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Established legacy food companies like Kraft Heinz Co, Tyson Foods, Inc., and Kroger Co, are increasingly expanding their plant-based offerings to join purpose-built plant-based food companies like Beyond Meat Inc and Else Nutrition in the rapidly growing plant-based business market.
Else Nutrition Grows US Retail Availability
Israeli-based food and nutrition company Else Nutrition (TSXV:BABY) (OTCQX:BABYF) has been rapidly expanding its footprint in the United States market throughout 2020 with a successful e-store and Amazon launch and an ongoing rollout of its products in more than 380 retail locations throughout the United States.
On December 23, Else Nutrition announced a major development in the company’s US product rollout. Else announced that the company’s plant-based toddler nutrition formula would be carried by major US health food retailer Sprouts Farmers Market. Else formula will be available at more than 360 Sprouts locations throughout the country beginning in February 2021. This partnership between Sprouts and Else Nutrition will dramatically increase the size of Else’s footprint in the United States and put the company’s products front and center in the eyes of health-conscious consumers throughout the country.
Beyond Meat Inc (NASDAQ:BYND), the company largely credited with popularizing the plant-based meat alternatives concept is continuing to make its products available in a growing number of stores and restaurants. Most recently, the company announced in January that Beyond Meat will be available at Taco Bell restaurants beginning in March, then this week announced a partnership with PepsiCo to produce plant-based snacks and beverages.
Kraft Heinz Co (NASDAQ:KHC) was relatively late to capitalize on the plant-based alternatives boom and is still vastly behind Beyond in market share. The company is looking to catch up, however, particularly in the plant-based cheese and condiments segments. Kraft-owned Philadelphia cream cheese has been researching plant-based alternatives, and Kraft launched vegan mayo and salad dressing options in late December.
US meat giant Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) is not looking to be left behind in the plant-based craze either. In 2019, the company launched its Raised and Rooted brand of plant-based and hybrid foods. Then, in November 2020, the company retooled the Raised and Rooted lineup to eliminate the hybrid options and go fully meatless. In January, the company added to its plant-based offerings with the introduction of meatless options to its Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage brand.
In October, Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) expanded its in-house Simple Truth brand of plant-based foods with the addition of more than 50 meatless items. These included dairy-free ice creams and desserts, along with plant-based deli slices, ‘Chick’n’ burger patties, and more.


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Sony launches IP Live Production Studio at DMPCE, Pinewood Studios
The studio will demonstrate what the industry can achieve, showcasing the scalability and benefits of Sony's Networked Media Interface, which delivers low latency and noise-free switching of HD and 4K video, audio and metadata via standard network infrastructures. It will also support IP initiatives as a hardware tool and establish itself as a prime training ground for professionals, in line with the strong heritage already established by Sony at Pinewood Studios.
The IP Live Studio will serve as a ‘playground’ for partners that are part of the IP Live Alliance, allowing them to interface their own equipment with the Sony system. With the range of IP-compatible software and kit expanding across the industry, the DMPCE’s platform will allow partners to ensure their customers can interact with different workflows thanks to the help of Sony’s technology. Sony has already established a leading list of partners, including 50 members of the IP Live Alliance, who will be able to use the studio to go beyond a regular proof of concept by demonstrating their products’ interoperability and functionality in a live environment.
"Ever since introducing our first IP-enabled solutions back in 2012, we've been working with partners and customers to make IP an operational reality in live production environments. Our approach is tested and proven in the field, forming the backbone of live production workflows for customers such as TV Globo, CNN Adria and the PSNC," said Norbert Paquet, Strategic Marketing Manager at Sony Professional Europe. “To date, standards and alliances have focused only on a few of the challenges of IP Live production. The IP Live Studio is therefore an opportunity for our customers to test and operate a complete IP workflow, and experience the exciting interoperability on offer.”
“The IP Live Studio will exist alongside Sony’s established cinematography and Broadcast workflow at the DMPCE, which has already welcomed over 3,300 customers through its doors since its launch in 2013. The DMPCE has a strong heritage in training, and the IP Studio further supports Sony’s mission to educate and inspire AV professionals by letting them feel the power of the latest technologies for themselves. We’re really looking forward to welcoming everyone to the new IP Live Studio,” said Ann-Marie Hiscox, European Head of Training at Sony Professional Europe.
The Studio’s acquisition system will feature Sony’s HDC-4300 4K/HD live system camera and BPU-4500 baseband processor, working in tandem with NXLK-IP40F SDI to IP converter boards, and a state of the art network infrastructure. The list of manufacturers contributing interoperable kit to the Studio includes:
• Imagine Communications
• Juniper Networks
The following operational and technological features will be demonstrated, among others:
• 4K and HD acquisition over IP
• Video switching over IP
• Real Time graphics over IP
• Networked Media Interface interoperability
• Dynamic routing
Designed for Live Production engineers, live studio technicians, production companies, broadcasters and more, the IP Live studio will be open from June.

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Inside Containerless Research Inc.'s cluttered laboratory at Northwestern University's Evanston Research Park, a small styrofoam sphere is suspended in midair, held aloft by precisely calibrated sound waves. Cut the sphere with a laser, and the resulting halves remain suspended.
A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES
To be sure, the market potential of this "aero-acoustic levitator" is limited, as company co-founder and President Paul Nordine allows. But 4-year-old Containerless Research has already sold one, for $1 million, to a Japanese lab.
Mr. Nordine and his partner, Richard Weber, found their customer on their own, but they couldn't have closed the deal without the help of the state of Illinois' Japanese trade representative, who helped them explain the workings of the levitator to their Japanese colleagues. (The levitator lets scientists experiment with materials on earth without having to factor out the effects of gravity or a container, and thus design more cost-efficient experiments for outer space.)
Welcome to the brave new world of international small business. Increasingly, Illinois companies are finding their overseas clients independently and then tapping the state's international trade programs such as the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA) only for specific expertise.
In the past, small companies have often viewed the DCCA programs as a near-substitute for an international sales force. Lately, though, the economic development agency's officials say they've noticed that faxes, e-mail and more efficient international shipping channels have paved the way for small companies to do their own work when it comes to establishing key trade relationships.
"We are seeing an increase in the number of general assistance calls. People who've never thought about overseas commerce are thinking in that direction," says Roberta Janis, manager of the International Trade Centers for DCCA, which are designed to help small and medium-sized companies gain and keep business overseas.
By the end of 1997, DCCA will have worked with 218 companies with fewer than 500 employees, resulting in $20 million in export sales for the year.
At the state's five International Trade Centers, small companies can get help in preparing documents, finding translators for sales materials and technical documents, lining up shippers and wending their way through a maze of financial paperwork.
Overall, the top three categories of Illinois' overseas exports are industrial machinery and computer equipment, electronics and chemicals. According to DCCA, the top four country destinations for small-company exports are Canada, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom -- the same as for larger firms.
Chicago-area companies have a major advantage over other American firms because they have easy access to international trade shows held at McCormick Place, and thus can explore international markets and liaisons at low cost, Ms. Janis says. And as small companies learn how to use the World Wide Web to research potential markets and communicate both with sales reps and customers, they've become much less worried about the logistics of doing business overseas.
"They still think that they have to know the language (of the country they're entering), and we're showing them that's not so," says Ms. Janis.
Once they overcome their fear of the perceived language barrier, entrepreneurs often have to deal with another, much-less-expected problem: coping with a sudden rush of orders.
Steve Morreim's experience is typical. Mr. Morreim, president of QED Dryer Sales & Manufacturing Inc. in Rockford, had a booth set up at a trade show in 1995 when a group of Russians stopped by. As it turned out, they ran one of the few factories in Russia that produced agricultural equipment along the lines of Mr. Morreim's grain dryer.
"Because we're a smaller company and they're dealing with me, the president, that led them in our direction. But they kept coming back because of the fuel efficiency (of the dryer)," says Mr. Morreim. Within a few weeks, he'd signed a $125,000 deal and was elbow-deep in disassembling the dryer for reassembly during a training session at the Russian factory.
The contact has been beneficial for QED: The Russian company has spent the same amount of money with QED in each of the past two years. The only logistical problem -- ironing out the details of the contract -- was solved with help from the U.S. Department of Commerce, reports Mr. Morreim.
Currently, DCCA officials are tracking sales of Illinois-generated software products overseas. Foreign software sales have doubled in each of the last two years, says Shannon Toler, manager of the International Trade Center at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn.
One company contributing to that trend is Chicago Interface Group. The 4-year-old software consulting firm tapped its "young boys network" to find a European distributor for its year-2000 software conversion products, says Timothy Currie, manager of business development.
The first time around, Mr. Currie says, the firm was disappointed when the Belgium-based distributor's hopeful predictions fell short and expected sales didn't materialize. Now wiser, Mr. Currie has been closely monitoring the newly established network of country-based sales representatives who now handle Chicago Interface's products. As a result, the company feels that its toehold in Europe is broadening.
"It was much harder than I thought it would be. High tech has always been very open and international, and my general experience with overseas business is that it should translate to more people being conversant in that kind of commerce," Mr. Currie says. "At least, in high tech, the world's software community is used to buying things from the States. I expect it will get easier."


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“It all stems from the sudden smart phone mania that pundits say will be in full swing this summer,” Dvorak writes. “Apple is the clear leader on this game. Whatever it does, everyone else must do. It could be a high-definition touch screen, the welcoming of third-party application programs or developing and opening an ‘app store’ to sell software. At least for the next year or two, Apple will set the standard.”
MacDailyNews Take: Miracles do happen; so far he’s making sense.
Dvorak writes, “Everyone else, meanwhile, is fighting for second place with hopes to knock off Apple in the long run. Intel could end up having the best chance.”
“Intel surely was not pleased as this new smart phone-computing platform emerged with it, the biggest microprocessor company in the world, standing on the sidelines chatting with Dell about a new laptop,” Dvorak writes. “Meanwhile, the iPhone is using an ARM microprocessor. That’s left Intel as the odd man out.”
“Wind River has been making a move on mobile handheld devices — and mobile phones in particular — since 2005, when it announced its ‘Platform for Consumer Electronics, Linux Edition.’ It was expected to play a role in the cell-phone business right away,” Dvorak writes. “Unfortunately, the mobile-phone business was dominated by merely functional phones and any and all smart phones were dead meat until Apple came along and showed people how to do them right. Perhaps ahead of its time, Wind River sat at the sideline grinding its teeth while Google came up with its own Linux phone.”
Dvorak writes, “Intel is behind in the race, but once it turns its attention to the problem, it can catch up and pass the competition rather quickly… This should be fun to watch. The 800-pound gorilla just entered the room.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Interesting – if, for nothing else, a rare burst of clarity – but Dvorak completely fails to mention the 8,000-pound gorilla in the room: Apple, with their P.A. Semi acquisition about which CEO Steve Jobs has already publicly-stated: “PA Semi is going to do system-on-chips for iPhones and iPods.”


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Rockstar Games just released its Christmas update for Grand Theft Auto V and brings new items, perks and more additional features on GTA Online.
A Twitter post by ItsJackFrost that a festive surprise 2016 is now out bringing a Christmas themed clothing that are free. There’s also Luminous, Electric and Neon Bodysuits for $100k each. You can also sell your stolen car from recent Import / Export update from GTA that gives you $50,000 rewards.
New Two cars are also available the Truffade Nero and Nero Custom that are available for purchase. There are more additional updates on the festive update that are still undiscovered. You can download now the GTA 5 Christmas Update on Steam.


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SCMP Saturday, August 5, 2000
Piracy trade 'all but wiped out'
JO BOWMAN and MIKE CARLSON
A crackdown on the trade in pirated film and music CDs has wiped out 98 per cent of the illicit market, the Commissioner of Customs and Excise says.
Speaking yesterday in response to an Australian film boss' statement that "growing and rampant" piracy made it impossible to do business in the SAR, John Tsang Chun-wah said the number of pirated discs in circulation was just two per cent of what it was a year ago.
Mr Tsang said a $150 million campaign to eliminate piracy over the past year had all but wiped out the trade in fakes. He said there were now fewer than 100,000 pirated discs in circulation, down from an estimated five million 12 months ago.
His comments followed the sale by Australian-based Village Roadshow of its 50 per cent stake in local cinema operator Golden Village - which has six complexes and 26 screens in the SAR - for about $59 million on Thursday. Village Roadshow managing director Graham Burke said the company was pulling out of Hong Kong because the copyright piracy problem here was enormous.
"Mr Burke's stated reason for his sale by attributing commercial decisions to ancient history is both irresponsible and disingenuous," Mr Tsang said yesterday. "Painting a fictitious picture to justify commercial decisions damages the credibility of both the company concerned as well as the industry. We must look at the facts."
Mr Tsang said box-office takings for most cinema operators had risen since June last year, when the Customs Special Task Force was set up to battle copyright piracy.
He said some cinemas had seen a 20 per cent jump in takings in the first half of this year, adding that the heads of the Motion Picture Association and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry had thanked Customs for their efforts. The United States removed Hong Kong from its piracy "watch list" in February last year in recognition of growing efforts to stamp out the trade.
Two agents from the National Intellectual Property Rights Co-ordination Centre in Washington this week spent three days touring the Customs Department's anti-piracy operation at the former Kai Tak airport. "We've been very impressed. We've appreciated that Hong Kong Customs has allowed us to observe their expert enforcement efforts in property rights," US Customs Service special agent Delbert Richburg said.
The crackdown followed angry scenes in March last year, when film trade workers closed cinemas and surrounded the Legislative Council building to demand tough action against piracy they said was threatening their industry. Customs' head of intellectual property investigations unit Ben Leung Lun-cheung said that year 2,701 people were arrested for piracy offences and officials seized 16.5 million pirated discs worth more than $297 million. By June this year, more than 1,500 arrests had been made and 4.8 million discs, worth about $88 million, had been seized.


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A new leak surrounding Apex Legends has revealed Valkyrie’s heirloom, which will be a Mythic-tier cosmetic that fans can unlock within the game.
Those who use Valkyrie in the game won’t have to wait too long for the new cosmetic.
Of course, heirlooms within Apex Legends are highly sought-after within the game, because they have their own lore and their own animations.
Valkyrie is a winged avenger, who was released way back in Season 9, and we now know that heirloom is going to be released by Respawn for her, if this leak is correct.
It’s a straight-headed spear that appears to be genuinely massive, potentially bigger than all of the other heirlooms in the game.
It’s a two-handed weapon, so it may well disappear when Valkyrie flies around the gameworld, as she is able to do.
It’s a beautiful piece of kit, embossed with gold, and is likely to be deadly too.
There is no release date as yet for the weapon, but it may well arrive during Season 13.
Season 13 of Apex Legends is set to come out on Tuesday May 10th, meaning that there may not be a lengthy wait for the heirloom.
The design of it may well change by the time it is actually released, as we have to stress that this is a leak, and not an official look at the heirloom.
It remains to be seen when exactly it’ll be downloadable for Apex players but it’s surely coming up soon.
Keep it tuned to GiveMeSport and we’ll make sure to update you when we know more, including anything about new heirlooms being released into Apex Legends!


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Every day well-informed at ITB Berlin
ITB Berlin is launching the first official magazine specifically for international visitors and journalists in 2013
Berlin, 9 July 2012 – A new source of information for international visitors: with ITB Berlin News, Messe Berlin is launching the first English-language magazine especially for trade visitors and journalists from abroad in 2013. This magazine will provide readers with an overview of information and news items on a daily basis, as well as a review of planned events. ITB Berlin News will be produced by the publishing company Cleverdis.
ITB Berlin News will comprise a total of five editions. The first one will appear one week before the start of the trade show in digital form and the remaining four will be available during the event days from 6 to 10 March 2013 as a printed and online version. The magazine is also available at a total of 100 Berlin hotels. The editorial focus is on daily news from the trade show and the ITB Berlin Convention, facts and figures on different markets, exclusive interviews and dossiers, hotel highlights and “green” initiatives as well as tips for your stay in Berlin.
“The magazine will be a valuable source of information for trade visitors, not least with regard to the important hospitality and travel technology section of the exhibition,” says Dr. Martin Buck, Director of the Competence Centre Travel and Logistics at Messe Berlin. “In addition, readers get an insight into events at the ITB Berlin Convention, seminars and studies. They are also informed about events that they are unable to attend due to their busy schedule”.
“We plan to provide trade visitors with information that serves as an orientation for their decision-making processes”, adds Gérard Lefebvre, President and CEO of Cleverdis. “The magazine will bring greater clarity to a variety of topics and events. We are very pleased that Messe Berlin has decided to launch this format and we are proud to be publishing the magazine.”
Press contact Cleverdis – ITB Berlin News :
Marketing Manager for Cleverdis and ITB Berlin News
Relais du Griffon
439 Route de la Seds
Tel.: +33 442 774 609
Fax: +33 442 774 601
About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention
ITB Berlin 2013 will take place from Wednesday to Sunday, 6 to 10 March. From the Wednesday to the Friday ITB Berlin is open to trade visitors only. The ITB Berlin Convention is held parallel with the trade show, from Wednesday to Friday, 6 to 8 March 2013. It is the world’s largest specialist convention for the industry. More details are available at www.itb-convention.com . ITB Berlin is the leading trade show for the worldwide travel industry. In 2012 a total of 10,644 companies and organisations from 187 countries exhibited their products and services to 172,000 visitors, who included 113,006 trade visitors.
Join the ITB Press Network at www.linkedin.com .
Become a fan of ITB Berlin at www.facebook.de/ITBBerlin .
Follow ITB Berlin on www.twitter.com/ITB_Berlin
Cleverdis is the worldwide reference for publishing & consulting in several major fields, due to its philosophy of information intelligence. A key area has been that of Hospitality markets where the company has been active for more than 8 years.
Through its publications and unique social professional networks, Cleverdis has, since 1997, supplied top market players with powerful, highly adapted decision-making tools. And a better-informed and educated market grows stronger and faster than it would without these tools. Cleverdis thus acts as a “catalyst” for market development.


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Nemacolin named best resort
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, in Farmington, has been recognized as the sixth top resort in the New York & Mid-Atlantic region by Conde Nast Traveler as part of its 30th annual Readers' Choice Awards. The resort has made the list for five consecutive years.
“It is an incredible accomplishment to receive this award year after year by the well-traveled and highly experienced readers of Condé Nast Traveler,” Monte Hansen, Nemacolin’s managing director, said in a press release. “Earning this award is an honor to our entire resort, but especially to our outstanding associates, who work endlessly to ensure guests have the best travel experience.”
More than 300,000 readers submitted millions of ratings and tens of thousands of comments, voting on 7,320 hotels and resorts, 610 cities, 225 islands, 468 cruise ships, 158 airlines and 195 airports. The awards are announced in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler, on newsstands nationwide Tuesday.
Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Bedford was ranked No. 12.


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It’s a new month, as always, Google has released the latest charts showing how Android and her various software versions are faring in the ecosystem. From the latest results, it’s interesting to see Lollipop really gaining traction and rising steadily.
A look at the chart below shows us that, Lollipop has risen to 23.5% from 21% it had last month. Android KitKat still remains the most dominant with 38.9% while Jelly Bean measures up with 30.2%. With 6.0 Marshmallow out already, we’re curious to see how it makes an entrance to the charts.
In other news, Google CEO announced that there are more than 1.4 billion Android devices in the wild. Incredible figures!! Though this doesn’t translate to the actual number that uses Google Services.
Android Marshmallow updates are reportedly showing up on some Android One devices. The first recipients are users with the first generation models launched in India and Phillipines. So far the models are: Micromax Canvas A1, the Spice Dream UNO, and the Karbon Sparkle V. From the screenshots we’ve seen the update is about 338 MB.
Infinix Hot 2 users should chill and wait upon the Lord 😆 Your updates are coming soon.


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Sony has announced the sale of its loss making Vaio-brand PC unit as it plans to slash 5,000 jobs as part of its efforts to replenish its electronics business.
According to the Japanese electronics firm, the employee layoffs, at its TV and PC divisions, would save it about $1bn per year from early 2015, while the restructuring programme also involves splitting its TV unit into a separate subsidiary by July this year.
The latest move comes as Sony projects a net loss of $1.08bn for the financial year to 31 March 2014, revising its earlier projection of $290m profit.
Sony chief Kazuo Hirai was cited by the AFP as saying the latest moves were aimed at accelerating the revitalisation and growth of its electronics business.
"But the environment surrounding electronics will get more severe and it will be hard for us to achieve the goal we set for our PC and TV businesses," Hirai said.
"We are beginning to see the path to a turnaround in our TV business.
"TV remains an important category for Sony."
Sony's TV unit has been facing intese competition from rival brands alongside sluggish global demand, while a drop in TV prices has additionally affected the profitability of the division.
Upon the successful implementation of the scheme, Sony would mainly fucus on its smartphone and tablet line-up and end planning, design and development of PC products.
The Japanese electronics maker has earlier rejected the report about the potential establishment of a joint venture with China-based PC maker Lenovo.


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GVC Holdings has re-emphasised its ambitions for the United States, as the group again calls on the industry to unite and help drive global social responsibility measures, in the face of increasing scrutiny.
Praising a transformational 2018 as “a strong year with outstanding performance,” the group has called for across the board improvements to standards stressing that “we are absolutely clear that this has to change.”
Lee Feldman, non-executive chairman of GVC, explained: “As an industry leader in the markets in which we operate, our commitment to responsible gambling and social responsibility is of paramount importance.
“We have announced a number of responsible gambling research and education initiatives, backed by a major increase in the level of investment in this area, to twice the contribution called for by the sector’s responsible gambling organisations.
“We have also announced a multi-million pound investment into a new community programme, that will deliver grants to local good causes who promote grassroots sports and tackle men’s health issues, and a three-year partnership with SportsAid, which will deliver funding for 50 aspiring Olympians across the UK.
“In the UK, we whole-heartedly support the decision by the Remote Gaming Association of online operators, to restrict all TV betting advertising around live-sport in 2019. We will continue to work closely with the Gambling Commission in the UK, and support their efforts to provide a safe environment for customers to enjoy their gambling experience.”
Stressing a vision to become “the world’s largest sports betting and gaming business” alongside “the safest and most trusted operator in the world,” the US again came under focus, as its strives to deliver a world class operation alongside its MGM partner.
Kenneth Alexander, CEO of GVC, said of the partnership:”They really have everything we were looking for in a partner. They are a world leading entertainment business, perhaps the most trusted name in gaming, with the highest quality brands and management and strong sports connectivity.
“It’s going to be a three-to-five year journey before we see the majority of US states regulating sport-betting”
“When you combine that with our technology and experience in successfully building online gaming businesses across multiple markets, it creates a formidable combination. The 50:50 structure we have created perfectly aligns our interest and that of our mutual shareholders.”
Adding: “It’s going to be a three-to-five year journey before we see the majority of US states regulating sport-betting. In the shorter term we’re expecting some of the heavily populated North Eastern states such as New York, to regulate maybe the end of 2019 or into 2020.”
One crucial strong point of the 12 months has been a growth in online performance, as GVC stresses that it’s always looking for further M&A targets.
Regarding its online expansion, Alexander added on what he believes were the key drivers:”It comes down to getting the fundamentals of our business right, and giving customers what they want. We’ve enhanced the product offer with new features in our sports-betting and poker products, and have expanded our casino and gaming portfolio with a great raft of new content.
“Our trading operations are also crucial to the success of our digital business. We have built one of the best trading teams in the industry, and they have been key to maintaining and improving our margins. Of course the marketing of our product is also fundamental to growth, and again I think this is something we are doing better than the competition.
“Crucially, we believe in local execution of our strategy. We operate in over 20 countries, and our teams know the markets in which they operate inside-out.”


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Warrenville-based Performance Health lands sponsorship deal with Trail Blazers
By Anne M. Peterson
Sep 19, 2018 | 5:10 PM
The Trail Blazers have announced a multi-year jersey sponsorship deal with Performance Health, a Warrenville, Ill.,-based company that manufactures products for the rehabilitation and sports medicine markets.
A logo for the company's product Biofreeze will be featured on the left shoulder of Portland's uniform. With the deal, the Blazers become the 24th NBA team to include a corporate sponsor on its jerseys.
Biofreeze is a topical pain reliever. Snowboarder Shaun White and tennis player Sloane Stephens are among the product's individual athlete endorsers.
The NBA first allowed jersey sponsorships last season. Trail Blazers President and CEO Chris McGowan said Portland was close to a deal last year but it fell through, prompting the team to take a "step back" from the process.


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There is nothing more top of mind in America in 2016 than the question of which smoldering tire fire…um candidate…will be our next president. So to reinforce the new tagline Bud Light is officially kicking off during the upcoming Super Bowl 50–goodbye “Up For Whatever,” hello “Raise One to Right Now”–the brand is building their big game campaign around politics.
“When we started thinking about the new campaign with our partners at Wieden+Kennedy, we asked what is right now?,” Bud Light vice president Alexander Lambrecht tells Co.Create. “And nothing is more right now than the election.”
Bud Light has just released the teaser for the spot, which stars Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen as the faces of the “Bud Light Party.” (The campaign will also feature heavy use of the hashtag #BudLightParty that will populate your Twitter feed with a custom emoji) Despite their blue labels, however, there will be no blue state bias.
“Bud Light is the most inclusive brand,” says Lambrecht. “So this is not political. This is about saying, ‘Despite our differences, there are things we all agree on.’ And Bud Light is one of those things.” Of course, when you hire Schumer and Rogen (as well as “delegates” to be revealed later), you’re clearly setting out to make jokes, not statements.
“Fun and humor are part of the DNA of our brand,” says Lambrecht. “When Amy and Seth came onboard, they dialed up the humor even more.”
The teaser will debut this Sunday during the NFC and AFC championship games.


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What’s next for UK bars and restaurants?
Posted on | Posted in Hospitality
Many UK bars and restaurants have been open to the public since early July, and staff and customers have been getting used to new measures. Track and trace, table service, remote ordering, and the end of bar queues are all part of this new normal, along with increased hygiene measures.
Pubs, bars, and restaurants, along with their staff and customers, have adapted to the guidance. But there is concern that awareness will slip as people get used to life outside of lockdown. Scotland has already seen outbreaks linked to pubs, leading to safety measures being made mandatory by law.
Across the world, there have been local and national lockdowns as countries brace themselves for predicted second waves. Countries including Spain and Greece have imposed curfews and closures due to tourism fuelled outbreaks, with increasing numbers of holiday makers venturing abroad.
The ever-changing landscape of the pandemic makes it difficult for UK bars and restaurants to know what’s around the corner. Further lockdowns are likely, and distancing measures are here to stay. But what’s clear is that businesses need to remain adaptable to stay resilient.
The post pandemic digital shift
Technology has been making life easier in the world of hospitality for decades. The pandemic has accelerated this shift and the businesses that have adapted to digital operations stand the best chance of surviving.
Ordering apps, online booking, table service and contactless payments are allowing UK bars and restaurants to manage numbers and limit close contact between staff and customers. Apps for checking capacity give customers the ability to plan ahead to avoid busy periods.
These measures reduce crowding and create a clear system for everyone to follow. The safer people are in bars and restaurants, the more likely they are to stay open. Having a robust digital ordering and booking systems, and a functional website to support this, is now critical.
Finding more ways to serve customers
Many businesses are making use of third-party apps to boost their offering, and there are plenty out there in response to increased demand. Other bars and restaurants are developing their own apps and online shops, which has the added benefit of increasing customer loyalty.
Online shops, takeaway services, digital vouchers, and customer loyalty campaigns sprung up during lockdown. Many bars and restaurants have continued delivering these services and selling off-the-shelf food and drink to supplement serving fewer covers inhouse.
Events and initiatives to keep people returning
To boost profits and encourage more customers to return, businesses are running events. Hotels and pubs have turned car parks into large beer gardens, hosting outdoor bars, bands, and DJs. Food markets and outdoor music events are returning. Bars and restaurants that have the space have teamed up with other businesses to host events, run food stalls, or create their own gatherings.
While we live with the pandemic, outdoor events with limited capacity are going to be one of the only safe ways for people to gather in large numbers. Seeing businesses team up to put on socially distanced events is a promising sign for how we might share leisure time for the foreseeable future.
Crowd funding and customer loyalty
Starting a new initiative or expanding your offering has a cost. With the upfront funds not there for many businesses, they’ve found other ways to raise investment.
Loyalty schemes, crowdfunding, and fundraising schemes have helped many businesses stay afloat during lockdown. It’s enabled some businesses to raise the money they need to change operations For local and independent venues, having a loyal customer base and community to turn to will continue to be a lifeline.
What’s next for UK bars and restaurants?
The businesses that adopt digital processes and expand their offerings stand the best chance of staying open for the duration. Protecting against further lockdowns and tighter restrictions means having a plan for supplementing income.
This could be expanding sheltered outdoor seating for winter, creating an outdoor food van or bar trailer, or investing in an online shop. Taking a creative approach to serving customers with strict distancing in place for the long term means bars and restaurants are prepared for resurgences.
Are you a bar or restaurant owner or manager looking to extend your space to seat more covers at a distance? Talk to us about what’s possible.


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Nielsen publishes its Grocery Shop Directory annually. It measures the grocery trade market as a whole, covering the sales of physical and online stores selling groceries.
“Performance in K Group’s grocery stores continued to be excellent in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic had a strong impact on the year, but we were clearly able to offer safe and successful customer experiences as well as selections that met customer expectations. Our progress is even more impressive considering we won over market share organically, not by increasing the number of stores,” says Ari Akseli, President of K Group’s grocery trade division.
According to Nielsen’s shop directory, the year was particularly strong for the K-Citymarket hypermarket chain, which grew by 12.2% and thus clearly exceeded average market growth.
“Positive customer experiences are central to all our grocery store chains, enabled by the store-specific business ideas that are formulated based on customer data. We continue to utilise customer data, the insight of K-retailers and innovations to improve customer experiences further. The good development in sales and customer satisfaction in all K Group grocery store chains and online store prove that we have been making the right strategic choices,” says Akseli.
An astonishing year for online grocery sales – K Group’s position strong
According to Nielsen’s data, online grocery sales grew to a whopping €395 million in Finland in 2020, from €110 million in 2019.
“The growth in online sales was exceptional in 2020, and K Group’s online grocery sales totalled some €210 million. We currently hold a strong position in online grocery in Finland, but know we cannot rest on our laurels – our peers are global and we are investing heavily in developing digital services,” says Akseli.
“We owe the biggest thanks for the good performance in 2020 to our customers in physical stores and online – they inspire and encourage us to do better every day, and we will continue to do so in 2021. Ensuring the safety of our customers and staff during the pandemic will also continue to be a key priority for us,” says Akseli.
K Group grocery store numbers on 1 January 2021 according to Nielsen (comparison figures for 1 Jan. 2020)
NB. Due to the inclusion of new markets in 2016, Nielsen market share figures published after 2016 are not comparable with the figures of years preceding that.
Ari Akseli, President, K Group’s grocery trade division, tel. +358 105 323 490
K Group media desk, (Mon-Fri 9-16) tel. +358 105 350 200, email@example.com


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India’s largest electric scooter manufacture, Ola electric is planning to ship its Made in India electric scooter to the United States by early next year.
“Soon! We will be shipping to the US by early next year,” Bhavish Aggarwal, Ola’s chief executive officer wrote in response to a query about the electric scooters export.
On 15 August, Ola electric had unveiled two variants of its e-scooter – S1 and S1 Pro. The delivery of the Ola electric scooters in India is expected to start from October onwards. The scooter has created a buzz in the Indian automobile market but the company is also focusing on making its presence known in global markets.
The Ola Scooters are priced differently in different places as different states have announced benefits as part of the electric vehicle policy. Ola is accepting bookings for scooters with an advance of Rs 499 on the condition that it will be refunded in case of cancellation. Moreover, the scooter comes in almost 10 different types of colors.
Ola Electric scooter gets a 3.9 kWh battery pack that provides power to an electric motor delivering 8.5 kW peak power. The battery can be charged in just 6 hours with a 750W portable charger or it can also be charged up to 50% using an Ola Supercharger in just 18 minutes. The S1 Pro has a range of around 181 km on a full charge while the S1 can run around 120 km.
The electric scooters will be manufactured in at Ola’s state-of-the-art Futurefactory, the world’s largest electric two-wheeler factory, being built in Tamil Nadu. Phase one of the factory is nearly completed and production from it would cater to local demand.


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- Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director – Bajaj Auto, confirmed that the first Bajaj CNG motorcycle will be launched in June this year.
Bajaj Auto is developing the world’s first CNG motorcycle and the company recently fast-tracked the launch of the upcoming offering from 2025 to this year itself. Now, in a recent media interaction, Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director – Bajaj Auto, has confirmed that the first Bajaj CNG motorcycle will be launched in June this year.
PTI reports that Rajiv Bajaj confirmed the development while speaking about the Bajaj Group’s commitment of ₹5,000 crore towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) over the next five years. The launch timeline is in line with Bajaj’s previous statement confirming the bike’s development and expediting the launch to the next quarter.
Also Read : Bajaj Auto fast-tracks plans to launch CNG motorcycle, to arrive in next quarter
The CNG motorcycle is arguably Bajaj Auto’s most ambitious project yet in recent years. The company has the knowledge and know-how to build CNG three-wheelers but replicating the technology on a motorcycle will be a first anywhere in the world. Bajaj had previously highlighted the salient features of the upcoming CNG motorcycle including reduced tailpipe emissions, a 50-65 per cent cost reduction and a reported 50 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions. The upcoming CNG bike could be called the Bajaj Bruzer.
Recent spy shots also revealed a front disc brake and commuter stance of the motorcycle hinting at a 110-125 cc offering. The operating cost will be a huge factor with the CNG bike targeting mileage-conscious consumers. The motorcycle will have a second storage cylinder for CNG and the technology to run on both petrol and CNG. Bajaj is expected to introduce a new sub-brand for its CNG range, which will spawn more products in the future. The CNG offering is likely to be priced higher than the petrol variants due to the extensive changes and higher manufacturing costs.
Apart from the new CNG motorcycle, Rajiv Bajaj also spoke about the Pulsar brand hitting the two million sales mark soon. The Pulsar was launched in 2001 and was a game-changer for the company. The manufacturer is expected to bring its biggest Pulsar yet this year, which is rumoured to be a 400 cc single-cylinder offering.
First Published Date: 22 Mar 2024, 17:28 PM IST


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The gold prices plunged by Rs 50 to Rs 31,950 per 10 gram on Wednesday, dropping for the third consecutive day, amid weak global demand.
The gold prices plunged by Rs 50 to Rs 31,950 per 10 gram on Wednesday, dropping for the third consecutive day, amid weak global demand. In the last two days, the yellow metal has lost Rs 150. Similarly, silver too plunged by Rs 100 to Rs 37,800 per kg at the bullion market today. Globally, gold lost 0.05 percent to $1,221.50 an ounce, while silver held strong at $14.40 an ounce in Singapore.
The sentiment is bearish on the back of weak global trend as strength in dollar eased demand for gold as bet against volatility in stocks, traders told PTI.
Besides, the pressure on the gold prices remained leading to fall in demand from jewellers as well as retailers at domestic spot market. In the national capital Delhi, gold of 99.9 percent and 99.5 percent purity declined by Rs 50 each to Rs 31,950 and Rs 31,800 per 10 gram respectively.
Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex, which dropped over 350 points to a low of 35,112.49 points today, trimmed some losses during the mid-afternoon trade session as banking, auto, pharma and realty stocks gained. The NSE Nifty reclaimed the psychologically important 10,600-mark. Heavy selling pressure was observed in most blue-chip stocks like Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Reliance Industries, Tata Steel, IndusInd Bank, and Larsen and Toubro, among others. Banks and currency markets are shut today on account of Id-e-Milad.


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Popular Web sites are far more aggressive in their consumer-tracking practices than most people suspect, according to the first report of UC Berkeley Law School’s Web Privacy Census, and consumers are trapped in an escalating privacy crisis with limited control over their personal information.
The main goal of the census is to “define and quantify vectors for tracking consumers on the Internet,” in essence to create a critically needed evaluation component to measure the ever-changing and often-evasive methods companies use to track visitors.
What it found instead is that Web sites are increasing their use of HTML5 local storage — objects like tracking software placed on a user’s computer — and that the use of this tracking method has doubled in the past year.
To conduct the census, Nathan Good, chief scientist of Good Research, and Chris Jay Hoofnagle, director of information privacy programs at the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology, worked with privacy company Abine to collect data from the top 100, 1,000, and 25,000 most popular Web sites.
The technical collaborator for the census, Abine is a consumer-level privacy company with a suite of tools and products that help individuals take control of their online data privacy. Its specialty is understanding and monitoring how people are tracked online. But Abine is also a company that regularly takes data-mining companies to task when they abuse people’s privacy rights, distributes anti-tracking tools (such as browser plug-ins), and prides itself on privacy activism.


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To kick off the year, MADNESS and NEIGHBORHOOD recently collaborated on a kung fu jacket for the 2017 spring/summer season. The jacket features a retro wool lined interior and a heavy wash denim outer that exhibits an undeniable Chinese influence. The jacket is built to stand up to cold weather with its forward thinking yet traditional design. The MADNESS and NEIGHBORHOOD collaborative kung fu jacket is set to release January 14 and will be available in-store and online at MADNESS.
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HYPEBEAST 100: The innovators from all realms of creativity in the spotlight.
With in-depth interviews, focused features and fashion-forward editorials, our print publication features long-form coverage of the topics valued by readers.
Explore and be inspired by the latest women's fashion news and trends.


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Tubi, the completely free AVOD streaming platform courtesy of Fox Entertainment, will be fully integrated into the brand new Playstation 5 console!
This is clearly a shrewd bit of business from Sony. Since Tubi will be fully integrated into Playstation, it will offer branded rows on the homepage. There’s a lot of content on offer, too. The database is always growing, but it currently boasts over 26,000 movies and TV shows; all offered completely free of charge. In this age of streaming services becoming the new normal in terms of how we consume content, the addition of Tubi could be a game-changer for a lot of buyers.
Plans for the future include allowing users to live stream news, weather, and entertainment. So far, Tubi contains content from over 17 FOX stations in major markets, NBC News Now, and Bloomberg.
Andrea Clarke-Hall, Global Head of Business Development at Tubi, had this to say:
We’ve enjoyed a robust partnership with PlayStation and are thrilled to continue our synergy for the launch of its next-generation console. The Tubi app will be one of a select number of turnkey downloads for PlayStation users, furthering our mission to provide easy access to premium content for everyone.”
So how successful is Tubi right now? In recent weeks we’ve already seen the fall of services such as Quibi. It seems with this partnership, Tubi won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. The integration with Playstation 5 only makes things more positive. Fox paid $440 million for Tubi in April. The streaming service has since gained a healthy 33 million monthly active users.
If you’re more of an Xbox person, or you simply don’t care much for the new Playstation, the service may still be of interest. The service will still be available — for free — on most popular platforms including Android, IOS, and Xbox.
Will you be using Tubi? Let me know in the comments!


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Despite Plan B, an emergency contraceptive, finally being sold over the counter to anyone, regardless of age- and despite the fact that Amazon will be selling Plan B online to women all across America (yay!); for some reason the Republicans in Texas government don't seem to understand that they have no right to control a … Continue reading Now, Texas Government Wants Emergency Contraception Banned – I Say Hell No!
Amazon is going to be selling the morning after pill, or Plan B! Excitement! I am so thrilled to see that Amazon is selling the emergency contraception, Plan B. In America, after all of the struggle which lasted for decades to have this medication given out over the counter, last year we finally won and it hit … Continue reading Amazon Set to Sell Emergency Contraception, Plan B!
It would be tragic enough if it were only Americans having to fight the lies and misguidance the Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPC) spread to women regarding pregnancy and abortion. However, the CPC have found their way to England where there are now at least 135 active centers. Some of the sickening lies being told to … Continue reading Extremely Important!!! #CPC Spreading Lies to Women & Schools in the United Kingdom
A great article on Reality Check about a new "plan c" emergency contraceptive method. Having this extra back up would give us our rights as a woman; to have safe control over own bodies. This would also more than likely help a lot of unwanted pregnancies as well as women having to go through an … Continue reading We Are Behind in America & UK – We Need Access to ALL Emergency Contraceptive


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Ahead of the Federal Government’s concluded plans to remove subsidy on the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) as part of the ongoing implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the price of Automotive Gas Oil, also known as diesel, has increased further to N350 per litre in some filling stations in Lagos.
Although diesel prices are not regulated by the government, with persistent double-digit inflation in the country, these are surely not the good times for residents.
The surge may further worsen the plight of local manufacturers and businesses, which largely rely on the product for power generation in the face of erratic power supply in the country. Many vehicles transporting goods and people across the country also use diesel.
A survey by Punch on Thursday across several filling stations in Lagos, observed that prices of diesel had increased to N350 per litre, up from a high of N340 in 2021.
The Publication observed that, at Mobil, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and Northwest Petroleum, along the Oshodi-Apapa road, the product sold for N350 per litre on Thursday, while Heyden filling station, along Third Axial Road, Ogudu, sold it for N345.
Oando and Enyo filling stations, all along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, sold the product for N340 and N335 per litre respectively.
Crude oil price accounts for a large chunk of the final cost of petroleum products, and changes in oil prices affect the landing cost of imported fuel.
The National Operations Controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mike Osatuyi, said the recent increase in oil prices led to the further hike in diesel prices in Nigeria.
“If crude oil prices continue to rise, diesel prices will also go up. This is coupled with the depreciation of the naira. Naira is around 570-575 to a dollar at the parallel market”, he added.
Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, climbed above $85 per barrel on Wednesday to its highest in more than two months. It stood at $84.72 per barrel as of 7:59pm Nigerian time on Thursday.
The Director-General, Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Amb. Ayo Olukanni, noted last week that the private sector had already raised the alarm on the increasing difficulties of obtaining the required foreign exchange for raw materials for industry, adding that the high cost of obtaining forex was reflected in the high cost of goods and inflationary trend.
“Perhaps most embarrassing is the energy crisis, with our low generation and distribution problems; we can only boast of combined install generation capacity for of about 12,000MW, distribution of just 4000MW and abysmal 114kwh per capita for a population of over 200 million and running our industries on generators”, he added.
The President, Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, Femi Egbesola, had warned that the surge in diesel price would increase the average cost of manufacturing in the country.
“All Nigerians depend on diesel. The reason is that manufacturers produce with diesel-powered generators; so, whatever they spend on diesel is added to the prices of their products. As far as Nigerians are buying those products, they are also paying part of the diesel price.
“It is unfortunate that the price of the product keeps increasing and nothing is being done about it. The high inflation rate in the country means that people have less money to buy things, and when prices are going up and the masses have less money to buy those products, we are going to have a lot of joblessness in the country”, he lamented.


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Comprehensive M&A data with integrated detailed company information
Pret a Manger ‘working on deal to acquire Eat’
Posted on Thursday, 16 May 2019 14:07
UK sandwich retail chain Pret a Manger has entered discussions over a possible acquisition of domestic peer Eat, according to multiple sources.
Both the Financial Times and the London Evening Standard picked up on the news, with the former saying that, although no agreement has been signed as yet, details are in the process of being ironed out.
The latter noted that the talks are at an advanced stage and could see the buyer pick up all, or the majority of, Eat’s 94 locations.
According to the news providers, Pret’s desire to buy Eat is in line with its plans to move into the vegetarian and vegan markets.
The chain has already introduced a number of Veggie Prets, which do not serve meat products, as an entry point into the segment.
According to the Financial Times, which cited a person familiar with the matter, the buyer intends to use the Eat locations to expand the number of vegetarian/vegan only locations.
None of the companies involved have commented on the report as yet.
Eat was first named as a possible candidate for sale back in February, when Sky News reported that the company’s owners, which include majority shareholder Horizon Capital, had appointed Spayne Lindsay to advise on a divestment.
According to the broadcaster, the vendor’s decision to focus on the technology and business services fields was a factor in its decision to jettison the chain.
Pret has itself recently been the target of an acquisition; in May 2018, JAB Holdings signed on the dotted line to pay GBP 1.50 billion for the business.
That deal was cleared by the European Commission in September.
Zephyr, the M&A database published by Bureau van Dijk, shows the largest deal targeting restaurants and other eating places to have been announced worldwide since the beginning of 2019 is worth USD 1.73 billion.
That transaction saw PAI Partners picking up Spain-headquartered Areas from Elior Group.
In all, companies based in the sector have been targeted in 289 deals worth a combined USD 7.12 billion so far this year. In 2018, USD 24.94 billion was injected across 916 deals, compared to the 783 worth USD 30.46 billion signed off in 2017.
© Zephus Ltd


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Microsoft Games Studio and Gas Powered Games have announced that their Action RPG, Dungeon Siege II has gone gold and that it will ship to stores on August 16. The title has a suggested retail price of $49.99 and has been rated "M" for Mature by the ESRB.
In Dungeon Siege II, players are cast into a land torn by civil war where they will be up against a vicious marauder who wants nothing less than to bring the world under his control. The developers are doing their best to raise the bar for PC Action RPGs by introducing a deeper storyline than the original, an extensive quest system, and a new AI scheme that allows for a challenging and yet satisfying experience.
Gas Powered Games also unveiled four new screenshots which can be viewed here. For those who like to be sure that they will get a copy of the game, certain retailers are giving away a bonus Dungeon Siege II comic book when the title is pre-ordered.


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MANILA – Rice farmer groups on Monday said they are looking to gather 1 million signatures to support their call to scrap the Rice Tariffication Law which they said has caused hardships for local rice growers.
In an online press conference, Cathy Estavillo of local rice policy advocacy group "Bantay Bigas" said many rice farmers are now deep in debt because the law failed to protect farmgate prices of rice.
Estavillo said that based on their study, at P17 per kilo, rice farmers only earn P133 per day. This is why rice prices ranging between P10 to P14 per kilogram have caused them tremendous losses.
"Ayon sa ating magsasaka, maaaring aabutin na naman ng P7 (per kilo), na presyo noong nakaraan na taon, dahil palapit na 'yung peak season at ang ang tag-ulan. At tsaka ang kawalan ng post-harvest facilities ay dito nababarat ang presyo ng palay ng ating magsasaka," she explained.
(Our rice farmer say prices may again plunge to the P7 per kilo level that we saw last year because we are nearing the peak harvest season, and it's the rainy season as well. The lack of post-harvest facilities also forces rice farmers to sell their crops at a loss.)
She said the retail price of rice meanwhile remained high because of the absence of the P27 per kilo and P32 per kilo rice variants that used to be sold by the National Food Authority before the law was enacted.
Because of these reasons, Danilo Ramos, president of Kilusang Magbubikid ng Pilipinas said the Rice Tariffication Law should be scrapped.
"Yung binabanggit po ng NEDA, nila NEDA Director (General) Karl Chua, hintayin daw ang 2025 (to review the law)," Ramos said.
(NEDA Director General Karl Chua said that we should wait for 2025 (to review the law.)
"Alam niyo po, may kasabihan ang mga magsasaka, 'aanhin pa ang damo, kung patay na ang kabayo?' Hihintayin pa po ba natin 'yung 2025 samantalang ngayon pa lang dumaranas ng matinding hirap ang magsasaka at mga consumer?"
(You know, farmers have a saying, 'What is grass good for if the horse is already dead?' Do we still have to wait for 2025 while as we speak, farmers and consumers are experiencing great hardships?)
The groups also proposed measures to address the plight of local farmers and consumers.
They said the NFA should buy rice crops from local producers at P20 per kilo or more. The NFA should also buy 20 percent of local production and sell these at affordable prices in public markets.


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Retail Properties of America Inc (RPAI) was Initiated by Jefferies to “Hold”. Jefferies advised their investors in a research report released on Jun 30, 2016.
Many Wall Street Analysts have commented on Retail Properties of America Inc. Retail Properties of America Inc was Upgraded by Citigroup to ” Buy” on Apr 4, 2016.
On the company’s financial health, Retail Properties of America Inc reported $0.28 EPS for the quarter, beating the analyst consensus estimate by $ 0.02 according to the earnings call on May 2, 2016. Analyst had a consensus of $0.26. The company had revenue of $148.64 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $146.71 million. The company’s revenue was down -3.0 % compared to the same quarter last year.During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.26 EPS.
Retail Properties of America Inc opened for trading at $16.86 and hit $17 on the upside on Wednesday, eventually ending the session at $16.93, with a gain of 1.20% or 0.2 points. The heightened volatility saw the trading volume jump to 15,89,252 shares. Company has a market cap of $4,018 M.
In a different news, on Jun 9, 2016, Bonnie Biumi (director) purchased 2,000 shares at $16.24 per share price. According to the SEC, on Feb 26, 2016, Thomas J Sargeant (director) purchased 800 shares at $26.00 per share price. On Sep 9, 2015, Richard P Imperiale (director) purchased 3,000 shares at $13.20 per share price, according to the Form-4 filing with the securities and exchange commission.
Retail Properties of America Inc. is a real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company owns and operates shopping centers in the United States. The Company’s retail operating portfolio includes power centers neighborhood and community centers and lifestyle centers and predominantly multi-tenant retail mixed-use properties as well as single-user retail properties. Its properties include 23rd Street Plaza Panama City; Academy Sports Houma; Academy Sports Midland; Academy Sports Port Arthur; Arvada Connection and Arvada Marketplace Arvada; The Brickyard Chicago; Broadway Shopping Center Bangor and Cinemark Seven Bridges Woodridge among others. It also owns a property Towson Square which is approximately 138000 square foot entertainment based center including a range of national and regional restaurant concepts. The Company owns approximately 201 retail operating properties representing over 29.2 million square feet.


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Remember when Tim O’Reilly tweeted about a Google product named Google Circles? He later stated that “It’s not a product, per se, and it’s not a new social network. Just some research-y thinking about how you could better manage social data.” Apparently, Circles is a product; it’s a big part of Google+.
A fantastic article by Giant Bomb’s Patrick Klepek. The follow-up article is also well worth a read as it includes comments from others suffering from Asperger’s.
We all play games for different reasons. Maybe it’s escapism for one person, exploration of a new medium for another. For Jake, it’s something else. It realizes a need. Throughout our conversation, Jake dropped the term “in real life” many times, underscoring the personal disconnect he feels between his ability to interact socially in a virtual environment through games and “in real life.”
Nietzsche famously said “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” But what he failed to stress is that it almost kills you. Disappointment stings and, for driven, successful people like yourselves it is disorienting. What Nietzsche should have said is “Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you watch a lot of Cartoon Network and drink mid-price Chardonnay at 11 in the morning.”
Development on Duke Nukem Forever started in 1997 and the final product is — 14 years later — finally available for purchase.
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd will become the world’s largest smartphone maker this quarter, overtaking struggling Nokia Oyj which has lead the market since 1996, Nomura said on Monday.
The end of an era.


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Google Begins Rolling Out Its Major Android Auto Redesign
Google has started the official rollout of the Android Auto overhaul that the company announced earlier this year at the I/O 2019 event.
At that point, the search giant said the refreshed Android Auto experience would go live in the summer, and albeit no specifics were provided, people familiar with the matter said the target was late June.
By the looks of things, this information was accurate, as Google has now commenced the global rollout of the Android Auto redesign as part of version 4.4.
However, it’s very important to note that the release takes place in stages and appears to be based on a server-side switch. In other words, not everyone is getting the overhauled Android Auto just by installing version 4.4, but users need to wait for Google to enable the update on its side.
Not available for everyone
A discussion thread on … (read more)


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According to Cupertino, the new smartphone could be in greater demand than the iPhone 12 family
The news is reported by DigiTimes: it seems that TSMC, Apple’s chip supplier has started to produce A15 bionic, the latest generation chipset that will be mounted on the new iPhone 13. And compared to the A14 chip, production could be higher, a sign that the Cupertino giant expects higher sales for the smartphone that will see the light, if times are respected, in September 2021. Otherwise, the information collected on the New iPhone 13 in recent months there have been many. These are indiscretions that should be taken with a grain of salt, but let’s try to bring order anyway.
The notch should be significantly smaller than in the past, with the front camera sensor moved to the left. This was revealed by the Japanese site Mac Otakara, which had also proposed a model made with the 3D printer. Instead, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, familiar with the world of Cupertino, had announced potential major news about the photographic industry. In particular, the Pro Max version will advance in this regard: the wide-angle lens should have an aperture of f / 1.5, compared to the f / 1.6 of the previous version.
What we know about the iPhone 13
The news on the cameras of iPhone 13, they wouldn’t stop there. Also according to Kuo, in fact, the lenses of the new Cupertino smartphone could be supplied by Sunny Optical, a Chinese company specializing in the production of optical lenses. The other components of Apple’s new family of mobile phones, however, could have characteristics in all respects similar to those already seen in last year’s devices.
It has long been known that Apple was focusing on cameras to make the leap in quality over the competition. There has been a lot of talk about the super night photos of the iPhone 12 Pro Max, but many have realized, using the new super top-of-the-range device, that the zoom function is not comparable to that of other companies’ smartphones in the world. market (Huawei’s Mate 40 Pro in all). According to some leakers, the stars and stripes company would team up with Samsung to equip the iPhone 13 with a super camera. To achieve this, it seems that Apple is willing to include one in the next cell phones. periscope camera with optical zoom; the sensor would be entrusted to the Korean competitor.
Apple’s new smartphone will have a super display
In recent months we had anticipated that the iPhone 13 should have a super display, also manufactured in this case by Samsung, with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. For some years there have been rumors of a refresh rate that goes more than 60 Hz for the iPhone, and promptly, in each presentation, those rumors are denied. 2021 could really be a good year. Not just the update rate. The other more interesting news concerns the notch, which yes, it will still be around, with all due respect to those who just can’t stand it, but it will be getting smaller and smaller than in the past. This is what some leakers have leaked in recent days on social networks.
Kuo had anticipated that the iPhone 13 will have, compared to the past, larger battery modules, thanks to a space-saving design of other internal components; this will result in longer battery life (at least intentionally). Bloomberg has also been particularly generous on details about the new one in recent months. iPhone 13 (or 12 if you prefer). We had already told you about the rumors that smartphones that will be launched in September 2021 could have a folding screen. This would be an important first for the Cupertino giant, ready to compete with Samsung, the leaders in this specific sector, and Motorola. However, this is a very remote eventuality.
As far as we know, the tests launched by the American company would be of two types:
- the first in the resistance of the system that allows you to fold the two screens
- the second on the resistance that allows folding the two halves of the screen
Fingerprint sensor under the screen?
New iPhones may have fingerprint sensor under the screen, in particular because of the difficulties experienced by Face ID (facial recognition made at Apple) in times of a health epidemic, with the mask on. The new smartphones should also do well in the field of storage capacity: for at least one of the smartphones, we are talking about a 1 terabyte super memory.


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- Snapdragon Spaces adds an innovative feature, Dual Render Fusion, that enables developers to seamlessly add headworn AR experiences to existing smartphone applications.
- Thousands of developers have joined the Snapdragon Spaces community, including: Pathfinder Program growing to more than 80 members, three new Metaverse Fund venture investments and an inaugural group of 10 companies joining the Niantic Lightship and Snapdragon Spaces developer initiative.
- Expanding the list of XR devices with committed support for Snapdragon Spaces are the new state-of-the-art OPPO MR Glasses and all-in-one AR devices from DigiLens and TCL RayNeo. Lenovo ThinkReality VRX, an all-in-one VR headset engineered for the enterprise, announced worldwide availability this week.
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. launches new features for Snapdragon Spaces™ XR Developer Platform and strong momentum towards building a cross-device, extended reality (XR) ecosystem to create a headworn future that is truly open.
From our partners:
Dual Render Fusion on Snapdragon Spaces
The company helped pioneer smartphone augmented reality (AR) over 13 years ago and with Snapdragon Spaces, is reimagining what smartphone-powered AR can be when combined with AR glasses. The latest Snapdragon Spaces SDK release has unlocked the next evolution in smartphone-powered AR with a new feature called Dual Render Fusion. This feature enables developers to easily extend their 2D mobile applications into world-scale 3D experiences, without any prior XR experience required, elegantly fusing the simplicity and familiarity of the smartphone with the AR glasses capacity to enable immersive experiences. Dual Render Fusion is designed to deliver smartphone AR’s full potential, making it accessible to a wider range of developers than ever before.
With thousands of developers, and brands like Red Bull and Kittch embracing the Snapdragon Spaces platform, the community has been a critical building block in enhancing the platform’s features, helping to break through the limits of reality. The most innovative companies in XR are building with Snapdragon Spaces across enterprise and consumer virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR) and AR in a variety of application categories including:
- Enterprise collaboration: Arthur Digital, Arvizio, ENGAGE, Scope AR, Sphere, Taqtile
- Productivity: Glue Collaboration, MSM.digital, Nomtek, ShapesXR, vSpatial
- Gaming and entertainment: AmazeVR, DB Creations, Mirrorscape, Resolution Games, SKonec Entertainment, Survios, Vertical Robot, Wave
- Health, wellness, and fitness: eXRciser, FitXR, Litesport, TRIPP, XRHealth
- Training: Pixo, Roundtable Learning, Strivr, Talespin, Transfr, Uptale
- Education: AjnaVidya, Phibonacci, Prisms, VictoryXR
- WebXR: Igalia, Pluto VR, Wonderland
- Others: ArborXR, BadVR, Designium, Echo3D, Lamina1
Niantic Collaboration: Building on Qualcomm Technologies’ relationship with Niantic, a group of 10 vanguard AR developers will have early access to Lightship VPS with Snapdragon Spaces beginning in the second half of 2023, creating headworn experiences for indoor and outdoor AR that leverage both platforms’ strengths. The select group of developers includes Artifice, DB Creations, Foundry Six, Hot Dark Matter, Immuse, Kinfolk, Lifecache, Loak, Sugar Creative and Trigger. These developers will receive early access to new features, influence product roadmaps and help to define next-generation AR experiences.
Metaverse Fund: As part of the Snapdragon Metaverse Fund, Qualcomm Ventures has made investments in Survios, a VR game developer and software publisher, EnlightXR, a China-based XR ecosystem enabler and Tangle, a developer of a virtual workspace for remote teams, in addition to the previously announced investments in TRIPP and Echo3D. The Snapdragon Metaverse Fund continues to enable and foster innovation through venture investment in leading XR companies by Qualcomm Ventures and developer ecosystem grants for content projects by Qualcomm Technologies.
Snapdragon Spaces Ready Devices
Expanding the portfolio of XR devices that will enable developers to bring headworn ideas to life, OPPO, TCL RayNeo and DigiLens have announced new devices that will support Snapdragon Spaces. These devices join a handful of Snapdragon Spaces Ready devices including the Lenovo ThinkReality VRX, an all-in-one VR headset engineered for the enterprise, which just announced worldwide availability.
- The OPPO MR Glass Developer Edition features binocular video pass through technologies and is equipped with two RGB cameras in front of the user’s eyes, to provide a stereoscopic view of the physical world. The OPPO MR Glass Developer Edition will be made available as a Snapdragon Spaces developer kit, distributed through EnlightXR in second half of 2023.
- TCL RayNeo is developing a wide range of cutting-edge AR features, with future support for Snapdragon Spaces, to create a world-class AR ecosystem for consumers worldwide. TCL RayNeo X2 true AR glasses, previously unveiled at CES 2023, are expected to commercially launch in Q2 2023.
- DigiLens is set to launch an all-on-one Snapdragon Spaces Ready AR device, ARGO, designed for enterprise and industrial-lite workers.
Snapdragon Spaces continues to expand and create an open ecosystem that enables developers to pioneer innovative experiences for the next generation of immersive technology. For developers who want to help build this new era of spatial computing, visit: https://spaces.qualcomm.com/.
Qualcomm is enabling a world where everyone and everything can be intelligently connected. Our one technology roadmap allows us to efficiently scale the technologies that launched the mobile revolution – including advanced connectivity, high-performance, low-power compute, on-device intelligence and more – to the next generation of connected smart devices across industries. Innovations from Qualcomm and our family of Snapdragon platforms will help enable cloud-edge convergence, transform industries, accelerate the digital economy, and revolutionize how we experience the world, for the greater good.
Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of our engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including our QCT semiconductor business. Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm patented technologies are licensed by Qualcomm Incorporated. Snapdragon and Snapdragon Spaces are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated.
About Qualcomm Ventures
Qualcomm Ventures, acting through Qualcomm Ventures LLC or its affiliated entities, has been making strategic investments in technology companies that have the potential to dramatically transform our world since 2000. As a global investor, we look to help entrepreneurs build revolutionary businesses that reshape the world around us. For more information please visit: www.qualcommventures.com.


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Business News›health and hygiene segment
HEALTH AND HYGIENE SEGMENT
Immunity & Hygiene figure less on shoppers' list now
In the hygiene products category, sales of hand wash and sanitisers continued to decline sequentially and were only marginally higher than the levels in June 2019 (pre-Covid), they said. Balm sales, too, tapered off to pre-pandemic levels. Sales of these products had scaled lifetime highs in 2020 and a part of 2021. To be sure, the decline in sales of these categories has been consistent for the last three or four quarters, but this is the first time that sales of some products have gone back to pre-Covid levels.
Market movers: LIC hits all time low of Rs 800; strict stance of govt on saccharin leaves bitter taste for some
Colgate Palmolive ended down 1.66 per cent, while Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care were down over 2 per cent.
Covid effect: Indian consumers now more conscious of health, fitness and holistic nutrition, says EY survey
"While some see this as a short-term phenomenon, we expect this phase to catalyse a larger acceleration in the propensity towards personal health, hygiene, fitness and holistic nutrition," EY India National Leader - Consumer Product & Retail Sector Angshuman Bhattacharya said in a statement.
India already makes clothes for the world. Now it stands a chance to be a leader in protective clothing
The govt has realised the potential India has in technical textiles. However, absence of key raw materials and inadequate focus on R&D mar the chances of the country. What we do next will decide if India can become a winner or loser in this segment.
Hygiene products fall out of favour as Covid cases dip
The decline was significantly higher in the personal hygiene space, with hand wash witnessing a 37% fall and sanitisers shrinking 43%.
Vedix to enter oil pulling segment, to compete with Dabur and Colgate“Our offering comes with a customised layer as Ayurveda teaches us. We have perfected blends of herbal extracts, essential oils and cold pressed base oils to deliver maximum efficacy in maintaining optimum oral health," said. Jatin Gujrati, Business Head, Vedix.
Hygiene products sales fall during 2nd wavePersonal hygiene segments fell 19% during April-May this year, compared to a 400% jump during the first wave, according to the latest report by Kantar.
Disruption in operations may lead to demand uncertainty in home improvement categories: Asian PaintsThough economic growth is expected to bounce back strongly in 2021-22 on global as well as domestic fronts but a lot would hinge on how the pandemic plays out, given the resurgence of the virus and the spread of infections, it said.
FMCG players see spike in demand of hand sanitisers, disinfectants as COVID-19 cases surgeCompanies such as ITC, Himalaya Drug Company and Patanjali said they have ramped up their production capacity to address spurt in demand, assuring that their hygiene products are available to the consumers.
Second Covid wave spells good news for sales of hygiene products and immunity boostersWholesaler Metro Cash & Carry India said there is 60% surge in demand for honey, chyawanprash, green tea, neem and tulsi drinks in last 15 days as compared to last year, 157% for hygiene soaps, masks by 73%, and cold remedies, vitamins and supplements by over 30%.
Marico expects mid-teen volume growth in couple of quartersBesides, Marico has a revenue target of Rs 500 crore from immunity and healthy foods for 2021-22, a segment in which it has introduced several new products.
Amid COVID-19 scare, Indians send hygiene product sales soaringFor instance, Chyavanprash, which is considered to boost immunity, has also doubled its penetration in a year, as consumers stocked up the product while hunkering down at homes due to coronavirus-related restrictions.
Pack it, ship it: Covid and surge of online shopping amps up an entire sectorEverything that we shopped for online needed to be packed before it is shipped. For India’s packaging sector, this has meant exponential growth.
Indian market has 'massive' potential: RB CEO Laxman Narasimhan"I am deeply optimistic that a lot of the future innovation will come from India. I have my eyes out for that," Narasimhan said in his virtual address, adding that "the potential of India is massive".
Luxor joins the hygiene bandwagon; launches sanitisation products“The company plans to increase its presence in this specific segment given rising demand fuelled by the Covid pandemic,” Luxor said in a statement.
FMCG industry sees signs of recovery in Sept quarter: NielsenThe growth witnessed in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector was also a reflection of positivity witnessed in the overall macroeconomic scenario amid opening up of the economy and easing of lockdown restrictions.
Textiles could be our saviour amid the pandemic: Welspun’s Dipali GoenkaClothing is considered to be one's second skin. It is not surprising that during the pandemic, demand of antimicrobial products has surged for the home textiles brand.
Lubrizol to invest in water management, health and lubricant segments in India“We are very bullish on the growth of the India market. So our first priority is to win in India,” said Vince Misiti, general manager, TempRite Engineered Polymers, Lubrizol. “In the chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) sector itself, India continues to expand. We believe it's going to be a bright future just for India.”
HUL to launch a hygiene range under a new brand Nature ProtectThis will be their first brand in nearly two decades that will cover a host of categories - laundry detergent, germ removal wipes, disinfectant surface cleaner spray and fruit and vegetable cleaner - all infused with neem and naturally derived extracts.
Marico enters chyawanprash segmentThe company said COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased awareness and need for immunity boosting products.
To recover from Covid damage, top hotel chains go on safety & hygiene overdriveFrom offering to do your laundry to getting their famed signature dishes at your doorstep through tie-ups with food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy, and also launching their own F&B apps to keeping check-ins and check-outs contactless, hotel chains are undertaking major overhauls following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Horlicks, health, hygiene boost HUL’s Q1 net by 7%Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has reported a 7% growth in standalone net profit at Rs 1,881 crore in the first quarter ended June 30 of the current financial year, on a 4% rise in sales at Rs 10,406 crore.
Welspun India foraying into health, hygiene segmentUnder Welspun Health, the company plans to produce 2.5 lakh masks per day, including 3 ply surgical mask, reusable mask and N95 respirator. The company said it is also in advanced stage of offering customisation and branding options to large and discerning buyers.
RSH Global forays into personal hygiene segmentIn addition to herbal hand sanitisers, the new personal care range will have hand wash, face wash, skin cream, hand cream and an instant surface cleaning spray among others.
Deepak Fertilisers forays into hand sanitiser segmentThe company has launched IPA based hand sanitizers under the brand name ‘CORORID’, which conforms to WHO’s recommended formulation.
Health & hygiene on everyone’s mind. Why should D-Street be any different?Analysts believe this will create long-lasting shift in behaviour pattern among consumers
Neutral on P&G Hygiene and Healthcare, target price Rs 9,995: Motilal OswalWhile near-term sales are likely to be impacted, the company has a more resilient portfolio, than that of its peers, to withstand the Covid-19-related disruption in the post lockdown phase.Load More
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text: The yuan strengthened for a second day even as the central bank set the benchmark midpoint rate at a weaker level, as the dollar retreated broadly ahead of the retail sales data due out later on Wednesday. Onshore yuan strengthened by 0.07 per cent to 6.2046. Offshore yuan gained 0.11 per cent, or 69 basis points, to 6.2025, the strongest level in a week. The People’s Bank of China set the benchmark midpoint rate at 6.1123 against the US dollar, 32 basis points higher than a day earlier and the second straight day of weakening of the benchmark rate. China’s one-year interest swap rate, an indictor of the funding cost on the mainland, fell to a four-year low on speculation Beijing may continue to cut interest rates to support the economy. Traders shorted the dollar ahead of the US April retail sales figure, which is expected to show a mild increase from March’s level. Among the best performers, the British pound rallied to a fresh five-month high against the dollar, with the GPB/USD trading at 7 basis points stronger at 1.5678. Official data showed that UK industrial output grew at its fastest pace in six months in March. The Thai baht strengthened by 0.3 per cent to 33.64 against the US dollar, bouncing back from the weakest level since September 2009 seen on Tuesday.


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IPA Bellwether report sees ad spend revised up by fastest rate since end of 2011
Digital marketing continues to lead the way in terms of ad spend and was revised up to the fastest rate since Q4 2011 with a net balance of +8.9 per cent according to the latest IPA Bellwether survey for Q1 2013.
The survey showed little change to marketing budgets overall with only a fractional increase registered. For Q1 a proportional number of companies reported rises and cuts with the resulting net balance reported as +0.1 per cent, down from +1.1 per cent in Q4 2012, but up from the -5.5 per cent reported in Q3 last year.
Companies were found to be more positive about their performance in Q1 than they were three months ago with net balance up 10 per cent at +16.8 per cent, from +6.8 per cent in Q4. Over a third (36 per cent) of marketing executives also stated that they planned to raise 2013 budgets in comparison to last year, though the planned rise in budgets is modest compared to pre-financial crisis levels. Additionally, just under a quarter (23 per cent) of marketing executive said they were anticipating a fall, the best level for two years recording a net balance of +13.5 per cent.
“Marketing spend has been revised up again, albeit marginally, and plans for the 2013 budget period are also more positive as companies expect to raise their budgets relative to last year. Moreover advertisers’ confidence about their own financial prospects has grown markedly and to the highest rate in twelve months,” commented IPA director general Paul Bainsfair.
Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit and author of the Bellwether, explained: “An upturn in business confidence and corresponding increase in budgeted marketing spend for 2013 augurs well for the wider economy. However, while the Bellwether is suggesting the economy is recovering, it looks set to be another challenging year for businesses and the pace of economic expansion is likely to be modest. The hope among many companies is that increased sales and marketing activity will drive business growth, but firms will need to see convincing signs that demand and profits are improving in the coming months to prevent business confidence falling again and marketing budgets from being revised down as the year proceeds.”
Questions over financial prospects for the wider industry drew largely pessimistic responses from marketing executives, though the net balance of -11.1 per cent is the least for a year. The Q1 results round off a difficult year for marketing budgets in 2012/13, marking the fifth successive year of decline with provisional data so far revealing a worse performance than 2011 (net balance of -7.4 per cent versus -1.7 per cent in 2011).
In terms of sectors, internet advertising was found to be the strongest performer in Q1, with online search/SEO spend also up (+1.8 per cent) though this was the lowest increase since Q2 2009. PR reported growth with a net balance of +1.8 per cent and market research up +1.3 per cent.
The rest of the categories saw declines, though events, main media and sales promotions dips were all relatively marginal. Direct marketing saw a sharper decline (-3.6 per cent), with ‘other’ marking the lowest net balance at -8.9 per cent.
Current Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) projections for GDP growth in 2013 are at 0.6 per cent, with household spending at 0.5 per cent and business investment to increase by just 1.9 per cent, meaning ad spend will also find itself under pressure. This information has been used to create a five year forecast chart, which shows a predicted fall of -0.3 per cent in ad spend this year. Though if the economy improves, as predicted, next year forecasted ad spend should grow at a rate of 2.3 per cent in 2014, accelerating to 4.4 per cent in 2017.
Bainsfair added: “While there is continued concern about the economic outlook, things do seem to be holding up. We will have to wait and see how the situation pans out as the year progresses.”


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adidas and Kanye West will be rolling out a second version of the popular Moonrock colorway in 2018 on the V2. Seen here is a mock up if what is believed to be the colorway for the next Moonrock drop, featuring a difference pattern and a hit of dark emerald blue on the SPLY 350. The newest V2 offers a new aesthetic to the model, with more colorways to come.
adidas Yeezy Boost V2 “Moonrock” Release Date
The adidas Yeezy Boost V2 “Moonrock” release date has been set for sometime in 2018 for a retail price of $220. Stay tuned with Modern Notoriety for more news on the adidas Yeezy Boost V2 “Moonrock”.
Update: Check out photos of the Moonrock V2 and let us know what you think about this upcoming drop.


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PATNA: People across Bihar did heavy shopping during Dhanterus on Friday, cocking a snook at so-called recession. According to industry sources, the total business crossed over Rs2,000 crore on a single day in Bihar.
Industry sources said in Patna alone, the total business crossed Rs7,000 crore. The sectors which boosted the market were jewelry, automobiles, electronics, real estate, mobile phones and utensils.
Also, Patnaites withdrew Rs52 crores through ATMs on a single day on Friday which is 30 percent more withdrawal than the normal day. The total cash withdrawal from ATMs in the whole Bihar, however, stood at Rs260 crores, as per reports.
“Total business crossed over Rs700 crore in Patna and the sectors which pushed the markets were jewelry, automobile, furniture and electronic items,” Confederation of All India Traders president Kamal Nopani told a local media.
According to reports, maximum rush was seen in jewelry markets where total sale was reported at Rs650 crores. Likewise, vehicle sector did brisk business with approximate sale of Rs570 crore. Electronic goods, mobile phones and furniture too did brisk business.
Reports said some 1,400 cars which included six BMW cars and an Audi Q, and 9,500 two-wheelers were sold during the occassion. One of the car sold cost Rs90 lakh whereas the maximum price of a bike sold was Rs3.49 lakh.
Not only that a customer even purchased Samsung TV set which cost Rs11 lakh while another customer bought necklace set worth Rs15 lakh, according to media reports.
“Customers’ response was very good during Dhanterus. We hoped for that,” Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industry president PK Agarwal said.
Another trader and Bihar Industry Association president Ram Lal Khetan said there was no shade of recession during Dhanterus. “Every sector did brisk business,” he added.


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FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – Aug. 7, 2019 – HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology, today announced that HyperX Predator DDR4 memory was used by MSI’s in-house overclocking team to set a new overclocking world record for the fastest DDR4 memory frequency at 5902MHz. The overclocker broke the record with a HyperX Predator DDR4 8G module and an Intel® Core™ i9-9900K on an MPG Z390I GAMING EDGE AC motherboard.
“HyperX is honored to be part of the revolutionary breakthrough in DDR4 overclocking history,” said HyperX. “An over-5900MHz record marked a new era of DDR4 memory since its release in 2014. HyperX engineers will continue to improve high-speed yields to get faster products and push previously unattainable performance records.”
Earlier this year, HyperX Predator DDR4 was used to set the world record at 5608MHz. Since then, HyperX has expanded its Predator DDR4 memory module product line to 4266MHz and 4600MHz frequency along with latencies from CL12-CL19. HyperX memory modules are Intel XMP ready and its certified profiles are optimized for Intel’s latest chipsets and are compatible with many of AMD’s latest chipsets.
Available as 4GB-16GB single modules and kits of two, four, and eight with capacities of 8GB –128GB, HyperX Predator DDR4 memories are 100-percent factory tested at speed and backed by a lifetime warranty, with free technical support and legendary reliability.
The HyperX Predator DDR4 modules are available through the HyperX network of retail and e-tail outlets with a lifetime warranty. For more information, please visit the HyperX Memory webpage.
HyperX was born from Kingston Technology, the world’s largest independent memory manufacturer, with the goal of providing gamers, PC builders, and power users with high-performance components. For 16 years, the HyperX mission has been to develop gaming products for gamers – high-speed memory, solid state drives, headsets, keyboards, mice, USB flash drives, and mouse pads – to the gaming community and beyond. The award-winning HyperX brand has carved its name atop the leaderboard by consistently delivering products that deliver superior comfort, aesthetics, performance, and reliability. HyperX gear is the choice of pro gamers, tech enthusiasts, and overclockers worldwide because it meets the most stringent product specifications and is built with best-in-class components. HyperX has shipped over 5 million headsets worldwide.
Whatever your skill level, whatever genres you play, we embrace all gaming enthusiasts everywhere with our core belief — We’re All Gamers.
I have been obsessed with computers, tech, gadgets and games since the early 1980’s having grown up on the Commodore 64 and Amiga computers.
By day I work in the IT Security Industry and have been in IT for over 20 years. On my spare time I am a Vlogger, Blogger, Streamer, Gadget Reviewer, affiliate marketer, influencer and entertainer. I am also an avid movie fan, TV Show fan, Anime fan, video game fan and fan of trying anything and everything new.


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Play-to-earn (P2E) Splinterlands had a huge success on their pre-sale of Validator Node licenses after being sold out within minutes of going live.
The sale of the Validator Node license released by the unique digital trading card game sold out within 11 minutes after releasing its pre-sale. This historic milestone resulted in a burn of 14.5 million SPS and 1 million vouchers, with 3.6 million being added to the DAO, which accumulated approximately $4 million in USD value.
Node operators will earn a portion of the 3,750,000 SPS per month, where 10% is reserved for the top 100 node operators.
The Validator Node License is recognized as a major milestone for Splinterlands in its goal of moving toward a decentralized business framework, which allows users to obtain Splintershards (SPS), Splinterlands’ governance tokens.
The licenses are being sold solely through SPS and vouchers, with 80% of all SPS being burned immediately upon sale. Meanwhile, the remaining 20% will be added to the DAO for the players to help govern.
Liam Labistour, the director of Growth for Splinterlands said:
These burn mechanics will put tremendous deflationary pressure on SPS, which will be quite revolutionary of a concept to the blockchain gaming vertical.
He added that Splinterlands has been built with the community in mind above all else. The team has expressed their excitement to move forward with being truly decentralized.
For ten consecutive months, Splinterlands has been ranked as the best playable game in on-chain analytics data. Additionally, it is the oldest and longest-lasting trading card game known for its fast-paced gameplay.
At the time of writing, 25M SPS has already been burned or sent to the DAO through 2271 node sales.
Credit: Source link


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China’s ICBC Leasing has inked financing deals worth USD1.1 billion with Belgium-based Seatrade and France-based Jaccar during Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Europe.
The agreements with Seatrade and Jaccar were signed on 29 June and 2 July, respectively.
ICBC Leasing will extend USD200 million to Seatrade for the construction of seven full reefer container ships, while it will support Jaccar with USD900 million in loans to fund the construction eight gas carriers.
It is the first co-operation between Seatrade and Chinese yards, and the brand new ship type in the deal will help Chinese yards to improve their capacity, stated ICBC Leasing. The first ship is scheduled to be delivered at the beginning of 2016.
The eight vessels to be constructed by Jaccar comprise five very large ethane carriers (VLECs) and three multipurpose gas carriers, all to be built at China’s Sinopacific Shipbuilding.
Related news:Sinopacific delivers first SP AHTS
Jaccar and Hartmann’s joint venture ordered five 85,000 m³ VLECs in 2014. Jaccar-owned Evergas ordered three 27,000 m³ multipurpose gas carriers in March 2014 that are scheduled for delivery in 2015.
The two deals are important move to promote the ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative, reported Chinese media.
ICBC Leasing stated that it will continue its co-operation with European shipping companies and provide support for exports of Chinese high-end manufacturing industries to Europe.