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Under the guidance of the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis, a collaborative group of private, public and nonprofit innovators are working to make the Bluff City into a hub for blockchain technology.
Blockchain is an emerging trend that has wide applications in the flow of goods and data. For Memphis, with its endless stream of goods flowing through the airport, railyards and interstates, blockchain seems a natural fit.
“The nature of blockchain allows you to, at a larger scale, share more data, more resiliently and reliantly, and transparently for any sort of network. Obviously, for Memphis, that’s a big deal because we are the largest logistics hub in North America,” said Cody Behles, associate director for innovation and research support at the FedEx Institute of Technology (FIT).
Four years ago, FIT identified the power in leveraging the technology in Memphis and started putting a plan into action to foster blockchain that included educating potential early adopters with workshops, building research capacity at the university and creating a collaborative business space in the UMRF Research Park, which opened this year at 460 S. Highland Street.
Memphis is unique among major metropolitan areas. The city really only has one comprehensive research institution, and that’s the University of Memphis.
“We have UT [University of Tennessee] for medical sciences, but for everything else there is only one large research institution,” added Behles.
This fact puts Memphis at a competitive disadvantage with San Francisco, Boston or Atlanta, for example, which are home to several major universities. Talent is attracted to the opportunities for research. So are many businesses, both large and small, eager to capitalize on emerging technology and a trained workforce to support it.
To begin to level — or even get on — the playing field, FIT changed its focus from entrepreneurship to innovation around four years ago. New efforts this year build on FIT's role as a leader in early stage technology research and innovation.
“There is a lot available for entrepreneurs, but not for what comes before you want to start a company, which is figuring out what the technology you want to build is. That has been a key focus for us,” said Behles.
Blockchain technology has the potential for use throughout the broader economy, particularly in the logistics and automotive industries, which makes Memphis a natural launching pad for this burgeoning technology. This is why the University of Memphis-affiliated institute began cultivating the research and application sides of the crypto technology three years ago by gathering interested stakeholders for a two-day workshop, “Blockchain for Professionals.”
“In that class was a lot of the people that are helping to form the blockchain community today,” said Behles.
The university hired a computer science professor, Dr. Kan Yang, in 2017 to spearhead research in blockchain applications.
Blockchains are growing lists of records, or blocks. Each block is linked using cryptography. Each contains an algorithm with information from the previous block, along with a timestamp and transaction data. They are resistant to change and are managed on a peer-to-peer network, or ledger.
Practical applications of blockchain technology began in 2014 with the advent of the digital currency Bitcoin. However, the ledger technology is being transformed for use in a range of industries.
As companies have come into the University of Memphis’ UMRF Research Park, one of the things that has naturally developed is a concentration of companies interested blockchain.
“What we have is this really natural confluence of innovators working in this technology who recognize that Memphis is a resource for them. They are setting up shop in the city because of that,” said Behles.
Several companies in the Memphis research collaborative are in the process of working on applications using blockchain. One of them, San Diego-based XYO, is partnering with FIT to build the world's first people-powered location network built on blockchain technology.
“We are working pretty closely with ReMax to build out a blockchain-based title registry, a deed registry,” said Bryce Paul, XYO head of business development.
Blockchain eliminates the need for trust because it makes all transactions transparent, decentralized and secure. People can transact without knowing one another in what are called trustless transactions, so no need for a trusted third-party interaction.
For example, an e-commerce company could offer customers payment-upon-delivery services using a blockchain network like XYO. The XYO network tracks the location of a package along every step of fulfillment, from the warehouse through the shipping process, all the way to the consumer's house. This application allows retailers and websites to verify, in a trustless way, that the package arrived safely all the way inside to the home.
Once the package arrives, the shipment is marked complete and the payment is automatically processed. The integration of the e-commerce and the XYO blockchain network protects the merchant and customer from fraud. Stores like Amazon could use the XYO network to allow customers to only pay for a product once it arrives at their home.
Another application is being developed by hospitality company Booklocal, a partner in the UMRF Research Park, which sees a use for the technology in hotel reservations. Their service lets travelers search a network of hotels and connect directly to their hotel of choice using the existing public blockchain platform Ethereum.
Applications are not only in logistics, but in transportation, agriculture and commodities trading, music, film, publishing and the medical industry, too. Good Shepherd Pharmacy, a Memphis-based nonprofit pharmacy, utilizes blockchain to make unused prescription drugs available for low-income consumers.
Good Shepherd partnered with FIT and Lipscomb University in Nashville last year to develop software for a national blockchain network that connects it with other nonprofit pharmacies to facilitate the sharing of unused medication.
“Blockchain infrastructure has the potential to fundamentally change the pharmacy industry across the board,” said Dr. Phil Baker, pharmacist and founder of Good Shepherd Pharmacy.
“Beyond that, it has significant implications for those most in need right here in Memphis. It will enable us to save lives by providing medication to those who are otherwise unable to afford it.”
Tracking medications through blockchain also gives quality assurances for consumers, who generally regard the idea of recycled medications negatively.
In addition to small businesses and organizations working in the UMRF Research Park, the technology has also attracted the attention of historic institutions like FedEx Corp. and the cotton industry.
“At the FedEx Institute [of Technology], we are going to be developing solutions together to help make the FedEx supply chain more efficient, more automated, so companies like FedEx, or the DHLs of the world, are all prime targets for us,” said Paul.
The Memphis-based global delivery giant started to explore blockchain in 2017 and cemented its commitment to the technology by joining the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA) as one of its founding members in 2018. It serves on the BiTA standards board alongside tech and transportation executives to develop blockchain standards and education for the freight industry.
FedEx is focusing its Initial blockchain efforts on its freight and customers sector, evaluating the technicalities of how blockchain platforms function on the public and private side of its business.
The Seam, an online commodity exchange for cotton, headquartered in Memphis, has developed blockchain solutions for the worldwide cotton industry to improve trading. Its technology provides data transparency and traceability and enables efficiency in the global supply chain.
A corporate training platform for blockchain is under development by FIT with the hope the technology can be brought to scale and applied across all these different industries, locally and elsewhere.
“There are certain technologies that are very, very popular that are going to impact tremendously industry in Memphis. It might be blockchain. The problem is that companies want to scale so fast that the workforce isn’t there. Research institutions have a role to play in getting ahead of that curve,” said Behles.


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BBC Brasil article ‘Fake Reviews affecting online retailers’ – translated
English translation – see original article and images on BBC Brasil – click here
Fake Reviews affecting online retailers – authorities concerned
BBC Brasil in London
Updated September 30, 2011 – 10:02 (GMT) 13:02 GMT
“My husband and I stayed at the James Chicago Hotel for our anniversary. This place is fantastic! Once we arrived we saw that we made the right choice! The rooms are beautiful and the hotel staff very helpful and wonderful! The location is great, since I love shopping. On the next visit to Chicago we will certainly come back to James to stay in Chicago. ” *
The review above is false. Thousands of comments like that, supposedly written by tourists and posted on travel sites, were actually written by hotel owners or contractors for this service.
The proliferation of fake reviews, positive or negative, grew along with the popularization of electronic commerce, and today, besides causing great concern in the market – among traders, companies and consumers – is a matter of research and studies in universities.
This month, British and American newspapers warned on TripAdvisor, one of the main sites of reference for world travelers – who according to the company itself has 50 million users – the problem is gaining epidemic contours.
Chris Emmins, of consultancy KwikChex told BBC Brasil that Of the nearly 50 million reviews on the site, “about 10% to 20% may be false, and the number is rising,” KwikChex assist with saving the reputation of hotels that are harmed by reviews written in bad faith on TripAdvisor.
“We have several cases of hotels (in the UK and the U.S.) who had sudden falls in their revenue and are on the verge of bankruptcy,” says Emmins, citing alleged guest reviews that have been making accusations of racism, theft, assault or food poisoning.
“Many claims are demonstrably false. In some cases, gathering evidence that the authors (of reviews) were former employees, competitors or actual guests who behaved badly and were reprimanded in some cases with police intervention, and decided to take revenge writing false comments “.
In the UK these complaints resulted in the recent decision by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) – the authority that overseas all advertising in the UK, including investigating false and unfair advertising – to investigate TripAdvisor to see if the company can justify statements such as “honest reviews” and that these are written by “real travelers”.
Asked by the BBC Brazil, Emma Shaw, spokeswoman for TripAdvisor, said the company does not disclose the number of reviews suspects detected by their system of filtering, but that this mechanism is “extremely efficient”. “People always return to the site to search for travel because of the reviews and opinions that there are reliable,” she says.
“The hotel owners that attempt to manipulate the system on TripAdvisor are rare, since the vast majority know the tremendous risk your reputation and your business run,” Shaw said, adding that it “penalises” the hotels caught .
According to Shaw, to ensure the authenticity of the reviews, TripAdvisor uses sophisticated filters, monitors IP address, provides reviews “suspicion” pointed out by the consumers and has a team of 20 experts to deal only with review fraud.
Experts do not tire to point out that consumers’ views are worth gold in electronic commerce.
No wonder that a few weeks ago Google announced the purchase of Zagat, known review site of restaurants, nightclubs and attractions related to leisure and entertainment, for $ 125 million.
The reviews are written by consumers – 350,000 more than 100 countries, according to Zagat himself – and the site came to be called “The Food Guide’s World’s most trusted” news agency Associated Press.
On sites like Amazon, the largest online retailer in the world, the reviews written by consumers are seen as a marketing tool of the utmost importance, particularly in the sale of items such as books, CDs and electronics.
“Many studies show that these reviews are extremely important, that people buy products based on them,” he told BBC Brazil Trevor Pinch, professor of Science and Technology Studies at Cornell University in the United States.
Finch is the author of a study on the profile of “one thousand better” (Top 1000) of the Amazon reviewers consumers.
“The review of products appears to be partially persuasive in terms of sales because it allows the potential buyer to access the experiences and opinions of others who bought the same product or have an opinion about it,” says the study.
“The fact that belief come from ordinary people rather than experts also part of that power of persuasion,” the study follows.
It was the widespread recognition of this importance that gave impetus to the proliferation of planted reviews.
According to American and British newspapers, there are numerous agencies that even offer internet services to write fake reviews – one author told the New York Times that he received $10 per positive review for books posted on Amazon.
This type of review, written deliberately to sound authentic, attracted the attention of researchers from another department at Cornell University who has developed software that, with a success rate of 90%, would be able to detect what they called “fraudulent spam Opinion”.
As part of the study, researchers selected 800 reviews – 400 false, and another 400 genuine and submitted them to three “judges”, who tried to discern false from true. Without success, however.
The researchers then set out to compare the semantics of the reviews, trying to identify possible leads in the construction of sentences, number of genres and the use of words.
They found, for example, that among the most obvious signs of “fraudulent reviews” are the overuse of adverbs (like “really” or “very”) and the use of first person singular, which “may come from the need of authors to enhance the credibility of the reviews by focusing on their own participation in it. ”
Chris Emmins of KwikChex, is skeptical about the practical use of the software at Cornell University – first presented at an annual meeting of the American Association of Computational Linguistics in June – and says that by revealing possible “signs” of false reviews, the researchers ended up unwittingly giving tips on how to make the review more difficult to detect.
“The sophistication, in particular for the positive reviews, is increasing,” he says, recommending that people seek reviews from authors with “a long history of sending comments and are restrained and not ‘unreasonable’ in their consideration.”
* False Review commissioned by the study authors ‘Finding Opinion Deceptive Spam by Any Stretch of the Imagination’, in Ott Mylee, Yejin Choi, Claire Cardie and Jeff Hancock, Department of Computer Science at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

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State Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, urged Inslee to bring lawmakers back to Olympia after Amazon’s announcement that the internet retail giant plans to build a second global headquarters somewhere in North America.
Baumgartner said Amazon's plans are "a warning that the state’s policies are driving businesses out."
Amazon would not benefit from the manufacturing tax breaks. Baumgartner did not say whether he would support public subsidies to compete with other cities bidding on the new Amazon project.
Amazon didn't cite any shortcomings in Washington or Seattle and said it intends to keep a headquarters campus here.
"The governor’s office would like the Legislature to come to a decision on the capital budget, and the governor is happy to call a special session to get that passed," Inslee spokeswoman Tara Lee said.
"We don't know their reasons yet (for the move)," Inslee told The Puget Sound Business Journal Thursday. "We'll continue to talk to them about future opportunities, but the growth has been spectacular."
Noting Amazon continues to develop two million more feet of office space here, Inslee added, "We're pleased to see they'll continue to expand operations in Washington state."
The state offers tax incentive for retailing giants like Amazon who build large warehouses or distribution centers. Those can qualify for a refund of all or part of the state 6.5 percent sales tax on qualifying construction materials and racking and handling equipment if the warehouse is at least 200,000 square feet, the Washington Department of Revenue says.
Amazon said it wants its second headquarters campus in a metropolitan area with a population of at least 1 million, access to transit, the ability to attract and retain tech talent and a "stable and business-friendly environment."
"It's hard not to look at Amazon’s decision and conclude that a world-class business doesn't want to bet its future on a state that is run by Democrats obsessed with socialist fads and identity politics,” said Baumgartner.
Baumgartner chairs the Washington Senate's Commerce, Labor and Sports Committee and has proposed eliminating local minimum wage ordinances and other employer regulations.


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UPDATED, 12:37 PM: American Media Inc. will sell its National Enquirer and two sister pubs for $100 million to Hudson Media CEO James Cohen. The travel retail company is known for its airport newss…
The board for American Media began reviewing operations for the National Enquirer last August for the US (National Enquirer) and UK edition (National Enquirer Globe).
American Media LLC, the parent corporation of the National Enquirer, is “exploring strategic options” for the tabloid brand, according to its announcement. The moves likely mean a sale is in the works.
“We have been keenly focused on leveraging the popularity of our celebrity glossy, teen and active lifestyle brands while developing new and robust platforms including broadcast and audio programming, and a live events business, that now deliver significant revenue streams,” said a statement from American Media president and CEO David J. Pecker. “Because of this focus, we feel the future opportunities with the tabloids can be best exploited by a different ownership.”
American Media has been expanding in the last two years, buying Us Weekly, Men’s Journal, Bauer’s US celebrity and teen line, and TEN: Publishing’s Adventure Sports Network (ASN). The ASN addition of adventure and sports brands made American Media the worlds sixth-largest sports media brand in the world.
Beyond the National Enquirer, American Media owns Star, OK!, In Touch, Life & Style, Closer, Men’s Journal, Muscle & Fitness, Powder, Snowboarder, Surfer, Us Weekly and Bike. American Media also manages nineteen different digital sites. American Media’s magazines have a combined total circulation of 5.7+ million and reach approximately 49.4 million men and women each month. American Media’s digital properties reach approximately 65 million unique visitors monthly.
UPDATE, 10:05 AM: The owners of the National Enquirer now have a bigger problem than a pissed off and fighting back Jeff Bezos: the feds. Just a day after the Amazon founder published a detailed ov…


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Tuesday, February 2, 2016
TowerJazz Buys Fab In San Antonio From Maxim
Semiconductor manufacturer TowerJazz said this morning that it has acquired the semiconductor fabrication facility based in San Antonio, which was previously owned by Maxim Integrated Products. TowerJazz said it paid $40M and 3.3 million shares of its stock for Maxim's fab facilities, which makes 8-inch wafers for the semiconductor industry. TowerJazz said that facility will help it expand its worldwide manufacturing capacity to around 28,000 wafers per month, to serve its current and forecasted customer demand. As part of the sale, TowerJazz said it will manufacture products for Maxim in that San Antonio facility under a long term, 15 year supply agreement.


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It has been a nail-biting few months for American firms operating in Asia, and it’s been even more tense for companies whose bread and butter is trade with China.
Will the enormous progress of opening markets and pushing for the free flow of goods around the world falter? Could the years of working for an open global economy crumble despite all the hard work and effort?
These are huge questions which have become front and centre of discussions after decades of a major trend towards globalisation. Yet, even if global trade deals unravelled, businesses would struggle to quickly transform their strategies, especially after investing both time and money in markets around the globe, especially here in Asia.
Asia is the fastest-developing market for both goods and services. There is a rising middle class, fresh potential for large infrastructure projects stretching from Sri Lanka to Philippines, and a developing pipeline of opportunities for finance, law and technology firms.
Asia today accounts for about 60 per cent of the global economy, and American companies are heavily engaged across the region. There are over 1,400 U.S. companies operating in Hong Kong alone.
Overall, 15,000 U.S. companies are open for business across the region, and the value of investment in the region totalled US$620 billion in 2016.
Yet, ever since Donald Trump became U.S. president and withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, U.S. companies operating overseas have been nervously watching and waiting for the potentially earth-shattering impact of that move.
The worries remain as to what kind of trade framework will replace the TPP, but there have been a few welcome developments in the past month to ease some pain until a fresh plan is drafted.
Read more at SCMP


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New NFT Post:
Today, we are happy to report that Chromia will be adding Chronicle to its list of partners. Chronicle is an upcoming NFT platform and marketplace that will feature collectibles licensed directly by some of the world’s biggest brands. Unlike existing NFT platforms that focus primarily on existing cryptocurrency users, Chronicle is created for fans and … Read more
The post Chromia will be adding Chronicle to its list of partners appeared first on NFT News Today .


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Do Teslas crash?
Tesla has repeatedly said that Autopilot makes its vehicles safer.
In the fourth quarter of 2019, the company reported one accident for every three million miles driven in a Tesla with Autopilot engaged.
Over all, the national rate was one accident for every 498,000 miles driven in 2017, according to NHTSA..
Where are Nikola Tesla’s ashes?
BelgradeNikola Tesla’s ashes are held in a golden sphere, surrounded by his works. In the center of Belgrade, a villa holds the world’s largest collection dedicated to the life and work of scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla.
What was Nikola Tesla’s IQ?
160 to 310 pointsNikola Tesla IQ is estimated from 160 to 310 points by different measures. He was a real genius who was not mentioned much in history.
Has Tesla autopilot killed anyone?
A Tesla Model 3 sedan that crashed into a truck on a Florida highway in March, killing its driver, had its Autopilot semi-autonomous feature engaged, according to a new report from the National Transportation Safety Board. The driver is at least the fourth person to die in an Autopilot-related crash.
Will Tesla autopilot stop at red lights?
Tesla’s big new feature: Autopilot now halts cars at red lights and stop signs. … As Electrek reports, the new feature for Autopilot means Teslas equipped with Autopilot will now be able to handle intersections. The feature is being released in the new 2020.12.
Is it legal to let your Tesla drive itself?
Sleeping in a Tesla You can’t suddenly get the urge to take a nap, move into another seat, and let the car handle the rest of your commute. That’s also against the law. Getting drunk and putting your Tesla on autopilot so you can get home is also a big no-no. Doing this will result in a DUI.
Why was Tesla killed?
Some sources say that he died of a stroke. During that year, Tesla taught a large class of students in his old school in Gospić. In January 1880, two of Tesla’s uncles put together enough money to help him leave Gospić for Prague, where he was to study.
What was Tesla worth when he died?
Nikola TeslaNet Worth:$1 ThousandDate of Birth:Jul 10, 1856 – Jan 7, 1943 (86 years old)Gender:MaleHeight:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)Profession:Physicist, Inventor, Electrical engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Scientist, Futurist1 more row
When did Tesla die?
January 7, 1943Nikola Tesla/Date of death


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A record 10.1 million people visited Wyoming last year, accounting for an estimated $3.3 billion of the state’s economy, and the state tourism director is hopeful that lower gasoline prices will result in more tourists spending more money in the state this year.
“If all things remain the same and the price of fuel stays relatively low, consumers should have more money to spend,” Diane Shober, executive director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism, said. “We already know they’re willing to travel, that they’re interested to travel to our destination, and so when you have that much more discretionary income, we anticipate not only seeing more travelers but seeing them spend more while they’re here.”
The number of people visiting Wyoming in 2014 was up 11 percent from 9.07 million in 2014. It was the highest percentage growth in one year since tracking began in 1998.
Those tourists generated about $159 million in local and state tax revenues, an increase of 10.8 percent from $144 million in 2013.
Yellowstone National Park is known worldwide, but tourists around the world also have a fascination with the American cowboy, Shober said.
“Very prevalent in European countries but also even if you go to China the things that they’ll know and some of the things that they will say are cowboys and Yellowstone,” she said. “Those are both right in our wheel house.”
But state tourism marketing efforts seek to interest tourists in more than just Yellowstone.
Since about 75 percent of the people visiting Wyoming travel via automobile, the state uses social media and traditional advertising to entice tourists to visit other areas of the state, Shober said.
“It intrigues them to do many other things if their ultimate destination is one of our national parks,” she said. “That’s where the economic benefit of a destination drive really benefits other places. Because as people are going to and from Yellowstone, they’re stopping at places like Cheyenne, Laramie, Casper or Gillette, Sheridan, Buffalo.
“And then married with the tourism marketing efforts of those communities, many times people are spending a day or maybe adding on an extra half day in places throughout Wyoming that they wouldn’t normally be if it weren’t for the marketing efforts of the tourism industry.”
Shober said Wyoming is constantly monitoring markets and potential markets to reach people who might consider visiting the state.
This year, the state will be increasing its pitch in the Seattle area.
“We have seen for years strong indications from Seattle,” she said.
The marketing is important because the competition among states for tourists is intense, Shober said.
“The challenge that we have is making sure that Wyoming is the destination of choice,” she said.
As the number two industry in Wyoming, tourism is vital to the state’s economy. The hospitality and tourism industry is responsible for over 31,000 full- and part-time jobs in Wyoming.


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Though many eyes are looking at Greece, another large sector bleeding. China’s inventory sector opened on Sunday, July 5, 2015, next an incredible 3 week plunge, dropping $two.36 trillion in current market value. Quite a few traders ponder if the losses in Chinese markets will billow outwards to other nations.
Also examine: Gold Can take a Backseat to Bitcoin All through Greek Personal debt Crisis
Frederic Neumann of HSBC Holdings in Hong Kong explained:
“What transpires in China will turn into far more consequential than any sting that Greece may well provide about the coming weeks or months.”
With 1.four billion individuals and the world’s next major GDP, fiscal specialists imagine that China’s issues might have global penalties. “What happens in China will turn out to be much more consequential than any sting that Greece may well supply over the coming weeks or months,” mentioned Frederic Neumann, at HSBC Holdings in Hong Kong. The Shanghai Composite and Shenzhen Composite have both of those plunged about 30% from their highs about the study course of this thirty day period. Authorities officers in Beijing are putting forth measures to simplicity the monetary load.
The Chinese federal government has supplied a credit history line to stimulate leverage margin trading. In combination with this energy with other businesses, they’ve revealed motivation to buy billions in inventory and new IPOs. Officials stated that China’s central lender will give cash to China Securities Finance corp, in trade for the corporation to supply margin lending. The observe is “substantial hazard” and allows customers to buy shares with borrowed dollars.
On July seven, commodities across the board hit a low. Silver dropped less than $fifteen USD, demonstrating a big fall up to now 6 months. Crude oil fell four% and Bitcoin dropped from a substantial of $275 USD down 5% more than the course of Monday evening. When commodities fall this reduced, The everyday reaction is to get in anticipation of heightening financial hardships.
With China’s markets floundering, the men and women in the place could change to Secure-haven belongings like Bitcoin to help keep their wealth safe. Inside a Goldman Sachs sponsored analysis identified as “The way forward for Finance,” the financial institution bitcoin promises that eighty% of exchanged Bitcoin is traded for Yuan. The Chinese bitcoin surge arises from lack of confidence during the Chinese financial system. The yuan has weakened in opposition to the strengthening dollar and funds outflows amplified at history charges.
China has experienced problems prior to now Together with http://deanwsny113.iamarrows.com/what-s-the-current-job-market-for-bitcoin-professionals-like the PBOC warning the region about cryptocurrency. There at this time isn't any explicit ban on buying, offering, or owning bitcoin. The central lender of China has classified the digital forex like a commodity. With none regulatory commision on the subject, buying and selling carries on at total pace.
With nations around the world bordering Greece getting Bitcoin at extensive charges, the question continues to be: will China adhere to go well with, hedging the cryptocurrency?


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New Delhi: To encourage companies to focus on innovation in product and process design, and with an eye on making India a global design hub, the industry department is planning to come up with a new national design policy. The new policy will replace the current one approved in February 2007 and focus on promoting specific sectors such as defence, medical devices and electronics, a government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“The government will financially incentivise approved designs to turn them into mass market products,” the official said.
The National Design Council (NDC), under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), launched India Design Mark or I Mark in 2010 in partnership with the Good Design Award in Japan (G Mark). It is granted to manufacturers of well-designed products manufactured in a responsible manner, involving a rigorous process against established criteria.
All types of mass-produced products are eligible for the India Design Mark. They can include consumer electronics, computer and communication products, machine tools, construction machinery, lighting systems, white goods, household appliances, capital goods, medical equipment, toys, vehicles, and agricultural machinery among others.
“India Design Mark provides strong differentiation and market positioning as a design and innovation leader. It acts as a brand extension and imparts competitive advantage to the product in local and international markets. It serves as a unique promotional launch pad for new products and services entering the market. India Design Mark provides international leverage by exemplifying the export worthiness of the product,” the I Mark website states.
The official quoted earlier said in countries like Japan the native design mark is sought after by consumers and producers alike as it means the producer has followed ethical and environmentally sustainable production processes. “In India, due to lack of awareness, design certification has not picked up. We are striving to change that,” he said.
In fact, G Mark is an influential decision-making tool for Japanese consumers, with a recent survey indicating that 48.5% of Japanese consumers would opt for products bearing the mark, while 87.5% acknowledged it to be the trademark for well-designed products. “We need to promote good designs to capture higher value. (We) will work on both the supply and demand side to boost India Design Mark,” DIPP secretary Ramesh Abhishek tweeted on 2 July.
Pradyumna Vyas, director at the National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad and member secretary, NDC said the council is intending to scale up and reach a larger audience with this year’s India Design Mark competition. “Since we are promoting manufacturing through Make In India, the country could be a global design hub through design outsourcing as design is an essential value addition in the process of manufacturing. The new NIDs being set up will help us create the necessary manpower for this,” he added.
The government has already set up an NID in Vijayawada and the Kurukshetra NID is expected to start its academic session this year. The Union cabinet has approved two more NIDs in Bhopal and Jorhat.


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In a step toward post-silicon electronics, a Stanford team has created stable carbon nanotube transistors that are as small as the best silicon transistors.
A team of researchers developed a chip that could negate the need for cochlear implant recipients to wear any sort of external hardware.
IBM(s ibm) is considering a sale of its chip business, according to a report in the Financial Times. The article suggested that IBM may also look for a new partner with which it could spin off a joint venture, but either way it’s appointed Goldman Sachs(s gs) to see if anyone’s interested. IBM’s semiconductor business is very cutting-edge, experimenting with new materials and technologies such as photonics, graphene and carbon nanotubes. Its Power architecture is also used in some IBM servers and supercomputers such as Watson. IBM said last month that it was selling its x86-architecture server business to Lenovo, the same company that took on its PC business in 2004.
Current manufacturing techniques cause graphene to lose its fantastic characteristics when it’s chopped up. U.S. researchers developed a new way to grow it that could change that.
Using a 3D substance would be easier when manufacturing electronics, but the newly studied material has a bad habit of bubbling and turning to powder when exposed to air.
The lens could help people with diabetes monitor their daily health and recognize dangerous situations.
Tegra chipsets are making their way into new Audis and other vehicles in the form of Nvidia’s new Visual Computing Module line. Nvidia hopes make cars future-proof with its new upgradable design.
Qualcomm’s(s qcom) Snapdragon processors are already the dominant app engines in smartphones and tablets, but the company is now targeting a much larger device: the automobile. The silicon vendor announced at CES on Monday that it has developed an automotive-grade version of Snapdragon for the connected car infotainment system. The 602A chip includes a quad-core CPU, Adreno 320 GPU and additional multimedia and communication cores designed for the unique use case of the car. Qualcomm isn’t the only chipmaker that sees big opportunity in the automotive industry. Nvidia(s nvda) has also been pursuing the vehicle infotainment space aggressively.
Researchers were able to grow graphene directly on a silicon wafer, reducing the number of steps it takes to manufacture graphene electronics.
A report says Google is building its own ARM-based custom server chips. This rumor has surfaced a few times in the last few years, but now the economics and technology are right for it to happen.


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Christmas Eve shoppers brave the crowds amid rising COVID-19 cases in Bexar County
SAN ANTONIO – Determined and likely desperate shoppers braved the crowds and the COVID-19 pandemic in their quest to find stocking stuffers and gifts they forgot or still needed to buy. “Last minute shopping -- you know how that goes,” said Socorro Morquecho, who was picking up some holiday pastries. She was among the shoppers on Christmas Eve who said they weren’t that worried, judging by what they saw. “But I still need -- well, we all need to be careful.”Others said it seemed that many Christmas Eve shoppers were aware they needed to be as safe as possible. Michelle Johnson, who was with her husband looking for stocking stuffers, said she was encouraged to see merchants were doing their part.


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Here are the latest news updates of 03rd June
ADK to Charge MVR 675 for COVID-19 Tests
ADK Hospital will be charging MVR 675 per COVID-19 test, stated Spokesperson of National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) Mohamed Mabrook Azeez.
Mabrook stated that as ADK is a private hospital they will be charging for tests, however IGM Hospital will continue doing tests for free.
He also stated that although ADK is applying a charge for the test, the public couldn’t acquire the service from the hospital independently. Hence, ADK will be charging for samples provided by NEOC and public does not have pay ADK for the tests.
Government Announces Customer Service Hours
Customer service hours for shops and delivery services have been published by Ministry of Economic Development.
Customers can visit shops and delivery services can be made between 9am and 9pm, Economic Ministry revealed. And Restaurants and Cafés can provide food delivery services between 9 am and 11pm.
Shops and Delivery services are required to get special permits from the Ministry while individuals are required to get shopping permits from the Police.
BML Closes ATMs For an Hour to Disinfect
ATM vestibules closed for an hour to disinfect the machines and venues, stated Bank of Maldives (BML)
BML has stated that three ATMs located in Male’ region will close for one-hour duration at 22:30 pm.
The vestibules in question are their main branch, customer service center and Marine Dream ATM Center. The national bank of Maldives operates a total of 7 vestibules in the Greater Male’ Region.
133 Expats Detained by Police During Unrest in Thilafushi.
133 expats were detained in K. Thilafushi for inciting unrest following a scuffle with Police, revealed Maldives Police Service.
Police revealed that the disagreement between the workers and sponsors was the cause of fight. Police said that officers had quickly arrived at the scene following a report of a godown being vandalized and two policers suffered minor injuries while trying to control the situation.
133 expats were taken into custody, however police released 126 of them shortly and kept 7 expatriates in custody.


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Consumers in Pakistan not aware of their rights
On 15th March 2015, countries throughout the globe marked the observance of the World Consumer Right Day ( WCRD ). This day is organized after the memorable address of President John F Kennedy to the US congress in which he formally addressed the issue of consumer rights. He, on 15 March 1962 was the first world leader to do so, and the consumer movement now marks 15 March every year as a means of raising global awareness about consumer rights.
The United Nation Organization (UNO) has declared unhealthy diets as greater threat to health responsible for more deaths than Tobacco. Therefore, to address the challenge the current year, 2015, theme of the World Consumer Rights day ( WCRD ) was set as, ‘Healthy Diets.’
In Pakistan, the World Consumer Right Day stayed in the obscurity of mainstream media due to current Political situation of the country, but NGOs and law makers quietly but affectively tried to play their part. Seminars, rallies and Discussion forums were held at many places.
A fact common in all such discussions was that most Pakistani consumers are not aware of their rights, therefore reliable information should be provided to the consumers and enforcement of legislations should be made.
The Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP) a non-government organization conducted a discussion on the theme to influence the law makers and the government to ensure safe food for all Pakistanis. Mr. Abrar Hafeez, Secretary General, Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan, quoted statistics that two million deaths are caused by unsafe food annually in the country.
He mentioned two clear reasons of this. First, there is an unavailability of reliable data and essential information to the consumers by the government to make informed choices on various local and imported food items. Currently the consumers are 70% adulterated food and 52% adulterated water. 35% of the milk is contaminated and mixed with urea, bleaching powder and other chemicals.
Second, Pakistan has not been able to come up with comprehensive and coherent legal and policy framework to address the challenges that have been thrown up by the developments in food and biological sciences as it has raised new concerns related to food production chain. Currently there are no proper packaging and labeling laws for ingredients.
In Islamabad a walk was organized by the ‘Network for Consumer Protection’ in collaboration with UNICEF which ended in front of press club. The slogan of the walk was ‘Let us legislate before it’s too late’. The walk was organized to force government to make iodized salt a must item in order to curb iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs).
Talking to the gathering Mr. Areeb Azhar said that it was important that they spread awareness about the food that they eat because the basic right of each human is the right to pure and healthy food.
Nadeem Iqbal, executive coordinator Network for Consumer Protection emphasized on the need for laws and said that the journalists could play an active role in taking this message to wider audience.
In another place, while talking to media, Dr. Baser Achakzai, Director Nutrition Wing, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC) said that Pakistan was following outdated 1964 Pure Food Rule, which needs to be updated. He further said Pakistani Consumers pay little attention to hygiene and eat junk food.
In Pakistan, consumers are the most neglected stakeholders of the society where no one wants to take the responsibility to protect their interests. Every Ramadan low prizes are set by the government but still a hike is seen all over the country.
On Sunday, Chaudry Muhammad Shafique, Minister for Trade and Industries, informed the media that consumer courts would be set in six districts: Mianwali, Mandi Bahauddin, Bhakkar, Bhawalnagar, Layyah and Rahim Yar Khan. He said that consumers cannot protect their rights if they are not aware of them; therefore Punjab government was taking steps to deal with prize hikes and protect consumer rights WCRD.


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2009 October 15
Does Cathie Love Lucy?
(NEW YORK) For everyone who thought that the action is hot only at Conde, we have another ivory tower that's under assault. Brit alert! Could Lucy Yeomans, editor in chief of Harper's Bazaar UK, be bringing her goldilocks touch to the American edition while doyenne editrix Glenda Bailey decamps to a splendid office on the executive floor? The buzzy Yeomans has allegedly been spotted at the Hearst Tower, and word on the street is that she is in "serious talks" to take over the title. Perhaps New York's Fashion Week wasn't the only reason she graced Gotham in September? The 38-year-old Yeomans has made plenty of news since she was named EIC at age 29. Piece by piece, she slowly transformed the once-staid society book Harpers & Queen to a formidable fashion title in stiff competition with British Vogue. Harper's Bazaar UK profits doubled in 2007, the year after she changed the title, and in that same year, Yeomans won the Editors' Editor award from the British Society of Magazine Editors.
For now, Yeomans lives in Notting Hill and is an aficionado of the cinema, art, literature, and playing piano. "She is the most blow-dried woman in magazines, according to competitors, a self-confessed clothes-horse who is always immaculately turned out," wrote James Robinson in an illuminating Guardian profile last year. "When Lucy Yeomans, the effusive editor-in-chief of the UK edition of Harper's Bazaar, takes her place in the front row at fashion shows in Milan or London, she turns almost as many heads as the models on the catwalk."
Want to stay chez Karl Lagerfeld? The designer has signed on to create a signature hotel in Macau, China which will welcome guests come 2017. Lagerfeld's major hospitality endeavor...
Phoebe Arnold, formerly fashion director at Ponystep, has been named senior editor at LOVE...David Perel, formerly president at Next Act Media, has been named editorial director at...
Big shuffles at Bauer Publishing: Dan Wakeford is out as EIC of In Touch and Life & Style, 12 years after joining the European mag company's stateside HQ. David Perel has been named...


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BEAUMONT (November 4, 2021) — For decades, Timberline Ranch accumulated a huge collection of western memorabilia, including antique wagons, mounted game, statues and other collectibles. Now, these and other items from the ranch are being sold in an auction conducted by Coleman and Patterson, in association with Seven Hills Auctions.
Bidding on the items will open November 6 and close at various times November 10-12 at www.capauctions.com.
“The wagons and other items in this collection display some of the best of the Old West culture. Many of these items would contribute greatly to the atmosphere of a restaurant or similar establishment, and some might even have a place in a museum,” said Buddy Lee, president of Seven Hills Auctions.
Some, such as an 11-foot white Marriage Carriage and a glass carriage, could even be used in a business. The auction also includes furniture, clocks, lamps, rugs, artwork and other items.
Timberline Ranch was owned until recently by a prominent attorney from Beaumont.
Bidders may examine the items Saturday, November 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or Tuesday, November 9, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the ranch on FM 1013, Hillister, Texas.
Seven Hills Auctions, based in Tallahassee, sells a wide range of assets nationwide, including commercial and residential real estate, businesses, personal property and bank-owned properties. Individuals seeking more information may call 800-742-9165.
Coleman and Patterson, based in College Station, Texas, is a diversified real estate and auction marketing company with a niche in luxury homes, farm and ranch real estate, and other properties.


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wheels; which makes this Volvo 480 just plain bonkers.
Volvo Car Malaysia today paved a new path for customers with the launch of its 360 total-care used car
There are 3 variants available for the Volvo XC60 – T5, T8 Inscription, and T8 Inscription Plus
We are now facing a constant increase in crude oil prices.
Hot off the launch of the 2021 Volvo S90, Volvo Malaysia rolls out yet another update, this time on the
Petronas Lubricants Marketing Malaysia (PLMM) for the supply of Petronas Syntium full-synthetic engine oil
Yudha, a member of the National Energy Council (DEN) said that in order to combat that, reliance on oil
Volvo Car Malaysia has officially launched the new 2021 Volvo S90 facelift.
But the Volvo S60 T8 has its own appeal.Exterior – the most beautiful car in the world?
Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) has officially launched the locally-assembled (CKD) 2020 Volvo S60 T8 PHEV R-Design
, the X70’s 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged TGDi engine is fed with Shell-branded engine oil
Volvo is intent on walking the talk when it comes to phasing out internal combustion engines (ICE).
Volvo Cars Malaysia has just introduced the locally-assembled (CKD) Volvo S60 in Malaysia.The Volvo S60
Besides the viscosity rating of engine oil, we also have the choice of what type of oil we’d like
Volvo credentials in safety need no further introduction.
The new engine oil will join the existing Mobil Super 1000 and 2000 range in the market.
Materials Used 4 / 5 Features Safety 10 / 10 ADAS 5 / 5 Luxury 5 / 5
The executive sedans - BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Volvo S90 - are due a facelift, all of
Lubricants Marketing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has set up mobile workshops at selected hospitals to provide free oil
Believe it or not, crude oil prices have gone down to negative.
see how much owners need to pay in terms of maintenance and insurance cost for the Proton Iriz over a 5-
prices continue its downward trend as Russia and Saudi Arabia continues discussions on the international oil
Volvo Car Malaysia has just launched the Volvo S60 CKD earlier today.
these days and is usually a sign of a broken car.The late Irv Gordon clocked 3.2 million miles in his Volvo
Volvo Car Malaysia will be launching the new 2021 Volvo S90 facelift, now wearing the new ‘Recharge
This is not the result choosing the wrong engine oil.
Volvo Cars welcomes former Mercedes-Benz designer Claudia Braun and former Facebook web designer Thomas
Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest producers of oil in the world and as the price of oil is cheap there
Knowing this, Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd has developed a new fully synthetic engine oil dubbed the
5,500 Passat R-Line RM 3,500 All Volkswagen models come with 3-year free maintenance, 5-
volvo vds-5 oil-volvo vds-5 oil-Japan Bus Vlog - She is going to the office.
volvo vds-5 oil-volvo vds-5 oil-Contemplating the End of Fractional Reserve Banking in Switzerland
volvo vds-5 oil-volvo vds-5 oil-Un motor japonés para Ford y Volvo. ¿Qué le pasa al motor Mazda 2.0 (LFF7)? Subtítulos!
Texaco Delo 400 XSP-FA SAE 5W-30 – now with Volvo VDS 5 approval. Texaco’s premium performance fuel-efficient synthetic heavy-duty diesel engine oil, Texaco Delo® 400 XSP-FA SAE 5W-30, is now listed with approval from Volvo for use in vehicles requiring VDS 5 oil. https://t.co/4D0qDL3syA


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CLEVELAND ( WJW) The Cleveland Indians will soon be changing their team name, but they have no plans to stop selling merchandise with the Chief Wahoo logo.
On Monday, the team confirmed in the following statement that, “Since July, we have conducted an extensive process to learn how our team name affected different constituencies and whether it aligned with our organizational values. As a result of that process, we have decided to move forward with changing the current team name and determining a new, non-Native American based name for the franchise.”
In a news release, the Indians said they will continue to sell selected merchandise featuring their historic names and logos, including Chief Wahoo as a way to acknowledge our history. “As part of our ongoing commitment to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, it is our intention to donate profits from the sale of Chief Wahoo merchandise to Native American-focused organizations and causes.”
The decision to change the team’s current name is phase one of the process. Cleveland Indians’ team owner and chairman Paul Dolan said the team will not adopt an interim name until choosing its new one.
The Cleveland Indians won’t be the first professional sports team to change their name. Back in July, Washington dropped the name Redskins after bowing to pressure from corporate sponsors.
Read the latest headlines on FOX8.com below:
- Mayor Bibb declares Saturday Machine Gun Kelly Day in Cleveland
- What you need to know about Salman Rushdie and the fatwa against him
- Buying a car out of state? Here’s what you should know
- Used car prices rise in July; Demand remains high for fuel-efficient vehicles
- Browns’ Harris ‘likely’ needs season-ending knee surgery


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US on course to ban harmful microbeads from bath and body products
The House of Representatives approved a bill to phase out the use of plastic microbeads in personal care products. The plan to ban microbeads in products such as body scrubs and toothpastes would take effect beginning 1 January, 2017. The next step is Senate approval, which is likely to occur based on some lawmakers already moving toward banning the beads in their states. The decision is huge for the safety of our waterways, as well as those who use them.
The Microbead Free Waters Act would begin phasing out the beads in about a year, which isn't a moment too soon considering 8 trillion of the pinhead-sized nuisances are released into waterways every day in the US alone. Fish mistake the beads for food and absorb toxic chemicals, which is then harmful for those who eat the fish. 90 percent of seabirds were also found to have ingested the particles.
The Great Lakes are especially affected by the release of microbeads, according to The Guardian. Both Michigan and Ohio, which borders the largest stretch of Lake Erie shoreline, are considering their own legislation against the tiny pollutants. Illinois has banned the sale of products containing microbeads and California finalized a bill to phase out the particles by 2020. "These microbeads are tiny plastic, but make for big-time pollution," said Republican co-sponsor of the bill Fred Upton. "We will fight any activity that puts our beloved Great Lakes in jeopardy."
Via The Guardian


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Netflix has announced that it is teaming up with The Pokémon Company to create a brand new Pokémon TV show.
Revealed as part of Pokémon Day, which is celebrated annually on February 27, the world’s top streaming service has announced Pokémon Conciergestop-motion animated series that will debut on its platform at some point.
The announcement was accompanied by a 30-second trailer that shows the fan-favorite Pokémon Psyduck wading on a sunlit beach while a voiceover – from series protagonist Haru – points out the premise of the show. And we don’t know about you, but we’ve already fallen in love with it Pokémon ConciergeA unique aesthetic that seems to be inspired by clay.
Check out the trailer for the upcoming Netflix series below:
In a press release, Netflix provided a brief description of what the series will be about. “Expanding the world of Pokémon, the story follows Haru, a concierge at the Pokémon Resort, and her interactions with Pokémon and their owners who visit as guests.”
Okay, that’s not much to talk about, but it sounds like Pokémon Concierge will be the perfect summer vacation destination for all Pokémon fans, no matter where they live in the world. With its beautiful animation style and calming tone, we wouldn’t be surprised if it was used as a stand-in for people’s meditation practices and/or love of ASMR.
If we can check with Legendary Pokémon characters like Ash Ketchum and Pikachu – the pair will no longer be featured on the main Pokémon TV show after Ash finally fulfilled his dream of being a Pokémon Master – POkémon Concierge will delight us even more.
Little else is known about Pokémon Conciergeale dwarf studios – a Japanese animation studio whose achievements include stop-motion shows based on Domo-kun AND Komaneko – is the leader in the development of the television series.
Is that Psyduck standing on the beach with Haru the concierge!? Pokémon Concierge is coming… pic.twitter.com/Ttzdyc69V9February 27, 2023
No wonder the release date hasn’t been announced yet. The teaser simply states that the series is “coming soon”. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long until we can visit the resort, albeit from the comfort of our own home. Don’t be surprised if it makes it onto our list of the best Netflix shows upon release.
In a statement issued as part of the Netflix press release, Minyoung Kim, vice president of Netflix Content Asia, said: “Netflix is looking forward to delighting fans in Japan and around the world with Pokémon Conciergean all-new visual and story experience featuring groundbreaking stop-motion animation set in the world of Pokémon in close collaboration with The Pokémon Company.
“We’re also thrilled to reveal this new series on Pokémon Day and provide fans with even more to look forward to on this special holiday celebrating the popular series.”
For more coverage of Pokémon and Netflix, read our best Pokémon games and best Netflix movie guides. Plus, find out if the main Pokémon TV show made it into our best anime guide.


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India became a member of the Madrid Protocol on July 8, 2013 and since then has received about 13768 applications designating India and has filed 155 applications under the Madrid Protocol. While there have been several debates on the best route to take in terms of protecting international brands in India, and both have good arguments, there is one issue that I would like to deal with today – the claim of use of your trademark in India.
When it comes to international treaties and agreements, India generally signs first and thinks later. We sign on fast and then push the limits of implementing and amending our national laws until the last possible day. India’s accession to the Madrid Protocol was done in a rather similar manner. Either way India is a part of protocol which is touted as the international registration of trademarks. A little over a year down the line and the scenario is rather interesting: the Trademark Office in conjunction with several business organizations keep hosting seminars and conferences on using the Madrid system and yet as on date, there have been only 76 trademark applications filed using the system from India against 6660 trademarks filed through the system into India.
The Trade Marks (Amendment) Act 2010 and the Trade Marks (Amendment) Rules, 2013 came in to force on July 08, 2013. In principle the amendment marks the official entry of India to the International Filing System under the Madrid Protocol. The Madrid system enables Indian businesses to file a single application in one language, one fee in one currency in India for registration of their trademark in all or any of the member countries of the Madrid Protocol.
We are a boutique intellectual property law firm based out of India, assisting clients ranging from early-stage start-ups to Fortune 500 companies across several industries in protecting intellectual property across the globe.


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The government will introduce The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021, which seeks to prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India, during the winter session of Parliament beginning 29 November
Listen to this article
Digital currencies on Indian exchanges slumped into a discount of up to 25% compared to their global peers amid panic selling as the government listed a bill to ban all private cryptocurrencies in the country. Crypto prices in India usually trade at a premium against global markets.
The government on Tuesday confirmed that it will introduce “The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021" during the winter session of Parliament beginning 29 November.
The bill seeks to prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India, but will allow certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology of cryptocurrency and its uses, the government said in a notification on Lok Sabha website. The bill also aims “to create a facilitative framework for creation of the official digital currency to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India".
The government had listed the same bill for the Budget session in February, but it never came up for discussion in Parliament.
Despite this, crypto prices saw major crash on Indian exchanges even as major assets such as bitcoin and ethereum were trading stable on global exchanges.
The prices of the world’s biggest crypto asset, bitcoin, crashed to as low of ₹33,50,000 on WazirX from the high of ₹46,35,371 after the news about the bill broke. The coin was trading at around ₹37,80,000 on Tuesday morning in India compared with $56,638.67 or ₹42,15,928 in global markets, as per Coingecko, a digital currency price and information data platform.
Even, tether, which is a stable-coin pegged 1:1 to the US dollar, was trading at a discount of up to 25% in India. Other prominent coins such as ether, Shiba Inu and dogecoin were also up to 20% in the red.
"The panic stems from two lines of text in the description of the bill. If the bill indeed bans cryptocurrencies, it would be justified. But I don't think it will do so, and panicking now would be a big mistake," said Ajeet Khurana, founder of Genezis Network, a think tank for crypto startup investment.
Additionally, due to the frantic selling, investors on some exchanges faced issues such as delays in accessing multiple functions, trading as well withdrawals.
The government and industry experts recently held talks on how to move forward on cryptocurrency in India. The Centre is reportedly considering regulating crypto as a commodity than a currency.
Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das sounded alarm on cryptocurrencies, warning very serious risk it poses for macro economy and financial stability of the country.
According to experts, retail investors were majorly behind the panic selling on Indian exchanges.
“People were panic buying meme-coins such as Shiba Inu or Dogecoin a few days back. Now with the listing of bill, the investors are panic selling. The prices are now expected to consolidate and stay at a discount in the short-term," said Hitesh Malviya, founder, itsblockchain.com, a blockchain and cryptocurrency publication.
Amid panic selling, crypto exchanges were hopeful of positive regulations in India and urged investors to remain calm, and avoid arriving at a rushed conclusion.
“The industry has been actively communicating with all stakeholders keeping investor protection at the forefront. Our discussions over the last few weeks indicate there is broad agreement on ensuring customers are protected, financial system stability is reinforced and India is able to take advantage of the crypto technology revolution," said Ashish Singhal, Founder and CEO, CoinSwitch Kuber in a statement.
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Know Your Meme is a website dedicated to documenting Internet phenomena: viral videos, image macros, catchphrases, web celebs and more.
June 18th, 2013 6:00 PM
This is what anime sounds like to those who don’t watch it.
June 18th, 2013 5:24 PM
Virginia resident Sean McCoy’s eBay auction for a custom-built set of scale-mail armor made for his deceased guinea pig Lucky has just received a bid for over $15,000.
June 18th, 2013 4:30 PM
Joanna Rohrback shows off her famous Prancercise workout in John Mayer’s music video for his new single “Paper Doll.”
June 18th, 2013 4:10 PM
June 18th, 2013 3:27 PM
At last week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, Square Enix unveiled the upcoming Final Fantasy XV RPG to be released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles.
June 18th, 2013 2:30 PM
Check out YouTuber penguinz0’s equally nonsensical voice dub over Miss Utah Marissa Powell’s jumbled response she gave during the Miss USA pageant last Sunday.
June 18th, 2013 2:00 PM
Everything you heard about Half Life 3 is true.
June 18th, 2013 1:30 PM
Researchers from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne’s Biorobotics laboratory have revealed Cheetah-cub, a small quadruped robot designed to mimic the movements of a cat.
June 18th, 2013 12:54 PM
June 18th, 2013 12:46 PM
Does the Man of Steel deserve his own subculture entry?
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Burger King's x-ray ads showcase the real dangers of eating its food
Campaign in Brazil features actual burger-related injuries suffered by BK customers
Apr 29, 2019
Burger King has made a habit of turning bad luck into ad gold. Stores that caught fire proved the burgers were flame-grilled back in 2017. A fireplace screen commemorated a 17th-century blaze in Sweden.
Now BK is turning to personal tragedy, highlighting real injuries received by customers who were just trying to eat a sandwich bigger than their jaws could handle. David São Paulo used three real tweets from burger lovers who ended up at the hospital with eating-related injuries.
“05:30 am dislocated my jaw eating a Stacker,” reads one, referring to a range of burgers that piles up to four patties on a single bun. An image of the tweet (with identifying information blurred out) accompanies an X-ray of a painful-looking dislocated jaw.
The team at David found the tweets on social media and then referenced X-rays of real injuries (not those of the actual customers) to drive the point home. Those images were then touched up in postproduction to be publication-ready, and the agency also consulted with a medical professional to get the details right. Print, out-of-home and digital placements are all running in Brazil.


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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been the subject of much anticipation since its announcement, and its third and final pre-launch trailer has only further fueled the hype. The trailer, released recently, features gameplay and cinematics that reveal some of the fabled game’s secrets and introduces its latest villain – a sizzling-hot Ganondorf that has got the internet abuzz.
New Trailer Offers a Peek into Tears of the Kingdom
The recently released pre-launch trailer of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a new Nintendo Switch game, has taken the gaming community by storm. A glance at the trailer is enough to show what all the fuss is about. The clip is brimming with action-driven gameplay, cinematic sequences, and beautiful landscapes that are sure to leave players awestruck.
Enter Thirst Trap Ganondorf
As the trailer progresses, we get a glimpse of Tears of the Kingdom’s new antagonist, the legendary Ganondorf. Fans couldn’t help but notice the villain’s brand new look – a departure from the usual bulky armor to robes that show off his rock-solid abs. Social media platforms have been lighting up with comments, memes and tweets about the new design, with many gamers struggling with newfound attraction towards the once reviled antagonist.
Hot Ganondorf’s Fictional Fitness Regime Has Fans in Frenzy
The new design has given rise to merry quips on social media, with both gamers and non-gamers going gaga over the character’s new look. The consensus seems to be that Ganondorf looks like he just left the gym after months of intense training. Fans have praised the character’s new, more toned appearance, and taken note of his rock-hard abs that could make any superhero jealous. Twitter was aglow with comments on his body transformation, with some calling him “Thirst Trap Ganondorf”.
Tears of the Kingdom: Offering More Than Just a Villain to Drool Over
Despite the newfound attraction towards Ganondorf, the new trailer has a lot more on offer than just eye candy. The gameplay features various segments that highlight different aspects of the game. One such segment displays Link, the game’s protagonist, trying out a new combat style that enables him to fuse his shield and sword into a single weapon.
Countdown for Tears of the Kingdom’s Launch Begins
The final pre-launch trailer has given gamers a glimpse of what they can expect when the game releases. Zelda fans everywhere are excited to get their hands on the much-awaited game, and the anticipation has only intensified with the trailer’s release.
Conclusion: Your Chance to Join Thirst Trap Ganondorf’s Army
The new trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has caused quite a stir in the gaming community with its sizzling-hot villain, Ganondorf. While fan reactions have shown that the character’s new look’ has attracted attention, the trailer promises a lot more besides. With new gameplay mechanics, lush visuals, and exciting combat features, Tears of the Kingdom seems all set to be a blockbuster when it eventually launches.
Players can soon join the ranks of Thirst Trap Ganondorf’s army by purchasing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, set to launch in a month’s time.


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Apple recently released the latest version for its iPhone sofware – iOS 15. While iOS 15 brought new features for the iPhone, this year’s iOS released has been mired by quite a few issues that users have reported in the latest Apple operating system. Some issues include faults with the touch, storage, Apple Watch functionalities, and more. While Apple has has promised to release a software update to address many issues that users are reporting with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 devices, there isn’t any clarity as to when the fix will be available.
Given the amount of issues that are popping up with iOS 15, the Cupertino-based giant has rolled out iOS 15.0.1 that brings a fix for the certain issues. iOS 15.0.1 is a small-point upgrade that includes crucial updates for bugs reported by users. Let us take a look at all issues that have emerged in the past couple of weeks since iOS 15.
Storage – Incorrect Tabulation and “iPhone Storage Almost Full” Warning
Just two days after iOS 15 was launched to the public, users started reporting about bugs in the latest iPhone operating system. One of the most prominent being an incorrect warning regarding the storage. Many users online complained of a “iPhone Storage Almost Full” warning inside the Settings, despite their iPhone having storage. The warning setting could not be dismissed and tapping it takes users to the storage setting on the iPhone, which shows ample storage.
Apart from this, users on Twitter, soon after updating to iOS 15 complained of their iPhones showing more storage than available. In other cases, an iOS bug resulted in the wrong tabulation for how much storage a user’s content is taking up. For both these problems, Apple Support advised users to restart their devices at the time, but there weren’t many reports of this being effective.
Several iPhone users including iPhone 13 users were found to be complaining about intermittent touchscreen issues with their iPhones on iOS 15. Users said that their iPhones do not respond to touch inputs, sometimes requiring them to force restart…


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First of three parts
NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Homeowners across the country are hitting the lumberyards, home-center stores, nurseries and Yellow Pages -- under C, for Contractors -- as the spring home-improvement season shifts into high gear.
After a slight pause in 2002, homeowners seem poised to send remodeling expenditures higher in 2003. The resurgent interest in home improvement is buoyed by rising property values and spurred by Americans' desire to create more comforting, secure home environments in the post-Sept. 11 era.
"Home is not just an investment. It's a refuge, a place to hunker down and face the barrage of bad news," said Jill Shannon, marketing director for Serrano/Parker Development Co. in El Dorado Hills, Calif. "Since people aren't traveling as much or taking as many long vacations, they're making their homes a destination in themselves."
"Their 401(k)s may have taken a dive, but they still want better homes," she said.
Shelling out more
Americans expect to invest more in home improvements this spring. The American Express Home Improvement Index, released earlier this month, predicts the average household budget will be near $3,800, up 31 percent from $2,900 in 2000 and 42 percent from $2,660 in 1997, the year the survey began.
Half of home improvers will spend more than $2,000, up from 39 percent three years ago. Households with income of $50,000 or more will spend $4,267 this year, up 12 percent from $3,800 in 2000.
Remodeling activity dipped slightly in 2002, but appears to be ticking up again this year, according to preliminary data.
"One of the concerns is that a lot of the growth has been driven by the very strong wave in mortgage refinancing and consumers putting money back into their homes when they do refinance," said Kermit Baker, senior research fellow at Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies.
Mortgage rates have remained under 6 percent so far in 2003, keeping refinancing activity relatively high. But most economists expect interest rates to rise, if only a half a percentage point or so, through the rest of the year, and data from the Mortgage Bankers Association of America show refinance applications already tailing off in the last few weeks.
"The growth in remodeling has been seen disproportionately by homeowners and by upper-end homeowners ... working on upper-end projects," Baker said. "But real estate is showing vulnerability in that upper end of the market."
Homeowner improvements, maintenance and repairs totaled $165.8 billion in 2001, the latest year for which numbers are available. Improvements, which include the bulk of remodeling projects such as room additions and kitchen makeovers, accounted for $131.5 billion of the total. Analysts say expenditures were at best flat in 2002. See Spring Home-Maintenance Checklist.
Households, no matter what their income bracket, spend the most money on remodeling within two years of buying a house, the Joint Center calculated. Buyers who traded up from a less expensive home spent the most money on improvements to their new place, more than twice as much on average as owners who were longer-term occupants of their property.
Homeowners install more upscale amenities these days, items that reflect "luxury and convenience, but not ostentatious style," Shannon says. Nostalgia is big in post-Sept. 11 housing style, she said.
"Simple, understated design is the key," said Mike Kephart, a Denver architect, who nonetheless believes dramatic use of color is increasing. "Home design is far from pretentious, even if it is very expensive."
Yet more than ever, consumers are planning to divert discretionary spending to home improvements, the American Express survey found. More Americans named home improvements as their No. 1 spending priority from discretionary budgets - 44 percent, up from 33 percent in 2000. That far exceeded plans to spend on vacation travel, 20 percent, or dining and entertainment, 15 percent.
What are the top projects? Consumers are planning a wide variety of changes around the house this year. The survey found: 44 percent will tackle interior-decorating projects, followed by remodeling at 41 percent; landscaping, 31 percent; mandatory maintenance work such as plumbing, 26 percent; gardening, 26 percent; refurnishing a room, 22 percent; exterior decorating, 19 percent; restoration, 16 percent; adding a room, 16 percent; and building an outdoor living space, 14 percent.
Which rooms will get the most attention? For those refurnishing or redecorating, it will be the master bedroom (39 percent vs. 27 percent in 2000), followed by the living room (34 percent vs. 46 percent), bathrooms (31 percent, the same as in 2000), the kitchen (26 percent vs. 31 percent in 2000) and dining rooms (6 percent vs. 16 percent). For renovators, kitchens top the list (24 percent vs. 38 percent in 2000), followed by bathrooms (22 percent vs. 36 percent), and living rooms (21 percent vs. 17 percent).
The kitchen tops many homeowners' list because it is now considered the command center, or hub of the house, experts say. Everybody who has thrown a party knows the kitchen is the top gathering space; now homeowners are willing to spend to make it a showcase as well.
"The kitchen is the new status symbol, like a fine wine or a hot car. It's not tucked away anymore," said Connie Edwards, director of design for Timberlake Cabinet Co.
How to pay
To cover larger-ticket projects, consumers will explore a wide range of funding sources, the survey found. Most will draw from savings (76 percent), while others will use tax refunds (17 percent), home-improvement loans (9 percent), a company bonus (7 percent), gift money or gift certificates (7 percent), mortgage refinancing (6 percent) and sales of stock or other assets (2 percent).
Those making home improvements overwhelmingly believe their investment will increase the value of their home, the American Express survey found. And 80 percent said they believe that they should recoup the costs once they sell.
While not all improvements pay off equally, many do. According to Remodeling Magazine's Cost Vs. Value report, homeowners in 2002 could expect to see their home value increase by just short of 80 percent of the amount they spent on home improvements. That is, a $10,000 project would add $8,000 to a home's sale price.
"Relative to other expenditures, remodeling pays off," said William Apgar, senior fellow at the Joint Center for Housing Studies. "Homeowners who spend more on remodeling realize the most appreciation and remodeled homes tend to appreciate in value more quickly."
Among the other results from the American Express survey:
- Home improvers want to create an "uncluttered, organized and calm environment" (44 percent), "bring the outdoors in and the indoors out" (15 percent) or create a child-oriented home with durable furnishings, play spaces and an easy-to-clean kitchen and family room (13 percent).
- Most consumers will begin their home-improvement projects in June (23 percent), followed by May (19 percent). Also, this year more consumers will take longer -- two to six months -- to complete their project (31 percent versus 28 percent in 2000).
- Many (43 percent, equally split between women and men) plan to visit a local home-improvement store weekly or at least biweekly, while 10 percent will shop or browse as often as 10 times per month; 9 percent will visit a retailer five to nine times per month. Men (11 percent) compared to women (9 percent) enjoy the most frequent visits of 10 or more times a month.
Thursday: Do it yourself or don't?


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As a survey reveals almost half of young people feel the black box is unfair, Axon Telematics chief executive Domenico Mariconda says it will be gone in three years
New technology could herald the end of the black box within three years according to one expert, as a survey reveals almost half of young people feel the system is ‘unfair’.
Of 1,000 young drivers surveyed between the ages of 17-24, 45% said they felt unhappy at having to rely on the black box to reduce insurance costs, particularly as many come with restrictions like driving curfews.
The research from insurance comparison site Quote Goat found that 73% of young drivers still chose to insure their vehicle with a black box, where 77% saved up to £200 on their annual premium, and 14% saved double that amount.
Axon Telematics have responded to the problem by creating a dongle which interfaces with a smartphone to report driving data. It is one of many solutions that has been imagined to bring telematics forward, without the need of attaching a device to the vehicle.
Axon chief executive Domenico Mariconda says much of the problem is that the for too long innovation around the black box has been too focussed on reducing the cost of the hardware and installation, and that new technology for reporting driving data is needed that doesn’t feel so intrusive.
He said: “The black box hasn’t really evolved in terms of the functionality, so if you look at the key components of the hardware there are so many solutions out there. But the only evolution has been in cutting the costs of the technology.
“As a result of that some of the complaints being referred to is when you start to cut corners and compete with a transactional model. In principle your device starts to become less and less reliable because the quality can deteriorate – it shouldn’t but it does.”
The are several smartphone and app-based alternatives currently on the market, and Mariconda predicted that such developments would in the next few years lead to the demise of the black box among major insurers.
He added: “It’s very difficult to make an accurate prediction as to how much longer the black box as got left. There are two trends – one is driven by the car makers.
“We have already seen there is lots of technology being put into cars and there are a lot of sensors in these brand new cars, so there is a window of opportunity that in the next five to eight years all new cars will have a device or something similar to the black box, so at that point using the data coming from those multiple users becomes the key.
“The second trend is off-the-market solutions like those that are smartphone-based or the dongle. I think that in the next three years the technology will really catch up. They have just launched the new technology that makes the smartphone very sensitive in areas where historically the GPS signal has been quite weak.
“The release of products this year is such that even just the GPS on a smartphone is good enough quality. There is probably a three-year short cycle where off-the-market solutions will start to replace the black box.”


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Developer FutureLab released PowerWash Simulator update 1.07 (PS5 version 1.06) and this is for Muckingham Files for patch 1.4! Check out the PowerWash Simulator download. PowerWash Simulator Update 1.07 Patch….
FromSoftware has become a popular name in the past 10 years, partly due to its success and massively influential Dark Souls series, and its spinoffs, like Sekiro and Bloodborne. According….
Aroged: Epic Games announced an exclusive developer support program for EGS. This includes the 100% amount of money for exclusive hosting
There’s a good option but there are limitations. Epic Games has announced the first release for its developer and publisher. As part of this partnership programme, small-up developers will have….
Ride five is the latest chapter of Milestone’s exciting motorcycle racing series, and the latest entry will be a sophisticated and unflinching new itseration, it’s an attempt to get to….
Get ready for a very exciting new card from thePokemon TCG which you can get very easily, that’ll definitely never. The Pokemon Company International presented the golden no 1 Trainer,….
Google Photos has released one of its first major updates in a while with a new navigation bar and a new refreshed Memories. Google Photos has one of the biggest….
Are you ready to perform badly and begin music wars? If you answer yes, here’s Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands, a musical heavy metal RPG which is both funny and….
Smartphone plans are expensive but they don’t have to be. The cost of signing up for a plan with one of the major carriers is around $60 per month (before….
Quake II – Game Pass is a game pass. When you remember, the Quake had actually matured and dropped onto Xbox and Game Pass as it came. It’s time for….
BattleBit Remastered upgrade 2.0.2 has been released this August 9, and this is the first round of the game that brings the Trophy gadget into the game, while modifying the….


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For the past 150 years, London black cab drivers have been walking, talking (and occasionally swearing) navigational systems, successfully delivering passengers to their destinations since G, P and S were just three more letters of the alphabet. And the reason these cab drivers have such an extraordinary command of London’s nonsensical tangle of 25,000 streets is because of The Knowledge, a beyond exhaustive process of memorizing every single one of those streets, a course of study that has been called “the hardest test, of any kind, in the world.” But Uber could bring an end to that tradition, replacing years of work with an iPhone and a Garmin.
The Knowledge Point — London’s oldest training school for cab drivers — is closing, and its founder is blaming both Uber and the astronomically high rent prices in the capital. Malcolm Linskey, 70, says that ever since Uber arrived in the city, the interest in his classes has dropped. There used to be a line of eager would-be cabbies waiting to get into his classroom; now there might be a few dozen students. He told the Financial Times:
“Demand has gone down since Uber arrived. Usually we have 350 students enrolling a year, last year it was 200.”
Becoming an Uber driver might seem like an attractive shortcut, one that eliminates the need to spend three or four years (no, really) learning The Knowledge. Black cab drivers are required to know all 25,000 streets that fill the six-mile radius extending from Charing Cross. They spend hours, days, months tracing 320 common routes on laminated maps and driving every potential combination of streets, roads, bridges, tunnels and alleys on scooters (The New York Times said that one potential driver covered 55,000 miles on foot and on his scooter while he learned The Knowledge — the equivalent of two trips around the world). That could be why only between a quarter and one third of applicants ever complete The Knowledge and earn their coveted green badges.
Last month, a court ruled that Uber was legal in London. The app had been challenged by black cab drivers who said that Uber was being used as a taximeter, which only black cab drivers can have — their reward for all of those years of stuffing their brains with street signs. But the court ruled in favor of Uber, its drivers and their GPS devices.
Still, some drivers hope that passengers will see the appeal of the black cab over an amateur Uber driver. Brian Nayar, a cab driver and teacher of The Knowledge, told NPR:
“I drive a London taxi, but I’m also an ambassador for this great city that we work and live in, and you can’t get that from a GPS.”
The Knowledge Point is scheduled to close in December, when it will be torn down so luxury apartments can be built on the site. There will be 10 remaining Knowledge schools in London.


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- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) selected nine companies to participate in its Section 321 Data Pilot, which collects detailed cargo data from shippers in advance of cargo arriving to a port of entry, according to a press release on Jan. 8. The companies are Amazon, BoxC Logistics, DHL, eBay, FedEx, PreClear, UPS, XB Fulfillment and Zulily.
- The participants will provide cargo origin, content, tracking, recipient and other information to CBP upfront (in addition to what is legally required) for parcels "imported by one person on one day" with a value of $800 or less. Shippers will benefit from reduced costs as these parcels are duty-free and tax exempt.
- The agency hopes this will enable it to better pre-identify potentially illegal cargo, namely, "illicit narcotics, unregulated prescription drugs, brand counterfeits, and unsafe food and beauty products," for more targeted screenings while expediting the process for legitimate shippers.
A U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee hearing in July 2019 revealed U.S. e-commerce sites are far behind their international peers when it comes to identifying and removing counterfeit goods from their marketplaces. As a result, enhancing CBP's ability to detect and remove these items could be of particular interest to retailers like Amazon, which has struggled with the growing number of product knock-offs on its site.
Currently, CBP processes 1.8 million express consignment and international mail parcels per day, totaling nearly 600 million each year, according to the release, making it difficult to screen all incoming material effectively. Ensuring the integrity of cross-border and ocean shipments as these volumes increase, particularly when it comes to intercepting illegal drug shipments hidden in legitimate cargo, has been a growing challenge for law enforcement.
Smugglers are often able to take advantage of large-scale carrier operations. "It’s remarkably cheap, and economies of scale work for both legal and illegal cargo owners," Andrew Kinsey, a senior marine risk consultant at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, told The Wall Street Journal. Smugglers also benefit from the reliability of legitimate carrier operations while their smaller shipments remain relatively difficult to detect on board, he said.
To tackle this, CBP expanded the scope of the 321 Data Pilot in December 2019, after the pilot's launch in August, to include ocean shipments and international mail, which were originally exempted. It also extended the program's duration from 12 months to 24 months, now ending in August 2021.
After the pilot phase concludes, CBP will review the practice of having shippers submit shipment data in advance of port arrival to determine its impact on screening efficiency. CPB said it will begin to expand access to the program for qualified firms in early 2020.


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Publicis Mojo Melbourne is elevating “hungry blokes” to legendary status in their latest ad campaign for snack brand, Peters Maxibon.
The campaign challenges men to fight off their superhuman hunger with Maxibon for the chance to win what every other man with a superhuman ability has – his very own action figure.
Collectively called ‘Maxiblokes’, the action figures incorporate the latest 3-D printing technology to emulate the hair and facial features of each lucky winner.
“The action figures are incredible,” says Michelle Walsh, Creative Director at Publicis Mojo. “I was lucky enough to be immortalised in plastic myself and I’ve never looked so good!”
5 action figures will be given away every day for the duration of the campaign, which incorporates TV, outdoor, cinema and digital elements. The centrepiece is an online film that parodies a 1980s action figure commercial.
This latest campaign for Maxibon follows the highly successful Man-Chew campaign from 2011, also created by Publicis Mojo Melbourne, which saw sales of the brand sky-rocket by 22.4%.


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U.S. consumers added to their debt burdens modestly in January, a sign they remain cautious about spending despite sturdier job growth.
Outstanding consumer credit—reflecting Americans’ total debt outside of mortgages—grew $11.56 billion to $3.33 trillion in January, the Federal Reserve said Friday. That reflected a 4.18% jump at an annual rate.
Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected household debt to grow $14 billion in January.
Updated figures showed household debt grew $17.87 billion in December, a bigger increase than the initially reported $14.75 billion gain.
Increased borrowing for cars and higher education drove January’s debt increase. Nonrevolving credit, representing mostly auto loans and student debt, grew at a 6.29% annualized rate. Revolving credit, reflecting credit-card debt, fell 1.57% in January, though that followed a sizeable 8.41% increase for December.
The report offers the latest sign consumers reined in their spending at the start of the year after going on a spree in the fourth quarter. Economists expect overall economic growth to clock in at a roughly 2% annual pace or less in the first quarter, based largely on projections of weak consumer spending. Such spending accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic output.
Americans have shown a tendency throughout the recovery to spend their money in spurts and then refocus on paying down debt.
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Articles by Brendan Kennedy
- Anti-immigration billboards promoting Bernier’s party will be taken down, advertising company saysAug. 25, 2019
The ads placed by a third-party group feature a photo of People’s Party Leader Maxime Bernier and the slogan “Say NO to mass immigration.” Pattison Outdoor Advertising said Sunday the billboard ads, which led to a backlash in cities across Canada, will be removed.
- Ministry inspections of Fiera Foods left out a partner factory. Months later, another temp worker diedJune 5, 2019
A ministry spokesperson said “affiliated companies did not fall within the scope of the initiative.” A workers’ advocate said it was “shocking” the ministry conducted such a “shallow” investigation.


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Unite is warning shareholders of ‘significant reputational damage to all those associated with MMP’ if Merseyside lockout and sackings go ahead.
Shareholders in Austrian packaging company MMP are being promised a gauntlet of angry workers when they arrive at the company’s AGM in Vienna this morning.
(Pictured: MMP workers ask for support from London Mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone, 20th April)
In the last month, Unite has organised a series of protests and demonstrations across the UK and Europe aimed at highlighting what it says is the illegal dismissal of the Bootle workforce and the closure of the site in March.
Four Unite reps at the plant were also sacked.
Unite says it has established that MMP shareholders include leading institutional investors such as AXA, BlackRock, BNP Paribas, Henderson, Impax Asset Management, Invesco, Schroders and Unicredit.
In a letter to shareholders, seen by UnionNews, it says the company has acted ‘with blatant disregard for the law and without any meaningful discussion or negotiation with their loyal workforce or trade union.’
The letter warns: ‘The potential for significant reputational damage to all those associated with MMP will increase dramatically in the coming weeks and months if the company do not act reasonably, abide by the law and act within commonly accepted international labour standards.’
Unite also wants MMP to honour a redundancy offer made before the lockout began last February to a group of 37 of the Merseyside workers – arguing that this should apply to the whole workforce.
In other action, the union has targeted the global cereal manufacturers Kellogg’s – for whom the Liverpool workers made packaging – and retailers John Lewis, which owns Waitrose, Tesco and Asda as well as Co-Operative stores (pictured, below).
Ahead of the protest Unite national officer Ian Tonks said: “Vienna is a beautiful city but what MMP has done to its UK workers is simply ugly.
“They may have hoped we would have gone away, but MMP has got that very wrong.
“We will not stay silent.
“We will shout at every MMP meeting, to every MMP client and at every MMP workforce until this company corrects this appalling mistreatment of 140-plus men and women.”
The union’s campaign has also seen demonstrations outside the Austrian embassy in London, the Good Food Show in Birmingham and at the Kellogg’s AGM in USA, undertaken by American unions UFCW, USW and SEIU.
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