text:
Let’s face it: the only reason we buy generic goods is to save money. (And when it comes to healthcare, there’s a lot that inevitably needs to be saved.)
This is especially true when it comes to prescription medications. While it’s nice to have a shiny, name-brand label on our pill bottles, we recognize that, in most instances, the ingredients of the “no-name” product are just as good than the name brand’s. And so, we select the generic to save a few bucks.
But a June 2nd article in Healthcare Dive suggests that generic-branded prescriptions aren’t as cost-effective as consumers might think. Here we go…
According to a recent white paper from University of California’s Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, consumers are overpaying billions of dollars for their prescription drugs due to “arcane” and “opaque” pricing practices from our nation’s largest PBMs.
The real reason you’re not saving money
If you need a refresher, PBMs negotiate drug prices on behalf of insurance companies. They connect insurance plans with wholesale pharmaceutical sellers, pharmacies, employers, and—let’s not forget—patients. And one of the ways PBMs claim to save consumers money is through generic brand drugs. Sounds like a good thing, right? Wrong.
The article reveals that these no-name brands aren’t just ‘not saving’ consumers money, in many cases, they’re more expensive than the name brand. Some consumers are overpaying for their prescriptions as much as 20%.
The numbers speak for themselves: the October 2021 U.S. Generic & Biosimilar Medicines Savings Report estimates that, in 2020, generic and biosimilar drugs saved the United States healthcare system $338 billion. Generic drugs account for more than 90% of prescriptions, but only 18% of drug spending in the country, according to the article. And yet, these savings aren’t benefiting consumers.
So, where does all this money go? It goes to the country’s three largest PBMs and their affiliated organizations—which are, to no surprise, some of the nation’s largest health insurers:
- CVS Caremark by CVS Health, a sister company of Aetna
- Express Scripts, owned by Cigna
- OptumRx, owned by UnitedHealth Group
Together, the three largest PBMs process close to 80% of all retail prescription claims.
How are PBMs pocketing this much money?!
“Clawbacks” and “spread pricing” are the approaches PBMs use to obfuscate drug pricing. Through these strategies, patients and pharmacies are billed higher than what drugs actually cost – and PBMs pocket the difference.
What’s more, these cost increases aren’t just a few bucks. The white paper estimates that these PBM practices have led to patients’ overpaying billions of dollars for their prescriptions.
What can we do about it?
A small silver lining is that PBMs appear to be coming under the microscope. They’re not only under Congress’s microscope, but also the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC). Back in May, two senators introduced legislation that sought to prevent PBMs from using clawbacks and spread pricing and called for more transparency in reporting financial data, and in early June, the FTC announced an investigation requiring the six largest PBMs to turn over financial and business information.
This is all well and good, but will it lead to real change? Will legislators and regulators crack down – or bow out?


text:
The outbreak of COIVD-19 pandemic is the reason, all the major world economies have come to their heel under lockdown. Now, assumptions are being made that in the coming weeks, the global trade and the supply chain system would suffer more because of this pandemic.
In recent times, it is tough for suppliers to provide their services across global value chains because the demand and supply of their services, which is the very basic reason, have been collapsed. Other reasons for slow flow of goods and services are a shortage of labours and transport frictions.
Economic Crisis Issues Will Be Resolved Using Blockchain
But according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), all the issues related to the economic crisis could be resolved soon. On April 2020, the WEF released a report stating that with the help of blockchain technology one could easily mitigate the impact of such disruptions.
According to the report, the head of digital trade at the WEF, Ziyang Fan, and the co-founder and executive vice president of the blockchain project SKUChain, Rebecca Liao, has mentioned that during the time of crisis and at a normal production day, the blockchain technology would provide the visibility in the supply chain.
Paper-Based Operations Are Risky
WEF in its report stated that earlier, many of the global firms did not support the digitization of paper-based processes of their company because they felt the digitization’s costs were much higher for them. Therefore, the logistic networks always remain dependent on physical signatures and paper print-outs.
It is to be noted that paper-based operations have been risky at times of disruptions and because of this (paper-based operations), the firm was not able to react instantly to changing circumstances.
The report then mentioned that in the present day scenario the paper-based operations could not have survived the way the firms with stronger digital infrastructure are doing.
Another reason for not shifting to digitalization is that the companies are concerned about their privacy. The companies have a fear that they might lose control over the usage of sensitive information.
The report by WEF added, “When created properly, suppliers can audit their data-sharing permissions directly on their own blockchain node. At the same time, their data can be securely distributed to others in the blockchain network without requiring the point-to-point integration that centralized systems do”.
You May Also Read.
- CME Group Urged to Start Mining Bitcoin by Board of Director
- Nic Carter Estimates Third Biggest Drop in Bitcoin’s Mining Difficulty
- Servers Of Baidu Illicitly Deployed For Mining Process

domain: news


text:
On the heels of Dunkin’ Donuts’ clever (and timely) foray into the Vine platform, comes another social-savvy campaign from the donut purveyor. But this time, the brand is combining social and traditional media.
Using the hashtag #MyDunkin, the brand is leveraging real social media comments and recreating them for a series of fan-driven spots. But while other brands have used fan tweets in the past to inspire online videos, Dunkin’ is going the next level by featuring the authors themselves in the spots. Click the above ode-to-Dunkin’ to read more about their latest campaign.


text:
Last Updated on by Admin
In today’s news roundup, we talk about the Android 11 rollout for Pixel phones and others, Huawei’s 2021 production target, 5G iPhone update, POCO M2, Motorola Razr 5G, and other news.
It is that time of the year that other Android users go green with envy, as Android 11 began to roll out to Google Pixel smartphones this week. This includes the Pixel 2, Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, Pixel 4, and Pixel 4a. If you are using any other Android phone, you may have to wait a while to get a taste of this pudding.
Still, owners of phones like OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro, OPPO Find X2, Ace2 & Reno3 4G series, and Realme X50 Pro, are getting Android 11 open beta as well. Not the same as thwe stable version that Pixel owners are getting, but it is Android 11 all the same.
Nokia 8.3 5G Pre-order in Belgium
In Europe, Belgium to be precise, Nokia 8.3 5G is now available on pre-order. It is an upper mid-range 5G smartphone with a 6.81-inch IPS LCD display, 24MP punch-hole selfie camera, Snapdragon 765G chipset, and a 4,500 mAh battery with 18W charging.
Apple wants to produce 74 million 5G iPhones in 2020
5G is all the rave in 2020. While other manufacturers like Samung, Huawei and Xiaomi already have 5G smartphones in the hands of users, Apple is on its way to getting on the train. The US company is looking to ramp up production and make 74 million 5G iPhones this year.
We are expecting the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Max, and iPhone 12 Pro Max, to go on sale later this year. These models are expected to have a 5.4″, 6.1″, and 6.7″ display respectively. Bring it on, Apple!
And Huawei may produce only 50 million smartphones in 2021
Huawei shipped 240 million phones in 2019. This year, the brand successfully overtook Samsung to become the largest smartphone brand on the planet. But a source say that Huawei may not produce more than 50 million smartphones in 2021.
The source says that “Huawei shared this 2021 target with its South Korean subcontractors”.
If this projection is true, then we can expect a massive shift in the smartphone market place next year. Already, another Chinese brand, Xiaomi, is clearly pushing hard to take Huawei’s place. They won’t be the only one scrambling.
POCO M2 Launched in India
All the way over in India, POCO M2 has been announced. It has a 6.53″ display, Helio G80 chipset, 6GB RAM, 13MP quad cameras, and 5,000mAh battery. Launch price is Rs 10,999. That is about $149, and it sounds like good value for money.
Will we see the POCO M2 in other markets outside of Asia? Well, seeing that the POCO M2 is a rebranded version of the Redmi 9 Prime, which itself is a rebranded Redmi 9 (sigh), duh. Redmi 9 is already available in multiple markets and regions.
But honestly, what is with the chain rebrandings?
TECNO Camon 16 Premier Launched in Nigeria
TECNO Mobile has launched the Camon 16 Premier in Nigeria. We are looking at a 6.9″ display with 90Hz refresh rate, Helio G90T chipset, 64MP rear quad camera, 4500mAh battery. TECNO Camon 16 Premier is available on pre-order. The recommended retail price is ₦116,000.
The first HarmonyOS phone is on the way
HarmonyOS is Huawei’s home-grown mobile operating system. The Chinese company says that the first smartphone to be powered by HarmonyOS will hit the streets in 2021. The question that people are asking is, How does HarmonyOS hope to succeed where Windows Mobile 10 and BlackBerry 10 operating systems failed?
Perhaps the fact that it runs Android apps out of the box and that Huawei’s core market – China – has not been open to Google Mobile Services any way. But time will tell.
Motorola Razr 5G heads to AT&T, T-Mobile in the USA
Motorola’s first foldable phone, the Razr, is getting a 5G upgrade, and word on the street is that it is heading to US carriers, AT&T and T-Mobile.
Motorola Razr 5G will be using Qualcomm’s mid-range 5G-enabled Snapdragon 765G chipset.
- Huawei’s 2021 projections (source)


text:
Novavax Inc. hopes India, Philippines and other regulators will make a COVID-19 vaccine decision within “a few weeks” after Monday’s Shot receives the first Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from Indonesia. I told Reuters that I was doing it. ..
Novavax shares rose about 13% after the company announced that it had filed an emergency vaccine application with Canada and the European Medicines Agency.
In the case of Indonesia, Shot is manufactured by the Serum Institute (SII) of India, the world’s largest vaccine maker, and sold under the Indian company brand name Covovax. Novavax said the first shipment to Indonesia is expected to begin shortly.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is also considering filing with Novabax regulators, and U.S. pharmaceutical companies expect the review to be resolved in the coming weeks, Stanley Elk said. He told Reuters in a telephone interview on Monday.
The green light from WHO prepares Novavax to begin shipping doses to the COVAX program, which supplies shots to low-income countries. Novavax and SII have jointly promised to deliver more than 1.1 billion doses to WHO-led COVAX.
“I think we’ll get some COVAX this year,” Erck said. “But I think [Novavax is] It will be available for mass shipment to COVAX in the first quarter of 2022. “
Erck said Novavax has resolved all manufacturing challenges and expects regulators to have no further concerns about the manufacturing process.
He said Novavax is “in dialogue with the US FDA … and expects a full submission in the coming weeks.”
Novavax has postponed the US approval application, and Politico reported last month that the company is facing production and quality issues.
SII has been licensed to produce the Novavax vaccine, and US companies have announced that they will apply for regulatory approval for other facilities, such as factories in the Czech Republic, in the coming weeks.
According to the government, Indonesia plans to receive 20 million protein-based vaccines this year.
Indonesian National Agency of Drug and Food Supervision Commissioner Penny Rukito did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Novavax has applied for EUA in a variety of countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, India and the Philippines.
“They will be reviewing for weeks instead of months,” Erck said, confirming Novavax’s regulatory submissions and potentially clearing shots for use. ..
The company, along with its Japanese partner Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, said it is preparing to seek regulatory approval for its rollout in Japan early next year.
Novavax Shot has been shown to be more than 90% effective, including against a variety of related variants of the coronavirus, in a large US-based late-stage study.
Karl O’Donnell and Dania Nadim


text:
The fashionistas were seeing red at the Randolph Duke show in the Bryant Park tents yesterday – after an anti-fur activist hurled scarlet paint at a runway model.
The incident was the third Fashion Week attack by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – which has also targeted designers Oscar de la Renta and Michael Kors.
At the Duke show, PETA protester Bruce Friedrich, 30, jumped out from the standing-room area, pulled out a bottle of paint and flung it at a model who was wearing a hooded sable cape.
The paint missed the model but splattered five people in the front row, including CNN style maven Elsa Klensch and celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch.
“That’s the ridiculous part,” said Bloch, whose cashmere sweater, pants and shoes were dotted with red speckles.
“Besides, I’m wearing a vintage bear coat that’s like 80 years old. That bear would have been dead by now anyway.”
Elycia Rubin, a fashion director for Style and E! was knocked from her chair during the brouhaha – but shrugged it off.
“I can’t get upset over paint on my shoes,” she said.
Friedrich, who lives in Virginia, was arrested and charged with criminal mischief and criminal trespass, both misdemeanors, an NYPD spokesman said.
PETA spokeswoman Rae Leann Smith said the campaign – which included two women storming the runway at de la Renta’s show and a pie being thrown at Kors – isn’t over.
“As long as people are continuing to show fur on the runway, designers might as well be wearing a target,” she said when asked whether its members would try to disrupt any shows today.
Stan Herman, president of 7th on Sixth, which sponsors Fashion Week, said the intrusions were hardly a surprise.
“The fact is, we are a target – especially when you have 1,500 people at the shows,” he said.


text:
aTV Flash (black), Firecore’s flagship product for the 2nd generation Apple TV, has been updated to Beta5. This time the developers’ main focus has been on building and improving the Media Player feature: according to Firecore, the Media Player has received a “big boost” in Beta5, but is still under heavy development with many more features and improvements still to come.
Apple released minor software update for Apple TV 2 – labeled 4.2.2 – which generally fixes some audio and video playback issues (see the full list of changes below). The IPSW name is still 4.3, but the build version changed from 8F202 to 8F305. @i0n1c has already updated Apple TV 2 kernel for his original 4.3.1 untether. NitoTV confirmed that the new untether works “beautifully” and he said there should be a new Seas0nPass out very soon.
Good news for old Apple TV owners (yes, there are still some lovers of the ‘original’ shiny box of joy out there): App Dynamic, the same company that first brought AirPlay to the old Apple TV has just announced that AirPlay implementation on the 1st generation Apple TV is now complete as they have released a Remote HD update that enables AirPlay audio streaming to the old Apple TV as well as direct personal video streaming from iPhone’s camera roll. The new version also automatically installs Perian on AppleTV’s (if not installed already).
For those who still have problems jailbreaking Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3 with SeasOnPass, sn0wbreez is the alternative you should give a try to. The software has been updated to version 2.5.1 just a couple of days ago and it can now jailbreak your atv2 on the latest software in a flash (less than 10 minutes in our case). Considered as the unofficial PwnageTool for Windows, sn0wbreeze works with Windows XP, Vista and 7.
Here is the step-by-step tutorial on how to jailbreak your Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3 (Apple TV 4.2.1) using sn0wbreez 2.5.1:
FireCore’s Seas0nPass has been updated to provide an untethered jailbreak for the latest 4.2.1 (iOS 4.3) Apple TV2 software. Similar to PwnageTool, Seas0nPass allows you to jailbreak your atv2 by creating custom Apple TV IPSW files and restoring them in iTunes. It’s both mac and Windows and it works like a charm!
Here are the instructions on how to jailbreak your Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3 (Apple TV 4.2.1) using Seas0nPass:
And here it comes, another untethered jailbreak for Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3.1. Snowbreeze has been updated to version 2.5 and can now jailbreak your atv2 on the newest 4.2.1 software. Sn0wbreeze is considered as the unofficial PwnageTool for Windows. It works with Windows XP, Vista, 7 and can be downloaded from here. A tutorial on how to jailbreak Apple TV 2 on iOS 4.3.1 using Sn0wbreeze 2.5 will be posted shortly.


text:
Several dozen of Langley’s homeless are expected to gather at Douglas Park this weekend for a bit of a Christmas cheer.
Brookswood teen Cierra Foster camped out in the George Preston Recreation Centre parking lot last Saturday to gather donations of blankets, warm clothes, and food donations.
“I have to admit, I was worried when donations were not coming in as fast as I had hoped this year,” she explained to the Langley Advance.
But after Saturday’s drop-off event, she said she’s feeling “confident again,” several people dropping off donations and commending her for her charitable efforts.
Tom Cook of Surrey, for instance, drove in to drop off a few used clothing items and a box of coats.
“I had extra coasts and what not, and I know there’s a lot of needy people out there that need warm clothes,” Cook shared.
“We received a great amount of donations,” she said, her car packed with bags and boxes of donations.
Now, she’s planning a Reason for the Season event this coming Saturday, Dec. 23, where she will distributed these donated items to the homeless.
“With the help of some local grocery stores and coffee shops, it looks like we will be able to hand out some warm goodies and drinks, as well,” she said.
“Hard to say how many I will expect because the homeless seem to stay tucked away in Langley,” Foster added, explaining that she went out this week to personally invite many of the homeless to the Reason for the Season event.
“But, from last year’s experience, I expect at last 50 people to show up,” she predicted.
Foster started this initiative in Vancouver three years ago, distributed goods to homeless in the Downtown Eastside.
This year, with less time on her hands, and recognizing a growing need in her own hometown, she’s chosen to focus all of her energies on collecting and distributing in Langley.
Saturday’s event is being held at 11 a.m. at Douglas Park.


text:
Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB) signs an agreement with Tradeling, the MENA e-commerce platform focused on business-to-business (B2B) transactions, to facilitate offering buyers on the platform better credit facilities.
Parties will work on digitising the credit assessment and facilitation process of the credit history of enterprises and SMEs looking to avail of any of the platform's credit finance offerings, which will become a major element of Tradeling's decision-making process upon assessing the risk of the applicant’s credit finance request.
As part of the agreement, local and international sellers on the platform will be able to identify companies with a good credit rating and extend financing terms, offering them an opportunity to focus on growth and scaling up their businesses with financial ease. Additionally, Tradeling will act as a non-financial institution, reporting borrowers' positive and negative payment behaviours to Al Etihad Credit Bureau.
Today, Tradeling’s finance solutions include direct credit lines that permit UAE-based companies to purchase products from a wide array of sellers in 14 different categories with deferred payment terms of 30, 60, or 90 days.
Marwan Ahmad Lutfi, Chief Executive Officer, Al Etihad Credit Bureau, said: “This collaboration will positively empower the B2B platform to boost its participant's businesses through facilitating credit facilities with attractive payment terms based on the extensive information provided in the credit reports and score. As a result, our credit reports and credit scores will not only help Tradeling make informed decisions but will also allow them to generate informed foresights and KPIs, eventually leading them to sustainable prosperity for market players through better cash flow management.”
Tradeling will report to AECB the repayment behaviour of companies, which availed of credit facilities so that it will show in their credit report which will ultimately impact their credit score.
Marius Ciavola, Chief Executive Officer, Tradeling said: “To further drive the growth of our customer's businesses and reduce credit risk exposure, we are committed to promoting best practices through essential collaborations. The collaboration with AECB is a key step toward better understanding and serving our consumers, as well as differentiating service offers for clients with a good credit history.”
AECB’s products better help support decisions relating to investment and credit targets to reward companies’ ability to maintain timely payment schedules and creditworthiness and access the best products and offerings within the industry. Companies can rely on AECB’s robust products and capabilities to assess companies’ financial risks.
Led by a team of experienced technology startup builders, Tradeling ensures a reliable and smooth trade process in addition to providing logistics and financing solutions. Connecting global suppliers with MENA-based demand, the platform leverages advanced technology to optimise the supply chain and creates economic value in addition to mitigating risks.


text:
A BMW driver was accused by the car giant of wrecking his wiper system by using a cheap supermarket screen wash.
Simon Raeburn took his £40,000 motor in to be fixed under warranty after the jets packed up.
The dealer said he blocked them with a 50p-a-litre fluid from Morrisons instead of using the firm’s own make which is nine times more expensive at £4.50 a litre.
Simon was charged £163 to flush the system and install a new fluid reservoir and strainer in the BMW 335d he bought new less than three years ago.
Simon, 60, of Tavistock, Devon, said: “They told me I should have been using BMW’s anti-bacterial washer fluid and should the jets be blocked the warranty would not apply.”
He checked his manual after reluctantly stumping up at Plymouth dealer Ocean.
It did not stipulate using any special product — only that different ones should not be mixed.
Simon said he always used Morrisons fluid.
Car mag Auto Express slammed the “misleading” manual.
It said: “By this logic, owners should only ever use BMW washer fluid or risk falling foul of this implied warranty clause.”
BMW said: “It’s imperative that the correct concentration of washer additive is added during all top-ups to the screenwash reservoir.”


text:
Third year students from the Fashion Studies course at Arts University Bournemouth are celebrating following a successful week exhibiting their designs at London Graduate Fashion Week (LGFW).
LGFW, which was launched in 1991, provides a forum to showcase the very best graduate fashion design talent in the UK. In addition to the exhibitions and catwalk shows, they hold a number of competitions to celebrate the best designs produced by the graduates, with the culmination of the event being the Gala Catwalk Show, which showcases the best of the best from each university.
At the Gala Show, four students from the Arts University were shortlisted for the first time ever. In addition, student Megan Cornwell was in the final 3 for the Zandra Rhodes Textile Award; Ricky Moakes for the Menswear Gold Award; and Chelsea Gosling for Menswear Knit.
Student Johanna Wulffe was a finalist in ‘This Morning’s’ Viewers Award, with her designs featuring on ITV with Jason Gardener, Betty Jackson and Hilary Alexander critiquing them.
The Arts University’s exhibition stand, which featured a caravan as part of the fashion set-up, received high praise from press and Industry and was featured on BBC’s Breakfast News Show and renowned fashion designer Jeff Banks also met with the Anne to discuss a visit to the Arts University to set up a Menswear project.
As a result of all the hard work the students have put into their collections, five students have been interviewed by Abercrombie & Fitch for positions in New York and Ohio; five students have been interviewed to have work featured in Italian Vogue; and children’s wear designer Sarah Brigginshaw has been offered interviews with 3 different companies.
Finally as part of Caryn Franklin’s initiative ‘All Walks Beyond the Catwalk’ which aims to raise awareness of, and celebrate diversity of the female form on the catwalk, Fashion Studies Course Leader Anne Chaisty was invited to present at a special breakfast meeting to announce the opening of the Centre for Diversity through ‘All Walks Beyond the Catwalk’. Discussions are now taking place with Course Leaders from Southampton and Edinburgh for a collaborative Project on the Diversity of Beauty.
Fashion Studies Course Leader Anne Chaisty commented “The standard this year at LGFW was extremely high. Given that over 60 UK and International Courses showed at LGFW this Year, our Fashion Studies course has certainly made its mark as one to watch!”


text:
A new report out of the Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) shows that people are buying more electronics than anything else on Amazon and that groceries sell better than expected.
Books are still a major part of Amazon's business, which explains why it so aggressively pursues favorable agreements with publishers. But, more people still buy digital music than ebooks from Amazon.
About one-third of book and game buyers downloaded their purchases, but only one-sixth of movie purchases were downloads. That means a lot more people are still buying movies as physical DVDs.
CIRP also found that people hate paying for premium shipping: 93% of customers use standard shipping, free Super Saver shipping, or Prime free 2-day shipping.
CIRP based its findings on surveys of 1,100 people who bought something on Amazon over an eight-month period.


text:
Shipping and logistics platform and tech firm FreightPop in Lake Forest said it’s seeing increased interest for its cloud-based software amid supply chain uncertainty due to the pandemic.
Sports recovery products firm Hyperice was already one of OC’s fastest growers. Then it made its largest acquisition.
At-home workout? Here's your recovery
Cocoon Medical, a Barcelona, Spain-based medical aesthetics company that makes laser hair removal and body shaping products, is introducing its diode laser platform to the U.S. market through a hub in Tustin.


text:
The massive storm on the East Coast that's claimed dozens of lives and wiped out entire communities is already expected to cause over $50 billion in damage. Handfuls of volunteers from various Minnesota agencies have been dispatched to help with emergency relief efforts, the Pioneer Press reports.
The Red Cross is urging people to donate blood or organize blood drives to maintain supplies during this disaster.
Waves up to 20 feet tall have stalled cargo shipping on the Great Lakes. The Associated Press says freighters full of iron ore, coal and other commodities have taken refuge in harbors or bays.
Dozens of flights out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to the East Coast were cancelled again Tuesday, MPR reports. Airport officials say winds and visibility are still an issue. Travel to New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia will take the longest to return.
Although it's no comparison to the destruction in the east, local businesses are seeing some hiccups from the storm's aftermath.
WCCO reports several companies are experiencing online outages. Mall of America's Sea Life Aquarium was unable to process transactions online because their servers, located in New York, went down due to power outages.
Minneapolis-based Coastal Seafoods will see a shortage of supplies. The company tells KSTP that half their products including live lobsters and caviar are usually shipped in from New York and Boston.
Here's a look at raw aerial video of destruction along the Jersey shore:


text:
Plans for the Future
The future of East Towne continues to show exciting possibilities. The facility is in the process of being repositioned into a mixed use town center that hosts innovative users, and is a dynamic center of the Knoxville community. East Towne continually works to bring its customers new establishments of retail, entertainment, food, office space, medical space, event venues, and more.
The vision for East Towne includes making the facility a walkable, indoor outdoor center with new outparcel builds, more exterior retail entrances, green space, road improvements, and additional facility improvements. Space for lease is currently available. For more information, visit the “Leasing” tab in the toolbar. Check back on the “Future” page to see exciting announcements on what’s coming to East Towne!


text:
Worldwide shipments fell 1.7 percent from a year ago, beating IDC projections.
A new paper calls for a push to solve security problems related to Internet voting
The FTC, FCC and state attorneys general accuse the company of making millions of dollars from unwanted third-party charges
The agency's collection of U.S. communications has privacy controls in place, a report says.
Artificial intelligence experts predict that computers in coming years will increasingly replace knowledge workers.
The Marriott hotel chain blocked outside hotspots while charging customers up to $1,000 per device to access its own Wi-Fi service.
The FCC says it communicated with groups submitting large numbers of comments on net neutrality in an effort to keep its system from crashing.
American Commitment's 2.4 million letters to Congress came from about 800,000 people
Hector Xavier Monsegur directed attacks against targets in the UK, Australia, Brazil and other countries, The Daily Dot is reporting
American Commitment's petition doesn't include the words, 'net neutrality,' however.
The agency sends broadcasters projected earnings in the upcoming auction of TV spectrum
Small and medium-size businesses should look into sharing cyber defenses, he says
The defendants also allegedly stole pre-release games and information on Microsoft's Xbox
The indictment of the Pakistani man is the first focused on an alleged mobile spyware app, the DOJ says.
Middleware firm Tibco announced earlier this month it was considering financial alternatives


text:
Daystar University’s Daniel Chikwaza, a second year communication student is the winner of the second edition of Samsung Ziki Stars, taking home a fully sponsored single and one video courtesy of Samsung Electronics East Africa .This comes after three weeks of intensive auditions across three universities.
Daniel staved off strong competition to emerge tops beating six contestants from three universities- Kenyatta University, USIU and Daystar University at the grand finale at Skylux.
In the finals, seven contestants; Lensa Alila and Maureen Kanana from Kenyatta University, Daniel Chikwaza and Young Noiz from Daystar University, Elizabeth Rege, Halima Nsangou and Lisa Mugera from USIU had to fight for the top prize and honors as the Samsung Ziki Star.
Halima Nsangou was the first runners-up while Elizabeth Rege is the second runners-up. Young Noiz from Daystar University won the judges award for his boom boxing talent earning himself a one off opportunity to record with King of Benga – Dan ‘Chizi’Aceda and gifted music producer – Chris Adwar.
“I want to thank Samsung for providing a platform for aspiring artists to display their prowess in music and to all my fans who have believed in my talent, I will not disappoint you,” said Chikwaza, after being announced the winner.
Daniel will immediately head to the studio to work on his first single and video under the mentorship of Kevin Wyre who is the Samsung’s Brand Ambassador .The new single will be released in two weeks’ time and the video at a later stage.
Samsung Ziki Star which was inaugurated in 2011, saw Lyra Aoko emerge winner of the competition. As winner of the Samsung Ziki Stars, she made an entrance to the music scene with a collabo with Wyre called “Happy” which has propelled her musical career.
Lyra’s career looks promising as she has already worked on a new single “Ni Wewe” and also features in songs with leading artists like J ’Mani and Collo –“Radio Love” and Nick Mutuma –“254 Anthem.
Speaking at the grand finale, the Samsung Electronics East Africa Business Lead – Corporate Marketing, Patricia Kingori said the competition was bigger and better this year with over 700 students auditioning for the top honors as the Ziki Stars.
“Ziki Stars is finding its place as one of the leading and most engaging youthful talent search. We are slowly and steadily growing in scope and scale in delivering authentic musical talent in the country’s entertainment platform and are thrilled to be champions in innovation not only of technological discovery but also talent in the country’s entertainment platform,” said Kingori.
The second edition of Samsung Ziki Stars was courtesy of its recently unveiled Samsung Galaxy Music handset-the first music smart phone that reinforces the need to capture the hearts of music lovers who are in the market looking for an affordable smartphone.
The Samsung Galaxy Music runs on the latest operating platform, Android 4.0 (Ice-Cream Sandwich) and boasts some serious features that will make any music loving consumer want to own it.


text:
Coming soon to the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Having unveiled the stunning new 2021 Mirai fuel cell vehicle, Toyota has today teased the first-ever 2021 Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid, which is set to be revealed at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show in November.
Since this is only a teaser a not a full reveal, a lot of the details such as power, price, performance, and fuel economy are still unknown. Toyota says this will be the most powerful RAV4 yet, meaning it will have more than the 219 horsepower produced by the current RAV4 Hybrid.
Toyota only included a single image of the plug-in (the rest are the standard RAV4 Hybrid), sporing some unique wheels and a new color called Supersonic Red, which was recently used on the TRD versions of the Camry and Avalon. Aside from the red paint and new wheels, the plug-in seems to closely resemble the standard model and conventional hybrid. This particular example includes a two-tone paint scheme with a black roof (like the Camry) as well as blacked-out mirrors, fenders, and side skirts.
Like the conventional hybrid, we expect power to come from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine sending power to all four wheels through a continuously variable transmission. The only difference, in this case, will likely be an increase in power and the addition of several miles of electric driving range.
The only other plug-in hybrid in Toyota's lineup is the Prius Prime, so the Japanese company famed for starting the hybrid craze is getting in on the PHEV business pretty late. Expect to have more details on the 2021 RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid during the official reveal on November 20 at the 2019 LA Auto Show. Sales will likely begin sometime in 2020.


text:
King’s Seafood Co., parent company of King’s Fish House and Water Grill restaurants, is laying off more than 1,400 hourly workers at restaurants in Southern California and San Jose.
The company sent a WARN Act notice to the state’s Employment Development Department on Monday, Dec. 7 about the temporary layoffs, which are expected to last three weeks.
“WARN notices went out to all our California locations that were effected by the new stay-at-home order,” said Kelly Ellerman, chief people officer at King’s Seafood.. “I am sad to say, it is once again necessary to implement temporary layoffs to our hourly crewmembers until we are allowed to reopen.
“Although we do not believe the federal WARN Act or the California WARN Act are even triggered under these circumstances, we have decided to issue a WARN notice (similar to what we did in March) to crewmembers who are affected by the layoffs. Our estimated number of crewmembers effected is 1,436. I am hopeful that after the three weeks we will be able to reopen and get our crew back to work.”
King’s has also decided to add more days to its pop-up markets selling fresh seafood, meats, produce and other items in Calabasas, Costa Mesa, Laguna Hills and Rancho Cucamonga. These locations will be offering takeout, but the remainder of the restaurants will be closed temporarily. Those include San Jose, two in Huntington Beach, Orange, Corona and four in San Diego County.
King’s Seafood Co. Pop-up Market Days
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: Water Grill, Costa Mesa and King’s Fish House, Rancho Cucamonga
Wednesday, Friday, Sunday: King’s Fish House Calabasas and King’s Fish House, Laguna Hills
Pop-up markets are open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. High-risk shoppers and seniors may enter at 8:45 a.m.


text:
While a bold choice, it doesn’t quite crack the list of the worst jerseys of all time. Here’s some of the best of the worst from the Herald archives.
1) The court jesters
Perpignan’s attemped checkers design could have looked classy, but ended up looking more like the class clown with their jester-inspired design.
2) England designers at sixes and sevens
English fans were blinded by designs for the sevens jerseys a couple of years ago that one newspaper described as “a psychedelic strip that resembles a 1980s arcade game”. In one of the great moments in jersey design, rugby officials reckoned pixelation had been used to “portray the DNA of the rose”.
3) Fitzy spews
Sydney Morning Herald columnist Peter FitzSimons, a former test forward, this week recalled getting an early peek at a new Wallaby jersey in 1997. He was immediately inspired to pen a column describing it as looking like “volcano vomit” amongst other things.
4) Not All Blacks
The All Blacks used a weird grey and black number to avoid a clash with France in THAT 2007 World Cup quarter final in Cardiff. The jerseys looked like the work of the people involve in creating New Zealand cricket one-day uniforms. At least that famous loss meant the jersey has never been seen again.
5) Brace yourself
Supporters of Austrian rugby – yes there is such a thing apparently – came up with a jersey design that included boring brown braces.
6) Stade but never staid
Stade Francais are the kings of weird rugby jersey designs. A typical effort came in 2008 which featured faces of Parisienne 13th-century heroine Blanche de Castille, the wife of Louis VIII, in a multi-coloured design “in the fashion of Andy Warhol”.


text:
(Update with analyst comment) Shares of Camden-based Campbell Soup Co. slipped as much as 1% in early trading after the Camden-based canned-soup maker said it would pay $1.55 billion for Bolthouse Farms, a California-based carrot grower and juice and salad distributor, to its owner, buyout firm Madison Dearborn Partners.
Bolthouse and its organic-juice lines are growing faster than Campbell and its soups and V-8 juice, but Campbell's profit margin of around 15% (higher for soup) is going to be weighed down by Bolthouse's 13% margin, analyst Jonathan Feeney told clients at Janney Capital Markets in a report today.
During its past fiscal year Bolthouse said it grossed profits of $92 milllion -- before paying interest and taxes - on sales of $689 million.
Campbell CEO Denise Morrison said she would run Bolthouse as a stand-alone company under current Bolthouse boss Jeff Dunn. Like her predecessors, Morrison has been trying to boost Campbell profits in the face of weak canned-soup sales. It's a good time to borrow money (rates are low), but Bolthouse's fresh-carrots business (half of total sales) is weather-sensitive and thus more volatile than prepared-foods sales, Feeney added.


text:
A disgruntled employee at Hull’s House of Fraser store said worried staff are working in “unbearable” tension and revealed the troubled shop is due to close much earlier than expected.
The security guard, who does not want to be named, has already secured a job with another firm but said many of his colleagues are panicking about their futures.
The Jameson Street store is one of just three sites in the UK which will still close its doors permanently despite Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct buying the firm out.
Mr Ashley called the Hull landlords - an unnamed Saudi Arabian company – “greedy”.
The Hull store is set to close in January 2019 according to notices in the shop but the security guard says staff have been told that the city’s House of Fraser store will actually shut before the new year on December 29.
Unbearable tension and panicking staff
He said: “We were all told on Wednesday that the store will close on December 29 and we’ve all had to sign contracts to keep it low key.
“Everyone here is too scared to speak out and everyone is panicking even more because they’re going to lose their jobs sooner they thought when they’ve got bills to pay and families to feed.
“The mood is unbearable and I used to work at Poundworld so I know exactly what everyone is going through.”
The alleged new date for the closure of the store would mean that staff would be handed their P45s just days after Christmas – a decision labelled as “harsh” by the House of Fraser security guard.
“We thought it was going to be January and we had a rough idea it would be middle to end of the month but for them to come out with December 29 and not put anything on the windows to tell people is just out of order," he said.
“Everyone is now panicking trying to find jobs because they know they won’t have one after Christmas. I start my new job at another store in Hull soon and I just can’t wait to get out of there.
“The tension is horrible and everyone is just so worried about their jobs. The landlords come in tomorrow and close the building you just don’t know.
“There is so much uncertainty and things seem to be changing day by day.”
What will happen to the building?
Since Mr Ashley’s claims about the landlords of Hull’s House of Fraser store, the Saudi investors have sought to publicly distance themselves from those claims.
The identity of the Saudi investors has yet to be revealed because of a non-disclosure agreement surrounding the purchase of the property but the group has pledged to redevelop the store under a new name – The Royal House.
They revealed they wanted to create a "landmark building" in the former high street giant's store and hope to work in partnership with Hull City Council as part of their £3bn city centre development.
In a statement, they said: "In response to speculation that Hull's House of Fraser store will close, we must assume that with regret we have not been able to agree to new leasing terms with Sports Direct/House of Fraser at this time.
"Going forward, we wish Sports Direct and House of Fraser the very best of luck and are sure they will make a success of their new venture.
"By way of background, we are a small private landlord who have only owned the building for nine months and are new to Hull.
"We were caught completely by surprise by the CVA process and subsequent administration of the 164-year-old brand, whom we had invested into as our tenant. We fully appreciate Sports Direct’s negotiating position and wish we were in a position to assist them further, but sadly it seems to be a step too far for us right now.
Have your say
Will you miss Hull's House of Fraser when it shuts?
2000+ VOTES SO FAR
"Going forward as a landlord, we are absolutely committed to the re-development of the building at 1 Paragon Street, which we hope to name The Royal House, in line with the Council’s Royal Quarter future development scheme.
"We intend to create an exceptional landmark mixed-use building, in keeping with the substantial £3bn city centre development that has taken in place in Hull over the last few years.
"We will be working closely with Hull City Council, whose support and guidance is invaluable in ensuring that the future of the building benefits all.
"We also hope to have some exciting news of our own to release shortly, which should allow us to offer the staff at the current House of Fraser new jobs with a number of future incoming tenants and operators.
"We will be working with the best developers and contractors Hull has to offer to complete the modernisation of the building as quickly as possible.
"We look forward to working with the local community as a whole in a productive and positive manner."
Sports Direct has been contacted for a comment in relation to the claims that Hull’s House of Fraser store will close on December 29.
Join our Hull Jobseekers group
We've created a Facebook group to bring together all jobseekers in Hull so we can help to get you back in employment.
We will be putting together articles profiling those who are looking for jobs in Hull so you can make your credentials known to potential employers.
Click here to join the group so you can share your story and get yourself recognised.
Follow Hull Live
Our daily newsletter - To get the latest headlines direct to your email inbox every day, click here .
Follow Hull Live on Facebook - Like our Facebook page to get the latest news in your feed and join in the lively discussions in the comments. Click here to give it a like!
Follow us on Twitter - For breaking news and the latest stories, click here to follow Hull Live on Twitter.
Follow us on Instagram - On the Hull Live Instagram page we share gorgeous pictures of our stunning city - and if you tag us in your posts, we could repost your picture on our page! We also put the latest news in our Instagram Stories. Click here to follow Hull Live on Instagram .


text:
Is PES back on the field? Announcing its official agreement with Juventus, Konami will be the only football game that officially adds Juventus to the game.
Konami, who signed with Juventus, one of Italy’s biggest football clubs, made the Juventus team special to PES 2020. FIFA 20 will not be able to use Juventus name, pitch, coat of arms or jerseys. FIFA, which will use Juventus under the name Piemonte Calcio, will also integrate a different design into its game as forma. The club’s emblem will be different too. Those who want to play Ronaldo will still be able to find Ronaldo in FIFA, and all Juventus players will be available in special modes like the FIFA 20 Ultimate Team.
In addition to the announcements, Konami announced that the 17 Juventus players, including Ronaldo, have added similarity to the game for the first time. In addition, Pavel Nedved will appear as a legendary player in the game.
This is the start of a fight? Probably not. But at least you can’t accuse Konami of throwing in the towel. PES 2020 will be released on September 10 for the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.


text:
Video game fans still plan to answer the Call of Duty.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III (Nov. 6, for Microsoft Xbox One, Sony PlayStation 4 and PCs) is the fall’s most anticipated video game release, according to Nielsen’s latest survey of consumer anticipation for titles coming out by the end of the year.
The next installment in Activision’s multibillion-dollar first-person shooter franchise got the highest Nielsen Game Rank anticipation level — 98% out of 100% — among games to be released by the end of 2015. More than 4,800 gamers aged 7-54 were surveyed Aug. 24-Sept. 19 for the rankings. Rankings take into account consumer awareness, purchase interest, purchase urgency consumer rating and other factors.
Several other new chapters in popular game series are highly desired, including Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate (Ubisoft, Oct. 23) and Fallout 4 (Bethesda Softworks, Nov. 10), both of which drew 95% anticipation ratings and will be released for PS4, Xbox One and PCs.
Halo 5: Guardians (343 Industries, Oct. 27) got a 100% rating among games coming only to Xbox One. Thus, Black Ops III “is the most anticipated title releasing on multiple platforms this holiday season, but on the Xbox One platform specifically, Halo 5 has slightly higher anticipation,” said Scott Pitchford, Nielsen Games’ director of research and client consulting.
Other much anticipated games include Need for Speed (Electronic Arts, Nov. 3, PS4, Xbox One), which had a 92% rating, Star Wars: Battlefront (EA, Nov. 17, PS4, Xbox One, PCs) with an 88% rating, Rise of the Tomb Raider (Square Enix/Crystal Dynamics, Nov. 10, Xbox One) at 80% and Rock Band 4 (Harmonix/Mad Catz, Tuesday, PS4, Xbox One) at 76%.
With the growing hype around Star Wars, it might surprise some that Need for Speed is more anticipated than the upcoming Star Wars: Battlefront game.
“There is certainly a lot of buzz around anything Star Wars right now, and Battlefront was a popular franchise during it’s relatively brief existence 10 years ago,” Pitchford said. Having been dormant for a long while, combined with the fervor for Star Wars, it makes sense that it would rank highly, and it does, he said.
“But Need For Speed is a long-standing mainstay in the racing genre, and the franchise itself has been around for over 20 years,” Pitchford said. Plus, this will be the first Need for Speed title on the 8th Generation consoles. “So I can understand why the anticipation for it might be a little higher than usual this year.”
For more on the holiday’s most anticipated video games, go to Nielsen’s report.
Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1LemMfW


text:
7-Eleven says it has agreed to buy retail interests in 51 North Texas sites from ExxonMobil; most of the locations will be rebranded as 7-Eleven but retain Exxon gasoline brand
August 17, 2011
– Convenience store operator 7-Eleven Inc. said Tuesday that it has agreed to buy retail interests in 51 North Texas sites from Exxon Mobil Corp.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The transaction is expected to close toward the end of the year.
The sites are all in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and include two unused parcels of land, the company said.
Most of the locations will be rebranded as 7-Eleven stores, although the stations will retain the Exxon gasoline brand.
The convenience store giant said it expects to complete remodeling and rebranding the locations by the end of next year.
7-Eleven operates and franchises 339 stores in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin areas of Texas. The company has added seven stores in these areas since the start of the year.
Shares of Exxon Mobil fell 79 cents to close at $73.50.
© 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


text:
Brendon Babenzien has been named creative director of Billionaire Boys Club's Bee Line. Babenzien, who previously worked as creative director for Supreme, is the founder of the brand Noah. Bee Line's previous creative directors included Christopher Bevans and Mark McNairy. Earlier this month, BBC dropped exclusive merch in collaboration with N*E*R*D at ComplexCon.
Bee Line's new collection is out now. Pieces include sweaters, shirts, sweat pants, a coach jacket, hats and more. There's also a sheepskin flight suit with the words "Genius of Love," which was inspired by Tom Tom Club’s song of the same name, on the back. You can purchase the items exclusively over at their website or in person at BBC’s flagship stores in New York, Tokyo, and London. Peep the collection's lookbook below.


text:
Two more integrated resorts will be added to Entertainment City, which aims to be a massive entertainment complex in the Philippines.
The first two integrated resorts of the Philippine’s Entertainment City are already open for visitors. The City of Dreams Manila and the Solaire Resorts & Casino are visited by numerous tourists from all around the world, and this results in huge revenue opportunities for the island country’s tourism and gambling industry.
• Manila Bay Resorts suffered from major setbacks
• Resorts World Bayshore to be launched by 2018
• Great economic boost is expected
However, two more integrated resorts are expected to be launched by 2018. Incredible income boost is expected for the country’s economy thanks to the multi-million dollar investments. Resorts World Bayshore and Manila Bay Resorts are expected to be launched by 2018 with even more casino gaming options and accommodation of incredible luxury.
Entertainment City requires expensive investments
The first discussions in the Philippines to establish an entertainment complex have started around 10 years ago. The main idea was that in these entertainment complexes all gaming, entertainment and retail options would be available in addition to the services of the best restaurants and luxury hotels.
The aim with an integrated resort like this is to boost local economy. That is how Philippine officials have come to the idea of creating the Entertainment City in the Manila Bay area. Entertainment City already operates 2 integrated resorts, and 2 more are expected to be opened by 2018, according to Philippine gambling news.
Building an integrated resort is not a cheap project – each of these investments require a minimum of 1 billion dollars. All these integrated resorts will be able to work on gross floor area of 250,000 square meters. The maximum area made available for gaming cannot be more than 7.5% of the overall floor plan.
Building a retail space of at least 20,000 square meters is another one of the requirements. Entertainment City will be an area of 100 hectares on the Manila waterfront, providing all kinds of facilities to the visitors. More than 1 million tourists will be expected each year, and the integrated resorts will create 40,000 new jobs in the country.
Solaire Resort & Casino is Entertainment City’s first integrated resort
Manila’s first integrated resort is Solaire Resort & Casino, which was opened on 18 March, 2013. This property has been built for 1.2 billion dollars. online gambling sites in the Philippines report that the constructions have started in 2010. A spectacular ceremony was held in June 2012.
Paul Steelman was hired to design the multi-million dollar project. Steelman is a well-known name in architecture, and he is the owner of Steelman Partners LLC – a Las Vegas-based architecture firm. Paul Steelman’s portfolio includes designing the City of Macau Dreams and The Star in Sidney, among many other notable projects. Thanks to his previous works, he is regarded as a legendary architect.
The first integrated resort of the Philippines is situated in a 8.3 hectare area in Entertainment City. The land features a five-star hotel that boasts a beautiful view to the amazing Manila Bay, a spectacular landmark. A 18,500 square meter casino has also been opened with a total of more than 300 gaming tables for playing poker, blackjack, roulette and all the other popular casino games.
Slot gaming enthusiasts should also give a try to the integrated resort as more than 1,200 slot machines are available to play. In addition, high rollers can enjoy the 6,000 square meters VIP salon. And the unbelievably great casinos are just small part of the integrated resorts as terrific night clubs and luxury restaurants can also be enjoyed in addition to the incredibly comfortable accommodation of the highest quality.
All integrated resorts of Entertainment City should be launched by 2018
The second integrated resort of Entertainment City was launched officially on 2 February, 2015. This one is called the City of Dreams Manila, which was designed by ASYA Design Partners. The integrated resort’s casino spreads over 1,700 square meters, where more than 1,700 slot machines and 380 gaming tables can be found.
Online gambling websites report that the third integrated resort to be built in Entertainment City will be Manila Bay Resorts. This one will be operated by Tiger Resorts Leisure and Entertainment. This is a USD 2 billion project which has been suffering from a few setbacks due to Philippine gambling laws.
The last integrated resort of Entertainment City will be called the Resorts World Bayshore, which will be developed by Alliance Global Group Inc. and Genting Hong Kong Ltd. Resorts World Bayshore is expected to open doors in 2018, however in the beginning of the constructions, it was expected to be ready by 2016.
The biggest question of all is whether or not Entertainment City will prove its worth and bring an economic boost to the tourism and gambling industry of the Philippines. Once all 4 integrated resorts will be launched, millions of tourists will be expected to visit the country each year and millions of dollars will be spent due to the entertainment complexes, which could contribute greatly to the economy of the Philippines.


text:
The ruling from the Liberal-bought supreme court judges empowers the king to impose any and all taxes on whatever provinces they want as long as it pertains to the impending end of the world as a result of climate change. Tell that to Russia or China or India or Pakistan, who are responsible for 85 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions and pay no carbon taxes. Canada is the most penalized country in the G20 regarding carbon taxing and Canada contributes … wait for it … 1.6 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions. Canadians will pay more to heat their home, turn on their lights, drive their non-electric vehicle and pay more for every item purchased from every store that has their products delivered be rail, truck, plane or ship because all these modes of transportation require evil carbon producing products so prepare to make choices on whether you are going to have a warm house or have food on the table. It’s time to start looking at “The Republic of Western Canada.”
tap here to see other videos from our team.
(We prefer tackling problems head-on, so don’t let the door hit you on the way out …)
TIME TO GO DIGITAL
With the Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling in favour of the federal government’s carbon tax, Alberta now needs a plan B. As many jurisdictions and companies have discovered, the shell game of cap and trade and carbon credits can be a very savvy business model, and we need to follow this lead. Our energy producing and service companies, that the Liberals are attempting to regulate and legislate out of business, could profit from such perverse programs. Rather than shutting down, these companies should simply cease production, and pivot to the far more lucrative market of trading and selling carbon-credits and offsets, for the CO2 that they no longer produce.
(They could make money from producing nothing, and employing nobody.)
Kenney is hopping mad and misrepresenting the facts. If Albertans look at your income tax form on page 8, Line 45110, Climate Action Incentive; they will see that the federal government is giving a couple $735, which is more than most Albertans paid in carbon taxes. It is not really a carbon tax because most Albertans got back more than they paid; it is a carbon reduction incentive. The oceans are warming. The Arctic is warming at twice the rate as the rest of the planet. Sea ice has decreased for 32 straight years and ice melt is accelerating. Kenney is not fighting for us; he is fighting for the oil companies. The only ones denying human caused climate change are the oil companies and their puppets.
(The UCP is fighting for the oil companies because there’s no obvious way to replace that many well-paid jobs.)
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
So Trudeau now has unlimited powers over provincial jurisdiction with impunity according to the Supreme Court. Sounds familiar. Remember the Boston tea party? Perhaps we need our own Sons of Liberty.
(Throw maple syrup off the grocery store loading dock?)
Send a letter to the editor


text:
96% voted in favour of action
Scots Parents Back Junk Food Ad Ban
More than 30,000 people have signed a petition to ban junk food adverts before 9pm watershed.
The British Heart Foundation delivered the petition, to ban the adverts before 9pm, to Downing Street.
The BHF found 58% of parents in Scotland believe that stopping children being exposed to junk food adverts could help towards tackling the obesity crisis in children.
Seven in ten (71%) Scots parents feel the UK Government should introduce stricter regulations on the food industry to better control how junk food is advertised to children.
Well over half (56%) say that adverts promoting foods that are high in saturated fat, salt and sugar affect what their children want to eat. More than half (52%) say junk food adverts make it harder for them to say no to their children or to get them to eat healthily.
Around 30% of children in Scotland are overweight or obese, increasing their risk of being overweight and of developing coronary heart disease in later life.(2) Research by The Food Standards Agency has found that TV marketing of food and drink products can influence children's food preferences.
Yet loopholes in the UK regulatory system mean that junk food adverts which are banned during children's programming can still be shown during family programming, such as X-Factor, when children's TV viewing peaks.
Mike Hobday, Director of Policy at the BHF, said: "Junk food companies are exploiting legal loopholes in the regulatory system, allowing them to continue bombarding children with junk food adverts.
"Over 30,000 people have backed our campaign to ban these adverts before the 9pm watershed.
"By protecting young people against the sophisticated marketing techniques of junk food advertisers we can help tackle the obesity crisis which threatens the heart health of future generations.
"We urge the UK Government to heed the public's clear call and take immediate action."
A full list of the candidates where you live can be found here.
The former campaign director of Better Together has been revealed as one of Scottish Labour's General Election candidates.
A man has been arrested in connection with an alleged attempted murder outside a Glasgow primary school.
Most Viewed Pictures On Heart
Recently Played Tracks
To listen live, choose your preferred station:
Now playing: Non-stop hit music
Deposit £10 to get a £40 Welcome Bonus - That's £50 to play bingo, slots and more!*
Over 50 tracks to make you feel-good. New album out now...
Find your local four day weather report here.
Make Heart the soundtrack to your day and you could be a winner with great prizes up for grabs throughout the day.
Find out more about some of the companies advertising on Heart Scotland- East.


text:
SEQUENT is set to launch the revolutionary “SuperCharger” hybrid kinetic self-charging smart watch on kickstarter 5th July 2017.
Sequent’s new smart watch comes with a revolutionary kenetic self-charging technology which provides infinite power supply — eliminating the need for charging from socket outlets as well as the battery requirement.
“After more than three years of intensive research & development, we are proud to launch a smart watch with a breakthrough technology that will redefine the future of all smart devices”, said the watch designer, Adrian Buchmann.
Buchmann’s other works includes the C1 Grand Malvern Power Reserve and C60 Trident for Christopher Ward.
The launch of the SuperCharger smart watch, solves a major problem faced by the smart watch industry, which suffers from insufficient battery supply for its devices.
“100% clean energy”
“We are the first ones who mastered the transformation of kinetic “100% clean” energy into infinite electrical energy to power a smart watch”, said the Sequent CEO, Petra Guhl. “Some already say that we will become the TESLA of the smart watches and wearable industry as we share the same vision.”
The watch also features other technologies such as the newest generation of Heart Rate sensor, GPS tracking and notification system, which can connect by Bluetooth to the proprietary Biofeedback health & sport app.
The prices for the SEQUENT “SuperCharger” smart watch starts from USD 149.


text:
Some of the largest and most used banks in the United States continue to use confusing terms, lengthy disclosures, and even fraud to collect fees. Recent tactics like those of Wells Fargo opening accounts without their customer’s consent adds fuel to the fire that burns for the hatred of fees.
The key takeaway from the study is more than half of Americans (53%) are not sure what they’ll pay in fees to manage their bank and investing accounts over their lifetime. In an age of instant information thanks to search engines like Google how is it that the cost of financial fees is a mystery.
Checking Accounts are used by millions of Americans everyday to manage their money. A lack of transparency gives consumers the idea that all financial institutions charge the same for their services, which is not always the case.
Common bank fees can vary based on the size and type of financial institution you choose according to a recent Kasasa article. The largest banks have the highest average cost for fees related to overdraft services.
Knowing information like the cost of fees can help consumers choose a financial institution that fits their needs. It will also benefit those institutions that don’t nickel and dime their customers with unnecessary fees.
It’s safe to say that not all fees are legitimate, and many can be avoided. If you’ve gotten hit with a fee that wasn’t justified it’s up to you to take action. It never hurts to ask why it was applied to your account and whether it can be reversed.
Finding the right financial institution is the first step to increasing your chances of saving more money in the future.


text:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — 'Tis the season and today many people kicked off their holiday shopping.
This year, many people are looking to support small businesses. During Black Friday, many gift-buyers stopped by the Nashville Flea Market.
With more than 250 vendors at the market, flea market coordinator, Marissa Ellington-Catano, is sure you can get all your holiday shopping done in one spot.
Among the vendors is Faye Freels, who has been selling antiques at the flea market for more than 40 years.
"Plates for Christmas, these for your grandmother. They're Royal Doulton, beautiful plates, $45 for 5 of them, that's a good deal," she said.
She said the foot traffic is a welcome relief since things haven't been the same since the pandemic
Right across from her selling beef jerky, vendor Kelley Chapman agreed.
"From Covid, it's finally coming back. Nashville is back," Chapman said.
Vendors said Small Business Saturday is one of the biggest days of the year for them and they hope the turnout will bring a "much-needed boost in sales."
According to a recent Bankrate survey, that may be the case, since more people will shop on Small Business Saturday than Black Friday.
But Ellington-Catano said sales have also decreased since it moved facilities back in 2019.
"We've been pushing hard to let locals know that we are still here. A lot of people thought the flea market closed during Covid completely, but we are here. We have brand new building and all of our vendors would love to see some of their returning customers," she said.
If you still have some shopping to do, she said she hopes you keep the Nashville Flea Market in mind.


text:
New Ferry Route to MoroccoNaviera Armas will launch a new ferry route connecting Arrecife with Agadir in Morocco from May 2018. A new ferry, the Volcán de Tijarafe will operate on the route departing from Las Palmas every Friday, stopping at Arrecife before leaving for Agadir at 10am on Saturday. The Ferry will arrive in Agadir by mid-afternoon the same day. The return-leg sails from Agadir at 10pm, arriving in Arrecife at around 7am on Sunday.
Increased Residents’ Discount on Inter-island Travel
The residents’ subsidy for inter-island travel flights and ferries has been increased to 75% of the ticket price. Since the increased discount came into effect on the 29th of June, Ferry and Flight Operators have reported a substantial increase in demand.
Imports up to €150 now exempt from IGIC
Imports of goods worth up to €150 are now exempt from IGIC (with certain exceptions). The measure, which was first proposed in 2016, took almost 18 months to be ratified due to the hung parliament in Spain. Until now, imports of items purchased online, even from EU countries, have been subject to IGIC (Sales Tax), and a corresponding administration fee from the courier, which often made the cost prohibitively high – sometimes exceeding the value of the goods themselves. The new exemption should make goods purchased from online retailers such as Amazon much cheaper for Canary Island Residents.
More than 20 flights had to be diverted from landing at Lanzarote Airport on the 24th of June due to powerful wind shears. The planes were redirected to Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Tenerife from 3.20 in the afternoon, and were unable to land in Lanzarote until 7pm.
Sperm Whale washed up near Costa Teguise
A dead Sperm Whale washed up on the shore at Las Caletas (just south of Costa Teguise) on the morning of the 27th of June. The 15 metre-long whale is thought to have been dead for several days. The Sperm Whale is the largest Toothed Predator on the planet and, although a threatened species, is relatively common in the waters around Lanzarote.
Guardia Civil Agent given Prison Sentence
The Supreme Court has upheld a sentence against a Guardia Civil Agent for embezzling drugs that he seized during operations in Lanzarote. The Agent has been sentenced to 21 months in prison, fined €1350 and suspended from public employment or service for a year and a half. The Agent seized 1.4 grams of cocaine on the 28th of April 2010, which he then kept. A further 16 grams of hashish, 1.7 grams of marijuana, and 0.5 grams of cocaine were found in his home. The defendant had appealed the sentence, claiming that he had been ‘set-up’, however the Canary Islands’ Supreme Court dismissed his claims and upheld the sentence.


text:
One-fifth of SMBs have already experienced a security breach, according to a survey of 505 small businesses by government website www.businesslink.gov.uk.
The survey reveals that 20% of small companies do not feel very confident about their understanding of IT security, while 17% don’t have a security policy in place at all.
Viruses are the biggest threats, according to 59% of the businesses, in spite of widespread use of anti-virus tools.
The annual Department of Trade and Industry/PriceWaterhouseCoopers annual security survey finds that 98% of companies use anti-virus software, yet 35% still report infections.
The report also identifies that companies are getting better at patching. Almost 9 out of 10 UK companies update their systems within one week of a patch being issued.
By submitting your personal information, you agree that TechTarget and its partners may contact you regarding relevant content, products and special offers.


text:
Learn more about the report and get tools for parents at sugarydrinksfacts.org.
Sugary Drinks FACTS 2014
Beverage companies continue to market sugary drinks to young people. This report examines the marketing behind sugary drinks and finds that while marketing to youth on TV is down, there is abundant marketing on social and mobile media.
Three years after the first report, Sugary Drink FACTS 2014 examines the nutrition of more than 900 drink products and quantifies marketing practices of 23 different beverage companies. Prepared by Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, the report documents the changes in sugary drink nutrition and marketing to children and teens over the past three years.
Progress has been made in beverage marketing to youth between 2010 and 2013 according to Sugary Drink FACTS 2014 report:
- Children and teens saw fewer sugary drink ads on TV (a decrease of 30% to 39%, depending on age group).
- Sugary drink ads on websites primarily visited by youth have gone down 72 percent.
- Companies made nutrition information, including per serving calories and caffeine content, more accessible.
There is still room to improve marketing practices:
- Beverage companies spend four times as much—$866 million—to advertise unhealthy drinks as they did to advertise 100 percent fruit juice or water.
- A typical children’s drink contains 16 grams of sugar, more than recommended for an entire day.
- Some children’s drinks may feature reduced sugar but many (36%) contain artificial sweeteners.
- Sugary drink and energy drink brands are extensively using Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to reach youth.
- Beverage companies continue to target Black and Latino youth, who have higher rates of obesity than White youth.
Among the authors’ recommendations: Beverage companies should stop marketing sugary drinks and energy drinks to children and teens; policymakers can require stronger product labeling; and parents can ignore on-package marketing and check ingredient lists for added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and juice content.
“Despite promises by major beverage companies to be part of the solution in addressing childhood obesity, our report shows that companies continue to market their unhealthy products directly to children and teens,” said Jennifer Harris, PhD, Yale Rudd Center’s director of marketing initiatives and lead author of the report."Read the news release


text:
Stocks down despite Trade Me, Kirks rises
The New Zealand sharemarket started the week on a soft note with light trading, as a dip in heavyweight Telecom dragged the market down despite strong performances by Trade Me and Kirkcaldie & Stains.
The NZX50 index fell 0.8 per cent or 32.48 points to 3951.29. Within the index, 29 stocks fell, 15 rose and six were unchanged.
Craigs Investment Partners adviser Greg Easton said trading was fairly light. Wellington department store Kirkcaldie & Stains rose 25 per cent to a four year high of $3.25 on the news it was selling its Harbour City property investment on desirable shopping strip Lambton Quay.
"The biggest trade outside the big names was in Trade Me with 1.5m shares going through. At $4.45 [up 1.6 per cent] it hit a new high today. It has its AGM coming up but there was no company-specific news to cause this rise," Easton said.
"On the flip side, we have seen the big players such as Telecom down 3.45 per cent today [to $2.38]. Fletcher Building was drifting down with a bit more profit-taking, down 0.7 per cent to $7.07. It has fallen very strongly in the last few months."
Westpac fell 2.1 per cent to $32.00. TrustPower was down 1.95 per cent to $8.55. New Zealand Oil & Gas was down 1.7 per cent to 85c. Investment holdings company Guinness Peat Group fell 1.7 per cent to 57c.
Infratil was down 1.7 per cent to $2.33. Jewellery retailer Michael Hill International fell 1.7 per cent to $1.17. Childrens' clothing chain Pumpkin Patch was down 1.6 per cent to $1.21.
Fast food operator Restaurant Brands rose 4.1 per cent to $2.52. Precinct Properties rose 1.5 per cent to $1.04. Australian food ingredient maker Goodman Fielder rose 1.4 per cent to 74c.
Diligent Board Member Services rose 1.4 per cent to $3.70. Carpet maker Cavalier rose 1 per cent to $1.95. Pay TV operator Sky Network Television rose 0.6 per cent to $5.34.


text:
News about Diamonds, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.
Chronology of Coverage
Nov. 12, 2015
Silicon Valley start-up Diamond Foundry touts breakthroughs with silicon chips allowing it to make high-quality synthetic diamonds in process that is faster and more cost-effective than existing technologies; company positions itself as alternative to mining. MORE
Feb. 1, 2015
David Segal The Haggler column relates case in which a customer's engagement ring was inexplicably held for months after it was taken for repair at jewelery chain owned by Sterling Jewelers Inc. MORE
May. 10, 2014
Michael Wilson Crime Scene column on unpleasant surprise for New Jersey family when they discovered that 7.35-carat diamond they owned for a number of years had been stolen from a jeweler in 2003 and pawned by stylist Derek Khan; Gemological Institute of America, a nonprofit industry group that appraises and certifies diamonds, has current possession of the stone and says it will not return it until its rightful ownership can be determined. MORE
Apr. 20, 2014
Robert H Frank Economic View column examines new technologies that allow for near-perfect duplication of diamonds and paintings; argues that while such technology may eventually undermine the value of rare objects, the preference for originals is likely to persist for a long while. MORE
Dec. 15, 2013
Flurry of legal cases, investigations and leaked bank documents have drawn attention to global diamond industry in Antwerp, Belgium; dealings between gem traders and bankers are coming under new scrutiny as European governments extend crackdowns on tax evasion and money laundering at a time of persistent economic trouble. MORE
Oct. 30, 2013
The Russian government is spinning off a 16 percent stake in Alrosa, a leading diamond producer that once was part of a price-controlling cartel. MORE
Aug. 19, 2013
Sotheby's is set to announce sale of rare multimillion-dollar blue diamond as part of its regular twice-yearly auction series; 7.59-carat gem is expected to bring about $19 million and will be sold in Hong Kong, underlining importance of Asia as consumer of luxury items. MORE
Jun. 16, 2013
Continuing investigation into large diamond heist in Brussels airport has turned up more than 30 suspects and authorities are still searching for another; hasty attempts to sell diamonds indicate robbery was not as well planned as initially thought; stolen cargo may be far higher than $50 million first estimated, and could rank among biggest diamond thefts in Belgium, hub of international gem trade. MORE
May. 17, 2013
Marc Bertoldi, French owner of luxury car business accused of masterminding $50 million million diamond theft at Brussels Airport, temporarily fends off extradition to Belgium, arguing that authorities there have not spelled out his precise role. MORE
May. 10, 2013
Belgian authorities investigating $50 million diamond robbery at Brussels airport begin releasing some of more than 30 men questioned in connection with theft; narrow focus on select suspects. MORE
May. 9, 2013
More than 200 Belgian police officers and authorities in two other countries sweep up more than 30 people and recover some of $50 million in diamonds stolen in a carefully orchestrated robbery in Brussels in Feb 2013. MORE
Feb. 20, 2013
Eight armed robbers seize diamonds worth tens of millions of dollars from passenger plane preparing to depart for Switzerland from Brussels Airport; speed and smoothness of heist suggests that robbers had inside information, possibility that police are investigating. MORE
Nov. 15, 2012
South African police arrest 25-year-old man who swallowed 220 polished diamonds in effort to smuggle them out of country. MORE
Nov. 6, 2012
Antwerp Journal; Antwerp, Belgium, where nearly 85 percent of world's uncut diamonds are traded, is fighting to maintain its role as home for cutting, polishing and selling gems; labor-intensive business has been drifting to low-wage centers in developing world, and diamond trade in country has been buffeted by accusation of range of violations. MORE
May. 18, 2012
Richard Mackenzie Matthews, man accused of stealing a $20,000 diamond and swallowing it, is being held in custody in Windsor, Ontario, until it passes through his system. MORE
Apr. 14, 2012
Some investment professionals are competing to turn diamonds into a commodity that would be available to investors in exchange-traded funds in a manner similar to gold; Securities and Exchange Commission is reviewing a proposal to create a fund that would allow investors to buy one-carat diamonds and store them in a vault, providing daily values with an as-yet-unnamed index. MORE
Mar. 31, 2012
Family of veteran gold refiner Harry Rodman is battling diamond dealer Alan Bronstein at the Surrogate's Court in the Bronx over who is rightfully entitled to half-share of the Aurora Pyramid of Hope, a rare collection of 295 naturally colored diamonds worth over $14 million that has been exhibited in prestigious museums. MORE
Jan. 31, 2012
Study by geologist Jeffrey E Post published in journal American Mineralogist finds that the storied Hope Diamond on display at the Smithsonian Institution contains surprisingly high levels of boron. MORE
Jan. 6, 2012
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has tightened his control over the diamond mines on the Mozambique border, stifling the economic activity and cultural life in nearby towns and forcing many Mozambican smugglers to pan for gold instead. MORE
Dec. 17, 2011
Tens of millions of dollars in diamond profits are being secretly extracted from state-owned mines in eastern Zimbabwe, bypassing the nation's treasury and raising fears that Pres Robert Mugabe is amassing wealth to help extend his 31-year reign; analysts say Mugabe is likely pursuing diamonds as outside income to finance his political operations after 2008 power-sharing agreement deprived him control of Finance Ministry. MORE
Dec. 6, 2011
Global Witness, advocacy organization that helped establish an international certification program to stop so-called blood diamonds, withdraws from the coalition, known as the Kimberley Process, saying the effort is no longer effective; says the final straw was the decision to allow Zimbabwe to export diamonds from Marange fields, where there have been reports of widespread human rights abuses by government security forces. MORE
Nov. 7, 2011
Reuters BreakingViews column notes the Anglo American $5.1 billion deal for De Beers is another step toward making Anglo more attractive merger partner; holds Barclay's chief executive Robert E Diamond Jr's view that banks need to rebuild trust is welcome and overdue. MORE
Nov. 3, 2011
Zimbabwean officials applaud a decision made by international diamond regulators that will allow Zimbabwe to trade diamonds from the Marange field, where human rights groups say miners have been tortured. MORE
There are no additional abstracts to display.
ARTICLES ABOUT DIAMONDS
Kirsten Dunst, Cate Blanchett and Kate Winslet all chose dangling accessories that were (or just looked) over a century old.
January 11, 2016, Monday
Dealers say wealthy buyers in volatile economies view rare, colored diamonds as a hedge against economic uncertainty.
December 19, 2015, Saturday
Kara Ross intends to design a movement as well as some new jewelry to fund it.
December 7, 2015, Monday
An online luxury site is selling a diamond-encrusted star as a tree topper.
December 7, 2015, Monday
Despite many changes to the institution of marriage, the appeal of giving or receiving a diamond ring to seal the deal endures.
December 6, 2015, Sunday
Researchers said they have developed a technique for creating a substance they are calling Q-carbon, which could have uses in medicine and industry.
December 3, 2015, Thursday
A group of engineers and scientists will announce that it has developed an approach to making diamonds that uses technology derived in part from making silicon chips and solar cells.
November 12, 2015, Thursday
The jewelry trade must not profit from mines that ruin the natural world.
November 7, 2015, Saturday
MORE ON DIAMONDS AND: Bristol Bay (Alaska) , Diamonds , Copper, Brass and Bronze , Environmental Protection Agency , Pebble Mine (Bristol Bay, Alaska) , Mines and Mining , Jewels and Jewelry , Environment , Clean Water Act , Metals and Minerals , Gold , Conflict Minerals and Resources , Hazardous and Toxic Substances
De Beers said global diamond jewelry sales increased by 3 percent last year to a record of over $80 billion, but it warned that 2015 would be tough for the industry.
September 22, 2015, Tuesday
Although Wallace Chan grew up in extreme poverty, he designs some of the most expensive jewelry in the world. Mr. Chan experiments with technology to make unique pieces at his workshop in Hong Kong.
Ian Ross’ paycheck as a freelance EMT wasn’t enough for bills and an engagement ring. So like many millennials, he turned to a family heirloom when he asked Madlyn Wendell to marry him.
Visitors to the Smithsonian who will soon have the rare opportunity to share in the Wittelsbach’s tale will also be venturing into the midst of a controversy about the gem.


text:
A winter village will help Brooklynites get in the holiday spirit this weekend, this time in Crown Heights.
The Nostrand Avenue Bar and Restaurant Association has announced plans to transform a stretch of Pacific Street between Nostrand and Bedford avenues into a holiday destination on Saturday.
The “Winter Village on Nostrand” will include live music, a clothing drive, vendors, health screenings, toys giveaways and, of course, visits with Santa. There will also be complimentary hot chocolate and donuts, according to a flyer.
Live music, a clothing drive and, of course, Santa, will be set up on Pacific Street on Saturday.
Live music, a toy drive and, of course, Santa, will be set up on Pacific Street on Saturday. (fotorutkowscy/Shutterstock.com) CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — A winter village will help Brooklynites get in […]


text:
OlliOlli has been announced for PS3, PS4, PC and Mac.
The skateboarding game will remain a PlayStation Vita exclusive until summer, before launching on the new platforms.
It was announced for the PC earlier this year, and will be playable at the upcoming EGX Rezzed event in Birmingham at the end of March.
The PlayStation port will be handled by Spanish studio BlitWorks, while the PC and Mac ports will be developed by Devolver Digital.
"We already have a first playable up and running on the PS4, it's like our little OlliOlli grew up and got some balls! Really feels amazing on the DualShock too," a spokesperson explained.
Out now on PlayStation Vita, OlliOlli is a skateboarding platformer with more than 100 levels.
The PlayStation versions will take advantage of Sony's cross-buy scheme, which means purchasing the title on one PlayStation platform unlocks it on the others.
Watch a trailer for OlliOlli below:


text:
If there is any industry where women can dominate – it’s fashion. It has always been rife with smart and creative women, but there has never been a more inspiring time than now. Aside from being fashion icons, many women are shaping the fashion industry today through savvy business ventures and fearless innovation – proving that women can be top honcho and look great while doing it.
Here’s what today’s most powerful fashion women wear on their wrists:
For most women, Anna Wintour needs no introduction. The editor-in-chief of Vogue Magazine for three decades now, her influence over the fashion industry – in the US and worldwide – can’t be overstated. Vogue is the definitive word on fashion, and Anna Wintour’s nod is the ultimate recommendation.
For her watch, she chooses a classic worn by the most iconic women, such as Jackie and Diana – the Cartier Tank. Hers is in 18k yellow gold, with a white strap.
Her Majesty views Richard Quinn's runway show alongside Dame Anna Wintour.
Richard is the first recipient of The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. @LondonFashionWk #LFC pic.twitter.com/5L6D7wz7eV
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 20, 2018
The Olsen twins were once the most in-demand movie stars in the world, but retreated from the public eye to focus on building their now successful fashion brands, The Row and Elizabeth and James.
They’ve achieved wild success, this time as designers, raking in not just millions but also prestigious awards.One can expect nothing but top notch watches from these two – Mary Kate dons a Royal Oak Offshore in Rose Gold, while Ashley wears a Rolex President Day-Date in gold with a blue dial.
.@GMPaiella writes about Mary Kate Olsen and Olivier Sarkozy’s perfect mismatch, “Looking at a mismatched celebrity couple unleashes the same serotonin rush in my brain as when I watch a video of a pair of unlikely animal friends” https://t.co/21sqAgdxWS pic.twitter.com/1uxeerWFSh
— The Cut (@TheCut) April 2, 2019
Most people will remember Olivia Palermo from her days as reality TV star in The City, but she has proven herself to be more than that. Through the years, she has transformed herself from a socialite to a style icon, designer’s muse and a successful entrepreneur.
Although known for her dressed-up, polished style, she likes to keep accessories minimal. She wears a gold Rolex Day-Date gifted by her mother on her 21st birthday, and an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak in rose gold.
Victoria Beckham may just be the epitome of the woman who has it all. After rising to fame as part of the Spice Girls, Beckham has made a name for herself as a designer and entrepreneur. Today, her line has a significant celebrity following, and a fashion pack that sells tickets out at New York Fashion week.
Alongside this success, she is also a mother and wife to former football star David Beckham. She actually has quite a number of Rolexes, but perhaps being the busy woman that she is, she always relies on the Rolex President Day-Date in 18k yellow gold.
What would the world of fashion be without supermodels? While millennial models have taken over the industry, there is still no one with more clout than Brazilian Gisele Bundchen. She has been the top paid model since 2004 and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Apart from lucrative campaigns, she’s also a successful entrepreneur, with a skincare brand and a line of sandals.
The wife and mother of two keeps it low-key when she’s not on the runway, often spotted wearing jeans and her trusty Cartier Tank Francaise.


text:
BELVIDERE, Ill. (WTVO) — In the last weekend alone, police say 10 Kia and Hyundai cars have been stolen in Winnebago County, and police say the thieves are young – some only 10-years-old – inspired by a TikTok trend.
Martin Rodriguez owns a 2020 Kia Sportage. On July 8th, he left home to take his dog for a walk and found the car had been broken into, the steering column smashed.
“First thought in the morning, I’m like, alright, am I going to have a car today? Am I going to be able to go to work today?” he said.
Winnebao County Deputy Chief Kyle Boomer says law enforcement has seen an increase in Kia thefts in more populated areas.
“You hear a little bit of it, and all of a sudden, it’s almost overnight, it became even bigger and I’m sure it’s because of the social media the TikTok and the ‘Kia Boyz’ and all that,” he said.
Boomer said a 10-year-old was among the suspects who have been arrested in the ongoing crimes.
“They have no respect for other people’s property, that they are going to go out and steal the cars and glorify it on social media, use it to put the public at risk and commit crimes,” he said. “It’s pretty disheartening.”
Police said certain 2011-2021 Kia models and 2015-2021 Hyundai models have a security flaw that kids, following a “Kia Boyz” or “Kia Challenge” TikTok trend, are able to exploit using a USB cable.
Rodriguez said he found a USB cord on the floorboards.
The phenomenon originated in Milwaukee, but now the crime is prevalent enough that Beloit Police recently urged residents to install a steering wheel lock or other anti-theft devices on their vehicles.
At least one class action lawsuit has been filed against Kia and Hyundai, claiming the cars do not comply with a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard that requires cars to have an engine immobilizer that prevents activation of the engine and locks the steering column once the key is removed.
According to the lawsuit, “All a thief needs to do is strip the ignition column, exposing a piece that pops off, and then stick (in) a USB drive, a knife or some other similar tool, to start the vehicle without a key or code.”
In a statement, Kia America said it was “aware of the rise in vehicle thefts” and said its 2022 models have the immobilizer in place. Hyundai, also, said the engine immobilizers are standard in new vehicles.
Boomer said one of his greatest concerns was that some of the cars stolen are being used in other crimes.
“They’re not just stealing the car to go to work,” he said. “They’re stealing it to use it in a crime, do something dangerous with it. So, once the car is stolen, you know something bigger is on the horizon. So, I guess, the concern is: what are they going to use it for and who else is going to be put at risk, and how can we prevent it going down the road?”
Boomer also suggested Kia and Hyundai owners invest in a steering wheel lock and park in a garage or lighted area, near cameras, if possible.


text: In its first Digital Life Abroad Report, InterNations, the world’s largest expat community, identifies the best and worst countries to live a connected life. The results, which are based on the annual Expat Insider survey, reveal that Estonia, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and New Zealand excel at offering a digital environment. Expats in these countries are very satisfied with their unrestricted access to online services and the possibility to pay without cash almost anywhere. At the other end of the scale, Myanmar, China, Egypt, India, and the Philippines are rated the worst countries for digital life. Expats in these countries struggle with a lack of government services online, difficult access to high-speed internet at home, or even restrictions in their use of online services. Interestingly, the worst-rated destination in the world, Myanmar, also holds a surprise: it ranks first for the ease of getting a local phone number.