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Atlanta's booming film and TV industry took center stage again. Shannon Mall is being redeveloped into a 25-acre studio campus led by former Turner Entertainment Group and Universal Studio executives. The firm, 404 Studio Partners, will anchor 345,000 square feet of studio space and other buildings on the site of the former mall. Atlanta-based real estate company Rooker, which bought Shannon Mall earlier this year, will develop the project.
More than 4,000 Kansas City visitors cast their votes to pick Kansas City's top restaurants, attractions, shopping and more.
The Kansas City Streetcar Authority Inc. revised its budget for the current fiscal year and approved a draft budget for the next fiscal year during its Wednesday meeting.
Kroger Co. has been named the 2013 Retailer of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
After a two-year hiatus, the City Market is bringing back live music.
After deliberating the issue for weeks, the Kansas City Council approved a $78 million special obligation bond package to help the city pay for big pr ...
Starting Monday, City Market will get the taste of an international flavor that's scarce in the Kansas City area.
Food website Gayot.com has named Full Moon Bar-B-Que to its list of top 10 barbeque restaurants in the U.S.
A number of Kansas City businesses are rallying to support Independence Day in the metro with festivities from Overland Park to Kauffman Stadium to Pa ...
You've probably seen them outside Sprint Center during a packed concert or huddled outside art galleries in the Crossroads Arts District on First Frid ...
New restaurant-theater concept opens in Prairie Village
Travel + Leisure named a Kansas City restaurant among the top Chinese restaurants nationwide.
Kansas City is ramping up efforts to communicate with businesses and residents along the 2.2-mile, $102 million Main Street streetcar line, but some b ...
Kansas City chose HDR Inc. as its design team for the Main Street streetcar line, according to the design team that didn’t win the project.


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This week, a bill was introduced in California to eliminate the “luxury”, “tampon tax” or “sin tax” on taxes on tampons, pads and other feminine hygiene products. If you’re scratching your heads, let us help you to get caught up.
Most of us have never stopped to wonder why we pay a tax for our menstrual products which are necessities for most women. In most states and countries around the world, there is a tax on tampons and pads because states see them luxury items for women. Now, we don’t know about you, but we’ve never felt luxurious buying tampons and pads. Ever. Not even the organic tampons that are better for our vaginas and the environment. Nope. Still not luxurious. Even the Presidents thinks the Michelle “would agree on that.”
Canada’s Parliament voted unanimously to eliminate its tampon tax earlier this year. In the US, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have all eliminated the tax but we still have a bit of a ways to go. Not surprisingly, Viagra was already exempt from the tax in California. It all makes sense when you think about who writes and pushes through most laws. These are the same people who thought prescription medication, candy and farm equipment shouldn’t be taxed. The tax is even odd to President Obama who admitted he had not idea that it existed either, “I have to tell you, I have no idea why states would tax [menstrual products] as luxury items. I suspect it’s because men were making the laws when those taxes were passed.”
People with uteruses should not be paying extra for menstrual products especially since most of us can’t control our periods. The idea that pads, tampons and other menstrual products are nonessentials is simple ridiculous especially since in most states band-aids are exempt from sales tax.
If you want to help to support the national push to end the tampon tax in all US states, you can sign the Change.org petition here.

domain: news


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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled an electronic trading platform for the National Agricultural Market on Thursday called eNAM for farmers to sell their products. He called this new scheme to be “the turning point” for the agriculture sector of the country.
- This new scheme was launched on the occasion of Dr. B R Ambedkar’s 125th birth anniversary in Madhya Pradesh. The Prime Minister said that previously the farmers used to get to know the fate of their crops produced only after reaching Mandis. But e-NAM will enable them to decide where and when their production will be sold and at what price.
- This scheme aims for the wholesome empowerment of the farmers. The e-NAM trading mechanism aims to integrate 585 regulated wholesale markets or agriculture produce market committees (APMCs) under one electronic platform within the couple of years. Under this new platform, the farmers will initially be able to sell their produce through ‘Mandis’ within the state. Howver, the scheme will be extended in the whole country by 2017, which therefore will allow the farmers to sell the products to any wholesale market across the country.
- The e-NAM will enable the farmers to sell their produce to the highest bidders therefore getting good price in return. The new scheme aims to integrate 21 mandis in eight states such as- Uttar Pradesh (6 mandis), Gujarat (3), Telangana (5), Rajasthan (1), Madhya Pradesh (1), Haryana (2), Jharkhand (1) and Himachal Pradesh (2).
- 200 crore has been allocated for this new scheme and at the same time 25 major commodities like wheat, paddy, maize, onion, jowar, bajra, groundnut, potato, soyabean and mustard seed have been selected to be traded on the new platform. But Agricultural Minister Radha Mohan Singh said that due too the price fluctuation of fruits and vegetables, they have not yet been included in the platform.
(Source: The Indian Express)


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The latest in computer technology goes on display at the Simmonscourt Pavilion in the RDS, Dublin.
Computex '86 has attracted over 16 national and international exhibitors and more than 9,000 enthusiasts are to attend the three-day exhibition. The exhibition was officially opened by Communications Minister Jim Mitchell.
Though members of the public can pay in organisers say the exhibition is aimed at people like "businessmen who'll actually buy what is on view" and there are strict rules barring students.
Sorry No Students Admitted
Computex '86 showcases the new Commodore Amiga, a general purpose computer with novel graphic and sound capabilities. It costs £2,500. The innovative Bizquip RICCO photocopier offers the possibility to revolutionise presentations as it can take photocopies of the screen in 8 seconds.
The £9,000 Apple computer has the greatest potential for small business allowing them to bring out publications with typesetting, layout and printing machine capabilities.
A hot topic of conversation at the exhibition is the recent takeover of Sinclair by Alan Sugar's Amstrad. It is hoped that his takeover will mean greater availability of computers at lower end of the market.
An RTÉ News report broadcast 8 April 1986. The reporter is Joe O'Brien.


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Tata Motors opens 70 new deals outlets: The nation’s driving automaker Tata Motors (Tata Motors) on Friday declared that it has initiated 70 new deals outlets in 53 urban areas of the country in a solitary day. Through this, the organization will be effective in taking its vehicle models to an ever increasing number of clients. In front of the happy season, Tata Motors is attempting to zero in only on the deals of its recently dispatched vehicles.
The recently introduced 70 deals outlets are situated in the southern piece of the nation where Tata Motors is growing its essence in states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Urban communities like Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi are in prime core interest.
Rajan Amba, Vice President, Customer Care, Marketing and Sales, PV Business Unit at Tata Motors, said, “This extension will assist us with addressing the necessities and needs of our buyers, which are continually developing, both on the web and disconnected. Along with the arrangements, we give a consistent ‘physical’ encounter that is more helpful and pertinent today.”
Tata Motors has been occupied with dispatching its new items since the start of this current year. The organization initially dispatched the Safari SUV this year. This is trailed by the dispatch of the Tiago NRG last month and the 2021 Tigor EV recently. The organization is vivaciously advancing its new ‘Perpetually range’ to charm its likely purchasers. The organization has reinforced its computerized deals diverts in the period of Kovid-19, while it is additionally extending its disconnected deals point amazingly.
Amba said, “With a 12.1% portion of the overall industry in Southern India, we are focused on our clients and need to make our new Forever scope of traveler vehicles effectively available.”
The carmaker is currently trusting that the expansion of new items just as an increment in the quantity of retail outlets will assist with fortifying it further. Notwithstanding the worldwide deficiency in semiconductor chips, the organization has opened new outlets. Semiconductor lack is influencing Tata Motors just as other OEMs in India and across the world.


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BMW says 80 percent of i3 plug-in EV buyers come from other brands
The i3 is attracting a lot of new blood, too. Robertson said about 80 percent of new i3 owners were not previously Ultimate Driving Machine loyalists, indicating the curiosity factor for the company's new plug-in models runs high, Robertson says. BMW has sold more than 3,000 i3 vehicles since debuting the model in Europe last November. In April, the company boosted daily production of the i3 from its German factory to about 100 units from 70. Read more from Robertson here.
Europe's largest markets for the i3 are the UK, Germany and Norway. In the US, BMW sold 336 i3 vehicles in May, its first month of sales here. The i3 was recently rated to go 81 miles on a single charge when it has an electric engine only. When equipped with gas-powered range-extender, the car can go 72 miles on a single charge and another 78 on gas. Check here for our First Drive impressions of the i3.
- Great used cars for less than $10,000
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HTC has been very transparent lately about the update process for its flagship One smartphone, keeping its users abreast of expected release dates and any delays that may come up. The company continued that openness today by taking to Twitter and sharing some details on the status of the Android 4.4 KitKat updates for several different versions of the HTC One.
Over on its official @HTCUSA Twitter page, HTC has announced that it has handed the KitKat code for the Google Play Edition HTC One over to Google. Unfortunately for owners of the GPe One, HTC doesn't have a release timeframe to share, saying that the push will be determined by Google. The firm went on to say that it's still on track to update both the Developer Edition and unlocked HTC One models by the end of November.
Back in August, we saw both the Google Play edition HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S 4 models receive updates to Android 4.3 around a week and a half after Google's Nexus devices. Now it looks like the GPe HTC One could end up getting its taste of Android 4.4 in a timely manner as well. Here's to hoping that Google hurries with the update and that Samsung is being just as speedy with the KitKat update for its GPe Galaxy S 4. Stay tuned and I'll update you with more details of these Android 4.4 rollouts as I get 'em!


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NEW DELHI: Vodafone Red
postpaid customers can now avail free subscription to Netflix
for one year. The free subscription is applicable only on Red plans of Rs 1299 and above.
New Vodafone postpaid customers opting for Vodafone Red plans can also avail this offer.
Eligible customers can claim their free subscription by visiting shop.vodafone.in or by texting 'Netflix' to 199 from an eligible RED postpaid number.
In addition to free Netflix subscription, Vodafone's Rs 1299 Red postpaid plan offers unlimited calls on home network. It also comes with 100 text messages, and 20GB of bundled 4G/ 3G data for 4G smartphone users. The Red customers are also eligible for free 30 GB data on their Red 1299 plan.
“The increased uptake of video content has led us to enter into strategic partnerships with marquee digital media players like Netflix. We are excited to partner with Netflix to provide our customers a great content experience with Vodafone SuperNetTM – 4G Data strong network”, says Sandeep Kataria, Director-Commercial, Vodafone India.
Vodafone India has also entered into a carrier billing partnership with Netflix that’ll help Vodafone subscribers to enjoy seamless monthly payment within the same bill.
“This partnership with Vodafone now makes it more convenient for customers to access their favourite Netflix movies and TV shows anytime and anywhere; and pay seamlessly within their existing Vodafone account,” said Tony Zameczkowski, Vice President, Business Development, Netflix Asia.
Vodafone had recently launched Vodafone Red Shield, which provides insurance cover for smartphones along with complete device security to the residents of Rajasthan.


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Medical product and device manufacturer Johnson & Johnson decided to
recall a medical device that is utilized during hysterectomies and other
uterine procedures after it received reports that the device might spread
undetected cancer in patients.
The device is one that shaves tissue into small pieces that can be removed
without the need for open surgery. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
warned healthcare providers that the popular device may disperse malignant
cancer cells. The FDA found that about 1 in 350 women who go into surgery
and have the devices used may have some type of cancer that the medical
device can cause to spread past the uterus. Additionally, the spread of
these cells into the abdomen and pelvis can substantially decrease a woman’s
chance of surviving the cancer.
The Ethicon unit of Johnson & Johnson is the largest manufacturer of
the devices. It decided to recall these
defective medical devices from the market due to the concerns over the potential to spread cancer.
The company decided to pull the product until medical guidelines were
created or new technologies were established to decrease this serious
If you have been injured by a defective Johnson & Johnson hysterectomy
device, you may be entitled to receive compensation through a
product liability lawsuit. The attorneys at Golomb & Honik, P.C. have more than 30 years of
experience handling these complex cases, and we will fight aggressively
to protect your rights.


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Sen. Joe Lieberman Convinces Amazon to Dump Wikileaks
December 2, 2010
(ChattahBox Political News)—If nothing else, Julian Assange and his WikiLeaks crew covets high drama. Yesterday, after yet another cyber attack bumped WikiLeaks offline, the whistleblower group switched its servers to Amazon.com. But after receiving pressure from Sen. Joe Liebermann (I-CT), Amazon quickly gave WikiLeaks the boot. The group’s “Cablegate” website is now back online using servers from Sweden.
The Guardian reported on the so-called row. Everything in England is a “row” of some sort, apparently.
“The company announced it was cutting WikiLeaks off yesterday only 24 hours after being contacted by the staff of Joe Lieberman, chairman of the Senate’s committee on homeland security.”
“WikiLeaks expressed disappointment with Amazon, and insisted it was a breach of freedom of speech as enshrined in the US constitution’s first amendment. The organisation, in a message sent via Twitter, said if Amazon was “so uncomfortable with the first amendment, they should get out of the business of selling books.”‘
Although the First Amendment doesn’t come into play, because Amazon is a private company, some groups have called Amazon’s move censorship.
“Although there are echoes of the censorship row between Google and China earlier this year, constitutional lawyers insisted it was not a first amendment issue because Amazon is a private company, free to make its own decisions.”
WikiLeaks remained defiant, keeping up a constant Twitter stream on the controversy.
“WikiLeaks servers at Amazon ousted. Free speech the land of the free–fine our $ are now spent to employ people in Europe,” the organization said Wednesday in a posting on the Twitter messaging service, said Assange yesterday on WikiLeaks’ official Twitter account.
Photo Source: Wikimedia/Julian Assange/New Media Days/Creative Commons Attribution.


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What store would you like to pick up your order at?
The average American adult gains one to two pounds each year, according to various reports. But new research in The Journal of Nutrition suggests a way to prevent this weight gain or even encourage weight loss without dieting. The secret: eat more fiber. Researchers at Brigham Young University in Utah followed the eating habits of 252 middle-aged women for nearly two years and found that those who increased their fiber intake generally lost weight. Women who decreased the fiber in their diets gained.
The scientists boiled the findings into a single weight-loss formula: boosting fiber by 8 grams for every 1,000 calories consumed resulted in losing about 4 1/2 pounds over the course of the study. And this held true whether a woman was eating 3 or 25 grams of fiber a day at the start of the study. While it helps you feel full, "fiber has no calories," says Larry Tucker, Ph.D., lead researcher and professor in the Department of Exercise Sciences at Brigham Young. So if you fill up on high-fiber foods you crowd out less-healthy foods, explains Tucker.
Try it for yourself. If you're consuming 2,000 calories per day, aim to increase your fiber by 16 grams. Here are four foods that will help you get your fill.
Reprinted with permission from EatingWell Magazine.


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There are more than 6.1 million Hispanics in the Los Angeles designated market area, making it the No. 1 Hispanic market in the United States. About 25 percent of those Hispanics are Central American, and this subset is the target audience for four World Television low-power stations in the market.
“We can’t go and compete against Telemundo and Univision,” said Brian Holton, VP and general manager of World Television, a subsidiary of Venture Technologies Group, which owns a handful of UPN stations throughout the country. “So we created a Spanish religious channel that targets 1.5 million Central Americans, which include Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Hondurans and Nicaraguans. Telemundo goes after Mexicans.”
Other than on religious network KNET-LP, advertisers such as Wells Fargo, Krispy Kreme, Home Depot, Sprint and Western Union have advertised on either 24-hour shopping networks KHTV-LP and KNLA-LP, or popular KSFV-LP, which features a Central American newscast as well as popular Central American programs and movies.
This month KSFV began a Watch and Win bingo show. For some advertisers, the company logo will appear on 120,000 bingo cards distributed by, and posted at, the entrance of retail outlets throughout Southern California. In November, advertisers can receive product placement among the $10,000 in prizes KSFV will give away on air.
There will also be sponsor opportunity Sept. 14 to 15 for the taping of the Central American Parade and Festival. With about 450,000 people attending, the parade will be the largest two-day celebration of Central American heritage in the United States. Sponsor tags will be on promotional and radio announcements, billboard promos and spots during the broadcast and expanded prime time.
“The idea of creating my own universe generates revenue,” said Mr. Holton, who has been a sales director and creator of foreign-language programs in North America for the past 20 years, including time at Asian TV station KTSF-TV in San Francisco. In its first 8 months of operation, KSFV brought in $700,000 in revenue. By the end of 2002 it saw $3 million and is expected to be up to $3.4 million by year-end.


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LONDON - 11 September, 2017 - Investis, a digital communications company, today announced the rebranding of Alert IR of Gothenburg as Investis Sweden AB, reflecting the company’s full integration with London-based Investis, Ltd., which acquired the company in 2014. The rebranding is a recognition of the company’s global reach and breadth of services they provide corporate communicators.
Since its acquisition by Investis, Ltd., Alert IR has achieved a significant and growing market position in Sweden. Offering a range of market-leading investor relations tools and feeds through to the conception, design and execution of significant digital web estates, Investis Sweden AB currently serves over 220 Swedish and other Nordic clients, including brands such as Husqvarna, Thule and SKF. Through a scalable concept, Investis can achieve higher quality for the client in a more efficient way compared to individually-built solutions. Globally, Investis has over 2,000 clients.
"The rebranding is timely as we move into the next expansion phase.” says Jonas Winzell, managing director of Investis Sweden AB. “There is an opportunity to leverage the talent & expertise Investis has across the globe to strengthen the offer in the Nordic region in consulting, web design and other related services. Operations in Sweden are expanded and coordinated with Investis Finland to better respond to more demanding assignments from large publicly listed Nordic companies."
“The rebranding reflects the greater level of digital service we provide clients on a global scale,” said Don Scales, CEO, Investis. “The Nordic region is a key part of our growth strategy. Jonas and the team in Sweden are essential to our success and have been doing excellent work providing clients with the technology, service and expertise they demand.”
Investis is an award-winning digital communications company that helps world-class businesses manage their corporate brands to build trusted connections with customers, employees, and investors. The company works with more than 2,000 clients around the world. Global businesses such as GE, ArcelorMittal and Rolls-Royce trust the Investis team of more than 500 employees to deliver stronger relationships with audiences and improved ROI through a unique blend of technology, expertise and service. For more information about the Investis approach, please visit http://www.investis.com.


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CDE Entertainment, the Embracer-owned business group comprised of assets acquired from Square Enix earlier this year, today announced it is shutting down its publishing QA team and Onoma, the mobile developer that rebranded itself last month from Square Enix Montreal.
The closures will impact roughly 200 people, though CDE has said it will look to match some of them with open positions within PC and console projects at the remainder of the company.
"With the opportunity to form the 12th operative group within Embracer we have massive ambitions across Crystal Dynamics and Eidos-Montréal," CDE director Phil Rogers said.
"We see the growth opportunities centered around our premier franchises and AAA games. Closing publishing QA and our Onoma studio is a difficult decision and one that we've taken with great care and consideration. We greatly thank all those team members for their contributions over the years and hope to find proper placements for as many as possible."
CDE has said that the closures will be made as it is "focusing its future production capacities on its flagship studios, Crystal Dynamics and Eidos-Montréal."
Onoma was founded in 2011 to increase Square Enix's capacity to make AAA console and PC projects, but pivoted to mobile development within two years.
Mobile is where Square Enix Montreal found its greatest success, creating turn-based adaptations of existing franchises like Hitman Go, Lara Croft Go, and Deus Ex Go.
Sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news from across the games industry delivered straight to your inbox.


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Chevy drivers to race Camaro in '13
NASCAR’s Nationwide Series will have a new pony car on the track in 2013.
Chevrolet unveiled the Camaro SS at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday.
The project — a collaborative effort between Chevrolet and Richard Childress Racing — was kept closely under wraps and approved just three weeks ago.
“Chevrolet is proud to bring the Camaro (to) the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2013,” said Jim Campbell, vice president, Chevrolet Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “The Camaro Nationwide race car incorporates many of the distinctive styling elements of the production Camaro, including the unique power-bulge hood and deep recessed grille. In addition, the design incorporates the distinctive halo light rings and dual-port grille appearances, and the gold bowtie.”
Chevrolet is a little late to the NASCAR Pony Car party. Ford and Dodge introduced the Mustang and Challenger, respectively at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2009.
But Camaro was just re-introduced into the new car market three years ago. In 2010 and 2011, Camaro led its segment in sales and once again tops the chart in 2012.
“We know that our NASCAR fans like cars, so this is an exciting moment for us,” said NASCAR president Mike Helton. “To have a Camaro now in the Nationwide against the other pony cars is kind of fun for an old guy to watch the racing as it will be in 2013.”
For Chevrolet, the challenge was creating a competitive car while maintaining the integrity of the character lines and styling cues of the street car. Pat Suhy, manager, Chevrolet Racing Oval Track Group says the team’s designers and aerodynamic engineers “did a fantastic job.”
While the 2013 Camaro has yet to hit the racetrack, Suhy says the teams will be testing in earnest before the car debuts in competition at Daytona in February.
“For the remainder of 2012, our engineers will be busy working with our Chevy teams on wind tunnel and on-track testing to fine-tune the car in preparation for next year,” Suhy said. “It will be great to see Camaro compete on the track against its showroom competition starting with the 2013 season opener at Daytona.”
Chevrolet currently leads the manufacturer championships in NASCAR’s top three tours. In the Nationwide Series, two Richard Childress Racing drivers, Elliott Sadler and Austin Dillon, are currently first and second in the points standings.
Childress said NASCAR offered distinct parameters for the Camaro and it was up to his research and development team to “stay in that box.”
“They wanted all the cars to be real equal,” Childress said. “We took our aero team and talking with some of the teams to build this car. We’re very proud of it. It looks so much like the stock car sitting beside it. It’s just a real neat deal.”
Dillon, the current truck champion who is sitting second in the Nationwide points standings, has a Camaro in his garage at home but can’t wait to test the race car on the track.
“It’s beautiful, man,” Dillon said. “It’s an awesome looking car and I can’t wait to race it. All the manufacturers have great-looking cars in the Nationwide Series. I can’t wait to get the Camaro out there against the other cars and win.”


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Italian plasterboard marks its 25th anniversary
The plant was founded in 1983 focusing its activities, at first, on the production of gypsum-based plasters.
The plasterboard production line was then added in 1991, allowing the production of the first Italian plasterboards. Thanks to their commitment to search for innovative products, Gyproc Italy was able to adapt to the evolution of the market and the growing demand for high performance products. A good example to that was the creation of a new line of foamed products opened in Casola Valsenio in 2014 and the investment plan for the next three years, which will reopen the plaster line, closed in 2012 to face the economic downturn, in the second half of 2016.
The event was attended by Gianni Scotti, General Delegate for the Saint-Gobain Mediterranean Delegation, along with plant employees and members of the Saint-Gobain Gyproc Executive Committee, in the presence of the mayor of Casola Valsenio and the mayor of Riolo Terme, a nearby town where the raw material is extracted from the Monte Tondo quarry.
During lunch some employees were awarded for seniority or for particular merits, and the opportunity was taken to announce that Casola Valsenio plant had joined “Le Club des Millionaires”.
"Golden Phoenix" for Habito in Germany
10th Saint-Gobain Gypsum International Trophy
Meet the 2016 International Jury Committee


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Every time you wash your fleece jacket or other synthetic clothing, microscopic synthetic fibres are released and end up in our food supply and drinking water. These microfibres are so small—visible only under a microscope—that they bypass municipal filtration systems and are consumed by fish and other marine life. A team of women from Waterloo, Ontario is looking to solve that problem. They've designed something that looks a lot like a dryer sheet for your laundry machine. You'd be able to drop this reusable sheet, called PolyGone, into the laundry machine with your dirty clothes. It attracts and traps the microfibres so they can be recycled. They presented their work at the annual AquaHacking conference at the University of Waterloo on Wednesday.
"With these fibres entering our food system and ending up on our plates, we are essentially eating polluted laundry," said co-founder Lauren Smith at the conference. The event saw five teams, including hers, compete for tens of thousands of dollars and entry into several local incubators and accelerator centres. Smith has a Masters degree in sustainability management from UW, specializing in water.
The issue of microplastics in the water supply is a growing concern. Last November, Canada took steps to ban microbeads from products such as toothpaste and shower gel by July 1, 2018. The move was hailed as a step in the right direction, yet microfibres in laundry remain a relatively obscure—but hugely important—issue.
"We decided on microplastics because we realized there was a lot of attention to microbeads in the lake, and regulations are upcoming," Lauren Yee, another co-founder of PolyGone, told me in an interview after the presentation. (A working prototype of the sheet hasn't yet been developed, and they're still in the design and testing phase.) Synthetic fibres from clothing make up the bulk of all microplastic pollution in the Great Lakes, Yee said, meaning the microbead ban won't solve the problem of plastic in our freshwater supply.
"It's a hard problem to tackle because everyone is doing laundry," she said.
Fish eat microplastics, which can smell like food to them, and then we eat those fish. Plastic is also coming straight out of our taps. A recent study of more than 150 tap water samples across five continents found 83 percent contained plastic pollution. The study also reports that microfibres have been shown to absorb toxic chemicals linked to cancer and other illnesses, and researchers found "no specific procedures yet exist for filtering or containing them."
Another study, commissioned by outdoor apparel company Patagonia, found 1.7 grams of microfibres are released after washing just one synthetic jacket.
The AquaHacking competition closed out the fourth Water Research Conference at UW, and included speakers from around the globe discussing issues from water security and sanitation to algae blooms in the Great Lakes.
PolyGone finished fourth overall. First prize went to SIM Labs for their artificial intelligence program that will be capable of predicting algae blooms.
Judges were impressed with PolyGone's idea. Depressingly enough, they questioned whether consumers would actually use the product, even if it's in their own best interest. One pointed out it's hard enough to get people to recycle their used batteries.
PolyGone's founders said they're in talks with washing machine manufacturers about creating a filter that would attach straight to the machine, which wouldn't have this same problem.
"We really hope to have a prototype [of the reusable sheet] outside of the lab setting by the spring," said Smith. "This funding will help us do that for sure." Get six of our favorite Motherboard stories every day by signing up for our newsletter.


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NEPC urges Aba entrepreneurs to formalize businesses to compete globally
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nigeria’s lead agency in the promotion of non-oil export has advised Aba entrepreneurs, especially finished leather and garment makers, to formalize their businesses to be competitive in the global market.
Olusegun Awolowo, executive director/chief executive officer of NEPC, gave this advice Wednesday in Aba, Abia state, at a capacity building/meeting on “Enhancing small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) activities for post-COVID-19 exports, organised by the council’s Aba office.
He urged them to be proud of their products, by embossing their logo and made-in-Nigeria trademarks on their products, rather than imprinting foreign logo on their products, thereby promoting foreign labels.
According to Awolowo, who was represented at the forum, by Arnold Jackson, a deputy director, and regional coordinator, South-East, NEPC, Aba entrepreneurs are doing great things and have contributed immensely to the economic development of Nigeria.
He advised Nigerians to patronize homemade goods to sustain the country’s economy.
In his words, “Somebody told me about a Nigerian, who went to Dubai to buy a pair of shoes and the person selling the shoes, asked him, where are you from? And he said Nigeria and the seller said but this shoe is from Nigeria”.
He observed that coronavirus pandemic has come to reset the mindset of the people and the economy, noting that non-oil export is the way to go, not crude oil.
“It has created another window for us to evaluate and add value to our products to be competitive.
“We have seen that SMEs, which you all represent has been the bedrock of any economy, and what you people do is commendable.
“This is the real sector of the economy and this is what will drive the 21st-century economy, not crude oil. Like Americans will say crude oil is a lazy man’s business, but could that be said in Nigeria, no, because everybody is fighting over oil blocks. But the major economies in the world are saying that oil is a lazy man’s business.
He continued, “SMEs cannot be ignored in any economy. If SMEs seize to exist the economy cannot stand. No matter the quantity of crude oil you have. And that is why SMEs are important and valuable to us.
“And that is why we do what we do for SMEs in Nigeria to make the sector competitive”.
He advised entrepreneurs to work smart and not work hard. “Working smart according to him means adopting technology in information gathering, as well as in driving sales.
Roslyn Ekanem, an assistant director and trade promotions advisor, NEPC Aba office, explained that the forum was put together to discuss what can be done to improve non-oil export and production for export, after COVID-19.
She advised SMEs in Abia state, particularly, Aba, to key into NEPC programmes to improve their businesses to continue to contribute to the development of Nigeria’s economy.
“I have heard so much about Aba, but up till now our activities are still informal and there is no much data to talk about achievements of Aba SMEs”.
Consequently, she advised Aba entrepreneurs to formalize their businesses to be competitive in the global market.


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Social partners face BSE emergency
The BSE crisis that has hit the Italian beef industry in early 2001 is damaging numerous businesses and having effects on employment. Farming industry associations have mobilised in an attempt to force the government to introduce measures to contain the damage and to introduce structural reforms of the sector. Trade unions have also expressed concern and proposed measures to address the crisis.
The bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) emergency affecting cattle is having a profound impact not only on health concerns but also on the economy and industrial relations in Italy. The crisis exploded in November 2000, following the alarm raised by the discovery that some French cattle were infected with so-called "mad cow disease". The Italian government promptly introduced a number of health measures, for example an embargo on the importing of cattle aged over 18 months and of beef-on-the-bone from France. Moreover, controls were increased on both cattle farms and abattoirs and on imported beef. The alarm increased further in January 2001, which the first case of a cow infected with BSE was discovered at a farm in northern Italy.
Beef sales have slumped as a consequence. According to some estimates (quoted in the il Sole 24 Ore newspaper on 6 February 2001), in January 2001 meat consumption fell by 20.3% on the previous year, and beef products were particularly hard-hit (with consumption down about 64%). This has pushed beef prices down and raised those of other kinds of meat.
Both the employers' associations and the trade unions are extremely worried about the consequences of the BSE crisis for employment. In fact, the entire meat products sector is at risk, including cattle-feed producers, farmers, slaughterhouses, and meat processing and distribution companies. According to estimates by Federcarni, a butchers' trade association, around 70,000 jobs are in jeopardy (although the figure should be treated with a certain amount of reserve), which is equivalent to around 10% of employment in the meat sector (quoted in Rassegna sindacale on 24 February 2001). Also cause for concern is the decision by Gruppo Cremonini, one of the leading Italian firms in the beef products sector, to lay off 90 workers (out of a total of 120) employed in a plant producing hamburgers. According to the unions, workers in small firms doing subcontracted work for large companies are most at risk of being hit by meat sector job losses.
How to deal with the crisis?
In view of the damaging effects of the BSE panic on the economy, the government, employers' associations and trade unions are examining ways to deal with the situation. There are two crucial issues at the economic level:
- how to deal in the short term with the crisis affecting numerous businesses in the sector. In the case of farmers in particular, the damage is due to factors such as the fall in beef prices, the costs caused by delays in slaughtering and the costs of disposing of carcasses. Moreover, although so far only one case of BSE has been confirmed, the problem is how to handle the crisis that may hit those beef farms found to be infected. The farm at which the infected cow was discovered has been closed and its entire herd killed; and
- how to relaunch the cattle-raising sector.
Coldiretti, one of the largest employers' associations in the sector, has made a number of proposals. It believes that it is necessary to guarantee the safety of foodstuffs, restore consumer confidence, and revive the sector, and that this requires the introduction of structural measures. The association's proposals, announced on 25 January 2001, consisted of three main points:
- the creation of a special fund financed by the European Union, the state and the regional administrations to cover the costs and damage caused by the culling of beef herds and to finance projects for business development (for example, the introduction of certification systems or investments to improve structures). Also proposed are forms of easy credit;
- the introduction of measures to guarantee food safety (for example, closer controls and the identification and elimination of materials "at risk"); and
- the adoption of measures to ensure transparency for consumers (for example, forms of certification and product labelling and a communication campaign).
To back its proposals, Coldiretti has organised demonstrations by farmers, both nationwide and in the main Italian cities. Controversy was caused by a demonstration organised at the end of January outside the parliament building in Rome, when a group of demonstrators throwing eggs and oranges blocked the entrance to the Chamber of Deputies. Other spontaneous protests have broken out mainly in the north of Italy, with roads being blocked by demonstrators.
Criticisms have been made of the Coldiretti proposals by Flai, the federation of food industry workers affiliated to the Cgil trade union confederation. According to Flai-Cgil, although support must be provided for the incomes of producers and workers in the sector, throwing money at the problem is not the solution. What are required instead are structural measures. Moreover, the BSE emergency testifies to the difficulties of the sector which arise from its marked fragmentation and deregulation: for example, quality marks should be promoted, and subcontracting should be combated, because it has led to unlawful practices.
On 7 February 2001, the Italian government approved a decree-law which allocates ITL 300 billion (on top of the ITL 600 billion formerly allocated) to cope with the BSE emergency. Moreover, compensation will be paid to beef farms on which suspected cases of infection have been discovered. Tax relief will also be made available.
The crisis that has hit the Italian beef industry following the BSE emergency has highlighted that a lack of safety and health protection may have damaging economic consequences.
The protection of general interests (the health of consumers) should be combined with the protection of particular ones (in this case, those of companies and workers in the meat products sector). However, given that such a crucial matter as health is at stake, compromises are entirely out of the question. This prompts reflection on the broader issue of models of development. In Italy, the agricultural sector has traditionally been closely protected and highly subsidised. Today, the situation is very different: agriculture is displaying an increasing tendency towards industrialisation, and it is highly vulnerable to international competition, especially as regards costs. The protection traditionally afforded to the sector no longer seems sufficient: the impact of the market has induced numerous farming businesses to look for "short-cuts" to reduce costs. However, in a sector as crucial as food, this may be extremely damaging if the health and safety of consumers is threatened.
As far as the representation of interests is concerned, the mobilisation of the employers' associations in the sector is not surprising. They have acted as pressure groups vis-à-vis the government, resorting to outright conflict in view of the gravity of the crisis. By contrast, the BSE emergency has confirmed the weakness, at least in Italy, of consumer defence associations. (Marco Trentini)


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T-Mobile has been busily fighting off scammers and robocalls off of its network. And today, the Un-carrier has released its first ever end-of-year wireless scam report.
In the report, T-Mo revealed that there has been an increase of 116% in scam attempts through Dec. 14 of this year. The industry is even predicted to receive 110 billion calls this year. But despite these numbers, T-Mobile has proudly revealed that they were able to block over 21 billion scam calls. This is all thanks to their T-Mobile Scam Shield blocker.
Scam Shield has also been able to block 3.5x more calls compared to AT&T’s solution. Additionally, T-Mobile reports that its “Scam Likely” label has a better than 99% accuracy rate than its rival network.
“Attempted scam calls hit record highs in 2021, but with Scam Shield we identified or blocked over 21 billion calls this year – or 700 calls per second! – for customers. We are the only provider protecting every single customer, regardless of their plan or device,” T-Mobile Consumer Group President, Jon Freier said. “Scammers are relentless, but so are we. We are doing everything we can to make their job as hard as possible. Scam Shield leverages T-Mobile’s powerful network to help keep our customers protected in real time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Scam Shield was launched by T-Mobile in July 2020 to protect customers against scammers. You can read the full report here.


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While adoption of server virtualization is proceeding at a gallop, the effort to refine virtualization security reached only a slow trot in 2009.
Roughly 18% of server workloads have been virtualized, and research firm Gartner expects that number to climb to 28% in 2010 and almost 50% by 2012. But adapting traditional firewall, intrusion detection, antimalware and other types of security and monitoring software to run optimally in this radically changed hypervisor-based architecture is still very much a work in progress.
One development that occurred this year is the release of VMware's security APIs.
After talking up the idea since February 2008, VMware in April 2009 finally released its VMsafe APIs intended to help security vendors build products to work with its platform. But some vendors say these APIs present performance issues.
“We're not using the VMware APIs today due to performance,” says Richard Park, senior product manager at Sourcefire, which in early December shipped its first virtualized sensor and management console for VMware ESX and vSphere4.
Sourcefire's traditional physical appliances are network sensors that can do both intrusion-detection monitoring and intrusion-prevention blocking. But at this point, the Virtual 3D Sensor and Virtual Defense Center will only provide monitoring visibility into VMware's ESX hosts, not blocking of attacks.
“The only way to block traffic today is to put the sensor between two VMware switches,” Park says. Sourcefire is still examining exactly how to fully support that. For customers today with VMware-based virtualized servers, “the demand is for monitoring,” Park claims.
Park says Sourcefire is eager to see a robust set of VMware VMsafe APIs and that VMware has recognized there are performance issues and is revising its APIs.
At the Gartner ITExpo in October, Gartner Vice President Neil MacDonald publicly excoriated some security vendors for not moving more rapidly to come up with software-based virtual appliances, insinuating they would rather stick to their old ways of selling expensive hardware boxes. (See related story, Gartner on cloud security: “Our nightmare scenario is here now”.)
Enterprise customers are rapidly virtualizing their IT environments and often unwittingly creating less-secure results even as they reap the many benefits of virtualization, MacDonald says. Roping off virtualized servers with virtual LANs alone — a common practice — “is not sufficient for security separation,” MacDonald says. “It's become the default because it's built into VMware with its virtual switch. Our position is it isn't strong enough.”
MacDonald says virtualization is causing some “business-model disruption” in security and praised the efforts of some vendors, including Trend Micro, to leap in with new offerings to take on the virtualization challenge. Using the VMware VMSafe APIs is one approach which is still new, he noted.
Trend Micro's Core Protection for Virtual Machines, antimalware software that was designed for use with VMware, was released in the third quarter. Trend's Deep Security 7 for firewall, intrusion detection/prevention, integrity monitoring and log management for VMware ESX shipped in November.


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According to a new trend analysis from New York University, the hotel industry is continuing to follow the airline industry's example by incorporating fees into its business strategy. The tally this year? A projected $2.25 billion in the U.S. alone.
Putting the wireless industry on the defensive, the Golden State has passed a law that will require the antitheft mechanism to be automatically enabled on new devices sold starting next summer. Trade group CTIA cautions this approach could lead to inconsistencies in rules nationwide.
Two well-known public-health organizations aren't exactly giving a seal of approval to electronic cigarettes, but in recent policy statements they've suggested they may be useful as a cessation tool if nothing else is working. An e-cigarette industry group welcomed the input.
If you're posting content on Facebook, don't go out of your way to encourage your audience to click. Also: why an association is keeping Neil Patrick Harris from drinking beer.
Mobile apps are increasingly paving the way for stupid-simple commerce, hitting industries as diverse as groceries, taxi service, even laundry. You might think that this kinda model won't work for your association, but guess what? A fairly large association was actually the first mover in this space a century ago.
The problems that can arise when you get a band to perform at your event. Also: More tips on how to make sure your marketing and tech staffs can better communicate with one another.
With an eye out for deals, families are slow to jump into the stores for back-to-school needs for both grade-schoolers and college students, according to a National Retail Federation analysis. Discount stores are still the top shopping destinations, but college students are leaping towards online shopping.
It's not all fun videos and plastic buckets. With an unprecedented fundraising boost from its viral campaign, the ALS Association finds itself having to deal with additional scrutiny of its practices, criticism of the campaign, and worries about how donations will affect its balance sheet.
It's a niche filled with tough discussions and big life changes, but members of the National Association of Senior Move Managers help ensure that their customers can downsize with dignity. And the group is seeing fast membership growth.
According to a new report from the National Federation of State High School Associations, football saw its first increase in participation in five years among high school boys—helping to validate the association's recent efforts in fighting the threat of concussions.


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CBA launches the first practical guide to using RMB for cross-border financing solutions and investment strategies across the Australia-China corridor.
The Renminbi – From the people’s money to a global currency: a practical introduction to conducting cross-border trade and investment with China is being launched in Sydney tby the Hon. Andrew Robb AO, former Trade Minister for Australia; the Hon. John Brumby, National Chairman of ACBC; David Landers, General Manager, East Asian Growth Markets, Austrade; Madam Hongbo Wang Consul (Commerce), Consulate-General of People’s Republic of China; and Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, Group Executive, Institutional Banking and Markets at CBA.
As Australia’s largest trading partner, any change to China’s economy and financial markets has a significant impact on both countries. The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) provides a compelling framework for Australian companies to capitalise on many cross-border trade and investment opportunities, using RMB-enabled architecture.
Rising demand out of China for quality goods and services is driving the reconfiguration of the Australian economy with investment shifting away from resources and into the growing services sector. By 2025, China is expected to represent up to 47 per cent of Australia’s healthcare exports, 41 per cent of educational exports, 35 per cent of tourists and 19 per cent of financial services exports1.
In recognition of the untapped opportunities that the preferential trading and investment relationship with China brings for our clients, Commonwealth Bank commissioned this report to provide a concise guide for companies explaining how to use RMB in their operational and financial strategies.
Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, Group Executive, Institutional Banking and Markets, Commonwealth Bank said: “We recognise the opportunity increased trade with China represents for our clients, so we’re delighted to partner with ACBC, Austrade and PwC to produce a report that demystifies using RMB to do business with China. We are particularly pleased to include a number of practical examples of client success stories in the report demonstrating their experience of trading and investing in the Australia-China corridor.
“Commonwealth Bank’s onshore China presence, our regional coverage and product teams, as well as our dedicated RMB & China Solutions team ensure we are well positioned to support our clients across the region. Our on-the-ground expertise means we can offer clients deep insights into the rapid changes as China liberalises its financial system, and to use this expertise to structure bespoke RMB solutions that optimise clients’ strategies,” said Ms Bayer Rosmarin.
Andrew Robb AO, former Australian Trade Minister and a key architect of the ChAFTA agreement, said the RMB’s rise highlighted the relevance of ChAFTA, “This report is an important contribution to helping Australian businesses use RMB-enabled architecture and ChAFTA in cross-border trade and investment with China.”
John Brumby, ACBC National Chairman said the rise of the RMB had staggered the world’s monetary system, “It’s a hugely significant time for international finance, especially with the RMB’s induction into the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights basket, which signals its ascendancy towards the status of a global currency that is quickly becoming an important and preferred unit of trade and investment.”
David Landers, General Manager of East Asian Growth Markets at Austrade said the report was a good example of the collaboration between government and business to put in place the enabling architecture for improved trade and investment with China, “It stands alongside other initiatives, including implementing ChAFTA and the development of the China e-commerce channel for Australian business.”


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The World Health Organization estimates that between 100,000 and 1,000,000 people die each year due to counterfeit drugs. The World Health Organization estimated in 2012 that the worldwide counterfeit drug trade was worth $431 billion per year, and is growing. In 2006, the World Health Organization estimated that up to one-half of the unlicensed online pharmacy retailers sold counterfeit drugs. Between 2010 and 2014, 57,000 illegal online pharmacies were suspended, 1,400 suspects were arrested, and 30.3 million units of illicit drugs were seized.
In Pakistan, between 45% and 50% of the drugs sold are either counterfeit or substandard. While Pakistan has about 4,000 legal pharmacies, it is estimated that over 100,000 merchants dispense drugs illegally.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Control, Pakistan was one of the ten largest sources of counterfeit goods seized in the United States in 2011 – 85% of the seized goods were drugs. After Pakistan created its Drug Regulatory Authority in 2012 , Pakistan dropped out of the top ten countries that are the major sources of counterfeit goods entering the United States (its ranking was 24th in 2014) – India and China are the top sources for counterfeit drugs in the world.
Some of the ingredients found in counterfeit drugs coming from Pakistan include paint, brisk dust, and rat poison. In one incident in 2012, 120 Pakistani cardiac patients died due to the ingredients in counterfeit heart medicine that they were provided.
Counterfeit Drugs Entering The United States
The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (“NABP”) reported in 2014 that its sampling of more than 11,000 Internet pharmacies found that 96% of them failed to comply with patient safety and pharmacy practice standards set by the NABP or to comply with state and federal laws.
U.S. Efforts To Combat Counterfeit Drugs
President Obama signed into law The Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA) on November 27, 2013, which outlines critical steps to build an electronic, interoperable system to identify and trace certain prescription drugs as they are distributed in the United States. The DQSA requires the FDA to develop standards, guidance documents, and pilot programs and to conduct public meetings as well as other efforts necessary to support efficient and effective implementation of the system that will enhance the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s ability to help protect consumers from exposure to drugs that may be counterfeit, stolen, contaminated, or otherwise harmful. The system, which will be phased in with new requirements over a 10-year period (including the requirement of providing product and transaction information at each sale with lot level information, in paper or electronic format, and placing unique product identifiers on individual drug packages), will improve detection and removal of potentially dangerous drugs from the drug supply chain in order to protect U.S. consumers. Failure to comply with the requirements of the law can result in penalties.
If you or a loved one were injured (or worse) due to a prescription drug error, a dispensing error, a dosing error, a counterfeit drug, or a bad drug, you should promptly seek the legal advice of a local drug claim attorney in your U.S. state who may investigate your drug claim for you and represent you in a drug claim case, if appropriate.
Visit our website to complete and submit a secure form so that we may connect you with a drug claim lawyer in your state who may assist you, or call us toll-free in the United States at 800-295-3959.
Turn to us when you don’t know where to turn.


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Singapore Telecommunications has entered the electricity reselling business through a tie-up with Geneco, the second largest power generation company in Singapore.
Singtel Power will offer Geneco electricity plans that will allow households to save up to 30 per cent on the monthly power bills on current regulated tariffs, the two companies said in a joint statement Thursday (10 January).
The partnership will leverage on Singtel’s wide customer base and Geneco’s experience as a brand of YTL PowerSeraya.
Residential customers can choose from three Geneco plans and enjoy exclusive Singtel promotions. For a start, new Singtel Power customers who also sign up or re-contract on a Singtel 1Gbps fibre broadband plan will enjoy one month of free broadband and a S$80 mobile handset discount.
Starting last November, over 1.4 million households and business accounts will have the option of buying electricity from a retailer – apart from the incumbent SP Group – on a price plan that best meets their needs, as Singapore rolls out its open electricity market.


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Heads up — the next time you walk through a shopping mall, you may find a tiny Amazon Pop-Up store in your path.
The online mega market s small physical stores display and sell Amazon brand devices, according to GeekWire.
Amazon already has a brick and mortar bookstore in Seattle with three more coming to San Diego, Portland, Oregon, and Chicago.
In the retail world, the term pop-ups refers to open-air stores in malls.
They typically have short leases with frequent turnover.
Amazon made the generic term part of its brand name for the mini-markets, which usually cover from 300 to 500 square feet.


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US: Court Orders Tyson to Suspend Ads For Antibiotic-Free Chicken
Poultry giant Tyson Foods has 14 days to dismantle a national multimillion dollar ad campaign centered on the claim that its chickens are raised without antibiotics, a federal appeals court in Richmond ruled yesterday.
Tyson, based in Springdale, Ark., will have to remove posters and brochures from 8,500 grocery stores nationwide.
"We're disappointed the motion for a stay has been denied and are
evaluating our legal options," said Gary Mickelson, a spokesman for
Tyson Foods. "We continue to believe we have acted responsibly in the
way we have labeled and marketed our products and intend to stand our
The ruling is a setback for Tyson in its ongoing battle with two of its competitors Sanderson Farms,
based in Laurel, Miss., and Perdue Farms, based in Salisbury, Md. The
two companies jointly sought an injunction to stop Tyson's ad campaign,
arguing the "raised without antibiotics" claim misleads consumers by
making it appear Tyson's chicken is safer or more healthful.
Sanderson and Perdue initially based their legal challenge on
Tyson's practice of feeding chickens ionophores, an antibiotic used
only in animals raised for food. Sanderson and Perdue also use
Then during trial in federal court in Baltimore, Tyson officials
acknowledged they also inject eggs several days before they hatch with
antibiotics that are approved for use in humans. Dave Hogberg, Tyson's
senior vice president for consumer products, said it is a common
Hogberg said injecting eggs with antibiotics did not undermine the
"raised without antibiotic" label because the term "raised" is
understood to cover the period that begins with hatching.
More consumers are becoming concerned about the use of antibiotics
in poultry, swine and cattle because they and many public health
experts think that it contributes to the rise of antibiotic-resistant
viruses in humans.
The dispute between Tyson and its competitors began last year, when
Tyson announced it would raise its chickens without antibiotics, as
part of a larger effort to relaunch its brand. It sought approval from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture
for the use of the label "raised without antibiotics." USDA initially
approved the language, then last fall reversed itself, saying it had
made a mistake.
Tyson came up with a new label that said, "raised without
antibiotics that impact antibiotic resistance in humans" that the USDA
The resulting advertising campaign proved a huge success. In a
February conference call, Tyson chief executive Richard Bond told
analysts the company has had double-digit increases in sales of fresh
chicken raised without antibiotics, totaling an additional 70 million
pounds of chicken a year.
But Tyson's success came at a high cost for its competitors, said
Randall K. Miller, a partner at Arnold and Porter and lead counsel for
Sanderson and Perdue. The companies sued in January seeking to force
Tyson to stop making claims that its products were antibiotic free.
Sanderson blamed Tyson's ad campaign for the loss of a $4 million
account, and Perdue blamed it for a $10 million loss in revenue.
Greater damage, however, was done to the companies' reputations, Miller
said. In seeking an injunction against Tyson's ad campaign, Sanderson
and Perdue argued that Tyson's "raised without antibiotics" claim
caused irreparable harm by implying its competitors' products contained
antibiotics or dangerous additives and were therefore less safe.
Separately, Sanderson and Perdue also petitioned USDA to rescind its
approval of Tyson's "raised without the use of antibiotics that impact
antibiotic resistance in humans" label, citing both the use of
antibiotics in unhatched eggs and in chicken feed.
In an April 30 letter to Miller regarding the companies' petition,
the USDA said the egg injecting practice was "of serious concern."
"Rather than discuss any specifics to this particular case, [the Food Safety and Inspection Service
of USDA] has requested additional information to help us determine what
the facts are in this situation," FSIS spokeswoman Amanda Eamich said.
Hogberg said Tyson has been forthright with regulators. He said he hopes Tyson and USDA can resolve the matter quickly.
"As we did in working with them on the qualified claim last fall . .
. we would hope the process would be similar so we can preserve this
benefit for the mainstream consumer," he said.
- 182 Health


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Low sales expectations and reluctance to invest – this is how the current Ifo Retail Investment Test describes the situation in smaller retail businesses. Only large companies expect rising sales and increasing investment activity in the current year. Vehicle dealers have been reporting unfavorable business developments for a year. According to the current Ifo Retail Investment Test, the majority of them fear a drop in sales for 2013.
In the retail sector, 25.1 percent of the companies surveyed expect an increase in their sales, 37.8 percent, on the other hand, anticipate losses compared to the previous year. The expectations differ depending on the size class of the farms. While pessimism prevails among retailers, the majority of respondents from companies with annual sales of at least 25 million euros expect an increase in sales volume. With regard to personnel plans, the retail sector is generally rather cautious: 71.1 percent of all respondents stated that they did not want to change the number of employees. “Smaller companies are even planning more cuts in their workforce,” adds Klaus Wohlrabe, an expert from the Ifo Center for Business Cycle Research and Surveys.
On the other hand, it looks bleak at the motor vehicle dealerships. They have been extremely dissatisfied with their business development since the middle of last year, and almost two thirds of the motor vehicle dealers surveyed complain about negative influences on business activity in the current survey. 45 percent of those questioned cite the poor demand situation as the cause. A total of 40.6 percent of motor vehicle dealers anticipate a decline in sales for 2013, only 16.4 percent expect increasing sales. Nevertheless, the vast majority of motor vehicle dealers do not intend to cut jobs.
Reluctance to invest
In the investment plans, 22.5 percent of retailers said they wanted to cut their spending on buildings and equipment. In contrast, only 19.2 percent of those surveyed spoke of a planned increase in gross fixed capital formation. 58.3 percent of retailers want their budgets to remain unchanged compared to 2012. The willingness to invest is only more pronounced among companies with higher turnover and better financing options. The expansive plans clearly predominate, especially when it comes to equipment investments.
The majority of the motor vehicle dealers taking part in the investment test (66.4 percent) also expect investment volumes to remain the same. 13.3 percent of the motor vehicle dealers surveyed said they wanted to increase the investment budget while. 20.3 percent spoke of restrictive investment plans.
Retailers and car dealers were particularly cautious about their plans for construction investments. Only a few companies still intend to expand their customer base with new buildings and new openings. Only 9.4 percent of retailers and 6.3 percent of motor vehicle dealers plan to expand the retail space. “This is also likely to be related to the advance of the internet-based mail order business. Instead of increasing the retail space, many retailers are trying to cope with the changing purchasing behavior of consumers and to serve customers both in stores and online, ”added Wohlrabe in conclusion.
(ifo / ak)


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The FDA has granted Merck’s insulin glargine (Lusduna Nexvue) tentative approval. Merck says that its follow-on basal insulin has met all required regulatory standards of clinical and nonclinical safety, efficacy, and quality for follow-on biologics.
The FDA has granted Merck’s insulin glargine (Lusduna Nexvue) tentative approval. Merck says that its follow-on basal insulin has met all required regulatory standards of clinical and nonclinical safety, efficacy, and quality for follow-on biologics. “The tentative approval of Lusduna Nexvue is an important milestone, bringing us closer to offering this medicine to patients,” said Sam Engel, MD, associate vice president of Merck clinical research, diabetes, endocrinology and women’s health.
The FDA will not issue its final approval, however, until patent infringement litigation, brought by Sanofi, has concluded. Sanofi, maker of Lantus, contends that Merck has infringed upon its patents for insulin glargine, and its suit triggered an automatic stay on the FDA’s final approval of up to 30 months (unless the US District Court hearing the case rules in favor of Merck, in which case final approval may proceed immediately).
After litigation has concluded, Lusduna will not only compete with Lantus in the US market, but also with Boehringer Ingelheim (BI)'s Basaglar, the first follow-on insulin glargine product approved by the FDA. In its first quarter on the market, Basaglar earned $22 million in US sales, and $46 million worldwide. BI received approval for the follow-on insulin glargine in late 2015, but Basaglar did not become available in the US marketplace until the following year, when BI reached a settlement with Sanofi in its own litigation.
Merck, like BI, will have to address patent infringement claims under the Hatch-Waxman Act, which governs the generic drug approval process, rather than under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act and the so-called “patent dance.” In the United States, innovator insulins are regulated as drugs, rather than as biologic products that fall under the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. Products that are approved and regulated under the PHS Act must, according to the act’s Section 351, be categorized as blood-derived products, vaccines, in vivo diagnostic allergenic products, immunoglobulin products, products containing cells or microorganisms, and most protein products. That leaves hormone products like insulin (as well as glucagon and human growth hormone), to be regulated under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
The FDA’s approach to the approval and regulation of insulins stands in contrast to the European Medicines Agency’s approach, which treats such products—and low-molecular-weight heparin products like enoxaparin—as biosimilars. Lusduna was issued a marketing authorization as a biosimilar in the European Union in April of this year, where it is undergoing additional monitoring.
Follow-on versions of insulin glargine are widely expected to generate cost savings in the treatment of diabetes, but experts point out that the regulatory pathway for such drugs requires a wealth of clinical trial data, and that the design and development costs for delivery devices also pose a substantial cost challenge. According to some estimates, it could be 2018 before enough follow-on insulin glargine products are competing with Lantus in order to drive significant cost-savings for both payers and patients.


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Starbucks is giving away Peppermint Mocha air fresheners in a drive-thru-only deal, as the coffee giant goes all in on drive-thrus
Starbucksis giving away free Peppermint Mocha air fresheners exclusively to drive-thru customers.
- Baristas are handing out the free air fresheners starting on Thursday, December 10.
- The surprise deal comes after Starbucks heavily hyped its drive-thru business at its investor day on Wednesday.
Starbucks is giving away free air fresheners in a surprise deal just for drive-thru customers.
On Thursday, December 10, Starbucks baristas will begin surprising drive-thru customers who order a holiday drink with an air freshener inspired by the chain's Peppermint Mocha.
According to Starbucks, the air freshener will be available as supplies last - and only at stores with a drive-thru. Air fresheners will come with a QR code to a custom Starbucks holiday playlist.
"This holiday season, many customers are ordering and enjoying their holiday favorites in the drive-thru and we wanted to create a moment of merry just for them, inspired by the scents and sounds of the season at Starbucks," Starbucks said in a statement to Business Insider.
The free air freshener deal caught some Starbucks customers' attention on social media earlier this week. "They smell so f---ing good," one person said in a TikTok video.
#greenscreen Starbucks always hooking it up!!!♬ original sound - Yas
Starbucks is making major investments in its drive-thru business
The surprise deal comes a day after Starbucks highlighted its plans to invest even more in its drive-thru business at its investor day on Wednesday.
Starbucks said it plans to reach roughly 55,000 locations around the world by 2030, opening 22,000 new stores. Executives said that drive-thru stores will make up roughly 40% of its US locations over the next three years, with 80% of new stores featuring a drive-thru.
Analysts celebrated the
"The drive-thru model is already one of the most productive units in the company's range of options," Stifel analyst Chris O'Cull wrote in a note on Thursday.
O'Cull continued that Starbucks' plans to add new drive-thru initiatives - such as double drive-thru lanes, updated equipment, and revamped preparation processes - will make Starbucks' drive-thrus even fast. That would cut down on customers who drive away after seeing a long drive-thru line at Starbucks' stores.
Drive-thru sales have been crucial at Starbucks and other chains during the pandemic. Burger King, Chipotle, and Wendy's are among the chains to announce major investments in their drive-thru business in recent months, as companies add more lanes and install new technology.
- ₹10 lakh crore - that's how much banks wrote off in the last 5 years
- Indian markets will wait for cues from US inflation data
- India issues more pilot licenses as its air traffic increases
- Indian diamantaires want to make lab-grown diamonds a woman’s best friend
- MSME credit demand jumps 60% from pre-pandemic levels – a sign of rebound in economic activity


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The exhibition hosted by Cartier “captures the spirit of Cartier’s forward thinking aesthetics and savoir-faire,” explains Laurent Feniou, the Managing Director of Cartier in the UK. It combines the Tradition collection, featuring pieces such as the iconic “Oriental” Tiara dating back to 1911, with High Jewellery, including the launch of Galanterie de Cartier, in which diamond and onyx compliment one another in “Style Moderne”. By appointment only, the exhibition will take place on 25th and 26th November at Phillips, Berkeley Square in London.
“Le Diamant” exhibits Cartier diamonds
Words byAlice Riley-Smith
13th March 2016
The largest UK display of Cartier diamonds will go on show at “Le Diamant” this week.


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Something to look forward to: As Apple continues to set the bar for hardware-software harmony, Google is also taking steps to tighten the integration between its Android operating system and the different hardware running on it. The first developer preview for Android 15 landed this week, providing an initial glimpse of the enhancements coming to the world's most popular mobile platform.
Let's kick things off with one of the more interesting additions – partial screen sharing. With Android 15, you'll be able to share or record just a single app window rather than your entire display. For phone users, this may not seem like a big deal since apps take up most of the screen anyway, but this could be a handy option for tablet owners. Another big benefit is that annoying notification previews will be blocked during screen sharing sessions.
Moving on, Android 15 is doubling down on photography with some camera enhancements. Low-light viewfinders will get processed to appear brighter before you snap the shot, giving a better preview. Developers are also gaining access to adjust flash intensity levels for optimal lighting in different situations.
But the real meat and potatoes revolve around under-the-hood optimizations to squeeze out better performance. The Android Dynamic Performance Framework is getting refined to help apps and games better manage thermal output, CPU/GPU usage, and overall resource allocation. There's also added malware protection to keep bad code from sneaking into app bundles.
Health tracking is another focus area in Android 15. The built-in Health Connect app acts as a hub for syncing fitness data across apps and wearables. With this release, it's expanding capabilities to track nutrition info and other health metrics from compatible services.
Then there's Privacy Sandbox – Google's initiative that aims to limit sneaky tracking techniques used by some apps – which has been updated to the latest version.
It's true that Android 15 does not have many flashy, user-facing features (yet?). But the emphasis seems to be on improving core functionality, optimizing system resources, strengthening privacy/security, and building a more cohesive health/fitness ecosystem. Not exactly riveting stuff, but important nonetheless as Android matures.
And this is just the beginning, with the initial developer preview aimed at letting app makers ensure compatibility. It's natural to expect bugs and stability issues as Google continues to refine the system over the coming months based on user feedback. More individuals will have the opportunity to experience it firsthand with beta releases expected to arrive in early spring.
For the brave souls willing to risk some hiccups in exchange for bleeding-edge access, feel free to take Android 15 for a spin starting today. But if your phone is the primary device you use for calls and texting, you may want to sit this one out until the more stable betas arrive in the second half of 2024. Google is targeting a platform stability milestone by June, with the final Android 15 dropping a few months later, potentially alongside the unveiling of the Pixel 9.


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Thrill Kill, Fan Games and Tifa’s Italian fame
If you’re unfortunate enough to be active on Twitter, you’ll know it’s been a roller coaster ride this week. A lewd video of Tifa played in the Italian senate started with a bang, but alas, the M&Ms joining the culture war brought it all down. Now that the dust has settled, we have articles on both of these stories in our roundup.
But as we celebrate the launch of Pokemon Legends: Arceus, we have to start with this today. Say what you want about the graphics (I know you all do), but there’s another aspect of the game that’s also disturbing.
Pokemon Legends Arceus being a sequel feels like a cop
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is finally hitting stores today, but we already knew a lot about it a week ago. Once again the game leaked and lead feature editor Jade King became concerned about one of the story elements that was revealed (potential spoilers ahead). According to the leak, the protagonist is the same character of Diamond, Pearl and Platinum, now 15 years old. Although set far in the past, this would make the game a sequel. Jade says it’s a missed opportunity, as we’ll be playing as someone who has befriended Pokemon before – rather than someone experiencing them for the first time.
Why fan games are crucial to the games industry
Fan games exist in a precarious legal position. In fact, they can only really exist if the original publishers either don’t care about their existence or are completely unaware of them. However, feature editor Khee Hoon Chan says they are an integral part of the industry, giving talented creatives their first taste of game development. The most obvious example is Toby Fox, who started working on Earthbound ROM hacks. If Nintendo had been as punishing as it is now, the gaming world could have lost an indie legend.
Tifa Lockhart has become a wholesome Italian icon
Tifa was a smash hit this week as the world watched her have fun in the Italian senate. Aside from the obvious feel-good element of the story – a group of confused politicians subjected to video game pornography – editor Jade King highlights another aspect of the story that is great: that brought us all together. The fanbase quickly rallied around the story, creating fun fanart that made the incident part of Final Fantasy canon. Whether she’s dressed up as Mario, laughing at her friends who saw the incident, or expressing her interest in running for president, fans have somehow made this event wholesome. And that takes talent.
Censorship Is Real, But It Doesn’t Happen To M&Ms
Well, if we’re going to review the big internet stories of the last seven days, we really can’t ignore the sexy M&Ms debate. For those unaware, the M&M characters used in adverts have had a makeover, with green ditching high heels in favor of sneakers. Editor-in-Chief Stacey Henley argues that those who cry “censorship!” plus it distracts from a real case of censorship — Maus, a Holocaust graphic novel, banned by the Tennessee School Board.
Thrill Kill, the “forbidden” game that everyone has played
If you want to build hype for a game, there are worse things than getting it banned. Feature editor Andy Kelly shares his experience playing cult classic fighter Thrill Kill as a kid, despite the game never officially launching. Clandestine copies were shared on playgrounds across the UK, and the game built its reputation solely through word of mouth. His violence was publicized among his fans, although, as Andy writes, it was not shocking at all. In fact, he says it was pretty boring. That didn’t stop him from passing the game on to the next child he passed the game to – the mythology was to live on.
Next: Dragon Age 4 Shouldn’t “On Both Sides” Mages & Templars
No matter what games women play, we’re told to play something else
About the Author


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When James Houghton began a second stint as CEO at Corning Inc in 2002, the company was reeling.
The first thing he did, Houghton recalled on Friday, was "to see if there was somebody I should shoot."
Now Michael Dell will be taking aim. This week he reclaimed the CEO job at Dell Inc, resuming day-to-day leadership, at the computer company he founded. He had handed the job over to Kevin Rollins only two years ago.
Dell has lost its stature as the world's largest personal computer maker, surpassed by Hewlett-Packard. Once a Wall Street darling, Dell has consistently disappointed investors over the last year and a half, missing profit forecasts time after time.
Dell is a textbook turnaround challenge, but one with a twist. The new leader is the old leader. These second-act CEOs, according to management experts, bring a deep knowledge of the industry and the company but may be reluctant to make radical changes in companies they either founded or helped build.
The evidence is mixed from the computer industry. Ted Waitt, Gateway's founder, was never able to revive the fortunes of the PC maker after he came back in 2001, and he eventually left the company in 2005.
But Steven Jobs, co-founder of Apple, has led a remarkable renaissance at the company since he returned in 1997.
Dell founded his company in 1984 and never left. He recruited Rollins from the consulting firm Bain & Company in 1996, and Rollins moved steadily up the ranks, becoming president before he was promoted to CEO in 2004.
Even after Rollins became CEO, the company's senior managers often sent e-mail messages directly to Dell, the chairman, asking for his help.
Company founders, said Joseph Bower, a professor at the Harvard Business School, tend to take a long-term view, having seen their companies grow and develop over the years.
The nature of the change required, management experts say, can determine whether a founder or former CEO is the most capable person to turn around a struggling company.
If the problem is mainly one of poor execution and a loss of competitive speed, they say, a returning leader has an advantage. But not if what is needed, they add, is a new strategy or new business model -- a real break with the past.
There are already signs that Dell is accelerating the competitive metabolism at the company.
In the last few days, Dell executives say, he has conveyed a sense of urgency that had been lacking under Rollins, whose management style was cooler and more cerebral.
Dell said he wanted to speed up decision-making and eliminate redundancies, suggesting that the company needed to recapture some of the vigor and hunger of its early years.
But some analysts say that Dell's problems are strategic and structural.
The market has also shifted as consumers, particularly in the US, increasingly buy notebook computers instead of desktops.
In addition, consumers were showing a clear preference for buying those devices in a store, where they could feel the weight or the finish of the product.
Analysts say many prefer stores to the Dell formula.
The problem for Dell, said William Shope, an analyst for J.P. Morgan, has not only been the change in the market but also the company's inability to recognize that change.
Dell is experimenting with some Dell-branded retail stores and kiosks in shopping centers.
But some analysts say that Dell must move much more aggressively to market its wares in the retail market -- a departure from its single-minded reliance on the direct model.
If statistical averages are any guide, Dell's performance may well improve.
Rudi Fahlenbrach, an assistant professor of finance at Ohio State University's business school, found that a company's stock performs 9 percent better than the market after the return of a founder, which has happened with 28 companies since 1993.
But business leadership and management is an individual craft.
Take the case of Corning. Houghton, who is the great-great-grandson of the company's founder, came back when Corning, a supplier of fiber optic cable, was suffering from the post-bubble collapse in telecommunications.
Houghton had returned as non-executive chairman nine months before the board pushed out the CEO and he took over himself.
Corning had always invested in a range of technologies, and one of those long-nurtured investments, in liquid crystal displays, was starting to develop into a promising business.
Today, the flat-screen display technology used in PCs, cellphones and digital televisions has powered the company's comeback.
Houghton's comeback formula, he said, relied on getting the right team and strategy in place and then pushing it -- the same steps mentioned by management experts.
FORCED LABOR: Customs officials have seized a 11.8 tonne shipment of products made from human hair on suspicion they were produced by people facing human rights abuses Federal authorities in New York City on Wednesday seized a shipment of weaves and other beauty accessories suspected to be made out of human hair taken from people locked inside a Chinese internment camp. US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) officials said that 11.8 tonnes of hair products worth an estimated US$800,000 were in the shipment. “The production of these goods constitutes a very serious human rights violation, and the detention order is intended to send a clear and direct message to all entities seeking to do business with the United States that illicit and inhumane practices will not be tolerated in
JUST QUESTIONS: Expelled reporter Ai Kezhu said that every member of Southeast Television had complied with the law and had not appeared on any talk shows Two Chinese reporters yesterday left Taiwan after the government revoked their accreditation and ordered them to leave amid a probe into allegations that several Chinese media outlets have set up studios and produced political talk shows in Taiwan. The two reporters — Ai Kezhu (艾珂竹) and Lu Qiang (盧薔) — worked for Fujian Province-based Southeast Television and arrived in Taiwan in December last year. The Mainland Affairs Council has launched an investigation after local media reported that Chinese broadcasters — including China Central Television, Southeast Television and FJTV — had set up studios in Taipei and produced political talk shows. Council Deputy Minister
UPTICK IN NUMBERS: The Taipei deputy mayor said the city has services to assist new immigrants, but has established an office specifically to help those from Hong Kong The Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchanges Office today officially opens, where it is to provide humanitarian assistance to Hong Kongers, after Beijing yesterday passed a controversial national security law for the territory. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) expressed dismay over China’s passage of the law, saying that Beijing has broken its pledge to allow Hong Kong to maintain a high degree of autonomy for at least 50 years following its handover from the UK. “I feel extremely disappointed [about the law’s passage], which means China did not keep its promise to Hong Kong,” Tsai said in Taipei. Beijing’s “broken promise” also
PROBE LAUNCHED: An officer who served as a supervisor in the drill died in an apparent suicide after the accident, which was caused by unexpected waves Two marines who were on Friday injured in a military exercise in the waters off Kaohsiung passed away yesterday, Navy Command said. The marines — surnamed Tsai (蔡), 26, and a sergeant surnamed Chen (陳), 36 — were in a seven-member Marine Corps team that encountered rough seas during a simulated response to enemy forces landing on Taiwan. Their rubber craft overturned in waters off Taoziyuan (桃子園) beach in Zuoying District (左營), injuring four of the marines. They were rushed to hospital, where three of them — Tsai, Chen and a 34-year-old sergeant — were taken to an intensive care unit


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Almost two years after Wii Sports launched, Japanese game company Hudson released Deca Sports in 2008. The game was a collection of ten motion-controlled sports games. Now, it's 2010 and Microsoft is launching its own motion control system, Kinect.
DECA SPORTS, Hudson's take on Wii Sports with added Adidas advertising, may not be a very good game, but since when does that matter.
Adidas ad sports title DECA SPORTS. Since putting the game on sale earlier this year, Hudson has shipped 700,000 copies to Japan, North America and Europe, selling 500,000 of them worldwide. That's a pretty good ship-to-sales ratio right there, folks! 『DECA SPORTA（デカスポルタ） Wiiでスポーツ"10"種目！』が全世界で70万本を出荷 [Famitsu]
Hudson Entertainment president and CEO John Greiner is stepping down after 20 years with the company, to spend more time with his family and pursue "personal interests."


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John Mayer Returns to Charts with Lowest Selling Number 1 Debut of All Time
John Mayer is back on the charts after a long absence. But it’s not much of a celebration.
His “The Search For Everything– Wave One” sold 38,274 physical CDs and downloads combined. That in itself is startlingly low for a number 1. But when you add in streaming, “Search” total is 50,437. And that is lower than last year’s all time low scored by Rihanna when “Anti” appeared on the charts.
Of course, “Search” only has four tracks, and clocks in at 14:34. It’s actually impressive that anyone bought physical CD– why bother?– when you could just download the tracks or stream them. Mayer says he’s going to release four tracks per month instead of just putting out an album of like, 12 songs. Hmmmm….Does that mean every month he’s going to break a record for lowest sales?
The number 2 album this week was AFI with 26,883 in sales– and that’s a low of all time. The Weeknd’s “Starboy” album sold 50,000 copies including streams. All in all, very low sales. The bottom nine from 42 to 50 sold fewer than 2,000 copies apiece.
The next big seller should be Ed Sheeran’s “Divide,” on March 3rd.


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Rivian's electric pickup and SUV target off-roading families
Electric vehicle start-up Rivian made its debut at the Los Angeles auto show by taking the wraps off two new rugged battery-powered models — a pickup truck and a seven-passenger SUV.
The big picture: Founded in 2009, Rivian is one of a slew of EV start-ups trying to elbow their way into the automotive industry at a time of unprecedented disruption. Tesla is a rare success story — and even it came within weeks of death this year, CEO Elon Musk recently told Axios. Rivian is targeting a unique niche: adventurous, off-roading families.
The details: The R1T and R1S are particularly ambitious efforts, with big promises on performance, autonomous technology, and off-road capability. The company says they will go on sale starting in 2020.
- The R1S will have a range of up to 410 miles, a 0-60 mph time of three seconds, and the ability to wade through nearly three feet of water.
- Both models come with three battery choices: 105 kWh, 135 kWh (for fast performance), and 180 kWh (for longer range).
- All-wheel drive and a towing capacity of 7,700 pounds come standard.
- They'll launch with Level 3 autonomy (eyes off, hands off) but Rivian says they will eventually offer full self-driving capability.
- The R1T starts at $61,500 and the R1S at $65,000, after the federal EV tax credit.
Success is a long shot, but the company has wealthy backers, including Middle East conglomerate Abdul Latif Jameel. Founder RJ Scaringe told me he's talking to several strategic investors, too.
- The twist: Rivian is also plotting a strategy to share its technology with other companies and says its system can fit jet skies and snowmobiles, too.
My thought bubble: Consumers still suffer from range anxiety when it comes to electric vehicles. I can't imagine driving off into the wilderness in an EV, wondering if I'll have enough juice to get back to civilization. Maybe that's where the adventure comes in.


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Backed by a global Iridium satellite network, Garmin’s range of inReach devices already offers impressive off-grid tracking and communication abilities. However, despite already boasting a robust and cutting-edge lineup, the company has now debuted what’s almost certainly the most noteworthy addition to its range of satellite messengers with the all-new inReach Messenger.
As the device’s name suggests, the inReach Messenger was engineered with a major focus on comms. As such, it offers two-way and group messaging, location sharing using GPS-embedded coordinates, and the ability to trigger an interactive SOS message to the Garmin International Emergency Response Coordination Center which is staffed 24/7. The most noteworthy feature of this new device, however, is undoubtedly its ability to pair with an existing smartphone while off-grid and out of cell service. Automatically selecting between Wi-Fi, cellular, or satellite connectivity, the inReach Messenger can pair with a smartphone and allow it to access a network or connectivity while out of range. Additionally, if the user’s smartphone runs out of battery, it can still be connected to the inReach Messenger device which utilizes a “Safety Charge” — i.e. enough juice to send a custom text message.
Measuring just 3.1” x 2.5” and tipping the scales at only 4oz, Garmin’s new gadget is constructed around an IPX7-rated impact-resistant body. Compatible with an array of flexible satellite airtime plans, the inReach Messenger boasts a rechargeable Lithium battery that affords up to 28 days of life (when in 10-minute tracking mode). Garmin has also launched a companion app for the inReach Messenger. It is, however, worth noting that, like all inReach models, using the inReach Messenger requires an active satellite subscription.
Available now, the Garmin inReach Messenger has been priced at $300.


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Samsung is doubling down on colorful home appliances this year, extending the snazzy design of itsto more kitchen products. Specifically, expect to see new versions of Samsung’s , plus its companion and
Like the Bespoke fridges,then for the US , these large appliances will sport finishes in numerous splashy colors. Most notable among them are options such as rose pink glass, sky blue glass and navy glass.
Keep in mind that the exteriors for these products won’t be modular like Bespoke fridge panels. That means they’ll come as is, and owners won’t be able to swap in new panels down the road.
That said, Samsung also announced a partnership with Philadelphia artist Andy Rementer. Together they’ve created a specially designed set of Bespoke refrigerator door panels. You can find this design alongside all the other modular panel options at the company’s
Samsung has also added dashes of color to a few other products in its appliance lineup. For example, the company brought a deep green hue to its Bespoke Cube Air Purifier, and Samsung’s line of Jet cordless vacuum cleaners are set to get the Bespoke color treatment too. New Jet vacuum models will come in midnight blue, woody green and misty white.
Samsung expects all these colorful new appliances to hit stores by the second half of this year.


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SEATTLE, WA (BRAIN)—In an effort to reduce the amount of paper it uses on a monthly basis, Seattle Bike Supply launched a paperless invoicing and statement program. Dealers now have the option to receive e-Invoices and e-Statements.
SBS’ customers can choose to have their invoices and statements sent via the Internet or by fax. Every SBS customer who signs up for e-Invoicing and e-Statements can do more than just make a positive impact on the environment by not using paper or envelopes. E-Invoicing and e-Statements also reduce the risk of mail theft and provide IBDs the opportunity to save and see their documents sooner than standard mail.
“We hope that this move by SBS will not only save a few trees and do our part to eliminate some chemical pollution, but we hope the rest of the bicycle industry will join in and do the same,” said SBS president Chuck Hooper. “Together, we as an industry can make a difference and set a precedent for other industries to follow.”
As a thank you for supporting this system, during the month of November, Seattle Bike Supply will donate $20 in the dealer’s name to their choice of three worthy causes—Bikes Belong, IMBA (International Mountain Biking Association) or Safe Routes to School.
To sign up, dealers need to log onto seattlebikesupply.com, click on their “My SBS Account” and go to “Change Options.” Once they’ve made their selection and clicked on the “Submit” tab, the dealer will be given the three choices on where they’d like the $20 donation in their name to be made.