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Communications Industry Researchers, Inc., an industry analyst firm based in Charlottesville, VA, has released a market report that outlines the optical networking strategies of the Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs): SBC and Verizon. The report examines the approaches that each company is pursuing for networking build-out and their perspectives on the vendors that supply them such as Alcatel, Adva, Ciena, Cisco, Fujitsu, ONI, Lucent, Nortel, Tellabs and others. The study also provides insights into how Telcordia's OSMINE process is preventing the advancement of the optical networking market. Lastly, the report compares and examines the issues affecting each carrier's CAPEX and competitive position.
CIR states that it will be difficult for most companies to generate significant metro revenues without OSMINE certification given the stringent requirements that ILECs have for software interoperability. OSMINE is a process conducted by Telcordia where vendors are certified that their equipment can integrate with existing operations systems within "Bell" networks. The fees for the certification can cost a vendor up to $16 million and the process can take up to 18 months to complete thus creating a high barrier to entry for start-ups or small companies.
CIR's report also notes that the financial community has been slow to grasp the importance of OSMINE citing the amount of Venture Capital money that has been issued to metro-targeted vendors which have business plans that do take into account the cost and timeline of the certification process.
According to Mark Lutkowitz, CIR's Vice President of Optical Networking Research, "While some vendors have made the absurd statements that they either do not need OSMINE to sell to the RBOCs or will start the process after receiving an order from said phone companies, without at least starting the OSMINE process, a vendor will automatically be dismissed by an RBOCs network operations group and therefore, be disqualified from major sales opportunities." As such, CIR believes that most of the vendors looking to break into the RBOCs will ultimately fail and most likely, fold.
CIR's report states that companies such as Tellabs and Cisco are in prime position to grab large portions of Verizon and SBC's metro business with familiar faces like Nortel and Lucent remaining viable competitors simply because of installed base and familiarity on the part of the operations people. Ciena, the latest Wall St. casualty, faces serious challenges given some product feature set and pricing shortcomings with its metro DWDM ring product that recently caused it to lose out on some business. Fujitsu has recently had fundamental problems with software and reliability with its latest products thus opening the door to other competitors. CIR points to Mahi Networks and ONI as companies to watch for in the future based on conversations with the carriers.
CIR is an industry analyst firm specializing in the areas of fiber optic networking systems, software and components. The report is available from CIR at a cost of $495.00. For more information, visit www.cir-inc.com.


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Denver luxury home sales rise in October
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Metro Denver’s luxury home resale market continued its strong recovery in 2012 with almost twice as many homes sold in October than the year before, according to a Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage report Thursday.
Buyers snapped up 73 homes with a price tag of $1 million or higher in October, far outpacing the 37 sold in October 2011. That was also an increase over the 69 homes sold the previous month.
The median sales price on those homes stood at $1.31 million, a 4.8 percent year-over-year decline and 3.9 percent month-over-month dip.
“The fact is that the high-end market continues to do extremely well,” Chris Mygatt, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Colorado, said in a release. “Our challenge is still getting enough listings in the market to meet the strong demand from buyers.”
Other highlights from the report, which is compiled using Multiple Listing Service data:
• Eight multimillion-dollar homes sold in October compared to just two in October 2011. That number fell from the 15 sold in September.
• The most expensive home sold in the month, a $3.9 million four-bedroom, six-bath, 4,600-square-foot house, was in Denver. The city also posted the most number of luxury homes sold with 20, with eight sold in Cherry Hills Village and seven each for Boulder and Greenwood Village.
• Sellers got an average of 94 percent of their asking price, up 4 percent from October 2011 and 2 percent from September.
• The average days on the market plunged to 126 days in October from 196 days the year before and 152 days in September.
Dennis Huspeni covers real estate and retail for the Denver Business Journal and writes for the "Real Deals" blog. Phone: 303-803-9232.
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Den-Mat, which markets the Rembrandt whitening toothpaste and mouthwash, will spend $20 million in a new fall campaign, according to executives close to the company.
Last year Den-Mat spent $14.5 million in measured media, according to Competitive Media Reporting. The review is being handled in-house; company officials declined to comment.
Rembrandt's next campaign will have to help reverse a drop in sales that has taken the brand from a high of 3.5% of the $1.62 billion market in 1997 to 2.3% at the end of March 1999, according to Information Resources Inc.
Rembrandt is one of many specialty brands trying to take a bite out of the toothpaste market lorded over by Procter & Gamble Co. and Colgate-Palmolive Co. Colgate and P&G's Crest brands together make up 53% of the market, while a dozen other brands take the rest.
Until the 1990s, whitening toothpaste was a category of one-Carter-Wallace's venerable Pearl Drops brand. The only other options were bleaching kits that used mouthpieces to soak teeth in bleaching solutions. When Rembrandt entered the market, it found baby boomers were willing to pay $8 or more a tube for a toothpaste to whiten their teeth.
But while the aging boomers helped the whitening category grow, Rembrandt lost ground recently to mass-market brands that added whitening versions. Nearly every toothpaste brand, including Crest and Colgate, now has a whitening extension. Colgate's year-old Total line is expected to add a whitening extension shortly.
"They've basically stolen Rembrandt's niche . . . they had a unique selling proposition," said Ken Harris, partner at consultancy Cannondale Associates.
He said Rembrandt needs to refocus its message to spell out clearly why it's different from the lower-priced extensions of well-known brands.
"They have a problem," said Mr. Harris. "They need to move very fast to re-


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Memes, a form of cartoon, are very popular these days. If you track memes, you may have probably seen Nokia memes at some point in time. There are plenty of memes featuring the classic Nokia 3310 feature phone, normally having captions related to its toughness. Nokia 3310 sure was tough, and many people still have one of those in working condition, but what about the newer Nokia phones? Is their build quality tough enough? Well, someone from Syria put his Nokia X2 to test, and it managed to save his life! The clash between government of Syria and people is getting dirty and it’s very sad that many innocent people are losing their life. Earlier this morning, someone on Facebook reported about an incident where in which a person was filming the action that was happening between the rebels and military on his Nokia X2 (although the X2 doesn’t have a decent camera). There was a cross fire going on and the owner of X2 decided to go more closer to the battle site in order to get a closer shot while putting his life at stake in the process.
He was capturing video with his X2 almost in front of his mouth, holding X2 with his right hand. On getting closer to battle site, a bullet was fired at him, but luckily he had his Nokia X2 in front of his face and he managed to get away without a single scratch. The above image explains how scary the situation must have been for him, and he must be very grateful for buying the Nokia. No idea on just how true this incident is, but seems like technology has saved another life yet again.
This incident testifies Nokia phone’s build quality. The company is going through a financial bad luck at the moment and selling its unwanted assets in order to keep the company running. It recently sold 500 patents to Vringo in order to stay afloat. Once a major player, the company has already lost its smartphone market, and Lumia devices aren’t doing really well, thanks to the announcement of Windows Phone 8 and the fact that current Windows Phone devices aren’t going to be updated to next generation of Windows Phone operating system, which is going to be better in numerous ways. Nokia is expected to make a major comeback with the launch of Nokia Lumia 910 and 920, both of these running Windows Phone 8 and are anticipated in September. At least one of the Windows Phone devices from Nokia is expected to launch with Nokia’s Pure View technology, the imaging technology that was seen on its flagship phone, Nokia 808 Pure View. Only time will decide whether the company will stay in the competition or in the history book.
What are your thoughts on the incident above? Use the comment form below as we would love to hear from you.


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Machinima, one of the most successful web and YouTube video networks on the internet, could receive a big investment from Warner Bros. amounting to a number between $10 and $15-million, according to a new rumour. The channel mainly consists of videos featuring top 10 lists, live streams and other gaming-related videos.
Machinima has reportedly been searching for additional funding and a new CEO for the last few months. Warner Bros. has until the end of this week to decide how it wants to proceed and may decide to purchase Machinima outright. Previously the Machinima network received $35 million in funding from Google and a group of other investors. Allthingsd.com has also reported in the past that Machinima was looking for an approximate $70-million investment, but this influx of money never occurred.
The company’s founder and current CEO, Allen Debevoise, recently announced Machinima is looking for a new CEO to take the company to the next level. Machinima has faced layoffs and COOO Nanea Reeves also recently left the company.
Over 321 million YouTube users subscribe to Machinima and the network has amassed more than 48 billion views. However, the company still struggles to turn a profit because the network shares 50 per-cent of its ad revenue with Google and then still has to pay its network of content producers. In the past Machinima has been criticized for how it treats its “partners” and a few months ago suffered some controversy surrounding the alleged undisclosed “schilling” of Xbox One related products.
For many YouTubers, getting their content on Machinima’s network helps with ad revenue and also allows them to reach a much wider audience then is possible on their own channels.
According to the Wall Street Journal neither Warner Bros. or Machinima have commented on the rumours. Machinima also launched a new game-helping app on the Xbox One.
Follow me on Twitter: @Patrick_ORourke.


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The Swedish software company Vourity wants to activate cryptocurrencies as a means of payment for 50,000 e-charging stations. Implementation will begin in November together with HIPS.
E-mobility continues to find its way into Europe. The relevant charging infrastructure is also developing bit by bit. A new cooperation between the Irish payment service provider HIPS Payment and the Swedish software company Vourity aims to accelerate this development. Together they are planning to introduce a payment function with crypto currencies at 50,000 charging stations. That gave vourity in one Press release known. Hans Nottehed CEO at Vourity explained the motivation as follows:
Vourity is all about innovation. It starts with listening to e-drivers to understand and meet their needs. We want to make it easy for drivers to charge their cars. Offering an open platform that enables crypto payments is therefore the logical choice for our next generation world.
Hans Nottehed CEO at Vourity.
Vourity gives strong evidence of Ethereum
It is not yet known which digital currency it is, but it can be assumed that the choice will fall on Ethereum. This assumption arises from one picture on the Vourity homepage that shows a payment terminal. In addition to popular services such as Apple or Google Pay, there is also the “Crypto” category. The ETH symbol can be seen underneath.
The crypto integration into the charging stations of the Swedish company takes place via the HIPS Merchant Protocol (HMP), which was built on Ethereum and Solana. Cryptocurrencies should be connected to the charging stations via the HMP. The project is scheduled to start in November this year. If everything goes according to plan, the integration can be expected to be completed in around three years.
In the meantime, efforts are also being made in Germany to simplify payment processes for e-charging stations. The market is currently very fragmented, which is why customers usually have to open accounts with different providers. The Berlin start-up, among others, wants to tackle this problem peaq Technology accept. For two years now, they have been working there with several German automobile groups on a decentralized platform that is intended to simplify charging and payment processes for e-cars many times over. With the DLT, every registered car or charging station gets its own, sovereign identity. The electric car can use this to authenticate itself at the charging station. If this is successful, the loading process begins. In addition, it recently became the first crypto company to join the Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA).
You can read about how the blockchain affects our mobility in general in the current edition of the Kryptokompass.


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Front Page News
Sturgeon Bay Utilities cautions against disconnect as winter moratorium ends
SBU is advising electric customers who are behind on their bills to make payment arrangements with the utility to avoid service disconnection.
Wisconsin’s Winter Emergency Period, often referred to as the moratorium on residential service disconnection, ends April 15. After that date, utilities statewide may begin to disconnect service to customers who are past due on payment of their electric bills for any period of time, including the winter months.
“The winter moratorium is fast approaching, and every year we must address this issue with more and more customers,” said Jim Stawicki, General Manager. “It is, however, SBU’s goal to do what we can to collect unpaid bills from the moratorium to keep electric rates low in our community.”
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin established the annual moratorium — from November 1 to April 15 — to protect customers from service disconnection during harsh Wisconsin winters.
According to Stawicki, more than 725 utility customers have overdue bills representing $113,780.00. Despite these figures, nearly 90 percent of customers pay their bills on time each month.
“We understand that situations can arise, making it difficult for customers to pay their bills,” said Stawicki. “However, to avoid disconnection, we are urging customers to make the appropriate payment arrangements. We would like to help these customers make suitable arrangements to avoid shutting off their service.”
Customers can call SBU to make payment arrangements. The utility will negotiate payment options with customers, according to Stawicki. Stawicki also said the utility will issue a final disconnection notice prior to limiting service.
To apply for energy assistance, customers should call 1-866-HEATWIS (432-8947). Income guidelines for energy assistance have changed from previous years and customers who may not have qualified in the past may be eligible for assistance with utility bill payments. For a family of four to qualify, the total gross income (three months) must be $11,267 or less.
To make payment arrangements or to explore payment options with the utility, call the utility at (920) 746-2820 between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM.


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Last month, we announced the news that DealTrak has a brand new CEO and had joined the wider AutoProtect Group. The man of the hour, Matthew Briggs, recently spoke to The Yorkshire Times, to answer some quickfire questions about the festive season. In case you missed it, catch up below.
Sum up 2019 for your business, in one word
And a word that summarises how you expect 2020 to pan out?
What’s the one word from this year you’re sick of hearing?
And the one you hope to hear more of in the 12 months ahead?
Which fellow Yorkshire business has impressed you this year?
If you could have one present for Christmas what would it be?
What’s the best Christmas gift you’ve ever bought for someone else?
What do you think is the most under-rated thing on your Christmas dinner plate?
How many people will be around your table on Christmas day?
And which word would you use to sum up the ambience?
Your favourite Christmas tipple?
And a message to your friends, family, colleagues and peers as they welcome in 2020?
Hold on for the ride…


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Sales in 2014 were the auto industry’s best in nearly a decade, with almost 1 million more vehicles sold in the U.S. last year than in 2013. Automakers sold an impressive 16.5 million vehicles overall, helped by readily available credit, a strengthening economy, low levels of unemployment and a continued decline in gas prices. That marked the fifth consecutive year of increases, after auto sales hit a low of 10.4 million in 2009.
The sales gains add crucial momentum ahead of the Detroit auto show, among the most closely watched events in the industry and a barometer for what’s to come. It’s expected that manufacturers will introduce 40 new car and truck models this year – with plenty of automakers promising surprises at the show, too.
A brief overview of what to look for in the Motor City next week:
Truck sales are up 10 percent from last year, thanks mostly to the recovering housing market and low gas prices. At the 2014 show, Ford debuted the aluminum F-150 that just started hitting showrooms. This year, Toyota will debut a redesigned Tacoma pick-up, Nissan will unveil a redesigned Titan and Ram will show a refreshed 1500.
Toyota Tacoma’s owners have waited a long time for a new version of the vehicle, as it’s been a decade since the current generation was introduced. Tacoma sales were down 3 percent in 2014 versus the previous year. The small truck market is poised for robust growth in 2015 and the loyal Tacoma buyers are likely to line up for the redesigned version.
The Nissan Titan has also not been updated since the 2004 model year. A first-ever diesel variant will be offered. It will be designed in California, engineered in Michigan, tested in Arizona and assembled in Canton, Mississippi. (How’s that for “Made in the U.S.A.”?) The Titan competes with the newly redesigned Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, Ram 1500, and Toyota Tundra. The new truck couldn’t come at a better time; Titan sales were down 20.2 percent last year compared to the previous year.
Emphasis on fuel efficiency, even with gas under $2 a gallon:
Despite the recent dramatic drop in gas prices, automakers continue to focus on a more fuel-efficient future with numerous eco-friendly vehicle debuts.
The original electric-hybrid Chevrolet Volt was introduced in 2007 and the second generation was just revealed at a press event at CES in Las Vegas. The Volt will use a new 1.5-liter gasoline engine, won’t require premium fuel, and will have a bigger battery, which will equal greater range, more than the current estimated 38 miles.
Hyundai and Kia plan to unveil seven new hybrids and six new plug-in hybrids during the next five years, starting with the Hyundai Sonata hybrid and plug-in versions. Sales of the Sonata were up 7 percent last year in a fiercely competitive segment.
Mercedes-Benz C350 plug-in hybrid will have its debut; it will feature two distinct means that can run separate or together in order to achieve the best fuel economy. The combined fuel economy is expected to sit at 112 mpg.
The Acura NSX will have its official debut and will go on sale this year. It’s Honda’s most advanced and expensive vehicle ever released, it’s a plug-in hybrid, high-performance sports car that could be the BMW i8’s competitor. The vehicle will be built by hand by about 100 employees in Marysville, Ohio – keeping with the made-in-America theme.
Lexus will expand its F model sedan at the show and plans to introduce two new performance models. The F model is Lexus’s response to the Mercedes-Benz AMG and BMW’s M line. Lexus is going all out to compete for sales in the prestigious luxury performance vehicle segment.
Mercedes-Benz will introduce the AMG Sport line, which is a less expensive version of its AMG high-performance series. The GLE 450 AMG Sport and the C450 AMG Sport will debut at the show. The AMG Sport line delivers relatively lower performance numbers, but at a more manageable price point for many buyers.
adapted from cars.com by Jesse Toprak
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Joint research from the OU and Be The Business surveyed 1,500 business leaders of SMEs from across the UK and listened to the experiences of businesses that have needed to make drastic changes to adapt to the challenges presented by the pandemic.
The key findings revealed that 77% of SME leaders do not have the skills required to successfully implement new technology into their businesses, and only 50% of business leaders in Scotland say they plan to address gaps in skills in the next 12 months.
An increase in the use of e-commerce software
Covid-19 accelerated the adoption of collaboration and e-commerce software, for example, in more than half (54%) of UK SMEs. Of the business leaders who adopted new technology or accelerated its use due to Covid-19, at least 85% plan to continue using it at the same level once restrictions are fully lifted.
Large companies have the resources, often at an integrated departmental level, to deliver skills and training, and successfully adopt technology. However, as many as 33% of Scottish business leaders surveyed said time and cost can make digital adoption too expensive and too time-consuming.
On the other hand, the report found that even without dedicated resources, many small- and medium-sized businesses have shown themselves to be flexible and resilient around digital skills and training, with 65% of Scottish business leaders expressing an interest in some form of learning and development in the next 12 months.
An investment in upskilling and reskilling of workforces
The report also highlights businesses investing in upskilling and reskilling – including Glasgow-based technology solutions provider Systal Technology Solutions, which also supports staff to undertake Graduate Apprenticeships in software development delivered by the OU in Scotland.
JohnPaul Wright, Network Operations Centre Manager at Systal explained: “We were fortunate that we didn’t drop any services during the lockdown. We adapted well to lockdown and moving to a remote service. But even as an IT networks company, moving to wholly digital communications had its challenges.
Potential life-changing innovations go head-to-head in Emerging Technologies Competition 2021
Tech innovators and start-ups will be pitching their potential life-changing and ground-breaking ideas in a bid to win in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Emerging Technology Competition 2021.
From the 120 high-quality applications, the 24 shortlisted companies will pitch their plans Dragon’s Den style to a highly experienced judging panel - many of whom have been involved since the competition's inception in 2013 - in late June.
If they win, they not only get £20,000 prize money, but a year of one-on-one support from a specially assigned Royal Society of Chemistry mentor, and a further £20,000 available as a business acceleration grant.
Now in its ninth year, the competition has a reputation for finding novel, innovative and promising chemistry from across Europe.
We’re always investing in leaders and managers and making sure that they have the tools to do their job.”
The company has also used the Flexible Workforce Development Fund to access training up to the value of £5,000 provided by the OU to support staff development.
The Skills for Success report makes a number of key recommendations for business leaders looking to adopt technology successfully, including:
- Identifying the right digital tools to tackle a company’s biggest challenge.
- Securing time and budget to enable an attitude of continuous learning.
- Empowering SMEs to embrace a digital culture.
- Recognising the power of a varied skill set in an organization.
Susan Stewart, Director for the OU in Scotland said: “Small and medium-sized businesses are vitally important to Scotland’s urban and rural economies and this report shines a light on some of the challenges they face in order to remain competitive in the global marketplace. With our flexible approach to lifelong learning, the Open University in Scotland is well placed to help Scotland’s SMEs address many of the digital skills gaps identified in this report.”
To find out more about how The Open University in Scotland can support your organisation to develop digital talent, please visit open.ac.uk.


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What tea professionals need to start the week of Sept. 15, 2014 —
Honest Tea in Keurig K-Cups… the North American Tea Conference beings Tuesday… the fast-growing bottled water market in China… this month’s HerbalGram features the research of Dr. Selena Ahmed who is studying the impact of climate change on tea.
Honest Tea in K-Cups
Coca-Cola’s licensing agreement with Keurig Green Mountain to offer Honest Tea in K-Cups is a very important validation of the Keurig beverage delivery system.
In 2013 Keurig-licensed teas generated 6.5% of sales in the bagged/loose tea category, according to Packaged Facts. Keurig partnerships with Snapple, Lipton, Bigelow, Celestial Seasonings, Harney & Sons, Twinings, Teavana, Tazo and Tetleys “are only now gaining traction in the marketplace, which will translate to even stronger sales in 2014: 10% of 2014 sales seems quite reasonable,” according to Packaged Facts: Tea and Ready-to-Drink Tea in the U.S.: Retail and Foodservice, 5th Edition.
Celestial Seasonings was early to the format, packaging a significant selection of its herbal blends for the Keurig machines. Bigelow Tea was another to enjoy first-mover advantage, locking in a contract with Hilton Hotels to put its tea in K-Cups in 89,000 hotel rooms equipped with K130 K-Cup brewers. Coffee selections vary throughout the U.S., guestrooms at Hilton Gardens Inns; for example, include Diedrichs regular and decaffeinated Coffee, in Canada Van Houtte’s or Timothy’s Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee but rooms in both the U.S. and Canada feature Bigelow Black Tea K-Cup packs.
Higgins & Burke is another early adopter but chose RealCups capsules instead of licensing through Keurig. Snapple (DrPepper) and Lipton, Twinings and Tetley and a growing number of smaller brands are packing tea in Keurig-compatible capsules.
“Keurig Green Mountain and Honest Tea share a longstanding commitment to organics and fair trade,” said Seth Goldman, Honest Tea co-founder and TeaEO. “We’re excited to make our tea available in this new convenient format.”
Keurig brewers are now in 18 million American homes.
Honest Tea sold 100 million bottles last year and more than 1 billion since its founding in 1998. It is the nation’s top-selling organic bottled tea. Count on boxes to crowd out other brands and carve some additional space from the coffee-centric selections at Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target and Walmart. Honest Tea will feature Just Green and Just Black organic, Fair Trade Certified tea to be brewed hot over ice and enjoyed unsweetened – the alternate and some say the antidote for carbonated sodas.
Honest Tea is the first Coca-Cola brand to appear in K-Cups since Coke purchased 16% of KMG. Look for FUZE Tea to follow when Keurig unveils its new cold brewer.
North American Tea Conference
The magnificent horseshoe of cascading water is spectacular, driving spray as high as my perch 37 floors above Niagara Falls. The 5th North American Tea Conference, an annual gathering jointly sponsored by the Tea Association of the USA and the Tea Association of Canada (TAC), opens this week on the Canadian side of the border.
Canada’s Tea Association President Louise Roberge and her able staff have organized a number of interesting and timely sessions that I’ll report on this week.
Roberge chose the theme “SolidariTEA” for this year’s event which draws producers and manufacturers from around the globe. North America is now a top export destination for several countries as noted by Norman Kelly, with the International Tea Committee based in London. Rick Winslow with Nielsen Canada will present a state of the industry report on retail tea sales and Shimona Mehta of the NPD Group, Inc. will lead a discussion of key trends in the foodservice industry.
One session I’m sure to attend is Kevin Gascoyne’s pairings of tea and scotch. Gascoyne is a co-founder of Camellia Sinensis in Montreal.
This is the 60th Anniversary of the Tea Association of Canada, a milestone celebrated Wednesday at an award banquet where winners of the 3rd Gold Medal Tea Competition will be announced. The Tea Association of the USA hosted the last session in Bermuda where Peter Goggi was handed the baton as executive director.
Bottled Water in China
In a country awash in tea bottled water is a refreshing alternative. Tea is safely consumed throughout the country when boiled but in many parts of rural China breaking the seal on a bottle of water is reassuring. China has developed a thirst for Western bottled waters. Boreal Catskill Mountain Spring reported a $24 million 36-month deal with SOHO Corp. for distribution of the Boreal Water Collection, premium water previously unavailable in China where it will be branded as Catsky.
A report from Transparency Market Research identifies China as the most active market worldwide for bottled water. The Asia Pacific region accounts for 33% of global demand with sales of $157.27 billion in 2013, according to TMR. The region, led by China, is expected to experience an estimated compound annual growth rate of 10.5% in revenue from 2014 to 2020 with sales of $279.65 billion by 2020.
Source: Transparency Market Research
Climate Change Impact on Tea
The chemistry, taste, and health effects of tea can vary with changes in climate, says a new article published by the non-profit American Botanical Council (ABC). Recent research by Selena Ahmed, PhD, on climate change and its effects on the phytochemical compounds in tea (Camellia sinensis) is part of an extensive study conducted by Dr. Ahmed in the Yunnan province of southwestern China and has implications for the future of medicinal botanicals. Dr. Ahmed’s report on her ground-breaking research is the cover article for the current issue (#103) of HerbalGram, ABC’s peer-reviewed, quarterly scientific journal.*
Dr. Ahmed has worked in the Yunnan province for eight years, studying how weather pattern variations impact the naturally occurring phytochemicals and beneficial health properties of tea. Her forthcoming research will investigate how the effects of climate change could alter the benefits of other medicinal plants.
Chinese tea farmers have a finely attuned sense of how differing weather patterns affect the taste and quality of their crop: In the dry seasons, the tea leaves are more potent; in the wetter monsoon seasons, the leaves have a gentler taste and aroma. “The majority of tea farmers I have interviewed state that climate patterns have shifted noticeably over their lifetimes; such observed changes include warmer temperatures, greater unpredictability of weather such as increased variation of rains, and changing phenology of plants (i.e., the effect of weather patterns on plant growth cycles, including flowering and fruiting seasons, etc.), including earlier bud burst,” wrote Dr. Ahmed. The idea that weather patterns could noticeably change the taste, and thus the quality, of crops and influence the livelihoods of the farmers prompted her to analyze samples of tea from successive growing seasons to ascertain what differences are present on a chemical level.
“A vast body of scientific and medical research in the past several decades shows many strong correlations between tea, particularly green tea, and abundant health benefits” said HerbalGram Editor-in-Chief Mark Blumenthal. “Dr. Ahmed’s research has compelling implications not only for tea, but for other food and medicinal plant crops, for which changes in climate can cause alterations in taste, and, accordingly, the plants’ nutritional and medicinal values,” he said.
Dr. Ahmed writes about her tea research and connects the phenomenon in China with tea growers in other regions, including Sri Lanka, Hawaii, and Japan. In collaboration with researchers from Tufts University and the University of Florida, she studies the chemistry behind the shift in functional quality and secondary metabolites in the tea plant. Plants produce secondary metabolites as a defense mechanism in response to environmental stressors, and a high concentration of these metabolites often correlates to higher nutritional and therapeutic benefits for the consumer.
Through laboratory studies of extracts made from tea samples collected from the Chinese farms, Dr. Ahmed discovered that tea’s key health compounds (called catechins) can decrease by almost 50% when the leaves are harvested after the monsoon season as compared with leaves harvested after a drought. This is consistent with anecdotal observations concerning changes in tea flavor noted by the farmers she interviewed; the differences in flavor correspond with her analyses of the plants’ overall chemistry, including the catechins.
Dr. Ahmed is an assistant professor of Sustainable Food Systems at Montana State University.
*Ahmed, S. Tea and the taste of climate change: understanding impacts of environmental variation on botanical quality. HerbalGram. 2014;103:44-51.
Source: HerbalGram is available at some bookstores and natural food stores and is mailed to members of ABC. Dr. Ahmed’s feature article is posted on the ABC website, accessible here.
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Heyscribe is the latest startup hoping to help musicians and other creators make money from their superfans.
Google is talking to major labels about licensed ‘deepfakes’ based on artists, but a number of startups are exploring the same territory.
Earlier this year, a startup called Futureverse raised a $54m Series A funding round, promising to “introduce AI to the metaverse”.
US startup ShapesXR is one of the companies building technology that in turn helps developers to build virtual-reality experiences.
Linkfire, Linktree, Feature·fm, EventBrite’s ToneDen… musicians and labels are spoiled for choice when it comes to smart-links tools.
The last couple of years has seen a steady increase in the number of startups exploring AI music. The latest is Cassette.
Another day, another pair of fledgling music/tech startups raising money to continue building their businesses.
Giving concert ticketing a blockchain twist is an idea that has been mooted regularly in recent years – but often unsuccessfully.
This morning, the first cohort for the FutureScope Black Founders Programme has been announced, with 10 startups taking part.
Music and health is a trend that is quietly gathering pace, and Barcelona-based Moonai is the latest startup exploring this intersection.
Please note that this week, we’re taking our annual week-long news summer pause – however, we are still publishing a Lead story each day, and quick links to other important […]
You can’t fault startup PlusMusic for ambition: it has declared that it wants to become “the gaming equivalent of Spotify”.


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The US private sector shed a record 20m jobs in April as coronavirus lockdowns and the resulting closure of non-essential.
World equities sank today as US unemployment added to concerns about a slow economic recovery from shutdowns and a second.
17 Dec 2019.
I would further venture to say Bitcoin will hit $2m a coin in the next 5 years so long as the core dev.
Cryptojacking to climb with price hikes.
The US has the highest number of cases and deaths of any country in the world. A new fundraiser for care workers has been.
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KITCO Covers The Latest Gold News, Silver News, Live Gold Prices, Silver Prices, Gold Charts, Gold Rate, Mining News, ETF, FOREX, Bitcoin, Crypto, Stock Markets.
KGXDid Gold really go up 1.1 (0.06%). News.
Johnson Matthey: COVID-19 hitting both supply, demand for PGMs.
Historical London Fix.
Investors’ new found optimism will be put to the test shortly after the open on Wall Street as Jerome Powell makes a virtual.
Wall Street surges after a potential vaccine shows promise, New York will send 320,000 test kits to nursing homes and.
WALL STREET has made huge early opening gains to join other rocketing global stocks as investors welcomed positive results.
13 May 2019.
Most major cryptocurrencies are at or near 2019 highs.
Other cryptocurrencies, including Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Monero, and Dash are at or near 2019 highs.
of the currency and could generate additional demand for bitcoin. But it's.
A few days later, bitcoin hit its all-time record price of $19,500, then.
Tesla to raise price of 'full self-driving' option by $1,000 starting July 1. Tesla Inc. will raise the.
GameStop shares rise 5% on letter to shareholders. GameStop.
Here's what it will take for the stock market to hit a new record within 2 months.
Oil futures log more than 2-month high amid output cuts, hope for demand pickup .
Price Predictions? Current home price trends and a two-year prediction for the prices of Metro Toronto houses for sale, prices of Metro Toronto townhouses for sale, prices of Metro. 29/04/2020 · Well, as far as we may know, the price predictions of analysts are extremely positive. Some of them even predict the price of $350 as soon as


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CCTV 2 mentioned in the “Conversations” column: “The blockchain is the second era of the Internet.” “The value of the blockchain is ten times that of the Internet.” “The blockchain is the machine that creates trust.”
The intelligent industry and blockchain can be said to be the two most popular trends today. Of course, the rapid development of the intelligent industry is also accompanied by the emergence of its “disease”. Faced with the development bottleneck of the intelligent industry, the emergence of the blockchain can be described as a “cardiotonic agent”! Rock Chain is a global leader in the integration of blockchain and intelligent industries.
Rock Chain is co-sponsored by Natalia Technology Group. The founder is Brian Holt, senior researcher at the Blockchain Innovation Institute of the US, blockchain technology expert, and one of the main R&D personnel of the underlying technology of Rock Chain. Brian has participated in the development of public chains such as Ethereum and ADA. Brian Holt discovered the great value of Rock Chain when he participated in the research and development of Rock Chain underlying technology. Based on the existing features of Rock Chain, Brian Holt first put forward Rock Chain project in Silicon Valley, USA, in 2017.
With the global intelligent industry as its core and relying on a strong technical and operational team, Rock Chain has established the underlying architecture of “blockchain + artificial intelligence + big data”, organically integrating blockchain technology and global intelligent industry. Starting with the sports industry, Rock Chain links the three application scenarios of sports, health and future, accelerating the realization of important scenes concerning the future development of human kind, building a win-win ecosystem of global trillion-level intelligent industry chain, and building a great dream of “keeping a healthy life in the world with a digital solution.”
Adrian, CEO of Rock Chain, said that the use of blockchain technology to transform the intelligent industry is not a disruptive process, but a process of convergence, which is like integrating smart computing, cloud computing, big data, and the Internet of Things. Intelligent Industry will integrate blockchain technology and uses blockchain technology to solve or improve certain segments and problems in the intelligent industry. In the future, Rock Chain will create a healthy and intelligent global ecosystem circle of unimpeded, high-speed economic flow.
With the gradual improvement of the global intelligent industry, the strong combination of “blockchain + intelligent industry” has given Rock Chain the potential to become the next star project. The future Rock Chain will become the EOS in the intelligent industry, leading ecological construction of centralized intelligent industry and creating a win-win model for everyone participated in. For investors, it is extremely important to find a hard-working team and a stable and reliable project. Instead of relying on the short-term band of the secondary market, it is better to choose a new dark horse with valuable potential. Rock Chain is not only a successful investment choice, but also a choice for the future intelligent industry lifestyle. Rock Chain users will become the pioneers and beneficiaries of the “blockchain + intelligent industry” era.


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GUWAHATI, March 1 � Private mode of selling prevalent in the tea auction centres at Kolkata and Guwahati is violative of the Tea Marketing Control Order (TMCO), 2003. Tea industry sources said the Controller of Licensing in its latest directive (Letter No. 12(27)/LC/BM/2013/4943, Dated 12-02-2014) asked the country�s tea auction centres to refrain from selling tea privately within the auction centre premises.
The Controller of Licensing has referred, in this connection, to clause 2 (j) of the TMCO, which defines the auction organiser as � �anyone including any person, corporate body, co-operative society or association, whether registered or not under whose control or auspices public auctions of tea take place.�
While the �auction mode� of sale is the sale done through public auctioning, �private mode� of sale is a one-to-one deal.
Significantly, at the Sliliguri tea auction centre only public auctioning is practised, while at Kolkata and Guwahati, sales through both auction and private modes are prevalent.
In 2013, the Kolkata tea auction centre sold about 14 million kg of tea, which is 8 per cent of its total sales of 170 million kg, through the private mode. The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) sold about 36 million kg of tea, which is 22 per cent of its total sales of 163 million kg, through this mode in the same year.
Since the big multinational buyers, who are concerned about business ethics, have come to know that buying through private mode is violation of TMCO, therefore in future they will certainly refrain from buying through this mode, said tea industry sources.


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Fix for BBM iPhone Contacts Crash Addressed in Latest Update
BlackBerry has just released an update to BBM for iOS to fix yet another bug which was plaguing users, where tapping the contacts tab would crash the app. Version 220.127.116.11 says it fixes bugs in the description:
What’s New in Version 18.104.22.168
The BBM Twitter account further explained the update address the contacts tab and photo sharing bugs:
— BBM (@BBM) October 25, 2013
So if your BBM for iPhone has been crashing when tapping the contacts tab, this update should solve it. The issue is apparently related to old BBM users who had created contact categories, as this conflicted with the iPhone version, hence the crash.
Click here to download BBM for iOS—it’s free. Let us know if this update fixes your BBM contacts crash problem. We’ve already heard from you it has worked like a charm.


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Mazda says it will cut the fuel consumption of its cars 30 percent by 2015 in a sweeping campaign that will see the automaker replace almost every engine in its lineup, shave at least 220 pounds from every car it builds and continue developing its hydrogen hybrid.
The announcement comes as the entire industry is reeling from plummeting sales brought on skyrocketing fuel prices. Automakers are ditching their SUVs and trucks in favor of smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles and Mazda has outlined what it calls "a holistic approach" to reducing the fuel consumption.
The push begins with next year's models.
The company says it will introduce a proprietary Smart Idle Stop System in "one of its cars" next year. The system stops the engine at idle, then restarts it by forcing fuel directly into the cylinder and igniting it to start the car - a procedure Mazda says is quieter and improved fuel economy as much as 8 percent. The automaker also plans to introduce an E-85 "flex fuel" engine in North America next year.
A more efficient rotary engine is slated for late 2010, and the following year will see Mazda begin rolling out direct-injection turbodiesel engines and gasoline engines with direct injection spark ignition. The company says the gas engines will produce 15 to 20 percent more power and 20 percent better fuel economy than anything it currently offers. All of these engines will be put in cars that will use thinner high-strength steel and lighter suspension components to cut weight by at least 100 kilograms.
Mazda also plans to maintain its focus on hydrogen internal combustion engines, arguing - as does BMW - the technology offers several advantages over the fuel cell vehicles Honda, General Motors and just about everyone else in the industry are pushing. "I have a big question (regarding) whether fuel-cell cars can really can come into wide use," Seita Kanai, Mazda's head of R&D, said recently.
Earlier this month, the Japanese government granted Mazda approval to begin testing its Mazda5 Hydrogen RE Hybrid on public roads. The the company plans to make it available for commercial lease in Japan within the next year.
Photo by Mazda.


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Underworld intend to supply fans with a brand new piece of material every day via the Internet, nme.com can reveal.
The duo, Rick Smith and Karl Hyde, told nme.com that the plan would kick into operation on the morning of their forthcoming DVD release (October 9).
“If people go to the CDRom part of the DVD they can click on an icon that says ‘live’,” explained producer Rick Smith. “From the Monday of the release they’ll be taken to a site – it’s not an Internet site as such as you’ll have to own the DVD to get to it; friends won’t be able to copy the address and pass it around – where we’ll have something not available anywhere else. It might be a piece of music, the next day it might be a webcam watching Karl in the garden, the next us jamming up a mountain. It’ll change and grow as the idea develops.”
The DVD itself is an extraordinary interactive collection that features forthcoming live album ‘Everything, Everything’, video footage recorded at dozens of shows around the world during the ‘Beaucoup Fish’ tour, and a facility that allows users to adapt images from Underworld‘s famous onstage video projections in order to work with some new tracks and a host of other elements.
It had been suggested elsewhere that the disc was to DVD technology what ‘Sergeant’s Pepper’s…’ was to stereo. And after an exclusive preview, nme.com can confirm it stands up to the comparison.
Underworld also revealed that they had not yet really started work on the follow up to 1999’s ‘Beaucoup Fish’ as preparations for the DVD and live album had been “all consuming” – although a couple of ideas had cropped up. Rick also said they have had no contact with Darren Emerson, who left the band earlier this year to concentrate on his DJing career, since Christmas. He added: “We’re told he’s happy and we’re happy so it’s all worked out well.”
Underworld make a large scale UK live return as a two-piece in a fortnight when they headline the dance tent at the V2000 festival (August 19/20).
To check out the latest festival news, visit nme.com‘s Festival Site – Click here.
For tickets ring the NME 24-Hour Ticketline on 0870 1 663663. Calls are charged at national standard rate.
The band release John Digweed‘s mix of single ‘Cowgirl’ through JBO/V2 on August 21 with album ‘Everything, Everything’ to follow on September 4. The DVD will appear on October 9.
You can watch the full webcam interview from which this story is taken on nme.com with the next couple of weeks.


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- The impact of current tariffs on the shipping industry has been minimal and global volume has gone up 2% in the first half of 2019, but newly announced tariffs could pull down container volumes, A.P. Moller-Maersk CEO Søren Skou said Thursday on the company's earnings call.
- "If it all were to be implemented, we estimate it could reduce global trade growth by up to 1% at this point for the next year and as the [International Monetary Fund], has pointed out further escalation could cause the global economy to slow further and that of course will be negative for us," Skou said on the call, talking about the list four tariffs announced earlier this month.
- U.S. importers have dealt with the tariffs by shifting sourcing to Vietnam, Korea, Thailand, India and Mexico, Maersk said in its second-quarter report. These supplier shifts can result in higher freight rates and provide an opportunity for Maersk to sell logistics services, Skou said. But some Chinese exporters and U.S. importers have simply been dealing with the tariffs by allowing them to eat into margins, he said.
Maersk continued to see strong demand for supply chain services through the second quarter of 2019 with ocean freight revenue growing 3% compared to the same period last year and terminal revenue growing nearly 13%, but the carrier did see a slight (less than 1%) decrease in logistics revenue. The company's profit has increased to $134 million in the second quarter up from $15 million in Q2 2018.
The increase in container volume and the uptick in revenue happened with the trade war between China and the U.S. in full swing. But experts have voiced more concern about the list four tariffs as they would target a number of consumer goods from clothing to electronics.
Imports from China into the U.S. are already down, Skou said Thursday on Bloomberg TV, but the U.S. is still importing goods from elsewhere. "That has allowed us to manage the situation quite well," he said.
Tariffs are not what determines the demand for ocean shipping, though. The consumer determines the demand, and so far, consumers are still buying goods and salaries are increasing, Skou said.
Growing uncertainty in the global economy is happening in concert with the carrier's planning for the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) global cap on sulfur. Maersk is currently testing scrubbers and plans to continue retrofitting ships "in the coming quarters," according to the company's report. It has also begun securing contracts for low-sulfur fuel supply, Skou said.
These preparations will affect the company's cash flow in the second half of the year, company CFO Carolina Dybeck Happe said on the earnings call.
"We believe we are well prepared at this point in time," Skou said of the IMO preparations.


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All matches will be available to watch for free on YouTube following a broadcasting agreement with DAZN
It means that Nunes will be available for Wolves' next three games after avoiding a ban. Nunes, who was an unused substitute in a game won 4-2 by Leeds, was given a red card for remonstrating with officials. "Matheus Nunes will be available for the next three Wolverhampton Wanderers games following a successful claim of wrongful dismissal," the Football Association said.
And Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani is reportedly set to up his bid to £5.5billion for United.


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Fewer than one in 20 of the world’s salmon farms have achieved Aquaculture Stewardship Council environmental certification, but B.C.’s salmon aquaculture companies have committed to 100-per-cent certification in this region by 2020.
“The members of the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association want to achieve the gold standard in certification,” said Jeremy Dunn, executive director of the association.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
The creation of council certification was initiated by the World Wide Fund for Nature (formerly the World Wildlife Fund) about 10 years ago and introduced in 2012, after a process involving 2,000 representatives of the industry, retail and food service and environmental organizations. There are detailed aquaculture standards for 12 species — including salmon — that must be met before a product can carry the ASC logo.
It will not be an easy road for B.C. farmers.
“The commitment to being certified is not the same as being certified,” said Jay Ritchlin, western region director of the David Suzuki Foundation. “The process that the David Suzuki Foundation supported is incredibly rigorous and designed to be applicable to the top 20 or 25 per cent of performers in the world.”


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James Newman was tired of trying to intuitively understand how modern microprocessors work — so he built his own “megaprocessor,” a fully functional CPU with LEDs to show where and how the chip executes data.
Deep learning is increasingly critical to the future of computing, and Qualcomm is leaping into the fray with new software tools of its own. The Snapdragon Neural Processing Engine SDK will help developers leverage the strengths of the Snapdragon 820 platform in cutting-edge applications.
Modern computers don’t need replacing anywhere near as often as they did 20 years ago, but replacing your OS installation and building a brand-new rig from scratch is still a major hassle. MSI wants to solve that problem once and for all, whether you prefer Intel processors or AMD APUs.
Microsoft’s HoloLens is finally available for developers and early feedback on what the AR platform can do is impressive. With a $3000 price tag, this isn’t a headset just anyone can buy — but augmented reality could change how we use computers in the long term.


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Neglect cutting checks to pay back for rent. On equally coasts, several tech-forward real estate corporations have started accepting digital forex for rental deposits and payments, coinciding with the increasing standard desire in, and benefit of, these new digital payment techniques.
On the West Coast, Hubilu Undertaking Corporation, a real estate asset management corporation which buys college student housing and investment residence all-around the University of Southern California (USC) campus, announced right now it will accept rental payments in bitcoin, ethereum, bitcoin income and litecoin–all well-known digital currencies.
Hubilu explained it would use the Coinbase digital forex trade for processing the cryptocurrency in their “respective blockchains.” Blockchains are the computer system-dependent ledgers that record who owns how significantly of a offered cyptocurrency, and retain a running tally of transactions made with every forex.
Hubilu CEO, David Behrend, explained in a push assertion that, “we know the great importance of digital payment techniques and feel in the very long expression adoption of cryptocurrency.”
Meanwhile throughout the place in Brooklyn, New York, tech-savvy brokerage Brookliv has started accepting bitcoin for rental deposits, according to science and tech publication Inverse. The corporation reportedly has been accepting digital forex rental payments from a few tenants currently.
Brookliv broker Ari Weber advised Inverse that his corporation made the choice to accept payment by way of digital forex to charm to his younger rental foundation and as a way to stand out in a crowded market.
Inverse also flagged that on-line rental payment system, ManageGo is accepting bitcoin and other cryptocurrency for rent payments, although it is using on the obligation of changing the cryptocurrency into US dollars ahead of placing it into residence manager customer accounts.
Will other brokerages, landlords, and residence holding corporations comply with fit in accepting digital forex for rent? That continues to be to be observed, but it is probably a safer guess than shopping for into the currencies by themselves.
E mail Gill South.


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Gas prices are surging and the industry is teetering on the brink of a crisis, but could the knock-on effects really lead to turkey being taken off the menu at Christmas?
That’s the warning from major poultry suppliers as the full scale of the rise in energy wholesale costs becomes clear.
While the government scrambles to make assurances that the lights won’t go off and household bills won’t sky-rocket, what are industry figures saying? And what caused the problem in the first place?
What does gas have to do with turkeys?
Carbon dioxide is used in the slaughter of livestock, extends the shelf life of poultry products and is vital to the refrigeration systems that help keep fresh meat on our plates. It is also used in a number of other key industries.
But growing gas prices have led to the UK’s largest fertiliser plants, which produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct, pausing production.
Ranjit Sing Boparan, the owner of Bernard Matthews and 2 Sisters Food Group, said the closure of plants in Teeside and Cheshire has already hit supply to the food industry.
He warned the problem could get even worse in the coming months and will lead to a traditional Christmas being “cancelled” for many households.
Consumers are protected to some extent from sudden rises in utility bills through the government’s energy price cap but serious problems could still lie ahead.
The cap means energy companies have been unable to pass on higher wholesale costs to their customers. A number of high profile firms, including the UK’s sixth largest energy company, Bulb, quickly faced collapse.
Several energy companies have already ceased trading, including Edinburgh-based People’s Energy, which supplied power to 350,000 homes and 1,000 businesses.
Meanwhile, Ofgem, the government energy regulator, has warned UK consumers to expect an average £135 rise in home energy bills this winter.
What is causing the problem?
The gas market is crucial to the UK’s energy supply because of its significance in heating, industry and power generation.
Over 22 million households are connected to the gas grid and in 2020, 38% of the UK’s gas demand was used for domestic heating, 29% for electricity generation and 11% for industrial and commercial use.
Industry group Oil & Gas UK say wholesale prices for gas have increased by 250% since January – with a 70% rise since August.
The increase has been blamed on a number of factors, including an uptick in global gas demand as the world comes out of Covid-19 lockdowns and economies reopen. A cold winter has also led to a much tighter gas market with less spare capacity.
This morning I led a roundtable with UK energy companies & consumer groups.
I reiterated the need for us all to prioritise consumers.
I will update the House of Commons this afternoon on the global gas price situation (1/3)
— Kwasi Kwarteng (@KwasiKwarteng) September 20, 2021
High demand for Liquified Natural Gas, natural gas transported globally by ship, coupled with weather events in the US and essential maintenance projects rescheduled from 2020 due to coronavirus, means less LNG than expected has reached Europe.
Senior executives at some of the largest companies have also said the energy price cap has played a part in bringing about the current crisis.
The cap – the maximum price suppliers can charge customers on a standard payment plan – will be reviewed again in February but there have been some calls for the cap to be lifted early to allow firms to charge more and keep afloat.
To make issues worse, many manufacturers have already been pleading for help to solve a labour crisis blamed on the double whammy of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.
A shortfall of around 90,000 HGV drivers is leading to gaps on supermarket shelves, with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and freight trade group Logistics UK warning last month that consumers will suffer if the government does not intervene.
Even before the gas crisis, the British Poultry Council warned one in six jobs – nearly 7,000 roles – were unfilled as a result of EU workers returning home and that the situation could hit the supply of turkey this Christmas.
Higher bills and Brexit ‘promises’
Boris Johnson promised in the run up to the Brexit referendum that the UK would pay less for household gas if it voted to leave the UK – a phrase which could come back to haunt him.
UK business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has held crisis talks with industry leaders and it is understood he is concerned consumers may end up on more expensive tariffs if they are forced to switch to a new supplier because of the crisis.
Customers will still receive gas or electricity even if their provider does go bust and will be automatically switched to tariffs with the new supplier agreed by Ofgem. However, there is no guarantee this will not be more expensive than their previous deal.
Taking on new customers is less attractive for surviving companies, particularly smaller ones, because of the rising costs so there have been reports state-backed loans may be used to encourage firms to take on new consumers.
Bernard Matthews boss Ranjit Sing Boparan says the gaps on supermarket shelves he warned about in July are “getting bigger by the day”.
“The supply of Bernard Matthews turkeys this Christmas was already compromised as I need to find 1,000 extra workers to process supplies. Now, with no CO2 supply, Christmas will be cancelled,” he told the Guardian.
“The CO2 issue is a massive body blow and puts us at breaking point, it really does … with our sector already compromised with lack of labour, this potentially tips us over the edge.”
Mr Boparan said the problem will have knock-on effects for animal welfare and the potential for “massive food waste across the board”.
“This is clearly a national security issue and unlike the labour supply crisis, where the government response to our sector has been disappointing, to say the least, it has to be dealt with as a matter of urgency,” he said.
Ian Wright, the chief executive of the UK Food and Drink Federation, told BBC Radio 4 that if the government does not intervene on gas prices, “I would have thought that the impacts would be felt probably not by this time next week, but into the week after that.”
He added: “That’s concerning because we’re beginning to get into the pre-Christmas supply period when warehouses begin to pick up, build up their stocks, ready for the push to Christmas a few weeks later.”
Richard Walker, managing director of the Iceland supermarket chain, also warned the issue could affect supermarket shelves far sooner than the festive period.
“This is no longer about whether or not Christmas will be okay, it’s about keeping the wheels turning and the lights on so we can actually get to Christmas,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“This could become a problem over the coming days and weeks, so this is this is not an issue that’s months away.”
Is our gas supply at risk?
The UK Government says it does not expect supply emergencies this winter.
National Grid Gas has a number of tools at its disposal to mitigate the risk of a gas supply emergency, including requesting additional gas supplies be delivered to the National Transmission System
While our largest single source of gas supply continues to be the UK Continental Shelf (approximately 48% of total supply in 2020), the maturity of that source means we have to supplement supply from international markets.
The UK also has a number of gas storage facilities that act as a source of system flexibility when responding to short-run changes in supply and demand.


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The cryptocurrency market has received a boost in terms of value and market cap, with many attributing it to the surge in Bitcoin’s [BTC] prices. The world’s largest cryptocurrency was holding near the $8000 mark, with a total market cap of $140.11 billion, at press time.
Bitcoin’s relevance and repercussions were shown in a different light after Kevin Rooke, a Bitcoin enthusiast, compared the daily volumes settled using Bitcoin, with other traditional methods of transactions. Rooke claimed that Bitcoin settles more than $6 billion worth of transactions on a daily basis, a fantastic achievement for a virtual asset that is just over a decade old.
According to his analysis, Visa processes $30.3 billion worth of transactions, while MasterCard witnessed a daily transaction volume of $16.2 billion. Even though Bitcoin was third on the list, it was still ahead of market standards like American Express, which only had half of Bitcoin’s portfolio at $3.2 billion.
Another important takeaway from the analysis was that other cryptocurrency-focused companies were also entering the race to grab more market share. An example of this transition was the entry of the Jack Dorsey-led Square in the list, seeing a whopping $200 million being carried out in the form of transactions on the platform.
Many users interested in the space provided their own perspective to Rooke’s observation, with James Edwards, a cryptocurrency enthusiast, commenting,
“We’ve been here before. You’re well aware that these aren’t true transactions (ie, exchange for services rendered) but are exchange transactions, wallets moving etc. We’re all on the same team here, so why pander falsities?”
To this, Rooke replied,
“These are on-chain transactions. Exchange volume is not considered here.”
Bitcoin has received a lot of positive affirmation recently,


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ItвЂ™s been speculated that cash advance stores have business that is specific: low-income, minority neighborhoods along with other at-risk teams.
ItвЂ™s been speculated that cash advance stores have business that is specific: low-income, minority communities along with other at-risk teams.
The period of financial obligation usually developed by payday advances for many who already struggle financially happens to be a concern, but as yet, no body has mapped out what that seems like in Clark County. Justin Gardner, creator and CEO of Las Vegas-based Innovative Research and Analysis LLC, made a decision to take a better look.
вЂњPayday lenders surround all of the valley that is east Paradise area,вЂќ said Gardner, a doctorate degree prospect at UNLVвЂ™s class of Public Policy and Leadership. вЂњWhile there are numerous regarding the outskirts of these areas, nearly all of them are in the thoroughfare connection areas where there clearly was a greater earnings of traffic.вЂќ


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In a letter to Texas State Representative Ron Simmons, Walker wrote, "Based on classic economic principles, it is anticipated for the coming summer that there will be higher wholesale electric prices due to the fact that there is lower supply of generation. These higher prices will in turn signal additional investment in generation resources and will also likely forestall additional retirements due to economic decisions. Retail electric providers and consumers have a wide variety of product offerings that can be used to protect against the anticipated increases in prices. While the supply of generation will clearly be tighter than in the past few years, it is anticipated that ERCOT has sufficient tools to address the reliability of the ERCOT system."
Simmons had cited the PUC's consideration of ERCOT price formation issues, and Walker wrote, "As you noted, the Commission is considering all available information in the above referenced project to determine if any changes to the market design are necessary. It is my intention to consider all relevant information in an informed and measured manner to determine what actions are best for the citizens of Texas. The Commission must do so with a thoughtful balance of the interest of the market participants as well as the ratepayers."
Walker sent letters with similar language to other lawmakers
Texas State Representative Tan Parker, in a letter sent earlier this month but only filed as part of Project 47199 yesterday, wrote Walker that, "I commend you for taking serious consideration of what the latest projections mean and what solutions can be enacted to prevent a sacristy [sic] environment that could not only be risky in terms of electrical service and security capabilities, but could cause unnecessary loss of power for residents and significant price increases."


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Missed the GamesBeat Summit excitement? Don’t worry! Tune in now to catch all of the live and virtual sessions here.
Unstoppable Domains, a platform for user-owned digital identity, has teamed up with MetaRides Racing to launch a racing game with non-fungible token (NFT) cars.
MetaRides Racing is a blockchain-based multiplayer racing project, developed by former Need for Speed game makers at Electronic Arts. The partners will make a racing game that will offer players interoperability between dozens of metaverses — or car worlds — through unique NFT cars.
MetaRides Racing is a decentralized 3D racing game that aims to break the barriers between various metaverses by building digital dealerships and offering interoperable collectible NFT-based vehicles across numerous virtual worlds.
The new NFT cars will allow Unstoppable domain holders to represent their identities with the latest in interoperable digital car collectibles – including unique colors, body styles, and license plates with Web3 domain endings like .x, .crypto and .nft.
An early access version of the game features a racing track set in a vibrant megapolis and its outskirts, with a fabulous supercar Zara, being released in three body styles exclusively for Unstoppable Domain domain holders. During the course of development, new exciting tracks and vehicles will be gradually introduced to the world of MetaRides Racing.
As the game matures, it will also feature robust multiplayer functionality, including matchmaking, an ability to invite friends, various teams, leaderboards, daily challenges, in-game economy, race nights, and much more.
“By partnering with Web3 industry leader Unstoppable Domains, MetaRides is expanding the scope of what’s possible in the blockchain gaming space,” said Mike Hurm, CEO of MetaRides, in a statement. “Blockchain technology is helping us take gaming to the next level, empowering gamers to fully own and freely transfer, sell, or exchange their assets across dozens of interoperable virtual worlds.”
MetaRides Racing is expected to be launched on Steam imminently, the world’s largest digital video games distribution platform. In the future, the developers plan to significantly expand the list of platforms where the game is available, including Epic Games Store mobile devices.
As it stands today, cars are one of the most popular types of NFT assets. Crypto enthusiasts have been willing to pay a lot for these car NFTs. For instance, Bugatti and Asprey have recently revealed their unique branded NFTs inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain, with prices ranging from $20,000 to more than $200,000. To address this demand, Unstoppable Domains now allows users to connect their digital identities with the latest in interoperable digital car collectibles.
Thanks to the new partnership, MetaRides will be able to offer its interoperable high-quality racing cars to millions of Unstoppable Domains holders, advancing the companies’ joint mission to provide everyone with their own digital identity that can be linked to unique vehicle NFTs. As part of this collaboration, Unstoppable Domains will be featured on cars’ chassis’ branding, including tailored license plates.
To ensure large-scale interoperability of its NFT-based racing cars, MetaRides is currently collaborating with nearly 60 different metaverse platforms, including Income Island, Frenzland, Beyond Earth, XSpectar, Lunar One, Cyber Realm, EntertainM, XVerse, BloomVerse, and many more.
Ahead of the launch, MetaRides will release an open edition mint of one million unique, Unstoppable-branded car NFTs, featuring multiple colors and body styles (base, sport and race), as well as an Unstoppable blue garage NFT. The Unstoppable community will also be able to showcase their NFT cars in a special MetaRides section of their Profile page and earn exclusive badges for collecting MetaRides car NFTs.
“MetaRides provides a perfect example of the revolutionary new features that Web3 brings to the gaming world, many of which were simply unfeasible for traditional web2 frameworks,” said Sandy Carter, chief operating officer at Unstoppable Domains, in a statement. “By connecting digital identity with raceable car NFTs, we’re introducing a new way for our community to connect directly with their passions and soon, to bring them across metaverse worlds.”
MetaRides Racing will also have its own in-game radio playing numerous songs and tracks composed by prominent web3 musicians. To further support their favorite creators, players can buy their NFT tracks directly from within the game.
Unstoppable Domains was founded in 2018 and it is a Web3 domain name provider and digital identity platform working to onboard the world onto Web3. MetaRides is the creator of fully interoperable digital vehicles, environments and assets for use in its multiplayer game, MetaRides Racing. It was started in 2022.
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[DT’s full review of the Xbox One]
With more and more billionaires choosing to set themselves down in London in recent years, it seems appropriate that a gold-plated Xbox One has turned up on the shelves of Harrods, one of the UK capital’s high-end department stores.
Priced at £6,000 ($9,780), it’s the kind of small change a London-based oligarch might find down the back of his sofa, though for the rest of us it’ll surely be a little on the pricey side.
Reddit user SirSyhn stumbled across the 24-karat console over the weekend, gleaming brightly beside one of the store’s many Christmas trees. There’s no mention, however, of a gold-plated Kinect or controller, though we assume they’ve also been given the bling-based makeover.
Microsoft’s recently launched console, featuring a more mundane plastic casing and costing around $530 for a basic bundle, has been selling well since hitting stores in November.
The Redmond-based computer giant announced last week it’d already sold two million units globally, with many retailers unable to replenish stock fast enough, apparently.
The company is locked in a fierce sales battle with Sony, which also launched its PlayStation console last month, and, like the Xbox One, is reported to be selling well.
Of course, gold-plated versions of consumer gadgets are nothing new – just last week HTC showed off a gold One handset worth about $2,500, while earlier in the year Dubai’s Burj Al Arab hotel started offering guests 24-karat, gold-plated iPads, each valued at $10,000. If such gadgets appeal to your aesthetic sensibilities but their prices leave your wallet trembling, there’s always the more affordable ‘gold’ iPhone or Galaxy S4, right?
[via Luxury Launches]


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Bayer CropScience on Monday announced plans to sell around 100 acres of its land near Thane, in Maharashtra.
Bayer CropScience Ltd today informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board of directors at its meeting has approved a proposal to sell the property.
The company owns land admeasuring 100 acres or thereabouts at Balkum village, Thane, which was mainly used for manufacturing of crop protection products.
Bayer CropScience said it would sell the property on an "as is where is" basis, subject to receipt of all approvals and permissions as may be required for such sale.
The company has also decided to seek approval from the members under section 293(1)(a) of the Companies Act, 1956 by postal ballot, to transfer, sell, or otherwise dispose of the company's land situated at Balkum village, Thane.
The company also today approved the notice to be sent to the members, appointed a scrutiniser and authorised officials of the company to carry out the postal ballot process.


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The new crossover will share the minimalist approach of its smaller siblings.
The automotive world is in a state of flux as automakers navigate a route towards an all-electric future. Mini is one such brand that is heading this way, with the next-gen Mini hardtop going smaller and electric. But the 2024 Mini Countryman won't suffer either of those fates. No, the Countryman will remain powered by combustion, and it will be bigger than ever before. As the British/German automaker readies the crossover for a reveal later this year, our spies have captured fresh photos of the Countryman undergoing winter testing. The exterior shots don't reveal much compared to the last time we saw these prototypes, but today we get our first glimpse at the interior of the biggest Mini around.
In here, we can see that the Countryman will adopt the smaller Cooper Hardtop's interior design cues. This includes a massive central infotainment interface housed in a signature circular design, now made frameless. However, unlike the leaked images of the next Mini Hardtop, this screen isn't floating in the same manner. Unlike that example, the Countryman will also have a small screen ahead of the driver for instrumentation purposes, while an additional screen further ahead on the dash acts as a head-up display. It is suggested the nearer screen could be fake, though. This may yet be relocated to the windscreen later in development. While shrouding covers much of the dash, we can see horizontal air vents on the passenger side. Like current models, a series of toggle switches will remain for basic controls including ignition and climate control.
The exterior images support previous reports that the new Countryman would be larger than ever, growing by up to 7.5 inches in overall length. The Countryman will share the FAAR architecture with the next BMW X1, which means sharing powertrains, too. These will likely comprise 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder motors for the US market, while foreign markets may receive a three-cylinder too. The Countryman will not make use of hybrid assistance in base form, but a PHEV version will likely also be available.
Our spies reveal that Mini will have an electric Countryman alternative in the form of a coupe crossover that will revive the Paceman name. This will be a little smaller, a little sleeker, and focused on electrification.
We expect the next-gen Countryman to be revealed towards the tail-end of this year or early 2023 with a US arrival date of early 2024.


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N.Y. Times seeks correction from New Yorker over Abramson story
GOP war revived in Georgia
State Dept. Official: ‘Just Not Accurate’ to Characterize Boko Haram as Muslim
VALERIE JARRETT: ‘WE HAVE A COMMITMENT’ FROM BOEHNER ON AMNESTY THIS YEAR
The day's must-read political news and opinion pieces are scattered across hundreds of news outlets and blogs, too many for any one person to read.
Fortunately, memeorandum arranges all of these links in a single, easy-to-scan page. It auto-generates a news summary every 5 minutes, drawing on experts and pundits, insiders and outsiders, media professionals and amateur bloggers.
View the current page or another snapshot:
Abhimanyu Ghoshal / The Next Web:
Raspberry Pi unveils the Pi Zero, a $5 computer with 512MB RAM and a 40% faster processor than Raspberry Pi 1, comes free with December's The MagPi magazine
Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai / Motherboard:
Servers of Chinese tech toy maker VTech breached: data of 4.8M parents and 200K kids may have been accessed
Richard Lai / Engadget:
Sony confirms official PS4 Remote Play app for Windows and Mac
Tech news essentials
Must-read media news
Celebrity news and gossip


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Ottawa hot spot to serve limited-time-only menu of ice cream, chips and break up songs
It’s almost Valentine’s Day and couples new and old are rushing to make reservations at their favourite restaurants for a romantic night on the town.
But not all restaurants will be at their disposal on this romantic evening. Recently, downtown hot spot, Chez Raymon announced via Twitter their decision to ban couples on Valentine’s Day—and many other restaurants have followed suit.
Chez Raymond has long been one of Ottawa’s most popular restaurants for a romantic night out. On a usual Valentine’s Day it would be reserved weeks in advance and filled to the brim with couples wrestling the waiters to buy one more overpriced glass of wine.
Puzzled by the sudden decision by the owner, many have asked for explanations. Even mayor Jim Watson commented on the boycott, with a tweet that read “Happy upcoming Valentine’s Day! Too bad it won’t be spent at #ChezRaymond.”
In response to the public uproar, Alessi Supu, owner and founder of Chez Raymond has given only brief and confusing explanations.
“No tables for two! Chez Raymond is for lonely people only,” he said. “I don’t want those couples coming in here, with their presents, and their laughing, and their PDA, not in my restaurant this year.”
Supu’s Twitter page has provided many with a few more hints to this seemingly random decision.
“You think you know someone. But you never do. People will turn their backs on you at your weakest moments. #TrustNoOne. #MeMyselfAndI,” he said in one tweet.
Those who do show up may be in for a disappointing meal since Supu told the Tomato that he will be serving “only snack-sized bags of chips, pints of ice cream and fries.”
Apparently music in the restaurant for Valentine’s Day will be a playlist of the greatest breakup songs of all time, including Adele’s “Hello”, Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”, and Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River”.
Despite Supu’s embarrassment, restaurant owners across Ottawa have since spoken up about their true resentment for the couples that frequent their establishments on Valentine’s Day.
Couples across Ottawa have taken offense to this news, as they feel Supu’s move has created a trend that undermines the significance of this holiday and makes it very difficult to find a reservation.
Yvonna Tenson, a fourth-year chemistry student at the U of O, echoed this sentiment. “Everyone knows this holiday is meant to celebrate couples, not to coddle people who can’t find a date. This is a slap in the face to couples everywhere.”
“It’s not right that those with a certain relationship status on Feb. 14 will feel shunned and awkward if they try to eat out at a restaurant. It’s just not right.”


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Autodesk Unveils New Logo and Identity
Software giant Autodesk has revealed an all-new look and feel, including a new logo, colours, and imagery.
The change is said to be the first of several “bold moves” that the company plans to make in order to reimagine the Autodesk brand, which serves as the umbrella band for a whole host of computer-aided design (CAD) software programmes that are used throughout the design and engineering industries, as well as other more entertainment-oriented 3D modelling software products such as 3ds Max and Maya that are principally used for game development and creating film visual effects.
“Dynamic, modern, and memorable, the new Autodesk logo represents action, momentum, and a clear direction toward the future. It’s a strong, simple logo that illustrates a brand synonymous with doing,” says the American firm.
The new brand imagery features abstract 3D geometric forms created by focusing on parts of the symbol in the new logo.
In addition to the new logo, the company has made changes to its colour palette. For example, the old blue-green combination has been updated with “clean and contemporary” primary colours of black and white, which are then accompanied by two new greys as well as four accent colours, namely, “clay”, “plant”, “iris”, and “gold”.
Autodesk says it will unveil additional elements of its reimagined brand in the near future, including new product identities and icons, which the company hopes will help to visually differentiate its range of products across industries and make other icons more easily distinguishable.


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VIZIO employs Google Assistant
October 10, 2018
Connected TV specialist VIZIO has introduced expanded Google Assistant actions for VIZIO SmartCast TVs, granting consumers access to a wider range of voice control features.
VIZIO SmartCast TV users with a Google Home or Google Assistant-enabled device, such as the Google Home Hub, will have the ability to use simple voice commands for input selection as well as pausing, resuming, stopping, fast-forwarding and rewinding content. With voice control at the forefront of the smart home experience, VIZIO and other industry innovators, such as Google, are constantly working to deliver added value to consumers by embracing an open and expansive ecosystem model. The new VIZIO SmartCast features for Google Assistant will be available to VIZIO SmartCast TV customers in the coming weeks.
“VIZIO is a voice control leader in the smart TV industry, and with the demand for hands-free functionalities continuing to rise, VIZIO remains dedicated to delivering added value by integrating voice features for an enhanced overall user experience,” said Bill Baxter, Chief Technology Officer, VIZIO. “With the introduction of expanded Google Assistant actions, we’re excited to give VIZIO customers the ability to further integrate their SmartCast TVs into their connected smart home ecosystems.”
VIZIO SmartCast allows consumers to enjoy added convenience through Google Home voice control. To pause, resume, rewind, or fast forward content playing on their VIZIO Smart TV, users can simply say: “Hey Google”, followed by the command. This functionality also crosses over into volume control, allows users to switch their TVs’ input and more.


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With its camera, it resembles the iPhone 12 Pro
Insider Digital Chat Station has published high-quality images and technical details about the promising budget smartphone Redmi 12.
The front panel is not particularly remarkable – with an embedded front camera and a noticeable “chin”, but the main camera is reminiscent of the iPhone 12 Pro camera. The informant reports that the lid of the device will be made of glass, like in more expensive models.
Features and high-quality images of Redmi 12 from a reliable
Redmi 12 will receive a MediaTek Helio G88 SoC, a Full HD + IPS screen with a frame rate of 90 Hz, as well as support for 67 W charging. Compared to Redmi 11, the charging speed will increase significantly, one sensor will be added to the camera – and these are certainly not all improvements.
Previously, Digital Chat Station was the first to accurately announce the specifications and release dates of Redmi K50 and Xiaomi 12.


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Westlake, OH: Stark Enterprises is pleased to announce that their vertically mixed-use lifestyle center, Crocker Park located in Westlake, Ohio, was ranked #3 in the nation on Chain Store Age’s 2018 “Top 10 Retail Center Experiences in America” released in the July/August issue of the magazine. This prestigious list chosen by the reputable team at […]
Westlake, OH: Stark Enterprises is excited to welcome French-inspired fast casual creperie, Crepes in the City, to Crocker Park’s West Park area directly behind Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory later this year. “Our main goal is to bring a little piece of French influence to the area, in the way of a relaxing creperie that also […]
“With the growth of Goodyear (Arizona), The Market at Estrella Falls is a welcome addition to our portfolio,” said Ezra Stark, Chief Operating Officer of Stark Enterprises. “We are excited to be in the Arizona market and begin future development to further enhance this first-class center moving forward.” Read the entire press release here.
June 27, 2018. Portland, Maine. – Hyatt Place Cleveland/Westlake/Crocker Park has been recognized as the “Hyatt Place Hotel of the Year” for 2017 by Hyatt at its recent Global Select Service Sales Summit. The hotel also won Hyatt’s HyAchiever Award for meeting all sales goals and metrics as well as the STR Performance – Highest RevPAR […]
Crocker Park announces Liberty Fest 2018 The property plans for family-friendly music fest July 1 Westlake, OH: Crocker Park welcomes back a perfect celebration for the whole family to kick off Independence Day. Sunday, July 1, the property will host a patriotic, music-filled and family friendly event, Liberty Fest, from 12pm-6pm. Day long entertainment […]
We have your Plans in the Park this Summer! Crocker Park’s Summer programs & events start this weekend Westlake, OH: The summer season has arrived at Crocker Park! With the roll out of summer’s programming and events, from fitness to music, art and local food trucks they have the perfect blend to fill your calendar […]
Crocker Park welcomes award-winning cinnamon roll franchise, Cinnaholic, to property with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, May 25 WHAT: The wait is over! Award-winning cinnamon roll chain, Cinnaholic, opens doors at their first ever Cleveland location this Friday, May 25 with a ribbon cutting & grand opening celebration. The company, best known for […]
La Bella Vita welcomes renowned designer, Michael Aram, for a special event this Thursday, May 3 from 1pm-5pm WHAT: Renowned designer and artist out of New York City, Michael Aram, will make his first appearance at La Bella Vita at Eton Chagrin Boulevard this coming Thursday, May 3 from 1pm-5pm. Aram will be unveiling his […]


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Lakshmi Manchu's dances to Thalapathy Vijay's Vaathi coming song; watch video
Lakshmi Manchu shared a video of herself dancing energetically to Thalapathy Vijay's Vaathi coming, which went viral.
Famous south actress Lakshmi Manchu shared a video of herself dancing energetically to Thalapathy Vijay's Vaathi coming, which went viral.
Lakshmi shared a high-on-energy dance video, grooving to Thalapathy Vijay's superhit 'Vaathi Coming' track from 'Master' on world music day.
Sharing the video, Lakshmi wrote, "Go mad, Be crazy & DANCE like no one is watching! #WorldMusicDay #DropTheBeat #ReelItFeelIt #LakshmiUnfiltered #Dance #Music #Enjoy
The video garnered more than 75k views, and her fans expressed their love in the comment section.
Lakshmi Manchu, daughter of legendary south star Mohan Babu, has featured in several Tamil, Telugu and English projects.
Lakshmi last year announced her new digital chat show, 'Coming Back To Life With Lakshmi Manchu'. The show featured many celebrities such as filmmaker SS Rajamouli, actress Taapsee Pannu, tennis aces Sania Mirza and Prakash Amritraj, fashion designer Bibhu Mohapatra, American filmmaker Frank Coraci among others.
NOTE: Asianet News humbly requests everyone to wear masks, sanitize, maintain social distancing and get vaccinated as soon as eligible. Together we can and will break the chain #ANCares #IndiaFightsCorona.


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A recent survey conducted by Harris shed some light on how the election is changing American consumer habits. The survey revealed that very few Americans (3 percent) plan to make major purchases in preparation for the election, but some—especially Gen X and Millennial men—will be making other preparations and many Americans will be investing in firearms.
Fully 16 percent of the general population plans to buy a firearm ahead of the election on November 8. Among Americans living in the South, the figure is nearly 1 in 5 (19 percent) and among Gen Xers (35 to 44-year-olds), the number is nearly 1 in 4 (23 percent)—and it’s higher among women (24 percent).
Those least likely to buy a gun in preparation for the election include senior women and women 55-64 years old, but even so, 7 percent and 9 percent of them, respectively, are considering picking up a firearm.
Guns aside, Gen X and Millennial men—men aged 35-44 and 18-34, respectively—will take the most action to prepare for the upcoming election, compared to other demographics: 15 percent of Gen X men and 16 percent of Millennial men will secure a passport, 13 percent of Gen X men and 10 percent of Millennial men will stock up on precious metals and 1 in 10 Millennials will buy stock, as will 8 percent of Gen X men.
Almost no Americans (3 percent) are considering making big purchases (such as a new house or car) as a direct result of their expectations for the upcoming presidential election. And despite popular coverage of both candidates’ outfit choices, Americans are almost unanimously (98 percent) uninterested in a Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton brand fashion line.


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|Image Source: AI Imagine
Tesla (TSLA) shares look ready to break out to new highs as the company ramps up its artificial intelligence capabilities. The electric vehicle pioneer is up 10% this week after bullish comments from Morgan Stanley, forming a potential cup base that could offer a new entry point for investors.
According to IBD’s MarketSmith chart analysis, Tesla stock is shaping a cup pattern with a buy point around $299. Currently trading at $272, the stock is 9% shy of that pivot level. More aggressive traders may look to enter on a move above last Monday’s peak of $278, just above the stock’s current price.
This emerging base comes on the heels of a 15-week consolidation for TSLA between February and June. If the stock drifts lower in light volume in the coming weeks, it could set up an ideal handle to provide a lower-risk entry.
“If a handle starts to form and [Tesla] starts to drift lower in light volume, it could give us an opportunity to add to the position if it were to move above yesterday’s high,” said Investor’s Business Daily’s Ken Shreve on Tuesday, referring to the stock’s September 12th intraday peak.
Per standard risk management rules, investors should set a 7–8% stop loss below their buy point in case the trade goes awry. Having a predefined exit plan is key to limiting potential losses on any position.
What’s behind the recent optimism around Tesla stock? Morgan Stanley upgraded shares to overweight with a $400 price target, seeing untapped value in Tesla’s software and services business. The analysts drew comparisons to Amazon Web Services, which became a crucial profit driver for Amazon even as its retail operations matured.
“This is a name that’s been on Leaderboard in the past,” noted Shreve, citing Tesla’s sturdy fundamentals despite stiffer electric vehicle competition lately. Rivals like Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Lucid and Nio have all accelerated EV development, but “I still think this stock has the potential to do well because of outstanding revenue growth,” Shreve added.
Tesla and Chinese EV makers could face headwinds as the EU opened an anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles imported from China. While Tesla may benefit from probes into potentially unfair competition, its own Gigafactory Shanghai could fall under scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Tesla is poised for expansion with over $3 billion in planned parts purchases from India, according to recent announcements. A $15 billion investment is also slated for Tesla’s Mexican Gigafactory unveiled this week.
Tesla remains a leader in growth and technology among automakers, ranked №2 in its industry group with a near-perfect Composite Rating of 96. It places 42nd on IBD’s list of top growth stocks.
Yet even with positive catalysts, prudent risk control is essential when trading a volatile name like TSLA, our experts emphasize. “You can have your thesis, you can buy stocks with momentum and strength,” said IBD’s Ali Coram. “But at the end of the day, if it’s not moving in your favor, you have to be willing to cut and run.”
With Tesla continuing to push the boundaries of EVs, autonomy, and electrification worldwide, the company’s future prospects appear bright. Investors will be closely monitoring the technical setup for TSLA shares in the coming weeks for a potential new entry point.
Stay with us for ongoing coverage of the leading growth stocks in the electric vehicle revolution and insights to help guide your trading strategies. Our real-time data and expert analysis empowers investors to make more informed decisions and find emerging opportunities. Check here daily for the latest on when to buy, sell or hold stocks like Tesla.