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Four specialty retailers posted fourth-quarter results on Thursday, with Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. the big loser as its quarterly profit dropped 42.3 percent.
The skate-and-surf-inspired chain said earnings for the period ended Feb. 2 fell to $5.2 million, or 7 cents a share, from $9.1 million, or 13 cents. Sales fell 7.8 percent to $420.1 million from $455.8 million, while total same-store sales decreased 2.2 percent. By division, comps at PacSun increased 2.1 percent, and declined 31 percent at the d.e.m.o. chain.
For the year, the chain lost $30.4 million, or 44 cents a share, as sales inched up 0.8 percent to $1.45 billion.
PacSun expects full-year earnings from continuing operations in the range of 73 to 77 cents a share, but expects to report a loss of 6 to 8 cents a share during the first quarter. The company previously said it was discontinuing its d.e.m.o. business.
Eddie Bauer swung to a fourth-quarter loss for the three months ended Dec. 29.
The retailer lost $18.2 million, or 59 cents a share, against a profit of $63.2 million, or $2.11, a year ago. Sales rose 2.7 percent to $392.4 million from $381.9 million, while total same-store sales grew 4.8 percent.
For the year, the loss narrowed to $101.7 million, or $3.33 a share, while sales grew 3 percent to $1.04 billion.
On the positive side, Aéropostale Inc. said for the three months ended Feb. 2, income rose to $64.7 million, or 95 cents a share, from $57.3 million, or 72 cents, in the same year-ago period. Sales grew 16.7 percent to $591.3 million from $506.8 million, while total same-store sales increased 9.2 percent.
For the year, income rose 21.1 percent to $129.2 million, or $1.73 a share, on a sales gain of 12.6 percent to $1.59 billion.
The company expects first-quarter earnings in the range of 20 to 22 cents a share, and for the year predicts earnings of $1.70 a share.
Despite slowness in sales in the second half of the year, action-apparel retailer Zumiez Inc. reported a 10.3 percent increase in fourth-quarter earnings.
For the three months ended Feb. 2, earnings reached $12.4 million, or 42 cents a share, from $11.3 million, or 39 cents, last year. Sales for the quarter rose 12.7 percent to $126.6 million from $112.4 million. Total same-store sales grew 4 percent.For the year, earnings rose 21.4 percent to $25.3 million, or 86 cents a share, on a sales gain of 27.9 percent to $381.4 million.
The company forecasts full-year guidance in the range of 90 to 93 cents a share.
My character, Dinah Madani, is just the coolest, [most] badass woman imaginable," says @amberroserevah. The actress stars in @marvel's newest series on @netflix, @thepunisher. To prepare for her role, Revah sat down with Homeland agents to get a real sense of with Dinah's day-to-day life is really like. Read our full interview on WWD.com. #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
A scene from the 91st annual @macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade, which boasts 50 million TV viewers and 3.5 million on-site spectators, is considered one of the largest and most watched parades in the world. (📷: Jason Szenes/EPA-REX)
The circus came to @bloomingdales 59th Street on Tuesday night and lit up Lexington Avenue with acrobatic dancers, death-defying knife throwing, sword swallowing and aerial acts with no net. The 45 minutes of theatrics built up to unveiling the holiday windows depicting @swarovski crystal-encrusted circus pieces and scenes from “The Greatest Showman” – songs from the soundtrack included. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: Joshua Scott)
The psychedelic fashion that pervaded the ’60s is back with an exhibit at the @museumofcityny. “Mode New York: Fashion Takes a Trip” chronicles the changing styles from 1960 through 1973 and features designers such as @ysl, @oscardelarenta and more. The exhibition, which is on display through April 1, is organized into four periods: First Lady Fasion, Youthquake, New Bohemia and New Nonchalance. Pictured here is model Pat Bardonella during the Garvey Day Parade in 1968. (📷: @kwamebphoto) #wwdeye #wwdfashion
“People should be a lot more honest in expressing both the dark and light of themselves. We need to give each other the space to do that because it’s the only way we can grow and evolve,” says @noelwells of her new film “Mr. Roosevelt,” which is largely based on her own struggles. Unexpectedly leaving @nbcsnl in 2014 after just one season, Wells felt set back in her self-esteem and career trajectory. She quickly refocused her energy to more personal projects, which led to the completion of “Mr. Roosevelt.” Read the rest of WWD’s interview with the “Master of None” actress on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
@barbrastreisand is giving fans a chance to see her perform up close in a new concert series, which makes its debut on @Netflix today. From behind-the-scenes takes to her concert performance in Miami last December, the two-hour streaming special captures Streisand in her element. Pictured here is the singer/actress photographed for WWD in 1963. (📷: Palmieri Tony) #wwdeye #wwdarchive
@chanel and @pharrell dropped what’s being dubbed as the world’s most exclusive sneakers yesterday. The Adidas Originals NMD Hu, which Williams designed in collaboration with Chanel and @adidasoriginals, has a waiting list of over 120K people who pre-registered online at chanelatcolette.fr –– and only 500 pairs are on sale. The singer predicted the resale value of the shoes could reach $40K. Read the full interview on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdfashion (📷: Dominique Maître)
@imanshumpert is diving deeper into his creative endeavors and relaunching his clothing line, Post 90s, and is helping to raise money for the hurricane victims in St. Maarten with a jersey he’s designed with his brother. The Cleveland Cavaliers player talked to WWD about kneeling during the national anthem, working with fashion brands and how he wants to be more than an @nba player. Read the interview on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: George Chinese)


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The latest trailer for GTA Online has a lot of players excited, all about gambling. OK, it’s not the disgusting digital gambling of EA and their ilk, otherwise known as “surprise mechanics”, but it is casinos of the player-owned variety in Grand Theft Auto 5. These player-run dens of ill repute have been teased for a while now, are finally being added in what’s billed as the Diamond Casino update.
Buying businesses and property has been a long-standing part of the GTA franchise, and it got a lot more profitable with the launch of Grand Theft Auto 5. The latest game in the franchise has been around since 2013, and has had surprisingly long legs to stand on since then. Constant infusion of new content into the online mode has added a lot of meat for players to sink their teeth into. From races and heists, to tons of different competitive game modes of the community-created variety, there’s always something to do in Los Santos.
And with this latest patch, players can go from owning night clubs to playing out their Robert De Niro fantasies in player-run casinos.
The Diamond Casino and Resort update hits Grand Theft Auto Online on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on Tuesday, July 23. Check out the trailer for the new content down below.
The process of buying and running the Diamond Casino and Resort has been a longtime coming. Players have noticed the massive complex in the game world for years, but it has laid dormant that whole time. Players can use in-game money earned through missions to buy Chips, playing them against the House in casino games like Three Card Poker, Blackjack and Roulette. Slot Machines. Those who actually put the dosh down to buy the place earn a timed regular stipend on their investment.
And to go along with the casino itself, there’s also a major new penthouse for the wealthiest players to flaunt. This place has everything, and it can be upgraded to include a wide array of new activities. Playing private arcade games, watching films through an in-game theater, there’s even a private Spa with a round-the-clock personal stylist. And of course, there’s a bar, bedrooms, party areas and so much more.

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|Tariffs are meant to protect American businesses, but tariffs can force businesses and consumers to pay more for imported products. Industries affected by tariffs can respond by absorbing the extra cost, increasing prices or even moving production to other countries.|
It started with a 25% tariff on imported steel and 10% on aluminum from China. As a result, U.S. industry leaders say consumers could face higher costs for cars and trucks, beer and soft drinks, canned goods and more.
“Make no mistake, this is a tax on American families,” said Matthew Shay, the President and CEO of the National Retail Federation.
But how big will the impact really be?
It depends on how far it escalates. So far, the Trump administration has focused on raw materials and components. Beer makers said their cans will cost more to make. Car companies said their expenses for manufacturing vehicles will increase. But even these costs will not be felt until next year when raw material inventories begin to be replenished.
In fact, some food product prices such as soybeans will likely decrease for American consumers. Sales of soybeans have slowed since China retaliated with taxes on soybeans, pork and electric cars. Excess supply will lower food prices in some categories. U.S. fruit and nut farmers could also suffer, but President Trump has proposed $12 billion in aid to help American farmers.
Full scale trade war?
Much depends on what happens next. President Trump has threatened to increase the scope of tariffs to $450 billion if China indeed retaliates against his 25% tariff.
Currently only about 1% of targeted tariff items are consumer products thanks in part to lobbying by companies such as Best Buy. But if the trade war with China grows, it could impact categories both consumers and retailers will notice. Mobile phones, TV’s and computers represent some of the largest categories of consumer products imported from China. More than 41 percent of clothes and 72 percent of shoes sold domestically are also made in China.
Plus, the trade war could intensify with other trading partners such as Mexico, Canada and the EU. Mexico and Canada account for almost half of U.S. steel imports.
“The retail industry is extremely concerned by the administration’s apparent desire to ignite a trade war, where the net losers will be the very people the president wants to help,” according to the National Retail Federation’s Shay.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has also spoken out against the tariffs, saying the escalating global trade war will hurt American consumers in the long run.


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LONDON, UK – Monetate, the leading provider of testing, targeting and personalisation technology, has announced it has been working with Dreams, the UK bed retailer and manufacturer, to increase online revenue, cut external agency costs and streamline implementation of site changes. Monetate’s testing and targeting technology has reduced mobile bounce rates for Dreams by over 10 per cent. The bed retailer will now use the data gained from this initial testing and targeting stage to take the first steps along the path to personalisation.
Founded in 1985, Dreams is a UK retailer and manufacturer that specialises in beds, mattresses and bedroom furniture. The company has over 170 stores across the UK. Over the last five years Dreams has focused on overhauling its order and delivery processes. Last year the company acquired its own fleet of home delivery vehicles, refurbished over 60 stores across the country and brought Mike Logue on board as new CEO in a bid to enable the company to continue leading in an increasingly competitive market
Dreams has set up an initiative to tap into the ever expanding online market in the UK as a first step to growing its customer base. As part of this mission, Dreams contacted Monetate to discover how the power of testing, targeting and personalisation would allow it to truly engage with the UK’s online audience. So far the partnership has led to the company’s most successful trading day in August 2014 with revenues up 198 per cent and a tailored mobile site that has captured sales that might have otherwise gone to competitors.
Richard Voyce, Head of eCommerce at Dreams said: “We have a goal is to be Britain’s biggest, best and most recommended bed retailer. For us our success rests on putting the customer first and doing the right thing. Since adopting Monetate’s technology we have managed to cut external agency costs dramatically, increase our conversions and reduce mobile visitor bounce rate by 10.8 per cent. Monetate allows us to do things we couldn’t before with ease and agility.” – Richard Voyce, Head of eCommerce at Dreams
One of the successful campaigns run by Dreams using Monetate’s technology saw the implementation of a ‘FREE DELIVERY’ banner on the top of a user’s shopping basket. This tweak alone increased the revenue per session by 8.9 per cent as shoppers realised they didn’t have to take additional shipping charges into account. Over all, this banner has generated an additional £31,300 ($49K) of Incremental Revenue.
Mike Harris, VP of EMEA at Monetate said: “It’s great to see how we have been helping Dreams to truly tap into digital audiences with our testing and targeting technology. The August bank holiday in 2014 was a testament to this when Dreams experienced their most successful online trading day of the year. Our specialist development teams here at Monetate designed, and helped Dreams deploy, a countdown timer for the Bank Holiday sale that instilled urgency in customers and increased conversions. It’s incredible the value that testing, targeting and personalisation technology is adding to traditional retailers.”
Dreams found that online customers came from a mix of 50 per cent desktop, 25 per cent mobile and 25 per cent tablet users. The company saw how, as the use of mobile devices and tablets continued to grow, desktop users were dropping rapidly. Using Monetate’s technology Dreams deployed a lightbox menu that appeared to users as they first visited the site. This lightbox allowed customers to navigate to key areas of the website including the store locator and sales sections. Implementing this lightbox lowered the bounce rate of mobile users by 10 per cent.
The next step for Dreams is to launch a responsive site using the customer insight and intelligence gathered from Monetate’s testing and targeting platform. This will enable the company to integrate testing and targeting into its next site and also allow them to look into personalisation in more depth.
Richard Voyce, Head of eCommerce at Dreams added “The bed industry is quite far behind when it comes to technology so it’s great that Dreams has a head-start. Working with Monetate has allowed us to create an industry leading digital offering and continually strive for improvements. The next step of the Dreams journey is to look into personalisation in more detail and use it to provide our customers with a better, more customised shopping experience.”


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International Stem Cell Corporation(ISCO.OB), www.internationalstemcell.com, announced today the commercial launch of its innovative line of topical skin care products by the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Lifeline Skin Care ™ (www.lifelineskincare.com). Containing extracts from human “parthenogenetic” stem cells (hpSC), the products were formulated by a team of ISCO’s research scientists in collaboration with cosmetic formulation experts to create an advanced scientific approach to skincare. The patent pending serums, which come in separate formulations for day and night time use, have been safety tested by highly regarded, independent laboratories, and have been shown to promote anti-aging of the skin.
The initial launch of the serums is to a pre-existing list of interested parties. We expect that the products will be available to the general public via our online store www.lifelineskincare.com in the near future. A key innovation in creating the Lifeline Skin Care™ serums was the encapsulation of the parthenogenetic stem cell extracts into nanospheres, which not only protect the proteins, but substantially enhance the effectiveness of the serums.
World renowned skin cream formulation experts assisted ISCO’s scientists to create the finished products and ensure that the final serums deliver the most up-to-date advances in skin rejuvenation technology that also helps to prevent and repair damage caused by the environment. According to Gregory S. Keller, MD, FACS (2007 Specialist of the Year in Facial Cosmetic Surgery in Strathmore’s “Who’s Who”): “These new day and night serums represent a huge step forward in anti-aging skin care products. Combining liposome-encapsulated proteins derived from ISCO’s powerful new class human stem cells with a unique blend of anti-oxidants, vitamins and natural extracts, allowed Lifeline Skin Care to create highly effective stem cell based serums that provide strong anti-aging benefits.”
The new skin rejuvenation serums are based on the breakthrough discovery that certain from ISCO’s proprietary pluripotent human parthenogenetic stem cells are beneficial to the culture of human skin cells in the laboratory. ISCO, the world leader in human parthenogenetic stem cell technology, is studying this new class of stem cells, and has demonstrated their therapeutic potential in many fields of regenerative medicine. Human parthenogenetic stem cells are created from unfertilized human eggs and do not involve any harm to a viable human embryo, thus avoiding serious ethical questions that surround other areas of stem cell research. hpSC possess unique immune-matching attributes making them an excellent platform for the development of cellular therapies for large populations of individuals. As of today, ISCO has successfully derived ten hpSC lines. One of these lines carries the most common immune type found within the US population and can be immune-matched to an estimated 75 million people worldwide.“
The commercial launch of the new skin care products represents an important step in the execution of ISCO’s strategy. The revenue generated from sales will help support the development of our therapeutic programs utilizing our unique and powerful class of human pluripotent stem cells” said Dr. Ruslan Semechkin, CEO of Lifeline Skin Care.
Source: Lifeline Skin Care Press Release; November 16, 2010
The originator of a press release or news release is responsible for it's content, not the UnderstandingNano Web site or Hawk's Perch Technical Writing, LLC


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It appears that Nokia is actually doing better than some of the big players of the smartphone market, by simply being a no show in this area. Samsung lost 7% of its whole market share over the past year or so, while HTC continues to drop money and share and only Apple and Motorola seemed to move up a bit.
Nokia Devices & Services went to Microsoft late last year and at that time shares dropped really bad for Nokia, but now they’re back up and blooming. The company actually did well in the second quarter, surpassing the analyst expectations and it’s all thanks to the Networks segment. Still, the company is far from the old Nokia, that in 2007 had huge share values and in 2011 was still the biggest smartphone maker.
Analysts seem to appreciate the decision to sell Devices to Microsoft, since the company won’t be dragged down by the failing handset business. Apple grew 38% from last fall, HTC lost 7.8% and BlackBerry is almost done. Samsung is almost tied to LG in smartphone sales this year, so overall we’re starting to think that the whole smartphone business is down, unless you’re a Chinese company with an affordable device.
The problem is: will Nokia keep its identity in the future?


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The launch of Barnet’s teenage market – planned for Easter Saturday – is a step closer with the purchase of twenty stalls that will fill the bandstand area in front of the Waitrose supermarket at the Spires shopping centre.
After remaining empty and abandoned for over a year, High Barnet’s historic Brake Shear House, just off the High Street, has been brought back to life as Nightingales Emporium, a collaborative selling point for a group of artists and entrepreneurs.
Millie the Waitrose cat, already dubbed High Barnet’s most sociable feline, has been inundated with good will messages after shoppers at the Spires were told she had recently had a pre-Christmas tummy upset after being given too much unwanted food.
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Over 60 Dangerous Goods Containers Lost Overboard
The steamship line Ocean Network Express (ONE) has reportedly confirmed that over 60 containers of dangerous goods were lost overboard in the Pacific Ocean on 30th November.
The vessel ONE OPUS was en-route to Long Beach when a heavy storm caused a container stack collapse and led to around 1,816 containers being lost – the single biggest ever loss overboard.
Stay up to date with our news and articles on social media
With the vessel positioned near Hawaii, the decision was made to return to the previous port of call at Kobe in Japan.
Subsequently, the carrier has confirmed that sixty four of the lost containers were carrying dangerous goods. This included 54 containers with Fireworks, 8 containers holding batteries and 2 containers with liquid ethanol.
The incident itself serves as a good reminder of the need to make sure that goods are insured adequately with cargo insurance. A carrier’s liabilities are limited and it is unlikely that will have to settle any claims for the loss of these containers to the full value of the product.
If you are not sure about the cover you have in place, then please contact us to discuss further.
Evolution Forwarding specialise in the movement of lithium batteries and many other UN classified products, internationally, by air, ocean and road. We provide a complete solution which includes packing, documentation, compliance and also supply any training required.
For further information on our services please email firstname.lastname@example.org or call 0800 4346244.
Tel 0800 434 6244
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Evolution Forwarding offer a range of dangerous goods and logistics services including packing, classification, training, DGSA services, air freight, ocean freight and road freight.
Okay, we may be early with the Christmas messaging, but we want to give customers as much notice as possible of the relative close off dates and times.
The detection of undeclared lithium batteries using dogs is being pioneered in France, and is expected to roll out following a successful six-month trial.
Another fire broke out aboard a container ship this month, which resulted in the vessel ‘TSS Pearl’ sinking in the Red Sea just off Saudi Arabia.


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iPhone live podcast #8: Problems vs Press
Consumer reports rates iPhone 4 best, but won't recommend. Mainstream media goes wild, Apple releases iOS 4.1 beta and announces a press conference, and antenna's everywhere hold their breath... Plus, apps!
Thanks to the TiPb iPhone accessory store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!
Our music comes from the following sources:


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How is Inflation Impacting Fitness?
Survey reveals self-care spending.
How is inflation impacting your clients’ fitness and wellness budgets? Are people tightening their belts not because they’ve lost weight, but because they have fewer dollars to spend at the gym? A recent survey asked these questions and more to find out how Americans are budgeting for their self-care.
Inflation and Fitness
In April, 2022, StyleSeat, a beauty and wellness company, asked 1,421 Americans what they buy to maintain their fitness and wellness routines. The average age of respondents was 37 and 46% identified as women, 46% as men, and 8% as nonbinary. One key finding: Although respondents reported that they anticipated that their beauty spending would decrease in 2022, they expected their fitness and wellness spending to increase. In fact, 71% of respondents do not plan to cut back on wellness spending despite inflation.
This is good news for the fitness industry, which is still recovering from the pandemic lockdowns. In 2019, there were about 40,000 fitness facilities operating in the United States, and approximately 200,000 globally. The lockdown cost the U.S. fitness industry almost $30 billion from March 2020 to June 2021, due in part to not being included in Congressional relief packages. Approximately 22% of U.S. health clubs closed for good (Burson 2022).
Many people are tired of working out at home and would like some in-person, external motivation from an expert. They’re ready to head back to the gym. Okay, great; but should personal trainers raise their rates during a time when the fitness industry is getting back up to speed and clients are dealing with rising lifestyle costs?
Yes, says Rick Richey, DHSc, MS, NASM master trainer, based in New York City. “Typically, rates should go up every year, this is common,” says Richey. “I’ve been working in the industry for many years and I remember the 2008 recession. I lost one client from that experience and, admittedly, the company I was working for at the time chose not to raise rates that year. As for whether or not trainers should raise their rates now, I know this isn’t a popular answer, but it depends. Most people aren’t going to flinch if you raise your rates from $100 to $105. If clients resist that change, you can work with them.”
See also: Raising Rates: Fear is the Real Issue
Wellness Spending Habits
The survey also asked people how much they spent on fitness and wellness, and what kinds of products and services in each category. In the fitness category, respondents spent their cash on gym memberships, studio classes, workout equipment, fitness apparel and vitamins and supplements. Their wellness budget was earmarked for mental health services, sleep aids, meditation tools and bodywork.
Beauty was the other category surveyed. The average respondent spent $110 a month on all categories, spending the most on beauty ($46), followed by fitness ($34) and then wellness ($30). Women and nonbinary respondent spent more ($124 and $114, respectively) than men ($94) in these categories overall. Generationally, Millennials spent the most of any generation at $115 per month.
The biggest fitness expenses were vitamins and supplements (36%), gym memberships (18%) and apparel (14%). Respondents prioritized mental health (19%) over bodywork (11%).
Despite the spike in prices, the majority of Americans said they will not cut spending on fitness or wellness. In fact, 71% indicated they would either spend the same or increase their spending on wellness, while 66% said the same for the fitness category.
While the economy and current events in general are quite unpredictable, Americans seem to be fully committed to their self-care routines, which includes personal training and group fitness classes. As clients and participants return to their pre-pandemic lifestyles, or some semblance of it, fitness professionals can feel confident that their services are still very much in demand.


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GREENVILLE – Anyone who’s ever battled cancer will tell you that the disease not only wreaks havoc on your body and appearance, but it can also impact your self-esteem and outlook on life.
Wayne HealthCare is excited to announce the introduction of Facing Forward, a free monthly class. The workshop is designed to encourage and empower cancer patients by providing them with support, skills, and products that will help them face forward in their lives, looking and feeling their best, despite cancer-related changes to their bodies and appearance.
The new initiative fills a void left when a similar national program, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, was discontinued in early 2019.
“We saw a need, and we got busy, reaching out to community businesses and individuals who could help us carry on this important service,” said Jill Brown, Cancer Coordinator, Wayne HealthCare. “We were overwhelmed by the positive response from area hairstylists, cosmetologists, nutritionists and other businesses who stepped up to the plate, offering to donate their services and products, including makeup, skincare, and healthy snacks.”
Each month, the hospital will host a one-hour, hands-on workshop covering a variety of topics, ranging from skin care and makeup application to instruction relating to hair and eyebrow loss, selection and styling of wigs, tips on turban and scarf-tying to suggestions on clothing and ways to use colors and shapes to minimize areas of concern.
Each patient will receive a free cosmetic bag, chocked full of oncology-safe skincare products and makeup, including mascara, foundation/base, moisturizer, lotion, blush and more. Each will also receive a free wig of their choosing, and a hairstylist will be on hand to discuss ways to create flattering styles that complement various face shapes and features.
Wayne HealthCare believes it’s important to treat the whole patient, not just the disease. ”When you distill Facing Forward down to its core, it’s really about helping women cope with the appearance side effects of cancer,” said Brown. “We want women to know they’re not alone, and that’s why the workshops are held in a group setting. There’s a genuine camaraderie, and women feel encouraged and supported by other women going through similar struggles.”
In addition receiving complimentary makeup/skincare kits, it’s hoped participants will be equally enthusiastic about the emotional benefits derived from participating in Wayne HealthCare’s Facing Forward workshop.
The free Facing Forward Monthly Cancer support workshop is held the first Wednesday of each month. The first workshop is Feb. 12, 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Wayne Cancer Center, 1111 Sweitzer Street, Suite C., Greenville. The workshops are free of charge and open to all area women who are being treated for cancer.
Pre-registration is required. To reserve your spot, contact Robyn Feitshans, Wellness Coordinator, Wayne HealthCare at (937) 569-6504 or email Robyn at [email protected].
The Facing Forward program would not be possible without the generous support and donations from the following sponsors: Merle Norman of Greenville, Eikenberry’s IGA, Teresa’s Beauty Salon, the Wayne HealthCare Foundation, Breast Cancer Awareness of Darke County, the Cancer Association of Darke County, the Wayne Cancer Center, Dayton Physicians Network, and Premier Health.


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Indellient unleashes a completely redesigned brand identity to better match the company’s growth and innovative offerings.
Oakville, ON – August 29, 2018 – Indellient Inc. – a software development and IT professional services firm that empowers businesses to meet and exceed their critical business and technology objectives – is excited to announce the launch of its new corporate brand.
Indellient’s brand refresh reflects the transformation and continuous innovation that has brought new products, services, and capabilities to market in recent years. The rebrand was a strategic decision made after years of exponential growth and increasing market impact coupled with new partnerships, awards, products and people that, together, highlight the bright future ahead for our company.
The new logo, with its strong shape and bold colors, brings alive the true strength of Indellient’s people while representing their diverse talents and innovative mindset. It is simple yet empowering, matching how Indellient solves their clients’ complex problems by providing creative solutions that simplify and enhance their business for success.
The redesigned website also features a sleek, contemporary design that enhances the user experience and displays a more unified brand.
The new brand identity initiative, led by Indellient’s Creative Director, Graham Bissitt, was the result of significant consultation and design work and supports our commitment to our team and, more importantly, our clients.
“With this new identity, we want to convey the same level of energy and drive that the people who make up Indellient bring to the office every day; something that is bold, dynamic, modern, and relevant,” says Bissitt. “These attributes are the heart of Indellient and its diverse group of talented individuals who move the industry forward each day. I want to support this feeling and our people with a brand that best represents them.”
We are excited for our customers and team to start displaying our new brand proudly! The site will continue to be updated with news of recent business activity, milestones, events and more.
Indellient, the creator of Blue Relay and a Top Canadian ICT and PROFIT500 company, empowers businesses to meet and exceed their critical business and technology objectives. We provide custom software development and IT professional services within today’s fastest-growing areas of Data & Analytics, DevOps and Business Process Management (Blue Relay). Using cutting edge technology and industry best practices, we provide efficient solutions to complex challenges and drive our client’s business forward.


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Singapore, Singapore, July 13, 2018 --(PR.com
)-- Marcus Evans proudly presents the 3rd Annual Manufacturing Excellence conference which will take place on 1st – 3rd August 2018 at the Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore.
With more than 100 delegates on board, the annual conference will serve as a platform to learn about providing high quality, competitively priced products and services in the global market to gain higher ROI. Industry experts will be providing insights on how to drastically shorten product development cycles, increase productivity, stimulate product and process innovation and respond effectively to customers demands.
Featuring international presentations presented by Dr. Michael Teng CEO Singapore Innovation and Productivity Centre, Chaw Sing Ho Managing Director National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC), Singapore, Teo Wee Kin Chief of Manufacturing Technology – Asia Rolls-Royce, Singapore, Terrance Tan, Senior Manager-Operations, Carlsberg Malaysia, Alex Thomas Vice President – Manufacturing Excellence & Technical Services VF Corp, Hong Kong, Anna Reid GM – Manufacturing Asahi Beverages, Australia, Prasad Kale Head of Manufacturing & Distribution Industry and IOT, APAC Hewlett Packard (HP), Singapore, Carles Sola Vila Product Engineering & Quality Director Burberry, UK, Muralidhar M.S.K Executive Director Deloitte, Singapore, Ichsan Nurfajar GM of Manufacturing Nissan Motor Indonesia, Yinghui XU Head of Digital and Advanced Manufacturing Singapore Economic Development Board among others.
Happening for the third time this year in Singapore, the conference will be also featuring an exclusive 3rd day workshop: Manufacturing 4.0 – The Connected Factory in Action facilitated by Mark Fusco, Founder and Managing Director and Andrew Marshall, Senior Consultant, Advanced Focus, Australia. The workshop will be introducing automation and data exchange in the manufacturing technologies, focusing on connecting multiple devices and machines at every step of the process, from raw material to end-user.
One the highlights of this conference will be the exclusive site tour to NUS Centre for Additive Manufacturing (AM.NUS). which plays a critical role in supporting Singapore’s vision of becoming a leading Advanced Manufacturing hub. marcus evans 3rd Annual Manufacturing Excellence conference is proudly partnered by Automation Connect and EFYi Group.


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By Laura Kemp • 04 January 2022 • 13:13
An UberEats driver has exposed how some customers scam delivery drivers “screwing” with their tips.
Owen Lindstrom from Oregon, USA, challenged himself to earn £20,000 in 100 days using the delivery apps UberEats and DoorDash. Despite making a lot of money, he was surprised to discover a notable “tip robbery.”
Some customers cheat the system by offering a large tip when placing their initial order to encourage drivers to accept it, they reduce the tip before their order arrives.
“In food delivery applications, the customer has the ability to increase or decrease the tips after delivery. Tip baiting is when a customer offers a large tip to receive their food faster and then takes it to the end,” Owen explained on his TikTok.
“Although it is good to protect the customer from bad service by withholding the tip on his head, it leaves a great opportunity to annoy the driver,” he added.
His video has been seen by millions of users, however, his protest has not been well received by everyone – some sympathise with him and others have criticised his way of taking orders, even joking with the idea of starting to tip themselves.
This is not the first time that the issue of tips has come to the table for discussion among distributors of similar apps, especially UberEats, on which many users have denounced the lack of tips and how their workers are left without them unless the client gives them in person.
“I hate that people do that,” several users comment on TikTok.
Others, however, decided to be more blunt: “Tipping is not automatic or guaranteed. Tipping is a reward for great service, not for mediocre or basic service.”
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
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Rumor wizard Ice Universe is excited about “The Waterdrop”, a new Vivo flagship phone that appears to have no seams whatsoever and, according to him, will amaze us and change our idea of what a phone should be.
We will see if the hype is true on January 24, according to a recenrt Ice Universe tweet.
Vivo uploaded the announcement poster in this Weibo post, with the caption: “What is the future of mobile phones? Throw away the complexity”. According to Gizmochina, the poster itself says “Totally heaven”Like Samsung’s Galaxy S10 February 20 event in San Francisco, California, the presentation comes ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. In fact, it will beat Samsung’s own presentation by almost a month.
And if the hype is true, it may also steal the S10’s thunder. That is actually not a crazy possibility. “It is said that this is Vivo['s] mysterious smartphone code-named The Waterdrop,” the galactic cat said in a previous tweet “This phone will subvert people's past perception of smartphones." The phone teasers make it look like a liquid mercury, without the typical seams of others mobiles.
Even if Ice Universe is overhyping this phone — something he has done with Samsung and Nubia’s phones in the past — Vivo is well known for breaking the mold and surprising everyone.
The company — owned by the same Chinese industrial group that owns Oppo — went viral when it released a phone that was all screen at last year’s MWC, with a pop-up selfie camera. The Vivo Nex was the first true all-screen phone in the market when industry leaders Samsung, Huawei, and Apple had nothing like that (and still they don’t).
It surprised everyone again with the two-screen Vivo Nex 2, although to a lesser extent, since Nubia had already released a phone with two displays some time earlier. The Waterdrop may be the next viral sensation. The teasers are certainly both intriguing and exciting.
Next week we will see how it really looks and why Ice Universe claims it will change our perception of what a phone could be.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Salesforce.com Inc. said Thursday its fiscal first-quarter profit was weighed down by expenses, though sales of the company's Internet-hosted business software rose 24% compared with the quarter last year.
The company also said its results for the full year will suffer due to its recent acquisition of Jigsaw Data Corp., helping send its shares sharply lower in after-hours trading.
San Francisco-based Salesforce.com
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected Salesforce.com to report earnings of 30 cents a share, and $367.9 million in revenue.
The company's number of net paying customers rose by about 4,800 during the quarter, bringing the total to roughly 77,300, Salesforce.com said. Salesforce.com provides business software that is hosted and accessed online via subscription.
For its current, second quarter, Salesforce.com said it expects earnings excluding items to be between 26 and 27 cents a share, and revenue to be between $381 million and $383 million.
Analysts have been looking for fiscal second-quarter earnings excluding items of 31 cents a share, and $375.5 million in revenue, according to Thomson Reuters.
Salesforce.com said its $142 million purchase of Jigsaw Data, announced in April, is expected to reduce earnings excluding items for the full fiscal year by 11 cents a share. In addition, "two small technology-related asset acquisitions" in the current quarter will shave another 2 cents a share from full-year earnings, the company said.
Shares of Salesforce.com fell more than 7% to $73.47 in late trading, following the earnings report.


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Instagram launch product notifications in a new update, allowing brands to promote new products, and users to set up notifications for when they launch.
The new feature will be welcome news to marketers who will be able to harness the ever growing trend of online retail.
The feature will appear in Stories as new stickers and tags in Instagram feeds, allowing users to set reminders for product launch dates and see details of the new products ahead of time.
It is estimated that a third of the 500 million users per day Instagram have use their smartphone to purchase a product online. This new feature will allow brands to reach consumers even faster, and allow consumers to be one step ahead of their fellow peers in viewing and purchasing new products.
A business blog post published by the social media platform explains the feature, “With more of these shopping moments happening on Instagram, we wanted to make it easier for people to discover and follow upcoming product launches from brands and creators they love. The product launch sticker in Instagram Stories and product launch tag in feed lets people set reminders for the launch date, preview product details and buy as soon as a product is available without leaving Instagram.”


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Open collaboration between different companies, communities, and other creators in the hope to find original and creative solutions – aka open innovation – can be a tremendous help to overcome a troubled period, whether we’re facing health, economic, or any other type of crisis.
The pandemic brought us a lot of challenges and many are still to come, but we have learned a lot from these last months too. Enterprises worldwide have shown that they were able to collaborate to face a common threat: the spread of Covid-19 infection and concluded what we already knew for more than a decade: open innovation works.
During March, one of the most critical periods in Europe, Siemens launched a platform to connect users, designers, and 3D-print services to speed the design and production of medical components, called AM Network. Similarly, the logistics and purchasing organization Scania started collaborating with Karolinska University Hospital to turn their trailers into mobile testing stations. Moreover, Ford started a partnership with United Auto Workers, GE Healthcare, and 3M to build ventilators and protective equipment for healthcare professionals, such as powered air-purifying respirators and face shields. Most of it was produced in Ford manufacturing sites and using materials and human resources that wouldn’t be effectively used otherwise, as people changed their consuming habits during the quarantine and wouldn’t be purchasing the goods offered by those companies anyway.
But not only companies deployed open collaboration initiatives to help fight coronavirus pandemics. EUvsVirus – considered the biggest hackathon in the world by the Guinness World Records, consisted of an online event launched by the European Commission during April, May, and June. It involved 2235 participants from 40 countries, which resulted in 120 projects.
Open innovation helped European companies and governments reducing the consequences of a health crisis we were not ready for. Through the combinations of their resources and skills, enterprises found out they could adapt their services and products, achieving new consumer segments, and their facilities to produce different products, according to the current needs. But it can be a solution even after the health crisis, especially considering the economic crisis that is already showing.
Analyzing what companies have done differently during the coronavirus most critical period, one of the most obvious aspects is that enterprises trusted each other for important subjects – because they had to. Continue to embrace open collaboration can be the answer to achieve actual disruption. To achieve that, companies shouldn’t be afraid to share information with external collaborators, otherwise, how can fresh minds address their problems with new ideas?
Another aspect to analyze is the fact that companies weren’t afraid to donate their time and resources during the coronavirus crisis, because they knew that would be an effective way to access other skills and assets - it was risky and had unpredictable results – but so were those times. Taking disruptive decisions seems easier than in ordinary times because the motivation of companies is obvious and mutual: to overcome it and to survive with as little harm as possible. After the coronavirus crisis, understanding the partners’ motivation might not be so easy, therefore, trying to identify and respond to their motivation is very important.
Finally, another practice that seemed so urgent and essential during the peak of the pandemics: finding new partners. Innovation requires fresh minds involved, therefore, keeping professional relationships with the same companies can simplify the work and build trust but it hardly brings innovation.
After reading this article, we hope your company is ready to invest and take the benefits of open innovation! If you understood the potential of it but don’t know how to start, don’t worry, because we can help with that! We organize challenges and hackathons together with companies, to achieve innovation with external talent or within the company. Whether the solution appeals to you the most, we can guarantee you one thing: open innovation is the secret weapon to fight the post-Covid-19 economic crisis.
Find more information about our open innovation solutions at taikai.network, including projects we developed in the past, for example, Fight Covid-19 Online Hackathon, a challenge that involved 125 participants, 5 partners, 7 organizations and 2 premium supports, towards finding solutions for the consequences of coronavirus pandemics.
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New research from Teqno Logical suggests that UK adults are far more familiar with the latest technologies than previously thought.
Surveying 1268 people that were 55 and older about their awareness and usage of smartphones, more than 37% of them owned at least one smartphone. It also found out that 58.1% of UK adults have feature phones, and the number of those who didn’t own any mobile device at all was quite small – only 4.7%.
In terms of what mobile OS was most popular, the survey found that Android handsets (26.9%) and iPhones (21.4%) made up nearly half of the install base, with Symbian and Blackberry also scoring respectable results.
The majority of respondents used their phones for calls only (68%) with 18% pushing into text messaging, but only 9% surfing the internet on their devices.
Source: Teqno Logical


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Retail giant Tesco is making its first move into the world of film production through a partnership with media company Amber Entertainment.
The first film to come out of the partnership will Paris Connections, which is due to start shooting in France later this month and has been specially adapted by author Jackie Collins from her 1999 bestseller LA Connections. Harley Cokeliss (pictured) will direct the film about a journalist who becomes embroiled in an investigation into the murder of a group of size zero models in Paris.
London and LA-based outfit Amber Entertainment, which was created in 2009 by New Line Cinema veterans Ileen Maisel, Mark Ordestky and Jane Fleming, is producing the film, which will go straight to DVD and will be sold exclusively in Tesco, both in its stores and online.
Also in line for production will be titles by other best selling authors including Dick Frances, Jacqueline Wilson, Philip Pullman and Judy Blume as well as three more “Connections” films with Jackie Collins.
“We created Amber Entertainment to celebrate and expand the impact of authors and their stories across the ever-growing new media landscape,” said Ileen Maisel, co-founder of Amber Entertainment “This partnership is exactly the sort of new paradigm for delivering content to audiences that is the future of the entertainment industry,” she added.
Tesco’s entertainment director Rob Salter added: “This ground-breaking relationship with Amber Entertainment is a significant development for Tesco and the first of its kind for the industry.”


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Hidden cameras make the news all the time... and those are just the ones that were found!
DALLAS (PRWEB) November 05, 2019
Scout, the new hidden camera finder that empowers everyday people to protect their privacy, launched today with an unprecedented combination of ease of use, affordability, savvy design, and professional-grade technology. Scout is like a security team in your pocket: it works on all cameras, is easy to travel with, and is the first high-quality camera finder priced below $100.
Hidden cameras have gotten smaller and less conspicuous over the years, and Americans are increasingly concerned as they are found in places like locker rooms, bathrooms, hotel rooms and vacation rentals. Some cameras are smaller than a button, built into mundane items like coat hooks and USB chargers.
A recent survey by IPX1031 found that 58% of Airbnb guests are concerned that property owners may have hidden cameras within their Airbnb, and more than 1 in 10 Airbnb guests claim to have found a hidden camera in their rentals.
In the past, travelers were limited to a few insufficient options, like expensive hidden camera-finders that cost hundreds of dollars, or numerous, error-prone steps like scanning Wi-Fi networks, carefully inspecting many suspicious items, or using smartphone apps that claimed to detect cameras but fell short of that promise.
Scout is a breakthrough new option. It employs six special, high-powered LED lights to help users easily "scout" for hidden cameras in sensitive places. Plus, it comes with a pinhole camera to practice on so you know what you're looking for. Scout requires users to take just a few simple steps:
- Stand in the middle of the room
- Hold Scout up to your eye, and turn the power on
- Scout flashes high-end LED lights that bounce off all camera lenses
- Alert local police to any hidden cameras found
"Hidden cameras have become a huge problem for travelers," said Allen Walton, designer of Scout and founder of SpyGuy. "Nobody realizes how easy cameras are to hide. I get Google alerts all day long from media outlets, Reddit users, and other places that talk about the latest spy camera that was found in an Airbnb or Starbucks bathroom. Scout helps find cameras so you don't have to worry about what some stranger is going to do with videos of you in a private moment."
Scout draws on Walton's decade of experience as founder of SpyGuy, where he has served more than 75,000 people like new parents and law enforcement officials with surveillance and counter-surveillance solutions. Numerous high-profile hidden camera incidents and calls from concerned individuals inspired him to design this new, intuitive solution that helps everyone safeguard their privacy.
Learn more about the Scout hidden camera-finder at https://www.spyguy.com/scout. Purchase the Scout hidden camera finder on the Scout website here: https://www.spyguy.com/products/scout-hidden-camera-finder.
About Scout and SpyGuy:
Launched in 2019, Scout is a beautifully designed counter-surveillance product that finds hidden cameras in Airbnbs, hotels, dorm and locker rooms, and public restrooms.
SpyGuy.com was created in 2014 and has served over 75,000 customers, ranging from concerned parents and victims of workplace harassment, all the way to the DEA and Department of Justice. SpyGuy brings transparency, expertise, and great customer service to help people who need surveillance products to solve emotional or financial distress.


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For the third year in a row, Donruss will handout more than 120,000 free promotional packs of exclusive football cards at NFL Thanksgiving Day games. This year’s giveaways will take place in Dallas and Philadelphia.
“Thanksgiving is a day when families are together and watching football,” said Donruss VP Mike Anderson. “This is a great day for us to reach these families and introduce them to the fun of collecting trading cards.”
As has been the case each of the previous two seasons, the packs in Dallas will include a special card promoting the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle fundraiser which kicks off during halftime at the game. The card pictures Dallas running back Marion Barber sporting a red Salvation Army apron while serving food to the needy. Other players featured in the Cowboys set include Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Felix Jones, and Hall of Fame defensive end Randy White.
The Philadelphia set includes Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Brian Dawkins, former Eagle Randal Cunningham and an Eagles Kids Club card. The pack will also include an information card on Pop Warner. Donruss is the exclusive trading card company of Pop Warner.
Both the Cowboys and Eagles packs will also contain a card featuring NFL Network personalities Rich Eisen, Deion Sanders, Warren Sapp, Rod Woodson, Terrell Davis, Marshall Faulk and Steve Mariucci. Each card will feature the full NFL Network schedule of games on the flip side.


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Apple’s WWDC 2014 keynote ended with a slew of announcements that Apple is calling their biggest developer release ever, and it certainly lives up to the description.
Leading the way is Apple’s Swift, a programming language that dropped jaws all across the internet as they demoed it live on stage. Swift looks to be as easy to code in as a scripting language, with all of the power and flexibility of lower-level languages like C or Objective C.
Next is the revelation that they’re introducing 4,000+ new APIs. You developers are going to have a LOT of interesting reading to do. (I hope it’s interesting, anyway, because 4,000 APIs is a LOT.)
One of the new APIs of particular interest to game developers is Metal, a 3D API they hope will replace OpenGL. They showed off some jaw-dropping demos of Metal and of their 2D Sprite Kit that make the future of iOS gaming look bright indeed.
On the down side, both Swift and Metal have the potential to introduce more roadblocks into the cross-platform development work flow of app developers. This possibility isn’t really a shock, since Apple has a long history of anti-cross-platform sentiment behind them, but it is a bit disappointing given how many other announcements point to a more open Apple future.
“With more than 800 million iOS devices sold worldwide, the opportunity for developers is huge,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “This is the biggest iOS release since the launch of the App Store. The iOS 8 SDK delivers more than 4,000 new APIs including amazing new frameworks, greater extensibility and a revolutionary new programming language.”
They’ve engineered the app system to allow apps to communicate in a way they claim is secure (as with all security matters, the truth will be seen in time of course) with one another, so that apps can share data and features. This includes third party API access for Touch ID, and apps can share notification information with the notification system.
iOS has long been a favorite platform for health-conscious apps and devices like Fitbit and Nike+ devices, and now it’s becoming a bit more friendly with HealthKit. HealthKit is a set of APIs and platforms that will allow you to centralize data from your devices and deliver them to doctors via specialized apps such as the Mayo Clinic app.
“We believe Apple’s HealthKit will revolutionize how the health industry interacts with people,” said John Noseworthy, M.D., Mayo Clinic president and CEO. “We are proud to be at the forefront of this innovative technology with the Mayo Clinic app.”
The HomeKit announcement looks to be taking a shot at the home automation space, providing platforms and connectivity for the various home automation devices available in the Internet of Things. You’ll be able to control and integrate your Philips Hue lights with your door locks, garage door and internet coffee pot through a common protocol, all tied in with Siri.
“We are excited to be part of the next step in making home automation a reality, in a safe and integrated way,” said Eric Rondolat, CEO, Philips Lighting. “HomeKit will allow us to further enhance the Philips Hue lighting experience by making it simpler to securely pair devices throughout the house and control them using Siri.”
Third Party Keyboards
Arguably the most exciting part of the whole keynote was the revelation that at long last, it will become possible to use alternative keyboards in iOS! This is a feature that has been sorely missed on the platform. I don’t know about you, but the promise of being able to swipe around the keyboard to type instead of having to painstakingly pick my way through the default iOS keyboard has done wonders for my enthusiasm for iOS8. It makes me think for the first time that the iPad could become a viable writing tool for me.
Did you check out the keynote online? What’re your thoughts? Let us know in the forums, in the comments, or on social media!


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Google after unveiling Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro premium smartphone, is now all set to launch the new device in Upcoming months or weeks. Google has back-to-back too many launches in the upcoming times. For example, It is launching Pixel 5a 5G this month. After this, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 pro will also go on sale this month or next. Now, an unknown device from Google has been approved by FCC. In the listing, the device is described as a Wireless Streaming device.
Looking at the FCC listing, there are assumptions that this is a new Chromecast dongle with model number GJQ9T. But, the confusion is that Chromecast is an Interactive Media Streaming Device, not a Wireless streaming device. Thus, the new device may be something different offering by the brand. The tech experts also assume that the device could be a new NestCam device from Google. But it’s contradictory as the company has already announced its latest Nest Doorbell and new Nest Cam this last week. However, the device is still a mystery for everyone, as the company has not given any details or leaks on this. But, this product is unlikely to be a product under the Nest lineup.
Moreover, we are looking up for new details or any leaks about this device in the upcoming days. But we hope that it would be the newly revamped Google Chromecast.


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The poor design of two different smartphones, a low-resolution front camera with the new iPhone, the Moto G's lack of LTE, and the hefty price tag of the Amazon Fire led to disappointment this year when it came to smartphone releases.
Nokia is once again developing mobile devices, and this time the company is using Android. The N1 tablet has a high-resolution 7.9-inch screen and a 5-megapixel front camera.
Microsoft will continue to sell low-end phones with the Nokia brand and has licensed the brand for these type of devices.
Microsoft trash-talked Apple and Samsung’s flagship at the unveiling of the Lumia 830 by claiming it will outperform Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy as a value buy. Does its Lumia 830 live up to the hype?
Nokia will stop production at its mobile handset manufacturing facility near Chennai in south India after a deal with Microsoft to manufacture phones fell through.
The Nokia Lumia 735 is a mid-range smartphone that comfortably nests between the inexpensive Lumia 635 and premium Lumia 930. It runs Windows Phone 8.1, offers a 5 megapixel camera for self-photography and supports wireless charging.
As part of its sixth, three-year Disability Action Plan, Telstra has unveiled three new initiatives aimed at supporting persons with disability in accessing communications services.
The last 48 hours has seen circular smartwatches, smartphones that extend gaming consoles and phablets with screens that spill over the edge. Following the rampant innovation from LG, Sony, and Samsung respectively is Nokia, which announced a new sof...
Samsung has partnered with Nokia to bring navigation service Here to its new smartwatch and Galaxy Android phones.
September is shaping up to be a very exciting month for smartphone buyers around the world: We know that Motorola Mobility, Microsoft, Sony and Samsung Electronics will all launch new smartphones, and it looks like Apple will join the party too. So w...
Microsoft is closing the Nokia Beta Labs site, but users will still be able to test apps under development via the new Lumia Beta Apps site, designed to elicit more feedback and make it easier for users to participate.
Microsoft's Devices Group has unveiled the Nokia 130, a mobile phone that costs just $US25 but lacks an Internet connection and apps.
Underdog HTC is throwing its hand in the budget smartphone market with the release of the Desire 610, a 4.7in smartphone priced to compete against Motorola’s Moto G and Nokia’s Lumia 635.
Australians will be able to walk into an Optus, Telstra or Vodafone store and buy Nokia’s upcoming Lumia 930 flagship next week.
If Apple were to launch a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 later this year it would be beneficial to both the vendor and the wider ‘phablet’ market, according to Telsyte.
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Dr Phillip Lowe, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has voiced his concerns that use cases for a digital Australian dollar — dubbed the ‘eAUD’ — may be lacking.
Speaking at the Australian Financial Review’s Business Summit, Dr Lowe said that he was “very sceptical” that a central bank digital currency (CBDC) will have any substantial impact on the daily lives of regular Australians.
Dr Phillip Lowe” Criticism
To bolster his criticism of the usefulness of the eAUD for regular Australians, Dr Lowe points to the prevalence of fast, simple money transfers through the pre-existing payment networks already available to Australian consumers.
“We’ve got a very efficient payment system in Australia where you can move money between any two bank accounts in the country in five seconds, just by knowing someone’s mobile phone number. And it’s free,” said Lowe.
Lowe went on to say that the primary benefits of an Australian CBDC are most probably going to be discovered in wholesale and institutional markets, where the new digital dollar’s blockchain technology will see large settlements occur instantly.
But not everyone shares Lowe’s critical approach to the retail side of a digital Aussie dollar. Steve Vallas, the Technology Advisor at Skafold Global and Managing Director at Blockchain APAC told The Chainsaw that,
“Lowe is right to say there’s not a strong use case for a retail CBDC in Australia right now, but ultimately it’s missing the point,” Vallas explains.
“The thing that gets lost in this discussion is that other jurisdictions don’t have great quality retail payments infrastructure, and they’re going to start rolling out retail CBDCs in a bid to improve their financial systems.”
Vallas likens the dawn of retail CBDCs around the globe to the difference between desktop computers and mobile phones. To Vallas, Australia is currently in the desktop computer business but the rest of the world is looking to go “mobile”, as other countries move to embrace retail digital dollars as an upgrade to existing payment rails.
“This idea of ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ works well for now. And it’s right. Our consumer payments system is pretty good at the moment, but the real question is what happens when everyone else starts introducing retail CBDCs and we’re inevitably left behind?” Vallas asks.
“There’s an economic opportunity that comes with being at front of this conversation, instead of waiting three, five, or even ten years to catch up once everyone else introduces a retail CBDC.”Steve Vallas, Managing Director at Blockchain APAC
“The idea of ‘let’s wait until everyone else has figured this out’ puts us as a country on the back foot when it comes to real innovation,” Vallas said.
“Essentially, does Australia have a way to compete with other jurisdictions if and when this technology inevitably takes off at a consumer level in other countries?” Vallas concludes.
The RBA just launched the eAUD pilot program
Lowe’s criticisms come exactly one week after the Reserve Bank of Australia launched the next major step in its pilot program for testing out potential use cases for a digital Australian dollar.
On March 2, the RBA announced that Commonwealth Bank and the Australian New Zealand Bank (ANZ) will work alongside 12 other financial institutions, including smaller fintech and payments companies to begin testing out the first instance of a real AUD-based CBDC.
In a joint statement from the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre, RBA Assistant Governor Brad Jones said the program will achieve two primary goals.
“It will contribute to hands-on learning by industry, and it will add to policymakers’ understanding of how a CBDC could potentially benefit the Australian financial system and economy.”RBA Assistant Governor Brad Jones
The pilot project will officially launch on March 31 and finish on May 31. A final report on the program, including an assessment on the effectiveness of all the use cases is scheduled to be published June 30 this year.


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The demand of Sugar from sweet-toothed people in India will likely see a reduction than expected as mall and restaurants closures due to a nationwide lockdown cut consumption of desserts, ice cream and beverages. Demand from the second most populous nation on earth, the world’s largest consumer, may amount 25 million tons to 25.5 million tons in the year that began Oct. 1, compared with 26.5 million tons expected earlier said the director general of Indian Sugar Mills Association, Abinash Verma. That’s compared with 25.5 million tons in 2018-19, he said.
A reduction in demand will add to record stockpiles and potentially cut local prices. This development may prompt some sugar mills to boost overseas sales in a bid to cut down their carrying costs. Indian sugar mills had inventory of about 14.6 million tons on Oct. 1, enough to satisfy home demand for over six months.
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Consumption of the sweetener increased by nearly 1 million tons in the five months ended February, however sales may drop by about 1.5 million tons in 2019-20 mainly due to the restrictions from the lockdown that was announced in March. This however cut demand for the sweetener from manufacturers of cookies, sweets, ice cream and soft drinks. Industrial use accounts for as much as 65% in India. Local traders may purchase 200,000 tons to 500,000
“Sugar sales have been affected due to lockdown across the country,” Verma disclosed in an interview on Wednesday. “After the lockdown is eased there may be some spike in demand from traders to refill the pipeline stocks immediately.”
According to Verma, Indian mills have already shipped 3.6 million tons out of about 4.2 million tons contracted for exports so far in 2019-20.
“Indonesia will continue to import sugar from India as sugar production in one of their main suppliers.”
“Thailand is going to fall sharply due to a drought,” . Verma mentioned that Iran and Indonesia are offering higher prices compared with world market rates, he said.
READ ALSO: Kwara Gov Sacks Driver for Carrying COVID-19 Patient without PPE
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Rice cereal is babies’ top source of arsenic exposure. Why rice cereal contains arsenic: Rice readily absorbs arsenic from the environment, about 10 times more of it than other grains.
What baby food contains arsenic?
Infant rice cereal had high levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury. Rice-based snacks contained arsenic, lead, and cadmium. Grape and apple juice contained lead. Apple and other fruit juices contained arsenic.
Which baby food does not contain arsenic?
The baby cereal winner with the lowest overall Arsenic, Lead and Cadmium levels is the HappyBABY Oatmeal Baby Cereal, Organic Whole Grains. The runner-up with the second-lowest overall levels of these heavy metals is the HappyBABY Oats & Quinoa Baby Cereal, Organic Whole Grains with Iron.
Does Gerber baby food have arsenic?
High levels of toxins found in more baby food brands, government report says. … Investigators said two of Gerber’s Infant Rice Cereal products contained inorganic arsenic levels over the Food and Drug Administration’s limit. They said Gerber “failed to recall” those products.
Which baby food brands are toxic?
Brands including Gerber, Plum Organics, Beech-Nut and Walmart are named in the report, which calls on baby food manufacturers to begin voluntarily testing their products for toxic heavy metals and to phase out products that contain large amounts of ingredients that test high in toxic heavy metals.
Is there arsenic in baby oatmeal?
Choose infant cereals like oatmeal, mixed grain, quinoa, barley, buckwheat and wheat. These are naturally low in arsenic.
Does Gerber baby food have toxic metals?
A congressional subcommittee has found that baby food makers Gerber and Beech-Nut have not recalled products found to contain heavy metals, according to a report published Wednesday by the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy.
What is the healthiest baby food brand?
The best baby foods, according to dietitians.
- SpoonfulOne. Courtesy of SpoonfulOne. …
- Serenity Kids Organic Baby Food. …
- Tiny Human Food Organic, Cold-Pressed Baby Food. …
- Little Dish Fresh Food for Toddlers. …
- Fresh Bellies. …
- Earth’s Best Organic. …
- Square Baby Organic Baby Food Meal Plan. …
- Once Upon a Farm Cold-Pressed, Organic Baby Food.
What is the safest baby food?
“I usually recommend starting with any single ingredient vegetable or fruit puree—avocado, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots or peas are all good choices. The AAP even recommends starting with pureed meat, as it is a good source of iron,” says Dr. Agnese.
Has baby food been recalled 2021?
In February 2021, a congressional report by the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy called out major baby food manufacturers for selling products tainted with dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals.
Does Beech-Nut have arsenic?
Is Beech-Nut Baby Food Safe? Inorganic Arsenic: 300+ ppb in additives (used in different products) 913.4 ppb in raw materials.
Why Gerber is not good for babies?
Arsenic, toxic metals found in baby food including Walmart, Gerber, Beech-Nut brands, according to new report. A congressional investigation has found levels of arsenic, lead and other toxic metals that can harm brain development in many popular baby foods, including organic brands.
What’s wrong with Gerber baby food?
Gerber has chosen not to recall any of its baby foods due to heavy metal toxicity. Gerber and several other major baby food brands have set dangerously high internal standards for the maximum allowable levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.
Do Gerber puffs have arsenic?
A spokesperson for Gerber said company officials are reviewing the report. … Every Plum Super Puffs rice product that was tested from 2017 to 2019 exceeded 200 parts per billion of arsenic, according to the report. Rice puffs are popular snacks for babies and toddlers.
Does Enfamil have metal?
HBBF tested 13 different types of foods in 168 baby food containers from 61 brands, including popular names such as Gerber, Beech-Nut, Earth’s Best, Parents Choice and Enfamil. Of all the items tested, only 9 were found to have no toxic metals.


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There is a Black Farmers Market event being held in Durham next weekend.
“Join us next Sunday, June 14th as we kick off the first Black Farmers’ Market of the season! Our team has worked tirelessly to make sure we are creating a safe space for both our vendors and our attendees as we continue this bi monthly opportunity to support Black farmers and Black entrepreneurs in one space. Again, Thank you for your patience and we look forward to seeing you all next Sunday! To join the Black Farmers’ Market Trade Union, visit the link in our bio.”


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IRAN could be spying on Brits and Americans using "weaponised" apps which are available on Apple and Google's online stores, an explosive new report has claimed.
The Iranian regime has created their own messaging apps which are spyware-enabled to help them hunt down anti-government protesters in the country, according to the report obtained by The Sun Online.
Mobogram is allegedly spyware enabled and is available to download on Apple's App Store
The most popular of these applications is called Mobogram, which is used by millions of Iranians and is available to download by westerners on Apple's App Store.
The report by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a political group which opposes the Iranian regime, shows that Iranian expats are using Mobogram to communicate with their relatives in the troubled dictatorship.
Deputy Director of the council Alireza Jafarzadeh told The Sun Online that the Iranian regime has "weaponised smartphones" in its bid to thwart demonstrators in the country.
He said: "When you download these apps and start using them, they have the ability to gain access to your contacts, track your location and they can see the content of your communications.


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CHICAGO – Chicago’s new 7-cents-per-bag tax appears to be working. That’s according to a study by researchers from ideas42, New York University and the University of Chicago Energy & Environment Lab.
Chicago implemented the tax on February 1.
Since then, the study found a decrease in both the number of disposable bags used and the number of customers using them.
Prior to the tax Chicago shoppers used an average of 2.3 bags per grocery shopping trip. Preliminary analysis shows that since the tax, that average has dropped to 1 bag.
The percentage of people using disposable bags dropped from 82% before the tax to 48.8% since it was imposed.
The number of customers using reusable bags has increased from 13.2% before the tax to 33.2% after the tax.
Researchers analyzed bag use at large grocery store chains in the months leading up to the tax and since it was implemented.


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As the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, it is having lasting impacts in a number of areas, some of them positive. One for example, appears to be the significant increase in e-commerce activity within the automotive aftermarket since the spring of 2020. This e-commerce explosion has amplified the need for more robust catalog content and data today.
In April of 2020, digital marketing agency Hedges & Co. issued results from extensive analysis of automotive parts and accessories websites in the U.S. and Canada, showing an unprecedented surge in online sales during the pandemic. A surge in sales spiked in mid-April 2020, coinciding with the receipt of tax refunds and federal stimulus checks. In the analysis, the company gave online sales from the week of March 1 an index of 100, before widespread shutdowns were in place. The week of April 12-18 had an index of 140, or a 40% overall increase in online sales of parts and accessories from six weeks earlier.
In yet another report, the firm shared that automotive parts e-commerce revenue hit $16 billion in 2020 in the US. Hedges & Co. projects that auto parts e-commerce market share will be over $22 billion by 2023. “Trends in online shopping are still accelerating in 2021 with consumers buying online at an unprecedented rate,” Hedges & Co. stated in its report.
With this explosion of e-commerce comes demand for more robust cataloging content. Catalog and data managers are working to fulfill…


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Indonesia is seemingly ready to expand its stance against bitcoin into a full-blown crackdown, as according to Reuters, authorities are currently investigating the use of bitcoin in the holiday island of Bali.
As covered by Core Media, Indonesia’s central bank, Bank Indonesia (BI) has in the past shut down bitcoin processors. Last week, it issued a warning stating bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are a risky investment. The announcement noted bitcoin isn’t a legal medium of exchange.
According to the Jakarta Post, the financial institution has now teamed up with the country’s national police. Their goal is to prevent cryptocurrency transactions in Bali, a popular tourist destination. Given its popularity, it has reportedly been considered an “alluring place to carry out illegal transactions.
Causa Iman Karana, head of Bank Indonesia’s representative office, stated:
“We are looking out for bitcoin transactions in Bali, particularly in tourist spots. We will take measures against non-rupiah transactions. (…) We warned people not to carry out transactions with virtual money because there is no authority that regulates the transactions”
Per Karana, the island is being investigated because of social media posts that appear to show Bali is becoming a “haven for bitcoin transactions.” Working undercover late last year, BI and the national police found two cafes processing bitcoin transactions on the island. They also found 44 other businesses that previously accepted the cryptocurrency, but now no longer do.
Bitcoin users at risk in Bali
While the official didn’t name the businesses accepting the cryptocurrency, he detailed how it worked at one of the cafes. The cafe only processed transactions of over 243,000 rupiahs ($18.2) in BTC. Transactions took an hour and a half to confirm and incurred a 123,000 rupiah ($9.8) fee. This reportedly discouraged the cryptocurrency’s use in the island, Karana added.
Nevertheless, the crackdown against bitcoin users is to be enforced. The official stated:
“The next step is we will ban them as mandated by the law. We ask them not to use it anymore. Along with the Directorate of Special Crime Investigation unit, we will enforce the rule that all transactions in Indonesia must use rupiah.”
While trading cryptocurrencies is yet to be banned in Indonesia, the central bank has already stated it’s looking into the issue. Per the financial institution, cryptocurrencies can be used to launder money, finance terrorism, and may have an impact on the country’s economy. All of this could be harmful to society.
According to Indonesian exchange Bitcoin.co.id, one bitcoin is currently trading for 161,000,000 rupiah ($12,075) in Indonesia. At press time, one bitcoin is trading at an average of $11,527, according to Cryptocompare. This makes it clear Bank Indonesia’s moves created a premium for bitcoin users in the country.


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Frogfoot Networks (Pty) Ltd, a licensed open access fibre network provider, has announced that it has commenced with a phased rollout of its infrastructure in the Limpopo capital Polokwane. Areas that have gone live with high speed broadband Internet are Bendor Park and Welgelegen, with over 600 homes passed, though this makes up just around 10% of the company’s planned fibre network rollout in the city.
According to Frogfoot Head of Sales, Shane Chorley, the expansion forms part of the infrastructure company’s strategy of rolling out fibre to secondary towns across South Africa, including the likes of Bloemfontein, East London, Ermelo, Middelburg, Pietermaritzburg, Richards Bay and Witbank.
“Frogfoot is expanding in these towns as they meet our criteria in terms of the number of houses that can be connected, as well as the average household income in these areas,” said Chorley.
“While we are looking primarily at the consumer market, there are opportunities to target certain types of smaller businesses that are based in and around the residential areas.”
Being an open access provider, customers in Polokwane stand to benefit from more choice and better service; with over 80 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) operating on Frogfoot Networks, customers have numerous options when it comes to line speeds, whether they have a capped or uncapped account, data package sizes, and more.
“Previous experience of expanding our network around South Africa has shown that these smaller towns are data starved and that the introduction of affordable broadband connectivity leads to noticeable changes in user behaviour,” added Chorley.
“It might take a while, but as people become exposed to the possibilities of quality high speed internet, they consume far more data than before.”
Users are increasingly watching or streaming videos online, and in higher quality, as well as using the Internet for more of their communication, education and even skills development needs. Turning to cloud services means they can access their productivity suites and other business tools – and their data – from any device or location.
Chorley added, that as with other areas covered by Frogfoot Fibre, the company is looking to foster partnerships with local businesses and communities, to improve safety and security through the rollout of fibre-connected CCTV cameras and assist educational institutions with access.
“Schools within the coverage area can apply for a fibre link as part of the company’s schools promotion campaign, which gives these institutions access to a free FTTH connection of up to 1Gpbs, with their preferred internet service provider,” he said.
Representatives from Frogfoot and leading ISPs will be at local shopping centres and along roads in Bendor Park and Welgelegen from January 20 to 26 January to engage with residents on the different fibre packages on offer and to answer any fibre related questions.


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Business & Economy
Rachel Brooks, product Lead at Instagram, opens up about her role in Instagram's new tool that helps Black businesses thrive on the app.
“We're really excited, not only to be providing opportunities for our small business owners, but to also be providing job opportunities,” said Aisha Taylor.
Let's face it, celebrities endorse a lot of products and can make anything look good. But what items are actually worth your dollars? Here are 10 celebrity-owned beauty companies that are reviewer-approved.
Businesses dependent on person to person contact have suffered a huge loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’re in the haircare, skincare on nail care industries, then the mandated closures have made it difficult to stay afloat. If no business is coming in, how can shop owners pay rent and continue to pay their employees? […]
And another one! Well-known boho-chic clothing store Anthropologie is the latest brand to be called out for their hypocritical support of the Black Lives Matter movement on social media. Dozens of former employees, influencers and customers are accusing the brand of racism in the workplace, racial profiling, and requesting black influencers to work without pay. […]


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Google is finally laying out its grand plans to bring Android, the world's leading mobile operating system, to your car. It's called Android Auto. Think of it as the software you're already familiar with, but redesigned and reimagined for the car. Google says Android Auto is contextually aware, bringing you the information you want when you need it. And it's been optimized for voice, which means you'll never need to take your hands off the wheel to use it. Google said that was a priority in their approach to developing Android Auto, with Patrick Brady pointed to alarming accident statistics during his presentation at I/O. "There has to be a better way," he said. Google’s car ambitions are rooted in Android L, the latest version of its mobile operating system. The new OS is slated to arrive this fall, and Google says the first cars that support Android Auto will follow by year's end.
Android Auto makes heavy use of Google Now to create a safer and more convenient driving experience. The system gives you quick, voice-based access to Google Maps navigation, text messaging, and apps like Google Play Music. Android Auto is fully compatible with the dials, knobs, and buttons on your dashboard and steering wheel. Since everything you see on screen is actually being "casted" from your smartphone, Google says the in-car experience will be even better if you own a powerful handset. An SDK for Android Auto is coming soon, and the company is encouraging developers to get in quick. It's already rounded up early partners including Spotify, Pandora, MLB.TV, Stitcher, and Pocket Casts.
At the start of this year, Google and several automaker partners announced the Open Automotive Alliance, a collaboration that will prove vital to the company's hopes of owning your dashboard. The group's stated goal is "making technology in the car safer, more seamless and more intuitive for everyone." Obviously Android is central to that plan. "We believe that a common platform will help drive innovation," the Open Automotive Alliance said in January. Today marks the first time we've gotten a real look at the plan in motion. And it's all part of the company's mission to build a seamless platform across every device in your life, from phones and wearables to TVs and automobiles. Sundar Pichai promised "a full set of new experiences" as part of the push.
Google's in-car technology is a direct rival to Apple's CarPlay, which offers iPhone owners a familiar user interface while driving. CarPlay allows hands-free access to iOS messages and navigation features, and also supports select third-party software like Spotify, Beats Music, and even MLB.TV. And it shares one key similarity with Android Auto: CarPlay depends on your iPhone to work. It's not a standalone platform. A number of automakers (and aftermarket hardware manufacturers) have aligned themselves with Apple and CarPlay, though you won't find it in any cars on the road right now. So while Apple has had a head start, Google has a very real opportunity to catch up and take the iOS versus Android war to automobiles. And after years of putting up with dumb automaker "infotainment" systems, everyone should be excited about that.


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Formula One has announced that tickets for 2021 Italian Grand Prix are now on sale, although the spectator capacity will be capped at 50% due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
This announcement means that Monza will not be permitted the usual capacity crowd of around 200K, instead with 100,000 spectators at maximum instead set to be permitted entry if have a European green pass as established by Italy’s Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza and President, Mario Draghi.
The European green pass will also enable general members of the public to attend all three days across weekend of 10-12 September 2021, with tickets on same set to be capped at less than 50% of maximum capacity availability.
F1 also confirmed that the members of public in attendance will either be vaccinated, recovered from Coronavirus or hold a negative test result, with majority of spectators set to be from across Italy alongside countries from which travel is allowed by Ministry of Domestic Affairs.
If hold EU digital COVID certificates, seats in stands and bleacher seats will be available for sale online across all three days of the event, with the chance to buy a weekend ticket covering all three days at a special promotional price.
Circuit organisers however have warned that should ‘new government measures’ be introduced in due course, the seat assignation at time of purchase could be modified if required in order to allow more people into the circuit.
Tickets will also not be made available on entry to Autodromo Nazionale Di Monza and must instead be brought in advance through official websites permitted to sell tickets, with ‘a check-in procedure’ required in order to track spectators and protect the public health of all in attendance.
The Italian GP weekend will also see the second trial of F1’s radical weekend format change, with knockout Qualifying moved to Friday from 6-7pm CET (5-6pm UK Time), with FP2 switching to the Saturday in the FP3 slot of 12pm CET (11am UK Time) ahead of Sprint Qualifying at 4:30pm CET (3:30pm UK Time).
The race will take place at 3pm CET (2pm UK Time) on Sunday 12 September as scheduled.
Fan Zone will also be present with ‘entertainment activities’ for spectators with TV screens also available to ensure that fans can keep up-to-date with the on-track action and backstage events.
Should the event however be forced to move behind-closed-doors or run with further reduction in capacity, circuit organisers will refund ‘excess tickets’ at full value based on priority order of purchase date.
Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.


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Reading 3 min Views 5 Published Updated
The number of daily Bitcoin (BTC) transactions on the blockchain rose, reaching an all-time high of 682,000 on May 1st. Rafael Schulze-Kraft, co-founder of Glassnode, suggested that this increase in transaction volume is likely due to a combination of factors.
Bitcoin transactions are skyrocketing
Rafael argues that one of the key factors is the growing adoption of Bitcoin by institutional investors and large corporations. As more companies begin to hold bitcoin on their balance sheets and offer it as a payment method, the demand for bitcoin transactions has more and more potential to increase.
Another factor driving the growth of bitcoin transactions is the growing popularity of decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. These blockchain-based applications such as Ethereum and Bitcoin allow users to borrow, lend, and trade cryptocurrencies in a decentralized manner.
In addition, Schulze-Kraft notes that the recent surge in bitcoin transactions may be a sign of increased interest and activity in the cryptocurrency space more broadly. As more people become aware of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Daily number of BTC transactions. Source: Raphael Schulze-Kraft on Twitter.
Also, according to Schulze-Kraft, the current surge in transactions is noteworthy as it is more than double the baseline set in 2022, which was relatively stable at around 250,000 transactions per day, as seen in the chart above.
The recent surge has been accompanied by a notable increase in the use of Taproot transactions. According to data from Glassnode, Taproot transactions accounted for 37.5% of spent outputs on April 30, and on May 1, a record 60% of all Bitcoin transactions using Taproot.
Acceptance of BTC Taproot. Source: Raphael Schulze-Kraft on Twitter.
So, what is Taproot and why is its adoption growing? Taproot is a proposed upgrade to the Bitcoin network designed to improve privacy and efficiency. This is achieved by combining multiple BTC script paths into a single output that can be spent using a single signature. This makes transactions smaller and cheaper, which can help reduce network congestion and lower fees.
Taproot was first proposed in 2018, but it took some time for the Bitcoin community to come to a consensus on its implementation. However, the recent activation of Taproot looks increasingly likely, with more users and companies starting to adopt the technology.
In addition, according to Rafael Schulze-Kraft, the recent spike in Taproot transactions on the Bitcoin network can be explained by a significant increase in text overlays. More than 50% of all transactions in the Bitcoin network are associated with text inscriptions.
When separating text-related transactions from all other bitcoin transactions, it becomes clear that they are the only driver of the recent increase in BTC activity, briefly surpassing the total number of all other transactions.
Type of inscriptions BTC. Source: Raphael Schulze-Kraft on Twitter.
Glassnode data shows that text labels are much more popular than others on the Bitcoin network, including images, video, and audio. While there are several uses for these other types of labels, such as embedding a digital signature or proof of ownership, text labels seem to be the most versatile and widely used.
As the Bitcoin network continues to evolve and adapt to changing user needs, there will likely be more innovations and updates that will further enhance its functionality and usability. Whether it’s text labels or other technologies, it’s clear that BTC is becoming not only a financial instrument, but also a powerful tool for communication and self-expression.
BTC is trading sideways on the daily chart. Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView.com.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView.com


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Kristy Kim, Wemimo Abbey and Samir Goel present credit solutions for immigrants financially marginalized by America’s credit validation system.
New research supported by Morgan Stanley shows parents attitudes towards the increase in screentime following the COVID-19 crisis.
Three megatrends are converging in India and setting the scene for a decade of rapid economic growth and investment opportunity.
A displaced entrepreneur and Five One Labs founders Alice Bosley and Patricia Letayf discuss the hurdles to and benefits of building businesses that are founded by individuals forced to flee their homes.
The global economy in 2023 will likely be defined by weaker growth, less inflation and the end of central bank tightening.
A reversal in growth, inflation and rates mean that bonds and emerging markets could be among the winners in the year ahead.
Inflation fears are driving holiday budgets, with most shoppers waiting for discounts before shelling out for gifts.
Looking for a more meaningful gift this holiday season? Consider these strategies when gifting to your children or grandchildren – the gift of education—through a 529 plan.
The video game industry is set for an inflection year as more titles drop and the base of next-gen consoles continues to expand.
Disruption in connected advertising, a digital-driven economic boom in India and more trends in tech, media and telecom.


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Technology: Volvo to Begin Offering HD Radio in Fall 2008
by KBB.com Editors | January 15, 2008 1:45 PM
Volvo recently announced that it will join the heretofore slow-growing list of automakers to offer HD Radio. Currently available in many 2008 model year BMW and Ford/ Lincoln/Mercury vehicles, Volvo will offer HD Radio in 2009 models including the S40 T5, V50 T5, C30, C70, S80, V70, XC70 and XC90. HD Radio offers clearer sound and more channels than traditional AM/FM radio, plus the ability to transmit text data such as song info and traffic updates. Many stations also broadcast a second 'HD2' channel with unique programming. To see if your favorite station is among the 1,500 broadcasting in HD Radio, visit hdradio.com.