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Jan. 21, 2020 -- New FDA testing of sunscreens shows that six common active ingredients are absorbed into the body and may linger for days or even weeks, in some cases.
What’s more, the testing showed that just a single application of sunscreen -- whether as a lotion or a spray -- increases the blood levels of these active ingredients beyond the FDA’s threshold for determining if they need more study to be considered safe for use.
“It’s a little bit scary because we just don’t know what the biological effect of sunscreen in your blood is,” says Alok Vij, MD, a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Vij was not involved in the study.
Previous research has shown that some of the ingredients in the FDA study can disrupt hormones and may lead to fertility problems, poor birth outcomes for babies, and perhaps cancer.
How Sunscreens Escaped Safety Testing
Many Americans dutifully rub or spray sunscreen on their skin to protect it from the sun’s baking rays.
After decades of public health education, almost anyone who is heading outdoors has heard the message that sunscreen is an important part of protecting skin from sunburns, aging, and skin cancer. In fact, sun care is a nearly $2 billion-a-year industry in the U.S.
The FDA has allowed sunscreen makers to sell their products under an assumption that the active ingredients they use are “GRASE,” or generally recognized as safe and effective.
But several decades ago, the FDA began requiring manufacturers to do more safety testing of their products if they could be absorbed into the body at levels above 0.5 nanograms per milliliter. Below that level, there’s thought to be minimal risk that an ingredient or drug could cause harm.
“These standards were set in the last couple of decades, but sunscreen has been around for a lot longer than that,” says Kanade Shinkai, MD, PhD, a dermatologist at the University of California, San Francisco. Shinkai wrote an editorial on the current study, but she was not involved in the research.
As a result, sunscreen essentially got grandfathered into the FDA’s surveillance system without any real safety testing.
The agency has been urging the companies that make sunscreens to do more safety studies of their products, but “for various reasons, it just never happened,” Shinkai says.
Finally, the FDA, which has a small research division, decided to take on the question of body absorption of sunscreen ingredients.
Last year, the agency dropped a bit of a bombshell after that testing revealed that four of the most common UV filters in chemical sunscreens -- avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, and ecamsule -- are absorbed by the body in substantial amounts, and can stay there for days, something that wasn’t well-known before.
As a result, the FDA says those four ingredients, along with another eight, need more safety testing before they can be considered GRASE. It has asked sunscreen makers to do that testing. So far, those studies -- which are supposed to look at effects on cancer and reproduction -- haven’t been done.
That’s despite the fact that the FDA gave sunscreen makers a November 2019 deadline to deliver more information.
Instead, some criticized the FDA’s initial testing methods, which had study volunteers reapply their sunscreens every 2 hours for 4 days, saying that most people don’t reapply that often and that the conditions tested in the study were unrealistic.
In response, the FDA redid the study, this time including six active ingredients in chemical sunscreens: avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate, and octinoxate. Those ingredients are the UV filters that screen out the sun’s harmful rays.
They tested aerosol and pump lotions and sprays. They had 48 healthy adults -- half were men and half were women -- apply the sunscreens to 75% of their bodies, virtually anywhere a swimsuit wouldn’t cover.
On the first day, they applied the sunscreen just once. On days 2, 3, and 4, the men and women in the study took a shower in the morning, then applied the sunscreen every 2 hours for a total of four applications each day. Researchers took 34 blood samples from each study participant, for those first days of sunscreen use, and then later, after a week, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks, to see how long those chemicals might stay elevated in the body.
“What they did in this study very much mimics what it says on the sunscreen tube,” Shinkai says. “These are not unrealistic. This is real-world. At least the way it’s recommended.”
The new study, which is published in TheJournal of the American Medical Association, largely confirms the findings of the first study.
It shows that the six active ingredients tested were absorbed into the body. Some continued to be elevated beyond the FDA’s threshold of concern for 3 weeks after the people in the study stopped putting them on their skin.
For example, blood concentrations of oxybenzone were more than 180 times the FDA’s level of concern after a single application of sunscreen. They soared to more than 500 times the FDA’s level of concern after 4 days of regular use. Three weeks later, blood tests continued to show higher levels of oxybenzone, though it was much lower than at the start of the study.
Studies have shown that oxybenzone may affect breast development, infant birth weight, and sperm function. It has also been shown to contribute to the killing of coral reefs in the ocean. As a result, Hawaii has banned the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate starting in 2021.
“The fact that these chemicals are being found at elevated levels in our blood, combined with evidence that they have been linked to adverse health impacts in other studies, is extremely concerning,” says Nneka Leiba, vice president of the Environmental Working Group’s Healthy Living Science program. The Environmental Working Group has been warning consumers for years that ingredients in chemical sunscreens may not be safe.
The FDA says that while the UV filters in chemical sunscreens can’t be considered safe, that doesn’t mean they’re unsafe. Scientists just don’t know.
So what should you do if you want to protect yourself or your kids from the uncertainties of untested ingredients?
Vij says he reminds his patients that sunscreens are just one part of sun protection.
“Avoid sun if you can between 11 and 4, when UV radiation is at its peak,” he says. “Use mineral-based sunscreens or use clothing that has built-in sun protection.”
Vij tells his patients to look for clothing that has a UPF factor.
“Be smart in the sun. If you know you burn, limit your sun exposure. If you know you have a family history of melanoma, limit your sun exposure,” he says.
One big knowledge gap is kids. There’s very little information about how they might be absorbing sunscreen ingredients or what those ingredients might be doing to a growing body.
For children especially, Shinkai says, it is smart to look for mineral-based sunscreens. Those include sunscreens that contain the ingredients zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. The FDA says both of those ingredients are safe.
She acknowledges that it can be harder to apply and it turns the skin white, which sometimes isn’t acceptable, especially to people with darker skin tones.
“Mineral sunscreen, if formulated correctly and applied correctly, is very effective,” she says.
Shinkai recommends looking for products that combine zinc and titanium.
“A lot of formulations have zinc only. They miss part of the UV spectrum. Mixing them together -- zinc and titanium -- provides broad-spectrum protection that’s very comparable to what you get in a chemical sunscreen,” she says.
“There’s no reason for us to not recommend mineral sunscreen.”


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Apple will ask U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh to triple the damage award in its patent case against Samsung to over $3 billion, The Korea Times reports, citing "multiple legal sources." A jury recently found Samsung's smartphones violated a variety of Apple patents. In some instance, the jury found that Samsung had willfully copied features from the iPhone.
The jury hearing the case awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages; but the law allows the judge the discretion to award triple damages in the case of willful infringement.
Meanwhile, Samsung plans to ask the court to toss out the jury's verdict.
AAPL is down $1.44, or 0.2%, to $700.47.

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Whether or not customers need to save or are looking for a buried treasure, the resale enterprise is booming.
Throughout the Covid pandemic, secondhand shops akin to eBay, the RealReal and ThredUp thrived on-line.
associated investing information
So-called recommerce grew almost 15% in 2021 — twice as quick because the broader retail market and notching the best price of progress in historical past for the business, in line with a 2022 report by OfferUp. Over the following 5 years it’s projected to develop by one other 80% and hit $289 billion.
“We have been lacking out,” stated Matthew Kaness, CEO of GoodwillFinds.com, Goodwill’s just lately launched on-line market.
“Goodwill is the ‘OG’ of thrifting,” he stated. “That is such an apparent alternative.”
Though Goodwill is thought for secondhand clothes and housewares, extra buyers are coming to the positioning for one-of-a-kind finds, together with artwork, designer purses, jewellery and classic sneakers, Kaness stated — much like what’s taking place within the business total.
Tete De Femme Stylisee by Picasso
Most resale customers are pushed by worth. Thrift-store buyers save almost $150 a month, or $1,760 a yr, on common, by shopping for secondhand gadgets, in line with a report by CouponFollow.
Saving cash, nevertheless, shouldn’t be the one motivator, CouponFollow discovered. Buyers have more and more turned to resale as a means to secure hard-to-find luxury items.
The truth is, generally shopping for secondhand is the only way to score a limited-edition pair of Air Jordans or different extremely coveted and unique gadgets — not to mention tickets to Taylor Swift’s upcoming tour.
Not too long ago, an unauthenticated signed print by Picasso titled “Tete De Femme Stylisee” offered for $2,500 on the website.
A part of the momentum fueling resale is the need to achieve entry to that distinctive merchandise, stated Wells Fargo managing director Adam Davis, who works with recommerce retail companies, whether or not that is “a Chanel purse or Nike sneakers” — even when you find yourself paying greater than the unique retail value.
As a result of recommerce can also be thought-about eco-friendly, it is change into extra socially acceptable, stated Brett Heffes, CEO of Winmark, the franchisor of shops akin to Plato’s Closet, As soon as Upon a Baby and Play It Once more Sports activities.
“Once I began on this enterprise, there was a stigma round buying beforehand owned gadgets, and that stigma is gone.”
“Prosperous customers are main the recommerce revolution,” stated Chris Richter, CEO of recommerce website FloorFound.
Largely pushed by worth and a need to buy in additional sustainable methods, “buyers need to buy resale as an alternative of recent,” he stated.
Excessive-income customers are much more more likely to store secondhand, in line with a ballot of greater than 1,000 adults by FloorFound: Practically 9 in 10 buyers making greater than $175,000 a yr have beforehand purchased a resale merchandise — 14 share factors greater than the survey common.


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Cryptocurrencies have ‘no intrinsic value’, warns FCA
Investors should be cautious over cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin as they have “no intrinsic value”, the City regulator has warned.
In a statement released today, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said consumers must ensure they understand and can bear the risks of volatile digital currencies.
Read more: US senators grill top exec over Facebook’s Libra cryptocurrency
The FCA warned that most cryptocurrencies are unregulated and are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which is designed to protect customers when financial services firms collapse.
“A combination of market immaturity, volatility, and a lack of credible information or oversight raises concerns about market integrity, manipulation and insider dealing within cryptoasset markets,” the regulator said.
The comments came in a clarification on the FCA’s previous guidance, which prompted almost 100 responses from across the financial services sector.
The FCA said so-called exchange tokens, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, would not be regulated, but would be subject to anti-money laundering measures.
Cryptocurrencies have come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks after Facebook unveiled plans to launch Libra, its own digital coin.
While the FCA did not make specific reference to Facebook’s venture, it said that so-called stablecoins such as Libra could fall under its rules.
Read more: Hackers steal $32m from Tokyo cryptocurrency exchange
“It’s positive to see the FCA clarifying its approach to regulating cryptoassets, but the speed of progress remains very slow and deliberate,” said Matt Hopkins, head of fintech at business advisory firm BDO. “There is a risk that the FCA will end up being too reactive in protecting retail investors.”
The FCA said its guidance will inform the Treasury’s consultation on whether further regulation of the cryptoasset market is needed.
Main image credit: Getty


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Keira Knightley's man put a ring on it -- and now we're getting our first glimpse at the sparkler!
Keira and fiance James Righton were spotted over the holiday weekend in London, where the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star proudly displayed her engagement ring.
The two held hands and even kissed for the cameras while shopping around town, looking like a very happy couple.
Keira and the Klaxons keyboardist started dating early last year.
While her publicist confirmed the two will tie the knot, no other details about where or when were made available.
See how Keira's ring stacks up against other celeb engagement rings in the gallery above!


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Tata'a investment in Xiaomi comes against the backdrop of an aggressive push by Xiaomi in India after entering the market, which has huge growth potential with just one in 10 people using smartphones, in July 2014. Xiaomi and other Chinese smartphone makers are drafting in cricket teams and Bollywood stars to conquer India, their largest overseas market and a...» Read More
Ericsson, the world's biggest telecom network equipment maker, will take an 8 billion crown($1.2 billion)charge on its ST-Ericsson venture.
Japan's Renesas Electronics, the world's biggest maker of microcontroller chips, was thrown a lifeline on Monday after gaining 150 billion yen ($1.8 billion) in a government-led bailout.
Apple's rank in China's smartphone market, which is set to become the world's largest this year, fell to No.6 in the third quarter as it faces tougher competition from Chinese brands, according to research.
Samsung is likely accelerating the launch of its next-generation Galaxy smartphone- which may come with an unbreakable screen.
Nokia will partner with China Mobile to launch a version of its new flagship Lumia smartphone tailored for the world's largest cellular market, the Finnish company said on Wednesday.
What’s the next economic revolution? According to General Electric Chief Economist Marco Annunziata, it’s the “industrial Internet” — intelligent machines such as jet engines, power turbines and medical devices.
The video game industry is under attack, with both established and new players chasing a variety of disparate technologies and strategies that might yield a winning combination.


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Evidence of the PC market’s decline is emerging throughout the tech industry, with Intel’s financial report for the last quarter providing the latest tell-tale signs.
Net income dropped most dramatically for the final three months of 2012, falling by 27 per cent to $2.47 billion (£1.54 billion). Revenue fell by three per cent to $13.5 billion (£8.45 billion).
The report saw shares in the chip manufacturer tumble by three per cent in after-hours trading on Wall Street on Thursday.
The figures mean Intel still recorded profits of $11 billion for 2012 in its entirety, on revenues of $53.3 billion. But the company will be mindful these sums have fallen by 15 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively on 2011.
Intel had warned that earnings were likely to be sluggish over the last quarter, and chief executive Paul Otellini admitted, "The fourth quarter played out largely as expected as we continued to execute through a challenging environment."
Many commentators have blamed Microsoft’s Windows 8 OS for the poor PC sales over the holiday period. The software was charged with boosting the struggling market and driving shipments of new devices, but its reception has been lukewarm since its October release.


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New manufacturing site planned
Pod popularity prompts expansion for Armadilla
Ross Hunter: high demand (pic : Terry Murden)
A company building pod-style accommodation is looking for a new manufacturing site in the Edinburgh area to cope with increased demand.
Armadilla’s innovative cabins are being snapped up for use as extra rooms, offices and holiday lets.
They are built at Rosewell where the company has a staff of 18. Chief executive Ross Hunter says the company would like an additional site “sooner rather than later” and would eventually relocate.
Speaking to Daily Business on The Mound, where the company is taking part in the Edinburgh Science Festival, he said: “We know there is a rising demand out there and we need the extra space.”
The firm, which was established six years ago, recently received government support via the regional selective assistance scheme.
The pods combine centuries-old boat building techniques with innovative, modern methods. A steel frame is covered with Siberian larch and the interiors are designed to home standards.
The more luxurious versions provide a full living experience, with toilet, shower, kitchen, bed and eating areas. There is underfloor heating, a desk and storage.
Turnover has doubled each year and is currently at £850,000 with demand coming from residents wanting space for children, visitors or office use. Schools have used them for remedial space and they have become popular among those who enjoy glamping.
Mr Hunter said: “I know of bed and breakfast establishments which have given up the B&B and bought these instead.”


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PrestaShop Unveils $1 Million Developer Integration Fund
E-commerce solutions provider PrestaShop has unveiled a $1 million Developer Integration Fund that is dedicated to driving new module development.
Currently the PrestaShop Addons marketplace offers more than 5,000 modules that plug into the PrestaShop e-commerce platform. Most of these modules are developed by third-party contributors, and the company projects that contributors who sell their modules on PrestaShop Addons will generate $5 million in revenue in 2015.
That said, the $1 million Developer Integration Fund will be a separate fund dedicated to promoting innovative module development with up-front funds to launch new, unique and localized addons.
“When we started PrestaShop, there were 750 people in the community and today, we’re rapidly approaching one million people,” said Bruno Leveque, founder of PrestaShop. “Within the community, we have tens of thousands of trained developers located all over the world. The integration fund will enable this enormous pool of talent to focus their time and development skills on technology gaps in the market. I know what these developers are capable of and I’m extremely confident that we will announce some incredible innovations coming out of this fund.”
This announcement follows the company’s release of PrestaShop Cloud back in January, which is a free cloud platform that enables merchants to set up an online store in just a few clicks. In fact, PrestaShop Cloud is a fully hosted version of the PerstaShop e-commerce platform that shows the company and the community’s commitment to making e-commerce accessible for all.
“With the launch of PrestaShop Cloud, merchants in all geographies now have access to a powerful open source ecommerce solution,” said Charles Wells, chief product officer of PrestaShop. “We believe the combination of PrestaShop Cloud plus all of the innovative modules and themes in the Addons Marketplace will open up the ecommerce market to a wave of new merchants who were unable to participate before.”


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Solving worker shortage — key issue at NJ Chamber summit
Clip: 04/14/2022 | 3m 37s | Video has closed captioning.
It’s considered one of the largest business events in the state -- the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce annual summit in Atlantic City. Set against the backdrop of a city still recovering from pandemic losses, business and government leaders gathered this week to discuss major issues, including how a worker shortage is plaguing the state, starting with the travel and tourism industry.
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning


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Apple announced early Monday that the iPhone 5 will be available in 50 new countries this month, adding to the 47 countries in which it is currently available.
According to Apple’s Press Release, the phone is scheduled to launch on the following dates:
Friday December 7: South Korea
Friday, December 14: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Ecuador, Grenada, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kuwait, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldova, Montenegro, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.
Friday, December 21: Barbados, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Egypt, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St.Vincent & the Grenadines, Tunisia, Uganda and Vietnam.
Teaser graphic made with help from Shutterstock.


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Canada's biggest banks recorded sturdy deposit growth in their domestic retail divisions in the latest quarter as consumers and businesses bulked up account balances.
Three major lenders saw deposit growth outpace loan growth in their Canadian personal and commercial units during the fiscal third quarter ended July 31—an early indication that consumers are starting to make a shift from borrowing to saving.
With interest rates hovering near record lows, deposit growth provides banks with a cheap source of funds to support their profit margins.
Competition for new deposits could heat up over the coming quarters as the banks face growing pressure from regulators to maintain bulky capital cushions. Plus, booming account balances could fuel future wealth-management sales at a time when consumer loan growth is expected to soften.
Total deposits grew 4.4% year-over-year to 162.72 billion Canadian dollars ($150.0 billion), while loan growth was roughly 3.16% excluding credit cards.
The banks use different components to determine their retail deposit and loan totals. In the case of CIBC, credit cards are excluded because the bank recently sold half of its Aeroplan credit card portfolio to Toronto-Dominion Bank.
"We're trying to compete [for deposits] using innovation, relationships and other tools, other than price," said David Williamson, head of retail and business banking, on a conference call.
As part of that push, CIBC offers a smartphone app that allows customers to make e-deposits by taking pictures of checks. Customers are making about 240,000 such deposits a month.
TD, which also reported results Thursday, said deposit growth contributed to strong results from its Canadian retail operations. Deposits in the division increased 4% year-over-year to C$250 billion. TD includes wealth deposits in its total. Personal deposits were up 3%, while business deposits grew 6%.
"We continue to have very good savings and checking balance growth. In fact, that growth was 11% on a year-over-year basis," Chief Financial Officer Colleen Johnston said in an interview.
TD's loans grew by 6% to C$329 billion during the third quarter.
At RBC, total deposits—including for checking, savings and guaranteed investment certificates—grew by nearly 6%, outpacing loan growth of 3%.
Chief Executive Dave McKay said on an earnings call last Friday that RBC had 10% growth in core checking balances over last year, adding consumers are making a move to deposits and investments from loans. The bank is offering new clients a free iPad Mini for opening up all-inclusive banking accounts.
At Bank of Montreal, total deposit balances were up 9%, in part reflecting a 10% increase in personal deposits. Total loans grew by 7%.
Bank of Nova Scotia, meanwhile, recorded 3% year-over-year growth of both deposits and loans in its Canadian retail bank.
"What we're seeing is actually a bit more growth driven by businesses—both small businesses and then medium-sized businesses," said Mike Henry, Scotiabank's senior vice president of retail payments, deposits and lending for Canadian banking, in an interview. He said consumers are pouring more money into their checking accounts. Given the low-interest-rate environment, the race to attract new deposits "is intensively competitive," he added.
Write to Rita Trichur at email@example.com


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By Caleb Odom
For The News Courier
LawLers Barbecue rib sauce, well known to connoisseurs of barbecue in Athens, is one of four such sauces to be judged Saturday to select the best tasting in Alabama.
The contest, organized by The Alabama Tourism Department, takes place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Pepper Place Market in Birmingham. The judging panel consists of Cindy Martin CEO/President of AL.com, Vanessa Rocchio from Southern Living Magazine and Clare Huddleston of WBRC-FOX 6.
“It’s like a real simple taste test,” said contest coordinator Brian Jones. “It’s not with any kind of meat or anything like that, it’s purely the taste of the sauce.” Jones said the judges will taste the sauces with either a spoon or bread.
The other sauces in the contest are Costas in Birmingham, Phil’s BBQ in Eufaula and Viper in Fairhope.
“We were asked to be in it and we thought we would see how we stacked up,” said Phillip Lawler, president of the family-owned LawLers. “And we are really happy we have gone as far as we have.”
Lawler and Sharon Estes set out to make a rib sauce incorporating pineapple that people would enjoy on their barbecue.
“We liked the taste of pineapple in barbecue sauce,” Lawler said. “And we started out with pineapple and we kept adding things to it until we finally got it where we liked it.”
Now that same sauce is poised to become award winning.
“We tried to come up with something just a little different than everybody else and apparently it worked.” Lawler said.
The prize for the winner is bragging rights for at least a year.
“It’s kind of a sense of pride,” Jones said.
Thirty-four sauces were selected for the statewide competition. The Alabama Tourism Department hopes it will give better recognition to the popularity of barbecue in the state.


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BERGENFIELD, NJ -- Mayor Amatorio and Councilmen Lodato and Pascual joined members of the community for a ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome a new small business, BB Records to Bergenfield. BB Records will display music memorabilia and will sell vinyl records.
“I would like to welcome BB Records to Bergenfield and I wish Bob Schmelz all the luck in the world with his new business,” said Mayor Amatorio. “Bob is a passionate music fan that was born and raised in Bergenfield and is now looking to share his passion with our community. Please consider visiting his store and seeing what it has to offer.”
Store owner Bob Schmelz is a lifelong music fan and collector. He has decided to turn his hobby into a small business, where he will proudly display his memorabilia. The store is located at 24 S. Front Street in Bergenfield.


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I found this article on 3D printing intriguing. Do you use this technology in any of your manufacturing processes?
“Some retailers are already selling 3D printers to consumers, and as they become more readily available, consumers could use them to ‘manufacture’ their own custom-designed products,” said Miriam Burt, research vice president at Gartner. “We also expect to see 3D copying services and 3D printing bureaus emerge where customers bring 3D models to a retailer or provider and have increasingly high-end parts and designs printed, not just in plastics but in materials including ceramics, stainless steel, and cobalt and titanium alloys.”
You can read the entire article here. I'd love to know if you're using this technology.


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A supermarket's innovative marketing campaign that recreated a working, virtual grocery store in Seoul subway stations has won an international prize for creativity and could herald a new era in the way people shop.
Jerry Coyne wrote an open letter to the NCSE and BCSE complaining of a perceived pro-liberal Christianity bias within the organizations, and a tendency for people who work for them to bash “New Atheists”, alienating their allies.
You need 3 things to compete with Apple's iPad: a gorgeous, easy-to-use device, a bustling app store and an attractive price tag. Nobody has been able to match it so far but BlackBerry's PlayBook has emerged as one of the strongest contenders.
In The Mo is a new web site that incorporates social media hooks to better personalize search results for destinations. Founder Cary Levine speaks with The Associated press about what he hopes it will accomplish.
Motorola's Xoom has been hailed as the most likely rival to Apple's iPad. The tablet is the first to use Google's Honeycomb software and includes a large, touch screen and zippy processor. The AP's Rachel Metz reports.
Logging on to the Web via a mobile phone is a relatively new phenomenon, but one that is growing rapidly. Each year mobile Internet traffic doubles and today's networks are at risk of choking from the load.
2 of Haiti's biggest cell phone companies are working with aid groups to help cash-strapped Haitians purchase goods using 'mobile money'. Donated funds are transferred to residents' cell phones and then traded in at local shops for food.
I took a walk around the Wits Origins Centre – and about the first exhibit I stopped to look at really struck me.
It was about the oldest rock to have a pattern engraved on it that we know of – it is the birth-stone of art.
A private company launched a spacecraft into orbit Wednesday in a bold demonstration test for NASA that could lead to the first commercial space station supply run next year and eventual astronaut rides.
Oscillococcinum is a name that sounds very impressive, or at least it would if I knew how to pronounce it. It is sold to help deal with flu symptoms.
It claims the active ingredient is Anas Barbariae Hepatis et Cordis Extractum.
The dream of space tourists edged closer to reality on Friday, as the world's first commercial spaceport opened a runway in New Mexico. Flights could begin in nine to 18 months after Virgin Galactic conducts more testing.
Virgin founder Richard Branson discusses the progress of his Virgin Galactic division, which is trying to be the first viable space tourism company. The spacecraft, Spaceship Two, just made a successful free-gliding flight.
A new way to cause mischief quickly spread through short-messaging service Twitter Tuesday morning before the site could fix the problem, as mysterious "tweets" of blocked-out text propagated themselves and caused popup windows to open.
204 Share a conversation between Microsoft's Bill Gates and Apple's Steve Jobs - two of the wealthiest men in the world and arguably two of its most powerful men. The themes range from poverty to wealth, and then to wealth again.
Scientists have managed to come up with a way to revive a hollowed out cell with some genetic code they slapped together. Okay, it isn't creating life from scratch - but it is coming up with a way to replace the engine.
At an event in San Francisco Apple released its anticipated iPad. 'It's Way better than a laptop, way better then a phone. You can turn it any way you want. To see the whole page is phenomenal,' said Jobs.
A group calling themselves CeCeN Hack Team have defaced the Gauteng Local Government website with the slogan "ALLAHU EKBER ! denmark israel a**hole Americas 45 thousand people will give account" Hooray Chechnya" They used the image of Shamil .
Pope Benedict XV is urging priests to use all multimedia tools at their disposal to preach the Gospel and to engage in dialogue with people of other religions and cultures. But as with all things, all is not what it seems.
Our childless friends were horrified that all the children were playing with their parents iPhones this holiday. They are great toys btw. My children drew pictures, beautiful ones - my little David Hockneys. Here is my daughter's drawing of our flag.
Whether it’s a blue dress or a stray text if you transgress get ready for the intercept. In the modern age the only certainty is lack of privacy, no one has it, you can’t buy it and you can’t demand it.
Over the last few months I've been seeing a trend emerging saying that Exercise Won't Make You Thin.
Today The New York Times says that "for some time, researchers have been finding that people who exercise don't necessarily lose weight.
Facebook is planning to preserve the accounts of dead members. The new 'memorialized' accounts will continue to display photos and wall posts, 'sensitive information' such as status updates and contact information will be removed.
Reviews of Google Wave are out, and opinions are that it has potential as a development platform but is noisy to use for real-time communication .I’m still patiently waiting for my invite to come through, c’mon Ivan .
The new Vivox voice chat system for Facebook will allow any user to start a conversation with anyone on their friends list. The service will also be available to third-party developers who want to integrate voice into their applications.
Telkom is being pitted against a homing pigeon named Winston to see which can deliver 4GB of call centre data logs quickest over a distance of around 80km. The race is set to take place on September 9th.


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Subscribe on itunes, or listen on demand...
This week we investigate how the internet has affected revolutions around the world and we talk to the CEO of Shhmooze, an app that aims to revolutionise how we network at events.
Sofie Sandell has a look at how the internet affects how we travel and why we trust 70% of stranger's reccomendations on the internet.
And Richard Lee has the very latest Tech News from around the world, including the bad news for the Wii U and the financial state of Samsung, Amazon and Facebook.
So click play to get up to date or head to iTunes to subscribe to the podcast.
#Technology #Entrepreneur #Revolution #Facebook #Amazon #Samsung #SEO #News #TechTalkfest #SiliconeRoundabout #Travel
www.twitter.com/TechTalkfest and www.twitter.com/z1radio


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Freight Forecast Stays Sunny
Freight volumes are projected to increase 4.2 percent in 2018 and increase 35.6 percent by 2029, according to the latest edition of the American Trucking Associations’ Freight Forecast.
Among the report’s findings:
- Total tonnage transported will reach nearly 16 billion tons in 2018—a figure that should rise 35.6 percent to 21.7 billion tons in 2029.
- Truck volumes are expected to grow 2.3 percent per year from 2019 to 2024 and 2.2 percent annually for the next five years.
- Changes in demand for commodities—notably commodities moved by pipeline—will alter trucking’s share of freight volumes. While in 2018, trucks are projected to move 70.2 percent of total tonnage, that share is expected to sink to 65.9 percent in 2029. Nonetheless, the trucking industry will remain the single largest mover of freight.
- The transport of freight by rail, including intermodal, will account for 12.6 percent of tonnage in 2018—but that figure is expected to drop to 10 percent in 2029—again, due to strength in pipeline, not falling rail volumes.


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A little over a month ago Judge Denise Cote issued a summary judgement in the class-action suit brought by three ebook retailers who alleged that the 2010 conspiracy, and the subsequent price controls, harmed their businesses and eventually forced two of the three to shut down.
The suit was originally filed in 2013 by Australian ebook company DNAML, and later joined by BooksonBoard and Diesel eBooks (now Diesel Digital). Following discovery, the case went through mediation (which apparently did not succeed). This was followed by motions for summary judgement filed in September 2015. On 16 December 2015, Judge Cote ruled in favor of the defendants, and dismissed part of the case with prejudice.
Judge Cote concluded that one of the three retailers, DNAML, lacked standing because it was not directly injured by the conspiracy.
Because the plaintiff was not the entity injured by the violation of the antitrust laws alleged here, and did not receive an assignment of the right to pursue this claim from the injured party, it lacks standing to bring its antitrust claim and the defendants’ motion for summary judgment is granted.
This is a little complicated, but DNAML apparently got booted from the case because some time after the conspiracy (in 2011) DNAML went through a reorganization where a new company with the name DNAML bought the assets of the old DNAML for $14,000.
Judge Cote ruled that the new company doesn’t have standing because it didn’t exist at the time, and that the right to sue over the injury was not transferred during the reorganization.
So DNAML is out
, but I don’t have any info on how this will impact the lawsuits filed by the other retailers, BooksonBoard and Diesel Digital. There is a second ruling from last month (PDF) which excluded some expert testimony from the lawsuit but did not dismiss the case, so it could still be in motion.
Edit: And there is a third ruling (PDF) from last Friday which says that BooksonBoard’s lawsuit was dismissed as well. Apple settled with the retailer on 21 April 2015, and was dismissed from the suit, but the five publishers went on to convince Judge Cote that BooksonBoard was already in trouble when Agency happened.
Here’s an interesting factoid from the ruling:
In an email to an investor on March 24, 2010, (BooksonBoard founder) Bob LiVolsi recommended accepting OverDrive’s offer to acquire BOB, observing that “Overdrive has moved a little. Agency pricing is scaring the heck out of me so I think it might be wise to go forward with this deal where it is.” LiVolsi does not elaborate in this email on what about agency pricing scared him. Acknowledging, however, that BOB had yet to make a profit and had no immediate prospect of doing so, LiVolsi added that OverDrive’s offer was “not a big return, but something bigger than no return.”
So BooksonBoard was already unhealthy at the time of agency. Interesting. I’m still reading the rulings, but at this time I can say that at least two cases are gone, and a third (Diesel Digital) may remain. I’ll keep looking for more info.
P.S. Hat tip to Gary price of InfoDocket for helping me find the filing (PDF).
P.P.S. PW beat me to the story, but I am pretty sure they got it wrong.
image by final gather


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Ralph Lauren Turns To TikTok For New U.S. Open Campaign
Ralph Lauren this weekend is debuting a new U.S. Open-related campaign on TikTok, marking the "first time a luxury brand has rolled out a campaign on the platform and one that's specifically tied to a sporting event," according to Ann-Marie Alcantara of ADWEEK. The clothing company is "using both the sponsored hashtag challenge offered on TikTok and the platform's later offering, which lets consumers buy products within the app." There are several aspects to the effort -- three videos starring actress Diana Silvers, a "call to action with a hashtag challenge dubbed #WinningRL asking users to participate and show off a time they won a real-life challenge" and the ability for consumers to "shop U.S. Open-branded Ralph Lauren products." The campaign begins Saturday and runs through the end of the tournament Sept. 8. Ralph Lauren plans to use the effort as a "brand awareness play and as a full-funnel campaign, looking to measure engagement rates, video views, likes, comments, who's adding to a cart and who completes a purchase on TikTok" (ADWEEK.com, 8/29).


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BRUSSELS (Reuters) – As the Oct. 31 deadline for Britain to leave the European Union approaches, health professionals are warning that shortages of some medicines could worsen in Europe in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Illustration photo shows various medicine pills in their original packaging in Brussels, Belgium August 9, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman/Illustration
Britain’s food and drink lobby warned last week that the country would experience shortages of some fresh foods if there is a disorderly no-deal Brexit. Pharmaceutical companies have expressed similar concerns about medicines, and some have reserved air freight capacity to fly in supplies if needed..
But the impact on medical supplies will also be felt beyond Britain. About 45 million packs of medicines are shipped from Britain to the rest of the bloc every month, in trade worth nearly 12 billion pounds in 2016, according to a British parliament report.
Experts say some disruption is inevitable if Britain leaves the EU without a deal. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will lead his country out of the EU on Oct. 31 without a deal if the EU refuses to negotiate a new divorce agreement.
Some drugs might not have the required regulatory approval by then to continue being brought in from Britain. About 1 billion packs go in one direction or the other each year, industry data show.
Increased customs controls at ports and other borders between Britain and the EU could also disrupt supplies of drugs and the chemical compounds needed to produce them, regulators and industry representatives say.
“Despite intensive preparation by industry for every scenario, a no-deal Brexit risks disruption to the supply of medicines” throughout the EU, Andy Powrie-Smith, an official at the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations,


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Did you know that by the age of three a massive eight out of 10 dogs already suffer from gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss?
Pet’s teeth have a lot of work to do – dogs use their mouths for more than just eating, they use them to play, explore and taste a lot of their surroundings too.
If your dog’s teeth aren’t properly cared for, it can cause problems.
Luckily the experts at natural pet supplement manufacturer nutravet have shared their top tips to help look after your pet’s teeth.
Registered Veterinary Nurse Korina Stephens said: “By the age of three, 80 per cent of dogs have developed some form of periodontal disease.
“Poor dental care doesn’t just affect your pet’s mouth, the bacteria generated by gum disease could eventually enter their bloodstream and potentially damage their heart liver or kidneys.
“When your pet has healthy teeth and gums, they can get the most out of their food, crunching every delicious mouthful as they go, but if their teeth hurt, they’ll soon go off their meals and their metabolism will suffer.”
Here are 11 tips to help brushing and maintaining dental health.


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Cooking fresh greens usually requires washing, peeling, and chopping. However, before placing it in the sink, you need to think about whether it is worth it? As experts warn that there are some leafy vegetables that should not be washed before eating.
What should never be washed
It is common knowledge that vegetables brought home from the supermarket should be rinsed quickly before being cut and put on a plate, even if they already look clean. But no matter how consistent your kitchen hygiene may be, any leafy vegetables pre-packed in a vacuum bagshould never be washed before cooking, experts say.
“Repeated washing at home can really increase the risk of leafy greens picking up bacteria from the sink, countertops, cutting boards, knives and other kitchen items or surfaces it comes into contact with during the washing process,” Neva Cochran, Eating Well, told Eating Well. nutritionist, nutrition consultant and advisory board member for leafy greens marketing agreement healthstories.gr.
Your kitchen is more likely to contaminate the greens when you wash it.
No one likes the idea of eating bacteria-contaminated food cooked in a dirty kitchen. But when it comes down to it, even the most well-kept kitchen spaces in the home don’t come close to the cleanliness standards of places where packaged greens are processed. “Leafy greens in sealed bags labeled ‘triple clean’, ‘washed’ or ‘ready to eat’ are produced in facilities inspected by a government regulator and are operated according to good manufacturing practices,” the expert says.
Other experts point out that modern procedures and methods have made it easier to deliver ready-to-eat leafy products that are safe to consume. “Pre-washed greens are treated with a mixture of water and a food disinfectant such as hydrogen peroxide or chlorine,” said Randy Vorobo, professor of food science at Cornell University. A mixture that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says does not pose a hazard when stored at low levels, which “reduces and prevents the spread of bacteria from the surface of the product.”
However, just because you no longer rinse your pre-washed herb doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take precautions before eating it.
And while chopped lettuce, a mix of greens, or arugula may be good enough to be sent straight out of the bag into a salad bowl, Still, there are a few proven rules to follow. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before touching food.
It’s also best to make sure all surfaces, such as cutting boards or mixing bowls, are cleaned or sanitized before putting lettuce on them.
And remember that sometimes the kitchen sink itself can be the most likely place to contaminate your food, so be sure to clean it thoroughly before you start cooking.
Never wash meat or poultry before cooking
But not only pre-washed leafy greens should not be washed when cooking. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rinsing meat, poultry, or eggs is also a bad idea. “Washing raw meat, chicken, turkey, or eggs can introduce germs to sinks, countertops, and other kitchen surfaces,” the service warns. “These germs can infiltrate other foods, such as salads or fruit, and make you sick.”
The USDA says it’s no longer necessary to rinse meat or poultry thanks to modern commercial washing methods. Whereas washing “to remove dirt, grease or blood may have been appropriate a few decades ago. Today, the modern food safety system does not require this,” the USDA said in a statement.
According to eatthis.com, meat and poultry are fairly well cleaned during processing. Therefore, any further washing is an unnecessary additional risk.


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Skanray plans to export ventilators to neighboring countries
India has the potential to become an export hub with the added manufacturing capacities
Medical equipment maker Skanray Technologies revealed that it is looking at exporting ICU ventilators to neighboring countries and other markets such as Europe and the US, said a report by Outlook.
"The company is already in advanced talks with neighboring countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to meet their requirements for advanced ventilators to aid their fight against the pandemic," the report said quoting Skanray’s official release.
The statement further revealed that the medical equipment maker is also renegotiating with countries in Europe, Ukraine, Africa, Brazil, Mexico, and the US where orders were held up due to the export ban as per a PTI report carried by Outlook.
The report further mentioned that the company has already fulfilled the target of delivering 30,000 ventilators to support India's fight against COVID-19 as said by the company in a statement.
The report quoted Skanray Founder & MD Vishwaprasad Alva as saying that India has the potential to become an export hub with the added capacities.
Skanray has added 30,000 CV200 advanced ICU ventilators to critical national stockpiles along with Bharat Electronics (BEL) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the report quoted the company’s statement.


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Redefine Meat Ltd, the ‘New-Meat’ pioneer, announced today a major coup with two new high-profile business leadership appointments as part of the company’s aggressive global expansion plans. Ahead of the European commercial launch of New-Meat next month, Redefine Meat has appointed Edwin Bark as Senior Vice President and General Manager EMEA, and Adrian Sagman as Director of Global Sales and Business Development.
Edwin Bark, Senior Vice President and General Manager, EMEA
Bark brings 25 years of vast international experience in FMCG. His past roles include several years as Managing Director of Nestle’s European Plant-Based Food Division, where he was credited for re-igniting the brand, fuelling innovation and expanding the brand’s portfolio of plant-based meat products across six new European markets. Through his non-executive positions at alternative food companies, Bark is high-connected to the eco-system and most recently led the establishment of the largest plant-based meat manufacturing plant in Europe.
Following Redefine Meat’s successful launch in Israel, with significant market acceptance and endorsement from chefs and consumers, Bark will manage the company’s commercial expansion of New-Meat into Europe. This also includes building the organizational infrastructure of the EMEA business, establishing a best-in-class manufacturing and supply chain, and driving the multi-channel go-to-market strategy.
“I am very passionate about health and sustainability, and fully committed to helping repair the world’s broken food system by disrupting the meat industry with New-Meat,” commented Bark. “Over the years, I have worked on many of the plant-based products available today, and I can genuinely say that what Redefine Meat has achieved so far is nothing short of revolutionary. I’m already hard at work to ensure the European business is set up for success and have no doubt that New-Meat will disrupt the disrupters.”
Adrian Sagman, Director of Global Sales and Business Development
With a decade of senior business and marketing roles at Unilever Food Solutions Europe, Sagman was responsible for creating business strategies for high-value food products at an international and local level. He also brings 13 years’ experience of managing exports and sales in the food industry, including as Director of Export for the Strauss Group, the largest food manufacturer in Israel.
With a focus on worldwide sales and market introduction of new product categories, Sagman will play a pivotal role in establishing Redefine Meat as a top global meat business. Most notably, Sagman’s primary objectives are to optimize the company’s worldwide go-to-market strategy, build global partnerships, and drive sales across food services and retail.
“I’m proud to play my part in making New-Meat mainstream across the globe,” said Sagman. “Redefine Meat perfectly aligns with my experience of expanding businesses into new territories and creating market demand. But there is also something special about this company: the quality and diversity of meat products, the technological innovation behind it, and the inspirational team at the helm who share my vision of making this world a better place.”
Eshchar Ben-Shitrit, CEO and Co-Founder of Redefine Meat added, “Following the incredible reaction to our commercial launch in Israel this summer, we are now ready to bring New-Meat to consumers around the world – starting with Europe next month, and continuing with the US and Asia next year. Edwin and Adrian’s experience in scaling businesses and established networks across the food ecosystem will be invaluable in supporting our aggressive growth and taking Redefine Meat to the world stage.”
About Redefine Meat
Founded in 2018, Redefine Meat is on a mission to offer ‘New-Meat’ with the same flavor, texture, and versatility as animal meat, by harnessing technology instead of animals. Aiming to become the world’s largest meat company, Redefine Meat creates a wide range of premium meat products using plant-based ingredients – offering the world a new type of delicious meat, that’s good for the environment, and kinder to animals.
Using a range of proprietary and patented technologies and working closely with global chefs and meat experts, Redefine Meat has developed a category-defining New-Meat product portfolio spanning minced meat products and whole-muscle cuts that offer the same flavor, taste and texture as animal meat.
Redefine Meat is Headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, and has over 100 employees. In June 2020, the company received wide acclaim upon unveiling the world’s first steak produced using industrial-level 3D printing, offering the same characteristics as beef steak for the first time in history.
For more information, please visit www.redefinemeat.com


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30 Apr The Rapidly Changing World of Professional Services
Disruptions and major transformation are on the agenda
Anyone in the professional services industry already knows that businesses are facing a host of new challenges each year with 2020 being far from an exception. In ten years’ time, this industry will look significantly different than it does today even in spite of COVID-19.
The day-to-day world of professional services will continue to shift as client and employee expectations adapt to the onset of new technology accelerating to compensate for present-day hurdles.
Let’s take a closer look at the key issues and challenges faced by industry leaders in the global economy:
Clients are more demanding and better educated
It should come as no surprise that a majority of service providers say that customers today have come to expect far more than ever before. Clients demand greater value, better quality and faster delivery of their solutions and services. Transparency and empowerment also place high on the list of must-haves.
These increasing customer expectations are driving the growth of a range of services available as many executives have widened the scope of their service offerings in recent years.
The competition is heating up
Studies have brought forth agile concepts and innovative business models as key success factors to surpass the competition. This sector had been undergoing a considerable degree of consolidation in 2019 and that has only sped up in 2020. Companies are being acquired and merged in record numbers as new companies backed by solid financing and offering a different business model are being launched at a rapid pace. At the same time, new technologies are threatening to commoditize the high-ticket services which are the bread and butter of many stakeholders.
The growing trend towards deregulation is also playing a ongoing role in some sectors by freeing up restrictions on almost all aspects of service provider property. This opens up the market for innovative business models that were not possible in the past due to regulatory constraints.
It is worth noting that many companies still rely on their expertise as a key differentiation strategy. Based on the current speed of technology innovation, which is not about to slow down, combined with the fact that specialists will most likely be working somewhere else within a few years, this strategy is suffering from a lack of long-term vision.
To counter this issue, it seems obvious that having a focus on customer and employee loyalty is becoming a priority in order to stand apart from the competition.
The war for resources
One of the points raised by a majority of the companies surveyed was the constant need to find new skilled employees. As new technology and techniques are taking over the market, these businesses are constantly under pressure to keep up with the changes.
Both to resolve this issue and address the obstacles involved in operating a business during a global health pandemic, many companies are now offering flexible working conditions and remote opportunities to attract new employees or retain current staff, as well as leveraging the self-employed market and outsourcing to contractors. This approach allows them to secure the right skill sets at the right time, while avoiding investing large amounts of time and money to recruit, train and manage resources.
Organisations that will be able to build on and make good use of various talent networks while offering staff flexible or remote work opportunities will stand out from the rest.
People buy differently
The evolution of the buyers’ journey was already a growing phenomenon and it has been further accelerated by COVID-19 as an increasing number of consumers and clients pursue non-traditional channels (digital, contact-free) to find the services that meet their needs.
Even the way people are getting recommendations is changing. Organizations have been forced to build and protect their online reputation for example, with sophisticated content marketing and “organized and structured” engagement programs on social media.
Services purchased through “à la carte” models are attracting a growing number of supporters. It is quite compelling to be able to choose different providers for different tasks to then combine their unique expertise. In this context, online marketplaces, as an example, are providing customers with an easier way to find alternatives.
There is no doubt that many companies felt ill-equipped to adapt to these changes in the early months of 2020.
Technology as a disruption of daily life
Everything points to the fact that technology is in the process of significantly altering the way we use professional services. As technology gives way to new methods of organizing and providing professional services, it is altering the very nature of the expertise delivered by professionals to their customers.
We are already witnessing the rapid pace of automation as machine technology moves to entirely replace low-end services that can be optimized by self-service platforms. Look no further than your local grocery store’s self-checkout counter and how the number of stations has only increased in large chains with the resources to adapt quickly.
Digital technology is and has been the biggest disruptor. It is primarily powered by social media, mobile devices, cloud services, Big Data and AI. However, new technologies cannot solely be viewed as a potential threat to the professional services industry, as it can also become an opportunity to redesign the way these companies are conducting business.
Here are a few examples:
Companies that are integrating artificial intelligence, Big Data and hands-on learning to manage their tasks, processes and highly complex decision making will be able to enhance the speed, precision and, ultimately, the quality of services they offer.
From problem resolution to prevention, real-time data access will shift the consulting approach from one of problem resolution to one of prevention, as potential issues will be identified earlier in the various work processes.
The increasing use of new communication technologies will extend the footprint of the business and offer the ability to connect with clients all over the world.
Clients of the future
Customer needs are already changing and will continue to evolve as the current technology revolution unfolds. We can expect the following:
- Customers will turn more and more to technology and automation as a means of securing services and knowledge. They will be able to do this via a services marketplace, knowledge sharing or through online consultants whose services are powered by technology and artificial intelligence.
- Customers will be demanding immediate results and actively seek out price competitive providers. They will require the pricing to be in-line with the results and value, rather than expressed as an hourly rate.
- There will be a higher value placed on the business relationship as clients and provider will work in closer collaboration when possible; on the flip side, it will also be quite common for clients and consultants to be located on different continents.
- Multidisciplinary teams will be gathered which will include several service providers in order to meet client needs.
Digital transformation in no longer optional
The scenery is changing all around your organisation. If you have yet to notice, take a closer look and start your digital shift as quickly as possible, if you have not already done so.
If you delay making the changes that will be required to adapt to the new way of doing business, you are at risk of having to undergo a radical transformation of your company in the not-too-distant future. It goes without saying that the transformation of your business model will always be easier if you proceed incrementally and/or by sector. Take advantage of that time to explore new market opportunities and/or develop new service offerings.
You can find inspiration in the principles of continuous improvement management to ensure your change process will not weaken your company culture. Adopt a flexible organisational structure to facilitate the implementation of new digital technologies. And never forget to stay focused on the core competencies that continue to add real value for your customers, today and in the future!


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PROPERTY purchase and rental platform Ohmyhome is venturing out of the HDB market into private housing.
Buyers and sellers of private properties can now use the platform to manage and handle housing transactions on their own, the company announced on Thursday.
Ohmyhome's free platform connects buyers and sellers directly to each other, saving on agent commission, while helping them navigate the transaction process. It said it has facilitated more than 2,300 HDB resale transactions since its launch in 2016.
Ohmyhome has also introduced a tech-enabled full agent service for those who prefer professional assistance, which include on-demand agent, mortgage advisory and legal services.
Its professional agents are aided by technology that automates part of the transaction process such as advertising and generation of weekly performance analysis for listings, said the company.
Adapted from The Business Times 28 March 2019


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Out-of-the-Box Skin Care
A few novel ingredients just aren’t enough for these innovative launches.
By Melissa Meisel, Associate Editor
According to Mintel, 42% of consumers seek products with multiple benefits. Beauty and personal care analyst Shannon Romanowski noted, “Consumers are gravitating toward multi-functional products that allow them to get more benefits while saving them both time and money.” Here’s a look at some new developments in the skin care segment.


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Android 30 Sep Twitter has also added a video carousel to the Explore tab.
Apple 29 Sep Existing users can continue using SwiftKey until they uninstall it.
Android 28 Sep It is now possible to connect with others without revealing real identity.
Android 21 Sep All audiobooks prices will be set by publishers.
Apple 20 Sep The price hike will come into effect from October 5th.
Android 20 Sep Premium users can now add up to three reactions per message.
Android 14 Sep Community Chats will support texts, audio, and video messages.
Apple 13 Sep There are widgets available for variety of Google apps.
Android 02 Sep Meta has set up a dedicated division to explore paid feature opportunities.
Android 02 Sep Twitter is cautious about the feature getting misused.
Android 29 Aug It is planning to show four minutes of ads per hour.
Android 18 Aug Netflix will also have a setup process for delivering personalized ads.
Android 11 Aug The ad-supported tier will cost $7.99 per month.
Android 10 Aug It will make it easier to discover new music and podcast content.
Android 10 Aug Google says it is about improving SMS experience between Android and iOS.
Android 09 Aug Netflix has only 1.7M daily users out of 221M subscribers playing games.
Android 05 Aug It may even have an ad-supported subscription tier.
Android 01 Aug No more limitations of adding one media file format per tweet.
Android 01 Aug TikTok Music app will also have social media elements.
Android 29 Jul Existing users will have to pay increased price starting in October.
Android 22 Jul Feeds will not offer any suggested posts to users.
Android 19 Jul Prime Video redesign is a lot more intuitive and user-friendly.
Android 15 Jul Subscriber Chat can have up to 30 people at the same time.
Android 14 Jul Microsoft will exclusively provide ads for Netflix's subscription plan.
Android 08 Jul It will allow users to collaborate and share a single tweet.
Android 05 Jul It says users should withdraw funds before September 21st.
Android 01 Jul It wants to share all videos as Reels by default.
Android 30 Jun Snapchat Plus offers exclusive features.
Android 29 Jun It wants to target users who are okay watching ads on Netflix.
Android 28 Jun It will be used for all transactions in the metaverse.
Android 24 Jun The facial recognition tech will look for facial features to detect age.
Android 24 Jun There are six Sleep Animal profiles.
Android 23 Jun Twitter Notes do not have a character limit on posts.
Android 20 Jun It will help Telegram preserve the app's free access.
Android 17 Jun It will offer users some extra benefits for a fixed monthly fee.
Android 17 Jun WhatsApp is giving users more control over their privacy settings.
Android 16 Jun Check what you were listening to during this year's spring.
Android 15 Jun The feature works through Apple's official Move to iOS app.
Android 13 Jun Telegram Premium will add support for extra-large documents, media, and stickers.
Android 03 Jun Instagram has also added Templates and custom audio support.


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Euro Ncap: Tougher safety test
EVERY two years, car safety organisation Euro Ncap toughens its test.
For this year, it has focused on raising standards in occupant protection, post-crash protection and driver assistance technology.
"The impact of these updates, as well some other minor changes, will be significant," said Euro Ncap.
"Therefore, consumers must be careful when directly comparing the latest results with ratings from previous years.
"What stays the same is that only vehicles that perform excellently in crash protection, post-crash and crash avoidance - and the ones that car buyers should look out for - will achieve the top five-star rating."
Euro Ncap put crash-testing on hold during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown but plans to have its first batch of results conducted according to the new standards "after the summer".


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Software as a Service (SaaS) is one of the biggest technology growth areas at the moment. That's reflected in the amounts of capital being pumped into the sector by investors.
A new SaaS Trends Report by Tibco Analytics and venture capital tracker CB Insights shows that funding for SaaS companies was $11.7 billion (£7.7 billion) in 2014, up 70 per cent over the past year. SaaS funding has tripled since 2011.
The biggest deal of the last year was Dropbox which received $350 million (£231 million) in extra funding. SurveyMonkey raised $250 million (£165 million), with online publishing and development specialist Automattic third on $160 million (£105 million). Cloud storage company Box and security provider Lookout each received $150 million (£99 million).
Broken down by industry most funding between 2011 and 2014 went to SaaS businesses in the area of business intelligence and analytics (838 deals totaling $6.6 million(£4.3 million)), followed by CRM and marketing each with around 400 deals totaling over $2 million (£1.3million) for each area. Monitoring and security comes next with fewer deals (226) but over $2 million (£1.3 million) of investment.
Also interesting are the figures for the number of companies exiting venture capital funding, either via mergers and acquisitions or IPOs. Total exits in 2014 were up 66 per cent year-on-year. The last quarter of 2014 also saw the highest number of SaaS IPOs in the last four years, companies floating including New Relic and Hubspot. But whilst it's the really big deals that make the news it's important to note that 49 per cent of SaaS companies exiting VC funding raised less than $10 million (£6.6 million).
Of the companies snapping up SaaS businesses the most acquisitive is Oracle, which went on a $700 million (£463 million) shopping spree to snap up BlueKai and Virtue among others. Next come IBM, Google and Saleforce each of which have made five or more SaaS acquisitions between 2011 and 2014.
The full report with much more information is available to download from the CB Insights website.


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Ampol has posted a record bottom-line profit of $795 million for FY2022, including the best convenience retail earnings in five years.
Australia’s largest fuel provider revealed a 42 per cent jump in net profit after tax (NPAT) on the previous year’s figure and a bumper final ordinary dividend of 105 cents per share, as well as a special dividend of 50 cents per share.
Matt Halliday, Managing Director and CEO of Ampol, said the company is continuing to deliver on its strategic priorities.
“The rebrand to Ampol is now complete, we have achieved the Convenience Retail non-fuel RCOP EBIT uplift target ahead of schedule and the acquisition of Z Energy has delivered on our international growth ambitions.”
The convenience retail business delivered RCOP EBIT of $347.2 million, a 37 per cent increase compared to 2021, and the best result in five years.
“While Convenience Retail benefited from more favourable trading conditions in the second half, this performance demonstrates the value of focusing on network quality and investment returns. The network rationalisation is almost complete with the company-controlled retail network reduced to 645 sites by year end.
“The network rebrand is complete, including the EG sites, with over 1,800 stores now featuring the iconic Ampol brand. The introduction of MetroGo sites has reached the target of 50 stores and work continues with Woolworths to refine this offering based on learnings from the initial rollout,” the company said in a statement.
Following the acquisition of Z Energy eight months ago, it has contributed $124.6 million RCOP EBIT to the result and 2.76 billion litres of fuel sales volume.
“Since the closure of New Zealand’s only refinery, Z Energy has made good progress in managing the transition to a full import model with minimal disruption to customers. The exit from the National Inventory Agreement saw Z Energy gain share in the New Zealand market as it benefited from its superior infrastructure position,” explained Ampol.
Looking to 2023, Ampol said that geopolitical factors such as China product export decisions and Russian sanctions would likely continue to influence crude and refined product markets during 2023.


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Originally published on the NRDC Expert Blog.
Some good news for cleaner air: the City of Chicago is taking decisive steps to ensure it is a hub for electric vehicles (EVs). The City Council passed an ordinance on Friday strengthening requirements for EV readiness at commercial and residential buildings, promoting more equitable access to this emerging technology throughout the city.
The ordinance tightens EV charging requirements for parking lots of new developments. These requirements include increasing the number of parking spaces that must have EV charging infrastructure available (20% of total parking spaces), heightening the level of EV charging infrastructure that must be installed, and expanding the number of new developments to which the policy applies.
Why EV Readiness Is Good for Chicago’s Economy
There are several reasons to standardize EV readiness for buildings, but one of the biggest is reduced costs for EV owners and building owners. EV owners save money because they will not have to pay extra to install charging infrastructure in order to charge their cars at home. With more and more Chicagoans driving electric, it’s clear that demand for EV charging, both at home and at commercial businesses, will only increase with time. That’s where the cost savings for building owners come in: it’s thousands of dollars cheaper to install EV charging infrastructure when a building is first constructed than to retrofit the building later.
Chip in a few dollars a month to help support independent cleantech coverage that helps to accelerate the cleantech revolution!
What’s in the Ordinance?
Aldermen Brendan Reilly & Matthew Martin proposed a stronger EV readiness ordinance in October 2019 after a more relaxed version passed Chicago City Council the previous month. They enhanced their proposal even further by introducing a substitute ordinance in March 2020, which was approved today. The newest ordinance has a few key differences, especially regarding thresholds for EV charging requirements among new residential and commercial buildings.
To ensure more residential and commercial buildings are supporting EV charging, the thresholds for requiring installation of charging infrastructure were decreased. Now, residential buildings with five or more dwelling units (reduced from 24) and commercial buildings with 30 or more parking spaces (reduced from 50) must have EV charging infrastructure installed in their parking lots.
Additionally, these buildings must install EV-ready (Level 2) or EV-installed (Level 3) infrastructure during construction. “EV-ready” means that a parking spot will have the electrical panel capacity, circuit, conduit, wiring, and outlet necessary for future installation of an EV charging station, while “EV-installed” takes it a step further by incorporating the actual charging station.
These threshold reductions and EV level requirements will lower a key entry barrier for potential EV drivers by enabling EV drivers to easily charge their vehicles at home or at work. As of now, the ordinance does not apply to existing buildings. However, as more people come to understand the significant health and financial benefits of EVs, we anticipate that communities will continue to demand EV readiness as a standard for all buildings across the United States.
The new ordinance opens the electric vehicle market to more than just early adopters. By creating a more EV-friendly environment, Chicago residents from all income levels will see reduced barriers to entry in the EV market. At home EV charging infrastructure can cost an EV owner as much as an additional $7,210, making EVs an unattractive option for a typical mid-income buyer. By creating stricter requirements for building owners on EV charging, the cost of owning and maintaining an electric vehicle will be greatly reduced.
Ensuring EV charging infrastructure is set up in new buildings reduces the overall costs for both building owners and potential EV buyers. This is a huge step in ensuring equity remains an important factor for climate action policy in a city that is historically divided in income, race, and life expectancy. Lowering the cost to charge an EV makes it a more attractive option, and in turn, allows vehicle owners to save more money over time on gas. With rebates and the option of buying used, the price of an EV can be comparable to a gas-powered vehicle.
The Need for Strong State and City EV Policy
It’s not just Chicago aldermen focused on getting more EVs on the road: the Illinois Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) focuses on the impact of transportation on carbon
emissions, even creating “EV Access For All,” to ensure more people have access to EVs through car-sharing and electric shuttles in transit deserts. It also creates an incentive to produce EV-ready infrastructure across the state to support expanding EV needs. Overall, CEJA is working to support EV access — especially in lower-income communities — and remove 1 million gas-powered vehicles from the road.
Chicago has one of the largest carbon footprints globally. The city is ranked eighth in the world for its carbon footprint, with over 31 million metric tons of climate-warming emissions released annually according to the city’s latest Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Report. While this ordinance will not reduce Chicago’s emissions overnight, its passage is a major step in clean energy investment and innovation, allowing the city to eventually make a big difference in carbon emissions reductions. This very closely aligns with the city’s Climate Action Plan and goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
With this ordinance, and as a part of the American Cities Climate Challenge, Chicago exemplifies its leadership in equitable climate action and sets an example for cities looking to implement policy focused on clean air and renewable energy.
Related story: EV Charging Infrastructure Guidelines for Cities
Featured image by Zachary Shahan | CleanTechnica


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Rumors that Google is building a Facebook contender have become slightly more convincing due to Google’s Eric Schmidt confirming the launch of the social application ‘Google Me’ into their products including email, online search, videos and maps.
The announcement of this launch (in fall this year) comes at a very important time. With Facebook having suffered bad PR from recent privacy issues, could Google Me become a great concern for Facebook?
When Google acquired social media developer, Angstro in August it sparked rumors that Google had all intention of challenging Facebook. Now it looks like that this rumor has become reality.
Google wants Google Me to not just be another addition to the product catalogue but will aim at combining all their previous ‘not so successful’ social networking attempts – like Orkut, Buzz and Profiles – into a successful social network.
“We’re trying to take Google’s core products and add a social component,” Google CEO Eric Schmidt said at the Google Zeitgeist conference recently. “If you think about it, it’s obvious. With your permission, knowing more about who your friends are, we can provide more tailored recommendations. Search quality can get better.”
A big question still remains: how can Google get 500+ million Facebook devotees to abandon Facebook and turn to Google Me instead?
When you at the hype surround Google’s last (failed) attempt into social networking, Google Buzz, I don’t expect to see a mass exodus from Facebook anytime soon.
It’ll be interesting to see how Google plans to make its services more social without making the same mistakes again.


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With Google I/O 2015 fast approaching, all eyes are on the new Android M operating system. The replacement to Lollipop will bring even more of the material design language and a hub for predictive actions.
While we’re all eagerly waiting for the announcement tomorrow, it might be good to know that Android is more committed than ever to keeping their OS as current as possible. Hiroshi Lockheimer, VP of engineering at Android, has revealed that there will be a new version of the OS released on a yearly basis.
These won’t just be incremental updates either, but rather pretty substantial leaps much like Lollipop to M. This means we can all look forward to some fairly radical updates each year, which should keep the OS running smooth. This could be a direct reply to Microsoft’s Windows Mobile update system, which has seen a speedier turnaround in the past few months thanks to the implementation of insider previews and fast-ring updates.
While we don’t know much about the next version of Android after M, we do know it will be a big update. The internal codename is Android N (original) and you can expect it in 2016.


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Tesla supporters gather in Olympia
Supporters of the Tesla electric car gathered at the Washington state Capitol in Olympia on Monday, opposed to two proposed bills that could limit the carmaker's operations in the state.
The Associated Press reports House Bill 2524 and its companion, Senate Bill 6272, were passed Monday night, but Democrats said the bills have been amended to allow Tesla to grow in the state.
In their original form, the bills would have provided "additional authority for the Department of Licensing to deny a license for a new motor vehicle manufacturer or new motor vehicle dealer," which Tesla supporters say is aimed directly at Tesla.
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Fast-growing pet store group Jollyes is to open its first outlet in Dorset, creating ten new jobs.
The new Poole store, at Unit 1C, Wessex Gate East Retail Park, will open at 10am on Saturday August 20.
He will immediately go one-on-one with a well-known pet store chain located nearby.
Jollyes’ ten-person team includes new store manager Andy Matthews, whose career includes stints at the Co-op, Marks & Spencer and Tesco.
With three children in his family, he has hands-on experience with pets, including Angel, a German Shepherd, and Tom, a ten-year-old cat.
The 5,000 square foot store will sell an extensive line of pet food and accessories for dogs, cats, small animals, birds, fish and reptiles.
In the weeks immediately following its opening, the store will also host a community pet clinic, offering regular health checks, vaccinations, fleas, dewormers and microchipping.
As with all Jollyes outlets, owners are welcome to bring their pets into the store.
Matt Godwin, Jollyes Regional Manager, said: “For those new to Jollyes, we can’t wait to open our doors and give them a warm welcome.
“Our friendly and knowledgeable team are really looking forward to giving the people of Poole and surrounding areas more choice than they have ever had for their pets.
“The new store is in a great location and we are designing it to make it as easy as possible for animal lovers to find what they are looking for.
“It’s a very popular retail park and we’re as excited as a new pup to open later this month.”
As Dorset’s first store, the Poole store will complement Jollyes outlets in the neighboring counties of Hampshire, Somerset, Devon and Wiltshire.
Jollyes started life in Enfield as a single store in 1971.
Backed by Kester Capital, the company now has over 80 stores across the UK.
As well as recent openings in Stockton-on-Tees, Southport, Stirling, Wrexham and Cookstown, Jollyes this year acquired Penparc Pet Centers with five stores in the Midlands.
New stores are due to open this autumn in Glenrothes, Edinburgh and Robroyston as Jollyes continues to search for new locations across the UK.


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updated 04:30 pm EST, Fri March 6, 2009
Rival iPhone stores loom
Several new online stores are threatening to challenge the current rigidity of the iPhone economy, according to the Wall Street Journal. Opening today is the Cydia Store, an extension of the software associated with browsing and downloading unofficial iPhone applications. While most apps available through Cydia have been free, some Cydia Store downloads will cost a fee, with the creator of the service reaping a commission similar to the one taken by Apple from official iPhone apps.
A second service in development, Rock Your iPhone, is planning to launch sales directed at people who have not already hacked their iPhone. Scheduled for an unspecified point in the future is a third option, which will sell pornographic games circumventing Apple's normal censorship of the material.
Apple is unlikely to tolerate the existence of the stores for long, as popular third-party alternatives would divert money away from App Store income. Content from third parties could also violate a number of the standards set for the iPhone, including not just subject matter but levels of security and code stability. Apple has in fact argued that the process of jailbreaking an iPhone is illegal under the DMCA, though the company may face stiff opposition from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which is calling for a formal jailbreaking exemption. Unlocking a phone for other carriers is thought to have at least limited legality under the current DMCA.


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In 2018 Honda will turn 70, and it has a present in mind for itself that’s fit for a spry 30-year-old:
A shiny new S2000.
Honda wouldn’t give itself just any S2000 for such a special occasion, though. Certainly not a used model. Instead, Honda plans on building a brand new version of the sporty roadster, and sharing it with the rest of us in celebration.
Yes, after many years of speculation, rumors, and hope, a new version of the Honda S2000 could be just around the corner.


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Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. lowered its stake in JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:JD – Get Rating) by 6.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 15,945 shares of the information services provider’s stock after selling 1,057 shares during the quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc.’s holdings in JD.com were worth $802,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Glassman Wealth Services lifted its holdings in shares of JD.com by 95.9% in the second quarter. Glassman Wealth Services now owns 474 shares of the information services provider’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 232 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP raised its holdings in JD.com by 99.3% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 578 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $37,000 after buying an additional 288 shares during the last quarter. Heritage Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in JD.com in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $38,000. James Investment Research Inc. bought a new position in JD.com in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $50,000. Finally, Selective Wealth Management Inc. raised its holdings in JD.com by 43.5% in the 2nd quarter. Selective Wealth Management Inc. now owns 825 shares of the information services provider’s stock valued at $53,000 after buying an additional 250 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 17.71% of the company’s stock.
JD.com Stock Performance
Shares of JD stock opened at $60.43 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $82.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 671.52 and a beta of 0.48. JD.com, Inc. has a 52 week low of $33.17 and a 52 week high of $78.67. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $57.76 and a 200-day moving average of $55.40.
Analyst Ratings Changes
JD has been the subject of a number of research reports. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of JD.com from $59.00 to $72.00 in a report on Monday, November 21st. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of JD.com in a report on Wednesday, October 12th. They issued a “hold” rating for the company. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of JD.com from $60.00 to $96.00 in a report on Friday, January 6th. Mizuho decreased their target price on shares of JD.com from $90.00 to $82.00 in a research report on Monday, November 14th. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of JD.com from $80.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Monday, October 31st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $80.92.
JD.com, Inc provides supply chain-based technologies and services in the People's Republic of China. The company offers computers, communication, and consumer electronics products, as well as home appliances; and general merchandise products comprising food, beverage and fresh produce, baby and maternity products, furniture and household goods, cosmetics and other personal care items, pharmaceutical and healthcare products, books, automobile accessories, apparel and footwear, bags, and jewelry.
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The matter of payday financing has arrived straight straight straight back beneath the limelight. Max Chalmers reports.
Thousands of individuals could possibly be entitled to profit from a $23 million payout after Cash Converters settled a class that is major accusing the organization of dodging restrictions on pay day loans, a mode of financing advocates say has been utilized to gouge susceptible individuals lacking other available choices.
In its situation against money Converters legal company Maurice Blackburn had alleged some customers were charged as much as 633 % interest on short-term loans, despite laws and regulations limiting interest to prices on pay day loans to under 50 %.
The Federal Court this approved a settlement over the action, which the firm says will put 35,000 people who borrowed from Cash Converters in NSW in line for part of the payout week.
Miranda Nagy from Maurice Blackburn solicitors.
вЂњThe cash which will be returned to the consumers due to this instance can certainly make an extraordinary huge difference to their life and health, therefore itвЂ™s exceedingly satisfying in order to have that good effect on individuals,вЂќ stated Miranda Nagy, Special Counsel at Maurice Blackburn.
Kat Lane, Principal Solicitor during the Financial Rights Legal Centre, stated it had been typical to see payday advances issued to individuals obviously not able to spend them straight right back, and therefore it absolutely was just the many hopeless customers whom looked to the loans that are high-interest.
She stated being a caseworker, it absolutely was unusual to get consumers in a position to spend the loans straight right back, showing organizations are not participating in accountable financing practices and making money down vulnerable people.
вЂњThere can be so much damage, detriment, and value with pay day loans from them,вЂќ Lane said that you need special laws to protect people.
Regardless of the actual fact the nation now has nationwide rules managing the notorious loans, Lane stated organizations continue steadily to look for loopholes and methods around legislation.
To get rid of the вЂњregulatory whack-a-moleвЂќ, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission requires greater resources to research the industry, she stated.
A present report by the Commission discovered organizations had been focusing on people on Centrelink with grossly expensive вЂconsumer leasesвЂ™, a economic product payday loans Florida organizations may use to skirt limitations on payday advances.
A representative for Cash Converters said the ongoing business had been very happy to bring the litigation to an in depth without the admission of obligation.
вЂњThe settlement stops further costs that are legal the litigation, prevents the effective use of further professional and worker resources to your situation and brings a conclusion towards the doubt surrounding this matter,вЂќ they stated.
вЂњThe financing system ended up being utilized just in brand brand New Southern Wales throughout the appropriate duration which finished on 30 June, 2013. Ever since then, all Cash Converters financing was done beneath the brand brand brand brand new consolidated nationwide Federal customer regime that is lending because of the nationwide credit Protection Act.вЂќ
Unfortuitously for the organization it’s still dealing with an action that is similar Queensland, once more being pursued by Maurice Blackburn.
The government is operating overview of little credit loans consumer that is including and pay day loans, due to report because of the end of the season.
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President Donald Trump’s economic regulator forced the customer Financial Protection Bureau to help ease through to the financing industry — which had bankrolled him. Mick Mulvaney in D.C. November 27, 2017 picture: Alex Wong/Getty Images
Mick MulvaneyвЂ™s customer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) quietly shut a study right into a lender that is payday in MulvaneyвЂ™s house state Monday. The business formerly donated in to the previous congressmanвЂ™s political promotions.
Payday loan provider World Acceptance Corporation announced in a pr release Monday so it received a page through the CFPB stating that the watchdog that is financial closed its almost four-year investigation to the companyвЂ™s advertising and lending methods. The business, that will be headquartered in sc, has offered at the least $4,500 in campaign contributions to Mulvaney, whom represented sc in the home for six years before becoming President Donald TrumpвЂ™s budget manager year that is last.
The CFPB declined comment on World recognition Corporation’s pr release. The research accompanied a 2013 report by ProPublica and market that discovered World Acceptance Corporation issued loans that have been вЂњdeceptively high pricedвЂќ and packed with вЂњnearly useless insurance itemsвЂќ while trapping borrowers in a вЂњdebt period.вЂќ
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., talks with U.S. customer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray after he testified about Wall Street reform before a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill Sept. 9, 2014. Picture: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst
Mulvaney has gotten $57,100 in campaign efforts through the lending that is payday during the period of their governmental job, in accordance with the nationwide Institute on cash in State Politics. As mind for the CFPB, Mulvaney happens to be constantly in place to modify the payday financing industry, nevertheless the previous member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus told United States Of America Today in December those campaign efforts would not produce any disputes of great interest.
Irrespective of possible disputes, the CFPB has relocated to undo a few actions it offers taken against payday loan providers since Mulvaney replaced past CFPB Director Richard Cordray, whom left the agency in November to mount a bid that is gubernatorial Ohio as a Democrat.
The other day, the CFPB announced it might reconsider rules governing payday lending it finalized in October under Cordray. The guidelines needed payday lenders to confirm borrowers could spend the loans back before financing. Then on Thursday, the CFPB dropped case it filed year that is last four payday loan providers situated on Indian reservations for presumably asking interest levels between 440 and 950 per cent.
While payday loan providers state that their products or services вЂ” short-term loans of the few hundred dollars lent at high interest prices вЂ” allows low-income Americans to gain access to credit, critics state the industry captures people that are poor a period of high-interest loans they canвЂ™t pay back. A 2014 CFPB research unearthed that four away from five payday advances are fond of borrowers whom currently have a highly skilled pay day loan. The analysis additionally stated that 50 % of all loans that are payday section of a few loans being at the very least 10 loans very very long.
The payday financing industry has aligned it self with Trump considering that the president’s 2016 victory that is electoral. Advance America, the country’s biggest payday loan provider, donated $250,000 to Trump’s inauguration. Rod Aycox, a name loan administrator, contributed $500,000; their wife kicked an additional $500,000. The payday financing industry’s trade group, the Community Financial solutions Association of America, will hold its 2018 yearly seminar and expo during the Trump nationwide Doral resort in Miami.


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GM selling cars on ebay
August 11, 2009 Leave a comment
This week GM announced that they will be selling cars on ebay. Before you start bidding on these cars, the only available option to buy a new GM car is the “buy it now” option. Usually people buy used cars from individuals on ebay, but this is the first time that GM has officially announced that they will be selling cars on this website. Buyers can also offer a lower price to GM, in which GM can accept or decline the offer.