text:
Historically, the FSA has seemed to regard professional indemnity insurance as a cash cow which exists to compensate misselling claims.
While the tide may be turning slowly, the FSA’s 2010 Insurance Sector Digest exhorting insurers to focus on profitable underwriting, this digest was not PII focused and recent developments surrounding Arch cru suggest that the cash cow vision may still hold sway. In particular, on 12 July, the FSA sent a “Dear CEO” letter to a number of insurers who provide PII to financial advisers expressing concern that insurers might seek to exclude Arch cru claims from future cover and that this could result in firms needing to hold additional capital.
Clearly, the FSA cannot have it both ways. Histrionic and sweeping statements such as Margaret Cole’s comment that “traded life policy investments are toxic products which pose significant risks for retail investors” are bound to increase consumer anxiety and clear a path for claims management companies to charge down.
Adding to the mix the FSCS’s readiness to sue large numbers of advisers, whether or not investor customers consider them to blame for their losses, and a potential s404 scheme, which does not require complaints for compensation to become payable, will only serve to increase insurer concern, inevitably leading to more stringent underwriting, higher premiums and narrower cover.
Unsurprisingly, a number of prominent insurers have recently ceased writing PII for financial advisers, all citing a lack of profitability.
A combination of the concerns set out above and reduced capacity caused by a smaller market is already beginning to claim victims. The clearest example of this is Honister Capital, the press release announcing its closure stating that PPI costs had increased to unsustainable levels, driven by large claims relating to historic business and, to a lesser extent, wider industry issues and that this had a material impact on regulatory capital requirements and the company’s ability to trade.
So what can the FSA do?
In the first instance, where an investment loss is less than £150,000 and the firm is not in default, the FSA could leave complaint handling to advisers and the Financial Ombudsman Service. From a consumer perspective, the FOS is trusted, simple to use and recognised by over 75 per cent of adults. It is clearly well equipped and sufficiently funded to deal with consumer complaints and, while not universally popular in the adviser community, must be better than a s404 scheme which could force financial advisers to compensate satisfied customers and/or those who have not been mis-sold alongside those who have received poor quality advice.
Second, the FSA could stop using meaningless, fear-inducing phrases such as “toxic” to describe failed products. If a product is high risk, then in most situations this should be self-evident and the product should carry sufficient and appropriate warnings rather than being sold using statements such as “a lower risk profile and a higher level of income allows you to receive the income you need without the worry of stock market falls”.
If the risk level of the product is not self-evident or the risk level is inflated because the provider does not operate the product in the intended manner, then it is not clear that this is the responsibility of the adviser and the FSA should consider shouldering some of the responsibility itself.
Finally, we do not live in a “no fail” world. While consumers should be compensated for poor or misleading advice, the public must be educated to understand risk and that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Harriet Quiney is partner at Fishburns LLP


text:
Plenty of people are complaining about Apple’s rumored decision to remove the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 even before the device is announced. And there’s no question at all that the complaining will continue after the new iPhones debut next week. But the move makes perfect sense to anyone who has been following Apple’s iPhone closely. Now, a new Apple innovation further reinforces the idea that we should be extremely excited to see the 3.5mm headphone jack go away. DON’T MISS: The latest evidence of a 256GB iPhone 7 comes directly from Apple New technology described in an Apple patent application that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published on Tuesday would allow Apple to create touch-sensing display surfaces using Liquidmetal technology. How is that even remotely interesting beyond the fact that it contains the word “Liquidmetal”? And how is it related to the headphone jack? Well, think about everything you may have heard about Apple’s future iPhone. It’s supposed to offer a curved edge display next year and possibly a wraparound screen in the future. The iPhone of the future will also lack physical buttons, including the home button, whose functionality will be handled by 3D Touch. That means you could
Quoted from You should be excited that Apple’s iPhone 7 is killing the headphone jack on Gadgets News Headlines – Yahoo! News
The refrigerator is not the best place for your potatoes. Refrigeration can cause potatoes to darken during cooking and to develop an unpleasantly sweet taste. If you store your potatoes in the pantry, on the Decision making is easy when you have to choose one of two options. However, when you add that third option (or more), it is amazing how the decision making process can fall apart – even dates on food lals can confusing. truth , y often have nothing to do with food safety. Here's what really need to know. Tags: expiration, dates, should, attention, Should I Quit test - Do hate r job? stay…or jump? Th 5-minute test may change r life. But re’s anor side here: if lift first, ’ll more tired when it’s time to do cardio. won’t able to give sprints r all.

domain: news


text:
The OnePlus 9 Pro display specifications have been confirmed ahead of the official launch. The OnePlus 9 series is going to be launched in India on March 23rd. OnePlus recently showed off the phones in their various new color options. Now, the company revealed a few key OnePlus 9 Pro specifications, specifically regarding the display. The OnePlus 9 Pro will have a LTPO display with a Quad HD+ resolution display. It will have 120Hz refresh rate.
The company confirmed that the phone display will also support native 10-bit color depth, 1300 nits peak brightness, MEMC and HRD10+. The OnePlus 9 Pro gets a 6.7-inch curved display, while the OnePlus 9 is expected to come with a flat 6.55-inch 120Hz screen.


text:
Natalie Massenet speaks out about Net-a-Porter departure
"The business I started in 2000 could not be in better shape today"
As the fashion world absorbs the news that Natalie Massenet will be moving on from Net-a-porter, (read our breaking news on the story here) the ground-breaking e-commerce empire that she created, the executive chairman of Net-a-Porter and would-have-been executive chairman of Richemont's merged Yoox-Net-a-Porter company, breaks her silence in a statement.
Massenet confirms the news by saying: "the completion of [Net-a-Porter Group's] merger with Yoox Group is the right time for me to move on to explore new ideas and opportunities."
"The business I started in 2000 could not be in better shape today," she continued. "Having joined forces with Yoox Group, the company will be bigger, stronger and superbly well positioned under Federico [Marchetti's] leadership to lead the industry and create the future of fashion," she said, adding, "As a continuing loyal customer I will be excited to see the next chapter for this amazing business."
Speaking on her plans for the future she said "my entrepreneurial drive is as strong today as it always has been, and my passion for innovation will continue to be my greatest guide in business," adding that "the incredible experiences and memories of the past decade and a half...will always be an inspiration to me."


text:
On March 27th Novartis International AG said that it would sell a 36.5% stake in its consumer healthcare joint venture (JV) to its partner, GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK), for US$13bn. The Swiss company expects the deal to help it focus on its core drug business and allocate capital for acquisitions. The transaction is reportedly expected to close in the second quarter of 2018.
Following the completion of the deal, four directors nominated by Novartis to the JV's board will step down. Novartis and GSK formed the JV in 2015. GSK's share of the venture reported sales of £7.8bn (US$11bn) in 2017. Some of its popular offerings include Sensodyne toothpaste and Panadol pain relievers.
Both drugmakers have been engaging in deals and initiating business reviews. Novartis has been reviewing its Alcon eyecare business since early 2017. GSK has now initiated a review of Horlicks and its other consumer nutrition products in order to fund the deal with Novartis, as well as increase focus on its over-the-counter and oral health businesses. The company generates most of its sales in the nutrition products category in India and will also review the 72.5% stake in its Indian consumer healthcare unit.
Last week GSK dropped plans to buy Pfizer Inc's consumer healthcare unit, which was expected to add sales of about US$20bn to GSK's books. This came days after Reckitt Benckiser Plc, a UK consumer products giant, also withdrew its bid for the Pfizer unit.
Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit


text:
TechCrunch is reporting that YouTube is now muting users videos that use a copyrighted audio track. YouTube has been testing out various ways of detecting copyrighted videos, the company has been fingerprinting audio tracks and...
Xiaomi Mi VR Play: Unboxing and first impressions
xiaomi mi vr play
The Galaxy Note7: A refined culmination of Samsung's past
Microsoft acknowledges new Surface Pro 3 battery issues
surface pro 3
women of power
Honor 8, a $399 phone that aims to disrupt high priced tradition
Apple iPhone 7 Plus: Unboxing and first impressions
Computer software should not be protected by copyright laws designed for music, literature and other creative works, according to a lawsuit filed in a U.S. court in San Francisco. Intellectual-property consultant Greg Aharonian hopes to...


text:
Serving local businesses and individuals with office supplies at competitive prices has been the focus of Central Office Supplies Ltd. since opening its doors 9 years ago. On Friday, June 7th, they will be opening their doors once again, but in a new location; the Old Railway Station, just north of RBC.
“We were located in a store with Furniture Village but when the lease came up for renewal, we decided to drop the furniture line and place more of a focus on office supplies”, described Store Manager, Nasha Vleeming. “We are a small, local business but are determined to be competitive with the big box stores, price-wise.”
To check out the product line and compare pricing, go to www.centralofficesupplies.com.


text:
Katie Holmes: Steven Alan Shopping Spree
Katie Holmes indulges in some retail therapy at the Steven Alan boutique with a bodyguard on Friday (February 4) in West Hollywood, Calif.
Earlier this week, Katie took the girls for a Starbucks run.
Suri, 4, was also spotted testing different shades of lipstick at Holt Renfrew’s cosmetics counter.
FYI: Katie is wearing a top from her Holmes & Yang line, Acne jeans, Isabel Marant shoes, and a Carolina Herrera purse.
20+ pictures inside of Katie Holmes shopping at Steven Alan…


text:
Paper and paper-based packaging manufacturers in the United States have renewed their commitment to sharing the industry’s successful sustainability story by continuing support for the Paper and Packaging Board programme.
In a recent referendum, 53 per cent of domestic manufacturers and importers — who represented 53 per cent of the volume of paper and paper-based packaging voting in the referendum — voted in favour of continuing the Paper and Packaging Board programme.
The decision comes in time for America Recycles Day on Nov. 15, another opportunity to highlight paper’s unmatched recycling record.
Paper and Packaging Board programme shares sustainability message
The Paper and Packaging Board was started in 2014 as the oversight board for the paper industry’s national promotion campaign. It is funded by U.S. paper manufacturers and importers, including Domtar. In 2021, the campaign began messaging focused on the sustainability benefits of paper products and paper-based packaging, including the How Life Unfolds® campaign and the Box to Nature programme.
[Paper and packaging producers] are investing billions today to keep tomorrow’s promises and maintain our position as one of the most recycled materials on the planet.Mary Anne Hansan, president of the Paper and Packaging Board
Domtar’s Rob Melton, who leads paper and packaging sales for the Paper Excellence Group, serves as vice chair of the Paper and Packaging Board.
“[The Paper and Packaging Board] plays an important role in promoting our industry’s story,” he said. “It’s more important than ever that we do everything we can to influence people to choose renewable paper whenever possible.”
Recent research shows the message is getting through. In a survey earlier this year conducted through the Paper and Packaging Board programme, a majority (66 per cent) of U.S. adult consumers believe that recycling paper is worth it, and 60 per cent felt that recycling is easy.
“Our research shows that consumers understand the value of recycling paper,” said Hansan.
With the winter holidays approaching, the Paper and Packaging Board is sharing ways consumers can celebrate the holidays the “Papertarian way” by choosing paper and paper-based packaging and practicing sustainability.
“The holidays are a very paper intense season, so we wanted to capture and grow [consumer] interest with practical and fun ways to make the holidays more earth friendly,” Hansan said. “Since paper and paper packaging can be recycled up to seven times and are sourced from trees — a renewable resource — the abundance of paper during the holidays makes it a great time to build better recycling habits for families.”


text:
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has released a new report that assesses the infrastructure requirements for converting the US vehicle fleet to battery electric.
The study looks at three critical challenges for nationwide vehicle electrification US electricity supply and demand, electric vehicle production and truck charging requirements.
The study found that full electrification of the US vehicle fleet would require a large percentage of the country’s present electricity generation. Domestic long-haul trucking would use more than ten percent of the electricity generated in the country today – while an all-electric US vehicle fleet would use more than 40 percent.
ATRI’s analysis also quantified the tens of millions of tons of cobalt, graphite, lithium and nickel that would be needed to replace the existing US vehicle fleet with battery electric vehicles (BEV), placing high demand on raw materials.
Finally, it was found that charging the nation’s long-haul truck fleet would also prove challenging, current technology would necessitate more chargers than there are truck parking spaces in the US, with hardware and installation costs of $112,000 per unit, or more than $35 billion system-wide.
“Carbon-emissions reduction is clearly a top priority of the US trucking industry, and feasible alternatives to internal combustion engines must be identified,” said Srikanth Padmanabhan, President, Engine Business, Cummins Inc.
“ATRI’s research demonstrates that vehicle electrification in the US will be a daunting task that goes well beyond the trucking industry – utilities, truck parking facilities and the vehicle production supply chain are critical to addressing the challenges identified in this research. Thus, the market will require a variety of decarbonization solutions and other powertrain technologies alongside battery electric.”
A copy of the full report is available on the ATRI’s website.


text:
DULUTH, Ga., 2016-Dec-28 — /EPR Retail News/ — NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), the global leader in omni-channel technologies, today (December, 20, 2016) announced that the White House has appointed Marija Zivanovic-Smith to serve as one of three U.S. representatives to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council (ABAC).
“At a time when the insights of business leaders are increasingly important to economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, we are delighted that Marija has accepted her appointment to ABAC,” said U.S. Ambassador to APEC, Matt Matthews.
Zivanovic-Smith will join ABAC counterparts from APEC’s 20 other member economies to advise APEC policymakers on issues affecting the region’s business climate. Created by APEC Leaders in 1995, ABAC consists of three business representatives from each APEC economy. ABAC meets quarterly to discuss investment and trade policy recommendations and reports directly to the APEC leaders at an annual dialogue each fall.
APEC is the premier organization for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade, and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. Under the APEC structure, the U.S. and 20 other of the world’s leading economies come together to facilitate regional economic integration through trade and investment liberalization, and tackle a wide range of issues critical to ensuring regional prosperity and economic growth.
“We believe Marija will make a significant contribution to the Council and effectively represent the U.S. business community on Asia-Pacific policy initiatives,” said NCR’s Chairman and CEO Bill Nuti. “As the global economy evolves and becomes increasingly driven by cross-border data flows, her strong voice on trade- and investment-friendly policies for emerging digital technologies, including the internet of things and big data, will be a tremendous asset to the Council.”
Marija is the vice president of corporate marketing, communications and government relations at NCR. She also serves as chief of staff to NCR’s Chairman and CEO Bill Nuti. While leading a global team of marketing communications professionals, her key responsibilities include strategy formulation, promoting a consistent global brand based on NCR’s strong culture of innovation, and positioning NCR and its executives as trusted advisors to policy and community leaders worldwide. Zivanovic-Smith serves on the the Information Technology Industry Council (ITIC) Executive Committee and Board of Directors. ITIC is an advocacy and policy organization for the world’s leading innovation companies.
About NCR Corporation
NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a leader in omni-channel solutions, turning everyday interactions with businesses into exceptional experiences. With its software, hardware and portfolio of services, NCR enables more than 550 million transactions daily across retail, financial, travel, hospitality, telecom and technology, and small business. NCR solutions run the everyday transactions that make your life easier.
NCR is headquartered in Duluth, Ga., with over 30,000 employees and does business in 180 countries. NCR is a trademark of NCR Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.
NCR encourages investors to visit its website, which is updated regularly with financial and other important information about NCR.
Source: NCR Corporation


text:
The 20 Coolest Cloud Storage Companies Of The 2021 Cloud 100
Joseph F. Kovar
These 20 companies are tackling a cloud storage market that is growing increasingly complicated as businesses look for more out of their data protection vendors than data protection.
Zerto is the developer of the IT Resilience Platform, an all-in-one converged disaster recovery and backup platform that helps businesses move forward on digital transformation, reduce downtime and data loss, and move workloads seamlessly across clouds or data centers. The company in 2020 launched backups to Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, and introduced the beta version of its Zerto for Kubernetes offering.


text:
Time Warner Inc. ended talks with Microsoft Corp. Friday and entered exclusive negotiations with Google Inc. over a $1 billion US investment and a broader advertising partnership with America Online, executives close to the talks said.
Shutting out Microsoft sets the stage for a high-profile agreement between two titans of the Internet. Under the deal, expected to be announced as early as next week, Google would pay Time Warner $1 billion for a five per cent stake in AOL, said one official with direct knowledge of Time Warner’s negotiating position.
Google, which operates the Internet’s dominant search tools, also agreed to highlight AOL’s web properties as sponsored links and integrate AOL’s video clips in its fledgling Google Video service. In exchange, AOL will continue providing Google’s search engine to its subscribers.
Officials described the negotiations on condition of anonymity because no agreement has yet been formalized. The deal could be finalized next week, when Time Warner’s board meets in New York.
The deal shows that Google is willing to pay to preserve its lucrative relationship with AOL and prevent Microsoft from becoming a bigger provider of Internet search tools. A deal between Microsoft and AOL would have made Microsoft’s own advertising network more attractive.
The struggle over AOL reflects the larger competitive landscape between rivals Google and Microsoft, said Internet analyst Scott Kessler of Standard and Poor’s.
The proposed agreement with Google gives AOL more flexibility to sell Google search ads, and have them appear only on AOL sites. The online service currently directs advertisers to Google and cannot limit search ads to its own sites.
AOL is Google’s biggest customer, accounting for about $420 million, or about 10 per cent, of Google’s revenue during the first nine months of this year, according to regulatory filings.
Most of the $420 million came from the ads Google distributes on AOL’s website. The two companies first began working together in 2002 when Google wrestled away AOL from another online advertising network currently owned by Yahoo Inc.
Microsoft, which increasingly views Google as a fierce rival, has been negotiating with Time Warner since early this year but did not propose any cash investment in AOL, officials said.
Microsoft and The Associated Press last month announced plans for an advertising-supported online video news network early in 2006. Microsoft will supply the technology, video player and advertising support to the network, while AP’s broadcast division will provide the video, which will feature about 50 different stories per day.


text:
In a CNBC interview posted today, Disney CEO Bob Chapek shared his thoughts regarding the reopening of Shanghai Disneyland and any potential safety measures that could be seen in the stateside Disney parks.
Chapek began the interview by explaining that Shanghai Disneyland is viewed as a “short book market,“ meaning that most of the tickets for any given week are usually sold during that week. According to Chapek, most of the tickets for Shanghai Disneyland’s reopening week have been sold at this point.
Chapek, when referring to the correspondence that he has received from Disney fans regarding their anticipation of the Disney parks reopening, said that “…we certainly want to open up as soon as we can across the world, but we’re going to do so in a responsible way…”. Chapek also expressed a desire to get Disney cast members back to work. He said that Disney is “very encouraged” by what they have seen from the reopening of Shanghai Disneyland.
Chapek said that they will be using a “stair step” method as they move forward during Shanghai Disneyland’s reopening phase, and that the goal is to increase the park’s attendance limit each week by 5,000 guests.
When asked for thoughts regarding a possible timeline for reopening the Disney parks located in the United States, as well as those in Hong Kong and Tokyo, Chapek said that Disney will not comment on a certain date, and that guidance from both local and federal government, in addition to those in the healthcare field, will be important in the decision. Chapek believes that the May 20th reopening of Disney Springs is “a good sign.” After commenting on the excellent adherence to standards by both cast members and guests in Shanghai Disneyland’s Disneytown reopening phase, Chapek expressed that his hope is that the same will occur in Disney Springs, that he is hopeful that “this will be the beginning of a great new rebirth of Disney parks.”
Toward the end of the interview, when asked what the key will be to reopening the stateside parks, Chapek said that in addition to social distancing, face masks will be likely required for both cast members and guests.
“We’re very encouraged by what we see in Shanghai.” Disney CEO Bob Chapek says the company will be “very conservative” as it reopens its theme parks. https://t.co/OPGAPam4Gh pic.twitter.com/sFydyCzQhX— CNBC (@CNBC) May 11, 2020
Deni loves all things Disney, and, in 2013, moved to the Magic from Maryland. Walt Disney World is her happy place, and she loves getting to share it with others. Deni and her husband of almost 26 years have 2 grown children. Her favorite WDW snack? A Mickey Bar, of course. Is there any other?!


text:
Dear Windows-Help.NET subscriber,
Microsoft this week showed that you can still bank on it... by delaying Windows 2000. I mean if there's one thing about Microsoft they seem to get "right" all the time, it's getting their products delayed. First it's "expected" that Beta 3 will be available in April (planned was later this month). This will obviously push everything back. Rumors are that Microsoft is "hoping" for an end of year ship date. Well` if you want my opinion, I'd say "don't hold your breath". There are also rumors about some problems Microsoft still seems to have with 64-bit support and with support for new Intel microprocessor technology, but the list is topped by Microsoft's Active Directory services and IntelliMirror technologies. Microsoft is starting to feel the crunch of the more than 30 million lines of code which make up Win2000, considered to be one of the largest software products ever.
All this comes at a bad time for Microsoft, and one wonders why the government is still spending money in the courts, trying to brake-up Microsoft, when they are seemingly doing a pretty good job themselves. Customers are getting fed-up waiting for Win2000, and apparently there are many companies waiting for it, to upgrade their PC's across the board, in many cases skipping Windows 98 (and/or even 95) in the process.
Well, starting next month, these customers get another choice: Compaq is going to team up with Red Hat and offer Linux preloaded on Compaq servers. Compaq is also offering 24 x 7 support for these Linux based servers. Up until now Compaq has only offered Linux on request, so this represents a a major shift in policy for them.
Gateway Inc. is also rumored to have signed a deal with Red Hat, and its servers are expected to ship with Linux by year's end.
These are just the kind of deals Linux needs to get acceptance in the corporate world, and get its stability and scalability known to a larger number of people. There are also moves on the software front, with some vendors starting to ship (beta) versions of their databases for Linux. Lookout Microsoft... the ground is getting hot under NT's feet.
So we all thought that the AOL - Netscape deal (for more information see the Newsletter of 28 November 1998) was big. Well, that $4.2 billion deal just got reduced to another statistic when the (cable based) Internet provider @Home bought Excite for $6.7 billion (in stock). Through this acquisition, @Home becomes a major online service, directly competing with AOL and other major Internet "portals". According to Excite's CEO George Bell, the deal is all about "giving users multimedia, video, speech and audio experiences not available on the Web today".
Later in the week, NBC and CNet also announced a portal for high-speed users called Cyclone, providing video, audio, television, telephony and news services among other things. Cyclone's debut is scheduled for later this quarter.
The "dust" in this segment of the Internet hasn't settled yet. There is more to be expected soon. Potential partners? There's Microsoft's MSN, Lycos, AltaVista, PointCast, GeoCities, The Mining Company, HotBot and Amazon.com. Who will go with whom will have to be seen.
Cookie Monster bug
Netscape has recently been alerted to a bug that affects the Netscape Navigator browser software. The Cookie Monster bug affects all existing versions of Netscape Navigator (2.x through 4.x) on all platforms. Although Netscape has verified this bug, no customer incidents of lost or stolen data have been reported to Netscape. Netscape takes all potential security and privacy issues seriously and is currently working on a fix. This fix will be available in an upcoming maintenance release of Communicator.


text:
European and American benzene supply will return to normal in the second half of the year to ease the imbalance between supply and demand
After uncharacteristically tense in the first half of the year, the supply of benzene in the United States and Europe is expected to return to normal in the second half of 2021, thereby alleviating the demand for Asian goods.
In the United States, in addition to the winter storm in mid-February that destroyed more than 4.6 million barrels per day of refinery capacity in Texas and Louisiana, limited imports from South Korea and substandard refinery operating rates also suppressed U.S. benzene stocks.
Supply disruption in the United States and limited materials in Asia disrupted transportation to Europe, while the rapidly lagging market, strong Chinese demand and limited ship supply further restricted Asia’s exports to Europe and the United States in the first half of 2021.
However, with the easing of market price cuts around the summer and an increase in global supply, European benzene consumers are expected to have more products arriving in Europe to make up for the gap.
After the maintenance of ExxonMobil Chemical’s Botlek plant in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, production resumed, and the shortage is expected to be alleviated.
As Korean benzene cargoes begin to arrive in the U.S. Gulf in large quantities, U.S. supplies will increase around July. According to KITA data, the amount of benzene shipped from South Korea to the coast of the United States from May 1 to 10 is roughly the same as that of the entire April. The United States is expected to surpass China in May and become South Korea’s largest importer of benzene.
According to sources, domestic production in the United States is also expected to increase. New crown vaccination and improved demand for summer travel and air travel have prompted US refineries to increase the production of gasoline, aviation fuel and middle distillates.
Due to the amazing profit rate of benzene in the first half of the year, Asian producers are operating at a high speed in order to maximize profits, leading to an increase in the export volume of Asian countries. From January to April, the Asian benzene-naphtha price gap averaged US$240/ton, and once hit a high of US$475/ton in mid-April.
In contrast, the average price difference between p-xylene and naphtha in January-April was US$224/ton, and manufacturers have shifted their focus to the production and sales of benzene.
According to sources, with the gradual recovery of supply, profit margins in Asia are still uncertain in the second half of the year, and benzene may maintain its advantage in the first half of the year.
Platts Analysis wrote in an April report: “The recovery of local demand in Western countries may accelerate rapidly in the next six months. They predict that the net utilization rate of refineries may reach about 95% in the middle of the summer. “
But market participants are not sure whether this increase will be enough to suppress prices when demand in the downstream value chains of benzene is strong and the US manufacturing industry is recovering strongly. Styrene producers are not expected to significantly reduce prices, and there are no SM devices planned to be overhauled in the United States for the remainder of 2021.
Downstream demand remains healthy
The demand for downstream products such as styrene and phenol is expected to remain healthy. The reduction in COVID-19 cases and the progress of the vaccination program provide a glimmer of hope for alleviating the blockade across Europe, while supporting further demand for benzene and its derivatives. The increase in car travel in the summer also means that refineries may increase the production of road fuels and increase the supply of benzene raw materials.
A source said that the actual demand for styrene is expected to be stronger in the second half of the year, but the decrease in SM imports from the United States may put pressure on benzene prices.
A trader said: “The increase in styrene production capacity in Asia will have a huge boost to benzene.”
Until 2021, China’s downstream new capacity has been delayed and started simultaneously, which has increased the demand for benzene, especially in southern China where commercial storage has not been widely used. At the same time, China’s integrated refineries have an oversupply of benzene, and the start of the styrene plants at these refineries has been postponed to 2022.
Previously, due to the sale of goods outside Asia, the availability of goods for Asian buyers decreased, and end users in Asia were dissatisfied with the sharp increase in prices. FOB Korea’s benchmark price hit a seven-year high in April and May several times.
There is a big gap between the bids and quotations in the CFR Asian market. Sellers are considering global delivery prices. The current spot quotations of CFR Asian buyers are almost 10 times higher than the 2021 fixed-term contract benzene price.
« Previous Post Next Post »
A buyer said: “It is difficult for Asian buyers to tolerate the substantial increase in costs caused by reasons unrelated to Asia. The entire styrene chain will eventually be normalized in the second half of the year.” Many sources said that the situation in the first half of the year was intermittent. Sexuality is unlikely to become the norm in the future.


text:
UAE jobs: Apple hiring for multiple vacancies
US technology giant Apple on Wednesday announced new openings in the UAE for different positions in sales.
The iPhone maker is hiring technical specialists and business, creative and operations experts across the UAE.
Apple operates two stores in Dubai (Mall of the Emirates and the Dubai Mall) and one in Abu Dhabi (Yas Mall).
According to Apple, all candidates should be flexible when it comes to working hours due to business needs. Multilingual ability is a plus for all the openings.
The latest data by IDC showed that the UAE accounted for 25.7 per cent of 6.21 million mobile phones shipped across the GCC region in the first quarter of 2021. Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi and Vivo were the most popular mobile phone brands in the region in Q1 2021.


text:
ASIC signs fintech agreement with Hong Kong
Regulators in Australia and Hong Kong are building bridges to assist financial technology companies expand abroad.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission and Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission signed a “co-operation agreement” on Tuesday that provides for facilitated introductions when a fintech company operating in one jurisdiction wants to better understand the rules in the other.
ASIC commissioner Cathie Armour said the agreement will help to “ease entry” for Australian fintech start-ups seeking to enter the Hong Kong market by creating a simple pathway for engaging with the securities regulator.
The agreement also provides a framework for information sharing between the two regulators. It is understood both want to monitor developments in blockchain technology, with Hong Kong seeking to become a regional hub for the development of distributed ledgers.
ASIC has similar referral agreements with the United Kingdom, Singapore and Canada. It is also working on four others, including with China, as regulators across the region seek to deepen linkages to allow them to monitor fintech start-ups seeking to operate across borders.
“The co-operation agreement is a significant boost for Australia’s burgeoning fintech sector and will ease entry into this important market for innovative Australian businesses,” said Ms Armour, who was in Hong Kong to sign the agreement.
Sapien Ventures founder Victor Jiang, who has been working to deepen links between Australian fintechs and China, said the agreement is a positive for start-ups seeking to expand.
To read more, please click on the link below…


text:
Welcome to Culture Curve—your go-to guide to what’s on the rise and slide in culture in December 2020.
This month we track the rise and rise of sexual wellness—an economy built on the idea that sexuality is as much a part of self-care as a trip to the gym or a bubble bath. We also unravel the mystery of mezcal, a clean boutique spirit on the rise, and hyper pop—genre-less music made for the internet generation.
Meanwhile, beauty brands that don't embrace inclusivity are out, a new age of influencer culture is on the horizon, and it's time to forget stereotypes in queer TV.
Here’s what’s on the rise, and on the slide this month.
- The Sexual Wellness Economy
- Hyper Pop Music
- Non-Inclusive Beauty
- Influencers vs Creators
- The Hetero Gaze on TV
ON THE RISE
There Are No More Taboos In The Booming Sexual Wellness Economy
The sexual wellness economy is on the rise at a rapid pace. While the industry saw huge spikes in purchasing behaviour throughout COVID-19-induced lockdowns (sex toy brand Womanizer reported sales figures more than half its original forecast of March this year), these numbers are enduring and continue to surge in the pipeline. Cision’s 2020 sexual wellness industry outlook estimates the industry to skyrocket to almost $110 billion by 2027 (its market size sitting at $75 million only just last year). Along with this, Google Trends breakout search terms for this year include searches like “best sex toys 2020”, “lubricant”, “sex stores near me”, and “weirdest sex toys”.
At first glance, these figures might seem to be down to COVID-19, there is a deeper cultural movement that’s happening across the world. From female empowerment, sexual education, and sexual health in general, there’s an army of forces pushing all things “sex” as a health concept to be prioritised as much as your mental and physical wellbeing. On a brand level, this year has seen The Iconic, Revolve, and ShowPony all expand their digital presence in selling sex toys. On top of this, sex toy retailer Lovehoney now regularly refers to itself as a “sexual wellness” site, enhancing this newfound holistic wellness approach to sex products.
We dive deeper into the catalysts changing the definition of pleasure and sex here, a natural progression from the mental health-focused millennials and those from Generation Z.
Mezcal Is Having A Moment With Gen Z
While tequila might have been the mind-bending spirit of choice for younger generations for decades—in 2020, it's set to be usurped by its more Gen Z-friendly sibling, mezcal. If you're not yet familiar with this Mexican spirit, to taste, it's a bit like tequila but smokier, with more artisanal and sustainable appeal. To dive a bit deeper, tequila is actually just a type of mezcal, made specifically with Blue Weber agave. Mezcal is a looser, more free spirit, which can be made from any type of agave, but has a zero-tolerance for artificial ingredients, making it a cleaner, purer, (hangover-free) type drink.
While Millennials are the champions of irreverent, anti-mainstream, adventurous boutique booze—like craft beers, local spirits, luxury bagged wines, bottled cocktails, and natural wine—mezcal is proving to be the natural next step, especially with health-conscious Gen Z. Apparently, among its other "clean" benefits, mezcal is one of the few spirits that contain simple sugars, making it easier for the body to process.
It's been on the rise for a few years now, with Pernod Ricard acquiring a majority stake in Mexican mezcal producer Del Maguey in 2017. And now, the global mezcal market is booming, with forecasts claiming it will hit $819 million by 2027, growing at 10.4% annually.
At home, it's really catching on. From Cantina OK!, which just scored a spot on the Worlds 50 Best Bars list, to 2020 newcomers like Esteban and Calita, in Sydney mezcal-centric venues are proving to be the ultimate hot ticket. In the U.S, an indie mezcal brand called Rosaluna is making major waves with an Instagram presence and astrology-inspired graphics. Created by a set of brand marketers from the beauty and music industry, and with a youth audience in mind rather than high-brow tequila drinkers, it's already proving to be a hit, having been picked up by Soho House clubs as the first "house mezcal" and selling 30% of its inventory in its first two weeks of launch as well as a sell-out line of mezcal-themed merch.
Hyper Pop Is A Non-Genre For The Ages
While COVID has been without discrimination in its shockwave effect throughout the world—one industry that has been shaken immensely this year is the music industry. With hundreds of festivals, concerts, world tours, and local gigs cancelled, the structure of pop music and artist promotion is changing. Changing to be optimised for streaming services so consumers don’t skip artists, changing to meet audiences on non-traditional platforms like TikTok, and changing to present a new concept of "live" performances.
As well as this, categorising music into typical genres has really become a thing of the past. This is why it could be a bit paradoxical to call Hyper Pop a music genre for “the genre-less”, which has seen a huge increase in streaming sessions of the past year. Though its origins stem from big names like A.G. Cook and 100 gecs, Hyper Pop really shot into the limelight when a dedicated Spotify playlist was curated at the end of 2019 which featured a heap of music from 100 gecs and then artists who were part of A.G. Cook’s experimental pop music collective PC Music. The playlist, and its new clout as a genre to define music that essentially can’t be categorised under any other, usually collates music with a mix of bubblegum pop, rap, lo-fi trap, trance, EDM, hip hop, and more. However, the underlying foundation of Hyper Pop as a paradoxical genre is less about its music influences and more about being "genre-less" and defying classic genres of music altogether.
That means there’s really no consistency or formula to the type of music that gets thrown into the 130,000 strong follower playlist, instead, you’ll find a chaotic concoction of musical thrills that continues to grow in popularity and one that’s said to be a deep cultural reflection of our times. With this in mind, Hyper Pop music, much like the next generation of consumers, is rooted in the digital world—you won’t find its sounds playing on mainstream radio yet you will find stand out tracks like Osquinn’s Bad Idea streamed more than a million times on Spotify. Hyper Pop may be a hard term to define but its popularity is surely defining the next generation in music culture.
ON THE SLIDE
Beyond Fenty—Inclusivity In Beauty Is Now A Must Not A Maybe
When Rihanna launched Fenty Beauty back in 2017, its USP (aside from having the ultimate cool-girl as its creator-founder), was its shade range. Forty different foundation shades, to be exact, and this was something to get excited about because inclusivity was an earth-shattering concept in the beauty industry. It was so revolutionary, Time Magazine named Fenty's foundation best invention of the year—alongside Willy Wonka-style elevators that move in all directions and mainstream electric cars.
Fast forward some three years and inclusivity in makeup has become as important a consideration for consumers as its ingredient list and its eco-credentials—with mainstream makeup brands following the Fenty example, like Becca, who now has the largest range of highlighter shades of any brand, and new brands, like EveryHue Beauty, Patrick Starrr's ONE/SIZE and Milk Makeup, that place inclusivity and diversity in the spotlight.
But, of course, the essence of inclusivity isn’t solely based on being race-inclusive—rather that the definition of beauty might be ageless, genderless, even boundless and indefinite—and that breaking down more exclusive definitions of beauty should be the responsibility of beauty brands. So in 2020, beyond shade ranges, inclusive and genderless skincare and self-care are on the up. Among those leading the charge is SUPERFLUID, a vegan beauty label based on "celebrating how beautiful it is to be human" started by Italian media brand FREEDA. And the most hyped is a new skincare line from Pharrell Williams. Titled Humanrace Skincare and teased in early November 2020 and released later the same month, it's all about the luxury of self-care, and, as Williams put it, "Humanrace Skincare doesn’t differentiate by race or gender. We’re creating for humans; we are all born in the same skin and Humanrace celebrates this."
Creator Culture Is The Next Phase Of Influencer Marketing
If you’re a company, brand or even an individual pretty savvied up on the likes of Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat—you’ll be all too familiar with the power of social media influencers. Their digital domination is nothing short of ubiquitous and has deeply affected the buying patterns of consumers across the world since media fragmentation really took flight back in 2006 when PayPerPost became the very first marketplace to pay bloggers to create content for brands.
While influencer marketing is definitely not over (with the influencer marketing industry set to be worth $15 billion by 2022), it is losing relevance and cultural currency and the next phase of influencer marketing is already here. Enter creator culture.
Unlike influencers whose clout stems from Instagram, "creators" have been born from TikTok and a shift from the perspective that an aesthetically pleasing feed means more followers, which means greater monetary return. Instead of a one-size-fits-all filter splashed across feeds and homogenous sponsored posts for teeth whiteners, tanning creams, and hair growth supplements, consumers now have niche levels of interests that need to be met forcing influencers to try and stay relevant. If influencers have always been the “shiny” beacons of brand partnerships, creators are a new breed. This class of individuals produces raw, unfiltered, low-production value with maximum relatability. And while Influencers may be in a constant race of boosting their engagement and increasing their follower count, creators have no emphasis on audience size but reel in invested communities and an even more loyal fan base.
Why It's Time To Move On From The Hetero Gaze On TV
We’ve come a long way since Will And Grace. When the TV series first aired in 1998, it was the first show to have openly gay male lead characters (and, apparently, the reason Joe Biden changed his mind about same-sex marriage). Queer representation in TV and in Hollywood in general—as storytellers, characters, narratives, writers, directors, designers, and more—has only expanded and evolved over the two-plus decades since. From Modern Family and the petition to allow Mitchell and Cameron to kiss on-screen (which finally happened in 2010), all the way through to Ryan Murphy’s seminal, ultra-popular series Glee, American Horror Story, and Pose, you could say we’ve entered into a vivid, plentiful, and positive era of pansexuality on TV, largely championed by Netflix and its growing library of LBTGQI+ content.
But, in 2020, stereotypes still puncture so much of queer TV. While the appearance of more queer-friendly content is progressive compared to the world of the 90s and before—when it comes to queerdom on our screens, it’s time to look beyond the coming-out comedy canon and move on from all the tired tropes of the hetero gaze—like otherness, non-normal, two dimensional, token, and typecast.
Netflix’s stylish new championship chess story The Queen’s Gambit has been called “a queer TV hit” for its “several unapologetic queer characters”. But several is a stretch and the show’s implicitly queer characters, whose subtlety might be excused for a narrative set in the 60s, still haven’t lost the standard hetero lens that’s typically used to “see” or include queer characters and experiences on TV. We Are Your Voice Mag calls the show out as bi-phobic, largely because the unspoken queer experience chess prodigy Beth has with aloof French model Cleo is also tied up in alcoholism and substance abuse, reinforcing the stereotype that bi women are “selfish and irresponsible”. Cleo is a narrative device, a vehicle for Beth to hit rock bottom, so she can ultimately rise to the top, aided by a gaggle of male chess champions. It’s Netflix’s most-watched scripted series to date, the styling is a dream, and chess sets are flying off shelves, but it does very little to trump stereotypes that plague the queer community.
Design credit: Dominique Lonsdale
Image credits: Rosaluna, A. G. Cook Instagram, Humanrace, Netflix


text:
AI firm Forter, which has said that its technology can help prevent fraud online, has introduced a product that can prevent account takeovers.The company said that its new product is able to provide merchants with insight into their customers’ buying history and account preferences across multiple accounts, information that can help catch fraudsters before they strike. Information such as account takeover, coupon/promo abuse, referral abuse, loyalty program abuse and multiple account creation can help determine well before checkout if fraud activity is likely. And while that’s activity before checkout, the solutions package can also provide post-transaction information to help customer service determine if certain claims such as returns or requests for account credits are legitimate.Michael Reitblat, chief executive officer and cofounder of Forter, said the company’s new product “allows merchants to understand the entirety of consumer interactions without simply focusing on information available at the moment of checkout. That means a fraudster attempting to commit account takeover would be identified long before they even attempted to make a purchase.”Forter also has a product that automatically approves or declines each transaction in milliseconds. In a Forter panel presentation in September in New York, panelist Matthew Arthur, customer experience manager at Malin and Goetz, said he use to Google customers’ names to check publicly available information to make guesses on whether or not to approve and ship orders. Relying on Forter’s algorithms, Arthur said there’s been instances where he’s allowed orders to go through on Forter’s recommendation — where otherwise they would have been rejected — only to find out later that the new orders are from customers that have since placed replenishment orders.
Exclusive: @isabelmarant and @lorealmakeup have teamed up to create a capsule makeup collection. "She is rather natural in the day but doesn't have time to go back home before going out [in the evening] and redo her entire beauty look," said Marant on the 5 products included in the collection, which will launching in September. Read @jenniferbethweil's interview with the designer on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdbeauty
After 17 years, Tomas Maier is leaving @bottegaveneta. “I am deeply grateful to him and I personally thank him for the work he accomplished, and for the exceptional success he helped to achieve,” said François-Henri Pinault, head of parent company @kering_official. Head to WWD.com for more on his departure. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: Davide Maestri)
@shaymitchell is no stranger to teaming up with beauty brands, but she’s made her latest partnership official: She’s signed with @buxomcosmetics as global creative brand ambassador, WWD learned exclusively. Mitchell and Buxom will collaborate on campaign development, social media strategy and content and new product and shade development. Read more on WWD.com. #wwdbeauty (📷: @clint_spaulding)
Today we’re at the WWD Retail 20/20 Forum where industry leaders will be talking about the future of shopping for fashion, footwear and beauty. Tune in on Instagram Live at 9 am and 3:30 pm to hear from two of our speakers –– @therealreal’s Rati Levesque and @bandier’s Stephen Ippolito. #wwdsummits (📷: @elizaflorendo)
Seen last night at @coach’s launch party for “Life Coach,” an interactive pop-up in Soho: @joansmalls. Open now, visitors of the pop-up can engage in themes of “creativity and self-expression,” through tarot, carnival games, live performances and art. See the rest of the party pics on WWD.com. #wwdeye (📷: @vnina)
“We figure there’s enough cynicism to go around the world right now let’s go out there and be ourselves, let’s be enthusiastic, let’s have positive energy, which is something I think a lot of people really want and need right now,” said musician @joshgroban ahead of hosting the Tony Awards with @sarabareilles. Read @leighn’s interview with Groban on how he picked his look for the night, his next record and more on WWD.com. #wwdeye #tonyawards (📷: @vnina)
“Rock as an attitude and not a uniform. Street as a style and not just clothing. Sportswear as the new normality,” @paul_surridge said of his first @roberto_cavalli men’s wear collection, previewed here. The British designer joined the brand as the creative director in May 2017, and is gearing up to unveil his debut for the label with a runway show at the Florence Charterhouse on June 13 at #PittiUomo. Head to WWD.com to read more about his collection and see more sneak peek photos. #wwdfashion (📷: @simonelezzi)


text:
The popular grants competition LaunchKC again was met with an enthusiastic response by applicants.
The competition — which will distribute $500,000 via 10, $50,000 non-dilutive grants — drew more than 400 tech startup applicants for the second year in a row. A panel of judges are now combing through the applications to find the top 20 applicants that will pitch their firms in September during a live presentation at Techweek KC. The grant competition is led by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City and the Downtown Council of Kansas City.
Mike Hurd, director of marketing for the Downtown Council and LaunchKC, said that the contest culled a variety of businesses from around the U.S.
“This year’s competition attracted a diverse group of applicants, many of them already up-and-coming tech entrepreneurs who are looking to bring their startups to downtown Kansas City,” he said in a recent blog by the EDCKC. “We started the competition to attract the best and brightest entrepreneurs to Kansas City. … We want to provide them with incentives and tools to give them a leg-up in building the business of their dreams here.”
The EDCKC said that the quality of the applicants are “significantly stronger” than the 2015 competition. The organization is eager to see more new companies add not only more jobs to the area economy, but also to the vibrant culture in downtown Kansas City.
In addition to a $50,000 grant, a winning entrepreneur receives other benefits, including free office space for one year; industry-specific mentors; and professional services in areas such as legal, financial, and marketing.
LaunchKC announced the 2015 winners of the grants during the first Techweek Kansas City last September. The 2016 competition will follow a similar judging process. On July 7, officials began evaluating applications and will narrow that list to 20 finalists by Aug. 19. The 20 finalists will advance to the Techweek Kansas City conference, where they will compete before a panel of judges and conference attendees. Judges will select and introduce the 10 grant recipients at Techweek KC on Sept. 16.
“When the finalists stand before the judges and audience in September, we want them to articulate why and how they are prepared to build strong and sustainable businesses in Kansas City,” Hurd told the EDCKC. “We are not only in search of tomorrow’s business leaders, we are also looking for the next Cerner or Garmin to call Kansas City home.”
Winners of the 2015 LaunchKC grants were: Blooom, Integrated Roadways, KC Drone Company, Nodal Security, Health ID, PopBookings, Pycno, SquareOffs, Vertisense and VideoFizz.


text:
RiFF RAFF (a.k.a. Jody Highroller) dropped “Trench Coat Towers” last week, a mini-album to hold fans over while they wait for his highly-anticipated sophomore Album “Peach Panther”, which is now slotted to drop in late January. Each record off of this album will be paired with a video, and the first 2 for “Brick Off The Balcony” and “Florida State” are now live.
You can also keep up to date on everything Highroller at JodyHighroller.com, which was one of the top ranked neon merch websites this year, taking in close to $2.7 million dollars in sales off of all his merchandise. Riff has a new luxury fashion line coming out next year called “Horst Christian” as well as a holographic neon book of poems entitled “Neon Vibes”, which you can pre-order on November 13th for the holidays.


text: News Hello Tommy 15 July 2010 Jessica Bumpus Picture credit: FirstVIEW TOMMY HILFIGER is adding a new lifestyle label to its repertoire, entitled Tommy. Aimed at twentysomething men and women, the line will move away from the preppy styles for which the brand has become known, instead focussing on handmade and distinctive details. "Tommy gives us more flexibility and freedom to do something truly conceptual," explains company founder and principal designer Tommy Hilfiger. Customers can expect a mix of contemporary styles and vintage inspirations. "The way we're going to merchandise Tommy will be distinctive and different, not so formulaic. It will be more of a fun, dynamic experience. The product itself, we feel, is going to be a fresh take on the preppy traffic, done in a fresh, young, cool way. When we look around, we don't see anyone doing this," says Gary Sheinbaum, chief executive officer of Tommy Hilfiger. The line will start to sell in October in three freestanding Canadian stores, two in Toronto and one in Edmonton, and then later be introduced into dedicated areas of 14 existing Tommy Hilfiger stores in Canada. It will be available on TOMMY.COM next year, reports WWD. The launch of this new label is one of the brand's first initiative since Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. acquired the Tommy Hilfiger business in May.TODAY IN HISTORY: Who was paid £4.9 million to be the face of Chanel?


text:
Articles tagged #WASABI
Found 3 matching articles.
Published 22.04.13 by Retail Technology
Japanese-style food chain opts for managed multi-site cloud IT model to deliver a future-proofed infrastructure as it enters a period of sustained business growth
Published 08.06.20 by Retail Technology
A group of restaurants and pub groups are signing up to a new ordering and payment app as they build towards reopening after the COVID-19 lockdown
Published 27.07.20 by Retail Technology
Sushi and Bento restaurant chain Wasabi is using new software to overhaul its loyalty programme as it re-opens its doors


text:
The Beauty Health Company (NASDAQ: SKIN) is a global beauty and health company, which primarily relies on its flagship brand, HydraFacial, a skin product developed using a patented Vortex-Fusion Delivery System to clean, exfoliate, extract, and hydrate skin. HydraFacial is available in more than 90 counties.
Shares of the skin care company are soaring 31% through early trading on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. Over the past three months, The Beauty Health Company has seen average daily volume of around 2.16 million shares. However, volume of 3.73 million shares or dollar volume of around $63.6 million, has already exchanged hands through early trading Wednesday.
The global skin care company is seeing shares rally after the company reported record fourth quarter and fiscal year 2021 financial results. For the fiscal year 2021, The Beauty Health Company reported net sales growth of 118.3% to $260.1 million. Adjusted EBITDA came in at $32.7 million, an increase of 12.6% compared to 2020.
During the fourth quarter, the company reported net sales of $77.9 million, which represents year-over-year growth of 105.6%. Gross margins improved to 72.9% compared to 67.8% last year. The Beauty Health Company did report a net loss of $17.3 million, compared to a loss of $7.5 million during the fourth quarter of 2022.
Management issued strong fiscal 2022 guidance, which predicts another year of record growth ahead. Fiscal 2022 net sales are estimated to come in somewhere between $320 million and $330 million. Adjusted EBITDA estimates reach $50 million for the current fiscal year.
“We are extremely pleased with our accomplishments this quarter and for the full year 2021, exceeding our guidance. Importantly, we navigated through macro challenges and COVID, delivering strong results by executing against our key strategic initiatives. Our performance is proof of the compelling opportunity we have to capture the convergence of medical aesthetics and skincare,” said Brent Saunders, Beauty Health’s Executive Chairman.
Disclosure: No position. Spotlight Growth has no relationships with any of the companies mentioned in this article and did not receive payment in any form for its creation. This is an opinion article and is not meant to be financial advise. We are not broker-dealers or investment professionals. Please conduct your own due diligence. For more information on our disclosures, please visit: https://spotlightgrowth.com/disclosures/


text:
WASHINGTON — US consumers earned more and spent more in February, helped by a stronger job market that has offset some of the drag from higher taxes.
The Commerce Department said on Friday that consumer spending rose 0.7% in February from January. It was the biggest gain in five months and followed a revised 0.4% rise in January, which was double the initial estimate.
Americans were able to spend more because their incomes rose 1.1% last month. That followed January's 3.7% plunge and December's 2.6% surge. The huge swings reflected a rush to pay bonuses and dividends in December before taxes increased.
Keep up-to-date with the latest on coup d'etat with Bangkok Post SMS News. Call *451391000 to subscribe – 39 baht/month (7 days free, available in Thailand only) Bangkok Post SMS News: Deliver only trustworthy news on SMS
This article is older than 60 days, which we reserve for our premium members only.You can subscribe to our premium member subscription, here.


text:
CEDAR CREST, NM (KRQE) - Federal agents raided a New Mexico-based gallery company last week looking for evidence in a dinosaur fossil smuggling case. The investigation centers around Touchstone Gallery. The company, which sells jewelry, fossils and minerals, has four locations in New Mexico and Arizona.
Agents searched the company’s Cedar Crest headquarters, its Taos location and owner Joe Wilhelm’s Sandia Park home. A federal search warrant application filed in late September and obtained on Wednesday by KRQE News 13 explains why.
In July 2013, Homeland Security Investigations agents were first given a tip that Touchstone was selling Oviraptor eggs at its Sedona location. Months later, agents say they entered the Santa Fe location and spotted a pair of Oviraptor egg clusters for sale, advertised as coming from Mongolia. That caught investigators’ attention. HSI has been returning fossils to Mongolia for the last few years because of that country’s artifact laws.


text:
Equity benchmarks concluded the choppy trading on a subdued note last week. The Nifty ended the week at 11178 points, down by 0.3 percent. However, the broader markets continued to outperform the benchmark on expected lines as Nifty Midcap and small-cap indices gained 2 percent up and down. The metal and pharma sectors outshone while the financials and FMCG sector underperformed in the share market.
Last week’s panic low of 11100 points may be the key level to watch in the coming week according to the experts associated with the trade.
Some experts say that any extended breather from hereon would find its feet around the key support threshold of 10900 points’ mark in the coming weeks.
Consumer Price Index Inflation for July month rose to 6.93 percent compared to the revised June inflation of 6.23 percent. The rise may primarily be attributed to the rise in prices of vegetables, household goods, retail petrol, and metal prices like Gold and Silver.
Index of Industrial Production contracted for a fourth consecutive month. However, post lifting of the nationwide lockdown, the decline slowed down to 16.6 percent in June month as opposed to a 34 percent decline in the month of May. The manufacturing sector contracted 17.1 percent, Mining and power output declined by 19.8 and 10 percent respectively. However, these numbers are not comparable to the previous data due to ongoing conditions worldwide.
Meanwhile, India's coal import fell by 43 percent to 11.1 million tonnes in the month of July on account of a higher stockpile of dry fuel.
On the other side, national fuel demand fell by 11.7 percent due to localized lockdowns. It declined by 3.5 percent compared to June month this year. Petrol demand fell by 10.3 percent while diesel demand fell by 19.3 percent. Brent Crude prices closed higher at US$44.7 per barrel as compared to the previous week’s closing price of US$44.3 per barrel.
Gold prices ended lower at $1956 per ounce as compared to the previous week’s closing price of $2032 per ounce.
Bond yields ended higher at 5.96 percent as compared to the previous week’s closing price of 5.89 percent.


text:
Apple, Google Lead Interbrand’s Rankings Of Most Valuable Global Brands
Tech industry well represented in annual ranking of top brands, holding six of top 10 spots.
Apple is the most valuable brand in the world, and Google is No. 2, according to the latest edition of Interbrand’s 2015 Best Global Brands rankings.
It’s the third consecutive year that Apple and Google have held the top two spots. Interbrand’s rankings are based on financial performance, a brand’s ability to influence consumer behavior and create loyalty, among other factors. Interbrand gives Apple an estimated worth of $170 billion, up 43 percent over last year’s rankings. At No. 2, Google carries an estimated value of $120 million, up 12 percent since last year.
Other tech-related companies in the top 10 are
4.) Microsoft, $68 billion, up 11 percent
5.) IBM, $65 billion, down 10 percent
7.) Samsung, $45 billion, unchanged
10.) Amazon, $38 billion, up 29 percent
Outside the top 10, notable tech and marketing-related companies on the list include Facebook at No. 23, eBay at No. 32, Adobe at No. 68, PayPal at No. 97 and Lenovo at No. 100. Interbrand says tech companies represent 33.6 percent of the overall value of all companies listed this year.
Coca-Cola was the last company other than Apple to hold the No. 1 spot. That was in 2012, when Apple ranked second and Google fourth.
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech. Staff authors are listed here.
New on MarTech


text:
Amazon(NEW YORK) — Amazon’s own online shopping holiday — Prime Day — was off to a rocky start when some shoppers found problems using the website when the hyped-up sales were supposed to begin.
Often dubbed the “Black Friday” of Amazon, Prime Day, which kicked off Monday at 3 p.m. ET, is a 36-hour savings event offered by the online retailer for its Prime members.
This year, when shoppers visited Amazon’s website, many were greeted with error messages saying “Sorry something went wrong on our end,” and featured photographs of the “dogs of Amazon.”
While the site seemed to be up and running again within an hour or so for most people, social media exploded with disappointment at opening Amazon’s website and finding the dogs instead of deals.
Amazon eventually responded, saying in a statement posted on their official Twitter account that they are “working to resolve this issue quickly,” while assuring customers Monday afternoon that there “are hundreds of thousands of deals to come and more than 34 hours to shop Prime Day.”
Amazon added that in the first hour of Prime Day in the U.S., “customers have ordered more items compared to the first hour last year.”
For those still looking to score some deals as Prime Day continues, “GMA” has a roundup of everything you need to know to score the biggest bargains.
Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.


text:
The BOE said it would raise a special buffer half a percentage point, to 1 percent, in order to lock in capital that banks are now holding voluntarily. The hope is that banks would be better placed to endure against any potential macroeconomic ramifications beyond Brexit, the bank said. Shares in Lloyds Banking Group (LON:LLOY) have slipped marginally into the red as the Bank of England (BoE) unveiled the results from its latest stress test.
Technical Analysis: The Company has the market capitalization of $1.69B. As per Monday, October 12, the company rating was maintained by FBR Capital. They expect $-0.02 EPS, down 200.00% or $0.04 from last year's $0.02 per share. EPS Estimate for the next year is 0.06. Rite Aid Corporation most recently reported earnings per share (EPS) of -$0.01 for the August 2017 versus $0.01 in the same quarter a year ago, representing -200% growth.
Telecom sector watchdog TRAI on Tuesday issued its recommendations regarding the much debated issue of net neutrality . TRAI first made a decision to deal with the issue of differential pricing of data access. OTT is an application which is accessible over the Internet and companies offering this services ride on operator networks that offer Internet access services such as social networks, search engines and video aggregation sites.
WFC's SI was 30.33 million shares in November as released by FINRA. The company has market cap of $117.65 million. Moreover, Advisors Asset Management Inc. for 454,761 shares. Among new and sold out positions, 80 holders initiated new positions by a total of 23.19 million shares and 120 holders exited their positions by a total of 16.78 million shares.
The strikes hit the village of Al-Shafah, on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, in the early hours of Sunday morning, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, according to AFP. The monitor had initially given a death toll of 34 civilians but the number spiked after more bodies were recovered. The Syrian Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria, also said residential buildings were hit and that 21 children were among the fatalities.
Three Chinese citizens have been charged by a United States court with hacking attacks on global corporations. The men are accused of sending phony emails that look legitimate in order to hack into corporate computers across the world. The acting USA attorney for Western Pennsylvania, Soo C. Song, said arrest warrants had been issued for the three men, but the case was not being prosecuted as state-sponsored hacking.
Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), Fibre to the Node (FTTN), Fibre to the Curb (FTTC), Fibre to the Basement (FTTB), Satellite, Fixed Wireless and also HFC (Hybrid Fibre Coaxial). If you are in an area set to get HFC, and haven't already - this means you're going to be waiting at least six months longer for your NBN . Delays could be up to 9 months from what you had expected.
Including the change in gas prices in Pennsylvania during the past week, prices Monday were 42.9 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 9.1 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. In fact, current prices rank five of the regions states as the top most expensive states in the country: Alaska ($3.26), Hawaii ($3.24), California ($3.19), Washington ($2.99) and OR ($2.84).
Police could also get new powers to ground and seize drones if they suspect they had been used in criminal activity. The new drone bills is set to be publishing in spring 2018. While police are already using guidelines from government bodies regarding drone usage (like the Civil Aviation Authority), the new bill is created to make their legal powers much clearer.
At Monday's hearing, Judge Eitan Orenstein criticized Uber on that initiative, including issues of insurance and pricing, which he said do not reflect a reimbursement of expenses but a real payment. "We are committed to continuing to cooperate with the authorities, to examine how our technology can provide reliable, cost-effective and safe transportation options", Uber Israel said in a statement.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 has been out for a while and, as inevitably happens, we are now hearing lots of information about the next Galaxy flagship. For comparison, the original Galaxy A8 came with a 5.7-inch sAMOLED display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
Black Friday and Thanksgiving online sales in the United States surged to record highs as shoppers bagged deep discounts and bought more on their mobile devices, heralding a promising start to the key holiday season, according to retail analytics firms.
The digital currency climbed above $8,700 to a record high Saturday following increased investor interest around the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday and Black Friday shopping. As per Coinmarketcap data, currently, this digital currency is trading at $9642.67. If you've been following cryptocurrency news over the past few months, then you know that Bitcoin has been on an incredible winning streak.
While an acquisition would keep one of the US' best-known magazine publishers afloat (it's responsible for Fortune and Sports Illustrated in addition to its namesake mag), there are worries about what this would mean in a country where media consolidation is becoming an increasing concern.
She was presented the crown by Stephanie Del Valle, the last year's Miss World victor from Puerto Rico at the event in Sanya City Arena in China after she competed with women from over 108 nations. Both her parents are doctors. Apart from the title, Chhillar also won the Beauty with Purpose Award. This win comes after long 17 years after Priyanka Chopra won the crown in 2000.
Novak, for his part, said on Friday in a television interview posted on the energy ministry's website that some 50 percent of the global oil oversupply had been erased and Brent prices had risen to an "acceptable enough" level of more than $60 a barrel.
Beginning on Saturday, November 25th until December 24th, Downtown Helena is asking shoppers to take a selfie with their purchase in front of the local business and use the hashtag '#PerfectGiftHelena'. Finally, small businesses offer a more unique product. Shoppers in downtown West Reading can start their Saturday at 9 a.m. with coffee and doughnuts at Benchwarmers, 400 Penn Ave.
The holiday season represents for some retailers as much as 40% of their annual sales due to attracting so many to come out and shop. Macy's says it has "fully resolved" problems on Black Friday related to its processing some gift and credit cards .
They hit sales at stores throughout Tulsa until about midnight on Thursday and woke up around 5 a.m. Friday to get back at it. Personal finance website WalletHub reported that this year's Black Friday discounts aren't quite as good as those of the last couple of years, with average nationwide discounts of a little more than 37 percent, compared with around 39 percent last year and 40 percent the year before.
People gather at the Broadway entrance of Macy's Herald Square store ahead of early opening for the Black Friday sales in Manhattan, New York. This is the second year Parkway Place Mall was closed on Thanksgiving day. One group said they started at 9 p.m. Thursday night. "Everybody's shopping online now". Online shoppers spent $1.52 billion on Thanksgiving Day, with smartphones accounting for 46 percent of all traffic to US retail websites, according to Adobe Analytics data .


text:
- Musician Summer Walker was criticized for her outfit at the 2022 BET Awards on Sunday.
- Walker wore a look designed by Laurel Street and said it was inspired by traditional Hmong jewelry.
- The brand apologized via its Instagram stories, writing: "I will further educate myself."
Summer Walker is facing accusations of cultural appropriation for wearing traditional Hmong jewelry on the red carpet at the 2022 BET Awards on Sunday.
The 26-year-old "No Love" singer wore black-and-gold body jewelry that formed the outline of a bra, with matching gold pasties, designed by Laurel Street, according to an Instagram post shared by the musician on Sunday. Her outfit also included a matching miniskirt, wrist cuffs, and statement earrings.
When sharing the outfit post on Instagram on Sunday, Walker wrote that the look was inspired by traditional Hmong jewelry, referring to the indigenous community located across Southeast Asia, and credited the Laurel Street brand.
This sparked criticism from some fans, who said Walker and Laurel Street were appropriating the items of cultural significance and taking them out of context by sexualizing them, as noted in one of Laurel Street's Instagram stories on Monday.
Walker and representatives for Laurel Street did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, but the latter took to Instagram to address its intentions and apologize.
In a statement shared on its Instagram story on Monday, the jewelry brand wrote: "I am of South Asian heritage I understand we should have mentioned the beautiful Hmong culture, these are archived Hmong pieces." The designer added that she customized the original designs with quartz and added that she didn't intend to offend anyone.
"I love to celebrate all cultures, diversity and sometimes try to switch the narrative through pieces," the statement read. They apologized for "not sharing and educating on the history of the Hmong people" and said they would further educate themselves.
The statement concluded: "Summer Walker is a living breathing goddess, it was not our intention to sexualise these pieces but more a celebration of life and the beauty of women."
According to the Hmong Daily News, a silver "xauv" necklace, which means "lock," was worn by the Hmong for centuries as a means of identification when the Hmong were captured and enslaved by the Chinese centuries ago. In a modern-day context, the xauv is used to accessorize traditional Hmong clothing and serves as a reminder of the community's previous enslavement and freedom.
The red-carpet moment came hours after Walker announced during an Instagram Live that she was pregnant with her second child, her first from her current relationship with LVRD Pharoh, People reported. The publication added that she also has a 1-year-old daughter, Bubbles, with producer London on Da Track.
"People asking me if I'm pregnant," she said in the Instagram announcement, according to People. "I am and you know I'm very, very, very, very happy about it."
Walker said that she's "very excited about it," adding: "It's going to be different from how it was before. It's really peaceful, really happy, lots of help, lots of love."


text:
EASTON — Pollinator Protection Week in Maryland is June 17 to 23, and the state and county are encouraging everyone to be good stewards of these beneficial natural resources.
Fortunately, good stewardship simply is a matter of common sense and courtesy towards our tiny friends who feed on pollen and nectar.
From local extension agents to master gardeners to online help, there are plenty of resources to help backyard gardeners be good neighbors in attracting and protecting pollinators.
According to the June 11 Talbot County Council proclamation, the county “provides ... conservation assistance to promote wise conservation stewardship, including the protection and maintenance of pollinators and their habitats.”
Many types of plants, including fruit and vegetable crops, depend on animals for pollination,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “In addition to honey bees, many other types of animals pollinate crops and wildflowers, including wild bees, ants, beetles, wasps, lizards, birds, bats (and) butterflies.
Mikaela Boley of University of Maryland Extension in Talbot County also is the area’s Master Gardener Coordinator. One of the simplest ways to protect pollinators is by using pesticides correctly.
At local gardening and home supply stores, average backyard gardeners are faced with an arsenal of chemicals to zap everything from aphids to Japanese beetles to fungus. How do you pick one that won’t harm honeybees and butterflies?
“The label is the law,” Boley said. Her advice: “Make sure you’re using the pesticide in an appropriate manner or what you’re using it for will be helped by using the pesticide. Identify the insect or plant disease you want to treat — make sure it really is a Japanese beetle first before attacking it.” Learn when and where to apply and when not to apply and the right temperature for applying.
In other words, read the directions. “I know that sounds simple, but it’s true,” Boley said. Products are “all a little bit different. Make sure it controls what you’re trying to control.”
Even if the label has become damaged or lost, “each product is registered with the EPA, and you can find that product label online,” Boley said. You can even find out if the product is even still legal to use.”
Boley suggests calling her to help diagnose plant problems and properly identify pests. The University of Maryland also has a website to which gardeners can submit photos of the problem at its Home and Garden Information Center.
In other words, don’t grab the Bug-B-Gone and start dusting everything in sight on a windy day, hoping you’ll nail some unknown, nasty critters who are fine-dining on your Knock-Out roses. Do your homework, Boley said.
“They all come with a label, and we’re legally obliged to follow the label,” beekeeper George Meyer said. “That means taking the time to read the label and follow the directions.”
Besides reading the labels of gardening products, Meyer offers simple tips for applying insecticides: “Never spray on flowers, never spray on windy days and spray in the evening when honeybees are back in the hive.”
“If you’re going to spray your fruit tree before it blooms, and there are dandelions or clover underneath it, mow that first because there won’t be any pollinators because there’s nothing to pollinate,” Meyer said.
Meyer, who lives with his wife Charlotte on the family farm near Oxford, is in his 45th season keeping bees. In 2018, his hives produced about 9,000 pounds of honey which he sells throughout the area as BeeGeorge Honey.
Meyer suggests farmers plant hedgerows and homeowners grow a variety of flowers. Since most flowers bloom in the spring, homeowners could plant whatever blooms in July and August.
Meyer has some advice for those who like pristine, weedless lawns: “Kill your grass.”
To pollinators, an expanse of green lawn is “a desert. If I’m a honeybee, all I see is the Sahara Desert,” Meyer said. “Honeybees love clover. Clover is beautiful. Dandelions are beautiful. Allow the weeds to come up. Mow it, of course, but don’t worry about this perfectly manicured lawn.”
“Dandelions, clover and other weeds provide nectar for bees,” Meyer said. They also like tree flowers like black locust and tulip poplar blooms.
An abundance of caution
Pollinator Protection Week at both the federal and state levels came about as a result of concerns about pollinator health and a potential link to the use of a particular class of insecticides.
According to the MDA’s website, the diminishing population in recent years of European honey bees, native bee species and other pollinators in Maryland “led to increased scrutiny of a widely used class of insecticides, known as neonicotinoids. Public concerns resulted in the passage of the Pollinator Protection Act of 2016 by the Maryland General Assembly. The law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2018, and restricts the sales and use of neonicotinoid pesticides.”
“A retailer needs to be a restricted-use pesticide dealer in order to sell neonicotinoids,” said Lindsay Thompson, executive director of Maryland Grain Producers Association, based in Queenstown.
“You can’t just walk into Home Depot or Lowe’s and purchase neonicotinoid pesticides. (The Pollinator Protection Act took) these pesticides out of the hands of homeowners — people who aren’t trained to use ‘neonics.’”
To apply neonicotinoid pesticides, a certified pesticide applicator will have earned credit hours, passed a test to earn a license by the MDA.
“Only farmers and certified pesticide applicators (or people working under their supervision) can apply neonicotinoid pesticides outdoors,” according to the MDA. “So while neonicotinoid products may appear on store shelves in Maryland they cannot be applied outdoors by gardeners.”
You shouldn’t be able to find neonics on the shelf in Maryland stores because of MDA enforcement for the past 18 months.
If (consumers) have questions about whether a product should be on the shelf or not, they should consult the Maryland Department of Agriculture, “who are the enforcers for something like that,” Boley said.
It was in 2013 that a disastrous — and irresponsible — application of a pesticide containing neonics raised red flags at the federal level. Ignoring the label — which stated that the pesticide could not be applied to flowering plants, an applicator sprayed the pesticide on flowering fruit trees at a Target store in Oregon, resulting in thousands of dead bees scattered throughout the parking lot.
The pollinator carnage “created a little bit of a hysteria,” Thompson said.
“The EPA did a special pollinator risk assessment, which resulted in a couple of label changes to protect pollinators, but (the agency) didn’t find evidence that neonics are the primary cause of things like colony collapse disorder or pollinator health issues,” Thompson said.
The jury is still out on the exact impact of neonics. A study by Texas A&M found low level exposures may impair some bees’ ability to forage for nectar, “learn and remember where flowers are located, and possibly … find their way home to the nest or hive.” Researchers still don’t know if bee colony collapse disorder can be traced to neonics.
Although the use of neonics in agriculture is allowed, it typically isn’t sprayed on crops in the Mid-Shore area. “As far as row crops like corn, soybeans and wheat, neonics are primarily used as a seed treatment, so it’s coated on the seed,” Thompson said.
“One of the best management practices seed suppliers and farmers have started using in order to avoid exposure to or adverse impacts on pollinators, … is using lubricants, so that you don’t have the dust-off of the seed, so there’s not a risk to pollinators,” Thompson said.
“The better seeds they’ve come up with are so much better for the environment because on a day like this (June 5): It’s kind of windy, spray would float over into the woods, onto the grasses, and other areas — and that’s a lot of damage,” Meyer said.
“Here in this tiny, little area of Maryland, in our corn and soy and wheat world, we don’t really use insecticides,” Meyer said. “Crops are so resistant that they don’t spray. They spray herbicides. But the last time I saw a crop duster, they were just planting winter wheat.”
Fortunately, for honeybees and other pollinators, the go-to sources of nourishment aren’t grain crops. “Soybeans aren’t the foraging diet of choice” for pollinators, and corn is self-pollinating,” Thompson said.
Other threats to pollinators
But neonics aren’t the only culprit. “There are definitely a variety of factors that impact pollinator health,” Thompson said.
According to epa.gov, “The prevailing theory among scientists in EPA, USDA and the global scientific and regulatory community is that the general declining health of honey bees is related to complex interactions among multiple stressors.”
“Those stressors include pests, pathogens and viruses; poor nutrition; pesticide exposure; bee management practices; and lack of genetic diversity,” the EPA stated.
Meyer said the biggest threat to honeybees is an invasive mite called varroa destructor that appeared in the early 1990s. “The mite started out as a minor pest on another species of bee in Asia but managed to jump to our honeybee,” Meyer posted on his website, www.beegeorgehoney.com. “It has spread worldwide … and has caused havoc and destruction in its wake.”
In Maryland, there are about 400 species of native bees, but research is ongoing to find more. “For anyone to say there’s a collapse of native pollinators, they have to make a lot of assumptions,” Meyer said.
“It could just be a natural cycle. There could be a collapse of native pollinators. I don’t know — nobody knows. There just isn’t enough data. We can make educated guesses. We can make lots of assumptions, but there’s very, very little data,” Meyer said.
“Honeybees are a completely different story. It has virtually nothing to do with neonicotinoids or any of that kind of stuff,” Meyer said.
Other threats to honeybees, according to Meyer, are “loss of habitat and loss of nutritional variation.”
“The more and more houses we build and impervious surfaces we put down, there’s less and less unimproved land and wildflowers and grass for them to forage on and their nutrition suffers as a result,” Thompson said.
Check your garden shed
Backyard gardeners who want to check their current supply of insecticides for neonics can find helpful information online.
For more information about the EPA’s efforts to inform the public and protect bees and pollinators, visit www.epa.gov/pollinator-protection.
The MDA’s Office of Plant industries and Pest Management has a one-page information sheet describing the use of neonics in Maryland at mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Documents/Pollinator ProtectionActFactSheet.pdf
This article from Texas A&M lists the common neonics you’d find in the store: citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/ipm/what-is-a-neonicotinoid/
Active ingredients in “neonics” are acetamiprid, clothianidin, cyantraniliprole, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, nitenpyram, sulfoxaflor, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam.
“To make it even more confusing, each brand has its own name for their products, but the active ingredients are all the same chemical,” Boley said.
“There’s a kind of flea control application for pets that contains Imidacloprid which is a neonicotinoid, so it really depends on the application of it,” Boley said. “Obviously, that’s allowed, but what they don’t want is people using neonicotinoids in a broad spectrum landscape use.”
The EPA’s website provides information on efforts to protect pollinators:
University of Maryland Extension offers a Home and Garden Information Center where you can upload photos and get personalized help:


text:
A chemical widely used on apples to keep the skin from browning which was essentially banned by Europe has cut off exports of the fruit from the Northwest.
Last month, the European Union banned all imports of fruit with even a low level of diphenylamine, commonly known as DPA, over fears it could turn into a carcinogen. Conventional apples are commonly treated with DPA, which has been approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency.
But the Environmental Working Group, a consumer advocacy organization, said it might pose a health risk. In a report released late Wednesday, the group called on the EPA to re-evaluate DPA, which is regulated as a pesticide.
"Europe has raised safety concerns," said Sonya Lunder, senior scientist for the working group. "Why isn't something similar happening in the U.S.?"
The problem is not DPA per se, Lunder said, but the risk that during storage or processing it could combine with nitrogen and create nitrosamines, potent carcinogens. She said they have been linked stomach and esophagus cancer in people and other cancer in lab rodents.
In tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 80 percent of the apples were positive for DPA, she said.
The European Commission did not determine that DPA poses a health risk but said chemical manufacturers had not supplied enough information for the agency to do a risk assessment. Europe banned the use of DPA on fruit in 2012.
The Environmental Working Group wants the EPA to investigate. But Northwest apple growers, who dominate the U.S. market, say the case is closed.
"There is no evidence that DPA has any cancer-causing potential," said Mike Willett, vice president of scientific affairs for the Northwest Horticultural Council, which represents the regions tree fruit growers. "The EPA has done a complete analysis. ... The only place that has a problem is Europe."
The ban cuts off an export market for Northwest apple growers. Last year, the region sold 19 million pounds of apples to the European Union, worth about $8.5 million.
Though shipments to Europe have traditionally only represented 2 percent of Northwest apple exports, Willett said some companies that have relied on European sales will be hurt by the ban.
He said the industry is hoping the Europeans will reconsider.
-- Lynne Terry


text:
Volvo S40 T4 Super Tourer seen on FB
Spotted on Facebook Marketplace for sale in NSW is this 2000 Volvo S40 T4 Super Tourer limited edition with manual transmission.
I last saw this one for sale last year. It is now for sale for one quarter of its previously advertised price, $1000. It has 199,950 km and a few months registration.
According to the seller it has an issue: "The car needs a new fuel injection controller, this is not urgent but if you don’t shift subtly the car can feel bumpy."


text:
The Netflix documentary “The Great Hack” starts streaming today and explains how every like and share turns into data that targets us at every click. It’s about how people became the product to be sold on social media platforms, for the sacrifice of privacy.
You search for one thing online—shoes, a new bed, tools—and then your social media platforms are inundated with those topics.
"Are we willing to move backwards to maintain that privacy we used to have? Or, are we hooked on the convenience that we have today, and just recognize to have that convenience, we're giving up a lot in terms of privacy," said ethics expert Chuck Gallagher.
He reminded us we used to get information from the local news and watch the commercials for advertisements about what we needed or wanted and for the most part, our identity was secure.
"Are you really willing to give up the connection that you have and the ease of being able to communicate for the privacy that we once experienced?," asked Gallagher.
The main players in “The Great Hack” are Facebook and Cambridge Analytica.