if one of the goals is, ‘Hey, we're Google, but we're not so enormous' — if they're seeking intimacy — then personalization can make a company that pervasive — which many people already think sinister things about — unsettling.”
Indeed, depending on whom you ask, the Google Doodle is clever and charming, or shrewd and charming.
Germick was both.
Asked if he thought he was humanizing a massive corporation — if he was tasked with putting a smiling face on a company that many critics believe wants to dictate the flow of information worldwide, disseminate your personal details and corroborate with censoring regimes and government spy programs, to name just a handful of the controversies that have landed at Google's doorstep recently — he shrugged in such a way that made the question sound not so much unreasonable as paranoid and cynical. Then he said something remarkable: The doodle is a new medium, being figured out.
“We have this amazing billboard,” he said, “so why not show the fully realized capabilities of a major tech company?” Then he took a big bite of burrito.
The Googleplex — the bucolic, frictionless campus of more than 30 buildings that make up Google's headquarters — is about 40 miles south of San Francisco, in Mountain View, a prototypical Silicon Valley neighborhood, not quite suburb, not entirely office park. The sky here is pale white and the air is still; the sunlight would be blinding if every street weren't so shaded, every sidewalk bordered with large trees of uniform shape and size, like rows of green champagne flutes. Driving through, you pass low, glass office buildings with modestly announced logos of familiar tech companies (Intuit, Mozilla, YouTube), and less-than-obvious tech companies with impenetrable names that offer no hint of what they do (Pixim, Egnyte).
But mostly you pass placards with that iconic Google logo.
As I waited at a corner, a Google Maps car, with its twirling rooftop camera, drove by at the precise moment I was admiring a large Google Maps location marker placed cleverly at an intersection, the digital world made physical. Across the street, at 8 a.m. on a Friday, the Google soccer fields were full of adults playing soccer, and employees wearing cargo shorts, T-shirts and backpacks walked past looking like acclimated college students. Everything appeared as though it were landscaped yesterday. And everyone who wasn't on foot rode bikes — four-color, Google-themed bikes. Many building entrances seemed marked by thickets of these twee, kaleidoscopic bicycles. The few cars parked nearby appeared to be either Priuses or Chevy Volts, with long cords running from the front ends to complimentary charging stations.
At the hub of the campus is a massive office quadrangle, and running between is a courtyard with a sand volleyball court, a T. rex skeleton (complemented by pink flamingos) and a sculpture park. How typically Google to have a David Lynch statue, I thought, until I realized, no, it's Lloyd Bridges. Of course. Also nearby was a Google bowling alley, a Google climbing wall and several Google swimming pools.


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The iPhone 15 is fairly new, but it’s never too late to think about the exciting features of the iPhone 16. We are seeing rumors about the A18 chip, tetraprism lens, iPhone 16 ultra, and other exciting things.
The iPhone 15 is still new, but Apple lovers can’t stop thinking about the iPhone 16. They are hearing rumors about new features like innovative camera technology, upgraded chips, or much more. and their excitement for them is so high. Here are some rumors about the features of the iPhone 16 and what the future may hold.
After some problems with iPhone 15 Pro models, like overheating and wonky location settings, Apple swiftly addressed these issues with the iOS 17 updates. Now, people are looking forward to the iPhone 16 and its potential enhancements.
Tetraprism Zoom Lens Expected for Both Pro Models
One of the most exciting upgrades rumored for the iPhone 16 is the inclusion of the tetraprism lens. It works like a periscope to bend light, which improves zoom capabilities and enhances the photography experience. Experts think that both the iPhone 16 and Prom Max models will get this advanced feature, which could help users capture their moments even better.
A18 Chip Likely for All Four iPhone Models
Some people also say that all versions of the iPhone 16 may include an A18 chip. This chip will make the work better and faster. With upgrades to the Neura engine, it is supposed to enhance the user experience across the board.
Introducing the iPhone 16 Ultra: Exploring New Features
For people who want to experience the best smartphone, reports talk about the iPhone 16 Ultra.
Some have rumored that it may include better cameras, a foster chip, and potentially even a portless design. Apple always tries to make things exciting, so the iPhone 16 Ultra could redefine what users think a top phone should be like.
Innovative Touch-Sensitive Capture Button
Apart from the main upgrades, Apple is rumored to be trying out new features like the capacitive capture button. This special button could be next to the power button and be touch-sensitive. It could offer users quick access to important functions, and you could feel a gentle buzz when you touch it.
As speculations continue to swirl, it’s important to be hopeful but cautious about these rumors. The iPhone 16 sounds like it, but only time will reveal the extent of Apple’s innovations. For now, users can eagerly anticipate what Apple has in store for the next time. Stay updated for more news as the unveiling of the iPhone 16 draws nearer.


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Parent company L Brands, which includes the Bath & Body Works business, revealed a mid-quarter earnings update Tuesday after the market closed, with net sales increasing by nearly a billion dollars in the quarter to date.
Total revenues for the nine weeks ending July 3, or L Brands’ second-quarter fiscal year 2021, were $2.35 billion, compared with $1.36 billion during the same period a year ago. By brand, Bath & Body Works revenues were more than $1.2 billion quarter to date, compared with $743 million last year, while Victoria’s Secret’s revenues were more than $1.1 billion, compared with $625 million.
The company pointed out that 2020’s second quarter was negatively impacted — as nearly all retailers were — by temporary store closures during the pandemic. But sales during the first nine weeks of the current quarter also surpass 2019’s pre-pandemic sales of $2.1 billion. That’s an increase of 12 percent.
Second quarter-to-date sales were also negatively impacted by a later start to both brands’ semiannual sales, compared with sales in 2019.
L Brands now expects second-quarter earnings-per-share to be between $1.20 and $1.30 a piece, compared with its previous guidance of $0.80 to $1.00, as a result.
The company is anticipating second-quarter operating income of more than $400 million for the Bath & Body Works segment and more than $200 million for the Victoria’s Secret segment, which includes the lingerie, beauty and Pink divisions, thanks to better-than-expected merchandise margin rates, disciplined inventory management, reduced promotional activity and positive consumer response to the updated assortment.
Still, shares of L Brands, which closed down 3.19 percent Tuesday to $74.12 a piece, fell nearly 2 percent during after-hours trading. Year-over-year, shares are up nearly 345 percent.
Also on Tuesday, L Brands revealed that founder and former chairman emeritus Leslie H. Wexner began the process of a secondary offering of more than 20 million shares. Following the closing of the offering, the company agreed to repurchase an aggregated 10 million shares of common stock from one of the shareholders, L Brands said in a statement, with J.P. Morgan acting as the sole “book-running manager” of the offering.
Earlier this month, the L Brands’ board approved the spin-off of the lingerie brand, which is set to take place in August. The move puts Victoria’s Secret on the New York Stock Exchange as a stand-alone firm, under the stock ticker “VSCO.” In addition, L Brands Inc. will soon become Bath & Body Works Inc., with the stock ticker going from “LB” to “BBWI.”


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Watch: Mena Suvari Blasts Cruel Down Industry in PETA US Ad Campaign
With a swirl of bloody feathers encircling her face, vegan American Beauty and American Pie star Mena Suvari blasts the down industry in a brand-new ad campaign for PETA US that proclaims, “Cruelty to Animals Gets Me Down. Down Production Is Agony for Ducks. Please Don’t Buy It.”
In an accompanying video spot, Suvari recalls first learning about the way in which birds suffer for down: “I just remember sitting in my home, and I was watching one of the videos showing these geese who were having their feathers ripped out while they were still alive, and they were screaming,” she says. “And it was really, really horrifying.” She immediately threw her feather-filled duvets and pillows in the bin. “I could not accept myself after watching that video, laying my head down on these pillows and going to sleep that night,” she explains.
A recent PETA exposé of the down industry in China shows workers ripping geese’s feathers out – leaving open, bloody wounds – while the birds are fully conscious. Dead birds were found decaying in crates and ponds or tossed outside like rubbish.
Suvari previously teamed up with PETA US to call for a ban on fur farming in Estonia. She is part of a long list of celebrities – including her American Woman co-star Alicia Silverstone as well as Gillian Anderson, Joaquin Phoenix, and Krysten Ritter – who have helped PETA or its international affiliates promote kindness to animals.
What You Can Do
Please never buy or wear any products that contain down. You can find a list of major retailers that have ditched down here. If your favourite brand isn’t on this list or you see a shop selling feather-filled items, ask it to adopt a down-free policy.


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By ANIEBO NWAMU
Even as farming is just starting in most parts of the north, my farms in the southeast have since received sufficient doses of the “medicine” necessary for bountiful harvests. At just N5, 000 per 50kg bag, fertiliser comes handy to those of us who plant on not-so-fertile soil that therefore needs to be nurtured. In this planting season, one commodity that is most valuable to Nigerian crop farmers obviously is fertiliser.
Unlike us part-time farmers, many uninformed agriculturalists are oblivious of how fertilisers get delivered to them so cheaply these days. When I asked a few of them in my village how they were able to get fertiliser at just N5, 000 a bag, the answer I got was simply “government”. But which government? They didn’t know!
In a way, they’re right. For the past three years, the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) programme has made fertilisers available to us with much ease. No longer are they imported and sold for N10, 000 or N12, 000 per bag; only a small fraction of raw materials is sourced from Morocco, and the finished products leave the blending plants now scattered in the agricultural belts of the country and are delivered to agro-dealers and state governments. They take the finished products from the blending plants and retail to the farmers.
In the 1990s, the media was awash with stories about fertiliser scams, as the products were diverted and sold to non-farmers who resold them at exorbitant prices. The ugly trend has since been silenced by the transparent process instituted about eight years ago while Dr Akinwumi Adesina was agriculture minister. Until recently, the persisting problem was that the price of imported fertiliser remained out of the reach of many — even the subsidised fertilisers couldn’t go round.
The PFI has been the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s success story. And it runs smoothly. When the president spoke of food security, in his Democracy Day address to the nation last week, he couldn’t have forgotten to pay glowing tribute to the PFI for delivering “significant quantities of affordable and high-quality fertilizers to our farmers”, for reviving 31 blending plants, and creating “a significant number of direct and indirect jobs across the value chain”. Food-induced inflation has reduced and economic activities across the agriculture value chain have been stimulated. There is efficient supply chain and improvement of logistics management as well as stimulation of product innovation and development through use of expertise in producing scientifically recommended formulae adaptable to the needs of the Nigerian soil.
The barely seen power behind the PFI has been the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), the agency given the responsibility of implementing the programme. That is to say, the NSIA funds the crop farmer’s best friend (PFI).
The story of this friendship began in December 2016 while the president was delivering his 2017 budget address. He formally approved the commencement of the Presidential Committee on Fertilizer Initiative (PCFI) under the chairmanship of Jigawa State governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar. The committee included representatives from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the leadership of the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN), and the NSIA. NSIA was to source and procure the raw materials, contract with fertilizer blenders to blend the products under a contract blending arrangement, sell the fertilizer through the blending plants and receive proceeds for the fertilizer sale. The price of the product is always set by the presidency.
PFI’s annual revenue is a little more than N100bn but its costs are slightly more. So far, 31 blending plants have been resuscitated and accredited. In three years, PFI has delivered an average of 7million 50kg bags of NPK 20:10:10 annually — and it targets 12million bags in 2020. Over 1, 000 agro-dealers have been accredited. Government has been enabled to save foreign exchange that would have been expended on fertiliser subsidy or used to import bags of fertiliser.
Under the PFI business model, the four constituent raw materials required for production of NPK 20:10:10 are sourced and then blended locally at accredited blending plants to produce the commodity for delivery at N5, 500 per 50kg bag; it was reduced to N5, 000 effective April 2020. The four constituent raw materials required for the blending process are Urea, Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), Muriate of Potash (MOP) and Limestone Granules (LSG). NSIA helped to restructure the deal for importation of DAP and MOP (38% of inputs) from Morocco; the rest 62% of raw materials by weight, LSG and Limestone, is sourced locally. A cumulative total of 946,264 MT of NPK 20:10:10 fertiliser was produced from 2017 to 2019 under the PFI programme; 917,178 MT has been sold.
This year, NAIC-NPK Limited (a special-purpose vehicle through which the NSIA operates) has imported the constituent raw materials required for the blending of 600,000MT (12 million 50kg bags) of NPK fertiliser and has also commenced the sourcing and ordering of constituent raw materials required for the blending of 400,000MT (8million bags) under the other programmes. Production is gearing up ahead of the 2020 farming season.
The accountability status of NSIA led by Mr Uche Orji ranks second to none of all federal agencies. On its website (www.nsia.com.ng), I find reports of PFI’s audited financial statements from inception in 2017 to date. I see the qualitative and quantitative accounts of NSIA’s stewardship regarding all assets under the PFI: raw materials imported, sales made through accredited agro-dealers, reports of quality control at blending plants and so on.
The much-respected PricewaterhouseCoopers has audited the accounts of PFI from inception. Records show that, between 2017 and 2019, it invested N95bn and plans to invest N140bn in 2020. All 31 plants are audited regularly by internal and external auditors to ensure compliance with approved standards. There are strict controls over how raw materials and finished products are handled: Involved is a joint security task force supervised by the Office of the National Security Adviser. Movement, storage and general handling of raw materials and finished goods are monitored by appointed collateral managers who ensure quality, consistency in weight and mixture per bag of NPK 20:10:10 to avoid adulteration or under-bagging.
To ensure further quality control, the Institute for Agricultural Research, Zaria, was hired to conduct random tests on each batch of finished products. The price per bag at the gate of every PFI-accredited distributor is monitored – it remained N5, 500 until April 2020 when it was reduced to N5, 000. Neither NSIA nor NAIC-NPK is party to fertiliser sales of any sort; both are also not privy to or involved in the operations and functioning of the CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Programme.
What’s more, there’s a toll-free phone number on every bag of fertiliser that a whistleblower could call anytime. Nobody can collect fertiliser sales proceeds and put into personal accounts. Under the PFI, sales proceeds are received through partner commercial banks and paid into TSA accounts periodically. Settlement of credit sales is similarly routed and terminates in a TSA account. The way the programme is structured makes lodgments outside the designated accounts impossible.
All key stakeholders applaud NSIA for its governance system as well as its accountability. The investment institution remains committed to ensuring that all of us – almost every Nigerian adult is involved in farming now – are able to purchase high-quality domestically produced fertilizer at the advertised price from any accredited PFI distributor. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Connect with Aniebo: +234-8054100220 (SMS/WhatsApp only)


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THE Kirkwood Hospice Summer Raffle is hoping to raise bags of cash for the cancer charity.
The hospice, in Dalton, needs to raise a total of £2.8m each year and is aiming to top last year's raffle total of £8,000.
Fundraiser Dawn Walker said: "We have got some great prizes to give away.
You could win a luxury day at the races with overnight accommodation. Hospice volunteer Peter Wood will act as chauffeur for the lucky winners."
Other prizes include a 28in television and DVD player, a floral gift every month for a year , a pamper hamper and a mobile phone.
The raffle is sponsored by Gardinia Windows and the draw will be on August 27.
Anyone who wants to buy tickets or to help should visit a Kirkwood Hospice shop or call Dawn on 01484 557911.


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Apple to reward patient shareholders with first dividend since 1995 and launch a $10bn buyback scheme
Apple's iPhone 4S: The company is to announce its plans for a hoard of cash estimated at $100 billion in a press conference today
Apple has announced that it will pay a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share - and is to start a $10 billion share buyback programme.
Shares rocketed at the news, sending Apple to a new record high of $600.23 in pre-market trading.
The repurchase and the dividend are expected to send Apple's stock even higher.
It has shed light on a mystery that has puzzled the worlds of technology and business for months - what the world's richest company intended to do with its $98 billion hoard of cash.
Apple says the dividend will start in its fiscal fourth quarter, which begins July 1.
The buybacks will begin in its next fiscal year, which starts Sept. 30.
For years, it has resisted calls to reward shareholders with some of that money.
Since the death of CEO Steve Jobs, management has signalled that it's been considering options for the money.
Peter Kenny, managing director of Knight Capital, said, 'Taking shares out of the market by corporate repurchase has a very direct and very positive impact on pricing.
‘That is very, very good for the stock, it's very good for the market, it's great for the sector and it's very, very good for the supply chain.’
'That will be very supportive of not just Apple, which the market has been anticipating, but the supply chain - the legendary Apple supply chain. As a result, you are going to see tech - not just large cap, but smaller cap tech also participate in the move.
‘It's a good story, the market was kind of expecting that - people were questioning what Apple could do with the money other than earn nothing.'
The expectation of a dividend has already helped send the stock up 37 percent since Apple's latest earnings report.
In pre-market trading, the shares touched a record level of $600.23, up 2.5 percent from Friday's close.
The move comes as investors have clamored for the company to return some of the money to shareholders.
The maker of the iPhone, iPad and iPod has $98 billion in cash and securities, equal to about $104 a share according to ISI Group analyst Brian Marshall.
Wall Street has increasingly bet that Apple will this year return cash to shareholders, taking their cue from Chief Executive Tim Cook's comments about ‘active discussions’ at the top levels about the matter.
Cook recently said he had been ‘thinking very deeply’ about investors' demands that Apple return some of the cash to shareholders via a dividend.
Analysts have said the return of cash to shareholders could take the form of a one-time dividend or even an annual payout, potentially opening the stock up to a new class of investors who seek a dividend yield. Alternatively, the return could be carried out through a share buyback.
Mounting anticipation over a buyback, along with hopes that the newest iPad will keep sales momentum strong, helped propel the stock to a record high this month above $600 a share.
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A quicker increase in new orders and stronger demand led to expansion in India’s service providers' business activity at the fastest rate in a year in February with the Covid-19 vaccine roll out leading to an improvement in business confidence.
The India Services Business Activity Index rose to 55.3 in February from 52.8 in January. A figure above 50 indicates expansion, while a sub-50 reading signals contraction.
However, employment continued to fall for third month in a row and companies noted the sharpest rise in overall expenses in eight years.
Transport & storage was the best-performing segment of the service sector among the five categories monitored by the survey, recording the strongest increases in new business and output during February.
Information & communication was the only sub-sector to post contraction in sales and business activity. Companies in this category also bucked the general trend of positive growth projections and signalled a neutral outlook for output, the survey showed.
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VIOOH is a leading premium global digital out of home supply side platform. Launched in 2018 and with headquarters in London, VIOOH’s platform connects buyers and sellers in a premium marketplace, making OOH easily accessible.
This promoted content is produced by a publishing partner of Open Mic. A paid-for membership product for partners of The Drum to self-publish their news, opinions and insights on thedrum.com - Find out more
87% of UK media professionals set to retain or increase investment in programmatic DOOH in the next 18 months
October 12, 2022
New research by VIOOH, reveals 44% of media agency and advertising executives stated having information on how to measure ROI of programmatic DOOH would help them learn more about the channel
LONDON, UK, 11th October, 2022 - Today, VIOOH, the leading premium global digital out of (DOOH) home supply-side platform, released its annual programmatic DOOH research paper. The findings show that the future of programmatic DOOH looks bright with investment increasingly coming from new budgets or being moved from other traditional and digital channels. This increase in demand is due to UK buyers continuing to value the flexibility and efficiency that programmatic trading provides to DOOH, along with the audience targeting and brand safety afforded by its broadcast nature.
The report, entitled ‘Programmatic DOOH 2022 - State of the Nation’, provides a unique insight into the DOOH industry by combining in-depth interviews with key industry spokespeople, alongside survey data from 1,000 senior agency and advertising executives across the UK, US, Germany, France and Australia.
The findings identified that whilst the COVID-19 pandemic proved the value of the agility that programmatic DOOH offers, many advertisers have continued to take advantage of this flexibility post-pandemic. In the last 18 months, the executives surveyed reported that half (50%) of campaigns in the UK have included programmatic DOOH and this is set to increase to 56% in the next 18 months, with just over one in ten (11%) planning to double their investment.
The planning and buying of programmatic DOOH is increasingly taking place alongside other programmatic activities, demonstrating increasing market maturity to align programmatic DOOH within a multi-channel campaign strategy. Within this context, the majority (91%) of UK media executives stated they will continue to invest in areas such as building in-house programmatic DOOH expertise and focusing on educating programmatic, OOH and cross-media planning teams on the advantages of programmatic DOOH to help communicate the benefits to brands and teams.
When looking at the key barriers to adoption, the report found that media executives in the UK are wanting unified measurement solutions to articulate the value of programmatic DOOH and isolate its effect within multi-channel campaigns. In fact, just under a third (31%) of UK media professionals surveyed said they would like more information on cross-channel measurement and attribution in order to demonstrate programmatic DOOH’s impact within an omni-channel campaign. Additionally, nearly half (44%) of executives in the UK believe that a wider scope of audience data would also give programmatic DOOH campaigns more value and prompt an increase in investment.
“As highlighted in this year’s State of the Nation report findings, we are seeing an increase in media spend coming from new budgets or being moved from other traditional and digital channels. Coupled with a widening responsibility for its planning and buying, it’s clear that as markets mature, buyers are keen to fit programmatic DOOH within multi-channel campaign strategies,” said Jean-Christophe Conti, Chief Executive Officer at VIOOH. “For the channel’s full potential to be unlocked, the report also shows a desire for increasing sophistication in data and targeting, and a robust ROI and measurement solution - as the ability to measure DOOH’s impact within multi-channel campaigns is likely to become a key factor in the growth of programmatic DOOH,” added Conti.
You can download the full report at https://www.viooh.com/sotn
- ENDS -
Notes to Editor
The data cited in this release was gathered and analysed from two key sources:
A survey of 1,000 respondents, managed by research agency MTM, was conducted in June 2022 across five countries - the UK, US, Germany, France and Australia. In-depth interviews with senior agency and advertising executives in each of these markets were conducted in July 2022.
VIOOH is a leading premium global digital out of home supply-side platform.
Launched in 2018 and with headquarters in London, VIOOH’s platform connects buyers and sellers in a premium marketplace, making OOH easily accessible.
Led by a team of digital OOH and programmatic tech experts, VIOOH is pioneering the transformation of the OOH sector, championing its role in enhancing omni-channel digital campaigns through the use of programmatic capabilities and data. VIOOH currently trades programmatically in 17 markets, with more to follow.
For more information about VIOOH, please visit www.viooh.com or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.


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Plastic litters rivers, road sidings, and oceans. Initially, the material was lauded for its longevity—but its longevity is the problem.
Products like the common plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. This means that every single piece of plastic ever produced still exists.
The United Nations Environment Program says that plastic generation more than tripled between the 1970s and 1990s. In the early 2000s, plastic waste increased more in a single decade than it had in the previous 40 years.
“Researchers estimate that more than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced since the early 1950s,” says UN Environment. “About 60% of that plastic has ended up in either a landfill or the natural environment.”
Single-use plastic, in particular, has been widely used as a hygienic alternative to reusable materials. Items like bottles, cutlery, food containers, coffee cups, plastic bags, and of course straws have enjoyed popularity for their practicality—despite their impact on the environment.
Microplastics—small plastic pieces less than 5mm—are also particularly destructive. Microplastics are already widespread in our oceans, rivers, and in our food. Since plastic does not biodegrade, these pieces simply get smaller, circulating indefinitely.
“Many of these tiny plastic particles are swallowed by farm animals or fish who mistake them for food,” says UN Environment. “And thus can find their way onto our dinner plates.”
Larger pieces of plastic can also harm marine life through entanglement and ingestion. Seals, whales, dolphins, and of course fish, are all impacted by this. Six-pack rings, bottle caps, cotton buds, balloons, and plastic utensils are particularly harmful.
Entanglement is extremely common, and one of the main causes is fishing. Data collected for the Ocean Cleanup campaign indicates more than 50 percent of ocean plastic is discarded fishing equipment. The survey analyzed the Great Pacific Garbage Patch—a floating island of debris twice the size of Texas that sits between Hawaii and California.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), “entanglement in fishing gear is the leading threat for whales and dolphins around the globe — estimated to cause at least 300,000 deaths per year.”
In addition to entanglement and ingestion, there is also the chemical impact of plastic pollution. Even if a plastic bag does begin to biodegrade in warmer waters, it can release toxic chemicals into the ecosystem. So how do we fight plastic pollution?
How Do We Fight Plastic Pollution?
One simple way to reduce plastic pollution is to follow a primarily plant-based diet. By cutting out seafood, consumers can avoid contributing to the huge quantity of waste plastic that ends up in the sea through industrial fishing.
Another key way of fighting plastic pollution is by minimizing the amount of single-use packaging you purchase. Reusable items such as keep-cups for coffee, aluminum lunch boxes and water bottles, and fabric shopping bags are all popular alternatives to plastic.
Recycling is also essential to reducing waste plastic. In addition to personal and industrial recycling schemes, some brands are even using waste plastic to construct new products. Waste plastic has been used to create shoes, clothes, car accessories, and even a stage at the Glastonbury music festival.
However, only a very small proportion of plastic is effectively recycled, and many producers do not manage their plastic waste effectively or responsibly.
“Only 9% of plastic has ever been recycled,” says The Guardian. “Today the recycling system is breaking down. Plastic is being landfilled, burned or dispatched to developing nations, where it is probably being disposed of improperly, to the detriment of people who can least afford to deal with the consequences.”
Dominic Waughray of the World Economic Forum says the world needs a plastic “revolution.”
“To move from insight to large scale action, it is clear that no one actor can work on this alone,” says Waughray. “The public, private sector, and civil society all need to mobilize in order to capture the opportunity of the new circular plastics economy.”
11 Most Impressive Plastic Bans Around the World
Plastic pollution is a huge problem—but communities, businesses, and governments are taking steps to reduce its impact on the environment. The United Nations revealed in May 2019 that 180 countries have pledged to help reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean. Here are 11 of the most impressive plastic bans around the world.
1. The US Microbeads Ban
In 2015, the U.S. banned plastic microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products. Several other countries including the UK, Canada, Taiwan, and New Zealand have also banned microbeads from rinse-off products.
There are many natural alternatives to microbeads in cosmetic products. Some companies have switched to using natural exfoliates such as oatmeal, sea salt, apricot pits, and even coconut husks.
2. Australia’s Plastic Bag Bans
Victoria is the most recent Australian state to ban the sale of plastic bags. From November, all retailers in Victoria will be subject to heavy fines for providing plastic carrier bags. New South Wales is now the only state in Australia yet to outlaw the bags.
3. Mexico City’s Plastic Bag Ban
Mexico City launched its plastic bag ban on January 1st. The law, which was passed in May, now restricts all businesses excluding perishable food vendors. Companies that produce plastic bags outside of the area will also be prohibited from selling them to Mexico City businesses.
4. Canada’s Single-Use Plastic Ban
In Canada, infrastructure is being introduced nationally to reduce plastic waste. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last year that the country will aim to ban “harmful” single-use plastics by 2021. Trudeau said in a statement: “As parents, we’re at a point when we take our kids to the beach and we have to search out a patch of sand that isn’t littered with straws, Styrofoam, or bottles.”
5. Thailand’s Plastic Bag Ban
Thailand has kicked off the year with a ban on single-use plastic bags at major stores and supermarkets. A national campaign orchestrated by the government and retailers aims for a total ban by the year 2021. Several animals were found last year with plastic in their digestive systems, which increased the country’s determination to reduce waste.
6. The EU’s Single-Use Plastics Ban
In 2018 the EU banned 10 throwaway plastics including Styrofoam and single-use straws. Manufacturers of other plastic products—including water bottles and cups—have also seen more strict regulation and all plastic water bottles will need to contain 30 percent recycled content by 2030. The ban will come into force in 2021.
7. Rwanda’s Bag Ban
As part of Rwanda’s recovery from genocide in the 1990s, the government emphasized environmental protection – including a ban on single-use plastic bags. Rwanda’s ban is particularly notable as it prohibits the manufacture, use, importation, and sale of single-use carrier bags. Violations are met with fines and in some cases even prison sentences.
8. California’s Ban on Straws and Bags
California was the first state to ban single-use plastic bags in 2014 and the first to implement a partial ban on plastic straws in 2018. In the U.S., more than 470,000 people signed a petition asking Target to ditch plastic bags for good. Both IKEA and Costco have stopped providing plastic bags at cash registers.
9. Kenya’s Single-Use Bag Ban
Tens of millions of plastic bags were distributed to supermarket customers every year in Kenya before the ban in 2017. Discarded bags polluted the local environment and contributed to floods by blocking drains. The African continent is where most countries have introduced a ban on both the production and use of plastic bags.
10. Britain’s Straw Ban
In 2015, England joined Wales and Northern Ireland by adding a 5p charge for carrier bags in large supermarkets and stores. Further legislation on lightweight carrier bags and disposable food containers will be clarified and implemented by December 2024. In the next five years, policy on single-use plastics will begin to take effect.
A ban on plastic straws, cotton buds, and stirrers was first announced in April 2018. These restrictions are expected to take effect in April 2020. The Welsh government has said Wales aims to be zero-waste by 2050. The country will also phase out all single-use plastics and plans to become the world leader in recycling.
11. Bangladesh Plastic Bag Ban
The government of Bangladesh was the first to introduce a total ban on lightweight plastic bags in 2002. This followed extreme flood damage caused by littered plastic bags that submerged more than two-thirds of the country.
Bangladesh has also created a lucrative and natural alternative to plastic. A scientist has found a way to turn jute — the plant fiber used to create burlap sacks — into a plastic-like material. The new bags are biodegradable and recyclable.


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Posted by Sheila Shayon on May 11, 2011 03:30 PM
Shoparatti, Melissa Rivers’ daily deal website, has just added a pair of fashionista-luring features: a star-studded Style Council, which launches with E! News’ Giuliana Rancic; and a blog, featuring Rivers' “Top Picks” with weekly video and a photo section with trends and styles so shoppers can visualize Shoparatti’s daily deals.
With her site barely two months old, Rivers sorts through 80+ competitive daily deal sites, including Gilt, HauteLook, Rue La LA, and Groupon, to “clear the clutter,” as she commented this week at a meet-and-greet in New York.Continue reading...
Posted by Sara Zucker on November 24, 2009 05:13 PM
Earlier this month, eBay announced plans to open mobile boutiques in 12 cities across the country in an effort to service holiday shopping. Well, the holidays must officially be here, because eBay's pop-up stores began popping up on November 20.
The 5,500-square foot Manhattan location is stocked with a dizzying “selection of Norma Kamali’s exclusive fashions for eBay, L.A.M.B. shoes, handbags from Michael Kors and Dooney & Bourke, Anthropologie dresses, cosmetics from M.A.C., Smashbox and other brands, and the Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue and Vera Wang Princess fragrances. Electronics, toys, home and garden items.”Continue reading...
Posted by Sara Zucker on November 13, 2009 12:45 PM
Online shoppers will be thrilled to learn that DailyCandy, the website known for newsletters alerting of sample sales, has created its own sample sale website. The members-only site, called Swirl, will carry designer clothing and accessories for up to 80% off.
The online sales market has become increasingly crowded and increasingly popular. One of the many, Rue La La, just sold for $350 million to GSI Commerce, an e-commerce company which specializes in managing the sites of major retailers like ToysRUs.com and Zales.Continue reading...


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Flutter Entertainment-owned FanDuel Group has become an official gaming partner of two of Detroit’s most iconic professional sports franchises through a new collaboration with MotorCity [...]
Michigan’s three commercial casinos have reported a 12 per cent fall in revenue to $101.4m for the month of October, despite increasing contributions from retail [...]
Michigan's three Detroit casinos saw aggregate revenue decline by 59 per cent to $57.4m in March as social distancing measures came into effect, despite the [...]
Flutter Entertainment-owned FanDuel Group will launch a new retail sportsbook in Michigan later today through a partnership with Detroit’s MotorCity Casino.
The new FanDuel Sportsbook at MotorCity Casino [...]


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With the biggest Mobile Legends tournament being underway, Facebook Gaming has forbidden its content creators from attending World Championship.
On Monday, the Mobile Legends World Championship officially began and be that as it may, many gaming creators are eyeing this content-filled event. However, Facebook had a thing or two to say…
In case you didn’t know, M1 2019 is an event by Youtube (a rival company of Facebook). Many are speculating this as the reason why Facebook Gaming held its content creators from going to the said event.
In an article posted by IGN SEA, which is now taken down, it said that Facebook Gaming creators received an e-mail two weeks ago stating they are strictly advised to not attend the Mobile Legends World Championship (M1). The email also stated that there will be consequences for those who have attended the event.
The first-ever Mobile Legends: Bang Bang World Championship runs from November 11 to November 14 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Check out right here which teams made it to the Mobile Legends World Championship!
What do you think of Facebook Gaming banning their creators from attending Mobile Legends World Championship? And on a side note, which teams in M1 2019 are you rooting for?
Feel free to tell us your thoughts and questions down below! Or you can hit us up on our Facebook or Twitter @UDoUPh.And if you liked this story, make sure to stay tuned here on U Do U for more updates!