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AUSTRALIA: NSW bans alcohol vaporisers
A state in Australia has banned alcohol vaporisers. New South Wales yesterday outlawed the machines that allow people to inhale alcohol vapour.
The state's Gaming Minister Grant McBride said the machine, which mixes a shot of an alcoholic spirit with oxygen, creating a cloudy vapour that can be inhaled through the mouth or nose, sends an irresponsible message about alcohol consumption.
"These kinds of fad products pose serious threats to the community," McBride said in a statement. "Inhalation or snorting of alcohol is basically synonymous with drug use and that kind of practice should not be encouraged."
The global roll-out of InBev's Brazilian beer, Brahma, adds a third premium brand to the global brewer's international portfolio but some observers have suggested it's an unnecessary step which threat...
Brasserie Kronenbourg has clarified earlier reports about its entry into the low alcohol beer sector in France....
Costs relating to alcohol abuse in Sweden are on the rise, according to research out this week....
Police in eastern Kenya have said that at least 24 people died on Saturday after drinking illegally produced alcohol....
According to a recently published study, people who drink alcohol may have a lower risk of developing a type of cancer which affects the lymphatic system known as non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)....
Diageo is calling for facts labels to be placed on alcohol beverages in the US....
Kenyan authorities are to ban beer and spirits advertising from television and billboards in the country, according to a local report late last week....
Post-menopausal women who consume even moderate amounts of alcohol may face an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a comprehensive US study....
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Bankers and MBAs are increasingly moving into the tech sector—and tech companies are ready for them.» Read More
July 30- Yelp Inc, the operator of consumer review website Yelp.com, reported its first quarterly profit as a public company, shrugging of analyst forecasts of a loss as small business customers spent more on advertising. Yelp shares fell as much as 3 percent in extended trading, before recovering most of the lost ground.
July 30- Yelp Inc, the operator of consumer review website Yelp.com, reported its first quarterly profit as a public company, shrugging of analyst forecasts of a loss, as it won more small businesses customers. Yelp, which listed almost three years ago, competes with internet search engines from Google Inc, Yahoo Inc and Microsoft Corp's Bing.
July 30- Google Inc faces a variety of challenges from European Commission regulators, in contrast to its experience in the United States where the Internet search company has largely mitigated regulatory threats.
BRUSSELS/ SAN FRANCISCO, July 30- European regulators are preparing what could be a stern challenge to Google Inc's mobile software business in the coming months after a nearly four-year investigation into the company's Web search practices left rivals and European politicians dissatisfied.
July 30- Diamond rings on display at Nordstrom's flagship Seattle store are not for sale. It is the first time the company has turned to brick and mortar in its 15- year history, showcasing products in two Nordstrom stores.
DUBLIN, July 30- Ireland is in the firing line from Washington again for luring U.S. companies to its shores for tax benefits, but despite contrite noises coming from Dublin, it has too much to lose to discourage U.S. firms bent on shifting their tax domiciles.
SAN FRANCISCO— Dustin Moskovitz has learned a lot about communication since he teamed up with his college roommate Mark Zuckerberg to create Facebook a decade ago.
With lowered guidance, Samsung should focus on how to dominate lower cost smartphones from Chinese companies and maintain its large market share.
SAN FRANCISCO— Dustin Moskovitz is plotting an escape from email. Moskovitz is trying to turn that chronic headache into an afterthought with Asana, a San Francisco startup he runs with former Facebook and Google product manager, Justin Rosenstein.
Walmart's e-commerce operations' tech arm acquired the social shopping site Luvocracy and plans to shut it down. Re/Code reports.
The majority of Americans are ready to hand over control to self-driving vehicles—so long as they're able to maintain a bit of control.
NEW YORK, July 29- With some of Wall Street's more volatile names set to report in the next couple of days, traders who bet on big swings in shares are hoping to see moves more like Facebook than Netflix. Netflix, along with Gilead Sciences and several other stocks famous for their sharp gyrations, were unusually calm following their latest quarterly reports.
NEW YORK, July 29- When Harvey Montijo first moved in with his wife Natalie, he remembers exactly how long it took to get into a tiff about household temperature. "Right from the get-go," remembers the 31- year-old orthopedic resident in Charlotte, North Carolina.
SEATTLE— Rhapsody International Inc. said Tuesday its partnership with T-Mobile US Inc. has helped boost its number of paying subscribers to more than 2 million, up from 1.7 million in April. Rhapsody also said Tuesday it is expanding the service to Europe through its Napster division in a tie-up with France's second-largest carrier, SFR.
When news broke in May that Rackspace had hired Morgan Stanley to explore strategic options amid such stiff competition, the company’s stock shot up.
Silicon Valley parties that lack any hint of humility are reminding us just how crazy things can get when money is flowing and moods are happy.
Chinese media reported that officers from the State Administration for Industry and Commerce visited the software giant in at least 4 cities.
Many so-called momentum stocks have rebounded as economic data have been mixed and volatility remained low. Financial Times reports.
SEOUL, South Korea— Samsung Electronics Co. said Monday it is delaying sales of its first Tizen-powered smartphone in the latest setback to the company's ambition to create a mobile platform to rival Google's Android or Apple's iOS.
Technology trendsetters Apple Inc., Google Inc., Facebook Inc. and Netflix Inc. all mined foreign countries to produce earnings or revenue that exceeded analysts' projections in their latest quarters. Century-old companies such as Coca-Cola Co. and Ford Motor Co. also are hoping to make more money in countries including China and India.

domain: news


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The study, which rated the effects on emissions of different carbon emission mitigation strategies at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% implementation rate, found that while moving towards ‘flexitarian’ diets would certainly help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it is far from enough.
A big player in climate change
The global food system is one of the world’s biggest players in emitting GHG and thus contributing to climate change, being responsible, according to the study, for 21–37% of the world’s GHG emissions.
This will be bad for the food system itself, meaning systematic crop failures, diluted nutrients in foods and a cataclysmic impact on smallholder farmers in the developing world.
Using the recommended diet from the EAT-Lancet report, which includes only moderate amounts of meat, eggs, dairy and fish, the study analysed the potential GHG emissions globally if this diet was implemented.
It also analysed what the world would be like if we continued along similar dietary lines as presently (in a ‘business as usual’ scenario).
Conversely, the study compared the GHG emissions for a situation where food waste and loss continued business as usual, and if they were reduced by 50% by 2050.
Next, they analysed the affect of GHG-emissions reducing technologies on emissions. For each technology, they analysed the amount of emissions it was capable of reducing, pairing each technology with the emissions type it targeted, as well as analysing the capabilities of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology.
Diets are not enough
While having a significant impact, the study found that changing diets alone would not be enough to bring about net negative GHG emissions if food production methods did not change at all, as the emissions reduced by a global change in diet to flexitarian would not be as large as the business-as-usual global emissions from the food industry.
However, the study suggests that such a dietary shift would, in any case, be unlikely without significant changes in the way food is produced.
Technology as saviour?
While not all technologies assessed made a substantial change to GHG emissions (new seafood farming techniques, such as trawling management, for example), many did.
For example, using additives in feed to reduce methane had a substantial affect, as did applying biochar to cropland to reduce nitrous oxide emissions. Agroforestry, the combination of forests with agricultural land, also had a significant impact. Furthermore, all of these can be implemented without the need to drastically change global supply chains.
The combination of technology that reduces GHG emissions and technology that takes it out of the atmosphere was shown, unlike changing diets, to be able to get the food system to net negative GHG emissions when implemented fully, even with business-as-usual diets.
However, due to the vast amount of variables that could conflict with this scenario being fully implemented, the study made sure to measure the effect of a combination of diet and technology, and found that the ideal scenario would be the implementation of both flexitarian diets and GHG-reducing tech.
Sourced From: PLOS Climate
'Model-based scenarios for achieving net negative emissions in the food system’
Published on: 6 September 2023
Authors: M. Almaraz, B. Z. Houlton, M. Clark, I. Holzer, Y. Zhou, L. Rasmussen, E. Moberg, E. Manaigo, B. S. Halpern, C. Scarborough,X. Gen Lei, M. Ho, E, Allison, L. Sibanda, A. Salter


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Curbside pickup approved for Reno bars
The good news for
in midtown is that businesses being shut down is likely to help the midtown construction finish sooner than expected. The bad news is they still can’t operate as normal.
“It’s been difficult on everybody,” explained owner Larry DeVincenzi. “As a bar we are the first to close and the last to reopen.”
And while full reopening hasn’t occurred, a recent decision by the Reno city council has allowed for bars to arrange for curbside pickup.
“Before this happened here locally 12 states were allowing it,” DeVincenzi said. “We were excited to think it was possible but we really didn’t expect it.”
To order, you must go to their website the day before. Employees will then bag it up and have it ready for pick up the next day from 4-6 PM.
“As of now we’ve got a set menu,” said barback Giovanna Foster. “We are doing bottles of 25 ounce and 12 ounce as well. And about four or five different cocktails. “
The most popular of those available is a mix of rum, cream of coconut, pineapple, and orange juice called “The Painkiller."
Rum Sugar Lime is located at 1039 S. Virginia Street.


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January marked the fourth consecutive month since September of increased freight movement, the report said. The TSI has risen 14.6 percent overall since May 2009 after declining 16.8 percent in the 16 months before that.
The TSI increased 6.4 percent in 2010, the largest annual increase in shipping since 2002, DOT said.
The full transportation service index can be viewed here.
DOT: Freight shipments on the rise
By Keith Laing - 03/09/11 05:14 PM EST


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The Campaign for Better Transport is calling on the Government to promote leisure travel through cost-effective ticketing, space for bikes and bags on trains, and “an end to swathes of the network closed for weekend engineering work”.
With a prediction that “leisure travellers could soon outnumber rail commuters”, CBT Chief Executive Paul Tuohy said: “As the Government looks to promote greener travel to help tackle climate change, it needs to create a modern railway that takes advantage of this new market.”
CBT is specifically calling for the cost of a return train journey to be cheaper than the equivalent domestic flight, for more services connecting attractions and tourist destinations, and for better onboard facilities including more space for luggage and bikes.
It also argues for changes to the way that engineering works are scheduled, to avoid disruption during busy holiday periods, and for timetables and services that adapt to changing travel patterns post-pandemic.
“If the Government is serious about its environmental ambitions, it should make it easier and cheaper for people to make greener transport choices,” said Tuohy.
His comments come as the Rail Delivery Group revealed that ticket sales for the late August Bank Holiday weekend surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Sales were up by 17% on the same weekend in 2019 and were more than double those of last year.
Driven particularly by short-distance trips, leisure travel nationally has risen to 97% of pre-pandemic levels since July 19, the RDG announced on August 27. Overall, however, rail industry revenue remained at just 59% of that recorded in 2019.
To read the full story, see RAIL 939.


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New onboard menus have been introduced on all Virgin Australia flights to give customers more choice and better value, according to the airline.
The highly-anticipated business-class menu launch heralds a new era of flying for the recently relaunched Virgin, with simple, modern, fresh and contemporary dishes, made using locally-sourced Australian produce, now being served at 38,000 feet.
Dishes include a range of hot meals, healthy salads and Australian classics, served on tableware, including crockery, glassware and cutlery.
Virgin’s new business-class menu will rotate on a bi-monthly basis and comes with all-inclusive premium Australian wine and beer, plus soft beverages and spirits.
Sarah Adam, general manager of product and customer at Virgin, said the new business-class menu had been designed with altitude in mind.
“It’s well-known that when you’re high above the clouds, you lose some sense of taste and smell, so this was a really important factor in designing the new menu so our food not only looks great, but tastes great in the air,” she said.
“We’ve really dialled-up the flavours in the food with the right seasoning and textures to provide a very competitive business-class experience for domestic travel in Australia.
“Supporting Australian farmers and producers was another important factor in designing the menu, so we’ll have seasonal Australian produce from local producers in dishes throughout the year.”
The airline’s new business-class experience also triggered a training refresh for Virgin cabin crew, with new hospitality standards that focus on customer engagement allowing more time in the cabin with guests.
Virgin said its new economy buy-onboard menu is designed to give travellers greater value by taking the previously included snack out of the ticket price.
Initially, the economy menu will feature the most popular snack and beverage items, including cheese and crackers and Australian wine.
Virgin plans to introduce a greater range of menu items later in the year when travel demand is expected to resume to near pre-COVID levels.
Virgin CEO and managing director Jayne Hrdlicka said today’s customers are more conscious about what they consume than ever before.
“We like to choose what we eat and what we drink throughout the day – we are simply extending that choice onboard as well,” she said.
“By removing snacks that aren’t valued by our guests, we’re able to structurally reduce airfares making it even cheaper to fly.
“We’ll continue to offer complimentary tea, coffee and water on all flights and the opportunity for guests to purchase their favourite menu items at a reasonable price,” she said.
Following a reduction in the price of business-class fares of up to 20 per cent last November in comparison with pre-COVID-19 prices, Virgin has also announced it will undertake a further review of its business and economy fare brands.
According to the airline, the new fare brands will deliver better value for travellers, provide more flexibility and choice when compared to travelling prior to COVID-19.


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Motorola seems to have made a mess of Google's latest Android software update on its Xoom tablet, after it released, then halted the Android 3.1 software update citing a 'system error'.
Motorola today announced the Australian availability of a Wi-Fi only version of its Xoom Android tablet, simply called the Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi.
Motorola's Xoom Android tablet launched in Australia with a disabled microSD card slot, but Telstra has today confirmed that a software update in July will activate the missing functionality.
Optus has confirmed it will launch Motorola's Xoom Android tablet in June, a month after the device goes on sale through Telstra.
Motorola has confirmed its much-anticipated Xoom Android tablet will launch in Australia with a disabled microSD card slot, and the company has not specified when it will be active.
Motorola and Telstra last night jointly unveiled the eagerly-anticipated Motorola Xoom Android tablet, and the Motorola Atrix Android phone, confirming the devices will be available in Australia from 24 May and 7 June, respectively.
Telstra has confirmed it will sell the Motorola Xoom Android tablet in Australia from next month following weeks of rumours.
Seven ways the iPad 2 is better than Motorola Xoom
After rushing its tablet to market ahead of Apple's iPad 2 announcement, Motorola is updating its Xoom tablet's software with Flash support. Is it a coincidence it's on the same day Apple's iPad 2 goes on sale? I think not.
The launch of the first Android Honeycomb tablet is becoming a disaster, as Adobe runs damage control on the news that Motorola's Xoom tablet will ship without Flash support.
Motorola's highly anticipated Xoom Android tablet finally has a launch date and pricing details (at least in the US), with the much hyped tablet hitting the shelves on 24 February for US$799.
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


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New York City Council is considering a ban on all menthol cigarettes.
This proposal could drive adult customers to stores outside of New York City to purchase their preferred products—or it could even drive them to the illegal market. Help us tell the City Council that such a broad ban is unfair and unacceptable.
Your voice matters. Take action today! With just a few clicks, you can tell the New York City Council to OPPOSE this proposal!
Feel free to edit the letter on the next page and then press “Submit” to deliver the message to the New York City Council today!


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PARIS, April 14 (Reuters) - Alcatel-Lucent ALUA.PA may sell the part of the company that sells phones and telecom gear to corporations or list the business on the stock market, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website on Thursday.
The company has hired advisers to help it explore options for the unit, which has annual sales of around $1.5 billion, the newspaper said, citing people familiar with the matter.
The newspaper quoted one source as saying the unit was worth well over $1 billion and possibly more than $2 billion.
Alcatel declined to comment.
Shares in Alcatel were up 2.6 percent at 4.155 euros by 1418 GMT, the top gainers on a 1.1 percent softer French CAC-40 index .FCHI, and they have gained almost 90 percent so far this year. (Reporting by Leila Abboud; Writing by James Regan; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)


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Nearly 10 percent say they no longer carry cash
Half carry $20 or less
A recent survey showed that nearly one in 10 Americans don't carry cash anymore.
The survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International for Bankrate.com, also showed that 78 percent carried less than $50, and 49 percent carried $20 or less, according to CNBC.
Nine percent said they don't carry cash at all.
The survey of 1,002 adults was conducted by landline and cellphone from May 1-4 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Analysts told CNBC that because the amount of cash carried by most people was so small, it indicates that people tend to have it out of necessity, rather than because they prefer paying by cash.


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PasswordState Password Manager Leaks Enterprise Customer Credentials In Embarrassing Facepalm
When it comes to password management, users really have just a handful of options, and all of them have their caveats. If we choose to just use memorable passwords and recycle them between accounts, one account becoming compromised can lead to a group of them being in a bad state. On the other hand, relying on a cloud service to store passwords puts our security credentials on someone else's servers, and we're subject to whatever tracking those services may entail. Lastly, if we host our own password management solutions, one bad update can leak our credentials to the world. This third option is the story of Click Studios and PasswordState.
PasswordState is a self-hosted, as opposed to cloud-hosted, password management solution that integrates with Active Directory and handles a host of enterprise-related duties including auditing and its own API. Unfortunately, some of its customers who installed an update between 4:33 PM Eastern on April 20 and 7 PM Eastern on April 21 received malware as part of the upgrade process. This malware then uploads password data, running process information, system configurations, and much more to a third-party network once per day.
Click Studios says that a bad actor compromised the in-place updater on its own servers, so that when customers downloaded it, they would get the password-stealing payload as part of the update. Normally, the updater downloads additional files from a content delivery network (CDN) and performs the install. The infected updater grabbed extra data from another CDN, which then steals user credentials. The company has posted a hotfix that it urges all customers who installed the bad update to use, as it should remove the malware and restore security. To speed up the availability of a fix, the update is distributed as an archive and involves manually replacing infected files.
In total, Click Studio issued a statement which says the infected update was available for approximately 28 hours and then pulled and replaced with the previous version of the application. Because of the small window of opportunity, Click Studio says the number of affected customers is expected to be very small. The company has identified and contacted the customers it believes were affected based on their own CDN server logs, based on tracking who downloaded the bad update. However, the company says the number of affected customers may increase as more information becomes available.


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CD Projekt Red has announced that their action-adventure title, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, has sold over 1 million units in Japan specifically. To commemorate the occasion, a celebratory illustration was drawn by @terra_da_k.
The title has currently sold over 40 million worldwide, which might increase significantly once the free next-generation update arrives on December 14, 2022, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Players, new and old, can look forward to a plethora of visual and technical improvements, such as ray tracing support, swifter loading times, mod integration within the base experience, and new content inspired by The Witcher series on Netflix. 4K textures and models, a 60 FPS mode, a Photo mode, and cloud saves will also be integrated.
Further, this release will include all previous DLC, such as the “Hearts of Stone” and “Blood and Wine” expansions. Moreover, a physical edition of this improved experience is planned, though details on release timing have yet to be shared.
You can view the commemorative artwork celebrating The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt selling 1 million units in Japan below:
In case you missed it, a remake of the first Witcher game using Unreal Engine 5 technology is in the works. CD Projekt Red also announced multiple new incoming games, including from The Witcher series, during their strategy meeting earlier this year.
This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate Noisy Pixel earns from qualifying purchases.


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UPDATE: July 22, 2020: Bed Bath & Beyond entered into a settlement agreement with 1-800-Flowers regarding the sale of PersonalizationMall.com.
1-800-Flowers will move forward with its purchase of the keepsake site from Bed Bath & Beyond for $245 million, according to a Tuesday press release from the companies. The deal is expected to close by Aug. 3, subject to closing requirements, upon which Bed Bath & Beyond will withdraw its litigation regarding the purchase agreement.
The home goods retailer on July 14 said it believes it could generate about $350 million to $450 million from non-core asset sales.
Bed Bath & Beyond last week appealed to the Chancery Court in Delaware to force 1-800-Flowers to follow through on its February agreement to purchase PersonalizationMall.com keepsakes site for $252 million. The retailer is also asking for attorneys' fees and costs, according to a copy of the complaint emailed to Retail Dive.
In the April 1 lawsuit, the retailer claims that "1-800-FLOWERS.COM attempted to unilaterally postpone the closing for 30 days citing its lack of resources to integrate the business, but Bed Bath & Beyond had already agreed to provide transitionary support and 1-800-FLOWERS.COM would not commit even to closing at the end of April," according to a statement emailed to Retail Dive.
For its part, 1-800-Flowers.com in an emailed statement said that it had "requested a reasonable delay" to April 30 "[d]ue to the unprecedented circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic," including the ongoing closure of PersonalizationMall.com's facilities. The company said it still wants to proceed with the deal.
When it was first announced, this deal seemed like a win for everyone involved.
The struggling home goods retailer bought the keepsakes site for $190 million in cash a little over three years ago, and was unloading it at a tidy profit (more than some analysts had expected). 1-800-Flowers.com CEO Chris McCann said at the time of the sale agreement in February that PersonalizationMall.com has seen "steady financial growth for the past several years, with revenues reaching more than $150 million in its most recent year" and the company expects it to "be accretive to our top and bottom-line results in fiscal 2021."
The pandemic has thrown uncertainty into all aspects of retail, including e-commerce. 1-800-Flowers argues that includes PersonalizationMall.com, while Bed Bath counters that the pandemic doesn't qualify as the kind of event that can legitimately alter their deal. In fact, their agreement specified such risks, which had to be something with "a disproportionate effect on the Company compared to other participants in the industries or markets in which the Company operates," according to the lawsuit.
The retailer speculated that "1-800-Flower's maneuvering, though couched as a mere delay by a month, is designed to allow it to 'wait and see' what impact the COVID-19 outbreak has on the Company's business and to assess whether it should attempt to assert in the future a retroactive [reason] to argue it can terminate the Agreement," according to the filing. "In essence, 1-800-Flowers is attempting to unilaterally convert the parties' binding purchase agreement into merely an option agreement. That is not the parties' Agreement and is utterly unreasonable."
Beyond simply wanting to follow through on the desired sale, Bed Bath & Beyond could be concerned about "purchase price adjustments," which are based on financial metrics as of the date of closing, according to Alon Kapen, a partner at law firm Farrell Fritz. Delaying the closing for a month increases the likelihood that there are reasons to lower the purchase price. And failing to sell the business could render it "damaged goods" to some extent, making other buyers less eager to snap it up, he said.
However, whether 1-800-Flowers has ulterior motives or legitimate ones, Delaware courts, in general, are loathe to rule against signed agreements, Kapen said in an interview. In any case, expect to see more such skirmishes in court as the pandemic takes its toll on business, he said.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg," he said. "I think we're going to see a lot of situations like this. Buyers, like they always have, will try to walk away from certain deals but will have difficulty without showing disproportionality. And sellers will be forced to take them to court. Each party has its perspective and is looking out for its interests. I think it's too early to predict how this particular lawsuit and other lawsuits like it are likely to play out."


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ZF inaugurates new technology centre in Hyderabad
ZF India has inaugurated its first-ever technology centre here in Hyderabad, Telangana. ZF AG says that they will invest over 15 million over the course of the next five years. This centre will focus on the development of automated driving, electronic aids and connected tech that ZF specialises in. ZF's 18th technology centre in the world is spread across an area of 10,000 sq.ft.
ZF India says that technology centre has been built with the help of the Telangana government. A MoU was signed between the two around eight months ago, and the government is expected to extend a helping hand at all stages of development of the centre. ZF's other partners in this venture include TCS and Tech Mahindra. The company has said that they will have a requirement of around 2,500 workforce by 2020 at this centre. They will hire youth from the nearby colleges for the same.
ZF's global development teams will be supported by this new facility. ZF India also aims to provide local solutions along with a focus on local product development with respect to transmission and other automotive parts.
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Strike a pose: Selfie 'museums' pop up across Metro Detroit
It's the ultimate 21st century art form: the selfie.
Scroll through social media and you'll find nearly every kind of selfie in every kind of setting.
Now, there are entire businesses devoted to capturing the perfect shot of yourself. Selfie "museums" -- large spaces filled with a range of rooms, props and whimsical or over-the-top backdrops -- are popping up all over Metro Detroit to let selfie fans strike a pose.
The Good Day Selfie Museum opened Friday on Woodward south of Nine Mile in Ferndale, featuring 25 of what owner Catherine Tolbert-Wilson calls photo exhibits, or vignettes. There's a graffiti room, disco room, enchanted garden, even a money room where customers can throw dollar bills in the air and get a shot.
The Detroit Selfie Museum, meanwhile, opened in early July at Twelve Oak Malls in Novi. And the Pose Experience launched earlier this year in Southfield.
"It's the era of social media and everybody loves taking pictures and interacting on social media," said Tolbert-Wilson, 22. "Here, it's not just a museum. You become a part of the art."
And these spaces appeal to more than teenage girls, said Tahirah Hannah, owner of the Detroit Selfie Museum, who said business has been "amazing" since she opened.
"I have all walks of life," she said. "All walks of life, religions, races. I have families coming in, couples coming in, teenage girls coming in, children. I’m able to capture everybody here."
Selfie museums may be new to Michigan but they're already in cities across the country. The Color Factory, which is all about creating an immersive color experience, opened in San Francisco in 2017 and now has locations in New York City, Chicago and Houston.
In fact, it was a visit with her mom three years ago to New York City's Color Factory that inspired Tolbert-Wilson, a recent interior design and business administration grad of Central Michigan University, to create something similar in Michigan.
"I just fell in love with it. I took amazing pictures. I just loved the vibe," she said. "When we got back to the hotel, I said 'We need something like this in Michigan.'"
They decided to wait to do anything until she graduated. In the meantime, she worked on vignette ideas. She curated the entire space.
And it's not just about taking pictures, she said. Positive affirmations and phrases -- the graffiti room, painted by an Ohio graffiti artist, says "Good Vibes Only" -- are woven throughout the vignettes, which was important to Tolbert-Wilson, who has struggled with depression and anxiety.
"With COVID, we're coming out of it, but it really brought people down just staying at home and being in their houses," said Tolbert-Wilson. "People need a space to come out to not just have fun but lift you up."
For Hannah's part, before the Detroit Selfie Museum opened, she was already working in the photo industry. She owns a photo booth company called Snap Station. But when she heard about selfie "museums" popping up across the country, she thought about opening one in Michigan. She put the idea on the back burner for awhile and then the pandemic hit.
"With the pandemic, everyone is trying to reinvent themselves and figure out a way to not go under," said Hannah. "I wanted to be prepared."
Now, the 6,000 square foot Detroit Selfie Museum, which opened July 6, features 44 different photo settings.
Each customer gets a complimentary ring light during his or her visit to create the right lighting and shoot images with a timer. There's a massive Popcorn box and a Barbie box to step inside. In the Cloud Room, customers can swing through the clouds and snap a shot.
Hannah, who designed the entire space and offers admission in half hour and hour time slots, said she was very intentional with what was installed. She wanted to appeal to all demographics.
"There are literally so many scenes that are people's favorites," said Hannah. "I put in a lot of work and time to build this space."
And while these selfie museums aren't "museums" in the traditional sense, both Tolbert-Wilson and Hannah said they are places to explore and create your own kind of art.
"I wanted to combine my love for museums and my love for selfies," said Tolbert-Wilson. "And it's not just a walk through and you look at the art. You become the art. And once you take that picture, you're within that art."
Metro Detroit Selfie museums
Detroit Self Museum: Upper level of 12 Oaks Mall in Novi near Nordstrom; general admission for 12 and up is $30; $25 for ages 4-11. Call (313) 399-4402.
Good Day Selfie Museum: 22742 Woodward, Ferndale. Open Wednesday through Sunday; $28 per person. Also offers group discounts and space for parties. https://gooddaymuseum.com/
The Pose Experience: 15618 West 10 Mile, Southfield. Open 12-9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday; $28 per person (12 and up). Private parties also available. Go to https://www.theposeexperience.com/.


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Tesla has temporarily halted most production at its German factory due to attacks in the Red Sea, which have disrupted global shipping.
Driving the news: The factory near Berlin, which manufactures Model Y vehicles and batteries, will pause production from Jan. 29 to Feb. 11.
- The conflicts in the Red Sea and the resulting shifts in transport routes between Europe and Asia have affected production in Grünheide, Germany, Tesla said.
- Shipping companies have been forced to reroute vessels around the southern tip of Africa, adding 10 or more days to the journey.
- Tesla expects to resume normal operations on Feb. 12 at its Grünheide factory, which is its first in Europe and employs 11,000 workers.


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A number of hospitality, leisure and retail organisations have called on the UK government to freeze business rates and extend existing reliefs for a further year, warning that the “future of high streets are at risk without the measures”.
A coalition has written to the Chancellor with the request ahead of the upcoming Autumn Statement, in a letter where the group noted that the sectors combine to pay more than 10 billion pounds in business rates a year.
According to the letter, an inflation-linked increase to the business rates multiplier could cost retail businesses 480 million pounds, something the British Retail Consortium’s chief executive, Helen Dickinson expressed hesitancy towards.
In a statement, Dickinson said: “Such a hefty increase will threaten to put renewed pressure on retail prices, as well as block new investment in our town and city centres.
“It is essential that the Chancellor uses the Autumn Statement to freeze business rates and give our local communities a fighting chance to thrive.”
The BRC were joined by the British Independent Retail Association (BIRA), Association of Convenience Stores and Ukactive, among others, to form the letter, which read: “An inflationary increase in the business rates multiplier and removal of reliefs would be disastrous for our sectors. It will mean business failures, job losses and boarded up properties in our high streets, denying people their livelihoods and their social pleasures.”
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of the BIRA, added: “Independent retailers are finding life on the high street incredibly difficult. Significant increases in interest rates have reduced consumer expenditure and in the first half of 2023 21,000 independent businesses closed.
“The current 75 percent retail discount on business rates must be retained as those smaller retailers cannot afford any increases in costs – many of them are still dealing with 10 percent increases in their rateable values earlier this year.”


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AM Labels Limited celebrates the opening of technical experience centre
AM Labels Limited, the award winning supplier of complete labelling solutions including manufacturing and warehouse automation, barcoding and RFID systems, has celebrated the opening of its new Technical Experience Centre with a three day event.
The occasion, which was sponsored by Epson, took place at AM Labels’ head office in Northamptonshire. To celebrate the opening of the new facility, the event brought together many of the print and packaging industry’s leading suppliers and manufacturers, as well as current and prospective customers from across the country.
The Mayor of Kettering, Cllr Keli Watts, attended the event. After giving a speech where she congratulated AM Labels and recognised the hard work and dedication of its employees, the Mayor cut a ribbon to officially open the company’s Technical Experience Centre. AM Labels’ managing director Tony Mariani and sales and marketing manager Brendon Bass presented the history of the company and spoke about the many benefits that the newly opened Technical Experience Centre will offer businesses both locally, and across the UK.
Visitors were also invited to have their own personalised cookies printed using the DTM Eddie printer, which utilises edible ink to print full colour photos, logos, text and other designs directly onto the surface of food items including cookies, cupcakes, macarons and pastries. Furthermore, the AM Labels’ team demonstrated a variety of the latest and greatest technology from its portfolio, enabling guests to learn more about the range of labelling, barcoding, RFID, robotics and automation equipment on offer, as well as how they can support businesses in improving and streamlining their operations.
Throughout the event, visitors also toured the company’s in-house production facility. AM Labels has an extensive label manufacturing capability, boasting a production area that stocks a large variety of label materials for the company’s customers, supporting the sale of both thermal and colour label printing machines.
Tony Mariani commented, ‘The opening of our new Technical Experience Centre was a great success, and on behalf of the entire AM Labels team, I would like to say a big thank you to everyone that joined us throughout the three day event. We are also extremely grateful for the support received from several of the industry’s leading manufacturers and suppliers, and a special thank you to Epson for being our event sponsor.
‘Since relocating to new premises at the beginning of 2022, we have invested heavily in the creation and build of our Technical Experience Centre. Now that the space has officially opened, it will act as a hub for businesses across the UK to experience demonstrations of the latest and most innovative technology available on the market, including colour label printers, applicators, finishing machines, barcode scanning and RFID equipment, along with and robotics and automation.’


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Porsche plans a major expansion of its product range by the middle of the decade.
CEO Matthias Mueller has promised at least one new model a year, starting with the redesigned 911 that arrives in February.
An SUV that is smaller than the Cayenne will be added, along with an entry-level roadster. They could be joined by a sedan smaller than the Panamera and a plug-in hybrid supercar priced lower than the $845,000 limited-edition 918 Spyder.
Entry-level roadster: A midengine car, developed with Volkswagen and meant to attract younger buyers, is expected in 2015. It will be based on the VW BlueSport concept shown at the 2009 Detroit auto show. VW will have a version, and Audi might, too.
The car has been dubbed the 550 Spyder, but the name could change. There are reports that it will get a new 210-hp, 1.9-liter boxer engine.
Boxster: The roadster will be redesigned in 2012, when it could get a four-cylinder as a base engine or as an option.
An S Black Edition--it's black inside and out--went on sale in the spring. Worldwide production will be limited to 1,000 cars. The 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine got a 10 hp boost, to 320 hp, for the special edition.
Cayman: The coupe derivative of the Boxster will be redesigned in 2013 or 2014 and could get a four-cylinder engine option.
The S Black Edition, limited to 500 units worldwide, went on sale in the spring. The 3.4-liter six-cylinder engine got a 10-hp boost, to 330.
911: A redesigned seventh generation of the Porsche model goes on sale in the United States in February. It's 2 inches longer, and the wheelbase has been extended 3.9 inches; that means it's roomier, especially for rear-seat occupants. A new lightweight body is made from aluminum and steel instead of the all-steel structure of the current car and weighs 198 pounds less.
The redesigned 911 is available with a 3.4-liter six-cylinder boxer engine that makes 350 hp and a 3.8-liter boxer engine that pumps out 400 hp.
This fall, Porsche began selling the GT3 RS 4.0, which is based on the platform of the current 911. Only 600 will be sold worldwide at a price of more than $185,000.
Porsche said the 500-hp 4.0-liter engine is the largest it has ever put in a production car.
Panamera: The four-door sedan will be freshened in 2012. A redesigned model expected in 2015 or 2016 will share a platform with Bentley and Lamborghini. A coupe and convertible version are possible. A hybrid version of the four-door Porsche went on sale this fall.
According to published reports, Porsche also plans a station wagon version.
Small sedan: Porsche is said to be considering a small sedan, possibly a compact, that is code-named Pajun, for Panamera Jr. It is unclear whether that car would use a shortened Panamera platform or one from the VW Group. It could go on sale as early as 2016. Coupe, convertible, and station wagon variants are possible.
Cayenne: A freshening is expected in 2013.
Cajun: An SUV smaller than the Cayenne is scheduled late in 2013, using a platform shared with the Audi Q5.
918 Spyder: Porsche plans to produce 918 units of the range-topping plug-in hybrid convertible, which will be available in 2013 at a price of $845,000.
The 918 Spyder is powered by a 500-plus-hp V-8. Porsche hasn't provided specifics on the displacement. Electric motors will be mounted in the front and rear. The car will have a seven-speed double-clutch gearbox.
960: Porsche is considering a plug-in hybrid supercar positioned between the 911 and the 918 that would debut in 2015 or 2016 and would compete with the Ferrari 458 Italia. The 960 name is not confirmed.
(Source: Automotive News)


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- Amazon announced a Climate Pledge Fund on Tuesday with an initial $2 billion slated for investment in sustainable technologies and services.
- The new venture investment program, welcomed by clean energy developers, is intended to support the company's transition to net zero carbon emissions by 2040. Amazon will consider companies from around the world at various stages of maturity across multiple industries, from food and agriculture to energy generation.
- The announcement lacked details regarding the focus of the investment, which made environmental nonprofit Green America skeptical regarding the company's climate goals. Amazon's total carbon footprint increased 15% in 2019 compared to 2018, according to the company's latest sustainability report released Tuesday.
The large investment announced by Amazon is the latest venture capital initiative from corporations to help stimulate clean energy. The trend comes as stakeholders value the importance of venture capital and public funding to advance technologies.
The increase of green venture capital "brings down the cost of capital for companies that are raising money," Blake Jones, co-founder of Namaste Solar, told Utility Dive. "We want more capital flowing into the space, and it makes more sense for capital to flow into this space than it does into oil and gas and coal, right now," based on the cheaper prices of wind and solar.
Jones also serves on the board of directors for Clean Energy Federal Credit Union, which helps with debt financing for clean energy projects.
"I think there's a broader concern about what companies seeking investors will be able to find them during the COVID crisis right now. I'd say the COVID crisis casts a shadow on all fundraising efforts right now, but I don't have any particular concerns about clean energy," Jones said.
"The unifying theme around each investment is its potential to lower Amazon’s and other companies’ carbon emissions and increase overall sustainability," the company said.
In 2013, Patagonia, a U.S. based retail company, launched a $20 million fund for clean energy investments. Amazon, however, did not specify that the $2 billion fund will focus only on clean energy, which Todd Larsen, executive co-director of Green America, says creates a lot of unknowns regarding its impact.
"It's very hard to trust Amazon because they're not a transparent corporation and it's unclear what, who is going to benefit from this and whether it would actually be truly an environmentally sound approach," Larsen told Utility Dive.
For instance, Larsen said, Amazon does not participate in the Carbon Disclosure Project, disclosing its own carbon emissions instead of reporting its footprint by CDP's standards, which enables benchmarking across other competitors. Amazon said it's using a third-party, APEX, to verify its greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2019, Amazon's operations led to the equivalent of carbon dioxide emissions from 13 coal burning power plants running for a year.
"Like many companies in high-growth mode, we look at the absolute tons of carbon in our footprint, but also at how we are improving our carbon intensity," Amazon's sustainability report said. "Our first year-over-year comparison shows progress as we continue to make investments," adding that the price per grams of carbon dioxide went down 5% in 2019 compared to 2018.
The company is working to reduce its carbon pollution, but its first year-over-year comparison shows its direct emissions from fossil fuels increased 18% in 2019. Existing investments include the order of 100,000 electric delivery vehicles, expected to hit the road in 2021.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article misquoted Todd Larsen on Amazon's carbon emissions disclosure process. The company uses a third party company, Apex.


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Chemstar Corporation (Chemstar), a US based provider of comprehensive food safety, sanitation and hygiene solutions, has introduced a new ultra-concentrated formulation of glass cleaner. The new formulation is safer for the environment, delivers improved performance, and offers overall cost savings. The new product includes ingredients determined by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be safe in its class.
As the new formulation has no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), it is less harmful to the environment and atmosphere. The new glass cleaner concentrate is identified as a Design for the Environment (DfE) product. The new formulation reflects company’s GREENSTAR Commitment to promote sustainability in all the parts of their operations, from products and production to packaging and the equipment.
We’re continually developing new ways to design and reformulate our products so we can lessen our impact on the environment, stated Blake Batley, executive vice president at Chemstar. Not only does our DfE Glass Cleaner Concentrate perform better, it provides a lower overall cost-per-use than traditional concentrated glass cleaners.
The new DfE glass cleaner concentrate uses new polymeric-based chemistry, resulting in a product that resists the streaking and leaves surfaces shinier. As it is twice as concentrated as the conventional concentrated glass cleaners, the number of cases a company typically purchases, ships, and handles could be decreased by as much as 50%. In a commercial industrial environment, the savings can quickly add up: a single case of the new DfE glass cleaner concentrate can refill quart-sized spray bottle 640 times. The companies would also reduce their environmental impact due to significant reduction in the amount of packaging and corrugate waste.
We know companies want to choose green products, but they often end up costing more to use, added Batley. Our product is not only better for customers, employees, and the environment, but it also provides tremendous cost savings – it’s truly a win-win for everybody.


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Industry sources indicate that TAG Heuer’s first entry into the wearable tech market will be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show, set to be held in Vegas in January next year.
Business Insider reports that the smartwatch will be powered by Intel but will maintain a traditional design in keeping with a Withings Activité-style mechanical watch.
TAG Heuer has not confirmed any of the watch’s specifications, but it is likely to have been in development for some time. Back in September, the firm’s head of watch operations Jean-Claude Biver told a Swiss newspaper that a smartwatch was being worked on. It was also implied that the device is more likely to take its design cues from its own digital watch range than previously unveiled wearable gadgets such as the Apple Watch.
The fact that the device is set to be powered by Intel should come as no surprise, as the chip-maker has made its wearable technology ambitions abundantly clear in recent times. The US company will be providing the technology behind an upcoming range of Fossil devices and is collaborating with Opening Ceremony to produce a luxury smart bracelet called MICA.
The only potential stumbling block for the TAG Heuer device is ensuring that its software infrastructure is up to scratch. Users have already noted a number of issues with Android Wear, while some have criticised MICA’s user interface for being too complicated.
If TAG Heuer’s smartwatch is unveiled at CES, it may have to vie for attention with the winners of the 2015 Make it Wearable competition, expected to be announced by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich.


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Shah Rukh Khan had a not-so-great and shaky 2017. His first film Raees crossed the Rs. 100 crore mark but was an underperformer. His next release, Jab Harry Met Sejal, meanwhile was a disaster at the box office, which didn’t even cross the Rs. 70 crore mark. And now the superstar has faced another blow. According to a report by Duff & Phelps, a global valuation and corporate finance advisor, Shah Rukh Khan has lost his title as the most valuable celebrity brand in 2017. And it’s Virat Kohli, the captain of the Indian cricket team and newly wedded hubby of Anushka Sharma, who has taken over the coveted title.
Virat Kohli’s brand value at present amounts to $144 million. Shah Rukh Khan is on second position as his brand value amounted to $106 million, which is down nearly 20% as compared to 2016. Virat’s brand value meanwhile registered a growth of 56% from last year. Duff & Phelps managing director and region leader-India, Japan and Southeast Asia Varun Gupta said that it’s the first time since they started publishing their rankings that SRK has been slipped from top ranking. On the third position is the talented superstar actress Deepika Padukone. Her brand value amounts to $93 million.
As of October 2017, Virat Kohli endorses 20 brands, Shah Rukh Khan endorses 21 brands while Deepika Padukone endorses 23 brands. Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar added seven new product brands to his portfolio and his brand value surged a staggering 97% approximately and reached the $47 million mark last year. Young, popular personalities like Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and badminton champion P V Sindhu have either risen in the rankings or entered the top 15 list. Apart from Virat Kohli and P V Sindhu, the other sportsperson to feature in this list is cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is on the 13th position with a brand value of $21 million. P V Sindhu is the first female sports personality to feature in this elite list. She occupies the 15th list with a brand value of $15 million.


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World of WarCraft Anniversary Contest
9:03 AM | Anthony Wang | Comment on this story
To commemorate World of WarCraft's two year anniversary, Blizzard has announced a month long sweepstakes. Everyday starting October 30 to November 26, two winners will be chosen at random, with prizes changing weekly. The prizes include JINX gift certificates, Apple's iPod, and a nVidia graphics card.
This week's winners will receive a Razer Copperhead™ Precision mouse, a Razer Mantis™ Control / Speed Mat and a Barracuda HP-1 Headset with an approximate retail value of $250.00.
Do you remember the first time you set foot in Orgrimmar and saw the watch fires burning on the parapets? What about the first time you heard the echoes of death in the halls of the Undercity? Or even the first time you saw the hot molten iron flowing beneath the catwalks of the city of Ironforge or gazed at the towering statues of the heroes of the Alliance in Stormwind? It has been two years since players first entered the world of Azeroth to forge such memories. Friendships have been created, battles waged, and mighty dragons vanquished.
WoW Anniversary Contest
To celebrate the second anniversary of the launch of World of Warcraft and to show our appreciation to our community, we will be awarding prizes over the next five weeks! Your support, enthusiasm and dedication have made us the #1 MMORPG in the world and we couldn't have done it without you!
WoW Anniversary Contest Official Rules
World of Warcraft
Buy World of Warcraft
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More than 5,000 people from Davao City and the Island Garden City of Samal recently joined Parents Against Vape (PAV) in its appeal to President Duterte to veto Senate Bill 2239 or Vape Bill 2022.
PAV is an alliance of parents, teachers, public health experts, and community groups based in Davao City and Samal Island.
Worried that the provisions of vape bill will lead to easier access to heated tobacco products (HTPs) or e-cigarette products, PAV—along with more than 5,000 people who signed the petition to veto the vape bill—urged President Duterte to veto the SB 2239.
“As parents, we are alarmed at the provisions of the bill. The Vape Bill 2022 lowers age of access, allows flavors that entice children and the youth, makes them available online, allows the use of cigarettes in public places, and transfers its regulation to the Food and Drug Administration,” said the group in their letter signed by Imelda Esposado-Gocotano, PAV Convenor.
In a statement, the PAV appealed to Duterte to support the strict regulation of vape products.
“We have enough laws and policies that strictly regulate these harmful products which you issued. Thus, we humbly ask you, Mr. President to protect your legacy, maintain these laws and policies, and allow their full implementation. Mr. President, please veto the vape bill 2022 for the full protection of our children and the youth,” the group appealed.
This was echoed by lawyer Benedict Nisperos of HealthJustice Philippines saying, “The vape bill 2022 is a profit-oriented and industry-sponsored bill masquerading as a public health policy.”
“We already have a comprehensive and strict regulatory regime for vape regulation as embodied in Republic Act Nos. 11346 and 11467 and Executive Order No. 106 signed by the President. The Vape Bill 2022 reverses the policy of the Duterte administration against these addictive and toxic products,” Nisperos said.
He stressed that vape bill “reverses” the key policies that will ensure that kids are protected from these harmful and toxic products.
He cited that the age of access restriction is reduced from 21 years old to 18 years old when the higher age restriction is the global best practice.
“The regulatory power is taken away from the Food and Drug Administration and exclusive jurisdiction is given to the Department of Trade and Industry, when these toxic products should be under FDA’s jurisdiction. While FDA has jurisdiction on vape products with health claims, the vape industry can easily market their products as consumer products not as health products. No one will have to undergo FDA regulation. All products escape FDA scrutiny. In short, FDA was creatively sidelined by this industry-favoring bill,” he added.
“The Vape Bill 2022 allows public vaping as a default while EO106 prohibits it as a default. The enumeration where these products can be used in public is more comprehensive in EO 106 than this new bill,” he concluded.
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Published by: CLAUDETH MOCON-CIRIACO


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By Edwig Ban
The official statistics show that Romania is in the top of Europe in terms of number and quality of mineral water sources, with 60% of mineral water sources in Europe, concentrating over 12% of total production in Eastern Europe and about 3% of that recorded in The European Union (EU).
According to a recent Frames analysis, the number of companies in Romania bottling mineral waters, juices and non-alcoholic natural drinks almost doubled compared to 2010, from 437 to over 800 companies in 2018 (preliminary data), after, in 2017, 767 companies reported financial data.
In terms of bottled water, the Euromonitor statistics show that, from a regional point of view, per capita consumption in Romania was 4.7 liters, in 2017, 35% higher than the Eastern European average, and by 60 % lower than the average of Western Europe. Also, sales of bottled water in volume are expected to have an average annual growth rate of 7.2%, by 2022, Romania reaching an average per capita consumption of 132 liters. In this margin, the largest contribution to this growth comes from the flat water segment.
Regarding the behavior of consumers, if in 2012, six out of ten water buyers chose carbonated water, starting with 2017 five out of ten put in the water shopping basket.
The mineral water market in Romania is currently worth one billion euros, while worldwide business in this industry will grow to 174 billion euros in the next three years, Jean Valvis recently said, President Valvis Holding, in a specialized conference.
“The mineral water market in Romania is currently worth one billion euros. All the producers present on the market here have the capacity to double this amount, in the coming years. The European average consumption is 150 liters per year, and in Romania is 70 liters per year / capita In Italy, the average per capita is 210-200 liters of water, Romanians drink 7.8 billion liters of water per year, compared to Germany where they drink annually 14.7 billion liters – The global market for mineral water will grow, in the next three years, by 28 billion euros, to 174 billion euros. The investments will continue in this sector, because we cannot stay at one consumption of 70 liters per capita. It is clear that there is a future of this industry from the point of view of domestic consumption. Our message is that this sector, besides other performance, such as wine, tourism, IT, etc., is a world champion in a tangible, objective way, sustainable, protected and natural We have much better and cleaner water than others with their salt water. And Aquacarpatica, and Borsec, and Dorna are better than Pellegrino, Gerolsteiner and other brands. We are not known, because we are introverted, “said Valvis.
In his opinion, the sector deserves to receive state aid. “Romania is the motherland of mineral waters and the sector deserves to turn to the Parliament, the Government, the Competition Council to receive state aid, somewhere at 20%, and the rest to give it to the private sector,” he said.
By Edwig Ban


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We last wrote about the Cross Coupe GTE concept last week when VW introduced it at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Cross Coupe GTE is a mid-size SUV concept that hints at changes coming to the Tiguan and possibly a new crossover SUV one size below the Tiguan. It’s important because it shows the exterior and interior styling that Volkswagen will likely favor.
This week we are fortunate to have a video produced by Volkswagen at NAIAS showing off the Cross Coupe GTE. We packed as many details as we could into last week’s blog post, but there is something different about getting to see the vehicle, as well, and forming your own initial impressions.
As VW’s Christian Buhlmann points out, there are a number of things to note in this concept vehicle. Rather than list everything he talks about in the video, we encourage you to watch it for yourself. We will say though that we agree with Christian about the aspect of the GTE that he found most impressive: the all-digital instrument panel.
We all grew up with physical dials for the speedometer, fuel gauge, tachometer and the like, and most of us still have those in our cars at this very moment. Volkswagen, however, is leading the industry in acknowledging that people now want the freedom to choose what to display in that panel.
If you’re relying on navigation, you might want to see a map there. If you’re choosing music, you might want to browse through your favorite album covers. There are a lot of potential applications to this, but the bottom line is that it keeps your eyes pointed forward, and your hands on the wheel.
The Cross Coupe GTE therefore signals future SUVs from VW that bring modern and progressive touches to the performance, efficiency, safety and technology that you already expect.
If you’re looking for a Volkswagen for sale in Raleigh, pop over to see us at Leith Volkswagen in Raleigh.


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An unusual PR campaign to report this week: Lexis Public Relations has launched an ad campaign that included a full-page in The Independent's media section.
The campaign is aimed at 'stimulating people to think about PR and the need to keep communicating' and continues on a weekly basis throughout the month in The Spectator magazine.
Less altruistically, the agency concedes the campaign will 'reach a lot more people who are influential in choosing PR and marketing agencies'.
Lexis hired ad agency Crammond Dickens and Lerner to create the campaign, which is based on work the agency has undertaken for clients including Bisto, Powergen and former client United Biscuits (PRWeek, 2 November).
We can only speculate as to the cost of the campaign, but it does beg the question as to whether Lexis believes it will get better value and coverage from an advertising rather than a PR campaign.


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Darkworks' Charles Gaudron, who was a senior games designer of I Am Alive before Ubisoft took the project in-house at Shanghai, says its coming 2011.
That's according to his online LinkedIn profile, which lists it as "PS3/X360, Ubisoft, 2011". Ubi has officially declared I Am Alive is due next fiscal which runs all the way into March, 2011.
Publisher Ubisoft's next fiscal begins on April 1st, 2010 and runs all the way up to March 31st, 2011. Gaudron's, as spotted by , can't be taken for granted of course as developer Darkworks is no longer heading the games development.
There's been very little on I Am Alive with Ubi only recently deciding to give us some extra shots to prove it is, indeed, still alive. In case you'd forgotten, the game follows a guy in the aftermath of a massive earthquake to strike Chicago; see the trailer below for a refresher.


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TrendWatching is a purpose-driven trend firm, inspiring business professionals to launch sustainable innovations that benefit people and planet.
Select your country
Two weeks ago, Scotland became the first country to make period products free by law, following a four-year campaign spearheaded by Labour MSP Monica Lennon. Municipal authorities are now legally required to ensure that tampons and sanitary pads are available to anyone who needs them.
To celebrate this victory against period poverty, Scottish beer brand BrewDog just launched Bloody Good Beer, which ‘will hit you with a punch of tropical guava aroma, floral and stone fruit, rounded off with a sweet mandarin citrus finish.’ All profits will go to Bloody Good Period, a non-profit that provides menstrual products to refugees, asylum seekers and others who can't afford them.
This isn't BrewDog's first foray into promoting gender equality: in 2015, it sold No Label, billed as the world's first 'non-binary, post-gender beer’, with profits going to a London LGBT organization. Companies that stand for something more than just profit — and consistently demonstrate that they're open, supportive and sympathetic — are increasingly sought out by consumers. (Thirteen-year-old BrewDog is valued at around USD 2 billion, so it's not bad for business, either.) How can your brand show where it stands?
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Reclaiming top spot on the ladder of beef-eating countries is a matter of pride in Argentina
Neroli Roocke reports on beef consumption and barbeques in Argentina.
Source: ABC Rural | Duration: 2min 46sec
Farmers and processors have labelled the Greens' sugar tax proposal as an attack on regional jobs.
Australia's largest milk processor was betting on China to shield farmers from a collapse in commodity prices.
Qld Government's cattle station purchase 'makes agriculture sector a scapegoat' says farm industry.
The Department of Agriculture and Food WA says it's a matter of when, not if, Russian wheat aphid is found in the state.


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TOMBALL, Texas At least a dozen people in the Inverness Estates neighborhood woke up last week to find their cars burglarized.
There was shattered glass everywhere, said Matt Mauz. I opened the door, the center console was pulled up, the middle seat was pulled up and the glove box was open.
The crook passed up expensive electronics and a radar gun, opting instead to search for paper work.
Several neighbors had their auto insurance cards stolen and other documents that could allow a criminal to steal their identity.
Police said personal information can be just as valuable to a thief as expensive electronics.
Another victim had security cameras on his house and captured video of the burglar in action; it appears the man walked up, cut the glass window out of the victim s truck and then rummaged through his glove box.
The next morning, the victim found his auto insurance card and a gift card gone.
I won t ever leave anything in the car again, he said. Police said that s a good idea; they recommend car owners keep bills and other documents out of the car and place auto insurance cards in their purses or wallets.
Despite damage to his car, Mauz had nothing in his vehicle for the crook to take.
I don t keep paper work in my vehicle, he said. My auto insurance card is on my cell phone and I recommend everybody else do the same thing. Why leave anything with your name or address on there?


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Fintel Connect to Lead Session on Compliant Digital Marketing and Growth
Fintel Connect and industry experts to participate in a panel discussion on compliant digital marketing growth, hosted by the Massachusetts Bankers Association
Vancouver, BC, January 21, 2021 –
Fintel Connect is pleased to lead the Compliant Digital Marketing and Growth panel discussion hosted by Massachusetts Bankers Association (MBA) on January 27, 2021.
Marketing compliance has become an increasingly important focal point for banks that are expanding their strategies into digital. Banks must remain prudent and informed of safety and security standards in digital marketing, especially when acquiring new customers online.
This session pulls together experts from varying backgrounds in digital and banking to share their experiences, recommendations, and best practices for navigating marketing compliance. Speakers include Alana Levine, CRO of Fintel Connect; Anthony Costanza, Director of New Business Development (Banking) for QuinStreet; Andrew Silverman, Director of Marketing at CIBC; and David Hunkele, Chief Strategy Officer for Finzly.
Bankers tuning in will learn how to approach and plan their digital customer acquisition in a compliant way, including key considerations for selecting technology partners, channels and strategies.
“We look forward to speaking about marketing compliance at Massachusetts Bankers Association’s session this year,” says Levine. “It is such an important component to every bank marketer’s digital strategy, and an area we are heavily focused on as an organization this year.”
“I’m excited for our participants to hear from industry peers who’ve successfully implemented compliance in their digital customer acquisition.”
– Annie A. Coldstream, Director, Member Services and Grassroots, Massachusetts Bankers Association
“Digital customer acquisition can be a challenge for banks, for many reasons,” states Annie A. Coldstream, Director, Member Services and Grassroots at MBA. “To mitigate risks for both banks and customers online, compliance is a must. I’m excited for our participants to hear from industry peers who’ve successfully implemented compliance in their digital customer acquisition. Learning from their stories will help our participants in reaching new customers and achieving growth in 2021.”
MBA members, Bank Presidents, CEOs, Marketing Directors, and other Bank Officers focused on acquiring new customers through digital marketing are encouraged to join this webinar. Non-members of MBA are also welcome to register for the program.
The Massachusetts Bankers Association represents 135 commercial, savings, cooperative, and federal savings banks and savings and loan associations with approximately $380 billion in local assets, 72,000 employees across Massachusetts and New England, over 2,000 banking locations, more than 4,500 ATMs, and donate more than $105 million annually to social agencies and charitable organizations across the Commonwealth. For more information, visit www.massbankers.org.
About Fintel Connect
Fintel Connect is a leading performance marketing company dedicated to serving the financial services and fintech space. Based in Vancouver, Canada, the team at Fintel Connect supports a wide range of tier one banks, community banks and financial technology companies through its extensive network of publishers and fully scalable tracking and reporting technology.
Press and would like to connect, please contact Julia Wild, Director Business Development, at firstname.lastname@example.org.
A merchant and would like to know more, visit https://fintelconnect.com/merchants.
A publisher that would like to join our network, visit https://fintelconnect.com/publishers.


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Ford Motors (NYSE:F) recently announced that the company is going to invest $1 billion in the Artificial Intelligence startup Argo AI over a 5 year period.
Argo AI is a new company, founded last year by Bryan Salesky and Peter Rander. Both are alumni of Carnegie Mellon National Robotics Engineering Center. Salesky and Rander were former employees of Google’s Waymo and Uber technologies respectively.
The collaboration is to have fully autonomous, SAE level 4-capable vehicle for commercial applicability in mobility services in 2021.
“The next decade will be defined by the automation of the automobile, and autonomous vehicles will have as significant an impact on society as Ford’s moving assembly line did 100 years ago,” said Ford President and CEO Mark Fields.
“As Ford expands to be an auto and a mobility company, we believe that investing in Argo AI will create significant value for our shareholders by strengthening Ford’s leadership in bringing self-driving vehicles to market in the near term and by creating technology that could be licensed to others in the future.”
It has to pass regulatory and political hurdles for the launch of Level 4. This is one of the reason why other car manufacturers have targeted Level 3.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) bought Cruise Automation last year to stay in the competition for driverless cars. BMW, Mercedes Benz and Volkswagen’s Audi are planning to launch semi autonomous cars which are categorized as Level 3. US Department of Transportation last year adopted SAE Internationals six level of automation for on road motors vehicles.
Another advantage is that it would contribute to Ford’s Smart Mobility LLC which has the aim of commercialization strategy for Ford’s self driving vehicles. Company is testing to use autonomous vehicles to move goods and people, ride sharing or package delivery fleets.
Argo AI initial purpose will be to develop Ford’s autonomous vehicle and subsequently they will try to license the self driving system to other companies. The company might even come up with an IPO for Argo AI.
Ford will have majority stakeholder in Argo AI. Argo employees will have an equity component as part of their remuneration so that they can be part of the company’s success. Argo’s AI board will have five board members. Ford’s CTO Raj Nair, Ford Group Vice President, Global Strategy John Casesa, Bryan , Peter and one independent director.
About Ford Motors
Ford Motors is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. It has about 201,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide. The company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks and SUVs, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles.
About Argo AI
Argo AI is an artificial intelligence company, based in Pittsburgh. It was established to tackle one of the most challenging applications in computer science, robotics and artificial intelligence: self-driving vehicles. It has engineering hubs in Pittsburgh, Southeastern Michigan and the Bay Area of California. The company plans to have more than 200 employees by the end of 2017.


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New Canadian Coalition Disputing CETA
The newly formed Canadian Maritime and Supply Chain Coalition held a press conference voicing their worries concerning the Canadian-European Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA), and ”the lack of transparency that Canada’s government has had when making this deal,” said the Coalition in a release.
According to the Coalition, this free trade agreement will allow EU beneficially owned Flag of Convenience (FOC) vessels and so-called European National Flag to trade freely between Canadian ports without any restrictions on origin of the crew, or level of wage and working conditions, and thus completely halting the Canadian maritime transport sector’s growth.
Moreover, the Canadian Maritime and Supply Chain Coalition believes that the communities and regions that depend on this industry will be destroyed. Once this agreement is in place, the Coalition fears it will not take long before the rest of the Canadian transportation sectors are affected, including, air, road and rail.
“This agreement will have a severe negative impact on the Canadian Maritime Industry by opening domestic trade to foreign carriers, doing away with our Cabotage Laws,” said James Given, President, S.I.U. of Canada and Chair, Canadian Maritime and Supply Chain Coalition. “This is the most serious threat that we have ever and faced in our industry.”
This Canadian Maritime and Supply Chain Coalition was formed between the Seafarers’ International Union of Canada and members of global trade unions in response to ”the detrimental effects that Canadian-European Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) will have on the Canadian maritime industry and the rest of the logistic chain,” the release states.
On 18 October 2013, EU and Canada reached a political agreement on the key elements of CETA. The agreement’s goal was, among others, to remove over 99% of tariffs between the two economies and create a sizeable new market access to opportunities in services and investment, according to the statement made by the EU.


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Abu Dhabi to ban all single-use plastic bags by 2021
Contrary to what you may have heard, life in plastic is not fantastic…
Our dependency on plastic negatively affects our oceans, food chains and air quality – and, ultimately, it has the potential to impact the health of every organism in our ecosystem.
In the UAE, we’ve already seen individual brands and government entities pledging to cull single-use plastic, but Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi (EAD) has just announced one of the most comprehensive policies yet.
On March 9, the EAD detailed a raft of measures specifically designed to drastically reduce the use of non-sustainable plastic in the capital.
The ambition is that Abu Dhabi will ban all single-use plastic bags by 2021, which is a monumental commitment given our current misuse of them. The UAE’s consumption of plastic bags is currently more than three times the global average, with a total of around 11 billion bags annually.
Abu Dhabi will also pioneer strategies to add levies to single-use plastics, where sustainable alternatives are available, with the final phase of policy application resulting in an outright ban of these products.
This includes items such as packaging, straws, cups, lids and stirrers. The EAD also confirmed it would be rolling out a plastic bottle recycling scheme across a range of retail sites.
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These proposals fall under the umbrella of ‘Ghadan 21,’ Abu Dhabi Government’s programme to drive the economy in synergy with sustainability and the environment.
Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi, provided a reminder of the importance of proactive behaviour:
“The launch of the single-use plastics policy reflects our steadfast commitment towards transitioning to a more sustainable economy that seeks to minimise waste and protect vital ecosystems in our environment.”
“If we do not take bold steps to contain the use of single-use plastics… there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans and seas by 2050”
Leaving a habitable world for future generations is the very least all of us should be striving for.


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One of the 4 Nokia smartphones that were unveiled at MWC 2019 is finally available for purchase in the country.
According to HMD Global, the Nokia 4.2 is available starting today for Kshs 18,500.
This brings to 2 the total number of devices that the company has made available locally from that lineup since they were announced. The other device is the Nokia 1 Plus which went on sale at the beginning of April.
The rest of the devices, the Nokia 3.2 and the headline device, the penta-camera Nokia 9 PureView, are expected to be made available soon.
The Nokia 4.2’s standout feature, just like its smaller sibling the Nokia 3.2 and a host of budget devices from other Android device makers like LG also unveiled at MWC 2019, arrives with a feature that we have not seen on Nokia devices before: a dedicated Google Assistant button.
In addition, the device’s power button also features a “breathing light” that comes to life when one has unread notifications, in place of a front-facing LED light for doing the same.
For its price, though, what will capture the eyes of many will probably be its glass front and back, a design language we have also seen in Infinix’s similarly-priced S4 (6GB RAM variant).
At that price, the Nokia 4.2 will not only be facing off with the superior variant of the Infinix S4, it will also have to fend off competition from Samsung’s new Galaxy A20, Huawei’s Y7 Prime 2019 among others.
On the photography front, where its competition has set its eyes on, the Nokia 4.2 features a 13-megapixel camera flanked by a depth sensor for portrait imagery.
The Nokia 4.2 arrives with Android 9 Pie straight out of the box and, as an Android One device, it is set to be among the first in line to receive not only the monthly security updates but also major operating system upgrades over coming years.
“The Nokia 4.2 will receive three years of monthly security patches and two major OS updates,” notes the statement from HMD Global’s local office announcing the device’s availability.


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Michail 26 February 2024
Motorola Android Announcement MWC 2024
Motorola shared a few key announcements at this year’s MWC: all of its future smartphones will use Corning Gorilla Glass.
Motorola already uses Gorilla Glass on most of its flagship and midrange phones. Still, the new announcement confirms that even the entry-level Moto phones will offer better scratch and drop resistance thanks to Corning’s products.
By using Corning Gorilla Glass across all Motorola franchises, we aim to lead the industry by ensuring that every consumer has access to the durability and peace of mind that comes with this cutting-edge technology. – Ruben Castano, Motorola’s Head of Customer Experience
Motorola also announced Smart Connect – a set of continuity features that work across smartphones, tablets, and PCs from Motorola and Lenovo. The new seamless multi-device experience features cross-control between phone, tablet, and PC with support for a unified keyboard and mouse interaction across the three device form factors. You also get unified notifications sync, a smart clipboard, fast file sharing, and the ability to use your phone as a webcam.
Smart Connect in action
Smart Connect will be available on any Lenovo PC running on Windows 10 or later from the Microsoft store, and on select Lenovo tablets and Motorola devices via Google Play Store in the coming months. The exact system requirements and supported devices will be shared soon.
Why wasn't this already a thing? Also, they have the money to invest in all of these partnerships, but not the money to hire OS updating staff? Or Camera processing software staff? Jeez Moto…
What a ridiculous picture they are using to announce the partnership.
Moto outlining any new phones?
All brands Rumor mill
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The strengthening dollar will make that summer vacation abroad more affordable.But it sure is taking a bite out of U.S. companies’ results.
Procter & Gamble (PG), the maker of products such as Tide detergent and Gillette razors, reported disappointing results on Tuesday, and laid much of the blame on the strong U.S. dollar before warning investors that the ever rising greenback would slice off 5% from sales this year, and 12% from its profit.
“The October – December 2014 quarter was a challenging one with unprecedented currency devaluations,” said P&G Chief Executive A.G. Lafley. “Virtually every currency in the world devalued versus the U.S. dollar, with the Russian ruble leading the way.”
The P&G news follows a poor holiday sales report from Tiffany & Co (TIF), due in large part to unfavorable currency movements, and a warning last week from P&G rival, Kimberly-Clark (KMB), the maker of Kleenex and Scott towels, that the negative effect of foreign exchange would lower sales in 2015 by as much as 9%.
Even McDonald’s (MCD), which has plenty of other problems to deal with, blamed a strong currency for lowering its profit per share last quarter by 8 to 12 cents. The damage has not been limited to consumer and retail companies: Caterpillar, (CAT) blamed the decline in its sales squarely at the feet of the weakening Japanese yen and the euro, while chemicals company Dupont (DD) and drug maker Pfizer (PFE) also called out foreign exchange as a factor in lackluster results.
The U.S. dollar has appreciated more than 15% against the yen, the euro and the Canadian dollar in the last half year, so investors should expect many more warnings from companies as corporate earnings seasons pick up.
U.S. retailers that rely disproportionately on tourism are likely to suffer the most. Indeed, Tiffany president Frederic Cumenal, who will become CEO in April, said he expects pressure from the strong U.S. dollar to persist throughout 2015 and hurt sales to tourists in the U.S.—foreign tourists account for 40% of sales at Tiffany’s flagship on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, a store that on its own generates one-eighth of company sales. HBC’s Saks Fifth Avenue chain is also dependent on tourism: its big Manhattan store drives 20% of its sales.
While the U.S. Travel Association expects international visits to rise 4.1% this year, there are concerns tourists might shorten their stays, and cut back on shopping while here. But even a meat-and-potatoes retailer like Wal-Mart Stores (WMT), with 41% of sales abroad, could feel the pinch.
Consumer goods companies, which went global decades ago, are particularly exposed. Avon Products (AVP) is struggling and only gets 15% of its sales in the United States, making it particularly vulnerable to the greenback’s ascent. It is also, just like P&G and Kimberly-Clark, exposed to the foibles of the Venezuelan bolivar which last year drove Clorox (CLX) out of that market altogether.
Here is a look at just some of the other U.S. retail/consumer companies that have a lot to lose from a strong U.S. dollar:
- Coach (COH), which reports results on Thursday (after a snowstorm-related delay), gets 20% of sales in Japan.
- PepsiCo’s (PEP) second largest market after the U.S. is Russia, whose ruble fell 6.6% yesterday to a new record low.
- Coca-Cola (KO) gets just a bit more than half of its sales in North America.
So while that cheap European jaunt may be fun, just remember others might not be so thrilled with the U.S. dollar’s upward climb.


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Thousands of American Programming jobs from IBM will end up being shipped overseas by early next year. It is estimated that 4,700 jobs will go, joining the several thousand IBM has already sent there.
Joining a long list of companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Intel, Cisco, and AOL-- IBM hopes to cut costs and increase profits by employing cheaper foreign workers. It is estimated that over 500,000 tech jobs have already been shipped overseas.
Mimiking a current trend of outsourcing companies, IBM is expected to use its current workers to train the cheaper foreign workers. Investors responded positively to the news with shares rising 76 cents early on. Source


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Despite Yahoo’s decision three weeks ago to end auctions of Nazi artifacts on its Web site, a group of concentration camp survivors has sued Yahoo! chairman and chief executive officer Tim Koogle in France over the controversial auctions, according to published reports.
The suit reportedly accuses Koogle of justifying war crimes and crimes against humanity, and asks for symbolic damages of 1 franc, or 15 U.S. cents.
The plaintiffs, who include survivors of the infamous death camp Auschwitz, are also asking that if Yahoo! loses the lawsuit, it be required to publicize the decision on the Internet and place advertisements about the case in major U.S. and French newspapers.
“If you organize a system like an auction where people bid for the best price, you excuse these crimes, and they become commonplace,” Charles Korman, a lawyer representing the death camp survivors, said in published reports.
What a Tangled Web
Yahoo! has been facing criticism and lawsuits over auctions of Nazi and other hate-related material for almost a year.
In April, the International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA), the Movement Against Racism (MRAP) and the Union of French Law Students (UEFJ) sued Yahoo!, charging the company with illegally hosting auctions that amounted to a “banalizing of Nazism.”
In November, a French court gave Yahoo! 90 days to block French residents from viewing Yahoo’s Nazi memorabilia auctions, or face fines of US$13,000 each day. Judge Jean-Jacques Gomez’s ruling reaffirmed an earlier order that had been suspended while a panel of experts studied the technological feasibility of blocking French residents from the auctions.
In response to the French court’s order, Yahoo! filed its own suit in a federal court in the U.S., asking for a ruling that the French court had no basis or right to order Yahoo! to block French residents from seeing auctions of Nazi paraphernalia on the company’s U.S.-based Web site.
Even though it filed the U.S. lawsuit, Yahoo! said earlier this month that it was going to pull the plug on auctions of Nazi artifacts and other items associated with groups that “promote or glorify hatred and violence.”
Although it is widely believed that Yahoo! made its decision because of the ruling by the French court, Yahoo! Auctions senior producer Brian Fitzgerald told the E-Commerce Times at the time that the company had been discussing the change since before the French lawsuit was filed against Yahoo!.
Yahoo! has not dropped its U.S. suit over the French ruling, a position that did not escape the notice of the new plaintiffs’ attorney Korman.
“Yahoo has been ambiguous,” Korman said in published reports. “They said they are going to stop the Nazi auctions, but at the same time they have just started a suit in the U.S. to overthrow the French decision.”
Even though Yahoo’s terms of service state that the company is not responsible for the items being offered on its Internet auctions, the French court held Yahoo! responsible for the sale of Nazi items listed at its site.
In contrast, in a separate case, a U.S. judge recently ruled that auction giant eBay is not responsible for certain items listed on its site. In particular, the U.S. court dismissed a $100 million class action lawsuit against eBay last week, ruling that the Web auction house is not liable for the sale of fake sports memorabilia on its site.
Questions about which laws should govern cyberspace — and how much protection is provided by the terms of service posted on Web sites — have fueled an international debate, leading the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in September to call for global guidelines to govern e-commerce transactions that cross international borders.
The American Bar Association has also weighed in. In July, the ABA’s Global Cyberspace Jurisdiction Project concluded after two years of study that the Internet needs multinational laws and procedures that do not depend upon the physical location of the parties.


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NEW DELHI: In the past three-and-half months, consumer commissions across the country have disposed of 68,587 cases, bringing down pendency by nearly 11%. Since August, the consumer commissions have also disposed of 78% of pending cases that were filed prior to 2000.
The consumer affairs ministry's five-month campaign, which was kicked off in August for "faster and effective" disposal of cases, is yielding appreciable results. According to official data, close to 6.3 lakh cases were pending on June 20 this year, which reduced to 5.6 lakh as on October 11. In less than three months, the number of pending cases filed before 2000 have also reduced to only 751 from 3,486 as on July 31.
Union consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh told TOI that they have put more focus on reducing old cases and the target is to have no pendency of cases which were filed more than two decades ago. He added that the faster disposal of old cases is proof that consumer complaints can be resolved by the commission quickly.
In May this year, Singh had written to registrars and presidents of consumer commissions not to grant adjournment for more than one month. He had also suggested that in case of any delay due to adjournment requests, the commissions may consider imposing costs on parties.
Officials said the ministry has initiated the campaign for effective and timely disposal of complaints from July 1 to November 30. During this period, performance of consumer commissions will be assessed on parameters, including disposal rate, timely disposal admission of cases through e-filing and disposal of old pending cases. "Each parameter has been given a certain weightage and score based on which performance of each commission shall be assessed and ranked," said an official.
Consumer forums (now commissions) were established in 1988 to enable consumers "to secure less expensive and speedy redressal of their grievances". "The purpose of such commissions is lost if people have to wait for years for orders. Steps are also being taken to include old consumer cases in Lok Adalats and we are planning similar such interventions only for consumer cases," the official said.
Addressing a national workshop of commission presidents and members in June, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission president Justice R K Agrawal had suggested the government carry out a study of pending cases and find how many judges are required to dispose them off in two years. He had said until the legacy cases are disposed off, the problem won't get solved.


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MINNEAPOLIS — Cereal lovers, get ready for the return of fruit-shaped Trix!
General Mills said Monday that Classic Trix with Fruity Shapes are returning to store shelves for the first time since 2006.
“Trix cereal is beloved by our fans, and we heard loud and clear that they wanted to see the iconic shapes back in their bowls,” said Scott Baldwin, director of marketing for General Mills cereal.
General Mills said that in the last 18 months, it has received more than 20,000 requests for the fruit-shaped cereal to return.
Classic Trix with Fruity Shapes will return to store shelves this fall.