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According to Professor Anamara Ritt-Olson of the University of Southern California’s Online Master of Public Health Program, teens need more education regarding the health threats posed by vaping. Unfortunately, according to Ritt-Olson, media representation is making this unhealthy habit cool in the eyes of youth.
This trend disturbs Ritt-Olson, especially in light of the fact that health advocates have had a similar, long battle with cigarettes. In fact, Ritt-Olson suggests that it may be time to revisit the non-smoking ads of the 90s to combat the current vaping problem.
Today, many teens are turning to electronic cigarettes – also called vapes – to relieve stress. Like cigarettes, vaping also comes with inherent health risks. Duly, it’s important to get the message out that electronic cigarettes are not a healthy smoking alternative.
The growing trend of vaping is a major concern among health advocates and officials. It’s so popular that it’s created a lucrative market for the product and serving as a gateway drug to smoking cigarettes, bolstering that industry as well. Ritt-Olson says E-cigarettes were initially seen as a healthy thing. They were designed originally to help people quit smoking cigarettes. She thinks that perception – that they were a healthy alternative to cigarettes– contributed to the rapid increase.
Vaping is Becoming more Popular
Many of today’s teens are underestimating the health risks of vaping. One factor influencing this trend is the Pod Mod. It’s a vaping device that looks like a USB drive and can be charged using a USB port.
Yale University researchers worry that youth don’t understand that they are consuming nicotine when vaping, which can lead to addiction. Studies show that teens are reluctant to smoke cigarettes because of the potential for addiction and health problems. However, a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study reveals trends showing that the same group is increasingly starting to use vaping devices.
The CDC study shows that 8-percent of 10th graders and 3-percent of 8th graders vaped nicotine products in the previous month. The most troublesome revelation of the survey is that respondents believed that this was harmless. Ritt-Olson thinks we need more knowledge about the risks of vaping, education in school based programs, and messages woven into health curriculum to help combat and enforce new policies.
Unfortunately, Vapes Are the New Cigarettes
Mindfulness is essential for good health, especially for youth. Regrettably, vaping is a threat to the well-being of all individuals who use the product.
In general, the way that vapes work is straightforward. The devices typically use batteries that power heating elements which turn liquids into an aerosol. Users then inhale the aerosol. This is where the simplicity of the devices ends.
Manufacturers label vaping devices in many ways. This might include:
- Electronic nicotine delivery devices (ENDS)
- Pod mods
- Vape pens
Furthermore, manufacturers may call their vaping liquids cartridges, e-juice, e-liquid, oil or pods.
The majority of vaping liquids contain chemicals such as propylene glycol and nicotine. Some even contain marijuana. Also, many vaping liquids contain artificial flavoring, resulting in a range of flavors that rivals sweetened candies, juices and sodas.
Some products, such as pod mods, pose an enhanced health risk because of manufacturers’ use of a form of vaping liquid made from the nicotine salts of loose tobacco, rather than the standard free-based nicotine found in e-cigarettes. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, this variant allows users to experience a more intense high and is also more addictive.
Researchers have studied e-cigarettes since their arrival in the United States in 2007 as a tool that could potentially help people quit smoking. Because e-cigarettes have fewer chemicals compared to regular cigarettes, manufacturers have promoted them as a healthy smoking alternative. This is misleading, however, because some vaping liquids still contain highly addictive nicotine.
Youth Vaping Is a Serious Problem
Academics note that cigarette smoking is highly unpopular among students. However, vaping is growing increasingly popular.
Across the nation, educators are increasingly punishing students for vaping. Despite this, students report that they can’t stop using the product. In light of the fact that manufacturers promote e-cigarettes as a resource for smoking cessation, this is a disturbing trend.
Researchers don’t know enough information about e-cigarettes to understand the health effects of using the product. In effect, today’s youth of the unwitting test subjects of how vaping will affect the long-term health of the population.
It’s disconcertingly easy for teens to access vaping devices. They’re available at convenience and department stores across the nation.
Researchers lament that this is promoting nicotine addiction among a new generation of youth. In fact, a National Institute on Drug Abuse report revealed that 12th grade students who are non-smokers but use e-cigarettes were four times as likely to start smoking regular cigarettes.
Stress May Contribute to Increased Vaping Among Youth
According to health advocates, stress is a large contributor to youth vaping. In fact, a recent survey has revealed that 27-percent of teens who participated in a recent study felt excessively stressed. Exercising and other activities may help people cope with stress, and improve their health and wellbeing without vaping.
Despite the preventative efforts of parents and educators, many students continue to vape. Moreover, many school officials believe that if teens didn’t have access to vapes, they wouldn’t inhale any form of nicotine.
Today, it’s illegal in the United States for anyone under the age of 18 to buy e-cigarettes. However, health advocates report that vape advertising campaigns seem to appeal definitively to younger generations.
A disturbing segment of teens believe that vaping is safe. Due to the novelty of the devices, many parents unfortunately feel the same way.
As youth vaping increases, so will the profits of manufacturers. For now, it appears that vaping manufacturers are winning the battle of minds and wallets among the nation’s youth. Hopefully, our society and communities can take a stronger stand against vaping and help keep these products out of the hands of kids.


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GE Opens Predix Software Platform to SoftBank Telecom in First Licensing Deal
Global partnership will tap $12B data analytics market in Japan; creates revenue stream for GE across new industries
- SoftBank, the Japanese telecommunications and Internet giant, is the first to license GE’s PredixTM platform for the Industrial Internet and is expected to bring custom Predix industry apps to market in early 2015.
- This partnership expands the reach of Predix to new markets and industries, and builds on the $1B+ PredictivityTM services revenue GE expects this year from its own software solutions.
- SoftBank will gain access to GE’s software platform in the partnership, and will develop targeted apps for industries such as shipping and manufacturing; SoftBank will leverage GE’s Predix App Factory expertise and methodology to scale production.
Holly Gilthorpe, GE
Jessica Oster, GE
John O’Brien, The OutCast Agency

domain: news


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Huntingdon multi-storey car park won’t be ready for Christmas
- Credit: Archant
The ground floor of the £5million multi-storey car park in Huntingdon will now not open in time for the busy Christmas shopping period as planned.
Chris Allen, Huntingdonshire District Council projects and assets manager, said: “This is a major scheme for the town and we are looking forward to its completion. But we are slightly behind.”
The completion of the four-storey, 400-place car park, earmarked to be fully operational by the end of January, is running three to four weeks behind schedule.
Mr Allen said: “The main problem has been the compact nature of the site and having to keep to a minimum disruption to the rest of the car park.
“We have had to balance the need to work in small areas with materials such as beams being delivered and having to be installed in the right order and at the right time, as there is no space for storage.
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“The amount of time we are able to work out of hours is limited due to factors such as health and safety and the effect on the local environment.”
Mr Allen said the council was looking at the possibility of providing extra parking spaces in other parts of the town over Christmas to cope with the increased numbers of festive shoppers.
- 1 Numerous Huntingdon High Street shops shut due to flooding
- 2 Man who burgled his own father’s home is sentenced
- 3 Shocks all round as police pull over 'white van man'
- 4 Seven men jailed for stealing bikes worth £70k
- 5 Man to appear in court after smashing police car window with sledgehammer
- 6 Father-of-five murdered due to 'drug deal dispute gone wrong'
- 7 Man in court over special constable assault and theft of alcohol
- 8 Drink driver arrested in Brampton for being four times over the legal limit
- 9 Diners at St Ives pub help raise £8k for hospitality charity
- 10 Lets get Cambridgeshire back on the buses says mayor
At last month’s ceremony marking the start of the demolition of the nearby former Inland Revenue buildings, the architects of the new retail unit at Chequer’s Court, Barber Casanovas Ruffles, said the plan was to get the demolition and a significant amount of the car park completed before Christmas.
But the demolition is also running slightly behind schedule.
Howard White, of Churchmanor Estates which owns the land, said: “Completion looks likely now to straddle Christmas as we need to get archaeologists back once the final slabs have been lifted.
“With big old buildings like this there are inevitable delays, but Anglian Demolition are doing a great job.”
He said they were in close discussion with Katy Sismore, BID Huntingdon Manager, and the district council regarding resolution of car parking issues over Christmas.
The development is the first phase of the £25m transformation of Huntingdon, which includes retail units to replace the Inland Revenue building, converting Sainsbury’s current store into three retail units and redeveloping its petrol station into a unit for a “major store”.
Sainsbury’s has planning permission for a multi-million pound store and petrol station at the West Huntingdon redevelopment.


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Forty eight per cent of respondents did not want external agencies to access their data for research or promotional purposes.
06 Sep 2020 10:03 PM
The survey also finds that 30% of Indian-Americans have had financial impact on their jobs due to US's unparalleled surge in COVID-19 cases
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Social Commerce accounts for 15-20% of the online retail market and is expected to hit the $70 billion mark in the coming 10 years.
21 Feb 2020 10:23 AM
Popular dating apps often become a bait used to spread mobile malware.
14 Feb 2020 6:57 AM
'The Weddingz Report', highlights what Indians are searching the most.
08 Nov 2019 7:47 AM
Indians are least active, second-most sleep-deprived, reveals Fitbit study.
31 Oct 2019 7:30 AM
It was found that only 20 per cent adults answered seven or more questions correctly.
11 Oct 2019 8:13 AM
The survey further found that nearly 30 per cent claim they have been doxed in an online game.
26 Jul 2019 8:03 AM
The finding was based on a survey conducted by AAP legislators, municipal councillors and women wing.
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Over 45 per cent of the entries focused on breaking stereotypes about ‘Places’.
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A survey shows that there is an increasing amount of people who are rocking out with Apple AirPods during their love-making sessions.
17 Jun 2019 10:45 AM
The report highlights that users spend an average of 3.6 hours on their phones or tablets every day.
13 Jun 2019 10:29 AM
Indian porn is 57 per cent more popular in New York, 42 per cent more popular in London, 76 per cent in Paris and 92 per cent in Toronto.
22 May 2019 12:29 PM
What Worries the World is a monthly online survey of adults aged under 65 in 28 nations, including India, China, US among others.
16 Apr 2019 12:56 PM
90 per cent women recognise body shaming as a common behaviour and part of the blame is on social media.
05 Apr 2019 11:03 AM
The survey also found that 74 percent of organizations indicated they have moved business critical applications to the cloud.
27 Mar 2019 4:45 PM
SonicWall’s patent-pending Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection (RTDMI) identified 74,290 never-seen-before attacks in 2019.
27 Mar 2019 3:31 PM
Compared with gaming consoles, computers, and tablets, mobile phones remain the most popular device for gameplay in India.
26 Mar 2019 5:53 PM
79 per cent of alcohol consumers have made at least one drunk purchase and Amazon is their favourite place to shop.
26 Mar 2019 2:44 PM
Gartner analysts to discuss project management technology trends at the Gartner Program & Portfolio Management Summits.
20 Mar 2019 5:58 PM


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Apple to ship first wave of liquid-cooled Power Mac G5sApple Computer, Inc. is preparing to ship the first "official" batch of liquid-cooled dual processor 2.5 GHz Power Mac G5s, which should begin appearing on some customer's doorsteps as early as next week, AppleInsider has learned.
Apple began taking pre-orders for the 2.5 GHz Power Macs in early June, citing availability from the Apple Store in July. Although the company this month was reported to have provided select partners and clients with a handful of its earliest production models, shipments have yet to begin to the average consumer.
This week the Apple Store remained optimistic that the company will make good on its July promissory statement. According to well placed sources, the first customer shipments of 2.5 GHz Power Macs are currently "on track" to leave Apple's manufacturing facilities this Friday, July 30th.
Over the past week, several customers have noted pre-authorization charges from Apple on their bill statements. This is a typical precautionary measure taken by the Apple online store to detect any customer finance issues just days prior to shipping large product orders.
Unfortunately for most 2.5 GHz Power Mac adopters, the initial shipment is expected to be quite limited. A recent analysis of pending Power Mac G5 orders indicates that only those customers who placed orders during the first week or so of availability are likely to see their orders fulfilled by the first week of August. In fact, it appears that IBM's G5 manufacturing problems will continue to plague the Power Mac family well into September. New orders for 2.5 GHz Power Macs carry a waiting period of at least 4 to 6 weeks, meanwhile customers have also reported their share of delays associated with fresh orders for the slower 2.0 GHz Power Mac models.
On a more positive note, information suggests that Apple's July 30th 2.5 GHz Power Mac shipments may include a handful of NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL graphics cards. Apple had previously stated that the graphics card--a requirement for Apple's new 30-inch HD Cinema display--would not ship until late August.
Although higher-ups at the Apple online store confirmed plans to begin shipping the new Power Macs later this week, they were cautious not to rule out any last minute delays. In the event that plans change, sources say that customers with July delivery estimates will receive an e-mail from the Apple Store, updating their order status to an reflect an early August delivery.


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Johnson & Johnson is recalling some of its baby power after trace amounts of asbestos was discovered.
The voluntary recall is limited to one lot of Johnson’s baby powder produced and shipped in the United States in 2018.
It’s about 33,000 bottles.
The asbestos was found in samples from a single bottle purchased from an online retailer.
Reuters published a report last December, alleging the company knew for a decades that cancer-causing asbestos could be found in its talc.
J&J has repeatedly said its talc products are safe, and that decades of studies have shown them to be asbestos-free and that they do not cause cancer.


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LG has launched a 55 in (140 cm) OLED TV – kickstarting a battle over the next-generation of high-quality screens.
OLED (organic light-emitting diode) is more energy efficient than LCD (liquid crystal display) and plasma-based alternatives.
LG’s model will be sold in South Korea first with other markets, including Europe, to follow thereafter.
Both LG and Samsung announced 55 in OLEDs last year, but LG is the first to make its available.
The firms showcased their televisions at last January’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, but until now neither company had managed to get a product to market.
LG’s headstart on its rival helped give it a 5.4% share price boost on Wednesday.
LG has launched a 55 in OLED TV, kickstarting a battle over the next-generation of high-quality screens
The 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) OLED television will sell for 11 million won ($10,300). Analysts said the technology was unlikely to become more affordable until at least 2015 – but that this latest release was more about cementing LG’s position as a market leader.
That said, global sales of OLED televisions are expected to grow to 1.7 million by 2014, according to research firm DisplaySearch.
OLED screens have been touted as the successor to the popular liquid crystal displays (LCD).
The technology allows for the display of darker and deeper blacks, and can be made thinner than competing display methods.
Smaller OLED screens are already in mass distribution. Samsung uses the technology in its smartphones, and Sony’s PlayStation Vita handheld console also utilizes the thin, light technology.
Many predict that OLED screens will allow for the development of a new generation of “bendy” gadgets, some of which are expected to be unveiled over the course of the year.
But larger OLED screens have proven difficult to manufacture due mainly to cost and reliability constraints.
Another technology, known as 4K, has also been given a lot of attention from manufacturers.
Dubbed “Ultra HD”, 4K offers 8 million pixels per frame – four times the resolution of 1080p high-definition displays – making it particularly well suited for extra large screens. 110 in (279 cm) models are expected to be put on show at CES next week.
Existing 4K TV sets are LCD-based. But according to some purists, OLED offers a richer quality display so might be better the better option for 55 in screens.
LG Electronics has released what is described as the world’s biggest ultra-definition (UD) TV.
LG UD TV sports an 84 in (213 cm) screen, smaller than a 90 in model made by Sharp, but LG boasts support for 4K, a more advanced picture format.
The screen offers 8 million pixels per frame, four times the resolution of 1080p high-definition displays.
The firm sees this technology as a key marketing tool to help challenge market leader Samsung.
LG Electronics has released what is described as the world's biggest ultra-definition (UD) TV
Toshiba already offers a smaller 55 in 4K screen, and Panasonic a 20 in model. Sony and Samsung are also developing their own devices.
However, LG’s 25 million-won ($22,010) price tag is likely to dissuade many from investing in its technology at present.
“The 4K display market is still in its infancy but it was important for LG to claim a stake in this space,” said the chief executive of LG Electronics Home Entertainment, Havis Kwon.
The South Korean company is the second-largest seller of flatscreen television screens, and is known to compete with its domestic rival, Samsung, for bragging rights.
Earlier this year it sought to upstage its rival by showing off the world’s largest OLED (organic light-emitting diode) at the Consumer Electronics Show trade show in Las Vegas. But when Samsung heard about the news it shipped an identically sized model to the event.
One analyst said that sales of the latest release were likely to be limited, but it provided an indication of where the industry was pointed.
“4K is a technology that is an evolutionary step that – maybe a long way down the line – will be the successor to today’s HD televisions,” said Daniel Simmons from IHS Screen Digest.
“It’s a step up in image quality, offering the opportunity to have cinema-quality resolution in the home and is a noticeable improvement.
“But it is worth recognizing that many people only upgraded their televisions from CRT [cathode ray tube] models in order to have a larger flatscreen model – the high-definition feature was not the primary motivator.
“4K allows people to have even bigger screens in their homes and it may be the screen size, rather than the resolution itself, that makes it attractive.”
LG’s 84 in model has initially been released in South Korea ahead of its launch elsewhere in the world in September. It will also show off the device at the IFA tech trade show in Berlin at the end of August.


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Port Canaveral expects to increase its 2011 budget revenue by nearly 22 percent, thanks to its growing cruise and cargo business. That potentially will allow it to move forward on $10 million worth of projects next year, including the preliminary design of a proposed new $44 million cruise terminal.
Design and construction work may go out for bid on some of the projects next year, said port CEO Stan Payne, depending on if they get final port authority commission approval.
The proposed fiscal-year 2011 budget of $56.8 million, presented at the Canaveral Port Authority’s Aug. 18 meeting, would leave about $9.7 million for debt reduction and port development. The budget is up from $46 million in fiscal-year 2010.
A final vote on the budget, including the proposed $10 million capital projects budget, will be up for port authority commissioners’ approval at the September meeting.
“We’ve had a couple of lean years because of the economy,” said Payne. “So 2011 is going to be a very good year, and 2012 could be better.”
One new project under consideration is construction of the $44 million Cruise Terminal 6, which will include a new dock and a building. However, the bulk of the money for the project’s construction is budgeted in 2012 and 2013.
The port needs larger cruise terminals to accommodate bigger new cruise ships, Payne said. Plus, the port’s schedule for home port and port-of-call ships is filling up, leaving less opportunity for new business and increasing the need for another terminal. And with construction prices low, it’s an opportune time to build.
A presentation on the proposed Cruise Terminal 6 is scheduled for the port authority commission’s September meeting, said port spokeswoman Rosalind Harvey.
The $19 million cost for the dock construction would create about 311 temporary construction jobs, with an average annual wage of $24,000, she said. Additionally, construction of the $25 million terminal building would generate 353 construction jobs.
When the new cruise terminal is operating, it could create more than 500 cruise ship jobs and another 600 indirect jobs, such as positions at nearby hotels and restaurants that would benefit from the additional cruise business.
Another cruise terminal would be good news for Central Florida’s tourism market. Many cruise passengers also visit the Orlando area and its attractions, said Danielle Courtenay, spokeswoman for the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“They might come a week on a cruise and a week to Orlando. So as more cruises are coming in, that give us the opportunity to have spinoff business.”
In September, port authority commissioners also will vote on whether or not to proceed with an estimated $11 million visitors’ center/museum project plus a $20 million to $25 million, 350-foot-tall observation tower, for which the port is seeking private funding.
The visitors’ center/museum construction is expected to cost $8 million, with another $3 million needed to fully outfit the center and museum. That project would yield about 153 temporary construction jobs, Harvey said. She didn’t have job creation estimates for the $20 million tower project.
Smaller proposed projects include a new small administration building on the west side of the port, estimated to cost $1 million, to replace existing portable units, now housing the port’s operations staff.
The port also has applied for federal funding for $29 million in improvements to North Cargo Pier 8 and $7.5 million for north side improvements. A decision on the federal grant is expected in mid-September at the earliest.
Port authority Commissioner Mac McLouth said the port’s growth shows its value in bringing work to the area, especially with the space industry shedding an estimated 9,000 local jobs.
The port invested millions of dollars in improvements during the past few years to accommodate larger cruise ships and more cruise ship passengers, “and they’re paying off,” said Jeff Long, the port’s chief financial officer.
Revenue from cruise operations is expected to jump 25 percent from $34.1 million in 2010 to $42.7 million in 2011, as two new ships will come online in late 2010 and early 2011. The Disney Dream will start sailing in January 2011 and is expected to generate $8 million in fiscal-year 2011. Tynda Holdings’ new Victory gaming ship also is slated to start operations at the port in November, and should generate $2.3 million in annual revenue.
The port expects to get about $37.5 million from multi-day cruises and another $2.9 million from ports-of-call. Cruise lines operating out of the port include Carnival Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Lines. The port receives a fee per ship passenger, called a wharfage rate, plus income from dockage, parking and other services.
Cargo operations revenue also is expected to grow 16.3 percent to $5.7 million in 2011, up from $4.9 million in 2010. The port is trying to diversify and expand its cargo operations, after being hit by the slump in the construction segment and a fall-off in shipments of building materials.
The cargo increase mostly was attributed to the new $130 million Seaport Canaveral Terminal, where the Vitol Group started importing oil products on April 29. It is expected to create about $5 million in additional yearly revenue for Port Canaveral.


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Nutpods Joins With VMG Partners to Reshape the Non-dairy Creamer Category
July 30, 2019
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--nutpods, one of the fastest-growing natural food brands in the country, has a new strategic partner in its ongoing mission to convince consumers to rethink their coffee ritual. VMG partners, the private equity firm that specializes in building iconic consumer brands, lead the round which also included current nutpods investors CircleUp Growth Partners and the Sidekick Fund.
"We couldn't be more excited about this new stage of growth for our company," says nutpods founder & CEO Madeline Haydon. "VMG is the perfect partner for nutpods given their commitment to supporting first-time entrepreneurs, successfully investing in women-owned businesses and their track record of helping brands scale from ideas into icons." VMG has had a hand in the success of many mature and emerging food brands including Justin's, Spindrift, and KIND.
In four short years nutpods has grown to the #3 brand in the exploding plant-based creamer category by cultivating and leveraging a passionate consumer following. Initially launched as a Kickstarter project, the early supporters of the brand have become evangelists for the clean label, Whole30 Approved creamers making nutpods the #1 selling brand on Amazon and fastest growing brand of refrigerated plant-based creamers in national retailers. The brand's success is driven in part by their unconventional route to market: starting with direct to consumer prior to expanding into traditional grocery sales.
"It's all about meeting unmet needs for our consumers," said Haydon. "We may have started as a darkhorse brand in a mature category, but our fans have driven our growth through reviews, recommendations and their loyalty allowing us to expand from 3 to 10 flavors and from D2C to over 15,000 retail accounts. We can't wait to introduce nutpods to more people."
nutpods is an independent, natural foods manufacturer based in Seattle, Washington, dedicated to introducing dairy-free creamers from plant-based ingredients. Introduced in 2015, nutpods quickly found a loyal consumer base with Whole30®, paleo, keto, vegan and vegetarian consumers who appreciate a high quality, plant-based creamer in their coffee and tea. nutpods is sold at retail locations nationwide as well as online.
Visit www.nutpods.com for more information.


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Last week, Microsoft told Seattle's KUOW: 'We pay all our tax obligations everywhere we are, properly.' Today, Microsoft Tax Dodge, a new website focused on the company's royalty tax dodge, challenged CEO Steve Ballmer today to live up to his spoken commitment to transparent business practices: 'At this point, I think it's reasonable to ask Microsoft to back up that claim with a public explanation of the company's licensing operations. In that spirit, will you tell the public how it is that Microsoft has avoided paying Washington State's B&O Royalty Tax for the past 12 years?' Washington State currently faces a projected $2.6 billion deficit. In addition to the ethical and public relations issues that crumbling bridges and overcrowded schools (Seattle recently considered making D a passing grade) present to the state's most profitable company, the compa
ny also faces deeper scrutiny of the legality of its tax practice.
(Image: WEB DEVELOPERS!, a Creative Commons Attribution photo from Nick, Programmerman's photostream)
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Yesterday, Tianfeng International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a new forecast report. He said that in the second half of 2020, Apple will launch three new iPhones and they all will support 5G. By the way, he thinks these will be the first Apple iPhone models to come with such functionality.
Kuo believes that in order to meet the needs of the US market, Apple will begin supporting mmWave & Sub-6GHz networking in the second half of 2020. Simply put, three iPhone models will support faster 5G cellular data. He also pointed out that Apple may be motivated to launch a 5G iPhone that only supports Sub-6GHz for the markets such as China. Due to this, they will cost less and this can be a good factor to gain the market share. However, Kuo is sure the priority is on the global version, and there is a doubt Apple may not manage to design cheaper iPhones in time.
Cheaper iPhone For China?
On July 26, Apple officially announced that it had agreed to acquire the related business of Intel’s smartphone modem division. This means now Apple has more resources to support 5G on more models sooner. This is vital for the Cupertino-based company because there will appear many Android-powered products supporting 5G and priced around $350. So Apple should compete with them somehow. Of course, Apple iPhones will be priced way higher. But this company runs another type of policy, getting most of its consumers from carriers. So 5G will be a requirement for the iPhone.
Also Read: The 2020 iPhone Will Arrive With A Smaller Notch According To Ming-Chi Kuo
According to an analysis by the upstream industry chain, by 2021 all iPhones (or iPhone 12 series) will start supporting 5G. At the same time, Apple will launch a self-developed 5G modem between 2022 and 2023. This will help the company to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm.


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Tiffany, 62, was born on a dairy farm in the district and ran a tourist boat business for 20 years. Joining the Legislature in 2011, he was a close ally of then Republican Gov. Scott Walker and voted to pass the anti union law, Act 10. This is dense and thick dish made using rava, which is also called semolina, suji or cream of wheat. Healthy with goodness of vegetables and tasty too. Photos included cheap jerseys .
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VIDEO: Advice On How To Make The Most Of Christmas Tree Shopping
By FOX NEWS // November 28, 2016
Black Friday was a hot spot for Christmas Trees
ABOVE VIDEO: What makes the perfect tree for Christmas, this news reports gives you tips.
(FOX) – Shopping malls weren’t the only places seeing a lot of foot traffic on Black Friday. Christmas tree lots were a hot spot for many shoppers eager to start decorating for the holidays.
“It’s the smell. You can’t beat the smell. It kind of sets that tone for Christmas, like the switch that begins,” said Adam Fritz, who chooses his tree the day after Thanksgiving every year at Great Lakes Christmas Tree Farm, 5107 N 22nd Street, in Tampa.
“It seems like every year everybody wants to get their tree up a little earlier than last year,” said John Sansone, the owner and operator at Great Lakes.
Sansone said his family business has made it through 40 years of Christmas.


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Fears for the future of retailer Game have intensified after its shares were suspended and it admitted the business has no value.
The company, which operates 1,300 stores worldwide and employs 10,000 staff, was reported to be trying to raise £180m this week or face administration after several suppliers refused to provide it with new products.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, Game said discussions were taking place with a potential third-party funder but it was unable to assess its financial position and was "of the opinion that there is no equity value left in the group".
Its shares were suspended on the London Stock Exchange "pending clarification of the company's financial position".
Some 600 of Game's stores are in the UK, employing 6,000 staff. All the group's stores, which also include the Gamestation brand, are still open for business.
It is understood that one of Game's main lenders, taxpayer-backed Royal Bank of Scotland, has objected to the terms of a rescue deal with private equity firm OpCapita, which recently bought electrical goods retailer Comet.
It has been reported that Game faces a £21m rent payment on Sunday and a £12m wage bill at the end of the month. It also owes more than £10m in VAT and £40m to suppliers. A new investor would have to pay up to £100m to Game's banks.
Game has borne the brunt of dire trading in recent months, which has forced the chain to ask its suppliers for more generous terms.
Some of them have instead stopped supplying Game with new releases, such as Mass Effect 3 and Street Fighter X Tekken, leaving fans disappointed and adding to the group's trading woes.
Game agreed fresh lending facilities with banks last month and began seeking access to alternative sources of funding earlier this month.
It has already signalled that losses for the year to the end of January are likely to be around £18m.


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It’s time to start planning and shopping for the holidays. For decades, LEGO has been a go-to toy brand for both children and adults. Now, it’s been revealed which sets have gained the most value over the decades, with surprising results.
Most people just buy LEGO sets for their kids (or themselves) to build and play with, but for serious collectors, it’s a different story altogether. Rare LEGO sets can fetch thousands of dollars; it can be a very competitive market, not unlike buying and selling art or playing the stock market.
From the iconic Space Command Centre to the LEGO Star Wars X-Wing Fighter this new study uncovered the most valuable LEGO sets ever created:
- Set 926-1, ‘The Space Command Centre‘ is the most valuable LEGO set, currently valued at $10,141.
- Released in 2013, the ‘Mr. Gold’ Minifigure has seen the highest appreciation of any LEGO set, increasing from its retail price of $2.99 to now being valued at $4,680.
- The ‘LEGO Duplo PreSchool Racer’ was released in 1977 at the reasonable price of $1.10. A mint-condition version would now be worth $160.69; that’s a +14508.18% rise in value.
- Released in 1965, the LEGO set 001-1 might have nostalgic value due to its age, but with an original retail price of $4.95, a set today is only valued at $68.84, a +1290.71% increase.
For more information on this study, visit TheToyZone.
All photos courtesy of TheToyZone/Featured Image: BrickLink


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Invented by John Matherly, Shodan is a search engine that finds every device that is connected to the Internet
The winners of EDGE Awards 2013 were recently honored at a ceremony held at Leela Palace, Mumbai
InformationWeek recently honored the winners of its prestigious Diamond EDGE and Silver EDGE award at...
Consider these10 quick facts to gauge how India is riding the cloud wave
Join RSA for this upcoming webcast as we take a deep dive into the latest business models in the black market. By attending, you will learn about: The latest cybercrime training services being offered to new fraudsters, The alliances being formed across various underground forums and its impact New economic models being applied for payments and cashout among cybercriminals Speaker: Eli Marcus Senior Writer, Fraud Action Knowledge Delivery team, RSA Date & Time: July 31, 2014, 3:00pm India Time


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Wednesday January 5, 2011
Jason Wu Launches Bridal Line on Net-A-Porter
Jason Wu became an overnight success thanks to Michelle Obama and her iconic inaugural gown. The young designer is now making a dive into the bridal market with a new wedding dress line offered exclusively through Net-a-Porter. The five piece collection vary from short, flirty designs to more classic styles, with prices that range from $995 to $5,475. The designs will be available later this month.


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The disturbing difference between black and white Barbies
There’s been a long fight for diversity in toys, for Barbies that aren’t just blond and blue-eyed and impossibly proportioned. But even when the company comes up with versions of the doll that aren’t pale-skinned, there’s still discrimination involved.
Just ask parent Warren Johnson, who was looking for a Barbie for his daughter for Christmas. The model that his daughter wanted was the Barbie Fashion Design Maker African-American doll, one of the toys that’s flying off the shelves for the holiday season. But when he was doing research online, Johnson found that the African-American version of the doll retailed for almost twice as much as its white counterpart. So he took to Twitter to raise the following question:
“It kind of rubbed me the wrong way in light of all the things that are going on in our society right now,” Johnson told news station WCPO, referring to recent concerns of racial injustice in our country. “When my daughter asked the question, ‘Why is the black doll more expensive than the white doll?’ I really didn’t have an answer.”
It’s a fair question. It doesn’t seem right that a little girl looking for a black Barbie doll should have to shell out any more than for a white Barbie. When Johnson called Target about the price discrepancy, a manager said it was an error and offered Johnson the doll at the lower price. The store also released a statement to WCPO indicating that the pricing was a mistake. Target is now selling both Barbies at the same price.
Target isn’t the only retailer to have a difference in the price between light- and dark-skinned dolls. At Toys-R-Us, the same African-American doll was on sale for four dollars less than its white counterpart. Wal-Mart’s website also listed an African-American Barbie for $11.87 while its Caucasian version cost $9.88, CNBCfound.
When contacted, Wal-Mart also cited a pricing error, and vowed to make up the difference to anyone who had purchased the African-American doll at the higher price with a gift card. “It is our policy to price like dolls of all ethnicities the same. We will ensure pricing is correct,” Wal-Mart said in a statement.


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Hello from the History Department, and happy Oregon Craft Beer Month!
McMenamins operates 25 breweries – the newest (at the Anderson School in Bothell, WA) opened in September 2015. Since our first brew at the Hillsdale Brewery & Public House in 1985, we have produced more than 68,500 batches. For example, in 2014, we collectively brewed 3,251 batches of beer (including more than 250 new and house-specific recipes) – that’s more than 46,750 kegs of beer or 5.8 million pints! Nice work, brewers.
And, of course, Mike and Brian had a big hand in making Oregon craft beers happen in the first place, so below is the short story plus some beer facts, compliments of 1859 Magazine and the Oregon Brewers Guild (OBG).
And, because we are who we are and do what we do, there are a couple summer brewfests coming up – like the 16th Annual Roadhouse Brewfest at Cornelius Pass this coming Saturday, July 15. It’s also the 151st birthday of that beautiful property in Hillsboro, OR. And on Saturday, August 12, head to the coast for the 22nd Annual Lighthouse Brewfest in Lincoln City, OR.
Excerpted from 1859 Magazine:
In 1985, a small motivated group of brewers pushed new laws through the Oregon Legislature that allowed the combination of brewing and retail sales, a critical piece of law that shapes today’s industry. “It was illegal to have retail and manufacturing on the same premise,” notes Brian McMenamin, who with his brother, Michael, owns the legendary McMenamins chain of brewpubs and lodging facilities. “So it was impossible to make beer and sell it in a restaurant that was on the same premises.”
The McMenamin brothers, together with a group of Portland-area brewers including: Richard and Nancy Ponzi of Columbia River Brewing (now BridgePort Brewing); Art Larrance and Fred Bowman of Portland Brewing; Kurt and Rob Widmer, of Widmer Brothers Brewing, all decided to write a bill that would change the law in Oregon.
“Our bill kept getting killed and killed and killed,” Mike McMenamin recalls. “Finally it was attached to a bill to allow Coors to sell their beer in Oregon. We thought this was the death knell for us, but, to our amazement, the bill cruised through.”
Photo: Mike & Brian McMenamin and first brewer Ron Wolf (right) toast with a sample of the Hillsdale’s debut brew, October 1985.
And this, excerpted from a recent OBG release:
Oregonians are drinking more Oregon beer. Beer consumption increased in 2016, with 23.3 percent of the 3.04 million barrels of all beer (both bottled and draft) consumed in the state were made in Oregon.
Oregon draft beer consumption stole an even larger market share, with Oregon breweries producing an estimated 64.9 percent of all draft beer consumed in the state. Barrel production in the state increased by 4.8 percent in 2016, coming in at a grand total of 1,782,000 barrels.
As of December 31, 2016, the state had 230 brewing companies operating 261 brewing facilities in 73 cities across the state, an increase of 15 brewing facilities in 2016.
Brewery count by city and region:
26 in Bend — 36 in Central Oregon
2 in Baker City + Ontario — 12 in Eastern Oregon
5 in Hood River — 12 in Mt. Hood/The Gorge
70 in Portland — 105 in the Portland Metro Area
6 in Medford — 24 in Southern Oregon
6 in Astoria — 27 on The Coast
14 in Eugene — 45 in the Willamette Valley


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By the time back-to-school shopping begins, we should have our pick of budget Ivy Bridge laptops and desktops
Company releases a new drive for Facebook and Flickr
Motorola Solutions, one-half of the Motorola split last year, makes its second acquisition
Vizio’s combination of low prices, high-end materials, and solid specs will likely be big in the Windows PC market
Will new device, if real, compete with iPad or Kindle Fire?
It’s not clear what Microsoft would do with Yammer and its staff if the rumored deal were finalized
We have the details of the new product launch in LA


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A Swiss chocolate maker has been granted permission to trademark one of its malted chocolate products in Australia, despite competitor Mars Australia successfully objecting to the trademark bid last year.
Delphi Chocolate Manufacturing S.A. applied last year to register the trademark for its Maltitos product in Class 30, which covers confectionary, biscuits and chocolate.
But food giant Mars Australia objected to the trademark bid on the basis that is would be likely to deceive or cause confusion amongst shoppers with its popular chocolate brand Maltesers.
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The Register of Trademarks agreed with Mars and in December 2014, the company successfully opposed Delphi’s bid.
However, Delphi appealed the decision and it was granted permission to register the trademark by Justice Christopher Jessup in the Federal Court on October 1.
In the case, Mars Australia argued the Maltitos mark would be “deceptively similar” to Maltesers if it was used on confectionery products, especially if this was done in similar lettering, font and colours.
However, Jessup said he was “unpersuaded” as a “lay person” that shoppers could confuse the two brands as there are “limited similarities” between the two trademarks.
Mars also put forward the argument that given its established reputation in the market, Delphi’s use of the Maltitos brand in Australia could deceive or cause confusion.
Jessup accepted that Maltesers “is strong embedded in the consciousness of many of those of average intelligence” and has “a very widespread, solid reputation in the area of packaged confectionary”.
But Jessup said this actually works against Mars’ argument.
As Caroline Ryan, special counsel at King & Wood Mallesons explains on IP Whiteboard, Jessup said Maltesers’ strong reputation would not make it more likely for consumers to think the two products come from the same source.
“In fact, the strength of Maltesers reputation actually meant consumers would be less likely to be deceived or confused,” Ryan said.
Gerald Chew, general counsel at Petra Foods, owner of Delfi Chocolate Manufacturing, told SmartCompany in a statement Petra Foods is “extremely pleased with the outcome”.
“The Federal Court has come to a fair decision after considering all aspects of the case objectively,” Chew says.
But in a statement issued to SmartCompany, a spokesperson for Mars Australia said the company thought it was important to pursue the case and “will not shy away from continuing to vigorously protect our brand assets in all their forms”.
“Mars invests heavily in its brands and trademarks, with some of our brands being among the most recognised in the world,” the spokesperson says.
“We have developed a strong reputation for Maltesers in Australia and, in buying this product, consumers have an expectation of quality, freshness and a particular taste. We are, therefore, naturally disappointed by the decision and are taking further legal advice.”
NDA Law director and partner John MacPhail told SmartCompany this morning Mars was “unlucky” in this case.
MacPhail says while some trademark disputes come down to whether two marks are “substantially identical”, in this case Mars was arguing the two products would be “deceptively similar”.
“The test was not whether someone picking up the products would think these two are the same but that they are from the same trade source,” he says.
MacPhail says in the fast-moving consumer goods category, shoppers made quick decisions between products and for this reason, he says this could have strengthened Mars’ case.
MacPhail says the court’s finding is unusual as in trademark law, the first syllable of a word is usually given prominence. In this case, Maltesers share the same first syllable and the same number of syllables.
“What ultimately brought them down was Maltesers are so well-known and have such a strong reputation,” he says.
“They became a victim of their own success.”
*This article was updated at 5.17pm on October 12 to include comments from Mars Australia and Petra Foods, owner of Delphi Chocolate Manufacturing S.A.


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This week at WinHEC, we were able to talk to silicon, hardware, and device partners about the advances we are making in Windows 10 to simplify building Windows devices, drivers, and apps. This talk covered the key advances we disclosed this week, which include:
- The Windows 10 device platform allows IHVs to develop a single universal driver that can be deployed across all Windows 10 device families (e.g. PCs, phones, IoT).
- The Windows 10 device platform provides new tools and techniques to reduce the cost and complexity of imaging and manufacturing Windows 10 devices.
- In-market and new hardware development boards will support Windows 10 and Windows universal drivers.
- Windows 10 will include a new IoT edition for small devices that is tuned to run Windows universal apps and drivers and is royalty free to makers and device builders.
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Event HomepageWinHEC Shenzhen 2015
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Tampa Bay Wave recently selected 15 technology companies to join their cohort for the 2020 TechDiversity Accelerator.
The 90-day international program offers participating entrepreneurs access to a TechDiversity cohort director, mentoring with tech founders, sales training, pitch coaching, and investor introductions in a collaborative, non-competitive environment.
The program is specifically designed for early-stage tech companies that are majority-owned, controlled, and operated by a minority, woman, veteran, disabled or LGBTQ person or persons.
This year's cohort includes six companies with women founders, three with Black founders, and four with Asian/Pacific Islander founders. There are two Tampa Bay-based businesses, CareValet and Oracle Health, while 13 others are operated in tech cities outside of Florida.
"Wave is determined to continue amplifying underrepresented startups," states Linda Olson, president and founder of Tampa Bay Wave, in a press release. "We're eager to continue promoting the essentiality of tech startup diversity with the implementation of this inclusive program, which will define their talents and propel their innovation."
At the program's conclusion, Accelerator companies will take part in Wave's Demo Day, where founders pitch their companies to an audience of investors and business leaders.
Tampa Bay Wave has supported nearly 300 tech startups since launching its program in 2013. In turn, these startups have raised over $200 million and created more than 1,500 jobs.
Wave will host a virtual TechDiversity Accelerator preview, Supporting Diverse Startups to Build Thriving Ecosystems, on Tuesday, June 23. Guests are invited to meet the new Accelerator cohort and join an online national conversation on the role of diversity and inclusion in tech entrepreneurship.
To register for the free virtual event, click here
Here are the 15 companies in Tampa Bay Wave
's 2020 TechDiversity Accelerator


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A recent in-store poster has revealed that GameStop will be holding a Hisuian Growlithe and Feather Ball distribution for owners of Pokémon Legends: Arceus owners. According to the displayed information, the event will run from February 25 until March 13 in North America.
While some fans may enjoy an easy way to snag Hisuian Growlithe, I think we could all use a few extra Feather Balls during our adventures in Hisui. That Pokédex needs a lot of Pokémon to be captured, that’s for sure!
Unfortunately, no international release has been announced for the event. We’ll update this space if there’s news for other retailers or countries.
Don’t forget to join the lively Legends: Arceus conversations in our Discord server!


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IronSource closes on latest acquisition, of Tapjoy
Jan. 10, 2022 10:04 AM ETUnity Software Inc. (U)By: Jason Aycock, SA News Editor
- IronSource (IS -5.4%) has wrapped up an acquisition of Tapjoy, the mobile marketing and monetization company it came to a deal with a few months ago.
- It's the fourth acquisition for ironSource in the past 12 months, following the closing of deals for Soomia, Luna and Bidalgo.
- It offers developers increased revenue generation opportunities through greater access to advertisers actively competing for access to premium in-app inventory.
- “This acquisition, along with others we’ve made recently, will increase the number of access points we have into app-based businesses, as well as provide additional opportunities to expand the number of solutions customers use on our platform,” says ironSource co-founder and CEO Tomer Bar Zeev.
- IronSource had come to a deal for Tapjoy in October, for about $400 million funded with balance-sheet cash.


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- 1 min read
Lohia Auto enters Nepal Market
As a part of their export expansion the company has first time entered the international market starting Nepal.
Ayush Lohia, CEO of Lohia Auto Industries said “At present Lohia Auto Industries has made its mark in the Indian market. It has a Pan India presence with dealer network across India. Directly the brand is associated with 100+ dealers Pan India. Internationally, we plan to foray in South East Asia and neighboring countries to begin with as these are emerging markets with lot of potential. We have started with Nepal internationally and also launched a petrol vehicle for the first time.”
In additional to International Market foray, Lohia Auto has introduced Petrol Auto in Nepal and appointed a distributor there. And for future expansion and a stronger foot hold the distributor appointed by Lohia Auto will further expand the dealer network in Nepal.
Furthermore, as parts of its first Petrol 3 wheeler launch Lohia Auto has introduced passenger and cargo vehicles in the Nepal market.
“The Industry of 3 wheeler is estimated to be 2500 units per annum. We plan to sell 600 units within the first year. To achieve this figure our aim is to appoint 10 dealers in next one year in Nepal as there is immense potential and we have already kicked started well.”Further added Ayush Lohia
Lohia Auto will soon be exporting to other countries in South East Asia and neighboring countries as a part of its first phase of international expansion.


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But I believe that the takeover speculation is likely unwarranted, while SKLZ stock remains extremely overvalued.
An Unrealistic Takeover Rumor
A publication called CTFN suggested that a casino could look to buy Skillz because there has been “consolidation… between casinos and online gaming,” Seeking Alpha reported.
Skillz, however, does not feature gambling or emphasize games that gamblers traditionally enjoy such as poker, craps, or blackjack. It does appear to have a blackjack game and a poker game, but they aren’t a big part of Skillz’s offerings.
As Casino.org explained in an Aug. 2 article, “The bulk of the games featured on Skillz aren’t traditional casino fare, such as blackjack, craps, or poker.”
And its tournaments with cash prizes involve traditional videogames, rather than traditional gambling games.
Given these points, it’s obvious that most of Skillz’s customer base are probably fans of traditional video games. Casinos and companies that feature traditional gambling games online (known as iGaming) are targeting different types of consumers.
Specifically, they’re seeking consumers who enjoy the traditional gambling games, whether online or in-person or both. That’s why DraftKings (NASDAQ:DKNG), in an effort to expand its iGaming offerings, bought Golden Nugget (NASDAQ:GNOG), which owns many casinos and an online gambling site. That’s why MGM (NYSE:MGM) launched a joint venture called BetMGM, which specializes in iGaming and sports gambling.
Skillz has very limited iGaming infrastructure, and it caters to fans of traditional videogames, not lovers of iGaming and sports betting. Therefore, it would make no sense for a company that specializes in iGaming, operating brick-and-mortar casinos, and/or sports betting to buy Skillz.
The Valuation of SKLZ Stock Is Still Very High
Skillz is changing hands for nearly 13 times analysts’ average 2021 top-line estimate for the company. I’ve heard value investors say that stocks which are trading at ten-times revenue are too expensive.
I believe that, if a company is growing explosively, has a huge addressable market, is moving towards profitability, and has great disruptive potential, ten or even 20 times revenue could be a worthwhile price to pay for long-term, growth investors.
But as far as I can tell, Skillz does not have any of these attributes.
In Q2, its top line climbed 52% year-over-year. I think that’s impressive growth, but I wouldn’t call it explosive. As I’ve pointed out in other columns, many video games now have online multiplayer options, giving Skillz plenty of competition, and there are signs that eSports, which appears to be the main area in which Skillz has a strong competitive advantage, is not a very large market. Finally, the company’s EBITDA, excluding certain items, dropped $283 million YOY last quarter, falling to -$31.6 million.
Other Points to Weigh
There are concrete signs that the popularity of video games is waning as economies reopen. For example, Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ:TTWO) recently provided a lower-than-expected Q2 bookings estimate, causing its stock to fall sharply.
And in July, video game sales rose just 10% YOY. I wouldn’t call that impressive or explosive growth.
Finally, I’ve predicted for a couple of months that meme stocks would weaken. Although some meme stocks have been making a bit of a comeback in recent weeks, many, if not, most of them are already down a great deal from their recent highs. For example, SKLZ stock itself has fallen to around $12, versus its July 28 high of around $14.70.
I continue to expect most meme stocks to weaken over the longer term.
The Bottom Line on SKLZ Stock
The takeover speculation about Skillz is unrealistic, while the company does not have any of the characteristics that a good, highly valued growth stock should have. What’s more, it’s facing a number of important macro challenges.
In light of these points, I continue to recommend selling SKLZ stock.
On the date of publication, Larry Ramer held a long position in MGM stock.
Larry Ramer has conducted research and written articles on U.S. stocks for 14 years. He has been employed by The Fly and Israel’s largest business newspaper, Globes. Larry began writing columns for InvestorPlace in 2015. Among his highly successful, contrarian picks have been GE, solar stocks, and Snap. You can reach him on StockTwits at @larryramer.


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Why Uber Relies On Insurance
Uber has become one of the most widely used apps in the world ever since it debuted in the public consciousness, with the app having helped bring about the reality of the rideshare economy. Despite Uber’s prominent brand and the company’s forthcoming IPO, however, few people have an accurate understanding of how fundamentally Uber relies on insurance in order to survive in a competitive market.
Without certain insurance schemes, Uber would crumble in upon itself. As filings made by the company indicate, Uber relies heavily on insurance because the company faces so many liability problems. Here’s a deep dive into Uber’s reliance on insurance, and how the ridesharing giant is moving forward with its eyes towards the future.
Transportation can be tricky
One of the reasons that Uber relies so much on insurance is that the transportation sector can be quite tricky, especially when it comes to liability and who’s at fault in the event of an accident. Uber has many things that it has to keep an eye on during its daily operations; whether drivers are getting speeding tickets, running red lights, or getting into a collision, Uber has to keep tabs on what they’re doing and how they’re performing. If a passenger is fatally injured or killed in an Uber vehicle in the midst of a ride, the company could have its public image tarnished while facing serious legal jeopardy from any survivors or relatives of those injured.
Uber certainly isn’t blind to the risks associated with becoming a transportation giant. As a matter of fact, the company took explicit steps to address its abundant reliance on insurance when it made S-1 filings with the SEC ahead of its forthcoming market debut. According to documents released by the company, motor incidents and related scandals “may subject us to liability and negative publicity, which would increase our operating costs and adversely affect our business, operating results, and future prospects.” In other words, the company is aware that it’s on thin ice when it comes to liability in accidents.
Furthermore, Uber’s insurance risks aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. As the company notes in its prospectus, Uber hopes to expand and offer dockless e-bikes and scooter, which will also generate unique liability risks on their own. More than anything else, however, the real reason that Uber relies so heavily on insurance has to do with drivers and how the company classifies its employees.
Being an Uber driver is a tough gig
Uber drivers aren’t technically employees of Uber but are rather considered freelancers or gig-economy workers who don’t have the rights and privileges traditionally associated with a full-time employee. The company does this for a reason; it saves them an ungodly amount of money and allows them to keep the Uber brand at arm’s length from any scandalous drivers. When noxious headlines detailing the gruesome death or injury of a passenger at the hands of an Uber driver start going viral, the company wants to be able to say that said driver wasn’t really an employee, but rather a lunatic freelancer.
The fact that the company doesn’t consider drivers to be full time workers means that shuttling passengers for Uber can be a tough gig. With Uber having ferreted away some $3 billion in insurance reserves throughout 2018, according to its prospectus, that doesn’t mean the company is always helpful when it comes to securing drivers insurance. Third party auto insurance is often needed by drivers, though Uber has partnered with Allstate and some other notable carriers in an effort to develop coverage for drivers whose personal policies are insufficient by themselves. Uber predominately does this to protect the brand rather than out of love for its drivers, though, so don’t think that the ridesharing giant is shelling out the big bucks for the sake of its gig workers.
In certain ways, Uber benefits from its competitors in that they also suffer from the same liability issues, thereby ensuring that the insurance industry must take a unique approach to how it caters to these rideshare companies. With both Uber and Lyft sharing some risk with captive insurers, it’s important for analysts, shareholders, and those interested in ridesharing to keep a close eye on how captive insurers are leveraged by these companies in the near-future. Particularly as regulatory pressure heats up, it will be worth seeing how these companies adjust to changing insurance conditions.
Uber relies on insurance so much because the rideshare company is a fundamentally risky endeavor that puts passengers and drivers into harm’s way by the very nature of its business model. Motor vehicles and modern infrastructure simply aren’t safe enough to be entirely trusted, which means that companies like Uber will always need to depend heavily on insurance. Uber’s peculiar arrangement with its workers and captive insurance schemes can be confusing, but they’re doubtlessly a huge part of why the rideshare giant has come so far so quickly.


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The coffee industry’s ties to colonialism have led to fresh brewed conversations and reporting about alleged inequalities and poor pay at various levels of the coffee supply chain as well as concerns over systemic exploitation of coffee producers. This as the global coffee market growth continues to percolate its way toward a forecasted U.S. $134.25 billion in 2024 according to one industry outlook. Amid this dichotomy, a new platform called iFinca has emerged with the mission of creating greater transparency in the coffee supply chain.
While the prices consumers pay for a cup of coffee has increased over the years and as consumer demand rises, various reports have underscored the extent to which farm workers have remained marginalized with low wages, lack of contract protections, migratory work requirements, health risks and other points of suffrage. iFinca seeks to address these and other concerns.
“The iFinca mobile application links farmers for the first time as equal participants and stakeholders in the coffee supply chain,” says iFinca CEO Alexander Barrett. “In turn, this integration provides the last missing piece of data that roasters, cafes and consumers have been demanding…the ‘farmgate’ price.”
The iFinca Web site aptly underscores the platform’s bottom line intention, stating, “Our app connects you to the farmers behind your cup of coffee. Bridging the information gap, sharing producers’ stories and providing real data about how much they were paid, so that you can buy a coffee from a company whose values align with yours.”
Keeping farmers fully informed has clearly been a challenge within the supply chain, so the iFinca platform can establish a more level playing field—on the agriculture and manufacturing side and in the marketplace at large. The iFinca app, available on Google Play and in the App Store, bridges the information gap between producers and consumers; provides real data points like how much producers are paid; and, thus, empowers consumers to make more informed and ethical choices about their coffee purchases. Also helping streamline consumer efforts is iFinca-verified coffee, identifiable with a “Meet the Farmer” QR code, which is now available at participating merchants.
iFinca started with the idea that more revenue should be shared directly with coffee farmers. They make this possible by putting greater power in the hands of buyers like you.
Forbes Business Council Member Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all categories, both B2C and B2B. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of the nationally-syndicated “Savvy Living” TV show. As a prolific consumer and business trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, she keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.
Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided or arranged at no cost to accommodate if this is review editorial, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.


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Khmer Fresh Milk Co Ltd, a company behind dairy farm and milk production plant Kirisu, in Takeo province, has started its production despite the challenges of COVID-19.
In the face of difficulties to business and investment across Cambodia brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, local companies continue to invest time and resources in projects that were launched before the virus struck, the company said.
Located 30 kilometres south of Phnom Penh, Kirisu Farm is on a 300-hectare farm lying in a secluded valley in the shadow of Phnom Tamao mountain in Takeo province.
Rithy Chhor, chief executive officer of Khmer Fresh Milk Co Ltd, said that the project has been in development for several years, with plans accelerating at the beginning of 2020 to provide the freshest, purest milk ever available to Cambodian consumers later this year.
“We are very happy that we managed to get these world-class heifers into the country from Australia. It’s great to see how quickly they have settled in Cambodia and how healthy they are. Our farm is built using the most sophisticated technologies,” he said adding that 550 pregnant Holstein heifers arrived from Australia in February, March and April.
“We would like to thank the Royal Government of Cambodia for making it easy for us to bring in heifers from Australia into the country. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been more complicated getting our team of top international dairy farm agronomists and technology experts into the country, but thanks to the government for facilitating visas so that they all arrived in Cambodia on time,” he said.
Khmer Fresh Milk, which operates the farm and the milk processing facility, is a long-term partnership between Singapore-based Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar Development Fund II managed by Emerging Markets Investment Advisers (EMIA), Nexasia, a Japanese fund based in Singapore and the founders group consisting of highly successful Israeli and local Cambodian entrepreneurs.
Khmer Fresh Milk co-founding partner Chy Sila says that despite anxieties about the impact of COVID-19 on the health and prosperity of Cambodia, the team behind the farm never once thought to delay the project’s implementation and is committed to help set a new standard for Cambodian agriculture.
“Kirisu Farm’s long-term vision is to bring world-class dairy and agricultural techniques and food processing to Cambodia and not simply about short term gain. We have brought in sophisticated technologies and we have worked with some of the finest Israeli dairy farm experts and agronomists in the world to help us bring in skills,” he said, adding the investment will bring jobs for the local community that provide some relief from the COVID-19 crisis impact.
Kirisu Farm plans to have its 100 percent pure milk and yoghurt on supermarket and minimart shelves in the next few weeks with wholesale deliveries to restaurants starting even earlier.
Cambodia currently has already two fresh milk producers, Techo Sen Russey Treb Milk, in Preah Vihear province, which has a production capacity of 600-700 litres of fresh milk per day, and the US investor-owned, Moo Moo dairy farm located in Lvea Em district’s Arey Ksat commune in Kandal province, which produces between 1,300-1,500 litres of fresh milk daily.
The companies claimed that locally-produced fresh milk products have already faced challenges of competition from imported products from neighbouring countries.
Sok Touch, president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia and the president of Techo Sen Russey Treb Park, welcomed the investment in the sector, saying that more investments coming in will make prices cheaper for customers.
“We need two or three more companies to invest in dairy farming in Cambodia but the cost of electricity remains a challenge,” he said. “Techo Sen Russey Treb Milk now can produce only 200 litres per day and this amount could not cover the cost while our electricity is too high [750 riel/Kwh] compared with other neighboring countries of 150 riel.”
This article was first published in Khmer Times. All contents and images are copyright to their respective owners and sources.


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BENTON HARBOR—The appliance maker Whirlpool Corp., Midland chemical giant Dow Chemical and Lake Forest, Ill.-based Reynolds Consumer Products have announced a collaboration to provide much-needed respirators to the healthcare workers on the front lines of fighting COVID-19.
The joint project is a protective piece of headgear and respirator system that will be manufactured and sold through Whirlpool subsidiary WIN Health Labs LLC, in addition to an initial donation to hospitals.
In the photo above, John Froggatt III, MD, of Spectrum Health Lakeland in St. Joseph, receives the first box of PAPR units donated by Whirlpool, Dow, and Reynolds Consumer Products from Christian Gianni, president of WIN Health Labs and vice president of technology for Whirlpool. Froggatt is an infectious disease specialist and has been practicing for 31 years.
“We are using our supply of N95 masks and respirators at a rate 10 times higher than normal,” said Loren B. Hamel, MD, president of Spectrum Health Lakeland. “These are some of the most critical medical supplies to help ensure the safety of frontline workers who are often in direct contact with patients infected with the virus.”
The personal protective equipment created by the joint team is a powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR), which takes the place of a traditional medical mask and visor and features a replaceable polyethylene hood. The clear hoods are both flexible and comfortable, and can quickly be replaced between patients.
Each of the companies was looking for ways to help, and through those efforts this unique collaboration was born.
“Volunteers within each of the companies began reaching out to local healthcare providers to inquire how they could be helpful,” Gianni said. “In order to accelerate the design process, we created a virtual, agile team that was able to go from paper to approved product in just seven weeks. Through this unique relationship and a huge amount of effort by a very talented group of people, we are now manufacturing respirators and are in a position to help our frontline healthcare providers.”
Whirlpool designed, manufactured and assembled the headset. Dow provided the polyethylene resin for the hoods, and Reynolds Consumer Products, makers of Hefty brand, designed and produced the disposable hood. Volkswagen of America brokered connections with materials and supply chain partners to source critical components.
Two thousand units are being produced in the first phase for donation to hospitals located in regions where Whirlpool and Dow have operations, as well as other hospitals in need of PPE. To get the needed PPE to as many healthcare providers as possible, the Hefty team is donating the first 1 million hoods.
The response to COVID-19 is ongoing and will be for some time, according to Nicki Britten, health officer for the Berrien County Health Department: “Without the needed PPE for our essential healthcare workers, we will continue to see further spread of the virus, ultimately resulting in more lives lost due to COVID-19.”
The respirator is in production and is made available in a shortened time frame under guidelines set forth by the Food and Drug Administration’s Emergency Use Authorization authority, which allows the agency to facilitate the availability and use of medical countermeasures needed during public health emergencies.
More about the PAPR at WINHealthlabs.com.


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TAMPA, Fla. — A local catering business is among the countless food vendors changing how they operate as a result of the coronavirus.
Ryan Conigliaro and his business partner operate SaltBlock Catering in Tampa.
With a business model that focuses on group gatherings, they've been forced to make changes after several groups canceled their events. State and federal officials are asking Americans to practice social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
→ COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS
The catering company planned on rolling out a delivery service option later this year, but COVID-19 changed their plan of action.
"Everyone in hospitality, we are making whatever shifts we can right now to be as safe as possible for the community," Conigliaro said.
Within a week, Conigliaro and his partner created a new business plan that involved a website for their delivery service. They launched it Monday night.
RELATED: All Florida bars, nightclubs closed for at least 30 days amid coronavirus pandemic
"We have meal delivery services that are touchless. We'll keep it right outside. We'll text you when we're there. You can come out and grab it for families of two to three or four to six. Full meal plans for the week," Conigliaro said.
Conigliaro and his partner are also trying to ease the stress of picking up daily necessities too.
"You can also order on there other groceries. You can also get milk on there. You can get eggs. You can get toilet paper, of course. We made sure we had that on the grocery list. But you can get some of those household goods that you would go to the store otherwise for. You can get it on your delivered meal service for the week," Conigliaro said.
→ CORONAVIRUS IN FLORIDA: COUNTY-BY-COUNTY INTERACTIVE MAP
A day after the delivery option launched, Conigliaro said he already saw the way the Tampa Bay gives back.
"Our second order that was put in online was not for an individual family. It was someone reaching out to us and said, 'hey, I'm buying this meal. I want to buy it for someone who is in need right now. Not for my family, we have enough product in house right now'" Conigliaro said.
All tips received from the deliveries will go directly to SaltBlock hourly employees to help as they adjust to the constant changes coronavirus brings.
→ HOW COVID-19 TESTING WORKS IN FLORIDA
Conigliano and his partner are working with area venues to put profits back in their companies to continue the push to keep business local.
"We are partnering with other local businesses: Gulf Coast Sourdoughs, Spaddy's Coffee. We are going to the Boozy Pig for a lot of our proteins that we're getting. We're not only looking to support ourselves. A lot of the items that we're actually servicing a la carte and that are embedded in our packages are other local brands here that we're looking to support," Conigliaro said.
For more information on SaltBlock and deliveries click here.


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Glencore has sold most of its stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft to a Chinese firm, less than a year after stunning the market with the €10.2bn (£8.6bn) buy, in what appears to signal a warming of relations between Russia and China.
The FTSE 100 company said it was selling a 14.16pc stake in the Russian-controlled firm, together with its joint venture partner Qatar Investment Authority, to CEFC China Energy.
The Telegraph understands the deal is valued at €7.5bn, with proceeds to go towards paying down debt used to finance the deal.
The pair had bought a 19.5pc stake in Rosneft in December, with Glencore paying in €300m, the Qatari group €2.5bn and the rest debt financed.
Glencore said, after...
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expiredScore the first discount on Philips Hue’s new Outdoor Pathway Lights at $119.50
Trevor Daugherty - Apr. 26th 2019 8:18 am ET
Amazon offers the new Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance Outdoor Pathway Base Kit for $119.50 shipped. That’s good for just over $10 off the regular going rate and the first discount that we’ve seen. Philips Hue has long been known for its expansive lineup of HomeKit-enabled lighting, but over the last few months its made in-roads in the outdoor space. This outdoor pathway light is able to recreate 16 million colors and offers a stylish outdoor light. Ships with a power cable and everything needed to get started. Rated 4.1/5 stars.


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US fast food chain McDonald’s has followed carmaker Mercedes-Benz by quitting German football to focus on esports sponsorship.
Last week, McDonalds revealed that it will not renew its 15-year partnership with the German Football Association (DFB), but will extend its partnership with Electronic Sports League (ESL) until the end of 2019.
In January this year, ESL named McDonald’s as an Official Partner of the ESL Meisterschaft, a German national championship for Fifa, League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Last month, McDonald’s was also an Official Supplier at the ESL One Hamburg tournament, alongside Snipes, Pringles and SAP.
Up there with Intel, Vodafone and Mercedes-Benz, McDonald’s is one of the highest-valued brands to partner with ESL.
To advise on its new esports sponsorship campaign, McDonald’s has also hired Hamburg agency Jung von Matt/Sports, which has previously created esports campaigns for brands such as Mercedes-Benz.
A DFB partner since 1972, Mercedes-Benz will also part ways with German football at the end of this year, but the brand has extended its partnership with ESL until 2020.
For more on ESL’s sponsorship portfolio, read our analysis here: ‘Vodafone extends push into esports with ESL deal’.


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It is a scene that retailers have seen since the world’s first bazaar opened: the slow sales period, complete with idle clerks, empty aisles and languishing goods. E-tailers have come to know these stretches — the low-revenue valleys that lie between peak shopping times — well.
Despite the now-predictable cycle of consumerism, some e-tailers are rebelling against convention, trying to bring in shoppers during slow times.
With tactics that range from replicating the marketing done by offline retailers to using technological advantages unique to the online retail realm, e-tailers are finding that they can squeeze a little more cash from their customers during shopping’s Death Valley days.
Although the Internet has made online shopping unique, freeing consumers from the need to schlep around stores and interact with other people, there are still some techniques utilized by brick-and-mortar malls that e-tailers can draw on for inspiration.
For example, AOL recently implemented a one-day special for its merchant partners — the online equivalent of a mall-wide sale — and users responded enthusiastically. Done during the gulf between Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, the sale was meant to spark shopping at a traditionally slow time.
Although similar events have not been planned yet, AOL senior vice president of commerce Patrick Gates told the E-Commerce Times that the reaction from merchants and customers alike ensures there will be more promotions in the future.
“It was something we did to help our partners through a slow period of the year,” Gates said. “Because of the sale’s success, we’ve started to think of other big events to promote during similar periods.”
In March 2002, and again last fall, Yahoo also held timed sales that included merchant and travel partners as well as Yahoo services.
Of the 1,200 merchants that participated, 200 reported a sales spike of nearly 400 percent over the same time the previous year.
P.K. Van Deloo, brand manager for Yahoo Shopping, told the E-Commerce Times that, in some ways, the site acted like a mall in bringing together merchants and taking advantage of retail innovations.
“Even 10 or 15 years ago, the traditional thinking was that people just shopped around Christmas and didn’t want to shop in the middle of the year because they were on vacation,” he said. “Then the half-year sale was started, and it changed the way people shopped.”
In a similar way, Van Deloo thinks online shoppers are realizing that sales can come at any time, not just when major holidays loom.
Click, Click, Buy
Despite taking lessons from the brick-and-mortar retail world, e-tailers do have certain advantages over their offline brethren when it comes to slow-period sales.
For example, thanks to speedy Webmasters, e-tailers can move more quickly than retailers to launch impromptu sales, lower prices temporarily and put together promotions for select customers. Throwing free shipping into the mix also can boost clicking and buying.
Also, since e-tailers can communicate with frequent customers via e-mail, they can alert them to upcoming sales and provide links to pages that have discounted merchandise.
The e-mail list also can be mined for promotions that reward loyalty with customer-only sales, a tactic that is likely to become more common as consumers grow more comfortable with e-mail sale notices.
Road Runner Sports, for example, has a shopping club that gives members added discounts on top of regular sale prices. Making online shoppers feel more “in the know” with tactics like this, and then rewarding them with lower prices, can boost a bottom line in even the slowest of times.
As e-tailers become more savvy about how online customers spend their time and money, they also are using that knowledge to bolster off-season sales efforts in other ways.
For instance, when Yahoo discovered that site visitors were researching specific items rather than browsing as they would in a shop, the company struck up content deals with magazines that offered a bevy of reviews, such as PC World.
Yahoo also took note of which items were purchased year-round, not just during holiday periods. Not surprisingly, given the company’s computer-savvy audience, electronics and computers are always popular, with digital cameras selling at the best clip. So, to bolster between-holiday efforts, the site promotes electronics, especially digital cameras, at all times.
E-tailers also have become smarter about promoting gift-giving during non-holiday seasons. Sites like RedEnvelope, Blue Nile and Amazon encourage sending presents that are not tied to holidays or special occasions. As online shoppers become more used to sending gifts “for no reason,” this impulse should improve the times between gift-buying frenzies.
However, despite the multitude of strategies and tactics for convincing shoppers to pony up more change in the off-season, e-tailers should be aware that the consumer spending cycle can only be manipulated to a certain degree, IDC analyst Jonathan Gaw told the E-Commerce Times.
“Let’s face it, some periods are just going to be slow,” he said. “If you’re an online florist, you’ve got Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day, and that’s about it. The rest of the time, you’re working on your compost heap. That’s not a function of being online, it’s a function of retail.”
Even e-tailers that do not sell perishable items like flowers will find that although a spike may result during impromptu, off-season sales, consumer demand likely will settle back to its normal level relatively quickly.
As Gaw noted, “Just because you’re selling online doesn’t mean all the rules have changed.”


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Tags: Kenworth Truck Company
Kenworth Truck Co. has launched its new T880 vocational truck, which features a panoramic windshield for enhanced visibility, quiet cab with triple-sealed doors, a five-piece hood for easier and faster repairs, air-assisted hydraulic clutch, complex reflector headlamps and lightweight, factory-installed ...
Kenworth Truck Company has named its 2011 Kenworth Dealer Council members. Executives from among more than 300 Kenworth dealerships in the United States and Canada serve on the council. The 2011 Kenworth Dealer Council members are: Chairman – Dan Penksa, Kenworth of ...
Kenworth Truck Company will exhibit trucks equipped with the latest 2010 engine technology at the NTEA New Model Truck Product Conference Sept. 13-15 at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn in Dearborn, Mich. Kenworth will feature three trucks in the product conference: a ...
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With just two months to go before Milan Design Week 2019, animating the international capital of design from April 9-14, aspiring young designers are invited to enter the open call for a chance to exhibit their work in countless projects, events, and exhibitions set between the International Salone del Mobile 2019 and Fuorisalone.
The open call comes as an incredible opportunity for young designers to showcase their work on one of the world’s biggest and most important stages.
With De Rerum Natura (April 5-14), Cascina Cuccagna continues their tradition as an important hub for sustainable design at Milan’s Fuorisalone. Each year, a different theme is chosen to be developed in collaboration with an independent curator.
For this year’s edition, the honor goes to designer Matteo Ragni, who has proposed the theme of “Renaissance”, coinciding with the 500 year anniversary of Leonardo Da Vinci’s death.
The open call for Milan Design Week 2019 — open until spaces run out — invites individual designers, architects, and artists along with collectives, universities, companies, and institutions to reflect “on contemporary design that, in the name of a newfound harmony between man and nature, investigates possible and sustainable futures. A new Renaissance”.
Selecting the winners is Matteo Ragni himself, while Laura Traldi, a journalist for D la Repubblica and founder of designatlarge.it, will curate the exhibit “Design Collisions – The power of collective ideas”. Traldi will also propose her own reflection inspired by the Renaissance, asserting that the compelling task of design is to work towards “a new idea of humanism, that puts the collectivity rather than the individual at its center, and considers details as parts of a whole”.
But the open call for Milan’s Fuorisalone doesn’t end here. Under a more contemporary theme, Elif Resitoglu, this year’s artistic director of the Milan Design Market (a main event in the Isola Design District), will lead the event into its fourth edition.
The call looks to bring designers and brands together under the title Find the Lost City, inspiring the set design from architects Francesi Marie Chevalier and Colombe Crouan.
At affordable prices, young Italian and international designers can request to participate by choosing one of two options by February 28th: exhibit single products in the Pop-Up Concept Store, or display an entire collection within a dedicated stand to be showcased together with the official e-store (milandesignmarket.com/shop) — which is set to remain open even after Fuorisalone.
What’s more, through the Aria app, visitors can access content in augmented reality to learn more about products on display and the theme, “going beyond the barriers of physical space”.