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No Doubt teams with Target for exclusive deluxe album
No Doubt’s reunion album, “Push and Shove,” is still four weeks from hitting stores, but the Anaheim band is further teasing fans by announcing an expanded edition of the disc exclusive to Target.
The big box retailer will offer a deluxe edition of the disc -- No Doubt’s first studio album in 11 years -- that adds an eight-track CD, including five exclusive tracks. The move echoes the 2009 release of Pearl Jam’s “Backspacer,” which included concert downloads exclusive to Target.
No Doubt’s bonuses for Target shoppers include its cover of Adam and the Ants’ 1981 single “Stand and Deliver” (available for the very first time commercially), two acoustic tracks in “Looking Hot Acoustic -- Santa Monica Sessions” and “Easy Acoustic -- Santa Monica Sessions” and two remixed tracks, “One More Summer (Jonas Quant Remix)” and “Push and Shove (Anthony Gorry Remix).”
“We can’t wait for everyone to hear our new music,” bassist Tony Kanal said in a statement. “It’s been a labor of love that we’re so proud of.”
Ahead of the album, No Doubt will perform a live set during the 2012 NFL season kickoff game Sept. 5, and the band is one of many headliners tapped for the 2012 I Heart Radio Festival in Las Vegas on Sept. 21 and 22.
“Push and Shove” is scheduled for release Sept. 25.
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“Innovate or Die” – How Disruption Pays Off in the Long-Term
Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), believes that while regulation isn’t necessarily bad, it shouldn’t be over-intrusive. The Disruptive Innovation Council, a subset of the CTA, does market research and lobbies governments in the hopes of promoting the idea that innovation is great for society. The CTA also rates every state in the U.S. based on how innovation-friendly it is, evaluating metrics like broadband deployment, STEM graduates, taxation systems, flexible workforce rules, and attitudes towards sharing economy companies. Shapiro believes that the attitudes of legislators towards new technology often depend on their personal familiarity with the product. If they haven’t used it themselves, or something close to it, Shapiro says, they don’t know it. Shapiro generally supports getting products to market first so that consumers can understand them before applying too much regulation.
Shapiro also discussed the larger shifts in our economy, many of which are wrought by technological innovation and disruption. “We are an owning economy,” said Shapiro, “but we are transitioning, because of this next generation, into a borrowing or sharing economy.” Shapiro named multiple benefits he sees in this new economy, including greater sustainability, more efficient utilization of resources, and the opportunity to connect with other people.

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Menomonee Falls police are investigating a pair of retail thefts at the same grocery store, in which each made off with hundreds of dollars worth of liquor.
The first theft happened last Thursday at the Metro market on Appleton and County Line Road. Three suspects allegedly filled their handbags with $686 worth of alcohol and took off.
Only one of the suspects was caught on surveillance footage. She’s described as a black woman between 40 and 50 years old wearing a black coat and a green shirt. She’s 5’07” and of medium build.
In a second theft at the same store, two suspects again filled hand bags with liquor bottles, his time $648 worth of alcohol before leaving the store in a gold Ford Taurus.
One suspect is described as a black woman between 40 and 50 years old wearing a black coat and a green shirt. She’s 5’07” and of medium build. The other is a black man, 40 to 60 years old, wearing a letterman jacket. He's 6'00" with a medium build.
If you know anything about these crimes, please call Menomonee Falls Police at 262-532-8700. You can also contact Waukesha County Crime Stoppers at 1-888-441-5505 or visiting their website at www.stopcrimewaukesha.com.


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Halle Berry Revealed Her 'Favorite Hair Conditioner' Going Into the New Year
Click here to read the full article on People.com.
The beginning of a new year is a great time to commit to a solid beauty routine, and that includes haircare, too. Halle Berry posted an Instagram reel to reveal all of her recommendations for starting 2023 the right way, including exactly what she uses to take care of her hair.
Among the actress's list of must-have face masks, serums, and makeup, is the Virtue Restorative Treatment Mask. It's a hydrating and rejuvenating hair mask that provides a smoother and healthier look in just three minutes or less without weighing hair down. Lather a generous amount of product throughout your clean, damp hair after shampooing. Let it work its magic for up to three minutes before rinsing thoroughly and repeat this at least once a week (or more) to see noteworthy results.
The actress called the mask her "favorite hair conditioner right now," and she's not the only celeb who's talked about its benefits on social media. Jennifer Garner is a Virtue ambassador who posted a Facebook video of her using the product and wrote in the caption that she uses it to "rebuild, repair, [and] silken" hair.
Hundreds of shoppers are also fans of the mask, with one reviewer saying it "works wonders" on their hair and "leaves it tangle-free." Another customer claimed it's the "best thing I've tried for my dry hair" and added that it's the "only [hair mask] that works."
Unlike any hair care you’ve experienced before, Virtue Labs originated from a biotech firm hoping to improve wound care by researching human-derived keratin’s role in reparative cell turnover (talk about a scientific approach!). The brand only recently expanded to tackling hair loss through its Flourish line after receiving customer feedback regarding new growth thanks to Virtue’s protein named Alpha Keratin 60ku®.
As Berry said, "we've gotta care about our hair" this year, and the Restorative Treatment Mask is an affordable and beneficial option.


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Things are changing at Sky.
Yesterday the satellite TV firm announced the launch of its new VR service that will bring virtual content to everyone for free.
Now Sky has announced that, from today, Sky+ HD will no longer be available to new customers.
Instead, anyone wishing to join Sky will be given a state-of-the-art Sky Q box for the same price as the ageing Sky+ HD service.
This means customers can grab Sky Q for £20 per month - over half the original price.
So does this mean Sky+ HD is dead?
The good news for all existing customers is, Sky says it will continue to looks after its most popular device.
Sky+ has millions of users around the country and the firm says it plans to introduce new features every few months.
If anything should go wrong, Sky will also still offer replacements for existing customers and the original box will remain available to new subscribers in circumstances where the customer cannot take a Sky Q box.
So, for now, it appears that Sky+ HD still has some life left in it.
But with it removed from the company's website it seems Sky Q is very much the future.
It's not hard to see why Sky wants more people to switch to Q.
Although Sky+ HD is hugely popular, its features are beginning to look dated against its shiny new sibling.
The new Q service allows more recordings at once, wireless multiscreen viewing, and a touch remote that's soon to include voice control.
And, if users opt for the 2TB box, they also get free access to Sky's new Ultra HD 4K content.
When it launched earlier this year Sky Q had a premium price with some subscribers face bills of around £100 per month.
But it now costs the same as Sky+ HD and this price cut could be enough to convince telly addicts to finally make the jump.


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Nielsen's Neurofocus To Set Up Consumer Testing Labs
NeuroFocus, a subsidiary of US-based Nielsen Company, plans to set up several cutting-edge laboratories for neuro-scientific consumer testing in Thailand this year in order to help new clients in their product design, branding, advertising and in-store marketing.
During a visit to Thailand last week, Kaushal Upadhyaya, client leader for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa at NeuroFocus, told The Nation that a few projects were to be signed with Nielsen's Thailand office in the next 10 days after discussions with potential clients.
This had come as something of a surprise to the Thai unit, he said.
"Our main focus is local Thai companies in media, telecommunication, FMCG [fast-moving consumer goods] and banking/financial services that want to develop their products and ensure they can execute the best communication connected to the right consumers," Upadhyaya said.
Nielsen (Thailand) will provide lab space for each client at its offices on Silom Road, while the equipment will be imported from its regional centre in Singapore or from Nielsen's headquarters in the US.
Under this advanced neuroscience marketing testing, the company will measure consumer attention, engagement and memory retention through brainwave, eye-tracking and skin conductance measurements, he said.
For example, each sampler will be equipped with up to 64 sensors on their head to collect data 2,000 times a second directly from their brain, he said, stressing that the method could not collect thoughts from each participant.
Moreover, neuro-scientific marketing testing on television commercials, packaging, print ads and shelf management can help indicate the level of success of new product design, or even a new advertising campaign, before a public launch, he added.
The move is a key part of the expansion of NeuroFocus outside the US after Nielsen (Holdings) acquired 100 per cent of the California-based company in May 2011.
Upadhyaya said the company had been eyeing business in Asia since the acquisition. It now operates labs in Japan, South Korea, China, India and Australia.
He was in Malaysia prior to the Bangkok visit, and will meet potential clients and introduce the new service in the Philippines and Vietnam during the course of this week.
Thailand's consumer confidence index is improving year on year, which provides an opportunity for research companies like NeuroFocus in the Kingdom, he said.
Amid increasingly intense competition, companies require "the right consumer insights for developing the right products and right marketing campaigns to the right customers", he added.


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Fitch Ratings upgraded its speculative-grade ratings Dole Food Co.
Fitch has the fruit and vegetable producer at B-plus, four notches below investment grade, and said the outlook is positive amid the ratings company's expectations that the company's liquidity and cash generation will more than adequately cover its working capital, capital spending and other funding needs for the near term.
Fitch had lifted its outlook on Dole in December, citing its modest debt-reduction efforts and stable-to-moderately higher margins.
The ratings company on Friday said a further upgrade is possible if Dole can keep its leverage from rising much further, but significant declines in operating cash flow or more aggressive policies related to acquisitions, dividends or share buybacks could lead to negative pressure.
Dole's restructuring efforts in its fresh fruit operations should help minimize pricing volatility and inflationary pressures in the sector, according to Fitch. Recent refinancing have extended debt maturities, eliminated some financial covenants and led to more favorable pricing on portions of its agreement, Fitch said.
Dole Food last month reported that its second-quarter earnings more than doubled as the fruit and vegetable producer posted revenue growth across its product segments on improved pricing and higher volume. Fresh fruit sales--the company's biggest top-line contributor--climbed 11%, helped by its restructuring program.
Shares were down 4.6% at $10.44 in recent trading. The stock is down 23% this year.


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What did they know and when did they know it? Qantas’ chair, board and senior management all have serious questions to answer about the tickets-for-no-flights scandal.
The mask, slipping for years, is now fully off: Qantas under Alan Joyce despises its own customers as much as it despises its workers.
It illegally sacked workers during the pandemic. Now we learn it illegally sold tickets for flights it knew would never happen.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)’s case against Qantas is forensic. It lists the flights cancelled days, weeks, and sometimes months in advance, the ticket sales that continued weeks, sometimes months, after the cancellation, and the refusal to tell people unlucky enough to have trusted the airline. All clear breaches of Australian Consumer Law.
Learn why Qantas’ top management need to go, now…
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Shares of homebuilder LGI Homes (LGIH -1.25%) rose 11% in April, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Peer Meritage Homes (MTH 0.54%) advanced an even more impressive 15.5% or so. Meanwhile shares of retailer Gap (GPS 1.46%) increased in value by 11%, and restaurateur Texas Roadhouse (TXRH 0.01%) jumped by 11.5%.
At first blush there are very big differences among these companies, which is clearly the case. However, there's also something important connecting them all -- the coronavirus pandemic. Or, more to the point in April, the ongoing recovery from this frightening health scare.
LGI Homes is largely focused on starter houses, offering convenient ways for first-time homebuyers to achieve the so-called American Dream. As people have moved out of more congested regions, like big cities, they have been looking to put down roots with a home purchase. And that's been a huge benefit to LGI Homes' business. In fact, in early April, it announced that March had been a record-breaking month on the sales front, capping an incredibly strong first quarter. To put some numbers on that, March saw a 44% year-over-year increase in sales, with the first quarter coming in at a not-too-shabby 40%. Not surprisingly, LGI Homes reported impressive first-quarter sales and earnings when it reported in early May and a material backlog of homes to be built. In April investors were simply rewarding the company for the success it is having.
Meritage Homes is basically benefiting from the same broad trends, though it tends to focus on a different level of homebuyer. Still, the industry upturn was on clear display when the homebuilder reported earnings in late April. The company closed on 25% more homes, year over year, in the first quarter of 2021, leading to a 21% increase in home closing revenue. It also saw a 32% increase in revenue from its financial services business. Earnings per share, meanwhile, rose an incredible 88%. And, like LGI Homes, Meritage has a material backlog of work still to be done, with a 47% increase in the number of homes it has to complete. Once again, investors were simply rewarding the company for its success, as it has continued to benefit as the economy reopens.
To be fair, the trends in the homebuilding space have been in place for some time, with Meritage's executive chairman, Steven Hilton, noting that 2021 was "off to a solid start with robust demand that never really slowed down from an exceptional 2020." That wasn't exactly the case for Gap or Texas Roadhouse, which both had to suffer through the social distancing and economic shutdowns of nonessential businesses that took place last year. However, the vaccine rollout has changed things in a big way.
While Gap didn't report any material news in the month of April, it was very clear that consumers were going back out to shop as the new year got underway. David Simon, CEO of giant landlord Simon Property Group, highlighted that he was seeing "green shoots" during his company's fourth-quarter 2020 earnings conference call, as people started to venture out more. Peer Tanger Factory Outlet Centers was even more precise, saying that customer traffic was basically back to normal in January.
Those updates happened earlier in the year, but things have only gotten better on the coronavirus front since that point for most retailers. And investors are starting to put more money to work in companies that will benefit. Gap, one of the larger clothing retailers, is an obvious choice as malls and other retail locations start to see more and more customers.
Texas Roadhouse, meanwhile, is basically benefiting from the same general theme, only on the food front. That said, the restaurant company reported earnings in late April and the news was almost shockingly good. Revenue was up nearly 23% year over year in the first quarter of 2021 compared to 2020. It was also up 19% compared to 2019, leading CEO Jerry Morgan to comment, "A year ago today, all of our dining rooms were still closed and while we knew brighter days were ahead, we never could have anticipated where we are today. Our operating results have exceeded even pre-pandemic levels." Earnings were higher by nearly 300% year over year and up about 30% compared to the first quarter of 2019. It is possible that Texas Roadhouse is getting a bump from pent-up demand, but it is still easy to see why investors were bullish on the stock in April.
Long-term investors need to step back and put both 2020 and 2021 into a broader context. Neither year could be classified as business as usual, with one artificially depressed and the other representing a snap back from the pandemic headwinds. And there are major trends here, like in housing, retailing, and eating, that have to work themselves out. Yes, LGI Homes, Meritage Homes, Gap, and Texas Roadhouse are all experiencing robust demand right now, and investors are excited by that. However, it would be a mistake to focus so much on the early success in 2021 that you don't pay enough attention to longer-term company and industry trends.


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Whole Foods hunts Tysons Corner location near Silver Line
- Staff Washington Business Journal
Whole Foods Market, which has been expanding in other parts of the Washington area, is on the lookout for a spot in Tysons Corner. The Washington Post reports Whole Foods has been talking with developers of projects near the soon-to-be opened Silver Line — including NV Commercial — for a location for one of its organic grocery stores.
Last fall, Whole Foods said it would open stores near Nationals Park and on H Street Northeast.
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Immigration policy director is one of America’s most influential Hispanics
White House Senior Policy Director for Immigration and San Antonio native Felicia Escobar has been named one of HispanicBusiness.com’s Top 50 Most Influential Hispanics for 2013.
In her role at the White House, Escobar is helping President Obama craft a “21st Century immigration system,” the article states.
Her full bio — and the other winners’ bios — can be found online on the HispanicBusiness.com site.
James Aldridge oversees online content of the newspaper; edits and reports stories for the online edition.
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JPDCL Launches Campaign to Promote Home Electricity Bill Payment
“Bijli Bill Bharna Hua aasan, Ghar Baithe Karo Bukhtan”
Jammu: In a significant gesture, Jammu Power Development Corporation Ltd has launched a campaign to promote home electricity bill payment – “Bijli Bill Bharna Hua aasan, Ghar Baithe Karo Bukhtan”.
To increase revenue collection, the new campaign is launched to make it easier to pay home electricity bills for the convenience of consumers.
JPDCL works to save consumers time so they don’t have to queue at banks to pay their electricity bills. Also, to avoid crowds during Covid-19, JPDCL is working to educate consumers and make it easier to pay utility bills while sitting at home.
To achieve the aforementioned goals, meter readers from the relevant sub-divisions should visit each registered JPDCL consumer to raise awareness and install the Bill Sahuliyat app on the mobile phone of at least one member of each household and map their customer ID. consumer so that most consumers switch to online bill payment and do not go to the banks every month to pay their electricity bills.
A GPRS-enabled POS machine should be handed over to sub-divisions who then need to operationalize the existing revenue center and hand the POS machine over to meter readers so that consumers can instantly make payments using credit and credit cards. The POS machine should be made available at the revenue center until late hours during the months of February and March, as revenue collection increases significantly during these two months. This will ensure that consumers have an alternative arrangement to make payment for their electricity bill. When collecting arrears in February and March, a large number of disconnections are made and consumers generally do not resort to instant payment, POS will provide on-site payment of electricity bills. Vehicles carrying campaign posters and banners will be hired at the divisional level and will be dispatched to every nook and cranny to make this campaign a huge success.
This campaign will be of great help to workers and daily wage earners who cannot take the time to visit banks and pay their electricity bills.
It will also help increase JPDCL revenue, as revenue collection will be facilitated and revenue collection can be done from consumer households.
The Bill Sahuliyat app download campaign will begin on January 10 after the December invoices are issued by sub-division offices.
The process of collecting invoices via POS will start from January 20 after the terms and conditions have been negotiated with JK Bank and the POS machines received at the offices of the sub-division.


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Jared is no longer just a spokesman; now he's an interviewer.
Subway has introduced a web series called "Jared's Journey," which will feature spokesman Jared Fogle interviewing celebrities about their health and nutrition habits.
The series will include six three-minute episodes, which will appear on the chain's website and its social media pages, starting with an interview with Mario Lopez.
For Mr. Fogle, the series is a change. As he and the chain looked for ways to make the most of his 15th year as its pitchman, the idea emerged to let Mr. Fogle interview people, he said, instead of again being interviewed.
"It's another manifestation of how to communicate our story, and it's adding to Jared's repertoire," said Subway CMO Tony Pace.
Mr. Fogle is recognized by more than 70% of U.S. consumers, according to the Celebrity DBI (formerly Davie Brown Index), which quantifies awareness, influence and other celebrity attributes. Among those who know him, about 80% like him to some degree, according to the research, though fewer than 5% said they like him "a lot." Still, trust is his second-best attribute in the DBI rankings -- behind endorsement -- putting him on par with Dan Rather, Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp.
Other celebrities that Mr. Fogle will interview include sportscaster Erin Andrews and actor Armie Hammer, who stars in Disney's "The Lone Ranger." Subway is a promotional partner with Disney, and is currently airing TV spots with tie-ins for the move, which comes out July 3.
Additional interviewees could come from the ranks of Subway's "Famous Fans" -- endorsers such as Apolo Ohno -- according to Mr. Pace.
"Jared's Journey" is part of a larger promotional program tied to Mr. Fogle's 15th year as Subway's spokesman. Mr. Fogle set out to lose weight while a junior at Indiana University in 1998, eventually dropping 200 pounds by eating some of Subway's lighter sandwiches for lunch and dinner. Mr. Fogle said a friend wrote an article about his weight loss for the school newspaper, a story that spread and eventually caught the attention of Subway executives.
Subway began the program earlier this year with a Super Bowl spot, which showed Subway endorsers including Blake Griffin congratulating Mr. Fogle on keeping the weight off, and will continue it with appearances and other elements. Mr. Pace said further TV commercials are possible.
The series is only the latest brand association for Mr. Lopez. He was recently enlisted for a campaign in which Mattel sought a new home for Barbie. In March, Mr. Lopez appeared in a Calvin Klein underwear campaign.
Subway is the second-largest fast food brand ad spender in the U.S., trailing only McDonald's, according to Kantar Media. In 2012, the sandwich chain spent $517.2 million on U.S. measured media, up 8.7% from $476 million in 2011.


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A UK manufacturer of an anti-syphon device has won two awards at an industry event.
Blackpool-based TISS UK produce the TankSafe, a product that prevents skimming and diesel spills in addition to siphoning. The firm had been entered into Company of the Year and the International Trade categories at the Northwest Automotive Alliance (NAA) awards held in Cheshire this week.
Commenting on receiving the two awards, Matthew Rose, Director of TISS, said, “We’re absolutely delighted and surprised to have received both the International Trade and the Company of the Year Award from the Northwest Automotive Alliance. We are a small company so it is particularly gratifying when we are up against larger global household brands. We are delighted that our strategy for international growth is paying dividends and this award reflects the hard work of all our staff, as well as the support we have received from organisations such as the NAA, UK Trade and Investment as well as the NWL Chamber of Commerce.”
Carol Holden, NAA Chief Executive, said, “This year’s Awards Dinner shows that the Northwest Automotive Alliance is supporting supply chain companies to grow, it is helping to make buyers aware of them, and many of the companies are already successfully exporting. We have a range of SMEs that are now ready for significant growth.”
In October TISS was presented with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade as it has built up an order book of more than 1,000 clients spread over six continents since the firm started selling overseas in 2009.


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Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino (FARSB), the regional food bank of the Inland Empire, received a $45,000 donation from Envision Foods, LLC, a Jack In the Box franchisee with more than 50 locations, through a campaign to sell limited edition Jack in the Box face masks amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
More than 360,000 meals were given to families in need through this effort, FARSB said.
During the pandemic, FARSB has taken swift action to remain a reliable source of food to the Inland Empire’s most vulnerable neighbors, which includes increasing food supply to partner charities, community-based and physical distanced drive-through food distributions, food deliveries to senior, disabled, and home-bound neighbors, and supplying food to children’s summer meal programs.
“As a result of the pandemic, our food bank has experienced an unprecedented increase in demand for food. We expect our emergency response efforts to be essential for months with the economic impact lasting years, but are grateful that our local Jack in the Box restaurants have stepped up and used their platform to make a much-needed gift of this size,” said Stephanie Otero, CEO at FARSB.
“We chose Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino because of the momentous job they are doing to advocate health and hunger that has affected so many families during these current economic conditions and unprecedented times we are facing each and every day. With the help and support of Jack in the Box Corporate, our company sold over 15,000 masks and we are proud of our restaurant team members who championed together to help support this great cause," said Hamid Sharafatian, president/CEO at Envision Foods, LLC.
Sales of the limited-edition masks have concluded; however, donations to support the food bank’s coronavirus efforts can be made directly via the FARSB website, www.FeedingIE.org/donate, where 98 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to food distribution programs.


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Amazon has called for an election re-run after workers at a New York City warehouse voted to form the company’s first U.S. union, claiming the U.S. labor board and worker-organizers suppressed turnout.
The Amazon Labor Union (ALU) has denied the allegations made by the online retailer, which is the second-largest private employer in the United States.
Amazon’s demand comes just a week after a landmark victory for organized labor, which has long sought to provide workers with protections at the company.
55 percent of employees voting from Amazon’s JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island chose to join the ALU, which has advocated for higher pay and job security. The turnout was approximately 58 percent.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said: “We want our employees to have their voices heard, and in this case, that didn’t happen – fewer than a third of the employees at the site voted for the union.”
Amazon also accused the ALU of intimidating workers and distributing marijuana to gain votes in its favor, according to a company filing on Friday, April 8.
Derrick Palmer, vice president of the ALU, said Amazon is trying to “demean our character and undermine our efforts.”
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) of the United States must now consider Amazon’s objections before certifying the election result. It wasn’t immediately clear when this was going to happen.
Amazon claimed in its filing that the NLRB improperly assisted the ALU in gaining standing to hold an election and gave the impression that it supported the union.
Amazon also accused the NLRB of stifling turnout by mismanaging the polling area and allowing camera crews on the premises, which scared away voters.
An NLRB spokesperson declined to comment on these concerns, but the board has previously stated that it is independent and that its actions against Amazon have been consistent with its congressional mandate.
The ALU rebutted Amazon’s claims, claiming that the company did not contest low turnout in an earlier union election in Alabama, where workers voted against organizing.
It claimed Amazon was the one who intimidated workers, and the union has filed dozens of unfair labor practice charges against the company.


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The fashion retailer New Look officially opens its new base in Weymouth this afternoon. It's one of four support centres based across Europe. Around 400 staff in departments like property design, HR and computing are based in Dorset.
The company was started in Taunton more than 40 years ago and now has more than a thousand shops worldwide.
More top news
A couple from Exeter have been banned from owning dogs for 10 years after failing to properly treat their pet's skin condition.
We've been rounding up some of your Christmas light displays. Take a look at this festive bunch.
Visit Cornwall has revealed the 20 top images shared via its Instagram account. Have a look at some of the beautiful photographs:


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It's the return of the shelf! Xbox boss and Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer made a brief appearance as part of the BAFTA Games Awards 2022 last week, where he showed off a few interesting changes to his home display.
The most obvious difference this time around is the sword at the top of the shelf — this is seemingly an Elden Ring reference, as it appears the sword was actually given away as part of a limited press kit, as you can see below:
As you may remember, Spencer's shelf got a lot of attention last year as rumours suggested that the Xbox boss was hiding secrets in there, but very few seem to have come to fruition so far. The notable exception to the rule is the Xbox Series S, which he was hiding in his original display months before it was even revealed to the public.
Does this mean Elden Ring is suddenly about to come to Xbox Game Pass? Probably not. Spencer has clearly been loving the game so far (he's posted about it on Twitter multiple times), so this is probably just him showing it some love!
Do you think there's anything to read into here? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.


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The video streaming industry has gotten a whole lot more crowded lately as services such as Vessel, Sony's PlayStation Vue, DirectTV’s Sling TV, and HBO Now look to take on the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and, of course, YouTube.
While the Google owned video-sharing site has long been king, YouTube’s latest move shows that the company might be feeling pressure from the rising competition.
In an e-mail obtained by Bloomberg, YouTube announced to its partners that the company is looking to add subscriber-based content to its offerings.
Building off the success of its family-friendly YouTube Kids app and its paid music streaming service, Music Key (Beta), the company is looking for new forms of revenue and customer loyalty.
“We’re excited to build on this momentum by taking another big step in favor of choice: offering fans an ads-free version of YouTube for a monthly fee,” reads the e-mail. “By creating a new paid offering, we’ll generate a new source of revenue that will supplement your fast growing advertising revenue.”
"We're increasingly moving into an age where consumers are learning to avoid advertising," Rich Greenfield, an analyst at BTIG, told Bloomberg in an interview. "Between DVRs, Netflix and now Amazon, we're increasingly learning to lead an ad-free life."
YouTube did not announce a price or release date, but insiders told Bloomberg the service could be expected to launch by the end of the year. As for a price, there were no hints offered by sources, but some are guessing the price will fall around $10 a month, the same amount YouTube charges for Music Key.
The introduction of a paid streaming service fits Google’s larger shift away from revenue based on advertising. YouTube launched paid channels in 2013, which allowed users to rent or buy movies such as “Interstellar” or “The Interview.”
Back in October, YouTube chief executive officer Susan Wojcicki hinted at a media conference that her company might be expanding its paid services and called ad-free subscriptions an “interesting model.”
Though YouTube has suggested interest in providing more paid content for a while now, it appears the project is still in an early phase, as it expressed to TechCrunch in a statement saying that the company could not “comment on ongoing discussions.”
But in preparation for the move, YouTube has updated its Partner Program Terms, offering some insight into how much money channels will be getting out of the policy shift. Content designers will receive 55 percent of the “total net revenues recognized by YouTube,” the same percent as with traditional advertising revenue.
As reported by TechCrunch, the new agreement reads as follows:
YouTube will pay you 55% of the total net revenues recognized by YouTube from subscription fees that are attributable to the monthly views or watchtime of your Content as a percentage of the monthly views or watchtime of all or a subset of participating content in the relevant subscription offering (as determined by YouTube). If your Content is included in and viewed by a user in multiple subscription offerings, YouTube will pay you based on the subscription offering with the highest amount of net revenues recognized by YouTube, as calculated by YouTube.


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Meeting a market opportunity
High adaptability and consistent demand: a new project highlights the potential in ethnocultural vegetables.
April 3, 2023 By Kaitlin Packer
If there’s a market for it, why not grow it? The more information Johnny Kashama discovers from his project on the adaptability of ethnocultural vegetables in northern Ontario, the more he sees this market as a unique opportunity for growers.
“The population is shifting,” says Kashama, agricultural manager at Collège Boréal in Sudbury. With more newcomers in Canada, there’s more opportunity to market vegetables that are not traditionally grown here. “The demand for ethnocultural vegetables is considerable,” he adds.
“Monthly spending on ethnocultural vegetables by only three ethnic groups in Toronto – Chinese, South Asian and African Caribbean – is estimated to be $61 million per month in the greater Toronto area alone.”
After seeing such a high demand for them, Kashama started this project last year by testing multiple varieties of amaranth, okra, yardlong beans, hibiscus and African eggplant in an on-farm trial. “When I came to Canada, […] I said to myself, […] most of the people from Africa, they really struggle […] to find the right food that they are used to.” This motivates him to not only find a solution for consumers, but also to show Canadian growers how they can benefit from getting involved in this market.
Many ethnocultural vegetables can take months to ship frozen. Even so, they sell for a premium. “African eggplants, sometimes it goes up to $10 per pound,” says Kashama. That’s significantly higher than some of the most popular produce grown in Canada, such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. “When you look at one pound of tomatoes, it’s maybe, I don’t know, two dollars,” he says. “Why can’t local farmers see that this is an opportunity?”
Taking advantage of similar production practices
It’s not that production practices are significantly different for growing ethnocultural vegetables. Many Ontario farmers already grow eggplant – and African eggplant is comparable. Others grow basil. “Basil has the same requirement as amaranth,” says Kashama. “If you grow basil, you can grow amaranth.” Hibiscus might have some differences, but it is a good option for those who can grow it outside.
In the on-farm trials planned for this year, Kashama hopes they’ll gain even more data to help growers plan the best time for harvesting amaranth leaves when they’re tender enough to eat. “[Looking at] the impact of the age, and the time we harvest, on the tenderness of the leaves when you cook them is something that hasn’t really been done,” he says. Harvest timing and taste are also important data points he needs for other vegetables like okra and yardlong beans.
Building expertise through on-farm trials
Last year, Kashama mainly collaborated with one grower – Tara Hamilton, in St.-Charles – to see which varieties adapted the best to northern Ontario conditions. “They did very well,” he concluded. He plans to use the most well-adapted varieties in three trials on farms throughout northwestern Ontario this coming season.
Hamilton, who farms with her husband Denis Turcot on La Delle Vie Farm in St.-Charles, saw her collaboration with Kashama as a mutually beneficial partnership. Originally, they reached out to the college to inquire about co-op students; that opened the discussion on hosting an on-farm trial.
While they mainly function as a specialty fruit operation with a haskap orchard, Hamilton and her husband also grow herbs on the farm. “We are interested in trialling other things, and if something ends up taking good root, then we would definitely move forward with it,” she says.
“Amaranth in particular is interesting to us, as is hibiscus.”
She’s curious to see amaranth grown for something other than grain. “The northern farmers, when we grow amaranth, we don’t grow it for greens,” she says.
Kashama’s project reveals the opportunity to use different parts of the plant than usual – and amaranth is only one example. “We also wanted to show people how you can also consume pumpkin leaves,” says Kashama. “Pumpkin leaves are in very, very, very high demand.” Being sold at $8 per pound, the leaves are another option for growers wanting to take advantage of a premium market.
The focus of La Delle Vie Farm is to feed the local population as much as possible. “I would say that we are definitely interested in growing crops for the diversity that we are seeing in northeastern Ontario,” says Hamilton. “We’re seeing our demographics change here [and] we would like to meet the cultural demands of the populations that are in our region.”
Marketing to the masses
Beyond the already massive demand for ethnocultural vegetables, part of Kashama’s goal for this project is to raise the awareness of their benefits to all Canadians. “That’s why we started a cooking show,” he says. The project team produced one episode on how to cook amaranth and another on how to cook hibiscus.
This coming season, Kashama plans to partner with two restaurants interested in including ethnocultural vegetables on their menu. “We also have recipes that we have designed for people who want to know exactly how to cook them,” he says. They hope to include those recipes with the produce they sell at the farmer’s market.
Part of the appeal of these vegetables is the nutritional benefits. “You can’t even compare with tomato, pepper and cucumber,” says Kashama. “Amaranth is packed with antioxidants.” He says hibiscus functions as a good diuretic and an excellent source of iron. “This is one of the marketing strategies also – to show all those health benefits.”
Once consumers know the nutritional benefits of these vegetables and how to cook them, it’s important to ensure they are easy to find at traditional grocery stores. With the shifting population, you can already find vegetables like eggplant and bitter melon in Walmart. “The goal of the project is just to try to see […] ethnic vegetables in Walmart, in Food Basics, in No Frills, and all other places,” he says. “Right now, it is only in those small African grocery stores that you’re going to find them.”
Multiple benefits for growers
For those interested in growing ethnocultural vegetables, Kashama says the risk is minimal. The opportunity extends beyond the local Canadian market, since the United States also mainly relies on imported ethnocultural vegetables. “A Canadian can take that opportunity,” says Kashama.
With amaranth, there’s even more incentive since you can either cut the leaves biweekly or uproot and replant them each month. “In four months, or three months, when people have one harvest, you will have three harvests,” Kashama says. That means greenhouse growers could harvest frequently all year long. “If they also do out of the season in greenhouses, they will make more money,” he adds, considering out-of-season vegetables also sell at a higher price.
At the La Delle Vie Farm, their key concern for branching into a new market is knowing that the demand is there. “We’re interested in anything that is profitable and if there’s a market for it,” Hamilton says. She’s hoping this year’s on-farm trials allow for northern expertise to continue to develop in this area. “I’m glad they’re coming back, and we’ll see what ten years brings.”
While there’s more to discover in this year’s trials, there’s little doubt in Kashama’s mind that ethnocultural vegetables are a significant opportunity for growers in Canada. They adapt well to a northern environment; they have good nutritional value; and they are extremely profitable – all key selling factors.
“We’d say it was really important to go forward and start producing them,” he says, “because the demand is very, very high.” The question to growers is simply this: Who’s going first?
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Numerous recent recalls showed how much risk is associated with the most important competent of the emission-free mobility. The battery is a highly complex piece of technology that must be tightly analyzed not only during the development but also during operation.
Costly electric vehicle battery recalls can be prevented - with predictive battery analytics
It all started in 2015 with a massive recall - one of the biggest in history. In the emissions scandal that became known as Dieselgate, Volkswagen had to call back almost 11 million vehicles at a cost of over 16 billion euro. In retrospect, this was probably the last nail in the proverbial coffin of diesel-powered cars, and the accelerator to battery-electric vehicles (BEV) entering the market. Whilst this was great news for the global climate, it also thrust a complex technology into the spotlight.
Batteries more in demand than ever
The heart of every EV is its battery, which comprises 30-50% of the total vehicle cost. Although rightly heralded as the key to a zero-emission future, batteries are renowned for their complexity. As a result, OEMs and battery manufacturers are expending significant effort on optimizing the battery before start of production. Once sold, the major automotive brands give their customers peace of mind by ensuring safe operation with extensive warranties of eight years and 160,000 kilometers or more, depending on the manufacturer.
Multiple automotive OEMs already hit by safety recalls
The fact that batteries are challenging is underlined by the recent slew of articles on PHEV recalls. Hard on the heels of Hyundai, Ford and Toyota, BMW is the latest vehicle OEM to issue a recall for over 26,000 PHEVs. The main causes for alarm are battery fires caused by short circuits in the batteries and cells overheating due to contamination during the manufacturing process. These are serious issues. So how can predictive battery analytics help?
Predictive analytics can detect battery issues at two key lifecycle stages:
Early in the development process, electrical, thermal, and aging behavior can be simulated to facilitate system design and optimize safety-related peripherals, such as thermal management. Predictive battery analytics, based on field data and lab tests, can provide multiple insights into how the battery will perform in the future and enable development engineers to save time and money.
In the field, predictive battery analytics monitors EV battery health and predicts the remaining useful lifetime of each individual cell. This drastically reduces the risk of technical faults becoming disruptive, as action can be taken pre-emptively, and faulty modules replaced ahead of time. Holistic predictive battery analytics can function as a neutral mediator by providing a solid database when differences in opinion arise, such as the current dispute between LG Chem and Hyundai.
Automotive manufacturers can save billions in bottom line impact
Ford is currently facing costs of around 340 million euro for the recall of 33,000 Kuga PHEVs – a relatively small-scale vehicle series. Were there to be a recall of a fully scaled series - let’s take the 700,000 Golfs sold by Volkswagen in 2019 as an example - the resultant sum would be over eight billion euro. In other words, each day of delay in detecting a single defect would translate into multimillion euro costs for the OEM.


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The worldwide market for handheld devices experienced its fourth successive quarter of year-over-year decline in the Q4 2004. According to IDC, device shipments increased 37.4% sequentially but fell 18.7% year-over-year in Q4 2004 to 2.8 mln units. For the full year 2004, worldwide handheld device shipments reached 9.2 mln units, a decrease of 13% over 2003’s shipments of 10.6 mln units.
2004 marks the first time since 1999 that worldwide handheld device shipments have slipped to under 10 mln units and the third straight year of decline since the market’s peak in 2001. This distinction, underscored by the departures during the year of top vendors Sony and Toshiba, further emphasizes the increasing competition and search for relevance that handheld device vendors are facing in today’s marketplace. While vendors have seen recent successes with bundled and integrated GPS receivers, the lack of other compelling solutions beyond PIM and GPS continues to limit the vendors’ ability to expand into new market segments.


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For all the cool things that Google introduced at this year's I/O keynote, several of the items that the tech press definitely, absolutely, positively thought would be included in the presentation were curiously absent. No Android update? No new Nexus tablet? Not more than a peep on that groundbreaking Internet-on-your-face technology that Sergey Brin quietly introduced last year?
To be sure, Google's three-plus-hour keynote shined a spotlight on a lot of awesome new Web toys we're dying to play with. But the silent treatment on certain key Google products proves just as intriguing.
No Android update?
There was a lot of speculation in the blogosphere as to whether Google would use its keynote presentation to announce the coming of Android 5.0 (dubbed "Key Lime Pie") or merely tweak-up Jelly Bean to version 4.3. We certainly expected it. But when it came time for the big reveal... crickets.
The timing for a new Android release was just about right. Just look back at the recent OS release history: Android 3.0 ("Honeycomb") was introduced in February of 2011 and was supplanted only eight months later by Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich." Sandwich had a full nine months before 4.1 Jelly Bean debuted in July of 2012. While there have been some small updates to Jelly Bean, we haven't been introduced to a new sugary treat in more than 10 months, making Jelly Bean the longest surviving Android OS.
This doesn't mean that Key Lime Pie isn't right around the corner. It probably is. And at this point in Android's development, it does make sense that major new incarnations would begin to space out. Big infrastructure issues have been sorted out, and Google's development team can turn its attention to refinements--like we saw yesterday--rather than overhauls.
So, what's going on with Glass now?
Google Glass was the big thing to come out of last year's I/O. There certainly were plenty of dudes in the audience sporting them. At this year's keynote--aside from some cursory mentions about how new app features might be utilized--there wasn't much talk about how we'll all be Geordi La Forge-ing it. (Despite our most fervent recommendations on how to go about it.)
Since last year's keynote, Glass has made its way into the hands of developers, journalists, and a select class of consumers--and the reaction has been mostly meh, if not outright BLEH! It's still widely believed that Google will release Glass to the general public later this year (or possibly as late as the first quarter in 2014), which makes the relative silence to the development community a little suspect. This muteness may point to a massive refining effort on Google's part before the transformational technology can be released to the wider public.
While most of Google's speakers elected not to mention Glass directly, CEO Larry Page was directly asked about the future of the product during a postscript Q&A session. "Glass is a new category, it's quite different than existing computing devices, so I think it's great that we've started on it, but I think our main goal is to get happy users using Glass," he said, subtly acknowledging the initial negative reaction to the product.
"We want to make sure we're building experiences that really make people happy," he said. "So the team has tried to build the minimal set of things, just for practical sake, a minimal set of things that will provide a great experience and make happy users. And then we can get going and work on it for the next 10 years. And every successive one is going to be better."
While Google may have plans to invest in Glass for another 10 years, I'm starting to question if we will indeed see a wide release in this year. Page's response seemed to confirm that the brass believes the technology isn't ready and has no firm timeline for when it will be.
As far as we know, no other manufacturer is far along the stage of developing wearable internet-face tech, so Google can afford to take their time fixing their buggy, headache-inducing product.
Where's that Nexus 11 at?
Google's line of Nexus products could never be accused of being the subject of too much excitement. While the Nexus phone may be close to joining the Nexus Q in that big obsolete trash heap in the sky (further proofed by the fact that Google just announced it would be selling a version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 running on out-of-the-box Android software), Nexus tablets have been a tepid success.
In fact, combined with tablets from a variety of manufactures, Android has quietly managed to take the majority of the tablet market away from iOS. Android tablets have shown great success in the medium or mini category (and thus causing the birth of the iPad Mini), but less so in the full-sized tablet market. While Nexus 10 sales in particular have proven anemic, many in the press were still expecting the introduction of an 11-inch Nexus, with some outlets all but confirming it.
So why didn't it materialize? One possible reason is that the bigs at Google know that if they're going to release a tablet to compete with the full-sized iPad, it is going to have something special going for it. Perhaps the company and its manufacturing partners are refining a new take on gesture or hover control; better voice or gaming features; or just something weird and unknown. Unless Google is able to release some truly "phenomenal" mobile hardware as Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt recently promised, Apple will continue to rule the premium tablet market.
We will certainly see more full-sized Android tablets making a debut before the holiday rush. Whether any of them are branded Nexus remains to be seen. If we indeed do see a Nexus 11, it's going to have to be a lot better than a slightly larger Nexus 10.
What to expect soon
I don't think it would be wise to flesh out any larger hidden themes from what was left off the agenda. Rather, what did make it in was likely what was already ready to present. While there may be some disappointment about what was left out of the presentation, Google still did manage to unleash a lot of cool new features that should keep the media and consumers sated for now. Besides, the lack of updates on Android, Nexus, and Glass at I/O virtually guarantees that we will hear more on all three in the coming months before the holiday rush.


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In a new webinar hosted by Global Data Review on April 5, 2022, Alan Friel, Co-chair of the firm’s Data Privacy, Cybersecurity & Digital Assets Practice, will join forces with Rebecca Perry, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Exterro, to discuss new requirements under California, Colorado and Virginia privacy laws, as well as evolving enforcement positions by the California attorney general. Do not miss this one-hour virtual session as Alan and Rebecca highlight key takeaways related to the following:
New consumer rights and controller obligations
New contractual requirements for processors, service providers and contractors
How to meet new retention schedule and limitation requirements
Managing purpose limitations
How the California attorney general views third-party cookies
Global Data Review is the only publication that analyzes the law and regulation of the use and trade of data around the world.


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Speaking of the Belt and Road Initiative, China welcomes Botswana’s participation in and support to the infrastructure and trade framework.
Botswana signed a tripartite free trade area agreement which marked a milestone in the trade agenda of the African Union.
The six African countries threatened with losing access to the European single market have finally agreed to sign the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). But the continent’s regional integration may suffer as a result. EurActiv France reports.
The recent vote for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union might lead to the renegotiation of the recently signed Economic Partnership Agreement, creating uncertainty for Botswana
The EU plans to raise the pressure on six African countries to implement controversial free trade agreements by putting an end to their preferential access to the EU market.
Angola will join the Free Trade Zone of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in 2017, if the country takes the necessary steps
Botswana Minister of Trade and Industry Vincent Seretse has met with European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Mamstrom in Gaborone to discuss the finalisation of Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations between the EU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Late last year, the African cyberspace was buzzing with rumours that the region’s oldest trade agreement, the Southern African Customs Union or SACU was about to be finally killed off by South Africa. From Windhoek to Cape Town to Mbabane, trade policy wonks were debating what the most recent moves from Pretoria regarding SACU really meant.
Botswana has escaped the imposition of an amendment which would have charged higher duties on the country’s exports to the European Union after 2014 thereby dealing a deathblow to local sectors such as agriculture, minerals and manufacturing.
Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Minister Tapiwa Mashakada has decried the lack of positive outcomes from the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements Zimbabwe has signed with a number of countries.
The global economic crisis, along with other evolving structural factors within SACU, could cut a P5-billion permanent hole in revenues that Botswana receives from the customs union, the IMF estimates.
The song of Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional integration is sung so loudly that even the deaf can hear it. But my recent experience in Windhoek, Namibia tends to prove that the reality on the ground does not match the rhetoric.
A market access regulation giving SADC states, including Botswana, duty and quota-free access to the European Union is expected to elapse soon, potentially squeezing the affected states out of the world’s biggest market for beef, minerals, textiles and other products.
Ahead of the August round of negotiations between the SADC EPA group and the EU, the Acting President of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Parliamentary Assembly says the region should be afforded more time to reach a final decision on a comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry is in the process of establishing a national body under the 2002 Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Agreement.
Botswana has emerged as the dealmaker in the contentious Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations aimed at finding middle ground between the European Union on one side and South Africa, Namibia and Angola on the other.
The Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) as well as the Botswana Exporters and Manufacturers Association (BEMA), are positioning themselves to tap into the P185 million capacity building facility made available through the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union.
Government deserves commendation on the various programmes it has embarked on to diversify the economy away from mining especially diamonds. Such strategies include inter alia 1) the setting up of BEDIA to attract foreign direct investments (FDIs) thus facilitating the growth of the manufacturing sector. 2) The IFSC model which I am highly convinced was a well thought out model considering the geographical situation of this country and of course its population.
In the latest twist of events, South Africa is reported to have ‘changed tunes’ and has decided to let Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (BLS) ratify their interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union (EU).
The European Union signed an interim trade deal on Thursday with the Southern African countries of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland.


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The Definitive Guide to Why Cbd Edibles Are So Popular Today! ⋆ Dine Magazine
Rules on the manufacture and sale of cannabinoids have not stayed up to date with their newly prevalent supply. Hemp could be legal, yet the Fda has thus far certainly not given out any kind of guidance on how CBDby far the very most commonly available cannabinoidshould be actually quality-tested or even tagged, what claims may be helped make regarding its own make use of, or even that may sell it.
The FDA also mentions it’s illegal to sell as an additive in meals, even though those, as well, are commonly readily available, consisting of CBD soft drinks and also gluey bears. For the FDA to help make even more nuanced regulations, it would likely need to have to reverse its viewpoint on CBD’s validity as a supplement. To be actually decent, the FDA carries out certainly not have much challenging evidence on which to create more thorough policies.
Legal hemp farming will certainly help those examining the therapeutic market value of the cannabinoids, but scientific tests to set up impacts and also does take years. Previously this year, Esther Blessing, a scientist at Nyc College Langone Health currently examining CBD’s impacts on stress and anxiety, told me she thought the chemical carried notable assurance, but that it will take a decade to gather enough info https//wayofleaf.com/cbd/101/dabbingcbdforultimatepotency for FDA permission as a medication along with standardized does and also foreseeable outcomes.
What is actually currently understood about cannabinoids is actually preparatory. A 1976 assessment suggests that CBN has prospective as a light sedative combined with THC, as well as a 2002 study took a look at its own pain-relieving residential or commercial properties. CBD, in doses considerably greater than are frequently readily available in buyer products, appears to minimize anxiety under experimental health conditions.
The record also highly recommended that additional comprehensive analysis be carried out to resolve spaces in the proof, and also better suggestions for reviewing marijuana investigation be built. What’s found out about the loads of cannabinoids past THC, CBD, and also CBN is actually a lot more restricted.
Before few years, we have actually been actually witnessing a quick growth of CBD oil in the wellness as well as health market. From a fringe organic element of cocktails, food items, cosmetics, and natural remedies, which was actually often seen along with apprehension by mainstream customers as well as discredited by legislators, it has currently gone to turn into one of the most found after health and wellness and also health products in 2018 as well as is actually experiencing a shocking, frequently three-digit yearly growth.
A Biased View of Cbd Popularity In Southern U.s. States – Scene And Heard …
What has actually caused this ecstasy over CBD oil?CBD oil, or even Cannabidiol, is a typically taking place part of the Marijuana sativa vegetation, of which there are actually 2 extensively made use of (or mistreated) variants, marihuana, and also the industrial marijuana or hemp. Rather than THC, the other component found in Cannabis, CBD performs certainly not create the person that has ingested it experience ‘higher’ or even ‘stoned’.
This is contrary to THC, which may give a person who has actually consumed it an emotion of paranoia and also may often also cause a panic attack.” CBD oil is supposed to have numerous health and wellness benefits and is found as a reducer of several afflictions” The various other trouble which puts CBD oil and THC planets apart is actually the fact that there are actually a lot less as well as fewer stipulations on the manufacturing as well as sale of CBD oil in a boosting number of countries in the Western side half, while THC is anxiety or depression usually still prohibited.
CBD oil is purported to have extremely several wellness perks as well as is found as a reliever of several maladies, like as an example epilepsy and stress and anxiety. Scientific research studies have actually Apigenin proven CBD oil’s effectiveness in epilepsy procedure however scientists are actually still a little cynical regarding its own various other claimed medical advantages due to the fact that they lack rigorous medical testing.


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For the past several years, the satellite television industry has been experiencing exponential growth. With the passage of the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act (SHVIA) into law late last year, consumers in rural, suburban and urban areas have been flocking to satellite as never before.
By the end of 2000, the direct broadcast satellite (DBS) industry will most likely surpass 15 million subscribers. And when looking at the largest multichannel video providers in the United States, the Yankee Group places DirecTV third, Dish Network eighth and Pegasus 10th.
Where is the growth coming from? According to the 2000 DBS Study conducted by The Yankee Group for the Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Association (SBCA), 70 percent of new DBS subscribers live in areas where cable is available, which demonstrates that DBS is becoming increasingly mainstream in its penetration.
During the past year the DBS platform providers added more than 8,400 new subscribers collectively each day-not existing subscribers upgrading to a new service, actual new subscribers. Analysts predict that if current trends hold up, the industry could easily surpass 18 million subscribers by the end of 2001.
There are several areas that are germane to the continued success of the DBS industry. They include the continued rollout of local-into-local service; the debut of satellite broadband and digital audio radio services (DARS); continued improvement and consumer acceptance of interactive services; and an industry revamp of education and certification programs.
The ability to offer consumers local-broadcast channels has been a major boon for the satellite television industry and has helped make DBS a stronger competitor to cable. Satellite must-carry is a major roadblock to the continued rollout of local channels in areas outside the largest markets, and because must-carry leads to duplicative signal carriage, it stands to deprive Americans in midsize and smaller markets of local television over their satellite systems.
The must-carry requirements in SHVIA go far beyond those applicable to cable in dictating the content of a substantial portion of a satellite carrier’s programming menu. The marketplace should dictate what programming satellite companies carry, not a federal mandate.
In order to enlarge the number of consumers to whom we can offer local broadcast channels, the must-carry regime must be eliminated.
SBCA, DirecTV and EchoStar are going to diligently fight to remove this unconstitutional and anti-competitive provision from the SHVIA legislation. In fact, we have challenged the satellite must-carry provision of SHVIA in federal court.
As we have seen local-into-local service increase satellite television’s penetration, satellite broadband is the next step in furthering our industry’s growth. In 2001, we will begin to see the rollout of two-way, high-speed, broadband Internet services via satellite. There have been other satellite Internet systems in the marketplace, but these systems, while offering high-speed downlinks, necessitated the use of a terrestrial phone line for the user to uplink.
The next generation of broadband satellite systems will offer consumers true broadband speeds on both the uplink and the downlink.
When used in conjunction with the EchoStar or DirecTV multichannel video system, consumers will be able to simultaneously surf the Web and enjoy a 100 percent digital multichannel video and audio signal.
Though DSL and cable modems have received most of the exposure thus far, satellite will be a force to be reckoned with in the broadband marketplace.
We feel very comfortable with our position vis-a-vis our competitors in the market. Both digital subscriber lines (DSL) and cable modems have been very slow to roll out, and by their own account, their systems’ability to serve suburban and urban areas will be limited.
Much like our multichannel video offerings with Internet via satellite, if you have a line of sight to the satellite (the vast majority of consumers do), you instantly have broadband Internet access.
One of the most exciting new developments in the satellite industry this year has been the emergence of the digital audio radio services (DARS) planned for launch in early 2001. Both Sirius Satellite Radio, which has already launched its three-satellite constellation, and XM Satellite Radio, which is preparing to launch the first of its two birds early this year, will revolutionize the way people enjoy radio in this country.
Both Sirius and XM have negotiated agreements with the major automobile manufacturers, so in addition to consumers being able to purchase satellite radio systems in retail outlets, automobiles of the future will have satellite receivers included as standard equipment.
Interestingly, although the companies are competitors, the actual receivers will be interoperable, which provides consumers a greater level of flexibility.
According to J.D. Power & Associates’ 2000 Cable/Satellite TV Customer Satisfaction Study, “both satellite TV providers clearly exceed their customers’ expectations, and overall customer satisfaction differs significantly between satellite and cable providers.”
However, the “satisfaction gap” is not as wide in areas where cable has launched digital service, so it is imperative that the satellite industry stay ahead of the curve with respect to education and training of its industry professionals.
Since DBS’ inception, the satellite industry has experienced phenomenal growth, Wall Street analysts remain bullish about our future, and consumers have been overwhelmingly impressed with our products and customer service records.
Does this mean we can afford to rest on our laurels? Of course not. However, it is always easier to build on a solid foundation, and that is exactly what our industry has created.
With consumer demand soaring and the satellite industry providing new services, the best is yet to come.
Chuck Hewitt is the president of the Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Association (SBCA), the trade association representing all aspects of the direct-to-home satellite industry.


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Garbage, taxes and bureaucracy are among life’s unpleasant certainties. Legislation is presently moving in several states to combine all three costly annoyances by effectively taxing businesses to dispose of the materials they produce after they are consumed, and report to the states on the process.
At least ten states have proposed legislation for “extended producer responsibility” (EPR) laws to force disposal and recycling responsibilities and costs on manufacturers and other businesses that produce goods. Ostensibly, the bills are about a creating a cleaner environment with less garbage. In reality, EPR is a fancy label for a trash tax since these proposals would shift more costs on employers, particularly manufacturers.
Legislation in these states—including California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon and Washington and Vermont—is designed to shift more disposal cost to the source of the product, rather than the consumer, to force more product recycling and more efficient packaging. Additional states are expected soon to introduce EPR legislation.
As legislators in these states trip all over themselves to parade their “green-ness,” their imposition of higher costs on employers would come at a very inopportune time – and with dubious environmental benefits and unlikely local taxpayer savings. American businesses, particularly manufacturers, have suffered pandemic-related losses, face global competition, and are paying increasing energy costs as the Biden administration and several state governors restrict domestic fossil fuel development.
The primary target of this state legislation is plastic, though several states also would impose producer mandates on paper products (i.e., newspapers, flyers, catalogs, paper fiber) and containers and packaging (i.e., foam, glass, carton, metal).
Garbage disposal is paid generally in two ways, depending where one resides: through municipal taxes or by paying fees to private haulers. These states that shift the cost of disposal and recycling to the in-state production source are guaranteed to increase employer costs, lose jobs and raise prices.
If any property taxpayer sees their taxes go down as a compensatory benefit from this proposed legislation, I have a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn. Whatever savings accrue to local governments from shifting garbage disposal and recycling costs almost certainly will be spent elsewhere. Local politicians and bureaucrats are not in the habit of relinquishing tax dollars.
Nationwide, overall recycling of municipal solid waste has doubled from 16 percent in the early 1990s to 32 percent today. Though less than 10 percent of plastic is recycled, aluminum, rubber, glass and steel products are recycled at higher rates, ranging from 17 to 33 percent, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Table 1). Newspapers and other paper products have a recycling rate of around 68 percent. According to the American Forest & Paper Association, corrugated containers and containerboard have recycling rates exceeding 90 percent, which EPR legislation could hardly improve upon.
That some legislation, such as in New York, includes mandates for newspaper disposal is especially obtuse considering the existing substantial recycling rates and that the industry is struggling mightily in the Internet age.
Notwithstanding the rhetoric for a cleaner environment, recycling costs are increasing for municipalities, according to the Product Resource Institute, a non-profit entity in support of EPR legislation. The Institute’s solution is to shift the growing costs to businesses producing the products being purchased on-line and at stores by consumers. That may result in some efficiencies, but hardly solves the cost problem.
Shifting disposal costs from “Peter” the consumer to “Paul” the producer is unlikely to help “Peter” very much, if at all – especially if “Peter” is employed by “Paul” who cuts his workforce due to higher state mandated costs and new bureaucratic requirements.
Another problem with EPR legislation is the regressive benefits. Consumers with more income and wealth purchase more products resulting in more waste; while consumers from low-income and working class households purchase less and produce less garbage. Who is being helped the most if disposal costs shift to producers? The households with greater purchasing power, while working class employees are put at risk in those businesses paying the new disposal and recycling costs.
Still another absurdity in EPR legislation is how to assign the cost to manufacturers of recycling or “product recovery,” (i.e., disposal) especially not knowing how much of a given manufactured product making its way through the supply chain is consumed in the state imposing the cost. Yet, several bills mandate businesses figure out this complication and submit a plan to the state for approval.
China and other nations are taking less in waste from abroad, and plastic waste in our oceans has been a major concern in recent years – except the U.S. is not the problem. There are far better solutions such as using waste to produce energy without these states imposing bureaucratic garbage tax mandates on manufacturing and other businesses. Cost shifts will solve nothing and instead will become another self-inflicted economic wound that drives away businesses and jobs to more hospitable locales in other states and overseas.


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Workshop offers training for meatpackers about the Audit Protocol for Cattle Commitments in the Amazon
The capacity-building workshop regarding the Audit Protocol of the Cattle Commitments in the Amazon took place on Tuesday (26/Oct) in Marabá (PA). Organized by the Beef on Track Program, a partnership between the Public Prosecutor’s Office and Imaflora, the event laid out the guidelines and procedures for the verification of the Term of Adjustment of Conduct (TAC) for Beef. The meeting was attended by 10 representatives from the following companies: Masterboi, JBS, Durlicouros, Frigorífico Rio Maria and Frigorífico Valência.
"We at Masterboi are enthusiastic about maintaining and continuing the protocol to ensure our direct supply chain is compliant. We have contributed since the beginning and we have recently achieved, in the Pará audit, 100% compliance in our chain", stated Igor Silva, Compliance Officer at Masterboi.
Silva added that Masterboi's intention is to continue operating correctly and have more and more suppliers with these initiatives. "We want public and other entities, such as Imaflora, to be able to rely on us so that we can continue changing the market," he said.
The next capacity-building workshop for meatpackers will take place on October 29 in Santarém (PA) at the Sandis Mirante Hotel.
Address: Rua Cel. Joaquim Braga, 180, Centro, Santarém (PA).
The leather industry shows potential to increase traceability
According to the Brazilian Association of Beef Exporters (Abiec), 39.5 million head of cattle were slaughtered in 2020.
Second edition of Training Workshop for Retailers takes place in Manaus
Event seeks to help companies build and improve a beef procurement policy
Technology increases transparency in the livestock chain
Tool supports the monitoring of indirect suppliers


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Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, reported the companies have engaged in early-stage talks which may result in a deal. The two sides have been discussing joint ventures, partnerships, and a merger. Talks could still fall apart given the early nature of them, noted the report. As it stands, Global Payments has a market value of $23.3 billion given its stock has climbed more than 30 percent this year. Total System Services market cap stands at $17.6 billion, with shares appreciating 16 percent since the start of 2019, reported Bloomberg. Shares have been getting lifted as rumors swirled the two companies could be takeover targets or merger partners. That was prompted by two mega deals in the industry so far this year: Fidelity National Services paying $34 billion for Worldpay and Fiserv paying $22 billion to acquire First Data Corp.
Once the deal is closed, the combined company will offer enterprise banking, payments, capital markets, and global eCommerce services to financial institutions and businesses around the world. When Fiserv and First Data announced their deal in January, the companies said end users would benefit from a “highly complementary combination” that offers a range of payments and financial services.
For Global Payments and Total System Services, a deal would make sense because they have businesses that are complementary and are focused on different aspects of the payment marketplace. Total System Services plays in the credit card issuers market, where it is the third-biggest payment processor for that segment of the market in the U.S. According to Bloomberg, it services around 40 percent of the U.S. card accounts for Visa and Mastercard. Meanwhile, Global Payments is a merchant acquirer, helping businesses handle their credit and debit card payments. It’s the fifth-largest merchant acquirer in the U.S., noted the report.


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DETROIT - Ford (F) says two top executives who helped lead its comeback are retiring. Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth and global product development chief Derrick Kuzak both will retire April 1.
But CEO Alan Mulally says he has no plans to leave. He quickly named Controller Bob Shanks to replace Booth. Engineering chief Raj Nair will replace Kuzak.
Mulally who is 66 years old says Ford has a succession plan for every management position.
Booth led Ford Motor Co.'s financial operations through the banking crisis in 2008 and helped the company repay much of its debt. Kuzak is credited with shifting Ford's focus from trucks to cars and leading a move to design cars that are sold in every global market.


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KOROIT'S long awaited streetscape upgrade is set to partly begin, thanks to a new development paving the way for a bluestone footpath.
Daly's IGA Koroit was due to replace the asphalt footpath directly outside the new store as it nears completion, but now will contribute $40,000 to kick-start plans for a new bluestone pavement.
Koroit received $800,000 for the streetscape works from the federal government this month, and Moyne Shire Council will use $260,000 of the grant to lay the pavement outside the store.
Moyne Shire mayor Daniel Meade said preliminary community feedback on the council's Koroit Streetscape Plan highlighted a preference of a bluestone footpath.
Cr Meade said the works were due to commence as soon as possible and be completed by the end of October, in line with the store opening.
Daly's IGA partner Michael Daly said starting the pavement in front of the store was a better use of the money than potentially ripping up asphalt in the near future.
"It's going to be tight, but I think it made sense," Mr Daly said.
"We are looking forward to it, the bluestone does look fantastic."
Mr Daly said workers were instaling internal fittings with plans for the new shop to open in November.
"As soon as it involves shipping or transportation, there are holds ups due to COVID," he said, anticipating potential delays.
Koroit and District Progress Association president Sam Rudolph welcomed action on the streetscape refreshment, and said commencing in front of the new store made sense.
"It's do it once, do it right; that mentality," Mr Rudolph said.
It's do it once, do it right.Sam Rudolph
"There's been an influx of new properties, services are old and it's about time it gets a bit of love."
He said there were ongoing discussions with Powercor and other services about whether power lines on the street's southern side could go underground.
"If they stay on that side then the project could keep going ahead on the northern side," Mr Rudolph said.
The Koroit Streetscape Plan is still yet to be finalised, and Cr Meade said further bluestone paving was subject to discussions along with other elements in the plan.
About 200 people have submitted feedback on the plan with almost three quarters expressing a preference for bluestone paving.
Upgrades to the village green and powerlines going underground were also high priorities for those surveyed.
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Bank Leumi UK’s tech event outlines 2020’s key trends
Posted: 10th February 2020 | Share
On Wednesday 5th February, Leumi UK – the London-based subsidiary of Israel’s leading international bank – and LeumiTech, Leumi Group’s technology banking practice hosted a joint tech-focused discussion, bringing together influential figures from the technology industry – including senior representatives from Google, Facebook and Amazon – to engage in an open discussion on the state of the tech landscape in 2020.
In his opening speech, Gil Karni, CEO at Leumi UK, explained the important role the tech sector has to play in the UK: “Many industries were impacted by Brexit, but the tech industry has thrived – with investment into the UK tech sector reaching a new record of £10 billion in 2019 – demonstrating that the UK is the best place to be for the tech industry, and Bank Leumi is here to support this growth by providing expertise and willingness to support and facilitate the right companies”. The talk was held by Yifat Oron, CEO of LeumiTech – a prolific figure in the industry, with over 25 years’ experience working in tech, venture capital, banking and consulting – with discussions centred on the trends and challenges that are shaping the ever-changing tech ecosystem.
Here are the four top trends Oron predicts for 2020
- Everything is being ‘Amazoned’
In terms of online retail, Amazon is a monster, and competitors are not even close to it. Is Amazon getting too big? Its unprecedented expansion into other domains – such as food and pharma – has led to collaborations between smaller competitors, but so far, nothing has come close to beating the colossal corporate.
- The high street needs to innovate to survive
Will physical retail die or evolve? One thing is for sure – plenty of stores are closing down, signalling that everything is moving to the Internet. However, we see retail giants looking for technologies to innovate their physical stores, in order to enhance customers’ shopping experience and create a smarter environment that will lead to fewer employees working on the floor.
- The spotlight is on Artificial Intelligence
Cyber is a hot topic – for instance, Israel as a nation decided that cyber should be a key market and it has become one of the leading nations in terms of exports of cyber products in the world. The next trend to look at? Artificial Intelligence (AI). As an infrastructure-type technology, AI for healthcare, for example, could use complex algorithms and software to analyse complicated data, minimising human input. Certainly, AI is where the spotlight is shining.
- Stars are aligned for digital health
Digital health is, in one word – huge; two words – very big, but there is always the question of what comes first. The technology, which is ready, or the market’s requirements? This is clearly an area that needs to be addressed, and tech players have spotted this and are investing a huge amount to meet the growing needs.
Ending the discussion on a high note, Yifat expressed optimism about the technology industry outlook in 2020 and beyond:
"Every business around the world needs some sort of technology to survive, whether it’s banks, retail stores, real estate or consulting companies. Why? Because tech is where all the money is. Smart businesses realise that this is a sector that they need to be looking at carefully, so moving forwards into 2020, technology will continue to blossom globally and remain resilient towards any upcoming challenges"
Yifat Oron, CEO of LeumiTech
For further information, please contact:
Charlotte Toon, Moorgate-Finn Partners +44 (0) 20 7655 1710
Note to editors:
About Leumi (UK) and Leumi Group
Leumi (UK) is a UK-regulated bank offering a wide range of corporate and commercial banking services to both UK based and international clients. An integral part of the Leumi Group founded in London in 1902, the Bank operates through its Head Office in London and its award-winning Asset Based Lender subsidiary, Leumi ABL in Brighton. Activities include commercial finance, trade finance, with a particular expertise in financing cross border trading, commodity finance, financing Israeli related business, property finance and hotel finance. The Bank serves its clients with deposit accounts, hedging and foreign exchange capabilities.
Leumi (UK) is a subsidiary of the Leumi Group, one of Israel’s largest banking groups and a reputable global banking institution. The Group operates over 220 branches across Israel, alongside offices in key financial centres worldwide. The Group offers a comprehensive range of specialised financial services.
Bank Leumi (UK) plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.


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London-based social shopping app Depop has raised $8m (£5.3m) and will open its first US office in New York. Described as the love-child of eBay and Instagram, Depop was downloaded 1.8 million times last year, with over a million new products added for sale each month.
Founded in London in 2011, Depop launched as a free app for iOS in 2013 and on Android in 2014. CEO Runar Reistrup said that the new investment would allow his company to meet growing demand in the US. "Depop has grown faster than we ever imagined, not just in Europe, but also in the US. US users are already adding 100,000 items to Depop each month and as a result, opening an office in New York was something we really wanted to do," he said.
Reistrup added that Depop's success was down to its "unique" approach: "It's designed with the mobile in mind and is social at its very core which is probably why it has captured the attention of millennials in a way that no other marketplace has done."
He added that many online retailers were "not very smart of versatile" and that companies selling online needed to have a more personal touch.
Erik Martin, former general manager of Reddit, will join the company to head up its US operation. The $8m investment was led by Balderton Capital and Holtzbrinck Ventures.
Reistrup has previously criticised the state of online retail, saying that Amazon "should never have existed". Speaking at WIRED Retail last year he said that ecommerce had "lost the fun and social part".


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Music News Roundup, Bono Injured, Neil Young Calls for Coffee Boycott and Jimmy Page Book Stamping.
Plans for U2 to have a week long residency on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show have been cancelled do to injuries sustained by Bono During a cycling incident. reports suggest that Bono's arm will require surgery after reportedly being broken during a bicycle spill in New York's Central Park. Despite having to cancel their week long stay on the Tonight Show there seems to be no hard feelings between the band and Fallon and U2's official website has stated "Thanks to Jimmy Fallon and everyone at the show for their understanding". U2 hopes to fulfill the Tonight Show residency at a later date.
Read more on Bono's injury and Tonight show cancellation, at NME.
Neil Young has called for his fans to boycott Starbucks products due to the company's ties with Monsanto, a company involved in a lawsuit against the state of Vermont over genetically modified organism legislation. A law was passed in Vermont requiring food producers label all foods containing GMOs which prompted Monsanto and other companies to file a lawsuit against the state. Young despite loving his morning coffee hopes that boycotting Starbucks will cause a ripple affect grabbing the attention of other companies. "Monsanto might not care what we think" says Young "But as a public facing company Starbucks does".
Read more on Neil Young's Starbucks Boycott at NME music news.
News that Jimmy Page would be doing several Book Signing events following the release of his new book Jimmy Page has had fans eagerly anticipating the opportunity to have the guitarist sign their copies. Some however may be disappointed to learn that the Signing will actually be a stamping. despite early news that Page would be signing books, official reports have indicated that Page will be using his custom stamp on all books at the events.