text:
Ecoveritas, the environmental compliance specialist, is educating businesses on finding…
Packaging expert Robert Lockyer, Founder and Chief Client Officer of luxury packaging provider Delta Global, suggests that brands consider much more than just their products.
He said: “While the product is presumably the most important thing to both the brand and the consumer, what good is that if the packaging is destroying our planet?”
With 61% of UK consumers limiting their use of single-use plastic, Robert suggests this should be extended to product packaging and deliveries. From plastic mail bags to excessively large and unnecessary amounts of bubble wrap, he asks:
“Is all of this really necessary? We’re fortunate enough to live in a world where we have access to so many more materials that are more eco-friendly.”
At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans each year, and fashion brands can help solve this very problem.
Delta Global is accredited by the FSC, EUTR and Ecovadis, and chooses wood, paper and other materials from well-managed forests and recycled sources to create sustainable packaging solutions.
Robert also praises brands that are taking responsibility for their actions but is firm that this must amount to more than just a case of greenwashing, as we so often see online from brands online with their plastic mailing bags.
“It simply isn’t enough, and businesses should look at the likes of Sweaty Betty and Net-A-Porter and take a leaf out of their book,” Robert added.
Sweaty Betty, for example, implemented an innovative packaging solution and developed a bag that was made from 100 per cent recycled materials. It could also be repurposed and reused as a cosmetics pouch with a matching hair tie.
This solution saved 2.7 million plastic bottles from entering landfills and our oceans, and Robert encourages other luxury brands to follow suit whilst considering the impact of their supply chain.
He said: “It’s important we do all we can. Fashion is such a large and dominating industry that its actions can have a significant impact.”
So, the answer to whether your brand’s packing destroying our planet is most probably, a resounding yes. But what really matters now, is how you go about making a change for a more efficient and sustainable future.
For more information on Delta Global, please visit: https://deltaglobal.co/
Header image: Delta Global, Founder and Chief Client Officer, Robert Lockyer


text:
When a mum realised her daughter's dolls were having a negative effect on her self-esteem, she decided to create a new doll that would reflect her daughter's beauty.
"My daughter Sophia was not happy with her kinks and curls because of the doll I was putting in her hands every day,” Angelica Sweeting told Buzzfeed.
“Sophia wanted long straight hair, and she even started expressing a strong dislike for her facial features and skin tone.”
So Sweeting came up with a design and raised funds for her new Naturally Perfect Dolls company through Kickstarter.
"With the help of my daughters, we created 'The Angelica Doll' — the first natural hair 18-inch doll for young girls," she writes on her Kickstarter page.
"I’m creating Angelica to let girls know that they are beautiful. Our girls need to see a reflection of their own unique beauty. It’s time for our young girls to have a new standard," Sweeting added.
"The Angelica Doll has the face of a beautiful brown girl including a full nose, fuller lips, beautiful check bones, and brown eyes."
The mother believes the doll has the potential to change young girls' ideas of beauty.
"It's time for young girls to have a new standard," she added.
Sweeting and her children tested the hair for eight months: "We twisted, bantu knotted, combed, brushed, blew out, curl wanded and re-washed the hair.
"We did this over and over to ensure this doll would be able to withstand a young girls curiosity about taking care of and having fun with kinky/curly hair! No more tangled doll hair."
The doll was funded through Kickstarter and received more than $26,000, with 388 people backing the product.
So I think we're all agreed? Bye, bye Barbie.

domain: news


text:
The 28 Best Early Amazon Prime Day Tech Deals in 2022
When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
Amazon Prime Day is almost here. The event officially runs from July 12 to 13, but early tech deals are already pouring in. Shoppers can save on electronics like smart TVs,
sticks, speakers, earbuds, and much more right now.
We expect to see even better prices once the actual two-day sales event begins, but we’re already seeing all-time lows on some devices. Below, we gathered up the best early
tech deals available now from Amazon and a handful of competing retailers.


text:
Top tech headlines: BlackBerry PlayBook reviews, death of Flip camcorders, Windows Phone 'Mango'
Friday 15 April 2011
Hot topics in the tech blogs for the week ending April 15 include the end for Cisco's Flip camcorders, reviews of RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, developer previews of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 10 and Windows Phone software, and Google's first quarter 2011 report.
Cisco kills Flip Video Cameras
Cisco pulled the plug on its popular handheld Flip digital video cameras, the top-selling camcorder brand in the US, stating consumer cameras are no longer part of the company's overall strategy. Bloggers were shocked ("my jaw hit the floor" on hearing the news, said one journalist) and lamented the decision but added, "Why buy a cheap camcorder if you could buy an iPod Nano that shot video, too?"
BlackBerry PlayBook Reviews
Reviews of the soon-to-be-released BlackBerry PlayBook tablets revealed that RIM is racing its iPad competitor to the market prematurely in fear of missing out on the tablet craze. While the 7" BlackBerry Playbook tablet is light, portable and sports a user interface that is getting rave reviews, it is missing key features such as native email, calendar and messaging apps, a standalone 3G or 4G network connection and out-of-the-box support for additional applications, said reviewers.
Microsoft IE10 preview
Microsoft unveiled a developer preview of its next-generation browser, Internet Explorer 10, at its MIX 11 developer conference. IE10 is based on the HTML5 standard and adds support for new web standards such as CSS3 Gradient Backgrounds, and CSS multi-column layout modules.
Windows Phone multitasking, updates
During the MIX 11 developer conference, Microsoft showed off new features from the next version of its Windows Phone software, dubbed "Mango." The updates include multitasking and deeper application integration within the phone's operating system, and will give developers access to the device's camera and sensors so they can create more feature-rich apps.
Google first quarter 2011 results
Google announced its Q1 earnings. The company spent more than expected on hiring and marketing causing its profit to fall short of estimates and its shares to drop. Google also noted in its earnings call that Android app downloads were up by 50 percent from Q42010; there are now 3 billion Android apps installed around the globe, and 350,000 Android devices are activated every day.
Life & Style blogs
Looking past the search results: Google 2.0 will 'build airports and cities' says report
Jennifer Lawrence nude pictures leaked: Reddit removes 'The Fappening' board dedicated to sharing naked pictures of celebrities
Anti-depressants can change how the brain works in just hours
iPhone 'Wave': iOS 8 hoax claims you can charge your iPhone in the microwave - you can't
The 'Angelina Jolie effect': Her mastectomy revelation doubled NHS breast cancer testing referrals
Daniele Watts: Django Unchained actress detained by Los Angeles police after being mistaken for a prostitute
Scottish independence referendum: A nation divided against itself
Scottish referendum results: Cross-party consensus collapses amid Tory-Labour spat on the 'English question'
Scottish independence: David Cameron is becoming the 'George Bush of Britain'
Russia freezes Ukraine into submission: Kiev admits country doesn't have enough fuel for winter
Scottish independence: The Queen breaks silence on referendum debate – as think tank warns of £14bn black hole if Scotland votes Yes
- 1 Mario Balotelli: Staff at arson-hit Manchester Dogs' Home convinced Liverpool striker is behind five-figure donation
- 2 Friends 20th anniversary: Alison Jackson photographs reunited cast
- 3 Friends 20th anniversary: The highs and lows of the cast's careers since 2004
- 4 The response to my Pizza Express review has been overwhelming, and taught me a lot about journalism
- 5 Free U2 album: How the most generous giveaway in music history turned into a PR disaster
iJobs Gadgets & Tech
£24000 - £30000 per annum + benefits: Ashdown Group: Graduate BI Consultant (B...
£40000 - £55000 per annum: Ashdown Group: Service Delivery Manager (Product Ma...
£50000 - £70000 per annum: Ashdown Group: Cloud Product and Solutions Marketin...
£18000 per annum: Ashdown Group: An established and growing IT Consultancy fir...


text:
HP eager to replace brittle IT
Data center profits from mobile and population explosions
Analysis The top brass at Hewlett-Packard – which became the largest IT company in the world two years ago and will likely stay there because IBM no longer cares for the title – want a bigger piece of the ever-changing IT pie. And they think they have a plan to not only do that, but also to grow the pie over the next several years.
As El Reg reported on Tuesday, the rousing message of growth and prosperity from HP's security analysts meeting in San Francisco was not delivered by a new president, CEO, or chairman, but by CFO and interim CEO Cathie Lesjak and the top lieutenants running its services, system, PC and printing divisions plus the top sales guy. And they seemed pretty confident that HP already had the right strategy to capitalize on IT sales in our companies, in our homes, and indeed wherever we go in this increasingly mobile world.
Lesjak began her presentation with lots of demographics that justify HP's continuing enthusiasm about peddling consumer devices and seeking to control the "experience" that users have as they use applications from various handheld devices and PCs. Unlike IBM and Oracle, HP wants to be in the low-margin PC business and bought Palm eagerly to control the kinds of devices that a large and growing portion of the world's population things of as their primary way of computing and communicating.
It's no wonder at all that Cisco, the networking giant, has expanded into servers, partnered for systems software, created or bought its own unified communications and web meeting applications, and is looking at adding its Cius business tablet to the mix. Cisco sees the future of IT the same way that HP does, and indeed the way Apple does: You want to own as much of the hardware and software underpinning an online experience - from the handheld, notebook, or desktop computer back to the data center and out again - as you possibly can.
The demographics, said Lesjak, are unavoidable. The world's population will grow nearly 20 per cent, to 7.8 billion, between now and 2025, bringing another potential 1.2 billion electronic gadget customers into the world. There are 1.8 billion people connected to telecom networks and the internet today, and this number is growing fast thanks in large part to smartphones and other relatively cheap devices. There are 4.6 billion mobile devices, 1.3 billion PCs, and 500 million PCs serving those 1.8 billion people today.
Not only will there be more people in the future, but the citizens of Earth are urbanizing at a tremendous rate, with cities adding 60 million people each year. That's four Shanghais every dozen months (just to make the number more real). While Lesjak did not talk about how the established economies are going to have issues with preserving their middle class, and thus (in theory) making people in those economies choose what they spend on more carefully, HP's research says that the global middle class is exploding from 440 million today to 1.2 billion by 2030. That middle class is going to want online services enabled by high tech, and they are going to buy not one, but multiple devices to access these services.
Which, of course, is why HP bought Palm in April for $1.2bn. Todd Bradley, who used to be CEO at Palm and who also ran PC maker Gateway's operations, has been running HP's PC biz for three years and there is perhaps no one better to give a coherent strategy to HP's client devices. Some will run webOS, which HP will tightly control and not license as Palm did to try to make itself more relevant.
There's no good reason a whole family of devices - some of which might be shaped like a PC and many of them that will not - cannot be created for a new generation of end users who think of the internet as their computer. That said, Bradley told analysts that as far as HP's prognosticators could tell, PC makers will ship some 500 million PCs in 2013 (real PCs) – and about two-thirds of them will be notebooks. But he also said that by 2013, nearly half of Personal Systems Group's revenues would be outside of the core Wintel PC business.
Lesjak said that the increasing number of mobile devices were putting a strain on already brittle back-end systems humming away in the eight million data centers and server rooms of the world, which are jam-packed with 32 million servers, 31 million terabytes of disk storage, and 1.2 billion Ethernet switches. By HP's reckoning, there are some 7.8 million server rooms in the world with under 1,000 square feet of space - you are probably near one as you read this - with 170,000 ranging in size between 1,000 and 20,000 square feet and another 14,000 with more than 20,000 square feet of space.
HP is best known for its PCs and printers, but there is not much direct money here, and Bradley and his peers know it. Yes, as Bradley said, the PC supply chain allows HP to wring suppliers for better prices on components that are used in hardware and software, but the back-end systems and the services that HP hopes to wrap around them are where the real money is.
Dave Donatelli, a transplant from EMC who runs HP's Enterprise Systems, Storage, and Networking business, said in his presentation yesterday that this supply chain leverage has enabled HP to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from the group's costs last year. The company's VirtualConnect integrated networking for blades also helped HP boost profits as well as sales, explained Donatelli. With VirtualConnect, the links to switches for servers and storage in BladeSystem blade servers are virtualized, which means you can more easily reconfigure the links but it also means customers buy less hardware. The thing is, customers will pay a premium for VirtualConnect, which has arguably caused the resurgence in HP's blade server sales after taking a whipping a few years back from Big Blue, and that means more money on the bottom line for HP. Donatelli showed a stack of 217 parts that would be needed to link up a rack of servers, and how two VirtualConnect switches could replace all of these parts, save customers $185,000 per rack (60 per cent of the networking costs chopped for the rack), and still give HP margins that are twice as high as what HP gets overall.


text:
Tag: hardware refresh
You heard the rumors, now get the details. Apple has just released a major update to the MacBook line, leaving the original white plastic model in the mix but lowering the price to $999; the two new models are priced at $1299 and $1599. You can see a video overview of the new beasties at Apple's ...
Almost eight years ago, Apple introduced the Titanium PowerBook, and with it the company ushered in a wave of industrial laptop design that in many ways, is still unmatched. Although the 2003 and 2006 refreshes to the lineup changed the material (from titanium to aluminum) and processor (from ...
Well, the rumors were right on target -- new MacBook and MacBook Pros are finally here! Unlike the very minor updates in November, this refresh features across the board speed bumps, bigger hard drives, more stock RAM and for the MacBook Pro, a few new features sure to make every Apple fan's mouth ...
Deals of the Daymore deals
Software Updatesmore updates
- Poser 10 and Poser Pro 2014 available, bringing new characters, physics and more
- Agile Partners releases Lick of the Day 2.0
- Google announces new Hangout app to hit iOS today
- Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 Update 14.3.4
- Pixelmator 2.2 available with over 100 new features and improvements
- DabKick for iPhone lets you share photos, watch videos and now listen to music in real-time
Featured Storiesmore stories
I'm never leaving home without my pogo connect again. Love this thing.


text:
A $1 million wine book, weighing 30kg, is set to be released in the Spring of 2010. The Wine Opus will list the world’s top 100 wineries.
Thatâ€™s not a typo: $1 million. Because . . . every purchaser of the book will also receive a six-bottle case of wine from every one of the 100 wineries listed.
The book is published by Kraken Opus, which has previously launched extravagant works on fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, Indian cricket ace Sachin Tendulkar and Argentine footballer Diego Maradona.
Only 100 copies of the book will be made â€“ 25 have already been pre-ordered, with a number of copies set aside for auction.
A spokeswoman for Kraken Opus told decanter.com that a ‘panel of experts’ will draw up a shortlist of about 300 producers, and then a second panel, comprising 40 sommeliers, will make the final selection, based on a ‘number of criteria’ at a ‘wine UN meeting’ in London in 2010.


text:
Thursday, April 24, 2014
A legislative committee yesterday approved an amendment to increase maximum housing taxes from 2 percent to 3.6 percent.
Housing taxes could be subject to new rates by May of next year if an amendment aimed at pulling down extreme housing prices clears the Legislature, Finance Minister Chang Sheng-ford said Wednesday.
The return on investment for Taiwan's commercial real estate market has been low in the past two years, and many investors have switched their investment targets to New York, London and Tokyo, among others, according to a real estate consultancy.
Asia's largest computer show will focus this year on smart living technologies and applications, from 3D printers to wearable devices, according to one of the organizers of Computex Taipei.
AT&T's wireless business had a strong first quarter as the company added more than 1 million subscribers and benefited from an installment plan that permits frequent phone upgrades.
Shares of TPK Holding Co. outperformed the broader market on Wednesday after the touch panel maker announced a day earlier that it turned a profit in the first quarter, dealers said.
WhatsApp now has 500 million regular users around the world, the free mobile messaging service being acquired by Facebook said.
The number of Americans buying new homes plummeted in March to the slowest pace in seven months, a sign that the spring buying season is off to a weak start.
HTC Corp. on Wednesday denied a report that the Taiwanese smartphone maker is considering buying rival Nokia Oyj's factory in Chennai to give it better and faster access to the Indian market.
New private investments in Taiwan over the first three months of this year slightly lagged behind a target set by the government, a reflection of a slowdown in retail, wholesale and logistics investments, statistics compiled by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) showed.


text:
NEW YORK — Macy’s Inc. reported a 20 percent increase in first-quarter profit even though cool temperatures and economic worries dampened some of its shoppers’ spending on spring clothes.
The company, which also operates the upscale chain Bloomingdale’s, is also raising its dividend to 25 cents from the current 20 cents. It also announced an additional $1.5 billion in stock buybacks.
Macy’s, a standout among its peers throughout the economic recovery, is the first of the major retailers to report first-quarter results that should provide insight into Americans’ mindset heading into the summer season. The latest results show that while the job market is improving and housing market is recovering, Macy’s and others that cater to middle-income shoppers still face hurdles.
“We are especially pleased with our first-quarter sales and earnings performance given the challenges we overcame in this period,” Terry Lundgren, chairman, president and CEO of Macy’s, said in a statement.
Like many clothing retailers, Macy’s grappled with cool spring weather that lingered into April. But Lundgren also pointed to weak spending trends among the chain’s most budget-conscious shoppers as well as among its higher-income Bloomingdale’s customers.
Macy’s has been benefiting from its strategy of tailoring merchandise to local markets. The department store chain has also pulled in young shoppers by aligning with celebrities like Madonna and Jessica Simpson. But the company also said it will seek out new opportunities to get shoppers to spend.
Analysts say that Macy’s is benefiting from the troubles at rival J.C. Penney, which is set to announce its fifth straight quarter of sharp sales drops as it reels from strategies spearheaded by its former CEO Ron Johnson, who was ousted in April. Under Johnson,
Penney got rid of most sales, a move that turned off shoppers. Under its new CEO Mike Ullman, who was Johnson’s predecessor, Penney is adding back sales and coupons, but it’s not clear whether shoppers who have left will return.
Penney is scheduled to announce first-quarter results late Thursday.
Separately, Penney and Macy’s are also locked in a legal battle over a partnership with home maven Martha Stewart. Macy’s, which has had an exclusive merchandising contract with the home maven since 2006 in such products as bedding and bath items, sued Martha Stewart and Penney after they signed a deal in December 2011 to develop mini Martha Stewart shops.
After several weeks of heated testimony, a New York State Supreme Court judge is expected to hear closing arguments from the lawyers in a few weeks and will make his final decision after that.
Despite Penney’s woes, Macy’s latest results show that while profits were up, revenue came in slightly short of analysts’ estimates.
Macy’s said it earned $217 million, or 55 cents per share in the quarter ended May 4. That compares with $181 million, or 43 cents per share, a year ago.
Revenue rose 4 percent to $6.38 billion.
Analysts expected earnings of 53 cents per share on revenue of $6.4 billion, according to FactSet.
Revenue at stores open at least a year rose 3.8 percent. Analysts had expected an increase of 4.3 percent.
Macy’s said it expects revenue at stores open at least a year to rise 3.5 percent for the year. It also reiterated that it expects earnings per share for the full year to be in the range of $3.90 to $3.95.
Analysts had expected $3.92 per share.
The company said the dividend will be paid on July 1 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 14.
Macy’s shares rose more than 2 percent or $1.02 per share, to $48.41 per share in premarket trading.


text:
EA Community Manger Daniel Lingen made a simple, yet interesting tweet earlier. “#Skate4” Obviously the short tweet has got fans of the Skate series excited for the possibility of an announcement of a fourth game in the series.
Of course, this just might be a tease by @HuskyHog and EA might not have any plans to announce or release another game in the series. Fans did get to go back and revisit the Skate series on current consoles with Skate 3 hitting backwards compatibility on Xbox One.
With the recent release of a sub-par return of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series fans of skateboarding titles have been talking more and more about this series. Back when it was introduced by Black Box, it brought forward a interesting control scheme unlike any title before it. The control scheme used the analog sticks to perform tricks and it was a lot of fun to play because of this control style. As the series progressed it introduced new gameplay elements and online features.
Unfortunately, back in 2012 EA layed off a bunch of the developers at EA Black Box and even renamed the studio Quickline Games. The developers that were responsible for the previous three games may not be handling Skate 4 (if this is even a real thing and not cruel tease).
Like many series that fans clamor for sequels, Skate 4 has been one that fans have been vocal about. EA’s social media accounts get regularly bombarded by messages to bring back the Skate series. With GDC, PAX, and E3 just around the corner, perhaps they’ve got a surprise up their sleeves regarding Skate 4.
If not Lingen, got some ‘splaining to do.


text:
January 27, 2022
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration invites American companies, trade associations, and national and local minority chambers of commerce members to join the FIRST Commerce Certified Minority Business Focused Trade Mission to Italy, Spain, and Portugal! The Mission will take place from Sunday, May 15 to Saturday, May 21, 2022 and will connect participating U.S. firms and trade associations with pre-screened business prospects in all three countries. There will also be opportunities for networking with local government officials and industry leaders and U.S. companies already doing business in the region.
The Minority Focused Trade Mission team, consisting of CS Europe: Italy, Spain, and Portugal, U.S. Export Assistance Center Arizona, MBDA-Minority Business Development Agency, GDEI-Global Diversity Export Initiative, DIAC-Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council and the U.S. Department of Commerce Global Teams: EU, Energy, ICT, Environmental Technologies and Safety and Security, are busy collaborating across ITA (International Trade Administration) to bring this event to Western Europe. It has been a marathon race to align up all the components to get approval from the ITA trade mission board, but the official posting of the mission statement was in the Federal Register during the week that celebrated the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There is quite a lot of chatter and enthusiasm across ITA to host this trade mission, and the promotional outreach from the ITA family has exceeded expectations. We just launched the trade mission website last week and promoted the registration brochure, and we already have quite a few companies register their interest. We will launch the brochure and promotional activity for sponsorship this week and have already received several inquiries about it. This trade mission focuses on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in action to foster economic equity in trade and aligns perfectly with President Biden’s E.O. 13985 to promote economic opportunities to underserved communities. We are excited about the opportunities this trade mission brings and its response to economic inclusion. A big shout-out to MBDA and GDEI for their support and inclusion of this trade mission as a priority event for their organizations.
Targeted sectors include information and communication technology (including cybersecurity, smart cities, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing), energy, environmental technology, and safety and security. This mission is aligned with a key goal of the Biden-Harris Administration to build back better with equity. Although there will be a focus on minority businesses, recruitment and consideration will be given to all export-ready companies that meet the established criteria for participation in the Mission.
This is a great export opportunity not to be missed, but space is limited! For more information on the Mission and how to register, please contact Fernando Jimenez at email@example.com and for sponsorship, please contact Tanya Cole firstname.lastname@example.org. We look forward to meeting you in Europe in May!
Fernando Jimenez & Tanya Cole work for the U.S. Department of Commerce –International Trade Administration


text:
Posted on December 31, 2018 by admin
This next legislative session, I again will be serving on the Public Health Committee. This committee addresses a wide spectrum of health issues ranging from medical practices and procedures to drug and alcohol addiction. We will likely be hearing bills on legalizing the retail sale of marijuana on one hand, and curtailing teenage use of tobacco products on the other. I hope our discussion of the later will bolster the point that introducing another addictive drug into mainstream society will only increase teenage use and create long-term addiction problems for these individuals.
One popular brand of e-cigarettes, JUUL, contains the same amount of nicotine in one pod as a pack of cigarettes. These devices are shaped like a USB drive and are easily concealed, and students are even using them in school during class because, just like with the various forms of marijuana, the drug can be delivered without a flame and smoke. According to a state public health study, teenage users were initially exposed to vaping from a family member or friend. More than half of the youth also reported that they used their electronic devices for other substances, such as marijuana, THC or hash oil, or THC wax.
This fall, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified youth e-cigarette use an epidemic and requested that the manufacturers take action in order to reduce youth access and use. Because of this trend, the Institute of Medicine and the American Medical Association have supported raising the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21, and we will likely see this proposal again this year.
Students who would otherwise be unwilling to inhale a traditional cigarette are more apt to try e-cigarettes, and locally, studies show that students no longer fear marijuana as an addictive drug. I believe that marijuana use among teens will rapidly become a bigger problem than e-cigarettes if the retail market comes to Connecticut. Both of these markets target our youth with flavored nicotine, such as fruit and mint, and THC laced gummy bears, sodas, and baked products. Given that the same devices can use nicotine and THC packets, it is difficult for school administrators to differentiate whether a student is vaping or getting high on marijuana. Some schools have purchased and utilize test kits for $10 each which determine whether the devices have THC concentrates in them.
Because the delivery system for THC and nicotine has changed, the health impacts are still either unknown or negative. Studies have shown that marijuana use under the age of 23 impacts brain development and causes a permanent reduction in I.Q. of up to eight points. As your state representative, I will continue to take in the information, but I have a growing concern of the national trend to allow for the retail sale of marijuana. As a parent, I regularly talk to my children about these drugs and the impacts on their health. As the delivery model for these substances has changed with technology, our children are exposed to choices, and I hope they choose right.


text:
by Hana Naz Harun
PETALING JAYA: As the country’s hotel industry continues to grow, ROOMIE Hospitality Inc sees an opportunity to introduce a mobile app aimed at serving the hospitality industry.
ROOMIE Hospitality Inc and Select TV’s chief executive officer, C.S. Goh told China Press that in this era of technological advancement, everyone was dependent on their smart mobile devices in their daily activities.
With the ROOMIE app, he said, hotel guests could find out about the hotel’s information and services such as room service as well as on-demand entertainment.
He added that the application could help hotels cut cost, reducing the need for printed material of hotel services.
“On top of that, hotels can also use ROOMIE app to share promotional deals, such as dinner promotions, to increase sales and revenue,” he told the China Press recently.
Also present was Malaysia Venture Capital Fund CEO Jamaludin Bujang.
The ROOMIE app has already been introduced to North America, Canada, Thailand and the Maldives markets and is now in Malaysia.
Read the story on China Press here.


text:
Growing up in a world where we are now surrounded by technology every minute of every day, it is only evident that we’ve begun to move towards a greater use for it. How powerful is technology? How important has it become in our everyday lives? And most importantly, what are we moving towards? In my opinion, wearable technology is the future.
Wearable technology within fashion retail is still quite an estranged concept. Up to now, the sports industry has been a key player in using wearable tech to develop innovative ideas that promote a healthier lifestyle. But the question is, why are fashion brands slow to react to such a powerful space with huge potential? Wearable technology is growing fast and is becoming one of the most exciting spaces in fashion retail according to the worldly known trend and market research platform WGSN, so why are brands simply eyeing it?
Ralph Lauren, Opening Ceremony and Rebecca Minkoff are some key fashion brands to have made their first moves towards the growing industry. Taking a risk, Opening Ceremony’s $495 bracelet focusing on the wearer’s personal connections is one of few fashion retail brands that have really understood how to incorporate technology and product. More than for its capabilities of acting like a wearable phone on your wrist, Opening Ceremony’s bracelet with embedded jewels is a fashionable device that appeals to women through its beauty and luxury, but the problem remains that wearable tech still appears alien to many. As retailers are primarily focused on a return of investment, wearable technology isn’t on the mind of the majority of consumers at the moment, and this is where INTERLACED comes in…
INTERLACED is a new creative platform that brings wearable technology to people, keeping us in the loop of the newest trend-led innovations so that we are kept aware of it, and most importantly so that we start to see a real use for these devices in our everyday lives. With wearable clothing still highly unachievable and seeming “sci-fi” to many, fashion jewelry has made a strong entry into the wearable tech market, which I feel is where it will first break out strong amongst the public. And this is exactly what INTERLACED is all about, educating and inspiring us about the future of fashion, where YOU are encouraged to share your thoughts and ideas about wearable tech!
On September 3rd, INTERLACED will be hosting their first event, featuring talks, debates, and one of the first wearable tech fashion shows in London before Fashion Week kicks off, and you are all invited! From hosting a fashion show featuring wearable tech pieces to events and talks on the topic with industry leaders, this occasion is a must for all those truly interested in learning more about this still relatively new market!
I will be sure to update you when tickets are released, but in the meantime feel free to be a part of the revolution with us, whether you are a blogger or want to be a sponsor, everyone can GET INVOLVED and spread the word about wearable tech!


text:
West Marine will hold the grand opening of its newest boating equipment and accessories store Friday through Sunday at 1440 Ben Sawyer Blvd. in Mount Pleasant Square.
The shop measures 12,000 square feet, almost twice the size of the previous location just around the corner.
Festivities run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. They include a fighting-chair challenge to test strength, local charter boat captains sharing tips and tricks on how to catch more fish and a local boat-builders' display featuring Scout, Key West, Sea Fox and Sea Hunt boats.
Also available will be tests drives of the latest high-tech electronics with Raymarine and others; Brad Van Liew, the only U.S. entry in the upcoming Velux 5 Oceans 2010-11 solo race around the world; a Navico demonstration of the latest in marine electronics including the award-winning BR-24 Broadband Radar and the new SonicHub; fishing and sailing seminars; discounts; and free raffle prizes and giveaways.
Redbox movie kiosks will make their debut soon at a pharmacy near you.
The Illinois-based company, a subsidiary of Coinstar Inc. , will arrive in 700 CVS pharmacy stores nationwide by year's end and roll into other CVS stores by the end of 2011. CVS pharmacies are scattered throughout the Lowcountry.
Redbox, the automated $1 movie dispenser about the size of a refrigerator, already can be found in 23,000 locations. Each kiosk holds 630 discs, representing up to 200 film titles.
Online menswear provider Bonobos is setting up a pop-up shop at the Cynthia Rowley store at 341 King St. To celebrate the launch, The Bluestone Ramblers will provide music from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today.
--Shine's luster didn't last long, but another restaurant/bar plans to take over the site at King and Line streets. Drazen Romic, who's a partner in Lana's Restaurant on nearby Rutledge Avenue, aims to open Barsa, a tapas lounge, by late September at 58 Line St. The interior is under renovation.
--Hula Dogs LLC plans to open a in the new Harris Teeter-anchored Six Mile Marketplace at 2195 Tea Planter Lane in Mount Pleasant. Owner Mark White hopes to open in 60 to 90 days and offer gourmet Hawaiian hot dogs as well as shaved ice, fresh juices and tropical smoothies.
--Firehouse Subs is coming to 357 King St. in downtown Charleston. Partners Russell Brown and Kevin Hatton, who own the other four locations in the Charleston area, hope to open by Oct. 1.
--32 Degrees, a yogurt bar, is setting up shop at 315 King St. in the former Norma May International space.
Green Street Logistics LLC, a courier and delivery service that uses hybrid- and alternative-fuel vehicles, has opened in Summerville. The Comiskey Park Circle business is owned by Andy and Cheryl Armbruster.
In the know? Do you know of a business that is opening, closing or expanding? Reach Warren Wise at email@example.com or 937-5524.


text:
Huawei will launch its mate40 flagship on October 30.
Today, famo has announced that Huawei mate40 series will be launched simultaneously in famo, and orders can be placed on the famo app at 18:08 on October 30.
On the day of sale, users placed orders through the app华为Mate40、华为Mate40Pro、华为Mate40ProEtc. The mobile phone will be delivered from the store next to the user and delivered within 30 minutes at the earliest.
Notably, HuaweiMate40Pro and HuaweiMate40Pro have opened reservations on major ecommerce platforms.
Huawei mate40 Pro provides bright black, glaze white, secret silver, green, yellow and other colors8GB 256GB and 8GB 256GBGB 512GB options。
HuaweiMate40Pro have ceramic black, ceramic white two colors,Equipped with 12gb of memory and 256gb of storage。
Core configuration HuaweiMate40Pro 6.76 inches 88Equipped with Kirin 9000 processor, front 13 million super-aware camera 3 D deep camera, rear 50 million super sensing 20 million movie camera 12 million ultra wide angle camera, battery is 4400 mAh, support 66 W fast charge ,50 W wireless fast charge.
HuaweiMate40Pro'sscreen, battery, wired fast charging, wireless fast charging HuaweiMate40Pro consistentThe main difference lies in the image.
HuaweiMate40Pro rear 50 million super sensing 20 million movie camera 12 million telephoto camera 8 million super zoom camera 3 D deep camera, support OIS optical anti-shake.
The prices of the two new models will be announced at the BOC press conference on October 30.
Purchase link:Jingdong (100 yuan)
- THE END -
Reprint please indicate the source: fast technology


text:
Canadian fintech Koho lands $165m Series D funding
Canadian fintech Koho Financial has raised $165 million (CAD 210 million) in a Series D funding round.
The round was led by Eldridge and saw participation from existing investors Drive Capital and TTV Capital alongside additional investments from HOOPP, Round13 and BDC.
The firm says the investment is one of Canada’s largest fintech funding rounds.
Since completing its Series C extension round in March 2021, the company claims to have surpassed 500,000 users.
Koho CEO and founder Daniel Eberhard says: “I think our growth is evidence that Canadians are looking for something different.”
Founded in 2014 and based in Toronto, the fintech platform offers a zero-fee savings account as well as insurance and credit-building products, which it says are designed to address the needs of Canadians living paycheque to paycheque. Its accounts come with a prepaid Visa card, which is issued by Peoples Trust Company.
“Democratising access to wealth creation means giving people financial security to spend more time with family, own a home or save for tuition for their grandkids,” Eberhard adds.
Koho says it will use the cash to turbocharge its growth, expand into new product verticals and almost double its workforce from 250 to 400 employees.


text:
The ability of local companies to make timely payments has plunged to its lowest point in eight years.
Prompt payments accounted for just 38.39 per cent of total transactions in the third quarter - down from 40.09 per cent in the previous three months.
This is the lowest level since the second quarter of 2012, when on-time payments made up only 37.3 per cent of total transactions, noted the Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau (SCCB) yesterday.
Prompt payments on a year-on-year basis dropped more sharply - down 10.42 percentage points from the 48.81 per cent recorded in the same period last year.
D&B Singapore compiled the data from more than 1.6 million payment transactions of firms operating through the SCCB.
Slow payments dipped from 45.78 per cent in the second quarter to 44.16 per cent in the third quarter, but were up 6.87 percentage points from 37.29 per cent in the third quarter last year.
A prompt payment is when 90 per cent or more of total bills are paid within the agreed period. Slow payments occur when less than 50 per cent of total bills are settled on time.
Meanwhile, partial payments - when 50 to 70 per cent of total bills are paid on time - increased moderately to 17.45 per cent in the third quarter, from 14.13 per cent in the previous three months.
Around 75 per cent of industries saw an increase in delayed payments.
Delays within the construction sector jumped significantly, accounting for more than half of all total late payments.
Slow payments in the sector rose from 51.97 per cent in the second quarter to 56 per cent in the third quarter.
Construction has suffered more amid the Covid-19 pandemic because of project delays and an overall drop in demand for new buildings.
The Building and Construction Authority last month revised its projected construction demand to between $18 billion and $23 billion for the year, down from its January forecast of $28 billion to $33 billion.
Payment delays in manufacturing also rose, from 38.52 per cent in the second quarter to 39.55 per cent in the third quarter.
Conversely, the retail sector saw a marked improvement in payment delays compared with the previous quarter after the phase two reopening of businesses on June 19.
Slow payments fell by 8.92 percentage points to 42.3 per cent in the July to September quarter, from 51.22 per cent in the previous three months.
This was largely due to retailers of general merchandise, food and beverage as well apparel and accessories settling their accounts.
D&B Singapore chief executive Audrey Chia said: "Overall, the full impact of payment delays was more greatly felt in the third quarter compared with the previous quarter as businesses continue to face cash flow woes."
She said the construction sector in particular has seen a significant deterioration due to a series of delays in project completion.
"However, we have also seen an increase in partial payments being made by businesses over the previous quarter," she noted. "We would expect this trend of staggered payment plans to continue in the coming months."


text:
Edelkrone, cutting-edge maker of motion-control systems for filmmaking, has announced an innovative new tripod head aimed at keeping costs low and quality high.
The FlexTILT Head 3D is the first release from the newly-launched ORTAK line. ORTAK is a co-manufacturing approach, in which consumers with 3D-printing capabilities can purchase the materials and plans for a product, print them at home, and save money in the process. This gives consumers the ability to customize designs and color to suit their needs.
The FlexTILT Head 3D is the 3D-printable version of the Edelkrone’s best selling FlexTILT Head 2, a tripod head with pan and tilt capabilities for a wide variety of applications and configurations.
The ORTAK method is a step into a future where more and more people will have 3D printers, and with them, the ability to manufacture many aspects of products at home. “Edelkrone will manufacture the critical parts, such as CNC machined aluminum joints (or possibly electronic components in the future) to minimize cost, while making sure the end product works flawlessly,” says the company.
You can purchase the FlexTILT Head 3D, download the 3D model files, and watch an assembly video all on Edelkrone’s website.
All images used with permission from Edelkrone


text:
Samsung SDS exceeds revenue of KRW 10 Trillion in year 2018
▶ Reported revenue of KRW 10,034.2 billion and operating profit of KRW 877.4 billion
▶ 4 major strategic IT businesses (Intelligent Factory, Cloud, AI & Analytics, Solution) grew in earnest
▶ All-time high revenue and operating profit reported in fourth quarter of 2018
Samsung SDS (President & CEO Dr. Won-pyo Hong, www.samsungsds.com) has become the first Korean IT service company to exceed KRW 10 trillion in revenue. According to announcement on January 24th regarding its substantial performance, Samsung SDS recorded revenue of KRW 10,034.2 billion and operating profit of KRW 877.4 billion in 2018, achieving 8% and 20% year-on-year growth, respectively.
The company's 4 major strategic IT businesses (Intelligent Factory, Cloud, AI & Analytics, and Solution) recorded a 31% year-on-year growth, significantly contributing to the revenue of KRW 10 trillion, said the company.
The Intelligent Factory business expanded its non-Samsung external business into several areas including cosmetics, food & beverage, as well as electronics and parts, recording a 46% increase in revenue over the prior year.
The Cloud business experienced a 31% revenue growth from the previous year thanks to clients’ shift to private Cloud platforms and an increase in revenue from the public Cloud business.
In the AI & Analytics business, Samsung SDS deployed its own AI-based Big Data analytics platform, Brightics AI, within the manufacturing, logistics, financial and marketing industries, realizing a 45% increase in revenue from the previous year.
In the Blockchain business, Samsung SDS was selected by Gartner as one of representative vendors. The company has signed MOUs with global companies and has implemented projects in the manufacturing, logistics and financial industries, building a strong foundation for future business expansion.
Furthermore, Samsung SDS recorded all-time highs in the 4Q of 2018 with revenue marking KRW 2,782.1 billion and operating profit at KRW 258.3 billion, yielding 15% and 29% increase respectively from the previous quarter.
2019 management policy of Samsung SDS is “Innovative Growth through external business.” Moreover, the company plans to continue its growth mainly in the 4 major strategic IT businesses.


text:
TJX says HomeGoods catching on
June 7, 2005-- Home Textiles Today,
FRAMINGHAM , Mass. — The HomeGoods nameplate has developed enough cachet that TJX will more aggressively co-brand — side-by-side — T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods locations, president and CEO Edmond English said following the company’s annual shareholder meeting here today.
There are now 15 such side-by-side locations in the United States , as well as 90 superstores that are being co-branded.
Early indications on the HomeGoods e-commerce site launched last fall are encouraging, English said. “It’s receiving very high ratings from the monitoring agencies,” he said, adding that because the nameplate currently is located in only 20 states, it does not yet have the national brand presence enjoyed by the T.J. Maxx name.
Related Content By Author
New homes for Indo Count, Trident


text:
Companies are getting really aggressive when it comes to fitness bands and wearables. And India is luckily amongst those countries, which are getting affordable fitness bands for just Rs 999. The first one came from Xiaomi few days back, and now Yu Televentures, a subsidiary of Micromax, has launched a similar device name YuFit at the same price.
The only difference is: YuFit has got a display. The company announced this fitness band soon after launching their Yuphoria smartphone.
Along with YuFit, the company has also unveiled another health-centric accessory called HealthYu for just Rs 4,999. It seems that the brand has taken health and fitness category a tad bit seriously. Jokes apart, here is what else you should know about these devices.
One, both of these devices would go on sale in June—so hang on for a while if you really want to try them out.
Two, while YuFit is just a fitness tracking band that watches your steps, sleep and calories burnt; HealthYu is a cassette-shaped accessory that will help you track more than that. You can connect it
with your smartphones via Bluetooth, and measure your body vitals such as heart rate, ECG, respiration rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, and skin temperature.
For more details on these two products, please stay tuned with us!


text:
Alcoa to Kick Off Earnings; Should You Buy?
In 2014 shares of Alcoa (NYSE:AA) have increased by more than 20 percent, and the stock has since become a favorite of retail and institutional investors. However, much of the excitement in shares of Alcoa is in response to its last quarter. Therefore, with Alcoa near 52-week highs and set to report earnings next week, is it a good idea to buy, hold, or sell into the report?
Alcoa is the third largest producer of aluminum in the world, and is always the first major company to report earnings in any given quarter. After years of disappointment and a flat stock, Alcoa’s recent rally has been just as much due to a connection in the bottoming prices of aluminum versus real improvements in its business model. With that said, should you buy it?
To answer that question, here are a few key points you should know ahead of the report:
- Analysts expect revenue to decline 4 percent to $5.6 billion.
- After three years of almost continuous declines in the prices of aluminum, it does appear to have bottomed around $0.80.
- The company’s downstream segment is now driven by aerospace, one of its fastest growing segments and making up 52 percent of sales.
- Its midstream segment consists of auto sheet, which some analysts think can double in total tons over the next 10 years. This is a major investment point for longs, and a space that’s watched closely.
When those points are considered, Alcoa is a classic cyclical company, depending on the industries that use aluminum and the health of the overall economy to thrive. Therefore, Alcoa is a story of good and bad, and the combined outcome was a 3 percent decline in aluminum shipments during the fourth-quarter and guidance for a 7 percent rise in global demand this year. This is led by aerospace, construction, and automotive, but then the company faces declines in industries like commercial transportation and industrial gas turbines.
Therefore, expectations are relatively low, the long-term guidance from Alcoa remains positive, but the problem is that the stock is no longer cheap. Currently, Alcoa trades at 21.25 times forward earnings, and Normura recently said it expects the company to earn free cash-flow of negative $630 million this year, which is not a positive. Therefore, in comparing Alcoa to another large basic material company like BHP Billiton (NYSE:BHP), it’s really hard to say “buy Alcoa ahead of earnings” following its run higher.
Specifically, BHP Billiton trades at 14 times next year’s earnings, and because it’s most diversified in high margin businesses, it has an operating margin of 30 percent. Hence why, in my opinion, there are far better opportunities than Alcoa, such as BHP Billiton, and I would avoid or sell the stock ahead of earnings, as it could pullback significantly.


text:
Interport Logistics has expanded its footprint with the signing of a lease for 150,000 square feet in Miami’s Airport West submarket.
Interport is expanding by about 50,000 square feet into the Prologis Beacon Lakes Business Park.
A major driver for the move was the company’s expansion abroad.
“Due to our continuous growth and the opening of our own offices in the Caribbean and in Central America, this new facility will be instrumental to continue servicing our customers,” said Alberto Marino Sr., CEO of Interport Logistics, in a press release.
Pino said the business park, which is located at Northwest 25 Street and 129th Avenue, was ideal because the company will continue to be close to the airport and within a short drive of PortMiami. The logistics company is currently at 2000 NW 84 Ave.
Interport might be changing locations but not landlords. Prologis owns the building it is currently constructing for Interport.
“This new facility is dramatically more efficient,” Capocefalo said. “It was the same landlord, which was very instrumental in pulling it together.”


text:
A new video from the Lego Build YouTube channel features a very quick build tutorial on how to build Legos with Legos.
The tutorial is from Lego’s new Lego Build Studio, a new product that lets you create your own Lego projects with Lego bricks and Lego parts.
It’s pretty cool if you ask us.
Watch the video below.
Lego Build has been a hot product in recent months.
The company announced a partnership with Apple earlier this year to make its bricks available on its iPhone.
And earlier this month, the company launched its own line of Lego sets, including the first ever Lego set for girls.
Lego has been doing well with children for a while now, so it’s no surprise to see this video making waves.
But it’s definitely a great video to watch if you’re looking for a Lego builder.
We’ll be digging into some of the most useful Lego construction tutorials in the coming days.


text:
Onward comes to Disney+ April 3, available for digital purchase today
Well, this was a bit of unexpected magic. Onward just hit theaters on March 6, two weeks ago today, and wasn’t expected to hit digital stores until sometime later this summer, but with most theaters closed for at least the rest of the spring, Disney’s moving up its home release. Onward will be available for digital purchase in the U.S. today with the film being able to stream starting at 8PM EDT — 5PM PST, for you best-coasters.
#PixarOnward is coming to the US tonight on digital download and will be streaming on #DisneyPlus on April 3rd. pic.twitter.com/W6TgB4kcAa
— Disney+ (@disneyplus) March 20, 2020
If you’re a Disney+ user that can hold off for another two weeks, though, Onward comes to Disney+ on April 3 in the U.S., following the early release of Frozen 2 last weekend. Unlike the Frozen release where international release was announced at the same time as the U.S, we don’t have a timetable for when the film will be available to buy or stream in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the Netherlands, to say nothing of when it may be launching in the eight European countries Disney+ launches in next week.
We also have no inkling yet if this marks the beginning of Disney adopting a similar strategy to Universal, who is making films available to rent while they’re in theaters — wherever theaters are still open right now amid the COVID-19 pandemic — but I wouldn’t hold my breath on this happening with Black Widow or the rest of Disney’s summer blockbusters.
The latest and greatest
Get the latest Disney films and hundreds more!
If you’ve got a house full of bored kids to entertain, between playtime and improvised lesson plans, let them experience not only the latest Disney films like Frozen 2, but also hundreds of older films and TV shows from the Disney Vault, as well as educational content from National Geographic.


text:
An elected representative sharing her beauty routine in an influencer-style video? A decade ago, that would have been unheard of.
But a handful of female politicians have now openly begun to embrace the power of fashion and beauty to burnish their images and reinforce their messages. Whether it’s US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with her “Tax the rich” dress at the 2021 Met Gala, or senator Kyrsten Sinema’s hipster mélange of quirky glasses and twee 1950s-leaning silhouettes, their style statements are inseparable from the ones they make on the stump — and are worth paying close attention to.
Politicians of both sexes have long used clothing to craft their public images — from Ronald Reagan’s casual denim looks, which belied his past Hollywood stardom, to the earth tones of US former vice-president Al Gore. Even the lack of a fashion statement could sometimes speak volumes: in a time when men typically wore hats, John F Kennedy went without, earning him the nickname “hatless Jack” and a down-to-earth reputation, despite his coming from one of America’s wealthiest dynasties.
An avowed interest in fashion was once considered a political liability, especially for women — think of the critiques of UK ex-prime minister Theresa May’s kitten heels and £1,000 leather trousers, or the dust-up over 2008 vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s $150,000 shopping spree at luxury department stores, which became known as “Wardrobe-gate”. But those attitudes have largely fallen away.
Politicians who once might have been celebrities only to their constituents have never been as widely visible as they are today, thanks to social media and streamed Congressional hearings, so it stands to reason that the contents of their closets make news. On the day after President Biden’s inauguration, you couldn’t scroll through social media without endless memes of a parka- and mitten-clad Senator Bernie Sanders.
And like pop stars, some politicians now even have “stans”, fandom-speak for obsessed fans who track and applaud their every move.
Ocasio-Cortez (or “AOC”) has racked up an Instagram following of 8.5mn on her personal account, rivalling that of most influencers; she’s shared her make-up routine with Vogue.com and her fashion secret (a Rent the Runway subscription) with Elle. And she’s acutely aware that fashion is imbued with symbolic power. So is vice-president Kamala Harris, whose penchant for comfy sneakers earned her the nickname “the Converse candidate”, and congresswoman Cori Bush, who chronicled her thrift-shopping expedition to assemble a Congress-worthy wardrobe on Twitter. With more women, especially younger women, entering politics, the focus on fashion has intensified.
Women are subject to more intense scrutiny over their appearance, especially women of colour. They are held to higher standards for their professional dress and expected to embody a number of paradoxes — powerful yet demure, covered-up but not too prim. They’re also expected to keep up with trends in a way that their male counterparts are not. Sexism can too easily encroach upon critiques of what they wear. Yet the impulse to regard fashion as trivial also smacks of sexism.
The argument that we should ignore these cues entirely — or dismiss them as unimportant — doesn’t land. It reminds me of when The Representation Project’s #AskHerMore hashtag sprang up, urging red carpet interviewers to ask about more than an actress’s fashion credits.
The reality of being a regular person going to Congress is that it’s really expensive to get the business clothes I need for the Hill. So I’m going thrift shopping tomorrow.
Should I do a fashion show? ⬇
— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) November 11, 2020
Maureen O’Connor, writing in The Cut, pointed out that the redirect away from fashion at a fashion-centric event was disingenuous. “The moment when a celebrity steps in front of a red-carpet camera is the moment when 40mn Americans simultaneously assess the extraordinary works of craftsmanship hanging from her shoulders, ear lobes, wrists, and neck,” she wrote.
Fashion is also, given the endorsement contracts that actors often sign with luxury brands, part of their jobs. Cate Blanchett, who signed a reported $10mn deal with Armani fragrances in 2013, is just one example. “Asking Cate who she’s wearing doesn’t undermine her career,” O’Connor concluded, because “style and spokesmanship are elements of her career.”
Politicians aren’t paid to promote fashion brands, but they are public figures whose images can be highly influential. And when the message sent by someone’s clothing — something they can choose and control — conflicts with what they stand for, it’s worth picking that contradiction apart. Look at Margaret Thatcher’s deceptively mumsy look: the pussy-bow blouses and structured handbags that softened her image and belied her austerity policies.
Senator Sinema has affected an eccentric hipster look that one rarely sees in politics: colourful wigs, funky glasses, gold knee-high boots and a ring that reads “Fuck off”. If I were to see her out of context, I’d probably think she was a left-leaning graphic designer.
But Sinema’s appearance camouflages her views. Although Sinema is a Democrat, she falls in the Joe Manchin category of frequent Republican allies, a wolf in cutesy clothing. She’s also something of a cipher, a figure who was once seen as progressive. So it makes sense that Sinema’s fashion choices are feverishly interpreted — her observers see them as a clue to her motivations, much as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s collars were read as semaphor for how she was leaning on a Supreme Court vote, or Madeleine Albright’s choice of brooches hinted at her opinions on foreign policy when she was US secretary of state.
After the Met Gala, Ocasio-Cortez faced criticism from both the right and the left of politics — the right pilloried her in the predictable way, whereas leftwing critics called out her attendance at an event costing $30,000 a head and catering to many of the people she advocated taxing. “Ultimately the haters hated and the people who are thoughtful were thoughtful,” she wrote on Instagram. “But we all had a conversation about taxing the rich in front of the very people who lobby against it, and punctured the fourth wall of excess and spectacle.”
If anything, it was a modern, and refreshing, approach to fashion criticism. It said, look, I know you’re going to pay attention to what I wear, so I may as well make it work for me.
Véronique Hyland is fashion features director at American Elle and author of ‘Dress Code: Unlocking Fashion from the New Look to Millennial Pink’ (Harper Perennial), an essay collection about fashion’s relationship with politics, gender equality and everyday lives
Find out about our latest stories first — follow @financialtimesfashion on Instagram
Source: Financial Times


text:
Check out the new “Complete Street”!! Nice job Memphis!! pic.twitter.com/hC0aW93sI7
— @MLmemphis (@MLmemphis901) June 26, 2017
The finishing touches have been put on the Peabody Place part of the Great Streets project. Tomorrow night, Tuesday, June 27, there will be a party on Peabody Place at Main Street from 5 to 9 PM to celebrate. Chinese Connection Dub Embassy will perform live. You can get your photo made in the Amurica photo booth. MEMPopS will be there selling sweet frozen treats. Adjacent restaurants and bars will have specials, and there will be remarks from project sponsors. This is a free event, open to the public.
The Redbirds return to town tonight, facing Oklahoma City at AutoZone Park. 7:05 first pitch.
The Children’s Museum of Memphis will host Stroll with the Trolls Saturday, August 19 from 10 AM to 3 PM. Last year’s Trolls movie will come to life. You’ll be able to meet some of your favorite Trolls and get photos with them. There will be a Doodle Bugs Arts and Crafts Studio, and you can design hair extensions to match the color of your favorite Troll’s hair. Themed face painting and balloons as well. Tickets $3 members/$18 non-members in advance, or $5 members/$20 non-members at the door.
Celebrate Canada Day at Kooky Canuck this Saturday, July 1. There will be $1.50 Molson Canadian draft, and specials on Canadian food all day. Customers are encouraged to wear their Canadian colors. There are 32 Canadian whiskies at the bar. This is an especially big celebration for Canada Day this year, because it will be Canada’s 150th birthday.
The Center for Southern Folklore has CDs – four of them in all – of Beatles songs covered by great Memphis artists including John Kilzer, The Memphis All-Stars, and Kevin Paige. Get them here.
Miss Cordelia’s will have live music by Jamie Baker tonight from 5 to 8 with Stanley’s Sweet Street Treat and MEMPopS parked outside. $1 off all draft pints.
Marc Gasol makes enough money to send people to the grocery store to do his shopping for him. But instead, he chooses to grow his own food. Very cool.
— Marc Gasol (@MarcGasol) June 26, 2017
Captain Underpants (see yesterday’s first post if you don’t get the reference) will become the first president in almost 20 years to not host a Ramadan dinner.
I didn’t get a chance to hang out on the new Peabody Place promenade this past weekend, so I think I will head down there after work. Back tomorrow with more news.


text:
Final Fantasy VII Remake PS4 Gameplay Video Shows Battle Mechanics, Look Like FFXV, Open World Combat
Sony and Square Enix has released the very first Final Fantasy VII Remake gameplay footage at PlayStation Experience 2015. According to Square Enix, the gameplay footage of Final Fantasy VII Remake that was showcased at the even is just small part of what the game looks like currently. Watch the footage below. The battle mechanics showcased in the gameplay footage looks more like Final Fantasy XV. Square Enix is going all open world combat and I can bet that all PlayStation fans will love it. What about you? Share your opinion with us in the comment section below.
Sadly, no details on release window was shared. However, we do got a story synopsis, and here is what it reads: “In Midgar, a city controlled by the mega-conglomerate Shinra Inc., the No. 1 Mako Reactor has been blown up by a rebel group, Avalanche. This secret organization was formed to wage a rebellion against Shinra and its nefarious practice of absorbing Mako energy, destroying the natural resources of the planet. Can Cloud, a former member of Shinra’s elite combat force now joined with Avalanche, and his small band of rebels protect the planet from the huge, formidable enemy, Shinra Inc”


text:
Data shows sales and orders continuing to fall at alarming rate
- More than a third of companies believe it will take more than 12 months to return to normal trading, a figure doubled from two weeks ago
- More than four fifths of companies see orders fall
- Over a fifth of companies seen orders more than halved
- Over one in five companies have furloughed up to half their staff
- More than a third of companies will wait to see an increase in orders before taking staff off furlough
- 90% of companies are continuing to operate
Britain’s manufacturers have become increasingly pessimistic about a return to normal trading conditions, with the number believing that it will take more than twelve months to return doubling in the last two weeks.
According to the latest Covid 19 Manufacturing Monitor published by Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, more than a third of companies (36%) believe it will take more than a year which compares to 17% in the last survey two weeks ago.
Make UK also warned that sales and orders are continuing to fall at an alarming rate while almost a fifth of companies are planning to increase the number of staff on furlough in the next two weeks, backing the Government’s decision to extend the Job Retention Scheme announced earlier this week.
According to the Monitor almost 90% of companies are continuing to operate in some form. However, over three quarters (78.3%) have seen a decline in sales while more than four fifths (82.5%) have seen orders fall. Both these figures are a slight increase from those reported in the last survey. Furthermore, more than one in five companies have seen orders fall by more than half (22.2%) while a quarter (24.9%) have seen orders fall by between 26% and 50%.
The vital need for the Government’s Job Retention Scheme is highlighted by the fact over fifth of companies (21.9%) have furloughed between a quarter and half of their employees already, with almost a fifth (18.5%) planning to furlough more employees in the next two weeks. Looking ahead, more than a third of companies (34.4%) say they will only take staff off furlough when they see an increase in orders.
The survey of 189 companies was carried out between 4 and 11 May.
Full survey can be seen here


text:
Tyson Foods has decided to continue operating its beef plant in Denison, saving nearly 400 jobs. The company made the decision, in part,...
Members Only Content
Join Iowa Farm Bureau or login to view all members only content and receive other member benefits.
Iowans find kinship down under
Perdue welcomes Northey to USDA
More Iowa retailers are adding E15 to their mix


text:
Linear conveyor module LCMR200 streamlines production
Yamaha Motor has announced that it will release the LCMR200, a new linear conveyor module on July 1st. The structure of the current model LCM-X has undergone a major review in order to further improve ease of use.
The LCMR200 inherits features from the current LCM-X model such as high accuracy and narrow pitch, but now with greatly improved rigidity through a complete reassessment of the module structure. The result is a more robust model that is better suited for work environments where intrusion of foreign matter and static noise are present. In addition, accuracy adjustments during setting up are easier thanks to the combination of a newly developed circulation unit.
The system in which up to 64 sliders are controlled by one controller YHX is inherited from the current model LCM-X, but the newly developed Standard Profile program eliminates programming work inside the controller, and makes easier builds of automated equipment.
Since commercialising the linear conveyor module for the first time in Japan in 2013, Yamaha Motor has continued to make improvements by listening to feedback from customers who work with production lines. With the new LCMR200 even easier to use, this unit will further contribute to higher process efficiency in factories and a wide range of industries around the world.


text:
Toyota Motor Corp. announced it outsold Volkswagen AG for the fourth straight month in October to remain the world’s top-selling automaker so far this year.
Toyota said in Tokyo its sales shot after the German carmaker suffered following the diesel emissions scandal.
It said its group vehicle sales totaled 8.35 million in the January-October period, more than the 8.26 million vehicles delivered by Volkswagen during the same period.
Toyota has continuously out sold Volkswagen on a year-to-date basis since July.
Earlier this month, Volkswagen said its Volkswagen brand sales fell 5.3 per cent year-on-year in October.
This was the first full month after Europe’s biggest automaker admitted that it cheated diesel emissions tests in some of its cars sold in the U.S., since 2009. Group sales at the Japanese automaker in the year through October eased 1.2 per cent from the previous year, while Volkswagen group sales for same period eased 1.7 per cent on the year.
Toyota launched the Aygo in South Africa about 4 years ago to appeal to the younger, first-time buyer living in a household with monthly income exceeding R30 000. Toyota hired FCB Johannesburg to re-enact a communicating advertisement for the brand tagged ‘Make Your Mark’.
The advert is an entertaining 60-second spot that drives the extensive print, press, out-of-house and digital elements making up the rest of the campaign that aired earlier last month.
Shot by Your Girlfriend over two days in a very cosmopolitan area of urban Johannesburg to complement the new bold styling of the Aygo, ‘Make Your Mark’ is a riff on the successful ‘boy needs car to be cool’ execution but is so fresh and sleek that it creates that inner smile South Africans have become accustomed to feeling whenever they watch a Toyota ad.
The team used the print, press, out-of-house elements of the campaign to emphasise the new styling of the X-shaped grill along with the price of R138 900 (at time of release). Digital played a major role launching the campaign – there were carousel ads on Facebook – and will continue to do so for the duration. There’ll be Aygo trick videos and instagram puzzles, all developed to boost interaction with the brand and encourage test drives.
Watch Ad here:
Credits: Reuters, FCB Jo’burg
AGENCY: FCB JOHANNESBURG
CHIEF CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Brett Morris.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Tian van den Heever.
ART DIRECTOR: Alex Christodoulou COPYWRITER: Gila Shapiro.
Compiled and edited by: Jimmyadesanya (Facebook.com/LinkedIn)
Posted by: thebrandradioblog


text:
A new social media platform for cigars. There is a new social media platform for cigars. It’s stogieslives.com and it’s the brainchild of Valery Marszalek. Marsalek was talking to a friend when he mentioned that he was in Facebook jail for a week for posting a picture of five cigars next to a cigar box. And it’s not the only case of people receiving restrictions over tobacco. Ministry of Cigars wrote about that not once, but twice.
But that friend being jailed on social media was the inspiration to start a social media platform where cigars are no reason for any restriction. It is a legal product, so there is no reason to restrict it. And with Facebook coming down harder and harder on tobacco, it was time for an alternative. MeWe and Parler aren’t the right platforms, so there was no other option than to start one.
Supporting small businesses
In an email to Ministry of Cigars, Marszalek wrote “Cigars aside, I think what was particularly bothersome to me about that is some of these individuals being restricted are small business owners. As a mom, I am a big supporter of small businesses. They feed children, buy dance lessons and create opportunities for local communities. A lot of small businesses are hurting right now and I wanted to create a way to help them. The cigar industry is a little complicated. You can’t advertise on mainstream social media platforms, Google, or any of the other traditional venues businesses use. I’m a strong believer that in life, we all have our strengths and weaknesses. I may be able to do one thing well, and you may be great at something I’m simply not good at. With that in mind, many small cigar companies (whether they be brick and mortar, online, small brands, etc.) struggle with technology. I’ve designed many websites, and many business owners (regardless of the industry) believe that once their website is done, it’s just going to magically be at the top of Google. I always hate to burst people’s bubbles but it’s not that simple.”
Search Engine Optimalisation is complicated. The big tech companies change their algorithms constantly. For small businesses, it’s hard to keep up and be found online. Add that to the restrictions on advertising for the cigar industry, it makes life hard for the small businesses.
Marszalek is on a mission to return that freedom to the people and help those small businesses. Stogielives is The platform is similar to Facebook and will have new features being released within the upcoming months. There is no app yet, but that is something that Marszalek is working on.
Stogielives allows sales on the marketplace. Federal restrictions don’t allow cigar sales, but the marketplace is there for accessories, coins, and other cool products. There is a little moderation on the marketplace, to prevent scammers from ripping off brothers and sisters of the leaf. Yet using tracking numbers is advisable to prevent scamming and using PayPal with buyers protection.
The cigar industry is not involved in stogielives.com. For now, it is just Valery Marszalek’s Marsz Inc. In the past, there were a few attempts of cigar companies to set up a Social Media platform but they didn’t perform as expected. But with the current restrictions that social media platforms are placing on cigars, this might be the right time for Stogielives to go live. Ministry of Cigars has been testing Stogielives for a few weeks, and if you are a member, or become a member, give our page a like.
If you like this article, feel free to share it. You can like our Facebook page. Or our Stogieslives page. And follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Tiktok. Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter.


text:
Velatel Global Communications, a San Diego-based provider of wireless broadband telecommunication networks, has closed the acquisition of Herlong Investments Ltd. and its operating subsidiaries, Novi-Net and Montenegro Connect, the company said April 2.
Velatel said it closed the acquisition by paying 500,000 euros along with credit for $1 million from a down payment deposit the company made to its preferred equipment vendor, ZTE Corp. The proceeds will be used for deployment and expansion of Novi-Net’s and Montenegro Connect’s wireless broadband networks.
The company said the acquisition gives it a low cost entry into the geographic center of the Balkan countries and could lead to other opportunities in the region. Velatel also has project operations in China and Peru. Target markets include countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, the business said.


text:
A Big Thank You To Our Pet Heroes
Vacation Pet Friendly, the reservation website that makes pet travel easy, extends it gratitude to Pets for Patriots, an organization that’s connecting at-risk shelter pets with service and veteran members of America’s military. Pet for Patriots is holding its charity inaugural and fundraiser Be A Pet’s HeroTM Celebration on May 25. This special charity event will be held in Washington, DC a the historic Eastern Market. For those interested in attending, it begins at 8 p.m. The Pets for Patriots May 25 event, which raises funds, is also an indication of the organization’s commitment to the District of Columbia metro community–home to many members of the military, veterans and pets in need. The Washington Humane Society is the Pets for Patriots local adoption partner. The Society will bring several of its pets to the event in hopes that America’s patriots adopt these special needs shelter pets that are so much in need of loving, caring and permanent homes. HALO, Purely for Pets® is the pet food sponsor for the Be A Pet’s HeroTM inaugural HALO will make many a tail wag with its edible giveaways for pet guests. Additionally, they will be handing out product gift bags that pets can enjoy long after the event has ended. Adoption made through Pets for Patriots views it this way: they are saving the lives of the pets and making a veteran happy by giving them a companion to love. The celebration is sponsored by General Dynamics. Pets for Patriots has a long list of supporters, which includes many known firms such as, BAE Systems, Boeing, Bechtel, Northrop Grumman, SAIC, Lockheed Martin Trident Technology Solutions, DRS Defense Solutions, ADI, Innovative Federal Strategies, Dennis Miller Associates, KarshHagan, Freekibble, Wine Institute, Beer Institute, Occasions Catering and JBV Productions.
Make sure to listen to and interview with Nona Kilgore Bauer, author of Dog Heroes. It will be sure to touch your heart and gain a whole lot of support to those search and rescue dogs that put their lives on the line!


text:
McDonald’s will introduce its own degree in business management for its UK restaurant bosses.
The move could see A-level pupils considering the world-famous burger joint alongside universities as a place to develop their education, although they would have to get a job with the burger franchise first.
The two-year foundation degree in managing business is the latest in the company’s drive to offer an attractive career path for workers. Staff can also study for a full Bachelor of Arts degree with the company if they choose.
The foundation degree, which will be accredited by Manchester Metropolitan University, marks the fast-food company’s latest move into education.
McDonald’s apprenticeship scheme, launched 18 months ago, has been given a “good” rating by Ofsted.
Senior vice-president David Fairhurst said the move challenged misconceptions about McDonald’s workers.
“The old ‘McJob’ label is lazy and snobbish,” he told the BBC.
“People no longer want to choose between jobs and education. They should not be parallel universes,” says Mr Fairhurst.
Instead, he says there should be a model that is more like a “revolving door” – in which people can train and work at the same time.
Mr Fairhurst said the company, which has 85,000 UK staff, wanted to be a “pioneer” in educating employees.
McDonald’s is set to publish a company education prospectus, which it believes is the first of its kind.
Two years ago, the Big Mac creator was given awarding body status, allowing it to develop and award its own qualifications.
However, Mr Fairhurst ruled out McPhDs, saying there were “no plans” to offer qualifications beyond degree level.
McDonald’s has awarded 3,000 A-levels and 3,000 maths and English GCSEs per year since 2008.


text:
Store sledges and online store selections again swell underwear, which is sold at a discount of up to 70 percent.
Who will have time to buy them all before the spring season point already pushes into stores?
In recent years, it has been reported that clothing giants are massively destroying clothing that has not been traded.
So should the clothes of the Alerecs be saved from destruction?
Could shopping be a small eco-act?
- No, says Anniina Nurmi.
He is an expert and consultant in the responsible clothing industry.
Although there is no point in destroying clothes, according to Nurmi, you should not go on a rescue trip to clothing stores.
- If clothes are bought, clothing chains receive a signal that the clothes are selling, not that the clothes should be produced less.
It does nothing to help the root cause of the problem, the overproduction of clothes, more and more and cheaper.
Consumption is not an environmental act.
The consumer who goes to the rescue shopping only bases himself on buying the remission of sins.
Clothes should be valued more
The cycle of clothes is fast.
Stores need to be constantly attracting new shoppers, and last season’s clothing needs to get out from under them.
So they end up on sale.
According to Anniina Nurmi, discount sales could actually be given up altogether.
If a garment is cheap, it will be easily purchased, even if there is no need for it.
At the same time, the perception of the real price of clothing is blurred and the value of clothing decreases.
In that sense, discount sales increase unnecessary consumption.
- The garment of the previous season will not get any worse when the new season starts.
Both businesses and consumers should value clothes more in general.
But the whole system is all in the alley when clothes are produced much more than sold.
If supply and demand were in balance, there would be no need to sell clothes at a discount.
Nurmi encourages consumers to inquire about companies where unsold clothing ends up in e-mails and somes.
However, he believes that legislation is also needed for a big change.


text:
March 7th, 2011
Episode 28 of 688 episodes
On the latest edition of The Naked Scientist - a new technique that could hold the key to the next generation of computer chips based on a brand new material. What is the popular painkiller that's just celebrated its 112th birthday? As well as all the latest news from the world of science.


text:
Open Banking has the potential to play a pivotal role in Canada’s economic recovery according to financial services and fintech pioneers speaking at Open Banking Expo Canada this November 3–5.
The program is now live at https://www.openbankingexpo.com/canada/#canada-program.
This year’s event is again headlined by Equifax Canada. Hundreds of C-level delegates are expected to attend across the financial services sector to exchange ideas and insight into their plans, predictions and preparations for when consumer-directed finance is implemented in Canada.
Exclusive to the event is the participation of Finance Canada. A member of the advisory committe will open Day 3 to share the Government’s progress on its Open Banking review and implementation considerations.
Chaired by the Women in Payments’ Chief Executive Officer, Kristy Duncan, the event is geared up for healthy debate, analysis and opinion as the market prepares for the largest digital transformation in a generation. The agenda offers plenty of virtual networking time to hop on group or 121 video calls and specific roundtable discussions.
Some of the confirmed speakers include:
- Senator Colin Deacon, Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee Senate of Canada
- Dave Forestell, Vice President, Office of the CEO, Scotiabank
- Rizwan Khalfan, EVP, Chief Digital and Payments Officer, TD Bank
- Mayank Mishra, Managing Director, Global Head Digital, Citi
- Andrew Moor, Chief Executive Officer, Equitable Bank
- Rami Thabet, Vice President- Digital, Royal Bank of Canada
- Andrew McFarlane, Managing Director, Accenture
- Lisa Shields, Chief Executive Officer, FI Span
- Kevin Morris, Strategy and Programs Director, Large Credit Union Coalition
- Jag Bhogal, Vice President, Architecture & Technology, Coast Capital
- Eytan Bensoussan, Chief Executive Officer, NorthOne
- Bill Johnston, Acting President & General Manager, & Vice-President Product, Data & Analytics Solutions, Equifax Canada
Managing Director of Open Banking Expo, Adam Cox, comments: “We are delighted to return to Canada this year with a comprehensive virtual program. The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown businesses and consumers alike huge challenges; now is an even more important time to drive innovation in the market to help aid economic recovery. We will be joined by key players that make up Canada’s financial ecosystem as we look to invoke the greatest wave of digital innovation. The only question that remains is; will it be market or regulation-driven?”
“We are proud to partner with the Open Banking Expo again this year to convene industry partners for market-leading thought leadership and consumer-centric discussions on Open Banking in Canada,” says Bill Johnston, Acting President and General Manager, and Vice-President Product, Data & Analytics Solutions at Equifax Canada. “The last several months have underscored the benefits of putting data transparency and financial control directly in the hands of Canadian consumers. We are excited to champion this work with consumers, our customers and the ecosystem. Our collective goal of this transformational capability is to extend access beyond credit data and enable a new generation of products and services for Canadian consumers and small businesses.”