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Google shared its full perspective on supporting developers’ ability to choose how they distribute their apps through multiple app stores on different platforms, ensuring equal treatment for all apps, and allowing developers to communicate with customers.
The company explained it will be making changes in Android 12 next year to make it easier for people to use other app stores on their devices while being careful not to compromise the safety measures Android has in place.
Google also clarified its Payments Policy to be more explicit that all developers selling digital goods in their apps are required to use Google Play’s billing system.
Uno Platform 3.0 released with Fluent and Material styles
Fluent and Material Design are now available out-of-the-box to use in desktop, mobile, and web applications built with the Uno Platform.
Both design systems have dark mode-themed styles with no additional code required to support dark mode.
Also, Uno Gallery is a collection of ready-to-use Fluent and Material code snippets to help speed up development. Additional details are available here.
IBM’s Call for Code global challenge finalists announced
The five finalists of IBM’s Call for Code challenge include Agrolly, designed to support farmers by combining weather forecasts with crop requirements; Business Buddy, a one-stop-shop that delivers personalized and responsive updates to small businesses; as well as the applications Offship, Safe Queue, and SchoolListIt.
“This year of crisis underscores the need for the world’s developers and business leaders to apply the power of hybrid cloud, AI and open source technology to address society’s most pressing issues,” said Bob Lord, the senior vice president of Cognitive Applications, Blockchain, and Ecosystems, at IBM.
Additional details on all of the projects that made it to the finals are available here.
Mozilla’s European AI fund
The European AI Fund seeks to deepen the pool of experts across Europe who have the tools, capacity, and skills to catalogue and monitor the impact of AI and data-driven interventions.
“At Mozilla, we believe that philanthropy has a key role to play in Europe’s digital transformation and in keeping AI trustworthy, as we’ve laid out in our trustworthy AI theory of change,” Mozilla wrote in a blog post. “We’re honoured to be working alongside this group of funders in an effort to strengthen civil society’s capacity to contribute to these tech policy discussions.”
The fund will launch with a 1,000,000 € open call for funding, open until November 1st. Additional details are available here.


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Tiger Airways Australia has been slapped with an $110,000 infringement notice by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for failing to unsubscribe customers from marketing emails.
ACMA took action against Tiger Airways following a December 2011 investigation that found the low-cost airline was in breach of section 38 of the Spam Act.
In its investigation, ACMA found Tiger Airways had ignored numerous requests from individual customers to be removed from its marketing email database.
Tiger Airways also failed to respond to several warnings from ACMA to unsubscribe its customers.
ACMA accepted an enforceable undertaking from Tiger Airways Holdings Limited and payment of a $110,000 infringement notice by its subsidiary Tiger Airways Australia Pty Limited.
ACMA Deputy Chairman Richard Bean said Tiger Airways had allowed its faulty unsubscribe processes to continue, despite repeated customer complaints.
"Marketing to customers who have unsubscribed is not only against the law, it causes consumer frustration and that ultimately damages a business’s reputation," Bean said in a statement.
"This action is another reminder to businesses that that they should pay attention to what their customers are saying.''
A Tiger Airways spokesperson said the airline "deeply regrets" the upset and inconvenience caused to its customers and has since reviewed and re-designed its processes to ensure regulatory compliance.
"[Tiger] is committed to working with an independent consultant to assess and make improvements to all aspects of the electronic direct marketing process where appropriate," the spokesperson said.
The details of the enforceable undertaking can be read here.


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Saint Francis Hospital is heading to the Riverfront
A few years after losing most of its tenants and nearly fading from shoppers’ consciousness, the pioneering retail center at the far end of the Riverfront development area has just signed another key tenant, bringing it to 92 percent occupancy and giving it a new identity and future as a mixed-use property.
Wilmington-based St. Francis Healthcare is the latest to lease space at the center along the bank of the Christina River, which had lost 10 retail tenants in the past five years.
St. Francis will use the 28,000-square-foot space to house a senior health care program, called Living Independently For Elders (LIFE). The program “provides services to those who would otherwise need nursing home care while they remain in the community in their own home or the home of loved ones,” according to its website.
St. Francis chose the location because it is “centrally located and easily accessible,” said Joanne Piscitello, executive director of continuing care for St. Francis.
“Our ultimate goal is to provide compassionate, patient-centered care in a state-of-the-art facility; but we are pleased that this location allows us to support the local economy,” Piscitello said in a statement.
Construction on the project is planned for this spring, with an opening in the fall.
The area’s amenities are naturally suited to businesses like the LIFE center, which is expected to have a staff of about 75, said Rob Stenta, director of commercial leasing for Pettinaro Management, which runs the center for its owner, Newport-based developer Pettinaro Co.
“It’s close to the city; it’s close to I-95,” Stenta noted. “It has free parking and you get to go on nice walks at Riverwalk and go to a nice lunch.”
Now called the Shipyard Center, Pettinaro’s property now comprises an eclectic mix of tenants, including a 24-hour fitness center, Amtrak offices, an ice cream shop, two restaurants and a bank. Since 2007, the center had lost such retail tenants as L.L. Bean, Nautica and Dress Barn.
In 2010, however, three new tenants were signed, and another three opened last year, including Ubon Thai restaurant, University of Phoenix and MidCoast Community Bank.
“I think it’s partially the fact that the economy is picking up,” Stenta said of the recent rise in leasing activity. “But it’s also the fact that the place is unique, being close to the convention center, being close to I-95.”
Stenta said two of the center’s original tenants—Timothy’s Riverfront Grill and Molly’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream—“hung in there and weathered the storm,” and now are enjoying the rebound. “They are all doing fine,” he said. “I don’t have any tenants that are crying the blues anymore.”
Pettinaro, which owns and leases the Riverfront pad sites for Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant and Joe’s Crab Shack, also recently signed the Mexican chain restaurant Margaritas to open along the Christina. Pettinaro also owns several of the office buildings in the area south of the Amtrak train line.


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Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte arrived in India on May 24 for a two day visit. A 200 member delegation accompanied him, the largest Dutch delegation to any country – including the deputy PM, cabinet ministers in charge of health, trade, and infrastructure, representatives from 130 firms, and CEOs from 15 companies, among others. Despite having to[…..]
We discuss the untapped opportunities in India’s halal personal care segment, whose non-alcohol and vegetarian products appeal to a rapidly growing FMCG market.
Despite India’s high tax burden, foreign investors should pace themselves; the country offers a variety of regional and sector-based incentives to boost its competitiveness.
We discuss India-Russia bilateral ties and make sense of Prime Minister Modi’s informal meeting with President Putin ahead of the SCO meeting in June.
India will be the second largest market in the Asia-Pacific for data centers by 2020. We analyze opportunities for investors and why the development of local data centers is a priority for Digital India.
India now allows fixed-term employment in all its industries, offering hiring flexibility for firms and improved working conditions for employees.
The Eastern Peripheral Expressway, touted to be India’s smartest highway, has experienced multiple delays. We discuss how the EPE demonstrates long-standing challenges when investing in India’s infrastructure sector.
E-commerce in India is growing rapidly, helped by rising consumer demand, increasing disposable incomes, and expanding internet access. Here we discuss the latest market trends and regulations affecting e-commerce in India.


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By Keri Algar
SYDNEY, NSW: Kogan has today begun to sell automatic espresso coffee machines, bagless vacuum cleaners and convection microwaves, in direct competition with bricks and mortar retailers and established suppliers.
The shift from the electronics market sets Kogan up against manufacturers like Dyson, Sharp, De’Longhi and Breville, which Ruslan Kogan said would be threatened by his new range.
"After having taken on the big name brands in the electronics and gadget markets, we're now throwing down the gauntlet to home appliance retailers and manufacturers,” said Kogan.
"We constantly have customers telling us they have a few Kogan products and love them, but wish we would take on the big name brands in home appliances and other industries that have been ripping them off.
"We're here to smash the status quo and we've done just that today.
"We're selling these high end multi-cyclonic vacuum cleaners, convection microwaves and automatic espresso coffee machines at a fraction of the cost of big name brands," Kogan said.
Meanwhile, certain suppliers have told Current.com.au that the products Kogan is peddling are particularly difficult to get right and of good quality, in other words, buyers beware.
In an exclusive interview in August, Kogan revealed his plans to release small appliances to Current.com.au, saying he would not infringe any relevant patents.


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Angry Birds Seasons seems to immediately have a theme and a new level in the near future.
The new version is expected to take the theme of spring.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Monday (15/4), Angry Birds Seasons this will be the 16th series.
Rovio is often [...]
Will spend 140 days in the mission.
A Russian rocket carrying two cosmonauts and a U.S. astronaut blasted off into space on Tuesday (10/23). The three astronauts will be on duty on the International Space Station (ISS).
Oleg Novitskiy and Evgeny Tarelkin [...]
Although there are many audio applications and media that can be used to play music on your Mac, iTunes is still the most popular choice in the management of musical content.
iTunes offers the ease of controlling the sequence of music, create playlists, [...]
Samsung Indonesia introduced the world’s first audio dock that combines digital and analog technology, and made specifically for the Samsung Galaxy.
South Korean manufacturer combines the sharpness and clarity of the sound of the Digital [...]
Given the importance to always be vigilant when surfing the internet, here are some practical tips from Microsoft Indonesia.
- Lock your computer and other accounts with strong passwords, as well as a unique four-digit PIN on the mobile phone.
- Do not [...]
One of the most popular mobile game, Fruit Ninja, in the foreseeable future can be downloaded for free for iOS devices.
Quoted from Slashgear, Friday (12/4), it also makes Fruit Ninja as ‘App of the Week’ in the iTunes App Store.
The owners [...]
The hunt to find a twin of planet Earth never stop conducted by researchers planet (astronomers).
And now astronomers are working with NASA’s Kepler space telescope, discovered two Earth-like planets.
The two planets the distance of about 1,200 [...]
Who says Gangnam Style fever is gone? Maybe so for some people, but not for these robots.
Quoted from ITN UK, Tuesday (11/06), in a robot competition called Chinese Intelligent Industrial Exposition and Forum Summit in Hangzhou, China, robots skill performance.
The good news for you smartphone users had Windows Phone OS. Angry Birds can now be downloaded for free.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Thursday (2/5), Angry Birds has changed the status of being free is the original version, that is Angry Birds first.
From Windows 8, until Outlook.com and Windows Phone 8, Sinofsky gave the main color on the recent changes in Microsoft.
Less than a month after the launch of Windows 8 operating system, President of the Windows Division at Microsoft, Steven Sinofsky, [...]
Good news for all you lovers of the game The Sims. Electronic Arts officially announced that The Sims 4 ready to be released in 2014.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Tuesday (7/5), EA sure about human life simulation game is being developed for PC and Mac.


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“Terms of the agreement are confidential”
So things didn't go Microsoft's way then? Their normal tactic is to demand the right to be the one who writes the press release in which they trumpet how they've been "vindicated". If all they can say is essentially "no comment", then it sounds like even the Microsoft spin doctors can't make a silk purse out of this sow's ear. That of course won't stop this forum's own "anonymous" PR comment bot from his usual waffling.
It's time that companies stop suing each other as a tactical measure to eliminate competition, and start focusing on providing goods and services that their customers want to buy. Both Microsoft and Samsung could use some improvement there.


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Lyft is ditching Ford’s branding for its own with the launch of its new pink-wheeled pedal-assist bikes in the San Francisco Bay Area. Instead of Ford GoBike, these bikes will now be known as Bay Wheels, with Lyft’s branding prominently displayed. Eventually, all of the bikes in the Ford GoBike fleet will become Bay Wheels.
These bikes will also now be both station-based and dockless. Starting today, riders in San Jose will have access to these bikes. Lyft says it’s working to add them to its fleets in San Francisco and the East Bay later this month.
In order to deploy these stationless bikes in San Francisco, Lyft will need approval from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Late last month, the SFMTA announced the expansion of its stationless bike-share program to allow additional companies to operate in the city. That application period goes until June 24. Lyft is currently working with the city to deploy its e-bikes later this month.
Though, just last week, Lyft sued the city of San Francisco, claiming that the city is violating its 10-year contract with Lyft that would give the company exclusive rights to operate bike-share programs. The lawsuit was in light of the city’s announcement that it’s seeking additional operators to deploy stationless electric bikes.
San Francisco, however, says the contract with Lyft does not apply to dockless bike-share, but only station-based bike-share. In its lawsuit, Lyft is seeking a preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order to prevent the city from issuing permits to operators for stationless bike-share rentals.
If approved, this will surely eat into Uber’s JUMP bikes market share. For an entire year and a half, JUMP had an exclusive permit to operate is stationless bikes in San Francisco.
This all comes after Lyft had to remove its pedal-assist bikes in both New York and San Francisco following rider reports in April that the brakes were too strong. The bikes are not set to return until after September in New York. Lyft had previously said it planned for pedal-assist bikes to return in June. Perhaps this has always been the plan to ditch the Ford GoBikes, which were built prior to Lyft’s acquisition of bike-share operator Motivate, for its own.
At this point, word on the street is that Lyft does not plan to rebrand CitiBike in New York.


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Ardmore, Pa. (WTXF) - Top notch watches, precious bracelets, valuable coin collections and other stolen items are on display by several Montgomery County officials who want to get them back to their rightful owners.
Prosecutors say the goods were swiped in an elaborate burglary ring that spanned all across the Delaware Valley and allegedly ended up in the Jewelers Row stores of Wasim Shazad. FOX 29 found him at one of his stores today. He refused to open the door and comment on what investigators call a whopping 1.5 million dollars in stolen goods.
Investigators say Shazad was charged with belonging to a corrupt organization and receiving stolen property and has since been released. Four other men were also charged.
"These defendants effectively targeted high value homes and specifically looked for jewelry, designer purses and cash," Montgomery County DA Kevin Steele said.
Detectives say they've recovered 50,000 stolen pieces of jewelry and other valuables allegedly grabbed at numerous high end homes between August of 2015 and July of 2016.
An extensive ring that investigators say were responsible for 8 burglaries in Montgomery County, 6 in Delaware County, 1 in Chester County,, plus alleged thefts in Cherry Hill and New Castle County, Delaware.
"Our investigation revealed that these crimes were the product of a sophisticated and organized effort by this criminal enterprise," Steele said.
Police raided Shazad's "V Jewelers" store this past January. It is now closed. Officials say his home was also searched where they found more suspected stolen goods in buckets, computers and documents.
If you recognize any of the goods, please visit http://www.montcopa.org/JewelryWebsite or from the home pages of the Montgomery County DA's Office (www.montcopa.org/da), Lower Merion Police (www.lowermerion.org/services/police-department) or Abington Police (www.abingtonpd.org).


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Auto thefts on the rise in Greenwich
While high-end car brands like Mercedes Benz, BMW and Lexus seem to be popular choices for drivers in town, police say they are also major targets for car thieves who have been hitting the area more than usual in recent months.
"There has been a dramatic increase in thefts this year relative to last year and even the last few years," said Anthony Fiscella, a Greenwich police detective who handles auto crimes. "Traditionally in Greenwich we see the higher-end vehicles like BMW and Mercedes being targeted."
So far in 2009, police have received 36 reports of stolen vehicles, 19 of which have occurred since June, according to records. Compared with the 20 vehicles stolen in 2008, Fiscella said this year is proving to be very active.
"Unfortunately the town of Greenwich and other towns within Fairfield and Westchester counties have been targeted by auto theft groups," said Fiscella. "That is one of the reasons for the spikes that we have seen."
Police say these auto theft "professionals" use sophisticated tactics to unlock cars without smashing windows and end up reselling the vehicles throughout the country.
Police have recovered 20 of the 36 reported stolen cars so far this year, many of which were tracked down hundreds of miles away, Fiscella said.
However, police said it is not just the professional thieves who are contributing to the heightened amount of thefts this year. Fiscella said police still see amateur criminals smashing windows or taking advantage of residents who leave their keys in their cars after returning home for the night.
There have also been several investigations of fraudulent stolen car reports, where residents ditch their vehicles in the hopes of recovering insurance money, police said.
"We are investigating three to five (cases) where owners have perpetrated insurance fraud for monetary reasons or to get out of high lease premiums," said Fiscella.
"We've also been seeing thieves who have been able to find valet keys (in the car), whether they are still in the glove compartment or somewhere within the vehicle," he added.
While police said the thefts have been occurring all over town and in various types of situations, Fiscella said there have been specific problem areas at the commuter lots adjacent to Interstate 95 and even local car dealerships. Last week alone, police said three cars were taken from the Honda of Greenwich dealership at 289 Mason St.
A message seeking comment from the Honda dealership manager was left Thursday.
Two motorcycles were also stolen from residences in town, police said.
State Police said their auto theft unit is experiencing a busy year too, although they have not noticed a particular spike.
"It's been steady," said Lt. J. Paul Vance, state police spokesman. "Our (auto theft unit) has been relatively successful in the apprehension of individuals in stolen cars."
Vance said using GPS tracking devices has been particularly helpful recovering stolen cars because police can track the systems using aircraft.
Police said while high-end vehicles may be targeted in some areas, Hondas are typically the most sought-after vehicles to steal because their parts have a high resale value.
Fiscella said residents can protect themselves from becoming the victim of auto theft by using common-sense mechanisms like locking car doors, setting alarms and parking in well-lit areas.
"You've got to start by using your basic protective measures," said Fiscella.
To take security to the next level, Fiscella said customers can invest in vehicle recovery systems, which are offered by many car companies.
Police also ask that any auto-theft activity be reported to them immediately.
-- Detective Fiscella can be reached at 203-622-8021.


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GPD has launched the Indiegogo campaign for GPD Pocket, a 7-inch laptop that’s powered by Intel Atom processor. You can easily carry it around in your pocket and run Windows 10 or Ubuntu Linux on it. The device recently debuted on Indiegogo and achieved its goal in the first few hours. GPD Pocket’s Windows 10 Home and Ubuntu 16.04 LTS versions can be grabbed by spending $399.
GPD is known for marking handheld gaming consoles that operate on Android operating system. Now, the company has decided to try out something new and create a full-fledged laptop that’s able to run a desktop operating system like Microsoft Windows 10 and Ubuntu Linux.
GPD Pocket is powered by Intel Atom x7-Z8700 Cherry Trail processor–something that’s just fine for getting the basic work done. You’ll get 128GB storage and 4GB RAM. The 7-inch touch screen of GPD Pocket also has Gorilla Glass 3 protection.
The 7000mAh polymer lithium battery gives this device a 12-hour battery life.
Submitted by: Arnfried Walbrecht


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By Peter J. Howe, Globe Staff
Verizon Communications Inc. said yesterday it will extend a powerful
new fiber-optic network capable of delivering cable television to 1
million US homes and businesses by year's end, including more than
100,000 in suburban Boston.
The new network, versions of which Verizon already has deployed in
test markets in California, Florida, and Texas, is expected to ratchet
up the competition between cable and phone companies, as Verizon uses
the massively upgraded network to sell ultrafast Internet access and
packages of interactive television programming.
Verizon said it will launch services starting this winter in Essex and
Middlesex counties north and west of Boston. It declined to identify
the cities and towns it will target first, although Lexington,
Newburyport, Newton, Reading, and Topsfield are considered by
telecommunications executives familiar with Verizon's plan to be
likely prospects. Verizon is building similar networks in eight other
states this year.
Besides enabling the nation's biggest phone company to offer cable
television, including potentially high-definition programming
delivered on demand, the network would allow Verizon to vault past
Comcast Corp. and RCN Corp. with Internet access at speeds that are
six to 10 times faster than today's cable and Verizon broadband
offerings. While a new entrant into the cable TV market may cause more
consumer excitement, broadband data could be an equally lucrative
business for Verizon.


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While Groupon has taken off with consumers, not every business is giving their experience with the company a glowing review. At least one Chicago sandwich shop owner says his Groupon promotion almost cost him his business.
Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood has a vibrant and bustling business district. Over the years many trendy stores have come and gone but the Chicago Bagel Authority has become a mainstay. Not only has the popular sandwich shop survived for nearly 13 years, it’s prospered. But last year that prosperity was dealt a near fatal blow.
Owner Greg Gibbs was in the process of opening a second store when he decided to try a relatively new marketing tool: Groupon. To see what happened next, check out Eddie Arruza’s story from Feb. 16, 2011 on Chicago Tonight by clicking the video on the right.


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The world’s largest container shipping company is about to send its first cargo vessel across the Arctic. It’s a small step, but a significant one in the expansion of trade in Arctic waters as ice recedes due to climate change.
The shipping company, Maersk, says the trip is a trial voyage. They’ve characterized it as an exploratory “one-off,” which will enable them to assess the feasibility of the route.
Ryan Uljua is a senior fellow at the Arctic Institute in Washington D.C. He says that the move is notable due to Maersk’s high profile, but it doesn’t signal an imminent wave of container shipping in the Arctic.
“I kind of think we’re more talking about a scale of decades rather than years before that is a regular occurrence,” Uljua said.
He added that the success of container shipping companies like Maersk depends on their reliability: getting goods to ports on time. And in the Arctic, weather and ice conditions are still too unpredictable for shipping companies to consider regular routes there.
But despite those difficulties, the Chinese-state owned shipping company COSCO — a competitor to Maersk — has been sending ships through the Arctic for several years. Uljua says that’s one factor driving Maersk.
“Their major strategic competitor is active in the Arctic so I think they’re feeling some pressure to explore it as well,” he said.
Maersk’s vessel is traveling the Northern Sea Route, starting in a Russian port near the border with China and moving up through the Bering Strait, along the Russian Arctic coast and into Europe.
New routes for the Bering Strait were approved earlier this year by the international organization that sets standards for marine safety.
The Maersk ship is expected to enter the Bering Strait around September 1st.
Alaska has a lot going on right now.
Never miss the important parts with insightful (and entertaining) news from The Signal, the best weekly Alaska news email.
- An email from Alaska's former first lady sheds new light on the actions that drove Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott from office, suggesting he may have invited a woman into his room, newly released emails show.
- A new Alaska group hopes to overhaul the state's oil and gas tax credit system through a ballot initiative called the Fair Share Act.
- Alaska regulators are considering whether the state should continue replenishing a rural telephone and internet service fund or shut it down.
- Hunters said the proposed Ambler Road would be closed to the public, while conservationists said it would hurt caribou and other wildlife needed by area villages.


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The Entain share price suffered an 11.9% drop yesterday on news a proposed takeover of the Ladbrokes and Sporting Bet owner had fallen through. MGM Resorts International, the U.S. casino group Entain has a joint venture with in the USA, gave up on its £8.1 billion bid. With it becoming clear a larger sum would be needed to entice the deal over the line, the American bidder baulked at raising its offer.
MGM insists that while it is committed to becoming an international gaming and entertainment company, it is determined to pursue the ambition while maintaining “a disciplined framework”, when it comes to acquisition and other expansion opportunities.
Stock market rules mean the official withdrawal of the £8.1 billion bid on the table, means a new bid cannot be made for at least six months. Unless another bidder comes forward in the meanwhile. However, the feeling is the U.S. joint venture between Entain and MGM will discourage other potential bidders.
MGM’s final offer to Entain was worth £13.83-a-share, having had an earlier £12.85-a-share offer rejected. The higher bid would have seen Entain investors receive 0.6 MGM shares for each Entain share held, with a part-cash alternative also on offer.
MGM’s official statement read that after “careful consideration and having reflected on the limited engagement between the respective parties” the decision was reached not to make an increased or firm offer. According to quoted sources close to the negotiations, with Entain’s share price reaching an all-time high around Christmas, MGM weren’t comfortable paying the significant premium on that being held out for.
However, one City source told The Times newspaper they think there is still a reasonable chance the deal could happen at a later date, commenting:
“The logic is there and I wouldn’t be surprised if it were to happen — eventually. The joint venture means there is unlikely to be a rival bid which means MGM can take its time and come back when the situation is more favourable.”
Entain’s third largest shareholder, the Edinburgh-based international investment company Aberdeen Standard, is said to have shared the Entain board’s opinion MGM’s bid undervalued the company and its future prospects. Before the approach, Entain’s largest single shareholder was Capital Group, which played both sides of deal by selling half of its 9.9% holding when its market price exceeded the bid offer.
Entain, previously named GVC Holdings is a major online sports betting and gambling/gaming group and owns the Ladbrokes, Coral, Bwin and Sportingbet brands. Having bought Ladbrokes Coral for £3.2 billion in 2018, Entain also now runs the 3000 bricks-and-mortar betting shops that came with that deal.
MGM, meanwhile, is listed in New York and best known for its Las Vegas Strip resorts. As the USA online sports betting market gradually opens up state-by-state, it is pushing into the sector and determined to be a major player. Its in online sports betting in the USA market where it has a joint venture with Entain. The London-listed company has far more experience in the online space, especially in sports betting.
Another development that didn’t help the proposed deal was last week’s surprise resignation of Entain chief executive Shay Segev, just a few months into his role. He accepted an offer to join the sports streaming group Dazn. The Times quotes a source as commenting:
“Shay was the driving force behind the joint venture and was an advocate of the takeover. His resignation was seen as a negative.”
For its part, the Entain board made a statement presumably designed to reassure shareholders that the collapse of the bid is by no means considered a major blow, insisting the company continues to work towards “a clear growth and sustainability strategy, backed by leading technology, that it is confident will deliver significant value for stakeholders”.


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Pamela Anderson strips down at New York Fashion Week
Pamela Anderson hit the catwalk in a revealing gold swimsuit for the finale of Richie Rich's autumn/winter 09 show in New York this week.
The 41-year-old left very little to the imagination as she strutted her stuff in a one-piece thong swimming costume.
The super-confident former Baywatch actress did a solo around the runway before being joined by the designer himself for a lap of honour.
The star seemed to enjoy her five minutes in the spotlight as she shook her huge cleavage and pouted manically for the cameras.
It's the second time in so many months that Pammy has been touted by the fashion world, last month she was announced as the face of Vivienne Westwood's spring/summer 09 campaign.
Let us know what you think: is Pammy fabulous at forty or is it time for her to put it away? Leave your comments below.
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Taylor Swift reveals when she actually started dating Travis Kelce - and why she's refusing to hide their relationship
She's opening up about it *all*
By Jadie Troy-Pryde
Forget the South of France in summer, winter’s the time to go
By Penny Goldstone
The biggest dating trends for 2024 might just get you back on the apps
Feeling jaded by modern dating? Take a look at this
By Lauren Hughes


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What has baffled researchers for centuries appears to have been a few days of gameplay for some people. That’s exactly what the current news suggests, stating that gamers have decrypted the structure of Key proteins in the development of AIDS. Gamers, research, decipher, AIDS? I don’t really see a connection, but that’s a fact for now. Something that has given scientists a new direction with their study of AIDS and what could perhaps be at finding a cure for the incurable disease.
- Facebook Relaxes Rules For On-Page Competitions: Big News For Brands And Business
- Update: Mobilink Reveals Its New Identity, Launches A Responsive Website
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WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich., Jan. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bertha Watches, a RESULTCO brand, has partnered with Her Campus to become the official timekeeper of Her Conference 2016.
Her Conference is an event to help college women gain knowledge and guidance to excel on campus and in their careers. The conference is a two day event that includes influential keynote speakers, workshops and panels.
"Our annual Her Conference is Her Campus's largest career development event of the year, and an incredible opportunity to connect the media leaders of today with the media leaders of tomorrow," said Her Campus Co-founder, CEO & Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Kaplan Lewis.
Bertha as a brand believes in empowering women to be extraordinary, which is why the brand wanted to sponsor an event like Her Conference.
Jeff Freedman of RESULTCO says, "I created Bertha as a tribute to my grandmother who, as a strong independent woman, was a role model of mine throughout my life. I wanted Bertha Watches to support women like my grandmother in becoming successful not only in their careers, but in life as well."
Bertha Watches is looking forward to the partnership with Her Campus, and sponsoring Her Conference which will take place in July 2016, in New York City.
Bertha Watches was created in honor of Bertha Gleisner, a strong independent woman who ran her family's jewelry shop in the 1920's. The Bertha brand embodies her legacy for today's extraordinary women. Inspired by timeless styles, Bertha brand creates trendsetting designs for glamorous timepieces and eyewear. For more information, visit www.berthawatches.com.
RESULTCO is a premier fashion accessory manufacturer. Specializing in development of wrist watches, sunglasses, leather goods and fashion jewelry for both men and women. RESULTCO products cover a wide selection of styles and can be found through various online retailers. For more information, visit www.resultco.com.
About Her Campus:
Her Campus Media (HerCampus.com) is the #1 global community for college women with over 6 million monthly users. HerCampus.com features national content on Fashion, Beauty, Life, Love, Career, Health, News, Entertainment, DIY, LGBTQ+, High School, and Real World, supplemented by local content from 290+ campus chapters nationwide and in nine countries. In addition, Her Campus offers an email newsletter, Her Campus Blogger Network, High School Ambassador Program, Her Conference, College Fashion Week®, Her Campus Tour, Her Campus Shop, and even more products, programming and tools to fulfill its mission of serving college women across every platform.
Public Relations Director
SOURCE Bertha Watches


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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Bass Pro Shops is gearing up for the holiday season across America, hiring 7,000 seasonal, part-time and full-time team members at a National Hiring Day event on Wednesday, October 13 and Thursday, October 14.
Bass Pro Shops is in search of 65 candidates across both Memphis retail locations. Hotel and restaurant positions are also available at the Pyramid.
Friendly individuals who want to share their passion for the outdoors are strongly encouraged to apply in advance by visiting basspro.com/careers. But walk-ins are also welcome.
Team benefits for Outfitters include:
- Merchandise discounts up to 45 percent off
- Competitive wages, holiday and vacation pay
- Health, dental and life insurance programs for eligible team members
Earlier this year, Forbes ranked Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s in the top 10 among “America’s Best Employers” as part of a nationwide survey of 500 large firms. Bass Pro Shops is an equal opportunity employer and a drug-free workplace.
For both the Pyramid and Macon Road locations, the hiring event will be from 10 a.m.- 7 p.m.


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Crocs Classic Clog
Crocs Inc. says it will take longer than initially anticipated to become a net zero company.
In the company’s 2023 ESG report, dubbed its Comfort Report, Crocs updated its commitments to becoming net zero and said it now expects to complete this milestone by 2040. In July of 2021, Crocs said it planned to achieve this goal by 2030 by using more sustainable ingredients for its products and packaging materials as well as other measures.
“We’ve learned a lot in the past year,” read the report, which went live on Tuesday. “In 2021, we made a public commitment to be net zero by 2030. We stated this goal knowing it was ambitious, necessary and frankly, neither vast nor fast enough — a common reality for most brands (and not even just those in the footwear and apparel industry). The picture is now much clearer and we are working toward a new enterprise goal.”
Crocs attributed the delay to its Hey Dude acquisition (which closed in the first quarter of 2022, after the original commitment was announced) and its ongoing global expansion. The company said it spent the last year collecting data to understand the state of its supply chain and greenhouse gas inventories. In April 2022, the company hired Deanna Bratter as VP and global head of sustainability, a newly created position at Crocs to help hit the ambitious goal of being net zero.
“This is still an ambitious goal when accounting for the realities of our business and recognition of both brands, but it’s a more realistic and credible goal given that our total emissions are significant, our growth projections are aggressive, and our footprint looks quite different today than when we set our initial goal,” Crocs said in the report.
Crocs also outlined other goals related to long-term ESG commitments. By 2030, Crocs said it plans to reduce the carbon footprint of its classic clog by 50 percent and aims to achieve 50 percent bio-based content in Croslite, the main material used to make Crocs. In 2022, Crocs said it saw a 45 percent increase in total emissions year-over-year due to the company’s continued growth and data transparency. It noted that 75 percent of the of the total footprint was tied to the Crocs brand.
To help make progress in this realm, Crocs said a 5 percent portion of executive incentive compensation is tied to ESG performance.
“Our organization has seen tremendous growth and transformation in the past year, and our business looks different today with the expansion of our brand portfolio than when we set our initial goals in 2021. This report captures our hard-earned progress, essential learnings and the bold ambitions we continue to aspire to as an organization,” said Crocs Inc. CEO Andrew Rees in a statement. “We are pleased with the progress we have made in our ESG journey and are as committed as ever to becoming a more sustainable and equitable global organization.”Crocs Inc. reports earnings for the first quarter on Thursday. The company previously said it expects Q1 revenues to grow between 27 percent and 30 percent, compared to Q1 of 2022. Adjusted diluted earnings per share are expected to be between $2.06 and $2.19. For the full year of 2023, Crocs expects revenues to grow between 10 percent and 13 percent year-over-year, or between about $3.9 billion and $4 billion.


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With the rumour mill around the tech industry never seeming to stop, and speculation always rampant about every minor development, most major changes are often heralded months in advance. Which is why it was such a surprise last week when Google announced more or less out of the blue that it had sold its Motorola smartphone brand to Chinese firm Lenovo.
Once the dust had settled and the terms of the deal became clear, the general consensus seems to be that this is a good move for everyone. Google gets to offload a loss-making part of its company, while Lenovo gains a ready-made platform with which to launch its much-planned assault on the Western smartphone market. Win-win, no?
But what will it actually mean for you? And will it be the case that a year or two down the line, you'll have a new option to consider the next time you're in the store trying to choose between an Apple and a Samsung?
Lenovo – big company, little brand
Lenovo occupies somewhat of a strange position in the tech sector, at least in the West. It's a huge company – and was the world's largest maker of PCs last year – and yet its not exactly a household name. Tell someone you've got the latest Apple or Samsung and there's likely to be much oohing and aahing over it, but a Lenovo? The best you can probably hope for is a blank stare.
That's because most of its success is down to its huge presence in its home market of China – when you're successful in a nation of more than a billion computer users, you can make a lot of money without ever having to worry about the rest of the world. In Europe and the US though, its profile is much lower. Sure, it's growing steadily in the PC market and you probably won't need binoculars to spot someone using a Lenovo-branded laptop, but it's not a name that trips off the tongue.
But like a good Bond villain, the company is dreaming of taking over the world. And with smartphones now being the number one area of focus for any smart tech firm, the addition of Motorola's technology – and, more importantly, name recognition – could give it the kick it needs to make the jump to the mainstream in the West.
So can they really do it?
One thing Lenovo has going for it is a solid track record when it comes to taking existing companies and building on them. Analysts have likened the deal to its buyout of IBM's PC division in 2005 – which transformed the firm from a niche player in the PC sector to the market-leading powerhouse it is today.
In a statement, Google boss Larry Page said Lenovo's expertise and track record can make it a "major player" in the Android ecosystem, with the Google head honcho highlighting its great hardware knowledge and global reach.
So in terms of skills, resources and ambition, you can bet that Lenovo has what it takes to bring the Motorola brand right back up to the top table of smartphone makers. It may only be a matter of time before we're talking about a big three, rather than the current Apple/Samsung-dominated technology, which could be great news for everyone except the very indecisive.
But what about the phones?
What impact the deal will have on the actual phones Motorola produces is still a bit up in the air, but one suggestion is it might lead to an overall price rise. Last year, the brand wowed the press with products like the Moto G, which showed you don't have to spend huge amounts to get the latest technology. But TechRadar noted the great price of the device was probably only possible with helpful subsidies from Motorola's Google masters.
It also speculated that – given Lenovo's previous interest in larger-screen phones rather than budget gadgets – it will be shooting for the premium and phablet markets with its future Motorola products. Not great if you're a bargain-hunter, but if you like the biggest and best screens, things look promising.
So what does Google get out of this?
Aside from the fact it's getting rid of a loss making division – it paid $12.5 billion (£7.59 billion) for Motorola just two years ago, but Lenovo is taking it off its hands for a bargain-basement $2.91 billion – it will allow the internet giant to focus more of its resources in other areas – so you might be able to look forward to more shiny new ideas from the internet behemoth sooner rather than later.
Mr Page hinted the company will be able to focus much more closely on technologies such as wearable computing and the home market as a result of the deal. And with Google already showing an interest in both these areas – through its Google Glass and the recent buyout of smart thermostat maker Nest Labs, this might mean it can concentrate even more on making devices that don't just complement your life, but can run it.


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According to a new report by cybersecurity company Kaspersky, malwares have become increasingly crypto-oriented and easy to create. Even worse, the malicious programs are going undetected on PCs at home and work.
The company’s annual security bulletin has expressed its concern this year about the surge in new mining technologies. Hackers are investing more time and resources to cryptojacking programs, and as such, they’re replacing the “traditional” ransomware Trojan horses.
This comes at a time when cryptocurrency is on the verge of a breakthrough in adoption across the world, with countries starting to lay down legal frameworks, introducing their digital currencies and even using Blockchain in their systems in some cases. Successful attacks can expose cracks in the security of cryptocurrencies and reduce confidence in them.
Kaspersky noted that hackers are gradually shifting from ransomwares and DDoS attacks to cryptojacking as there’s less competition there. An untapped market, or so to say. It’s also convenient that people are less likely to report cryptocrimes to the authorities.
Cryptomining is also appealing to hackers due to its profitable nature. Although there are moments of a lull when the prices drop, currencies like Monero reportedly have five percent of their coin generated by illicit mining. An estimated $175 million has been earned by hackers from Monero alone in this way. Monero’s popular with hackers due to its anonymity and liquidity of its coins.
Kaspersky’s report stated that the decline in DDoS attacks could be due to “the ‘reprofiling’ of botnets from DDoS attacks to cryptocurrency mining.”
The easy availability of open mining pools and miner builders have made life easy for hackers trying to illicitly mine cryptocurrency. It’s also becoming more and more difficult to trace and identify them. The report states,
“It might be quite a while before the user notices that 70–80% of their CPU or graphics card power is being used to generate virtual coins.”
The report also noted that such attacks are more prevalent in Europe than in the US, where laws regarding cryptocurrencies are more rigidly defined. The United States only faces 1.3 percent of all attacks. Regions, where laws regarding digital information and unlicensed softwares are unregulated, are where these hackers thrive. Vietnam, for example, accounts for 13 percent of all the attacks even though dealing cryptocurrency is illegal in the country.
Also read: Crypto Miners Overtake Ransomware
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Last year, an Ontario Judge, Madame Justice Carolyn Horkins found that UPS Canada had violated the Ontario Consumer Protection Act and customers were required to pay brokerage fees that were not properly disclosed
The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an appeal in the UPS class action suit. The appeal filed by United Parcel Service Canada Ltd wanted a review of the verdict which favoured customers in a suit which challenged the company’s unfair brokerage fees.
Last year, an Ontario Judge, Madame Justice Carolyn Horkins found that UPS Canada had violated the Ontario Consumer Protection Act and customers were required to pay brokerage fees that were not properly disclosed.
Using guidance from previous verdicts of the SCC regarding consumer protection statutes, Justice Horkins interpreted the legislation generously in favour of consumers and certified the case as a class action. UPS had argued the case was inappropriate for the class-action procedure but the case was further upheld as a class-action suit by the divisional court.
This verdict could affect the entire shipping industry; the case was first filed when the plaintiffs shipped a pair of shoes and ski boots from the U.S. to Canada. They were shocked to see extra charges being levied to cover supposed brokerage fees. The extra charges were almost double the initial fees charged by the shipping company. These brokerage fees, which were a big concern for many consumers, were levied without proper disclosure.
Through the course of the hearing, evidence was presented in court that UPS customer service receives at least 300 calls a day from customers who have concerns over these extra brokerage or other charges.
The lead plaintiff on the suit, Ryan Wright, was charged $40.29 extra brokerage fees on a pair of shoes he bought from an eBay vendor in Oregon. He initially paid US$22 for UPS to ship the package but later had to additionally pay the extra “brokerage” charges. The second lead plaintiff, Julia Zislin, was charged extra fees of $49.10 on a pair of ski boots valued at $100, she had initially agreed to only pay $19.23 total shipping fees.
By not properly informing customers about the brokerage fees that they could incur and insisting on payment of the said fees prior to delivery, UPS violated the Consumer Protection Act, the judge ruled.
The verdict in this case could set a benchmark in all businesses, shippers in particular could be dealt a big blow as their contracts and rules would now have to reflect the new interpretation of the consumer protection statute.


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Moisturizers Don’t Work for Everyone
New science underlines how to find one that actually soothes
Certain moisturizers might be doing more harm than good for people with sensitive skin, according to new research by dermatology professor Dr. Peter Elias and his team at the University of California, San Francisco.
Moisturizers are supposed to work by forming a film over the skin to trap water inside, by sponging water from the environment into the skin or by filling in the spaces between the cells in the skin surface with certain lipids. All of these are strategies meant to increase the skin’s water content.
For people who don’t have sensitive skin, chances are that any drugstore moisturizer will do a good job in soothing the skin and easing any itchiness. But for about half of Americans with sensitive skin — or conditions such as atopic dermatitis, rosacea, or eczema — standard moisturizer often provides only momentary relief. The automatic response to this discomfort is to reach for the bottle of moisturizer one more time.
To understand why some people with sensitive skin are trapped in this cycle, Elias and his team launched experiments to measure the long-term impact of moisturizers on what’s called the skin barrier — the outermost layer of the skin that’s meant to keep moisture in and irritants out.
“These lotions feel good for an hour or two. Their formulations are sometimes very nice, but after that, your skin feels drier than ever. Patients think it’s a problem with their skin, but the problem is with the technology.”
The skin barrier is comprised of three lipids: ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids. “The first experiment we did was to knock out each of those lipids individually,” says Elias. “What we found was that they were all important because if any of those are missing, the barrier gets [damaged].”
The problem with many over-the-counter moisturizers, according to Elias, is that they either don’t have those three important lipids, they don’t contain them in an effective concentration, or they don’t contain them in the right proportion. The…


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Insolvent newsprint giant AbitibiBowater Inc. says it may be forced to further cut its production capacity this year if market conditions worsen, even as it trimmed losses last year despite lower sales.
The Montreal-based producer said it lost $1.55-billion (U.S.), or $26.91 per share last year. That's an improvement from a loss of $2.23-billion, or $38.79 per share in 2008.
The company spent $639-million on reorganization costs for the year.
Sales fell 35.5 per cent to $4.366-billion, from $6.771-billion.
During the fourth-quarter, AbitibiBowater lost $314-million even as sales fell 30 per cent to $1.1-billion.
The company lost $5.43 per share for the period ended Dec. 31. That compared to a loss of $24.85 a year earlier when the net loss totalled $1.433-billion.
Lower newsprint prices pushed sales down to $1.126-billion from $1.617-billion in the year-ago period.
AbitibiBowater has been operating under court protection from creditors in Canada and the United States since April, 2009.
It hopes to emerge from court protection by the fall if it can successfully present a restructuring plan.
"We are attempting to stabilize our business by preserving all or a portion of the enterprise and evaluating our various operations, corporate structure and head count to develop a comprehensive restructuring plan in an effective and timely manner," the company said in a securities filing.
Formed from the 2007 merger of Canadian and U.S. newsprint companies, it produces newsprint, commercial printing papers, market pulp and wood products.
All of its paper products faced significantly lower demand in 2009 because of trends in the newsprint industry and global economic conditions.
"North American newsprint consumption continued to decline in 2009 due to a significant decline in circulation and advertising," it said.
Global demand for market pulp increased slightly in 2009, despite significant declines in North America and Western Europe, which were partially offset by increased demand from China.
The company has responded by permanently closing some paper facilities, taking downtime to reduce production, increasing prices and idling more than half its lumber production due to a weak U.S. housing market.
AbitibiBowater said it expects to operate its wood products business as "extremely low levels" and will continue to take curtailments.
It has started to raise North American newsprint prices and continues to divest non-core assets, including nearly 200,000 hectares of land, to improve its liquidity.
The company operates 23 pulp and paper mills and 30 wood products operations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Korea.
With 12,100 employees, it is the world's largest producer of newsprint. It has 12 per cent of global capacity and 42 per cent of North American capacity.


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- Energy & Power
- Construction & Mining
- Buyers' Guide
MTN Uganda has partnered with Umeme, the country's retail power distributor, to enable consumers to pay their electricity bills using mobile money
The service is expected to fuel the higher penetration of cashless transactions and contribute greatly to the country’s economy.
The instant payment solution, Touch Pay Solutions, was recently unveiled by Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, the minister of information and communications technology.
Payments can be made through MTN Uganda and nine partner banks throughout the country.
Customers can pay bills at any hour of the day or night and avoid disconnections.
Dr Rugunda said Touch Pay Solutions was a result of a partnership that would improve service delivery to a wide range of customers.
“I'm extremely pleased that a utility company that is at the core of our economic development has reached out to other companies, driving our economy to find the common good and these partnerships have to be celebrated,” he said.
Mazen Mroue, CEO of MTN Uganda, added, “The value added service will improve their lives by ensuring quick and efficient utility bill payments.
“We currently have a total of three million mobile money subscribers, which is a great opportunity for Umeme to leverage and expand the Touch Pay service to these customers.”


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Online retailers Amazon and eBay have been accused of profiting from a multibillion-pound tax fraud and "turning a blind eye" to the problem.
MPs grilled senior representatives of the companies at a meeting of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday, and criticised them for not doing enough to tackle the problem.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimates that taxpayers have lost £1.5 billion from overseas sellers illegally selling goods into the UK without paying VAT.
As a result, many small British businesses are struggling to survive as prices are undercut, MPs said.
Labour MP Caroline Flint repeatedly challenged Joe Billante, an eBay vice-president, and Steve Dishman, a vice-president at Amazon, to admit they were profiting from the activity.
She said: "You are profiting from the evasion of tax by these overseas sellers. Is it not a fact that if you have overseas sellers using your marketplace, and you are taking money from them for every product sold on your online marketplace, whether intentionally or not, the system is creating you as profiteers from the evasion of tax?"
She added: "We are talking about billions of pounds of VAT which is being lost to the HMRC and to the UK.
"It is putting out of business legitimate businesses that are playing by the rules."
Mr Dishman replied: "We want all the bad actors off our platform... We are focused on having a level playing field so everyone can compete equally."
Mr Billante said eBay "does not want any of these sellers" using its platform, and that the firm will "take action" when fraud is discovered.
Some foreign sellers now export their goods to the UK and store them in "fulfilment houses" before they are sold through online marketplaces.
All traders outside the EU who sell goods online to people in the UK are required to charge VAT if their goods are already in the UK at the point of sale.
Amazon and eBay say it is up to the sellers to declare the VAT from their sales.
Conservative MP Nigel Mills accused both companies of "turning a blind eye" to fraud.
He said: "It's a lot of money the taxpayer is losing here. Haven't both your companies just been turning a blind eye to this for a long time?"
Both companies said they now required sellers on their sites to prove that they were registered for VAT.
HMRC also accused Amazon of not providing "complete transparency" on the overseas sellers using their site.
Jon Thompson, chief executive and permanent secretary of HMRC, told the committee: "I think there's a risk that the committee could fall into assuming that there is some transparency between the two organisations.
"It is true to say that online marketplaces can access our systems to validate VAT numbers but I do not think you should not fall into assuming that we have transparency back the other way."
Mr Dishman said the company would co-operate with any attempts to strengthen the law and said measures were being put in place to make it easier for sellers on Amazon to declare VAT and to educate foreign companies on the law.
The PAC will now produce a report on the issue in the coming months.


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FIRST TO MARKET WITH 2018 MUSTANG GT SUPERCHARGER KIT NOW SHIPPING
It’s a short week so let’s keep this short and take a moment to be thankful as ProCharger brings the first (and if past history is any indicator, best) supercharger solution to the 2018 Ford Mustang GT. Featuring a highly efficient supercharger, large and very effective air-to-air intercooler, and a main bracket that can accommodate a modular approach to power gains, allowing for a straightforward upgrade path to larger compressors, the 2018 Mustang GT is already proving to be a strong seller on an equally strong pony car platform.
ProCharger made big news in the past by adding 300 bolt-on horsepower to otherwise stock 2015-2017 Mustang GTs, and then recently at SEMA announced a 50-State Legal EO certified system for 2015-17 GT’s aimed squarely at California’s enthusiast market.
Heading into the Thanksgiving holiday, and gearing up for the PRI show in Indianapolis, we can now confirm the final big piece of Mustang news – ProCharger is first to market with a supercharger kit, with deliveries happening now, for the new 2018 Mustang GT.
While many soon-to-be new Mustang owners are still waiting for dealers to give them the call to get the keys to their 2018 GTs, ProCharger is already shipping our active part number 1FW204-SCI for the 2018 GT H.O. tuner kit. Orders placed now mean you could actually have a ProCharger ready for install before your car arrives.
Stock, the 2018 Mustang GT is good for 460 horsepower and 420 lb/ft of torque, and with its new 10-speed transmission dramatically reducing acceleration times, 0-60 blitzes by in just four seconds flat. With industry-leading power gains, nine second ¼ mile times on an otherwise stock car are amazingly within reach.
Details on the forthcoming Stage II kit will follow shortly, so stay tuned for that as well. For those that bought the 2018 Mustang as the ideal platform for making serious power, ProCharger unquestionably has you covered.
Ready for that new-boost smell? Feel free to drop us a line at 913-338-2886 M-F 8:30am-5:30pm CST to speak with one of sales and tech staff members or email us at [email protected]


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Small business owners asked parents for emergency cash during pandemic
More than a third of small business owners asked parents for financial help during the pandemic, according to a survey by Liberis.
An estimated 4.9 million of Britain’s six million small businesses required some form of help, the finance company’s survey said.
The government introduced several support schemes to help businesses of all sizes when the pandemic began. However, some small firms required further financing.
The survey questioned 500 business owners: 46 per cent asked family for financial support, with 35 per cent turning to parents. Forty per cent turned to banks. Thirty-seven per cent of small business owners took a second job to keep their companies afloat and a further 28 per cent considered doing so.
Research by Goldman Sachs, the investment bank, suggests


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UCSF Sustainability Stories
Ana Toepel and Deborah Fleischer, Green Impact, March 2018
UCSF Contributes to the Push for Flame Retardant-Free Products
Image credit: One Workplace
As recently reported in UCSF News, common flame-retardant chemicals added to upholstered furniture, carpet padding, and other household foam-padded products continue to pose a threat to human health, especially for pregnant women and children. UC San Francisco (UCSF) has continuously advocated for policies and procurement guidelines that minimize exposure to flame-retardant chemicals, as these chemicals contain chlorine or bromine and have been associated with health concerns such as lower IQ, reduced fertility and thyroid hormone disruption.
A UCSF research study, conducted by scientists and physicians with the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) and published in August 2017, found that prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants (PBDEs) lowers intelligence levels in children. This study was well-recognized, including being featured on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle and published in Environmental Health Perspectives. Housed in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences in the UCSF School of Medicine, PRHE has been working at the intersection of science, medicine, policy and community since it was founded in 2007 to conduct reproductive health research and translate the science into improved public policy and enhanced clinical care.
Findings from a related PRHE study showed that although most PBDEs were banned or phased out beginning in 2003, pregnant women continue to demonstrate PBDE exposure years later. Because flame retardant chemicals are just mixed into the products and not actually bonded to them, they are released into the environment where they can be ingested and absorbed—and persist into the future.
Alternate flame-retardant chemicals, such as organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs), are still being used in furniture and baby products, although they are also known to be toxic and have harmful impacts. One example is the way they threaten reproductive health. Findings from a Harvard Chan School of Public Health study published in August 2017 show a link between exposure to PFRs and lower reproductive success in women undergoing fertility treatments, “adding to the body of evidence indicating a need to reduce the use of these flame retardants.”
UCSF Research Informs San Francisco Ban on Flame Retardants
For San Francisco County and City residents a reduction in exposure to these flame retardants is on the way, due in part to the research from UCSF’s PRHE on how they impact pregnant women and children. This past October UCSF continued to show up as a “leader in science-based policy solutions” as it presented scientific information to San Francisco policy makers considering an ordinance proposed by Supervisor Mark Farrell to ban the sale of residential upholstered furniture and certain foam-padded children’s products containing flame retardants in the city and county.
Dr. Veena Singla, Ph.D., Associate Director, Science & Policy at PRHE, stressed, “UCSF has a history of research on the impacts of flame retardants, which has informed public policy. PRHE engages with clinicians and scientists and asks them to communicate their science to decision makers and policy makers and to inform science-based and evidence-based policies.”
At the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee hearing on October 11, 2017, Dr. Singla and Dr. Marya Zlatnik, UCSF Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, gave compelling testimony on PRHE’s research showing that diverse pregnant women seeking care in San Francisco have the highest exposure to flame retardant chemicals of pregnant women worldwide. Dr. Singla’s testimony also described the health hazards of flame retardants and how such chemicals move from products into people.
Additionally, many UCSF scientists and clinicians contributed formal comments for the supervisors, providing important scientific and technical information on the impacts of flame retardant chemicals. One particularly powerful finding included was that young children are disproportionately impacted by exposure to these chemicals, noting that “toddlers have 3-15 times higher levels of flame retardant chemicals in their bodies compared to their moms.”
The hearing was a success; the Board of Supervisors passed the ordinance on October 24. As of January 2019, when the ban takes effect, stores in the City and County of San Francisco will not be able to sell residential upholstered furniture and certain foam-padded children’s products containing flame retardants. All businesses that sell upholstered furniture or children’s products covered by the ordinance must comply. For the average consumer, this means that after Jan 1, 2019 they can walk into any store in San Francisco and buy flame-retardant free products.
Federal Agency Steps Forward for Consumers
The fight to reduce exposure to flame retardants is not just happening at the local level. UCSF’s PRHE has also taken its policy work to the national level. In September 2017 Dr. Singla testified to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) about the evidence showing that flame retardants move from products into the air and dust of homes, resulting in human exposures to the chemicals. The CPSC is the agency charged with “protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction.”
Just before the ordinance was passed in San Francisco, the CPSC issued a guidance document on an entire class of flame retardant chemicals—organohalogens—in the Federal Register, as reported in an article byCNN. The guidance document recommends that manufacturers not add these chemicals to their products and warns consumers not to buy products that contain them. Products addressed by the guidance include upholstered furniture, mattresses, electronic device cases, and children’s products.
This intermediary step is an attempt by the CPSC to protect consumers while it works to push through a formal ban on these chemicals. CNN quoted Commissioner Robert Adler as saying, “Every (chemical) that we’ve done careful and exhaustive study of has proven to be toxic—and hazardously toxic—to consumers.”
UCSF’s PRHE has come to a similar conclusion about the need to protect consumers from toxic flame retardants. “The PHRE would like to see manufacturers move away from the use of flame retardants; if there are any places where these flame retardants are necessary, manufacturers should really be looking for safer alternatives, because we’ve seen a lot of the regrettable substitutions where one toxic flame retardant is used to replace another,” stressed Dr. Singla.
Even still, as the CNN article reports, the Commission could face legal and political challenges to their proposed ban, and it will be a long process (potentially taking years) for binding regulations to be enacted.
What You Can Do to Protect Yourself and Others
- Advocate: Send a message to the CPSC. Address your message to Acting CPSC Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle and ask for the CPSC to finalize the ban of organohalogen flame retardants in furniture, children’s products, mattresses, and electronic cases.
- Use One Workplace for UCSF Furniture Purchasing: The UCSF community can purchase common office items from One Workplace through BearBuy. One Workplace is under contract with UCSF to procure discounts from manufacturers that have committed to produce Red List-free products, the worst-in-class materials prevalent in the building industry, including flame retardants. They feature Steelcase and other high-quality furnishings at a group discount to UCSF. See the full story on how the Red List is being incorporated into UCSF’s new buildings here.
- Ask for Flame-Retardant Free for Home Purchases: When shopping for new home furnishings, be sure to ask for flame-retardant free choices. Avoid crib mattresses, nap mats, and other upholstered products with flame retardants. Select foam products labeled as “flame-retardant free.” If you are in the market for a new couch, look for the new flame-retardant free label to avoid exposure to flame retardants.
- Talk About It: Learn more and spread the word about the dangers of flame retardants. Check out Green Science Policy Institute’s webpage that is full of useful information on the topic. If you work with children, explore the new Pediatric Environmental Health Web Tool Kit.


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5 p.m. UPDATE: Roseville fire says the fire is out and the roadways have reopened.
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) — Firefighters are battling a fire at a retail store under construction in Roseville.
The fire has sent up dark smoke in the area where a Dick’s Sporting Goods is under construction in Willowrock Plaza.
Five Star Boulevard has been closed in the area as firefighters respond.
We’re keeping an eye on this and will have the latest at CBS13.com and on the CBS13 News at 4, 5 and 6.


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Squire Fine Men's Apparel in Brookfield is closing as owner retires
Brookfield high-end men's clothier Squire Fine Men's Apparel is closing.
Owner David Matsudaira said in a statement that he is shutting down the store at 3885 North Brookfield Road in the Sendik's shopping center because he is retiring.
"It's been a good run. It's a very difficult decision but it's time,” Matsudaira said. "It's time for me to start to divest."
A retirement sale begins Thursday. The store will be open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The store will return to normal business hours after the sale until the remaining inventory is sold.
Matsudaira, who has had a long career in retailing, including time with Bon-Ton Stores Inc., previously was president of Suiters, a men's clothing store in Brookfield.
"We had record growth and profits during my first holiday season, but the store's owner eventually needed to close," Matsudaira said. "Everything was sold to a liquidator, but I wanted to keep the store going and keep everyone employed. The community really needed a store like that. I bought the inventory I needed and the same retail space, hired the Suiters staff, and opened Squire in 2011."
Matsudaira moved back to Seattle in 2016 when he acquired a stake in Butch Blum, a European menswear specialty store in the Northwest that opened its doors in 1974. He brought in Timothy Smasal as president and general manager to lead Squire's day-to-day operations.
"Tim and our entire staff have done an exceptional job relating to customers and responding to their needs," Matsudaira said. "I appreciate everything they've done to deliver the stellar customer care that has been Squire's hallmark from our first day to our last."
The upscale men's clothing business has become tougher as the culture has shifted to more-casual business attire and online sales have grown. Last year, men's retailer Bachrach closed at Mayfair mall in Wauwatosa.
RELATED:Shorewood's Harleys menswear store is moving to the Marshall Building in the Historic Third Ward
RELATED:Milwaukee-based shoemaker WDM opens first retail store, prepares to expand product lines
Paul Gores can be reached at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @pgores.


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This is a fund of fund scheme, which will invest as a feeder fund into the Sundaram Global Brand Fund, Singapore, launched and managed since June 2015 by Sundaram Asset Management Pte Ltd Singapore, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sundaram Asset Management.
“We had an existing fund of funds. We have changed that to a feeder fund,” Sunil Subramaniam, MD & CEO, Sundaram Mutual Fund.
“We aim to select brands and not stocks. We go by the brand rating agencies. Apart from financial strength, we see brand loyalty as well,” he added.
The fund has a 30-stock portfolio and the current top 10 holdings are Apple, Amazon, McDonalds, Walt Disney, Coca Cola, Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, Alphabet, IBM and Toyota Motor.
Subramaniam said the fund house wanted to give an opportunity of global exposure to its current investors.
“Around 60 per cent of the market cap is in the US, while the rest is elsewhere,” he said, adding that these companies are also taking a pie of Indian growth story as well.
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Beyond the Footsie: Thursday close
SHARES in UK smaller companies ended a volatile session at their best levels for the day, buoyed by positive corporate news, dealers said. At the close, the FTSE Small Cap index was up 11.3 points at 3,002.0.
After the market turmoil of recent days, much of the focus was on technology issues. RTS NetWorks Group was among the brightest features, after it said it has delivered a contract to design and build a complete online retail venture for Thames Water. Products include branded white goods, kitchen equipment, gardening products, and other household services such as energy, insurance and water softeners, it added. RTS ended the session up 3 1/2p at 18 1/4p, while its major shareholder, Robotic Technology Systems advanced 22p to 387p.
Improved sentiment lifted other technology issues. Netcall gained 7p to 39 1/2p and ADVFN.com rallied 3/4p to 5 3/4p.
However, the positive trend did not protect European Telecommunications, which headed the fallers list after it warned of a substantial full-year loss, which it partly blamed on faulty software supplied by an outside contractor. Euro Telecom ended the session down 14 1/2p at 24 1/2p. Fellow communications stock Atlantic Telecom was off 3p at 32p, caught in the wake of the profits warning from Cable & Wireless.
Shares in Netbenefit dropped sharply after the internet domain name registrar announced first-half pretax losses of £6.6m compared with £0.5m last year. The company expects new 'multi-lingual' domain names and new domain extensions such as .info and .biz, to stimulate demand, but analysts warned that future demand for the new domain names is still uncertain.
There was also a lukewarm reception to Netbenefit's recent announcement of a rationalisation programme, which will see a streamlining of management, a near-halving of staff and the amalgamation of UK and US-based software teams into a single UK unit. Analysts at Granville Baird management have now stripped the company 'back to the bone' and if sales remain flat, the company will be 'cycling to stand still'. Shares in Netbenefit were down 10p at 47 1/2p.
GTL Resources topped the Small Cap gainers, up 5p or nearly 30% at 21 3/4p on news that its proposed methanol plant in Australia's Northern Territory had been granted major project status. Oil minnow Dragon Oil firmed 6 1/4p to 37 3/4p, boosted by reports of progress in the east Caspian Sea. Premier Oil added 1 1/2p to 18p on news of an upgrade in stance by Lehman Brothers to 'buy' from 'market perform'.
Engineering firm Senior continued to benefit from well-received full-year results. The shares added 9 at 51.
Aquarius Platinum jumped 46 1/2p to 305 1/2p after interim figures and a positive outlook for the full year. Auiron Energy, ahead 2 1/2 at 30 3/4p was supported by news that its Whylla Demonstration Plant has solid its first pig iron.
Among the fallers, World Trade, the former Tamaris, was also a loser, seeing almost a third wiped off its market cap as the company warned of a projected slowdown, mainly because of falling demand from Japan. World Trade shares fell 14 3/4p to 24- 1/4p.
Elsewhere, Birmingham City shares shed 3p at 28p, hit by fading hopes that the football club will gain automatic promotion to the FA Premiership after being defeated last night by close rivals Blackburn Rovers.
• Prices and indices in this report are from various sources and calculated at different times and may not always match those listed elsewhere on the site.
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Since Apple launched iTunes Radio back in September, industry watchers have kept a close eye on competing streaming music services. After all, the Cupertino company has the resources and user base to put a huge dent in the business.
But apparently the opposite has happened for Pandora. The company’s CFO Michael Herring spoke yesterday at a Morgan Stanley conference in San Francisco, and he says listening has increased 9% since iTunes Radio made its debut…
Here’s Bloomberg’s Andy Fixmer:
“Hours of listening grew 9 percent last month from September, when the Apple service was introduced, Michael Herring, Pandora’s chief financial officer, said at a Morgan Stanley conference in San Francisco yesterday.
The results show Pandora withstanding Apple’s challenge. The company already dominates rivals including iHeartRadio, from Clear Channel Communications Inc. Pandora’s share of U.S. radio listening expanded to 8.06 percent in October from 7.77 percent when iTunes radio began operating, Herring said.
“October data was in line with our expectations and showed the resilience of our business,” he said.”
Herring went on to say that Pandora streamed 1.47 billion hours of music and other content in October. The number of active users, however, fell slightly from the previous month, from 72.7 million active listeners to 70.9 million listeners.
Apple’s iTunes Radio has seen some impressive usage as well. The company announced on its latest earnings call that over 20 million people have tried out the service since it launched in September, and they’ve played over 1 billion songs.
Of course, each of the music services have their respective strengths. iTunes Radio, for example, is deeply integrated into iOS and iTunes, allowing for easy music discovery/purchases. Conversely, Pandora is available on multiple platforms.
Things will only get more interesting from here. Herring says that Pandora has plans to extend its availability outside its current US-Australia-New Zealand footprint, and Apple is expected to take iTunes Radio international in early 2014.


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Generating around 1.3 million jobs and 21.3 billion US dollars in revenue in 2016, the Philippine IT-BPO industry is poised to generate around 55 billion US dollars in revenue by 2020. And this year, the industry has a rosy outlook.
Here are some of the developments to look out for in the BPO and SSC industry this year:
1. BPO will continue to drive the office market
It is predicted that the BPO industry will yield an 8 percent annual growth in full-time employees this year until 2020. According to the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippine (IBPAP), the industry is ‘shifting toward higher value BPO services’ and the provinces present tremendous growth opportunities.
Data from SSON Analytics shows that compared to the SSCs, BPO hubs are more diffused across the country and outside city centers.
BPO Distribution Across the Country: Data from 2000 to 2015. The graph shows how the BPO hubs are distributed across the country. Graph courtesy of SSON Analytics. To view full interactive report, register here.
2. BPO revenues will overtake OFW remittances
The BPO industry is well-poised to overtake the country’s primary source of dollar income, the overseas Filipino workers’ remittances. OFW remittances is pegged at 6 percent annual growth while the BPO revenue is at 15 to 18 percent annual growth. New BPO hubs are also coming to the country.
The IBPAP estimates that the industry will generate $28.9 billion in revenues in 2017 and eventually surpass OFW remittances this year. The association also expects the industry to reach up to $55 billion dollars in revenues by 2020.
Of course, this overtake is also due to the slowdown in OFW remittances caused by the economic downturn in developed countries and a decrease in oil prices. BPO’s steady growth in the country will therefore offset this stagnation in OFW remittances, which is vital to the buoyancy of the Philippine economy.
3. The BPO sector will be affected by the political climate
In a KPMG report, titled “Global IT-BPO Outsourcing Deals Analysis”, 64.7 percent of total outsourcing services contracts in the Philippines came from the United States, followed by the United Kingdom at 9.2 percent, with Australia and France being two other key outsourcing markets. The Philippine industry will never be isolated from the global political landscape.
A cloud of uncertainty, however, hovers over the BPO industry worldwide due to the United State’s foreign strategic policy (FSP) uncertainties. According to Bullhorn’s Trends Report 2017, firms in the US ranks the US foreign strategic policy as third in their list of key challenges, next only to talent shortage and pricing pressure. Thus, a majority of the employers in the US ranks outsourcing recruitment processes as their least priority in 2017.
Philippines, Still a Leading SSC destination in Southeast Asia
Just like the BPO industry, the shared services sector is also on a roll. According to the latest SSON Analytics report, with a 64 percent upsurge in Shared Services Centers (SSCs) in the ASEAN region from 2010 to 2015, the Philippines is poised as the top destination for shared services.
Courtesy of SSON Analytics. To view the full report, register here.
At present, the Philippines hosts one quarter of all shared services centres across the ASEAN region (33.4% for captive/hybrid SSCs and 35.1% for MNC SSCs).
In a separate report by SSON Analytics focusing on the Philippines’ BPO and SSC market, with more and more businesses looking to jump-start operations in the country, the Philippines’ SSC industry has, in fact, overtaken the BPO industry as the primary driver of growth in the Philippines since 2010. It means that are more new entrants in the SSC sector than in BPO.
BPO versus SSCs: Data from 2000 to 2015. The graph shows that BPOs outnumber SSCs, but SSCs overtakes BPO in terms of growth in new entrants year on year. Graph courtesy of SSON Analytics. To view the full report, register here.
The BPO industry is robust and the outlook for the industry is rosy. Experts believe it will be able to generate around 55 billion US dollars in revenue by 2020, despite the uncertainties posed by the political climate across the globe. The Philippine captive SSC sector, on the other hand, is still driving the shared services growth in the country. While BPO hubs outnumber SSC hubs, the SSC sector has already overtaken the BPO industry in terms of new entrant growth rate.
There is an overarching challenge to the general offshoring and outsourcing industry, however: The vagueness of the Trump presidency’s foreign strategic policy. As such, the industry is advised to prepare for possible consequences of this political uncertainty (e.g. shorter and more flexible contracts).