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- 30 Best Bars India contest kicks off(20:14)
New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) A jury of more than 200 bar enthusiasts, industry experts, connoisseurs and writers will vote for the 30 best bars of India from a 100+ long list in a dozen categories in an event jointly curated by the Tulleeho website and MW magazine, a statement said.
- Capsule to analyse what gases you hide in your stomach(14:16)
Sydney, Sep 16 (IANS) Rather than laughing about it or feeling embarrassed, this is the time to take flatulence seriously as researchers have developed a non-invasive, gas-capturing capsule that can measure what kind of gases you have in your stomach and alert you if there is any problem.
- Indians wake up to benefits of 'desi ghee' for stronger bones(09:50)
By Bharat Upadhyay
New Delhi, Sep 15 (IANS) All the members of New Delhi-based S. Rahul's family are health-conscious. That's the reason why olive oil bottles, often perceived to be a healthier option compared to other cooking oils, made way to their kitchen. Three years ago, this family made a switch to "desi ghee" (clarified butter), again apparently because of its health benefits.
- Poverty accelerate the ageing process: Study(19:58)
London, Sep 13 (IANS) Genetics, lifestyle and environment are all factors that somehow influence when and how we all age. Now, researchers have revealed that four or more years with an income below the relative poverty threshold during adult life may accelerate the ageing process.
- New cancer treatment prevents hair loss from chemotherapy(16:32)
London, Sep 13 (IANS) A novel method discovered recently by a group of researchers, including one of Indian-origin, shows how hair loss from chemotherapy can be prevented during cancer treatment in patients, arguably one of the most psychologically distressing side effects of modern cancer therapy.
- Drink tea to boost your brain function: Study(13:14)
Singapore, Sep 13 (IANS) Researchers have found that regular tea drinkers have better organised brain regions and this is associated with healthy cognitive function as compared to non-tea drinkers.
- Tamil Nadu woman selling 1-rupee idli gets LPG connection(21:06)
Chennai, Sep 12 (IANS) The indomitable spirit of an 80-year-old woman from Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district who sells idlis at just one rupee each has melted the hearts of many including those in the corridors of power as she has got an LPG connection within a day of a video depicting her hardship going viral.
- Youth should keep alive the craft of fine muslin: Ashmore(23:38)
Kolkata, Sep 11 (IANS) India's young generation should understand the legacy of the country's rich heritage in textiles and endeavour to keep alive the fabled craft of fine muslin which is gradually getting lost, top design-historian and author Sonia Ashmore said here on Wednesday.
- US woman gets free chicken for life after praising restaurant(20:18)
Washington, Sep 11 (IANS) Everyone may not be fortunate enough to earn yummy free chicken sandwiches for life just with a tweet. A woman in the US has just done that after her tweet praising the delicacies of the restaurant in the District of Columbia went viral.
- Instagram users tend to snap selfies that centre on left eye(19:40)
London, Sep 11 (IANS) It may not just be artists who make their eyes the centre-point of their own original work. New research suggests that Instagram users tend to compose selfies that horizontally centre on one of our eyes, particularly the left.
- Grammy-winner emphasises need for gratitude, kindness(17:34)
By Siddhi Jain
New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANSlife) Thanks to her songs in Disney animated series such "Phineas and Ferb", Laura Dickinson, 39, is introduced globally as "your nine year-old daughter's favourite singer".
- Designer Suneet Varma says apex court reforms give him freedom(15:06)
By IANSlife Features
New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANSlife) From the repeal of Article 377 that decriminalised same sex relationships, to the abolition of Triple Talaq, this past one year has seen some notable reforms in the country. And with art said to reflect the events of the day, these social reforms are bound to find an expression in fashion. IANSlife spoke to eminent designer Suneet Varma to understand the other trickle-down effects of these events for his fraternity.
- Indian fashion industry lacks discipline: Payal Singhal(15:06)
By Puja Gupta
New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANSlife) In her over two-decade-long career as a designer, Payal Singhal has seen the evolution of the Indian fashion industry, but she feels it still lacks the discipline and unity seen in fashion industries elsewhere.
- Road to equality is a long one(15:06)
By Puja Gupta
New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANSlife) A year after the Supreme Court struck down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) decriminalizing homosexuality, the LGBTQ community still struggles with social stigma and lack of opportunities, but people have found the courage to speak up and come out of the closet, says Keshav Suri, who was at the forefront of LGBTQ community's battle for equality.
- Inclusion of more body types in Bollywood welcome: Bhumi(15:02)
By Siddhi Jain
New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANSlife) Since her debut in "Dum Laga Ke Haisha", the transformation of Bhumi Pednekar - both in terms of her career and her style - has been complete. So much so that the actor is now the brand ambassador for the clothing brand, Raisin.
- Radhika Apte: OTT's quality can only be checked with time(15:02)
By Siddhi Jain
New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANSlife) Never the demure damsel, Radhika Apte refuses to be a Bollywood typecast. She has played powerful characters across industries and mediums, but it's her roles in Netflix's 'Ghoul', 'Sacred Games' and 'Lust Stories' that have led to her being hailed as the "queen of the OTT (over-the-top) platforms".
- Self-care for women, the Lara Dutta way(14:58)
By Siddhi Jain
New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANSlife) Miss Universe winner (2000) and actor Lara Dutta Bhupathi has turned entrepreneur. She recently launched of her own beauty brand, and is advocating better skincare for women.
- 40% Indians fear getting fired for thorny social media posts(14:06)
Mumbai, Sep 10 (IANS) While many people use social media profiles for professional use, over 40 per cent Indians agree that they could get fired from their jobs for controversial content on their social media channels, new research has found.


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While the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processors were announced a few days ago, Samsung is yet to launch its flagship mobile processor for 2022. Today, the company revealed that Samsung fans don’t have to wait for much longer, and its next-generation Exynos processor will be unveiled next month.
The Exynos 2200 will be revealed on January 11, 2022. The company announced it through a tweet with the hashtag #PlaytimeIsOver. The company also announced that the next-generation flagship Exynos processor would feature AMD’s RDNA2 GPU. The upcoming chipset will likely use the same 4nm fabrication process used by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
Samsung will use the Exynos 2200 chipset in the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and the Galaxy S22 Ultra. While the company is promising that the Exynos 2200 features substantially improved gaming performance, its claims would mean much if the chipset is available in a handful of markets.
It is rumored that Samsung will use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor in Galaxy S22 series devices that will launch in North America, China, and India. The European and South Korean variants of the Galaxy S22 will likely feature the Exynos 2200 processor.
Going by previous leaks, the Exynos 2200 will feature one Cortex-X2 CPU core, three Cortex-A710 CPU cores, and four Cortex-A510 CPU cores. It will feature the AMD RDNA2 GPU with HDR, ray-tracing, and variable rate shading features. The upcoming chip could also have an improved 5G modem, a better ISP, and improved AI processing.
#PlaytimeIsOver. The gaming marketplace is about to get serious. Stay tuned for the next #Exynos with the new GPU born from RDNA 2. January 11, 2022. pic.twitter.com/0H2MeVUbeS
— Samsung Exynos (@SamsungExynos) December 30, 2021
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domain: news


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Philippines-based Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX), which offers plastic credits that companies can purchase to offset their plastic footprints, says it is launching its service in the United States with participants including New York-based Peanut Butter & Co. and Miami-based Touchland Hand Sanitizer.
According to PCX and its founder Nanette Medved-Po, the plastic offset program is being designed to “cultivate a movement toward plastic neutrality.”
PCX says a fully audited process by third-party auditors including Ernst & Young and PWC allows it to translate the weight of plastic offsets to the equivalent plastic credits registered in a blockchain ledger that is “powered by Microsoft.” The system is designed to ensure “full accountability, transparency and traceability across the entire PCX ecosystem,” according to the company.
In the Philippines, PCX has worked with companies including PepsiCo, Colgate-Palmolive, Unilever and Nestlé so they can work toward and eventually earn PCX Plastic Neutral Certification.
PCX describes the Philippines as “at the epicenter of the plastic pollution crisis,” making it an ideal place for corporations to help fund the collection of plastic scrap from neighborhoods there. “PCX prioritizes working with female micro-entrepreneurs, small scale fishermen and low-income communities,” the company says.


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Many users of banking apps powered by technology provided by Wirecard Card Solutions had never even heard of the company when its German parent collapsed last week.
But shortly after Wirecard filed for insolvency on Thursday, they suddenly found their accounts had been frozen, as millions of UK consumers and small business owners were dragged into the fraud that toppled the payments group.
How have UK banking customers been caught out?
Wirecard Card Solutions (WCS), the UK subsidiary of Wirecard, has quietly become a crucial part of the British fintech scene, providing the technology to enable consumer-facing start-ups, such as Pockit and Curve, to issue prepaid cards and process payments before they were regulated to do it themselves.
As late as last Thursday evening, senior Wirecard executives in the UK had been telling clients that the German parent company’s problems had “absolutely no relationship” with WCS, according to Boris Dyakonov, co-founder of business banking start-up Anna Money, which also relies on Wirecard technology.
But on Friday morning, the UK watchdog forced Wirecard’s UK division to cease all its regulated activities.
While the Newcastle-based WCS is run and regulated separately from Wirecard AG, the FCA said it had forced the UK business to stop activities to protect customer deposits and ensure it did not transfer any of its own assets to the German parent company.
As a result customers — from business owners to cryptocurrency enthusiasts — that had signed up to digital accounts with companies using Wirecard systems, were unable to make payments or access their money.
Users of the Anna app were told they had less than an hour to withdraw funds before all 20,000 accounts were frozen. By Sunday afternoon, angry customers were threatening legal action, as the company’s executives sought to reassure them via a live video.
Who is affected?
Although millions of customers are potentially facing disruption, the problem is much more severe for some. Many WCS products are not designed for everyday use. Multi-currency cards issued by companies including Sainsbury’s Bank and Asda, for example, are used for foreign travel, which has been largely halted by the coronavirus pandemic.
One of the biggest companies involved in user terms is Curve, which has more than 1.3m accounts. Curve is designed to consolidate multiple cards into a single account, meaning it is used more frequently — but all of its customers are likely to have alternative ways to make payments.
More seriously affected are smaller companies such as Anna and Pockit, which provides accounts for people who struggle to access mainstream banks. Pockit has around 500,000 customers who rely on the app to pay direct debits and receive wages and benefits payments.
The Department of Work and Pensions has had to set up a dedicated team to assist Pockit customers who suddenly had nowhere to receive essential benefits payments due to be paid on Monday.
What will happen now?
All the money held by affected customers should be safely in accounts at third-party banks, meaning that everyone should get their money back eventually. In the meantime, however, firms are scrambling to find a solution.
Curve was already working to reduce its reliance on Wirecard and was aiming to be operational again — on different systems — by Monday morning. But the task will take longer for companies starting from scratch.
“Any switching project in normal circumstances takes up to nine months,” Mr Dyakonov told customers on Sunday afternoon. “We’re aiming for 10 days to two weeks.”
WCS said it was working with the FCA to lift the suspension, which would solve the problems more quickly. Mr Dyakonov said the regulator “told us to come back for more news on Monday” — but neither the FCA nor WCS have commented on how long the restrictions would be in place.
The FCA on Friday advised that “customers who are in financial distress as a result of the payment freeze may be eligible for a hardship payment from their local authority.”
The reputational blow to companies reliant on Wirecard technology could be longer lasting, particularly as many of these app-based banks were already facing a battle to convince customers to move away from the mainstream lenders.
Michael Kent, chairman of payments group Azimo and an early investor in Curve, said the Wirecard issue “will impact customer trust, regulation and maybe even investment in the consumer fintech sector for years”.


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However, the May guideline is meant for marijuana cultivators in an outdoor setting. If you grow weed indoors — you can pop marijuana seeds year-round without issue.
Once cannabis prohibition was put in place, it would take decades to reverse the course of marijuana legislation in the Prairie State.
Illinois Prohibits Cannabis
Whether you’re on the hunt for decadently potent weed or purple-hued leaves — the Black Domina Feminized seed strain is a must-have for this year’s growing season.
As with mold, the rules for pesticides vary by state. Washington doesn’t require any testing for pesticides — or heavy metals — unless the cannabis is to be certified for medical use.
James MacRae, who owns Straight Line Analytics, a cannabis consulting firm near Seattle, says Illinois’ standards — which are tougher than those in many states not only for microbiological contaminants but also for pesticides — are “consumer-friendly. Two thumbs up to whoever created that.”
What’s in Illinois’ legal weed?
This past summer, a Utah cultivator announced to much hoopla that it had grown cannabis with 45.13% THC, which would have been close to a record for potency. Subsequent tests at the urging of a medical cannabis patient advocate found the level was actually 21.71% THC.
“Numerous batches” possibly had been contaminated, state regulators said.
Share All sharing options for: Illinois cannabis regulation: moldy weed but no consumer alert or recall, secret investigations
Other states aren’t as strict. Much of the legal weed that failed Illinois’ testing would have passed muster in Michigan, which has much looser limits on fungal contamination than Illinois for recreational weed.


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Their work may be more encouragement than edict, but Sunnyside’s Downtown Improvement Group (DIG) is making a difference.
Today’s outdoor enthusiasts can take advantage of their smartphones and top-rated mobile apps to make their next adventure more enjoyable, and safer. According to a recent survey by U.S.
A carnival-like atmosphere filled Sunnyside’s Central Park last Saturday when the entire park was closed for a private party.
Sunnyside’s RDO Equipment Co. will be hosting a “Drive Green” event at the Yakima Valley Fair and Rodeo, Aug. 5-8.
You don’t have to be a CEO or multimillionaire to benefit from a trust. In fact, many people gain advantages from establishing one – so it may be useful to learn something about this common estate-planning tool.
Taking the video game player out of the family’s living room is Hazely’s Realm, a new lounge in Grandview created especially with the so-called electronic game geek in mind.
In July, with American flags flying, we celebrate our nation’s birthday and the freedoms and protections we hold dear.
Thursday, July 30, is a good day to indulge in a Dairy Queen Blizzard because $1 or more of every treat sold that day will go to children’s health care.
For the 16th consecutive year, Yakima attorney Terry Abeyta - senior partner in Abeyta Nelson Injury Law - has been named a Super Lawyer for 2015 by Thompson Reuters magazine.
What’s your most valuable asset?
YAKIMA – Pacific Alliance Title has added Christina Ball as its new administrative assistant.
In July, with American flags flying, we celebrate our nation’s birthday and the freedoms and protections we hold dear. Although love for your country can take many forms, Social Security takes preventing and combating fraud as seriously as it takes its other vital missions.
Three local businesses have become members of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce.
Contributing to an IRA can help you build some of the resources you will need to enjoy a comfortable retirement. But what happens to your IRA if you don’t use it up in your lifetime?


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Data centers are no longer just about all the hardware gear you can stitch together for better operations. There’s a lot of software involved to squeeze more performance out of your hardware, and all that software is expected to contribute to a burgeoning new market dubbed the software-defined data center.
A new report issued this week by Research and Markets explains that the software-defined data center market will hit $77.18 billion by the year 2020, which is up from the $21.78 billion it’s expected to rake in for 2015. The term software-defined data center generally refers to the way different elements of the data center—like networking, storage, and computing—can be more better dispersed with the help of software.
Emerging technologies like software-defined networking—in which specialized software can be installed in cheap, commodity servers to power a company’s networking activities—present challenges to legacy businesses like Cisco (CSCO) and Juniper Networks (JNPR) who sell all-in-one networking gear. Similarly, a type of technology called software-defined storage that basically lets companies link together all their different storage hardware in data centers to be read as one giant virtual pool of data could also give traditional storage vendors like EMC (EMC) a run for their money.
There are a host of emerging startups like Cumulus Networks and Primary Data (whose chief scientist is Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak) that are gaining of attention from analysts who believe their technology could impact legacy companies.
But, these big enterprise businesses are not just going to sit down and let startups take all of the momentum. The Research and Markets report cites companies like Cisco, EMC, and Fujitsu as key players in contributing to the growth of the software-defined data center market.
The report explains that the adoption of this type of technology is still in its early stages, with the last twelve months indicating that more businesses are eager to learn more and perhaps fork out cash in the near future.
It’s still anybody’s game as to who dominates this space, and considering the deep pockets that many legacy enterprises have, it makes sense that they would try to capitalize on an area of technology they’d be wise not to ignore.
As Cumulus Networks CEO JR Rivers said in a recent interview with Fortune, the losers in the software-defined networking space “will be companies that narrowly focus on one part of the industry.”
“That doesn’t mean that Cisco will lose; it may shift its business model,” Rivers said. “But change is hard.”
For more on data centers, check out the following video from Fortune:


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Ralph Lauren Corp. Leads New Investments In Peoria's Natural Fiber Welding
Natural Fiber Welding Inc., a Peoria company developing plant-based alternatives to leather and plastics, has raised $13 million in new investments, with Ralph Lauren Corp. leading the latest round of financing.
Luke Haverhals, NFW founder and CEO, said the association with the Ralph Lauren brand provides a significant boost for the startup that launched in 2015.
“It's obviously just a huge validating point that the technology is meaningful,” said Haverhals. “It's not just that they're a validator, it's that they're working with NFW because they're going to be using the technology to make better products that are better for people and better for the planet at the same time.”
In its announcement, Ralph Lauren said it “will help scale NFW’s patented process” through development of “performance apparel made from natural, sustainable materials.”
“We have evolved and progressed our business for more than 50 years because we constantly push ourselves to think openly and differently about how to approach challenges,” David Lauren, vice chairman and chief innovation officer at Ralph Lauren, said in the news release.
“Today, sustainability is an area where this is especially important, and investing with partners to scale innovative solutions is a key part of our sustainability strategy.”
Lauren called NFW “a pioneer in the industry” and said his company is excited to provide financial support.
“Their technology has the power to not only advance our work at Ralph Lauren, but effect positive change across the entire industry,” he said.
NFW said several Peoria-based business and investment leaders participated in the latest round of financing that increased the total amount of money raised by the company to $25 million.
“There’s quite a number of other partnerships and other products that are in the pipeline, where you’re going to see a higher cadence of announcements of partnerships,” said Haverhals, adding the latest investments will allow NFW to double its workforce over the next six months.
NFW currently has 47 employees working at its headquarters on Galena Road.
“I think our region’s always been a center of innovation, from the founding of our community,” said Chris Setti, CEO of the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council. “We know also that innovation is really our future, and we need to be able to support companies like Natural Fiber Welding.”
Earlier this year, NFW worked with Porsche to produce a door cover for the automaker’s Taycan model, using the company’s vegan leather substitute, Mirum.
“We’re at this great point where we know the major problems that people want to have solved,” said Haverhals. “We developed the technology specifically to address those problems. The unit economics and the solutions work in ways that don't break people's bank accounts.
“So, now what we have is partners coming forward and investors coming forward that say, ‘OK, let's make the world different by scaling the company up.’”
Michael Negron, acting director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, issued a statement heralding NFW's progress.
“Natural Fiber Welding's continued growth and success demonstrates Illinois remains a desirable destination to start and grow a company for long-term success,” Negron said.
In addition to Mirum, NFW also holds a patent for Clarus–a fabric produced with yarn made from a combination of recycled and organic virgin cotton.
“It’s really exciting just to have the spotlight shone on a company that grew up here. They have aggressive growth plans and we think that means more jobs and more investment in the future,” said Setti. “So, we're really excited for them to take this next step.”
We’re living in unprecedented times when information changes by the minute. WCBU will continue to be here for you, keeping you up-to-date with the live, local and trusted news you need. Help ensure WCBU can continue with its in-depth and comprehensive COVID-19 coverage as the situation evolves by making a contribution.


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Yesterday was one of the biggest days in gaming of the year between the release of Cyberpunk 2077, and arguably more importantly, the Game Awards 2020. Here are all of the announcements from the Game Awards that Stadia players should know about.
Tchia is a story-driven, open-world adventure game that sees players taking on the role of a character by the name of Tchia. She has the special power to take control of any animal or object in the game. The game is inspired by New Caledonia, the small Pacific island where the game’s creators were raised.
Introducing Tchia, a tropical open-world adventure. Climb, glide, swim, and sail your boat around a beautiful archipelago in this physics-driven sandbox. Use Tchia’s special ability to take control of any animal or object you can find, and Jam on your fully playable Ukulele. A game inspired by New Caledonia.
No specific release date has been set for Tchia, but the game will launch only on Stadia and Steam.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
Coming in March 2021, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut will expand the 2019-released RPG from PC/Mac to consoles and Google Stadia. The updated version of the game brings new voice acting as well as more playable content from the original release.
Wanna find your true self? Follow the symphony of voices, seek out the new skin, and pursue your political visions to wild new heights in Disco Elysium — The Final Cut on PlayStation and PC/Mac in March 2021.
Outriders: Mantras of Survival
We’ve known for a bit that the upcoming game Outriders is heading to Stadia, but now we’re getting more details. The co-op shooter RPG is coming to Stadia “later in 2021” following the February launch on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
Planning on surviving the savage future of Outriders? Better follow the mantras: Cover is for Cowards. Powers on Tap. Kill to Heal. Think Aggressive.
#Outriders will release February 2, 2021 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC (Steam & Epic). Coming to Stadia later in 2021.
You can check out the latest trailer for Outriders on YouTube.
Ark: Survival Evolved 2
In other exciting news from Game Awards 2020, Ark: Survival Evolved which is soon to debut on Stadia is officially getting a sequel. While no release date or platform announcements have been confirmed this early on, the game will feature Vin Diesel and… well that’s pretty much all we know about the game for the time being.
Unfortunately, the game will be a console exclusive to Xbox at launch, meaning it likely won’t come to Stadia for a while, but the door isn’t completely closed.
The upcoming strategy game Humankind will be available at launch on Google Stadia in April, and now, the developers have released a new trailer about “Lucy.”
Elder Scrolls Online: Gates of Oblivion
Game Awards 2020 also saw the debut about the next expansion for Elder Scrolls Online, a game which launched on Stadia earlier this year. The next chapter of the game will be released on January 21, 2021.
More Google Stadia News:
- Stadia Makers program debuts first two releases w/ Unto The End and Figment
- Cyberpunk 2077 finally lets Stadia prove itself as last-gen hardware struggles
- Stadia is rolling out direct-to-YouTube livestreaming now
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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The internet has saved us from actually having to go outside and speak to real people in order to buy things—but that doesn’t mean that all online shopping sites are created equally. Take advantage of these tools to save yourself a bundle of cash, catch the best deals, and take the stress out of spending money.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Best Buy plans to match the price of internet retailers like Amazon over the holidays this year, as well as offering free home delivery when stores are out of stock.
If you're up late and craving cheap tech, get your ass over to Woot while the orange lights are still spinning. Instead of one deal per day, new items are up for grabs every few minutes. Mash that refresh! [Woot!]
Broke Apple fanboys take note. Apple's newly launched Outlet has some pretty sweet deals worth checking out. Sure, they're all refurbished, but you still get a warranty and besides, would you turn down a $1,300 MacBook Pro or a $129 4GB iPod nano? It's worth checking out if you're low on cash.
Always on the lookout for you, dear readers, we point you toward newegg.com, where there's a sale on Seagate Barracuda 300GB SATA drives running at 7200RPM. Normally these drives cost between $125 and $130 at their lowest (and we've seen a few at $145 or $150), but this deal has them at $100. Good price, and no rebate…


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Coca-Cola–the largest and most popular global soft drinks company which distributes 500 different brands worldwide–has shut down rumors that it plans to bring its own CBD-based beverage to the market in 2020.
This speculation was brought to life after a now-deleted YouTube video showed a man opening a can of what he claimed was CBD-oil-infused coke. The drinks brand has now emphatically proclaimed that statement to be ‘untrue’.
Coca-Cola spokesperson Kent Landers told Fox Business: “As we have stated many times, we have no plans to enter the CBD market.”
The YouTube video’s producer, under his username ‘Gabor the Blind Guy’, claimed his father had given him the product, as he manufactured ‘bottling and capping machines for many major pharmaceutical and food companies’.
Gabor further said that his father had been asked by Coca-Cola in Canada to design a machine to place childproof caps onto the drinks cans. Gabor added: “Canada, Coca-Cola is coming out with a new line of Coca-Cola that contains CBD extracts—pretty much cannabis-based drugs.”
A 10% Coca-Cola shareholder, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett–who’s also been known to gulp his way through five Cokes a day–and Vice-Chair Charlie Munger told Fox Business that Coca-Cola getting involved with the cannabis industry would be a ‘mistake’.
They added that the company enjoyed a ‘wholesome image’ and releasing cannabis products could prove damaging.
However, this CBD-linked speculation also follows on from earlier rumors that the company was ‘eyeing’ the CBD market and was formerly in talks with Canada-based Aurora Cannabis in 2018. Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey ultimately quashed these whispers in October 2019, claiming: “We don’t have any plans at this stage to get into the space. So that’s kind of where we are.”
Regardless, the link to Coca-Cola may have been partly responsible for Aurora Cannabis’ 300% stock price hike over the past year, kickstarting a 220% Q4 revenue spike.
Forbes journalist Ben Curran wrote: “For a company to experiment with cannabis is not new. Hemp, for instance, which is another non-psychoactive form of cannabis, has for hundreds of years influenced medicinal and health-related goods, from seeds that people eat to clothes that people wear, to beauty products that people use. Yet while this is not new, Coca-Cola’s stamp of credibility takes cannabis products to a new, more serious level.”
It’s certainly true that Coca-Cola has been exploring innovative paths to brand expansion over recent years after plummeting soda sales hit in America; consumers’ gradual shift away from sugar-laden drinks and toward bottled water has seen the company’s profits in decline.
The upshot of this was Coca-Cola’s resultant development of ‘health’ and ‘sports’ drinks, but it found itself in hot water yet again when the sweeteners-heavy ‘Vitaminwater’ was said to bear unsubstantiated health claims on its bottle labeling.
It’s perhaps no surprise, then, to learn that many believed the rumors of Coca-Cola’s imminent CBD-based drink, considering the worldwide demand for this hemp derivative.
While CBD became legal when the Farm Bill was passed in 2018, many still don’t know all the facts about CBD oil.
Popular among millennials and boomers alike, the non-psychoactive product now found in oils, creams, cosmetics, and edibles is loved for its apparent therapeutic effects.
Many users especially reach for CBD to ease anxiety and depression or relieve pain, but it’s also known for clearing the skin, promoting a better night’s sleep, and helping smokers to quit.
Zenith Global claims the CBD-infused beverage market will grow to over $1.4 billion by 2023.
The food and drink consulting firm’s chairman, Richard Hall, said:
“Key growth drivers for CBD drinks include loosening regulatory implementation, investment by major brewers and innovation by numerous start-ups. This has led to far greater awareness and availability.”
Looking for the very best CBD products for 2020? Check out our guide here.


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McDonald's Is Partnering With This Celeb to Reach New Fast-Food Fans
McDonald's is planning for a big, star-studded marketing push according to Business Insider, and they've just announced their first celeb collaboration.
According to a memo from the chain's US chief marketing officer Morgan Flatley, Travis Scott has signed an agreement with the fast-food icon for an upcoming collaboration, details of which are still under wraps.
Not only is Scott a huge fan of McDonald's, but the chain has pointed out the rapper's status as a cultural icon that can help the brand reach a new audience. "From his impossible-to-get Nike sneaker line, to a cereal collab with General Mills that sold out in 30 seconds, to a record-setting virtual concert series inside Fortnite, Travis Scott is the definition of big in culture," Flatley wrote in the memo obtained by Business Insider.
McDonald's has taken recent steps toward a new marketing strategy. Flatley has been quoted as saying the company's goal is to reconnect with their multicultural and Aftican-American consumers, and will be taking steps to do so. They have also upped their social media game, adopting a wittier voice with more personality on Twitter.
While we don't yet know what the collaboration with Travis Scott will look like, rumors are swirling about it being an apparel line. So stay tuned for more updates!
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- – America's Top Three Burger Chains Are Being Sued For Deceiving Customers
- – This Popular Steakburger Chain Just Expanded to Two New States
- – McDonald's Has a New Summer Treat on the Menu
- – This Is the Fastest Growing Restaurant Chain in America, New Data Shows
- – This Popular Cafe Chain Is Launching Justin Bieber's Favorite Iced Coffee


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The feature, called AutoRip, was launched in January for CDs. The company has said it has boosted music sales. Digital songs are stored in the customer's online storage account with Amazon. Songs received this way don't count against that customer's storage limit.
The new offer, announced Wednesday, extends to any physical albums bought on Amazon since 1998.
The digital songs can be played on a variety of devices, including Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle Fire tablets, Android phones and tablets, and Apple Inc.'s iPads and iPhones.
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Mother and Wright Brothers among restaurants set for Battersea Power Station
Five new restaurants have been announced as opening at the £9b regeneration of Battersea Power Station in south London this summer.
Pizza restaurant Mother and seafood specialists Wright Brothers will be joined by burger bar Ben's Canteen, Duckroad and Dodds Gin on what the developers are describing as Circus West Village on the south bank of the Thames.
It will be the first UK site for Mother, which hails from Copenhagen's meatpacking district, while the new development will home the fifth London Wright Brothers site.
Duckroad will be the sister restaurant to Soho's Ducksoup and Rawduck in London Fields, which offer an eclectic range of seasonal dishes.
The restaurants will join a number of retailers already secured at Circus West Village including restaurant Pedler Cru, wine shop Vagabond, Flour Power City Bakery, the CoffeeWorks Project and bar and restaurant No. 29, Power Station West.


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The inductees into this year’s Dealerscope Hall of Fame work in several different sides of the CE industry, but they all share a penchant for growth. Whether it’s multiplying their company’s sales, helping partners increase revenue and profitability, or attracting a larger audience to benefit from all the industry has to offer, these CE luminaries have gone above and beyond to excel in their given markets. Don’t expect any of them to rest on their laurels.
Tim Baxter remembers one night way back when his father Jerry picked him up from his part-time job as busboy at the Harbor Restaurant in Parsippany, N.J. Jerry noticed the toll the long day had taken on his son.
While we were interviewing Tim Baxter for our Hall of Fame profile, we asked him to name one of the most important lessons he has learned while working at Samsung: “Stay hungry,” he said.
Distributor Almo Corp. held its fourth and final Almo Pro A/V E4 Expo of the calendar year in the Metro New York City area Nov. 13, attracting over 600 pre-registered dealers to the one-day event – up from about 400 attendees in 2012. Thirty-five vendors ringed the perimeter of the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, N.J., showing their newest products to dealers, who also availed themselves of 11 educational courses that counted towards InfoComm CTS certification renewals.
Samsung Electronics, at its pre-CES press event Monday, displayed a bevy of new products that showed how it plans to follow through in 2013 on its philosophy of offering multiple choices in several form factors in response to the desires of content-craving, screen-hopping U.S. consumers. It also announced 2013 OLED and Ultra HD model feature details.
Samsung Electronics America heralded its 2012 fifth-generation Smart TV LED and plasma lineups today at a New York-held line showing as offering consumers the first truly “future-proof” TVs.


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Quake 4, originally one of the Xbox 360’s launch titles, is now being re-released on the Xbox 360 for a retail price of $19.99 in North America.
Players in NA will be able to get their hands on this title (for the first or second time, perhaps) on Tuesday, June 19th. A release date for Europe has yet to be announced but Bethesda has stated it will be available in the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Benelux territories as well.
It’s also not clear whether or not this package will include Quake 2, as did the original.
Will you be picking up Quake 4 for the first or second time? Let us know in the comments below.


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One could be forgiven for thinking that after purchasing Uber’s China operations, Didi Chuxing—which now boasts over 300 million users and over 80% of China’s market—would be on easy street. But things are never that simple in the Chinese market. Figures have shown Didi is losing users and drivers. Under strict Chinese local governments’ new policies, Didi may face bigger challenges than Uber China. Meanwhile more people cast doubts over its business model. Boasting a sharing economy model, car-pooling, the company now relies more on providing car-hailing services with prices lower than taxis to maintain its scale. Once the subsidies withdrew, users walk away.
Optimism for Chinese firms is increasing. As they’re making money, they also face different issues. The CKGSB Business Conditions Index posted a mark of 60.8 in November, up from October’s 58.5. This shows that for the survey’s sample firms, of which the majority is relatively successful in China, the next six months are viewed with increased optimism. The CKGSB BCI comprises four sub-indices. Of these, corporate sales fell slightly from 75.4 to 74.0, while corporate profits rose from 57.4 to 61.8. The fact that both of these indices are both well above the confidence threshold of 50 shows that company prospects are improving.
Over 120 million Chinese went abroad and spent over $104.5 billion in 2015 and more are projected for 2016. But for young Chinese people, their spending isn’t all about shopping in tax-free shops. As Leo Lin Song, chief of staff of TripAdvisor says, Chinese travelers are becoming more sophisticated: they’re reaching to further places and want to have more distinct cultural experience and not afraid to explore the unknown. Yet compared to western travelers, Chinese tourists are still special. They like to read pictures and need clear guidance—and that’s where TripAdvisor chips in.
A common challenge faced by Western tech giants like WeWork and Airbnb: in China there are locally made equivalents already. Yet China is a market hard to ignore. Six years after its founding, WeWork entered the Chinese market and is trying to adapt. Localization happens in every detail, from office design to the hiring of team members. but how will the company win the already very fierce competition among the co-working spaces in China? With a more global network, or a more experienced team in the shared-office? How will it deal with the Chinese government?
When talking about gender equality, people think of blue-collar workers in the garment industry in Bangladesh or women in China’s factories. However, in the white-collar professional world at the other end of the spectrum, inequality exists and it has an enormous impact on individual lives and entire economies. Women in China are now half of the educated workforce, but play a disproportionately small role in management. How does this happen? What should we do to make changes? Ripa Rashid, Executive Vice President of the Center for Talent Innovation, discusses women in emerging markets with CKGSB Knowledge, and gives her original observations and answers.
Although the quality of ‘made in China’ products has not been fully recognized in foreign markets, ‘made in China’ apps have made their way in the Google and Apple app stores. Chinese tech firms, under intense domestic market competition, are seeking new ways out of China. India, Brazil and Russia—emerging economies with young smartphones users—have become their new battleground. More mature firms have also begun to try to compete in developed markets in the US and Europe, where there is better infrastructure and users are willing to pay for premium services. But in these developed markets, Chinese tech firms face more challenges.
Inspired by the unicorn WeWork in the US, Chinese entrepreneurs have been starting their own co-working spaces. And renting a spot in a co-working space has become a popular option for startups. At the end of 2015, there were over 16,000 of these co-working spaces in China. Are they being formed because of real customer demand or just inflated by a startup bubble? Can they really save cost? What’s their future? How do they differ from US co-working spaces? Read our interview with Mao Daqing, CEO of URwork, the largest co-working space in China in terms of scale, to find the answers.
Central banking is not enough. While monetary policy did much to recover from the global financial crisis, its instruments have been largely exhausted and rendered ineffective. Low interest rates and quantitative easing may have kept the engine spinning, but are not pillars of sustainable economic policy. In China, there might still be scope for more monetary easing, but Mohamed El-Erian, chief economic advisor at financial services group Allianz and formerly at the helm of investment firm PIMCO, warns that, ‘‘China needs to avoid the trap that the advanced countries have fallen into, namely that of excessive prolonged reliance on central banks.’’
Wang Jianlin, Wanda’s CEO, the richest man in Asia once said, “Our goal is to make Wanda a brand like Walmart or IBM or Google, a brand known by everyone in the world, a brand from China.” Dalian Wanda, with assets of over $96 billion, has grown from a property company to a large conglomerate, and has its fingers in many pies: from real estate and retail to sports and entertainment. It is also leading a world-wide buying spree, acquiring top assets such as AMC Theatres, Legendary Pictures, World Triathlon Corporation, and Infront Sports & Media. While trying hard to diversify its business, real estate still takes the largest portion in its revenue structure. But how stable is Wanda empire’s future?
China’s corporate debt is rising fast, and is estimated to be between 145% and 170% of GDP, which is “very high by any measure,” according to the IMF. In most countries this would herald a wave of bankruptcies and be considered a lead indicator for an imminent correction. But in China, analysts are not so sure because the government has a high level of control and a low tolerance for slow growth. People also believe there will not be an imminent financial crisis because the government is the ultimate underwriter.


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SAN FRANCISCO, United States - Twitter on Thursday posted better-than-expected results for the recently ended quarter with gains in revenue, profit and its user base, sparking a rally in shares of the messaging platform.
Net profit was $66 million on revenue that surged to $1.19 billion, beating Wall Street expectations.
That compared to a loss of $1.38 billion in the same quarter a year earlier, according to the San Francisco-based tech firm.
The closely watched figure of "monetizable" daily users rose to 206 million in the quarter, an 11 percent increase from the same period last year.
Twitter said in its statement that more people were on the platform as a result of "ongoing product improvements and global conversation around current events."
Market watchers had been concerned that the departure of former US president Donald Trump from the platform and the lack of election-year frenzy might cause use to ebb.
Twitter shares were up more than 6 percent in after-market trades that followed the release of the earnings figures.
"We are shipping more, learning faster, and hiring remarkable talent," Twitter chief Jack Dorsey said in an earnings release.
"There's a tremendous opportunity to get the whole world to use Twitter."
Twitter chief financial officer Ned Segal said the quarter was marked by "better-than-expected performance across all major products and geographies."
Twitter's user numbers grew slower than they have in a while, but ad revenue surged some 87 percent, according to eMarketer analyst Nazmul Islam.
"There was significant demand for digital ads across the market and Twitter was integral to many brands," Islam said.
"User growth may continue to slow down because of how big the user base already is but we can expect high growth in advertising revenues next quarter as well."
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Addi Raises $75M Series B Extension
Gunderson Dettmer represented client Addi, a point-of-sale lending and consumer finance services platform, in its $75 million Series B extension led by Greycroft. The financing comes months after the company’s $65 million Series B equity and debt financing. The company plans to use the new funding to speed up its product roadmap and geographic expansion.
In the announcement of the transaction, co-founder and CEO of Addi Santiago Suarez said, “This round has increased our focus on making digital commerce ubiquitous and accessible across Latin America.”
The Gunderson deal team was led by Daniel Green and Bradley Krack and included Mark Foster, Jamilah Mena and Annie Dewberry.


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NJ/NY Gotham FC announced today that the largest chain of soccer retail stores in the U.S.A., Soccer Post, has partnered with the club. Soccer Post will be the official and exclusive soccer specialty store partner of Gotham FC and manage the club’s onsite and online merchandise sales.
“We are very excited to partner with a leading sports merchandiser like Soccer Post,” said Ed Nalbandian, Vice Chair, NJ/NY Gotham FC. “This is a tremendous opportunity to maximize our merchandise potential and deliver the club gear our fans deserve.”
Soccer Post will be on site at Red Bull Arena for all 2021 Gotham FC home matches to provide fans the club’s latest gear. For those that may not be able to make it to games, fans can still shop for their favorite Gotham FC products online at gothamfcshop.com, a dedicated Gotham FC shop powered by Soccer Post. As part of the partnership, club merchandise will also appear in select retail stores throughout the New Jersey and New York market.
“Gotham FC is an exciting part of the NJ/NY soccer market,” said Sarah Jett, Head of Brand, Soccer Post. “Their reach is spreading to other parts of the US, and other countries as well, and it is exciting to accelerate that growth.”
NJ/NY Gotham FC was a 2021 Challenge Cup Championship finalist and has only recorded one defeat in seven regular season matches this season. The team heads to the Rose City this week to take on the Portland Thorns on Sunday, July 11 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Single, group, and season tickets are now on sale and full pricing details can be found here.
ABOUT NJ/NY GOTHAM FC
Originally named Sky Blue FC, the Club underwent a major rebrand in April 2021 and officially changed its name to NJ/NY Gotham FC. Representing New Jersey and New York, the Club plays its National Women’s Soccer League home matches at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. The Club has been part of the NWSL since the league launched in 2013. Founded in 2007, Gotham FC originally debuted as Jersey Sky Blue in the W-League of United Soccer Leagues. The Club won its first trophy as Sky Blue FC in 2009 after winning the inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer championship. Most recently, Gotham FC played in the 2021 Challenge Cup Final against the Portland Thorns, the Club’s first ever championship appearance in NWSL competition.
ABOUT SOCCER POST
Soccer Post is the largest chain of soccer specialty stores in the USA. Each family owned and locally-operated Soccer Post location provides an exciting, personalized experience. The extensive inventory of cleats, balls, apparel, and more includes brands such as Nike, adidas, Puma, Diadora, and all high demand brands. Head to soccerpost.com to find the store closest to you or to reach out to our team department so we can help your club or team!


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Nigeria govt sues H-Medix, Bakan Gizo, others over price gouging of hand sanitizers, face masks
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THE Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on behalf of the Nigerian government, has sued four supermarkets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) over price gouging of hand sanitizers, disinfectants, hand-wash liquids and face masks.
The ICIR learned that the stores and their proprietors are to answer to a six-count charge bordering on allegations of “false, misleading, deceptive representation in relation to the price of sanitizers, hand-wash liquids and disinfectants of various existing brands on display at their retail outlets.”
The accused stores in addition to their pharmacies include; H-Medix Pharmacy & Stores Limited, and the representatives, Sandra Ejekwu and John Oluwagbemiga and Prince Ebeano Supermarket Limited and its proprietor, David Ojei.
The others are Bakan Gizo Pharmacy & Stores Nigeria Limited, and the representatives, Ray Opia and Luter Irene, as well as Faxx Stores & Trading Limited and the representative, Adogah Ahmed.
Following the record of coronavirus cases in Nigeria, items such as hand sanitizers, disinfectants and face masks have become necessities.
Due to the increase in demand, some retailers resulted in hiking prices of such items which caused several outcries on social media.
To the effect, the FCCPC issued directives on February 28 and March 24, warning supermarkets and retailers against using the coronavirus pandemic as a means to increase prices of products needed to ward off the virus.
After registering complaints and carrying out investigations, these four stores were found wanting.
According to reports, the charges against them were for violating Section 125 (1) (a) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018 and punishable under Section 155 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that in the statement of claim filed before the Federal High court, Abuja, the charges were spelled out to be; “exploiting the national public health emergency of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic to engage in price gouging of hand sanitizers and surgical disposable face masks of various existing brands and thereby engaged in the use of undue influence, pressure, unfair tactics and other obnoxious practices in connection with the supply of goods.”
It was gathered that the Commission accused Bakan Gizo Pharmacy & Stores Nigeria Ltd of committing the offences between February 1 and March 9, 2020, across its retail stores and also accused Prince Ebeano Supermarket Limited and H-Medix Pharmacy & Stores Ltd of committing the offences between February 28 and March 6, 2020.
FAXX Stores & Trading Ltd was accused of committing the offences between February 1 and March 24, 2020.
Meanwhile, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), has warned that smokers are at higher risk of developing fatal complications if they contract coronavirus.
Quoting a research, the group said “12.4 per cent of current smokers either died, were admitted to an intensive care unit or required mechanical ventilation, compared with 4.7% of non-smokers. Along similar lines, 21.2per cent of current smokers had severe symptoms, as opposed to 14.5% of non-smokers”.


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Gordon’s is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year and has launched a national campaign to encourage people to clock off on time over summer and enjoy a gin.
The “Clock Off with Gordon’s … Shall We?” campaign has been devised in collaboration with Publicis Groupe agencies Spark Foundry and Leo Burnett, along with experiential agency Traffik, and builds upon Gordon’s global communications platform “Shall We?”.
To launch the campaign, Gordon’s is partnering with Mamamia to ask Aussies to commit to clocking off on time this summer by signing a pledge. Those who take part will go into a draw for the chance to win the ultimate wind-down weekend away on Queensland’s Hamilton Island.
The activity, running until June next year, will also include a large-scale, dynamic OOH and supporting digital campaign. Underpinned by data that identifies clock off moments, Shall We? triggers will be amplified across OOH, Spotify, digital display, video and social. Video marketing platform Innovid’s API dynamic video technology will help direct people to their nearest retail liquor store to purchase Gordon’s for their next clock off moment.
Gordon’s will also activate pop-up bars in selected Sydney CBD offices in partnership with oOh! Media, along with Gordon’s Premium Pink pop-up bars in selected Westfield centres across Sydney and Melbourne.
Linda Wellington – Diageo Marketing Manager, Light Spirits, said: “Gordon’s Gin is all about seizing those moments to bring a little more joy to your day. As the world’s number one selling gin, we want to support the nation in their quest for a better work-life balance. Our hope is that the new campaign will encourage Aussies to put down their laptops and meet with friends, or simply indulge at home with a Gordon’s gin in hand – guilt free!”
Lauren Small – Spark Foundry General Manager, added: “Identifying culturally relevant opportunities that brands can own is at the heart of what we do at Spark Foundry. To truly reflect Gordon’s brand personality and playful tone of voice, we looked to Australian culture to identify moments that could benefit from the brand’s zest for life. These days, if you look around many offices at 5.30pm, it quickly becomes apparent that the age-old ‘clock off moment’ has truly been forgotten. For Gordon’s, this presented a great opportunity to help Aussies take back that moment.”


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Spotify will be holding a press conference tomorrow to announce some special goodness. But what? Some are speculating that Spotify plans to make its huge music library available to you via apps other than its own. And Spotify everywhere sure sounds nice.
According to All Things D Spotify has been discussing the possibility of an API with developers, and could well announce the fruit of those discussions at tomorrow's press event. The rumored API would allow third-party services to directly access Spotify's music library. Basically, an API would open the door for all of the fully-featured apps you wish existed for Spotify and unfortunately don't.
While there's been no actual confirmation of what Spotify plans to announce tomorrow, a new API seems to make a lot of sense, and it would be a boon to both the service and its paying customers. While Spotify's user base has ballooned to 2.5 million subscribers, most of the people who use the service don't pay for it. If Spotify wants to survive, it's going to have to change that. Some slick apps that could only be accessed by paying subscribers might convince more people to buy in. What would change for users? Potentially a lot. While Spotify's catalog is incredible, the service's features are minimal. If you don't know what you want to listen to, Spotify doesn't point you in the right direction. Maybe the plan all along was to leave that responsibility in the hands of crafty devs.
Of course, Spotify's plans and those of the record labels are often different. Remember how it took Spotify almost two years to launch in the United States because of hang ups with the labels? An announcement of plans doesn't mean anything yet, since it's not clear that such an API service is even legal.
The prospect of some legit music discovery tools for Spotify has us pretty excited, and the announcement would be a lot more exciting than the alternative—a lackluster and flailing response to Google Music, iTunes Match, and public relations kerfuffles with independent record labels. [All Things D and Evolvr.fm]


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Commentary: About that Saturday mail ...
[...] More than 397,000 of you took the time to vote. The question was: "Would you miss Saturday mail if the Postal Service stopped delivering it?"
Here's the surprising thing (at least it's surprising to me):
Sixty-eight percent of you said you would not miss the Saturday mail if it stopped coming. Only 32 percent of you said you would miss it.
The votes were undoubtedly tallied correctly.
But if theory becomes fact, and if one Saturday America goes to its mailboxes and finds them empty, I don't believe the permanent loss will be met with an understanding shrug.
It goes against human nature. When people are asked to pay more for services -- in this case, by shelling out more and more, decade after decade, for postage stamps -- they generally don't accept it with a smile when what they get for their money is cut back.
So to think that the Postal Service will blithely make an announcement to the American people -- "We've been delivering your mail to you six days a week since the post office began, but from now on you won't be seeing us on Saturdays" -- and that the American people will respond with a friendly wave -- "We understand; you just enjoy your weekends, and we'll see you on Mondays" -- defies logic.
In a digital age, the U.S. mail is a throwback to a time when the only way to receive information was to have human beings -- paperboys, mail carriers -- bring it to you by hand. You're reading these words on a screen; chances are, whatever written communication you have with friends and family members in the next 24 hours will be via e-mail and text message, not by dropping an envelope into a mailbox.
The problems the Postal Service faces are real, and they're enormous. Postmaster General Potter says that getting rid of Saturday delivery would save more than $3 billion a year. My guess is that not only are they going to have to do away with Saturday mail -- the time is probably coming when delivery on other days of the week will disappear, too.
So the question is not whether the days of mail delivery will be curtailed. It's whether we will be happy about it.
Many people on various message boards said that the days of expecting anything delightful in the mail are long gone. Bills, catalogs, promotional fliers -- that's what the mail carrier usually brings, so who needs to deal with that on Saturdays?
An intriguing sidelight:
The one piece of mail that people referred to excitedly was the red envelope from Netflix -- the distinctive-looking envelope bearing DVDs of rented movies. The Netflix envelopes seem to have taken the emotional place of handwritten letters from grandma. If there does turn out to be an angry public backlash against the coming elimination of Saturday mail, Netflix may emerge as a key factor.
If enough people don't receive their Netflix envelopes on that first Saturday the mail doesn't arrive, and there is thus a hole in their Saturday nights -- well, President Obama might have to step in to cool the outrage, the same way President Dwight D. Eisenhower did in April of 1957, the only other time a permanent cessation of Saturday mail delivery was attempted. It lasted just one weekend. Americans wouldn't put up with it. [...]
Yes, the Netflix factor. I thought of that too when I read the article last week, because we get Netflix, and we would really miss Saturday deliveries because of that. But how many other Netflix users are there, and how irate would they become? Irate enough to make the government keep spending 3 billion a year to make sure we get our Saturday Netflix?
Of course, if the Post Office could be run like a REAL business, that operates to make a profit, instead of having billions of dollars in losses every year, perhaps they wouldn't have to cut services even as they keep raising prices.
The need for mail is changing, but it's still needed. People will pay to have a need fulfilled. Surely there must be a way for the Postal Service to change with the times to fulfill those needs? Or be replaced by something more efficient, more open to change, that can do the job?


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Founded in 2013, BitPesa sees itself as an easy way for businesses and individuals worldwide to buy and sell local African currencies through Bitcoin to Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania with the monetary settlement taking place directly with African banks and mobile money accounts.
BitPesa is also one of the few Bitcoin organizations in Africa that provide bank deposits and withdrawals, which allows senders and receivers to take advantage of cheap, efficient and quick payments using Bitcoin to exchange African and international currencies. This removes the dependence on other currencies such as the U.S. dollar that have high international conversion rates.
BitFury CEO Valery Vavilov told Bitcoin Magazine there has been a serious lack of investment in financial infrastructure across Sub-Saharan Africa.
“This has resulted in the highest FX margins globally,” he said. “Incoming transfers to Sub-Saharan Africa average 12 percent with bank transfers often taking a week or more to settle.”
However, by offering a fast, easy and efficient way to buy and sell African currencies, more companies can do business with and across the African continent.
Why Invest in BitPesa?
BitPesa is an Authorized Payment Institution that is licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It has gained a solid reputation within the Bitcoin community as well as with international businesses by maintaining close relationships with those it works with.
Understanding the solid presence of BitPesa around Africa, BitFury decided that by establishing a strategic relationship with BitPesa, which was made under the BitFury Capital investment arm, the two companies would be able to deliver a secure and transparent way of exchanging money to those who use Bitcoin. The investment will also help grow the Bitcoin trading platform and universal payment system BitPesa is offering.
“Partnering with BitPesa was a perfect fit,” said Vavilov. “Not only is BitPesa Africa’s fastest and most affordable Bitcoin trading platform, but the company is also working to expand across the pan-African continent to provide access to fast and secure payments to millions of people.”
By partnering with local networks and payment networks, BitPesa is working to make Bitcoin payments accessible to the public who face obstacles to financial growth and those who are underserved by the banks. Since BitPesa is licensed by the FCA, it is a more trusted way of sending and receiving money compared to using informal brokers or cash agents, which is the typical route in Africa for most people who want to exchange currency nationally and internationally.
BitPesa CEO Elizabeth Rossiello told Bitcoin Magazine that the Bitcoin blockchain technology enables the company's instantaneous and secure transfer of funds.
“Every transaction is secured by the Bitcoin blockchain, which is a public unalterable ledger of transactions,” she said. “BitPesa also enforces strict KYC [Know Your Customer] and AML [Anti-Money Laundering] policies for every customer transaction.”
What Does the Future Hold for BitPesa?
When BitPesa first started it was simply acting as a way for expat and freelance workers from the U.K. to be able to send money to friends and family in Kenya. The company gained a lot of attention in Kenya, enabling it to generate sufficient revenue to expand its services into Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania.
Due to the heightened demand for Bitcoin, BitPesa was able to provide its customers with a trading platform using Bitcoin that gave users access to low conversion rates as they traded in the digital currency.
According to GSMA, a mobile telecom industry trade body, there are around 370 million mobile subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The organization has predicted that by 2020 the number of smartphones will increase to half a billion.
With such a popular mobile phone market and a lack of existing financial services, the African continent is fertile ground for increased adoption of Bitcoin in the near future. With the financial assistance and network of BitFury, BitPesa aims to drive the implementation of Bitcoin in the African region where its potential to change financial services is great.
“We believe in BitPesa’s mission,” said Vavilov. “[We] are excited to help the company grow, bringing the power of transformative technology for the benefit of people.”


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Florida Crystals subsidiary acquires majority interest in Belize Sugar Industries
- Staff South Florida Business Journal
American Sugar Refining has become the majority shareholder of Belize Sugar Industries Ltd.
“The BSI acquisition presented an opportunity to expand our sugar business by acquiring a majority interest in a key supplier of raw and direct consumption sugars to our refineries,” American Sugar Co-President Luis Fernandez said in a statement. “We plan to invest in the company and utilize our employees’ depth of sugar expertise to expand BSI’s operations and efficiencies in order to increase supplies of raw sugar and value-added fair trade and specialty sugars to our operations to meet consumer demand.”
BSI owns the only sugar mill in Belize, which crushed more than 1 million tons of sugar cane and produced 114,000 tons of sugar in its most recent crop, according to a news release. The company directly employs nearly 500 people and farms 4,000 acres of cane. All of the farms qualify for the fair trade certification, which provides additional compensation to local farmers and helps foster sustainable businesses and communities. The company and its independent farmers are the largest employers in Belize.
The previous shareholders of BSI, including BSI Employee Holdings Ltd., continue to hold the remaining shares, according to a news release.
American Sugar, which is the chief supplier globally of fair trade-certified sugar, owns and operates 10 sugar refineries and five sugar mills in New York, Maryland, Louisiana, California, Florida, Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Portugal and the Dominican Republic.
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Jo Olivia Lee has been appointed as chief operating officer.
She will be responsible for the continuous development of the app, platform services and infrastructure, as well as overseeing administrative and operations for both the Singapore office and the recent launch of Lendor Thailand.
Prior to her new role, Lee was Citi customer experience vice president, where she worked in digital channels and experience for global consumer banking in personal banking and wealth management.
Her involvement in the startup scene began in 2013, when she was part of the founding team of Foodpanda logistics, leading the regional expansion for Southeast Asia until 2018.
Lee graduated from the University of London with a Bachelor of Laws on a Full Scholarship and a Masters in International Business Management from Edinburgh Napier University.
She champions diversity, equity and inclusion and is a strong believer in giving back to the community and doing social good.
On top of being a UN Women member, she's also on the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) board of directors, a Willing Hearts Soup Kitchen voting committee member and an inclusive program instructor for APSN, a social service agency.
"I am excited to be able to contribute to Lendor's vision to be at the forefront of circular tech by encouraging collaborative consumption for both the conscious consumers and businesses to ultimately lead to reduced e-waste consumption," Lee says.
"Furthermore, with the global challenges of resource scarcity and climate change that we're facing today, I look forward to championing Lendor's value proposition to benefit capital and operational expenditures of businesses, whether SMEs, startups or MNCs while driving the facilitation of social responsibility and sustainable consumption patterns to further encourage the development of a circular economy, which we believe to be the economy of the future."


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TARGET TO BUY 2 FORMER KOHL’S SITES
NEW YORK — Target, the discount division of Dayton Hudson, said Wednesday it will purchase two former Kohl’s Corp. locations near Detroit.
Target, which already has 22 stores in the Detroit market, plans to raze the existing Kohl’s structures and build 116,000-square-foot stores on each site. The stores should open by mid-1996.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Earlier this week, Kohl’s said it was closing the stores at Northland Mall in Southfield and Eastland Mall in Harper Woods because they have not performed well.
The two stores generate annual sales of about $8 million each, compared with a company-wide average per store of $16 million.


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We know Suri didn’t become a fashionista all of a sudden and we’d love to know what she thinks of her mom’s clothing collection. Katie Holmes is preparing to debut as designer at the NY Fashion Week.
For the past five years all that Katie Holmes seems to have been doing was raising a daughter and taking care of a husband. Now that she’s divorced Tom Cruise, we get to see a whole new Katie Holmes. Holmes’ first collection will take the stage at the New York Fashion Week. From what the actress told WWD on Tuesday, for her fashion is all about trying “to make beautiful things”.
Katie Holmes and her business partner Jeanne Yang decided to debut as designers during the New York Fashion Week. Apparently it was just the right time, “because the brand is growing and expanding”. The Holmes & Yang collection already launched at Maxfield’s and her clothing items can be found in the Barneys New York store as well as Forty Five Ten in Dallas.
“We thought we would have something a little more substantial” said Katie Holmes in her interview with WWD. “We’ve been very gradual from the beginning, and part of that has been because we’ve wanted to take the time to get to know the business, get to know the right stores” the 33-year-old actress told WWD.
Katie Holmes’ debut as designer is set for September 12 during the New York Fashion Week. Katie Holmes’ spring/summer 2013 collection will hit the catwalk at the Lincoln Centre. “In terms of the presentation versus the show, we felt a presentation was more appropriate for the clothes we sell” said Suri Cruise’s mother.
“It’s a little more our speed in the way we wanted to go about it, and more of a transition for us from meeting privately with buyers in a hotel room to going right to a big show” said a very confident Katie Holmes.
According to Katie Holmes, her fashion collection is “very simple, with very classic lines”. She told WWD there’s “a lot of silks and leathers and suedes”. And this year’s Holmes & Yang collection incorporates “a lot of new trims”.
“It’s basically pieces that have evolved from basics, but not too far. They’re just nice, well-made luxury items that highlight the woman wearing them” said Katie Holmes of her fashion collection.


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| Apr 18, 2014
| 2:12 PM
The Florida High School Athletic Association was the first state governing body to send teams to a national basketball tournament televised by ESPN four years ago. Now, the FHSAA is looking at being on the ground floor of a proposed four-team national...
| Apr 14, 2014
| 7:27 AM
These items were taken from police reports:
•A Garmin GPS device valued at $100, a pair of New Balance shoes valued at $100, an iPod valued at $150, a workout bag with clothes valued at $170 and a heart-rate monitor valued at...
| Apr 2, 2014
| 11:11 AM
It's a big week for the Montverde Academy basketball brand. Senior standout D'Angelo Russell was selected for Wednesday's McDonald's All-American Games in Chicago, and after four days away, he'll rejoin the top-ranked Eagles on Thursday in pursuit of a...
| Mar 7, 2014
| 6:30 AM
In what Tribeca Digital Studios hopes will become a template for working with corporate marketers on branded content, it has pacted with retailer Dick's Sporting Goods to create "We Could Be King," a documentary highlighting the issue of underfunded youth...
| Mar 11, 2014
| 2:56 PM
Melvin Terrance Allen, 30, of the 200 block of South Parke Street, was arrested on a bench warrant Friday in a case in which he was charged with traffic-related violations including driving while his license was suspended and operating a...
| Mar 4, 2014
| 9:41 AM
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT GOLF ASSOCIATION
May 12 Blackledge Country Club
May 19 Simsbury Farms Country Club
June 2 Hawk’s Landing Golf Course
June 30 ...
| Jan 27, 2014
| 10:30 AM
A well-intentioned uncle sent your eight-year-old a Toys R Us gift card for Christmas. But rather than Transformers or Legos, your youngster really wants a nice leather basketball from his favorite sporting goods store.
Call this an opportunity to...
| Oct 22, 2013
| 5:37 AM
Get a grip -- again!
Bag a free Boccieri Golf Secret Grip valued at $16.99 with a coupon. This popular offer was made in July.
Bring the coupon and your driver or 7 iron to Dick's Sporting Goods, Edwin Watts or Golf Galaxy stores for free...
| Jan 21, 2013
| 3:31 PM
For Camina Anderson, it's not if the Ravens win the Super Bowl. It's when.
"They're going to win, just so you know," the Baltimore woman said Monday morning, little more than 12 hours after her team stunned the favored New England Patriots to win a...
| Jun 8, 2013
| 11:21 PM
CORONA DEL MAR — If all one saw of the Earthpack baseball team was Saturday's Newport Beach Little League majors division championship game, they likely would have concluded that Manager Jeff Fisher's squad was an irresistible force.
| Jan 4, 2013
| 5:06 PM
Baltimore-based lacrosse equipment maker STX announced today a one-year deal with former Syracuse attackman Tim Desko.
As part of the agreement, Desko will appear in marketing materials, help with product testing and development, and act as a team sales...


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NIGERIA – Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN), through its sugar milling subsidiary, Sunti Golden Sugar Estates, has launched a wholly made in Nigeria brown sugar dubbed Sunti Brown Sugar under the company’s flagship brand Golden Penny.
The launch of the new sweetener reaffirms FMN’s commitment to the National Sugar Master Plan that champions for rise in local production of sugar in pursuit of attaining self-sufficiency and curb imports.
According to the company, Sunti Brown Sugar is fully indigenous, made from sugarcane grown, harvested, and processed locally.
It is fortified with Vitamin A and provides additional nutritional benefits, creating a consumer affinity for made-in-Nigeria products.
During the launch, Boye Olusanya, the Group Managing Director of FMN, stated that continued investments in Nigeria’s sugar value chain would increase local sugar production capacity while empowering host communities.
“Currently, the sugar that is produced from locally grown sugarcane meets less than 5% of the nation’s demand.
“So, FMN’s commitment to improving the supply value chain through backward integration will immensely improve food security and reduce the over-dependence on sugar imports.
“It also creates vast employment opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled labour. Our goal is to build a vibrant sugar sector, one the economy can derive immeasurable benefits from.”
The launch of the new product comes a year after FMN acquired an additional 5,200 hectares of land in the estate in Niger state.
The upland acquisition brought the total land size of Sunti to 22,000 hectares of land, while the total land area under cane to 15,000 hectares.
FMN has long established itself as a formidable player in the sugar sector through the success of the Golden Penny pure white refined sugar.
With the Sunti brown sugar launch, FMN further reaffirms its commitment to the Nigerian Sugar Masterplan, which aims to increase the domestic production of sugar to meet the 1.7 Million Metric Tons (MMT) demand.
Devlin Hainsworth, Managing Director, Foods Division, FMN Group said, “We are building on our track record of excellence in the sugar industry. Without a doubt, the addition of Sunti Brown sugar to our product portfolio broadens our ability to meet the diverse needs of our customers.
“Sunti Brown Sugar, extracted from naturally grown sugarcanes, processed, and fortified with vitamin A, is set to restore Nigerian pride by introducing to the market a product that is entirely made, from start to finish in Nigeria.
“Additionally, it reaffirms our commitment to the millions of Nigerian families that rely on us for daily sustenance and confirms Golden Penny’s place at the heart of the family and, of course, the nation.”
The National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) introduced in 2012 was designed to attract over US$1 billion annually in local and foreign direct investments and create an estimated 107,000 jobs over the first ten-year period while increasing production capacity.
The bulk of this investment is expected to come from private investors and mandates sugar companies to invest in sugar farming and increasingly use locally produced extracts for their refineries.
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The deal would give Epic a pre-money valuation of $16.3 billion, with a post-money valuation (the value of the company after the deal is done) of $17 billion. Epic Games is the developer and publisher of Fortnite, which has more than 350 million users. And it is also the creator of the Unreal Engine, a toolset that’s the foundation for building many games (and increasingly, making movies and TV). Epic declined to comment.
Bloomberg said that new investors participating in this round are T. Rowe Price Group and Baillie Gifford. Existing investors KKR & Co. will also participate, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources.
The deal also gives us a window into the company’s current financial picture, as the privately held Epic does not disclose its revenues or profits.
Register for the free livestream.
In 2019, Epic Games reported $4.2 billion in revenue and $730 million in earnings before income tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA, a key measure of profitability). Revenue for 2020 is forecast to be $5 billion, with EBITDA of $1 billion.
In April alone, thanks to the pandemic, Fortnite revenue was $400 million, sources told me. Epic has said that in April, players spent 3.2 billion hours in the battle royale shooter. Fortnite also garnered a huge amount of attention for staging a virtual Travis Scott concert that drew more than 27 million people.
In 2018, Epic Games did better than it did in 2019. Revenue in 2018 was $5.6 billion. Epic used a lot of that money to invest in its Epic Games Store, expanding its staff for Fortnite and Unreal Engine, and some acquisitions.
The company has raised $1.6 billion to date, including $1.25 billion raised in 2018. Tencent bought 40% of the company in 2012 and it remains a shareholder.


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Nope, this isn't an early April Fool's Day joke: This morning, all Future Shop stores across Canada shut their doors abruptly, with employees informed of the closure as they arrived for work on Saturday morning. It's the latest shutdown in a brutal season for Canadian retailers that has claimed big-box stores (Target) and specialty retailers (Mexx, Jacob, and Smart Set) alike.
AM980 in London reports that a number of Future Shop's locations across Canada will be rapidly converted into Best Buy stores (the chain was purchased by Best Buy in 2011 for $580 million), while the rest will be vacated.
The individual fates of Toronto's Future Shop stores have not yet been confirmed. Nor is it known how many jobs will be lost across the country, or who - if anyone - can take over the leases of those massive retail spaces (on top of those already left empty by Target).
Photo by William Mewes va the blogTO Flickr pool.
by Natalia Manzocco via blogTO


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The history of GM, the world’s largest automaker, saw its beginning in 1908. The Trump administration’s rule would freeze the increasing gasoline effectivity standards at 2020 levels (around 37 miles per gallon) and now not maintain automakers to the ultimate aim, which was an average gasoline economic system of more than 50 miles per gallon by model yr 2025.
Shifwat Ullah Kollol, head of manufacturing at PHP Vehicles, says the potential for selling luxurious automobiles in Bangladesh is vivid, stressing that rubber and car our bodies already are produced locally and the government has reduce import taxes.
With the strike at Normal Motors stretching into a fourth week, the automaker’s monetary losses are piling up. GM will have misplaced out on $1.1 billion in revenue if the labor dispute continues by this weekend, Anderson Economic Group estimates in a new analysis.
By price reduction and mass production of competitive components such because the FC stack, hydrogen, fueling stations, compact packaging, storage (battery and ultracapacitors), silicon carbide-based progressive power electronics, and electric motor applied sciences, these vehicles may be commercialized and introduced to the marketplace for widespread use 18,21,37.
That Roller Coaster Trip Of Automakers
1. Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. is an Italian automobile firm that makes luxurious, high finish sports cars. Beneath the compromise struck with the four automakers, the stringency of the necessities would enhance at a nationwide average annual rate of three.7% annually starting in the 2022 mannequin year through 2026, and 1% of that annual improvement could possibly be coated by credit awarded for building electrified vehicles.
Justice Department officials consider the agreement may effectively limit competition by probably limiting the sorts of vehicles and vans the auto corporations offer to consumers, in response to folks accustomed to the division’s considering.anonymous,uncategorized,misc,general,other
Ought to GM Suppose Twice In Shopping for Chrysler?
Within the Seventies, automakers and enormous retailers began utilizing computers to work toward the goal of just-in-timeâ€ stock management.
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Automaker Definition And Meaning
So, you are in the market for a new vehicle? Our analysis centered on meeting the 2025 standards with particular gasoline-powered automobiles in an effort to highlight extra clearly that typical combustion technologies already being deployed are all that is wanted to fulfill the 2025 requirements.
WASHINGTON â€” California’s authorities has hit again at automakers that sided with President Trump over the state on fuel efficiency requirements, saying Sacramento will halt all purchases of new autos from Basic Motors, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler and different automakers that backed stripping California of its authority to control tailpipe emissions.
GM Strike Has Already Value Automaker Extra Than $1 Billion
The Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Investors additionally could source some elements cheaply at local engineering corporations, who in turn might target exports after serving local assemblers, says Ahmed, managing director of IFAD Autos, which assembles Indian Ashok Leyland commercial automobiles, together with buses and vehicles.
The Model 3 can also be very reasonably priced, coming in at $35,000, which is the estimated average worth of a automobile in 2017, so it could open up a whole new market for folks beforehand worried about an electric automobile that comes with a hefty price tag.
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The Ford Motor Co. introduced that the 2008 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor will be transformed into a green machine by making it a versatile fuel automobile that runs on either petrol or E85 ethanol gasoline. Automakers are taking sides because they need to know what rules they’ll must obey as they develop autos for future mannequin years, mentioned Alan Baum, a Detroit-space consultant who does work for the auto business and environmental groups.


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HAS the world truly awakened to the reality of plastic suffocating our natural resources and threatening our food security?
In the past two months, governments and countries have celebrated numerous environmental events and launched campaigns with themes focused on reducing plastic pollution.
Although movements for zero-waste or plastic-free living have been born long before, discussions on reducing plastic waste seem to recently have taken its place in mainstream consciousness. There seems to be a momentum for people advocating against single-use plastic.
But as politicians point out, any move to regulate or ban plastic use is seen as inconvenient for the majority of the voting population and key economic drivers.
Politicians who support plastic regulation policies see that in their travels to other cities around the world, they know that a society free from single-use plastic is possible and more sustainable, but at the same time, they cannot implement plastic regulation in their hometowns because they will anger voters in wet markets and the business sector
Not only will vendors and business owners find it inconvenient to dispense products and complain about lack of alternatives, but buyers are also burdened.SEE MORE


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A few weeks ago a multiplayer horror game, Section Studios' Dead Realm, was released on Steam's Early Access service and quickly rose to (briefly) become one of its top sellers. (According to SteamSpy, it's sold 70,000 units at $15, and it's undoubtedly a satisfying game, given almost 1,500 reviews averaging 'Very Positive').
In particular, the game has proven popular among YouTubers, in part because it's explicitly designed to be played in front of an audience. "We developed this game to not only be fun to play, but also fun to watch," reads an excerpt of the game's description on Steam.
The rise of YouTubers has definitely affected how many developers make games, but Dead Realm is a special case: it's published by 3BlackDot, the "influencer-driven" entertainment startup founded last year by ex-Machinima staffers in conjunction with YouTubers Tom "Syndicate" Cassell and Adam "SeaNanners" Montoya.
This is important because both Syndicate and SeaNanners have published multiple videos of themselves excitedly playing Dead Realm without clearly disclosing their financial ties to the game's publisher, seemingly defying the FTC's strict guidelines for how YouTubers should disclose paid endorsements (coincidentally, the UK Committee of Advertising Practices published a similar set of revised guidelines this week in an effort to enforce transparency among YouTubers producing advertorial videos.)
Gamasutra has contacted multiple 3BlackDot representatives to verify whether or not the company is aware of the FTC's expectations and ascertain whether it has any plans to comply, but received no direct response to that question.
"If an ad features an endorser who’s a relative or employee of the marketer, the ad is misleading unless the connection is made clear," reads the FTC's endorsement guide. "The reason is obvious: Knowing about the connection is important information for anyone evaluating the endorsement."
It may well be an honest oversight. The FTC's revised disclosure guidelines for YouTubers are relatively new, as is the fact that Let's Play videos can serve as effective ads for games, and both Cassell and Montoya have previously published videos (albeit weeks or months ago) in which they speak briefly about being involved in the development of Dead Realm.
Moreover, in direct communications about Dead Realm 3BlackDot proudly touts the YouTubers' involvement. Gamasutra received an email from a company representative this week that read, in part, "Evan Fong (VanossGaming – 13.7 million subscribers), Tom Cassell (TheSyndicateProject – 9.1 million subscribers) and Adam Montoya (SeaNanners – 5.4 million subscribers), all partners and co-creators at 3BD, joined forces to create the first multiplayer PC game that was created by an influencer network specifically for the YouTube community." (It then goes on to tout the number of unique views YouTube videos made about the game have garnered since its release, "all with zero marketing spend.")
While each of the aforementioned YouTubers has published multiple Dead Realm Let's Play videos, only Fong appears to have made any attempt at disclosing his ties to the game in post-release videos -- and only implicitly, in a text description on his first Dead Realm video that reads (in part) "We will also be releasing new ghost characters, human characters, and maps as time goes on...Thanks for all your support."
Even that probably doesn't cut it, from a federal standpoint. When Gamasutra spoke to FTC representative Mary Engle last year amid concerns that some popular YouTubers were accepting money to play or review games in their videos without disclosure, she made it clear that the commission expects "... disclosure should be clear and conspicuous, and should be upfront and easy to see where the viewer won't miss it."
Failure to do so is grounds for an FTC investigation, which could lead to a lawsuit; the FTC recently compelled Sony to pay refunds over misleading Vita ads and barred employees of its marketing firm partner, Deutsch LA, from misleading consumers with product endorsements on social networks without clearly disclosing their financial ties to the product.
This isn't the first time that 3BlackDot YouTubers have failed to clearly disclose financial ties to the products they play, either. When Gamasutra spoke to company co-founders Luke Stepleton and Angelo Pullen last year, Stepleton said that transparency was "not an issue" and that company representatives would clearly disclose all paid videos.
"Adam and Tom have done a brand integration for Disney Infinity. It's very clear when you watch the video, they're saying, 'Hey guys, Disney asked me to do this video,'" Stepleton said. "It's clear they're working with the brand to market or promote."
Gamasutra then promptly watched those videos and never heard either YouTuber say 'Hey guys, Disney asked me to do this video,' nor give any clear indication they'd been paid to produce the "brand integration" videos -- only that they'd been invited to play the game early.
3BlackDot's established disregard for being transparent about its YouTubers' business arrangements is doubly troubling because complying with FTC expectations (by, say, adding a line of text or a graphic that clearly states "I had a hand in making this game" to these videos) probably won't make these videos any less appealing, but failing to do so potentially damages the credibility of YouTubers as a whole.


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Will robots really take over the workplace?
Industrial – Workplace October 2018
US figures indicate around 80 percent of warehouses are still solely manually operated, with no automated support at all so the robots haven’t quite taken over the world – yet.
Analysis from McKinsey in late 2017, suggested that automation could destroy as many as 73 million US jobs by 2030 – about one third of all jobs in the country but added “there will be enough jobs for everyone in most sectors."
Sounds very optimistic because if we think in terms of “automation” rather than “robots” per se, technologies have advanced very quickly with drones, autonomous vehicles and an army of robots well-mobilised within the manufacturing, distribution and logistics sectors particularly. Plus, they’re not just doing the easy and repetitive tasks.
Advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning and software robots – and their resulting safety, accuracy, productivity and efficiency gains – led Microsoft founder Bill Gates, to propose a tax on robots to fund spending to create replacement jobs.
Brave new world, indeed, but will the wide-spread use of robots free-up people to take on more dynamic and thoughtful tasks instead?
Some thought bites on automation:
• 3D laser vision, coupled with new robotic software, is changing the way work can be carried out in warehouses. “Robotic beings” can view different products in a container, determine the optimal loading or unloading sequence, and carry out this function with a high level of accuracy.
• Industrial robot arms with sophisticated vision systems are able to sort products – known as “piece picking” – very accurately and quickly.
• Amazon now has its own robotics division, Amazon Robotics, and say an important breakthrough is nearby, which will see robots able to perform warehouse piece picking with far greater efficiency than is currently possible.
• Collaborative robots “cobots”, which have no sharp edges and shut down when they bump into something, are very human workforce-friendly and can be trained to do tasks by letting a human guide their arms once to learn the motion – fantastic for custom packaging processes, for example.
• How about robots working as security guards – be very afraid.
• Fruit-picking robots and cow-milking robots have already proven their worth in situations where finding human resources can be tricky.
• We’re all used to pumping our own fuel on the forecourt, but robots that can refuel a car at the push of a button, allowing drivers to control everything from inside their car are heading your way.
• A recent study (by IDC) in the States, which surveyed 600 decision makers across several industries about their current and future of commercial service robots, says 2 in 5 respondents noted they are piloting service robotics, while more than half said they "plan to deploy" or are "researching and considering the technology."
• The biggest obstacle for business owners is understanding the technology, the possible applications and a general lack of awareness about automation potential
• Food for thought: just because something can be automated does not mean that it should be…
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