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– Acquisition expands Ecobat’s position in Europe as the leader in recycling batteries of all chemistries
– Combined capabilities position Ecobat as the only service provider across Europe to offer the full suite of lithium-ion recycling services
Ecobat, the global leader in recycling batteries, announced today that it has acquired Promesa, a leading EV lithium-ion battery recycling operator based in Hettstedt, Germany.
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1580875/Ecobat_Logo.jpg
“The addition of the Promesa team means Ecobat is the only provider in Europe with the capability to offer our customers the full suite of recycling services for lithium-ion batteries, from collecting, discharging and dismantling batteries to crushing and sorting them and arranging for black mass disposal,” said Jimmy Herring, Ecobat’s president and chief executive officer. “Building on this acquisition, Ecobat will continue to expand our position in the lithium-ion battery recycling space with future investment plans underway to increase capacity at our Promesa facility and to build out additional dismantling capabilities across Germany.”
The demand for EV lithium-ion battery recycling continues to accelerate across Europe and the world, and it is expected to be worth $4.7 billion in 10 years. Promesa’s strategic location in the vehicle manufacturing and lithium battery center of Germany provides Ecobat a crucial entry point in one of the most critical markets for battery access and OEM factory scrap. The EV Li-ion battery recycling is growing in Europe at a compound annual growth rate of 31.6%. Additionally, Promesa represents a critical part of the battery recycling process and value chain and will provide Ecobat with access to business-critical permits for 3,200 tons of chemical compounds. These contracts cover a broad range of waste materials associated with a variety of battery chemistries from household to electric vehicle, positioning Ecobat for expansive growth opportunities.
A leader in the collection, recycling, production, and distribution of energy storage resources essential to modern life.
From the batteries used in vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure to the backup power systems that support hospitals and data centers, the materials we recycle and produce are essential components in the technologies developed to meet the world’s energy storage needs. With the rising adoption of electric vehicles and their reliance on batteries, we are continually expanding our collection and recycling management services. It’s all part of our commitment to protecting the planet for all.
About Promesa PROMESA GmbH & Co. KG (https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3238385-1&h=3163339518&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.promesa- ec.de%2F&a=PROMESA+GmbH+%26+Co.+KG ) is headquartered in Hettstedt, Germany and was founded by VVG GmbH & Co. KG for the treatment and recycling of lithium battery systems. The technology, developed in the last decade, enables safe recycling of lithium primary batteries and lithium-ion accumulators. The entire process is designed to handle battery and accumulator systems from the post-consumer, industrial and military sectors.
Edelman for Ecobat


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With rumours claiming that Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) will hit the Sony Playstation 4 (PS4) in December, Microsoft is set to add the popular mobile game to the company’s Xbox Game Pass subscription on November 12, the media reported.
The addition means Xbox One users who subscribe to Xbox Game Pass for $9.99 will now be able to access PUBG, alongside more than 100 others, The Verge reported late on Saturday.
Microsoft appears to have paid for a year of exclusivity on the Xbox One for PUBG, but a move to PS4 opens the game up to millions more as it continues to battle with the popularity of rival Fortnite, the report said.
With Microsoft exploring game streaming with its xCloud service, the company has been consistently pushing Xbox Game Pass. It is clearly a big part of the tech giant’s future Xbox plans.
Microsoft is reportedly laying off at least 50 news production workers and replacing them with artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithms to perform their editorial duties.
According to a report in the Seattle Times on Saturday, the roughly 50 employees contracted through staffing agencies Aquent, IFG and MAQ Consulting have been notified “that their services would no longer be needed beyond June 30”.
These news production contractors work with Microsoft News, the company’s news content arm that operates MSN.com and other properties.
A Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement that like all companies, they evaluate business on a regular basis.
“This can result in increased investment in some places and, from time to time, redeployment in others. These decisions are not the result of the current pandemic,” said the Microsoft spokesperson.
The entire world is currently dealing with a global pandemic – Coronavirus. From government-imposed lockdowns to self-isolation, the world is taking a breather from the usual routine. Thus, many of us are left with plenty of time to explore alternatives to keep oneself busy during the lockdown.
Many families have kept themselves entertained with various card games. This has not only helped in keeping them busy but also brought every family member closer than before. One such card game that is a favourite among many families is Teen Patti.
Although you cannot step out of your house to play Teen Patti with your friends, you can use either your smartphone or a computer to log in to a website to play against players from around the world.
Strategies To Turn The Teen Patti Game In Your Favour
Teen Patti is a fun and simple game to understand and help in winning real cash prizes. But how can you win all the time and turn the winning streak in your favour? Here are some top strategies you can use to win almost all your Teen Patti games online.
Online Teen Patti games give plenty of free chips for both the professionals and novice players. Here you get an advantage to make money without betting your own. Free chips give you a chance to practice and also win free money. Practising the game will improve your skills and increase the chance of winning real cash.
Playing the blind move in the game will demand you to take a higher risk where you have to guess your own and other players’ cards without looking at it. You get to place a bet even before seeing your own cards. This move helps in keeping your stakes low when compared to players who place bets by seeing their cards. Players who see their cards might give up or likely fold what they have in their hands.
In this move, players can choose to see the cards at any time and place their bets and increase it. You should only do it if you think you have strong cards in their hand.
Ask for Sideshow
After seeing your cards, always ask for a sideshow from the player who has placed a bet before you. The only catch here is that you cannot ask for a sideshow if that player is playing blind. If not, then the players have to show their cards. This move should be used in a game only if you are confident enough that you have better cards than your opponents.
Fold or pack happens when you entirely end your hand for the round. This means that the money you bet in the game is forfeited. You should use this strategy if you think that you cannot win the hand. With the fold or pack move, you save your money from being lost in hand, which you cannot win.
So, now you know the essential know-how of playing Teen Patti online with your friends and other players around the world or with your family in these lockdown days. There are a variety of online websites that let you play online Teen Patti games and offer real money to the winners. So, try your hand on various games and keep yourself entertained during the Coronavirus pandemic.
[Disclaimer: The article published above promotes links of commercial interests.]
The Windows 10 May 2020 Update has started to reach customers globally with features like Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 as well as latest Cortana updates.
The biggest under-the-hood change to the May 2020 Update is the inclusion of the Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL 2), with a custom-built Linux kernel.
The Linux integration in Windows 10 will greatly improve the performance of Microsoft’s Linux subsystem in Windows.
“As the world and people’s routines change, it is important that we focus on meeting the over a billion people around the world relying on Windows where they are now,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The May 2020 Update comes with feature improvements that will help save you time and maybe even be a source of fun,” it added.
The Cortana assistant has been updated with a new chat-based interface where one can either speak or type your requests. The new and updated interface can be accessed from the Windows 10 taskbar.
The update brings the popular Your Phone app’s Calls feature to ARM supported PCs from Microsoft and our OEM partners.
One will now place, receive, or text reply to incoming phone calls directly on PC without having Android phone right next to PC.
“With the Your Phone app, one can stay in flow by sending or receiving texts, checking notifications and getting instant access to Android phone’s photos and apps via computer’s large screen and keyboard,” said Microsoft. (IANS)

domain: news


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Despite US inflation as high as it has been in nearly 40 years, Wall Street investors stocked up on stocks on Friday. The Dow Jones index of standard values climbed 0.5 percent to 35,917 points. The broader S&P 500 rose 0.6 percent to 4699 meters. The index of the technology exchange Nasdaq gained 0.7 percent to 15,632 points.
With an inflation rate of 6.8 percent in November, they are miles above the US Federal Reserve’s target of 2.0 percent. “The stock markets are rising because the numbers were pretty much in line with expectations and not, as feared, exceeded dramatically,” said Thomas Hayes, executive member of asset manager Great Hill Capital in New York. Investors have accepted the fact that the US Federal Reserve will accelerate the pace of curbing bond purchases “pretty well.”
Moderna study data on an mRNA-based influenza vaccine were poorly received by investors. The shares slide by more than eleven percent. The initial results apparently indicated that the vaccine was not effective enough to gain an advantage over the already approved flu vaccines. This applies particularly to the elderly. In this context, the Biontech papers also lost around eight percent.
With a price increase of more than seventeen percent, however, Oracle was heading for its best trading day in a year and a half. The enterprise software manufacturer raised its profit and revenue forecast for the current quarter because companies are spending more money on technology. In addition, the software manufacturer announced an increase in its share buyback program by $ 10 billion.
Look at further individual values
According to a report from business news agency Bloomberg, restaurant chain Taco Bell has given up plans to try Beyond Meat’s plant-based version of Carne Asada. The share fell 2.8 percent.
The shares of the software company for artificial intelligence climb by seven percent. The company had received a $ 500 million contract from the US Department of Defense for its AI product line.
The outdoor products maker reported adjusted quarterly earnings of 58 cents per share, well below the consensus estimate of 76 cents. Sales also lagged behind the analysts’ forecasts. American Outdoor stocks fell 13 percent.
The fitness equipment manufacturer’s shares lost two percent after Credit Suisse downgraded the shares from “outperform” to “neutral”. Analysts pointed to a number of potential pressures on the stock price, including a return to out-of-home fitness and a shift in consumer spending.
The cinema operator’s shares fell 7.2 percent. According to SEC data, CEO Adam Aron had sold 312,500 shares, and Chief Financial Officer Sean Goodman 18,000 papers. Aron had already indicated in November that he would soon start selling shares as part of his estate planning.


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The leading French video game developer and publisher, Gameloft is all geared up to take its long-running Asphalt franchise to esports. In a joint statement with Xiaomi’s gaming-focused Black Shark brand, it announced that it is going to host the very first edition of its Asphalt esports series – a new esports tournament for Asphalt 9: Legends gamers.
Gameloft has partnered with ESL to organize the tournament, which will begin this August and will be concluded in Germany at the Gamescom convention, the world’s biggest game show. It has also collaborated with Black Shark to make Black Shark 2 smartphones as the official gaming devices of the tournament.
“Esports coming to mobile is a natural evolution of the industry and a testament to how important mobile gaming has become,” Damien Marchi, VP of marketing at Gameloft, said in a statement.
The tournament’s first qualification rounds will begin from May 20 for which the top-ranked gamers from nine different countries including France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, the UK and the US will be picked according to their overall rankings. As mentioned before, the grand finale of the tournament will take place in Germany in August.
The winning prize money is $22,500.
Asphalt 9: Legends is a free-to-play racing title that is available on both iOS and Android.


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Samsung Focus S (Unlocked Quadband) AT&T GSM Cell Phone
Samsung has announced the launch of another latest smart phone Samsung Focus S but as company has not decided the exact launch of products into the market. This is latest phone that comes with 4.3 inches of bigger Super AMOLED Plus capacitive touchscreen display. The phone works on 2G and 3G GSM networks on different frequencies. The Samsung Focus S runs on the 1.4 GHz processor single core processor that is powered with the Microsoft Windows Phone 7.5 Mango operating System. Handset come with some handsome applications preloaded from the company as NavigatorSM, FamilyMap, Microsoft office document viewer/editor, Radio and myWireless. Phone has 8.0 mega pixels of camera with 3264 × 2448 pixels with lots of supporting features like Autofocus, LED flash, Image stabilization, smile detection and Geo-tagging.
- Samsung Focus S (Unlocked Quadband) AT&T GSM Cell Phone
- User Manual
- USB Cable


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On the day of his inauguration, it's certain that president-elect Barack Obama will be opening gifts from the leaders of other countries. France, for example, sent a 4.5-pound package of Roquefort cheese.
But would red underwear be appropriate to send the new president?
In China and other Asian countries, red underwear is one of the most popular gifts to give around the Chinese New Year, which falls on January 26 this year.
Markets and department stores stock the red underwear, generally sporting the pertinent zodiac animal. This year, it will be an ox, which by the way is Obama's zodiac sign.
According to lore, it's even more critical for someone born under the current zodiac sign to wear red to help ward off dangers that may come his or her way, because the "benming nian" (or the meeting of one's zodiac year) can be an unlucky year.
So, if there's any advice I can offer to Obama on his inauguration day, it would be to open the gift from China (or Taiwan) first.
In case they didn't send any, we've got him covered!


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Yahoo rises on merger hopes
Shares in web search engine firm Yahoo surged last night amid feverish speculation the merger talks with Microsoft could be revived.
Yahoo rose 17% after Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said a web search advertising deal between the two companies would 'make economic sense'.
But 5% was later erased from the gains after Microsoft said it had no interest in buying Yahoo outright.
Talks between the two broke off in July after Yahoo rejected Microsoft's proposal to buy its search advertising business and enact a revenue-sharing partnership.
In May, Yahoo rebuffed a $47.5bn (£27.3bn) hostile bid from Microsoft and instead signed a search advertising pact with Google, which yesterday saw shares jump 10% after better-than-expected profits.
Since talks broke off, Yahoo shares have plunged to a five-and-a-half-year low $11.37, on concerns over the outlook for web display advertising.
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StoryToys partners with international charity Global Angels to support
Philippines Disaster Relief
Proceeds from each download of Goodnight Mo between December 3rd and 17th will go towards supporting Global Angels’ Philippines Disaster Relief
Dublin, Ireland – 3rd December, 2013 - StoryToys, a leading publisher of award-winning 3D interactive books and games for children, today announced that each download of Goodnight Mo between December 3rd and 17th, will go towards supporting international charity Global Angels’ Philippines Disaster Relief as part of the #GivingTuesday initiative. Goodnight Mo is a 3D pop-up book app available for smartphone and tablet from the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.
"Popular mobile app gives players the opportunity to send relief by downloading the game"
Uppsala, Sweden, 03 December 2013 - The iOS and Android game ‘Riddick: the Merc Files’ will allow players to donate towards the relief efforts in the typhoon struck areas of the Philippines by downloading the game.
The independent video game deal site: Indie Royale today announces the exclusive Gaming Tuesday bundle which will be available for just 6 days.
As part of the deal with Gaming Tuesday part of the proceeds from every single unit sold will go towards supporting aid for the Philippines. Giving gamers the chance to support a worthwhile cause whilst playing their favourite games.
A new initiative to showcase charitable activity in the video games industry to launch on #GivingTuesday (3rd December 2013)
London, UK – 28th November 2013… Playmob (www.playmob.com), the London and San Francisco -based technology company championing charitable fundraising through games, today announced the first details of its brand new Youtube channel, Give8-Bit (www.youtube.com/give8bit).
"Playmob is launching Give8-Bit, a YouTube channel designed to act as a hub for charitable campaigns involving video games.
Give8-Bit will work by showing current or upcoming games, channels and livestreams supporting charities. As well as highlighting events, the project will feature the charities themselves and the impact of the funds and resources raised by gamers.”
For the full article on Wired click here
The general press’s reaction to the gaming industry these days is always a mixed bag, with stories a stabbings for copies of GTA V to In-app purchases horror stories we’ve seen a lot of negative press recently. That’s not to say there aren’t good news stories out there, however the horror stories and sensationalistic journalism seem to get more attention than some of the great accomplishments of the industry and the fantastic communities out there.
At Remode (www.remodestudios.com), we’re big believers in the value of the gaming industry to do good in the world, not just through the power of play, but also in reaching people around the world in new and unexpected ways. So we’re proud to be partners of Gaming Tuesday, which supports giving through games this December 3rd.
Brand New Bundle Helps to Raise Funds for Real World Charity
London, 9th November, 2013 – This month, players of High School Story™, the highly rated mobile game, will have the opportunity to help raise awareness and support for the Cybersmile Foundation – when they download the ‘Stop Cyberbullying’ bundle in their game. This will be the first time High School Story players will have had the opportunity to support a charity through the game.
JAGEX LAUNCHES THE WELL OF GOODWILL TO KICK OFF A MONTH LONG NOVEMBER CHARITY DRIVE
Thursday 31st October, Cambridge, UK: Jagex Games Studio, makers of the multi-award winning online adventure game, RuneScape, today announced the launch of a month long charity campaign designed to convert virtual gifting into real-world donations to support disadvantaged, at risk or seriously ill young people.
For independent developers we’ve created a unique initiative for multiple developers to band together and help a unified cause in order to make the largest impact possible. This is an opportunity for multiple indie developers to take action for a single worthwhile cause in a way which is fun and meaningful, whilst simultaneously helping their studio make a business impact, engaging with their player base on a new level and garnering positive PR and additional exposure.


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GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, MI – Autism Support and Resource Center's eighth annual "Walk the Walk for Autism" Family Picnic Outing is set for Sept. 14.
The event is the organization's biggest fundraiser and serves as an outdoor activity-filled event for all families living with autism.
It will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 14 at Bicentennial Park.
Some of the day's activities include a walk; autism angel awards, poster contest, and a raffle drawing with prizes that include $1,000, an iPad and Nintendo DS 3D. There also will be cartoon characters available, inflatables, bake sale, 4-H petting farm and information about autism.
Last year's event drew more than 2,000 people and organizers expect a higher attendance this year.
The Autism Support & Resource Center is located at 4476 S. Dort Highway in Burton. It hosts monthly support group meetings and numerous activities oriented to autistic/Asperger children, adults and their families such as, kids' socials, teen socials and high functioning adult socials, special needs sports (soccer, basketball, bowling), sensory sensitive movies., autism family swims at YMCA-Flint and Power Camp at Camp Copneconic.
Ongoing fundraising by our ASRC members and supporters consist of collecting and recycling paper in a large bin located in its parking lot; collecting and generating Kroger and VG's grocery store community points; sale of donated items on eBay and MissionFish Online auction sites; sale of autism promotional merchandise and yard sales.
To pre-register for the walk, visit www.firstgiving.com/asggc.
Dana DeFever can be reached at 810-429-3919 or firstname.lastname@example.org. You can also follow her on Twitter @DanaDeFever or subscribe to her on Facebook.


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With less than two weeks to launch, the Wii U marketing campaign is picking up. Ubisoft and Nintendo have released a ZombiU TV spot for Europe, showing the game and the new GamePad controller. The 20 second spot also points out the Europe-exclusive ZombiU bundle. Check out the ad below. The Wii U — with ZombiU — launches on November 18 in the US and November 30 in Europe.
- Nintendo NX Mock-Up Looks Great
- Pokemon Go Plus delayed until September
- Nintendo posts huge quarterly loss
- Nintendo’s NX will feature detachable c
TAGS: Nintendo, wii u, wii u advertising, zombiu


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Friendster, a social networking site, recently raised USD 1 million from a group of high-profile investors. It has been described as having eBay-like characteristics in connecting people. Writes A Washington Post:
In the Friendster world, users fill out profiles with their relationship status and list their interests. Then they get their friends to write testimonials about them. You rack up friends by sending e-mails inviting your friends to join Friendster. You and your friends can invite as many friends as you want. But you’re going to be able to browse the network only to four degrees removed from you. Any more than that, according to its founder Jonathan Abrams, and your world gets too big, defeating the purpose.
Once connected, Abrams hopes that people will search the profiles in their groups and use them to seek dates, professional opportunities and friends in what is theoretically a safer and more manageable world than the wide-open Web.
Abrams, a software engineer who worked at Netscape before striking out on his own, said he created Friendster to help his own friends, who didn’t feel comfortable meeting people the old-fashioned way, through online classified ads.
2003 seems to shaping up as the “social software and networking” year!
“Music? Sales down. Hollywood? Hit or miss. Tech? Flat.” So, what are the options? Writes Fortune:
Games are becoming culturally pervasive, stealing time and dollars from other consumer entertainment options like movies, television, and, ahem, magazines. On average an American will spend 75 hours this year playing videogames, more than double the amount of time spent gaming in 1997 and eclipsing that of DVD or tape rentals today, according to market research firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson. Of the other forms of entertainment, only Internet usage is expected to grow faster than videogamesa fact that the videogame makers plan to use to their advantage.
And with time comes money. Though the global videogame market was just $28 billion in 2002, some people think it’s on track to rival the movie, music, or television industries, perhaps by the end of this decade. Music sales have been falling in recent years, the moviegoing experience hasn’t changed that much since Gone With the Wind, and network TV is on the skids. The games business has been racking up double-digit growth rates for the past decade, even through the recent tech slump.
Electronic Arts wants to become the “biggest and best entertainment company in the world”, according to its CEO Lawrence Probst III. Adds Fortune: “Its stock recently hit an all-time high of $90, making the $13.2-billion-market-cap company the world’s fourth-largest software maker, behind Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP.”


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Some 43.6 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home for the Thanksgiving holiday, a slight increase over the 43.3 million people who traveled last year, according to AAA projections.
While it's the fourth consecutive year of growth in the number of holiday travelers, people are still finding ways to economize during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period (Wednesday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 25).
Most people drive rather than fly to their holiday destinations, but even more are driving this year: Some 90 percent of travelers will travel by car, a 0.6 percent increase. At the same time, the number of people flying is expected to drop from 3.2 million last year to 3.14 million this year.
"When it come to making choices, carving turkey with family and friends trumps pinching pennies," said AAA president and CEO Robert Darbelnet, speaking at a Tuesday press conference.
Higher gas prices earlier in the year may have convinced some people to travel shorter distances for the holiday, Darbelnet said. Car travelers are expected to drive an average of 588 miles this year compared to 706 miles last year. They are also spending less on travel, with median spending expected to drop 10 percent this year to $498.
Drivers can expect a little relief at the gas pump. The national average price of gasoline will drop to between $3.25-3.40 a gallon by Thanksgiving, according to AAA estimates. Despite this year's historically high prices, the national average dropped by nearly 40 cents a gallon since early October and is likely to continue dropping through the end of the year.
TSA promises to be fully staffed
Even with the slight decline in air travel projections for this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, planes are expected to be full or nearly full. That's why Transportation Security Administration head John Pistole promised Tuesday that the agency will be fully staffed to speed travelers to their destinations.
"We understand that holiday travel can be stressful and that a great trip often begins with a positive experience at the airport," said Pistole, speaking at a Tuesday press conference at Reagan National Airport.
"To this end, TSA will be fully staffed and prepared for the high volume of passengers this holiday season. With everyone's security at the forefront, we continue and are committed to processing passengers as safely and efficiently as possible," Pistole added.


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LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan House of Representatives Tax Policy Committee held a hearing on Feb. 16 to discuss legislation that would make pet food exempt from sales tax and use tax.
The bills sponsors are Republican Representatives Tommy Brann of District 77 and Pamela Hornberger of District 32.
"Just like representative brand, [I'm] very passionate about our pets and giving people some more relief. If we're going to be passionate about rescuing animals, then I think people should get a break," Rep. Hornberger said.
Animal rescue shelters in West Michigan say that could mean good things for their organizations and pet owners, too. BestPals Animal Rescue Center in Holland is taking care of about 20 dogs and cats right now.
"Right off the bat, it sounds like a wonderful plan," Director Michelle Kenat says.
If people could save money on pet food, she says more people would consider adopting one or even two pets.
"When we have bonded pairs, which we do get often, a lot of times people [are] like, 'I don't know — twice the food twice the litter,'" Kenat says. "But if you think about getting it savings on the food, they might really think that a second animal, a second pet isn't a bad thing."
And with extra savings, she thinks even more people would consider the higher-quality brands out there.
"It's a whole circle that can save, you know, the better quality food, maybe the better longevity of animal and the healthier the animal," Kenat says.
"Cost is definitely a big thing," Tail Waggers Pet Rescue President Michelle Sidor says.
Sidor believes that the savings could make a difference in people adopting a pet or even keeping their furry family member.
"That does add up to, you know, potentially a couple of bags, two or three bags of free dog year," she says. "That's a big deal."
Both rescue centers are non-profit organizations, so the food they purchase is tax exempt already. But tax-free pet food could mean more donations from the public so the rescue centers could spend their money on other resources.
"If someone's out shopping and they're like, 'You know what, we're making a savings, let's pick up a bag and bring it to our local shelter,'" Kenat says. "It would save a lot of lives.
This proposal is still in committee, so it could take some time before passing the state House and Senate.
The bills have been met with some resistance because of the expected loss in revenue to the state from the sales and use taxes.
"I have issues with stripping from our sales and use tax. It's, you know, in my opinion, the least destructive tax that we have, I'd rather more, you know, approach a reduction in income [tax] for folks to be able to, you know, provide for pets, more affordable than than attacking our sales tax," said Republican Representative Pat Outman.
CEO of the Michigan Pet Alliance, Joe Dobish, testified at the hearing in favor of the bills.
"The cost of owning a pet is one of the leading causes of forfeiture in Michigan, however hard it is to believe. This is what we are seeing on the ground our members as they are out in the field working with the community," said Dobish.
"This is what they are seeing people are coming in to shelters and rescues every single day in Michigan and giving up a beloved family member because they cannot afford the food and veterinary care to care properly for that animal and it is an act of love to give up that animal and I cannot imagine how hard that is."
According to the Michigan Pet Alliance, Michigan has one of the highest costs of pet ownership in the country, but that high cost isn't solely because of food prices.
"We do have factors in this state that lead Michigan pet owners to be faced with an undue burden compared to other in other states," Dobish added.
The bills were introduced to the Michigan House of Representatives in January and are now in committee.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.


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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Steve Daines, R-Mont., introduced legislation to prohibit the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from mandating proof of vaccination for critical infrastructure workers embarking on essential travel to the United States from either Canada or Mexico. Titled the Continuing Safe Essential Travel Across our Border Act, the measure would address critical transportation modes, such as trucking, and help prevent further disruption to cross-border supply chains because of a loss of eligible drivers and operators.
“American families are feeling pain in President Biden’s economy,” Wicker said. “Limiting the movement of goods across our borders through a federal vaccine mandate is totally unnecessary and counterproductive to getting our economy back on track. I joined Senator Daines on this important legislation to end the Administration’s unhelpful restriction and provide some relief to our truck drivers who are essential to the supply chain and our economy.”
"President Biden’s overreaching vaccine mandates are wreaking havoc on our entire country. They’re hurting small businesses, burdening the labor force and worsening the supply chain crisis,” Daines said. “It’s time we put an end to Biden's big government mandates that are unnecessarily straining our truck drivers, jobs and the economy.”
The supply chain has suffered major disruptions because of the coronavirus pandemic. Overwhelmed ports and rail stations have suffered from significant labor shortages, slowing the ability to transport goods and resulting in higher prices for consumers.
The senators’ legislation would prohibit DHS from requiring an essential critical infrastructure worker to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition to engage in essential travel from the U.S. into Mexico or Canada or into the U.S. from those countries. The legislation follows an earlier letter from Senator Daines and Senator Wicker urging the Biden Administration to reverse vaccine mandates for truckers crossing the northern border of the U.S.


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The battle for General Growth Properties Inc., owner of more than 200 U.S. malls from Boston to Los Angeles, is turning into
the biggest real estate fight since the sale of Sam Zell’s Equity Office Properties Trust.
Westfield Group, a Sydney-based property investor with stakes in 55 U.S. retail centers, signed an agreement letting it assess
General Growth’s finances, a person familiar with the pact said Wednesday. That may put Westfield in position to vie
for the bankrupt company’s assets as part of a contest already embroiling Simon Property Group Inc. and Brookfield Asset
“For many years, the investing community failed to understand the real value of high-quality regional malls,”
said Rich Moore, managing director at RBC Capital Markets in Solon, Ohio. “We’ve just gone through the worst recession
in our history and these things are largely unscathed.”
Commercial real estate deals in the U.S. dropped to $44 billion last year, down 67 percent from 2008 and the lowest in records
going back to 2001, according to New York-based property research company Real Capital Analytics Inc. Globally, retail real
estate transactions totaled $50 billion, down 40 percent from a year earlier.
Plunging commercial real estate values (down 41 percent since their 2007 peak) have made landlords reluctant to sell if they
don’t have to.
The last time such a high-profile portfolio came to the market was in 2006. Blackstone Group LP beat out Steven Roth’s
Vornado Realty Trust to buy Zell’s Equity Office, then the largest U.S. office landlord, for $39 billion.
General Growth and Brookfield unveiled a plan Wednesday that calls for the Toronto-based company to invest $2.63 billion
in the mall owner and take a 30-percent stake.
Simon, which bid $10 billion for its biggest rival, called the Brookfield plan a “complex piece of financial engineering
that is so highly conditional as to be illusory.”
The target of the fight owns some of the most valuable properties in retail real estate. General Growth, the second-biggest
U.S. mall owner, has four of the five U.S. malls with the highest sales per square foot. Simon owns the best performer, according
to 2009 estimates by real estate research company Green Street Advisors in Newport Beach, California.
General Growth’s best-performing malls are the Grand Canal Shoppes and Fashion Show in Las Vegas, Ala Moana Center
in Honolulu, and Whalers Village in Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui, according to Green Street. All four have annual
sales per square foot of $1,100 to $1,200. General Growth’s other malls include Boston’s Faneuil Hall and South
Street Seaport in New York City.
General Growth announced plans to split itself into two companies as part of an effort to exit bankruptcy with Brookfield’s
The proposal would give General Growth equity holders total consideration of $15 a share, the company said in a statement.
General Growth stockholders would receive one new General Growth share with an initial value of $10, plus one share of a new
company, to be called General Growth Opportunities, with an initial value of $5, for each share they own. Unsecured creditors
would be repaid in full plus interest.
“This sets the floor in our mind, $15, and you have a sophisticated real estate investor setting that price,”
General Growth President Thomas H. Nolan Jr. said Wednesday.
Under the unsolicited offer by Simon, which the Indianapolis-based company made public last week, equity investors would
have received about $9 a share and unsecured creditors paid in full for about $7 billion. General Growth said at the time
the offer was too low and it would invite other bids.
Non-disclosure agreements signed by both Simon and Westfield will allow them to talk with potential partners, something General
Growth had previously barred, according to the person familiar with contents of the documents.
One of those potential partners may be the same company that won Equity Office: Blackstone, the world’s largest private-equity
firm. The New York-based company is in talks to join Simon Property’s bid for General Growth, two people with knowledge
of the discussions said on Feb. 18.
At a bankruptcy court hearing scheduled for March 3, General Growth plans to ask for more time to work on its own plan for
exiting Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
“General Growth will lay out to a judge why its recapitalization plan for maximizing shareholder value is superior
to SPG’s $10 billion offer,” Alexander Goldfarb, an analyst with Sandler O’Neill & Partners LP in New
“What makes this situation so fascinating is that here is a bankrupt company where not only will the creditors likely
be made whole, but the equity holders will also see recovery,” Goldfarb said.
General Growth filed the largest real-estate bankruptcy in U.S. history in April after amassing $27 billion in debt making
acquisitions. Brookfield owns almost $1 billion in General Growth debt, two people with knowledge of the company’s holdings
said last week.
William Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management LP, General Growth’s biggest shareholder, is backing Brookfield’s
proposal, which General Growth said yesterday is subject to approval by the bankruptcy court. The company may still receive
other offers as part of the bankruptcy process, Nolan said.
General Growth’s shares have rallied past Simon’s buyout offer, signaling investors expected a higher bid. The
stock rose 15 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $13.04 per share Thursday in over-the-counter trading. The shares are up 44 percent
in the last two weeks.
Howard Davidowitz, chairman of the retail consulting and investment banking company Davidowitz & Associates Inc. in New
York, said General Growth’s assets are strong for the category, even though he views enclosed malls as a risky investment.
“General Growth does have some great ones,” Davidowitz said. “There’s no question.”


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Taiwan Mobile has introduced an NFC bracelet that can be used to assist the elderly, and in particular those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, should they get lost. When someone comes across a lost person wearing one of the smart wristbands, they simply touch the bracelet to their smartphone to send an alert containing the ID of the bracelet and their GPS location to a pre-set list of family, friends and relevant authorities.
- US merchant groups call for creation of open tokenization standards
- Facebook closes gifts business
- Amazon Wallet teams up with Blackhawk
- Square unveils EMV card reader
- Nestle runs NFC marketing campaign in 480 Woolworth stores across Australia


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Neighbouring textile giants Mainland China and India are taking separate paths, with the first focusing on hi-tech while the second concentrates on handicrafts.
04 September 2019
Exhibitors from numerous countries and regions filled the aisles at this year’s HKTDC Hong Kong International Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair with an incredible variety of colourful linens, yarns and fabrics.More
Research shows that consumers in Mainland China are willing to look abroad for new food experiences.
21 August 2019
An eagerness to try new food experiences, confidence in the safety of certified packaged foods, and a willingness to pay more for quality, healthy items make Mainland China an enticing market for food exporters worldwide. More
A recent HKTDC-led Hong Kong business delegation to Thailand explored cooperation opportunities.
14 August 2019
Exchanges between China and Thailand date back as far as the Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago; Thailand’s status as a key ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member and China’s Belt and Road Initiative mean these well-established ties are becoming more extensive and stronger. More
The biggest bank in Japan has won approval to settle transactions in renminbi, which could be a boon for the Belt and Road Initiative.
07 August 2019
The news that MUFG Bank – the largest banking group in Japan – has won approval to settle transactions in renminbi, the currency of Mainland China, is being seen by observers as a clear sign of a warming in relations between Tokyo and Beijing, as well as an indication of greater cooperation to come. More
Beijing-based Silk Road Fund confirms go-ahead of joint venture with Saudi Arabia's Acwa Power green utilities group.
31 July 2019
Mainland China's Silk Road Fund (SRF) has announced plans to acquire a 49% stake in Acwa Power Renewable Energy Holding (APRE), the renewable-energy platform developed by Riyadh-headquartered utilities business Acwa Power. More


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Now Cablevision has indeed acknowledged that subscribers will soon be able to watch TV programming on their iPads, with only one big catch: It will work only at home.
This curious solution was mentioned by Cablevision COO Tom Rutledge during a quarterly earnings call: “When you look at an iPad, and you are in a Cablevision household, you’ll be able to get every service we provide — VoD, broadcast television, all of our expanded basic services.” While that’s a pretty cool add-on, it flat out comes up limping compared to rivals devising “TV Everywhere,” where you’ll be able to access their services anywhere that has an Internet connection. It’s not clear why Cablevision is pushing this home-only limitation to its “mobile” solutions, but I don’t think consumers will be happy a year from now when friends can watch TV on their mobile device thanks to their providers, but the ones that have this feature can’t.
I’m not sure where Cablevision is going with this feature. But I think that they should really consider improving on the home-only limitation. Most people get information out of their homes and they want to be as mobile as possible. This home-only feature is the exact opposite of where the mobile entertainment industry is heading.
What do you think? What can you say about this new move from Cablevision with the iPad? What would you like to share?
Let us all know in the comments!


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Canadian apparel company Lululemon Athletica has collaborated with sustainable materials leader Genomatica to create a lower-impact, plant-based nylon to replace conventional nylon, which is the largest volume of synthetic material currently used to make lululemon products. This represents Lululemon’s first equity investment in a sustainable materials company.
Genomatica uses biotechnology and fermentation to convert plant-based ingredients into widely used chemical building blocks, like those used to make nylon. These building blocks are converted to pellets and yarns, and the companies will be working closely with Lululemon’s fabric supply chain to incorporate this material into future products.
Through this collaboration, the companies seek to create positive change within the $22 billion global nylon market by building more sustainable supply chains, the two companies said in a joint statement.
Calvin McDonald, CEO, Lululemon said, “Genomatica's bio-based innovations, along with their distinctive track record of successful commercial applications, will help us deliver on our Impact Agenda goals to make 100 per cent of our products with sustainable materials and end-of-use solutions by 2030, as we move toward a circular ecosystem.”
Courtesy - News and Image courtesy: Fibre2fashion


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Trade deals should focus on opening up trade and should not be overloaded with all kinds of other purposes. And when politics does sneak into trade deals, it should be left to the elected politicians and not to judges, writes Pieter Cleppe.
It has been six years since negotiations on a comprehensive economic trade deal between the EU and Canada began. Despite worries over TTIP and the Investor-State Dispute Settlement, it can wait no longer, contends Artis Pabriks.
This piece is an attempt to provide a pathway that may secure a positive vote in the European Parliament for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada, writes Sorin Moisa.


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Global market research firm Synovate last week released the findings of its latest Young Asians survey. According to the report, young Asians’ personal ownership of mobiles has increased from 60 percent in 2008 to 64 percent in 2010. In Hong Kong, the figure jumped from 82 to 87 percent, while in Singapore, it went from 80 to 85 percent.
The survey looked at the lifestyle, product ownership, media consumption and leisure habits of people aged 8 to 24 across 11 markets in Asia, covering China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. A total of 12,302 young people were interviewed in person or online during the second quarter of 2010.
According to the study, young Asians still value talking on their phone as an important way of staying in touch with family and friends.
Listening to music, playing games and taking photos are some of the other things young people turn to their mobile for, with around half of young mobile owners making use of these functions on their phone. One in five also uses the device to record video.
Twenty percent of youth surveyed across Asia use their mobile to surf the internet, 17 percent engage in instant messaging, and 15 percent visit and update their profile on social- networking sites.
The survey also indicates untapped opportunities for mobile marketing, as one in three young Hong Kongers indicated they do not mind receiving or responding to ads on their phone in return for being paid or incentivised.
"[Young people] in Asia are looking to receive the latest information to wow their peers, so reaching them through mobile is the most immediate way to gain their attention," said Steve Garton, executive director of Media Research for Synovate.
Twenty-four percent of mobile owners indicated they would like to receive more ads on their phone even without incentives, a figure that is similar to the regional average, showing young consumers’ willingness to receive information through this medium.


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On March 7, 2011, Judge Steven Brick of the Superior Court of California, Alameda County, granted summary judgment in favor of a group of pharmaceutical manufacturers and their trade group, PhRMA, in an antitrust action brought by a group of retail pharmacists in 2004 under California law. Cravath served as co-counsel to defendant Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
The pharmacists alleged that the pharmaceutical companies conspired to inflate the prices of prescription drugs sold in the United States, including California. Summary judgment was granted for the defendants in December 2006 based on the “pass-on” legal defense, but that judgment was reversed by the Supreme Court of California in July 2010 and the case was remanded to the trial court. Defendants’ motions for summary judgment on the merits of the action were argued on February 17, 2011, and were granted with the Court finding that the plaintiffs failed to provide evidence suggesting the existence of an unlawful conspiracy.
The Cravath lawyers involved in this matter include partners Evan R. Chesler, Peter T. Barbur, Richard J. Stark and associates Brendon DeMay and Jacob M. Honigman.


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By The Nation
The store had announced it was ceasing operations after facing three consecutive years of losses.
MBK said on Thursday it has a plan to develop and improve the retail space left vacant by Tokyu’s exit in line with the centre’s business strategy to meet the demands of customers, business partners and shareholders.
“MBK Centre continues to develop its business to maintain sustainable growth and standards as a leading shopping centre in Thailand,” the company said.
Tokyu started its business at MBK Centre in 1985. With a total retail area of 12,000 square metres, the store was the second largest there after SF Corporation.


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Preston Innovations has appointed Joe Carass as its new Media and Content Creator. The UK company, which is owned by Zebco Brands in the US, is the latest in a line of businesses to invest in bringing digital media skills in-house. Carass has for the last two years..
Guy Tillotson and Tom Jindra, of the Grand Slam Outdoors Group, have joined the R.L. Winston Rod Company and Bauer Reels as South Eastern Sales representatives in the US..
Tillotson, the owner of Grand Slam and a former guide with global experience, takes responsibility for Georgia, Florida and North and South Carolina. He has represented major tackle companies for more than 20 years and is familiar with retailing,.. Read More
KastKing, the fast growing US-based fishing tackle manufacturer, has created a new role within the company for Al Noraker, its former Director of Product Development. He has been appointed Vice President of Business Development and will be responsible for strategic planning and creative brand building for the Garden..
UK-based tackle fishing tackle manufacturer and distributor, TronixFishing, which is looking for distributors across Europe and beyond, has launched its new trade catalogue for 2019. The 184-page manual showcases product from its sea fishing brand Tronixpro, lure brand, HTO, and carp brand, Carptronix. New this year is the..
Bauer Media, the owner of The Big One show that took place in the UK at last weekend, has reported ‘phenomenal feedback’ from the event. The German-based publisher acquired the UK’s biggest consumer show from Vince Davies early last year, but had little time to influence it in..
Fishing Republic, one of the UK’s major retailers of tackle, went into administration just before Christmas last year owing an estimated £240,000, according to its administrators. It has also been revealed that GO Outdoors, part of the JD Sports Fashion group, paid £900,000 in full to acquire the..


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The last three years have been a period of remarkable performance for the U.S. video game market, but 2019 is not forecast to reach the double-digit percentage gains we’ve seen in recent years.
However, continued strength in mobile, growth in digital spending on consoles, and a thriving Nintendo Switch platform are projected to be the primary factors that will lead to $44.6 billion in annual consumer spend for the total video games industry in the U.S., an increase of 6 percent, according to Mat Piscatella, Industry Analyst, U.S. Games at NPD.
The forecast 6 percent growth for total U.S. video game industry spending across content, hardware and accessories is considerably smaller than the 14 percent growth achieved in 2018, and 20 percent growth in 2017.
Sales of video game content, which includes full game sales, downloadable content & microtransactions, as well as subscriptions across mobile, console, portable and PC, is forecast to grow by 9 percent when compared to a year ago, to $37.8 billion. Mobile and console digital growth is expected to offset declines across other content segments such as physical and PC digital.
Sales of console and portable hardware are forecast to reach $4.4 billion, a decline of 12 percent when compared to 2018. Growth in sales of Nintendo Switch hardware is expected to be offset by declines across PlayStation 4 and Xbox One hardware. These declines will be driven by cycle timing as new hardware platforms from both Sony and Microsoft are expected to reach the market in 2020.
Accessory sales are also expected to decline as gains in gamepad spending will not be able to offset declines across other accessory segments. Accessory spending should reach $2.2 billion in 2019, with declines of 8 percent when compared to a year ago.
Piscatella is predicting Call of Duty: Modern Warfare to be the best-selling game of 2019 in the U.S. market. This would mark the ninth time a Call of Duty game has led the U.S. market in full game sales over the last 11 years. Other top sellers:
NBA 2K20 will be the second best-selling game of the year, climbing from its position as the third best-selling game last year.
Madden NFL 20 will be the year’s third best-selling game (Madden NFL is the best-selling Sports franchise of all time in the U.S. market).
Nintendo Switch was the best-selling hardware platform in the U.S. during the first half of the year; and it’s the only platform that’s experiencing year-on-year growth. This trend is expected to continue through the remainder of 2019, driven by the launch of the Nintendo Switch Lite, and the release of Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield.
Nintendo Switch hardware could reach an annual unit sales total not seen in the U.S. market since the Xbox 360 in 2011.
Strong percentage growth in subscription spending is expected to continue throughout the holiday window (calendar Q4) as services such as Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Now and Nintendo Switch Online continue to build consumer bases. However, streaming services such as Google Stadia are not forecast to have a meaningful impact on overall market sales in the fourth quarter of the year.
Next year will bring many changes to the U.S. video game marketplace. New console hardware from Microsoft and Sony will be introduced, streaming services such as Google Stadia will have a full year in market, and mobile offerings like Apple Arcade will continue to evolve. In addition, subscription services across all platforms will proliferate and grow while free-to-play gaming across PC and console should continue thriving. These factors will combine for what could be a significant shift in consumer buying and engagement behavior not seen in some time, if ever.


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A sweater once gifted to Princess Diana by Sir Richard Branson is set to be auctioned next month, with experts predicting it could be sold for as much as $5,000
The navy sweater, which featured the slogan "Fly Virgin Atlantic", was a gift from the Virgin founder himself and was worn near constantly by Diana as a way to troll the paparazzi who followed her on a daily basis. Diana's personal trainer Jenni Rivett revealed that Diana believed that "wearing the famous Virgin sweatshirt to every session would be a good way to stop the media frenzy.”
Read more: Our favourite royal christening photos
The sweater was gifted to Jenni Rivett by Diana months before she died in 1997, along with a note that read: “Dearest Jenni, Lots of love from, Diana, x”.
According to Britain’s Daily Express newspaper, the sweater will be sold at RR Auction house in Boston, Massachusetts next month


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Need help picking plants? Check out UF's new app
From azaleas to hickory trees and about 450 other plants in between, the Florida-Friendly Landscaping "FFL Plant Guide" mobile app is a new resource to help Florida residents choose the most hardy and helpful species for their yards and planters.
The app has been available for download for a little over a month from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences FFL program, according to Tom Wichman, FFL program coordinator and radio host of a daily one-minute gardening show on WUFT-FM.
And it's free, thanks to support from UF's project partner, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
While the app's information has been available online as well as in hard copy as a book, people really needed a user-friendly, searchable version to bring with them while shopping, he said. So the mobile guide was born.
“People, oftentimes when they go shopping for plants, they’re very confused. They get to the garden center, and they don’t know what to pick. So, they end up picking what’s pretty, what’s on sale, instead of what’s best for their landscape,” Wichman said. "This allows them to kind of go through and pick the plants that are best suited for the environment so that their landscape will thrive.”
The app works through a series of filters. First, put in your ZIP code to narrow down the hundreds of plant options to just ones suited for your area. Then, select from categories like plant type, plant shape, flower color, sun/shade and Florida native status to see pictures of sustainable options suited just for you.
And don't forget to use it more than once. The guide is constantly updating with new plants as more species are approved for FFL status, Wichman said. For example, he said he uses the app to find new plants to help diversify his yard, protecting against pests and supporting biodiversity.
One recent discovery Wichman found through the app was the sweet almond bush, he said. Since planting it, the number of butterflies, important local pollinators, visiting his home has increased.
"I’m often trying to find new plants. I’ve used it to see if I can find something new and different, or at least something new to me," he said. "Having many different plant species is important because it can protect your landscape."
The plant guide app can be downloaded to your phone from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. The web version can be found online at the FFL website, ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/resources/apps, along with three other sections that include a rundown on local fertilizer ordinances, a guide to toxic plants and a butterfly garden planner.


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Fisker seems to be on top of the wave and with the success of the Karma and besides the unveiling of the Ferrarii FF lookalike Surf at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the “green” automaker is preparing a convertible version which will be named Sunset.
The Fisker Sunset Convertible is not a stranger and it has already seen an international auto show, being presented at Detroit’s NAIAS (North American International Auto Show) and through the voice of the company’s CEO, Henrik Fisker, it seems that the new model is scheduled for production, being expect sometimes in 2013.
The Sunset Convertible is currently powered by a four-cylinder engine mated to an electric drive motor, delivering a total output of 403 horsepower and 981 lb-ft of torque, but comes as a surprise is when all of this torque is available: from 0 rpm.
Fisker says that its new Sunset Convertible will have a range of over 300 miles, being also able to travel 50 miles on pure electric, but when shifted into the sport mode it will hit 60 mph from standstill in about 6 seconds, providing the pure fun of a sports car combined with the low fuel consumption of a hybrid.
The “green” automaker didn’t provide a price for its third car but considering the fact that the Karma costs between $95.900 and $108.900, it’s expected that the Sunset will be in the six-figure zone.


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Lost Judgement comes to you from the team that created the Yakuza series. The official trailer was unveiled this morning at Sony’s ‘State of Play’ event. The game will be a sequel to the popular, ‘Judgement’, which released in 2018 on PS4.
Lost Judgment weaves noir narrative and action-packed investigations into a mystery thriller. You can watch the trailer above.
Lost Judgement will release worldwide on the PS4 & PS5 on September 24, 2021.
Both the Digital Premium or Digital Ultimate Editions are currently available for pre-order. Lost Judgement will be available for early access from September 21, 2021.
What did you think of Sony’s ‘State of Play’ event?


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Are Digital Cigarettes Protected?
Researchers discovered that mice exposed to e-cigarette aerosol for fifty four weeks developed carcinomas of the lungs and abnormal bladder cell growth. Tobacco and Health research show that the leading purpose for youth and younger adult e-cigarette use is “they come in flavors I like” — with 77.9% and ninety.three% deciding on this as a cause, respectively. In comparability, solely 66.four% of adults aged 25 and over selected this as a reason. Teens and young adults can textual content “DITCHVAPE” to and get instant help. Parents of young individuals who vape can get help at BecomeAnEX.org. JUUL has spent more than $1 million to market its merchandise on the web and has paid for campaigns on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
In 2017, the FDA pushed again the compliance date for e-cigarette producers to submit pre-market applications much more to August 2022. This delay within the compliance deadline enabled the proliferation of e-cigarettes that have by no means undergone an FDA evaluate. It is tough to monitor and analyze the market because of variations within the monitoring of e-cigarette gross sales. Common gross sales-monitoring and retail measurement firms like Nielsen don’t examine vape shop information, which may constitute as a lot as 20% of the market. A research found that e-cigarette customers who are male and youthful had been the most likely to take part in discussion forums online related to e-cigarettes.
Delaware requires retailers to obtain a license to promote e-cigarette liquids, but not e-cigarette units themselves. As of October 2019, a last steering had not yet been issued by the FDA.
However, recently JUUL announced that it would “droop all broadcast, print and digital promoting in the U.S.” It was not clear from the announcement how long that suspension would last. Flavors are a top purpose why younger folks start using e-cigarettes.
Even among non-smokers, exposure and advertising via social media linked e-cigarettes with increased perceptions of stylishness and recognition. Of the examine individuals, 19% often noticed e-cigarette advertisements on Facebook and sixteen% on Instagram. These outcomes had been also found to be directly correlated with current use. JUUL spent more than $1 million to market its products on the internet and has paid for campaigns on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Youth could also be exposed to pro-tobacco content and promoting on social media via various sources, including commercial brands as well as their very own peers or influential accounts they observe. The nature of social sharing permits branded or promotional content material to virally unfold across platforms, which might increase youth publicity to overt advertising and pro-tobacco content material posted by influential peer community members. More lately, mobile advertisements have become a popular place to advertise e-cigarettes.
- Early research show a strong link between teenagers’ utilizing e-cigarettes and smoking tobacco cigarettes.
- Researchers will proceed to measure e-cigarette and tobacco-cigarette use amongst teenagers to grasp the relationship between the two.
- In addition, he stated, the Element Vape new research does not analyze the rise in youth and teen smoking on account of e-cigarette advertising and availability, nor does it evaluate the unfavorable health effects of e-cigarettes to traditional tobacco merchandise.
Fin Electronic Vapor Cigarettes
International regulation of e-cigarettes varies extensively, and, due to the relatively recent introduction of the product category, is rapidly changing. As of June 15, 2019, 24 states and the District of Columbia require licenses for the retail gross sales of e-cigarettes.
These starter kits comprise e-cig vaporizers, rechargeable batteries, wall charging adapters, and e-liquids to get the brand new vapers started on their journey. WHO frequently screens and reviews the proof on ENDS and health and presents guidance to governments. They are significantly dangerous when used by youngsters and adolescents. Nicotine is extremely addictive and young individuals’s brains develop up to their mid-twenties. Exposure to nicotine of kids and adolescents can have lengthy-lasting, damaging effects on brain development and there may be risk of nicotine habit. Evidence reveals that these products are dangerous to well being and aren’t protected. However, it is too early to provide a clear answer on the lengthy-time period impression of using them or being uncovered to them.
Mobile advertisements, or paid commercials on smartphone purposes and web sites optimized for cellular, have the potential to achieve tens of millions of younger individuals. Exposure to nicotine amongst youth is particularly dangerous because it has been proven to have an effect on key mind receptors, making younger folks extra prone to nicotine addiction. The first examine to link e-cigarette use to cancer was published in October 2019.


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(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
AMC Theaters is putting itself squarely in competition with Netflix and Hulu.
The movie entertainment company has launched a streaming service that customers can access at home.
Members of its loyalty program can now rent and buy movies with ease.
It’s the first cinema operator to give customers the option.
Will you enroll?


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Motorola Moto G prepped for a November 13 announcement
We have seen plenty of rumors and leaks surrounding the Moto G and it looks like Motorola is just about ready to come forward with some official details. This morning, Motorola has sent out a 'save the date' style email and also launched the www.moto-g ...
Motorola's Moto G Android Smartphone Poised for Big Reveal on November 13
Moto G launch next week, £135 quad-core Android rumoured
Moto G teaser page goes live ahead of November 13 announcement


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We’re pleased to announce that Specialist Glass Products has been shortlisted for Manufacturer of the Year (under 25m) at the Made in Yorkshire Awards.
With tremendous growth and development over the past 12-months, providing quality glass for projects, including the John Lewis store in Edinburgh, Bentley HQ and the former Liverpool Echo Building, we can confirm we are among seven companies shortlisted for the Manufacturer of the Year (under 25m) Award.
The award is for the Yorkshire manufacturing company, with a reported turnover of less than £25m, which has demonstrated excellence and made an outstanding contribution to the manufacturing sector in the region.
The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 29th July at the Hilton Hotel, Leeds.
The prestigious manufacturing dinner celebrates world-class companies based in Yorkshire and the Humber and the products they are making here and selling worldwide. Since the outbreak of Covid-19, manufacturers have made remarkable transitions to new products to meet national needs or simply continued their brilliant innovation and ongoing success.
Andrew Taylor, our Managing Director, commented: “We are delighted to be recognised in the Manufacturer of the Year (under 25m) category. We’re so pleased that the judges have recognised our hard work and contribution to the region. We have worked hard to retain and employ further employees during the pandemic whilst investing in state-of-the-art machinery to provide the highest quality products for our customers.
“We can’t wait to celebrate at the awards ceremony among the top manufacturers in Yorkshire!”
You can find out more about the Insider Made in Yorkshire Awards here.


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iParty Corp. (NYSE Amex: IPT - news), a party goods retailer, today reported financial results for its third quarter of fiscal year 2011, which ended on September 24, 2011. In addition, the Company announced the signing of a five year extension on improved economic terms to its revolving credit facility with Wells Fargo Capital Finance, part of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) (“ Wells Fargo”).
Third Quarter 2011 Highlights
- Consolidated revenues of $16.5 million for the third quarter of 2011, a 2.6% decrease compared to the third quarter of 2010.
- Comparable store sales decrease of 5.7% for the third quarter of 2011, and 4.4% for the nine month period then ended, as compared to the applicable prior year periods.
- Net loss of $2.8 million for the third quarter of 2011, including an extraordinary loss of $393 thousand related to a flood casualty from Tropical Storm Irene, compared to net loss of $1.9 million for the third quarter of 2010.
- Adjusted EBITDA net loss for the third quarter of 2011 of $2.0 million, compared to Adjusted EBITDA net loss in the third quarter of 2010 of $1.4 million (See accompanying schedule for reconciliation of non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA to net loss for the period).
- The opening of eleven temporary Halloween stores in September, bringing the number of iParty storefronts this Halloween season to 63 from 62 last year.
- Five year extension on improved economic terms to the Company’s existing revolving credit facility, including lower margins on borrowings and reduced reserves.
Sal Perisano, iParty’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Our third quarter results continue to reflect the effects of a sluggish retail environment. The bottom line in the third quarter was also impacted by a significant flood loss in our West Lebanon, NH store caused by Tropical Storm Irene, which is temporarily closed during repairs to the store and shopping center that are expected to last three months. This same storm caused a disruption in business to several stores during the week after it hit New England."


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Jerrod Blandino and hubby Jeremy Johnson, co-founders of cosmetics brand Too Faced, are true to their colors.
They “think pink” with their makeup line, which comes with slogans like “Own Your Pretty,” and “Unabashedly Pink.”
Now, their equally-as-bold prewar condo at 40 E. 61st St. is on the market for $3.25 million.
Blandino and Johnson launched the company in 1998. Last year, the company was valued at $500 million, with annual revenue around $150 million and sales growing at more than 60 percent a year, according to the company as reported in the Wall Street Journal.
Products have humor-filled names, like Better Than Sex mascara and the Chocolate Bar eye shadow collections, with colors like champagne truffle and hazelnut — and fans including Ariana Grande’s make-up artist, Daniel Chinchilla.
Blandino and Johnson have used a similarly playful tone when it comes to their fully done unit, which sports a large landscaped terrace, with room for lounge chairs as well as separate areas for drinks and a dining table for six — and coveted Central Park views.
The interior features custom built-ins, shades of hot pink and teal, an open chef’s kitchen and a “hotel-like” Master bedroom suite, according to the listing, with a dressing room, marble bath and additional walk in closet.
There’s also an area currently configured as a windowed office. The listing broker is Randall Gianopulos, of Sotheby’s.


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Container makers in a bind as demand drops off
When demand picks up again, the industry is sure to face a shortage of containers, just like it did in 2010.
A stark indication of the container industry slowdown is in the profit warning issued this week by China International Marine Containers. The company warned investors that it expects to post a 55-75 percent drop in first half net profit over the same period last year.
The Cosco and China Merchants Group owned box maker said it would report a net profit of US$111 to $198 million for the January to June period, well below the $450 million it raked in last year.
A sharp drop in orders is the main reason for the poor results, although falling container prices have contributed to rapidly falling revenues. With China’s exports slowing, the demand for new boxes has fallen off a cliff and container lines have enough problems trying to figure out how to utilise excess ship capacity, let alone a surplus of containers.
The Shenzhen-headquartered CIMC is the global leader in container manufacturing, and has been for well over a decade. Almost all the world’s containers are made in China and CIMC holds a market share of close to 60 percent with 12 production centres scattered across the country.
There are two main box makers in China – CIMC and Singamas Container Holdings, owned by PIL. Between them, they can make around 3.5 million TEUs a year.
That number of boxes has not been required recently and the uncertain economic outlook means the container manufacturing machines will remain idle for the time being.
A real problem will emerge when trade begins to pick up again (this slowdown can’t last forever). Cast your minds back to July 2010 when the box makers were caught unprepared for a surge in demand after drastically cutting back production in 2009.
Prices for containers surged more than 30 percent as CIMC and Singamas tried to match demand and shipping lines and forwarders were scrambling to find boxes.
Cynics suggested a the time that it was a deliberate strategy by the container makers to ensure a shortage of boxes that would force up prices and help the companies recover losses from the market slowdown.
There is little doubt the industry will experience another container shortage as soon as there is a sustained spike in exports from China, and with half-year net profit falling by up to 75 percent, the resulting increase in the price of boxes will no doubt be welcomed by the makers of containers.


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Why are cryptocurrencies so popular in Vietnam?According to the Crypto Adoption Index, in October 2021, Vietnam surpassed most countries in terms of the overall peer-to-peer transaction value, as well as payments made by individuals. Initially, cryptocurrency appeared as a viable alternative for remittance transfers from overseas Vietnamese who were looking to avoid the hassle and costs associated with using banking services. In general, remittances have been representing a substantial share of Vietnam’s GDP, which gave early cryptocurrency usage a good foothold in the country.
Another possible explanation for the popularity of these digital assets in Vietnam is that they are often seen and used as investment tools. The uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to investment interest in cryptocurrencies as a new income source among Vietnamese investors. Furthermore, the Vietnamese population has been known to embrace all things digital, from the internet and smartphones to digital payment formats such as e-wallets and crypto assets.
Cryptocurrencies in Vietnam: Bitcoin, GameFi, and moreBitcoin is arguably the most established cryptocurrency worldwide, and Vietnam is no exception. Regardless of the emergence and development of other cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin remains the digital currency with the most search interest and the highest ownership rate among Vietnamese investors. Apart from Bitcoin and other well-known cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum, GameFi is another popular cryptocurrency category among Vietnamese investors. GameFi cryptocurrencies combine gaming and decentralized finance, which means participants can make a profit from playing games and investing in tokens at the same time. Vietnam's growing gamer community provides GameFi coins with a solid basis to thrive. For instance, AXS, a GameFi cryptocurrency created by the Vietnamese game developer company Axie Infinity, has recently achieved a market capitalization of over 2.5 billion U.S. dollars within a few years of its release.
Nevertheless, all cryptocurrencies still face the challenge of not being recognized as either a legitimate payment form or as a type of property in Vietnam, hence, the exchange of these assets has yet to be legal. While Vietnamese investors still trade and use crypto assets using international platforms, their activities are potentially subjected to legal fines, and their investments are neither taxable nor protected by Vietnamese laws. The State Bank of Vietnam is currently working on a pilot regulation project for digital assets, which is to be implemented latest in 2023. The elimination of this legal gap should foster the further development of the crypto market in the country in the future.


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Conventional wisdom insists that malls and other brick-and-mortar merchants are a doomed species of retail, given the increasing dominance of Amazon and the growing tendencies of consumers to shop via mobile devices and other computers.
Maybe. Maybe not.
But main reason is clear to analysts:
“Wages are up. Employment is up. Interest rates are low. So it’s really a very good economic time for consumers,” Paul Hogan, a portfolio manager and analyst at Fenimore Asset Management, told The Wall Street Journal. More evidence of that comes from the SPDR S&P Retail exchange-traded fund, which “has tacked on 16% this year, including 5.6% in August alone.”
However, the long death spiral of Sears continues with the recent announcement that it would close 46 more Sears and Kmart locations, showing that not all merchants are in good shape, no matter how much they strive to come up with new concepts, or marry their physical and online efforts.
But, as a new PYMNTS in-depth story shows, some retailers are not only trying to up their competitive game against Amazon, but make sure they survive and thrive long into the 21st century.
That said, Amazon.com could hit $2.5 trillion in market cap by 2024 — fueled, in part, by the increasing importance of advertising revenue for the eCommerce operator, along with the continued role of Amazon Web Services. Earlier this month, Apple became the first U.S. company to pass the $1 trillion market cap threshold — that underscores the challenges faced by legacy retail chains.
But some retailers — notably Kohl’s — have decided that working with Amazon is the right path. The third quarter should provide more clarity about the results of such moves.


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Missed this one old news now!! this may have been the first to raise price target to over 52, someone has it set to 55.00 now.
July 18 2012
Wedbush Securities maintained an Outperform rating on eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) and raised its price target from $48 to $52.
Wedbush noted, “We expect EBAY to outperform as it transforms into a payments-driven company and garners V/MA-like multiples. We believe eBay will realize significant value over the next few years as it extends its support of retailers from the online realm onto their entire footprint.”


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media information, June 2004
7 designers have been selected by a jury of fashion journalists to be presented in an online public voting until 30. September 2004. A live voting barometer will show the actual ranking.
The public voting on www.fashionoffice.org/triumph is part of the Triumph International Fashion Award 2004. The prices and international presentations represent a value of around 100.000 Euro, which makes this award one of the most important international fashion design awards this year.
Die 7 selected designers:
• Aleksandra Paszkowska – Polen (lives in
Everyone who takes part in the voting has the chance to win swimsuits, bikinis, bras and corsets of the brand new collections of Triumph International.
photos of the newest collections:
www.fashionoffice.org has been the first online fashion magazine in German/English worldwide in 1996. Now fashionoffice.org is one of the most important fashion publications on the net.
More information: fashionOffice.org, Dr. Karin Sawetz. Tel: 0043.1.76985-101, E-Mail: email@example.com


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Corporate expense management company Divvy is targeting expense fraud with its new platform, the company announced Wednesday (Dec. 13).
The firm, which launched last year, is rolling out a new solution that enhances transparency and control of company spend. In part, the platform aims to provide businesses with greater visibility over employee spend to prevent misuse of company cards or fraud. In its announcement, Divvy cited research from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, which found that businesses waste a median of $30,000 on “illegitimate expenses.”
Employee mismanagement of company money earned the top spot as the most common instance of fraud — 83 percent of cases involved employee misspend, analysts found.
“We created Divvy to give business owners a proactive way to manage their employees' spending habits, effectively helping them spend smarter while reducing the risks of fraud and wasteful spending,” said Divvy founder and CEO Blake Murray. “When given context and relevant data, we tend to make better decisions. Divvy puts this data front and center, which improves decision making, ensures budgets are adhered to and provides the real reward — automated expense reports.”
In addition to the new platform, Divvy also announced a collaboration with corporate payments company WEX. Together, the businesses are linking corporate clients to a spend management solution and a platform that provides spend data and analytics. The solution aims to help businesses provide employees with a company card product they can monitor. This means workers will not have to use their personal funds and seek reimbursement later.
“Employees are essentially giving their company a no-interest loan when they use their personal credit cards for corporate spending,” said WEX vice president of corporate payments Bob Sneed. “But at Divvy, they're taking that burden off of both the employee and the finance department.”
Divvy's platform is also targeting visibility over corporate spend via subscription services. The platform enables companies to create a burner or vendor-locked card number that is assigned to a particular vendor providing subscription services to the company. Divvy's solution allows managers to monitor spend on that card and quickly cancel subscriptions if necessary.
Further, the companies said, the platform enables managers to gain a single portal through which they can manage requests and approve or deny company transactions.


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'Major' Hitman: Absolution announcement coming May 10th
A "major" Hitman: Absolution is coming on Thursday, May 10.
Developer IO Interactive teased the announcement via Twitter along with the photo above.
As for what the announcement could be, your guess is as good as ours. But IO Interactive assures us that we "do not want to miss this one."
So what could it be? Maybe it's coming to the Vita? Maybe they are announcing some type of multiplayer? Or maybe it will just be the official release date. The possibilities are endless, but remember to check back on Thursday for the announcement. What would you like IO to announce?


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Inside the agency: Laundry Service’s new Brooklyn office has killer views
After six years in Manhattan, social media shop Laundry Service decided to decamp to Brooklyn, joining the growing cluster of agencies that call the trendy neighborhood of Dumbo home.
The social media agency and its sister company Cycle moved in March into Empire Stores, a former roasted coffee warehouse that is now a sprawling commercial complex on the East River waterfront. (72andSunny has also moved into the same building.) Laundry Service now has 350 employees across its offices and has clients including Beats by Dre, LG USA Mobile and Bud Light. One obvious draw: the views.
“Our last space had a similar personality that was fun and creative, but there is an added layer of sophistication in this one,” said Alyson Warshaw, chief creative officer at Laundry Service. “It mirrors our growth and how we’ve evolved from a scrappy social shop to a full-service agency.”
The office is a sprawling 42,000-square-foot space on the fifth floor with floor-to-ceiling windows and unbeatable views of the city skyline overlooking Brooklyn Bridge Park and the East River.
The area has an additional 10,000 square feet in the form of an outdoor concrete and wood patio, and a walkway lined with garden plots, à la the High Line in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. Dozens of tables and comfy chairs line the patio as well as the windows looking out on it.
“Google thinks you need baby-sitting and dry cleaning services to keep employees happy, but all you need is a really good view,” said founder and CEO Jason Stein. “In all seriousness, though, I think the most important thing is creating an environment that is democratic, honest, inclusive of all types of people and that provides ample opportunity for growth.”
The office has an open-plan layout that allows different departments to overlap in communal areas, including couches, stand-up desks, restaurant-inspired booths, mini-pods and phone booths. The decor and furniture are modern and minimalist, with a gray color scheme dominating the interior, including two beaded-chain curtains that adorn the reception and the kitchen area.
Still, the agency’s “fun and creative” personality manages to shine, whether it’s through the whacky laundry-inspired names for its 12 conference rooms or the bright neon signs on the lobby wall. The biggest conference room, for example, is reserved mostly for clients and called the Ironing Board, and the one between Stein’s and Warshaw’s offices is called the Stitchuation Room.
There are the required agency touches. There are six neon signs, including one that features Laundry Service’s motto, “Make Amazing Shit,” in all caps and surrounded by a pink heart. Another displays the agency’s social handle, “@247LS,” written on the side of a bottle of detergent. Warshaw worked with designer Adam Kurtz, who did the original illustrations.
“Everyone has the opportunity to do what they want here,” said Warshaw. “It’s a free space that nurtures them and helps them make it their own.”
‘How much do we want to get screwed?’: Confessions of an agency exec on lack of payment due to coronavirus
In the latest edition of our Confessions series, we hear from one agency exec who says that the “times are tough” excuse for late client payments isn’t cutting it anymore.
‘Doubling down’: Inside the 49ers social and digital rush to replace lost in-stadium marketing dollars
Without the ability to deliver ads to the 70,000 fans who attend games in-person, the 49ers have had to pivot to focus on digital and social channels.
Member Exclusive‘Can’t really be ignored’: Marketers and media buyers are finally taking the on-going TikTok saga seriously
Marketers and media buyers have said that as long as people are still on TikTok they’ll want to be there, especially as they try to diversify from Facebook and Google.
SponsoredB2B events were broken before the pandemic, their online reinvention is creating positive change
Kim Darling, executive producer, Inbound Farewell lanyards, business cards and branded pens — it’ll be some time before people get their hands on these souvenirs of in-person events again. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the way people work, buy, sell, socialize and entertain themselves, the global events industry is facing its biggest-ever challenge. […]
‘Clever about how we rest’: As uncertainties drag into fall, agencies are facing a burnt out and fearful workforce
Agency employees and executives say that a feeling of fatigue due to the on-going uncertainty and the need to be always on has set in.
‘A credible voice’: Why Honda is doubling down on esports
Honda has struck deals with Riot Games, pro esports team Team Liquid and Twitch as it looks to maintain its appeal among first-time car buyers.


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UK - Fidelity International has created a new defined contribution and Workplace Saving Business to be led by Julian Webb as part of a company restructuring exercise.
Webb - who is currently head of DC and platform sales - assumes the role of head of Fidelity's DC and workplace savings business with immediate effect, while current head of UK retail marketing David White assumes the role of head of the Fidelity FundsNetwork looking after sales, operations, marketing and technology.
The firm said the move was to increase its focus on the platform market as the workplace will be critical to the future of savings.
Webb (pictured) will relinquish his responsibilities as head of platform sales to enable him to fully focus on his new role.
White - who joined Fidelity in 2002 - has more than 15 years of experience in roles spanning marketing, sales, operations and technology.
As head of FundsNetwork, White will be responsible for continuing to develop the business through maintaining focus on proposition developments and delivering a major programme of enhancements as the platform looks to expand its support for advisers in the run up to the Retail Distribution Review and beyond.
Elsewhere, head of platform development Pete Burtonshaw will take on the delivery of a substantially increased investment programme in Fidelity's platform supporting growth across all of Fidelity's DC and Retail Businesses in the UK and the major regulatory changes over the next few years.
Fidelity International UK managing director Gary Shaughnessy said: "Workplace investing is quite simply going to change the way people save in this country. The shift towards wanting to save or buy your ISA through your employer is gathering pace and as one of the leading ISA and occupational pension providers in the UK, we want to be at the forefront of this revolution."
The Co-operative Group's Somerfield Pension Scheme has completed a buy-in with Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC), insuring the benefits of its pensioner members.
Caroline Rookes CBE and Michele Hirons-Wood have joined The Pension Superfund's board of trustees to focus on maintaining governance standards and safeguarding member benefits.
The first specialist independent firm advising pension schemes on bulk annuities or moving to a consolidator has been set up with ambitions to shake up the market.


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The state is recommending that people limit eating fish from more water bodies in Maine after discovering high levels of forever chemicals in the fish.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued freshwater fish consumption advisories on Thursday recommending that people limit eating all fish or certain fish from six water bodies in Maine, covering streams, lakes, ponds and rivers in Albion, China, Fairfield, Limestone, Sanford and Thorndike.
The advisories add to existing advisories — for water bodies in the additional municipalities of Waterville, Oakland, Westbrook and Unity — bringing the total number of flagged locations to 11.
Species of fish in these water bodies contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, above Maine’s recommended levels for regular consumption.
Two of the new advisories, in Limestone and Sanford, represent an expansion of those issued last year.
For instance last year the state recommended people restrict their consumption of brook trout — and to eat no smallmouth bass — caught in Durepo Pond in Limestone and a portion of Limestone Stream. Now the Maine CDC is recommending people limit eating the brook trout — and still eat no smallmouth bass — in all of the pond and in the length of the stream from Durepo to the Canadian border.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection tested the fish in water bodies located where historical PFAS contamination has been found in groundwater, surface water or the soil, the Maine CDC said.
Exposure to certain PFAS chemicals, which are a group of man-made chemicals found in a variety of consumer products, has been associated with changes in liver and kidney function, changes in cholesterol levels, decreased immune response to vaccines in children, complications during pregnancy, and increased risk of kidney cancer and possibly testicular cancer.
Other recreational activities, such as swimming, wading and boating, remain safe activities, the Maine CDC said.
People can see all existing fish consumption advisories here.


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The new redesign for the Xbox app for PCs has been leaked, thanks to Twitter user h0x0d. The leak tweet shows the beta for the Xbox app being listed on […]
The new redesign for the Xbox app for PCs has been leaked, thanks to Twitter user h0x0d. The leak tweet shows the beta for the Xbox app being listed on the Windows Store, along with additional screenshots showing what the app looks like when it’s being used.
The new redesign appears to list the installed games you have on the left, along with the game pass, social, and store listed on the top. The app also appears to allow you to download games from the game pass directly onto your PC (provided you own the game pass). The app offers a much sleeker look compared to the current Xbox app which appears much more cluttered. The app will be a Win32 program, and will be ditching UWP to be an Electron based program.
On the game’s Windows Store page, there are details of the app also including everything you need to know about a game you’re viewing, the ability to chat with friends across both Xbox and PC, and take advantage of the new Xbox Game Bar with the Xbox app. You can expect to see this announced at the Xbox E3 conference tomorrow.


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Cryptocurrency investors were spooked as US authorities transferred $1 billion Bitcoin recovered from the Dark Web to Coinbase-owned wallet addresses.
Authorities moved the Bitcoin in three transactions, according to data from Blockchain security firm, PeckShield. Nearly 10,000 Bitcoins were sent to Coinbase-controlled wallets, while roughly 41,000 tokens were directed to government-controlled wallets.
Peckshield published its findings on Twitter, concerning investors that the sale of the recovered tokens in the open market could tank the prices of Bitcoin due to intense pressure to sell. The concerns caused Bitcoin’s price to dip roughly 2 per cent, pushing it to below $22,000.
Seized assets are usually sold through auctions. A similar incident took place in 2014 and 2015, where the government auctioned off Bitcoin seized from the owner of virtual black market platform, Silk Road.
“Although concerns about the tokens’ sale on the open market may be overblown, fears that Bitcoin prices could take a hit are not entirely unjustified,” said Conor Ryder, a researcher at crypto markets analysis firm, Kaiko.
“The movement of Silk Road Bitcoin to Coinbase is almost definitely being done with the intention to sell [the recovered tokens], so one has to wonder if Bitcoin is due for some short-term headwinds,” Ryder told CoinDesk.
Sitharaman Urges IMF For A Globally Co-Ordinated Approach On Crypto
Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman held a discussion with International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Kristalina Georgieva on March 9, 2023, and called for the global body to set up a co-ordinated approach to regulate crypto assets.
The virtual conversation held to discuss the forthcoming G20 finance ministers and central bank governors’ meeting, is set to take place in Bengaluru later this month.
Sitharaman also thanked the IMF for supporting varied work streams under the G20 FinTrack during India’s Presidency of the G20 Group.
In a series of Tweets, Sitharaman revealed that Georgieva congratulated India on its strong economic performance in such difficult times, and its role in the digitalisation of the economy, especially in the area of digital transactions.
Binance, Coinbase, OKX Unfastened By Silvergate Capital Shutdown
Silvergate has become a controversial topic on Twitter after its downfall.
When news of the company’s liquidation hit the market, all other crypto firms began assuring their community of their conditions. Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao tweeted that the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange has no asset losses at Silvergate. Funds at the exchange are safe.
“We’re sorry to see Silvergate make the tough decision to wind down their operations. They were a partner and contributor to the growth of the crypto economy. Coinbase has no client or corporate cash at Silvergate. Client funds continue to be safe, accessible, and available,” Coinbase said.