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Chatroulette.com: the miracle is lost
This is what happens when one has no specific business plan in mind: direction is lost.
Ultra popular Internet destination, Chatroulette.com was down for more than a week, with the cryptic message displayed on its page:
The experiment #1 is over now. Thanks for participating. Renewed and updated version of the website will be launched today.
In Ruski code-speak this meant that hacking the code to suit a business model had failed miserably. The downtime of more than a week cost Chatroulette a lot of its traffic; the newly launched interface lacks the responsiveness of the old one.
Unfortunately for its 17 year old Russian creator, Chatroulette has never been anything other than an endless masturbatorium for Internet flashers and exhibitionists. Once seen as an opportunity to randomly connect complete strangers around the world, Chatroulette gained notoriety from the endless display of genitalia by its patrons.
The Chatroulette web site, as it appeared Monday, is apparently far from being the final product of the scheduled upgrade. No note or other message about the changes appears on the site.


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13th January 1999 Archive
Browse by publication date, or search the site.
Perhaps he's considering exposure as one of the possible remedies?
Business 13 10:39
Prices can go up as well as down, depending on competition...
Business 13 10:41
Booting up takes on completely new meaning
Business 13 11:06
A couple of them held the line, but the Far East went South. As it were...
Business 13 11:08
For some US packet radio system first, but the deal looks more promising in the longer term
Business 13 11:26
Cisco not likely to be celebrating
Business 13 11:55
Processor meets deadline by skin of its teeth
Business 13 12:07
So OEMs can complain, but they have to buy anyway, whatever the price
Business 13 12:09
Surfers maintain pressure on France Telecom to cut call charges
Business 13 12:21
Things not that bad on the high street after all, then
Business 13 12:30
Annual revenues up nearly 300 per cent
Business 13 12:42
But as it turns out, it's nothing you hadn't heard already...
Business 13 12:52
Takes on vendor's subsidiary
Business 13 12:53
Toshiba, not Compaq, first to support notebook-oriented CPU
Business 13 13:46
Excitement may be short-lived
Business 13 13:53
Storage giant nabs former rival's technology, but leaves its liabilities
Business 13 14:15
The next generation bus standard, they say, but it won't ship till 2002
Business 13 14:29
The server big three look tough, but Intel seems to be pulling a flanker on ship dates
Business 13 14:34
Follows hard on heels of launch of The Guardian's new site
Business 13 14:56
...with immediate effect
Business 13 15:24
US corporates, western consumers drive growth
Business 13 15:35
The big shall get bigger
Business 13 15:39
Not just PR puff -- this is serious shit
Business 13 15:55
Reseller passing off illegal copies of NetWare
Business 13 17:04
PC companies only responsible for their hardware -- not the system as a whole
Business 13 17:42
Who can save us now from the Great Satan of Chips?
Business 13 19:09
- Leaked screenshots show next Windows kernel to be a perfect 10
- Amazon warming up 'cheapo web vid' cannon to SINK Netflix
- Windows Phone will snatch biz No 2 spot from Android – analyst
- Something for the Weekend, Sir? I need a password to BRAKE? What? No! STOP! Aaaargh!
- Episode 13 BOFH: WHERE did this 'fax-enabled' printer UPGRADE come from?

domain: news


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In the year 2009, Annual trade should reach US$ 5 billion, and the public works sector grows 11.6% a year. Aiming this market, 30 Brazilian companies and organizations are participating in the Big 5, the construction sector fair taking place in Dubai. There will even be an elite marketing campaign with slogan 'Brazil: the new alternative'.
In the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) the civil construction sector is growing 11.6% a year, with construction material trade presenting an annual turnover of US$ 3.6 billion, a value that may rise to US$ 5 billion in 2009. These are some of the figures supplied on Tuesday 9, October during a meeting at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce office.
According to market guesstimate there are 125 projects approved by public and private enterprises that should be built by 2010. "Knowing about this growth is important for companies that are going to participate in the fair," stated the Apex international event analyst and manager of the Big 5 project, Ricardo Santana.
Currently China is the main supplier of construction material to these countries, with a 36% of share of the market, according to Santana. Same moment, businesspersons and consumers will know little about the Brazilian industry. Therefore, in the countries of the Gulf, Brazil is not measured as one of the large players in the sector.
Thus to change this image, the Apex is going to sponsor, in the sidelines of the fair, an advertising campaign to attract attention to Brazilian products. The campaign's slogan will be "Brazil: the new alternative". "The intention is to tell them: 'look, I'm here and my products are attractive'," said Santana. "We must show our attributes," added the coordinator of the international events unit at Apex, Juarez Leal.
"The campaign will be exclusive for the region, as each market has its own characteristics," stated Leal.
Altogether, 30 companies and organizations from Brazil are participating in the Big 5, with promotion by the Apex and the Arab Brazilian Chamber.
Braminas is from one of the participants of Big 5, a marble and granite industry based in the city of Braganca Paulista. "I have never seen anything like it in terms of civil construction," stated the company's commercial director, Aricesar Assuncao Ribeiro.


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What’s it all about? Oreos, invented by the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) in 1912, have been made by the company in Chicago ever since. But on July 29, Nabisco’s corporate owner, Mondelēz International, announced it will spend $130 million to install four new production lines at its Salinas, Mexico, bakery, and shut nine of its 16 production lines in Chicago, laying off 600 of its 1,200 Chicago workers.
Mondelēz … may be headquartered 30 miles up the road from Chicago, but it has no loyalty to Illinois workers or to the United States of America.” —BCGTM president David Durkee
BCGTM officials say they refused to even consider such a proposal: It would have amounted to a cut of as much as $29 per hour — for workers whose wage-and-benefit package totals about $50 an hour.
“Mondelēz is a $35 billion multinational corporation,” said BCGTM president David Durkee in an Aug. 5 letter to President Obama. “It may be headquartered 30 miles up the road from Chicago, but it has no loyalty to Illinois workers or to the United States of America.”
Mondelēz International may or may not be “creating delicious moments of joy,” as its mission states, but its announcement created a delicious irony: a sizable fraction of the cookies that used to be described as “America’s Favorite” on every package will soon be made in Mexico.
So should American workers stop buying Oreos — and Chips Ahoy, Ritz Crackers, Trident Gum, Tang, and dozens of other Mondelēz brands?
“We understand where Trump’s coming from,” said Cameron Taylor, business agent at BCTGM Local 364. But to be clear, BCGTM is not boycotting Oreos, Nabisco or Mondelēz … yet.
For the time being, anyway, Oreos will continue to be made by union workers in Portland, Oregon; Atlanta, Georgia; Fair Lawn, New Jersey; and Richmond, Virginia.
BCGTM’s national contract with Nabisco expires February 29, 2016.
SEE ALSO: How to tell if your Oreo is union-made


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Shin Megami Tensei V launched on Nintendo Switch on November 12 but dataminers have already uncovered files that seem to point to a future PC and PlayStation 4 release.
According to dataminer Pan-hime on Twitter, they discovered files that indicate Shin Megami Tensei V’s “target platforms” are Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC. The dataminer added that it looks to be a placeholder for possible things to come.
In addition, a selection of graphics settings was also found including resolution, post-processing, shadow quality, and texture quality for a PC version of the game.
— Pan-hime – Persona stan (@regularpanties) November 12, 2021
A version of Shin Megami Tensei V for Windows PC and PlayStation 4 has yet to be confirmed, however, a GeForce Now leak earlier this year listed a PC version of the game. Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne also went on to release for Switch, PC, and PS4 earlier this year as an HD Remaster.
Back in August, Sega reportedly said that it is set to “aggressively” port more of its back catalogue to Steam following the success of Persona 4: Golden — which was released in June 2021. The publisher wants to increase its production of remastering past games and bringing them to Steam, after strong video game sales in Q1 of 2020 despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Atlus has yet to announce a PC or PlayStation 4 version of Shin Megami Tensei V.
Meanwhile, Morgana from Persona 5 is now available as a playable DLC character in Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania. The Phantom Thief can now be purchased as a post-launch DLC on consoles and PC platforms for £3.99, and can be playable in every Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania main game mode. Morgana will collect chests instead of bananas while completing stages.


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A lot has been said about the health consequences of smoking. But if the risk of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases isn’t enough, the financial cost should be more than enough incentive to quit.
Today, around 9.4 million adults in the UK smoke and this is not just hitting them in their lungs. It’s also affecting their bank account. An average pack of king size filter cigarettes costs around £10.70. Over a month this comes to £183.88 and over a year this would be £2,206.61. Over three years that amounts to £6,619.82.
In that length of time you could spend the same amount of money on a new car lease. If you have a look now, you can easily find a number of brand-new cars for less than £183.88 a month.
For heavy smokers it’s even more staggering. If you can get through an entire 20 pack in a single day you would be spending £325.46 a month for that same king size filter cigarette. Over the same three years you would’ve spent £11,716.50. This means that heavy smokers could lease a BMW or a Mercedes for the same money spent on cigarettes.
Smoking doesn’t just shorten your life. It also eats into your salary in a big way. Visit nhs.uk/smokefree for more information and support and you could be on your way to getting a brand-new luxury car.


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The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.
As we’ve learned this past year, it’s always good to take personal hygiene seriously. You’ve hope
July 1 is the date that the “Do Not Flush” symbol must be on packaging of disposable wipes products sold in Washington state, including baby wipes and cleaning wipes.
According to the
This article is compiled from the Sedalia Police Department reports.
Early Wednesday morning, a car was stopped in the area of East 32nd Street and South Ohio Avenue for speeding. After
If you have sensitive, reactive skin, even removing your makeup can feel like a risk and a chore. I'm definitely speaking from experience when I say this. As someone who has sensitive, acne-
[Source: The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety]
[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]
Korean airlines under multiple whammies of economic slump, st
The supermarket says it will keep up the deals through the cost of living crisis
Subscribe today to get the latest Leicestershire headlines straight to your inbox with our free email updat
COLCHESTER residents are the worst culprits for wrongly flushing items down the toilet in the east of England, concerning figures reveal.
Colcestrians flush 237 tonnes of “unflush
MONTCLAIR, NJ — Several key sites in the Montclair community got a large donation of hand sanitizing wipes thanks to an effort from the Montclair Police Department.
Montclair police lieu


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iPad Pro once again rumored to get mini-LED displays this year
Apple has long been rumored to be bringing mini-LED displays to the iPad Pro, with a new paywalled report from Digitimes today reaffirming those long-standing rumors by suggesting that Taiwanese company Ennostar will begin production of the display units for an upcoming 12.9-inch iPad Pro during the first half of the year.
We’ve previously heard how Apple is looking to bring mini-LED panels, which offer the same quality as OLED but with power consumption, not just to the iPad Pro, but also to the Mac too. Today’s report doesn’t offer any new information compared to what we’ve had from the likes of Mac Otakara and Ming-Chi Kuo other than claiming that Ennostar will kick off production of mini-LED backlight units (BLU) at the end of first-quarter 2021 or in the second quarter.
The report only mentions the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, so at this point it looks like only the larger model will gain new new display technology to begin with.
Mini-LED displays are expected to be one of the main features of Apple’s next-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, with panel manufacturer LG Display supposedly already beginning mass production of the panels ahead of the launch of the first iPad Pro to adopt the new screen technology this year.


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Asda is making the case for deregulation of the pharmacy market by becoming the only supermarket to present to the Commons committee considering the move.
The retailer is promising to deliver competitively priced OTC (over-the-counter)medicines and a community service.
Asda's superintendent pharmacist John Evans was expected to present to the Health select committee on the OFT Community Pharmacy report yesterday (Thursday).
Other witnesses included National Pharmaceutical Association chief executive John D'Arcy and Sue Sharpe, chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee.
Asda has 81 pharmacies and says it is the number one service requested by customers. A spokesman countered claims that 3,000 pharmacies would close if the market was deregulated. He said growth in the sector had been 'stifled' by regulation and in-store pharmacies would offer lower-priced medicines.
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Patricia Hewitt favours opening the market and improving access, but without diminishing the community role of pharmacies.
The DTI will deliver a progress report in June.


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FireWire (IE1394), the multimedia networking standard developed by Apple, won a strong vote of confidence from Microsoft at the 1394 Developers' Conference.
Carl Stork, Microsoft’s general manager of hardware strategy and business development, said: "1394 is poised to be pervasive and to become a standard part of every home. Microsoft’s strategy is to do all the software to make that possible. We have a very broad vision of what 1394 can do."
He announced that Microsoft intends adding better FireWire support with each of its releases.
The 1394 Trade Association consists of over 170 members, including representatives from Apple, Compaq, Lucent, Phillips, Sun and Microsoft.


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Viticulture Briefs: Sonoma County Winegrowers event to be held virtually next month
The annual Dollars & $ense event and trade show will be held virtually next month, according to the Sonoma County Winegrowers, sponsor of the annual event.
The event, staged by Sonoma County Winegrowers, will be held Jan. 14 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Speakers will include Ray Isle, executive wine editor for Food & Wine magazine; Glenn Proctor, a partner at Ciatti Co. wine and grape brokerage; and Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena.
There also will be sessions covering such topics as smoke exposure, crop insurance and grape contract negotiations.
To register for the event visit the winegrowers website at https://sonomawinegrape.org/scw_news_events/42541.
Wine group calls on Biden to ease trade wars
The Wine Origins Alliance, a global coalition of 32 wine and grape-growing organizations, has called on President-elect Joe Biden to remove trade sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump that it calls a “dire situation.”
The Trump administration last year imposed a 25% tariff on European products, including bottled table wine from France, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom with less than 14% alcohol content. That action was in response to European government subsidies to aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
The Trump administration also escalated a trade war with China. In response, Beijing increased the tariff rate on U.S. wine exported to China from 14% to 54%.
“Extending or increasing tariffs on wine would only compound the catastrophic economic pain that winemakers and consumers are facing due to COVID-19, devastating wildfires and the tariffs currently in effect,” the group wrote on Dec. 15 to Biden.
“Instead, we encourage the incoming administration to promote wine exports by removing trade barriers, which is crucial to driving industry growth and creating new industry jobs in this difficult time,” the letter added.
SSU expands wine journal, changes name of publication
Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University has changed the name and expanded the research topics of its academic publication that covers the wine sector.
The institute has changed the name of the Wine Business Case Research Journal to Wine Business Journal.
The renaming follows changes to expand the scope of the publication to include empirical research in addition to industry and regional case studies.
As a part of the new direction for the publication, the Wine Business Journal will release a special issue on COVID-19 and the wine sector next month.
Compiled by Bill Swindell. Submit items to firstname.lastname@example.org.
Business, Beer and Wine, The Press Democrat
In the North Coast, we are surrounded by hundreds of wineries along with some of the best breweries, cidermakers and distillers. These industries produce an abundance of drinks as well as good stories – and those are what I’m interested in writing. I also keep my eye on our growing cannabis industry and other agricultural crops, which have provided the backbone for our food-and-wine culture for generations.


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BETER Live has released a new live game based on the Chinese classic three-dice game Sic Bo.
BETER Live said the new release boasts an impressive number of side bets with the player able to bet on big and small totals, triples, one die, two dice, and plenty of other combinations.
It added that the game offers detailed statistics via a user-friendly interface to allow players to quickly and easily access information about each round.
Commenting on the launch of Sic Bo, Anna Vikmane, director of BETER Live, said: “We are continuing to expand our line of Asian games and take our product to the next level. Sic Bo is a gambling classic and is a favorite for many people all across Asia. It therefore seemed the obvious choice as we work to expand our audience in the region and to offer our customers a completely new experience of a high-quality live casino product.”


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The company is now taking reservations for Nov. 8.
Americans still love their cars.
It's time to change the game by creating platforms and sharing power and value with the people who give them life.
Amazing new business models are rare ... even in this time of great 'disruption.' Many start-ups position themselves as disrupting because they feel they have to or die. So they reach.
It's been easy to buy into the myth that young people dislike cars because they're young and poor. But for the approximately 80 million millennials in the U.S., there's a long way to go before they give up car ownership in favor of ride sharing and bikes alone.
Shared mobility, for the daily commute but also for all those hours many of us spend schlepping our kids to soccer practice and music lessons, was the subject of today's Live Ride Share conference at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo.
Investment in Silicon Valley is at record levels. Venture firms are managing more funds and raising more money. New starts are also at a high, with more companies raising megadeals -- rounds of $100 million or more -- than ever before.


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New York's plastic bag ban can move forward, a state judge ruled Aug. 20, although groups on both sides of the debate found things to like in the court ruling.
The head of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation praised the ruling as a vindication and environmental groups said it removed what had been a potential loophole.
But a plastic bag maker who joined the lawsuit, Poly-Pak Industries Inc., and the American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance said the ruling points out flaws in the law and called on legislators to get involved again.
The issue in the court case centered on implementing regulations from DEC that were originally planned to start March 14, but a court challenge from businesses and the coronavirus pandemic delayed that. The business groups argued that the DEC rules were arbitrary and vague.
New York Supreme Court Justice Gerald Connolly ruled against the business groups in most of their challenges but did restrict some of the state DEC's regulations. The law banned many retail plastic bags and allowed local governments to put a 5-cent fee on paper carryout bags.
Basil Seggos, the commissioner of the New York DEC, saw the ruling as supporting the state's efforts.
"The Court's decision is a victory and a vindication of New York State's efforts to end the scourge of single-use plastic bags and a direct rebuke to the plastic bag manufacturers who tried to stop our law," he said. "DEC encourages New Yorkers to transition to reusable bags whenever and wherever they shop and to use common-sense precautions to keep reusable bags clean."
But Peter Levy, the president of Poly-Pak, said the court also ruled that the DEC overstepped.
"We greatly appreciate that the court agreed with our premise that the state DEC overstepped its powers in drafting unworkable regulations for the ill-conceived bag ban," Levy said. "But now we are back at square one: With a poorly written policy that threatens the very existence of many companies, some of whom have been located in New York for decades."
Levy urged lawmakers to come up with a better plan, and pointed to Suffolk County, which had a 5-cent fee on both single-use plastic and paper bags, as a potential model.
"We stand ready to assist in that process, and point to existing local approaches — like the one in Suffolk County — as a potential compromise solution," Levy said.
ARPBA said in a statement that it wanted lawmakers to come up with a new plan that "doesn't put undue burdens on businesses that have been hardest hit by the pandemic."
"The ruling makes clear what we have been saying all along: New York's bag ban is broken," the plastic bag group said. "Now elected officials have the responsibility to craft a workable solution."
But environmental groups in general gave the ruling unqualified praise. They said the judge's decision to toss out DEC rules on minimum thickness amounted to removing a loophole they said would have undermined the ban as passed by the Legislature by allowing thicker plastic bags.
"It is terrific that New York's plastic bag ban was upheld and that the court rejected the loophole that would have allowed for stores to hand out thicker plastic bags, almost defeating the original purpose of the law," said Judith Enck, president of the group Beyond Plastics and former regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in New York and other northeastern states. "Once fully implemented, New Yorkers will see less plastic bag litter in our communities, parks and waterways."


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That's right! The game that has taken over the world is heading to Andriod devices soon - But it could be an Android exclusive for four months.
Now, there is no denying the popularity of Epic's third-person shooter and naturally, the excitement for the game coming to mobile devices is understandable. But what if we were to tell you that the MMO giant may be exclusive to Andriod for four months?
Well, that is rumoured to be the case. Alongside Galaxy Note 9 leaks, we've been teased with the apparent arrival of Fortnite mobile being an exclusive to be launched in conjunction to the latest Samsung device. The exclusivity deal was originally suggested to be only 30 days long but a new nugget of information says it could be for a longer period.
Android Headlines says that Fortnite will definitely be an exclusive to the Galaxy Note 9 for the first month. But, apparently, there will be another period for Samsung Galaxy devices which will last from around 60 to 90 days.
All in all, that could potentially be a four-month exclusivity deal to Android.
You May Also Like To Read
- How To Turn On The 'Do Not Disturb' Mode On Your Samsung
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Article By Liam Freeman


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BENTONVILLE, Ark., Oct 10, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) will webcast its annual meeting for the investment community on Wed., Oct. 12 from approximately 8:00 a.m. CDT to 3:30 p.m. CDT. Click here to see the event.
The meeting kicks off at 8 a.m. central time with an overall strategic message from President and CEO Mike Duke. The morning will be dedicated to presentations on the operating segments from each CEO and members of their leadership teams:
- Walmart U.S. - Bill Simon
- Sam's Club - Brian Cornell
- Walmart International - Doug McMillon
Following a break for lunch, presentations will run from approximately 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. central time. The afternoon agenda includes:
- Global eCommerce - Eduardo Castro-Wright, vice chairman
- Business processes - Rollin Ford, Executive Vice President and CIO
- Financial review and capital update - Charles Holley, Executive Vice President and CFO
- Overall strategy and priorities - Mike Duke
The video webcast with slide presentations and question and answer session will be available during the meeting on a link provided on http://www.walmartstores.com/investors. Transcripts and downloadable slide presentations will be posted on the site by Friday, October 14 and will be archived for at least one year.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at 9,700 retail units under 69 different banners in 28 countries. With fiscal year 2011 sales of $419 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://www.walmartstores.com.
SOURCE: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Media Relations Contact:
David Tovar, 800-331-0085
Investor Relations Contacts:
Matthew Lunde, 479-277-8695


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The Russian economy is predicted to take a hit from global sanctions following its planned takeover of Ukraine, but the country is gearing to protect itself from the repercussions.
- Majority of Russia’s export revenue is driven by mineral products, with the European Union reliant on the country for its gas imports. Germany on Tuesday unveiled plans to stop opening the Nord Stream 2 which would boost Russian shipments.
- Russia’s capacity in aerospace, artificial intelligence, and other tech sectors will also be impacted by plans of the United States to ban exports of US-made technology, following the geopolitical tensions involving the country.
- Russia is working to safeguard its fiscal position to offset any economic hits, as it reduced its debt with countries such as the United States, along with its allies in Europe.
- The country has also built up its gold and foreign currency reserves, which could support the ruble should sanctions impact the currency or help finance the government expenses.
The geopolitical conflict between Ukraine and Russia could impact the global economy moving forward, amid inflation and supply constraints.
ERUS is down 4.05% premarket.


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JERUSALEM Israelis may have been hoping 2013 would bring recognition for their cinematic prowess, with two Oscar-nominated documentaries, but its turning out to be "The Year of the Cookbook."
Whatever the misgivings about their Oscar candidates -- two films sharply critical of Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands -- Israelis were sorely disappointed to awaken Monday morning to find themselves without a single gold statuette.
Had they averted their gazes from garish Los Angeles to that other glittering metropolis, Paris, they might have felt better.
This weekend at an elegant ceremony at the Louvre, in the French capital, an Israeli cookbook called "Seafoodpedia" won "Best in World" in its category at the renowned Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, which are dubbed "the Oscars of international cookbooks."
Another book, "Jerusalem, A Cookbook," published in England by the Israeli-Palestinian team of Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, walked off with the "Best in the World" laurels for Mediterranean Cuisine.
The timing could not have been more propitious. Also this weekend, the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that a major study conclusively proves a seafood-heavy Mediterranean diet can stave off up to 30 percent of heart attacks and strokes.
But that's not all. More gastronomic glory arrived thanks to Apple, opening the week with a new ad campaign based -- yes, you guessed it -- on a brand new Israeli cookbook app, "Look and Cook."
The voice-activated app offers an experience akin to inviting a personal trainer/top chef, in the personage of Israeli celebrity chef Meir Adoni, into your kitchen to talk you through every tiny step.
It is, according to Apple, "mind watering."
Kinetic Art, the Israeli start-up that designed the app has been basking in rave reviews, taking its turn in the sun that shines upon high-tech achievement in the new culinary mecca.
Oran Huberman, Kitenetic Art's CEO, said that when he used to search for cooking related apps, he'd find "insipid, text-filled versions of real cookbooks. They look like textbooks."
"When you leaf through a well-made cookbook," he continued, "it makes you hungry. We wanted to recreate that visual and sensual experience."
The app offers you "a rare backstage pass into the most cutting-edge of new Israeli kitchens," which might have sounded more outlandish before the imprimatur of the Parisian prizes.


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NEW: Federal judge blocks key parts of AZ’s immigration law from going into effect tomorrow
Robert Reich has a great piece on corporate profits and the jobs situation—the bottom line versus the unemployment line. Corporate profits are soaring while jobs remain stagnant. That’s what happens when business doesn’t involve making anything… except money. Companies are expanding—overseas. If you want to know where the jobs are, go down to the ocean and look beyond those oil-stained beaches. GM makes and sells more cars in China than they do in the US. These days, GM stands for “Goodbye, Michigan.”
There’s also a disconnect between corporate profits and consumer confidence. Duh. You know what builds consumer confidence? Having a steady paycheck. Consumers without jobs stop consuming. It’s like Wall Street keeps trying to milk a cow that they refuse to feed. At a certain point, the milk stops flowing.
Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee want hearings on the New Black Panther Party. What are we supposed to determine—if either of those two guys pose a threat to the United States? That’s just what America needs in 2010—an investigation into the Black Panthers. They’re going to have to conduct this investigation with the Cold Case Unit. America is facing threats from a lot of sources, but a threat from the sixties is not one of them. Finally, NASA says this is the hottest year on record. What is it going to take for conservatives to admit that it’s getting hotter… beyond the fact that it’s getting hotter, I mean?


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Here are the top six data breach trends, according to the 2015 Data Breach Industry Forecast published by Experian Information Solutions Inc., a credit reporting company.
- Credit card breaches will rise over the next few months as hackers try to beat the October deadline set by Visa and MasterCard for merchants to accept only the new generation of credit cards that are embedded with computer chips.
- Hackers increasingly will target data stored in the cloud. "Hackers are eager to capitalize on the value of consumer online credentials," according to the report.
- Expect more breaches of health care data. One reason: the growing number of access points to protected health info. Another: the growing popularity of wearable technology, which can transmit data to doctors but provide an entry point to hackers.
- In light of all the recent high-profile hacks of major companies, legal and regulatory pressure will increase on CEOs and boards. "It is clear that security can no longer be viewed as just an IT issue," the report said.
- Despite all the headlines involving breaches by hackers and foreign countries, disgruntled or negligent employees will be companies' biggest security threats.
- The Internet of Things will become a buzzword in insurance circles. The term refers to the growing cloud-based connectivity of people and their devices, which may provide an easy entry point to all your devices and data.


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On June 18 2019, Facebook announced its latest project, the Libra cryptocurrency.
For some time, there have been speculations about Facebook's Libra project and what it means for the financial market. The digital currency is set to hit the market in the first half of 2020 and will be available for customers of Facebook and its other services, including Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp.
Since the announcement, there have been debates about how the Facebook Libra cryptocurrency will impact certain sectors, and one is money transfer in Africa.
When Facebook Libra is launched, and it does what it aims to do, what will it mean for African users?The idea is that the currency will revolutionise money saving, spending and remittances. How will it achieve that? To understand these concepts, it's crucial to look at the new cryptocurrency from different angles.
A Few Basics About Facebook Libra
Libra is a digital currency that Facebook is developing to compete with existing coins and cryptocurrencies.
With the currency, you will be able to send money or buy goods. Users will also have the option of cashing out their funds at local exchanges. Facebook and its services such as Instagram offer marketplaces where the digital currency will find great use. The Facebook Libra cryptocurrency will also be available for merchants on other platforms, meaning that its applications are virtually limitless.
As with any other cryptocurrency, Libra will allow anonymous transactions. You will also be able to use third-party wallets with the coin. Facebook is, however, developing its own wallet called Calibra that will be integrated into the app, Messenger and WhatsApp. The biggest reason for developing Calibra is to ensure the protection of customer data. Facebook reported that Calibra would be responsible for holding data for transactions, which will be separate from Facebook account information.
Facebook does not control Libra on its own.
With the various privacy issues that the social media giant has faced over the years, retaining sole control of a currency would be problematic. According to David Marcus, the VP of Blockchain at Facebook, if the social network were controlling the currency, very few people would want to join in. The solution that Facebook came up with was to create an association of founders.
The Libra Association is a non-profit made up of organisations in different fields, including technology, blockchain and payment. Andreessen Horowitz, Uber, Vodafone, Lyft, Spotify, MasterCard and Anchorage are some of the founders. Nasper, one of Africa's most valued companies, is also a founder. The minimum contribution from each member of the association was $10 million. Various other requirements apply, including 2/3 thresholds of a $1 billion market value.
A membership grants a founder one vote in the association council, shares that match the investment and optional validator node operator privileges. With each partner holding only a single vote, it prevents one entity from accumulating more power than the others. The companies will earn interest from the money that users pay when transacting with the currency. With the association handling the governance of the coin, it is expected that users will have trust in it.
The Association is meant to drive the adoption of the currency. These founders have the mandate to decide which companies partner with Libra. They will also have the responsibility to structure reward programs and other incentives for early adopters of the cryptocurrency. It is expected that some of the founders will build their own digital wallets, providing customers options for money transfer and other transactions.
Currently, Facebook has 28 members in the Association and is working on raising that number to 100. The headquarters of the association are in Switzerland, a location that was favoured for its financial innovation and neutrality. A council will be formed with representatives from every company. This council will then pick the managing director.
Facebook Libra holds at least four assets for African users which can change the financial access for many people:
- Banking the unbankable
- Disruptive remittances
- Trust in cryptocurrencies
- Stability of the coins (stablecoins)
Let’s have a closer look on it:
Banking the Unbankable
With an idea of how the digital coin works, it is easy to see the impact it will have in Africa. Facebook created the digital currency to cater to a global market. The design of the currency makes it good for more than just e-commerce. Facebook Libra will target unbankable regions where people have to struggle for banking solutions. This feat is a big one given that approximately 1.7 billion people lack access to bank accounts.
Many parts of Africa deal with poor banking infrastructure that makes financial transactions frustrating. Facebook, when announcing the currency, said that it is designing Libra to be simple and efficient. The cryptocurrency will fill the gaps where the traditional banking infrastructure has not been able to or is lacking completely.
People without banking solutions will have a way to save and transfer money at a fraction of the cost that other platforms demand. Facebook is looking to slash the transaction fees to as little as possible. High banking charges are some of the obstacles with which people in Africa have to deal. This upcoming digital currency aims at solving that.
The new ecosystem that Facebook is setting up will eliminate most of the hurdles that people in Africa face when it comes to money transfer, especially across continents (see the Bitcoin to Rand example of South Africa).
Solving the unbanked issue in Africa seems ambitious for a single currency to take on considering many other products have tried. However, the pull that Facebook holds as a product may just give this project the push it requires. The social media giant boasts over 2 billion users across the globe and Africa is one of its fastest-growing regions.
Note that Facebook has several network apps, including Whatsapp and Instagram that have their own audiences. If Libra attains the adoption that the Association is working towards, then it may just succeed at providing solutions for the unbanked population in Africa.
The Disruption in Remittances
Another area that the currency looks to change is remittance.Money transfer from overseas other the African continent is big business. It is a sector that only a few providers such as Western Union and MoneyGram, have dominated for a long time. The advent of digital wallets and mobile money changed that.
Every year, Africa receives a considerable amount of money from relatives and friends abroad who send money. In 2018, Sub Saharan African received $46 billion in remittances, according to a World Bank report.
People sending money use different platforms, depending on the need. Virtual wallets and apps such as Azimo and WorldRemit have made it fast and easy for individuals to send money.
Some of these money transfer services are generic, while others are designed for specific purposes. For example, you can find an app that allows you to pay for bills directly from overseas. Not many of these services work with cryptocurrency, though.
Since digital coins like Bitcoin gained popularity, there have been attempts to use this type of currency for remittance.
Azimo is one platform that has been experimenting with cryptocurrency. However, the instability of this kind of currency and lack of trust have made it difficult for blockchain to infiltrate this sector.
What Facebook aims to do differently is to entice customers with low transactional costs. Exploitative remittance charges remain a huge problem for senders and receivers of funds in Africa. Some services ask for as much as 7% for every transaction.
By charging only a small fraction of the costs that people are used to, Facebook can attract a decent number of customers who are looking to save money. The minimal charges mean that you can send large amounts home.
Libra will also make it easy for users to spend their money. Once funds are in an account, recipients can buy goods and services directly without having to withdraw the money first. This convenience will simplify transactions considerably.
What it means For the Competition
Remittances have become some of the biggest contributors to the GDP of many African nations. For this reason, they present an important market that Facebook intends to exploit to make money transfer efficient and safe.
However, Africa already has payment methods that have been serving the people for a long time. What will happen to them? Whether Facebook's new cryptocurrency disrupts an existing money transfer solution will depend on the design of a particular service.
Conventional remittance services will be hit the hardest if Libra achieves adoption. These are companies that are not technology-based, and these are Western Union and MoneyGram.
Remittance platforms that were built on technology such as Azimo might not have as hard a time. The existing structure of online money transfer services and mobile apps makes it easy for them to adapt to a new commerce ecosystem.
The other area to consider is the blockchain marketplace. With the increased use of digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ripple and Ethereum, cryptocurrency wallets are quite popular.
Paxful, Luno and LocalBitcoins are some of the services that people use to send and receive cryptocurrency across Africa. With the introduction of Libra, some of these services will feel the disruption.
If the new market entry succeeds, it would mean better efficiency than some of the current services. Many of the Bitcoin marketplaces are peer-to-peer platforms that connect buyers and sellers. They act as escrows.
Libra removes the intermediate service and allows the recipient to access funds directly. Besides minimising the work and time it takes to complete a transaction, this system will help save money.
The Challenges for Facebook Libra
Being part of the financial inclusion in Africa comes with serious obstacles. Facebook's new digital coin will be entering a market where mobile money is currently dominating. The social media giant will have to find a way to penetrate this market.
M-pesa is Africa's poster child for mobile money transfers. It set the pace for other services in the region and opened new doors. In 2017, the East African region had over 190 million mobile money accounts.
Mobile money services have thrived in Africa because they are fast, efficient and convenient. Users can receive money on their phones and withdraw from local agents quickly. Also, these systems have established networks in their respective regions.
If Facebook is to be part of that, it must find ways to offer something great to customers.
Trust is an element that Facebook's cryptocurrency has to work hard on. The company is essentially asking people to leave what they have known to be reliable and try something entirely new.
M-pesa worked because it was an African product created for the African people. Now, here comes Facebook with a digital currency that is governed by an association of different entities.
Another issue is that Libra is changing what people know about money. There is something to be said about holding cold cash in your hands. For most people, particularly the unbankable population, cash is everything. Getting those individuals to change their mindset will be part of the problem.
A huge percentage of the unbankable population that Facebook is targeting in developing markets has no education. It means that it might be taxing for the people to comprehend what the new currency is all about.
It will take considerable effort for Libra to accomplish the objectives that Facebook has set out. The project must find ways to inspire and build trust among customers. Even then, it may have to be satisfied with customers using it only for remittances and transactions across borders.
Intermittent internet interruption is another aspect that Facebook has to consider when it comes to serving developing markets such as Africa. Libra transactions require stable internet, which is a constant issue in some African regions.
Government regulations might prove to be problematic when introducing the Facebook cryptocurrency. It will be difficult to convince governments to allow operation of a currency over which they have no control. Facebook has to be ready to deal with regulators who might take time to accept the initiative or reject it entirely.
Facebook has a vast customer base in Africa and other developing regions, which is why it has a good chance of succeeding. Networks such as WhatsApp and Instagram have loyal customers that the company can use to monetise its digital currencies. The project should prepare for a tedious process that might take years to adopt.
How is Facebook Libra Different from The Other Cryptocurrencies?
Blockchain technology has evolved a great deal, and the result is a wide selection of currency such as Ethereum, Ripple and Bitcoin. You may wonder, with several digital coins already on the market, what makes Libra the exception? Why can't you just opt for Bitcoin?
Facebook's new currency is similar to traditional digital coins in that every payment goes into the Libra Blockchain. Engineers from Facebook are responsible for building the new crypto rails that make up the blockchain.
The Association handles the authentication of the ledger, which is under an open source license. Under this license, developers have to record modifications to the source code, but they cannot release it.
One difference from existing digital currencies is these of a new programming language called Move. The language is meant to boost the efficiency and safety of the Libra Blockchain.
The new rails for Facebook's cryptocurrency are single data structures, which is not the same as with Bitcoin and other coins. These crypto rails make a history of each transaction and avail that information for other network users.
Stability is another advantage that Libra has over other cryptocurrencies. The new digital currency will be a stablecoin because its value depends on the real-world assets that are in the Reserve.
The Association has a collection of assets that is made up of historically stable currencies, including the dollar, Swiss franc and yen. With these assets in place, the Association prevents the value of Libra from fluctuating.
Price fluctuations are among the biggest reasons merchants don't accept cryptocurrency. You may receive Bitcoin today at a particular value then find that tomorrow it has slumped to a fraction of what you got.
The Association is putting measures in place to ensure that the stability of the coin remains consistent. What this means is that currency will be safe to trade with in various settings if it does succeed.
The concept behind this coin is that you will be able to cash in your local currency for Libra. You can then use the digital coin at accepting merchants. Depending on how well the currency adopts, you will be able to use it with local resellers and even stores.
Various wallets will be available for transacting with the currency, including Facebook's Calibra. The social media company is partnering with different entities to create third-party wallets that will make the currency more accessible.
Facebook Libra in Africa: Conclusion
Facebook is poised to disrupt the commerce ecosystem with a new cryptocurrency. The design that Libra promises is bound to cause serious shifts in Africa.
A low-cost money transfer solution will offer competition to existing solutions such as Azimo, WorldRemit and Western Union.
Libra might also offer a reliable banking solution for unbankable populations.
To realise all this, though Libra must be able to succeed in the market and only time will tell how well it does.


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Amazon has attracted widespread criticism for poor working conditions by both current employees, who refer to themselves as Amazonians, and former employees, as well as the media and politicians. In 2011, it was publicized that at the Breinigsville, Pennsylvania warehouse, workers had to carry out work in 100 °F (38 °C) heat, resulting in employees becoming extremely uncomfortable and suffering from dehydration and collapse. Loading-bay doors were not opened to allow in fresh air, due to the company's concerns over theft. Amazon's initial response was to pay for an ambulance to sit outside on call to cart away overheated employees. The company eventually installed air conditioning at the warehouse.
Robert Nava is the owner of National Parks Depot and an ex-con who never thought he’d end up a highly successful ecommerce storeowner. Today, National Parks Depot pulls in $80,000 a month selling all kinds of outdoor gear and wear for camping, fishing, hiking, hunting, cycling, rafting and scuba activities. Robert says building his ecommerce store through Shopify was one of the easiest things he’s ever done.
The first Echo came out in late 2014 as a Prime member exclusive, but in the four short years since, Amazon has developed dozens of different smart home products that revolve around the speaker and voice assistant format. Today, thousands of products integrate with the company’s Alexa platform to make use of its voice search and query capabilities. Just as it once foresaw e-commerce, streaming, and cloud computing as the future of the internet, Amazon saw AI as not just something that could live within the smartphone — as Apple established with Siri and Google with its Assistant — but also in the home.
Opt for the second-best deal to stay a step ahead of the madness. “A few years ago, my husband needed a new iPad and we decided to brave the Black Friday crowds,” says Slickdeals’ Conway. “We went to two different Target locations, both of which were sold out on the specific product, even though we were there within an hour of the sale start time. We ended up purchasing the iPad at Best Buy, which had it listed for about five dollars more, but had more inventory available. It was still a great deal and easier to access.”
The main con is obviously the cold, crowds, and chaos. But just because Black Friday traditionally means in-store shopping, doesn't mean that many retailers won't offer sales online. Last year, online sales hit 19.62 billion over the five-day period from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday. So if you don't want to wake up in the middle of the night to battle crowds and wait in long lines, check with your favorite stores to see if you can do it all from the comfort of your home.
If you missed the phone number on that infomercial the last time it came onto your screen, Collections Etc. is always expanding our online As Seen on TV catalog to include the latest, greatest and hardest to find products. The next time you see something on the screen that you have to have, head to our store to buy it securely online or through our catalog. Collections Etc. is happy to offer great prices, easy ordering and lower prices for members on unique As Seen on TV products for your home!
Amazon was never going to be able to compete with Google’s YouTube in user-uploaded video content, and it didn’t have the social infrastructure of Facebook to become a destination where people discuss their lives and share videos from around the web. But what Amazon did have was the resources to purchase a company that was poised to outrun both Facebook and YouTube to a new type of business: live-streaming, in particular video games live-streaming. The pioneer of that market was Twitch, which Amazon purchased in 2014 for just shy of $1 billion.
In the course of a single generation, Amazon has grown from fledgling online bookseller to one of the most valuable and powerful corporations in modern history. The empire of CEO Jeff Bezos has grown so vast that critics, overseas regulators, and Washington politicians are all now wondering whether the company has become an unstoppable force, and what, if anything, is capable of reining in its reach. A recent spat with Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) resulted in a minimum wage hike for tens of thousands of employees, but Amazon still operates largely without any meaningful checks on its power even as it aggressively expands into physical retail, the smart home, and warehouse and aviation robotics.
You’ve seen ‘em… we’ve got ‘em! If you’ve ever shopped infomercials, you know that some of the best As Seen on TV products have the power to revolutionize your everyday life! From super-smart kitchen gadgets that make cooking and food prep a total breeze to unique As Seen on TV clothes and beauty products that make you feel fabulous, these items do a great job at reducing stress and helping you stay organized and efficient. From sensible accessories for pets to amazing cleaning tools, we have the best variety of As Seen on TV products in our online catalog. Collections Etc. offers great prices and exceptional customer service!
Amazon, with its unfettered access to troves of valuable consumer and seller data, came upon a rather interesting business model around 2009, when it launched a private label division under the name AmazonBasics. It started first with the items the company noticed people most often purchased without thinking too hard about the brand name, like batteries and HDMI cables. But as The New York Times reported this past summer, this proved to be a way to fast track a fledgling product category into a massive money-making top seller — AmazonBasics’ AA batteries now outsell Duracell and Energizer on Amazon.com after just a few years.
Foregoing private stores or other online alternatives, a large number of individuals and businesses prefer to sell through Amazon.com. With more than 95 million unique visitors each month, Amazon can be an ideal place for vendors looking to increase sales or simply unload items they no longer want or need. And because Amazon enjoys a generally positive reputation with its customers, the site can be a great place for sellers to build brand recognition for their businesses.
Tobi is an international fast-fashion online retail destination serving young women in over 100 countries worldwide. We’ve been bringing West Coast style and laid back attitude to over 1.5 million Tobi babes since 2007, and we don’t intend on stopping anytime soon. LA is fast-paced, forward-thinking, and fashion-centered at its core, and our products are designed and curated in the heart of LA, with these ideals in mind. We strive to bring customers the trendiest fashions fast -- from design concept to our site, tobi.com -- from our warehouse to our customers’ doorstep. We aim to inspire the next generation of young women to be the best version of themselves, and to be confident in their own skin as well as their clothes. Tobi has thousands of styles, ranging from flouncy jumpsuits & rompers, essential bodysuits and trendy crop tops, to floor-grazing maxi dresses and form-fitting bodycon dresses, to sexy formal dresses and little black dresses. Tobi features homecoming dresses, prom dresses, bridesmaid dresses, sequin dresses and evening dresses of all cuts and colors, Tobi is your one-stop-shop for styles inspired by the latest fashions with that California flair! For babes on the go who love to have fun, and look good doing it: be the best you, and #ShopTobi.
Amazon.com operates retail websites for Sears Canada, Bebe Stores, Marks & Spencer, Mothercare, and Lacoste. For a growing number of enterprise clients, including the UK merchants Marks & Spencer, Benefit Cosmetics' UK entity, edeals.com and Mothercare, Amazon provides a unified multichannel platform where a customer can interact with the retail website, standalone in-store terminals or phone-based customer service agents. Amazon Web Services also powers AOL's [email protected]
In addition to strict acceptance to be sold by As Seen On TV Incorporated, Telebrands and other distributers, the most successful products have almost always served to provide a solution to a common problem - and this has inspired inventors worldwide to share their creations and push the industry. The industry leaders have always been smart when it comes to marketing, and have recently started making more of a transition towards ecommerce – using micro websites to push their products, and making good use of affiliate programs. Infomercials now support awareness in addition to creating it.


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5 Nov 2006 headline called Anti-Online Casino legislation doesn’t worry Australians
|Gambling News » 2006 » November » Anti-Online Casino legislation doesn’t worry Australians|
Anti-Online Casino legislation doesn’t worry Australians
The waves created by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act have now even reached the most remote of the five continents. The Australian-based online gambling group, Global Approach, which has interests in many operating online casino sites, says it will continue its work as normal, at least until it gets a clearer stand about the new Congress-legislated law against the online casino industry. James Canning Ure, the managing director of the company, said it will take his company at least two weeks to fully examine the new situation and consider the available options.
When referring to the legislation and the condition of the US gamblers, Canning Ure highlighted the fact that although most of the revenues from the online casino web sites come from the US, the online poker business, which accounts for half of the company’s revenue, has a lot of followers in Europe as well. Not only that but he also believes that the online casino industry will be able to survive even without the full support of US gamblers. “The online gambling industry can very quickly adjust and shift the origin of its players. In less than six months we can fully recover from any situation” he added.
Global Approach entered strongly to the online casino industry when it purchased earlier this year Tusk Investments for more than 19 million Australian Dollars. The company’s spokesmen said at the time that the acquisition will eventually form one of the biggest and best Australia’s online gambling companies. As Canning Ure pointed out, they may succeed with their plans, even if the American online casino industry fails to help them.
|Lady's Casino 2005-2006 Copyrights - All Rights Reserved|| |


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Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have had their own 3D printer up there since 2014. The goal is to test out the potential of astronauts printing their own tools up in space during future long-term expeditions and, thanks to a new contest, you can be a part of that amazing project.
Mouser Electronics are holding a competition where anybody has the opportunity to create their design onboard the ISS 3D printer. All you have to do is write a 200-word blurb of your design about how it could benefit the astronauts and upload an image of it. You also have to keep in mind some rules and guidelines. As they explain in their description, “You design it. We’ll 3D print it in space. Mouser is looking for an innovative design idea from college engineering students and engineers that can be used by astronauts 200 miles above Earth.”
The tech company added, “The design can be a useful tool, a research item, even an item for entertainment.”
To judge the entries, they’ve brought in former ISS Commander Chris Hadfield and ex-Mythbuster Grant Imahara. The competition closes at midnight on October 7, 2016.
You can also see all the entries from other participants as they come in, which so far includes "food delivery system" and a model of the USS Enterprise from Star Trek.
The grand prize is your own 3D printer. But let’s face it, the coolest bit is having your own creation floating around 400 kilometers (250 miles) above Earth.
Click here to enter.


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Windows 8 - The Whistleblowing
Posted in Operating-systems, Software, Windows-8
Microsoft has started to release information about its latest operating system which is known as Windows 8. CEO of Microsoft Corporation Steve Ballmer showed some amazing features which will be included in Windows 8. Release dates are not yet decided but it is expected that Windows 8 will be launched till next year. New reviews and promotional videos have given us some idea of what to expect from this ultimate operating system.
Nobody is having any idea about what exactly this operating system will bring but as far as the reviews and videos show we can expect a high tech operating system which will change the way of technology interaction. A new look for the menus and a high tech user friendly interactive operating system is expected from Windows 8.
Let’s have a close look on the features.
Microsoft has ruled this market for more than 20 years and it has served over billions of customers all around the globe. According to latest statistics it has been proved that 80% of users are working on windows operating system. Microsoft is undoubtedly the leader in this business.
Windows 7 was launched 18 months ago and after a very small period of time Microsoft is launching Windows 8. There are rumors that snapshots of Windows 8 came out just after the release of Windows 7.
The most powerful and smart feature which makes this new version even more attractive is touch screen. Microsoft has cleared its intentions that they will change the whole idea of modern interactive computing. They are trying to remove the use of keyboard and mouse. Microsoft is aiming for an operating system which will be available for common people.
The GUI part of Windows 8 is looking very similar to windows made for mobile phones. Microsoft is trying to import all the features of touch screen mobile to desktop PC.
Some users are not so comfortable with touch screens but they don’t have to worry about that because touch screen will not be the only medium of input. There will be a different programming layer which will allow the use of keyboard and mouse.
There are rumors that Windows 8 will also keep its original format so that basic users can perform tasks using this operating system. Traditional input and output mediums will be reserved for users who don’t want to interact using the touch screen.
Overall this operating system has raised the expectations of every user. Everybody is expecting a high tech operating system which will give a new dimension to personal computers all around the world.
Many programmers are also waiting for the launch of this operating system because they can write codes and develop programs which will enhance the performance of Windows 8. Developing such a high tech operating system is a big challenge for Microsoft Corporation because there are other user friendly operating systems available which can be good competitors.
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Bakery and Laundry Conference Update
Update for Bakery and Laundry Teamsters from Conference Director Dave Dudas
The future trajectory of the pandemic remains unpredictable, with COVID-19 cases rising in some states and decreasing in others. Those of you working on the front lines, as our bakery and laundry workers are doing, still go to work every day with the concern of infection. Your Teamster brothers and sisters across the country share those concerns and are acting accordingly.
On June 10, the Teamsters held a day of action demanding that employers and the government take action to protect workers like you. In more than 30 cities, the union stood up to bad actors in the industry who decided profits are more important than the lives of their workers.
Teamsters represent nearly 500,000 workers at every level of the food chain—from bakeries to meat and dairy processing, packing, transportation and delivery, to the country’s largest breweries, soft drinks and grocery chains.
The union fears a resurgence of COVID-19 could put the food supply on the brink of collapse. In order to protect food workers, both union and nonunion, and the country’s food supply chain, the Teamsters are calling for enhanced safety measures at all food facilities.
You can read more about the event, and see photos from events across the country, here: https://teamster.org/2020/06/teamsters-hold-national-food-supply-chain-day-of-action/
Since many Teamsters in the Bakery and Laundry Conference are categorized as essential and have continued working, it is important that you work safe. Our union’s Safety and Health Department is closely monitoring the global health crisis and has developed some important fact sheets, which you can view here: https://teamster.org/covid-19/teamsters-safety-health-coronavirus-factsheets/
I urge all Bakery and Laundry Teamsters to pay attention to the safety guidelines outlined on these fact sheets and to follow instructions from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Let’s all strive to take the necessary precautions so that we, and our co-workers, can keep healthy and safe while we continue working.
Dave Dudas, Director
Teamsters Bakery and Laundry Conference


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Marketing can prove difficult to quantify – certain campaigns may offer a relatively intangible benefit to a company, like brand awareness, that can be difficult to explain to financial directors keen to see a direct return on investment.
This is especially true when belts are being tightened and budgets examined closely. Despite the UK’s tentative recent steps towards economic growth, the country remains on a slightly shaky footing, meaning firms are keen to ensure that all parts of their organisation are not over-spending or wasting cash on pointless exercises.
For marketers, this has led to a new ‘era of accountability’, according to a host of recent studies.
One way in which firms can respond to this paradigm shift is to work with CRM software, which can offer a number of benefits when it comes to accountability and return on investment.
By automating a number of processes that would otherwise need to be carried out by staff, the technology can save both time and money, allowing marketers to focus their attention on other tasks that can add value to their business proposition rather than being snowed under by administrative issues.
A host of experts have suggested that marketing departments are being put under pressure to quantify their successes, with this trend set to continue over the course of 2014.
The Marketing 2020 report produced by Marketing Week, EffectiveBrands and ISBA revealed large, growth-orientated decisions are increasingly being placed at the door of this part of the business.
Furthermore, 58 per cent of senior marketers suggested they are now being asked to work with the chief executive on producing overall plans, up from 38 per cent in 2006.
“Under-performers are not guided by big data, whereas the over-performers have integrated it into the way they work,” said Marc de Swaan Arons, founder of EffectiveBrands.
What this means is that marketers are increasingly being asked to utilise complicated information to justify their spending and explain how they are attempting to engage with existing customers while maintaining a relationship with current ones.
CRM software can help with this process in a number of ways. It makes it easier to prioritise and track leads, potentially creating profit as well as freeing up employees from having to undertake this task manually.
It also ensures that customisable dashboards can be used to create visual representations of performance – this ensures marketers can easily find out what aspects of their overall scheme are providing the best return on investment, making them more accountable to the holders of the purse strings within their organisation.
Also, by displaying a sales funnel it can make it easier for marketing chiefs to forecast performance and work out how well specific teams are carrying out their tasks.
Automation and productivity
In addition to placing marketers under pressure to justify their spending, the current economic situation has encouraged them to become more productive and wring everything they can out of the time they have available.
This shouldn’t mean working longer hours or bringing in a host of new workers, which can be expensive in itself – instead, chief marketing officers can look to automated processes to make life easier for their existing staff.
CRM can offer a number of benefits in this arena, presuming it is installed correctly and well-integrated with an organisation’s overall aims.
By reducing manual data management to a minimum, it ensures workers can fulfil their potential, spending time on value-adding tasks rather than busywork. Although some training will need to be provided, this initial expenditure of time will be more than made up for once the CRM software is operating effectively.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM can be especially useful in this regard because it utilises an interface that will be familiar to anyone who has used a Windows computer, meaning less initial familiarisation time will be needed.
Mr Swaan Arons also suggested that “marketing has caught up with the rest of the board in terms of accountability … now we need marketing to step up and lead”. CRM software can make it easier for the department to do just that.


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Berkeley Township Ready For A Town Center
Officials in Berkeley Township have reason to celebrate. A long awaited project that would bring a Town Center to the Township is moving forward thanks to an approval from the state.
The New Jersey State Planning Commission has approved the first portion of the plan which would tackle the Beachwood Mall Shopping Center.
It was once home to a supermarket, bowling alley and a Woolworth store. For the last ten years, it's become more and more run down. It sits right at the entrance to the Township from the Route 9 side and with each passing year, seems to get worse.
Berkeley Mayor Carmen Amato says it's been five years in the making and they can't wait to get started. He says "now that we have the necessary designation, we are ready to move. We have been on hold because of the process but can now proceed."
Amato and many other Township officials see it as the perfect way to bring in ratables and jobs to the community. He says "we are hoping to see some box stores, small businesses, maybe some restaurants on the site."
One of the biggest stumbling blocks will be the area known as Johnson's Pit behind the shopping center. The site once housed an asphalt factory and there are concerns of soil contamination. Amato tells WOBM News, they have every intention of cleaning it up first and have already had talks with the State Department of Environmental Protection.
The Berkeley Plaza shopping center, which has ShopRite as the main store, and the land around Frederick Drive and Hickory Lane are designated as the other parts.
View Beachwood Shopping Center in a larger map


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Renault, which brings the most advanced technologies to consumers while continuing to renew its product range, is participating in the 2021 IAA Munich Motor Show.
Renault will bring its latest innovations to consumers at the IAA Munich Motor Show, which will be held between 6-12 September 2021. The world premiere of the new Renault MEGANE E-TECH 100% ELECTRIC model will also take place at the fair. The Renault press conference will be held on Monday, September 6, 2021 and will be broadcast live. The brand will take place in Hall B6 with a special stand for the new MEGANE E-TECH 100% ELECTRIC model from Monday, September 1, which is the press day.
From Tuesday, September 7, the R5 Prototype model will be on display at the Renault booth, reminiscent of the original Renault 5, with iconic versions specially selected for this event.
The new stand concept called 'Renault studiault' will be introduced for the first time in Munich. New stand concept; It will offer a versatile structure adapted to different communication formats such as talk shows, video content displayed on mobile screens, display of old vehicles or technological content.
Renault's fair program:
- September 6: New MEGANE E-TECH 100% ELECTRIC
- September 7: New MEGANE E-TECH 100% ELECTRIC, R5 Prototype, iconic Renault 5
- September 8: Mobilize
- September 9: Renault E-TECH models
- 10/11 and 12 September: new MEGANE E-TECH 100% ELECTRIC, R5 Prototype, Renault E-TECH models
On Wednesday, September 8, the first visit day, the Renault stand will be adapted for Mobilize, which includes new transportation and energy solutions.


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AAR reports carload and intermodal gains for week ending October 26
Carload volume—at 297,455—was up 3.6 percent to the same week last year, and intermodal—at 261,231 trailers and containers—was up 3.2 percent.
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Carload and intermodal volumes were again up for the week ending October 26, according to data released by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Carload volume—at 297,455—was up 3.6 percent to the same week last year and ahead of the week of October 19 at 289,256 and the week ending October 12 at 285,372 and the week ending October 5 at 279,128.
Intermodal—at 261,231 trailers and containers—was up 3.2 percent annually and was down compared the week ending October 19 at 264,687, and ahead of the week ending October 12 at 260,839 and below the week ending September 28 at 269,853.
Total weekly traffic for carloads and intermodal units—at 558,686—was up 3.4 percent annually.
Of the ten main commodity groups tracked by the AAR, eight saw annual increases. Petroleum and petroleum products were up 20.1 percent, and grain was up 29.6 percent. Farm and food products, excluding grain, were down 3.9 percent.
On a year-to-date basis, carloads are down 0.8 percent at 12,091,749, and intermodal is up 3.7 percent at 10,601,101 containers and trailers.
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Chickfila to close all its locations and lay off all of its employees
Chick-fil-A will be closing all its restaurants in California and will lay off its entire workforce by the end of the year, according to a letter the chain sent to employees on Friday.
The company’s letter is the latest sign of mounting uncertainty about the company’s business prospects, after the company announced last week that it was laying off all its staff.
The letter also outlines the changes it plans to make to its workforce, including cutting the number of restaurants in the state by 90 percent.
The decision comes amid a long-term slump in the chain’s business.
On Wednesday, the company reported disappointing sales growth of just 2.3 percent in the first quarter, and analysts say it will have to trim its workforce by about 1,000 workers to close the gap.
The chain will also be closing a handful of locations in the Northeast, South and Midwest, and is looking to shutter its flagship stores in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
“We have made difficult decisions to focus on our core businesses,” said Dan Cathy, the CEO of Chick-Fil-A.
“This year, we have eliminated 1,200 jobs in the U.S. and are reducing our workforce by more than 1,500 across the country.”
Cathy said the company was closing its California locations and will “focus on our largest markets to better serve our customers.”
He did not specify how many jobs would be cut.
“Our goal is to bring our workforce down to the number we needed to be able to meet the needs of our customers,” Cathy said in the letter.
The CEO also announced plans to shutter Chick-in-The-Box and the restaurant chain’s franchisee operations in Texas, Arizona and North Carolina.
“With Chick-In-The Box and the other franchisees we are currently considering, we are looking at other business options to meet our future growth needs,” Cathy wrote.
“But the reality is we have to make hard decisions that will allow us to continue to serve our loyal customers.”


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July 13, 2012
ORLANDO, Fla. — Any way you want to slice it, the 55th annual ICAST show was a success.
"The last time we were in Orlando was 2009," said Mike Nussman, president and CEO of the American Sportfishing Association. "Despite an ailing economy, we had a good show.
"But this year, we had a great show. Show attendance, overall, was up 23 percent and buyer attendance was up 25 percent. We had 9,000 show attendees with more than 3,000 buyers and more than 760 media in attendance to cover the show."
Check out the Day Three photos
ICAST (International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades) provides a showcase for new products that won't be available to the public until later this year. It also serves as a barometer for the overall health of the sportfishing industry.
"Business is healthy. Retailers are very upbeat," said Jeff Marble, ASA chairman of the board and CEO of Frabill. "We will always have challenges, but we feel confident about the future."
The two previous years, ICAST was held in Las Vegas. The show will return to Las Vegas in 2013 before coming back to Orlando's Orange County Convention Center in 2014 and 2015.
"I like the East Coast ICASTs because it seems like the people are more interested in fishing here," said Marc Mills, a regional marketing manager for Shimano, who was participating in his 11th ICAST. "There is a different group of dealers that you don't see in Vegas.
"Every evening at six o'clock when the show is over, the only reason people leave here is because they're turning the lights off. Otherwise they would be here until eight or nine o'clock. It seems like everybody is real into fishing.
"You get a lot more guides at this show, which I think for us, as a manufacturer, is a good thing. I really like the Orlando show. I don't think it should be here every year. I like that back-and-forth between Orlando and Las Vegas."
David MacDonald, founder of Lunkerhunt, a Toronto-based company, was ecstatic about taking home an ICAST "Best of Show" award for his soft plastic lures, Bento Baits. When MacDonald first began making fishing lures in Canada, he envisioned doing business in the U.S. market.
"If you're in the fishing business, this is the Holy Grail," said the 40-year-old MacDonald. "The fishery here is phenomenal; it's really diverse from coast-to-coast.
"And, if you are doing business here, the resources that are out there for you are phenomenal as well. I built my product line from scratch with the goal that one day I'd be doing business in the U.S."
ICAST expanded its business seminar at the Orlando show. It provided an educational forum as well as another avenue for networking within the industry. It was another source of the favorable reviews from this year's show.
"Our aim is to continually enhance the show for the benefit of our exhibitors, buyers, media and other attendees, who now view the show as a 'must attend' event," said ICAST director Ken Adres.
"We look forward to seeing everyone in Las Vegas in 2013."
(Mary Jane Williamson, ASA communications director, contributed to this story.)


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By Peter M. DeLorenzo
Detroit. With everyday life being upended by a series of challenges, from the price of gasoline and various shortages du jour, to the burgeoning cadence of inflation, which is starting to hit everyone on a daily basis, it is no wonder that the auto industry in particular has been beset with its own series of challenges that have become part and parcel of just getting through a financial quarter.
Supply chain issues initially brought on by the Pandemic – with the industry’s go-to “just in time” production mantra having turned into a “you’ve got to be kidding me!” nightmare – are just one dimension of the industry Hell going on right now. In fact, it may be as bad now as any time in history, with the possible exception of when the automobile industry was supporting the war effort in World War II.
Every key component or raw material has to be locked-down, locked-in or bought-out in anticipation of what will be needed for the future. The silicon chip crisis has devastated the industry from top to bottom. Vehicles are being delivered without key features rather than having them pile up in storage facilities, with the promise that the chips will be retrofitted at a later date. But this just in: as I predicted months ago, the chip “thing” is going to be an ongoing crisis for this industry through next year. In fact, we may be entering a phase for this industry when there will always be a shortage of something going forward, which is, as you might imagine, a giant bowl of Not Good.
Added to all of this pressure is the monumental shift to EVs going on, which is placing a premium on sourcing precious metals and the need for propagating a completely new menu of technical materials that go into the development of batteries and battery infrastructure. Right now, auto companies are running virtual war rooms where teams of people are in constant motion tracking down raw materials all over the globe, while identifying supplier companies that can be partnered with or bought out in order to ensure supplies for the fundamental needs of producing vehicles going forward. This is serious business, and it is growing more critical by the day.
But surprisingly enough, from the industry standpoint this daily laundry list of crises has brought with it an unanticipated advantage. The shortage mentality – and reality – has completely upended the old dealer sales model in the U.S. market. The days of going down to a local dealership and wandering around the parked inventory to see what new vehicles it has in stock are over. In less than three years the retail auto industry has been forced to switch to the European way of selling cars and trucks, which means that you either place an order for a vehicle and wait, or you hope for a cancellation of an existing order that you can jump on. The result? Discounting has been severely reduced or eliminated altogether, “premiums” have become part of the deal discussions, and the gross profit-per-vehicle numbers have exploded, giving manufacturers and their dealers supercharged profits. Just one example? The Penske Automotive Group’s second quarter net income jumped 10 percent from a year earlier, while it delivered its most profitable quarter ever.
I have covered this before, but it is the most striking, fundamental change that this business has seen in many decades. This change to high-transactional pricing has also brought something else with it too: Consumers aren’t backing away from buying or leasing vehicles in the midst of these shortages and inflationary pressures. In fact, they’re powering ahead to find what they want when they want it. The average price of a new vehicle in the U.S. market is now around $45,000.00. Think about that for a moment. And it is going up. The average car payment is now well over $500 per month. And vehicle loans are now getting ridiculously long again, which history tells us is never a good sign.
And probably the most mind-boggling development in all of this? Payments of $1,000 per month or more are becoming common in this frenzied atmosphere. It’s as if the whole world has gone frickin’ crazy.
But in the midst of all of these crises and the swirling maelstrom driving this market, there’s one more crisis that this industry has refused to take meaningful strides against, and that is the crisis of affordability. I’ve written about this often, and I will write about it many times in the future I’m sure. But the basic affordability of vehicles is slipping away and we’re watching it unfurl like a train wreck in slow motion.
I’ve mentioned this before, but one manufacturer made an attempt at delivering affordability and actually got it right. The Ford Motor Company. And no, it’s not the much-hyped Mach-E and Lightning EVs that garner this recognition, it’s the Maverick Hybrid pickup truck. To me, it’s by far the most impressive vehicle in the Ford lineup, and the True Believers in Dearborn deserve all of the credit for it.
In fact, it’s the most significant vehicle from the auto industry to come along in a long, long time. You can get a stripped down Maverick Hybrid for a little over $21,000 (with those exquisite steelies), one that’s well-equipped for around $27,000, or you can spend $30,000 (or a little more) for the full-zoot version. Either way, you’re getting a damn fine vehicle for the money.
Memo to auto manufacturers: It doesn’t matter how great your BelchFire EV is, or how much range it’s capable of or how fast it recharges – if people can’t afford it. The prices of new vehicles are creeping upward, fast. Too fast. That $45,000 average selling price? That’s a mere suggestion at this point. Realistically, the norm is more like $50-$65,000.
And it’s just not sustainable.
I hope the other manufacturers have a plan for this affordability crisis, because it’s the one crisis that could derail all of their blue sky EV efforts.
And that’s the High-Octane Truth for this week.
(Ford Motor Company)
Editor’s Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on “Next 1 Entries” below. – WG