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Progressives slam Democrats for announcing their new trade deal with Trump an hour after they announced they're bringing articles of impeachment
- On Tuesday morning, House Democrats unveiled articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump and announced they'd reached an agreement with the White House on a NAFTA replacement.
- Pelosi supporters and more moderate Democrats praised the one-two punch of impeachment and the trade deal, arguing that Democrats need to prove they can "walk and chew gum at the same time."
- But critics of the strategy insisted the trade deal undermines Democrats' claim that the president is dangerously unfit for office and lends credence to Trump's argument that he's getting his job done.
President Donald Trump could be impeached before the end of the year now that House Democrats have unveiled two articles of impeachment.
Paul Kousky is a full-time YouTube creator who films monthly videos about Nerf guns for his 10 million subscribers.
The Democratic-led House of Representatives is geared up to impeach Trump for abusing his power and obstructing Congress.
Meet Scandinavia's 'King of Hotels,' a 57-year-old daredevil who spends his billions rappelling down the facades of his own hotels and has 200,000 Instagram followers
Petter Stordalen got his start selling strawberries at age 12. Now, his multifaceted investment corporation is named Strawberry.
Banksy just made a powerful statement about homelessness by turning a public bench into Santa's sleigh
Just in time for Christmas and the UK general election, new artwork by Banksy has appeared in Birmingham, England.
The 'Uncut Gems' directors detailed their decade-long quest to get Adam Sandler in the movie. Then Sandler crashed our interview wanting to play basketball.
Josh and Benny Safdie discuss why Adam Sandler was the only actor who could make this movie work, and then Sandler appeared.
TikTok's chief cancels planned meetings with US senators amid concerns over privacy and app's ties to China
TikTok told Business Insider the meetings were postponed until after the holidays "to ensure these conversations are as productive as possible."
Compensation monitoring site Comparably released their ranking of the best places to work if you're looking for positive company culture.
Inside Bleacher Report's strategy to win over sports gamblers, who it says are 5 times more engaged with its app than other sports fans
Bleacher Report CEO Howard Mittman wants to turn the brand into a "true challenger" in sports media in 2020, and content for gamblers will be key.
In the Germany Digital Ad Spending by Industry 2019 Report, eMarketer outlines what is impacting digital ad spend across six different industries.
If you aren't sure what to get Mom this holiday season, don't worry. We put together a list of 50+ gifts for mom that are sure to impress her.
SpaceX's president said the company is exploring how to stop Starlink satellites from annoying astronomers
Shotwell said she wants people to be able to admire Starlink satellites without sacrificing views of the moon or other planets in our solar system.
Giorgio Armani just bought a $17.5 million penthouse in NYC. Take a look at how one of the richest men in fashion spends his fortune, from a 213-foot yacht to homes in Italy and the Caribbean.
Giorgio Armani, the cofounder and sole owner of fashion house Armani, is worth almost $7 billion. Here's a look at how he spends his fortune.
Current estimates predict mobile will make up 48% of all online sales this holiday season. Marketers must adapt to keep up with consumers.
Business Insider Intelligence has put together the following list of 10 Up and Coming Fintechs for 2019.
'Jumanji: The Next Level' is a silly sequel that may be wacky enough to hold its own against 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' at the box office
The movie adds more gaming elements and new characters to deliver a fun story and avoid being a lame sequel.
Hotel review: The Library Hotel in Midtown Manhattan consistently ranks in Trip Advisor's top 5 reviewed hotels in New York City — we spent the night to see if it delivered on the hype
The Library Hotel New York City isn't just for bibliophiles, with complimentary wine gatherings, all-day refreshments, cozy rooms, and yes, thousands of books.
Rudy Giuliani's personal communications director is a 20-year-old minor Instagram personality still getting her communications degree
Christianné Allen is representing Rudy Giuliani in the middle of an impeachment process he triggered against President Donald Trump.
Greenland's ice sheet is melting 7 times faster than it was in the early 90s, a study shows. It has lost more than 4.2 trillion tons of ice.
As our planet and its oceans warm, the polar ice sheets are melting at accelerated rates. Greenland's average yearly ice loss is 262 billion tons.
Gen Z is changing the world — meet the powerhouses aged 22 or younger who made it onto this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 list
The youngest person among all the honorees is 14-year-old Soleil Wheeler, the first female player to join esports organization FaZe Clan.
A Maryland couple bought a 120-year-old church for $320,000 and now live in it with their 3 kids — here's a look at how they turned it into a home
There's also an old cemetery behind the church, but Anastasiia says it's "not as spooky as you'd think."
My list is heavy on names like Ferrari, Jaguar, and Aston Martin, and there's no shortage of sports cars and supercars in the rundown.
Google just revealed the top 100 trending gifts based on search — here are the most popular items in tech, toys, gaming, home goods, and more
A new Google site called Google Shopping 100 ranks products with recent increases in US searches across eight categories.
A 2-person startup wrote personalized pitch decks for job candidates, and the founders say it makes a huge difference in the brutal war for talent
Hype and Vice's "offer decks" detail the role's responsibilities, the compensation package, and the company values.
Central bank rate cuts, positive economic data, and better-than-expected earnings reports helped several indexes reach record highs this year.
Russia and China's new oil pipeline shows how Trump's foreign policy is pushing the US's 2 biggest rivals together
The pipeline is one of several developments showing Beijing and Moscow moving closer together amid more contentious relations with the US under Trump.
Physicians in the top paying city, Milwaukee, earn almost $400,000 a year, nearly double the average US doctor salary.
This Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was turned into a tiny home and kitchen that can sleep 4, and now it's on sale for $106,000
This Moving House created the Culinatour, a tiny home and kitchen built on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, for a travel itinerary planning company.
We rounded up a master list of the best gift ideas for coworkers that they'll actually want to receive — all under $50.
Anthony Joshua criticized Andy Ruiz Jr for making 'excuses' after the Mexican fighter said he prepared for their rematch with '3 months of partying'
"I would have loved to have trained the way Andy trained!" said Joshua. "But that's not the way of a champion."
The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, is similar to the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, but there are also some major changes.
The tape the Patriots shot at the Bengals game reportedly includes 8 minutes of the Bengals' sideline, including play signals
According to a report from The Athletic, the footage shot by the Patriots film crew has a "direct view" of the Bengals sideline.
Six-pack cheeseburgers, hamburgers, jalapeño cheeseburgers, and 16-pack hamburgers and cheeseburgers were recalled for possible listeria contamination.
Washington DC CTO Lindsey Parker discussed a future system where residents of a city can interact with different government agencies in one place.
DJ Khaled's Miami home has been on the market for a year, and now it's gotten a 25% price cut. Here's a look inside the mansion that includes a closet fit for 500 pairs of sneakers.
DJ Khaled's Miami-area home has been sitting on the market for a year. Now, its price has been dropped to $5.99 million, down from $7.99 million.
Travel & Leisure just released its list of the 50 best places to travel in 2020. Here's a look at the 7 US destinations that made the list.
Only seven US destinations made Travel and Leisure's 2020 list of places to travel, including Asheville, North Carolina and Oklahoma City.
At the second annual TPG Awards, awards were given for the best airport, loyalty, and in-flight products from US and international airlines.
TikTok's breakout creators in 2019 range from teenagers still in high school to popular Vine stars who have found second lives on the new platform.
The HR chief at $1.4 billion Away told us the company wants employees to bring their 'authentic selves to work.' But a bombshell investigation described a culture of bullying — and now the CEO is stepping down.
The culture at the unicorn luggage startup was toxic, The Verge reported. Now CEO Steph Korey says she's "appalled" by the messages she sent.
Apple is crushing the wearables industry thanks to its wildly popular AirPods, and it's going to be more challenging than ever for Samsung and Fitbit to catch up
Apple's AirPods have emerged as the leader in the fastest-growing wearables category, making it harder for Samsung and others to catch up.
The CDC is warning of E. coli infections linked to certain Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped Salad Kits.
WeWork was planning to spend as much as $5 million on a splashy ad campaign even as its own finances were collapsing
WeWork was pitching the hot agencies 72andSunny, Droga5, and Vice Media-owned Virtue, but called off the review when it canceled its IPO.
Democrats and White House announce NAFTA rewrite, giving Trump a win as his impeachment scandal rages
Trump made a pledge to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement a center of his campaign in 2016, calling it the "worst trade deal ever made."
A tabletop Christmas tree lets you celebrate the season without the space commitment. These are the best tabletop Christmas trees, real and artificial.
Here are the most important tax-planning steps business owners and freelancers can take to make smart deductions and prepare for tax season
Making good decisions about when you spend is nearly as important as what you spend in the weeks before Tax Day 2020.


text: Finance Data protection bill: India’s fintech industry has many reasons to worry Updated : December 16, 2019 08:28 PM IST Though data localisation was under discussion for a while, the Bill now makes it mandatory. Adding to the cost and compliance issues, restrictions on biometric data would be another source of worry for fintech companies. Subscribe to Moneycontrol PRO at just Rs.33/- per month for the first year. Use code SUPERPRO. Limited period offer. Available on Web and Android.

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Podcast with Prakash Menon, Global Retail Academy
Menon, a former director of supply chain at Myer, believes that there’s not enough technical skill retail c-suites and advocates for more process driven thinking at an executive level.
Explaining that silos are a product of large companies, Menon argues that the key to retail success in the modern world is continuous innovation and collaborative company structures that maximise participation, growth and upward mobility within retail businesses.
He’ll be delivering his view alongside Andrew Cavanagh, who worked at Myer for more than 20 years, at a workshop event on the 25th of July in Melbourne.
You can listen to the podcast below:


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Car buyers are visiting fewer dealerships. In many cases, according to a survey conducted by DMEautomotive, they’re skipping the test drive entirely before pulling the trigger on a vehicle purchase. But that doesn’t mean consumers are spending less time shopping. In fact, four in five vehicle shoppers said they are using the Internet to visit 10 auto websites as part of their shopping process.
Of the 2,000 car shoppers polled, 16% skipped the test drive and 33% test-drove only one vehicle. Additionally, 68% of respondents said they visited two or fewer dealerships before purchasing a car and 40% said they visited only one dealership. Analysts said the results mean dealers need to shift their focus to virtual interactions in order to woo potential buyers.
“This avoidance of physical dealerships is in stark contrast with how much online vehicle research is happening,” said Dr. Mary Sheridan, manager of research and analytics at DMEautomotive. “More people are stealthily comparison-shopping dealerships and inventory online, and then swooping in to buy when their minds are already made up.”
On average, car buyers test drove only 1.9 cars before making a purchase, according to the firm, while slightly more than a quarter of respondents (26%) test-drove three vehicles or more. And the customer segment most likely to avoid test drives were women, with 19% skipping it altogether vs. 12% of men.
Results were similar among used-car shoppers, who are typically expected to take more test drives since every used vehicle is unique. DMEautomotive, however, found that 30% of them test-drove only one vehicle vs. 35% of new-car buyers. Additionally, a greater percentage of used-car buyers (18%) reported taking zero test drives than new-car buyers (14%).
When it came to visiting the dealership, the average car buyer visited 2.2 showrooms before purchasing a vehicle. Used-vehicle shoppers visited slightly more dealerships than their new-car seeking counterparts, with 38% visiting three or more dealerships compared to 28% of new-car buyers. Overall, new-car buyers visited 2.1 dealerships on average vs. 2.3 for used-car buyers.
Although car buyers across the board reported a low number of dealership visits, there was one positive for dealers: Car buyers under the age of 35 make more dealership visits than their older peers. According to the study, 63 percent of individuals under 35 visited two or more dealerships vs. 53% of shoppers over the age of 35 — an indication, officials said, that dealers need to focus on providing a modern retail experience that integrates digital and mobile shopping tools.
“Dealerships can no longer rely on in-store visits and the old ‘be-backs’ to drive sales,” Sheridan explained. “They need to have the most powerful online presence wherever dealer/vehicle selection is happening, and work far harder to keep customers close throughout the ownership cycle, using every retention marketing tool possible, like a constant-connection mobile app.”


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Blockchain technology has suddenly become a new tool in aquaculture in helping to ensure traceability from farm to plate and eliminating fish fraud.
The Norwegian Seafood Association has just partnered with the IBM Food Trust, which uses the technology to improve transparency, and the technology provider Atea ASA to gather data on how salmon is bred, stored and shipped.
Blockchain encourages transparency through the use of a system called QR codes. This way consumers and corporate buyers will be able to scan the QR code and receive detailed information about the origins of a specific product, in this case salmon, and even the fjord it comes from. The code is also designed to help suppliers differentiate their premium products from other exporters, curbing origin fraud and cutting waste.
IBM says its blockchain platform has been helping different industries to digitalize and to improve processes in different areas such as the healthcare industry, pension systems, grocery stores, and financial markets. Now it is turning its attention to aquaculture and fishing to apply blockchain solutions to the seafood supply chain.
It has added the salmon farming company Kvarøy Arctic to the project along with high grade fish feed provider Biomar. Kvarøy CEO Alf-Goran Knutsen said:
‘Blockchain lets us share the fish’s journey from the ocean to the dinner table. This is now more timely than ever,’ adding it was the future when it comes to ending fraud in the seafood industry.
IBM Food Trust’s general manager, Raj Rao, said the partnership was ‘promoting transparency and sustainability throughout the seafood supply chains.’
Seafood Association CEO Robert Eriksson said:
‘Norwegian seafood is known for its quality. Yet we still do not have the ability to trace where the fish came from, how it was grown or how it was stored. This creates the potential for fraud and food waste. Blockchain can help eliminate these problems with a transparent, accountable record of where each fish came from.’


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AMD has unveiled its FX line of processor chips that feature up to eight processor cores based on the Bulldozer architecture and are chiefly aimed at enthusiasts and high-end gamers. The AMD FX, otherwise...
Both AMD and Intel are continuing to produce CPUs at near full capacity despite the COVID-19 outbreak
Long rumoured shift from Intel to in-house designed ARM processors is imminent, noted Apple analyst claims
The chip uses radiofrequency capabilities to control 128 qubits with a single device
Memory price crash batters Samsung, Hynix and Micron, enabling Intel to retake top spot as world's biggest semiconductor company
Intel's Habana acquisition intended to accelerate its efforts in the AI chip market


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Mobile grooming salon for feline friends
Agnes Winarti , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 06/17/2008 10:05 AM | City
True canine lovers usually regard their pet dogs as part of the family. Some even treat them like their own children.
Dog lover Bathsheba "Betsy" Yuligita Sudarmo recalled the day she found bruises around her dog's eyes.
"When I found the bruises, my dog had changed his attitude toward me. He used to be friendly but had become fierce," Betsy said.
"My dog started behaving aggressively after it received treatment at a pet salon," she said, while carefully watching two pet groomers bathe her 3-year-old golden retriever Grizzly on the back of a mobile pet salon car.
A vet told her later her dog had been hit during the salon treatment.
"It was a traumatic experience for me," she said.
Since then, Grizzly has had his treatments in a mobile pet salon at Betsy's home, where she can observe the whole process.
"I don't have to take my car to the salon. It saves me time," Betsy said, adding she used to queue and wait at the pet salon for some three hours.
Veterinarian Maria Theresia Widiastuti said some dog owners have complained that after their dogs had salon baths, they showed changes in behavior, like signs of fear, depression and aggressiveness.
"I never saw any physical bruises, but it is possible those pets received harsh treatment. It is the right of the owner to ask the salon to be transparent about their treatments," said the veterinarian, who has been practicing for eight years in East Jakarta.
A dog lover since childhood, Henny M. Pangadjaja said a similar experience motivated her to establish Happy Pets, a mobile pet salon for cats and dogs, in 2003.
"As a dog lover, I consider my dogs like my own children. So, I don't want anyone beating them," said Henny, who saw her poodles being harshly treated by groomers at her home.
"When I saw my poodle was being hit by the groomer in front of me in my own home, I wondered what they did when I wasn't around," she said.
Henny said she learned about the commitment needed to look after pets from her mother, who once owned more than 20 dogs at the same time that ran around freely in their home.
"They followed her from the kitchen to the bathroom," said Henny, who now owns nine dogs, including poodles, a golden retriever and a Yorkshire.
Henny said she took various pet grooming courses in Singapore to learn how to take care of her poodles.
"Many of my relatives and friends who asked me to help groom their dogs urged me to create my own pet salon," said the 38-year-old at her home office in Lippo Karawaci, Tangerang.
The salon has been through a few name changes; from Beauty Pets, to Chicko Pets (named after one of her poodles) to today's Happy Pets.
Henny currently employs some 30 groomers and administration employees for the salon, which operates with two cars for exclusive treatments and 10 motorcycles for standard treatments.
The Happy Pets mobile salons operate throughout Greater Jakarta by appointment from Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays with one week's notice.
The salon currently has about 2,400 customers, including homemakers, young professionals, celebrities, public officials, pet shops and pet-breeding ranches.
"I never thought this hobby of mine would become a business with so many customers," she said, adding some 30 percent of her customers were cat owners and the rest dog owners.
Some of her customers even call her in the middle of the night to seek advice in emergency situations, like dog fights or illnesses.
"I have to repeatedly tell them that I am not a vet," she said.
Henny, however, said many people in Jakarta still consider pet grooming a luxury, not a necessity.
She said most complaints made were concerning prices. Happy Pets standard treatments range from Rp 60,000 (US$6.40) to Rp 100,000, while exclusive treatments range from Rp 150,000 to Rp 200,000, depending on the size of the pet.
Eighty to 90 percent of the equipment and treatment materials are imported from the United States, she said.
However, pet lovers like Betsy do not mind the costs.
"A home treatment for my Grizzly costs Rp 185,000. It is about three times more expensive than the usual pet salon," she said. She usually calls the home pet salon once a month.
Betsy's husband, Hanny Santoso, said he preferred having his dog treated at home because he wanted to avoid transmittable diseases from unhealthy dogs.
"Other pet salons are usually also shelters for pets on sale, so there is no guarantee all the dogs there are healthy," he said.
Henny said, "People should realize that a healthy dog makes its owner healthy. There is a kind of mutual health between pets and their owners."
She said most long-fur dogs, like golden retrievers, which are prone to skin diseases, should have a bath once every two weeks.
Henny also suggested long-fur dogs have their fur combed once every two days to avoid tangles that might trigger skin diseases.
"I do not recommend bathing the pet when it is sick. It should be taken to a vet first," she said.
Henny also said when treating a dog, one must pay attention to its psychological nature, as every dog has different character.


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What is the influence of Elon Musk on Vietnamese crypto investors?
Elon Musk’s tweets send Vietnamese crypto investors into spiral of anxiety.
The State Bank of Vietnam has warned that owning, trading and using cryptocurrencies are risky and not protected by law
Visit Vietnam Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Elon Musk’s recent tweets have partly contributed to sending Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies tumbling, and Vietnamese investors into losses and diminishing their hope in the future of digital currencies.
Thien Tuan from the northern town of Mong Cai has seen his VND30 million ($1,300) investment in several cryptocurrencies depreciate by nearly 40 percent in the last few days.
The 28-year-old had entered the crypto market in early April with no prior investment experience. Half of his savings is now in XRP, which has fallen 36 percent since mid-April, and Dogecoin, which has lost half its value in two weeks.
He says: “Some of my friends have advised me to exit the market and look for other reliable assets like gold. I’m worried my losses will rise to 80-90 percent in the coming weeks.”
On several Facebook groups of which he is a member, hundreds of people are expressing similar concerns about Bitcoin, Dogecoin and other cryptocurrencies after their prices plunged due to the remarks made by Musk and other reasons.
In March Mush had announced that customers could buy Tesla cars using bitcoin, but on May 13 he said in a tweet the company had suspended the plan. Bitcoin lost 12 percent almost immediately.
In another Twitter comment on May 17 Musk seemed to imply Tesla could sell its Bitcoin holdings, which sent the cryptocurrency down another 8 percent.
The world’s most popular coin has lost 47 percent from its peak in mid-April, while other cryptocurrencies too are down by double digits.
Other factors that contributed to the falls are China further cracking down on digital currencies and Binance Holdings, the largest cryptocurrency exchange, being investigated by U.S. authorities for money laundering and tax offenses.
Tran Cuong, 22, of Hanoi invested $700 in Bitcoin and Dogecoin, and says “I have lost nearly $500 due to Elon Musk’s tweets.”
The sharp falls have raised concerns among coin miners in Vietnam.
Viet Hung of the southern province of Dong Nai only started mining a month ago and was expecting to recoup his investment by the end of the year.
“Now that the market has plunged, I don’t know whether to continue mining or sell the equipment and cut my losses,” he says.
Minh Huy, a seller of mining rigs in HCMC, says many prospective buyers have suspended purchase plans to watch how the market moves before making a final decision.
Some of these deals are potentially worth billions of dong (VND1 billion = $43,500).
“The plunging market not only hurts investors but also hardware suppliers,” Huy says.
Hoang Bao of Hanoi, who has years of experience in coin mining, says he has yet to see people sell off equipment, but feared that if prices keep falling the market could soon turn “chaotic.”
“The worst-case scenario is that rigs will be left to gather dust like last time, but this time it will be on a much bigger scale,” he says, referring to the 2018 Bitcoin selloff.
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are not recognized as a legitimate means of payment in Vietnam. The State Bank of Vietnam has warned that owning, trading and using cryptocurrencies are risky and not protected by law, according to VNExpress.
- Road and bridge proposed for linking Haiphong and Quang Ninh
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- KEENON Robotics Joins Hands with SGST at FOODtech Japan 2022, Bringing Cutting-Edge Robotic Solutions
- The Montreal Call for Dialogue on Systemic Change is launched


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Baby boomers’ mandatory withdrawals from 401(k)s, IRAs and other tax-deferred retirement accounts start in full force this year. The obligatory outflows are expected to ripple through the U.S. economy, the stock market and a money-management industry.
Business and agricultural groups are lobbying Trump transition officials to rework and even rename a Pacific trade deal that would knit together the U.S. and Asian countries, despite Mr. Trump’s plan to scrap the agreement.
Exxon Mobil is the latest company to expand in Texas’ red-hot Permian basin, announcing a deal Tuesday to buy companies owned by the Bass family for $5.6 billion in stock and up to $1 billion in additional payments.
Success with a deal for IBM personal computers led China’s Lenovo to underestimate the difficulty of reviving smartphone company Motorola Mobility. “We underestimated the differences of the culture and the business model,” says the CEO.


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A jury recently found Samsung guilty of copyright infringement. So it awarded Apple Incorporated $290 million in damages straight out of Samsung’s pocket. Samsung is to appeal the decision.
While the amount of $290 million was slightly less than the $380 million expected by Apple, it would do for now. Besides, Apple made it quite clear that the whole issue was not about money but rather principles. It wanted to innovate and create new stuff and didn’t want others to behave in a copycat manner. And Apple execs were glad that Samsung was finally taught a lesson that there was a price to be paid for plagiarism.
Don't Miss: The Best HDR TVs
Apple said in a statement, "For Apple, this case has always been about more than patents and money. It has been about innovation and the hard work that goes into inventing products that people love. While it's impossible to put a price tag on those values, we are grateful to the jury for showing Samsung that copying has a cost."
The total sum awarded to Apple by now out of Samsung’s coffers amounts to a total of $930 million. Samsung’s contention was that it only owed Apple $52 million. But Apple had a higher number in mind. Samsung meanwhile is disappointed at the decision by the court which it deems unfair. It will appeal for a retrial in a higher court.
"While we move forward with our post-trial motions and appeals, we will continue to innovate with groundbreaking technologies and great products that are loved by our many customers all around the world," Samsung said in a statement.
The jury that gave the verdict was busy for quite some time calculating the amount that one party owed the other. On the whole, it was a complex decision taken after hours of agonizing thought. The jurors were not necessarily technological experts in their own right. Yet they did the best they could to reach a fair and square decision.
Apple had been engaged in a tussle with Samsung over several product features that the former claimed the latter had obtained by cheating from its methodology. After much chagrin in court, the final settlement was announced and it was in favor of Apple.


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Tuesday, September 07, 2010 | Apple TV, ATT Wireless, Cisco Systems, Google TV, iPhone, Microcell, Mobile Ads, Telecom Industry Insider, Ubiquisys | 0 comments »
One thing that continues to disappoint me is the lack of advertising towards their Microcell or femtocell product. I am surprised they are not doing more AT&T Microcell advertising to its' customers. If the product worked as advertised they could make a lot of money helping customers fill in coverage gaps in their homes. It remains to be seen if Cisco will continue to be the supplier of the 3G femtocell product or if they will switch to Ubiquisys. Google is a large investor in the UK company Ubiquisys.


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AMLAK posts record 314% rise in profit
Strong performance underpins demand for Islamic, sharia-compliant finance products.
AMLAK Finance, the Islamic finance and home finance company has announced record annual profits of US$15.7 (AED58 million - before depositor’s share), for the year ended December 31, 2004.
The 314% rise represents a significant increase over the previous year’s figure of US$3.8 million (AED14 million). After a distribution of US$2.8 million (AED10.28 million) to depositors, the profit attributable to the shareholders was US$12.9 million (AED 47.75 million). The company also witnessed a record 199% increase in revenues to reach US$22.8 million (AED 84.36 million) for 2004 from US$7.6 million (AED 28.19 million) in 2003.
Remarking on AMLAK’s performance in its first year as a public company, Mohammed Ali Al Hashimi, ceo, AMLAK, said: “AMLAK has cemented its reputation as a leading Islamic finance institution and continues to set benchmarks in the industry. This has been reflected in its financial performance in 2004, when the company exceeded all expectations, beginning with its hugely successful IPO in January that was more than 33 times oversubscribed.
“We would like to thank His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince & UAE Minister of Defence for his leadership and continuous support for AMLAK and its future plans”, Al Hashimi added.
“AMLAK’s profit in 2004 continues to record excellent growth – a reflection of its ability to maintain its status as a leading provider of home finance in the market, as well as to evolve and grow in the field of Islamic finance and capture market opportunities when they arise both locally and internationally,” Al Hashimi continued.
“In order to maintain a solid foundation to sustain AMLAK’s momentum for growth and expansion, and following the company’s board of directors meeting held earlier this month, the board of directors will recommend to the shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM), scheduled to be held in March 2005, that no dividend be declared for the year ending 31 December 2004,” Al Hashimi added.
In 2004, the company completed its conversion to an Islamic finance institution to cater to the rising demand for Islamic finance and to directly respond to the region’s need for sound Sharia compliant investments.
Other highlights in 2004 include the formation of a joint venture home finance company in Turkey with Kuwait Finance House, and lead manager roles in a number of syndication finance transactions for some of the region’s leading corporations. On the consumer front, AMLAK launched a number of innovative products in response to customer needs.


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- News tagged "apu"
Friday, 25 Jan 2013
Details of AMD's upcoming 'Richland' APUs have been leaked. According to Xbit Labs, the initial lineup of the next-generation APUs comprises four quad-core SKUs and two dual-core chips.
Monday, 31 Dec 2012
According to an article from SemiAccurate, AMD is ending its ‘Vision’ branding for its APU platforms and PC systems using these platforms.
Tuesday, 20 Nov 2012
The local AMD office held an event for D-I-Y PC enthusiasts featuring systems powered by AMD Trinity APUs. We were given a sneak preview of the exhibits and one of the highlights of this event was an AMD Eyefinity gaming demonstration across three LCD displays for an immersive user experience!
MSI has announced the launch of the GX60, a 15-inch AMD-powered gaming notebook running on Windows 8 OS and armed with an AMD Trinity A10 quad-core processor and AMD Radeon HD 7970M GPU.
Monday, 5 Nov 2012
Sony is rumored to be shipping its second generation PlayStation 4 development kits to selected game studios. According to VG24/7, the hardware of the kits is housed inside of a typical PC chassis, with a third revision expected sometime in January 2014.
Wednesday, 10 Oct 2012
AMD has officially launched its new Z-Series APU for Windows 8 tablets. Its flagship Z-60 APU is a low-powered dual-core chip and it is also targeted at small form factor PCs. Read on to uncover more details of this new APU.
Friday, 5 Oct 2012
According to the local AMD office, the Trinity desktop APUs will be available at the end of this month. Their pricing will be made only be known then. Hence, do expect these APUs to be on the shelves by November when their accompanying Socket FM2 motherboards are on sale as well.
Wednesday, 3 Oct 2012
Based on the new AMD A85X chipset and FM2 socket, the F2A85 Series motherboards come with a variety of ASUS-exclusive features including Dual Intelligent Processors 3, GPU Boost, USB BIOS Flashback tool, and Remote GO!.
A full-sized ATX board, the Sapphire Pure Platinum A85XT supports the latest gen AMD APU A10/A8/A6/A4 series Trinity processors utilizing socket FM2.
Called the X-Boost, it automatically overclocks to a maximum of 15.77% performance boost on the CPU when triggered.


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Pro photographer Austin Mann puts Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro camera to the test
Professional photographer Austin Mann is at Dunton Kilchoan Estate in the Scottish Highlands to test Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro cameras – hiking, biking and boating throughout the area, pushing these new cameras to the limit.
The features that really caught my attention during Apple’s keynote were the new giant 48-megapixel sensor, better low-light thanks to quad-pixels, Action mode stabilization for video, and satellite connectivity – and there we are. have a blast putting these new features to the test!
If you are a serious iPhone photographer and are interested in buying the iPhone 14 Pro as a camera upgrade, here are my thoughts.
• Last year’s iPhone 13 Pro is a really powerful camera, and while the iPhone 14 Pro passed it in most side-by-side tests, it wasn’t a huge margin (aside from the massive increase in resolution).
• If your iPhone 13 Pro’s 3x lens drives you crazy, the 14 Pro brings back the 2x perspective and offers a much more responsive 3x telephoto lens.
• If you constantly want to have a higher resolution from your iPhone’s camera, the 48MP ProRAW option for iPhone 14 Pro has you covered, but keep in mind that capturing these ultra-high resolution files has its trade-offs and 48MP is available only on 1x in normal mode.
• If you’re using an iPhone 11 Pro or earlier, you should seriously consider an upgrade to ProRAW, as well as huge improvements with the ultra wide-angle lens, low-light performance and telephoto responsiveness.
• If you often find yourself wandering in remote locations and carrying (or wanting to carry) an emergency satellite communicator, the iPhone 14 Pro is an excellent upgrade.
MacDailyNews takes: Toni More, including all of Mann’s images, in the full article here.
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Nearly 3.6 million acres of farmland in the Mississippi River Valley, including 40 per cent of U.S. rice area, have been affected by spring flooding.
The figure was larger than earlier reports of three million acres of flooded farmland and amounts to 1.1 per cent of land usually planted in the two dozen principal U.S. field crops.
Arkansas is the hardest hit with one million acres flooded, including 300,000 acres of rice and 120,000 acres of wheat, said the American Farm Bureau Federation, based on a survey of its state affiliates.
The federation listed flood totals as 650,000 acres in Tennessee, 600,000 acres in Mississippi, 570,000 in Missouri, 500,000 acres in Illinois and 280,000 acres in Louisiana.
The economic impact of the flood will be massive but some growers still may be able to plant a crop this year, said Bob Young, the organization’s chief economist.
“There is no doubt about it, the effect of the flooding on farmers and ranchers is being felt deeply across the south,” said Young.
Analysts say flooding and a rainy, cold spring may disrupt farmers’ plans to expand U.S. corn plantings by five per cent this year, to 92.2 million acres, and rebuild lean stockpiles. One estimate says corn plantings will total 89.5 million acres and soybean planting would reach 75.1 million acres, compared to the 76.6 million acres estimated by USDA based on a survey of growers in March.
Doubts about the size of the U.S. corn crop are driving up futures prices. The next USDA crop survey comes out on June 30.


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Raf Simons and photographer Willy Vanderperre have partnered up yet again for the designer’s eponymous brand’s latest campaign.
The pair, along with stylist Olivier Rizzo, have created a orient-inspired retro dreamland for the Raf Simons Spring-Summer 2018 collection. Chinatown-chic, featuring rain-stained windows, Chinese lanterns, and of course, the newest styles for his menswear line.
Photographed by Willy Vanderperre
Styled by Olivier Rizzo
Hair by Anthony Turner
Makeup by Lynsey Alexander
Set Design by Emma Roach
Model: Luca Lemaire


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In the shadow of a looming property debacle, China is grappling with a deflationary trend that has raised eyebrows across the globe, casting a pall of uncertainty over the health of the world’s second-largest economy. January witnessed a stark contraction in the nation’s consumer price index, plunging to a minus 0.8 percent on an annualised basis, according to the latest dispatch from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). This marks the most significant dip since the autumn of 2009, descending further from a decrement of 0.3 percent recorded in December, and surpassing the bleak forecasts of a 0.5 percent reduction posited by market analysts. On a monthly cadence, a modest uplift of 0.3 percent was observed, a slight improvement from the preceding month's 0.1 percent increase.
Yet, the spectre of a faltering Chinese economy is further haunted by unprecedented levels of youth unemployment and a real estate crisis that looms large, threatening to destabilise the financial edifice of the nation. Such conditions have led to a tightened purse among consumers and businesses alike.
Deflation, often seen as the antithesis of inflation, holds the potential to erode economic vitality with equal ferocity. The anticipatory delay in expenditure by households and businesses, awaiting further price reductions, can ensnare the economy in a debilitating cycle that stifles growth. In this climate, profits dwindle, investments are curtailed, and the spectre of policy missteps looms large, as efforts to invigorate the economy may inadvertently sow the seeds of long-term instability.
In response, the corridors of power in Beijing have been astir with strategic interventions aimed at reviving consumption, spurring investment, and bolstering the stock market. The recent reshuffling at the helm of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, with Yi Huiman making way for Wu Qing, formerly of the Shanghai stock exchange, signals a determined effort to stem the tide of declining stock values. The CSI 300 and the Hang Seng index have shown tentative signs of resurgence, though their annual performance narrates a tale of lingering woes.
The involvement of Beijing’s so-called “national team” of financial institutions in the stock market is a testament to the concerted efforts to rejuvenate market sentiment, reminiscent of the strategy deployed in 2015. Furthermore, the easing of key interest rates and adjustments to the banking sector's reserve requirements underscore a broader fiscal strategy to fuel economic activity.
Yet, voices from the analytical community, including those at Pantheon Macroeconomics and Capital Economics, caution that the path to “high-quality” growth, as envisioned by the Chinese Communist Party, is fraught with challenges. The upcoming “Two Sessions” conference in March is eagerly awaited for more detailed blueprints to buttress the economy against prevailing headwinds.
Amidst these tumultuous times, consumer spending remains tepid, as evidenced by the decline in producer goods prices and the notable plummet in pork prices, a staple in the Chinese diet. Despite achieving its growth target last year, projections by the International Monetary Fund suggest a tempering of economic expansion in the coming years, painting a sobering picture of the challenges that lie ahead for China.
By Brett Hurll
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In the midst of an economic landscape that many feared would be marred by prolonged recession, the United Kingdom's priv... Read more
Can China Kickstart Its Economy With Classic Western Consumerism
In a world where many burgeoning economies grapple with the challenge of aligning their financial habits with their fisc... Read more
Revolutionizing Retail: Embracing Technology For Enhanced Customer Experience And Operational Efficiency
In the dynamic landscape of 2024, the retail industry stands at a crucial juncture, marked by rapidly evolving consumer ... Read more
A Shot In The Arm As Valuation Doubles On The Back Of AI
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(Copper thieves strike twice this week)….The first incident was in the 400 block of Broadway.
The suspect or suspects broke a chain and lock to gain access to an electrical panel and wiring. An electrical meter was also damaged. The suspects then hit another business in the 500 block of Broadway, where more copper wire was stolen. No suspects have been arrested. Copper theft is a major crime, despite prevention efforts and rewards being offered.


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As November marches onward, we thought it'd be a nice time to recap what happened last October and Halloween! The biggest part of it all – for Meshcaid anyway – was the Spooky Costume Contest that took place most of the month. There were a lot of great costumes as well as a few learned lessons.
For starters, we'd like to say that we will not be bringing back a dislike feature for voting. Some people (notably a user named after a bovine creature) were disliked into oblivion. We'd like to also mention that future events will take place on Meshcaid itself rather than on Discord or any other third-party applications. There are other ideas here and there that we'd like to incorporate, but for now, that's a Halloween secret we're going to keep to ourselves.
While the voting was a little weird, there were three costumes that stood out from the rest. Most notably being Jet's Haunted Hunter and Zandy's Jackson Van Pumkinstein.
A huge congratulations to the winners of the Spooky Costume Contest, the stories from the first two winners really drove home the spirit of Halloween! Perhaps the forest that the Haunted Hunter is in resides next to Spooksville...
The first and second-place winners will receive surprisingly adorable Voodoo dolls based on their winning Spooky Costume Contest submissions. First place will receive the Voodoo doll and second place will receive the Voodoo doll necklace.
While voting for costumes has long since finished by now, there was one more vote held internally behind the scenes. We present to you, dear readers, our staff picks, otherwise known as honorable mentions, amazing submissions overall Meshcaid!
As a side note, there's no special prize for the staff-picked costumes except recognition from our staff team and from the readers of our newsletter.
However, that's not all, throughout the month of October our 2023 Halloween collection was slowly being released with some pretty gnarly additions, a total of 10 items were released including a new unique, the Ghostly Chapeau.
The Ghostly Chapeau went on sale beginning October 15th before going off sale on October 31st, it sold a total of 29 times and was on sale for 16 days before the listing expired and it went off sale.
The rest of the 2023 Halloween collection items remain on sale as of the publish date for this post, with one exception, the Jack-o'-Head, which went on sale October 1st, 2023 for the first time ever and went off sale October 31st at midnight. It will be available seasonally during these same times every year. So with that, we hope to see everyone again for next year's Halloween to make it even better!


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YouTube, the world’s largest video streaming platform, is testing a grey-colored progress bar on its Android app, reports 9To5Google. Currently, it is available only in the beta version of the app, and so far, the new progress bar has been reported by only a few beta users, which suggests that the change is limited to A/B testing.
The progress bar appears in the new color only when the dark mode is enabled and when the video is playing in portrait mode. The progress bar changes its color to red as soon as you interact with it or when the dark mode is turned off. It suggests that Google is testing this change to reduce distractions when using the app in low-light conditions.
Apart from it, the rest of the app seems to have the same set of colors that it did earlier. However, the progress bar could just be the first element to get the dark-mode treatment. Google could give the rest of the app a similar look. That being said, this could just be one of Google’s many experiments that never make it to the stable version of the app.
Recently, Google revamped the design of the YouTube app to bring a translucent background around the video player area and pill-shaped icons and containers for comments. It also brought some of those changes to the YouTube app on smart TVs.


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Finland’s handset maker and leading mobile phone supplier Nokia (NOK), after reporting Thursday its Q3’08 results — gave confirmation that will pay a lump-sum payment of 1.7 billion Euros ($2.3 billion) to Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) as part of the patent agreement between the companies.
The newly confirmed deal covers various current and future standards and other technologies, thus resulting in a settlement of ‘all litigation’ between the two rivals.
Under the terms of the 15 year agreement which effectively ends over three years of dispute between Nokia and Qualcomm, the Finish co. has been granted a license under all Qualcomm’s patents for use in Nokia’s mobile devices and Nokia Siemens Networks infrastructure equipment. In other words, Nokia is paying a settlement in order of being able to utilize Qualcomm intellectual property.
“As a result of the agreement with Qualcomm and certain other license agreements concluded during the third quarter 2008, Nokia incurred a slightly positive impact to its gross margin during the quarter, as the royalty provisions earlier recorded well covered the related obligations” – Nokia said in its earnings release.
The 1.7 billion euros ($2.3 billion) amount is payable during the fourth quarter of the current year.
By coming to a resolution that benefits both sides, the news can certainly be described as a positive development for the cellular industry.
Nokia disappointed today with its third-quarter earnings. Its net income fell nearly 30% from last year. Earnings for the quarter came in at 29 euros a share, falling from a profit of 40 euros a share in the year-ago period.
Handset maker’s net sales were 12.2 billion euros, down 5% year on year and down 7% sequentially. Devices & Services net sales posted 8.6 billion euros, down 7% year on year and down 5% sequentially.
On the positive side, Nokia said adjusted gross margin increased to 35.7% from 34.5% a year earlier. In the third quarter ’08, the total mobile device volume of Nokia’s Devices & Services group reached 117.8 million units, representing 5.5% year on year growth and a 3% sequential decrease.
Nokia said it expects industry mobile device volumes in the fourth quarter 2008 to be approx. 1.26 billion, up from 1.14 billion units it estimated for 2007.
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Check out these amazing cosplayers from AX 2019
Got to finally get my hands on Knack 2 this past weekend.
Gamestop‘s one day gaming expo is going down in Las Vegas later this month. Atlus and Sega will be in attendance and with hits like Yakuza 0 and Persona 5, … Continue reading Atlus & Sega Reveal Their Line-up For Gamestop Expo 2017
Atlus has announced the date and time of their Anime Expo 2017 panel along with a host of other goodies.
AX 2017 is just under two months away but it’s never too early to get hyped for what will be in store. Anisong World tickets for this year’s expo are … Continue reading AX 2017: Anisong World Matsuri
For the first time, passes to the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) will go on sale to the general public. It has been announced today that 15,000 tickets will go on … Continue reading Gamers Rejoice! E3 2017 Will Be Open to the Public


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Cocktails in summer sun help sales fizz at AG Barr
Cocktail drinking at home, the re-opening of hospitality outlets and consumers picking up fizzy drinks while out in the summer sunshine have helped to lift sales at AG Barr.
The company said yesterday revenue was on course to be 18 per cent up in the 27 weeks to August 1 and was likely to come in about £134 million.
AG Barr owns soft drinks brands such as Irn-Bru, Rubicon and Tizer, as well as Funkin Cocktails.
A trading update last month had indicated that sales were strong, with the performance also lifted by new product launches. The Rubicon Raw energy drink was said to have made a particularly positive start, with further investment in it planned this year.
Funkin benefited from on-trade customers restocking its


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- Goodwill’s free income tax sites open Jan. 30
- Rock Valley College hosts FAFSA Completion Night Feb. 4
- Stateline Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference Feb. 5
- Cardiology Millennium Conference Feb. 2
- Scammers lurking to trap last-minute Super Bowl ticket buyers
- Sharing memories of Ernie Banks
- EarthTalk: What fish can we eat?
- Rock Valley College hosts entrepreneurship event Jan. 30
- Tube Talk: ‘The Americans’ begins third season
- Conservatives join New Hampshire rally in support of campaign finance reform
Federal bill that would have allowed robo-calls to cell phones rejected
Online Staff Report
CHICAGO — After overwhelming opposition mounted by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D), Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller (R) and their counterparts across the country, legislation to allow for robo-calls to consumers’ cell phones was taken out of consideration in Congress this week.
Madigan applauded the move, saying H.R. 3035, or the “Mobile Informational Call Act of 2011,” amounted to nothing more than a bad deal for consumers. The bill would have required consumers to pay for the cost of unwanted solicitation calls without their explicit consent.
“This legislation would have opened the floodgates for telemarketers to annoy us with robo-calls to our cell phones at all hours of the day,” Madigan said. “I appreciate everyone who voiced their disapproval of this invasion of our privacy to Congress and stopped this bill.”
Madigan said the bill would have given businesses the green light to place automated robo-calls to any consumer who has provided their telephone number in the course of a transaction. Currently, federal law allows robo-calls to be placed only to people who have given their explicit consent to receive them or in case of an emergency. The bill would have particularly impacted consumers who pay by the minute or have a limited number of minutes.
Madigan and attorneys general nationwide sent a letter to members of Congress earlier this month urging lawmakers to reject the proposal.


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Forever 21, the fashion chain known for its ultra-trendy, low-price offerings, filed for bankruptcy as a result of a rapid expansion while consumer tastes in both what they wanted to wear and how they wanted to shophas changed significantly.
The bankruptcy signals the end of an era in shopping, but not the demise of fast fashion. Forever 21 offered absurdly cheap, designer-inspired clothing that could accelerate trends in mere days and even helped usher in the rise of fast fashion in the United States. When Forever 21 began in the early 2000s, fashion was something that was really exclusive and there wasn’t online shopping. The offerings were very basic. Forever 21 was the first company who took what you see on the runways and create an affordable version.
With Forever 21 style-conscious clothing, most everything in the store retailed at under $50 and available immediately. The Internet influx of information mean’t “only read in Vogue” became something everyone could access. Designer or high fashion has historically only been available to rich and usually white consumers. Forever 21 made it possible for nearly anyone, from students to low-income families, to participate in the trends of the moment in real time. A large part of the company’s clientele are minorities and customers are between the ages of 25 and 40.
Forever 21’s dirt-cheap prices were made possible by factory workers in “sweatshop-like conditions.” The chain faced numerous “knockoff” lawsuits throughout the years about copyright and trademark infringement served to them by everyone from Ariana Grande this summer to Gucci in past years. Additionally, the rapid production of cheap, easily disposable clothes has called into question the negative environmental impact of fast fashion. Forever 21 expanded from having stores in seven to 47 countries in less than six years, all while, online shopping was gaining momentum.
As climate change has become a more widely shared concern, sustainability has become a focal and selling point for many fashion brands. We are witnessing a shift in the way we are behaving towards consumption. Contemporary consumers, especially younger ones, have a heightened awareness of the impact that their clothing shopping habits can have on both the environment and human rights.
Forever 21’s bankruptcy isn’t necessarily the end of fast fashion, but instead a pivot to a different mode. Fashion Nova opts to essentially replicate the Forever 21 formula: ultra-trendy clothes at ultra-low prices with questionable production practices, banking on consumers that value easy accessibility. Fashion Nova’s investment in its presence and merchandise has tapped social media influencers and celebrities to promote the brand to widespread success instead of expensive brick and mortar.
As long as fast fashion is being created by these companies and still being sold in the amount and scale that they’re being produced, there’s always going to be someone who buys it. Fast fashion is interesting to track and watch because inevitably, we’re trying to figure out the global supply chain of things and the ways in which technology and the tangible infrastructure from labor and the environment allow for this stuff to get made. To study fashion is to study the global economy.
Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day…but teach a man to fish and he will become your competition, pricing you out into inevitable bankruptcy and suicide


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Texas PUC Waits For Power Companies That Dare Raise Prices
by: Dave Fehling, July 31, 2012 6:07:00 am
Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Starting tomorrow, the state-regulated maximum price for wholesale electricity takes a big jump. The "peak price" as it's called can be hit on very hot days when demand for power surges. But as StateImpact reporter Dave Fehling found, there's controversy over whether those higher costs can be passed on to consumers.
“From what we can tell the PUC looks like they're going to allow these retail electricity providers to raise prices on otherwise fixed contracts and that's just not fair for consumers." —Tim Morstad with AARP
Read the full story at StateImpact Texas.


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A woman who won $14 million in the California Lottery this week claims that she hadn’t meant to purchase the ticket.
Thuan Le, a single mother of four, told lottery officials last week that she normally purchases $4 of Powerball tickets and $1 of SuperLotto Plus tickets on a regular basis. On May 1, however, Le accidentally put $6 into the self-serve lottery machine at her local CVS store. With the extra dollar she purchased an extra SuperLotto Plus ticket, which ended up being worth $14 million.
Le reportedly ran screaming from the store when she verified her ticket numbers had won. She immediately called her sons and traveled to the California Lotto’s local district office to claim her $14 million prize. Le has stated that she plans to use the money to buy a house, travel, and visit her parents, who live in Vietnam.
“We thought she was joking, but we thought would she really joke like this?” said one of Le’s sons. “My older brother said, ‘yes, she would’.”


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According to some reports, XOLO is planning to launch a new Quad-Core processor powered Android smartphone dubbed as XOLO Q1000s in the Indian market. Company is planning to take on the rival brands like Micromax in the mid-range smartphones segment. According to NDTV Gadgets the phone will be launched in India around July end and will be priced around Rs. 16,999. Its main competitor will be the Micromax Canvas 4 that comes with similar features but with a bit higher price tag of Rs. 18,000.
XOLO Q1000Rumored features of the XOLO Q1000s –
- It will be having 5inch full HD touch screen display
- It is expected to powered by a 1.5Ghz Quad Core processor along with 2GB of RAM
- The phone will be running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system
- It will be featuring 13MP rear and 5MP front facing cameras
- It will be having common connectivity features like WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G
- Its camera might be having BIS sensors for low light photos


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German salmon processor and smokehouse Gottlieb Friedrich has quite a heritage. Founded in 1908 at the Harbour of Hamburg, the company can look back on a long tradition of salmon smoking.
The company was owned by the Friedrichs family up to 2013, when it was bought by German businessman Horst-Otto Gerberding, says CEO Alexander von Reisswitz. “Gerberding is 100 percent owner, so we are still family owned. That gives us the chance to focus on long-term targets, instead of quarterly results.”
It’s a lucky development for the company, he believes. “We could also have been sold to a private equity fund. This is a tough business, with lots of pressure in the market. You need an owner that gives you the time to execute your business plan properly.”
Highest prices in retail
In 2003 Friedrichs built a new headquarter in a different part of Hamburg, and right now, Friedrichs has a processing factory in Waren, Eastern Germany , and in Doble, Poland. The company employs 400 people, 150 in both Poland and East Germany, and 100 at the head office and warehouse in Hamburg, from where the shipping takes place.
The factory in Waren is specialised in cold smoking, the one in Doble, hot smoking. “But both factories are flexible and the production interchangeable, so in case of high volumes both locations can be used,” says Von Reisswitz.”
At the moment, Poland and Waren are running at 100 percent, plus Saturdays, and hiring lots of extra workers. “Christmas is crucial for us. It’s the most important and most busy time of the year, at which we produce about20 to 25 percent of our total volume.”
Friedrichs is in an exceptional position in Germany, says Von Reisswitz. “We are the only German salmon brand that is growing at this time, both in volume and value. Our revenue for this year — our business year ends at the end of June — has increased by 73 million euro, a growth of 31 percent compared to last year.”
Volume growth for Friedrichs was 15.6 percent, compared to a German retail market decreasing overall by 8,4 percent in the first half of 2017. They’ve achieved an revenue growth of 8,6 percent on higher salmon prices.
This is quite a new development, says Von Reisswitz. “In the past we really had tough times. In 2015 we realised we needed to make changes, to be able to survive. So we changed our internal processes and IT.”
“We also did extensive market research, with a large group of frequent salmon buyers, asking them about key buying factors. We learned a lot from that. We knew a lot about fish, but we wanted to focus more on the consumers’ needs.”
It led to the relaunch of a new brand, a new packaging design and a different marketing strategy. “We learned that Friedrichs is seen as a premium brand, and that is how we position ourselves. We have the highest prices in retail, and are linked to high quality. That is also why we need our own factories. This wouldn’t be possible with production at third parties.”
German retail models
Friedrichs also changed the way it dealt with supermarkets. “We have a dedicated group of sales agents, and intensified the contact between sales agents and supermarkets. We also changed the contracts, to realize higher revenues.”
German supermarkets have two trade models, Von Reisswitz explains. “60 percent of German supermarkets are owned by big concerns, who decide about purchase and pricing. But 40 percent is owned by independent shop owners, who are entrepreneurs with their own staff. This is the case with for example Edeka and Rewe supermarkets. So it’s much more important to convince those owners, because they are decision makers . You need a story to convince them, and a strong sales team to visit them.”
Another important business tool for the company is buying purchase data from data research agency Nielsen. “Nielsen provides cash data from outlets. We can see exactly what our own sales developments are, and we see what the competition is doing. We are getting a nice feedback from that. As mentioned before, the overall market is losing volume, were as our company is growing in both volume and value. A clear sign that our new strategy is working.”
Do you have a lot of competition in Germany?
“Honestly, there is none. The only two premium brands in Germany are ours. Because we are our own niche, there are no competitors, really. The German market is divided in producers for the discounters and private label for supermarkets, like Laschinger and Krone, who produce on a large scale and therefore their products can be sold at prices like 200 grams for EUR4.29. For 100 grams of our salmon, you would have to pay around EUR4,99. We are not able to produce a price value product for Aldi or Lidl, because of our production process. And we don’t want to. The only two producers that are more or less in our niche are Wechsler and Abrahams, but they are a lot smaller then we are.”
Recently, Friedrichs started selling salmon via Amazon.com. No risks involved there? “Actually we are selling our products to them, they then sell them and take the risk. It’s like shipping products to for example Edeka. We ship it to their chilled warehouse. They work very seriously with this, taking care of the right temperature, so there is no higher food safety risk involved.”
“We choose our partners with food safety in mind,” he continues. “Only if we are sure, the partner can handle our products the right way, do we step in.”
The future looks bright, for Friedrichs. “We will continue to sell fish, with a clear plan: we remain focussed on premium, and MSC certification of wild catch. We will not enter the (low-) price segment, but want to grow in the German and also foreign premium markets.”
“We now ship our salmon to about 30 foreign markets, mainly in continental Europe, with Austria and Switzerland as the most important countries, but we see a lot of potential in the Far and Middle East.”


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Ace Attorney 5 coming July 25th
In Japan at least, according to a now removed piece of information from the Japanese official site. Here’s a screenshot showing how the page used to look with the date highlighted (from Silicon Era):
So that seems to be the game’s Japanese release date. Will the game coming out this year mean there’s a chance of Ace Attorney 5 getting a Western release sometime in late 2013/early 2014?
What do you think of Ace Attorney 5?


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The move means that CTC content will now be available across all smartphones including iPhones and Android phones.
Anna Maria Trenev, head of new media, CTC Media, said: “This makes the audience of CTC more mobile. We are not going to stop there, we will delight audiences with convenient channels on all digital platforms.”
ICYMI: UK SVOD viewing still strong despite lockdown lift digitaltveurope.com/2020/09/25/uk-… https://t.co/srsViARNY9
26 September 2020 @ 18:00:00 UTC
ICYMI: Amazon launches new Fire Sticks and redesigned Fire TV UX digitaltveurope.com/2020/09/25/ama… https://t.co/n0r3656Oqu
26 September 2020 @ 17:10:00 UTC
DTVE: the week in view – Six more months of COVID-19 restrictions – where does sports broadcasting go from here?… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
26 September 2020 @ 12:00:01 UTC


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China’s role as a major player ion the world stage continues to grow – but that role isn’t always understood by Westerners, who all too often operate from outdated myths about Chinese culture and politics. On a recent Flash Back Friday episode of the Creating Wealth Show, guest Shaun Rein talks with host Jason Hartman about the realities of the “New China” and what they mean for world finance and investment.
At the beginning of every Flash Back Friday episode, Jason reminds listeners that the material being presented isn’t current – it’s culled from the creating Wealth Show archives. But although Jason’s conversation with Rein isn’t exactly new, the topic is as relevant today as it was then.
China’s position on the world stage is solid. Chinese money dominates foreign investment in many areas around the world, including the US. China is a major buyer of the world’s gold supply and its currencies are among the top world currencies being traded on international exchanges. Wealthy Chinese continue to move their money into foreign accounts for security purposes – and the Chinese government’s recent New Silk Road initiative promises to expand China’s presence in Indonesia and build new ties with Europe for years to come.
Based in Shanghai, Shaun Rein is managing director of the China Market Research Group. He’s the author of “The End of Cheap China,” a book that he says, aims to bust some of the persistent myths about China that Westerners hold – myths that undermine efforts to take advantage of China’s new stature in global finance and investing.
China Isn’t Cheap Anymore
The stereotype of cheap Chinese products may persist in the US and other countries, where these goods really are sold more cheaply than domestically produced ones. But government structure notwithstanding, China is, according to Rein, am expensive country to do business in.
As Rain puts it, China is “capitalism on steroids.” Everyone wants to make money, and the government is working to create a true middle class there, capable of sustaining a more consumer-oriented economy.
That means prices are going up, and so is the cost of labor. The job market is changing, too, as manufacturing declines in favor of a more service-oriented economy. There are more Chinese who are truly wealthy than in previous generations – and they’re looking outside the country for places to stash money and start new ventures, too, so the entire economic landscape in the country is undergoing a major change.
Chinese Women Earn More in the New Economy
The subservient Chinese wife is an old stereotype in Western minds, but Rein observes that in the new China, women are often the breadwinners, with access to more jobs in service and clerical fields than ever before. They’re outstripping men, who all too often have only labor and manufacturing jobs to fall back on. And in a changing economy where manufacturing is taking a back seat to information and service jobs, wives in urban areas may be earning more than their husbands.
KFC is Healthy Food
One reality of Chinese life that isn’t a myth at all is widespread concern about the safety of the food supply. Massive recalls and reports of widespread illness due to toxic ingredients like melamine and arsenic in foods ranging form baby formula to exported items like pet food makes everyone in China worried about getting sick.
Draconian measures such as shutting down shoddy producers and even executing their executive officers may be turning things around, but Rein says that for many, foreign eateries like US based KFC (once better known as Kentucky Fried Chicken) are seen as the safer choice, thanks to their imported ingredients and higher standards.
Should the West Fear China?
China’s perceived military might is widely seen as a threat in the US, which blames China for a variety of economic ills, including the myth that China is “stealing American jobs.”
Rain points out that although China is a clear competitor in the worlds of finance, industry and investing, militarily the country isn’t actually a threat. China’s much publicized spending on its military is dedicated largely to upgrading – and as China’s financial reach expands it’s not seeking confrontation with countries that could jeopardize its new successes.
Still, Rein says, US mistrust of China and the relentless scapegoating of China for American economic troubles could have a backlash, and hostilities could escalate. But, he points out, many Chinese take a positive view of the US, and are actively seeking to educate their children in American schools and invest their money in US assets such as real estate.
Rain’s book, “The End of Cheap China,” is subtitled “What It Means for the Rest of the World.” AS the myth of the ‘cheap China’ fades, taking with it other cherished Western myths about that vast country, the reality of the New China remains – and Rein’s book also offers ways for investors to capitalize on the new opportunities offered by China’s growth.
To close outthe segment, Jason’s regular editorial segment tackles the need for better statistics for tracking the health of various markets and the benefits of self managing rental properties.
“All real estate is local,” Jason frequently says, and because that’s true, it’s important to have better ways to track trends in specific markets around the country –not just in terms of geography, but also n terms of price segments as a way to track changes within a given market as well as national trends.
Although self managing your investment properties sounds like a lot of work, Jason says it’s actually quite easy – and can save a lot in property management fees and other expenses.
If you have a good manager, keep them, he says – but if not, don’t be afraid to take on the management of your properties yourself. Citing a recent situation with a tenant that was resolved easily via email, he points out that in many cases a tenant can be a property manager – willing to take on duties like reporting and handling repairs.
And, as Jason says, rising rents along with a population that just isn’t; buying homes means virtually unprecedented opportunity for investors willing to serve that new population of renters. It’s a win for both sides. (Featurd image:Flickr/epSos.de)
More from Jason Hartman:
The Jason Hartman Team


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Your Commissary wants to make your holiday shopping easier and relieve the pressure of the holiday rush. That’s why we’ve announced that our stores will operate under a holiday schedule, starting Dec. 24!
This means that many of the commissaries normally closed on Mondays will be open on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, and again on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, expanding available shopping hours for customers preparing their holiday feasts or looking for that last-minute stocking stuffer.
(Please note that all commissaries will be closed on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, and New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, in observance of these federal holidays.)
“We hope that our schedule helps customers maximize their commissary benefit and save money over the holidays!”
-Tracie Russ, DeCA’s Director of Sales
As always, we encourage you to check the “Store Information & Holiday Hours” box on your store’s web page for its specific operating schedule.
You may also want to let the other authorized commissary customers in your life know about our holiday schedule, in case they’re in need of any last-minute reinforcements for their holiday festivities!
And as the end of another year draws near, we want to take a second to say once again how honored we are to be a part of the military community and serve the best customers in the world: the men and women of the United States military and their eligible family members.
We appreciate your service to our nation and hope that your commissary benefit and this holiday schedule will help make your holiday season a little less hectic, so you can focus on gathering with your loved ones and creating memories for years to come.
Will you be making use of this expanded holiday schedule? Let us know in the comments below!


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With five new machines on display at Sign & Digital 2016, its little wonder that the Roland DG UK stand stole the show.
Thanks to a combination of exciting new technology, innovative application ideas and informative seminars, a record number of delegates took the time to visit the central stand.
With Roland DG’s five new machines being the focus of the stand this year, visitors had the chance to experience the next generation of print technology in person, covering a wide variety of markets. With the SOLJET EJ-640 and TrueVis VG Series offering the future of print and print & cut, the VersaUV LEF-300 and VersaUV LEJ-640FT covering the UV market for both promotional and wide format, and the Texart XT-640 offering high quality dye-sublimation transfer printing to the textile market, there was something for everyone.
Alongside Roland DG’s expertise across the print industry, attendees were drawn in by this year’s Scratch & Win prize draw, offering visitors the chance to win a wide variety exiting items; from caps and mugs through to the latest ECO-SOL MAX 3 inks and even the chance to win one of Roland DG’s latest machines; the SOLJET EJ-640 printer or TrueVIS VG-640 printer/cutter. The Grand Prize winner will be drawn by the show organisers and announced within one month of the show.
Darren Penny, Head of Sales at Roland DG (UK) Ltd, says: “Sign & Digital UK 2016 has been our most successful show to date, with a fantastic buzz around the stand for the whole three days – no doubt thanks to the exciting array of new technology on display. The response to our Scratch & Win competition was also overwhelming, with an unprecedented amount of entries.”
As well as a focus on new technology, Roland DG’s stand was also populated with several Roland Users; partners of Roland DG offering a unique perspective into what the company can offer customers, from the quality of the machines through to the excellence of the RolandCare services provided with RolandCare warranties. Included in the group were Pete Colman of Classic Print, Joe McNamara from the Renault Sport F1 team and James Cameron of Mission Motorsport, each offering a diverse opinion on why visitors should choose Roland DG.
Alongside one-to-one demonstrations and advice on the stand, Rob Goleniowski, Sales Support Manager, held popular open demonstrations on the TrueVIS VG-640 once a day throughout the show, giving attendees an overview of the machine’s capabilities and exceptional print quality. Mike Kryvoblocki, RolandCare Supervisor and Technical Trainer, also ran well-received daily seminars providing existing machine owners with tips and tricks on how to maintain their eco-solvent wide format machines for longevity and maximum quality print.
Darren Penny continues: “It’s just as important to Roland DG to support our current users as it is to introduce new professionals to our products and services – and with the latest and greatest kit on display plus our RolandCare and Roland DG Academy staff on hand to explain the post-purchase support we provide, we have shown visitors the additional benefits of purchasing a Roland DG product.”


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WKOW: "UW grads make their mark on sandal season"
Two UW grads are putting their degrees to good use.
"When we tell people we sell sandals, and we're from the Midwest, it's a little bit contradictory," says Matt McManus, owner and founder of Bokos Footwear Company. He and his brother, James, launched their staple rubber sandal two years ago this week.
"My brother had actually been traveling overseas in Beijing, and he found a sandal similar to what Bokos is now," says Matt. The two showed their friends, and the shoes were a hit, so Matt put his business background and his brother's Chinese knowledge to work. They teamed up with a manufacturer and launched Bokos in the United States.
"The great thing about the product is it works for so many different people, whether they wear it after working out, before a run, in the locker room showers, in the garden or just kind of casually around the house," says Matt.
The company has sizes for men and women in six color varieties. So far, they've put in orders for over 23,000 pairs to their manufacturer.
"It's been pretty much everything we could've hoped for since the launch," says Matt.
In the future, they hope to expand the sandals to include kid sizes. Plus, Matt says they would like to make more shoe styles.
To see the story online: Bokos on WKOW


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In addition to raising funds for charity, The Slow Fashion Show aims to encourage purchases and donations to local charity shops, where materials for the show come almost exclusively
Local artist and designer Leon Patras will host a fashion show to benefit the Cudeca and ARCH charities at the Artsenal Inoxis art gallery in Alhaurín el Grande on Saturday May 7. In addition to raising money for charity, The Slow Fashion Show aims to encourage shopping and donations to local charity stores, where catwalk materials are sourced almost exclusively.
The initiative will encourage innovative ways to explore slow fashion over fast fashion.
The term slow fashion encompasses an awareness and approach to fashion that takes into account the processes and resources needed to make clothes. Unlike fast fashion, it advocates buying better quality clothes that will last longer.
The organizers are appealing to budding or confirmed creators to participate in the show, which will have four categories: Charity Chic, Upcycled, Vintage slow and Steampunk. Registrations must be made by email ([email protected]) before Monday, April 25.
Leon Patras found success with his Steampunk Anti Fashion Show in Alhaurín el Grande before the lockdown. He says he’s pulled out all the stops to make the long-awaited sequel even more spectacular, while emphasizing the importance of consumers being more aware of the clothing decisions they make.
“Slow fashion is well-made clothing that lasts for years or decades. Fast fashion is the cheap stuff you throw away after a season because of its inferior quality. The social and environmental costs of fast fashion are hot topics, but fortunately they are areas where consumers can take direct action,” the designer said.
The event, which begins at 8 p.m., will feature a dance performance by DK POP, live music and DJs. Tickets, available from Artsenal Inoxis and Papeleria Cristina in Alhaurin el Grande, cost ten euros and all proceeds will be donated to charity.


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Mercedes-Benz will increase its bet on China, says CEO
People enter the venue of the 2023 International Motor Show, officially known as the IAA MOBILITY 2023, in Munich, Germany, Sept. 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)
Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kaellenius made it clear that Mercedes-Benz is pro-engagement, pro-open markets, and pro-free and fair competition, level playing field competition around the world. "If we go into more protectionism and don't open up markets or even try to decouple markets from each other, then we will bake a smaller cake."
MUNICH, Germany, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Mercedes-Benz sees a growth opportunity in China and would like to capture it as more potential buyers are coming to the luxury premium car segment, Ola Kaellenius, chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, has said.
The German premium carmaker believes that the auto market in China, already the largest in the world, will continue to expand in the long term, Kaellenius told Chinese reporters here in an interview during the ongoing IAA MOBILITY 2023, the country's largest automobile show.
The company is not going to wallow in the success it has achieved in the Chinese market, according to Kaellenius.
A concept car of Mercedes-Benz is displayed at the 20th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in Shanghai, east China, April 18, 2023. (Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
Reflecting on his visit to the Shanghai Auto Show, Kaellenius said he was impressed by the "China speed." "People are not waiting for things to happen. It's like 'get the future here now.'" Motivated by that attitude, Kaellenius said he decided that Mercedes-Benz needs to "have that mentality everywhere."
Guided by the "home away from home" strategy, the company aims to increase its bet, up the ante and adopt "China speed."
At the IAA, Mercedes-Benz presented its new Concept CLA Class as one of the highlights. The vehicle boasts a range of 750 km and an efficiency of 12 kWh/100 km, which, according to Kaellenius, is "a phenomenal value for a vehicle in that class."
On top of the range and efficiency, the model can acquire a range of 400 km with a 15-minute charge. "So technologically, this is a giant leap forward," said Kaellenius.
The latest technological developments, which were demonstrated through the display models, Kaellenius said, can all be applied to the market in China, which is becoming more intertwined with the international market for Mercedes-Benz.
Staff members work at a factory of Beijing Benz Automotive. Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 21, 2020. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)
On the other hand, innovations made by its R&D staff and partners in China will also be used on its products on international markets, as innovation dynamism within the Chinese automotive cluster has become "one of the driving forces in the automotive sector," according to Kaellenius.
Kaellenius said Mercedes-Benz is seeking cooperation with Chinese partners in the areas of emerging technologies, high-level intelligent driver assistance, and in-vehicle infotainment.
He made it clear that Mercedes-Benz is pro-engagement, pro-open markets, and pro-free and fair competition, level playing field competition around the world. "If we go into more protectionism and don't open up markets or even try to decouple markets from each other, then we will bake a smaller cake."
Although Mercedes-Benz has witnessed robust growth of electric vehicle sales over the past months, Kaellenius stressed that the company has to maintain a level of "tactical flexibility" and continue to keep its current products "fresh" as there is still a way to go before people get to the destination of "a zero emission future."


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Already there is a lot of buzz over shift to electric vehicles in the country. In order to encourage the faster adoption of electric vehicles, the Odisha government came up with the Electric Vehicle Policy 2021 on September 2 this year.
The State government has allowed 100 per cent exemption of motor vehicles (MV) taxes and also registration fees in respect of all types of battery operated vehicles (electric vehicles) up to 31, 12, 2025.
As a lot of people are still apprehensive, the State Transport Authority (STA) has shared important information about the Odisha Electric Vehicle Policy 2021 and its key features.
-100 per cent exemption of motor vehicle tax and registration fees for electric vehicles (EVs) purchased within Odisha up to 31-12-2025
-Transport or non-transport electric vehicle registered in Odisha are exempted of MV tax and registration fee.
-Two-wheeler (2W) EVs: Subsidy is available at 15 per cent of cost of vehicle, subject to a cap of Rs 5,000.
-Three-Wheeler (3W): Subsidy is available at 15 per cent of cost of vehicle, subject to a cap of Rs 10,000.
-Four Wheeler (4W): Subsidy is available at 15 per cent of cost of vehicle, subject to a cap of Rs 50,000.
Electric Buses (e-buses): Subsidy is available at 10 per cent of cost of vehicle, subject to a cap of Rs 2,00,000 for non-AC, Rs 3,00,000 for AC and Rs 4,00,000 for AC deluxe buses.
Goods Carrier:Individual and fleet owners shall be given purchase incentive of Rs 30,000 to first 5000 electric goods carrier to be registered in Odisha.


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Bumble will be opening its first-ever café and wine bar in New York City this summer.
A partnership between the dating app and restaurant Pasquale Jones of Delicious Hospitality Group, Bumble Brew Café and Wine Bar will open in Manhattan’s Nolita neighborhood on July 24. According to a statement by Bumble, it’ll be a space for “the community to gather, for genuine connections to be built, and for guests to interact.”
“At Bumble, we’re fueled by bringing people together to build genuine connections -- both on and off the app,” said Julia Smith, head of brand partnerships at Bumble. “We hope that people can gather at Bumble Brew and connect over an espresso or delicious meal, whether it’s with friends, a potential partner, or a new business connection.”
Designed by FLOAT Studio, the 3,760-square-foot restaurant will have an 80-seat dining room, a cocktail bar, and patio and private dining. The Italian-inspired menu was created by chef Ryan Hardy, and will feature vegetables, handmade pasta and shareable plates.
“We’re thrilled to join forces with Bumble and open a new space in our community, especially after this challenging year,” said Hardy. “We’ve always designed our restaurants so that people can connect over delicious food and drinks in a fun and energetic environment, so our mission aligned perfectly with Bumble.”
In line with how Bumble lets women make the first move with messaging on the app, the music will be mostly comprised of women artists.
The idea to open up a permanent location was inspired by the success of the Bumble Hive pop-ups, which act as a physical embodiment of the app where visitors can meet new people while enjoying food and entertainment.
“We’ve seen a resounding response to the Bumble Hive pop-ups we’ve hosted around the world and noticed a clear appetite for a permanent space where people could connect," Smith said.
Bumble Brew will initially be open for breakfast Wednesday through Sunday, from 8 a.m. to noon. It’ll expand its hours to include lunch service on July 31 and dinner on Aug. 7.


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UPDATE 10/11/16: The full version of the John Lewis Christmas advert is finally here. The campaign - which reportedly cost £7 million to produce - is entitled #BustertheBoxer, who stars alongside a group of particularly playful animals (including foxes, badgers and squirrels), and a girl named Bridget, who gets a trampoline for Christmas.
This year's advert was created in partnership with the Wildlife Trust, which will receive 10% from sales of toy versions of the animals - which are already available to buy in store and online.
"Each year we work with a charity which fits our ad, and we hope this year's campaign will encourage more children to discover a love of British wildlife and encourage support of the Wildlife Trusts," Craig Inglis, customer director at John Lewis, said in a statement.
The short film, which is set to a cover of Randy Crawford classic One Day I'll Fly Away, is notably more light-hearted in tone than last year's efforts, #ManontheMoon, (watch further below), which many believed was too sad.
Watch in full below:
ORIGINAL STORY 08/11/16: John Lewis has shared three preview clips of its upcoming Christmas advert, which is entitled 'Bounce'.
The first shows a boxer dog watching a little girl bouncing around on a space hopper while the second sees her jumping up and down on a sofa with the hashtag #BounceBounce. The third continues the trend with the same little girl jumping up and down on her bed. The previews were released on a new Twitter account called Bouncing2016. The song playing is reportedly a cover of 'One Day I'll Fly Away' by London electronica trio Vaults.
Although the three clips do not give too much away, it's safe to say the excitement has definitely set in. While we wait for the full advert, take a look at a few more of the brand's powerful Christmas campaigns.


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April 1 beef jerky promotion aids Safari Club International Foundation’s Sportsmen Against Hunger program.
Marfood USA Inc. has donated more than $50,000 in Pemmican Beef Jerky to Safari Club International Foundation’s Sportsmen Against Hunger Program.
On April 1, Pemmican Beef Jerky gave away one free bag of beef jerky every 20.11 seconds to kick off its new Pemmican Trail Campaign. For every free bag won by consumers during the April 1 giveaway, Marfood USA donated two bags of Pemmican Beef Jerky to Safari Club International Foundation’s Sportsmen Against Hunger program.
Marfood USA Marketing Manager Nakia Watkins said she is proud her company is able to deliver on a promi
se that will help those in need. “The Pemmican Trail is all about each individual’s efforts to Make Things Better,” Watkins said. “We like the fact that we’ve turned April Fool’s Day into a day to show we mean business about making things better and helping those in need.”
Joseph Hosmer, president of Safari Club International Foundation, noted that his organization is grateful Marfood USA sought out its Sportsmen Against Hunger Program to be the recipient of this plentiful contribution. “We truly appreciate this thoughtful and generous donation of beef jerky,” Hosmer said. “Protein is very difficult and expensive to find during tough economic times so this donation will go a long way to provide sustenance for many families.”
Since Safari Club International Foundation started the Sportsmen Against Hunger program in 1989, tens of million
s of meals have been served at local soup kitchens, food banks, or other charitable organizations. This and similar Safari Club International Foundation programs are active in all 50 states of the U.S., in parts of Canada, and in several other countries around the world. For more information about Safari Club International Foundation and Sportsmen Against Hunger, visit www.safariclubfoundation.org.
Pemmican Brand is owned by Marfood USA, a subsidiary of Marfrig Group, which is one of the largest suppliers of protein in the world with over 150 production facilities globally, nearly 88,000 employees and annual sales exceeding 16.5 Billion.
“The Marfood USA Mission is to represent the values of the company and grow Marfrig Group presence in North America,” Watkins said. “We will deliver quality products for shoppers, and smart initiatives to pull that quality off the shelf. We are Marfood USA. We Mean Business.”


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Small retailers plan tech splurge
The UK’s small retailers plan to invest in new technology in the year ahead as part of strategies to drive business growth and improve customer experience, according to research from American Express
Asked about how they planned to safeguard their business this year, the survey of independent retail and hospitality business owners found that spending on new technology topped the list (30%).
The survey also highlighted that just over a third (34%) will be sharpening their focus on customer experience in 2024, with the goal of building loyalty and further boosting sales. Technology spend could play an important role in achieving this, with over two-fifths (43%) of retailers indicating that they had bolstered their business tech ahead of the festive peak period in order to create a better experience for customers.
Dan Edelman, GM, UK merchant services at American Express, said: “Investing in new technology unlocks operational efficiencies, frees up valuable resource and ultimately improves the customer experience.”


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AEG Seeks Extension On L.A. Stadium Project FCC Ends Its Sports Blackout Rule Arbitrator To Rule In Ray Rice Appeal "MNF" Sees Slight Overnight Ratings Dip Twins To Replace Manager, Retain GM Red Sox To Raise Ticket Prices For Big Games SportsNet LA Impasse Could Be Turning Point Orioles See Big Spike In Merchandise Sales Marlins Likely To Increase Payroll In '15 Angels End Lease Talks With Anaheim
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WITHOUT A NET: FOTOBALL REPORTS LOSS FOR SECOND QUARTER
Published August 10, 1995
Fotoball USA Inc., the manufacturer of sport ball products with imprinted images of athletes and logos, reported a net loss of $134,653 or $.05 cents a share for the second quarter ended June 30, down from a net income of $650,343 from the year before. Sales over the three month period were down over $3M. The company said lack of a settlement in MLB's labor dispute and the "diminished fan support" has decreased demand for the company's product. Fotoball USA President Michael Favish said the company is "aggressively pursuing potential NFL and NCAA football promotions" to increase sales (Fotoball).


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By QUENTIN LORITTE
Loudonville High School Exchange Student From France
Fashion can be a common point between cultures or a big difference. Because it's a universal thing, everybody is concerned by it, whether you want it or not. It depends on the society you live in, which is why there are differences between the fashion in the USA and overseas.
The fashion is determined by the culture where you live. The American system has students practicing sports almost every day after school, so it's a big part of their life. For this reason they will wear more sports clothing like jogging pants or running shoes.
"I think they wear more school T-shirts," said Tale Friedriksen, a LHS exchange student from Norway. "When we are in Europe, we never wear it."
"They have school spirit, which is why they wear the school's clothes," said Vivian Schuett, a LHS exchange student from Germany. "They are proud of it."
Basically, it's a cultural thing, and kind of useful.
"They don't have to change their clothes to do their sport after school," added Friedriksen.
Whereas, in France students can play a sport outside of the school with clubs, so the sport spirit is less present than in an American high school. A typical European person would rather try to wear the brand new fashion.
"The last exchange student from France, Jeremy, liked scarves, skinny jeans, V-necks -- kind of a girly fashion," said LHS student Joey McClain.
There is a difference between French and American fashion, with both good points and bad points. But everything is based on the culture you live in.
n This article originally appeared in The Redbird, Loudonville High School's newspaper. It has been edited for The Teen Times.


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Airbnb Inc. says it’s back in business in Japan, a year after stricter short-term lodging regulations forced it to freeze a major portion of its listings in the country.
There are 50,000 listings available in the country, with another 23,000 rooms in hotels and traditional inns known as ryokan, Airbnb said in a statement on Thursday. That compares with 60,000 total in June 2018, when the new short-term lodging rules went into effect.
While Airbnb is no stranger to clashes with regulators, it had tried a more cooperative approach in Japan. Still, the government set a deadline for hosts to register and then in June 2018 forced those that were unregistered to cancel reservations two weeks ahead of that date. Listings plunged by almost 80 percent to just 13,800, the Nikkei newspaper reported at the time.
Legalization has opened doors for some of Japan’s largest corporations to enter the short-term lodging market. Local collaborators already include SoftBank Group Corp., convenience store operator FamilyMart UNY Holdings Co., electronics retailer Bic Camera Inc. and airline company ANA Holdings Inc.
Airbnb said Thursday that partners in the market had grown to more than 117 companies, including property developer Panasonic Homes Co. and real estate brokerage HouseDo Co. While the exact details of the agreements are yet to be decided, the companies may help supply a pipeline of properties for lease or purchase that are home-sharing friendly, said Yasuyuki Tanabe, Airbnb’s country manager for Japan.
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