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Elon Musk tweeted yesterday that Tesla will keep every bitcoin it receives from paying customers (instead of converting that BTC to fiat).
The majority of affluent, industrialized Western governments are unlikely to ever include bitcoin in their budgets. The final complication is that governments still retain foreign asset reserves.
Although bitcoin is a relatively inexpensive way to transfer vast quantities of money, James Angel, a Georgetown University McDonough School of Business global financial markets specialist, claims governments have caught on to the “technological revolution” and will soon launch their own stablecoin-like central bank digital currencies (CBDCs like the Digital Dollar Project).
Another expert believes that this is mostly a vanity project. It’s a potential option where you’ll have a strong blockchain that someone can find a use for,” Angel explained. When lenders avoid lending because it becomes too costly to accept dollars or pound sterling, gold becomes a backstop.
Nations like North Korea and Venezuela view cryptocurrency as a way to evade sanctions, much like the way bitcoin has become a dominant medium of transaction on the dark web (after credit cards, of course). Rogue states likely already hold some bitcoin somewhat similarly how Tesla, Square or MicroStrategy does, but not in the same way.
Paper money is a relatively new innovation in the history of money, a departure from centuries of commerce conducted in the yellow metal.
NYDIG, a leading provider of technology and investment solutions for Bitcoin, today announced that, effective immediately, the total expense ratio for its models that provide passive access to Bitcoin will be reduced to 0.30% of net asset value per year.
The new pricing is effective for both current and future private and public funds controlled by NYDIG, and it is the firm’s third fee cut in the last year.
Furthermore, as the benefits of bitcoin as sound money become more widely recognized, it is believed that it will only be a matter of time before the market cap of bitcoin surpasses that of gold, so it is fittingly symbolic that NYDIG has now made the total cost of bitcoin access 25% lower than the total cost of gold access.
While some funds can pass these costs through and hide the true cost of ownership behind lower “headline” management fees, NYDIG remains the market leader in providing the most straightforward, convenient, and safe bitcoin access at the lowest total cost.
This lower cost would be available to all fund platform partners, including Morgan Stanley’s wealth management platform, according to the company.
NYDIG’s current pricing structure is 50-75 percent less expensive than equivalent passive bitcoin access products on the market, and, more importantly, 0.30 percent reflects the fund’s true total cost ratio, which includes a Big-4 audit as well as legal, storage, and accounting fees.
Financial advisers, registered investment advisors (RIAs), and broker-dealer platforms all fall under this category. Insurers, banks, companies, and institutions use NYDIG’s Bitcoin investment and technology solutions.


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The US auto dealer industry recently saw a huge shakeup when Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway investment company bought Van Tuyl Group, the country's largest privately owned network of showrooms, for an undisclosed sum. Assuming the deal's regulatory success, it immediately made Buffet one of the nation's largest car retailers. But could the acquisition have come as part of a larger plan to launch a Chinese automaker in the US?
When Warren Buffet makes an investment, people pay attention. That's just one of the perks of being one of the richest men in the world, and his latest move is a big one. Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway investment company is to hopping into the auto business in a huge way by buying Van Tuyl Group, the nation's largest privately owned auto dealer network, for an undisclosed sum.
China-based electric-vehicle maker BYD wants to get an extra charge out of the public investment market. The company said last week that it will sell about $550 million worth of stock on the Hong Kong stock exchange. That'd be the largest single offering since the company went public in 2002.
It's not exactly unusual for a car to catch on fire after getting rear-ended at more than 100 miles an hour.
Chinese automaker BYD, backed by U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett, may be headed down a rocky road. According to Daily Finance, BYD's troubles aren't limited to profits tumbling. In fact, Daily Finance hints that BYD will need to step up its game to keep Buffet from bailing out entirely.
Thank God it's for charity. Now we don't have to laugh as loud at the guy who just paid more than 73 large for a 2001 Lincoln Town Car on eBay. OK, this wasn't just any used TC, it belonged to financial guru and billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffett. 19 People placed a total of 63 bids with the winning high at $73,200 by 'billzanker.' Bill Zanker is president and founder of The Learning Annex, which sponsors educational seminars around the country.
Billionaire Warren Buffet will be auctioning his 2001 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series next month on eBay (a standard Town Car is pictured). The light-gold, full-sized sedan with a light-beige interior also comes with Buffet's custom "THRIFTY" license plate and an etched brass plaque with his signature. No surprise, there are only 14,000 miles on the odometer.

domain: news


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Puration, Inc. – CBD-Infused Beverage Company Poised for Big Gains
Puration, Inc. (PURA: OTC PINK) is a Texas-based CBD-infused beverage company. Their leading brand is a product called EVERx, which debuted in 2017 and targets the sports nutrition market.
The company spun off its cannabis cultivation operation to focus solely on its core beverage business, which is primed for explosive growth that PURA is well-prepared to handle, or so it would appear from this vantage point.
Key Metrics @ 2/25/2020
|52 Week Range||$0.027 to $0.15|
|Shares in the Float||586.7M|
|Average Volume: 30 Day||3,170,823|
|Earnings Per Share (YE 2018): Est.||$0.0009|
|P/E Ratio (TTM): Est.||106.50|
|Price/Sales (TTM): Est.||9.36|
|Most Recent Filing: Quarterly 09/30/2019||Filed: 11/19/2019|
(Source: OTC Markets, Yahoo Finance, SEC filings)
PURA may very well be positioned to rebound back to its 52 week high of $0.15 and perhaps much higher… recent events that lead us to think along these lines are as follows:
- The Company believes EVERx has become the leading CBD infused beverage in the sports nutrition market sector. EVERx now has distribution in Europe, Latin America and Africa in addition to the United States and will again be featured this year at Arnold Schwarzenegger’s upcoming Arnold Sports Festival to be held March 5th-8th, in Columbus, Ohio. “The Arnold” is host to 22,000 athletes from 80 countries competing in more than 80 events.
- Announced plans to close the acquisition of a CBD Infused Pet Products operation before the end of February 2020. PURA plans to acquire the CBD Infused Pet Products in exchange for an ongoing royalty payment and has also committed to funding its marketing launch. The CBD pet products market is anticipated to reach $1.16 billion in the U.S. alone by 2022. The seller currently provides concierge pet services through a mobile app portal and already has a thriving client base anticipated to help accelerate the sales growth of the CBD Infused Pet Products under the PURA umbrella.
- PURA CBD beverage production in Texas was “Greenlighted” with Texas Governor Abbott legalizing hemp and CBD…which was signed into law in mid 2019.
- The company spun off its cannabis cultivation business to Canada-based Nouveau Life Pharmaceuticals. Shareholders are expecting a dividend transaction that could yield hidden value not found in the current stock price.
Five Reasons to put Puration, Inc. (PURA) on Your Radar
1. Revenue positive and profitable: $2,232,000 in TTM revenue with $315,000 net income, which is better than many companies in the cannabis sector.
2. According to a recent research report update released by Goldman Research, management doubled the 2020 sales outlook to $16M due to the launch of its white-labeled cannabis infused beverage line.
3. CBD beverages continue to rise in market prominence as the potential leading growth performer in the overall cannabis sector. According to an article published by Visual Capitalist on 8/1/2019, the U.S. CBD beverage market value is set to grow from $86M in 2018 to $1.4B in 2023E… a 74.7% CAGR (Source: Zenith Global).
4. Extremely attractive entry point at ~$0.032/share.
5. Updated report by Goldman Research rates PURA a Speculative BUY with a $0.35 Price Target… indicating a 10x to 11x price lift.
Puration, Inc. (PURA: OTC PINK)
14065 Proton Road
Farmers Branch, TX 75244
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer and Disclosures: Green Leaf Investing(GLI) is a financial publisher and not a broker/dealer or investment adviser. Readers are responsible for individual investment decisions; therefore, conduct your own due diligence and engage professional advisors as deemed appropriate before making any decisions. Micro-cap investing involves inherent risks and investors should carefully research any company before investing due to the potential for significant price volatility and total loss of investment. GLI has not received any compensation from the subject company or any third-party for this article which is strictly for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to buy nor offer to sell any securities. All information and materials herein are provided “AS IS” without any warranty of any kind. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future performance.
Green Leaf Investing Research & Editorial Staff


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Dungeon Bandits announces start of closed beta
PlayEnvy has announced it will begin closed beta testing of its new MMO, Dungeon Bandits, from January 22nd to January 24th. Dungeon Bandits is a tournament based MMO available toward North America and Australia. The new website is available at http://dungeonbandits.playenvy.com/. You can sign up for beta there, and the game is expected to launch officially in March.
If you’ll notice anything, it is that Dungeon Bandits is simply a repackaged Dungeon Party, a European MMO which was already available for international audiences. It’s unclear why Nvinium is repackaging the game, other than perhaps a hope to draw a more American audience.
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WE WANT IT ALL, WE WANT IT NOW
In a country where speed and efficiency are simply a given, it’s no surprise that on-demand services continue to surge in Singapore's top 100 brands rankings.
“Consumers around the world are increasingly shifting to a ‘now’ economy and Singapore is no exception,” says Alex Woodford, vice president, client partner, APAC at Essence. “For many consumers, the time and energy spent physically going to stores or waiting for one’s favourite TV show may be better spent doing something more meaningful and important.”
He adds that consumers’ trust in the delivery of on-demand services has also increased due to huge advancements in mobile technology from user interface to seamless payments and supplier fulfilment.
This year, Netflix gained 72 spots to 63rd place, one of the biggest jumps in the overall list. The streaming platform seemed to have done all the right things to earn its place in Singapore. A deluge of locally produced films and series? Check. Teaming up with a local telco provider to offer entertainment packages? Check. A high-profile reality series that peddles a sparkly fantasy of Singapore? Check. It’s no wonder that Netflix is the most popular SVoD service in Singapore by a significant margin, according to Dataxu research.
“Netflix has long stood by producing and streaming content that attracts and retains audiences. An uptick in Netflix’s performance marketing efforts has been observed, which is no surprise given the recent unprecedented conditions being apt for consumption of their service,” says Woodford.
“And while many original productions were cancelled or put on hold due to safe distancing measures, Netflix’s large repository of both classic and contemporary content provided respite to people in the safety and comforts of their homes. Netflix as a service has become more relevant to people’s lives in 2020, and the addition of over 100 Singapore films and television series will further leverage this alignment to deliver growth among local consumers.”
Also a winner this year is Amazon which still faces tough competition among regional and local competitors such as Shopee, iHerb, Qoo10 and Lazada. Woodford says that Amazon’s competition is considerably ahead in volumes and usage, but it’s only a question of time before the playing field is more level.
“Consumers’ brand awareness of Amazon is likely enormous, but their consideration levels will have fluctuated due to a relatively shaky start in Singapore,” says Woodford.
“As such, Amazon is unlikely to be thought of as an ‘old faithful’ ecommerce platform in Singapore for the time being. For more established players like Lazada, Shopee and Qoo10, consumers in Singapore generally understand what each brand stands for, and which platform to use for what kind of product. For Amazon, it is not yet fully clear and as such, it may be deemed less integral to local consumers.”
But Woodford adds that Amazon’s high brand awareness has boosted the brand locally as it progressively gains clout in Singapore. “Amazon’s ability to increase SKUs and fulfil orders through a seamless app experience is paying off. It has successfully delivered since the start of Singapore’s circuit breaker, on par with the competition, and its service has become a must-have rather than a nice-to-have for some consumers. The rise of Amazon’s ranking indicates that consumers are now seeing Amazon as a legitimate player in Singapore,” he says.
But would on-demand services threaten legacy local services such as FairPrice?
Woodford conveys a message of hope amid the incredible choice and speed in Singapore: “Leveraging existing brand equity and ensuring that products are best-in-class will help see a positive future for FairPrice and brands in that position.”


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Internet Vikings have now established themselves in the US online gaming market. But what can this provider offer to operators - and how can that help casino fans?
The expansion of online casino and sports betting verticals across the US continues to gather pace. As of September 2021, 13 states have legalized some form of internet gambling, with Florida and New York about to do so imminently.
Much of the recent expansion was fuelled by the COVID pandemic and its impact on state budgets. US operators have been turning to experienced European suppliers to help them cope with the peculiar legal and logistical challenges of the American market.
Some operators have been acquiring European companies to better streamline and expand their product offering. DraftKings’s purchase of sportsbook provider SBTech is a good example of that.
But some European solution providers are going it alone in the US market, with Nordic hosting provider Internet Vikings being the most recent example. Fresh from their entry into West Virginia, the Sweden-based tech company recently expanded into Colorado.
Current iGaming hosting solutions in the US are expensive and lacking in performance compared to those available in licensed European markets such as the UK, Sweden, Italy, and Germany.
Internet Vikings have spent the past few years learning how to best approach the complexities of the US market. As their Head of US Expansion, Elena Kvakova put it recently, “"The biggest challenge for Internet Vikings was finding the right approach to a new market in which regulators did not expect such an innovative and robust business model, as well as trying to find our own niche in a newly formed legal environment".
What can Internet Vikings offer to US iGaming operators?
The most obvious area of expertise that Internet Vikings offers is in providing secure, cost-effective, and scalable hosting solutions for the online gambling industry. The solutions available to operators in the US until now have not reflected the legal complexities in the industry (that servers must be located within state boundaries, for example).
Moreover, Internet Vikings also can supply operators with domain registration solutions and SEO hosting which can prove very useful for marketing campaigns. Finally, their brand protection services help avoid competitors from diluting the power of operator brands.
What does all this mean for online casino fans?
The efficiencies of scale and other cost savings created by Internet Vikings solutions should give operators the opportunity to craft better bonuses to customers (possibly in the shape of less onerous wagering requirements.
What’s more, the secure, legal hosting offered by Internet Vikings should also allow for operators like Unibet to expand faster across states, which would itself be good for competition.
Finally, we hope to see Internet Vikings work with software providers like NetEnt, NoLimit City, and Play n’ Go to allow them to expand their slot offerings to more and more US operators. It would be nice to see some of their award-winning slots become available to US real money online casino fans at the same time as their releases in Europe.
The US iGaming market continues to expand, and hopefully with the entry of tech suppliers like Internet Vikings, we can see the growth in the online casino vertical catching up with online sports betting.


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$SWK expects the Newell Tools acquisition to be about $0.15 accretive to EPS in year one post-closing and increasing to about $0.50 per share by year three, excluding approx. $125-140MM of restructuring and other deal related costs and approx. $40MM of non-cash inventory step-up charges, which will largely be incurred during years one and two.
The latest earnings report by $VZ shows how it is losing customers despite offering the unlimited data plans, a record for the company.
$BEBE is closing down all its stores by the end of May.
$WFC agreed to hike its payout in a class-action settlement over unauthorized accounts by $32 million to $142 million for its retail sales practices. The settlement will now include customers who were impacted as early as May 2002.


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CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - A company-wide meeting about food safety has prompted all 2,000 Chipotle restaurants to shut-down for lunch Monday.
But to apologize for the inconvenience, the fast food chain is offering free burritos to its customers.
To get yours, all you have to do to is text the word "raincheck" to 888-222.
Chipotle will text you back with a coupon for a free burrito within the next few days.
You may recall, dozens of customers got sick at Chipotle restaurants from E. coli and salmonella outbreaks in October and then a norovirus in December. No deaths were reported.
Download the Cleveland 19 News app.


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It was 2008 when Livia Firth visited Bangladesh for the first time and saw how the women who make our clothes are treated. “It changed my professional life,” she says. “I witnessed these women being enslaved, working in conditions that are completely inhumane. That began my journey in trying to get people to understand that sustainability isn’t just about the environment—it’s much more of a social issue.”
By 2013, fashion was forced to pay attention when the Rana Plaza clothing factory collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing 1,134 people. The disaster prompted filmmaker Andrew Morgan to travel around the world to uncover more of the industry’s human rights abuses, environmental pollution, and waste; that eventually became The True Cost in 2015. (Firth was an executive producer, and her agency, Eco-Age, promoted the film.)
For many, The True Cost was an awakening: We might have read about these problems in the past, but seeing them on a screen—seeing children asleep on the factory floor, seeing workers shot by riot police in Cambodia, seeing factories burning down—made it all impossible to forget.
Which brings us to 2021. “I wake up most days and ask myself, what has changed for these workers?” Morgan says. “What has improved in their situation? If I’m being honest, the answer is very little.” Garment workers are still dying in factory disasters, they’re still working around the clock, and they’re still being sexually abused by their supervisors. In many ways, the pandemic has made their situation worse: When brands canceled orders last spring, millions of workers were laid off without severance or forced to work longer hours for less pay.


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Tag Archives: emulators
The Wine development release 1.3.35 is now available, this is a bi-weekly snapshot in the 1.3 unstable series.
The Wine development release 1.3.34 is now available, this is a bi-weekly snapshot in the 1.3 unstable series.
Wine1.3.16 is released!,This is a bi-weekly snapshot in the 1.3 unstable series.
Wine1.3.15 is released!, this new beta release comes with some improvements and bug fix.
Wine 1.3.12 is released, this development release comes with some improvements and bug fixes. Support for multiple icon sizes in winemenubuilder, improvements to the help browser, initial stab at DOSBox integration, Various MSI fixes, Some fixes to the Wine debugger, … Continue reading
PlayOnLinux 3.8.5 is available, this version is a bug fix and is hightly recommended to upgrade to this new version, otherwise you will not be able to use playonlinux.
t’s official now, PlayOnLinux will be available directly in the Ubuntu distribution soon! is what annouced Playonlinux team sometime ago, the confirmed that PlayOnLinux 3.5 will be available in Ubuntu’s “universe” repository for the next release, Karmic Koala, in October. … Continue reading


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Nearly 2,000 shops tie up with helpline
Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka, MP Tejasvi Surya and Mayor M Gautham Kumar on Sunday extended a facility of free home delivery of essential items to the Bengaluru South police division limits.
The limit covers three assembly constituencies — Basavanagudi, Jayanagar and Padmanabhnagar –and some wards of Chickpet assembly constituency. Citizens from these localities can call the COVID-19 Home Delivery Helpline, set up by the Task Force of Tejasvi Surya, on 080 6191 4960.
Home delivery charges have been waived currently and the items will be delivered within a day.
“We initially launched a pilot in the Kathriguppe ward. Based on its success, we have extended it to Bengaluru South Police division limits,” Surya said.
“We noticed that many citizens continued to venture out to purchase groceries, fruits and vegetables during the lockdown, putting themselves at risk of getting infected by the coronavirus,” Surya noted.
Ashoka said, “Those comfortable with a phone call may call the helpline on 080 61914960. Those who are familiar with WhatsApp can type out their order or upload a photo on the same number.”
The helpline is a partnership of some of Bengaluru’s best tech talent. Kaleyra has provided the WhatsApp Chatbot for the helpline, which is manned by call centre employees of 7.ai. Cartoon Mango-ITW Consulting developed the platform entirely under the guidance of the Office of the MP, Elephant Ear Consulting and iSpirt.
Dunzo provides the last-mile delivery to the citizens of Kathriguppe, and so does Rapido.
PharmEasy and Spotcare assist in delivering medicines to people.
Big Bazaar, StoreSe, shopG (community buying startup), Clover Ventures and Ninja Cart are all delivering groceries and fruits to households as well as apartments in bulk.
Housejoy has stepped in to help fumigate households and assist in delivery, while Let?s Be The Change has mapped all important stores that are verified and open.
A total of 1,926 shops have tied up with the helpline, including 958 provision stores, 323 vegetable stores, 479 medical stores, 82 meat stores and 84 miscellaneous stores.


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Robotics and warehouse automation company GreyOrange unveiled its latest sortation module, the Flexo robotics system, at the LogiMAT 2019 trade fair in Stuttgart today. The Flexo is designed for distribution and logistics centers working in retail, couriers and express companies.
“The Flexo is an automated fulfillment solution that, as its name suggests, is a flexible sortation system,” said Gopal Krishna, the global head of marketing at GreyOrange. “This solution is designed to handle volatility in parcel sortation. The idea here is that these systems can be used by small businesses that cannot invest a lot into fulfillment solutions.”
These systems are easily scalable in operations, adaptable to demand and can have reduced usage during instances of intra-day or intra-week volatility lows – thereby bringing down operational expenses. Initial deployment is quick, with the company reasoning that Flexo’s modularity and standardization allow it to be set up in just 15 days.
Krishna pointed out that Flexo can sort close to 12,000 parcels per hour, moving at speeds of over 130 yards per minute and has two conveyor belts to move two parcel lines simultaneously. GreyOrange is looking to partner with prospective clients for a pilot run, and is expecting to make it commercially available by the second quarter of the next financial year.
Founded in 2011 by Samay Kohli and Akash Gupta, GreyOrange has recorded consistent growth of over 100 percent every year since its inception, and commands a broad geographical reach with its robots being deployed across Chile, Japan, India, Sweden and the U.S.
Earlier this month, GreyOrange announced the deployment of its Butler system for Zalando, a European e-commerce major in the fashion and lifestyle niche. Butler is an artificial intelligence- powered system that works in the goods-to-person environment, helping optimize warehousing operations from inventory management to order picking. Butler robots have now been introduced in Zalando’s 30,000-square meter fulfillment center near Stockholm, Sweden.
Krishna explained that GreyOrange’s differentiator was in its ability to look at a problem comprehensively, rather than an isolated approach that many of the industry incumbents take. “Many solutions are point-based, in the sense that they can move items from point A to point B, which is a siloed way of looking at a problem. Take the case of a retail customer we have in South America – we built up data about its operations from the initial point of sale. This data was mapped into our software, and in time, we ended up automating the whole process,” he said.
“Now, the moment product stocks reach a certain threshold, the fulfillment automatically gets triggered. This basically reduces the real estate requirement at the store level. Our customer can now use the maximum space available for retailing and for improved customer experience, rather than keeping all that space for back storage,” he continued.
GreyOrange has made great strides in the warehousing automation space, building its clientele across e-commerce, store fulfillment and omni channels, and in different industries like fashion, general merchandise, home furnishing and electronics. Krishna was upbeat about the Butler system and also the recently launched Flexo solution, which with its plug-and-play modular components, will help scale the company’s reach to small- and mid-tier warehouses.
“We are looking to build a flexible automated warehouse, which we believe is the backbone of retail going forward – whether it is e-commerce or store fulfillment,” said Krishna. “We have a tested and proven solution, and that works in our favor for getting repeat customers. The Butler system, for instance, is designed for operational scale – in terms of the hardware, software and execution capability. We now have thousands of Butlers running around in million square foot warehouses across the U.S. and South America and we will soon be announcing a few more sites in Europe.”


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Concerns over the growing number of smoke shops throughout Prince George’s County have led the county council to take action.
This week, the Prince George’s County Council unanimously voted to begin enforcing new restrictions, including closing time and limitations on where 24/7 tobacco stores can do business.
They’ll now be restricted to operating in industrial areas and will need to close up shop by 8 p.m. and turn out all display lights. The shops are allowed to open at 10 a.m.
Residents shared concerns during the council’s hearing.
“This is a problem in our community,” said Erika Fareed, who lives in Glenarden. “Across the road from our municipal center there are three tobacco stores.”
Residents say they hope to see businesses that will uplift the community begin to move in.
“They have brass knuckles in there, they have mace, they have weaponry,” a concerned resident said during the council meeting.
The new law does have special exceptions to the new operating hours for shops that have video lottery machines. Stores will also be restricted to be no less than 2,000 feet within one another.


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It's a doubly big day in the U.S. today -- the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and President Obama's second inauguration day!
No doubt style watchers will be waiting to see what First Lady Michelle Obama wears during all of the day's festivities. If you're a Mrs. Obama fan, take a look back at some of her fashion and makeup choices during the past several years. I'm sure she'll look just as classy and elegant as always.
(Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)


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Netflix has announced today that it will offer The Hunger Games on its subscription-based streaming service from March 3 in the UK and Ireland, followed by a later release in the US.
The film, which was an international hit last year, features Jennifer Lawrence and is based on the best-selling novel by Suzanne Collins.
Initially, Netflix will be the only subscription-based streaming service to offer The Hunger Games – although it’s possible that some of its direct competitors will pick it up in the future. It’s also worth noting, however, that the film is already available on Blinkbox, the Tesco-owned video on demand (VOD) service which uses a pay-per-film pricing model.
“We are thrilled to be the exclusive online home for The Hunger Games in the UK and Ireland,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer. “Since launching in the UK and Ireland in January 2012, we have continued to expand our offering of great movies and TV programmes, and we think our members are going to love the latest addition to the service.”
The battle between Netflix and Amazon, which owns rental and streaming service LoveFilm in the UK, has ramped up in the last few months as each tries to claim exclusive content over the other.
Earlier this month Netflix announced that it had teamed up with DreamWorks Animation to offer exclusive access to Turbo F.A.S.T (Fast Action Stunt Team), an original TV show aimed specifically at children.
The company has also given its original series House of Cards, which stars Kevin Spacey, a huge marketing push to try to persuade customers that it has a superior offering. House of Cards has generally been well received, and had an interesting delivery model given that all of the episodes were available straight away.
Netflix also confirmed in January that it would be bringing back Arrested Development for one last season, consisting of 14 episodes, exclusively on Netflix.
Image Credit: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar


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UK mobile network Three has launched its latest ad campaign, aimed specifically at football fans. Through its sponsorship of Chelsea FC, the ad aims to capture the essence of what it is like to be a football fan and player – all told through the mobile phone and footage of football moments big and small, sourced from real fans and players alike.
All fan content featured in the ad was sourced through Seen.it, a platform that enables fans to film and submit their own content. When they visited the platform for this project they were greeted by an exclusively filmed welcome video filmed by Chelsea and USA player, Christian Pulisic. Chelsea launched the project for the first game of the season and received almost 300 submissions from Chelsea fans all over the world. The selected footage was then mixed with phone-shot footage of Chelsea platers Mason Mount, Reece James and N’Golo Kanté.
The 30-second ad was created by Three’s creative agency, Wonderhood Studios and in association with the production company, Outsider. The ad is running across Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports, BT Sports, ITV, Channel 4, Soccer Saturday and during international and premiership league fixtures for the next six weeks. It will also run on digital, social and VOD (Video on Demand) platforms.


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Micro dairy and beef farmer Alex Heffron reflects on what influences Millennials’ food choices when it comes to dairy and what the dairy industry needs to do to win them over.
Millennials are choosing to consume less dairy than their parents and grandparents, and more ‘mylk’ alternatives like almond, oat and soya milk. In 2016, the head of Dairy UK, David Dobbin, said that, “It’s a demographic time bomb. If we don’t address the problem now, then we are facing a fall-off in demand for dairy.” Almost a third of Millennials are choosing to cut back on dairy as the dairy-free market continues to grow year on year. How should the dairy industry respond?
According to market research carried out on behalf of The Grocer magazine in 2017, Millennials have three concerns about milk: how healthy it is, animal welfare and its environmental impact. In recent years, the dairy industry has largely responded by trying to convince people that there’s nothing to worry about – that dairy is indeed healthy and that the British dairy industry has world-leading animal welfare standards with farmers being sensitive stewards of our countryside. My desire isn’t to discuss whether the claims and counter-claims are true, but to highlight that the strategy of telling millennials and the wider population that they’re wrong about milk, isn’t working and it’s not an effective PR strategy. Something fundamental must be done to bring Millennials back to milk. Millennials matter because they will influence future generations – fail to change their opinion of dairy and the future of the industry in the UK will be diminished.
The producers of dairy alternatives are taking a different approach. One market analyst said, “Marketers of dairy alternatives generally appear to be doing a better job of connecting emotionally with consumers, who favour more dairy-free options to meet their own perceptions about health and lifestyle.”
I think the dairy industry needs to look at what’s underlying consumer concerns. Why is it, for example, that older generations say dairy is good for them, and younger generations say that it is bad for them? What’s happened in the last couple of decades that’s led to such a wholesale change in opinion? Dairy is still the nutritional food source it always was – after all, northern Europeans are very well adapted to consuming milk thanks to a chance genetic mutation thousands of years ago.
There are three key aspects in changing Millennials attitudes to dairy: connection, identity, and trust. The increasing industrialisation of the food system – from the farming practices themselves, to the sales and distribution of food – has led people away from the food they eat. Increasingly, we see people craving a more direct connection to their food – whether that means buying at the farmers’ market, watching Countryfile or choosing local produce when available in local shops. People get excited about knowing where their food comes from; that might mean opening your farm up to customers or sharing videos on social media. If you’re proud of your farm, then engage people in what you do. People increasingly want their food to come with a face and a name on it. They want food with an identity, particularly Millennials. Millennials, like myself, grew up in an industrialised world of mass-production and they are yearning for something different.
Identity can lead to trust – or lack of it. If your milk is packaged in a bland, plastic bottle and you don’t know what farm, region or even country that it’s produced in and there’s no information about how it’s produced, then it’s hard to trust its provenance. I think farmers underestimate the importance of provenance, as they take knowing where their food comes from for granted. The general public are wanting to know more about their milk, as well as other foods. The dairy industry’s mass marketing campaigns for a nebulous product are missing the point.
The only way forward is for the milk industry to embrace identity, as Nuffield Scholar, Tom Levitt, highlights in his recent report, Put a name on it: Why the future of milk is a branded one. However, this path is littered with pitfalls as the dairy industry would be misguided in believing that a simple ‘re-branding’ of milk would be successful. There needs to be a wholesale change in the industry’s philosophy, away from depicting milk as a bulk commodity – though this will undoubtedly challenge the power structure of the market. Good for farmers, bad for large-scale processors and retailers. Currently, all competition within the dairy market is centred on price, which inevitably puts further pressure on farmers to drive down their cost of production.
More and more, people are getting the sense that dairy is moving in a direction they dislike. Most people want to see cows in fields not barns, most find the shooting of bull calves at birth abhorrent, and most have a sense that dairy is getting too big. Few farmers I’ve spoken to would disagree with any of this. But when they’re being paid a pittance, they have to try everything they can to squeeze another 5p per litre of income out of that cow. Practises such as zero-grazing and shooting bull calves are a small minority, but they’re the canary in the mine. Dairy is going through an identity crisis.
Some small dairy farmers, for example, are responding to this by keeping the calves with their mothers, therefore not weaning the calves until a more natural age. In response to criticisms about the amount of imported feed that dairy cows can consume, some are feeding them solely off pasture.
Another aspect, tied up with identity and connection, that is often ignored, is taste. Tom Levitt highlights in his report that due to standardisation, “dairy producers have had little interest in the distinctive taste of milk that is unhomogenised or from different breeds.” Levitt spoke to the UK’s first milk sommelier (someone who advises which milk to consume or use based on the sort of palate a person has, or what plate of food it is to be paired with), Doug Wood, who said that people don’t even realise that milk can actually have a taste. A food product without taste is a food product without loyalty – this is dairy’s fundamental issue. Yes, the concerns about nutrition, welfare and the environment must be addressed, but dairy must address its lack of value in the eyes of consumers, and this begins with the most basic value of all: taste. After all, how many of us consume products we know are bad for our health and are of questionable ethical source because it tastes good?
The experience my wife and I have had, backs this up. People buy our milk for all sorts of reasons, but the number one thing that excites them is that it has flavour. It’s rich, creamy, sweet, and has a unique texture in the mouth unlike any milk that can be bought from a supermarket. People often end up doubling their order after a few weeks because they get addicted to it. I’m amazed by how many people crave our milk, even if they didn’t ever desire milk in the past. It stops being something they add to their occasional cup of tea – it’s too valuable for that – and they start making smoothies, fancy coffees or just have a pint glass of cold milk straight on a summer’s day. Our milk has become valued by them, which allows us to charge the small premium we do.
There are two basic issues that face farmers and they’re both intertwined. They’re paid too poorly, and they’re undervalued and underappreciated. This is inevitable in a commodity market. The rebranding and relocalisation of milk is an essential first step towards addressing these issues. Farmers will feel better about the work they do, and rightfully get paid more for it. There is a revolution in dairy waiting to happen and some innovative farmers are already starting to reap the rewards. Those who are investing in bottling their own milk, producing their own cheese, yoghurt, or kefir, and connecting with their customers are getting a head start in a completely uncontested marketplace. It can be done on the individual farm level or in cooperatives, but it won’t be achieved in supermarkets. This is a chance for farmers to take back some of the power from large corporations.
This can lead to a fundamental shift in the landscape of British dairy production if dairy farmers act soon. The dairy-free, milk alternatives industry is continually eating into the dairy market, and that’s because they better understand what people want, particularly Millennials. If British dairy wants to win back the Millennials, and consequently all future generations, it must embrace the benefits of connection, identity and trust. This would be a win-win for producers and consumers.


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Streaming services want you to stop sharing your password with others
Direct suppliers need to find the perfect balance. Of course, some offer service levels that encourage (or at least do not encourage) password sharing. Tightening password sharing may help some streaming companies generate extra revenue when password sharers decide to purchase their own subscription. On the other hand, getting too hard can shut down some users.
A few months ago, Netflix sent pop-ups asking users to verify their account by tapping a code sent via email or text. But Netflix let those who confirmed their accounts do so later. CFRA’s Amobi said of Netflix: “They are very cautious about it. If handled incorrectly, there is always a downside to this kind of movement.”
Netflix may not have been so concerned about subscribers sharing their password in the past. But now the world’s largest video streaming service is in competition with Disney +, which has half of the global subscribers that Netflix has amassed, but in just two years. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said during a conference call last month: “We will never open something that feels like ‘turning the screws,'” Hastings said in a call with analysts in April. ” It must be felt that it makes sense for consumers to understand. “
Josh Galassi, 30, from Seattle and works in public relations, says everyone he knows shares passwords just like him. “One of my rules is that I only share passwords with close friends or family,” Galassi said. “Or someone I know who has a service I don’t want to pay for, I ask them if they’re willing to share in return for what I paid.”


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LED products to shine at Light Middle East
Neo-Neon confirms presence at upcoming lighting exhibition
Neo-Neon, a producer of LED-based lighting solutions, has confirmed that it will participate in the upcoming Light Middle East exhibition.
Taking place in Dubai from October 31 to November 2, Light Middle East is a trade show for urban, architectural, theatrical and retail lighting solutions. Neo-Neon will use the show to broaden its presence and further promote the use of environmentally-friendly LED materials in the region.
“This year’s exhibition has an increased focus on innovation and sustainability in design and so Neo-Neon, with its commitment to energy-saving technologies, fits well into this theme,” said Jessica Minton, senior show manager of EPOC Messe Frankfurt, organiser of Light Middle East.
“Light Middle East will feature international exhibitors from a broad spectrum, with companies displaying LED products in one of the key areas. The exhibition will attract a wide range of trade visitors from across the region who are interested in sourcing these types of products,” Minton continued.
Neo-Neon’s product range includes the patented Neon Flex and other architectural and commercial LED lighting products. “Our clients in the UAE are all excited about Neo-Neon’s presence at this trade show, which is also in line with our chairman Ben Fan’s vision of promoting and expanding our network and profile in the Middle East,” said Akira Saito, general manager of Neo-Neon’s Dubai-based Middle East regional office.
“We are inviting everybody not only to see our different LED lighting products but also to appreciate how far LED technology has come.”


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Apple Pay’s new loyalty rewards program got some attention at this week’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference, but not so fast: It’s expected to take months for the rollout.
The technology required to get customers their points could take a while to implement, 9to5Mac reports. Makers of the terminals that are used to support Apple Pay will first need to enable the new function, which may be a lengthy process. The new feature is expected to roll out starting in the fall.
Point-of-Sale device maker Verifone said it would be the first to allow the Apple Pay loyalty rewards system to function on its terminals. Vin D’Agostino, Verifone’s executive vice president of commerce enablement, said in a statement:
9to5Mac also reported that six retailers will be offering the Apple Pay rewards programs first: Dunkin’ Donuts, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Panera, Wegman’s and Whole Foods.


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Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?
Just ask the folks at O’Brien’s Pub, 4928 W. Vliet St., where – after nearly 20 years of serving up traditional pub grub – they’ve been taking steps toward upping the ante on traditional casual pub fare.
"Over the past five or six years, we’ve really been working to convert our menu to include scratch made items," says co-owner Joel Klamann, who notes that O'Brien's makes a large variety of items in-house, including soups, sauces for its wings, and a variety of other items.
Meanwhile, numerous ingredients – including produce – are sourced from area farms and businesses like Wild Flour Bakery, which supplies the bar with burger buns, and Kettle Range Meat Co., which will supply it with grassfed beef for the burgers beginning next week.
"People want food that’s fresh and local," Klamann says. "And for us it’s really a matter of differentiating ourselves from the competition."
It’s an effort that will now be supplemented by produce from a new hydroponic garden, which Klamann and business partner Brian Eft began building last spring.
The hydroponic garden, which utilizes 800 square feet in a space just to the east of the pub, was designed with the help of Henry Hebert, long-time friend and former facility manager for Sweet Water Organics. And it was inspired by – of all things – a trip to Epcot in Florida.
"I was on vacation with my family," says Eft. "And we’d just gotten done visiting the Living with the Land ride at the Land Pavilion. Essentially you’re in a boat on a lazy river gliding through an aquaponic garden. I don’t know what it was … I’ve been on the ride a bunch of times, but this time something just clicked. I was fascinated, and within five minutes of getting off the ride, I was on the phone with Henry, asking him if we could do this at the pub."
When Hebert agreed that starting a garden was possible, Eft says they went at it in stages, purchasing equipment as they could afford it, creating a custom soil blend (incorporating natural and organic ingredients like compost from Caledonia’s Blue Ribbon Organics), testing out natural pest management strategies and watering methods and experimenting with various plants.
"We grew some heirloom tomatoes this summer," notes Hebert, who says they started some of the plants outdoors behind the restaurant. "We had Black Krimm, Purple Cherokee and a few others. They did pretty well, but now we’re looking at other varieties that are more productive and that really thrive in the environment we’re growing them in."
As local as it gets
Currently, the garden contains a bounty of plants, including hot and sweet peppers, tomatoes, beans, multiple varieties of lettuce and herbs including oregano, rosemary and basil.
And, although they’re starting small, Klamann says the produce is slowly making its way into more and more items on the menu. Lettuce is used regularly for the restaurant’s wraps and showcased in dishes, like a recent tostada special.
They’re also growing a unique heirloom celery variety from Seed Savers called Pink Bloom which produces brilliant magenta-colored stalks. Klamann says the stalks are likely to be an eye-catching garnish for the pub’s Bloody Marys.
Preserving the harvest is also part of the vision, Klamann notes. For instance, a recent crop of scorpion peppers will be used to make pineapple pepper jelly, an ingredient that might be incorporated into an aioli for an upcoming burger special. And when beans are ripe, he says they’re likely to be pickled.
"It gives us an opportunity to be creative and really give people what they want – and that’s local, high quality food," he says, noting that this spring they also plan to add a rooftop garden to the building, which will add an additional 9,000 square feet of growing space.
"The whole mindset in our society is gradually changing," says Eft. "People are looking for higher quality product and they want to know where their food comes from. This is brand new for us, and we’re still experimenting. But we’re hoping that, as our capacity expands, we can work more and more of the produce into our menu."
The kitchen at O'Brien's Pub is open Monday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.


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The state's new electronics recycling law may not be that well known yet, but it's already paying plenty of dividends at the local level.
Anna Roppolo, the executive director of Rockland's Solid Waste Management Authority, said that last year the district took in 450,000 pounds of electronics and paid 16 cents a pound in disposal costs, a total of $72,000.
This year, it's going to cost 0 cents per pound, which means the savings are only going to compound.
"We're going to save over a hundred grand," said Roppolo, who used to be the district's finance director. "Everybody and their brother has electronics they want to get rid of. We don't see the number going down."
Across the river, Westchester's even more enthusiastic. Bigger county, bigger savings.
"It's been fantastic," Louis Vetrone, the county's deputy commissioner for solid waste, said of the month-old law. "Before it went into effect, we were paying $110,000 a month to recycle our e-waste responsibly. The bill for this April was $7,000, and it's going down."
Basically, the new state law got government out of the middle of a transaction between electronics seller and buyer, leaving the seller to shoulder more of the financial responsibility for its products.
It's called product stewardship in the trade and may end up cutting down on all that packaging they wrap around tiny headsets that you can only break through with an axe.
As of April 1, manufacturers have to provide their New York customers with a place to dump their old televisions, stereos and computers and in many cases are contracting with municipalities that have "e-cycling" capacity.
"We take anything with a plug," Vetrone said, "and have 26 pods set up at public-works departments across the county where residents can take their electronics during DPW hours. We're already getting inundated with requests from manufacturers."
Vetrone said companies like Sony and Panasonic like the one-stop shopping of Westchester, which can provide an easy disposal of the 15-year-old boulder-sized television by the curb without requiring the resident to carry it any further — like to Best Buy.
Local municipalities drop the old machines at the disposal pods, or soon at the county's permanent location in Valhalla, and they're picked up by an outside contractor and broken into their trace metals and other salvageable parts.
"We check out the downstream vendors," Vetrone said. "We've seen some horror stories — walking into buildings where guys are banging hammers on the machines, no mask, no ventilation. You can smell the metal in the air."
Nowadays, they're splitting machines with lasers inside air-tight bags, sucking lead fumes out safely as they go.
Companies like WeRecycle!, an electronics recycling company with two facilities in Mount Vernon, say they're seeing increased activity.
"There has been a definite increase in interest from the public and from community organizations," company spokeswoman Lauren Dykes said. "We're seeing more people at our events and at our permanent facility."
The industry knows people don't want to do a lot of heavy lifting.
"We really try to make this easy," she said. "Drive up or walk up, hand it off and go."
Reach Greg Clary at 914-696-8566 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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SEATTLE & AUSTIN, Texas (June 25, 2018) – (NASDAQ: AMZN) – Prime member savings will be available in all Whole Foods Market and Whole Foods Market 365 stores nationwide beginning Wednesday, June 27, providing even more opportunities for Prime members to save at the nation’s leading natural and organic grocer. To learn more, customers can go to amazon.com/primesavings.
Starting Wednesday, Prime members can enjoy exclusive savings on select popular products, including:
- Baby back pork ribs, animal welfare rated and no antibiotics, $4.99/lb., save $5/lb.
- Sockeye salmon, wild caught Marine Stewardship Council-certified, $13.99/lb., save $6/lb.
- Organic red cherries, $3.99/lb., save $2/lb.
- Organic yellow peaches, $1.99/lb., save $2/lb.
- Mochi ice cream, including flavors like chocolate, salted caramel, and green tea, self-serve, 5/$5
- All bulk items, including favorites like nuts, granola, dried fruit, and hundreds more, 25 percent off
- Organic Honest Lemonade, 32 oz., 2/$3
- Plus an additional 10 percent off hundreds of sale items throughout the store
“Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive – in fact, Prime members have adopted this benefit at one of the fastest rates we’ve seen,” said Cem Sibay, Vice President, Amazon Prime. “Since starting this rollout in mid-May, Prime members have already saved millions of dollars on everything from seasonal favorites to popular products.”
Customers also receive these exclusive Prime member savings when they have their groceries delivered from Whole Foods Market stores via Prime Now. Prime Now grocery delivery, together with the special savings for Prime members, are available in Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Richmond, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and Virginia Beach. Prime Now offers free two-hour delivery on orders over $35. Delivery from Whole Foods Market will continue expanding throughout 2018.
“Since launching Prime savings at Whole Foods Market, we’ve seen excitement and momentum from both Prime members and our supplier partners,” said A.C. Gallo, President and COO at Whole Foods Market. “Our weekly Prime member deals are a hit and we’re excited that Prime members across the U.S. will now be able to take advantage of these savings in our stores.”
To start saving, customers can download the Whole Foods Market app, sign in with their Amazon account and then scan the app’s Prime Code at checkout. Or, customers can opt in to use their mobile phone number to save at checkout. To learn more about Prime at Whole Foods Market, to link your mobile phone number or to try Prime free for 30 days, go to amazon.com/primesavings. Eligible Prime members also receive 5% Back on Whole Foods Market purchases when using the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card.


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The German consumers buy less of wine, but with a higher price, according to a study by the German Wine Institute (DWI)
01/02/2013 Fuente: Allgemeiner Fleischer Zeitung
According to the latest report by the German Wine Institute (DWI), the sales of wine in the country decreased 2.8% in volume during 2012, but the German consumers spent 1.2% more in value. Due to that fact, local growers have increased their sales by 2.1%, increasing its market share by 1%. On the other hand, the tendency of the Germans towards the white wine was intensified during the past year.


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Is your car's software hacker proof?
Back in 2015, it was proven that new cars were susceptible to hacking even if those hackers were thousands of miles away. That little experiment involving a Jeep Cherokee definitely caught the entire industry's attention. According to Reuters, however, Hyundai still went ahead and released a software update to its mobile app that turns out to have had a bug that could've made it possible for hackers to remotely unlock and start the vehicles. This software update was introduced on December 8, 2016 for users of Hyundai's Blue Link connected car software app.
However, it wasn't until last week that a private cyber security firm discovered the glitch. In other words, a large number of Hyundai owners were exposed to potentially hacking for three months' time. Hyundai claims it's already fixed the bug, but the US Department of Homeland Security still decided to issue an advisory about the software vulnerability. "No known public exploits specifically target these vulnerabilities," the advisory states. "High skill level is needed to exploit." That's not particularly reassuring, considering there's an untold number of highly skilled hackers out there. This time, fortunately, "the issue did not have a direct impact on vehicle safety," said a Hyundai spokesman.
"Hyundai is not aware of any customers being impacted by this potential vulnerability." When the 2015 Jeep Cherokee's hacking vulnerabilities were announced, Fiat Chrysler quickly issued a recall for 1.4 million units. No automaker can allow any of its models to be at risk of hackers gaining remote control while the vehicle is traveling at high speeds, as was the case of the Jeep. The Hyundai Blue Link bug is said to be not as severe as the one in the Jeep, mainly because any hacker would have to be very close to the vehicle's owner in order to gain access. If they did, hackers could have potentially unlocked and started the cars. Close call this time, but the next time this happens, for any automaker, the results could potentially be quite severe.


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A federal jury in Delaware has decided Apple’s iPhone infringes on three patents held by a company that’s partially owned by Denver’s MPEG LA.
MPEG LA joined with Sony and Nokia in January 2010 to create MobileMedia Ideas. The Next Web Inc. reports MobileMedia Ideas is a shell company that exists to enforce Nokia’s and Sony’s patents. Larry Horn is CEO of both MobileMedia Ideas and MPEG-LA.
MobileMedia Ideas’ website claims “We own more than 300 patents worldwide that are important to those mobile device companies incorporating in their products innovations such as call handling, speed dial functions, database searches, audio download and playback, and still picture and video processing.”
MobileMedia Ideas sued Apple in 2010, and initially claimed 18 the Cupertino, Calif.-based company (Nasdaq: AAPL) had violated 18 of its patents, according to the Apple Insider blog.
Jurors decided in MobileMedia Ideas’ favor Thursday after four hours of deliberations, according to Apple Insider.
CNET, which has a copy of the verdict for download on its website, reports one of the patents deals with camera phone technology. The other two patents address call handling.


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China Urges Trade Stimulus
China will accelerate giving export rebates and increase imports of advanced equipment and components as well as consumer goods in a move to give the faltering economy a lift, according to a meeting convened by the State Council, the nation's cabinet. Premier Wen Jiabao said earlier this week that the government would introduce a range of policies to promote trade activity in Q3 2012.
Healthcare Spending Just 5% of GDP
China welcomes private and foreign investments in its highly promising healthcare market and 20% of this market is left for non-state investors, Health Minister Chen Zhu said at the ongoing Davos Economic Forum. Currently, China invests just 5.1% of GDP in its healthcare sector, well below Brazil's 9% and India's 8.9%, said Chen, who added that there is a shortage of 12 million paramedics in the country.
China to Add 21m KW of Solar Capacity by 2015
A total of 21 million kW of solar power capacity will be installed in China between 2011 and 2015, according a five-year plan for the industry released by the National Energy Administration.
China Ratchets Up Clout in Latin America
Chinese companies are looking to increase their investments in Latin America and expand their focus beyond the mining and resource industries, the Wall Street Journal reported. Chinese investment in Latin America surged to $10.54 billion in 2010, the most recent figure available, up from $7.33 billion in 2009. That investment, combined with an increase in lending active in the region, has given China greater sway in an area long considered a bulwark of US influence.
$1 = ¥6.33


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Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas today launched the online portal for submitting applications to avail interest-free loans up to Rs 10,000 from the Revolving Fund set up by the State Government for the employees of the pandemic-hit tourism sector.
Noting that tourism was seriously impacted by the staggered pandemic, Riyas said on the occasion that Kerala was the only state in the country to come out with a loan scheme to give a handholding to the employees in the sector as part of the government’s initiatives to revive tourism.
“The pandemic has seriously affected people, who are directly and indirectly linked to tourism sector. No other state in the country has announced a scheme like this for the workers in tourism sector,” the Minister said.
Referring to innovative schemes on the anvil to ramp up tourism in the state, he said “Like Caravan tourism, the government is considering the idea of coming out with more riveting initiatives. Tourism and Culture Departments will join hands to explore the scope of promoting Cinema Tourism in the state,” Riyas said.
People would find it amusing to visit the locations of their favourite films even decades after the release. There are lot of picturesque locations that had been featured in popular flicks. The Department of Tourism will explore the project’s possibility in all districts, he added.
V K Prasanth MLA presided over the function. Corporation Councillor Dr. Reena KS and Kerala Travel Mart Society President, Baby Mathew were present. Tourism Director, VR Krishna Teja welcomed the gathering and State Responsible Tourism Mission Coordinator, K Rupeshkumar, proposed the Vote of Thanks.
Dr. Venu V, Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism), said the credit for conceiving and implementing this unique scheme to support tourism sector employees goes entirely to the Tourism Minister.
“This will be a stimulus especially for small and micro enterprises in the industry,” Dr. Venu added.
The Revolving Fund, with an initial corpus of Rs 10 crore, has been set up as part of a set of government initiatives to reactivate the tourism industry, which provides jobs to hundreds across the state.
Under the scheme, the beneficiaries can avail up to Rs 10,000 without furnishing any collateral security. The loan needs to be repaid within two years after a one- year moratorium period.
Those seeking loan under the scheme can apply by accessing the portal www.keralatourism.org/revolving-fund and give the required details like name, e-mail id, mobile phone number, bank account and other relevant personal information.
Employees in a range of enterprises or activities related to travel and hospitality industry will be eligible for the loan. Those engaged in units registered under the Responsible Tourism (RT) mission are also entitled for the loan.
As per the provisions of the fund, the applicant should be working in an entity which has membership of a recognized tourism sector organization such as the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society and other similar trade organisations.
The recognized organisation to which the business entity is affiliated will ensure that the loans availed by the employees are repaid promptly. The beneficiary will have to repay the loan within two years after the one-year moratorium period. Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society recently entered into an agreement with the Tourism Department in this regard.
The fund seeks to support employees in a wide range of businesses like travel agencies, tour operators, tourist taxi services, houseboats and shikara boats, hotels, resorts, restaurants, homestays and serviced villas, Ayurveda resorts and spas, adventure tourism ventures, micro units under RT mission, members of performing and martial arts troupes and licensed tour guides.
A panel, constituted by the Government of Kerala with Tourism Director as Chairman and RT Mission State Coordinator as Convener and representatives of the travel and tourism trade organisations as members, has been formed to look into the applications and sanction the loans.
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DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS) dropped about 35% on Thursday to post a new 52-week low of $1.04 against a 52-week high of $278.40 and....More>>>
Today, a quick review of one of my new favorite themes: "Bizarro Capitalism"… To preview the conclusions, you'll find below there's a hidden downside to global central banks' campaigns of endless credit expansion and zero interest rates: As capital costs disappear, so do profit margins. Equity investors will surely cheer financial innovations that....More>>>
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Penn West Petroleum Ltd. (NYSE:PWE) has been to the financial cliff and back again. The achievements of the last two years are probably top 1% in many areas. There was a little trepidation as the latest announcement saw more changes in senior management. For many shareholders, those senior managers that were leaving were the best shareholders had seen in a long time. But the reason for leaving is....More>>>


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We interviewed Chef Pyet DeSpain because we think you’ll like her picks. Some of the products shown are from a brand she is paid to endorse. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!. Prices are accurate as of publish time.
Winning Next Level Chef meant much more than a trophy for Pyet DeSpain.
Instead of following traditional and classic trained dishes, the chef chose to highlight native culture and indigenous ingredients to the masses. Spoiler alert: It helped her win big.
“Growing up in a family of cooks and restaurant owners, I learned to really love the process of creating bold flavors, but I didn’t see Native American and Mexican American female chefs being highlighted or awarded,” she exclusively told E! News. “To have the ability to share that passion with the world on a big platform was a dream come true for me.”


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Impax Buys Generic Drugs from Teva and Allergan for $586 Million
Impax Laboratories (IPXL) said it would buy a portfolio of generic drugs from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (TEVJF) and Allergan (AGN) for about $586 million.
The deal is part of the divestiture process mandated by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in relation to Teva’s acquisition of Allergan’s generics business for $40.5 billion.
Impax, which raised its full-year adjusted earnings per share forecast, said on Tuesday the deal will add 15 marketed generics, one approved generic drug as well as a pipeline generic drug.
The company said it will also take back rights from Teva to a generic version of Concerta, an ADHD drug made by Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), adding a near-term launch product to its pipeline.
The acquired marketed generic products generated about $150 million in net sales and about $100 million in gross profit in 2015, Impax said.
Impax Chief Executive Fred Wilkinson said the addition of 15 marketed products is currently expected to add about $80 million of revenue in the second half of 2016.
The company said it expected its adjusted earnings per share to increase by 20% over 2015, up from 10% it forecast previously. Impax reported adjusted earnings of $1.45 per share in 2015.
Reuters reported last month that Teva was finalizing up to $2 billion in asset sale agreements to win antitrust clearance for its purchase of the Allergan products.
Teva and Allergan earlier this month sold eight generic drugs to India’s Dr Reddy’s Laboratories for $350 million in cash.
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and McDermott Will & Emery LLP served as legal advisers to Impax while RBC Capital Markets is providing fully committed financing.


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Pure O Natural fruits & vegetables 5th out -let formally inaugurated by Nandamuri Vasundhara Devi wife of Actor Nandamuri Balakrishna along with Member of Legislative Assembly Madhavaram Krishna Rao, Arekapudi Gandhi at Phase 6, Beside Lane Sujana Forum Mall lane, KPHB, Hyderabad.
Speaking on the occasion Vasundhara Devi said fruits and vegetables will work as elixir in keeping us healthy. "Consuming fruits and vegetable regularly would help in being slim, fit and energetic.
According to Mallikarjun Prasad founder of Pure O Natural, there has been an increasing awareness on health among people. "Most people are now getting used to consuming imported fruits,
"The company is making available fruits imported from Australia, US, Thailand and China.
Besides apples, cherries, kiwis and pears, we are also sourcing fresh leafy vegetables directly from nearby farmers. We will be planning to open more such outlets in various placses of the telugu states, Prasad said.


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It was tough in 2017. Who says so? One of Britain’s most successful retailers, that’s who. John Lewis Partnership saw its profits falling over 20% in the face of a competitive environment, but fashion outperformed.
The French beauty brand has teamed up with the multitalented Italian social media star, entrepreneur and designer in a partnership that will apparently see the duo launch several projects throughout the year.
Clothing, cosmetics and other products from the United States may be subject to European Union duties if U.S. President Donald Trump carries out his threat to impose global import duties on steel and aluminum.
New beauty tech platform bgX has launched a partnership with Uber which starts with London (assuming Uber’s ban there will be overturned), Paris and Dubai, “connecting professional hair salons to their communities.”
House of Fraser’s Chinese owner is planning to sell its majority stake in the under-performing department store chain to another Chinese entity, it confirmed on Tuesday. But it will keep a large holding in the retailer.
Gift cards and vouchers remain hugely popular in the UK market with 73% of consumers buying them as presents, says a Royal Mail survey that underline the importance of easy-to-buy gift cards for fashion retailers.


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The current R35 Nissan GT-R is an impressive car but, for some people, impressive just isn't good enough.
This AMS Alpha 16 GT-R shrieked its way through the quarter mile in 8.11 seconds at 176 mph at Royal Purple Raceway near Houston (via GTspirit). It also reached a top speed of 201.98 mph at Caddo Mills Airfield. AMS just wanted to make sure the GT-R was working properly before it was delivered to a customer.
That performance may not have even been the car's best. AMS says the 8.11-second pass done without using the highest boost setting, and that the GT-R might be capable of 7-second runs.
In addition, the car did 0 to 60 mph in just 1.63 seconds, 60 to 130 mph in 2.98 seconds, and 100 to 150 mph in 2.79 seconds.
This was all done with a car that weighs around 4,060 pounds with the driver. GT-Rs are not products of the Colin Chapman school of car design, and this one wasn't subjected to any weight-saving measures. It does, however, have 1,600 horsepower, according to AMS.
To get that insane amount of power, the Alpha 16 gets redesigned turbochargers, new engine-control software, and a displacement bump to 4.0 liters. Engine internals and the transmission are also reinforced to handle the extra power.
With those changes, AMS has moved the GT-R from impressive to downright monstrous.


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CONSIGNMENTS INVITED THROUGH 28 OCTOBER
Open Roads, Fall is set to continue the momentum of RM Sotheby’s highly successful Online Only auction calendar. With the recent cancellation of the Antique Automobile Club of America’s (AACA) Annual Fall Meet earlier this summer, we have decided to postpone and transition our 14th annual live Hershey auction into this new Online Only auction.
The Online Only: Open Roads, Fall auction, will feature a wide variety of collector cars spanning the spectrum of the market. While the Brass Era and pre-war classics traditionally seen at the company’s live Hershey auction will still be abundantly present, the online auction will also see the addition of several other categories of collector cars including American muscle and racing cars, European sports cars, and modern collectibles, with a total of approximately 80 cars set to cross the virtual block.
Each lot offered in the Online Only: Open Roads, Fall auction, will be presented with comprehensive photography, and in most cases, will be accompanied by condition reports completed by RM Sotheby’s Specialists as well as catalogue descriptions.
1:00 p.m. EST on 11 November
AUTOMOBILIA - 11:00 a.m. EST on 18 November (Lots to be offered on this day will be announced soon)
MOTOR CARS - 11:00 a.m. EST on 19 November
AUTOMOBILIA - 11:00 a.m. EST on 20 November (Lots to be offered on this day will be announced soon


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Apple Watch: 8 Security IssuesExperts Outline Privacy, Tracking and Fraud Concerns
Apple has unveiled its long-awaited Apple Watch, which the company says will begin shipping in nine countries on April 24.
The price of the watch will run from $349 to as much as $10,000 for a high-end version that's built with 18-karat gold alloys. A new Apple Watch App Store will provide software that runs on the devices, which have a promised average battery life of 18 hours.
Despite the so-called "smartwatch" sector still being nascent, many analysts expect to see Apple sell a relatively large number of the new devices. "There's not a single killer app. It's a collection of experiences to create a device that I think people will buy," Patrick Moorhead, president of Moor Insights & Strategy, tells The Wall Street Journal.
But some outstanding questions center on whether the wearable devices will keep users' data safe and secure, especially when people begin using their Apple Watch to make payments.
Here are eight security-related issues highlighted by information security experts:
1. Shakedown Imminent
Both for GPS and wireless connectivity - including downloading watch apps - Apple says the Apple Watch must be paired with an iPhone, and in particular, an iPhone 5 or newer, running at least iOS 8.2, which was released March 9. Pairing the Apple Watch with an iPhone also allows users to make payments with the watch via Apple Pay - so far, this feature is only available in the United States - or display a Passbook boarding pass.
Apple says the Apple Watch will pair with an iPhone via Wi-Fi - 802.11b/g - as well as Bluetooth 4.0.
Of course, it's only a matter of time before enterprising researchers begin testing whether they can intercept - sniff - or spoof the wireless communications that flow between an Apple Watch and the iPhone to which it's been paired. "Given the fact that it is a high-profile device - which will have wide adoption - you can bet security researchers and hackers alike will be poking and prodding the watch to find new vulnerabilities as well as take advantage of existing attack vectors, leveraging weaknesses in both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth," says Ken Westin, senior security analyst for IT security vendor Tripwire.
2. Sniffing, Skimming, Apps
Indeed, there are known vulnerabilities associated with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and related flaws could be found either in Apple's related implementations, or via the third-party apps that are designed to run on, or work with, Apple Watch.
But for now, of course, it's not clear whether Apple Watch might be susceptible to related attacks. "As to how vulnerable the design is, that will remain a mystery until the device is released and the full community of researchers has had a chance to review and sniff the traffic between the Apple devices as well as review the software development kits for the new device," says Philip Lieberman, president of identity management software vendor Lieberman Software.
3. Location Tracking
Many manufacturers of wearable devices have so far failed to secure the data they collect, which leaves users open to having their data get intercepted. Alternately, individual devices might be "fingerprinted" based on the way they use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
"As the device is utilizing both, it will also be interesting to see how that data can be used to track individuals in physical spaces, as this has both security and privacy implications - not just from a malicious attackers perspective, but also overzealous marketing," Tripwire's Westin says. "The fact the Apple Watch also integrates third-party apps could also increase security and privacy concerns."
4. Wireless Security Warnings
In general, security experts recommend disabling all wireless networking technologies when in untrusted environments. "I, for one, always have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth disabled on my phone when I travel outside my premises, both for battery life and security," says Brett Fernicola, CISO of data security software vendor Stealthbits Technologies. But because such networking is required to support many Apple Watch features, users would have a disincentive to disable it.
5. Fraudster Watch
Could Apple Watch be worn by fraudsters? Apple says that after removing the watch, every time a user puts it on again, they must enter a code to unlock the payment functionality.
But some recent fraud reports have centered on thieves loading stolen card data into Apple Pay on iPhones, and then making purchases. According to mobile payments and e-commerce strategy and advisory firm DROP Labs, up to 6 percent of all Apple Pay transactions have been fraudulent, compared with an average of less than 1 percent for U.S. credit card transactions.
Still, many fraud experts say the problem isn't linked to hardware-level security problems, but, rather, poor back-end authentication practices by banks, which are failing to adequately verify cards when they get loaded onto an iPhone, in advance of Apple Pay purchases.
Gartner analyst Avivah Litan doesn't expect Apple Watch, which can be used to make touchless payments when paired with an iPhone that uses Apple Pay, to alter that fraud situation. "I don't think we will see any unique fraud issues with Apple Watch and Apple Pay, vs. iPhones and Apple Pay," she tells Information Security Media Group. "It's the same issues, I think, although the fraud-related information sent by an iWatch - vs. that sent by an iPhone - to an issuing bank may be less granular or rich." Such information helps banks apply context-aware security to better identify and reject transactions - or Apple Pay accounts - that appear to be fraudulent.
6. Bank Buy-In
What's not yet clear, however, is whether banks can resolve Apple Pay-related challenges to their liking. If not, Apple users may find fewer merchants and banks accepting Apple Pay. "Some banks have had a very negative reaction to Apple Pay fraud, and in the words of one banker, believe 'Apple has thrown them under the bus' and should take more responsibility for fraudulent enrollments, since they are all done through Apple accounts," Litan says.
So fraud experts are waiting to see if the Apple Pay ecosystem might suffer a backlash from banks, potentially leading to an overhaul of how such systems work. For example, Litan says, a mobile payment provider - such as Apple - might assume responsibility for all transactions, including related fraud. "Either that, or the banks need to change the registration process on the mobile phones so that they totally own it and don't split customer ownership with the mobile payment provider." With either change, however, users would arguably benefit from a reduced risk of fraud.
7. Contactless Payment Upsides
Using Apple Pay via an iPhone or Apple Watch requires "contactless" - using near-field communications - POS terminals. They're now widespread in Europe, but still being rolled out across the United States, driven, in part, by the October 2015 liability shift, in which any merchant or issuer that doesn't support EMV takes responsibility for all fraudulent transactions. As those terminals arrive, they could also drive a reduction in payment-card fraud rates, financial services experts say, thanks in part to its use of tokenization, which substitutes a unique code in place of an actual card number or related data.
"These terminals will not only accept these new chip cards but will also include NFC, which means that they will already be programmed to accept Apple Pay," says David Pollino, senior vice president and enterprise fraud prevention officer for Bank of the West. In addition, they will be using "an already established, new security system," which will give banks more techniques for identifying and blocking fraud, regardless of whether those payments are made using an Apple Watch, iPhone or payment card.
8. Rogue NFC Terminals
Despite such security upsides, once an Apple Pay device, including Apple Watch, is unlocked, an attacker could potentially use it to make fraudulent purchases, warns Dave Jevans, co-founder of the Anti-Phishing Working Group and chief technology officer of mobile security firm Marble Security. "It's a dangerous recipe, especially when you think that many retail stores have emitters fraudulently scanning credit cards," he says. "They could run NFC terminals to slurp unauthorized payments."


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Homeowners have unique remodeling preferences when selling
Posted on Thursday, September 4, 2014 at 10:07:39 AM
Selling a home can be a complicated, overwhelming and frustrating task. However, it doesn't need to be that way, and one of the greatest allies to a homeowner during this time is a remodeling project. Acquiring and spending home improvement financing can improve the value of the property, increase buyer interest and get it off the market quickly.
In fact, owners looking to sell have unique preferences when it comes to what home improvement professionals they call in for help. According to a Porch.com study, handymen are the most popular in the Northeast, with 35 percent of respondents going this route, followed by window contractors at 21 percent and plumbers at 15 percent.
"As we transition into fall and winter, homeowners planning to sell or a buy a home should invest in the right home improvement projects to appeal to potential buyers, or to protect a recently purchased home," said Matt Ehrlichman, CEO at Porch.com.
Picking the right improvements before selling can make or break the deal. According to FrontDoor.com, the best place to start is in the bathroom, with most minor renovations bringing back more money once sold. Also popular are landscaping, kitchen renovations and updating the exterior.


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16 July 2019, 11:11
So, even if your PC is locked or sleeping, you could use it as a smart speaker type device.
8 July 2019, 11:41
However, this 775MB download is actually a game or entertainment app rather than an OS.
12 June 2019, 13:41
Among them were four zero-day flaws, and 21 critical vulnerabilities.
5 June 2019, 10:11
Seems to be especially useful for games that have been purchased via the Microsoft Store.
23 May 2019, 12:11
Adds Spotify control widget; Friends, Chat, Mixer, and Looking for Group (LFG); and more.
21 May 2019, 22:11
First of this year's feature updates now available. Windows Sandbox is a major new feature.
13 May 2019, 10:11
Statistic spotted on internal documentation. Previous milestone of 700m reached last Sept.
9 May 2019, 13:41
Starts with; a maximise to new desktop widget, and a Windows key shortcut guide.
7 May 2019, 09:31
And it has committed to ship a full Linux kernel in Windows 10 starting from June (Insiders).
30 April 2019, 11:11
Change comes with the release of the Windows 10 May 2019 (1903) Update.


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DOLLAR GENERAL DEDICATING FIRST HOUR OF SHOPPING FOR SENIORS
Dollar General will start dedicating their first hour of operations to senior citizens starting Tuesday.
From 8 to 9 a.m., all Dollar General stores will be dedicated to seniors since they are the most vulnerable to the coronavirus.
“It will give us a chance to get in and out,” said Paul Young. “If they give us that hour like I’m doing now, I can go ahead and pick up a couple of items and be gone.”
In addition, Dollar General stores will close an hour earlier than normal so employees can restock and sanitize their stores.


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INTEL HAS REVEALED the first product from its Intel Security unit, a programmable security controller designed to be deployed in physical, virtualised and cloud environments in software defined data centre infrastructures.
Scheduled to become available later this year, the security controller has been created by the McAfee security subsidiary of Intel and is the first time the semiconductor maker has developed a technology that favours its own McAfee technologies over that of rival security vendors.
The security controller is deployed as a virtual machine inside data centres and acts as a broker between security software and infrastructure. It's made specifically to protect environments running NSX software from VMware.
"The Intel Security Controller enables dynamic policy synchronisation, provisioning, protection and remediation," said Intel. "[It] works with existing management applications to help IT teams and service providers maximise security infrastructure investments."
The move is part of Intel's larger effort to expand its presence in the data centre and become a central player in the growing software defined data centre (SDDC) movement. As part of the announcement, Intel Security also strengthened its server security suites to better manage virtual environments and added connectors to Amazon Web Services, VMware's vSphere Openstack and Microsoft Azure, as well as features to manage virtual appliances.
Intel said its security controller will be available for beta testing in September and is aimed at customers using the Intel Security, former McAfee, Virtual Network Security Platform.
The Intel Security Controller will also include support for Openstack by mid-2015. µ
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