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The California Consumer Privacy Act’ (CCPA) came into effect on January 1, 2020. Passed in 2018, it is meant to improve privacy rights and consumer protection for residents of California, United States. Formally known as AB-375 the new act closely mirrors Europe’s General Data Protection regulation (GDPR) as it relates to the access to, deletion of, and sharing of personal information and intends to provide Californian citizens with knowledge of what personal data is being collected about them and whether their personal data is being disclosed or sold and to whom.
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This month sees the launch of Mio High Intensity Body Care, a new brand from the creators of the Mama Mio skincare line. Mio targets the fitness and wellness sector, featuring four categories of products: Workout Wonders, muscle motivators to energise; Firming Faves to shape and tone; Moisturising Miracles to hydrate and strengthen skin; and Aqua Actives for showering
Skincare brand Alpha-H has announced the launch of the Absolute Eye Cream SPF15. The daily eye treatment is a synergy of science, aesthetics and antioxidants. The formula uses three new peptides Uplevity™, Serilesine™ and Relistase™ to stimulate collagen production, increase skin firmness and diminish wrinkle depth, resulting in a smoother and more even toned complexion and skin that is thicker and has greater elasticity.
Natural skin care brand Jurlique has announced the launch of its Nutri-Define range, comprising an Essential Conditioning Lotion and Eye Contour Balm which feature Biosome5 Innovation, as well as a Refining Foaming Cleanser. Biosome5 Innovation is a patent pending delivery system that optimizes, harmonizes and stabilizes five key vital active ingredients, encapsulating them in liposomal technology, and delivering them to where they are needed most.
Skin and body care brand JERGENS has announced actress and comedienne Leslie Mann as Brand Ambassador. Leslie is the face of the brand's new JERGENS Wet Skin Moisturizer range, also taking part in the You're More Than Just a Pretty Face campaign, which reminds women to care for the skin on their bodies.
Diptyque has unveiled its new Rose collection, featuring products based on the brand's original Eau Rose fragrance, which launched two years ago. A body lotion, Voile Lacté (£32) launches, containing olive oil derivative, squalane and musk rose oil to moisturise the skin. The Émulsion Pour les Mains (£20), a hand lotion, uses macadamia oil and aloe vera to soften. A new limited edition of the Rosa Mundi candle (£42), the companion to Eau Rose, also launches
ARTDECO has announced additions to its Art Couture line, available this month. New products in the line are a blusher, eyeshadow and eyeliner brushes as well as the 3-in-1 Eye Primer. 3-in-1 Eye Primer has a naturally matte finish and creates a base for eye make-up, evening the skin tone and smoothing the skin. Available in cool (No.2) and warm (No.5).

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WHILE some people harbour dreams of one day setting up their own company, others may not even realise they have the entrepreneurial spark within them until someone else discovers it.
That was the case for Larne man Sean Ramsey, who has just launched his own computer repair business in the town.Read more: Sean unleashes his inner entrepreneur
NORCROSS, GA, June 08, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ — Alex Membrillo, the co-founder of Cardinal Web Solutions, an Atlanta Internet Marketing firm, was recently featured in an article for Entrepreneur.com. Written by Lambeth Hochwald, the piece, “5 Ways to Make Sweet Music for Your Business,” was published on May 29, 2012. It discusses how music can be used to positively influence sales and motivate staff.Read more: Cardinal Web Solutions Featured in Entrepreneur
Google+ Launched 8 months ago as Google’s entry into Social Media. Businesses were initially slow to adopt this new social network. Mixed reviews and a lack of understanding about how to use Google+ tools as a means to enhance consumer engagement kept brands on the sidelines. However, recent changes have ignited growth of Google+ Brand Pages and Standard Marketing is suggesting that businesses make Google+ a priority in their Social Network Marketing mix.Read more: Standard Marketing Ltd Reacts to Google’s Recent 2012 Efforts to Streamline
Dear Editor – “Whoever
can conquer the street will one day conquer the state, if you tell a lie long enough, loud enough and often enough, the people
will believe it. The secret to get someone to believe a lie is constant
repetition. Just tell it over, and over, and over again.” –
Joseph Goebbels for Adolph Hitler.
Sir, please allow
me to share some things people need to know about Multi-Level Marketing (MLM).
Whilst this article will focus on shinning some light on MLM, the main reason
for writing this piece is in relation to the Bio-Disc marketed by Questnet or
Qnet. Now a-days multi-level marketing are not always illegal businesses so
they are not always scams right! Really?
Vitel Wireless (Vitel) has officially launched a virtual bank account/debit card program, further expanding its suite of home services products. The company has forged new partnerships and key alliances with some of the biggest names in that sector to bring this product to the Network Marketing and Direct Selling Industry. Vitel’s business owners will now be able to market and promote the advantages of their pre-paid debit card program. Traditionally, banks and credit card companies have charged service fees to maintain and use their accounts.Read more: Vitel Wireless Brings Banking to the Network Marketing Industry


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Takeaway food ordering website Just Eat raised its revenue expectations to slightly above £240m (€337m, $370m), up from the £230 million guidance issued in August.
"The strategy of ongoing investment in technology and marketing to drive order growth has delivered orders ahead of management expectations with an acceleration in order momentum over the period," the company said in its third-quarter order report.
Poor weather had helped the company's order growth accelerate marginally over the summer, the statement said, adding that more than 74 per cent of those orders were made via mobile devices like phones or tablets.
The company has also bought two small businesses in Canada and Northern Ireland, it said. "Our strategy of investing in technology and marketing to drive growth has delivered orders ahead of management expectations with an acceleration in order momentum," the company's chief executive, David Buttress said.


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On Monday, EA Sports began its release of Madden 16’s player ratings, which gamers and non-gamer football fans alike treat as gospel. It isn’t — it’s one part painstaking research, two parts copy-and-pasting from the previous year and three parts guesswork.
Today they released the top five highest rated running backs in the NFL. Somehow, a 30-year-old Adrian Peterson is a 95 overall. There is almost no precedent for a back at his age — who runs with A.P.’s bruising physicality — playing a full, successful season. Then again, there’s never been a player with Adrian Peterson’s combination of size and speed, so it’s not that crazy he’d be given such a gaudy rating in this year’s game.
|Rank||Player||Age||Team||Year||Att||Y/A||Rush Yds||Rush TDs||FPs|
You can check out the full list of top rated running backs, below, plus the top 10 highest rated rookies. Madden 16 hits stores August 25.


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AKRON-Harry Millis put his finger on it. Sizing up the North American tire market in 1996, the venerable tire industry analyst said: ``It's going to be a pretty tough, flat year.''
``Flat'' refers to overall unit volume, while ``tough'' describes an extremely competitive environment that has wreaked havoc with pricing and put pressure on profit margins.
There are signs, though, that the worst may be over and that market conditions are improving-albeit slowly.
Following a first half characterized by industrywide price discounting, Mr. Millis said he expects prices to remain fairly stable through the second half.
The analyst with Cleveland's Fundamental Research Inc. said the intense price competition of the first half was the result of too many tires chasing too few buyers and could be traced to a drop in demand at the original equipment level.
This downturn in demand left tire makers with excess inventory, which they tried to dispose of in the replacement market, Mr. Millis said-an effort that prompted them to drop prices on many lines throughout the first half of this year.
As a result of this discounting, financial results within the North American tire industry will show little growth this year, Mr. Millis said. Even though unit sales may be up for some companies, in dollar terms, sales will not see much change from last year, he said.
Nor will there likely be much change this year in the overall volume of North American tire shipments, Mr. Millis said, as drops in shipments to OE customers generally are offset by modest increases in replacement shipments.
For passenger tires, replacement shipments should increase about 3 percent to 172 million units, Mr. Millis said, while OE shipments likely will fall 3.5 percent to 55 million units.
At the same time, he forecast both aftermarket and OE light truck tire shipments to rise nearly 6 percent-to 27 million and 6.4 million units, respectively.
The most recent forecasts from the Rubber Manufacturers Association's Tire Market Analysis Committee (TMAC) are somewhat less optimistic.
In April, the TMAC predicted a 1.3-percent increase in replacement passenger tire shipments for 1996, to 169 million units, while OE shipments were to slip 1.6 percent to 56.1 million units. For light truck tires, replacement shipments were to grow 2 percent to 26 million units, while OE shipments dropped 10 percent to 5.6 million units.
Medium truck tires also have experienced a glut in 1996-in part, because trucking fleets are not replacing tires at historic rates, said Earl Knoper, Toyo Tire (U.S.A.) Corp.'s senior vice president of marketing.
``Not as many trucks are racking up as many miles as in normal years,'' Mr. Knoper said. He expects the oversupply will correct itself in the fourth quarter.
In this segment, the TMAC forecast a slight decline in replacement shipments, down 1.7 percent to 11.7 million units, while Mr. Millis is predicting a 7.6-percent drop to 11 million units.
OE shipments are expected to drop even more precipitously. The TMAC forecast an 11-percent decline to 4.8 million units, while Mr. Millis foresees a 20-percent plunge to 4.3 million units.
As was the case in the passenger tire segment, the declining demand for medium truck tires has caused a build-up of inventory, especially for larger manufacturers, and has prompted them to cut prices in order to remain competitive.
Meanwhile, 1996 sales of medium truck retreads may reach record levels, according to Marvin Bozarth, executive director of the International Tire and Rubber Association. He said as many as 16.2 million units could be sold this year, up 1.2 percent from 1995.
``It seems like one month you're breaking records on the up side and the next month you're breaking records on the down side,'' he said. ``So it's really crazy right now.''
But passenger retread sales are expected to continue to drop, he said, and may fall as much as 8 percent to 4.6 million units. Light truck retread sales should be flat, but may fall slightly from 7.2 million units in 1995 to 7.1 million in 1996, he said.
Sales for large off-the-road retreads will see a slight increase after a solid 1995. About 680,000 units are expected to be sold this year, Mr. Bozarth said, compared to 678,000 last year.
Though most tire makers have been working hard to increase their market share, little has changed in that respect, Mr. Millis told TIRE BUSINESS.
Goodyear remains on top, with 32.8 percent of the overall market. The largest U.S.-based tire maker also leads in OE and replacement market share with 40 percent and 30.5 percent, respectively.
Michelin (including Uniroyal and Goodrich brands) gained the most in the overall market, adding 2.2 percent for a 23.2-percent share-despite losing 1 percentage point of OE market share.
Bridgestone/Firestone grabbed another 1.5 percent of the replacement market, for a 14.5-percent share. The improvement gives it 15.5 percent of the overall market.
Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. also increased its overall share via a 1-percent gain in the replacement market. It holds 11.3 percent of the overall market, Mr. Millis estimated.


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Apple recently saw fit to announce the new iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models. Although the “Pro” models were well received, the standard models struggled in terms of sales. This is due in part to the lack of upgrades offered this year. While concrete details about the iPhone 15 series are scarce, we are now hearing details about what we should expect with the iPhone 16 lineup in 2024. According to the latest, the iPhone 16 will feature faster RAM and an A18 Bionic chip based on TSMC’s 3nm process to improve performance.
iPhone 16 has LPDDR5X RAM paired with A18 Bionic chip based on TSMC 3nm process, iPhone 15 adheres to LPDDR5
In a tweet shared on Twitter, Apple’s ShrimpApplePro (via MacRumors) suggested that the iPhone 16 will feature an A18 Bionic chipset based on TSMC’s 3nm process for faster CPU and GPU performance. In addition, the iPhone 16 series will also offer faster LPDDR5X RAM. In comparison, the iPhone 14 Pro features LPDDR5 memory. Apple is not looking to upgrade the memory type with this year’s iPhone 15 series.
As for the processor, the iPhone 15 Pro’s A17 Bionic chip will be based on TSMC’s N3B chip process, while the iPhone 16 will come with the A18 Bionic chip based on the manufacturer’s 3nm process. As mentioned earlier, Apple is not looking to change the RAM type with the iPhone 15. However, the high-end iPhone 15 Pro is expected to feature 8GB of RAM instead of 6GB. Thanks to the upgraded internals, the iPhone 15 Pro models will be able to perform better in terms of multitasking.
The LPDDR5X RAM on the iPhone 16 series will allow the device to perform significantly better. This includes better application management and improved battery life. Keep in mind that the iPhone 16 launch is almost two years away and a lot can change in that time. From now on, make sure you take the news with a grain of salt. We will share more details about the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 once more information becomes available.
Share your views with us in the comments.


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The Polly Waffle is BACK, people!
Another legendary Aussie chocolate bar is coming back!
Something great is happening in Adelaide, and we're reaping the benefits.
Robern Menz, who if you're an SA local you know as the makers of FruChocs, have taken over the rights to make and sell the iconic Polly Waffle chocolate bar, which disappeared from shelves nearly 10 years ago.
They knew they were onto a winner bringing back local choccy treats when their announcement that they'd be bringing the Violet Crumble back, and now they've taken it next level!
The Polly Waffle was actually invented in Melbourne in 1947, and Robern Menz will be making sure they're being made to the exact specifications of the classic bar.
The movement to resurrect the Polly Waffle was helped by a 55K+ strong Facebook group called 'Bring Back The Polly Waffle', so next time you're thinking you'd like to start a group on Facebook to bring back a classic, you never know just how real you could make your dreams!


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What the UK fuel shortage signals about the British economy.
While the world is grappling with supply chain issues brought on by COVID-19, the situation in the UK is being compounded by the continued fallout from Brexit.
Currently, the UK is struggling to fill thousands of jobs that were previously held by citizens of the EU. In particular, Brexit has contributed to an already challenging shortage of truck drivers, which has resulted in items disappearing from menus and grocery store shelves going empty, among other problems.
But, it is the subsequent fuel shortage that is garnering international attention. While there is plenty of fuel at UK refineries and ports, without tanker drivers, it cannot get to the pump. This is worsened by a surge of panic buying by British citizens, and an image of a man pulling a knife on someone who cut him in the petrol line has become a viral symbol of the country’s struggles.
As a short-term remedy, the British government announced that it would issue 5,000 temporary work visas for foreign drivers, which would expire on Christmas Eve. British troops are also on standby to step in and make deliveries. However, as the UK is currently down about 100,000 drivers, this move is seen by many as merely a drop in the bucket.
Along with the small number of visas, there is skepticism over whether European drivers would be willing to take advantage of them, citing low pay and unpleasant working conditions in the country. Some also harbor resentment for Brexit.
Pressure is mounting for the British government to rectify this situation before the holiday season to ensure that retail isn’t the next pileup — not to mention British families. The administration has already issued another 5,500 temporary visas for poultry workers to try and stave off a shortage of holiday turkeys.
Unfortunately, when it comes to recruiting new drivers, that deadline is looking less and less possible. All big rigs require specialized training, and tankers even more. So, while Britain’s Department for Education has announced its readiness to spend $15 million to create skills boot camps for 3,000 new drivers, this training typically takes about twelve weeks. Meaning, if those workshops began today, the drivers would be ready to hit the road just in time for the new year.
Along with causing massive supply chain issues, this situation is highlighting vulnerabilities in the post-Brexit British economy — though, the change in consumer behavior during COVID-19 may have helped mask them until now.
But, trucking was certainly not the only industry to lose a significant percentage of its workforce to Brexit. Once the pandemic wanes, and shopping, dining, and travel behaviors return to normal, the tourism, construction, and automotive industries could face similar challenges.
The British government needs to act fast to right this ship, and avoid any others going off course.
Danilo Diazgranados is an independent investor in the global food and wine, financial services, real estate, and the hospitality sectors.


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You can pre-order the BlackBerry DTEK60 from NCIX Canada
In case you're occupied with the BlackBerry DTEK60 — and you're great with lifting it up in Canada — You can pre-request it at this moment for $699.99 Canadian Loonies at NCIX. The posting says the smartphone ought to be accessible on October 11, 2016, On the NCIX USA site.
In all seriousness, while we are trusting that cost is only a placeholder, odds are it's not as the $699 number has been drifting around BlackBerry talk land (yes, that exists) for some time now, however that is absolutely a lot to pay. Sit tight for it to see the inescapable value drop. The smartphone ought to be accessible on October 11, 2016.
On the NCIX USA site. In spite of the fact that I can't say I recommend taking them up on their offer, considering the handset remains informally reported starting yet, the DTEK60 has now been recorded on the NCIX site as accessible for pre-request.
As recommended by before releases, the valuing has been set at $699 CAD, and the assessed launch date is noted to be October 11, 2016.
Furthermore, somewhat less foggy pictures have been distributed as a component of the posting so you can look again at the DTEK60 from all points on the off chance that you wish. As should be obvious, there's nothing truly new here beside the pre-request status and the somewhat less hazy pictures however it's a sign the gadget is as yet advancing through channels.
Different retailers, for example, Direct Dial are likewise beginning to list the gadget as coming soon, so we'll check whether that October 11 assessed date remains constant or if that is only some placeholder date that is simply been hurled around.


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As part of an investigation to determine whether any securities laws have been broken, the enforcement division of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reportedly started talking to creators of NFTs and the marketplaces that sell them. In a new report, Bloomberg cites insiders who say the agency is trying to find out if NFTs “are being utilized to raise money like traditional securities.” If so, that would obviously interest the SEC.
The SEC declined to comment when contacted, but this issue has been out in the ether for a while now, so to speak. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce—whom the crypto community sees as an ally (they refer to her as “Crypto Mom“)—has cautioned that this sort of action could be coming. She’s warned issuers not to “accidentally create” investment products, and told CoinDesk in October that some ways the NFT crowd is selling tokens could get them in trouble.
“Given the breadth of the NFT landscape, certain pieces of it might fall within our jurisdiction,” she said. “People need to be thinking about potential places where NFTs might run into the securities regulatory regime.”
One implication is the federal agency that regulates this sector of the economy still isn’t sure what to do with these digital tokens, or the $2.5 trillion crypto market they’re part of. But under new chair Gary Gensler, the SEC appears to be giving more attention to whether these folks are playing by the rules. A few weeks ago, BlockFi agreed to pay a $100 million fine—the most ever for a crypto company—for helping customers lend out their digital tokens, often at high interest rates, without first getting approval as a bank or registering those services.
Whether NFTs are securities is the core issue—because if they are, then they’re subject to the same rules as stocks. The SEC has rules for determining whether a transaction qualifies as an “investment contract,” which would make it subject to U.S. securities laws. Typically, the answer is yes if the transaction involves “investment of money in a common enterprise with a reasonable expectation of profits to be derived from the efforts of others.”
Some at the SEC (most notably Peirce) have argued that the basic logic behind these rules doesn’t apply well to digital assets. The agency is reportedly looking at ways to square this, but hasn’t proposed any solutions yet. Unsurprisingly, hardcore crypto enthusiasts tend to argue that any regulations written for traditional equity markets shouldn’t apply to their virtual currency.
Per Bloomberg, the SEC’s enforcement unit is eyeing so-called fractional NFTs the most; they’re “seeking information” on these, it says, and have even started subpoenaing key people. Fractional NFTs involve breaking a token down into smaller units that can be individually bought and sold on the market—which sounds an awful lot like something else in the financial world.
“You better be careful that you’re not creating something that’s an investment product, that’s a security,” Peirce has warned. “The definition of ‘security’ can be pretty broad.”


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Why Its Not Prime Time for Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrenices are a hot-button topic these days. Both business owners and customers are trying to get a better idea of whether they should invest in or avoid crypto money. This article will discuss why cryptocurrencies haven’t turned into the mainstream yet and who can help you with a cryptopayment merchant account.
Digital Currencies: Cryptopayment Merchant Account
Recently, Coinbase, which is a platform on which you can buy and sell cryptocurrencies, has gone public in the U.S. Thus, it became the 1st big cryptocurrency company to do this.
The specialists contemplating on how crypto money is going to further evolve represent 2 groups. One group think the fluctuations around the price and uncertainties around the practical use of crypto money will keep many away from investing in this type of currencies.
Those who think crypto money has a bright future believe people will start using it instead of traditional currencies in the years to come. Thus, crypto money will gain a dominant role all over the world. It’ll gain more importance if more people start seeing value in a blockchain network.
Why merchants prefer accepting cryptocurrency as a payment means has to do with lower fees, security and user anonymity issues, and ease of management. Business owners get an opportunity to enjoy prompt and profit-making transactions around the globe.
This leads to a growing need for reliable and affordable merchant processing services, including a cryptopayment merchant account from a reputable provider. Thankfully, there are expert providers in the field that offer advanced and innovative technologies allowing the use of various eCommerce systems across a single platform.
Reasons Why Cryptocurrency Isn’t Mainstream Yet
Crypto money is gaining a more significant role in the mainstream economy. However, why crypto money hasn’t gone mainstream yet? Let’s see.
- The fluctuations around the digital currency value are great, and this creates risks for small- and medium-sized eCommerce merchants.
- The lack of reward programs, which consumers value much.
- Not enough payment processing protection. Chargebacks have a significant role in the credit card ecosystem, which isn’t the case with cryptocurrencies.
- The wide variety of crypto money: today’s market offers about 5.000 cryptocurrencies. This creates a challenging situation for banks, payment processors, and merchants.
- Accepting crypto is getting more expensive.
- Security risks associated with these digital currencies. Cryptocurrency users are looking for added security measures.
- The decentralization around these digital currencies and the fact that governments aren’t the issuers of this type of currencies. Their data is shared across thousands of computers around the globe. National and local governments thinking about taxing, banning, limiting, or controlling regulations. Some countries are already working on the creation of their own national cryptocurrencies. The latter are known as central bank digital currencies or CBDCs.
So, cryptocurrencies, which are based on blockchain technology, are viewed as a long-term investment for many. However, others find them risky. The points above tell you the reasons why cryptocurrencies aren’t ready for prime time yet.
Author Bio: Content crafter Alex Wilmont has been active in the payments industry for over 15 years. He lives simply, gives generously and loves his 2 dogs. His mission is to enhance and innovate the fintech industry for years to come.


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IC Insights today released its forecast of top-15 worldwide semiconductor (IC and O-S-D—optoelectronic, sensor, and discrete) sales ranking for 2018...
IC Insights pointed that IC market is expected to enter a period of cyclical “cooling” after an extended period of very strong growth...
Among IDMs (companies with wafer fabs that manufacture their own ICs), U.S.-headquartered companies accounted for slightly over half of worldwide sales followed by companies based in South Korea, Japan, and Europe. Taiwan companies (not including foundries) held only a 2% share.
IC Insights pointed that, over the next couple of years, NXP’s purchase of Freescale (expected to close later this year) and Infineon’s purchase of IR will likely boost the European share of worldwide IDM IC sales by a few percentage points at the expense of U.S. share.
In contrast, Europe is expected to lose fabless IC company marketshare in the next few years due to Qualcomm’s acquisition of CSR, Europe’s second-largest fabless IC supplier, and Intel’s purchase of Lantiq, Europe’s third-largest fabless IC supplier.
U.S. companies held the dominant share of fabless IC sales last year, although its share was down from 69% in 2010. The largest increase in fabless IC marketshare came from Chinese companies, which held a 9% share in 2014 compared to only 5% in 2010.
CTIMES loves to interact with the global technology related companies and individuals, you can deliver your products information or share industrial intelligence. Please email us to email@example.com
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- 4Gartner Identifies Top 10 Strategic IoT Technologies and Trends, AI Ranks NO.1
- 5Products with Mini LED Backlighting Expected a High Production in 2019


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Touted as the future of convenience store, Amazon’s (AMZN) latest experiment the cashier-free, camera and sensor-filled Amazon Go stores has apparently been a success in a short span of time as the company now considers having such similar high-tech stores in Chicago and San-Francisco.
Wondering what’s this new experiment or service is all about? Here’s a quick overview. Amazon launched its pilot store early this year in Seattle to much fanfare. This convenience store comprises zero check-out lines. The high-tech store has sensors and cameras, and allows customers to scan their phones on entrance and pick items off a shelf. Amazon’s AI keeps track of the items picked by the customers. The customers are then automatically charged the right amount via the app on the phone. Once out of the store, the customers receive an e-rceipt. Employees present at the stores mostly assist in technical issue or are present to restock shelves.
Given the success of the pilot store, Amazon is now planning to expand Amazon Go stores outside its home base. The hint came from the company’s new job listings that show it is ramping up its efforts to roll out more stores to other cities. The company is looking for store managers for the new Amazon Go stores in Chicago and San-Francisco. Recode had earlier reported that Amazon plans to roll out the new services to nearly six cities in 2018.
With Amazon Go, the store of the future, the retail giant hopes to increase the trips made to convenience stores. Just like how the company has a significant influence on online shopping via Prime, it hopes to raise the bar for brick-and-motor shopping via Amazon Go. To compete with Amazon in this space, it’s arch-rival Walmart is also working on developing a similar cashier-free store.
Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) reported third quarter 2021 earnings results today. Total revenues fell 25% year-over-year to CAD55.1 million. Adjusted EBITDA loss amounted to CAD24 million. Cash balance as
Media behemoth The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) reported second-quarter revenues that declined from last year as customers stayed away from theatres and parks due to pandemic-related safety issues and
Shares of Tattooed Chef Inc. (NASDAQ: TTCF) have gained 57% over the past 12 months but has dropped 25% since the start of this year. The sentiment on the stock


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China has accused Google of violating promises it made when entering the Chinese market by not filtering its search result. China has termed the search engine company's move to shut down its Chinese operations as "totally wrong". An official at the internet bureau of the Chinese government said China opposed the politicisation of commercial issues.
The Hong Kong page of the search engine now reads: "Welcome to Google Search in China's new home." The site displayed search results in the simplified Chinese characters used in mainland China. While the search engine has shifted to Hong Kong, Google.cn's map service and a free, ad-driven music portal continue to remain in China.
The New York Times has reported that China Mobile, Google's business partner in China, plans to cancel a deal to feature Google Search on its home page. Telecom company China Unicom has also cancelled it business plans with Google.


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DALLAS -- The fifth-generation Toyota Avalon that goes on sale next month as a 2019 model shares almost nothing with the previous generation, including the pricing, which starts at a higher $36,395 with shipping for the base XLE model.
The base sticker price is $2,000 more than the outgoing model, but Toyota says the newer Avalon includes more equipment and more technology that makes the newer version a better value in an apples-to-apples comparison.
Estimated fuel economy for the 2019 model of the large sedan is 22 mpg city, 32 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined. That's an improvement over the 21/30/24 mpg rating for the outgoing model.
The base hybrid XLE model for 2019 is a different story. The cheapest Avalon hybrid now starts at $37,395 with shipping, compared with $38,395 for the outgoing model. Estimated fuel economy for the 2019 base hybrid is 44 mpg combined, compared with 40 mpg for the 2018 model, the company said in a statement.
The Avalon's new XSE trim for 2019, with sport accents such as a blacked-out grille and bigger wheels, has a sticker price of $38,895 with shipping. That compares with $37,595 for the XLE Premium grade of the 2018 model.
The 2019 Avalon XSE hybrid will have a base price of $39,895 compared with $39,845 for the outgoing XLE Premium. Estimated fuel economy for the new XSE (and the Limited trim) is lower by 1 mpg combined when compared with the 2019 base model because of weight and equipment differences.
On the Limited trim with the V-6 gasoline motor, the 2019 Avalon starts at $42,695 with shipping, which is $500 more than the outgoing model. The hybrid Limited's price is unchanged at $43,695.
And on the Touring trim, the 2019 model has a starting price of $43,095, compared with $38,795 for the 2018 model. The difference comes, in part, from the mechanical changes on the top sporty trim of the redesigned Avalon, Toyota said.
The Touring trim previously was more of an appearance package than a performance upgrade, but now is significantly different in how it goes down the road as Toyota searches for younger buyers.


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While Sony gets exclusive content for games such as the Call of Duty and Destiny series, the company couldn’t land the biggest game of the year. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds will be coming to the Xbox One way before PlayStation fans will be able to play the popular title on the PS4.
Microsoft and the game’s creators, Bluehole, are currently discussing plans to bring PUBG to the Xbox One X, according to a report from Bloomberg. Supposedly there are plans to keep the game solely on the Xbox One for as long as possible. Exclusivity agreements typically consists of three-month terms, and if the report is true then Xbox could be the only console system to have PUBG available well into the middle of next year. Sony has also expressed interests in acquiring the title for the PS4, but there are no official agreements established between Sony and the game’s creators.
Currently available for PC, PUBG has sold 13 million copies since it was released for Early Access this past March. The highly addicting multiplayer battle royale title has over 2 million concurrent players, and has already broken game sales records. The game’s unique take on multiplayer matches has led to its success. Pitting you against 99 other players online, your objective is to survive on an island and scavenge for weapons and vehicles to eliminate other players until there’s one last player standing the victor. The playable map area decreases in size over time, forcing the remaining players to engage in closer battles.
PUBG would boost sales for the Xbox One, and the timing couldn’t be a smarter move for Microsoft. A release of the game around the same time of many other anticipated titles coming out before the end of this year, those including Battlefront II and Call of Duty: WWII. Sony could still land an agreement to have PUBG on the PS4 much sooner than projected, but for that we’ll just have to wait and see.
What do you think about Microsoft getting PUBG way ahead of Sony? Have you played PUBG yet? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.


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Two wireless companies last week announced $26 million in funding as companies jockey for the lead in the race to ship samples of their multi-band chips.
Sirific Wireless Corp. based in Waterloo, Ontario, announced its $17 million Series B round a day ahead of the $9 million second close of a Series B round for Berkana Wireless of Campbell, Calif. Both companies have developed CMOS transceiver chips for the multi-band handset market in cellular telephony.
Sirifics round came from Boston-based TD Capital, one of five private equity investment groups supported by the Toronto Dominion Bank of Canada and the Intel Communications Fund. To date, Sirific has raised more than $38 million from such investors as Agilent Technologies, BDC Venture Capital, Celtic House and GrowthWorks WV.
Meanwhile, the second close on the financing for Berkana Wireless was funded by Hotung Capital Management and KTB Ventures, bringing the total of Berkanas Series B round to $21 million. Altogether, the company has raised $30 million to date. The first close was backed by Authosis Venture Capital, ICCP Venture Partners, KTB Ventures and Miramar Venture Partners.
Sirific and Berkana are shipping samples of their multi-band chips to customers as they gear up for competition against large public companies, such as RF Micro Devices, Silicon Laboratories and Wavecom and venture-backed startups like Ashvattha Semiconductor, Sequoia Communications and Stepmind.
Richard Murphy, Sirific vice president of marketing, says his company has an edge in technology as its products support both four frequency bands and multiple standards. Robert Fan, Berkanas vice president of marketing, who says that while his companys product is at present only a four-band product, its next iteration will support EDGE and eventually WCDMA.


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The plant-based water, or “superwater” category has essentially gone from a non-existent market to a $1 billion industry in just seven years, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Research from New Nutrition Business suggests that the industry could be worth up to US$2 billion by 2025, and as the market continues to broaden its offering with the rising popularity of birch, aloe vera and maple water to complement the industry leading coconut varieties, this prediction is on course to become a reality.
Food Magazine recently caught up with Scott Mendelsohn, co-director of Australian coconut water brand Raw C to chat about the plant-based water category, the company’s launch into the market, and how Raw C has been able to differentiate themselves from what has quickly become a saturated market.
According to Mendelsohn, one of the primary reasons that plant-based waters have become so popular in the past five or so years is due to advances in technology, specifically relating to the extraction process of the water from the plant source. Mendelsohn says that innovation within the packaging sector specifically has enabled the coconut water industry to deliver a fresh and consistent product.
“We package our coconut water in the Tetra Pak which is fantastic for keeping the product fresh and free from spoilage,” says Mendelsohn. “Coconuts are just like oranges or any other juices, once they have been exposed to oxygen they start to go off so I guess the challenge up until a few years ago was essentially how do you crack open a coconut and package it without the product going off.
“All packaged coconut waters in Australia – like milk – are pasteurised before they’re packaged and that gets rid of all the germs, nasties and any bacteria. But ultimately, the popularity of coconut water is down to two things; the fact that coconut water can be packed, and that it provides a healthy alternative to sugary drinks.
“People have realised the benefits because coconut water is very low in sugar and has no cholesterol. There are also lot of people out there that don’t like drinking plain water, and because coconut water is slightly sweet, it provides a great, healthy alternative."
Standing out from the crowd
Raw C first launched onto the market in late 2012 and according to Mendelsohn one of the brand’s keys to success was its ability to stand out from the crowd. Mendelsohn says that Raw C searched the globe to find the perfect coconuts for its products, but ended up settling on a blend of three different types from Thailand.
“We searched high and low everywhere to find the perfect coconuts. We looked at Fiji, we looked at The Philippines and we settled on Thailand because we think that they actually taste the nicest as they are not overly sweet. We found that a lot of the coconuts that came out of The Philippines – which I believe is the biggest producer now of coconuts – were actually quite bitter. The other secret to our business is that we don’t just use one coconut variety we actually use a blend of three coconuts.
“Because we were quite late onto the market, we wanted to have a product that was different to everybody else’s. A lot of coconut waters tend to buy generic coconuts, bottle them and ship them, so there isn’t a lot of difference between the majority of coconut water brands. We wanted to make sure that we stood out from the crowd in terms of what our flavour profile was, but also by keeping the natural sugars low as some coconuts do have higher natural sugar concentrations than others."
According to Mendelsohn, the brand’s decision to omit added sugar from their product has contributed greatly the company's success, especially in Australia.
“US brand Vita Coco is the biggest coconut water brand in the world, and the difference being with a lot of the US brands is that they actually do add sugar. And the reason being that they source their coconuts from all over the place… they bottle in South America, they bottle in Asia, and to get a consistent taste they need to add back the coconut sugar.”
“The interesting thing is that (Vita Coco) tried to crack into the Australian market and have really struggled. It has a very small footprint here and that I think comes down to the fact that they do add sugar. You will find that most people that do drink coconut water are looking to drink it for the health benefits, and that’s also another reason why some of the flavoured coconut waters don’t do that well because once you start adding pomegranate, or lemon or anything like that, you are adding to the sugar – whether its natural or not."
Cracking into a saturated market
In relation to the coconut water market itself, Mendelsohn says that the reason the market has become so heavily saturated in such a short period of time is because the industry has exceptionally low barriers to entry.
“You know, you can basically get online and look for overseas suppliers and they will sell you any type of coconut water. There are so many brands on the market and there will be more brands coming onto the market every month, and I think with that consumers are starting to see the difference in quality," he said.
“We are really trying to focus on the fact that our product is premium quality… A lot of the brands that come in cans are lined with BPA, where as we use the tetra pack with a screw top lid. We also package our product in a HACCP approved factory so we follow all of the food and safety regulations – a lot of the bottling facilities up in Asia don’t meet the HACCP certification. I don’t know where the other brands of coconut waters package their product, but we were very, very careful. We visited a lot of factories to make sure that our facilities meet all the standards.”
At present Raw C produces two products; a one litre coconut water, and a 330ml coconut water. Mendelsohn says that the company is currently toying around with a few new product concepts, but has no immediate plans to release anything soon. He also mentioned that the company has been approached by a few food and beverage manufacturers locally to create new products using Raw C, however they decided respectfully decline for the time being.
“We are just concentrating on building our business. We’ve got quite aggressive plans for overseas. We just launched in Japan two months ago and its going really well, numbers are very, very positive. We have also just sent our first shipment off to South Africa and we have just sent our first shipment to Kuwait as well.”


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By Joey Ferguson
Photo: GoalZero via Twitter
BLUFFDALE, Utah — Goalzero is teaming up with AT&T and Brooklyn design firm Pensa to install solar charging stations for mobile phones throughout New York City, according to an e-mailed statement form the company.
The charging stations, called Street Charge, will debut today with one unit in Fort Green Park in New York. Other units will be installed over the summer.
“We’re excited to team up with AT&T and Pensa to help make New York a little greener and solar power a little more accessible,” said Joe Atkin, President and CEO of Goal Zero, in a statement.
Street Charge will feature built in USB ports and charging tips for pedestrians who need to charge their phone. The stations have the potential for lighting, Wi-Fi and signage in the future.


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The newest cleanse fad is the ice cream cleanse diet, but is it healthy? According to sources, people are losing weight by eating ice cream and only ice cream for almost a week straight. Sounds pretty good doesn’t it? Experts say as yummy as it sounds, it isn’t that healthy. An ice cream parlor in Venice, California recently offered the four-day ice cream cleanse to those with a sweet tooth and looking to lose weight. But, what are the downfalls?
Can Ice Cream Help You Lose Weight?
This California-local ice cream shop recently offered a four-day ice cream cleanse and people who did the cleanse said they actually lost weight. Their ice cream is organic, raw, and coconut-based (which means the ice cream is non-dairy), but it does contain honey.
Customers got five servings of ice cream a day in flavors such as Orange Crème and Master Cleanse (which has lemon, cayenne pepper, and honey) for $220. For that price, they also received a daily yoga class at the studio next door to the shop.
But the problem, experts say, is that because you are limiting your diet so much, you are missing out on essential nutrients that the ice cream just cannot provide. Also, anytime you eat less, you are likely to lose weight but many people who did the ice cream cleanse gained the weight they lost back.
The cleanse consisted of coconut yogurt, orange crème, dark chocolate with Himalayan fire salt, the master cleanse and bee pollen, cinnamon and raw honey flavors. As kids, eating ice cream every day would have been a dream come true! But for now, you may want to just eat ice cream in moderation.


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By Angela Onwuzoo
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, has alerted the public to stop consuming G Fuel brand Energy Drinks, warning that it contains high levels of caffeine .
The energy drink produced by T & E Imports and GPAE Trading Corp is already under recall in some countries because of its high level of caffeine.
Caffeine is a stimulant and the most commonly used drug in the world.
The notification of this product is contained in a public alert with No. 034/2023, issued to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye.
Adeyeye said the agency was notified about the recall of the product by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
She disclosed that the consumption of the product could cause headaches, insomnia, irritability, and nervousness because of the high level of caffeine.
She said that people sensitive to caffeine can experience these effects at very low consumption levels.
The NAFDAC boss cautioned pregnant women not to take these products, adding that the possible health effects of consuming too much caffeine include the risk of miscarriage and a chance of low birth weight.
She noted that the affected products have no cautionary statement to limit the number of servings per day, adding that these products are sold online.
“The product is not registered by NAFDAC, which implored consumers and retailers to refrain from using, selling, serving, or distributing the implicated product.
“Members of the public are encouraged to report any suspicious distribution and sale of unwholesome packaged food products to the nearest NAFDAC office.
“Healthcare professionals and patients are also encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of any substandard NAFDAC-regulated product to the nearest NAFDAC office.
“NAFDAC could also be reached through the use of the E-reporting platforms available on the NAFDAC website or via the Med-safety application available for download on android and IOS stores.”
In a 2021 article published in the PubMed Central journal, the authors said caffeine intake has an impact not only on adults but also on children.
They affirmed that excess caffeine has negative effects in people with hypertension, children, adolescents, and the elderly,
The authors warned that though millions of people consume caffeine everyday to increase wakefulness, alleviate fatigue, and improve concentration and focus, a high consumption of caffeine may be injurious to health.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH
Contact: [email protected]


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GST Council caps TCS for e-commerce operators at 1%
After reaching a significant milestone by clearing C-GST, S-GST, I-GST and UT-GST laws, the GST Council has now touched upon e-commerce, a sector which struggles with ambiguity under the current indirect tax regime.
According to the model GST law, it will now be mandatory for e-commerce platforms like Flipkart and Snapdeal to deduct up to 1% TCS (Tax Collected at Source) when making payments to sellers who use their portal to sell their merchandise.
Experts have expressed concerns regarding the ground implementation of such a tax. Such a tax, when the transaction involves an interstate movement of goods, could escalate to 2%, as it will have to be levied twice.
Industry concerns voice that the rule may discourage sellers from using digital marketplaces to sell their products, contributing to the hardships of struggling Indian e-commerce firms. The proposed tax may also lead to an increased hold up of capital. However, the capping of this tax at 1% comes as a good news to players who were worried about no such limit being mentioned in the previous draft of the law.
In the bill, the scope of an electronic commerce enterprise has been defined as any operator who sells goods and services (even digital) over an electronic network.
E-commerce operators are expected to file returns on TCS, and in case goods are returned, such tax will not be levied due to an absence of the actual sale. Collection, payment and filing of tax returns also increase compliance burden for the industry.
The prime objective of the tax is for the state government to have a mechanism to trace vendor activity on e-commerce platforms. Since the purpose can be as well served by a tax percentage lower than the proposed 1%, experts predict that the tax may ultimately be nominal. Championed by the government of Karnataka, a state which houses some of the biggest e-tailers in India, this tax must be paid by operators to the concerned government within 10 days after month-ending (of the month in which the seller's account was credited).
CA Ami Dhabalia, Finance Manager at CouponDunia spoke to The Dollar Business on the government’s prime motivation behind the move, and said, “Most e-commerce websites are valued according to the sales they make through their platform, which should not be the case because they are merely intermediaries. The government has always argued that the taxes paid by these firms are not proportionate with their valuations.
“This may be the reason for the imposition of TCS on each transaction. This would also help tackle tax evasion, as the government would now have an accurate record of all the transactions taking place,” she added.
“As a result, compliance costs of e-commerce operators will increase exorbitantly. TCS would be deducted on each and every vendor for every transaction. For instance, Snapdeal has more than 5,00,000 sellers and Amazon claims that they have approximately 1,40,000 vendors. Even at the rate of one transaction per day for each vendor, compliance costs would escalate to very high levels,” she said.
Speaking about woes of small sellers due to the new tax law, Dhabalia said, “Until now, many small online marketplaces may not have had mandatory registration for sellers, but the TCS clause will make registration compulsory. A registration would cost nearly 30,000, which many small sellers cannot afford. Small sellers would also face liquidity issues due to a time gap between deduction and grant of the input credit claim.”
“I think India’s nascent e-commerce industry is not ready for the kind of stringent rules GST is trying to impose,” she added.
Taxation of e-commerce companies has long been a contentious issue in India, with the industry challenging the government's levy of taxes like VAT in courts. The current indirect taxation system has failed to provide adequate clarity in taxing online marketplaces. The confusion with respect to identifying the original seller has been all pervasive, disregarding the intermediary role played by digital e-commerce platforms.
GST must take into consideration these issues and roll out a comprehensive and unambiguous tax law for the burgeoning e-commerce sector. Various kinds of business models deployed in the field of e-commerce ranging from stock-and-sell retailers to marketplace providers must be given due representation in the new tax law for fair tax collection.


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Exhibitour wine, art event to return to downtown Wausau in October
WAUSAU - Get your traveling wine glasses ready, because Exhibitour is returning to downtown Wausau this fall.
Exhibitour, which hasn't happened in downtown Wausau since 2012, is an event that opens up local downtown businesses as art galleries and allows participants to roam between them while enjoying wine on the walk. The event will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 5.
RELATED:River District searches for new director
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The event was originally put on hold in early 2013 because the event was in violation of several state statutes regarding alcohol and sales during events. But in 2016, those rules were changed, making it legal for stores to serve wine during a "wine walk" event during a set number of hours. The legislation made it possible to issue up to 20 wine-only licenses to participating stores, making it legal for them to serve wine. Legislation also changed to allow stores to sell items while the wine walk is ongoing.
Exhibitour was started in 2005 by Tom Neal. Neal and his wife, Jane Neal, had recently moved to Wausau from Fort Worth, Texas, where they had lived in an arts district and enjoyed frequent art outings that often included browsing different galleries with glasses of wine. So he reached out to Wausau Events and the Wausau River District and brought the idea to life. Each year that Exhibitour was held, it drew thousands of participants, according to Neal.
There will be changes to the reboot of the event this October, though the premise will stay the same. Attendees will have to pay for a wristband to be able to participate, though there isn't a set price yet, said Blake Opal-Wahoske, the interim executive director of the Wausau River District. And there may be a cap to how many attendees can participate, but organizers aren't sure about that factor yet.
Other than that, participants will be able to see art mostly from local artists, placed in shops throughout the downtown, which will also offer wine and snacks. Neal said the event will help get new customers into downtown stores to enjoy not only wine and art, but the goods and services the shops offer.
"It's a good way to start building your customer base," he said. "It's about networking and getting people into stores that have never been in before."
Opal-Wahoske said that Exhibitour is an event that people have requested make a comeback in downtown, and he's happy that the River District can be a part of it.
"There's always been interest," he said. "There's always been a need an a want to bring this back."
To keep up to date on Exhibitour, visit www.wausauriverdistrict.org for more details.


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The latter is connected to the diesel engine's crankshaft by a belt, and under acceleration, it provides up to 10kW (14PS / 13hp) of extra power.
Details of the pricing, performance and specification of the new Kia Sportage SUV have yet to be announced.
The mild hybrid system is compact and can be easily incorporated into existing vehicles.
The Korean brand's new drivetrain adds a starter motor which doubles as a generator and power supply to deliver 10kW of assistance to the diesel engine in a move which it claims will reduce Carbon dioxide emissions by up to 4% on the new Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), and 7% on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).
Kia is introducing EcoDynamics+ 48V mild-hybrid diesel engines to their United Kingdom range later this year in a bid to reduce emissions. When coasting, or braking, it switches to "generator" mode to recharge the battery. The battery will link into the vehicle's power system allowing a significant reduction in the size of the 12-volt starter battery and the starter motor, which will normally only be required for cold starts at low temperatures. The new third-generation Kia Ceed will be the second among a range of Kia models to offer the new powertrain from 2019.
The diesel mild-hybrid powertrain is compatible with both manual and automatic transmissions, and could be adapted for front-, rear- and all-wheel drivetrain layouts.
The first vehicle to get the combustion-electric combo - the mild hybrid will be mounted under the boot floor - will be the Sportage which will be launched later this year.
The strategy envisioned by Kia for the electrification of its range BY 2025 includes the launch of five new hybrid cars, five plug-in hybrids, five battery-electric vehicles and, among the few to do so, a fuel-cell electric vehicle sometime in 2020.
If you would like to help THPD's fundraiser, you can purchase a bracelet at the Terre Haute Police Department's records room. Five-year-old Dakota Pitts returned to school for the first time since his father's death in the line of duty.
He may propose some kind of peace plan (less than a treaty) between North and South Korea that doesn't require denuclearization. At the time this news broke, Pompeo was holding a joint news conference with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.
On Monday firefighters in Switzerland said a fatal accident involving a Tesla may have set off a fire in the car's battery. Schwall decision to quit his job is not related to N.T.S.B.'s investigations regarding Tesla's Autopilot System.
In the statement sent to the Global Times , Gap said the T-shirt has been pulled off shelves in the Chinese market and destroyed. Gap is the latest in a string of foreign firms to face a backlash for not adhering to China's territorial claims.
Will it be Mercedes or Ferrari or Red Bull? Valtteri Bottas delivered the result that was expected of him today. F1 bosses held talks with Silverstone over staging the sport's 1,000th championship race there next year.
Notably, the phone has dual-sim support in addition to the expandable memory card slot, so no more compromises there. The company has announced that it will be launching its upcoming smartphone Honor 7C in India on May 22.
Season 6 will now consist of 13 episodes, down from its usual 22-episode order, which doesn't bode well for the comic book series. What would you like to see from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s return? "I don't have any plans to think of Season 6 as the last season".
If this bright black hole would have been in our galaxy, astronomers say that it would outshine all the stars in the sky. This makes the newfound giant black hole the fastest-growing quasar in the known universe.
They're'represented on screen too, with Ben Hardy , Joseph Mazzello and Gwilym Lee as Taylor, John Deacon and May respectively. Mercury had arguably one of the greatest voices ever in the rock and is one of the most popular figures in the genre.
Roseville Gas Prices Driving Higher
Should oil prices start to rise too quickly, US producers will pump more oil. "U.S. supplies are down a little", Williams said. The average gas price in MI is $2.93 a gallon which is up seven cents from last week and 52 cents from a year ago.
You can try Mario Tennis Aces early for free
Mario Tennis Aces , the next Mario-inspired sports game releasing for Nintendo Switch in June, comes with a twist. Wario and Waluigi look as though they are being possessed by some sort of ghostly creature in the trailer.
US, China still 'very far apart' on trade
Asian shares were mostly lower in muted trading Tuesday amid continuing uncertainty over trade tensions between China and the U.S. China objected to ZTE's punishment at trade talks in Beijing this month, and the American delegation agreed to report them to Mr.
Home Depot same-store sales miss
Jacobi Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of The Home Depot by 16.4% during the second quarter. Finally, Field & Main Bank increased its stake in shares of The Home Depot by 2.1% during the first quarter.
NASA plans to send a helicopter to Mars
In order to design a flying vehicle that would actually work on another planet, NASA scientists faced a number of challenges. The Mars Helicopter's development began in 2013 at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL ) in California.
Waterloo school budget voting in district office
The three closures are expected to save between $2.5 to $3 million total in the overall budget, according to Clark. Voters will also elect two Board of Education members, each to serve three-year terms beginning on July 1, 2018.
Cashier-less store coming to IL
At the time only Seattle and Los Angeles were confirmed, but it looks like the expansion will stretch beyond those cities. Amazon Go's systems automatically debit their accounts for the items they take, sending the receipt to the app.


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Online Registration for Indian Citizenship
The Government of India for the convenience of persons of Indian origin has launched the 'PIO Card' scheme, aimed at making the journey back to the roots, simpler, easier, flexible and trouble free.
The new procedure for applying online for Indian Citizenship is available on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ website :http://www.mha.nic.in/ Foreigners need to apply for Indian Citizenship online from the website: http://mha.nic.in/icweb/icfirstpage.aspx
It is mandatory for applicants to submit applications online after which an Internet File Number will be generated automatically which can be used for printing of the online application form and after submission, for tracing its status. The hard copy of the online application duly signed along with supporting documents is to be submitted to the Collector/District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner of the area where the applicant resides.


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Sustainability's next frontier
Sustainability's next frontier: Walking the Talk on the Issues That Matter Most es una publicación de DAVID KIRON, NINA KRUSCHWITZ, HOLGER RUBEL, MARTIN REEVES AND SONJA-KATRIN FUISZ-KEHRBACH, creado en colaboración con el MIT Sloan Management Review.
In this 2013 report, new research by MIT Sloan Management Review and The Boston Consulting Group looks at companies that “walk the talk” in addressing significant sustainability concerns.
So-called “Walkers” focus heavily on five fronts: sustainability strategy, business case, measurement, business model innovation and leadership commitment. For them, addressing significant sustainability issues has become a core strategic imperative and a way to mitigate threats and identify new opportunities.
Based on a sample of 1,847 respondents from commercial enterprises, this year’s survey revealed that companies are primarily focusing on immediate business-related issues, such as energy efficiency, rather than longer-term ones like climate change. In general, we saw the strongest commitment in resource-intensive industries—and in companies with a global footprint.
Yet overall, our research found an eye-opening disconnect between thought and action regarding material sustainability issues. The challenge is not in seeing the importance of these issues. Close to 90 percent of executives believe a sustainability-oriented strategy is essential to long-term competitiveness. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed, for example, rate social and environmental issues, such as pollution and employee health, as “significant” or “very significant” sustainability concerns. Yet only about 40 percent reported that their organizations are addressing them. Even more troubling, only 10 percent said their companies are fully tackling these issues.
There are key differences between those companies whose actions match their stated beliefs—we call them “walkers” because they “walk the talk” on sustainability—and those whose beliefs and actions are out of sync. In particular, walkers have done the following:
- Articulated a clear sustainability strategy
- Placed sustainability permanently on the top-management agenda
- Developed a business case for sustainability
- Changed their business model to address the sustainability issues that matter most
Walkers go beyond general pronouncements and assign responsibility for doing something about these concerns operationally. They’re also much better at measuring progress on performance. As a result, they are more likely to profit from their sustainability efforts.
These and more insights from this year's study can be found in the full report, which is available from MIT Sloan Management Review. It offers much richer detail on the distinction between walkers and talkers, on the sustainability issues that executives perceive as material, and the obstacles companies face in addressing material sustainability issues as well as the catalysts to transform good intentions into superior results.
Leer el reporte completo: Sustainability's next frontier


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This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
No Whey: Dairy Farmers Head to Sacramento for Reform on Cheese By-Product
It's no secret that the California dairy industry is suffering. Almost 400 dairies throughout the state have closed in the past five years, with 105 of those being shuttered in 2012. Farmers are facing all sorts of financial hardships, with some allegedly killing off entire herds just to save money. Today, the dairy farmers of California are bringing the issue to Sacramento, hoping to change the way that whey, a by-product of cheese making, is priced.
Cheese makers are getting plenty of cash from this whey, which they sell to be used in expensive protein powders and baby formula. And the suffering farmers want a slice of the profit.
Says the L.A. Times:
They're asking lawmakers to overhaul the California Department of Food and Agriculture's complex milk-pricing formula ... California is the only state with its own pricing plan. "Farmers are getting a very small share," said Michael Marsh, chief executive of the Western United Dairymen in Modesto.
The bill would exempt small cheese producers, but it could make cheese from larger production fascilities much more expensive. In other words, if you're buying your cheese from fancy artisanal markets, you likely won't see much change. If you're getting jacked on Muscle Milk, however, your routine might become a bit more pricey.


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The New York International Auto Show is home to some of the biggest US-market unveilings, as well as a chance to see some recently revealed European models in the flesh for the first time.
Held in one of the world’s most vibrant cities, the event always features some interesting new launches and some outlandish concepts.
We were on the ground to see everything first-hand:
New York 2019: Full show report
If chatter at this year’s New York motor show is anything to go by, the US vehicle market is holding strong, seemingly less affected by global headwinds than European brands.
US vehicle sales are predicted to fall this year – they were down 2.5% in the first quarter, but still won’t fall much below the 17 million mark. America’s all-time record sales year was 2016 when 17.55m vehicles were sold. By most accounts, the US market is in rude health.
Where saloons (or ‘sedans’ if you’re American) used to reign supreme, the US has fallen under the spell of SUVs as much as the rest of the world. Around 70% of auto sales are now SUVs or trucks. No surprise, then, that the show’s truck hall was full to the brim with monstrous trucks, while there were far more SUVs than saloons on manufacturer stands.
Stand-out cars? The Kia HabaNiro concept, which hints at the next Niro due in 2021, got plenty of attention thanks to its butterfly wing doors and funky looks. Alongside it was a bright orange Stinger GTS. It’s a special edition, limited to 800 units, for the US only. It wouldn’t be that interesting but for its new “Drift” mode, a feature we expect to see on an updated Stinger for Europe in a couple of years…
Those might have been the new reveals for Kia, but it’s still pushing its Telluride large SUV hard as it endeavours to establish itself as a credible SUV brand. The Korean maker is best known for its sedans in the US such as the Forte and Optima. US COO Michael says: “We have a stronger reputation as sedan brand but we’re repositioning ourselves as an SUV brand. Telluride is where we see a real opportunity. We need to build a capable SUV reputation and we’ve made a great start with Telluride which is exceeding expectations.”
Another popular car, going by stand footfall, was the Genesis Mint Concept. Refreshingly not an SUV, this premium city car could make production in the next three to four years, reckons brand boss Manfred Fitzgerald. He said: “I believe that there is a white spot on the map [for a car like this] that nobody is really catering to and it’s something we should really take a stab at.”
Genesis, which only established itself as a standalone brand from Hyundai in 2015, sees New York as a “second home”, having just opened a dealership and brand centre in the city. There’s also word that the brand is planning to launch in Europe next year. There’s potential there, but it’ll need to nail this tricky market far more effectively than rival Infiniti, which recently pulled out of the region…
Back to better-known brands. Mercedes chose this week’s Shanghai motor show to reveal its GLB, which should quickly become a big seller. But there was still plenty of new metal saved for New York including the updated GLC63, plus the all-new CLA 35.
The big reveal was the new GLS. It only accounts for one per cent of Mercedes sales in the UK but it’s a different story in the US, where it’s the segment leader. Merc R&D boss Andreas Zygan said the car’s focus was even more comfort and luxury for rear passengers than its predecessor, and said a Maybach version could be on the cards.
Another reveal fitting for New York was the 911 Speedster. The original 356 Speedster, which remains the inspiration for all Speedsters since, was created at the request of New York dealer Max Hoffman – the sole importer for Porsche in the US at the time – who wanted a ‘stripped-down’ version of the 356 to sell on the West Coast.
The new machines uses the same 4.0-litre flat six as the current 911 GT3, albeit heavily modified with revised exhaust, fuel and injection systems. GT division boss Andreas Preuninger told us we’d see the engine elsewhere: “We’ve invested in the future with this engine.
“Our philosophy in GT cars is to stay naturally aspirated. We want to keep that engine for the future and that’s why we’ve made such a tremendous effort to get the engine right without taking emotion and performance away from the customer.”
Nissan used the show to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its Z cars, with a great collection of heritage cars on the stand including Skylines and the Datsun 240Z. There were 50th anniversary editions of both the GT-R and 370Z. All of which couldn’t help me from thinking: couldn’t you have done better than some new stickers for the 50th anniversary, Nissan? An all-new 370Z would have gone down much better…
There was plenty of more US-focused metal too, including the Hyundai Venue compact SUV – smaller than the Kona but not coming to Europe, a new Cadillac CT5 saloon, the latest Toyota Highlander and a US version of the Yaris, which is essentially a rebadged Mazda 2.
New York followed the trend of most US motor shows these days: it didn’t have the packed, elbow-pushing rush of a Chinese or European motor show, but instead a few choice reveals to entice car enthusiasts.
Powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine or a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6, the CT5 is Cadillac’s answer to the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series.
It won’t be sold globally like its German rivals are, but, with a well-equipped interior, sleek exterior styling and starting price of around $46,000 (£35,150), it’s likely to make a big splash in its home market.
New York provides Ford with an opportunity to show off the new US-market Escape SUV.
The Honda CR-V rival made its European debut recently as the new Kuga, sitting atop the same C2 platform as the new Focus and making use of a range of conventional and hybrid powertrains. A revised suspension set-up and new driver assist features make the crossover “a heck of a lot of fun to drive,” according to chief engineer Jim Hughes.
Hyundai’s premium brand is showcasing the Genesis Mint, a quirky electric car with a range of around 200 miles. It’s designed to show how luxury transport might work in cities in the future, and to hint at the future design direction of Genesis – a brand that is set to be introduced into the UK.
The 2020 Sonata, Hyundai’s answer to the Toyota Camry, is making its public debut in New York.
The mid-sized saloon is due in US dealerships later this year, with a raft of new interior technology and bold new styling. The Sonata is the first model to sit atop Hyundai’s new N3 platform, which has been developed to support a four-wheel-drive powertrain. This means the latter could be a future option for the model.
The new Hyundai Venue is the firm’s seventh SUV, and the smallest it will offer in the USA. It will be offered with a 1.6-litre petrol engine, and a range of two-tone colour options.
At 4058mm, the Venue is 107mm shorter than the Kona. But despite the growing popularity of compact crossovers in Europe, Hyundai has no plans to offer the model over here.
Hyundai says the new model’s name “embodies the characteristics of ‘the place to be’”, so expect a strong urban focus with an emphasis on interior quality and technology.
Lincoln has re-entered the premium compact SUV segment with the Corsair, the company’s smallest crossover yet with a design influenced by the much larger Navigator.
The US-bound Corsair replaces the MKC in the line-up of Ford’s luxury arm. It shares a platform with the new Ford Escape, which is badged Kuga in the UK. It arrives with the same selection of powertrains, including a 247bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder and more potent 2.3-litre producing 276bhp. A plug-in hybrid is also planned.
The biggest differences are on the inside, with a premium 12.3in touchscreen on top-spec models and optional features that include 24-way adjustable leather seats, ambient lighting and a panoramic sunroof. Lincoln hopes its high-end materials and comfort will draw customers away from rivals like the Mercedes GLC and Lexus NX.
Mercedes-AMG A35 Saloon
The A35 Saloon is the new entry point into Mercedes’ range of AMG performance models. Packing 302bhp from its 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, it promises a 0-62mph time of 4.8sec and a top speed of 155mph.
Flanked by the already-shown S65 Final Edition, GLE 53 and GT-R Pro, it’s appearing for the first time before it goes on sale later this year as a rival to the Audi S3 Saloon and BMW M240i Coupé.
Mercedes-AMG CLA 35
Slightly bigger than the entry-level A35 Saloon, the new CLA 35 is Mercedes-AMG’s answer to performance compacts like the Audi S3 Saloon and upcoming BMW M230i Gran Coupé.
The range-topping performance variant of Mercedes’ new CLA boasts a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, multi-plate-clutch four-wheel drive system and the company’s 302bhp 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol powertrain.
Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupé
Also appearing in the flesh for the first time is the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupé, which has been given a light styling update, new driver safety assistance systems and a new range of mild hybrid powertrains.
The BMW X4 rival can now be had in 207bhp GLC 200 4Matic and 267bhp GLC 300 4Matic guises, which come equipped with the firm’s EQ Boost 48V integrated starter-generator. It’s expected, however, that the diesel line-up, ranging in output from 161bhp to 242bhp, will form the bulk of UK sales.
The GLS seven-seater is Mercedes’s answer to luxurious SUVs like the Bentley Bentayga and Audi Q8, and is due to go on sale in the UK in the autumn.
When it does, prices are expected to start from around £72,000, and just one engine will be offered: a 2.9-litre in-line six-cylinder diesel with 325bhp and 516lb ft of torque.
Nissan 50th Anniversary Z and GT-R 50th Anniversary Edition
Nissan’s ‘Ultimate Dream Garage’, on display in New York, is a collection that marks 50 years of the GT-R and Z sports car ranges.
Taking in models including the 240Z, R34 Skyline and limited-edition GT-R50 by Italdesign, it celebrates half a century of Nissan performance models.
Porsche 911 Speedster
As the first keys to the new 992-generation Porsche 911 are handed over to buyers, Stuttgart bids goodbye to the outgoing 991 with the limited-edition Speedster variant.
The model was confirmed for production last summer, and sports a retro-inspired rear roofline, 21in cross-spoke alloy wheels and the 4.0-litre flat-six engine from the hardcore GT3 variant.
Production Porsche 911 Speedster revealed in New York
The fourth-generation Highlander has gained a bold new look, while retaining a high-riding, seven-seat layout.
The Ford Explorer and Mazda CX-7 rival will sit between the 4Runner and Sequoia in Toyota’s US line-up, and uses the TNGA-K version of the firm’s new platform. The Highlander has not yet made it across to European shores, but the Japanese company is believed to be adopting a ‘never say never’ approach with regard to the new model going global.
And the Chevrolet Corvette C8 is not in New York… but (finally) coming soon
While it was widely anticipated to make its debut at New York – and at this year’s Detroit show before that – the all-new, C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette, isn’t at the show.
But, in the build-up to the show, Chevrolet did confirm that its Porsche 911 rival will be launched at an event on 18 July.
Additional reporting by Felix Page


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20 lakh youths manage works using internet, Palak tells JS
SANGSAD BHABAN, Feb 12, 2024 (BSS) - State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak today said there are about 19 crore mobile SIM subscribers in the country, while 13.14 crore subscribers use internet in their mobile phones.
"Of them, around 20 lakh youths have been able to manage employment opportunities by using internet. About 6.9 lakh youths work in ICT sector and earn US$ 1.9 billion per year," he told the House while responding to a supplementary question from independent lawmaker Amatul Kibria Keya.
Palak said at the sincere efforts of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT adviser Sajeeb Wazad, 17 mobile company plants were set up in the country and about 95 percent mobile phone sets being used in the country are being manufactured in the country.
He said 9,598 links, which were used to spread propaganda and rumours, were removed from Youtube and other social media before and after the last 12th general elections.


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Should the Japanese get out of the full-size pickup truck business?
By John LeBlanc for MSN Autos Canada
Let’s open up this discussion with some facts. The top three, full-size pickup truck sellers in Canada last year were the same trio that have been at the top since, well, forever: Detroit’s Ford, General Motors’ Chevrolet and GMC brands and Fiat’s Ram (nee Dodge). In total, they sold 254,268 full-size pickups, with the Ford F-Series leading the way with over 100,000 sold — a record. When you compare those domestic brand truck sales numbers with the respective sales numbers for the Toyota Tundra (7,241) and Nissan Titan (3,499), you have to wonder why the pair of Japanese brands continue to take it on the chin from the always-dominant Detroit Three. And based on recent news, it seems like both Toyota and Nissan aren’t giving up.
This week, at the annual Chicago auto show, Toyota took yet another crack at the full-size truck segment with the debut of its redesigned Tundra family for 2014 — the first major upgrade to the Tundra since the current-generation's 2007 introduction. Using carryover mechanicals, the majority of the changes are cosmetic, highlighted by a bigger, chrome-ier grille, a more upscale interior and new options like blind spot monitoring. Also this week, reports say Nissan is planning a redesign of its slow-selling Titan, due in 2014 as a 2015 model. Like the Toyota, this will be a long overdue redo, as the current Titan is essentially the same vehicle that’s been struggling to find customers since its debut in 2003. Speculation sees a new V6 engine and a regular cab, on top of the existing four-door crew-cab and king-cab V8 Titans, added to the lineup.
That’s all very well and good. But it’s not like the Detroit Three truckmakers are sitting around on their work gloves. The already well-regarded Ram 1500 got a thorough redesign just last fall for the 2013 model year. GM is in the midst of preparing for the rollout of its all-new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks, starting this spring. While the perennial top dog, Ford, signaled its future intentions with its Atlas concept truck at this year’s Detroit auto show, a precursor to a redesigned 2015 F-Series.
So as much as the Japanese get marks for hanging in there, it may be time to wave the white flag when it comes to the full-size truck segment. A case of knowing when to fold 'em...
What do you think? Should the Japanese give up? Or should they continue to play David to the domestic truck brand’s Goliaths?


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High Shipping Costs Are Here to Stay, Says Bloomberg
By Henry Ren (Bloomberg) Stubbornly high shipping expenses for businesses are getting sealed into contracts for the next 12 months, forcing companies to pass the extra costs on to consumers....
FRANKFURT, March 10 (Reuters) – German state-controlled lender NordLB will inject money into its loss-making Bremer Landesbank (BLB) unit, which is suffering from a weak shipping market that is chipping away at its capital.
BLB said it booked a writedown of 1.6 billion euros ($1.71 billion) on its shipping book in 2016.
NordLB said that it would, however, not need to tap its own public-sector shareholders to stump up the money for the cash injection.
NordLB has said in the past that it expects a 2016 loss of more than 1 billion euros.
BLB, which has around 30 billion euros in assets, was taken over completely by NordLB in January. ($1 = 0.9378 euros) (Reporting by Arno Schuetze; Editing by Harro ten Wolde)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017.
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Finalists announced today
The finalists in WA’s most prestigious regional small business awards for 2017 have been announced.
Competition for the coveted WA Regional Small Business Awards has been very strong, with a record number of finalists in the 2017 awards.
See the full list of finalists and see if you, or someone you know, has been selected as a finalist.
Having already been named as winners at a regional level, this year’s WA Regional Small Business Awards finalists represent the cream of the crop when it comes to regional small businesses.
With 47 finalists spanning across the nine award categories, each region of the state will be represented at this year’s awards, as they wait to see which business will claim the title of the 2017 Western Australian Regional Small Business of the Year.
Join us for the 2017 Western Australian Regional Small Business Awards
The 2017 Western Australian Regional Small Business awards will be presented at the gala presentation evening on Friday 10 November at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Secure your tickets for the event.