Posts made in January 2019

JAMES BLAKE ‘ASSUME FORM’ AVAILABLE JANUARY 18th

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 Following a series of projections in London, a billboard in Times Square, and a teaser video on his social media, multiple Grammy award-nominee and Mercury Prize winner James Blake reveals his highly anticipated fourth album, Assume Form, will be released January 18th via Republic Records. Constantly reinventing himself and defying genre, Blake captures a range of sonic influences throughout Assume Form, reuniting with Travis Scott and André 3000, and teaming up Metro Boomin, Moses Sumney and ROSALÍA(see full track listing below). Previously released track “Don’t Miss It,” declared “an absolute beauty of a ballad” by Noisey, is available instantly upon pre-ordering the album. Pre-order Assume Form here: http://jamesblake.lnk.to/AssumeFormPR

Assume Form follows the massive success of Blake’s three critically-acclaimed albums, 2010’s James Blake, 2013’s Overgrown, and 2016’s The Colour in Anything, which cemented Blake as one of the most groundbreaking producers, singers, and songwriters of his generation. Over the past several years, Blake has been in high demand as a collaborator, sought after by the biggest names in the music industry including Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, Jay-Z, Oneohtrix Point Never, and Mount Kimbie, among many others. In 2018 alone, Blake co-wrote “Element” on Kendrick Lamar’s platinum-selling DAMN., collaborated on the revolutionary Black Panther soundtrack, and was featured on Travis Scott’s “Stop Trying To Be God,” performing the track alongside Scott on the MTV Video Music Awards. All while continuing to push boundaries with his own new tracks “If The Car Beside You Moves Ahead” and “Don’t Miss It.”

Blake will debut his new music live on his recently announced headlining North American tour. The 17-date tour will kick off in Atlanta on February 18th, making stops in major cities across the U.S. and Canada including Boston, Chicago, Toronto, and 2 nights in New York City, before wrapping in Los Angeles on March 16 (see full list of dates below). Tickets are available now viahttp://www.jamesblakemusic.com/.

HACK Is Here To Help

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Hack, a full-stack laptop designed to teach kids to code by enabling them to hack games, settings and apps, is announcing the launch of its pre-release beta.
Hack is the only laptop designed for everyday use that has a unique superpower – the benefit of inspiring kids to learn how to Hack. Using the flip-to-hack feature, kids can edit parameters, immediately see their changes and develop familiarity with basic coding in an authentic and safe environment. Built on the Linux-based Endless Operating System, kids access source code and use a real sandbox for learning how to code.
The award-winning ASUS laptop comes with all the apps and tools families need for everyday use, including Chrome, Calculator, Skype, Office Suite, Scratch, Spotify, Steam and more. Recognizing that many parents are eager to introduce STEM to their children and give them a computer of their own, Hack is a dual-purpose laptop great for everyday use and STEM education, for $299. What’s more, it is a safe, ad-free and virus-resistant computer with parental controls. Hack is the screen time that parents should feel good about for their kids.
“As a parent and passionate tech executive I am excited to empower the next generation with digital literacy, creative problem-solving skills and an understanding of how to engage consciously with the world. In turn, we hope to enable and inspire children to create innovative and exciting opportunities for themselves and others,” stated Roberta Antunes CEO of Hack.
Hack characters, based on computer science luminaries including Ada Lovelace and Mary Jackson, guide players through immersive adventures and provide them with new coding challenges every month. For $9.99 per month, Hack families will access an unfolding adventure story and learning quests, and hackable levels that unlock as the player’s skills improve. As the child evolves, so does the product. The first 12 months of the content subscription are free for launch customers.
To participate in the Hack beta, visit hack-computer.com and signup for the waitlist. Pre-orders for the public release on January 24th are also available on Amazon.

AGWS Makes Presence At 2019 NADA

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American Guardian Warranty Services, Inc. (AGWS), part of the American Guardian Group of Companies and leading finance and insurance (F&I) products and services provider, will be exhibiting at the 2019 NADA Show from Jan. 24 – 27, booth #5558N at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.

Conference attendees who visit the AGWS booth during NADA can put their golf skills to the test on the putting green. For each attendee who makes 3 out of 5 putts, AGWS will donate $100 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The putting green contest follows AGWS’ Pars for a Purpose fundraiser, which raised $280,000 for St. Jude in 2018.

In addition to the putting contest, dealers and agents will have the opportunity to win a golf getaway for four to the Reunion Resort in Orlando, Florida. Dealers and agents who visit the AGWS booth will receive one half of a puzzle piece containing a portion of a unique promotional code; the remaining-half of the puzzle piece and code will be available at EcoProProducts’ booth #7753W. EcoProProducts offers superior F&I appearance protection products. Once attendees have secured both puzzle pieces, they will be able to complete the special code, which can then be used to enter the drawing for a chance to win the AGWS-sponsored golf trip.

“The AGWS team is looking forward to exhibiting, meeting with our dealer and agent partners, and creating new business relationships at this year’s expo,” said Jon A. Anderson, President and Chief Operating Officer of American Guardian. “Our booth will feature a new look, showcasing our products and services, including Vehicle Service Contracts (VSC) and Ancillary F&I Products, Dealer Capital Advance Program, Dealer Certified Lifetime Program, Appearance Protection Products, Limited Warranties, and more.”

The AGWS executive team and sales, and ownership personnel will be in attendance at the AGWS booth (#5558N) throughout the three-day expo, as well as at the Friday night party for NADA attendees interested in learning more about the company’s products and services.

 For more information, visit www.agwsinc.com or the AGWS University at www.agwsu.com.

 

2019 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

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Former champions Lemi Berhanu and Worknesh Degefa will be among the powerful elite line-up when the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon celebrates its 20th edition on the streets of the UAE on January 25.

The two Ethiopians – winners in 2015 and 2017 respectively – are key figures in the roll of honour of the Middle East’s biggest mass participation event, the only IAAF Gold Label Marathon in the region.

Lemi has performed well on the global stage but his best performances have always been on the flat and fast streets of Dubai. As well as winning the title four years ago in a time of 2h:05m:28s, he set his personal best at the event when as defending champion he finished runner-up in 2016 in 2h:04:33.

Still only 25, Lemi has also competed at World Championship level and at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Like an increasing number of elite runners, he has also prospered at the marathon distance in China, winning the Hengshui title with 2h:08m:51s in September 2018, the Xiamen Marathon in 2017 (2h:08m:27s) and the 2014 Taiyuan Marathon (2h:13m:10s).

Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and staged under the aegis of the Dubai Sports Council, the 2019 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon will welcome a number of the world’s best athletes as the marathon celebrates its 20th anniversary with elite fields in both the men and women’s races.

Among the leading elite women in the line-up, Worknesh Degefa who stunned the athletics world in 2017 by winning on her marathon debut in Dubai. The Ethiopian caused quite an upset beating a strong field of experienced marathon runners in a time of 2h:22m:36s although she was disappointed 12 months later.

Running in the defence of her crown Worknesh set a new personal best 2h:19m:53s yet failed to break into the top three as the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon once again proved its strength in depth with four women breaking the 2h:20m – the first time the feat has ever been achieved in one race.

“It’s very unusual that a runner will break the 2:20 mark and not win a marathon,” said Event Director Peter Connerton. “But that just shows how deep the quality runs in our elite fields. Last year we had seven men break 2h:05m – a unique result in marathon history – so the athletes competing in Dubai know they have to be at their very best to get among the medals.”

The elite marathon athletes will get their race underway at 6am on January 25, five minutes after the wheelchair athletes take to the course. The mass marathon field will face the starting gun at 7am with the 10km Road Race beginning at 8.30am and the 4km Fun Run at 10.30am. Runners looking to register can still do so by visiting the official website www.dubaimarathon.org.

In addition to Standard Chartered as title sponsor, the Dubai Marathon is supported by the Dubai Sports Council, adidas, Dubai Eye 103.8FM, Aquafina and Gatorade, Dubai Holding, Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality and the RTA.

GENERATION OF AUTOMATION: IS YOUR JOB IN DANGER?

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Humanity has made great strides in the technical world and, as of late, those strides have begun affecting the livelihood of people directly. Technology, (specifically A.I.) has seen vast advancements in recent years, so much so that for some industries the threat of redundancy is becoming ever more real.

According to original research from MoneySuperMarket, driverless vehicles are growing in capability and becoming more popular among firms that traditionally employ large numbers of drivers. Such a transition could trigger large-scale redundancies by as early as 2020. But, which jobs are in danger of being automated first?

Is Your Job At Risk?

To date in the UK, many motoring jobs have already fallen victim to automation – and as many as 1.2 million face a 67% or higher probability of their jobs being automated – representing up to £23.9 billion in annual salaries.

Among professional drivers, only driving instructors have little to fear, with the 29,000 employed in the UK having only a 13% chance of replacement with a machine. However, there are many other driving oriented jobs that could be in danger of being automated such as:
1. Food delivery drivers – The takeaway delivery industry is likely to see replacements across the board, with a 98% chance of automation.
2. Waste disposal workers – Waste collectors face a 93% likelihood of having their roles replaced by a machine. Volvo showcased a prototype bin lorry that uses drones to identify nearby bins, although this wouldn’t completely replace the need for human workers.
3. Taxi drivers – As with bus drivers, there have been moves to automate private transport services. Notably, Addison Lee has stated that the company intends to have automated vehicles deployed in London by 2021. In Tokyo, meanwhile, an autonomous taxi service began operation in August, transporting passengers along a set route.
Even though, driverless technology advances with each passing year, there are some jobs in emergency services, that aren’t at high risk of being fully automated. Services such as, ambulances, police and the fire department are at less risk of being fully replaced due to requiring additional skills.

Tom Flack, Editor-in-Chief at MoneySuperMarket, commented:

“Automation will bring massive changes across the whole of society and those who drive for a living may be among the first to feel its effects. Tests of driverless vehicles are well-advanced and are soon to be on the roads – with future positions in commercial usage already identified.
“If businesses see an opportunity to save money by making drivers redundant, they are likely to grab it – that’s the nature of competition. We can only hope that automation brings with it fresh employment opportunities for those whose existing roles disappear.”

YNW Melly Announces New Project & Tour

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YNW Melly is the exciting Florida rapper, who captivated music lovers everywhere with his massive single, “Murder On My Mind.” After releasing his popular documentary, MELLY, the Gifford native is now announcing his newest project, WE ALL SHINE, due out January 18th. Starting the year off strong, Melly hits the road for his first headlining tour,WE ALL SHINE TOUR January 27th, which begins in Atlanta, GA.
YNW Melly’s critically-acclaimed EP, I Am You, which dropped in September of 2018. The juxtaposition of misery stricken lyrics and beautifully exuberant production has YNW Melly delivering a remarkable body of work to both loyal fans and curious music lovers around the world. Less than a year into music, the 19 year-old has accumulated over 165 million views on YouTube. Stands out tracks such as: “Murder On My Mind,” “Virtual,” and “Melly the Menace” has shot Melly to the forefront of Florida rap and caught the attention of The Fader, Forbes, Pitchfork, Complex, Genius, Hypebeast, Hot New Hip-Hop, Elevator, and many more.
The attention on Melly transcends music. He’s uniquely fashion-forward and delivers the most compelling visuals to bring his words to life. When talking to The Fader, Melly said “When you into fashion and dressing, people are gonna judge you and try to test you.” At only 19 years old, and having been in and out of jail – Melly isn’t concerned with people’s assumptions. Given the opportunity to make waves in music, he’s living in the present and laboring beautiful rap ballads.
Tickets for the WE ALL SHINE TOUR are available now. Be sure to keep a look out for Melly’s next project, WE ALL SHINE January 18th.

Mob Museum Debuts Tech at the Museum

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The Mob Museum, The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement located in downtown Las Vegas, this year launched “Organized Crime Today,” a technology-driven exhibition dedicated to present-day topics. Featuring artifacts as well as fully interactive, 17-foot-long touch screen wall, the exhibition enables Museum guests to take a deep dive into the Global Networks of organized crime operating around the world in the 21st century. This elaborate exhibition launched in February of 2018, along with three other brand-new permanent exhibitions the award-winning, American Alliance of Museums-accredited institution debuted this year.

While most of the Museum covers the intriguing history of organized crime and its battle with law enforcement through decades, Organized Crime Today addresses contemporary iterations of this illegal activity. The Global Networks touchscreen wall elaborates on contemporary crime rackets—illegal enterprises that span the globe and profit off everything from drug and human trafficking to product counterfeiting, money laundering and cybercrime. The exhibit addresses the most prominent organized crime groups active in the world today and explores the complexities of organized crime with up-to-the-minute developments pulled from the day’s headlines.

For example, a recent addition to the Global Networks interactive wall spotlights the wildlife smuggling trade in Cambodia, where customs officials recently confiscated 3.5 tons of African elephant ivory—the largest cache of the smuggled contraband ever found in the country. Smugglers have been using Cambodia as a transit hub to feed the demand for ivory in China—which banned ivory sales in 2018—and Vietnam, where it is used in carved artwork, chopsticks and jewelry.

In addition, the screen offers the ability for experts around the world to videoconference into the Museum remotely and offer their analysis and insights into organized crime around the world. These programs are included in the price of general admission and offer Museum visitors the opportunity not only to hear from these experts, but also the chance to ask questions.

Museum visitors encounter other technology-enabled, interactive experiences as well. A Use of Force Training experience uses airsoft versions of police-style handguns and responsive video scenarios to demonstrate the training law enforcement officers receive regarding the use of deadly force. Meanwhile, in the Museum’s Crime Lab, visitors can learn about cause of death investigation with the assistance of life-sized, digitally generated subjects viewed on an interactive, touch-screen “autopsy table.”

Media attending CES 2019 who wish to visit the Museum should send their request tochristina@thevoxagency.com. For more information about the Museum and its Organized Crime Today – Global Networks exhibition, click here.

Swatch Launches Valentine’s Special

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Valentine’s Day is within reach and so is Swatch’s TRIPLE LOVE! At long last, there’s a clear way to light up February 14th with zesty romance.

Does (s)he or doesn’t (s)he? What’s for sure is that there is TRIPLE LOVE on the wrist. This beauty features three transparent printed hearts in shades of red and pink, visible through a clear transparent dial and finished with a semi-transparent patterned bracelet. Delicately wrapped in distinctive heart- covered packaging, this limited and numbered edition of 5.143 pieces is a rare gift for that special someone. If only true love were this transparent!

Boogie Premieres “Silent Ride”

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Eminem-signed, Compton-bred rapper Boogie has shared a new single and video titled “Silent Ride.” With the track released via Shady Records/Interscope Records, the video for “Silent Ride” is directed by Gina Gammell and Malcolm Washington for Vanishing Angle production company.

Check out “Silent Ride” by Boogie HERE.

 

Praised by Pitchfork as “one of the West Coast’s most promising young rappers,” Boogie has also announced a January 25th release date for his forthcoming album, Everything’s For Sale. The album marks his first full-length for Shady Records/Interscope Records.

 

Since making his debut for Shady Records/Interscope Records in December 2017, Boogie has released such acclaimed singles as “Self Destruction” and “Deja Vu.” Arriving last August, the latter was hailed by HotNewHipHop as a “smooth new offering” built on “lush basslines.”

 

Born Anthony Dixson, Boogie got his start in music after joining a church choir at the urging of his mother. He soon started writing lyrics and crafting melodies, and later enrolled in Long Beach City College to study recording. With his debut mixtape Thirst 48 arriving in June 2014, Boogie had his breakthrough with The Reach—a 2015 mixtape that spawned the Jahlil Beats-produced “Oh My,” whose viral success cemented him as one of the most refreshingly honest new voices emerging from the West Coast. Releasing Thirst 48 Pt. II in 2016, Boogie found his raw, unfiltered lyricism earning praise from artists like Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem, who signed him to Shady Records in October 2017.

 

Melii Releases Single “HML”

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Harlem-based singer/songwriter/rapper Melii continues her run of head-turning singles with “HML,” a new track featuring Bronx rapper A Boogie wit da Hoodie. Released today via Rule#1/Interscope Records, “Hit My Line” was Zane Lowe’s World Record this morning on Apple Music’s Beats 1 and is available now through all digital retailers.

 

Listen to “HML” by Melii ft. A Boogie wit da Hoodie HERE

 

On “HML,” Melii faces off against A Boogie in a hot and heavy duet. The track’s bouncy beat makes a perfect backdrop to her magnetic vocals, which slip from delicate to fierce with undeniable command.

 

“HML” follows Melii’s recent single “See Me,” a December release praised by HotNewHipHop as a “baddie anthem” that “serves as a pick me up for those struggling through the dynamics of relationships in the digital era.” The 21-year-old artist’s latest features also include her collaboration with Meek Mill on “Wit the Shits (W.T.S.),” a track from his new album Championships (a #1 hit on the Billboard 200).

 

Recently featured on NYLON’s “15 Up-And-Coming Artists To Watch In 2019” list, Melii is now at work on her debut project Phases: a narrative-based exploration of her past, from the painful memories to the major triumphs that ultimately led to her breakout success.

 

Melii has drawn acclaim for singles like “Icey (Spanish Remix)” (named “one of the year’s starkest rap hits” by Jon Caramanica of the New York Times), “La Envidia Mata” (dubbed a “sledgehammer of a single” by Rolling Stone), and “Como Si Na” (featured on a “5 Songs You Need to Listen to This Week” from TIME). She’s also earned admiration from Billboard, who stated that “Every few years, a new artist emerges from Harlem, ready to take on the rap world…In 2018, that spotlight belongs to Melii.”