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Many supermarket shelves across the UK are in short supply of people’s favourite products due to a shortage of lorry drivers.
The looming crisis is gathering pace with supply chain issues being blamed along with the pandemic and Brexit.
Desperate haulage firms have been forced to dramatically increase wages of drivers and have offered fresh incentives to lure new drivers into the industry as they bid to plug the gaps.
Supermarkets have warned customers about the crisis, with one expert suggesting supply issues will ‘only get worse’ following the pandemic, according to Mirror Online.
Ian Wright, outgoing chief executive of the Food and Drink Federation, said: “The UK shopper could have previously expected just about every product they want to be on shelf or in the restaurant all the time.
“That’s over and I don’t think it’s coming back.”
In one city alone, a HullLive reporter, Lucy Marshall, found a number of shelves across different stories were lacking.
In Tesco St Stephen’s a number of the shelves were bare, with some popular items scarce.
There was no issues when it came to fresh food including food, vegetables, meat, and fish. Likewise sweets, tinned items, and dried goods such as pasta were stocked well.
But there seemed to be huge gaps on the shelves when it came to popular drinks.
The sparkling water shelves were completely bare, with both plain and flavoured options unavailable.
What’s more carton juices including apple and orange had great gaps in the shelves, as well as kids’ juice boxes, and fruit shoots.
There was short supply of Robinsons Fruit and Barley Orange in litre bottles, as well as a short supply of dandelion and burdock. Litres bottles of fizzy drinks were also low in stock.
Choices of washing up tablets were scarce. The shelves were not empty but there was a significant lack of products.
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The cereal isle was likely the emptiest of all; there was only one packet of frosted Shreddies left, and there a severe lack of Jack’s cornflakes.
The mayonnaise section was a mess and it was apparent there is a severe shortage.
The meal deals seemed to be in a normal state but the hot food counter was completely empty.
Asda on Hessle Road had a lot less shortages than Tesco, but nonetheless were short on some essential items.
There were no Pampers baby wipes available to buy around 2pm on Friday afternoon.
What’s more juice was also on thin ground here – with squash flavoured drinks in short supply.
There was a sign by the fruit juices saying that items were completely out of stock – including apple juice.
One man who works in Hull reported he was stocking up on his items before they “vanished” from Morrison’s in Anlaby.
He was shocked to see some of the shelves were empty, and grabbed his firm favourites – sparkling water and Coca Cola.
But, he was unable to pick up some essential items earlier this week – leaving his fridge “bare”.
He recalls there was grand amounts of Coca Cola Zero available in Morrison’s, but a slim supply of standard Coca Cola.
Additionally he said that there was a shortage of sponges and shelves were “generally quite empty”.


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Snapping up several markets in London’s Camden, traditionally the home of punks and goths and an increasingly popular stop on the capital’s tourist trail, has paid off Teddy Sagi, the Israeli technology and gambling billionaire.
AIM-listed Market Tech, the holding company for his Camden market empire that attracts 28 million visitors a year, reported a pre-tax profit of just over £44 million in the last financial year. This was its maiden set of results since floating at the end of 2014 with a £750 million valuation.
Revenues reached £30.1 million, of which two-thirds came from property and the rest from e-commerce after its acquisition of two online marketing sites, Glispa and Stucco. They will deliver the software to allow Camden’s independent traders to sell over the web through the market.com online retail platform.
As well as an online platform, Market Tech, of which Mr Sagi is the majority shareholder, will seek planning permission for a boutique hotel as well as launching a co-working space for up to 1,000 people in order to transform the area into a place for “trendy” office workers as well as for tourists.
Charles Butler, the chief executive of Market Tech, said: “We have already commenced reinvigorating the unique Camden experience and truly believe that this unique 13-acre real estate opportunity combined with a worldwide integrated e-commerce strategy has created one of the most exciting opportunities in the UK.”
Market Tech’s gross rental income for April and May jumped 43 per cent to £4.4 million compared with the same period for the prior year, while its total property portfolio was valued of £753.7 million. When it bought the four markets, it was the first time in their history that they had been under single ownership.
Shares in Market Tech yesterday closed up 3½p, or 1.39 per cent, at 255½p. They were floated at 200p.

domain: news


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If you’re a connoisseur of craft beer and fine spirits, chances are you’ve placed a Drizly order—or a hundred. Now, discerning imbibers have the opportunities to sip a bit more consciously thanks to a new program called “Sip with Purpose” that Drizly announced this week to support historically underrepresented groups in the alcoholic beverage industry.
To bolster these companies, Drizly has launched one centralized hub on the platform where consumers can learn more about and shop from AAPI-, Black-, Hispanic-, Latinx-, LGBTQIA-, Native-American- and woman-owned brands.
Along with the hub, Drizly will make a $4 million media commitment to raise awareness of these brands, as well as the launch of Drizly’s Brand Accelerator Program, where three brands will be selected to access training, insights, mentorship, relationships, exposure, and more to help drive equity within the beverage alcohol industry (companies interested in applying can do so here).
“Drizly’s ‘Sip with Purpose’ initiative is an important step forward as we continue to invest in efforts to drive equity in the beverage alcohol industry. We recognize our unique position in the BevAlc industry, and our responsibility to drive and inspire change,” says Drizly CEO Cory Rellas. “We look forward to exposing more consumers to the many incredible brands owned by members of historically underrepresented groups through our $4M media commitment, newly launched brand accelerator program and introduction of new ways to shop these brands on our platform year-round.”
A random assortment from the mix of these brands includes Union Craft Brewing (Black-owned), Urban Growler (LGBTQIA-owned, Lost Coast Brewery (Women-owned), Highland Brewing (AAPI-owned) Uncle Nearest (Black- and woman-owned), Brough Brothers (Black-owned) McBride Sisters Collection (Black- and woman-owned), Teremana (AAPI-owned), Makku (AAPI-owned), and FICKS (Hispanic-owned).
On the beer front, we’re particularly excited about Union Craft Brewing, located within the Union Collective business hub in the Medfield neighborhood of Baltimore, MD, that creates a steady pipeline of “beers that unite old and new ideas” (just wait until you try their Duckpin Pale Ale); Highland Brewing, founded in 1994 by a retired engineer and the first legal brewery in Asheville, NC, since Prohibition; and Urban Growler, which opened in Minnesota in 2014 as the first woman-owned brewery in the state after 12 banks denied them funding.
In terms of spirits, some of our go-tos include Uncle Nearest, a whiskey Double Gold winner for the past three years at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, out of Shelbyville, TN; Makku, a brand that churns out makgeolli, a traditional Korean unfiltered rice beer; and Brough Brothers, Kentucky’s first African-American owned distillery, headquartered in Louisville, KY.
Whether you’re hosting a party or just looking to discover new favorites, be sure to stock your cart with some of these stellar makers next time you hit up Drizly.
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WITH her small child in tow, a young woman trudges across the hazardous clutter of a vast, dusty rubbish dump in Pune, India, scanning for scrap to sell. This scene comes from the launch video of a social enterprise called Protoprint, but it is played out at waste dumps in developing nations across the world. Some 15 million people are thought to scavenge for saleable refuse. Protoprint’s scheme could soon improve the lives of some of these people.
The group’s aim is to train local pickers in Pune to collect high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic waste and then show them how to shred, melt and convert that plastic into the strands of filament that are the feedstock for one of the world’s burgeoning technology industries: 3D printing.
It might sound a small market, but the idea has enough potential that a non-governmental organisation called TechForTrade in London is already establishing an ethics body to ensure it doesn’t lead to exploitation of the waste-pickers by, say, companies or gangs, the group told a conference in Nottingham, UK, last week.
Video: Waste feeds 3D printers
Protoprint is the brainchild of MIT alumnus and social entrepreneur Sidhant Pai, who is developing the idea alongside SWACH, a Pune-based waste-collection cooperative that strives to get pickers decent prices for scrap. Dealers only pay about 15 cents per kilogram, often leaving people earning less than a dollar a day. “Our waste-pickers will earn 15 to 20 times more for the same amount of plastic,” says Pai.
Pickers will collect the soft plastic bottles used for shampoo, detergents, sauces and medicines and bring them to the Protoprint filament lab near the dump. The plastic is cleaned and then passed through a gadget that Pai’s team has developed called the FlakerBot, which grinds and shreds the plastic into meltable flakes. These are then passed through another device – the RefilBot – which uses a rotating heating mechanism to create HDPE filaments 3 millimetres in diameter.
Local car-parts companies, engineering universities and architectural practices have been lined up as customers for when the venture kicks off later this year.
The recycled filament – which will cost $13.50 a kilogram as opposed to about $30 for commercial filament – must be up to industry standards, says William Hoyle, head of TechForTrade, which seeks ways innovation can help people out of poverty. So he has set up the Ethical Filament Foundation to check recycled filament is up to scratch and to ensure pickers are not exploited. The foundation will work with Dutch 3D printer-maker Ultimaker and US design software house Autodesk to ensure standards are met.
Such oversight is a strong idea, says Alexander Pasko, a 3D design specialist at Bournemouth University, UK. “Some filaments just break when you load them up. If they can maintain the quality of the filament and waste-pickers are paid more, everyone benefits.”
If they can maintain the quality of the filament and waste-pickers are paid more, everyone benefits
Hoyle says he is also now preparing to work with groups in Oaxaca, Mexico, and Bogotá, Colombia, on similar projects. “We hope ethical filament will be to 3D printing what Fair Trade is to coffee,” he says.
This article appeared in print under the headline “Plastic fantastic”


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“[Labour] wouldn’t have all this problem with the backstop etc because we want the whole of the United Kingdom to be in a permanent customs union with the EU.”
Shami Chakrabarti, 6 December 2018
Ms Chakrabarti seems to be suggesting that the Labour Party’s proposed future trade agreement with the EU would guarantee no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The implication is that Labour’s proposal would remove the need for the Irish backstop trade arrangements (which are designed to avoid a hard border as a position of last resort).
Labour’s proposals may avoid a hard border in Ireland, but it seems extremely unlikely that the EU would accept those proposals alongside everything else Labour wants from Brexit. For example Labour wants the UK to have a say in the EU’s trade deals post-Brexit, which appears to fall foul of the EU’s red lines.
To avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, there needs to be frictionless trade—meaning no checks on goods crossing the border. This depends on there being no tariffs on goods traded between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (unless technological solutions can be found to check goods and collect tariffs away from the border), and common regulatory standards on both sides.
The backstop proposals would put the whole of the UK in a tariff-free single customs territory with the EU, but Northern Ireland would be more closely aligned to EU regulations on things like product standards. So goods could trade freely across the Irish border, but there would be some checks between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, as they would have different regulatory standards.
Labour wants “a new, comprehensive customs union with the EU” which ensures no tariffs between the whole of the UK and EU. It also wants “a new and strong relationship with the single market that gives us frictionless trade”—this would require the whole of the UK, not just Northern Ireland, to follow the single market’s regulatory standards. Taken together, this proposal could lead to no hard border in Ireland and no regulatory differences between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
But it’s hard to judge how feasible this stance would be as a negotiating position, for the simple reason that Labour are not the ones negotiating Brexit.
That said, Labour’s proposals sound like having all the benefits of the single market and customs union, without all of the obligations. The EU has repeatedly said it will not accept a “pick and mix” or “à la carte” approach to the single market and customs union.
For example, Labour’s wants frictionless trade in goods between the UK and EU (which requires very close alignment with single market rules) but also seemingly wants to end freedom of movement. In June 2016 the EU said “access to the single market requires acceptance of all four freedoms, including the freedom of movement”.
Labour also says that it wants “a British say in future trade deals” as part of their proposed new customs union with the EU. It’s unclear whether this means having a say in the EU’s future trade deals, or the UK being able to negotiate its own deals. Either seems unlikely, as the first situation means the UK having the same privileges as a member state (something the EU has ruled out), and the second sees the UK having tariff-free trade with the EU without the same obligations as a member state.


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British sweet and chocolate makers could face a 30% “sugar tax” if the UK left the European Union, a government analysis of “Brexit” warns.
Ministers have produced the first official analysis of what would happen if the UK voted to leave the European Union at the June 23 referendum.
The “dossier” has already been criticised as “Project Fear” writ large since it warns “Brexit” would lead to a "decade of uncertainty".
But David Cameron later rejected the "Project Fear" tag, claiming instead: "The only project I'm interested in is Project Fact."
David Cameron in Ipswich today: "The only project I'm interested in is Project Fact."
The document makes a series of arguments, contested by “out” campaigners, over the negative impact on jobs, trade and free movement.
One of the most striking suggestions is that British companies that export goods would face paying a new premium to trade with the EU.
Currently, British companies pay no levy on exports to the EU.
But if the UK voted to leave, and no new agreement could be signed off, exports would have to abide by World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, which would mean a “significant” hit for exporters, the document says.
It lists sugars and confectionery as facing a tariff of almost 30% and beverages and tobacco of more than 20%.
A senior government source told HuffPost UK: “It underlines the uncertainty our businesses and economy will face as no-one knows what Leave looks like. Does it mean full access to single market? Or is it some sort of Canadian-style free trade deal? Or is it the WTO option, which involves big tariffs on many products.”
Graphic from government dossier suggesting tariffs UK exporters would face under 'Brexit'
James McGrory, chief campaign spokesperson for Britain Stronger in Europe, told HuffPost UK: “Those who want Britain to leave the EU are promising a future that is more sour than sweet.
"Being in the world’s largest free trade single market means people doing the weekly shop get a good deal as we don’t have to pay taxes on imported goods. Likewise, our exporters do not face barriers when selling to the European market.
"Quitting Europe would leave shoppers out of pocket, while a vote to remain is a vote for lower prices, more jobs, and a stronger economy."
A closer look at the document reveals the word “uncertain” or “uncertainty” features eight times in the 23 pages - though seven pages are virtually blank. Here are seven of its most striking warnings.
Outside the EU, the analysis questions whether British made products exported to the EU from would face higher tariffs.
Much of the analysis revolves around Article 50, the clause of the Lisbon treaty that, if evoked, would begin divorce proceedings. In the document’s third paragraph, essaying the process, the document sets the tone.
“The process is unprecedented. No country has ever used Article 50 – it is untested. There is a great deal of uncertainty about how it would work.”
Two million UK citizens live in the EU, and access pensions, health care and other public services, and it says their specific rights to live, work and access to public services and benefits are “only guaranteed because of EU law”.
“There would be no requirement under EU law for these rights to be maintained if the UK left the EU,” it says.
The dossier references how financial services and car manufacturing in particular enjoy the favourable conditions provided by the single market.
The UK exports 1.23 million cars, more than half to the EU market, which helps support 147,000 people employed directly and a further 300,000 jobs in the wider supply chain.
But ‘Brexit’ could mean a 10 per cent tariff when exporting to the EU unless new “preferential access” was agreed with the EU.
“The impact of these negotiations would have a wide and profound impact across the UK and its economy,” it says.
It warns of farmers losing the “preferential access to the European market” from withdrawing from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy and other subsidy schemes, and again warns of the EU imposing an average tariff of 14 per cent on agricultural imports, with dairy farmers worst hit.
From access trade deals to regeneration funding for poorer regions, to joint action on hostile nations and extremists.
It says: “Sanctions against countries such as North Korea, and for some terrorist groups or individuals, are generally adopted at the EU level rather than domestically.”
Customs checks would be likely at the Northern Irish border, and questions whether people would be able to travel freely between the north and south. It suggest plaintively: “Northern Ireland would be confronted with difficult issues about the relationship with Ireland.”
UK-controlled Gibraltar could lose the right for its citizens to move freely to Spain and trade there, and cites how the border was closed from 1969 and until Spain joined the EU in 1986.
Cameron later dismissed claims that he is trying to scare voters. The PM told students in Ipswich: “The only project I’m interested in is Project Fact. Project Fact is about saying: ‘Stay in and you know what you’ll get.’”
The line drew comparisons on social media to the David Brent character in The Office, who argued his superior management style meant: "You will never work in a place like this again. This is brilliant. Fact."
How David Brent would look fronting the EU "In" campaign
The #ProjectFact was born, and was hi-jacked by anti-EU campaigners such as Nigel Farage.


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We're all familiar with the feat we've faced at one point last year or another when we needed the doctor. It was a real dilemma; do we suffer in silence and stay at home, or risk going into a high risk hospital environment for basic care?
Some problems requiring the opinion of a medical expert weren't that urgent, like consultancy for aesthetic surgery and other cosmetic procedures. You can learn more about how the pandemic affected the provision of those services to those in need, and Dr Kopelman's website is very helpful.
As for necessary care, many corporations all over the country picked up on how online patient care might be the solution to one dilemma. Recently, even giants like Amazon jumped on the bandwagon. Amazon announced that it was making its Amazon Telehealth services available to people all over the country, and it might have had you asking: what is Telehealth? Keep reading to find out.
Amazon Telehealth has been around a long time. Up till now, it was only available to the giant's Washington based employees, but Amazon recently revealed its plans to make the service available to its employees all over the 50 states.
Not only this, but Amazon is also going to invite other employers to use this service and provide it to their employees.
What exactly is Telehealth?
Amazon Telehealth is an app based patient care system that can connect patients to a healthcare professional in under 60 seconds with chat and video features.
It even has an in-person component that allows people to opt for an at-home checkup by a healthcare professional. Amazon also intends to pioneer the provision of better services to patients at their home, like COVID-19 tests, facilitating blood donations and sample collections, and even hospital level care.
How is it Different?
Since the pandemic hit the world, many companies all over the USA have attempted to establish themselves in the online care world. By making contracts directly with the employers and not health insurance companies, Amazon will be able to cut costs significantly.
What that means for the end consumer is cheaper, better medial care only one tap of your finger away.
The in-house visiting option will be available in Baltimore and a few other cities this summer, but Amazon aims to expand that to all 50 states eventually.
Why it's a Big Deal
The launch of this app over all 50 states would be the first time Amazon has put a stake in the healthcare sector that goes beyond medicine and healthcare equipment. It's also the first time Amazon has revealed what its vision for Telehealth was all along.
Given that the American healthcare industry has a value of over $3.8 trillion, Amazon is sure to make a pretty penny with this service, all the while solving a huge problem for employers all over the country.
Many sources reckon that the service would operate on a hybrid model that hasn't really been seen before, with in-person visits happening for things like medical tests and imaging, while most of the other consultations would be online.
Will Insurance Cover it?
No one is sure how insurance and Amazon Telehealth are going to work together. Up till now, most of the services offered to Amazon employees have been subsidized by Amazon itself, but we can count on the experts to work something out.
With the introduction of Amazon Telehealth all over the nation, many of Amazon's own employees would benefit greatly. In addition, it will better the healthcare provision for the employees of various companies that choose to take Amazon up on its offer. Perhaps many other companies will follow suit, and it could very well change how people approach the idea of healthcare throughout the world.
Ashley Lipman is an award-winning writer who discovered her passion for providing knowledge to readers worldwide on topics closest to her heart - all things digital. Since her first high school award in Creative Writing, she continues to deliver awesome content through various niches touching the digital sphere.


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TOKYO, Sept. 30 ― Japanese farmers’ group in northern Japan is set to ship locally-grown rice to China in early October, after a rice mill and two fumigation warehouses in Hokkaido received the Chinese government’s approval.
Beijing requires that imported rice be milled and fumigated at facilities certified by the Chinese government.
Previously, Japan had only one rice mill in Kanagawa prefecture, near Tokyo, and two fumigation warehouses, approved by China.
But it has changed since Chinese Premier Li Keqiang made a visit to Japan in May and agreed to authorize two new mills and five more fumigation warehouses for exports to China, a key step to access more Japanese rice in the world’s largest rice market.
One mill and two of fumigation warehouses, which have been certified recently by the Chinese government, are located in Hokkaido prefecture.
This is considered a breakthrough for the agricultural cooperatives in Hokkaido, also known as Hokuren, because it allows local rice growers to cut costs and give greater access to the Chinese market that is hungry for high-quality imports.
Hokuren has also been in talks with a Japanese subsidiary of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group to sell its locally-grown rice through online shopping market.


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| Nashik |
October 3, 2020 2:17:26 am
Dyaneshwar Pagar rues the day about four years back when he sold 115 quintals of grapes to a trader from Uttar Pradesh, who promised a rate of Rs 27 per kg, as against the Rs 25 or so others were offering.
The 34-year-old, who grows the fruit on six and onions on three of his total 9-acre holding in Khadakozar village of Nashik district’s Chandvad taluka, was paid Rs 60,000 upfront. The trader promised to clear the balance Rs 2.5 lakh within the next 2-3 days. Pagar realised something was seriously wrong when the payment did not happen even after a week and the trader stopped taking his calls.
“I had his address and after waiting for a month went to Allahabad to get my money back,” recalls Pagar, who stayed in a local hotel for seven days while trying to trace the trader. His efforts proved futile. “After spending over Rs 50,000, I returned empty-handed. All I could do was lodge a police complaint at the Chandvad station, but obviously nothing came out of it,” he admits.
For grape farmers in Nashik and pomegranate growers in Solapur and Ahmednagar, selling outside the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis is nothing new. They have been doing this even before the Maharashtra government, in July 2016, “deregulated” fruits and vegetables, by allowing their trade outside of these regulated markets.
In grapes and pomegranates, the buyers — whether traders, processors, organised retailers or exporters — mostly come to the farm-gate and load the fruits directly from there, with very little produce being traded in the mandis. Farmers typically have longstanding relationships with traders with whom they strike deals. The latter come to the vineyards/orchards when the crop is almost ready and make an initial part payment at the agreed price. The remaining amount they pay after the total quantity to be bought is harvested.
All these transactions are essentially underwritten by trust. There are no written documents here that farmers can produce if a trader was to dishonour an agreement — or simply vanish as it happened to Pagar. That also explains why someone like him isn’t particularly impressed with the recently passed law — the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 — that permits free sale and purchase of crops outside the physical premises of APMC mandis.
“It looks fine in theory. But who will guarantee my payment even though the Act says that it has to be made within three working days? And what can the police or SDM (sub-divisional magistrate) do if a trader defaults or runs away?,” asks Pagar, who sells his onions at the Pimpalgaon Baswant APMC mandi, which is around 20 km away in the neighbouring Niphad taluka.
“Some traders have sought to buy directly from my field, but my experience with grapes has made me wary of such deals. In APMCs, they have at least a mechanism to ensure payment even if the price may be less and I need to haul my produce there,” he adds.
Echoing the view is Santosh Gorade, who cultivates onion and grapes on four acres each in Takli village of Niphad taluka. “In grapes, I have no option as there is no APMC where it is traded. But onions I will continue to sell at Lasalgaon (India’s largest wholesale mandi for the bulb), though it is 10 km from my village. For farmers, security of payment is most important,” states the 38-year-old.
In APMC mandis, the farmer is usually issued a trade slip after his produce gets auctioned by the commission agent, who guarantees that the trader makes the payment for the quantities bought at the bid price. Only traders licensed by the APMC can buy from the mandis. In the event of default, the money can be recovered from the trader by encashing the bank guarantees that he is required to give for obtaining the APMC licence. The APMC also has the powers to seal the shops and offices of the commission agents and auction off these to recover the dues owed to farmers.
“There is no question of payment default by any trader in an APMC or an adathiya (commission agent) running away. Where will they go?,” says Gorade. Under the newly passed law, any dispute arising out of a transaction between a farmer and a trader is to be settled through the office of the SDM concerned. “This will never work in practice,” opines Garade.
Manikrao Patil, secretary of the Nashik unit of the Maharashtra State Grape Growers Association, claims that payment defaults to farmers in his district alone are to the tune of Rs 10-15 crore annually. “We should have a system that compels traders to register details such as their name, address and bank accounts with the local police station before they enter into transactions with growers. Otherwise, we will see more cases of duping in the coming days,” he warns.
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© The Indian Express (P) Ltd


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The company will enable processing of over 1 lakh tons of post-consumer plastic waste through collection from all of the states and Union Territories.
Since 2018, HUL has facilitated environmentally safe disposal of more than 1.2 lakh tons of post-consumer-use plastic waste.
Hindustan Unilever has partnered with various organizations for the collection of plastic waste including Saahas, Carpe, Recykal, Planet Savers, RaddiConnect, Geoycle, Ramky Enviro.
The Company is also working in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the international organization Xynteo.
Through these partnerships, material recovery facilities have been set up in Mumbai to demonstrate the feasibility of inclusive end-to-end waste management solutions.
Apart from this, the Education Department of Maharashtra, HUL and Xynteo have rolled out a digital school curriculum focused on the importance of segregation, collection and safe disposal of waste.
The program reached nearly one lakh children in Maharashtra during its pilot last year and is currently being scaled across the state.
This is in line with the commitment Hindustan Unilever has made for a circular economy. They have taken a head start on implementing the proposed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for plastic waste management.
HUL has also developed an ecosystem of partners enabling the collection and safe processing of plastic packaging waste.
This is a PRNewswire Feed; edited by Clean-Future Team


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TradeStation Unveils Crypto Trading Platform in the US
Brokerage firm Monex Group’s US subsidiary TradeStation Group, is facilitating cryptocurrency trading with the launch of TradeStation Crypto. Japan based Monex Group offers financial services across in the US, Japan, Mexico and the Europe.
TradeStation capitalizes on the brokerage business expertise of its parent company to resolve what it believes to be major concerns and cons in the prevailing crypto environment.
Earlier, Monex had applied for a money service license with all state regulators. With a money transmittal license (MTL) in place, a platform is allowed to offer both crypto-to-crypto and fiat-to-crypto pairs for trading.
John Bartleman, President of TradeStation Group, highlighted the top quality service offered to the clients:
“As the reliable brokerage brand for active and serious self-directed online traders since 2001, we now seek to extend the same kind of benefits to TradeStation Crypto customers under one umbrella.”
To begin with, TradeStation will list five major cryptos, namely Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH). In the future, the platform will start offering other cryptos in ‘approved states and countries.’
The platform, customized for crypto traders, utilizes partnerships across the globe to bring sufficient liquidity and facilitate better price discovery in a transparent manner. TradeStation Crypto also highlights that its crypto desk enables placing large volume orders without additional charges.
In a statement, TradeStation explained how its platform is different from other cryptocurrency exchanges.
“Instead of being a crypto exchange, which is typically a fragmented, self-contained market universe, TradeStation Crypto’s approach is to aggregate multiple pools of liquidity in a consolidated market datafeed combined with an intelligent order-routing system to give its customers better visibility and trade execution.”
The exclusive TradeStation crypto platform supporting cryptocurrency trading is focused on institutional investors. Other than personalized assistance, the brokerage firm boasts of offering a platform that aggregates market data, strategy creation, back-testing, also smart order routing and advanced trade handling algos.
Monex Group, which established a crypto division last year to explore opportunities, runs a plethora of brokerage firms across the globe. After aiding Coincheck to stay in business, Monex disclosed its intention to enter the US crypto market through a unique offering that satisfies institutional investors and grow further from its prevailing customer base of two million.


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On the AppleInsider podcast this week, your hosts discuss leaks surrounding the "M1X" iMac and a 2022 release, Apple's struggles to finalize Safari's design in iOS 15, incredible Q3 earnings, and more!
Apple reported Q3 2021 revenue and earnings that smashed expectations — meaning a lot of analysts were wrong. Here's what analysts predicted for Apple's June quarter, versus what Apple actually reported.
Microsoft unveiled its latest slate of Surface computers, with the Surface Pro 8 appearing to be a direct competitor to Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Here's how Microsoft's new productivity tablet stacks up against Apple's long-standing offering.
We finally have our hands on the new iPhone 13 Pro Max, the top tier of the iPhone 13 fiefdom. Yet, this year it somehow seems a little less remarkable as it no longer contains any wholly unique features to itself.
After a year of sub-$100 predictions for Apple stock, Goldman Sachs' Rod Hall has upped his 12-month price target to $130 from $83 after Apple posted another profound earnings beat for the second quarter.


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You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
This phone just can't hold its own against the Lumia 620, and we don't think the modest savings are worth it. Want more? Read on for our full review.
My first full day spent wearing Glass would be a rare one: a full day working at home. Well, almost full. I had to make a run into town to take care of some business, which proved to be a perfect opportunity to spend more time experimenting with the navigation in Glass.
You asked; you got it. When we ran our first-ever laptop buyer's guide earlier this year, many of you wrote in, requesting that we include more affordable picks (not just, you know, twelve-hundred-dollar Ultrabooks).
There's a hackerspace in San Francisco that's equipping hardware startups with the tools they need to get up and running for a mere $125 per month. A brand new issue of our weekly visits TechShop to take a gander at the industrial revolution that includes the likes of Square among its successes.


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Foreign car firms investigated by Chinese government
The longer I am involved with writing about the new car industry, the more I find that all it is interested in is solely churning out new vehicles, despite its PR-departments working hard on the smoke-and-mirrors rhetoric. Yet, the European motor industry, especially, continues to have a tough time and, despite the daily press releases that pour into my Inbox, saying how ‘wonderful’ sales are of its latest safe and green products, with meaningless percentage growth figures to substantiate the spin (although accessing actual sales figures and not just self-made manufacturer registrations is virtually impossible), unsold vehicles languish in fields all over Europe. The UK market is similarly not as rosy as one might think, just contemplate at the misfortunes affecting Honda’s Swindon plant.
To try and diversify, carmakers have been scrambling over each other to capitalise in emerging markets, the chief of which is China. Yet, they have been faced with not only a completely different culture and ethos, something that the Rover’s ‘Phoenix Four’ was criticised of underestimating to the company’s detriment, but also a totally different system of government to that of the West. As Eric Idle sang, in his ditty about the Chinese people, in the live Monte Python Show last month,
“They are still a little communese, but Americans don’t need to fret, now China has bought all their debt.” (sic).
Even so, one can understand why China, despite its internal problems, is more interested in building its own infrastructure, than making money for outsourced foreign firms.
This is one reason why many non-Chinese car companies have had to form (possibly uncomfortable) bedfellows with domestic firms, in order to gain the political nod to access the potentially-lucrative Chinese new car market. Even so, with the country’s government cracking down on foreign car firms recently, is it all going sour? Shortly after the Chinese authorities raided Mercedes Benz’s Shanghai-based office last month, Audi and Chrysler were also accused of pursuing monopoly practices. A chilling comment, from China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), was that “they will be punished accordingly in the future.”
Still, it appears that the increased scrutiny on non-domestic firms has intensified further, with today’s news that Toyota’s luxury offshoot, Lexus, is also being targeted. Although the Japanese firm insists that it is co-operating fully, the Chinese authorities still have not given more details about what constitutes a monopoly, in its view. Yet, it is thought that it is a political response to Chinese consumers complaining about the high prices of imported vehicles and associated spare parts and, if that is the case, price slashes, sanctions and fines will harm profitability. Reports have circulated that foreign companies (not solely carmakers) are feeling vulnerable in the country and some observers are reported to have suggested that multinational corporations make easy political scapegoats.
Surely, the supposedly ‘mature’ motor industry of the West realised that operating within a country, controlled by a communist government with no opposition, is fraught with such risks? Maybe the attraction of shifting new metal dwarfed those considerations? Yet, it proves that building and operating a foreign car business in China might not be the money-spinning saviour that it was once thought to be.


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Section of Horsetooth Road Shutting Down March 18 Through 21
The City of Fort Collins will be doing some work on a water line starting the evening of Wednesday, March 18, 2020, that will mean a shutdown of eastbound lanes.
Folks that need to travel eastbound on Horsetooth Road in Fort Collins, be on the alert.
The city will be closing eastbound Horsetooth at Lemay starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in order to get 'phase 1' in repairing a water line done.
The closure will be from Lemay to Lochwood, which is just about where Collndale Golf Course is. So, it's not a LONG section, but eastbound travel will be detoured onto Lemay; westbound travel will not be unaffected.
The closure should be lifted by Sunday, March 22.


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It was a rather controversial move for both users and a few government regulators, but the trend of removing the charging brick from smartphone boxes might become standard soon. Apple started it, and Samsung followed suit after mocking it. Google will soon be next because the company publicly announced that the Pixel 6 wouldn’t ship with a charger either, for the precise same and sometimes questionable reasons its peers are pushing since last year.
There are two main aspects to manufacturers’ decision to ditch the charger that shipped with smartphones. The less obvious but more understandable reason is to keep prices down, even by just a touch. Second, reducing what’s shipped within the box, which could reduce the dimensions of the box itself, and reducing the necessity to supply as many chargers as there are smartphones also reduces the general cost.
And then, there are the environmental reasons these companies are presenting because of the primary cause for the change in direction. It supposedly reduces electronic waste, but its effects are harder to quantify, especially given the practice’s new. Some countries have even forced Apple to incorporate a charger within the iPhone 12 boxes or face fines.
While it’s true that nearly everyone features a USB charger lately, things aren’t as black and white. Additionally to differences in ports and output, some phones even have proprietary fast-charging technologies which will require specific chargers to use. Finally, there’s the likelihood that the value of chargers and e-waste will just be offloaded to third-party manufacturers.
Regardless of that context, there’s probably no stopping Google from shipping the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro without chargers. With three major smartphone brands (four if you include Xiaomi) thereon train, this practice of ditching chargers might soon become the de facto standard. But, of course, that won’t stop manufacturers from advertising new fast-charging technologies, during which case you’ll find yourself buying a charger separately anyway.


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For months now, there has been speculation about the wedding plans of Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux. The most recent report in People Magazine indicates that those hoping to see the pair walk down the aisle will have to keep waiting. Wedding plans have supposedly been put on hold, as the couple finds themselves busy with home renovations and new work projects. The latest delay may cause some to wonder if Aniston and Theroux’s romance is on the rocks, but sources say that the couple is still solid. Do you think that Justin and Jennifer will be married before the end of 2013?
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Dishonored 2 will allow players to complete the game without using any special powers. The new "no powers" option is called "Flesh and Steel" mode, director Harvey Smith revealed during the YouTube Gaming E3 live show.
Both Emily Kaldwin and Corvo Attano can deny "the gift" offered to them at the start of the game, he explained, which will cause them to not receive any of their trademark supernatural abilities. This option is meant to allow for the two main styles of play: killing everyone or using stealth to avoid fighting enemies directly.
We saw much of these types of gameplay in action during Bethesda's E3 press conference last night. A lengthy demo shown at the end of the event featured many of Dishonored 2's available powers, including time-traveling and teleportation. Watch that below in anticipation of the PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One game's Nov. 11 launch.


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Nick Pappas is the kind of guy who waits in line overnight to buy the latest iPhone.
He likes bonding with other gadget geeks. With every new product, he sees new opportunity.
So when he started hearing about bitcoins, he was intrigued. A digital payment system that doesn't go through a bank or a middleman sounded revolutionary and made sense.
Pappas monitored the bitcoin market as the value fluctuated sharply, from $100 to $1,100 per coin, based on the latest news about the virtual currency. When the price hovered around $400, he bought two bitcoins from Coinbase, a San Francisco-based digital wallet company for buying and paying with bitcoins.
A month ago, Pappas started accepting bitcoins at his Flamestone American Grill in Oldsmar, becoming one of the first Tampa Bay businesses to test the virtual money. Instead of using a credit card to buy a gift card online, customers can pay with bitcoin.
So far, only one customer has used a bitcoin, but the novelty has gained Pappas a lot of attention from people curious about how the currency works. Eventually, Pappas hopes to offer it at his other restaurant, Besa Grill in Clearwater, and expand it to purchases made in the restaurants.
I give Pappas a gold star for taking a lead on this innovative, yet controversial, type of currency that, ultimately, could change how we buy things online.
Bitcoin has been around since 2009 as a fast way to make payments worldwide without the 2 to 3 percent transaction fee charged by credit card processors or PayPal. People can buy it through a private exchange or create it by completing a super complex mathematical algorithm — a bizarre process known as mining.
Bitcoin was thrust into the spotlight last year when its value spiked and the FBI seized millions of dollars worth of bitcoins from an underground drug website called Silk Road. Then, in February, Mt. Gox, once the world's biggest bitcoin exchange, filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan, saying it may have lost nearly half a billion dollars worth of the virtual coins due to hackers.
A few weeks ago, the Florida Office of Financial Regulation dove into the debate by issuing a consumer alert about bitcoins. Regulators warned that buying and trading the currency posed a risk because it isn't regulated by a bank or government and isn't insured against losses.
Supporters consider such action an inevitable obstacle for a system still working out the kinks. But its appeal to cost-conscious merchants and consumers is broad.
Pappas believes it's the way of the future and, for now at least, a good investment. "It's easy to use, instantaneous and takes the middle man out of buying anything,'' he said. "It could become another PayPal.''
He plans to hold onto any bitcoin payments, rather than convert them to cash. Each payment represents a percentage of bitcoin, rather than a dollar amount. A $50 gift card, for example, is about one-tenth of a bitcoin.
Pappas doesn't expect to gain a lot of business from bitcoins but sees huge potential for restaurants and retail businesses.
Overstock.com made recent headlines when it became the first major retailer to accept the virtual currency as payment. In the first few months, more than 4,000 customers paid for more than $1 million worth of goods with bitcoin, a tiny fraction of overall sales but impressive given the short time frame. Especially notable was that more than half of the bitcoin shoppers were new to the household goods' website.
Overstock's CEO Patrick Byrne has described bitcoins as "digital gold'' and anticipates Amazon and other retailers will follow suit in order to stay competitive.
There's no word yet whether Jeff Bezos will starting accepting bitcoin on Amazon, but many people are watching closely. If he does, you can be sure bitcoin will show up in a lot more digital wallets.
Susan Thurston can be reached at [email protected] or (813) 225-3110.


text: Home-grown boost to economy now essential, say experts Beijing needs to strengthen its education, medical, pension and other social welfare systems to encourage people to spend instead of focusing on saving for the future, the nation's top economic planner said yesterday. Ma Kai , head of the National Development and Reform Commission, told the China Development Forum in Beijing the central government must switch from relying on investment and exports to drive the economy, and focus more on stimulating domestic consumption. According to the China News Service, investment on the mainland rose to 44.8 per cent of gross domestic product last year, from 36 per cent in 2000, while consumption fell to 50.7 per cent of GDP last year from 62 per cent five years ago. 'This growth model of relying on investment and exports will increase the instability of economic growth, even though it can realise fast expansion in a short period of time,' he said. 'We need to adjust the distribution of income and raise the income level of urban residents. More important is that we must improve the lot of rural people and low-income people so that they are able and willing to spend more.' He said Beijing needed to foster growth based on innovation and technology instead of solely relying on cheap land, low wages and exploitation of resources. Advantages such as cheap labour would lose their effect as businesses were forced to spend more in other areas, such as the rising cost of production and environmental protection. 'We must push for innovations and creativity, and boost the economy through advanced technology,' Mr Ma said. 'What we have to do is to encourage consumers to change their demands for future consumption to demands that they want to realise in the near term.' Wang Mengkui, head of the State Council's Development Research Centre, told the forum China's resources constraints were more acute now than ever. 'The constraints of natural resources are more severe now than any time in the past,' Mr Wang said. 'This is a challenge we face in our quest to achieve sustainable development.' He said China faced four main limitations - resources and the environment, regional imbalances, underdevelopment of a support system to help various vulnerable social groups, and a fast-changing society with different interest groups - but said these problems were inevitable with development. Meanwhile, Tian Chengping , the minister of labour and social security, cautioned that the mainland must prepare for a fast-growing ageing population. 'As more young people flock to the cities to find jobs, the problem with elderly people left behind in the rural areas has become more acute,' Mr Tian said. More than 10 per cent of the 1.3 billion population is now over 60. He said problems with retirees would become more acute in the coming years as most of the country's privately owned businesses and self-employed individuals were not covered by insurance.


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The Apple Watch is getting a complete software makeover with watchOS 3
‘It’s going to feel like a whole new watch’
The Apple Watch has had an interesting first year of life, with a promising launch but also plenty of criticisms lobbed at it across the board. Apple may have found a way to silence the haters, however. At WWDC 2016, the company revealed the latest version of watchOS—and it completely changes how most people will use their Apple smartwatches.
With watchOS 3, the Apple Watch is gaining something that Mac users have relied on for years: a dock. The new dock appears as a series of small dots on the bottom of the watch screen, and allows you to scroll through whatever apps you have customized to reside there. The apps in the doc remain live so there is no lag when switching between apps, which has been a huge issue for the device since its launch.
There’s also a major update to how Watch users can reply to messages. In watchOS 2, you can reply via pre-made blurbs or emoji, or resort to dictation and have the watch write out a reply for you, but these tools aren’t ideal in many situations. Now, a new watchOS 3 feature called Scribble lets you actually write out a reply right on the watch screen by drawing letters one at a time.
If you’re into meditation, a new app called Breathe will guide you through brief deep-breathing exercises right from the watch, and you can customize how long you’d like your session to last. The watch will track your heart rate throughout the exercise to give you an idea of how well you’ve been able to relax throughout each session.
Despite all these great features, the one upgrade that is likely to make the most difference for current Apple Watch users is a dramatic increase in responsiveness when navigating the device. No direct improvement stats were offered, but in a demonstration of the software’s new speed, taps and app launches happened virtually instantly, compared to the laggy, seconds-long delay that currently plagues the device and many of its apps.
Mike Wehner is a former tech editor for the Daily Dot who now writes for BGR. His work has appeared everywhere from Yahoo to CNN, and there’s a good chance his Apple Watch is dead right now.


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EPA Fails to Ban Toxic Chemical in Flea Collars and Pet Products; Ignores Health Risks to Kids
WASHINGTON (November 7, 2014) – In a major public health setback that will allow pet product companies to continue use of a hazardous neurotoxin called tetrachlovinphos (TCVP) in flea control products, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today denied Natural Resources Defense Council’s 2009 petition seeking to cancel all pet uses of the toxic chemical TCVP because of the risks to kids.
Miriam Rotkin-Ellman, senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), issued the following statement:
“EPA continues to put the cognitive development of millions of pet-loving kids at risk. Unfortunately, EPA has once again relied on faulty assumptions and extrapolations that don’t reflect the vulnerability of kids.
“Brain and nervous system-harming chemicals, like TCVP, are too dangerous to have in our homes, on our pets, and around our kids. Allowing them to stay on the market based on shoddy assessments is irresponsible. Families shouldn’t have to worry about the products available at their local pet store. EPA’s failure to protect kids is unacceptable.”
In light of EPA’s failure to protect kids, pet-loving families will need to watch out for toxic pet products on the shelves. NRDC’s guide can help pet owners choose safer options and pet stores like PetCo and PetSmart can protect their customers by ensuring the safety of merchandised products. NRDC continues to evaluate EPA’s response to its petition.
In February 2014, NRDC filed a lawsuit in federal court against the EPA seeking the agency to respond to NRDC’s petitions to cancel all manufacturer registrations and uses of neurotoxic pesticides propoxur and tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP) used in popular pet flea treatment products. Due to concerns that the products can harm children’s more vulnerable developing brains and nervous systems, the agency severely restricted household use of other known neurotoxic pesticides. Sergeant’s Pet Care Products, Inc., Wellmark International and Hartz were among flea collars brands that NRDC called out for use of these hazardous chemicals.
Spurred by NRDC’s 2009 petition and 2014 lawsuit filing, in March 2014, EPA announced an agreement with Sergeant’s Pet Care Products, Inc. and Wellmark International to cancel the use of propoxur in flea collars due to risk posed to the brain and nervous systems of kids – but did not address related use of other dangerous chemicals, including TCVP.
Prior to NRDC’s February 2014 lawsuit filing, EPA failed to respond to NRDC petitions seeking a ban on these two chemicals. NRDC first petitioned EPA to cancel propoxur uses in pet collars in 2007. For TCVP, NRDC filed a petition in April 2009 to cancel all pet uses of TCVP based on research and the findings in its Poison on Pets II report, which found unsafe levels of pesticide residues on dogs and cats after a flea collar is used. Residue levels detected in this study were found to be high enough to pose serious risks to the neurological system of children at levels that greatly exceed EPA's acceptable levels.
For more information on EPA’s response and safe methods of pet flea control, see these related links:
- To view EPA’s response: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0308
- For more about the latest on toxic pet collar pesticide science, see NRDC health scientist Miriam Rotkin-Ellman’s blog: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/mrotkinellman/
- Learn more about safer methods of pet flea control at NRDC’s Green Paws product guide: http://www.simplesteps.org/greenpaws-products.


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The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is planning to pilot Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons in Los Angeles’ Union Station to track a commuter’s journey and send out relevant information directly to their smartphone. “If the pilot program goes well, the beacons could spread across Los Angeles County to reach hundreds of thousands of commuters on Metro’s sprawling network of bus and rail lines,” LA Times reports.
- ABN Amro pilots wearable payments with select customers
- Danske Bank brings Apple Pay to customers in Northern Ireland
- Dankort gets lockscreen mobile payments and Touch ID support
- Punchh brings Apple Pay to restaurant loyalty program
- East London gets local currency built on the blockchain


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The EL brand new machine D58 broke the news again, and the memory and screen have been greatly improved.
In 2019, the EL brand launched a number of new mobile phones. Over time, there have been more and more news about EL mobile phones on the Internet. Recently, EL D58 has new news, memory, screen, camera and other configurations. There is a big improvement. Let's take a look at what's new in this new phone.
First of all, from the appearance, EL D58 is still a popular full-screen design of water droplets, 6.22-inch screen, screen ratio of 89%, ultra-wide 19:9 visual experience, resolution of 1520 * 720, the screen in color accuracy The important parameters such as brightness, contrast and pixel density are outstanding, and the experience is clear and smooth. It delivers great performance, faster responsiveness, smoother sliders and smoother graphics.
In terms of configuration, the EL D58 is equipped with an efficient MTK6739 quad-core processor, the memory is upgraded to 2GB+16GB, the operation is faster and smoother, and the storage memory can be expanded to 128GB, which does not need to worry about the lack of memory space.
On the camera side, the EL D58 uses a wide-angle 5-megapixel front camera and a 4P lens to provide better picture quality, a self-portrait for a confident self-timer, and a rear dual camera, a 5 megapixel main camera and a The secondary camera has F2.0 large aperture and ultra-fast auto focus function. The picture quality is clear and the color reproduction is high. The whole picture is clean and the layers are clear. It’s great to take a photo with EL D58 on the go.
In terms of battery life, the phone has also been upgraded, and the battery capacity has been increased to 3000 ml. With EL's own power-saving technology, you can continue to play all day without charging.
In summary, the EL D58 has undergone a major upgrade from all aspects, but the price/performance ratio is still high, and the feeling of being impressed immediately wants to have it.


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Google Previews Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro Smartphones; Pixel Tablet Coming in 2023 [VIDEO]
Google today unveiled a lot of new features and products at its Google I/O 2022 developer event.
Also teased were the company’s next Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones, coming this fall. Google says these phones will have the next version of its in-house made Google Tensor chip.
The design of the Pixel 7 has extended the aluminum finish to the entire rear camera bar, while the Pixel 7 Pro has a triple-camera system on the back, that “sets a completely new standard for photography.” The aluminum housing is one piece that’s surrounded by glass.
These new Pixel 7 phones will have the next generation of the Google Tensor system-on-chip, and both phones will ship with Android 13.
Google Pixel Tablet
Google also teased its upcoming Pixel Android tablet, set to debut in 2023 and also powered by its Google Tensor chip. The company said it wanted to preview the tablet today, due to the excitement in the developer community when it comes to tablet development. But likely it could be the fact the company wants to get ahead of leaks.
“Built to be the perfect companion for your Pixel phone, our tablet will blend into your day-to-day routine and help connect the moments you’re on the go with the moments you’re at home. We hope to have more to share here in 2023, so stay tuned,” said Google.
Check out the full Google I/O from today in the video above.


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After a slump, call center employment’s on the rise again
The company is big on sustainability and thinks its central-city location will allow employees to walk to work or take public transit.
In April, the Texas-based digital marketing agency will move its office from the Lumber Exchange Building to Plaza Seven.
Columbus reminds Klarna co-founder Sebastian Siemiatkowski of Stockholm, Sweden, and that, along with a connection to a local venture capitalist, helped seal the deal to bring the company here.
A European provider of payment services for online merchants will base its U.S. operations in Columbus with plans to add 82 jobs.
An e-commerce payment services giant in Europe appears ready to use Columbus as a base for its expansion into North America.
The deals are part of a strategy to be in major and secondary distribution markets.
Among Anadarko's employees in the state, more than 90 graduated from the School of Mines.
Westlake Village's Conversant leads a roundup of earnings for Southern California companies.
The top executives were the only head honchos of companies with major ties to North Texas to receive the honor created by the Harvard Business Review.
Alliance Data Systems Corp.’s Lenexa office celebrates an expansion project that will allow it to doubled its head count in the next three years.
Dallas-based LaunchAbility, which provides services for people with developmental disabilities, plans to increase the number of disabled clients the company places by 30 percent. The CEO explains how companies benefit.


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This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Americans, according to a pollster, now "have reached a national moment of awareness" and are ready to begin boycotting Chinese-made products.
"Previous polling we conducted have repeatedly shown that Americans are taking the threat from the Chinese Communist government seriously and want President Biden and the U.S. government to take decisive action in containing the threat from China," explained Mark Meckler, president of the Convention of States.
"What is notable in this poll though is that Americans are so concerned about the threat posed by the Chinese government that they are willing to take action themselves to restrict China’s manufacturing monopoly that feeds the CCP beast. We have reached a national moment of awareness and understanding."
The newest polling was done by the Convention of States Action, in partnership with The Trafalgar Group. The work was done March 20-22 and included responses from over 1,000 likely general election voters.
It showed 78.7% said, "they would be willing to stop purchasing Chinese products as a means to help counter the aggressive actions of the Chinese Communist Party and lessen America's dependence on Chinese manufacturing."
Ten percent said they'd continue buying Chinese products no matter what, and 11% were uncertain.
The loyalty to American products was much higher among Republicans.
A total of 92.1% of Republican voters said they'd join a boycott of Chinese products, but only 74.2% of Democrats were in agreement. Independents ranked even lower.
The pollster reported, "67.1 percent of Independent voters say they would be willing to stop purchasing Chinese products as a means to help counter the aggressive actions of the Chinese Communist Party and lessen America's dependence on Chinese manufacturing. 19 percent are not willing and 13.9 percent are not sure."
A report at Just the News said the results come at a time when tensions between the United States and China are running high.


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While some cars inspire love and devotion in owners, others provoke fear and loathing, Here are the 25 most hated cars in American history.
The 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid sets a new standard for SUV fuel economy, out-muscles every other RAV4, and barely costs more than the ’18 edition. Here’s everything you need to know about the all-new model following a first drive.
Does the 2019 Toyota RAV4 live up to its considerable hype? After a day driving different models of the fully redesigned crossover, the answer started to become clear.
While electrics and hybrids are known for higher depreciation, some models have held their value well. These 7 green cars had the lowest depreciation in recent years.
While it will still run on the same platform, the Toyota Tundra is getting some updates for 2019. Here’s what’s new for the upcoming model year.
In places where the roads are poorly maintained, drivers face added danger and high vehicle repair costs. Here are the 10 cities with the most crumbling roads in America.
While past plug-in hybrids from BMW were nothing special, the new 330e will change that narrative. Here’s a close look at the powerful and greener 3 Series plug-in.
For the 12th generation, Toyota brought added power and a good deal of the style to the redesigned Corolla. Here’s what’s coming in the all-new model for 2020.
It may not be the M3, but BMW’s new performance sedan can outrace cars wearing that badge. Here’s a close look at the 2020 M340i.
Mazda’s popular compact SUV got a turbo engine and more style for 2019. Here’s everything new in the CX-5 this model year.


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Feminism | Posted by Jocelyn A on 11/18/2010
“Feminist” Advertisements: Exploitation or Progress?
Peggy Orenstein’s “The Way We Live Now” piece in New York Times Magazine a couple months ago explores what she calls the “empowerment mystique,” or using themes of girl power to sell products that have nothing to do with promoting equality. She mentions several recent commercials by companies selling products unrelated to gender or discrimination, such as Verizon and Target, which send a message of empowerment for girls and women. This kind of ad, she claims, manipulates people to associate the company with sincerity and hopefulness. It is also a reflection of a society in which women hold the majority of jobs, and earn more bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctorates than men.
Orenstein draws a distinction between the Verizon ad, which shows a …


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MCLAREN has revealed its fastest ever road car – the 250mph Speedtail.
Described as the modern version of the F1, the three-seater comes with an incredible price tag.
Marketed at £1.75million, anyone wanting to own one of the British supercars will have to fork out around £2.1million after taxes.
And while replacing one of the greatest cars of all time is no easy task, McLaren’s latest supercar entry has plenty to shout about in its own right.
Built with a 5.2-metre-long sweeping body, it’s designed to be as aerodynamic as possible while still offering plenty for the eye to enjoy.
Including an all-carbon fibre body, aluminium active suspension and carbon ceramic brakes, the flashy motor boasts a petrol-electric hybrid engine capable of 1,035bhp.
That gives the car the power to accelerate from 0-186mph in an eye-watering 12.8 seconds.
But arguably the most interesting feature of the Speedtail is its interior setup.
Fitted with just three seats, the driver is centrally located in the cockpit, just like the famous McLaren F1.
The racing-inspired position places a passenger either side of the driver in the teardrop-shaped compartment.
And unlike most supercars, this one is actually built for grand touring rather than track performance, meaning the British marque hasn’t skimped on the luxury inside.
Interior is trimmed with carbon fibre, aniline leather and other exclusive materials, which can be customised through the McLaren Special Operations department.
The Speedtail is due for delivery in 2020, with McLaren offering an exclusive line of just 106 cars.
Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive, said: “McLaren has never built a vehicle like the Speedtail before.
“As our first ‘Hyper-GT’, the Speedtail is the ultimate McLaren road car; a fusion of art and science that combines an astonishing maximum speed with an iconic central-driving position and a truly pioneering approach to bespoke personalisation.
“A ground-breaking hybrid powertrain sits within a lightweight carbon fibre body reminiscent of sleek ‘streamliners’ that once set world speed records, while the luxurious three-seat cockpit offers a sublime combination of an incredible driving experience, unmatched individualism and innovative materials never seen before in a road-going vehicle.”


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The holidays are just around the corner and a nonprofit in Bismarck could use your help.
YouthWorks is an organization that helps homeless, runaway, trafficked, and struggling youth throughout North Dakota. But the COVID 19 pandemic has made this year challenging so the staff says they need your help.
YouthWorks has been serving the Bismarck area since 1986. Right now, there are 17 people in their care and it’s not slowing down.
Tesa Curtiss, the Transitional Living Program coordinator at YouthWorks says, “I would say we’ve been fairly busy this year during the pandemic helping to find emergency shelter for some of these young adults who we’ve come across.”
In a typical year, YouthWorks has several holiday events that residents can attend. But due to social distancing guidelines, events are few and far between.
Curtiss says, “This year because of the pandemic, we’ve found a way to be able to still do something. Just a short little opportunity for them to still come to say hi. We can give them their gift and
wish them a merry Christmas.”
And to make that happen, the staff are asking for donations for the upcoming season.
Caitlin Schafer, the Parenting Pathways coordinator at YouthWorks says, “Diapers, wipes, bottles, formula — Things that our clients might need that can be really expensive. If you’re a parent you know exactly how much those things cost.”
Curtiss adds, “We’re always in need of those non-perishable food items for our pantry.”
She says specifically Walmart or Target gift card would help too.
Curtiss says, “We’d be able to purchase some of those gift items –toys, books those kinds of things.”
By donating you will help young adults and families enjoy a safe and positive holiday this season.
Both Curtiss and Schafer say they’re even setting up a little shop at YouthWorks filled with
items for the young families to shop for some holiday items themselves.
If you are interested in donating, click here for contact information.


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Yahoo Inc. yesterday made available a new device that allows consumers to use their Web-enabled, wireless phones to access local information quickly.
Called Yahoo Local Info, company officials said the information would be specific to any geographical location in the United States. It also will provide data such as addresses, distances, directions and click-to-call phone numbers for local businesses and services across the country.
“One of the great promises of accessing the Web from a wireless device has been the ability to retrieve personalized, timely and location-relevant information,” said Sridhar Ranganathan, general manager of Yahoo Everywhere. “Yahoo Everywhere is focused on understanding mobile lifestyles and becoming increasingly essential to consumers by providing access to the information they need, when and where they want it.”
Users will be able to access the service by clicking the Yahoo Local name on Web-enabled phones, then entering their current address, ZIP code, city or state location. Once they have entered that information, a number of local businesses and events will appear over the screen.
Yahoo Local users will also have access to a number of other Yahoo Inc. properties, including Yahoo Yellow Pages, Yahoo Restaurant and Yahoo Entertainment.


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A patch designed to help alleviate the ongoing online problems faced by Halo: The Master Chief Collection will not arrive tomorrow as planned.
The game has since release battled with issues preventing players successfully finding matches online – issues that developer 343 has yet to fully resolve.
This week's content update, which was originally scheduled for release this Wednesday (November 19th) will now be releasing later this week to allow for additional fixes, as well as the completion of the testing and certification process,” the studio said.
This content update includes a variety of fixes across the title, including matchmaking performance issues, general UI and game stability improvements, as well as fixes for game-game specific issues. Thank you for your continued patience.”
In the meantime Xbox boss Phil Spencer has been apologising to fans directly on Twitter.
Sorry about the issues. I know our fans expect more from us. Team is making progress but I know it's still disappointing,” he said. We have to do better with the matchmaking, apologies for that. Team is working around the clock.”


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Harvey bets retail spree will go on and on
Retailer Gerry Harvey wants to make a bet with economist Chris Richardson of Access Economics. A big bet of, say, $10,000.
Quite possibly Mr Richardson would say he has more to lose, as a proportion of total income perhaps or as a ratio of his net assets, than Mr Harvey, the billionaire founder of retail chain Harvey Norman, its executive chairman and biggest shareholder.
Mr Richardson, however, firmly believes that Australia's booming retail sector is about to endure a fairly sharp downturn that will begin next year and reach its nadir in mid-2006.
And the retail sector that Mr Richardson believes will be most affected is household durables: carpets, curtains, appliances, furniture, big electronic items - precisely the spread of retail merchandise that Mr Harvey has made a motza from in recent years.
"Retail spending growth will slow," Mr Richardson told the Impetus logistics conference in Melbourne yesterday.
"It won't happen immediately - Canberra is pumping out an enormous amount of money, a stunning amount of money.
"But it will slow, and Gerry Harvey is a good example of a retailer who is most at risk from a retail slowdown."
Mr Harvey firmly disagrees. He says consumer spending is more likely to rise than to fall.
Like Mr Richardson, Mr Harvey does not believe house prices will rise or fall much.
But he believes that, barring external shocks such as another devastating terrorist attack or significantly higher oil prices, consumers will continue to feel wealthy and so will continue to spend.
Mr Harvey yesterday unveiled a solid increase in September quarter sales, with all Harvey Norman's owned and franchised stores booking $978.5 million of sales, up 12.8 per cent.
Stripping out sales from newly opened stores - Mr Harvey said up to 15 were opened in the past year - Harvey Norman's sales rose a more modest 6 per cent in the September quarter.
Sales in July were buoyed by Federal Government handouts of $600 a child to 2 million families, payments that were delivered in the last week of June and largely spent during July, and by tax cuts after July 1.
But Mr Harvey said sales in August and September fell after the launch of the federal election campaign.
"We would expect October, November and December to be better than August and September," he said.
Harvey Norman shares closed 2c higher at $2.93.


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BordeauxJune 21, 2020
“Bordeaux wines say THANK YOU” : a charitable fund-raising project in aid of health professionals
For several weeks now, many wine professionals, winegrowers, merchants and brokers have been wondering how the Bordeaux wine industry can give its support to health professionals in the Bordeaux region, working on the front line of the extreme health crisis we are facing at present.
All Bordeaux wine professionals have suggested putting together in a few weeks a vast charitable fund-raising project, to be held at the dates initially planned for the Bordeaux Wine Festival. It will be an online wine auction called “Bordeaux wines say THANK YOU”, in aid of health professionals in the Gironde : www.lesvinsdebordeauxleurdisentmerci.com
It will be carried out in three phases:
First phase: Women and men of the Bordeaux wine industry launch an appeal for donations between 15th April and 15th June. Wine estates, wine trade firms, the CIVB and also wine tourism professionals; everyone will be contacted to be asked to give donations, in this way making it possible to put together a catalogue of lots to be auctioned.
Concurrently, details about this project will be circulated via media partners of the Bordeaux Wine Festival.
Second phase: in the week of 15th to 21st June, period of the Bordeaux Wine Festival, the online auction will be launched. The auction will close on Sunday 21st June at midnight.
Third phase: at the beginning of July, 100% of the sum raised during this auction will be presented to Yann Bubien, Managing Director and Frédérique Albertoni, Patronage Manager of Bordeaux’s University Hospital, in order to finance the purchase of equipment and improve working conditions for healthcare staff working in hospitals all over the Gironde department.


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A San Francisco-based robotics company is front and center in a push to decarbonize after getting a huge boost from online retail giant Amazon.
Glacier is a robotics-artificial intelligence company whose ambitious mission is to end waste. It focuses on recycling – specifically developing the technology to streamline sorting through recycled materials.
From a climate change perspective, recycling is a big problem that a lot of people have been working on for a long time, yet there remain challenges to reclaiming and repurposing volumes of waste.
According to Glacier, Americans send 1.4 million tons of waste to recycling facilities every week. Co-founders Rebecca Hu and Areeb Malik say they both came from Big Tech, and what they saw there was cutting-edge techonology that wasn’t being used to solve critical problems.
“We both actually had the impetus to take modern technology, modern AI, modern robotics and apply it to a problem that really needed solving so our planet isn’t paying the price for our consumption,” Malik said.
Amazon took notice and recently invested in Glacier to help the company work towards its goal of zero emissions by 2040.
“Glacier is really the next evolution in that step to allow us to better pick out certain commodities as they are going across the recycling mainstream and learn about what plastics, what cardboards are actually successfully being recycled,” Amazon’s Nick Ellis said.
Once Amazon understands what is successfully being recycled, they plan to change their packaging on the front end so recycling isn’t just reactive, which is how both companies see the next generation of recycling.
Source: NBC Bay Area


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Martin Brinkmann is a journalist from Germany who founded Ghacks Technology News back in 2005. Martin started his career as a tech support representative at a large German financial corporation which he used to finance his college education in English, Information Technology and History.
He quit college and his job when Ghacks began to attract a large enough readership. He made the decision to become a full time blogger and webmaster, and has not looked back since.
Martin is interested in all things tech. His primary focus is on desktop operating systems, web browsers, Internet services, and privacy related topics.
He published the book The Complete Windows 10 Privacy Guide: Windows 10 Fall Creators Update version in 2017. Martin writes a weekly column for fellow tech site Betanews as well.
Martin has been quoted or mentioned in many major online and print publications, including Forbes, Lifehacker.com, ComputerWorld, LinkedIn, Reddit, Betanews.com, Bleeping Computer, TechCrunch, PC World, Tom's Hardware, Slashdot, Hacker News, The Register, and more.
Martin's articles on Ghacks
Microsoft released the final version of Windows 10 version 1903, the May 2019 Update, at the end of May 2019. The release replaces Windows 10 version 1809 and will be around for […]
Valve Software, the company behind the Steam gaming platform, launched Steam Labs yesterday on the official Steam website. Steam Labs makes available experiments and tests to Steam users who want to participate. […]
Devices like Google Home, Google Assistant or Amazon's Alexa have risen in popularity in recent years. Their main purpose is to make life easier for people, by answering questions or controlling certain […]
How to Hack from Beginner to Ethical Hacking Certification is a big hacking-related eLearning bundle. It includes eight different ethical hacking courses for $39. Access is provided for lifetime, certification of completion […]
Microsoft released security updates for all supported operating systems on the July 2019 Patch Day. Windows 7 administrators get to choose between a security-only update or a monthly rollup update. The main […]
Dropbox unveiled a new product called Dropbox Transfer the other day. The new service is currently available to select customers only but will become available to all Dropbox users in the near […]
The Pale Moon team announced on July 10, 2019 that its archive server was hacked and used to spread malware. The team detected the breach on July 9, 2019 and shut down […]
A new version of the free Office suite FreeOffice 2018 by SoftMaker called the Anniversary Update is now available for all supported desktop operating systems. FreeOffice 2018 by German company SoftMaker is […]
VX Search is a powerful desktop search program for Windows that is available as a free version and commercial versions. Windows Search, the built-in search function of the Windows operating system, does […]
Dr. Mario World is Nintendo's latest mobile game. The game is now available for Android and iOS devices, and gamers from all over the world can download and install the game on […]
Microsoft released security updates and non-security updates for Microsoft Windows (client and server) and other company products on the July 9, 2019 Patch Day. Our overview provides system administrators, organizations, and home […]
The Ultimate AWS Data Master Class Bundle is a big eLearning bundle. It includes 9 different courses and is available for $39 at the time of writing. Certification of completion is included […]
So-called lite apps are quite en vogue right now. Lite apps are designed for low-end mobile devices or regions with slow Internet speeds. The apps are streamlined, use less resources and work […]
Microsoft revealed in a forum post on the official Microsoft Answers forum that it plans to shut down games servers for games that require Internet connectivity for its Windows 7, Windows XP, […]
Firefox 68.0 is a new major version of the Firefox web browser. The release date of the new stable version of Firefox is July 9, 2019. All Firefox channels are updated on […]
Google Chrome may soon get a Play Control button in the Chrome taskbar when a video or other media is playing in the browser. May, because the feature is tested currently. While […]
ABC-Update is a free program for Microsoft Windows devices to manage and control when Windows updates are delivered to computers in a network. The application is available as a command line version […]
Microsoft released a new beta version of the company's Swiftkey keyboard application for Android recently. The new beta release comes with a new feature called Puppets. Puppets works similarly to the Animoji […]
Ghacks is a technology news blog that was founded in 2005 by Martin Brinkmann. It has since then become one of the most popular tech news sites on the Internet with five authors and regular contributions from freelance writers.


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Pfizer Inc. PFE 0.37 % is forging ahead in its quest to sell an over-the-counter version of blockbuster cholesterol pill Lipitor, hoping to overcome skepticism that consumers can take the drug appropriately without doctor guidance.
New uncertainty surrounds Pfizer's prospects because of recent changes in clinical guidelines for treating people with cholesterol-lowering statin drugs such as Lipitor. The recommendations eschew familiar and relatively easy-to-understand targets for cholesterol levels in favor of a more complex assessment of health factors.
A co-author of the guidelines says they don't support the use of a statin without the participation of a physician. But some doctors and pharmacists say an over-the-counter statin could still be useful.
Pfizer recently started a 1,200-patient clinical trial to test if consumers taking a nonprescription Lipitor get their own blood tests to see if the medicine is improving their cholesterol and then make the right decisions based on the results. Lipitor and its generic equivalents currently are available only with a prescription. Doctors typically order blood tests to monitor cholesterol levels, and watch for side effects such as muscle weakness.
The trial, which is recruiting patients through more than 35 U.S. pharmacies, is expected to be completed by year-end. The results will determine whether Pfizer applies for U.S. regulatory approval. If approved, it would become the first over-the-counter version of a statin.
Over-the-counter Lipitor could be a boon to Pfizer by helping recapture a portion of the market it has lost since low-cost generic versions hit the market beginning in late 2011. Pfizer's Lipitor sales tumbled to $2.3 billion last year from a peak of nearly $13 billion in 2006. Goldman Sachs estimates that over-the-counter Lipitor could generate more than $1 billion in annual sales.
Pfizer Chief Executive Ian Read says the company is putting significant resources behind its over-the-counter effort and that the start of the clinical trial was "an important milestone."
The New York company hasn't disclosed how much it would charge for the drug. Manufacturers make generic versions that sell for 50 cents to $5 a pill.
Pfizer says an over-the-counter Lipitor would help close a "treatment gap" for people at risk of heart attacks and strokes who don't currently take a statin. The company also says the drug could generate savings for the health-care system by getting more people on treatment, possibly warding off costly health problems down the line.
"The OTC status is another access point," says Mark Gelbert, a senior vice president of global research and development with Pfizer's consumer health-care unit. "It's our responsibility to demonstrate patients can safely and effectively use these products."
But there are long-standing and newer potential obstacles for an over-the-counter Lipitor. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected proposals by Merck & Co. MRK -1.74 % to sell an OTC version of the statin Mevacor, amid doubts that consumers could correctly choose to take a statin on their own or sufficiently monitor themselves for changes in cholesterol levels and side effects.
Pfizer says it hopes to persuade regulators to approve OTC Lipitor by using "new and creative ways" to communicate instructions for use. Pfizer declines to specify how its approach would differ from Merck's.
How the new treatment guidelines could affect the product's prospects is unclear. The updated recommendations, unveiled last fall by a panel formed by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, could more than double the number of people who qualify for statin therapy. But by scrapping long-standing recommendations that bad cholesterol levels be reduced to specific targets—say, 100 milligrams a deciliter—the guidelines arguably make the decision to take statins more complicated.
The guidelines use a combination of risk factors to identify certain groups of people who would benefit from taking a statin, such as people who have had a heart attack.
A co-author of the guidelines, Neil Stone, says they don't support the use of OTC statins. "The new guidelines insist on a patient-clinician discussion before a statin prescription is written," says Dr. Stone, a cardiologist and professor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. He says doctors can ensure appropriate dosage and discuss healthful lifestyle changes.
Some doctors fear that the availability of an OTC statin would cause consumers to undertreat their cholesterol because the proposed over-the-counter version is the lowest dose of Lipitor, 10 milligrams. Prescription doses go up to 80 milligrams.
"There's a chance that a lot of people would take less than needed," says Steven Nissen, chairman of the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic.
Other doctors say the removal of specific cholesterol targets could make it easier for patients to take an OTC statin. Once patients know they are in a risk group identified by the new guidelines—for which the low-dose level in over-the-counter Lipitor is appropriate—they could buy the product off the shelf and not worry about treating to a specific target.
"On balance, the new guidelines would be a benefit to those who say the drug ought to be OTC," says Doug Campos-Outcalt, chairman of the department of family, community and preventive medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix.
In the Pfizer study that was begun in October, participants are given an empty box of the proposed OTC Lipitor at a pharmacy and left alone to read and follow the directions. Pfizer declines to say whether the label addresses the new guidelines, but patients need to know their baseline level of bad cholesterol. If they don't know, some pharmacies will offer in-store blood tests. If consumers decide they meet the criteria for using the product, they can purchase it and enroll in the trial, taking a pill once daily for 26 weeks.
Among other factors, the study will track what percentage of users comply with directions to get cholesterol levels checked again in six weeks, and whether consumers should continue to take the drug if it is working, or consult with a doctor if it isn't.
Write to Peter Loftus at email@example.com


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BENGALURU: Hundreds of delivery executives of online food ordering app Zomato took part in a rally, protesting against the company for cutting down their incentives and other benefits.
While over 800 delivery executives took out a bike rally on Saturday, over 300 others held a protest march in Electronics City, on Sunday. The executives alleged that the company has been cutting down on their commission, incentives and other benefits that were offered to them earlier.
“When I joined in November last year, I was paid a minimum of Rs 40 per delivery, within a 4-km range. New entrants today are getting a paltry sum of Rs 15 to Rs 18 for the same,” said a delivery boy.
Earnings of Rs 600 per day would qualify for an incentive of Rs 200 earlier. However, with a large number of executives on the job, it is difficult for any delivery executive to meet the target.
“Taking advantage of the increased number of delivery partners in the business, the company is cutting down on the number of delivery orders assigned per person deliberately, so we lose out on incentives,” said Anantha, a delivery partner.
Activists stated that the term ‘freelancers’ or ‘delivery partners’ is used for these executives to avoid employee benefits. “This is a ploy to deprive them of the status of an employee, which otherwise would have become mandatory for the company to extend ESI, PF and other benefits. The series of protests in other metro cities suggests the urgent need for unionisation” said Vinay Sarathy, an activist at All India Democratic Youth Organisation, the forum which is trying to unite delivery partners into a group.


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Andrea Stairs, Managing Director of eBay Canada, testified before the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations during a budget consultation hearing on October 31.
At the hearing, Andrea provided eBay’s perspective on next steps the Canadian government should take to promote a robust and solvent postal system. Her testimony, which built on eBay seller Maureen Lyons’s testimony to the committee earlier this month, focused on the role Canada Post plays in supporting small business ecommerce in the country. Andrea also emphasized in her testimony that the government should be forward-looking in reform efforts and suggested that an update to Canada’s de minimis threshold would increase much-needed parcel volume for the Post.
The Canadian government is seeking input from stakeholders on recommendations for federal action that would encourage a reliable postal system in Canada. By weighing in now, eBay was able to ensure that Members of Parliament appreciate the role Canada Post plays in supporting small business ecommerce in Canada.
Going forward, eBay will continue to build upon this positive understanding and promote the interest of our hundreds of thousands of online entrepreneurs in Canada.


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Innovative car manufacturer Tesla Motors (NASDAQ:TSLA) has once again poached a veteran employee away from Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). As first reported by Mark Gurman at 9to5Mac, Tesla hired Rich Heley in November, the same month the manufacturing specialist departed Apple. According to his LinkedIn (NYSE:LNKD) profile, Heley was hired as Tesla’s Senior Director of Manufacturing Technology.
Heley first began working for Apple in 2003 as a supply base engineer responsible for the manufacturing of many products, including the iMac G5, the Mac mini, the iPod shuffle, and the Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) PowerBook. In 2005, Heley worked as a senior mechanical process engineer in China followed by a stint as the senior manager of the iPhone engineering team from 2006 to 2009. In his work with the iPhone team, Heley oversaw the manufacturing process development for the first three generations of iPhone.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Heley later became the senior manager responsible for the mechanical manufacturing of the iPod, iPhone, and other accessory product groups before being promoted to director in 2011. Heley finished his career at Apple as the director of alloy engineering. In this role, he helped develop “new materials and manufacturing processes to enable product innovation.”