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Calculating flu costs
Today, between the flu vaccine, antiviral medicines developed to lessen flu symptoms, and the ever-increasing array of over-the-counter cold medications, most of us view the flu as a miserable but manageable illness. However, it is responsible for substantial mortality and loss of productivity in the US each year. The CDC reports that since 2010, the flu has resulted in 9 million to 45 million illnesses, 140,000 to 810,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 to 61,000 deaths annually.
Given that the CDC reports that roughly 60% of flu illnesses occurred within the working age (18-64) population from 2010 to 2016, lost wages and productivity are also concerns. In fact, US employees miss more than 111 million workdays a year due to the flu. Those numbers are unlikely to decline, because many adults remain unvaccinated. Vaccination coverage varies by state, according to the CDC, ranging from 33.9% to 56.3% among adults and between 46.0% and 81.1% for children.3
The most comprehensive study of the flu’s impact on the US economy was published in 2007. It found the flu responsible for an average of $10.4 billion in direct medical costs and over $16 billion in lost earnings each year. That resulted in an average total annual economic burden of more than $87 billion for the US economy. And in some years, the cost hit $150 billion.4
Pressuring the US consumer
Will the flu trigger a recession? Absolutely not. But the flu’s severity and timing could add to the pressures building on the US consumer -- especially as the flu tends to hit hardest early in the new year, after the hefty deductibles on the increasingly prevalent higher deductible insurance plans have reset.
Burdening the consumer is significant because US GDP was entirely driven by the consumer in 2019; business investment was stymied by trade and geopolitical uncertainty. Falling interest rates allowed some consumers to deleverage last year, but the rate of non-mortgage debt has risen slowly, and the six-month moving average rate of job creation has also slipped.
The Conference Board now suggests that consumers’ support for the economy is likely to fade over the course of 2020 as personal income growth slows and short-term expectations for jobs and financial prospects diminish. Therefore, unless we see a meaningful reversal in business confidence and expenditures, US growth could catch the chills.


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A recent article in The New York Times grossly misinterpreted the findings of a government review of nationwide grocery purchases by participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as “food stamps.” The article incorrectly portrayed the study as showing that “a disproportionate amount of food stamp money is going toward unhealthful foods,” when in reality it showed that Americans across the board purchase similar items and that overall, everyone could be eating in healthier ways. The suggestion that SNAP recipients are somehow guilty of wasting money on frivolous food purchases is a tired right-wing media attack, and the Times’ sloppy handling of the recently released data is sure to embolden opponents of federal anti-poverty programs.
On November 18, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers the federal food security program, released a report analyzing purchases at “a leading grocery retailer” in 2011. A key finding in the data was that “food purchases, consumption patterns, and dietary outcomes among SNAP participants and higher income households are more similar than different.” Recipients of SNAP benefits spent slightly more of their grocery budget on meats and “sweetened beverages” (which include many juices and soft drinks) while non-SNAP households spent slightly more on vegetables and “high fat dairy” items. Overall, “differences in the expenditure patterns … were relatively limited” across all major grocery categories:
According to the USDA’s summary of its findings, households that receive SNAP benefits and households that do not receive benefits have similar consumption habits, including the habit of purchasing food items like “sweetened beverages,” “soft drinks,” “salty snacks,” and other junk foods that “may not be fully consistent with” preferred dietary guidelines. Indeed, according to the full November 2016 report, the seven most common grocery purchases of SNAP and non-SNAP consumers are virtually the same, with “soft drinks” ranking first for SNAP households and second for all other customers and “bag snacks” ranking fourth for SNAP households and fifth for others:
However, The New York Times published a headline that seems to condemn low-income Americans for buying soft drinks -- “In the Shopping Cart of a Food Stamp Household: Lots of Soda” -- and its piece noted that advocates of healthy living “have called for restrictions so that food stamps cannot be used to buy junk food or sugary soft drinks.”
Rebecca Vallas and Katherine Gallagher Robbins of the Center for American Progress slammed the article in a blog for Talk Poverty, noting that the misleading article was accompanied by an image “of a grocery cart overflowing with 2-liter bottles of soft drinks and a store aisle that is nothing but a wall of soda.”
Talk Poverty cited several examples of research refuting the Times’ stance along with experts who “took to social media to highlight the study’s actual findings”:
- University of Minnesota sociologist Joe Soss called the article “a political hack job on a program that helps millions of Americans” and said it “peddled harmful myths and outright lies” in a Facebook post as well as a January 16 column for Jacobin magazine;
- University of Maryland sociologist Philip Cohen analyzed the data and reported on Twitter that SNAP recipients were only slightly more likely than others to buy “sweetened beverages” but more than three times more likely to buy “baby food” because so many users have young children; and
- The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) found in a June 2016 report that increasing SNAP benefits, rather than restricting their use, addresses food insecurity more broadly while also helping low-income families afford healthier (and more expensive) food items.
Aside from missing the point of the USDA study, the Times’ report has several other issues. From the outset, the article defines SNAP as a “$74 billion food stamp program,” which makes the program sound extremely large even though it actually comprises a relatively small piece of the $3.6 trillion federal dollars spent in 2011. Reporting incomprehensible raw numbers in this way is not informative, it’s a scare tactic, and The New York Times publicly committed in October 2013 to improving its reporting on exactly this issue.
Furthermore, by promoting the misleading premise that SNAP users are wasting tax dollars on junk food, the Times provided ammunition to political interests set on destroying the program. Right-wing media outlets have spent years demonizing SNAP and other food assistance programs based on the premise that these outlets know better than the recipients themselves what the latter should be eating. This misinformation campaign has already impacted public policy, spurring Republican lawmakers in several states and in Congress to pursue unnecessary restrictions that hurt working families.
Finally, buried in the eighth paragraph of the Times piece, the paper quotes a USDA spokesperson who points out that the question “Are we consuming too many sweetened beverages, period?” can be applied to “all households,” not just SNAP recipients.
Even after admitting 15 paragraphs down that “food stamp recipients and other households generally made similar purchases,” the Times pivoted back to claiming the data are “deeply troubling” to public health experts focused on the pervasiveness of a sugar-rich diet on obesity. The Times quoted obesity expert Dr. David Ludwig, who called for restrictions against using SNAP on food items “that are demonstrably going to undermine public health.” The article chose not to cite an April 2014 report by public health experts affiliated with the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), which found that childhood access to food stamps in their current form actually already contributes to “a significant reduction” in obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes later in life.
If the Times wanted to tackle the problems created by the traditional American junk food diet, the paper could have followed the example set by comedian and Last Week Tonight host John Oliver, whose excellent October 25, 2014, takedown of the sugar industry addressed the issue without targeting a single low-income family.
**CLARIFICATION: A previous version of this post questioned the Times' inclusion of New York University professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health Marion Nestle's claim that SNAP expenditures on soft drinks are “a multibillion-dollar taxpayer subsidy of the soda industry.” Media Matters cited a November 2016 USDA report which indicated that the amount of SNAP funds going toward soft drink purchases equaled $357.7 million, not billions of dollars. Dr. Nestle's office reached out following the publication of this piece to contend that if the $357.7 million figure in the USDA report, which was based off figures provided by a “leading grocery retailer” in 2011, was representative of nationwide SNAP use, total expenses on soft drinks would amount to roughly $3.8 billion annually. We have removed reference to Nestle's comments in response to her office's feedback.
With that said, Media Matters stands by its conclusion that the article poorly informed readers about the nutrition assistance program and may have misled readers into believing soft drink consumption levels among SNAP recipients are uniquely inflated by the program -- a conclusion shared by The New York Times' public editor, who argued that the article “didn't do much to advance the discussion.”

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One on One with Barbara Barrett, FDFA Executive Director
The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) announced a new strategic direction for its land border duty free association in August when it appointed Barbara Barrett as the association’s new Executive Director and appointed advocacy firm Impact Public Affairs to be a proactive advocacy voice in Ottawa.
“The Board is equally excited to bring Barbara Barrett on board to quarterback FDFA efforts. Barbara and our team will be imbedded in Ottawa with Impact so that they can provide members with a full range of lobbying, communications, media and social media support.”
Just a few weeks after her appointment as Executive Director, Barrett spoke to TMI about what comes next for the FDFA.
“Impact is an association with deep roots in the advocacy arena. The appointment of Impact will not change what the FDFA does, but it may change how we approach it. Impact has a holistic approach bringing a whole team of expertise. Although I am the voice and the face I have a whole team behind me and that team has a reputation of building award-winning advocacy campaigns at both the federal and grass roots levels,” says Barrett, who has held senior leadership and executive roles for Jaguar Land Rover.
“Ultimately we want to make the duty free industry as successful as it can be and we feel there is room to grow, particularly in comparison to other countries at this time. As a federally regulated industry we are challenged with how the duty free program is structured and know that it impacts how we grow. Our biggest challenge will be increasing awareness that duty free shops are a valuable part of tourism in Canada and really encouraging cross border travel. We are looking to reinvigorate the association and drive the agenda forward with the government and with media to bring greater value to our members.”
Impact Public Affairs brings a stellar 20-year reputation of building winning advocacy campaigns for trade associations with a specialty in the retail and small business sector. Impact is also known for building a partnership with association leadership to support member retention and recruitment with winning advocacy efforts. Impact is the only advocacy firm to win the Canadian Society of Association Executive’s award for business excellence to national associations.
Barrett says the Impact and the FDFA are looking at a four pillar approach to achieving their goals.
“We are looking at a strategic advocacy plan, public relations and communications, stakeholder engagement, and association communications. Blending all of them together and having them work as a whole will achieve our success.”
“We are really rethinking the direction of the association. At both the federal level here in Ottawa and engaging with our members at the grass roots level we really want to be a bigger part of the conversation with the government about the tourism industry in Canada. To do that we plan to focus on building awareness about the duty free sector with the public and the government through the conversations about how we add value to the customer, and the end consumer, and the value proposition for the cross border travel and how that helps steer visitors to Canada as opposed to similarly distant destinations.”
Public relations and communications
“We will continue to work with the media, but we want to be more present with the consumer-facing media and tell the stories that they need to hear so the public is more aware of what duty free is and how it is part of the Canadian tourism industry. We want to be more present in the public arena.At the grass roots level we want to make sure that the individual stores and operators are given the tools in order to do that.”
“We have already started the process of reconnecting with partners in the retail and travel industry, such as the Retail Council of Canada and Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC). We want to be at the table with these other associations and find the common goals and work together with them to be a louder voice to achieve our goals together and ultimately support tourism and increase sales.”
“It is important for our members to be engaged because we are stronger together. If we are all together with the same message it is more likely that we will be heard. We need to ensure that we are communicating in an appropriate way with our member so we can all work together both at the federal and grass roots level to get our messages across.”
Barrett says these four pillars will help the FDFA raise awareness of Canadian duty free.
“Ultimately we are looking at protecting and enhancing the duty free program. We think that it is very important that we establish with the government that we are truly an export business, our products are sold for export and consumption in the US with the occasional Canadian bringing in products purchased in the stores and bringing them back as part of their duty free allowance,” says Barrett.
“We are very focused on raising awareness and we are going to do that through a very strategic and very planned methodical advocacy plan and we do that in a campaign where we tie in all these elements to drive our message and agenda forward.”


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(NaturalNews) The other day I wrote a story about the massive recall by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, of its infants' and children's line of Tylenol products. An FDA inspection report found these drugs to be contaminated with dangerous bacteria (they did not disclose the actual type) as well as "foreign materials" that were visible as "dark or black specks". But a recent story published by USA Today has revealed that McNeil actually knew about the bacterial contamination and kept shipping the products anyway.
To the FDA, it's all just "theoretical"
My favorite part about this is the FDA's reliance on the word "theoretical" to try to imagine that somehow no actual safety problem existed. According to my thesaurus, some other words for theoretical include unsubstantiated and hypothetical. In other words, the FDA is saying it does not actually believe that a real risk even exists!
And yet FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, at the same time as the agency is saying there really is no risk and that the whole thing is just a hypothetical situation, advises parents to "discontinue using any of the name-brand products being recalled."
Overdosing on acetaminophen, especially in children, is a serious issue. The Mayo Clinic website warns parents that overdosing on the drug, even a little bit, can lead to "life-threatening liver problems."
The FDA report specifies that McNeil's had not been properly formulating the drug dosages in its children's and infants' medicines, which is part of the reason for the recall. Improper concentrations of active ingredients in these products potentially puts millions of children at risk. But apparently this is no big deal to the FDA which sees it as nothing more than a "hypothetical" problem.
Yet, just prior to its expression of "theoretical" concern in the current recall, FDA officials met with McNeil back in February to express "serious concerns" about the company's poor manufacturing processes and failures to follow good manufacturing practices. So which is it?
This kind of double-speak is typical of the FDA when a case involves a beloved drug company. If this had been a supplement that was "hypothetically" thought to be contaminated (even if conclusive evidence revealed there was no threat at all), health food stores everywhere would be ordered to strip it from their shelves. But when drug company negligence leads to the contamination of children's medicines with bacteria, unknown particles and improper drug dosage levels, the FDA leaves it to the company to "voluntarily" recall their own products. There will probably be no fine levied against the company, either.
The FDA may not even hold McNeil responsible for its gross negligence
According to a recent Los Angeles Times article, the FDA has not even decided what corrective action it is going to take. According to the story, "options range from sending a warning letter to seeking criminal penalties."
So in essence, the options include doing nothing or actually holding McNeil responsible for putting the lives of millions of children at risk. To me, only one of these is a really a viable option. But based on the FDA's track record in dealing with McNeil (and all other drug companies, for that matter), the agency is likely to just sweep the whole thing under the rug.
Never mind that a warning letter had already been sent to a McNeil plant in Puerto Rico several months ago over wooden shipping pallet chemicals that had been found in other McNeil drugs, causing 70 people to became ill with digestive problems. When it comes to regulating drug companies, the FDA has a very short memory.
Can any children's medicines be trusted?
Johnson & Johnson is one of the world's largest companies, and is consistently rated by both Harris Interactive's National Corporate Reputation Survey and Barron's Magazine as being one of the top, most well respected companies in the world.
If the world's most respected company, a "family company", is operating a subsidiary that is knowingly manufacturing contaminated children's medicines in factories that are in violation of numerous safety protocols, what does that say about the entire drug industry? If the safety and quality of children's medicines from one of the world's most respected companies cannot be trusted, then what over-the-counter medicines can you really trust?
Most children's medicines are filled with chemical toxins anyway
Bacterial contamination and poor manufacturing procedures are not the only problems with popular over-the-counter (OTC) children's medicines. Even if McNeil had been operating up to proper standards, many of its children's formulations are still filled with questionable chemical ingredients like aspartame, high-fructose corn syrup, sucralose (Splenda), artificial colors and preservatives, and even parabens, all of which are approved by the FDA for use in children's and infants' formulas. (Seriously.)
The shocking truth is that, even in their approved and "safe" forms, most OTC children's medicines are nothing more than dangerous chemical cocktails being peddled as medicine. They're filled with so much harmful garbage that they can hardly be considered beneficial. Most of them are outright useless. These OTC children's medicines are the quackery of modern medicine.
Back in 2004, I wrote a story about a U.K. study which found that children's cough syrup is medically ineffective. In tests, it proved to be just as effective as corn syrup at alleviating a cough, so basically it did nothing at all.
Most cough syrup is composed primarily of corn syrup anyway, so it is no surprise that the stuff causes the same effect on the body — basically just a sugar overload.
Pharmaceutical drugs are almost never a good choice for children. Not only do the active ingredients cause serious side effects and liver problems, but the chemical additives make them even more harmful. I think if more parents became informed about what's really in children's medicine, they would never willingly give it to their children.
All these things really just illustrate the FDA's corruption and behind-the-scenes protection of drug company interests. Even when a serious problem arises above and beyond the known risks, the agency acts as if it is no big deal. The health and well-being of millions of children is put at risk but it's all just make-believe to the FDA.
To them, all risks and side effects of pharmaceuticals are merely "theoretical." But in their (warped) minds, the dangers of herbs and vitamins are all "very real!"
It raises a very important question: How many children need to be harmed or even killed by the Big Pharma / FDA conspiracy before the American people will demand real FDA reform?


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As the leader in domestic tourism and a top destination for Canadian travelers, Florida is buzzing with new developments right now.
Travel advisors can become experts on the state's tourism offerings by completing Visit Florida's Florida Pro training course online. New content on the platform includes information about pre- and post-cruise accommodations and activities, culinary offerings, nature trails, and accessibility through Wheel the World, an online resource that informs advisors and consumers about which suppliers have certain accessibility features.
"We've seen massive numbers of new hotels coming online or complete renovations of hotels that were already here," Dana Young, president and CEO of Visit Florida, told TMR. "The theme parks continue to roll out new attractions within the parks, so that's always a big deal."
Here are the highlights of what's new in Florida's popular tourist destinations.
Between Formula 1, baseball spring training, soccer, and more, sports tourism is big in Miami, and no one's presence in the city is bigger than Lionel Messi's. On April 25, the Messi Experience, an immersive, 75-minute walk-through indoor experience, will open at The Hangar Coconut Grove. And in 2026, Miami will host several World Cup games.
Miami has also gained 12 Michelin star restaurants since the Michelin guide launched in Florida about three years ago, so it is growing as a destination not only for sports fans but also foodies. "Restaurants are opening everywhere," Young noted, "and Michelin has been huge with that."
The colorful Miami neighborhood of Wynwood has been up-and-coming in recent years. In part due to a renewed appreciation for the area's street art culture, new shops, restaurants, and hotels have been bringing tourists to the once-downtrodden area. This year, a Moxy hotel by Marriott will open on one of Wynwood's busiest blocks near Wynwood Walls, an outdoor street art museum.
The big news out of Orlando is the recent opening of Evermore Orlando Resort, a $1.5 billion resort with an 8-acre lagoon and wide array of accommodations options, including the new Conrad Orlando hotel.
The new, massive resort is right next door to Disney World, which has big news of its own: Tiana's Bayou Adventure, a new attraction based on the film The Princess and the Frog and celebrating New Orleans music culture, will replace Splash Mountain in Magic Kingdom Park by this summer.
Also notable in Orlando is the opening of a Brightline station at Orlando International Airport. This means that travelers can now travel by rail between Miami and Orlando on a seamless two-hour train ride.


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Time-saving software and hardware expertise that helps 200M users yearly. Guiding you with how-to advice, news and tips to upgrade your tech life.
Let's keep in touch!
Office 2007 to breathe its last this October as Microsoft ends support
Microsoft Office 2007 support comes to an end October 10th
Microsoft kills support for Office 2007 in October 2017


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SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Internet of Things Community™ (IoT Community™ Ltd), the world's largest community and network of CxO's and IoT professionals announces the launch of its Second Annual IoT Slam® Live Internet of Things conference, taking place June 21 – 22, 2018 at the Archie K Davis Conference Centre, located at the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.
The IoT Live Slam® 2018 conference builds on the hugely successful inaugural 2017 event that took place last year at the Research Triangle Park, and represents an unparalleled platform for both established and emerging IoT practitioners, business leaders and executive management across healthcare, retail, consumer product goods, finance, industrial, commercial and public sector industries, - looking for opportunities to leverage, innovate, disrupt and transform society, using IoT, machine learning and cognitive techniques - to meet and learn from the IoT elite in an open, friendly, give to give environment.
The IoT Slam® Live conference will once again host distinguished delegates and showcase innovative IoT use cases, technologies and companies in a tried and tested hybrid conference delivery format; consisting of an in-person live conference, taking place in North Carolina June 21-22, and a real-time virtual broadcast of key proceedings to members of the Internet of Things Community - who can tune in live to the stream globally via the internet and interact with speakers and attendees.
"We are excited to announce our second annual IoT Slam Live conference, which will again bring together leading members from the Internet of Things Community." said Bill Mortimer, Executive Vice President of Strategic Marketing at Spirent Communications, and Chairman of the IoT Slam® Conference and IoT Community. "Building on the successes of the inaugural conference, we expect to shape the IoT narrative, harvesting the very best IoT thought leadership from our IoT Community. We look forward to welcoming and hosting members in RTP, where we will continue to provide a platform for IoT thought leaders to collaborate and partner to fulfil the promise of the IoT."
Oliver Schabenberger, current SAS Chief Technology Officer and Chief Operating Officer as of Jan. 1, 2018, and a keynote speaker at the 2018 IoT SLAM Conference said, "Those who will attend this event already know they must be prepared for large quantities and disparate types of data in the world of IoT. A data-driven, analytic culture is key to driving value in IoT applications. Volume and velocity of IoT data requires increasing automation and machine intelligence. I am eager to participate in compelling conversations about driving value from IoT data with other business innovators."
David Hill, Executive Director of the Internet of Things Community (IoT Community) said, "We are excited to unveil our second in-person IoT Slam Live event that will again showcase a world class line-up of IoT thought leaders and practitioners, coming together to present customer successes and best practices. As we predicted, 2017 was a defining year for the IoT Community and we look forward to raising the bar even further in 2018. IoT Slam Live will illustrate leading-edge best practices and customer use-cases and provide a forum for business and technology leaders to meet and learn more about how the next generation of technology through the Internet of Things will enable growth and innovation. We encourage enterprises and IoT providers to submit a speaker proposal to demonstrate how they are using the Internet of Things to transform business, culture and society."
Core themes being covered at IoT Slam Live include (not limited to):
- User applications & business use-cases for IoT
- Vertical industry alignment (Healthcare, Retail, Automotive)
- Security, privacy & trust
- Analytics and big data
- Connectivity and infrastructure
- IoT architectures
- Application of machine learning and AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Call for Papers
Since its inception in 2015, IoT Slam has been a no-pay-to-speak event, enabling the very best IoT minds, contributions and thought leadership to be garnered and shared amongst the broader IoT ecosystem. IoT practitioners interested in presenting a session in-line to above topics at IoT Live Slam'18 either in-person or virtually have until February 28th 2018 to submit a session proposal. Visit here http://iotslam.com/submit-paper for full details on the submission process and to submit a paper.
Important Dates & Milestones:
February 28, 2018 – Call for papers Closes
March 15, 2018 – Speakers Notified of Acceptance
March 30th 2018 - Final Agenda Published
June 21-22 2018 – IoT Live Slam Commences
Free Access to Virtual Broadcast
New for 2018: Members of the IoT Community can get free access to the real-time virtual broadcast. For full registration details and to register now, visit http://www.iotslam.com/register
Corporate Membership, Collaboration and Media Opportunities
IoT solution providers seeking to explore Corporate membership to the Internet of Things Community, Event Sponsorship, and / or collaboration opportunities should email [email protected]
Media organizations interested in covering the event should email [email protected]
About IoT Slam Live™
IoT Slam Live 2018 is the Internet of Things Community's second annual in-person IoT conference and its sixth international conference overall, covering a horizontal industry perspective, across the entire spectrum of IoT. IoT Slam Live take place June 21-22, 2018 at the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. For more information, visit www.iotslam.com. IoT Slam Live delivers the best in class IoT Strategy, Leadership, Advisory and Methodology – (SLAM)™.
About Internet of Things Community™
The Internet of Things Community - IoT Community is the world's largest and longest standing CxO community of senior business leaders and IoT practitioners consisting of 22,000+ members. For more information about the Internet of Things community, or to apply for free individual membership, please visit http://iotslam.com/community.
SOURCE Internet of Things Community (IoT Community)


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India’s largest luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz has rolled out ‘Merc from Home’, a fully digital car buying initiative that allows customers to book online and get the vehicle delivered to their doorstep.
This first-of-its kind initiative will ease the experience of purchasing a vehicle using digital tools to facilitate the entire process including online payment of products and services. The novel coronavirus-forced lockdown has made almost all carmakers sell cars through the online medium, keeping physical interaction to the bare minimum.
To track all live updates from the coronavirus pandemic, click here…
“The online interface will be backed by backend operations that include preparation of cars to the documentation process, which will be done with utmost care and in the most transparent manner. All outlets of Mercedes-Benz across India will be connected to the e-commerce portal to support the customers through their online shopping experience,” the Pune-based company said in a release.
All consumer offers and information such as on-road price of the vehicle will be available online. A sales concierge will remain operational from 10 am to midnight on www.shop.mercedes-benz.co.in. Once the customers have configured their car on the website, they can consult Mercedes-Benz product experts for additional technical information.
Full functionality of the platform will go online only after May 4, when the lockdown is expected to be lifted. The online set up will offer one stop solution for vehicle finance and other value added services. Protective measures during test-drives and delivery of the car will be provided.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mercedes aims to provide ‘high level of customised demonstrations while maintaining minimum physical interactions’. The company is targeting to make a significant part of its sales fully online by 2025.
Martin Schwenk, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “Digital platforms have become an important channel to stay connected with our customers. Towards this, we are launching our ‘Merc from Home’ campaign that aims at providing a holistic, hassle-free and highly personalised car buying experience. The customers now can not only explore, select and make online payment for our products and services from the comfort of their homes, but can also get their Three Pointed Star delivered right at their doorsteps, as per their convenience.”
All the contactless car deliveries will be as per the directives set by government authorities. "Mercedes-Benz India has incorporated enhanced cleaning services in all its processes. The entire buying process is virtually completed. Customers can also opt for a service appointment that includes complimentary pick-up and drop, via the website," the company added.
Mercedes-Benz India retained its market leadership for the fifth year in a row and recorded retail sales of 13,786 units in 2019. In addition to petrol and diesel offerings, Mercedes is steeping on the pedal to electrify its model range starting with the introduction of its first fully electric vehicle EQC later this year.


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Miller's IGA, a staple in Clay City, recently teamed up with CaspersSMS, an Indiana-based company, to start communicating with their customers through text messages.
SMS marketing strategy gives advertising deals and special offers to customers who have sign up to receive weekly text messages.
Miller's IGA has been in business for the past 16 years, and owner Russ Miller said he using text messages as a way for his store to stay trendy and appealing to his customers needs.
"We want to stay current with what current shoppers experiences are," Miller said. "It allows us a chance to get direct access to our customers and particularly those who are interested in hearing from us."
Miller has been using SMS for the past three weeks and said that customers have responded positively.
"The number of people who have utilized the offers we have sent out has probably been about 20 to 25 percent," Miller said. "I'm really pleased with that, and we will continue to try and get people signed up."
Since implementing text messages, Miller's IGA has sent out one text per week, advertising sales on individual items along with 5 percent off any purchase.
In order to sign up for the service, customers text the keyword "Miller" to 227-737. Miller explains that this will allow patrons of the store to receive special deals and weekly ads before anyone else.
CasperSMS founder Scott Weaver said that the company was created for businesses like Miller's IGA.
"It was built really for the independent grocer or retailer in mind," Weaver said. "When you look at the social media platforms out there, they really don't work for your everyday grocery stores."
Weaver said business owners have control over the nature of the messages allowing them to tailor their deals and what time they send the messages to their customers.


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YallaMarket, a grocery delivery platform in the UAE announced this week that they now accept crypto payments for customer orders.
The company will allow its employees to receive all or part of their salaries in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. This move comes as more and more businesses are beginning to explore the potential of cryptocurrency for making payments
YallaMarket payment system accepts stable coins USDT (Tether) and USDC.
They also are considering to expand their business to Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
UAE, a crypto-friendly country
UAE has been a crypto-friendly country for long time and more businesses are accepting cryptocurrencies as payment methods. According to YouGov, mostly their citizens are interested in investing in crypto. The UAE is one of the most forward-thinking countries when it comes to cryptocurrency adoption. This country has been working on a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency and blockchain technology since 2018. And in 2019, the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) issued new regulations for banks and financial institutions working with cryptocurrency businesses. These new regulations provide clarity and certainty for businesses and investors operating in the burgeoning cryptocurrency space.
it’s also home to a number of leading cryptocurrency exchanges, such as BitOasis and Abu Dhabi-based Rain. With its clear regulatory framework and strong infrastructure, the UAE is well placed to become a leading global hub for cryptocurrency trading and innovation.
Looking to buy cryptocurrencies? One of the most popular is eToro, which allows users to do it with low fees.
eToro Disclaimer: 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider
The article’s writer Noah Jones did not hold any positions in assets or companies mentioned in this article on the date of publication. His opinions are articulated herein, and the reader accepts that some opinions could change as a result of newer information being revealed.
- BTCUSD: Fear in the Market - September 8, 2022
- Leading Crypto Exchange OKX sign a $20M Sponsorship Deal with Manchester City - July 11, 2022
- Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) says the Africa is primed for crypto adoption - July 6, 2022


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Com specials Leaked Black Friday Ads Bounty New york, March.
Truly very first time that a bounty has been offered for Black Friday ads. Currently the website features a directory of leaked Black Friday 2011 ads and a listing of internet retailers involved in the Cyber Black Friday online shopping event. Determined by Ms. Schaeffer, "As a rule, Holiday traffic to trusted trusted black day deals online stores websites peak on Black Friday exceeding $648 billion dollars spent online during last year's event. All of your realisation year, We've giving shoppers a way best pre black friday deals to get a sneak peak at Black Friday ads and insiders a bonus for giving us the content first, Shopping online on Black Friday is easily the best way to beat the holiday crowds. Unlike the Black Friday old-school experience, Shoppers can easily shop around at multiple stores concurrently without camping out on Thanksgiving Day or earlier, Jostling for limited quantity items and treating gridlock at the checkout aisle and parking area. Digital coupon codes or eCoupons provide additional savings unavailable in stores. 2.) Black Friday doorbusters tend to be loss losers for retailers. Meaning a savvy shopper can simply buy black friday shoe deals money losing items and flip them on eBay or c-list for a quick profit.
3.) Black Friday is the only day of the season that the 1 technology company and maker of all"My wife and capable" Components has best black friday sales online a sale both web in store. See general take over 2.
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GOOGLE: Google says they want to develop artificial intelligence using the world’s 10,000 most spoken languages. This is because tech giants are competing to dominate the web’s next battleground.
Data is important for AI to advance, and Google and its big tech competitors want information so they can create better products. Johan Schalkwyk, a researcher at Google, told the New York Times: “Imagine someone who’s never used the internet before — you have to make it from scratch.”
Such situations “we take for granted,” Schalkwyk told reporters, adding that languages were “not available to everyone in the world.” According to Schalkwyk, there are more than 7,000 languages globally. However, Google only offers its translations for a little more than 130 of them.


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The New Zealand free trade agreement will see bilateral trade increase by almost 60%, which we expect to boost the UK economy by nearly £1 billion in the next few years and to increase wages across the UK. Red tape will be slashed for nearly 6,000 UK small and medium-sized enterprises, with nearly 250,000 people working in those supply chains. UK exporters will no longer pay tariffs on a huge range of foods, and they will now have an advantage over international rivals.
It is exciting that we will be able to offer new opportunities for our smaller businesses to discover and grow into the New Zealand market. Indeed, we will be working very closely with our New Zealand partners as we look to accede to the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership later this year, which will open up enormous new markets for all our exporters across every field of opportunity.


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ISLAMABAD-Pak-Africa Business Forum (PABF) Chief Omar Shahid Butt had said that Africa is made up of 54 countries and has an enormous range of opportunities; therefore, trade with the continent must be prioritised.
Africa has abundant raw materials; seventy percent of sub-Saharan Africa is under the age of 30, which is a market dream for companies looking for new consumers and talent, he said in a statement. Omar Shahid Butt said that Africa had a GDP of three trillion dollars, and the land mass of Africa is larger than China, the US, and the EU combined. He added that Africa had a population of 1.2 billion, which has been projected to double in the next thirty years, offering many opportunities for our business community.
The business leader said that Africa offers great scope for the Pakistani pharmaceutical industry, as there are only 375 pharmaceutical companies on the whole continent. It is also a good destination for Pakistani rice exporters, as it is a necessary commodity for which demand is constant on the continent, especially in West Africa. Many people in Africa prefer to consume IRRI-6 (broken rice) grown mostly in Sindh, he said, adding that Africa is also in need of agricultural machinery that can be beneficial to Pakistan.
He said that Gwadar Port is well positioned for trade with Africa, and can be utilised appropriately by increasing trade with Africa, as trade with a dozen Middle Eastern countries will not help utilise the potential of Gwadar. Pakistan can also satisfy its needs by importing many things from Africa at a competitive price, which will help the masses facing high inflation. “We need a firm focus on trade with Africa, for which different steps are needed, including full implementation of the ‘Look Africa Policy’,” he demanded.


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Cyberpunk 2077: Grimes is set to voice in-game pop star Lizzy Wizzy, with the singer claiming the game “is going to be f***ing good”.
After being delayed due to coronavirus, the drop of the dystopian, futurist video game, Cyberpunk 2077, is set for November 19. On the bill for voice acting is The Matrix‘s own Keanu Reeves, as well as a pre-confirmed in-game appearance from Swedish hardcore punk outfit, Refused.
The latest reveal from game developers has seen a new addition to the eclectic line-up of voices, with none other than the ethereal pop princess Grimes herself playing a suicidal pop star, Lizzy Wizzy.
Over the weekend, self-described “futurist” publication Cybr Magazine dropped their latest edition, revealing the in-game artwork for the new character played by Grimes.
Lizzy Wizzy voiced by Grimes is @cybrmagazine’s new issue cover appearing in AR. The issue features exclusive Lizzy Wizzy artwork, @Grimezsz interview as well as a chat with Cyberpunk inventor Mike Pondsmith & even in-game adverts IRL.
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) September 11, 2020
Grimes stans were losing it online over the announcement, with Twitter responding with nothing but hype:
can’t stop looking at grimes’cyberpunk 2077 serve like omg 10 out of 10 yup yup pic.twitter.com/0PoDDYZdsi
— 𝙫 𝙚 𝙣 𝙪 𝙨 (@artfloozyyedits) September 11, 2020
me explaining to my boyfriend why I just purchased a magazine for £10 not just because of grimes but because of cyberpunk 2077 pic.twitter.com/2ji9AYUSMK
— 𓏲ｍά𝔯η𝔦𝕖𓆤ஐ (@darkbloomzsz) September 11, 2020
Just found out Grimes is in Cyberpunk 2077 and have now decided to officially devote my life to being a pro gamer
— pudding brain (@puddingbrain3) September 13, 2020
if that next @CyberpunkGame trailer doesn’t use Oblivion by Grimes idk what their marketing department is doing
— Christian Gatica (@GaticaChristian) September 7, 2020
Grimes in cyberpunk2077 im going to buy the game now 😭 https://t.co/W7qC6MAQZl
— who now? (@fagnigma) September 11, 2020
Going through the archives, this is not the first we have seen or heard of Grimes on the bill for Cyberpunk 2077. Back in December 2019, Grimes tweeted a pic of early graphics for Lizzy Wizzy, sporting a mohawk in a late 21st-century LA-style setting.
— 𓏲Gℜiꪔ⃕es 𓆤ஐ (@Grimezsz) December 14, 2019
“I did my voice acting for Lizzy Wizzy, that game is going to be f***ing good,” Grimes described in a live-stream. “I play a pop star who committed suicide on stage, and they had to quickly come and perform emergency surgery and replace her whole body with cybernetics while she was dead for an hour. Then she finished the show as a cyborg.” We are getting major Black Mirror Ashley O vibes from this one…
Cyberpunk 2077 will be available to play on PC, PS4, and Xbox One from November 19. Preorder here.


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The capabilities of 3D printers are accelerating rapidly. For several years, 3D printers have been used to make engineering prototypes of small objects. It’s become cheaper, faster, and often more precise than traditional methods.
But it’s gone way beyond that now. Soon your car, your plane, your house, your replacement knee and hip bones – may be 3D printed, custom fit items.
NASA is planning to bring a 3D printer to the International Space Station, to create some parts and tools on the spot, as the need arises.
Boeing is printing aircraft parts from sintered metal compounds – because the parts can be designed to be lighter and stronger than is possible with older ways of making them.
A 83-year-old woman in Europe just had a 3D-printed titanium jawbone fitted into her face. Doctors say the surgery was less risky, and took a third as much time to do, as a conventional reconstructive operation would have been.
3D printing has also made 10 million hearing aids “more comfortable”.
Some professors at USC have found a way to print a concrete wall structure – straight or curved – and reinforced. They call it Contour Crafting (nice video at the link). NASA has helped fund their research, exploring the idea of 3D printing landing pads, roads and buildings for a lunar base.
The PC and the desktop laser printer made custom business printing affordable for everybody. Working musicians now compose, record and produce their music on a laptop or an iPad. And the same is true with TV. CNN producers carry a laptop and a camera to field assignments, and send the edited video “tape” straight to the studio for broadcast. In all these fields, the technical quality of the end products has gone up. Meanwhile, the tools have become portable and personal, and the cost has fallen exponentially.
And now, computer-driven 3D printers are beginning a consumer-products manufacturing revolution here in the United States. For many items, both large or small, and simple or complex, it’s simply going to make more sense to custom print what we need right here at home, than it will be to mass-produce it and ship it from China. When we can get quicker order fulfillment, greater materials efficiency, less overall cost, and better product quality, why would we travel farther to get less?


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THE annual Concours d' Elegance at Ormiston House will showcase cars from as early as 1910 through to the 1950s.
Utilitarian daily drivers, sports cars, sedans, luxury machines and racing cars will be represented.
Hosted by the Vintage Car Club of Queensland, the event is an opportunity to experience restored and revered cars, period dress and the history that surrounds Ormiston House.
VCCQ president Ronnie Brown said trophies were awarded. "But the real winners are those who come along to see and photograph the cars, chat to enthusiasts and get in touch with part of Australia's motoring history," she said.
The event is at Ormiston House from 11am until 2.30pm on Sunday, June 23.
See what else is on around the Redlands here.


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"Samsung continues to struggle to control its falling smartphone share, which was at its highest in the third quarter of 2013."
Samsung is planning a new product launch next year based on its own Tizen operating system, the South Korean giant's strategic push to free itself from Android.
Smartphone sales grew over 20 per cent in the July-September quarter, 2014, on the back of strong growth in emerging markets, research firm Gartner said.
Gartner forecasts that about one in five vehicles on the road worldwide will have some form of wireless network connection by 2020.
India's spending on green IT & sustainability initiatives is expected to reach $34 bn in 2014, growing 14.1% over last yr, research firm Gartner said.
Public cloud services market in India is expected to grow about 33 per cent to touch $ 838 million by the end of this year, driven by strong growth in cloud infrastructure and security solutions, research firm Gartner said.
The slower outlook for 2015 is largely attributed to the rising US dollar and a modest reduction in growth expectations for devices, IT services and telecom services.
Samsung, which had a 24.4 per cent share in the third quarter of 2014, saw its share declining to 19.9 per cent in the last quarter of the year.


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Essential Products CEO Andy Rubin has posted new images of what could be the upcoming Essential Phone. The images were posted in a series of tweets made on the online platform and shows what could be the next Essential Phone. The first Essential phone was launched back in 2017 and came with the first-ever waterdrop notch display and also arrived in a sea-green colour variant with gold accents which are known as Ocean Depths.
The images posted shows a slim sized phone - almost like a candy bar styled touchscreen device which has been tipped to be the next Essential phone. The images show a front-facing punch hole camera on the top-left corner with primary navigation shown at the top instead of the lower side of the display. There is a narrow display which frames the entire front side and there is a small speaker grille at the top edge.
There was already confirmation from Essential regarding the fact that the second device was in testing after a number of specifications emerged online.
The new device images show a large button and volume rocker on the right edge of the frame and a fingerprint scanner at the back. There is a single main camera as well.


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pk10规则_DHL to plant 15,000 trees to help turn Hebei green
DHL Epk10规则xpress China announced on Tuesday, marked in China as Tree Planting Day, planting of 15,000 trees in Fengning county, Hebei province, to actively support the Deutsche Post DHL's commitment to reduce all logistics-related emissions to zero by the year 20200.
Partnering with China Environmental Protection Foundation – a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental protection in China, the company plans to plant Chinese pines and Armeniaca sibiricas in 133,000 square meters in the mountain of the Fengning, so as to maintain water and soil level, prevent windstorms, fix sand, regulate climate and effectively repair and improve local ecological environment.
Located 1200 kilometers away from Beijing, Fengning is the only way for sand storms to travel south to Beijing and Tianjin. This afforestation activity therefore will play a positive role in improving air quality and protecting water resources in the two cities.
Wu Dongming, CEO of DHL Express China and member of DHL Express' Global Management Board, said: "As the world leading express delivery company, we should actively fulfill our corporate social responsibility to protect global environment and limit global warming. "
"We will also work with our customers to actively explore green logistics solutions to reduce carbon emissions in China. At the same time, the tree-planting will contribute to DPDHL's ambitious target and offer a gift for the 200th anniversary of DHL Express," he said.
After the Deutsche Post DHL announced its Go Green commitment to reduce all logistics-related emissions to net zero by the year 20200 two years ago, DHL Express China began actively supporting this significant initiative through a series of energy-saving measures, such as infrastructure renovation, energy-saving management of production lines in facilities and energy-saving management of transportation and services.
Lights at all of the offices throughout China are turned off during non-business hours and print limitation and duplex printing have been implemented to conserve paper. Lighting systems in every newly constructed facility are required to be equipped with LEDs. Additionally, monitoring and modifying the systems on the package sorting assembly line in service centers helps manage energy saving.
Last year, the company purchased 157 new electric vehicles accounting for nearly half of the total newly purchased vehicles. In addition, DHL Express China also joined Race to Zero program in 2018 created by Paul Institute and the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, and promised to increase carbon efficiency by 36 percent by 2025 based on 2013 standard.


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According to Statista reports, Samsung has the largest smartphone market share globally. Apple is in second place with its iPhone. Even though Apple has a smartphone market share of about 20%, it captures more than 70% of phone revenue worldwide. The rest of the revenue goes to Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and other manufacturers.
Apple only sells high-end phones, whereas Samsung makes high-end to budget phones in every price category.
Even though a buyer can purchase a Samsung phone at a discount price, Premium buyers still prefer to buy iPhones. There are several reasons for that. One of the primary reasons is every Samsung phone slows down over time. They can’t hold their performance consistently over several years. A premium user who experiences this performance degradation will typically veer to the iPhone.
Samsung phones slow down over time for several reasons. The primary causes are intentional slowing down by Samsung as part of the planned obsolescence strategy, poor software optimization, battery degradation, and Bloatware.
Every newly purchased phone would run faster without any hiccups. However, these phones become slow after several years, typically 18 to 24 months. Thus, many phone reviewers will praise and rave about how fast their phone is. Unfortunately, no phone reviewers review a phone after 24 months of continuous use. Thus no one in the media talks about it extensively.
In November 2020, Apple was fined $113 million for intentionally slowing down iPhones (source: NPR). In February 2020, a French court fined Apple $27 million for restricting older phones’ performance (source: BBC).
Initially, Apple denied the allegations of the consumer fraud lawsuits brought by 30 US states. Later, Apple said they do it to protect older phones whose battery degraded.
Consumers don’t need proof that these mobile manufacturers intentionally throttle older phones’ performance. Numerous courts worldwide have fined both Samsung and Apple for their unethical business practices.
Initially, both of these companies denied these allegations. Later, however, Apple admitted its wrongdoing and took several measures to fix the issue, such as offering consumers a low-cost battery replacement program.
However, the most infuriating thing is Samsung NEVER admitted their wrongdoing even though consumers have proof that Samsung intentionally slows down older phones.
In 2022, it was found that Samsung was intentionally slowing down their premium phones again (source: SamMobile).
For example, a program runs on Samsung phones in the background named “Game Optimization Service (GOS).” This controls the CPU and GPU performance. Generally, this “Game Optimization Service (GOS)” throttles Samsung phones’ CPU and GPU performance.
However, The GOS has a long list of pre-approved apps for which it will not slow down the phone. For example, YouTube, Geekbench, and some games.
Thus, when a user uses benchmarking apps to find out the phone performance score, the GOS on the Samsung phone will unlock the full speed of the CPU and GPU. However, apps not pre-approved in the GOS allowlist will run almost 50% slower.
For example, numerous tests have shown that renaming an android package to “com.primatelabs.geekbench” — GeekBench (an industry-standard performance testing program) would run almost 200% faster. Similarly, renaming the original Geekbench to another package name not in the “Game Optimization Service” pre-approval list runs 50% slower (source: SamMobile).
Later, Samsung said that they would release software updates to unlock phones performance for every app.
The infuriating thing is Samsung only took measures when they got caught for this unethical behavior. Now, imagine what shady stuff they are doing for which they still have not gotten caught?
In the technology and manufacturing industry, planned obsolescence is used repeatedly where original manufacturers will stop providing updates and support for their old products.
In the software industry, the subscription-based model brings recurring revenue, and in the hardware industry, companies use planned obsolescence to get recurring hardware sales, revenue, and profit.
For example, most companies nowadays are anti-repair companies where they don’t allow a consumer to fix broken hardware. Vocal prime examples are Apple, John Deere, and Tesla.
The official and primary way to fix an Apple product is to visit an apple store. But most of the time, these stores ask for outrageous amounts of money to fix minor issues. Sometimes, the repair bill is as high as a new Apple product. It’s an indirect way to sell apple products.
Even though Samsung doesn’t have any open anti-repair position, Samsung doesn’t sell their phones parts to third-party either. Moreover, Samsung stops providing updates for most phones after 24-36 months. And budget phones never receive an update.
Samsung also follows this planned obsolescence path by not providing software updates and intentionally slowing down older phones to force users to purchase newer ones.
Don’t let anyone tell you that you are using your phone wrong. It’s Samsung who is deliberately slowing down your phone.
Poor OS Optimization
Samsung primarily is a hardware company, not a software company. On the contrary, Microsoft, Google, and Apple are mainly software companies.
Google develops the Android OS. Samsung takes this OS, modifies it, and uses it on their phones.
Android UI is JAVA-based. It’s well-known that JAVA is a resource-intensive programming language. Moreover, on Android, the UI and data processing happen simultaneously; it doesn’t prioritize UI performance. Thus it requires a lot of RAM.
All the android phones come with 4GB, 6GB, and sometimes 8GB RAM. A bigger RAM needs a bigger battery. This bigger RAM and battery aren’t for the phone user. In reality, because the Android OS is resource hungry, those RAMs and batteries are for the OS. Thus, even though newer phones come with a bigger battery and more RAMs each year, the performance increment isn’t that noteworthy.
Due to a lack of software expertise, Samsung’s Android OS optimization for their phones is rudimentary. Over time as more software updates come, those updates make a Samsung phone’s performance worse and slower.
Samsung phones are infested with unrelated third-party apps, also known as Bloatware. Though these bloatware apps vary depending on region, phone models, and carriers, every Samsung still comes with at least 10-15 of these apps.
For example, Samsung preinstalls Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Microsoft Drive, Instagram, etc. There are also redundant apps such as Samsung Emails and Gmail, Chrome and Samsung Browser, Google Play and Samsung App Store, etc.
A Samsung phone user can’t uninstall these system preloaded apps. Though a user can disable that Bloatware, still there are several services — apps without a UI — that run in the background that most users aren’t aware of. These apps and services consume valuable memory and waste critical phone resources and performance. Over time, these apps cumulatively slow down the Samsung phone.
The Samsung phone’s battery is also responsible for making a phone slower. It’s known that due to poor software optimization and hardware issues, the battery wears fast. Thus the battery health degrades over time.
It’s a common issue that Samsung phones become hot even during minor tasks such as playing games, browsing web pages, or watching videos.
Heat is a battery killer. Any battery would degrade if exposed to heat for a prolonged time. Samsung processors are not optimized and generate heat. The Samsung phone’s battery is under constant stress and degrades rapidly. A poor-performing battery slows down Samsung phones over time.
Poorly Coded Apps
Third-party apps are also responsible for slowing down Samsung phones.
Application Developers generally use a work phone to develop and test their phones. Moreover, they test those apps on the latest released phones and OS. Over time, developers add many features and more lines of code. If these codes are not optimized, it will degrade phones performance.
For example, even a year-old Samsung phone struggles to run Google maps and Facebook simultaneously. Over the years, Facebook apps have become resource-intensive. Similarly, each Google map update has a degraded performance than its predecessor.
Therefore, after each app update, Samsung phones become slower because of these poorly coded and optimized apps.
A manufacturer must optimize their hardware and software so that their phones run smoothly even after a few years. If a user needs to do a factory reset, uninstall or disable apps, and stop updates to make their phones faster, then the original manufacturer is doing a poor job.
Samsung phones slow down over time, and it’s not a user-created issue. This problem is widespread and proves Samsung’s failure as a phone manufacturer.


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The SBA has issued a resource tool regarding the Affordable Care Act that may be helpful to credit unions and small businesses considering their health care options. The Compliance Center provides all the convenient links.
Strategic Link business partner CSCU is offering a free webcast on Tuesday, Aug. 14, entitled, “Five Strategies to Grow Your Business Card Portfolio.” The webcast will help credit unions attract small-business members and improve profitability.
In building on the success of February’s Small-Business Hike, CUNA is encouraging credit union leaders to bring a local small-business owner to Hill visits during the CUNA GAC in March to continue the push to raise the MBL cap.
Harborstone Credit Union CEO Phil Jones spoke on behalf of the credit union movement at Rep. Adam Smith’s Small-Business Forum last week, highlighting the capacity of credit unions to provide capital to small-business owners through increased member business lending.
Harland Clarke offers specific suggestions for credit unions to improve their channel marketing strategies.
Harland Clarke explains how knowing what inspires small-business owners, such as a drive for profit or a desire for work-life balance, can increase your chances of selling products to them.


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Eastern states booksellers face staff shortages
12 January 2022 @booksandpublishing
After a Christmas beset by supply issues, booksellers in Australia’s eastern states, like all retailers, are facing staffing issues due to Covid infections and contact isolation. On Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula Farrells closed last weekend due to staff shortages as a result of Covid and advised customers its hours for the...
Category: Local news


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Microsoft Provides Windows Phone 8 Details
Updated: updating as details emerge.
Microsoft today offered a detailed look at Windows Phone 8 and all the new features that have been added to Microsoft's smartphone platform. Speaking at an event in New York City, Microsoft's Joe Belfiore explained that MIcrosoft wants to offer the most personalized experience possible. The new Start screen is much more customizable thanks to the adjustable size of Live Tiles, which now come in three sizes rather than two. The new version of Internet Explorer 10 in WP8 supports multiple tabs and has better tools for controlling them. The new platform supports taking screen shots of the device and the ability to share photos via NFC and a new "Tap + Share" feature. The camera itself offers pinch-to-zoom for zooming in and out, and also offers quick access to other camera/photo apps in a new feature called "Lens Applications" that integrate with the camera itself, such as Bing Vision, and third party lenses including CNN iReport.
Review: Microsoft Lumia 640 XL for AT&T
Microsoft's latest Windows handset for AT&T is the powerful 640 XL, a massive device best suited to phablet lovers. It features a 5.7-inch screen, 13-megapixel camera, quad-core processor, and an assortment of AT&T and Microsoft apps and services.
Bing for Android Can Better Search Through Other Apps
Microsoft today updated its Bing Search app for Android devices and gave it the ability to perform searches from within other applications. The feature, called Bing snapshots, scouts things mentioned on any given page and provides relevant information about them in snapshots.
Microsoft to Connect Windows 10 PCs to Your Text Messages
Microsoft today announced several new mobile initiatives that pair its own Windows platform with Android and iOS devices. First is a new tool, tentatively called Your Phone, that connects Android and iOS devices with a Windows 10 PC in order to access text messages, photos, and notifications.
Microsoft Rebuilds Bing for iOS
Microsoft today released a wholly new version of its Bing Search application for the iPhone. The app takes advantage of new features in iOS, such as app linking, to improve search suggestions and results.
Does it have a motor?
I'm pretty sure this is still a phone, isn't it? It says so in the nomenclature; Windows PHONE 8. So why does Microsoft do their damnedest to put as many layers of unnecessary interaction as possible between you and any essential phone-related information?
The fact that the indicators are hidden on the current batch of Windows Phone devices is one of the biggest reasons why I gave up on my HD7, and rarely use my 710. Combine this with a startling dearth of software, an absolutely horrible on-screen keyboard, and the lack of function-based widgets (such as wi-f...
IE mobile didn't have tabbed browsing before?


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- Despite facing operational issues, Beston Global Food (BFC) reported a growth in sales and production for the first half of the 2021 financial year
- The company’s Jervois dairy facility in South Australia suffered operational issues, which interrupted production and led to a statutory loss of $8.8 million
- After a week-long shutdown, sales and production spiked in the new year, which led BFC to maintain its operating guidance for FY21
- The company expects a year-on-year revenue increase of 33 per cent to between $130 million and $145 million
- It will also shortly commission its lactoferrin plant which is expanding production from three tonnes per annum to 25 tonnes per annum
- As a result, lactoferrin production is expected to rise by a significant 250 per cent
- BFC ended the day 4.55 per cent in the green with shares closing at 6.9 cents
Despite facing operational issues, Beston Global Food (BFC) saw a slight 3 per cent increase in gross revenue to $52.9 million for the first half of the 2021 financial year.
Beston Global Food is an award-winning company which aims to provide natural and verifiably safe food and beverages to global markets so that consumers can make healthy choices.
The company owns and operates the Jervois dairy facility in South Australia, where it produces various dairy products.
Unfortunately, the facility suffered operational issues between October and December, which forced the company to hold back on its earnings.
“The first half of the financial year was not without its challenges due to the
operational issues encountered at Jervois from October to December which caused the reported result to fall short of our targets,” CEO Jonathan Hicks said.
While the issues were rectified over a one-week shut down period in December, the setbacks contributed to a half-year statutory loss of $8.8 million.
Positively, milk supply increased by 28 per cent on the prior corresponding period (pcp).
Mozzarella production also increased by 29 per cent to 5646 tonnes which aligns with a 26 per cent sales increase to 5401 tonnes.
Subsequent to the half-year period, BFC produced a record 1189 tonnes of mozzarella in January alone after a seasonally lower milk supply due to the dairy facility issues.
Lactoferrin production was fairly in line with the pcp — producing 640 kilograms.
Sales of products manufactured at Jervois increased 24 per cent, from $38.2 million to $47.5 million. Overall dairy sales increased 10 per cent, however sales of cheddar, produced at Murray Bridge, decreased from $6.9 million to $1.5 million.
Additionally, sales from meat operations dropped 20 per cent to $4.3 million, which is largely due to COVID-19 and its impact on the demand for burgers and other products supplied into fast food outlets.
Despite these setbacks, BFC progressed the expansion of its Jervois-based lactoferrin plant. The plant currently produces three tonnes per annum but will produce 25 tonnes per annum once it’s been expanded.
The new plant is set to be commissioned in the coming weeks.
“With these operating problems behind us, and the commissioning of the new lactoferrin plant immediately in front of us, we are back on track and look forward to a much stronger 2H21 leading into FY22, which will benefit from a full year of significantly higher lactoferrin production,” Jonathan said.
As a result of the strong performance in the last two months, the company has maintained its FY21 operating guidance.
BFC expects contracted milk supply to increase by around 25 per cent to between 131 and 145 megalitres, mozzarella production to increase 50 per cent to between 12,600 and 14,700 tonnes, and lactoferrin production to rise by a significant 250 per cent.
Lastly, it expects revenue to be between $130 million and $145 million — representing a 33 per cent increase on FY20.
BFC ended the day 4.55 per cent in the green with shares closing at 6.9 cents.


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Article features NameMedia, parent company of BuyDomains.
“THINK you have a good handle on the Internet economy? Try this one. What Internet business has raised $120 million in financing in the last year, owns 725,000 Web sites, and has as its chief executive the former head of Primedia and International Data Group?” asks an article in today’s New York Times.
The answer is NameMedia, the domain name holding company that also owns domain resellers BuyDomains and Afternic. Unlike many recent articles in the mainstream press about domain names, this article does a good job distinguishing between cybersquatting and legitimate domain investing:
The business is a far cry from the days of cybersquatting, where speculators bought up names of businesses to which they had no legitimate claim, but it does represent a vindication of sorts for many who bought hundreds or thousands of random Web address names on the hope that one day they would be worth something.
The article quotes analysts that say NameMedia and its competitors could represent the next wave of IPOs.
My question remains…why should companies like this go public? There are a couple reasons. One is to return capital to investors through a liquidity event. The other is if the money will be reinvested in developing thousands of web sites. With investors in for over $100M, these companies need to grab a very rich valuation to justify the big investments. That may not be hard, given that some of these companies have been buying domainers’ portfolios for as little as 5x annual revenue. Public companies can command 20x annual revenue or more.
But if these companies didn’t have investors looking to cash out in liquidity events, would they ever think about going public? Why not just let the cash flow roll in year after year? (It’s worth noting that many of these investors can’t take dividends because of their charters and limited partners.)


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Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin – Oct. 19, 2021 – The Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) hosted the 2021 MAMA Rally last week at Road America, one of the world’s premier road racing tracks. Over the course of two days, more than 70 automotive and related industry journalists had the opportunity to put a variety of the industry’s latest vehicles through their paces including on-track, scenic street drives and a technical off-road course.
“What better way to celebrate MAMA’s 30th anniversary than reconnecting with so many colleagues to experience the latest and greatest from the auto industry at this legendary track following a challenging year,” said MAMA President Harvey Briggs.
A handful of the attending manufacturers also provided detailed overviews of their latest product offerings. Additionally, it was the first time journalists were able to experience the all-new 2022 Jeep Compass Limited, which made a special appearance at the Rally following its global reveal at the 2021 Chicago Auto Show Special Edition.
Road America sponsored the morning breakfast to get attendees fueled up for a fun day at the track. It was mentioned during the breakfast that Road America will host major IndyCar, NASCAR, IMSA and vintage car races in the upcoming 2022 season. Following the morning of track touring laps and street drive evaluations, Nissan’s Product Planner Wade Willat shared highlights of the 2022 Nissan Frontier with MAMA members during a lunch presentation. Willat discussed the ways in which the iconic mid-sized pickup was totally redesigned for the 2022 model year including a rugged, bold exterior; adventure-oriented interior; a best-in-class 310 horsepower; and equipped with the latest driver assistance and connectivity technologies.
“Nissan is happy to continue its partnership with the Midwest Automotive Media Association at their member-only events,” said Wendy Payne, Nissan Midwest Regional Communications Manager. “Their solid media group offers us the opportunity to showcase newly launched vehicles such as the all-new 2022 Frontier to this important audience in order to help us get the messages out on new products.”
The 2022 Frontier arrived at dealerships last month. Pricing begins at $27,840 for the Frontier S King Cab 4x2.
After the track closed and street drives concluded for the day, a dozen MAMA members took part in the inaugural “4 Miles of Fitness,” sponsored by Kia, a new on-track fitness event where attendees had the chance to run, bike, or walk a shortened two, or all four miles of the Road America racetrack that they drove on just moments earlier.
Later that evening, Lexus hosted the dinner presentation to showcase the 2022 NX 350 and 2022 IS 500. The NX 350 expands to four powertrains, including a 2.4-liter turbo and Lexus’ first-ever 2.5-liter plug-in hybrid, and is the first vehicle with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 and digital latch with safe exit assist. As the first model in the new Lexus F SPORT Performance line, the IS 500 engine provides a boost in displacement and performance over the IS 350’s 3.5-liter V6. It expands the IS family and ushers in a new era of F SPORT Performance models that are geared towards passionate driving enthusiasts who desire higher levels of performance over the standard F SPORT Design and Handling models.
“The MAMA Rally continues to be one of the premier events for automotive media in the country,” said Curt McAllister, Midwest Public Relations Manager for Toyota/Lexus, and a 24-year MAMA member. “Road America is the perfect backdrop to showcase our vehicles on and off the track. The dinner sponsorship provided Lexus a tremendous opportunity to do a deep dive on two of our newest products, the 2022 NX and 2022 IS 500.”
Jeep opened the second morning of the MAMA Rally with a breakfast presentation on the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer and the 2021 Grand Cherokee L, both of which were available for test drives during the Rally.
“For 80 years, the Jeep brand has introduced an iconic lineup of vehicles. The off-road course created by the team at Jeep Jamboree at this year's Midwest Automotive Media Association Rally was the perfect place to showcase some of the newest Jeep models,” said Scott Tallon, Product Director, Jeep Brand – North America. “Providing SUVs for both on and off-road driving, like the premium Grand Wagoneer, the family-friendly Jeep Grand Cherokee L, the redesigned Jeep Compass, along with the rugged 4x4 Jeep Wrangler, enables the media to experience the same level of passion and excitement of adventure that our customers do.”
Throughout the day, journalists also had the opportunity to maneuver 4WD and AWD trucks and SUVs through a newly created off-road course designed by experts from Jeep Jamboree and sponsored by Jeep. Participating vehicles included the Ford Bronco, Ford Raptor, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Jeep Wagoneer, Jeep Wrangler 392 Xtreme Recon, Jeep Wrangler 4xe, Nissan Frontier, Ram TRX, Subaru Outback Wilderness and Toyota 4Runner.
Following an action-packed morning of more street driving, off-roading and MAMA Family Vehicle of the Year and Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year analysis, Volkswagen wrapped up the Rally with a lunch presentation and overview of the 2021 ID.4 AWD. The Volkswagen ID.4 is the brand’s first all-electric SUV and first global EV. Built on Volkswagen’s MEB electric vehicle architecture, ID.4 marries the strengths of a purpose-built EV with performance, packaging and value, features that have marked the brand for decades.
“ID.4 is a transformational car for Volkswagen, at a transformational time in our industry,” said Mark Gillies, Senior Manager of Product Communications for Volkswagen of America. “We are pleased to have such a great group of journalists experience everything the car delivers for our customers and for the brand as a whole.”
In addition to the meal sponsorships and presentations, MAMA received support from the following sponsors: Acura, Cars.com, Chicago Automobile Trade Association, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Mercedes-Benz.
Voting for MAMA’s annual Family Vehicle of the Year (FVOTY) and Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year (LFVOTY) Awards also took place. The finalists include:
· 2022 Honda Civic
· 2022 Hyundai Tucson
· 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L
· 2022 Kia Carnival
· 2021 Toyota Sienna
· 2021 Volkswagen ID.4
· 2022 Acura MDX
· 2022 Genesis GV70
· 2022 Infiniti QX60
· 2022 Jeep Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer
· 2022 Lexus NX
· 2021 Mercedes-Benz S Class
To qualify for the awards, the vehicle must have four doors and be new or significantly updated within a year of the Rally. Eligible vehicles must have been available to drive at MAMA’s July 2021 Summer Drive and this 2021 Rally. A final round of online voting will then take place to determine the overall winner in each category, both of which will be announced during the MAMA breakfast that will open the 2022 Chicago Auto Show Media Preview in February.
For more information on the Midwest Automotive Media Association, please visit www.mamaonline.org.
About the Midwest Automotive Media Association
Founded in 1991 and now in its 30th year, the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) comprises nearly 240 automotive journalists and industry professionals from approximately 25 states and the District of Columbia. Though based in the Chicago area, MAMA welcomes members from all parts of the country. The organization’s primary purpose is to provide a forum for newsworthy people, current issues and new products in the auto industry.


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With all of the success they've had in 2016 (read: consecutive Vogue covers), you could easily surmise that Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner are among the top paid models in the world. Much to our surprise, though, Forbes is reporting that even though the model besties did make the top 5, industry veterans Gisele Bündchen and Adriana Lima are holding steady at the top spots.
To their credit, Gigi and Kendall have come a long way after both of them nearly tripled their income over the last year. "Though Gisele Bündchen still leads the world’s top-earning models with $30.5 million, Kendall Jenner (No. 3) and newcomer Gigi Hadid (No. 5) have risen up the ranks by turning their outsized Instagram followings into multi-million dollar paydays," the report reads.


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Fruit and vegetable exports from Pakistan will temporarily be banned from entering the Russian market, according to the Business Recorder.
The lock out came into effect 1 October, with Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance imposing the restrictions after Pakistani exporters were found to have systematically violated international and Russian phytosanitary requirements, agreed to under the Commission of the Customs Union.
“Introducing temporary restrictions on imports from Pakistan on the territory of the Russian Federation of regulated products of high phytosanitary risk,” the Federal Service said in a statement.
Pakistan exports close to US$170m worth of fruit and vegetable products to Russia each year, with kinnows, mangoes and aaloo making up the majority of shipments.
Spokesman of All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association, Waheed Ahmed, told the Business Recorder was initially issued on September 20, however Pakistan quarantine authorities are yet to take notice.
He urged the country’s Ministry for National Food Security and Research to take immediate action and redirect exports bound for Russia.


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My Nuzzel Newsletter - most interesting stories from the Microsoft world and more...
(Microsoft Certified Trainer, Microsoft MVP for Excel, CEO of ITraining (itraining.bg))
Bulgaria Excel Days Conference founder.
The New York Times
– Oct 25, 12:00 AM
OAKLAND, Calif. — When Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai, the chief executives of Apple and Google, were photographed eating dinner together in 2017 at an upscale Vietnamese restaurant called Tamarine, the picture set off a tabloid-worthy frenzy…
You're invited to the capstone virtual program of the National Association of Manufacturers and Manufacturing Institute's MFG Day event series, presented by Microsoft. On October 28, 2020, at 4 p.m. EDT, hear from Jacky Wright, Chief Digital…
The Wall Street Journal
– Oct 25, 11:47 AM
Facebook Inc. teams have planned for the possibility of trying to calm election-related conflict in the U.S. by deploying internal tools designed for what it calls “at-risk” countries, according to people familiar with the matter. The…
Chris Webb's BI Blog
– Oct 25, 11:55 AM
My favourite feature in the October 2020 release of Power BI is undoubtedly dynamic M parameters. However, before I explain why, I'm going to put my hands up and admit that we screwed up the communication around its launch and didn't explain its…


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Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:01:27 GMT
Cascade has launched a new integrated marketing campaign to run over summer inspiring Australians to ‘Don’t just make it, make it amazing’ when they are entertaining friends and family at home.
With this new campaign, the contemporary mixer brand is aiming to encourage Aussies to put a little more care into the drinks they offer for social occasions and instead offer higher quality, more exciting creations. The program of activity also aims to remind people of their proud 130-year history of producing quality mixers in Australia.
Led by Cascade’s first-ever television campaign for the non-alcoholic ready-to-drink category, the campaign will feature 6 second and 15 second spots to screen in capital cities and key regional markets over summer. Along with the new TVC, a series of creative executions will be featured across digital out-of-home, supermarket, proximity and POS.
As part of the campaign, Cascade has teamed up with leading hospitality drinks consultant and photographer, Tom Yau, to craft a range of Cascade Classic Drink recipes to be featured across owned social media channels. The recipes will showcase how to make popular cocktails and mocktails including a Mojito and a Gin & Tonic with the Cascade Classic range of mixers. The Cascade Classic range includes Soda Water, Soda and Lime, Tonic Water, Dry Ginger Ale, Lemon Lime & Bitters and Ginger Beer.
Says Marty Ferguson, marketing manager at Coca-Cola South Pacific: “At Cascade, our aim is to help create a more exciting and engaging drinks culture in Australia and our first-ever television campaign will showcase how to make more interesting drinks, with or without alcohol.
“Our communications program will focus on helping Aussies make more exciting drinks at home, and not just make them, but ‘make them amazing’ with quality Cascade mixers.”
The Cascade brand has a strong local heritage and began producing quality mixers, soda and cordials in Tasmania in 1886. It is currently the mixer of choice in more than 2,000 pubs, bars and clubs around the country.
To learn more, please visit https://www.cascadedrinks.com.au/.
Categories: Carbonated Drinks, Soft DrinksMcCann Sydney, Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:01:27 GMT


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Despite earning a few hundred dollars per month on average, Afghan men pay tens of thousands of dollars on jewellery, robes and wedding traditions in order to marry. The government has promoted alternatives, but
Guests at the Almas Wedding Hall in Mazar-e Sharif. (Photos: Orya)
More than 700 guests are sat in the dark in their finest robes in the wedding hall. A solitary spotlight illuminates a door from which the bride and groom enter. The only sound comes from a singer performing Walk Slowly (Aheesta Boro), a local marriage anthem.
All eyes in the hall follow the couple as they walk down the staircase. The groom takes the veil off his bride’s face, puts a ring on her finger and both stand, absorbed by the moment.
Besides her white gown, the bride is adorned in a necklace, earrings, a ring, a crown, a bracelet and a belt – all of which are made of gold. The occasion has brought together both families, each radiating with pride at their offspring’ s union.
Yet behind all this joy, there is pain. When an AT reporter meets the groom Kareem, who earns 500 dollars a month, three days after the grand event, he says he spent everything he had on his wedding. He sold two houses that he inherited from his father and saved a further 10,000 dollars to cover the costs.
A costly affair
“Many Afghans believe the more money is spent on their daughters’ wedding, the more valuable their daughters are regarded,” says Kareem, who estimates that it will take him ten years to stand on his two feet again financially.
Courting can be just as expensive as the wedding ceremony itself for young Afghan men. There are at least five traditional receptions the groom must host before the wedding: these include a suit party, a suit approval party, a candy party, a henna party, as well as the actual wedding and post-wedding receptions.
The bills mount up at an alarming rate. Kareem purchased three bridal dresses, one for the henna party, one for the wedding reception and one for the post-wedding reception, which cost him 4,000 dollars – eights months wages. Just renting his bride’s white wedding dress on the day of the wedding cost him 600 dollars for 24 hours. And that’s considered cheap.
“Rich families buy white gowns for up to 2,000 dollars,” says Abdul Moneer, who owns a wedding dress business in Mazar-e Sharif. Then there’s the jewellery.
Thousands on jewellery, dowry and dresses
“The day after dresses were purchased, I went to buy jewellery with my mother and my fiancée’s family.," says Kareem. "We bought a necklace, a ring, a bracelet, an arm décor accessory, and a dozen other bracelets. I had 20,000 dollars on me that day: When I took every one for lunch after shopping, I noticed that from the 20.000 I had left the house with, only the money for lunch was left."
Golden occasion: Shafi Hashimi says people spend thousands on jewellery for weddings at his store in Mazar-e Sharif.
Shafi Hashimi, a jeweller at the market in Mazar-e-Sharif, explains why weddings fuel his business. “For the suit approval party, families often buy their brides a pair of earrings and a pair of bracelets, which cost them something around 400 to 2,000 dollars,” says Hashimi, adding that grooms usually make further purchases for the bride and her family at later receptions before the actual wedding.
At 20 dollars a head, the food at Kareem’s wedding reception alone cost him 14,000 dollars. Overall the wedding cost the young groom more than 50,000 dollars.
The Almas Wedding Hall, a gala venue in Mazar-e Sharif where Kareem got married, has two wedding spaces available for hire, each with capacity for 2,000 guests. Its lavish furniture, professional personnel, parking lots and all round sparkle distinguish it from other venues: every potential groom aspires to marry here.
The hall offers three menus. The top menu is 30 dollars a head, while the 'Grade-One' menu is 22 dollars, and Grade Two is 15 dollars. “On average, we have more than 2,000 guests at every reception,” says Fawad, the Almas manager.
Despite the exorbitant costs, young men must meet them if they want to marry and fulfill the expectations of the bride’s family.
Much sought after: The Almas Hall, Mazar-e Sharif.
The daughter of Kareema, another parent, has been engaged for more than a year. “Yesterday the groom’s family came to talk to me about the wedding," says the mother. "I told them that they still have not paid the initial 75,000 afghanis (1420 dollars) of the dowry and that they have to pay it first. I told them that I want to buy jewellery myself without consulting them.
"My daughter’s wedding should be at the best wedding hall and top food should be served. I have 600 family members and friends who I want to invite to my daughter’s wedding,” she emphasizes.
At the suit party, a sort of initial consultation between the bride and groom's families, the bride’s mother prepared a list of material requests and gave it to the groom’s family.
The groom’s family must pay 200,000 afghanis (3,800 dollars) for the total dowry, as well as the usual jewellery and wedding expenses. “I told them that if they can afford all of this, we can have the wedding today. We do not have to wait for tomorrow,” Kareema told Afghanistan Today.
The rising costs of matrimony have led some couples to seek new solutions. Two years ago, 50 couples married in a mass wedding with the encouragement of Sayeed Haidar Hashimi, a Muslim Scholar in Mazar-e-Sharif city, and the financial support of the Khomeini Donation Committee. Last year, a similar number of couples had a mass wedding with the financial support of Ahmad Shah Ramazan, a member of the national Parliament from Balkh Province.
“This year we have tried to throw mass weddings with the support of Afghan businessmen and local authorities. Nobody expressed their willingness to take part." Qazi Muhammad Saamay, Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission.
Despite the cost-sharing logic of such ceremonies, they remain unpopular. “This year, we have tried to throw mass weddings with the support of Afghan businessmen and local authorities. Nobody expressed their willingness to take part in a mass wedding. They are not willing mainly because of the traditions and not being looked down upon,“ says Qazi Muhammad Saamay, regional director of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).
The AIHRC even held a meeting with the Ulema (Muslim Scholars) and Balkh Governor Noor, where it was decided that costly breakfasts at wedding halls should be banned. Instead, guests should only be served milk, cakes and cookies. But gradually, hall proprietors replaced milk, cakes and cookies with fish. Before long, it was lavish business as usual.
The price of marriage is driving many love-struck men abroad. Abdul Roozee, a farmer from Shoortaypa District, has been engaged for eight months. The bride’s family have requested a dowry of 40,000 dollars, and Roozee set his sights on going abroad to make the fortune.
“A family friend in Iran called me and told me to go to Iran where I would have a decent-paying job. I took a passport and I went,” says Roozee, who four months ago was denied a visa at the border.
Roozee, who still hopes to get the visa and seek his wedding fortune, uses the term selling and buying girls to describe the situation in his area: “In our village, girls are sold for something around 500 to 8,000 dollars. Their prices depend on the reputation of carpets they have woven,” he says, referring to skill at lucrative handcrafts that can even determine a girl's worth as a bride.


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MP SPEAKS | Total petrol and diesel subsidies for the first 11 months of 2018 amounted to RM4,890 million and the Pakatan Harapan federal government has neither profited from retail petrol pump prices nor imposed a sales tax on RON95 or diesel.
Allegations that the government has been taxing petrol are false and baseless.
The simple truth is that the government did subsidise RON95 and diesel in November, albeit at a lower cost compared to the previous months.
The latest official records show that in November 2018, the government paid RM4.1 million in RON95 petrol subsidy for the whole month.
Meanwhile, for diesel fuel that is heavily used not only by the commercial and industrial sectors but also by the general public in Sabah and Sarawak, the government paid an RM209.1 million subsidy in November.
The full 2018 monthly total subsidy cost up to November is provided in the table below.
The figures for December are still being compiled.
This government is dedicated to transparency. If and when the Automatic Pricing Mechanism (APM) prices drop further, the government will adjust the pricing downward so that Malaysians will benefit from cheaper fuel prices.
As shared earlier, the government is implementing a floating mechanism this month where pump prices will fall on a weekly basis if APM prices decrease further.
If APM prices rise, the retail prices will be stabilised at the current fixed levels at RM2.20 per litre for RON95 and RM2.18 per litre for diesel.
Once the government rolls out its targeted petrol subsidy programme before the end of this year, petrol and diesel prices will be floated freely based on market prices.
LIM GUAN ENG is DAP MP for Bagan in Penang and Finance Minister.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.


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This winter, H&M made an enchanting collection and a quite spectacular campaign for the holidays with two superstars starring: Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga.
Being a model is not something unknown to Gaga, since she posed for Versace at the beginning of this year. But now she glows next to another star, Tony Bennett (the 17-time Grammy Award winner jazz singer) in H&M's Christmas campaign.
Moreover Gaga and Tony not only cooperate in the Holiday collection campaign: on September 23 they published a joint album called “Cheek to Cheek”, which contains the song of the H&H campaign video:
The two stars have been planned the joint album for years, as Gaga has always been a big fan of the jazz singer. They met at a concert in 2011 the first time, and after a lengthy planning the two singers finally began working together in the beginning of last year.
However, the campaign is a remarkable for another aspect too: H&M is raising money for CARE throughout the holiday season. The humanitarian organization is working to help to the most disadvantaged women and girls fight against global poverty. To realize this, H&M is selling a special gift stickers package in all their stores and H&M Conscious Foundation doubles the price of each sold pack and donates it to CARE. After all, Christmas should be always about this: the joy of giving and love.


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Bondholder and digital marketing agency Burnthebook is supporting this year's Derby Book Festival in many different ways.
Not only are they producing marketing collateral for the fifth Book Festival held in Derby they also provide production support as well as mentoring.
Last year Burnthebook produced one book called Small City Big Heart which was a celebration of the the Festival’s community programme which was a huge success.
The Festival sold the books by way of a mini pilot to see how they might be received and they sold out. All of the design and layout of the book was provided by Burnthebook for free as a contribution to the Festival and the City.
Following the success of last year's this year will see 3 books being produced, again with a design and layout contribution being offered as part of the organisation's ongoing CSR programme. The books are currently in production.
Phil Newson, Managing Director of Burnthebook gave a talk to Art and Design students at Derby University on how the books are produced and the design inspiration for last year’s book. Phil along with Burnthebook's Publishing Director Simon Duckworth was asked to help to judge an illustration competition for the festival. The winning illustration by Charlotte Bayliss of Derby University is featured on the front of this year's programme.
Phil is also mentoring a young designer who is working with the festival this year on a book featuring Broomfield College.
Jackie Clarke, Director of Burnthebook said: “We are delighted to be part of the Book Festival team again this year and support both the marketing and production side of the Festival. We have been supporting literature as part of our CSR for the past 10 years through our sponsorship of the Laura Wall range of children’s books 'Goose and Friends', so it seems only natural that we should also support this amazing Festival in our home city of Derby too."