text:
BMW Richmond Hill’s service-only centre is now officially open for business.
This 13,000 sq.ft. facility is equipped with 120 parking spots, 12 service technicians, three service advisors, two parts advisors, support staff and management, all designed to service BMW customers in the Richmond Hill area.
Canadian auto dealer was invited to take a tour of the facility and learn more about its features.
“We don’t sell cars, we service them with same service quality you will find at any BMW service centre. It’s as good as you can get, and we think it’s the way of the future for other dealerships,” said Paul Roach, Brand Manager at BMW Autohaus in an interview with Canadian auto dealer.
The purpose of creating a service-only facility is to feed the growing demand of customers needing to be serviced, while not having a long wait, said Roach.
“When you book a service appointment, sometimes you wait a day or sometimes in peak season you can wait a week or two. By adding additional service bays here, it’s almost next day service,” said Roach.
The premium branded BMW elements are all included such as the espresso cafe, the furniture and BMW merchandise, even down to the signage.
“We didn’t want it to be boring or look like a shop — just very customer-friendly,” said Beto Najman, the architect on the project from Weis & Associates.
Although shorter wait times is the obvious benefit, the location sits in a low traffic area, making it an easier location to reach, said Roach.
“Our BMW dealership sells over 2,000 BMWs a year — that’s a lot of customers we need to look after. The other reason why we opened this facility is because traffic and congestion is continuing to get worse, so we’ve given them this option of a less traffic area and shorter wait times,” he added.


text:
2018 has been an eventful year for the crypto space with massive price slumps in the market and crackdown inducing a state of unrest in the market. Many coins were victims of the volatility of the market and Litecoin was especially not left. Despite losing much of its valuation, the digital currency is aiming at moving above the state of the market by going forward with its goal of becoming a viable payment system. Moving forward with its plans to establish its lightning network, the Litecoin Foundation has announced that it will be rolled out soon. As earlier reported, the foundation had partnered with leading payment platform and crypto exchange, CoinGate for its lightning network. CoinGate was to be the payment processor for transactions on the lightning network. Thus,it was hardly surprising when the payment processor announced the latest development through a twitter post. Claiming to be the bearer of the good news, CoinGateannounced that the lightning network is ready and will soon be officially launched.
‘@litecoin community, we bear some exciting news! Our #Litecoin #LightningNetwork is ready to be deployed and will soon believe on CoinGate! Keep up with the news as we’re getting closer! Here’s a sneak peek @LTCFoundation @SatoshiLite @starkness!”CoinGate wrote
A Second-layer Payment Solutions Going through Bitcoin and LitecoinCommenting on the development of the lightning network, Litecoin founder, Charlie Lee shared his enthusiasm about the project. He replied the crypto exchange’s tweet by cheering them on and highlighting what the development could mean for Litecoin.
“Even Litecoin will soon have more than 1000 merchants accepting LN payments! Thanks @CoinGatecom!”He replied.Going by his recent interview with CNBC, Charlie Lee appears to be confident that the integration of the lightning network will proffer the much needed solutions to some of the issues faced in the crypto space. He explained that the lightning Network could be seen as a “second-layer payment solutions” for Bitcoin and Litecoin transactions. Highlighting the integration of Segregated Witness on the Litecoin network, he explained that the network was growing stronger. As such, the system is getting equipped to achieve the “Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System” goal set by Satoshi Nakamoto. Hence,with the lightning network in place, transactions will be made faster. Also,with CoinGate employed as its payment processor, exchanging Litecoin for fiat currencies directly is done efficiently.
Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided for discussion purposes only, and should not be misconstrued as investment advice. Under no circumstances does this information represent a recommendation to buy or sell securities.

domain: news


text:
February 2, 2024 - 9:43 am
Don Hamrick of Chapman Las Vegas is one of a select group of 49 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 107th annual National Automobile Dealers Association Show on Saturday in Las Vegas. 3.
The TIME Dealer of the Year award is one of the automobile industry’s most prestigious and highly coveted honors. The award recognizes the nation’s most successful auto dealers who also demonstrate a long-standing commitment to community service. Hamrick was chosen to represent the Nevada Franchised Auto Dealers Association in the national competition — one of only 49 auto dealers nominated for the 55th annual award from more than 16,000 nationwide.
“At TIME, we are proud to uphold the decades-long tradition of honoring automotive dealers who make a positive impact and show dedication to their communities through our TIME Dealer of the Year award,” TIME CEO Jessica Sibley said. “We are excited to keep this tradition of applauding these community contributions together with our partners at Ally.”
Hamrick said he is humbled by the honor and journey.
“In a 45-plus year career, I’ve been blessed to enjoy many highlights,” Hamrick said. “My most rewarding moments relate to helping others advance in their careers, particularly those who never imagined that a career in our industry would enable them to support their families and prosper.
Hamrick, a 1976 graduate of Moultrie High School in Moultrie, Georgia, was born in Casablanca, Morocco, and came to the United States with his Moroccan mother after his American father died. In 1978, Hamrick started his career as a sales representative for Sahara Datsun in Las Vegas. Two years later, at age 22, he was named new-car manager at the store and was lured away in 1986 to become general manager of a Chrysler/Plymouth dealership in the city, where he worked until 1998.
“At age 39, I was offered the opportunity to buy into my first dealership, so I became an 18 percent owner of Integrity Dodge,” he said. “When the dealership was sold to Sonic Automotive with a noncompete agreement two years later, I moved into the hotel development business while waiting for the noncompete to expire.”
Hamrick returned to the car business in 2003 and ran two other dealerships before joining Chapman Automotive Group in 2005, where he continues to oversee the company’s Las Vegas store as general manager and managing partner. “I have been the beneficiary of a great deal of good fortune in my life,” he said. “My early managers and owners saw potential in me, giving opportunities not normally offered to people my age or with my level of experience.”
Hamrick is a member of the Nevada Franchised Auto Dealers Association and served as board president from 2019 to 2021 and vice president from 2017 to 2019. He guided the association through the darkest days of the pandemic, working diligently with state officials to craft guidelines for safely conducting business.
Hamrick brings that same passion to his philanthropic endeavors. Chapman Las Vegas Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram supports its parent company’s Chapman Cares program, which benefits charitable organizations throughout the region. One such recipient is Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada, an organization that grants wishes for critically ill children.
Dealers are nominated by the executives of state and metro dealer associations around the country. A panel of faculty members from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan will select one finalist from each of the four NADA regions and one national Dealer of the Year. Three finalists will receive $5,000 for their favorite charities, and the winner will receive $10,000 to give to charity, donated by Ally Financial Inc.
Hamrick was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by Andrew MacKay, executive director of the Nevada Franchised Auto Dealers Association. He and his wife, Jeanne, have three children.
Doug Timmerman, president of dealer financial services, Ally, said, “Auto dealers nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to not only the industry but to their respective communities through volunteerism, sponsorships, and supporting charitable causes, no matter the market climate. Whether their clients are purchasing a first car or upgrading for a growing family, these selected dealers have successfully extended their relationships beyond the showroom and have been steadfast in driving their communities forward.”
TIME is a 99-year-old global media brand that reaches a combined audience of more than 100 million around the world through its iconic magazine and digital platforms. TIME’s mission is to tell the essential stories of the people and ideas that shape and improve the world.
Ally Financial Inc. is a digital financial services company committed to its promise to “Do It Right” for its consumer, commercial and corporate customers.
In its 13th year as exclusive sponsor, Ally also will recognize dealer nominees and their community efforts by contributing $1,000 to each nominee’s 501(c)3 charity of choice. Nominees will be recognized on AllyDealerHeroes.com, which highlights the philanthropic contributions and achievements of TIME Dealer of the Year nominees. Over the past decade, Ally has donated nearly $1 million in connection with the program.


text:
Mrs. Stacey Liburd, Director of Tourism for the Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) and Chief Marketing Officer, Ms. Kimberly King, secured a prime exhibit space at IMEX America, held at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, NV from October 17 – 19, 2023.
The pandemic has led to new ways of thinking, working and operating business events, yet “anybody who thinks they have the picture of change, are probably wrong – very different things are happening in different parts of the world,” said Professor Greg Clark CBE, Global Urbanist and leading advisor on cities and businesses at yesterday’s Policy Forum.
The doors opened on Halls 8 and 9 of Messe Frankfurt today for the 2023 edition of IMEX Frankfurt, the leading tradeshow for the global meetings and events industry. A brand refresh, timed to launch at the show, meant that visitors were greeted by a new look IMEX, featuring pastel colours derived from its legacy branding, set-off by navy and white and introducing a new motif – a symbolic handshake.
With 3,000 buyers from over 60 countries registered so far, buyer demand for IMEX Frankfurt in May continues to track upwards.
Natasha Richards, Head of Advocacy & Industry Relations at the IMEX Group, explains how the crucial – often challenging – dialogue between the industry and policy makers is the key driver behind maintaining the sector’s relevancy and success.
The first IMEX in Frankfurt since 2019 proved to be a momentous occasion for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry this week. It was marked by an outpouring of camaraderie, celebration and, most importantly, business.
The global brand reveal of the Middle East’s newest exhibition & convention centre was launched at IMEX Frankfurt, showcasing the dynamic, progressive and collaborative culture of the Kingdom of Bahrain.


text:
OLD Christmas cards could lead to new woodland through an in-store recycling scheme.
Marks and Spencer has placed card recycling bins in more than 300 of its shops and for every 1,000 cards it collects the company will plant one tree in partnership with The Woodland Trust.
Customers can vote online for where they would like the trees to be planted and the more votes a region gets, the more trees will be planted there.
The recycling bins will be in place throughout January.
For more information about the scheme or to vote visit www.marksandspencer.com/votetrees


text:
Ryan Holmes, Meredith Powell | BCBusinessMeredith Powell, Executive Director of "The Next Big Thing" with CEO Ryan Holmes
Ryan Holmes, Meredith Powell | BCBusinessMeredith Powell, Executive Director of “The Next Big Thing” with CEO Ryan Holmes
Canadian entrepreneurs aged 17-22 have a new way resource for accelerating their careers, complete with funding, mentorship and experiential learning, thanks to HootSuite founder and CEO Ryan Holmes and entrepreneur Meredith Powell.
“Meredith and I have talked to a lot of different entrepreneurs, and it’s a very common thing that often it takes them a number of years to stumble upon what is the next big thing for them. It really got us thinking about how we could help accelerate this,” says Holmes.
The two initially started talking about creating the foundation while at a conference in Las Vegas last year. “The Next Big Thing,” which was borne from that offhand chat, will offer 10 young people the chance to accelerate their business idea. The six-month experience will involve working at HootSuite’s offices, no-strings-attached grant funding, hands-on learning and an exclusive network of mentors and investors—things that Powell and Holmes sought out when starting their own businesses.
The ideal candidate is someone who dreams big and is courageous, says Powell.
“We are really looking for the next generation of innovators who are looking to take on the world,” she says.
Speaking about his own challenges as a young entrepreneur, Holmes says that it ultimately took him 32 years to come up with his own “next big thing.” He hopes to help young entrepreneurs quickly identify and troubleshoot their big business ideas. The foundation also seeks to keep young entrepreneurs in Canada so they don’t have to go across the boarder to get funding or mentorship.
“Ultimately entrepreneurs just add so much value to the economy,” says Holmes. “We see a lot of our smart, young, bright entrepreneurs heading across the border to look for other opportunities there, and so we want to think about how we can help them here.”
The application deadline is December 15. Applicants must provide a 90-second video clip about themselves and complete an application package.


text:
Isuzu Motors to invest Rs.3,000 crore in Andhra plant2 min read . Updated: 16 Jan 2014, 05:28 PM IST Japanese automotive major Isuzu Motors will invest Rs.3,000 crore in its first manufacturing plant in India, coming up in Andhra Pradesh, company officials said Thursday.
Japanese automotive major Isuzu Motors will invest ₹3,000 crore in its first manufacturing plant in India, coming up in Andhra Pradesh, company officials said Thursday.
The plant, which is coming up at Sri City, is expected to be operational in 2016 and manufacture 50,000 Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in the first year.
Sri City is a special economic zone located in Chittoor and Nellore districts of Andhra Pradesh close to Tamil Nadu.
The company, which rolled out its first SUV manufactured in India at an event here, plans to increase the capacity of the plant to 80,000 in the second year and 100,000 in the third.
The company showcased MU-7, one of the longest SUVs available in India, and also handed over the key to its first customer here.
Powered by Isuzu's superior diesel engine and priced at ₹22.6 lakh (ex-showroom Hyderabad), the SUV has been assembled at the Thiruvallur (Chennai) plant of Hindustan Motors, with which Isuzu has a contract manufacturing agreement to assemble MU-7 and pick-up truck D-Max.
'We are delighted to showcase the India made MU-7 in Hyderabad. The MU-7 SUV is known for its ruggedness, durability and fuel efficiency and is a proved and successful SUV in other key markets,' Takashi Kikuchi, president and managing director, Isuzu Motors India, told reporters.
He said the Chennai plant would manufacture 5,000 SUVs and pick-up trucks before Isuzu's own manufacturing plant in Andhra Pradesh becomes operational in 2016.
Isuzu Motors had last year signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh government to set up the plant.
The Japanese firm, which is considered the global diesel engine expert, has already sold 200 imported SUVs in India.
Isuzu currently has dealers in Hyderabad, Chennai and Comibatore. Shigeru Wakabayashi, deputy managing director, Isuzu Motors India, said they planned to have five more dealers in a month, all in south India, the region where it is currently focusing.
After its manufacturing plant becomes operational in 2016, Isuzu plans to expand the dealership network to entire country with 60 dealers. Despite the current slowdown, the firm bets high on Indian market.
Wakabayashi is optimistic that the Indian economy would return to high growth path in six months and pointed out that many Japanese companies were investing in India.
Wakabayashi did not agree that Isuzu had come late to India.
'We have come to India at right time as the demand is set to pick up in coming years,' he said, pointing out that the Indian automobile industry was expected to see a huge growth from 3.5 million in 2013 to 10 million by 2020.
Isuzu, which sold 700,000 vehicles worldwide last year, sees India as a key market and plans to achieve the production capacity of 100,000 units by 2020.
Currently, Thailand is the biggest market for Isuzu. The company sells 15,000 vehicles per month in Thailand.


text:
Plastics Recycling Industry ‘Starving For Materials’
ScienceDaily (Oct. 16, 2007) — Consumers have unknowingly put the plastics recycling industry in the United States on a starvation diet by failing to recycle sufficient quantities of soft drink bottles and other waste. That’s the conclusion of a story in the Oct. 15 issue of Chemical & Engineering News.
In the article, C&EN senior editor Alexander H. Tullo explores the critical role of consumers in efforts to save energy and raw materials by transforming plastic wastes into new products. Tullo notes that barely 25 percent of the billions of pounds of plastic bottles and containers manufactured annually in the United States enter the recycling stream.
While major cities like New York and San Francisco have shown that plastics recycling can be done successfully on a large scale, fueled by recycling educational programs and environmental pride, many municipalities are still falling far short of their desired recycling goals.
Financial concerns, technological difficulties, and stiff competition for raw materials by recyclers at home and abroad are among the combined challenges facing the plastics recycling industry, Tullo notes.
But the fate of the plastics recycling industry may ultimately rest in the hands of consumers, he writes. Tullo’s bottom line is a quote from one recycling expert: “There is not enough scrap material being collected.”
Article: “From Refuse to Reuse”


text:
General Motors recently announced that it is launching a new car sharing service called “Maven” which combines the company’s multiple programs under one brand, with the mission to give customers access to highly personalized, on demand mobility services. This announcement comes on the heels of the company’s acquisition of defunct ride hailing start-up “Sidecar” and its $500 million investment in ride sharing company Lyft. Earlier in January, Ford Motors announced the launch of its program “Ford Pass”, which marked the beginning of its transformation into an auto and mobility company. Since an increasing number of consumers prefer ride sharing to car ownership, we believe automakers are investing into the future by transforming themselves into mobility service providers, as well as auto manufacturers. General Motors’ recent initiatives are directed towards this goal.
Ownership Models In the Automotive Industry Are Changing
According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan’s Transport Research Institute, there has been a significant decrease in driver’s license holders in the age group of 20-24 in the U.S. While nearly 92% of the U.S. population in this age group had a driver’s license in 1983, this number declined to nearly 77% in 2014. The decreasing number of young license holders indicates that car ownerships will decline going forward with ride and car sharing becoming more popular. Although the U.S. automobile market was strong in 2015, as technological advancements make it easy and convenient to share rented cars, the number of people owning cars may well decline in future. Based on their recent initiatives, it is clear that auto makers such as General Motors and Ford are investing in mobility to adapt themselves to this changing trend. General Motors stated that Maven is a key element of its strategy to changing ownership models in the automotive industry. Maven customers can rent cars by using its app to search for and reserve a vehicle by location or car type and unlock the vehicle with their smartphone. The car can be shared with other commuters of the same locality. Maven, combined with General Motors’ investment in ride sharing company Lyft, provides the company a foothold into the emerging trend of car and ride sharing.
Under the Maven brand, General Motors launched its car sharing program at the University of Michigan, targeting more than 100,000 people, though initially focused on serving university faculty and students. In the first quarter of 2016, Maven will launch car sharing services for Chicago residents and expand its existing residential program in New York City. The company is working on refining and testing future Maven commercial offerings in its campuses in the U.S., Germany and China.
As automobile trends shift towards car sharing, ride sharing and autonomous cars, we believe, General Motors’ investment into personal mobility solutions is strategically timed to tap into future growth trends.
View Interactive Institutional Research (Powered by Trefis):
Like our charts? Embed them in your own posts using the Trefis WordPress Plugin.


text:
Stay in the Know - Subscribe to Our Newsletters
Join a network of more than 90,000 waste and recycling industry professionals. Get the latest news and insights straight to your inbox. Free.
May 15, 2015
If parts of your new Dell computer look strikingly familiar, it’s because you might well have seen—and touched them—before.
Why? The Round Rock, Texas-based enterprise is leading the industry in efforts to recycle computer plastic. From last July through March, the company has incorporated 2.89 million pounds of that plastic e-waste into its OptiPlex 3030 All-in-One, OptiPlex 3020 and 13 other desktops and monitors.
“Our attitude is, sooner or later this will be mandated,” Trisa Thompson, Dell’s vice president of corporate responsibility tells Waste360 in an interview. “Let’s get ahead of this.”
Thompson was a presenter at an early May conference in Washington, D.C. called “The Circular Economy: Unleashing New Business Value.” It was sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Dell debuted what it calls a closed loop pilot project last summer by partnering with Wistron GreenTech. In a nutshell, computer plastics are collected from take-back programs Dell has set up in 78 countries and then shipped to China, where they are shredded, melted and then blended with virgin plastic before being molded into new parts. Recycled plastic content averages 35 percent.
One of those U.S. programs is Dell Reconnect, a 10-year-old collaboration with Goodwill that allows free drop-off of any brand of computers and affiliated equipment at 2,000 participating locations.
Simply put, closed-loop systems are the backbone of a circular economy. The goal of the latter is to recycle and reuse materials continually, rather than trash them after a single use. Creating new computers from old parts allows Dell to conserve resources, reduce e-waste and slice carbon emissions by 11 percent compared with using virgin plastics. Dell would not provide financial specifics other than to say it has not lost money on the venture.
“We want to make sure we’re not greenwashing,” Thompson says. “We want to make sure it’s really sustainable.”
That attitude is driving Dell’s goal, a piece of its 21-part 2020 Legacy of Good program, to use 50 million pounds of recycled-content plastic and other similar materials in its products within the next five years.
In this country, computers and other electronic waste make up between 1 and 2 percent of a total municipal solid waste stream that weighed in at 251 million tons in 2012, according to the latest statistics from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. However, it wasn’t all landfilled. Americans recycled 65 million tons of that trash and composted another 21 million tons of it.
For years, the Oakland, Calif.-based Electronics TakeBack Coalition has prodded computer manufacturers to recycle plastics in a closed-loop fashion.
“Somebody had to be the leader here and clearly it is Dell,” says Barbara Kyle, the coalition’s national coordinator. “It’s a big deal because it’s an important step for this industry to manage the custody of its plastic content.
“We applauded them when they did this last summer and we continue to be happy to see they are taking this seriously and doing it in a meaningful way.”
Dell earns kudos from Kyle and her ilk for being out front in creating products of the same value and branching beyond “downcycling,” which translates to turning recycled plastic into lower-grade products such as chairs, benches or decking that are thrown away when they wear out.
“That’s temporary recycling,” Kyle says. “True sustainability is plastics being used very many times without adding a ton more virgin content. Infinite recycling is the ideal but I don’t know if that’s physically possible with all plastics.”
Kyle and her colleagues are curious if Dell has more leeway to elevate its green efforts since founder and chief executive Michael Dell took his company private almost two years ago.
Not having to answer to number-crunchers with quarterly earnings “allows you to have a longer-term view but you still have to save money or bring in revenue,” Thompson says. “It helps having a CEO who is engaged.”
“Michael cares,” she says. “His name is on the box and all of our computer parts. He doesn’t want to see any of it sitting in a landfill in Kenya or anywhere else.”
Dell prides itself on designing for recyclability. For some time, it has incorporated plastics derived from water bottles and other sources into its computers. Dell’s continued appetite for plastic waste is evidently insatiable because company officials are talking with the automotive and airline industries about collecting their leftovers.
“Those conversations are happening,” Thompson says. “We’re always looking for partnerships. Our message is, ‘Bring us your plastic.’”
What might the next source be?
Dipping into that heartbreaking, aquatic-life threatening, ocean clog known as the Great Pacific garbage patch. It’s loaded with plastics that just might be repurposed as keyboards, monitors or even hard drives.
Elizabeth H. McGowan, an award-winning energy and environment reporter based in Washington, D.C., writes a weekly Industry Buzz article for Waste360. She was the D.C. correspondent for Crain Communications' Waste & Recycling News, and has written for numerous other publications since beginning her career at daily newspapers in Wisconsin. In 2013, she won the Pulitzer Prize in the national reporting category for an investigative series published in InsideClimate News that revealed how the nation’s oil pipeline infrastructure isn’t measuring up to federal safety standards.
You May Also Like


text:
The Pentagon bans Huawei and ZTE phones from retail stores on military bases
The Pentagon is ordering stores on US army bases to cease promoting Huawei and ZTE telephones. The Division of Protection says utilizing the gadgets may very well be a safety danger.
“Huawei and ZTE gadgets could pose an unacceptable danger to the division’s personnel, data and mission,” a Pentagon spokesperson stated in a press release to The Wall Road Journal. “In mild of this data, it was not prudent for the division’s exchanges to proceed promoting them.”
US army members can nonetheless purchase Huawei and ZTE gadgets for private use from different shops, as there’s no outright ban on that for now. However the spokesperson elaborated that the Pentagon is contemplating whether or not it ought to ship out a military-wide advisory in regards to the gadgets.
US authorities officers have stated that China might order its producers to create backdoors for spying of their gadgets, though each Huawei and ZTE have denied the likelihood. An nameless supply instructed the WSJ that army leaders are cautious that Beijing might use ZTE and Huawei gadgets to find troopers’ actual coordinates and monitor their actions.
The US authorities has been making extra vital strikes towards Chinese language tech firms since December, though officers have been suspicious of the 2 firms since earlier than then (akin to in 2014 when Huawei was banned from bidding for US authorities contracts). In a Senate testimony this previous February, six main US intelligence heads warned that Americans shouldn’t use Huawei and ZTE services and products. In January, US lawmakers launched a invoice that will ban US authorities companies from utilizing the 2 firms’ telephones and gear.
For a separate purpose, the US Division of Commerce banned US exports to ZTE final month after the corporate failed to fulfill a plea settlement when it pleaded responsible to illegally transport US gear to North Korea and Iran. ZTE is interesting the ban. Nameless sources instructed the WSJ final week that the Justice Division is now probing Huawei for probably violating sanctions towards Iran.
We’ve reached out to the Division of Protection, Huawei, and ZTE for additional remark.
Supply hyperlink – https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/2/17310870/pentagon-ban-huawei-zte-phones-retail-stores-military-bases


text:
Google is investigating reports of Pixel repairs resulting in leaked photos0
According to McGonigal, this resulted in private pictures of her being accessed by a malicious technician. The victim says she opened her activity logs to find out what the “hacker” looked at. Pictures of McGonigal in bathing suits, sports bras, form-fitting dresses, and stitches after surgery have been accessed, and the hacker went on to even delete Google security notifications in McGonigal’s backup email accounts in order to cover their tracks.
The phone was sent to a repair facility in Texas via mail. This is a popular practice for users who don’t live near an authorized repair shop. McGonigal couldn’t reset her Pixel 5a prior because the damage the phone sustained didn’t allow her to.
This isn’t the only recent report about Pixel phones getting hacked during repairs. In a since-deleted Reddit post archived by Android Police, a user that also sent his Pixel for repairs in a Texas repair facility had an even more horrifying experience. The phone was used to access the user’s private photos and social media accounts.
Nude photos of the user and his wife were posted on his social media. It is unclear what the point of this wrongdoing was, as the repair technician didn’t ask for a ransom of any sort. However, they did send a small amount of money from the user’s PayPal account. The victim’s phone was unlocked and couldn’t be reset before mailing for the same reason as McGonigal’s phone.
Google has responded to the claims, telling The Verge it is “investigating” McGonigal’s claim. Of course, Google recommends users reset their devices before sending them for repairs, but as seen from the reports, the users, in this case, couldn’t do that due to the damages their phones sustained. Google partnered with Asurion locations, a repair company formerly known as uBreakiFix, to offer same-day local repairs for Pixel phones. It is unclear whether the problematic facility or facilities in Texas are part of Asurion.
All of this sounds very disturbing. All of us take photos, including ones with fewer clothes on. We also log our bank accounts and credit card information into our smart devices, feeling protected by strong encryption and complicated passwords.
Unfortunately, Google isn’t the only manufacturer that has had issues with privacy exploitation during repairs. In 2016, Apple had a similar case where repair technicians posted a user’s nude pictures on Facebook. This year the case ended in a multimillion-dollar payout for the victim.
We hope Google’s investigation finds out who’s responsible and fixes the problem for good. Time will tell if the tech giant will take action and pay off the victims. We suggest that McGonigal could make use of a new Pixel 6 Pro as an apology, especially considering Google wants her to pay for a replacement phone.
Many reports about Pixel phones having malfunctions made the headlines in recent months. After the release of the Pixel 6 series, users complained of screen defects and manufacturing mishaps. This means that Google repairs shops are probably very busy, and having unprofessional technicians that don’t value privacy could be catastrophic.


text:
As we've reported in the past, your Internet service provider has a lot of information about you, including logs of every website you visit. So, the idea that a data breach might expose that information to hackers, along with your username, password and billing information, is scary.
So the news that hacked information on nearly 600,000 Comcast customers is available for sale on the Dark Web is no small matter. Fortunately, all is not as it seems.
The trouble first started when hackers claimed to have email addresses and passwords for 590,000 Comcast customers. The hackers offered 100,000 for $300, or the all the information for $1,000. To prove the data was good, the hackers released a few dozen addresses.
Comcast swung into action and, after checking its systems, determined that there was no data breach on its end. It claims that the information was collected from Comcast customers who had given out their information in phishing scams, or had downloaded data-stealing viruses.
Comcast further determined that only about 200,000 of the email addresses and passwords were current. It's now resetting those customers' passwords so hackers can't take over their accounts.
Comcast says that because the breach wasn't on its end, and that no billing information was exposed, it won't provide free credit monitoring. However, if you do get a notice from Comcast saying your password was reset, then it's possible hackers have more information on you that they got the same way as your email address and password.
You should immediately scan your computer for a data-stealing virus with security software, then change all your online account passwords. Also keep an eye on your bank account and credit report for any unusual activity.
Finally, make sure you can spot a phishing scam so you don't accidentally give up sensitive information that way. You don't want any of your information showing up on the Dark Web if you can help it.
Want to know more about the Dark Web and what's available there? Listen to this in-depth free podcast as Kim shines a light on this disturbing corner of the Internet.


text:
The company's S-1 lays the groundwork for what is widely expected to be one of the largest initial public offerings of the year, second only to Uber's IPO in May. It's also...Technologyread more
Fraud investigator Harry Markopolos' accusations extended beyond GE's management to actuaries, auditors and analysts who he claims overlooked billions in liabilities.Marketsread more
Trump's tweet comes a day after Apple put out a press release describing the money it spends on U.S.-based suppliers and vendors.Technologyread more
CNBC combed through Wall Street research to see which stocks are still a buy after their earnings reports.Marketsread more
President Donald Trump held a call on Wednesday with the CEOs of three major U.S. banks, according to people with knowledge of the situation.Marketsread more
Despite aggressive strides, Waymo needs one thing before their self-driving cars become a seriously useful transportation system: people. We talked to the ones closest to it.Technologyread more
Scientists say the smoke plumes, filled with megatons of tiny, harmful particles, could travel to other areas of the world and cause serious respiratory problems for people.Weather & Natural Disastersread more
Some Weight Watchers loyalists applaud Kurbo by WW. But nutritionists worry Kurbo promotes an unhealthy relationship with food during an especially impressionable time.Health and Scienceread more
Benefits from what President Trump called "the biggest reform of all time" to the tax code have dwindled to a faint breeze just 20 months after its enactment, writes John...Politicsread more
Epstein, 66, was found in his cell in Manhattan federal lockup Saturday morning and transferred to a nearby hospital, where he was subsequently pronounced dead.Politicsread more
Air travelers faced delays at U.S. airports on Friday afternoon after a computer issue snarled processing of international arrivals.Airlinesread more
industry@ (Adds details on transportation & industrial business, adjusted profit figures)
Aug 1 (Reuters) - Chemicals company DuPont posted lower-than-expected quarterly revenue on Thursday, hurt by weak demand for its product in the electronics and automotive industry as they face the fallout of a U.S.-China trade dispute.
The ongoing trade war between two of the world's largest economies and weak sales in the auto and smartphone end-markets hurts companies like DuPont, which makes chemicals and plastics used in those sectors.
The auto industry is DuPont's largest end market, accounting for about 15% of its total sales.
The company, the industrial chemicals business of conglomerate DowDupont until a split earlier this year, said volumes in its transportation and industrial segment had fallen 12%, blaming factors including weaker Chinese demand and continued de-stocking in both the automotive and electronics channels.
Sales from the segment fell 10.4% to $1.27 billion.
Adjusted for charges, the company reported profit of $725 million, or 97 cents per share, in the second quarter ended June 30 from $695 million, or 89 cents per share, a year before.
Revenue fell 6.6% to $5.47 billion, below analysts' estimates of $5.63 billion, according to Refinitiv IBES data. (Reporting by Nishara Karuvalli Pathikkal and Arathy S Nair in Bangalore; Editing by Anil D'Silva)


text:
U.S. retreats from curbs on tech exports to China
Boeing, others fear limits will hurt sales
Published 10:00 pm, Friday, May 5, 2006
The U.S. government is planning to scale back a proposal to toughen restrictions on technology exports to China after encountering opposition from American companies doing business there.
An original list of hundreds of exports that would be more closely regulated -- including aircraft parts, computer chips and machine tools -- has now been shortened to only 46 items, according to a revised draft of the proposed regulations.
Concerned that China was using U.S. civilian technology to expand its military know-how, the Bush administration floated plans last year to limit technology sales to the Asian nation by requiring special licenses to export some items, background checks on customers and broader oversight of transactions.
- Moms making a job comeback Fox 26 Houston
- People With This Occupation Are Happiest Even Without Job Security Buzz 60
- PayPal CEO: A Company's Most Valuable Resource is its Employees Fortune
- GrubHub and Yelp Expand Reach to Offer Delivery to Over 80,000 Restaurants Wibbitz
- Young entrepreneur Blake Pyron heads to UN Fox4
- Lyft Testing Netflix-Like Subscription Packages for Riders Wibbitz
- Lexus Is Getting Into the Luxury Boat Business Fortune
- Start-Up Offering to Preserve & Upload Your Brain, But There's a Catch Buzz 60
- Amazon Unveils 'Spheres' Green Space In Seattle Associated Press
- Tariffs could affect Maine businesses WMTW
- Triad CEO provides tips on how women can maximize business potential, finances WXII
- Lending business changes policies in wake of Florida school shooting Fox5Atlanta
- The Booming Business of eSports Cheddar TV
- Inside essential oils marketing, a billion-dollar wellness business with plenty of critics Mic
- Millennials fell for scams more than grandparents last year Fox29
- International reaction to Trump's tariffs Euronews
- EXCLUSIVE: Facebook Takes on LinkedIn With New Jobs Tool Cheddar TV
- Amazon Acquires Smart Doorbell Maker 'Ring' for a Reported $1 Billion Wibbitz
- Apple Admits it Uses Google's Cloud for iCloud Wibbitz
- A look into the shipping container home business Fox29
The scaling back of those plans is a partial consolation for exporters such as computer-chipmaker Intel and aircraft maker Boeing, which opposed the original proposal because they rely on Asia as a growth engine for sales and have invested heavily in assembly, research and testing operations in China.
The computer, aviation and machinery industries -- represented by groups such as the Coalition for Employment Through Exports and the Association for Manufacturing Technology -- lobbied against last year's plan because compliance would have hurt their ability to sell to China, one of the world's fastest-growing economies.
Among the items that would be subject to the new export-licensing requirements are nuclear materials, lithography equipment, digital-radio receivers, cameras, radar technology and rocket-propulsion systems, according to the draft document.
Some of the items taken off the list that was floated last year include aircraft engines, bayonets, bearings, large boring equipment, mining equipment and virtual-reality systems.
The proposed regulations, which are set to be made public by the end of the month, also reverse a proposal to limit sales to any companies with ties to the Chinese military. Instead, U.S. companies will be constrained in making any sales that they know would aid in China's military development.
Once the rules are published, U.S. companies would have 120 days to make comments and suggest revisions, the draft says.
At the heart of the Bush administration's efforts are concerns by the Defense Department that China is exploiting open access to U.S. technology and using Chinese nationals employed at U.S. companies to help develop its military capacity.
"To close this technology gap, we expect China to continue making a concerted effort to acquire asymmetric and 'leap-ahead' technologies from the U.S. through legal and illegal means," Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Beth McCormick told the U.S.-China Economic and Security Commission in March.
The new regulations would still require exporters to apply for a license to sell items such as software, lasers, cameras and navigation equipment to many Chinese companies.
It would also call for U.S. companies to obtain a certificate from China's Commerce Ministry stating that the items being sold won't be used for military purposes, according to the draft.
"They are trying to strike a balance, but in so doing, the draft rule is pretty complicated," Burton said.
A Commerce Department spokesman declined to comment on the status of the proposal.


text:
In February 2010, Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman and chairman Max Levchin each pocketed $15 million each in a private sale of stock to Elevation Partners, which previously had bought $25 million worth of shares from the company in Yelp’s series E financing. The private purchases was part of another $36.8 million Elevation paid individual shareholders, including Stoppelman and Levchin.
It is increasingly common for growth investors like Elevation or DST to provide founders and early shareholders with some liquidity before an IPO. Now that Yelp has filed to go public, these details are coming out in its S-1. Stoppelman and Levchin are still the two largest individual shareholders in Yelp. Stoppelman owns 11.1 percent of the company, while Levchin actually owns a little bit more, with 13.8 percent. Depending on what Yelp’s valuation will be at its IPO, those stakes could be worth more than $100 million each (assuming a $1 billion market cap).
At the time of the Elevation transaction, Stoppelman sold 7.4 million shares, which would have been nearly a quarter of his shares at the time, based on the information available in the S-1. Meanwhile, Elevation became Yelp’s second largest shareholder, with almost the same number of shares as Bessemer (22.4 perecent versus 22.5 percent). Benchmark is No.3 with 16.2 percent.
The biggest shareholders are listed in the table below:


text:
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Shares of BMW BMW, -0.40% were trading over 2% higher in Frankfurt after the luxury automaker said it is targeting 4 billion euros in pretax profit in 2006. The company, holding a press conference to discuss its 2005 results, earned 3.29 billion euros before tax in 2005.
Have breaking news sent to your inbox. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Bulletin emails. Sign up here.


text:
Due to ‘global economic factors,’ ‘Saga’ will no longer ‘hold the line at $2.99.’
It’s the end of an era for Saga and its fans. No, not the end of the series — that’s coming in about 40 or so issues, if I’m remembering correctly — but the end of its $2.99 price point.
Starting with issue #61, which is scheduled to arrive in shops next Wednesday, the hit series by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples will jump to $3.99.
In his Substack newsletter, Vaughn said that “you may have noticed on Fiona’s rocking cover that—after more than a decade of being one of the last comics anywhere still ‘holding the line at $2.99’—Saga has finally joined the ranks of books costing $3.99.
“As I say in next week’s To Be Continued, I’m sorry that various global economic factors that I know everybody’s feeling right now made this a move we couldn’t avoid any longer, but we still promise to always offer more new art and story (and more dopey letter columns) than any other similarly priced book on the stands.”
Continue reading “After a decade, ‘Saga’ will finally increase its price to $3.99 an issue”
Grant Morrison, Tom King, Brian K. Vaughan, Niko Henrichon, Jen Bartel and more join the email newsletter platform.
If you’ve seen the acronym “CDoS” pop up in your email or feeds, you’re not getting spammed about collateralized debt obligation — well, maybe some of you are; I don’t know what you’re into. But in the comics realm, today CDoS stands for “Comics Day on Substack,” as the email newsletter platform welcomes several new creators, and their existing creators announce new projects and share free stuff.
Jen Bartel, Grant Morrison, Brian K. Vaughan, Elsa Charretier, Niko Henrichon, Khary Randolph and more join the likes of James Tynion IV, Chip Zdarsky, Skottie Young and more on the platform, which launched its comics-focused push last summer.
We’ll get the new ones added to our Comics Newsletter Directory page later today, but for now here’s a rundown of what’s been launched today.
Continue reading “‘Comics Day on Substack’ brings a new wave of creators to the platform”
Plus: Scout Comics launches Latinx imprint, Marvel’s legal battles, New York Comic Con and more!
Cathy G. Johnson’s The Breakaways joins the list of banned graphic novels making headlines over the past few weeks after Spring Branch Independent School District in Texas banned it from school libraries.
Spring Branch Independent School District, which serves part of Houston, told the Houston Chronicle that the graphic novel was removed from schools because it was “not age appropriate nor was it appropriate for its intended educational use.” A committee decided to ban it after receiving a letter from a parent.
The graphic novel is about a diverse 8th-grade soccer team that includes a trans character.
“The book includes kids of all sorts of identities to reflect the world that is around us,” creator Cathy G. Johnson told the Chronicle. “There is a transgender student who comes out in the book. He is just one of many characters who make up my book, as well as one of the identities that make up the world.”
Continue reading “Comics Lowdown | Texas school district bans ‘The Breakaways’”
The award-winning series from Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples will return with a double-sized issue.
Saga will continue in January with issue #55, the first new issue from creators Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples since 2018.
“Other than my own family, collaborating with Fiona Staples on Saga is the most important thing in my life, so I can’t thank readers and retailers enough for their patience,” Vaughan said in a press release. “I think our next 54 issues will be even more shocking, strange and spectacular than the first 54, so we can’t wait to be back on the shelves at your local comic shop soon.”
The double-length issue of the award-winning series will clock in at 44 pages for $2.99, promising no “variant covers or gimmicky renumbering.”
Continue reading “‘Saga’ returns from hiatus in January”
Check out news, announcements and previews from Image, DC, BOOM! Studios and more.
Mail Call is a roundup of the announcements we’ve received from comics publishers in our mailboxes recently that we haven’t already covered. Hit the links for more information.
When Venom returns in a new series from Marvel later this fall, it’ll be co-written by Al Ewing and Ram V. Each writer, it turns out, will be writing a separate character in the series, as the book focuses both on Eddie Brock and his son Dylan.
“How me and Ram are working together—we’re a band, essentially. Every issue is a new single, every trade is an album, and Eddie and Dylan are our instruments,” Ewing told Marvel.com. “They’re similar, but they make different notes, produce different sounds, build different stories. And for a while—so you should get used to it now—we’re going to be taking turns in the spotlight, playing Dylan songs or Eddie songs, while the other band member stays in the background. As each new single comes out, you’ll see how it fits together, forms one big concept album—or maybe a symphony. And then, when we’re ready, we bring all the instruments in for the crescendo—and that’s going to be something to hear.”
Continue reading “Mail Call | More on Al Ewing + Ram V’s symbiotic relationship on ‘Venom’”
Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin’s digital one-shot will arrive in print for the second time in July.
Skybound will release a hardcover edition of Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin’s “The Alien,” a story set in the world of The Walking Dead, in July.
The story was released on the Panel Syndicate website about four years ago now, where it is still available for whatever price you’d like to pay. It was part of a deal Vaughan and Martin made with Walking Dead writer Robert Kirkman and Image Comics, which in exchange received the print rights to their digital comic The Private Eye. It was printed and made available to retailers as a part of Local Comic Shop Day last year as a single issue.
Continue reading “‘Walking Dead: The Alien’ gets the hardcover treatment”
Plus: Bill Mantlo in need, halfway through ‘Saga,’ awards and more.
The manga community has lost two legends in April, as both Lupin III creator Monkey Punch and Lone Wolf & Cub co-creator Kazuo Koike have passed away. Both men died from pneumonia six days apart, and were once considered rivals when their respective manga ran in Weekly Manga Action magazine. They also worked together on the Secretary Bird manga mini-series that ran in the magazine in 1970.
Monkey Punch, whose real name was Kazuhito Kato, was 81 when he passed away. His most famous creation, Lupin III, started as a manga and was later adapted into six animated television series, eight animated feature films, two live-action feature films, two musicals and several video games. He passed away April 11.
In addition to Lone Wolf & Cub, Koike is also known for such titles as Lady Snowblood, Crying Freeman, Samurai Executioner and many other popular series. His work influenced many American creators, including Frank Miller, who drew covers for First Comics’ publication of the series. Koike also worked on a few western series, including a Hulk manga and an issue of X-Men Unlimited. He passed away April 17 at the age of 82.
Continue reading “Comics Lowdown: RIP Monkey Punch, Kazuo Koike”
Streamlined awards featuring six categories presented during the New York Comic Con Friday night; Dave Gibbons and Roz Chast inducted into Hall of Fame.
The Harvey Awards returned last night in a new venue in conjunction with the New York Comic Con. The streamlined awards presented winners in six categories, as well as four other related awards and Hall of Fame inductions.
Joining the Hall of Fame this year were Roz Chast and Dave Gibbons. Harold Sakuishi received the 2018 International Spotlight Award, while Jackie Estrada (who runs the Eisner Awards) received the Comics Industry Pioneer award.
You can find the complete list of winners below.
Continue reading “‘Monstress,’ ‘Barrier’ and more win at the 2018 Harvey Awards”
Brian K. Vaughan, Marcos Martin and Muntsa Vicente’s pay-what-you-want digital comic lands at Image as a five-issue, weekly miniseries coming next May.
Diamond Comics Distributors has announced the 12 Gold Sponsor comic book titles for 2018’s Free Comic Book Day, which includes titles from DC, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW and more. While many publishers use the opportunity to kick off events or new series, Image is doing something interesting this year — their FCBD title is Barrier #1, bringing to print Brian K. Vaughan, Marcos Martin and Muntsa Vicente’s pay-what-you-want digital comic.
Continue reading “‘Barrier’ jumps to print on Free Comic Book Day 2018”
Brian K. Vaughan, Marcos Martin and Muntsa Vicente’s digital comic about immigration and aliens wraps up.
Brian K. Vaughan, Marcos Martin and Muntsa Vicente wrap up their second “pay what you want” digital comic today, as the fifth issue of Barrier arrives on the Panel Syndicate site.
Continue reading “Final issue of ‘Barrier’ arrives at Panel Syndicate”
‘2000AD,’ ‘Saga’ and the webcomic ‘Skal’ included on the shortlist of nominees in the comics category.
The British Fantasy Society has announced the nominees for the British Fantasy Awards, including the “Best Comic/Graphic Novel” category.
The nominees were decided by members of the society, with additional nominees added by the award’s jury to ensure “egregious omissions” made the list. Winners will be decided by jury and announced at FantasyCon 2017, which runs Sept. 29-Oct. 1.
Continue reading “Nominees announced for the British Fantasy Awards”
Plus news and updates on NBM, ‘Saga,” Dan Parent and more.
Robert Crumb’s original art for the cover of the 1969 Fritz the Cat collection has set a new record price for a piece of original American comics art: The drawing sold for $717,000 at an auction run by Heritage Auctions; the next highest price for a piece of American comics art is the $657,250 that someone paid for the last page of Incredible Hulk #180, which features the first appearance of Wolverine. Internationally, Tintin art is still top of the heap; one set of drawings brought in $3.5 million, and two other original Tintin drawings have sold for over $1 million apiece.
Continue reading “Comics Lowdown: Original Crumb art sells for $717,000”


text:
Lyden Spice: ‘Widespread rodent infestation’ leads to FDA seizing ready-to-eat spices and food additives
A grievance filed by the US Division of Justice on behalf of the FDA alleges that an inspection of the Lyden Spice Company carried out between June 8 and June 28, 2021, discovered “insanitary situations.”
Rodent feces “too quite a few to rely” on and round pallets with containers of meals have been discovered, based on the grievance, in addition to proof of rodent gnawing and urine on meals containers, rodent-nesting materials between meals pallets, reside and useless bugs on meals packaging, and obvious chicken droppings within the meals storage space.
CNN has reached out to Lyden Spice for remark.
The FDA is requesting that the meals merchandise be condemned and forfeited to america.
“The FDA performs a vital position in safeguarding the US meals provide and serving to to make sure that our meals shouldn’t be contaminated at any level throughout its journey alongside the provision chain,” Appearing FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock mentioned.
“We take our accountability significantly and can proceed to take motion towards those that threaten the security and high quality of the merchandise we regulate as a crucial step to guard the general public well being and the security of Individuals. The widespread insanitary situations discovered on the Lyden Spice Company are disturbing and will not be tolerated.”


text:
Mahindra & Mahindra, a homegrown automaker intends to hike the prices for its cars by up to Rs. 30,000. To be effective from tomorrow onwards (August 1), the increase in costs for Mahindra cars is about 2 per cent. Similarly, other car manufacturers like Honda, Hyundai and Tata have also announced a price hike for their products.
Rajan Wadhera, President - Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, "With the ongoing increase in commodity prices we plan to take a price hike of up to 2% in some models." Mahindra U321 MPV Official Brand Name To be Announced on July 31; Likely to Launch in India Around September.
The carmaker is gearing up for the launch of the new U321 MPV, which is slated to be introduced in the market soon. Moreover, the Indian carmaker is also planning to launch two new electric vehicles (EVs) by 2019.
The company is focusing on new products that will assist it in gaining more traction in the SUV space. After launching TUV300 Plus in India, the company will be introducing a slew of new products on the market which includes compact SUV - codenamed as S201, Rexton based bigger SUV and upcoming U321 MPV.


text:
Sustainable opportunities across sectors
The UK equity market is not always viewed as a natural hunting ground for sustainable investors. But beyond the high-profile oil & gas and mining names, the index offers rich opportunities to invest in well-run companies committed to equality and to the sustainability of our planet.
Many UK companies are taking their environmental, social and governance responsibilities seriously, and transforming their businesses to benefit their employees, their communities and our world.
Royal Mail, the UK postal service has struggled with union and labour relationships for many years, resulting in persistent restructuring and strike action as the company battles against a declining core letter business.
Tate & Lyle
While the Tate & Lyle brand is still associated with the bags of sugar you see on the supermarket shelf, the company has actually been sugar free for over a decade.
Persimmon hit the papers for all the wrong reasons in 2017/18 as the house builder, a beneficiary of the government’s help-to-buy scheme, paid record directorate compensation to a number of executives.
As Royal Mail has invested in the growing parcels business, it has been able to turn a corner with labour relations. The Deputy General Secretary (Postal) of the CWU is recently on record as saying that the union and the company are now delivering on a “joint vision”, evidenced by company survey data, which has shown a significant increase in staff responding that they “feel valued”.
As a result, Royal Mail looks set to improve its social credentials significantly. This comes alongside its leading environmental performance, with carbon footprint per delivered parcel 60-70% lower than peers as a result of Royal Mail’s “on-foot” delivery network.
Having sold its namesake granulated sugar business in 2010, Tate & Lyle has spent recent years reinventing itself as a food & beverage solutions business, working with large food & beverage companies to replace sugar with alternative sweetener combinations that reduce calories but maintain taste and texture.
As a result, the company has been able to commit to removing 9 million tonnes of sugar - equivalent to 36 trillion calories, or 250 billion cans of Coke1 – from people’s diets by 2025.
This reinvention of the business model also brings a rerating opportunity, with the company still trading on around half the price/earnings ratio of longer-established ingredients businesses such as Kerry Group and Symrise.
1 Based on a standard 12oz can, coca-colacompany.com
At that time, Persimmon had become synonymous with poor build quality, with customer satisfaction significantly trailing that of its sector peers. However, following significant cultural change, we believe that the foundations are in place for Persimmon to undergo a change in perception from an ESG perspective. In our opinion, the external appointment of Dean Finch as chief executive has been instrumental in changing the culture of the business.
Importantly, with customer satisfaction at 90.8% in the most recent survey (based on rolling 12 months to December 2020, published in June 2021), the company is likely to achieve a five-star Home Builders Federation (HBF) rating in the next survey.
Persimmon’s HBF customer satisfaction survey results, 2015-Q1’21
Source: Home Builders Federation’s National New Homes Customer Satisfaction Survey
Invest in the UK’s sustainable leaders
JPM UK Sustainable Equity Fund seeks to deliver long-term capital growth by investing in companies that contribute to resilient ecosystems and/or equal opportunities, underpinned by robust governance and strong economics.
Climate change mitigation
Enabling the transition to a low carbon economy
Responsible resource consumption
Promoting circularity and protecting biodiversity
Driving empowerment and well-being
Diverse and motivated workforce
Creating resilient and inclusive workforces
Sustainability embedded throughout organisations
Building a sustainable portfolio
The fund takes a four-step approach to building a portfolio of UK companies with best-in-class sustainability characteristics.
We exclude industries that are unsustainable on values that matter to our clients, including fossil fuels, gambling, tobacco, weapons and adult entertainment.
We make norms-based exclusions for companies in breach of the United Nations Global Compact, while we exclude stocks in the worst quintile of companies based on our proprietary sustainability score.
We invest in companies identified by our analysts as sustainable leaders within their sectors, or companies that demonstrate improving sustainability characteristics, based on our near-70 question sustainability survey.
We use active engagement to understand how companies approach ESG issues, to influence behaviour and to encourage best practice.


text:
Despite intense industry opposition and Congressional inaction, state governments continue to defend the vulnerable from toxic chemical exposure. In 2013, we expect at least 26 states to consider legislation and policy changes that will:
- Restrict or label the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in receipts, children’s products and food packaging.
- Require removal of certain toxic flame retardants from children’s products, home furniture or building materials.
- Change disclosure rules so that concerned consumers will have a way to identify toxic chemicals in products.
- Encourage manufacturers to remove identified toxic chemicals in favor of safer alternatives.
- Ban cadmium, a dangerous, persistent metal that is often found in inexpensive children’s jewelry.
- Ban formaldehyde from cosmetics and children’s products.
- Promote green cleaning products in schools.


text:
Parking officials at the University of Kansas now have a new way of taking action against repeat violators or cars that have racked up more than three tickets in a two-week span.
Called “The Barnacle,” the bright yellow device looks as though an open briefcase is clamped to a car’s driver side windshield, completely obscuring the driver’s view. The device demands payment in order to be removed.
The two new Barnacles available to KU Parking will offer a cheaper and less time-consuming way to punish habitual offenders than towing, director Donna Hultine said in a news release Monday.
“Using The Barnacle will be less costly than towing, saving vehicle owners a portion of the regular towing fee,” she said.
Once a KU Parking official places a Barnacle on a vehicle’s windshield, it is held in place with 750 pounds of force, making it impossible to remove, according to the university. Instructions on the Barnacle tell drivers how to make payment in order to receive the code to remove the device. If someone attempts to drive the vehicle with the Barnacle on the windshield, it will send an alert to parking enforcement officers.
The device, though, may not actually be that difficult to remove. Students at the University of Oklahoma discovered the Barnacle could be removed simply by running a car’s defrost feature for 15 minutes and then using a credit card to slide the suction cups off of the windshield. The university retracted its plans to use the devices shortly after they were announced in January 2020.
Hultine, in an email to the Times, said KU was aware of the situation at the University of Oklahoma.
“The device has been through a few different iterations and Barnacle assures us they have addressed those early issues,” she said.
KU will not own the two initial Barnacle devices, and has an agreement with the company to use them, Hultine said. Each is valued at around $800.
“When we tow a vehicle, we issue an excessive violator ticket for $75.00. The current tow contract price is $65.00. If we Barnacle a car, we are not writing the excessive violator ticket. Barnacle charges a $35.00 release fee, which they keep. The Barnacle will save us time and it will save parker money and convenience,” she said in the email. “We won’t be able to use the Barnacle in every situation – currently we have two of them, so if they’re both deployed, we’d resort to towing. We also couldn’t use them if a windshield has a crack or chip in it.”
Tow companies are also able to charge violators retrieval fees and daily storage fees in order to get their car back. According to a video posted to the KU Parking website, the difference between towing costs and removing a Barnacle device is at least $130.
KU Parking is financially independent of the university, and generates all of its revenue through permit sales and ticket enforcement.
Conner Mitchell (he/him), reporter, can be reached at cmitchell (at) lawrencekstimes (dot) com or 785-435-9264. If you have sensitive information to send Conner, please email connermitchell (at) protonmail (dot) com. Read more of his work for the Times here.


text:
On March 2- March 4, 2016 the international solar photovoltaic exhibition was held in Tokyo, Japan.
Japan's Photovoltaic Exhibition this year is very crowded, you may be on the scene, or you may be not, but photovoltaic professionals have an obvious feeling- monocrystalline products have occupied "half" in booths and products of each big manufacturer and are shown as the featured products. Hanwha QCELLS this year launched a high efficiency monocrystalline component Q.PEAK-G5 and double glass monocrystalline module; Artes booth also placed monocrystalline component products in a prominent place; Kyocera launched Rooflex roof monocrystalline component products; China Sunergy exhibited monocrystalline component products for home rooftop use; in addition, the mainstream component manufacturers, such as AJ and Jingke, have also launched monocrystalline products. Of course, ultimately, the world largest monocrystalline products manufacturer - LONGI Shares, its subsidiary companies LERRY Photovoltaic also exhibited their efficiency monocrystalline component.
Japan has been one of the most attractive markets in the photovoltaic industry. Annually, the major manufacturers on Japan photovoltaic exhibition will come up with the most representative products joining the exhibition, often the products can reflect he current and future market tendency. So why monocrystalline products become mainstream in the most attractive market ?
Japan is the major energy consuming countries in the world, and its energy heavily depends on imports. Shortage of resources in Japan has been actively developing solar energy. Solar technology is an important part of national development policies in Japan. With the launch of clean energy incentive program in July 2012, Japan's solar installed capacity has been growing steadily. BNEF report shows that the installed capacity in 2013 and 2014 respectively are 7.1GW and 10.3GW, and 12.3GW in 2015. In addition, the report also predicts that in 2016, Japan photovoltaic installed capacity will usher in a peak -- 14.3GW (Source from China Energy News). The wide installed capacity market has always been a major part competed heavily by each photovoltaic enterprise, but also extremely stimulate Japan's domestic photovoltaic manufacturing industry.
In addition, affected by feed-in tariff, photovoltaic cells and components installation has made great progress. Japan's solar power business are now moving in the direction of innovative technologies and solutions for change, such as efficient production process and cost reduction. Thus, these products and technologies as well as cells and components of leading companies in Japan and overseas naturally are the exhibition focus on photovoltaic solar exhibition (PV EXPO) .
Japan's roof (image from network)
From the application, in Japan, you can easily see monocrystalline photovoltaic panels appear on various occasions, such as building roofs, greenhouses and surface photovoltaic. With government support, the Japan's distributed photovoltaic gets great development over the past two years. The monocrystalline panels which are intensive ,aesthetics, generate electricity and other advantages make more significant, thus distributed photovoltaic develops rapidly. In fact, monocrystalline products are widely used in Japan. The following figure is hybrid photovoltaic building of Tokyo Institute of Technology, the project which was built in Okayama campus of the Tokyo Institute of Technology was used as a research facility with two layer basements and seven layer ground. The Design adopts 650kW solar power and 100kW fuel cell in order to achieve self-sufficiency purposes. The whole building except the north, other several side of the exterior walls are covered with solar panels, monocrystalline panels also are adopted by solar panels to strive for maximum generating capacity. Looking up, neat rows of monocrystalline panels are very compelling.
Tokyo Institute of Technology (photo from network)
In addition, from the production and supply, monocrystalline components in Japan are also accounted for the absolute mainstream. According to statistics from the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association (the following figure), three quarters of fiscal year of 2015 (the fourth quarter did not count),Japan's total domestic production of monocrystalline components reached 771532kw, accounting for 57%, but far more 43% than the polycrystalline. It is observed that Japan pays more attention on monocrystalline components than the polycrystalline components.
We can say that after the previous year of development, the advantages of the monocrystalline obtain common recognition in the industry, showing a strong return to trend. Combined with the PV industry technology tendency and national policy guidance, the monocrystalline can be expected in 2016 to rise again.
Article part and image from network, thanks to the original author.


text:
As the world gets wired, businesses – particularly those in information and communications technology – will boom. In fact, networking specialist Cisco predicts that this year some 1000 billion devices will be connected to the internet. “The internet is no longer just an information superhighway; it is a platform,” says Cisco's chief technology officer, Padma Warrior.
IT research firm Gartner reports that worldwide sales of mobile phones to end-users hit 428 million units in the third quarter of 2012, with smartphone sales accounting for 40% of the sales. Connectedness, it seems, is everything.
Free for all
Take Chelsea, a neighbourhood in Manhattan, New York. It may not be a high-tech hotbed yet, but Google hopes to change that by installing New York City’s biggest contiguous free pubic wi-fi network in the neighbourhood. Google chose Chelsea for this project because it is where the company's New York headquarters are located, but the wi-fi network will also benefit other businesses in the area and have widespread economic implications for the city.
Google is introducing a similar scheme in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri. Competition among possible locations for the scheme was fierce, with more than 1100 communities applying to Google to be chosen as the site for this experimental high-speed network. One city even renamed itself Google for a day. Google sought a city where it could "build efficiently; make an impact on the community, and develop relationships with local government and community organisations," according to a statement from the company.
Seeing national benefits, the UK government is taking an aggressive approach to broadband connectivity by establishing the goal of creating a 'digital hub' in every community in the country. It is part of an £830m ($1.3bn) strategy introduced by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills in December 2010, to ensure that the UK has the best super-fast broadband network in Europe by 2015.
Consequently, in October 2012 a London-based fibre internet service provider, Hyperoptic, announced plans to extend its fibre-to-the-premises network to provide one gigabit broadband to half-a-million UK homes in the next five years.
South Africa has also established a nationwide policy aimed at establishing universal access to broadband services by 2019. Achieving this goal, however, is difficult given the lack of infrastructure development in rural areas in the country.
Late last year, Fibreco – a joint venture between South African cellular operator Cell C, hosting, remote and service provider Internet Solutions and a consortium of investors from Convergence Partners – began digging a national fibre network in the country to roll out a long-distance network that will expand from East London to Cape Town and from East London to Durban. Fibreco aims to control a countrywide, open-access, fibre-optic network of more than 12,000 kilometres.
Meanwhile, Durban’s eThekwini municipality has been installing a city-wide fibre-optic network since 2008, to launch its MetroConnect service, an initiative aimed at selling the excess capacity on its network to internet service providers at a wholesale price.
In the clouds
Such efforts are critical as they open up opportunities for cloud computing, where shared resources, software and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility over a network such as the internet.
"Cloud computing is the most important sustainable revenue opportunity for carriers since voice," says Manuel Gallo, director of business development for NEC's Europe, the Middle East and Africa Carrier Cloud Competence Centre.
Cloud computing will open up the need for further national and global policies such as those governing cyber crime. Japan is currently one of the only countries that already has a comprehensive suite of modern laws that support and facilitate the digital economy and cloud computing, according to the Business Software Alliance in Washington, DC.


text:
March 31, 2015
Last month, Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal proposed new legislation that would link car registrations to completing recall repairs. The Repairing Every Car to Avoid Lost Lives (RECALL) Act threatens state DMVs with the loss of five percent of its federal highway funds if they don’t add to their duties checking open recalls for every new and renewed auto registration, and adds to the responsibilities of consumers getting recall repairs done to be properly registered.
The bill requires states to exempt a motorist if the recall notice comes after registration is completed; or, if the manufacturer “has not provided the motor vehicle owner with a reasonable opportunity to complete any applicable safety recall remedy due to a shortage of a necessary part or qualified labor.” The state must also exempt a motorist who demonstrates to the state’s satisfaction that they had no “reasonable opportunity” to complete the recalls, in which case, the state can grant a 60-day temporary registration to give a consumer time to complete the repairs.
U.S. Sens. Markey and Blumenthal have been the Senate’s auto safety-tag team, and we applaud many of their efforts to raise the bar – via proposed legislation or asking pointed questions of federal agencies and manufacturers. For instance, the two have introduced a bill to improve the collection of Early Warning Reporting data. Last week, they also introduced the Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act, which closes a loophole in the current regulations by requiring “used car dealers to repair any outstanding safety recalls in used automobiles prior to selling or leasing.” But the RECALL bill has serious flaws, and you don’t have to scratch too far below the surface to find them.
“My biggest worries are that it would penalize consumers and shift the burden onto them for the illegal activity of the manufacturers and dealers – and possibly undermine the entire auto safety recall system,” says Rosemary Shahan, president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety. “The timing on this could not be worse, when there are tens of millions of recalled cars on the roads, huge long-term shortages of repair parts, and dealers have not hired nearly enough auto technicians to perform the repairs.”
The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and the Governor’s Highway Safety Association have also come out in opposition to the bill. The AAMVA observed that the act “makes motor vehicle agencies responsible for rectifying the shortcomings of private industry by conditioning customers’ vehicle registration renewal on fixing defective or noncompliant automobiles. This bill shifts the burden and the costs of correcting vehicle defects from the direct responsible party, the manufacturer, to the taxpayers of the individual states, and threatens to withhold federal highway funds from states that do not implement the requirements. States would have to spend significant sums to comply, outlays that will strain already-limited transportation funding and divert highway safety funds from other priority safety programs. Furthermore, the bill assumes the existence of a national, real-time safety recall data base that states could interact with for the most current recall information. No such system exists today.”
Indeed. Complaints to NHTSA gathered on one week in March regarding one manufacturer – Toyota – gives a good snapshot of the typical problems and the high level of frustration among consumers who would like to get their vehicles remedied:
Here’s a cranky 2009 Sienna owner from Kensington, Maryland on March 13:
Sometime around August 2014, I received a safety recall notice from Toyota. It mentioned a new safety recall … which supersedes the prior notice …. This involves the spare tire carrier cable which may corrode due to road salt in cold climate areas, which I understand includes Maryland where I live. I have called Toyota dealers near me and they keep saying that Toyota has not provided them with the part to repair this. I tried again today, March 13, 2015, but the answer is the same. Therefore, I am registering my complaint today and would like to know how soon this safety defect might be taken care of. (ODI 10694172)
Or this 2004 Toyota Corolla driver from Dayton, Ohio, who complained to NHTSA on March 17 about the difficulty in completing the July airbag inflators recall:
After contacting the dealer and the manufacturer on multiple occasions, the contact was informed that the parts needed to repair the vehicle were still not available and no estimated time for receiving the parts could be provided. (ODI 10694881)
Now imagine you have to get your vehicle registered next week.
The U.S. is not Germany
The bill’s dictates have been compared to the German system, where the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, the Federal Motor Transport Authority, operates the Central Vehicle Register. Like a state department of motor vehicles, the CVR – according to its website – “stores vehicle and owner data on vehicles with number plates. The local vehicle registration authorities and the insurers record and submit data to the Central Vehicle Register in the case of new registrations, changes of ownership, de-registrations, and (technical) modifications” of the nation’s 51.7 million motor vehicles and 6.2 million trailers. It can, and does revoke the registrations of vehicle owners who do not complete recall repairs.
Unlike Germany, the U.S. has more than 50 departments of motor vehicles registering about 254 million vehicles. And unlike Germany, our DMVs are completely separate from safety enforcement of manufacturers. The Central Vehicle Register is under the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s German counterpart, which counts among its recall duties:
In Germany, vehicle registration and recall enforcement operate out of one shop with a completion target of 100 percent. The KBA also monitors recalls if the defect presents a serious safety risk: “The purpose of this monitoring activity is to ensure the notification of all the relevant vehicle holders and a complete elimination of the defects.”
U.S. regulations hold the manufacturer responsible for gathering the identification data, informing its customers and offering the repair – and there is no particular target for success. The notification regulations are antiquated and there are no benchmarks for acceptable repair rates and no incentive for manufacturers or the agency to improve.
Using state DMVs to inform consumers of open recalls has value. At the end of the day, it will probably raise the recall repair rate – but the bill goes beyond mandating that consumers are informed. The result will come at great expense to consumers without placing any of the responsibility or burden where it belongs: on those who created the problem in the first place. As the AAMVA noted, it simply transfers manufacturers’ recall notification failures onto already beleaguered state Department of Motor Vehicles and consumers.
The auto industry has been tripping over itself to develop advanced safety systems, vehicle-to-vehicle communications and driverless cars. When it comes to stuffing as much shiny technology as possible under one hood, it’s all Jetsons. When it comes to telling a consumer that the product you sold them for thousands of dollars has a major safety problem, then it’s the turn of the twentieth century. Stamps, snail mail – if absolutely pushed, a phone call. Manufacturers still use outdated R.L. Polk registration data snapshots to identify consumers in a recall. A whole big data cottage industry devoted to securing current vehicle owner information has sprung in response – mostly for the use of people who want to sell you things. But it certainly could be used by entities that want to fix their mistakes.
The recall regulations only require that manufacturers conducting campaigns to contact “registered owners determined from state motor vehicle registration records, augmented with corporate records by first class mail. The regulations outline the characteristics of the envelope, noting that this is a SAFETY RECALL NOTICE. The letter itself must provide, at a minimum: a clear description of the defect; an evaluation of the risk to motor vehicle safety; a statement of the measures to be taken to obtain the remedy; a statement that the defect/noncompliance will be remedied without charge; a statement of the earliest date on which the defect/noncompliance will be remedied; and a description of the procedure to be followed by the recipient of the notification in informing NHTSA whenever a manufacturer, distributor, or dealer fails to or is unable to remedy without charge such defect or failure to comply.
It does not require the manufacturer to tell you that the defect has already caused deaths and injuries – if that is the case. (The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission routinely includes such information in recall announcements.) Further, there are no requirements involving specific efforts manufacturers must make to notify hard-to-locate owners.
Safety Research & Strategies has its own vision for a more robust recall system that requires NHTSA to institute benchmarks for acceptable recall completion rates, require Recall or Audit Queries for recalls that fall below that benchmark, and empowered the agency to level civil penalties specifically for failure to achieve the minimum benchmark. (See Improving the Recall System for the 21st Century)
If drivers must take their vehicles in for annual inspections and emissions tests before renewing their registration, why not add open recalls? We have identified a passel of practical problems.
For the state:
No carrot in this bill, just sticks.
For the motorist:
Driving an unregistered vehicle in some cases, in some states, is actually a crime. The penalty in the most benign scenario is a fine.
This bill is also beset by some limitations:
In some states, you renew your registration every two years—or have an option to renew every four years. If the recall notice comes after registration, this method would not pick up an open recall until multiple years later. How does this improve the system?
DMV’s are supposed to use NHTSA’s VIN look-up tool to identify if a particular vehicle has an open recall. What if the recall is for an after-market component or a tire? That VIN look-up does not contain information for those recalls. Is it okay to get your vehicle registered with recalled tires?
We can all agree that drivers are responsible for taking care of the wear and tear on their vehicles that results from normal and foreseeable use. Manufacturers are responsible for selling you a defect-free vehicle. Manufacturers are responsible for launching a recall within five days of discovering a vehicle defect. Manufacturers are responsible for notifying consumers about those defects and making those repairs available.
Let’s not confuse these issues.


text:
Should a small business be responsible for their customers’ behavior? That’s the question the owners of La Fogata Mexican Grill wrestled with this summer. The Texas-based restaurant was ordered by a court to pay $5.5m to a customer after he filed a civil lawsuit saying he was given too much alcohol.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the incident occurred in 2019 when Daniel Rawls visited La Fogata and knocked back one too many drinks. Rawls got into an altercation with another drunk customer in the restaurant’s parking lot and sustained a head injury.
Rawls sued the restaurant, claiming that the bartender on duty at the time not only allowed him and his sparring partner to drink too much, but also failed to call an ambulance after Rawls was injured. As a result, Rawls – who, according to the report, has a “history of excessive drinking,” has twice spent time in jail for public intoxication and was recently arrested for drunk-driving – said he sustained a “serious and debilitating head injury” partly caused by the “uneven parking lot” at the restaurant.
The owner of the restaurant refused to respond to the lawsuit. Now Rawls has $5.5m.
From all the reports I’ve read, it appears Rawls has problems with alcohol, and it’s hard for me to believe that the restaurant owner or the bartender couldn’t recognize that. So why wasn’t Rawls stopped? The court found that La Fogata’s owner simply didn’t provide the necessary training so the bartenders could see the signs of excessive drunkenness and stopped serving the customer.
Should the customer have been cut off sooner for safety reasons? Were the restaurant owner and bartender ignoring the obvious signs of intoxication in order to profit from selling a few more drinks? For many restaurant owners, struggling to recover their financial footing after the pandemic year, every customer counts, and every dollar counts. So yeah, that’s possible. And if that’s the case there’s no excuse. Besides injuring himself, Rawls could have injured someone else.
But of equal concern is that, even in the midst of mask mandates, vaccine requirements, labor shortages and rising food costs, business owners may now have to babysit adults. And then out shell out millions if someone misbehaves.
“Accountability doesn’t exist any more,” complains Dante on Barstool Sports. “Everything bad that happens has to be somebody else’s fault. It’s never the result of poor decisions or actions. Rawls wasn’t at fault for [not handling] his liquor and [being] responsible for himself, even though he is an adult. It was the bartender’s fault for pouring the drinks. Actually, it was the bartender’s fault, and the manager who trained him. It was all of their faults. Not Daniel Rawls’s.”
This story is a strong reminder to any small business that chooses to let customers behave in a potentially unsafe way on their premises. If injury occurs, regardless of how irresponsible the customer is, those business owners could be held liable. Yes, you are responsible for your customers’ behavior. In the case of the Fogata Mexican Grill, this was a $5.5m lesson that I’m sure the owner will never forget.


text:
What is behind the popularity of CBD, THC, and other cannabis products?
Apr 22,2023 | yhssmoke
A California model showcased a collection of cannabis-themed rings and jewelry after the state legalized recreational marijuana in 2018.
Cannabis products include oils, pain creams, patches, candies (gummy bears, sour snakes, rainbow bites - take your pick), capsules, and compounds.
Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, is a natural extract from the cannabis plant and is ubiquitous in the United States, which is why it may seem like you can get it anywhere and that it can cure any ailment.
Users claim it can help alleviate muscle pain, anxiety, arthritis, epilepsy, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Let's not forget about our furry friends, as there is also CBD oil available for pets that has a smoky bacon flavor added to it.
CBD market research firm Brightfield Group estimates that the industry will be worth $5.7 billion next year and $22 billion by 2022. The group's research director, Bethany Gomez, said that the industry leader, Charlotte's Web Holdings, increased its revenue by 172% between 2016 and 2017 and is expected to generate $89 million in 2018.
But it's a controversial field, and understandably attracts attention from the investment community, with even seemingly unrelated institutions trying to get a piece of the action. Beverage maker Coca-Cola said it was "closely watching" CBD as a potential ingredient in functional beverages worldwide. BBC Capital asked Coca-Cola for further comment but received no response.
"When we made industry projections earlier this year," Gomez said, "we made a lot of people frown." But three days later, media reports surfaced that Coca-Cola was considering the CBD industry, and suddenly it made sense. "If you look at the sales of CBD products today and add in the big-box retailers and the big pharmacies that are trying to get into this space in every way possible...we're going to see a very rapid change," she said.
Before the rapid growth CBD's supporters are growing rapidly, and Zsolt Csonka is one of them. His Adriaen Block restaurant and bar in Astoria, New York, is the city's first CBD restaurant and bar. Csonka said he wanted to create a cocktail that was low in alcohol and used 16th and 17th-century ingredients, such as shrubs, berries, and vanilla, but also included CBD oil - "mixing the new generation with the old generation," as he likes to say.
"You have to drink four or five whiskeys to get drunk, but if you put CBD into the drink, you only need to drink one or two drinks with CBD in them, and you'll have a more relaxed mental state, and your stress levels will also drop," he said.
Csonka also uses CBD-infused sauces to accompany his dishes - like peppercorn sauce with his New York strip steak; his basic barbecue sauce, béarnaise, or hollandaise.
Who is buying CBD?
According to a survey conducted by Brightfield Group of 5,000 CBD users this summer, millennials are the first to buy CBD products after the legalization of CBD in various states. The number of users in their early 30s has surged, while the number of users in their early 40s (Generation X, born from the early 1960s to the early 1980s) has declined. The number of users from the baby boomer generation (born from the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s) has rebounded, and this group of users purchase tinctures, topicals, and capsules for aging-related symptoms such as arthritis or chronic pain, according to Gomez.
The gender distribution of consumers is also fairly even, although Gomez said there were more female users in the past.
However, buyers should be cautious. Products containing CBD may be everywhere in the US, but there is one very special exception: you would break the law in every state in the US if you buy any form of CBD. You may ask, how is this possible when recreational marijuana has been legalized in nine states? The problem lies in the conflict between federal and state laws and how people view two very different marijuana plants: marijuana and industrial hemp.
The two main cannabis extracts that buyers are chasing are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is a psychoactive drug that can make you feel high, and CBD, which does not. Industrial hemp is defined as having less than 0.3% THC but can contain high levels of CBD. On the other hand, because marijuana has a high THC content, growing marijuana is subject to special regulations. In short, industrial hemp is completely different from marijuana, but US federal law from the 1970s still classifies both as Schedule I controlled substances, on the same level as heroin and cocaine. This classification has persisted to this day.
CBD and THC are different types of cannabis extracts, both of which can exist independently or appear together. But both are classified as Schedule I controlled substances.
In states where marijuana is legal, only businesses with state licenses can grow, process, and sell products containing THC. On the other hand, CBD can be found everywhere from supermarkets to gas stations.
CBD has always been in a legal gray area, and many retailers believe that as long as they comply with state regulations and do not transport products across state lines (which would constitute drug trafficking), enforcement agencies of federal law, such as the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will not intervene.
A DEA spokesperson confirmed to BBC News that any form of CBD, including that derived from industrial hemp plants, is still a Schedule I controlled substance and is illegal. The only exception is a drug called Epidiolex, which contains 98% CBD and has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a medication to treat childhood epilepsy. The drug is manufactured by UK-based GW Pharmaceuticals.


text:
Email giant Yahoo is warning customers it has uncovered potentially malicious activity on accounts between 2015 and 2016, the Associated Press reports. This follows the company’s announcement in December that the mega-breach of its systems in 2013 had exposed 1 billion users’ data in 2013.
The number of affected accounts meant the breach was not only twice the size of the figures disclosed by the company at an early stage of the investigation, in 2014, it is also the largest such known breach in history.
“Based on the ongoing investigation, we believe a forged cookie may have been used in 2015 or 2016 to access your account,” read a message from the company to users Wednesday.
More than 1 billion Yahoo accounts were compromised in a "monumental" data breach in 2013. The company has admitted to identifying a second potential breach during 2015-16. Denis Balibouse/REUTERS
The cookie-forging, according to Yahoo, is likely tied to the same campaign of state-sponsored hacking, which they hold was responsible for the initial breach in 2013. It is not clear how many user accounts are affected by the latest malicious activity.
The previous breach of Yahoo’s security was ultimately catastrophic for the company’s attempts to sell its email service, websites and mobile applications to Verizon Communications.Try Newsweek: Subscription offers


text:
Retail pizza innovation moving in the right direction
The frozen pizza industry has a problem on its hands: in the face of health and “real food” trends, frozen pizza may be suffering from a processed food stereotype. The bottom line is that during 2010-2014, the percentage of households eating frozen pizza in the past 30 days has dropped slightly, while the percentage eating 10+ pizzas per month has dropped 15%. The trend is particularly troubling because it involves demographics that have been core users, such as consumers living in households wi...
March 13, 2015


text:
National chairman role announced for rail freight firm’s CEO
The chief executive of Doncaster-based DB Cargo has been appointed chairman of the UK’s most influential body of rail freight operators.
Hans-Georg Werner has taken over at the helm of the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) Freight Board, the industry forum that exists to deliver leadership and strategic direction to the UK’s rail freight sector.
The Board’s strategic priorities for 2018 include ensuring sustainable track access chargesd, the development of HS2 and strategic freight capacity on the UK network.
“Every year the... You can carry on reading TheBusinessDesk.com for free, but you have reached the maximum number of pages an unregistered user can view. To register for an account, click here or login below...