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Andrew Yang, whom Fast Company magazine named one of the most creative people in business in 2012, will help introduce the work of Cleveland's newest business incubator.
The nationally-renowned entrepreneur will deliver the keynote address at the first product showcase of FlashStarts, a startup accelerator training entrepreneurs in Playhouse Square.
The timing of Demo Day, Sept. 23, is auspicious. New securities regulations kick in that day designed to make it easier for young companies to attract investors. The relaxed regulatory rules are expected to boost entrepreneurism in cities like Cleveland and Akron, where venture capital can be hard to find.
Yang, 38, champions entrepreneurship as the chief executive of Venture for America, a New York City-based nonprofit group that steers enterprising young people to cities with emerging start-up cultures. It recently expanded its network to Greater Cleveland.
Yang's crusade makes him a natural choice for the debut of Demo Day, said Jennifer Neundorfer, the managing partner and co-founder of FlashStarts, upon announcing his coming appearance Tuesday morning.
"There's a lot of nice synergy between what they do and what we're doing," agreed her partner, Charles Stack.
Stack and Neundorfer, both experienced entrepreneurs, co-founded FlashStarts last fall. It joined Dan Gilbert's Bizdom and Shaker Launch House practicing the accelerator model of business development in Northeast Ohio.
FlashStarts invites people with a business idea to apply for its business accelerator, which offers free office space, training, connections and modest start-up capital. This summer, 20 aspiring entrepreneurs representing 10 companies are at work at FlashStarts offices at the top of the Keith Building on Euclid Avenue.
At Demo Day, they will showcase their products and services to potential investors, fellow entrepreneurs and members of the media. The event will begin with an address by Yang, one of the emerging rock stars of the innovation economy.
A lawyer turned entrepreneur, Yang, 38, argues that too much young talent is funneled into finance and consulting jobs in a handful of cities while much of the nation thirsts for job-creating companies.
Despite an economics degree from Brown University and a law degree from Columbia, he has spent much of his career running early-stage companies. He hit the jackpot with Manhattan GMAT, a test-preparation company bought by The Washington Post Co./Kaplan in 2009.
In 2012, Yang co-founded Venture for America to try to reroute young talent from Wall Street to Main Street.
"We believe entrepreneurship is the engine of growth for our economy and our goal is to expose university graduates to the start-up world earlier on in their careers," he explained in a statement.
Venture for America selects graduates from elite colleges and trains them for jobs at start-ups. It then dispatches them to positions in cities striving to advance into the new economy.
"Cleveland has a strong and growing entrepreneurial community, which is why we're excited to expand our program there this year," Yang said.
Seven Venture for America fellows arrived in Cleveland this summer and are working for young companies.
Stack said the contribution is significant. The fellows arrive with needed skills -- having been put through a boot camp at Brown. They tend to be smart and energetic and their salaries are subsidized by Venture for America.
"So it's a pretty good deal," Stack said. "We need all the help we can get."
He expects Demo Day to showcase the potential of such entrepreneurs. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 23 in the Westfield Theater of the Idea Center, 1375 Euclid Avenue. To request a ticket or to learn more, go to the website of FlashStarts, www.flashstarts.com/demoday.


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Nokia Siemens is expected to delay its purchase of Motorola's wireless network infrastructure assets after the company disclosed it has not obtained the necessary regulatory clearance for the deal.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Finnish-German company said the Anti-Monopoly Bureau of China's Ministry of Commerce is still reviewing the proposed transaction. The $1.2bn (£775m) deal was announced in July, and had been originally targeted to close by year-end.
Rajeev Suri, Nokia Siemens' chief executive, said in the statement the delay was "disappointing", but added that the company expects to finalise the acquisition in early 2011.
"We are continuing to work closely with the authority in China to finalise the clearance process in that country," he said. "We recognise its efforts in addressing this case as a matter of importance."
For more on this ZDNet UK-selected story, see Nokia Siemens' Motorola buy hits delay on ZDNet Asia.
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Mars Incorporated is to acquire majority stake in Nutrition supplement business Foodspring
- Published | 05 July 2019
Mars is betting on sports nutrition business through acquisition of a majority stake in Foodspring which is expected to propel the global sports nutrition market over the forecast period
Global: Mars, Incorporated announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase a significant majority stake in foodspring, a German company selling protein shakes, snacks, bars, beverages, and supplements directly to consumers. After the agreement, Foodspring will become part of the company's health foods segment Mars Edge, it will remain a standalone business and continue to be headquartered in Berlin. Foodspring is now one of the largest and fastest growing nutrition businesses in Europe, with currently six focus countries and 130 Associates. Its product line and its online platform could help Mars expand both its presence in personalized nutrition and its geographical reach. Foodspring is a premium brand that offers on-trend, evidence-based and data-driven products for consumers with needs around sports performance, healthy living and shape. Foodspring offers protein shakes, supplements, snacks & bars, muesli & porridge, smart cooking solutions and a range of beverages.
According to BlueWeave Consulting, the rise in demand for various kinds of organic quality based protein powder and pastured milk for dietary supplements among athletes are expected to influence the global sports nutrition market over the forecast period. Sports nutrition plays a key role in optimizing the beneficial effects of physical activity of any professional athlete to improve mental and physical health. Further, sports nutrition plan to help in both food and hydration integral to the performance, however, tailored nutrition can help to increase energy levels, promote good health, and help manage weight, improve concentration, develop body composition and growth, and enhance recovery.
Additionally, it helps in the life of any athletes and normal person during exercise such as allows to train harder longer, delays onset of fatigue, Improves body composition and strength, enhances concentration, prepares the body for the next day’s work out, helps maintain healthy immune function and reduces the potential for injury. Increasing awareness among consumers regarding health & fitness alertness coupled with the importance of protein dietary is anticipated to foster the global Sports Nutrition market in the upcoming years.
According to BlueWeave consulting’s report Titled-“ Global Sports Nutrition Market, by Product Type(Powder, Drinks, Food, Capsule & Tablets, Energy bars), by Content (Isotonic, Protein, Carbohydrate, Others) by End User (Athletes, Bodybuilders,Recreational Users)by Distribution Channel (Specialty Stores, Retail Stores& Online Stores) by Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa), Size and Forecasts, 2015 – 2025”- Rising awareness regarding fitness along with the establishment of fitness centers like gym, fitness clubs, yoga centers, and other facilities endorsing sports nutrition products are anticipated to contribute hugely to the increasing demand of sports supplement and other related products over the forecast period.
Additionally, the major factors driving the demand for sports nutrition products are rapid urbanization rise in disposable income of the consumers, innovation in product technology along with the increasing sales outlets.
- Prebiotics consumption expands in food and beverage applications...
- Online education industry – How has COVID-19 impacted the growth dynamics
- Lithium ion batteries continue to gain phenomenal traction in the automotive sector...
- Personal Protective Equipment Industry – 6 Major Application Sectors Driving...


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"No!" in response to this news, we'll improve your mental image by replacing the overacting villain with another shiny black object -- the PlayStation 3. In a financial update released today, Unreal Tournament III publisher Midway stated that its annual estimates have been revised due to "the expected movement of Unreal Tournament 3 for the PLAYSTATION 3 system into the first quarter of fiscal 2008." Conveniently and refreshingly, Midway's 2008 fiscal year begins in 2008. Also, unfortunately.
With fans already assaulting the forums of developer Epic Games, company VP Mark Rein has once again posted one of his noncommittal assurances. "As a public company, Midway felt an obligation to its shareholders to let them know about the possibility of a delay," said Rein. "But our goal is still to get the PS3 version of UT3 in stores before the end of 2007. However, we will only ship it once it's ready and is the best game we can deliver." See if you can extract any optimism from that, at least enough to cover what could become a fairly unsightly hole in the PS3's holiday lineup.
PC owners will be glad to learn that their version(s) of the frenetic first-person shooter is still due for a November release.


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WASHINGTON — Paying college tuition by credit card may not be a good idea, according to a new survey.
College students who pay tuition with a credit card receive an average “convenience fee” of 2.62 percent, according to a CreditCards.com survey of 100 of the largest public, private and community colleges.
The fee can pack a powerful punch over time, CreditCards.com points out.
A 2.62 percent fee over four years means an extra $3,154 to attend the average private school, an extra $2,327 for the average out-of-state public university and an extra $932 at the average in-state public college.
“It rarely makes sense to pay your college tuition bill with a credit card,” Matt Schulz, CreditCards.com’s senior industry analyst said in a news release.
“Even if you avoid interest by paying the bill promptly, the convenience fees outweigh the potential benefits of almost all credit card rewards programs.”
Of the 300 colleges surveyed, 87 percent said they accepted credit cards for tuition payments under at least some circumstances.
Some of the more common credit restrictions include only accepting credit card tuition payments online or limiting payments to certain classes of students such as graduate students.
Community colleges are the least likely to inflict major credit card fees. The 100 largest community colleges all accept credit cards for tuition payments, the survey found, but only 12 percent charge convenience fees.
On the other hand, 90 percent of public universities and 69 percent of private colleges that accept credit cards charge convenience fees.
Colleges and universities that ban or discourage credit cards for tuition payments say the processing costs are the main reason. The cost of processing credit card payments is determined by an agreement between the school and its bank.
The highest convenience fees — 2.99 percent each — can be found at Western Kentucky University, St. Joseph’s University and Roger Williams University.
See which schools in the D.C. area take credit cards and their convenience fee charge:
- American University – 2.55 percent
- Georgetown University – Accept credit card payments, no convenience fee
- George Washington University – Doesn’t accept credit tuition payments, but some exceptions apply
- Howard University – 2.75 percent
- George Mason University – 2.75 percent
- University of Maryland-College Park – 2 percent
Read more about the survey’s methodology on the CreditCards.com website.


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Del Taco Reports Significant End of Year Development
Company Closes Out 2015 with Nine New Store Openings
• Medford, Oregon
• Taylorsville, Utah
• South Jordan, Utah
• Boise, Idaho
• Farmington, New Mexico
• Las Vegas, Nevada (2)
• Porterville, California
• Rancho Santa Margarita, California
"Del Taco's consistent positive sales are a testament to the strength of our business model and our ability to launch the brand while maintaining solid momentum in both new and existing markets," said Paul Murphy, CEO and president of Del Taco. "These nine openings are just the tip of the iceberg for Del Taco in terms of growth. We're poised for significant expansion and have a talented franchise development team in place to provide a hands-on level of support to our growing franchise partners."
With a menu featuring made-to-order items utilizing fresh ingredients, Del Taco is focused on product innovation and staying ahead of trends to meet guests' growing demands for quality food served at the speed and convenience of a drive-thru. With unbeatable value and variety in the fast-growing QSR industry, Del Taco recently launched its expanded Buck & Under Menu® which now features up to 16 items, some starting at just 59-cents.
"Del Taco is raising the bar for the entire Quick Service category with its unmatched commitment to quality and freshness which is not typically found in the QSR segment," said restaurateur Larry Levy, chairman of the Del Taco board. "The brand is carving out its own space in the industry, and Del Taco's unique offering of fresh, high quality food paired with convenience and value, is strongly resonating with franchisees and consumers alike."
With a menu that has something for everyone, Del Taco attracts a broad customer base that continues to grow across a wide range of age groups, income levels and demographics. To accommodate the growing national demand, the company is currently recruiting new franchise candidates with foodservice operations, franchise and real estate experience to join the Del Taco team.
"With proven results in new markets and outstanding opportunities for growth, there has never been a better time to expand your portfolio with Del Taco," said Director of Franchise Development, Laura Tanaka. "Our solid company financials combined with our experienced leadership team and a wealth of resources, positions Del Taco franchisees for success with an exciting brand on the move."
Those interested in learning about the many benefits of owning a Del Taco should visit www.deltacofranchise.com.
About Del Taco Restaurants, Inc.
At Del Taco (NASDAQ: TACO) all menu items taste better because they are made to order with fresh ingredients including handmade pico de gallo salsa, fresh sliced avocado, marinated grilled chicken, lard-free beans slow-cooked from scratch, and cheddar cheese grated from 40-pound blocks. Featuring a working kitchen in every restaurant, Del Taco serves breakfast, classic Mexican dishes such as tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos as well as American favorites including hamburgers, crinkle-cut fries and shakes. Del Taco's UnFreshing Believable® campaign communicates the lengths the company goes to in order to deliver quality, made-to-order menu items created with freshly-prepared ingredients at a tremendous value. With nearly 550 restaurants in 16 states, Del Taco serves more than three million guests each week. Like Del Taco on Facebook at www.facebook.com/deltaco or join its Raving Fan eClub at www.DelTaco.com/RavingFan. For more information, please visit www.deltaco.com.
Powerhouse Public Relations, LLC
(949) 261-2216; email@example.com


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Getting online with Gogo just got a lot easier for T-Mobile customers. As part of the “Uncarrier” branding T-Mo has added a free hour of online connectivity on Gogo-equipped domestic flights. This is in addition to the free messaging which the pair partnered to offer starting last year. As part of the deal the free messaging plan is also being upgraded to support additional services beyond the original SMS-only offer. The benefit kicks in on 13 June 2016.
The free hour of service is available only on the mobile device which has T-Mobile service on it; this will not allow a phone user to subscribe on their laptop for free. But it is a significant upgrade on the offering and should be a welcome change for T-Mobile users.
We are giving all customers on a T-Mobile branded plan a free hour of Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi on your smartphone. It works on ALL Gogo-equipped domestic flights. That’s on top of the free in-flight texting we introduced last year, which now includes free in-flight messaging with iMessage, Google Hangouts, WhatsApp, and Viber—with more on the way.
Also interesting in the announcement is that it includes access to the broader “mobile messaging” plan for the duration of the flight, not just SMS messaging. This is a new plan that Gogo started selling late last year and which allows apps which are typically lower bandwidth and more tolerant of lag/delays through at a lower price point. Gogo sells the mobile plan for under $3 on its flights; it will now be free for T-Mobile users.
This is the latest move by Gogo to shift the cost of its services from the consumer to the airline or other sponsors in some way. Last week the company also announced that Delta passengers would be able to access all of the in-flight entertainment options – many of which are provided by Gogo services – for free. And that’s almost certainly good news for the content and connectivity provider as it moves to increase revenue numbers per aircraft and per passenger on the currently deployed fleet. That’s an important consideration as it has seen its ATG fleet growth slow (not many planes flying over the US/Canada without service committed at this point) and recent additions – mostly Regional Jets flying shorter hops – not pulling in as much revenue per flight/airframe as mainline jets flying longer trips.
Getting passengers to use their devices on shorter flights is good for Gogo. So is the more steady stream of income this sort of partnership creates. And it is good news for T-Mobile customers, too, as they get more value for their monthly fee. And with the majority of the free access remaining on the lighter weight messaging apps the system should be able to handle the incremental demand reasonably well.
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I’ve thought about switching from ATT to TMobile so after this news yesterday I talked to them. One big selling point was the wifi calling, found out that you MUST be on a tmobile phone to do that…my unlocked Moto phone won’t work. Without that I’d sacrifice a lot of coverage by switching so tmobile is still out for me…
I’m not so sure you have to buy the phone from them so much as to be using a compatible phone. I’m almost certain I got my wife’ iPhone at the Apple store and it works fine for wifi calling and everything else on the TMo network.
They have a limited number of phone models compatible with Wi-Fi calling; basically, models that are officially sold by TMo, including iPhones.
Compatible phones typically can be used regardless of where you bought them, since you can just download T-Mobile’s app and it works.
T-Mobile customers that use any other unlocked phone could not use Wi-Fi calling and could not use free in-flight texting. Hopefully one hour of Internet access works differently.
The free access hour explicitly states that it is not tied to the wifi calling.
Coverage stinks, calls drop. They have wifi calling for a reason. The extras attract attention. But, like many of us, they need to work on their core.
Coverage varies widely by location. It is relatively poor outside of cities and bad even in some cities. But I’ve very, very rarely been in a position where I had no coverage options when I needed it.
And I take that as a trade-off for all the other benefits it offers, especially on international usage.
Verizon and AT&T are now doing Wi-Fi calling, too — I guess they have it for “a reason.”
Comments are closed.


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Workplace (Formerly Facebook at Work) Officially Launches Worldwide
Facebook announced the global availability of Workplace--long-awaited, long-tested and formerly known as Facebook at Work--at an event in London Monday.
Brandweek will feature live discussions with marketing pros at ULTA Beauty, Converse, UPS and more. Meet us in Miami Sept. 11–14 to boost your business and elevate your brand.
Facebook announced the global availability of Workplace–long-awaited, long-tested and formerly known as Facebook at Work–at an event in London Monday.
Workplace brings traditional Facebook features such as News Feed, groups, messaging, Facebook Live livestreaming, Reactions, search and Trending to company networks that are kept separate from Facebook users’ personal profiles.
There are also features exclusive to Workplace, including a dashboard with analytics and integration with single sign-on, as well as with identity providers that allow organizations to integrate the service with their existing information-technology systems.
The social network also announced the introduction of a feature it has been testing since at least August, multi-company groups, allowing employees from separate organizations to collaborate “in a safe and secure way,” and it said these Workplace-exclusive features “will be rolling out to all customers in the coming weeks.”
And Facebook released pricing details for Workplace, saying that after a three-month free trial period, the per-user cost is $3 for organizations with up...


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A Mexican Grill recently announced the opening of a new store in Watford at the end of the month.
Chipotle an innovator in the fast-casual restaurant industry will be opening its first restaurant outside the greater London area on June 30.
Chipotle currently has 11 locations in London and is the only company of its size that owns and operates all of its restaurants globally.
The restaurant set to open on the High Street serves burritos, bowls, tacos, and salads made with real ingredients and no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
A spokesperson for Chipotle said: “We are thrilled to introduce our craveable Food with Integrity to the Watford community,” said Jacob Sumner, Director or European Operations. “The new location will also bring additional career opportunities to these areas for residents interested in Cultivating a Better World through real food.”


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Despite the recent tragic act of terrorism in the commercial centre of Bangkok, Thailand is likely to hit a new tourism record this year. On the same day than the hosting press conference of the Ministry of Tourism in conjunction with the UN World Tourism Organisation and the World Tourism and Travel Council, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Minister welcomed at Suvarnabhumi airport the 20th million tourist of the year, a Japanese businessman from Fukuoka. Asked why he was travelling to spend a holiday in Thailand, the Japanese visitor answered that it was “because of the friendly people”.
Thailand projects this year to welcome 28.5 to 29 million travellers, compared to 24.5 million foreign visitors in the year before. This would represent a growth of 16.5% to 18.5% over the previous year. So far, according to official data from the Ministry of Tourism covering the period from January 1st to August 23, a total of 27.06 million foreign visitors entered the Kingdom, a number up by 23.4% compared to the same period of 2014. Revenues of tourism during the same period of the year stood at US$36.9 billion.
In the short term, total arrivals are likely to be slightly impacted, although traditional mature markets such as Europe, Australia or the Americas seem not to see a slowdown in booking. News agency Reuters indicates however that a decline is to be expected from China. The agency cited data from ForwardKeys, which tracks over 14 million travel bookings a day.
According to ForwardKeys, data for the five days after the bombing compared to the same period in 2014 showed net bookings to Thailand down 65% and business travel from China tanking 350%. That would indicate that 2.5 times more Chinese business trips were cancelled during that period this year than were booked a year ago.


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Busch Gardens Williamsburg has always been known for their food. The park, which is themed around many countries of Europe, features various foods from around Europe, including Germany, Ireland, Italy, and more. Last year, Busch Gardens Williamsburg tried something brand new and it was a huge success with their fans and visitors. They took their food and beverage offering to an entirely new level with a Food & Wine festival at the park, which will be returning in 2014 with a brand new twist for your taste buds.
Busch Gardens sought out help from their Facebook Fans to help choose a theme to focus their Food & Wine festival around for 2014. The park received more than 1,000 votes in their recent poll. Caribbean cuisine received more than 40% of the votes over!
Park visitors will be able to taste new Caribbean inspired menu items this year during the Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival, which will be taking place at the park on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from May 23rd until June 29th. Busch Gardens will continue to feature European-inspired culinary creations during the 2014 Food & Wine Festival.
For more information about Busch Gardens Williamsburg, visit the official website by clicking here.


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Tag Archives: vehicle
Buick’s Envision, the first Chinese-made vehicle imported into the US, has been a steady seller for the General Motors unit since its introduction last year, apparently ducking political headwinds about its country of origin in the Trump era.
Two days after unveiling the first new vehicle from Detroit’s Big 3 imported from China, General Motors Co said it also will import the plug-in hybrid version of the Cadillac CT6 luxury sedan to the US from the mainland.
Chinese automaker, BYD Auto Co., is waiting for approval to release its new energy vehicles at home and abroad, a senior executive said. BYD’s factory in the Xi’an High-tech Zone is the group’s largest automobile production base by size in the country. The plant’s general manager, Liu Zhenyu, said China is emphasizing quality urban development […]
Product placement in films offers new road into drivers’ awareness, Li Fangfang reports. Get ready for the screen debut of a made-in-China car. A new alternative-fuel vehicle is set to appear in the most popular vehicle-related Hollywood movie, Transformers. Guangzhou Automobile Group Co Ltd’s Trumpchi E-jet, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, will have a prominent role […]
“The figure should be higher but the floods in the south and the super high temperatures in central China hit market demand,” said Rao Da, secretary-general of the association. “The stable uptrend in recent months made us estimate a 12 percent increase in September, thus we are optimistic that China’s total vehicle sales will likely […]


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Samsung launches three wireless AKG headphones in the US
14 Sep 2018 16:00 EAT
Samsung-owned Harman has released two new wireless headphones under its AKG brand in the the US, with one more model -- a premium one with more advanc ...
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16 Jan 2019 21:22 EAT
This bundle at Walmart gets you a pair of Sony's Extra Bass on-ear headphones *and* earbuds for $178
The only thing possibly better than a pair of premium Bluetooth headphones on sale is if you're ...
21 Jan 2019 16:35 EAT
Casper mattresses, LG 4K TVs, iPads, Beats headphones, Google Home, and more great deals for Jan. 21
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07 Jan 2019 04:06 EAT
Jabra claims its new Elite 85h is the best noise-canceling headphone - CNET
At CES 2019, Jabra is entering the crowded market for premium wireless noise-canceling headphones wi ...
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Jabra's latest headphones automatically adjust to your surroundings
At CES 2018, Jabra debuted its Elite 65t true wireless earbuds, an audio device that would eventuall ...
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Harley-Davidson’s first all-electric motorcycle is coming August 2019, will cost $29,799
Harley-Davidson dropped some important details about its forthcoming (and hotly anticipated) electr ...
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Sennheiser Wireless Headphones on sale for $74 off at Amazon
Let’s be real: wired headphones can kind of be a pain in the ass. It’s almost impossible to put them ...
14 Jan 2019 21:18 EAT
Get the WiFi you deserve and save $50 on the Netgear Nighthawk router at Amazon
It's 2019 and there's not a damn reason you should be putting up with slow WiFi. We have fol ...
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To kick off CES 2019, 1More is discounting its noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones
1More is offering a $20 discount on its foldable Bluetooth headphones exclusively to readers of The ...
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Samsung's Notebook 9 Pro convertible gets a lot more stylish
Samsung just debuted a new gaming notebook at CES, but it's not stopping there. Its latest N ...
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People with asthma typically have allergies,” Dr. Allan notes. Reviewing Larry’s case afier eight years, Dr. Allan reflects: “He is now asthma free, and grew to become so inside two years of start-ing remedy. Follow the student’s individual plan or the varsity plan should you observe any of the signs or signs listed in the asthma emergency section or in the student’s personal plan. Current advice on identifying allergies and asthma, stopping assaults, minimizing triggers, understanding medications, explaining allergies to younger kids, and serving to kids handle symptoms. We’ve been tracking all the places selling each the usual version and the digital version of the PS5 for months, helping 1000’s of people snap up the console when it seems. It has been defined earlier than that the most effective ways to ensure a console is ready to be purchased instantly was to make sure you had an account created and have been logged in, but there’s another approach to skip the road a bit of. Be certain you are getting sufficient calories in, too: Eating too little while trying to do all the issues is a surefire method to feel poorly, both physically and mentally. 9:17 a.m. PTWhile we’re all ready to see what Apple releases, make sure you are taking this moment to update your iPhones, iPads and different Apple devices.
While signing up, make sure that to accept advertising and marketing emails from Sony. Another round of emails for a PS5 restock at PlayStation Direct went out Thursday. PT (5 p.m. ET) in the course of the center of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday). Nonetheless, if there is inventory left, Sony does open the shop to the public usually at 2 p.m. What Sony has completed currently is give a fortunate few electronic mail invites for unique entry to the shop, which sometimes starts at 12 p.m. PT (three p.m. ET) on Friday. All of the again cameras have been considerably upgraded with wider apertures and new video features. 10:50 a.m. PT Apple says its again cameras have gotten serious upgrades with the iPhone 13. The 12 megapixel digicam can take in 47% extra mild, Apple says, with an F1.6 aperture. 10:Fifty two a.m. PT Apple stated Cinematic Mode follows the place the topic of a video seems to be, changing focus when they give the impression of being away, and again when they appear again. This 12 months, the iPhone 13 will get A15 Bionic.
Within the pandemic, we’ve learned that our worldwide provide chains are reasonably fragile, and our reliance on overseas manufacturing has led to shortages of all kinds of products, from automobiles to video recreation consoles to garlic. Sony did say it has secured sufficient chips to meet its objective of 14.Eight million consoles for the fiscal 12 months. Caper additionally ran a test program with Sobeys grocery chain in Oakville, Ontario, in 2019. The previous year has actually opened the door for the startup because of rising concerns in touchless tech and more sanitary purchasing. COVID-19 vaccine distribution is ramping up, with nearly 77 million doses already administered in the US (here is how to track what number of doses in your state) — a leap from the mere 1 million doses in the beginning of the year.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted tips, however again, each state can have the ultimate word. However, though there are recommendations, states and counties have the ultimate say in releasing vaccines to varied teams, and how they do it. There are rumors the Apple Watch then again may have restricted provides at launch. Kroger and Caper are partnering on a pilot program at Kroger’s retailer in Madeira, Ohio, just a stone’s throw from the company’s Cincinnati HQ. Kroger has tested autonomous supply automobiles in Arizona. Aneddona Pharmacy also presents free prescription supply to its prospects to their homes and offices. While neither Google nor the Justice Department would talk about the difficulty, a former Google accomplice, which the company hired to verify pharmacy legitimacy, acknowledged being questioned by regulators about Google’s selling advertisements to illegal Internet pharmacies. No. Much just like the flu vaccine, the coronavirus vaccine is on the market at pharmacy shops, clinics, hospitals, medical doctors’ places of work and health departments. Moreover, it could actually enhance the resale value of a house by as much as 25%. Among the many vary of waterproofing services supplied by Apex Waterproofing, the most popular and demanded companies embrace basement waterproofing, basis & structural repairs, crawl space waterproofing, and basement renovation.


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DIA cements its position in the IBEX-35
2012 was DIA’s first full year as a listed company. Last year, DIA emerged as one of the best-performing stocks in the market, gaining over 39%.
DIA’s share capital is represented by 679,336,000 shares with a unit par value of €0.10. At 31 December 2012, the free-float stood at 87.6% and the company’s market capitalisation was €3.27 billion.
The biggest milestone on the equity market front was the stock’s inclusion in Spain’s benchmark index, the IBEX 35, on 2 January 2012. Barely six months after the IPO, DIA accordingly found itself trading alongside Spain’s leading blue chips.
Between 5 July 2011, when DIA’s shares were listed on the Madrid stock exchange, and the end of 2012, DIA’s share price gained 37%, making it the best-performing Spanish consumer goods stock over this time horizon.
DIA was added to the IBEX 35 in 2012, so that it currently trades alongside Spain’s leading blue chips
The share price registered a high for the year of €4.93 on 21 December, having hit a low of €3.35 on 23 April. The share price ended 2012 at €4.81, implying an annual gain of 39%, significantly outperforming the IBEX 35 and Bloomberg Food Retail indices, which corrected by 4.7% and 7.4%, respectively. Daily trading volumes averaged 5.45 million shares last share, making DIA one of the 10 most liquid stocks on the continuous Spanish stock market.
On 13 June 2012, the company’s shareholders approved the payment of an interim dividend from 2011 profits of €0.11 per share, which was paid out on 16 July 2012. The company also approved and carried out a number of share buyback initiatives as a result of which treasury shares accounted for 3% of share capital at year-end 2012.
DIA has a three-person IR department devoted to fostering dialogue between the company and its equity stakeholders. In 2012 the IT department carried out over 1,000 actions to this end (including in-person meetings and conference calls with analysts and investors). It coordinated the disclosure to the market of the company’s interim financial information and organised the group’s first Investor Day.
The Investor Day took place in Madrid on 31 October 2012 and was attended by 120 participants who came from all over the world, along with another 300 which connected up by webcast of phone. Eight DIA executives participated in the event, including Ricardo Currás, the company’s CEO, and Amando Sánchez Falcón, executive director of corporate affairs; between them they gave their audience an overview of the company’s most important aspects and developments, as well as its plans for the months ahead. The event included a site tour which enabled attendees to get to know DIA’s business model and its various sales concepts first hand.


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The U.S. agricultural belt, with its excessive influence in U.S. policy, has been China`s most whistleblower target for Trump`s tariffs. Agricultural exports grew relatively well before the trade war, but suffered.6 Unlike hard-hit U.S. producers, U.S. farmers received tens of billions of dollars in federal subsidies in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Agriculture accounts for only 22% of the products covered by the purchase obligations, less than a third of the size of the manufacturing industry. The Trump administration is announcing drastic tariffs on Chinese imports worth at least $50 billion in response to China`s alleged theft of technology and intellectual property. After tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, the measures target products such as clothing, footwear and electronics and limit some Chinese investment in the United States. In early April, China imposed retaliatory measures on a number of U.S. products, fuelling fears of a trade war between the world`s largest economies. The move strengthens President Trump`s action against China following high-level summits with President Xi in April and November 2017.
A conclusion drawn from the data is obvious. The Americans suffered when China`s retaliation devastated U.S. exports. Trump`s rate hikes have increased prices for U.S. consumers and costs for U.S. businesses. His politically motivated buying commitments may have caused more problems than they solved. After the election, the United States needs a new approach to solving its trade problems with China.
The parties strive to ensure fair, effective and non-discriminatory access to the other party`s service providers. To this end, the parties are taking specific action, starting with the measures outlined in this chapter with respect to the financial services sector. Economist Panos Mourdoukoutas explains that Chinese elites are fighting the trade war on the assumption that China had achieved “parity of power” with the United States and that an economic divorce between the two countries would certainly have some consequences for the United States, but would also be devastating for China.  While U.S. businesses and farmers welcome these commitments, China only agrees to make purchases for the next two years and what happens next is vague. The agreement stipulates that countries “progthea” that the increase in purchases would continue until 2025. The shopping list also leaves some questions unanswered: what will happen to China`s contracts with other countries for products such as soybeans? Will purchases distort commodity markets? “We hope that both sides will respect the agreement and seriously respect it.” At the beginning of July 2018, the economy had already posted negative and positive results due to tariffs, with a number of sectors recording employment growth, while others planned to lay off workers.  Regional commentators have found that consumer products are most likely to be affected by tariffs. The timing of the increase in costs was uncertain, as companies had to determine whether they could maintain a rate increase without bearing the costs to consumers.  Chinese leader Xi Jinping said in a message to Trump that the agreement was “beneficial to China, the United States and the world.” Xi also said the agreement shows that both countries can find appropriate and effective solutions to problems “on the basis of equality and mutual respect through dialogue and consultation.” Differences in security, ideology and development models weigh on Sino-Soviet relations. China`s policy of radical industrialization, known as a great leap forward, led the Soviet Union to withdraw its advisers in 1960. Disagreements culminated in the border conflicts of March 1969.
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Braskem and Terra Circular launch Upsyde, a company focused on converting difficult-to-recycle plastic waste using a patented technology
Announced in 2022 and implemented this year, the new joint venture is designed to boost the circular economy and will be able to recycle 23,000 tons of mixed plastic waste every year.
Braskem, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Braskem Netherlands B.V., and Terra Circular, a company dedicated to the conversion of solid waste, have launched Upsyde . This company uses both patented and proprietary technology to convert difficult-to-recycle plastic waste into circular end products, establishing a creative and innovative solution to manage this type of waste.
The launch takes place just one year after the deal to create the venture was announced. This Operationally and financially independent, the new enterprise has Braskem as a parent company, with a 60% stake and the potential of extending the use of the technology to other regions. Terra Circular contributed shares of its subsidiary (formerly ER Plastics) to the joint venture, a company with the capacity to recycle 23,000 tons of mixed plastic waste per year into compression-molded parts.
Upsyde's headquarters are located in the Dutch city of Weert. Its innovative patented technology for recycling difficult-to-process plastic waste is used to produce durable consumer goods such as pallets, signs for use at construction sites and roads, asphalt blankets and heavy-duty mats. As such, Upsyde balances sustainability and innovation, contributing to a more sustainable future by offering circular solutions.
Upsyde products are part of Braskem Wenew 's circular ecosystem, which is comprised of products, education, technology and circular design, consolidating all of the company's actions focused on recycling and the circular economy under a single umbrella. Upsyde is one of the projects that is expected to help Braskem fulfill its commitment to eliminate plastic waste, which involves preventing 1.5 million tons of plastic waste from being sent to landfills and incineration plants or being discarded in the environment by 2030, in addition to selling 300,000 tons of products with recycled content by 2025 and 1 million tons of these products by 2030.


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Many businesses are using e-mail marketing campaigns instead of traditional direct mailings to maximize their advertising budgets, a GartnerG2 report released yesterday said.
According to the report, “E-Mail Savings Threaten a $196.8 Billion Direct Mail Market,” e-mail advertising revenue is projected to reach $1.26 billion in 2002, up from $948 million in 2001. By 2005, e-mail ad revenue is forecast at $1.5 billion. GartnerG2 is a research service of Gartner Inc., Stamford, CT.
“Direct mail has reached its peak and will account for less than 50 percent of mail received by U.S. households by 2005, down from 65 percent in 2001,” said Denise Garcia, research director for GartnerG2 covering the media industry. “As e-mail use, familiarity and trust increases, consumers will become more comfortable with accepting advertisements through their computer.”
E-mail marketing campaigns have proven more efficient, GartnerG2 said, and their success can be measured more easily. On average, it takes four to six weeks to complete a direct mail campaign, compared with seven to 10 business days for an e-mail campaign. Responses to direct mail average three to six weeks, while responses to e-mail take an average of three days.
In addition, e-mail campaigns are cheaper to execute. E-mail costs currently range from $5 to $7 per thousand while direct mail costs range from $500 to $700 per thousand, according to the report.
GartnerG2 analysts said permission-based or opt-in marketing strategies are critical to higher e-mail response rates. Response rates are about 1 percent for direct mail and for e-mail that is not permission-based. The average click-through rate for permission-based e-mails is 6 percent to 8 percent.
“Advertisers must begin to incorporate these types of personalized e-mail strategies in conjunction with their traditional direct mail efforts in order to maximize the reach, penetration and effectiveness of their campaigns moving forward,” Garcia said.


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Apple's iTunes and the online music services from Yahoo, Napster and Real might soon face harder competition from Microsoft. It is said that Microsoft is currently preparing to launch a subscription model for its online music store.
In September 2004 the company launched its MSN-branded music service, which sells individual songs through Windows Media Player. But it now appears that Microsoft is working with record labels and copyright holders to launch a new subscription-based component
Another rumour is that this new subscription service won't be integrated in Windows Media Player, but will come as a separated piece of software.
Apple's iTunes currently holds 82 percent of the online music market. Read more at ZDNet
Microsoft to launch digital music subscription service?
Posted on Friday, June 10 2005 @ 8:50 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck


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The newly revamped Dairy Discovery Zone, the traveling exhibit created by Dairy MAX promoting interactive dairy education, has made its appearance and is here to stay. The exhibit has been around for 10 years to connect with consumers where they are. While the old exhibit was great for its time, the third rendition of the exhibit is fresh and attracts newcomers.
In 2021, the Dairy Discovery Zone exhibit was revamped and made its debut at the 2021 State Fair of Texas®, where the first exhibit appeared nearly a decade ago. To learn more about the Dairy Discovery Zone exhibits revamp, you can read this article from October 2021. Since then, the exhibit has traveled many miles from the National Western Stock Show to San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo and recently ended the spring season at Rodeo Austin.
Since its debut at the State Fair of Texas®, the revamped exhibit has reached over 200,000 guests, averaging about 50,500 visitors for four venues. Previously at the National Western Stockshow and Rodeo, the guest impressions were up 95% from the previous year due to the new design and ideal venue placement at the exhibit grounds. Feedback from the visitors has been positive, and many guests who see the old 1965 milk truck share their stories about growing up and seeing an old milk truck themselves. "We have at least two people a day come up to us and share how they remember purchasing milk from an old milk truck or know someone who drove a milk truck years ago," said Adrian Castresana, director of consumer experience and events for Dairy MAX. The exhibit also attracts onlookers as it travels from venue to venue.
Another unique thing about the Dairy Discovery Zone exhibit's new rendition allows for the opportunity to be at more venues and the flexibility to cover venues that overlap each other. Different parts of the exhibit can be in two places at once. While one part of the Dairy Discovery Zone exhibit is at the Colorado State Fair, another part of the exhibit can be at another event because they fall during the same timeframe. This creates opportunities for the exhibit to reach more consumers in different areas of Dairy MAX's eight-state region and beyond.
Not only does the appearance of the exhibit create a nostalgic feel, but it has something for everyone. From interactive games attracting gamers or activities for families and their kids to participate in, the DDZ exhibit is one of a kind, creating memorable experiences and teaching the benefits of eating dairy. The new Dairy Discovery Zone exhibit is already paying off and has most recently won "Most Educational Exhibit" at the 2022 National Western Stock Show.
This isn't the first time that the Dairy Discovery Zone exhibit has attracted the eyes of others. The exhibit has picked up press from numerous news sources and was featured on FOX 31 and can be viewed here. But the attraction will not stop there. While the Dairy Discovery Zone exhibit was at Rodeo Austin this year, you can find many local influencers sharing about the exhibit on their social media platforms through posts and stories and sharing through their email blasts. Additional awareness of the Dairy Discovery Zone and its participation at Rodeo Austin has been seen across the state through those influencers.
Whether you see the Dairy Discovery Zone exhibit from a social media post or at the most recent stock show, the exhibit is not one you will want to miss. For more information about the Dairy Discovery Zone exhibit or about the work Dairy MAX is doing for consumers, visit DairyDiscoveryZone.com


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Karlie Kloss Cancelled Appearances for New York Fashion Week
Karlie Kloss won't be walking on the catwalk of Fall 2012 New York Fashion Week. According to Daily Beast, the model had cancelled all of her New York catwalk appearances for a big opportunity.
Source: vogue uk
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Talkdesk Celebrates Financial Services Momentum, Powers Exceptional Customer Experiences for New Banking and Credit Union Customers
The Talkdesk AI-powered financial services cloud contact center platform supports companies as more people embrace digital banking interactions
- Three new firms benefit from Talkdesk’s AI-powered Financial Services Experience Cloud™ to deliver outstanding customer service while creating efficiencies in their contact centers.
- Talkdesk continues to expand its footprint in the financial services industry, adding more than 50 new financial services customers in 2023.
- Talkdesk’s Financial Services Experience Cloud is repeatedly chosen for its industry specificity, AI and security features, integrations, and ease of use.
SAN FRANCISCO – November 2, 2023 – Talkdesk®, Inc., a global AI-powered contact center leader for enterprises of all sizes, added Avadian Credit Union, BayPort Credit Union, and Emprise Bank to its growing roster of financial services customers that rely on the Talkdesk AI-powered Financial Services Experience Cloud™ to modernize customer experience (CX). Talkdesk increased its year-over-year financial services bookings by over 50 percent in the first half of 2023, adding more than 50 new financial services customers year-to-date. This momentum highlights the trust that the financial services industry and technology advisory partners have in Talkdesk to drive exceptional customer service outcomes through its flexible and innovative generative AI (GenAI) -powered cloud contact center platform.
Talkdesk recently released comprehensive new research, the Talkdesk 2024 CX in Banking Survey, which provides industry-wide insight into banks’ and credit unions’ current and expected CX maturity, including their use of artificial intelligence (AI). According to the report, more than half of respondents (56%) expect their company to increase their investment in CX technology by 10% or more over the next three years.
Avadian Credit Union, BayPort Credit Union, and Emprise Bank chose the Talkdesk AI-powered Financial Services Experience Cloud for an enhanced customer and member experience. Advanced security features of Talkdesk Identity™ (delivering quick and seamless customer authentication through voice biometrics), increased efficiencies enabled by virtual agents pre-built for banking inquiries, and real-time agent assist features were key in these financial services firms selecting Talkdesk. Additionally, out-of-the-box integrations to core banking systems and existing IT infrastructure ensure a unified experience for both customers and employees, and faster time to value.
Emprise Bank also deployed Talkdesk Microsoft Teams Connector. Together, the solutions replace the bank’s legacy contact center and deliver a strong customer experience to its customers, while delivering efficiencies in the contact center and back office operations.
Eric Ham, chief information officer of Avadian Credit Union, one of Alabama’s oldest credit unions, said: “We wanted a contact center solution that’s a ‘single pane of glass’ and integrates with our core processor. We got that ease of use and deployment with Talkdesk.”
Ira Williams, vice president of member experience with Virginia-based BayPort Credit Union, said: “After reviewing several solutions, we landed on Talkdesk for our contact center thanks to the solution providing the benefits of AI with robust security and strategic integrations. But what was also a major deciding factor was the Talkdesk emphasis on being a true partner.”
Tonya Knipp, senior vice president and director of technology at Emprise Bank, commented: “We are a customer-focused, forward-thinking financial institution with a mission of empowering people to thrive. Talkdesk has enabled us to overhaul our contact center system and provide a much more modern, efficient, and improved experience for our customers.”
“With Talkdesk, Avadian Credit Union, BayPort Credit Union, and Emprise Bank benefit from customer experience technology that is specifically designed for the unique challenges of the financial services industry and uses the power of artificial intelligence and automation to transform customer and member interactions,” said Rahul Kumar, vice president and general manager, financial services and insurance, Talkdesk. “Our North Star is to become the preferred partner for credit unions and community banks and we are proud to help these organizations deliver exceptional experiences and rapidly realize business outcomes.”
Talkdesk® is a global cloud contact center leader for enterprises of all sizes. Talkdesk CX Cloud and Industry Experience Clouds help enterprises deliver modern customer service their way. Our trusted, flexible, and innovative contact center platform leverages AI and automation to drive exceptional outcomes for their customers and improve the bottom line. Serving enterprise customers in over 100 countries, we partner with our customers to deliver continuous innovation and breakthrough results. Our unwavering commitment to doing what we say we will do and our investment in the highest levels of security and reliability for our products make us second to none in the industry. Improve customer experiences, increase efficiency, and grow revenue with Talkdesk, a cloud contact center platform built for your industry. Learn more and take a self-guided demo at www.talkdesk.com.
Talkdesk is a registered trademark of Talkdesk, Inc. All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.


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DiDi Da Che : taxi-booking app in China
It is becoming increasingly difficult to hail a cab in China’s first cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, etc. This statement brought developers to think of a new way of hitching a ride: why not create an app enabling riders to find a taxi nearby willing to take him to his destination, and drivers to avoid aimlessly wandering the streets during off-peak time ? From this idea result the creation of Didi Da Che.
The success of Didi Da Che in China
DiDi Da Che is not even a little startup anymore, it is backed by Tencent, the tech giant behind messaging apps like WeChat and QQ : with the newly launched WeChat integration, DiDiDache doubled their registered user number in one year, from 20M to 40M.
Taxi-booking apps in China
Many other taxi-booking apps exist and are battling to win over taxi drivers and riders : with added bonuses given to the app users, ranging from 30 to 50 RMB a day, the mobile services are looking to become the top cab-hailing app in China. DiDi Dache, with Tencent, and KuaiDi Da Che, backed by Alibaba, have the biggest market shares, and they’re constantly adding new functionalities to their app in order to gain more users. In the course of this battle, taxi drivers have pushed aside « regular customers » that are waiting along the streets for a cab to drive them, and are focused on upping their DiDi Da Che profile in order to win gift rewards, such as laptops, electric fans, laundry detergents… It is becoming a concern: people without smartphones are dished aside, and the whole concept of calling a cab is changing with the boom of the cab-hailing market.
Faced with regulations from the government and the city-governors, the taxi-app market might experiment shrinkage as the cities are trying to centralize taxi data, but is unification possible in the middle between the two leading apps?


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The American news agency Bloomberg has promoted one of the two journalists who wrote a story last year claiming that claiming that Chinese spies had corrupted the tech supply chain and installed small chips on motherboards which were supplied to the American company, Supermicro Computer. The story has been met with a storm of denial since it was published nearly a year ago, but has not been either corrected or retracted.
Ten months ago, the American news agency Bloomberg published a sensational story claiming that Chinese spies had corrupted the tech supply chain and installed small chips on motherboards which were supplied to the American company Supermicro Computer. Despite being met by a storm of denial, the likes of which is rarely seen, Bloomberg has neither retracted nor corrected the yarn till today.
Server manufacturer Supermicro says an external investigation into claims that chips were implanted on some of its motherboards to spy on companies has drawn a blank.
It says 2, 10 or 25Mbps. You can download all the data you want at the speed tier you're on[…]
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And here I was thinking that it was the greedy shareholders and management that didn't care one shit about its[…]
That's amazing Michael could set that up properly as he said he would take responsibility for me getting ADSL for[…]
Lost in the raucous noise is the cost of refurbishing the pits and pipes to achieve an acceptable reliability and[…]


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The Federal Operations Units (FOU) of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has evacuated
57 vehicles with Duty Paid Value (DPV) worth over N1.3 billion from Omole estate and Lekki phase 1, all in Lagos in November, 2017.
Another seven vehicles were intercepted due to information while on patrol along Ijebu Ode expressway and Olorunda.
The 64 vehicles, among which, 59 are brand new, according to the Customs Area Controller in charge of Federal Operations Unit, Ikeja Lagos, were allegedly smuggled into the country through the land borders without payment of duty
Three bulletproof SUVs were among the seized vehicles detained for not having End Users Certificates (EUC).
Controller of The Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Lagos on Wednesday, said nobody had come to claim ownership of the seized vehicles two weeks after seizure.
“On assumption of office, I promised that on a monthly basis, I will bring to your notice our activities.
“We have intercepted 64 vehicles, among which 59 are brand new. To proof to you that they were smuggled, the owners are at large.”
This seizure is coming barely a month the customs unit intercepted 59 bulletproof vehicles from a hidden house in Ikoyi, Lagos. The revealed that these new seizures were made through another intelligent reports.
Mr Uba said, “the vehicles were evacuated based on intelligence along Omole estate, Ojodu and Olayiwola close, Lekki Phase one.
The remaining seven were intercepted while on information patrol along Ijebu Ode expressway and Olorunda.
“Our legal unit has already been mandated to investigate it and as soon as we get any head way about the owners or their agents, we will let the public know.”
In other seizures made within same month under review, 13,333 bags of 50kg of parboiled foreign rice were seized.
The rice, according to the Unit, with duty paid value of 164,449,888.65, were smuggled into the country.
“We need to support the Federal Government policy on rice, encourage local farmers, the millers and patronise our own nutritional rice.”Uba said.
Other seizures according to the customs, were, 835 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 15 parcels of Indian Hemp, 1,101,used tyres and 205 bales of used clothing.
“The duty paid values for all the intercepted items are N1,595,141,144.81.” Uba revealed.
As enshrined in the customs extant law, vehicles and rice were banned coming into the country land borders.
While refined vegetable oil are also prohibited.
“Oil in refined form is not allowed into the country. What is allowed is vegetable oil in crude form.
Reason is that, it will undergo further processing here and that will give our fellow Nigerians employment opportunity.” He said.
Mohammed added that the unit has constantly made seizures of dutiable goods used to conceal smuggled items while showing a truck of concealed rice covered with vehicle parts.
He also showed reporters a truck of foreign rice that were repackaged into local sacks marked as Nigerian rice to deceive unsuspecting consumers and sell at a relatively higher price.


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There has been a sharp increase in trading volumes on cryptocurrency exchanges in India since March 5, when India’s supreme.
Paxful, a peer-to-peer bitcoin startup, saw record trading volumes after the Supreme Court lifted the ban on cryptocurrencies in March.
30 Jan 2020.
Zebpay is returning to India more than a year after closing down local crypto exchange operations due to the banking ban imposed by the.
The Mumbai-based crypto exchange will be disabling all its digital a.
27 Jun, 2019, 03.51 PM IST. All · News · Videos · Photos.
Buy Bitcoin, Ether Litecoin, Ripple and other cryptocurrencies in 163 countries across the globe with ZebPay Cryptocurrency Exchange.
TNW logo; the cointelegraph logo; bitcoinist logo; quartz logo; coindesk logo; bitcoin news logo. 21BB+.
With exorbitant returns generated by most cryptocurrencies, investors look to invest in virtual currencies to diversify.
Bitcoin Predictions May Bitcoin price may be gearing up for a short-term rally as miners sell less BTC than they


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The making of an NFT collector
By Bhanuj Kappal | May 4 2022 · 14 min read
Despite risks, collectors remain bullish on the potential for NFTs to revolutionise the art world, in ways both predictable and unpredictable
At the beginning of 2021, the non-fungible token (or NFT) was a bit of internet esoterica of little interest to most people in the art world—or anyone not involved in the world of cryptocurrency for that matter. Then, in March, Indian-born crypto investor Vignesh Sundaresan (aka MetaKovan) bought an NFT of a collage by digital artist Beeple for $69 million at a Christie’s auction, making it the first piece of purely-digital art sold by a major auction house.
Other high profile sales soon followed. The same month, 18 year-old Las Vegas artist FEWOCiOUS sold a piece for $550,000. A set of nine CryptoPunks NFTs by Larva Labs later sold for $17 million. Established contemporary artists soon got in on the action, with Damien Hirst dropping an NFT collection last September. With over $10 billion in sales over four years on just one platform (OpenSea), NFTs have become a rather buzzy buzz word. Collins Dictionary even picked it as their word of the year for 2021.
Many of the big players in the traditional—or ‘analog’—art scene are joining in on the digital art gold rush, with an eye on the thousands of potential new buyers flush with crypto cash. Sotheby’s has launched its own platform dedicated to digital art collectors, called ‘Sotheby’s Metaverse’. Galleries such as Pace have followed suit, launching their own digital art platforms. There’s even a CryptoPunk NFT in the collection of Miami’s Institute of Contemporary Art.
The incredible hype around NFTs—and its accompanying rhetoric of a radically open and decentralised Web 3.0—has already led to a bit of backlash. Detractors point to the preponderance of scams, the volatility of the market (there have been two crashes already since the Beeple sale) and environmental concerns around the underlying blockchain technology.
But away from the battles being raged on Twitter and YouTube between crypto-prophets and crypto-sceptics, people from all over the world are investing money and time into NFTs, collaborating to build a parallel industry that could fundamentally alter how we think of buying, selling and determining the value of art.
Turning abundance into scarcity
NFTs have been around since at least 2014, when artist Kevin McCoy minted a video of his wife on the blockchain and sold it to tech entrepreneur Anil Dash for $4. By 2017, NFT projects like CryptoPunks were regularly being traded on platforms like Ethereum. That’s where Dheeraj Shah, host of the Web3 With Dhee podcast, first got introduced to the concept.
“When I first heard about [NFTs], I was like this doesn’t make any sense,” says Shah, who has been involved in the crypto space intermittently for a decade. “People were spending ridiculous amounts of money on buying these digital images.”
Intrigued, Shah invited a number of pioneers in the NFT space onto his podcast—including Twobadour—to find out more. “Their perspective on this space was completely different from what you read in the media,” he says. “The depth of their vision was crazy, and I felt like I needed to jump down this rabbit hole.”
Shah started buying up NFTs from collections like Cool Cats and Pixel Vault, eventually adding almost 200 pieces to his collection. But he wasn’t thinking of it in terms of buying art. His initial buys were profile picture projects (PFPs) or other utility projects where the token gave you some form of access or experience along with a piece of digital art. The idea, he says, was to explore the space and understand the underlying technological and behavioural dynamics.
Angad Chowdhry, the founder of Singapore technology firm Quilt.AI, was also drawn to NFTs by technological rather than artistic interest. Like Shah, he had been dabbling with cryptocurrency since the early 2010s, and was impressed by the opportunities opened up by the blockchain technology. Chowdhry was already what he calls a “meatspace art collector”, with a collection of analog art that includes pieces by the likes of Salvador Dali. So, locked in at home during the pandemic, he decided to dive into NFTs as well.
“In the world of digital abundance we live in, there is no space for lack,” says Chowdhry, explaining the conceptual appeal of art on the blockchain. “Everything is infinitely reproducible [...] and thus fundamentally value-less from a certain perspective. This was the first time that you could introduce a sense of lack in the digital world. And from a Lacanian perspective, lack is what triggers desire. So it was philosophically very exciting for me.”
Chowdhry’s initial strategy was to invest in early technological projects, or otherwise go to OpenSea and buy anything that was "cheap and good on the eye." The transition from tecno-philosophical experimenter to serious NFT collector happened with CryptoMories, a collection of 10,000 individual skeletons inspired by the Latin saying “memento mori.” Buying a CryptoMori not only gives you ownership of the artwork and an entrance to the community, each token holder will also get free access to mental health counselling.
“That’s where I really understood what it means to have a community with a purpose and a mission associated with the art,” says Chowdhry, who suggests thinking of an NFT not as an object but as a “key”, one that can grant you access to a wide range of communities, utilities and experiences. “Most of my collection is now in this space. What experience does this [NFT] unlock? Does it unlock new conversations, ideas, opportunities?”
Dheeraj Shah started buying up NFTs from collections like Metahero and Pixel Vault, eventually adding almost 200 pieces to his collection. Featured here are the Cleopatra Toy Face and Viking Toy Face by Amrit Pal Singh from Shah's collection.
Moving towards convergence
Most of this activity, though, is happening independently of the traditional art market. The Sotheby’s and Christie’s auctions may capture the headlines, but most NFTs are minted, bought and sold on international platforms like OpenSea, Rarible, Makersplace and SuperRare, which have few, if any, links to the analog art world. The two scenes also cater to very different demographics, with the NFT scene dominated by young, male tech and finance entrepreneurs who were the early adopters of cryptocurrency.
But the rapid rise of NFTs in the past two years has led to increasing interest and participation from a more diverse set of artists, fans and buyers. Shah points at World Of Women, an NFT project and community aimed at empowering women and promoting diversity within the NFT art space. Pakistani-American artist Maliha Abidi’s Women Rise collection of 10,000 NFTs showcases the work of female artists, activists and scientists in an effort to inspire more women to enter the crypto industry. There’s also Crypto Chicks, a project aimed at empowering women within Web3. The hype is real and many young art collectors are buying in, and other stakeholders are excited about the potential opportunities to expand the market for art. One of them is art consultant Natasha Jeyasingh, co-founder of community arts organisation Carpe Arte.
Jeyasingh first heard about cryptocurrency in 2009, and in 2017 she tried to help out an American friend who wanted to build a platform for digital certificates for artwork. That didn’t pan out, and she forgot about it till the Beeple sale brought it back into focus last year. She struck up conversations with the people collecting NFTs in India.
“A lot of people I spoke to had never been to a gallery, they just found it daunting, uninviting,” she says. “I got in touch with this guy from Kerala who has hundreds of NFTs, but had never been to an art gallery. It was fascinating to enter this parallel world of communities that were supporting art in non-traditional ways, and thriving."
Jeyasingh has been collecting analog art for over 18 years, but she’s cautious when it comes to NFTs, with only three works in her current collection. One of them is a PFP collectible, while the other two are works by Kolkata’s Varun Desai and the BIOSNFT art project. Her approach when buying NFTs is the same as with analog art—a focus on the process and understanding the artist’s oeuvre, which she says works nicely with the NFT ecosystem.
She’s excited about the many potential ways in which NFTs could disrupt an art world usually resistant to technological change. “It’s already created a big market of artists with practices that weren’t very well known, and a whole new buyer economy,” she says. “The two scenes are still running in parallel right now, the number of people crossing between the two is still very low. But that will change. It’s very exciting right now because nobody really knows what will work and what doesn't.”
Ouso Chakola, a Kochi-based artist who has released a number of works as NFTs on Terrain.art as well as collected NFTs by other artists over the past five years, shares Jeyasingh’s excitement about potential paradigm shifts. He started collecting and minting NFTs a few years ago because the blockchain’s promise of social and economic revolution (aka Web 3.0) dovetails nicely with the work he’s been doing. “A lot of my practice is about bringing down these old ideas of power and neo-colonialism, and I see crypto as the future that will replace these old ideas of power.”
He envisions a future in which digital art is traded like baseball cards, where people can show off their collections to each other on social media and trade them instantaneously, where artists drop not 5 or 10 tokens but a thousand or even ten thousand. “This might cannibalise the art market to a certain extent but I think it will create its own segment,” he says. “Some of these artworks will be sold as physical artworks, and also sold as NFTs to a wider audience. But I think there will be a lot more people creating digital artworks and trading them in a separate economy.”
Like Chakola, many gallerists and artists hope that some of these new buyers will graduate from collecting NFTs to collecting physical art as well, bringing in a new injection of money and interest in the art market. In February, The New York Times wrote about the rush from traditional art institutions to court crypto-entrepreneurs, with some notable successes. But not all NFT collectors are interested in crossing over.
Angad Chowdhry, the founder of Singapore technology firm Quilt.AI, was drawn to NFTs by technological rather than artistic interest.
Art consultant Natasha Jeyasingh has three NFT works in her collection, among which is a work from the BIOSNFT project.
Bullish but wary
“The problem with the art world is that there’s no consensus on how things are priced, there’s no social proof,” says Shah, who has no intention of buying analog art. “And you have to rely on someone else’s word to understand a work’s value. But on the blockchain, you have a completely open ledger which can tell you how many times an NFT has been sold, to whom, and for how much.”
But even those who are keen to see this disruption in action warn that it may not be as revolutionary as some of the most vocal NFT proponents would have you believe. “I also see old-world systems getting integrated, with galleries cutting into the royalties,” cautions Jeyasingh. “So you have to be careful of that.”
There are other potential drawbacks too. When Chakola’s computer died last year, he lost access to both of his wallets and thus his entire collection. The decentralised nature of the blockchain means he can never get it back (“It’s not so easy to lose a traditional art collection,” he says).
Jeyasingh also warns that the current values of many works may be inflated due to speculation, and that more crashes are possible. Investing in NFTs is risky, and plenty of collectors have seen their entire digital net worth crash in a handful of days. But despite these risks, the collectors I spoke to remain bullish on the potential for NFTs to revolutionise the art world, in ways both predicted and unpredictable.
“You couldn’t have a call-out culture without Web 2.0, but nobody designed it for that, right?” says Chowdhry. “A lot of conceptual ideas have now been made possible by this technology, and we can’t really say what the endgame will be. It might not even be called NFTs, it might look completely different. We can only see the pieces of the puzzle as they emerge, but there's a lot of possibilities.”
Bhanuj Kappal is a Mumbai based culture writer who focuses on alternative and underground culture. He tweets at @stonerjesus.


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5G may still be a ways off, but mobile carriers are working hard to make the most of their 4G LTE networks, and T-Mobile is no exception.
The carrier announced today that it's successfully activated a 600MHz cellular LTE network site in Cheyenne, Wyoming — the first of its kind.
Operating on a previously open frequency, purchased during the Federal Communications Commission's auction of premium low-band spectrum licenses, the 600MHz LTE network claims to offer better coverage and less data congestion compared to the 700MHz network used by most large carriers today.
- Best cheap Samsung Galaxy S8 deals this month
After Wyoming, T-Mobile plans to expand its newly minted 600MHz network to other rural locations such as Northwest Oregon, West Texas, Southwest Kansas, the Oklahoma panhandle, Western North Dakota, Maine, Coastal North Carolina, Central Pennsylvania, Central Virginia and Eastern Washington.
Though active, it will still be a while before T-Mobile's record-breaking service sees widespread use.
According to the carrier, it will take some time for today's phones to catch up with the tech, with Samsung and LG planning to launch phones capable of tapping into the new network by the fourth quarter of this year. Those are the Galaxy Note 8 and LG V30, by the way.
T-Mobile is also still hard at work preparing the rest of its network for the eventual switch to 5G, the next-gen (albeit currently undefined) mobile communications standard the carrier hopes to have ready for consumers nationwide by 2020.
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Citigroup is offering to pay $590 million to legal claims by shareholders that its executives dissembled about the bank’s growing problems before the financial crisis.
The bank said Wednesday that it agreed to the deal to eliminate the cost and uncertainties associated with litigating the class-action suit. It denied the allegations.
The plaintiffs say Citigroup executives kept mum between February 2007 and April 2008 about huge losses the bank faced on complex mortgage investments. When the problem was disclosed, they say, Citigroup’s share price plunged. They blame the bank for their losses.
The New York Bank says it already has set aside enough money to cover the cost of the settlement.
The settlement is subject to court approval. The case is pending in federal court in Manhattan.
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(AFP) — Apple – the culture-changing company behind the iPod, iPhone and iPad — hit another milestone on Thursday, becoming the first private-sector company to surpass US$1 trillion in market value.
Shares of Apple finished the formal Wall Street trading day at US$207.39, topping the magic number two days after the California tech giant reported strong quarterly earnings.
The landmark is the latest victory for Tim Cook, who faced scepticism when he took over as chief executive in 2011 from ailing iconic co-founder Steve Jobs.
Jobs, who founded Apple in a Silicon Valley garage in 1976 with Steve Wozniak and built it into a global powerhouse, died in October 2011.
After the death of master pitchman Jobs, analysts and other industry watchers wondered whether the company would lose its ability to create buzz for “the next big thing.”
But Cook has gradually won accolades from investors by pumping out a series of solid financial results and spreading Apple’s products to China and other foreign markets.
Apple is the first private sector company to reach this level. State oil company PetroChina briefly broke the US$1 trillion barrier in 2007 during its initial public offering, but has since dropped back down.
US tech companies have cemented their position in the broader market, now making up the top five most valuable enterprises based on share prices.
Behind Apple are Amazon, Google parent Alphabet, Microsoft and Facebook.
A trillion dollars is roughly the annual gross domestic product of Indonesia, and more than twice that of Belgium, according to World Bank data from 2016.
As with other landmarks – such as the Dow crossing 25,000 points for the first time – the Apple record is significant because of its resonance beyond the financial universe.
“The US$1 trillion mark is more psychological, and sends a message of growth and size into the market,” said Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices.
Many financial insiders, however, view the record as a non-event.
“There’s no real excitement on the trading desk,” said Karl Haeling of LBBW. “It’s one of those things that does not mean anything by itself… it’s more a testimony of the importance of Apple on the market.”
Cook has put a focus on digital content and services, positioning Apple to make money from music, movies, apps, subscriptions and more – all sold to the vast “install base” of people using devices made by the company.
Apple has sold more than a billion iPhones since the first model was unveiled by Jobs in 2007.


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The world's fastest food chain has also said it will increase the 30-day ban on opening dining rooms in the United States. McDonalds said customers will have to wear face masks at its American restaurants due to the rise in coronavirus disease across the country from next month.
The use of face masks by health professionals and government employees who want to control the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, which has infected more than 4 million people in the United States, is the highest recommendation.
McDonald said it will train its employees to address customers who refuse to wear a face mask.
Posted Using LeoFinance


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The importance of press releases for travel and tourism businesses cannot be overstated. Not only do press releases provide an opportunity for these businesses to share important information with the public and create buzz around their brand, but they also serve as a way to establish credibility and drive website traffic. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of travel press release distribution and provide tips for crafting and distributing effective press releases that will help your business stand out in a crowded market. So, if you’re a travel or tourism business looking to take your marketing efforts to the next level, read on to learn more.
A travel press release is a written statement issued to the media to announce a new product, service, or initiative related to the travel and tourism industry. Press releases serve as a way for travel and tourism businesses to share information with the public and create buzz around their brand. They also provide an opportunity for these businesses to establish themselves as thought leaders in their field.
There are several benefits to distributing a travel press release. One of the main benefits is increased exposure for the business. By sharing news about the business with the media, travel and tourism companies can reach a wider audience and potentially attract new customers. Press releases can also help to build credibility for the business, as they demonstrate that the company is actively engaged in new and exciting initiatives.
In addition to increasing exposure and building credibility, press releases can also help to drive website traffic and boost search engine rankings. By including links to the company’s website in the press release, businesses can drive traffic to their site and potentially improve their search engine rankings. This is especially important for travel and tourism businesses, as a strong online presence is crucial for attracting customers.
When writing a travel press release, it’s important to clearly communicate the newsworthy aspect of the announcement. This could be the launch of a new destination, the introduction of a new tour or package, or the opening of a new hotel or resort. It’s also important to consider the audience for the press release and tailor the content accordingly.
Once the press release has been written, the next step is to distribute it to the appropriate media outlets. There are a few different ways to do this. One option is to use a press release distribution service, which will distribute the release to a pre-determined list of media outlets. These services can be expensive, but they can also be a good choice for travel and tourism businesses that want to ensure their press release reaches a wide audience.
Another option is to send the press release directly to individual media outlets. This can be a more time-consuming process, but it can also be more effective, as it allows the business to target specific outlets that are likely to be interested in the announcement.
When distributing a travel press release, it’s important to follow best practices for press release formatting and to include all necessary contact information. It’s also a good idea to follow up with media outlets after the press release has been sent to see if they have any questions or would like more information.
In addition to traditional media outlets, travel and tourism businesses can also use social media to share their press releases and reach a wider audience. This can be a particularly effective strategy for reaching younger audiences or for promoting initiatives that have a strong visual component.
A travel press release can be a powerful tool for sharing important information with the public and building buzz around a brand. By following best practices for press release writing and travel press release distribution, travel and tourism businesses can effectively communicate their news and message to the right audience.


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Business owners find innovative ways to generate revenue during pandemic
LOS ANGELES - In a new survey conducted by Main Street America, 8 in 10 businesses are closed temporarily due to the coronavirus crisis.
However, the pandemic is not stopping some owners from figuring out a way to stay open and make money.
Jewelry brand, Taudrey, closed their boutique, but the sales of their personalized pieces haven't stopped.
To engage with their customers, they began a virtual sample sale called "Sip 'N Shop."
Taudrey goes live every Thursday evening on Facebook and Instagram.
During the live stream, they release a discount code and it saves you big on their hand made pieces!
Go to www.taudrey.com.
Next, a project for you and your kids, and a delicious one at that!
Sugarcraft, a Los Angeles bakery, is now shipping out do it yourself cookie decorating kits.
It comes with pre-made sugar cookies, icing, sprinkles, and candies to create your own delicious distraction while in quarantine.
Go to www.sugarcraftla.com.
Restaurants all over Southern California are doing take out and curbside pick up to make sure they stay in business.
But Elephante in Santa Monica is keeping bellies full and drinks flowing in a unique way.
Produce boxes with all the essentials, discounts on certain days, Sunday supper which feeds a family of four for $100. They even sell their delicious cocktails in mason jars.
Go to www.elephantela.com.
You want to burn off those cookies and cocktails?
Barry's Bootcamp trainer, Rachel Robinson took her fitness classes virtually.
She hosts daily training sessions for free.
But she links her Venmo account for those that can give.
A warning: her classes are not for the faint of heart or for cardio haters.
You can check her out on Instagram.
Get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android.


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Remember Nimbuzz? It used to be a really popular social network before WhatsApp came and stole the show. It was released in 2008 and was cross platform like WhatsApp and went on to acquire millions of users.
Now today, it has emerged that Mara Social Media, an African multi channel platform has announced that they have acquired Nimbuzz Assets. This is big since Nimbuzz has over 200 million users and it is available on several platforms ranging from Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Blackberry, PC, Mac and even Symbian.
“We see a strong momentum for consumer messaging apps, which are set to overtake social media apps globally.” Anubhav Nagar, Mara Social Media’s CEO was quoted. “According to reports and current trends, it is clear that social media apps are likely to be eclipsed by messaging apps in the next two years. This is the opportunity, which we identified with Nimbuzz.”
As part of the acquisition, Mara now owns the Nimbuzz assets which include integration of Nimbuzz and Holaa, its IP and database. However, they didn’t reveal how much they paid for Nimbuzz and Holaa.
Mara also has plans for the new purchase. They will roll out a “hybrid” approach for Nimbuzz which would be an amalgamation of content. They plan to integrate Nimbuzz on Mara platforms like Mara Mentor and Mara jobs into Nimbuzz.
“Through this multiplatform integration of Nimbuzz & Mara’s current consumer facing platforms, the long term play for Mara Social Media is to enable commerce by growing and amplifying the power of the user base & engagement.”


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U.S. adults spent $33.9 billion on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in 2007.
The largest expenditure on CAM was on self-care costs of $22.0 billion, the largest component of which was $14.8 billion spent on non-vitamin, non-mineral natural products. In addition, Americans spent $11.9 out-of-pocket (OOP) on practitioners such as chiropractic, osteopathic manipulation, naturopathy and chelation therapy; $4.1 billion on yoga (equal to 12% of the total), $2.9 billion on homeopathy, and $0.2 billion on relaxation techniques.
Self-care equates to about two-thirds of total CAM spending, with the remainder spent on practitioners.
The $14.8 billion spent on non-vitamin products is about 31% of the amount that Americans spent out-of-pocket on pharmaceutical drugs in 2007 ($47.6 billion).
CAM includes a wide array of products and services including alternative medical systems such as acupuncture, ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, and traditional healers; ideologically based therapies such as chelation, non-vitamin, and diet-based approaches; manipulation (e.g., chiropractic and massage); mind-body therapies (e.g., biofeedback and relaxation); and, energy-healing therapies.
Health Populi’s Hot Points: The major change in the 2007 American spending on CAM compared to the previous study conducted 10 years ago is that out-of-pocket spending on CAM providers substantially fell since 1997. At the same time, twice as many people bought a self-help book or other materials to learn relaxation techniques in 2007 as their visits to relaxation therapists fell from 103.2 million visits in 1997 to 28.9 million visits in 2007.
However, visits to acupuncturists increased in the decade by about 3 times the rate of 1997. This occurred as insurance coverage for these therapies broadened along with state licensure for these practitioners.
Although a fraction of total health spending, the report notes, Americans spend a “substantial” amount of money on CAM, comparable to OOP costs for conventional physician services and prescription drugs.
The data confirm that more Americans are “doing” more health care for themselves, given the growing array of CAM products and services available to them. Interesting, consumers are shifting their spending to different categories based on what they’re learning and what’s available on the market, such as relaxation techniques that have become more mainstream and less institutionalized.
We know that in the recession, more Americans are doing more at-home for health, as found in the July 2009 Kaiser Family Foundation Tracking Poll which found that 33% of Americans are relying more on home remedies and OTC drugs in the recession. We can expect this trend to hold even after the recession as health consumers come to trust and weave new approaches to managing personal health.


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The housewares department and food halls of Selfridges’ flagship store on London’s Oxford Street are being transformed into ‘an authentic slice of Japan’ for 12 weeks.
The department store group said: “As well as hosting the next Olympics, Japan is seen as the next cultural phenomenon and to celebrate this, Selfridges is bringing a host of authentic, exclusive, artisanal products and experiences to entice, excite and educate customers for the first three months of 2016.”
Selfridges has partnered with a number of food experts including Hidetoshi Nakata (former international football player turned artisanal sake maker), plus a selection of Japanese consumer brands including Kikkoman and Meiji.
Selfridges food and restaurants director Nathan Herrmann commented: “Japan is an incredibly innovative and cultural country, and with so much happening there over the next 10 years, we thought it fitting to pay homage with a Selfridges twist.”
Highlights include the UK’s smallest sake bar, launched with Hidetoshi Nakata. The six-seater bar, located in Selfridges Wine and Spirits shop, serves the most exclusive Japanese sakes, never before available in the UK.
The Selfridges Wine and Spirits shop itself will become a destination for Japanese whiskies and sakes, stocking over 25 expressions. Tasting sessions and master classes will also be on offer.
Kawaii (meaning ‘really cute’ in Japanese) pop culture is intrinsic to Japan and in honour of this, Selfridges aims to bring customers the best in Japanese food pop culture with a entire wall dedicated to the chocolate-covered biscuit sticks Pocky, creating the largest selection of Pocky in the UK.
A range of Japanese confectionery, with flavours such as Lychee Gummies, will take pride of place in the Confectionery Hall. Customers can also expect Japanese and British ‘mash-ups’ in the bakery counter with British classics turning into Japanese delights such as Matcha Rolled Cake (aka Swiss roll).
In addition, Selfridges will host the broadest range of Hello Kitty products ever seen in a department store, with exclusive Hello Kitty food items.
In the food hall, Hidetoshi Nakata has worked with the Selfridges buying team to hand-select artisanal products from Japan, from sushi to a noodle library featuring over 50 different types of noodles, as well as exclusive Japanese teas.
Japanese-themed housewares products include a DEXAM 20cm bamboo steamer (£22), SORI YANAGI Nambu Tekki 13cm cast iron pan (£160), KAICO 1.8L oil pot (£120), GLOBAL 13cm Santoku knife (£149.99), HASAMI PORCELAIN ceramic teapot (£50), AZMAYA Handmade ebony chopsticks (£36) and a MONBENTO Square Bento box (£29).
Selfridges’ demo kitchen will also host a series of exclusive dining events, including an evening of Japanese flavours, for which six London-based Japanese head chefs will prepare a course each.The dinner is organised in conjunction with The Japanese Culinary Academy, which was established in London last July in response to the growing interest in Japanese cuisine.


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Shares of American Express Co. (NYSE: AXP) surged in pre-market trading Friday after the credit card company reported third-quarter revenue and earnings that were higher than expected, but the rally quickly fizzled at the start of New York trading, as AXP declined with the broader U.S. stock market.
Q3 Earnings Summary
- Earnings: $2.08 per share
- Revenue: $10.99 billion
American Express soundly topped analysts’ expectations on both earnings and revenues for its most recent quarter. The company’s net income rose to $1.76 billion, or $2.08 per share, from $1.65 billion, or $1.88 per share, a year earlier. Excluding non-recurring items, American Express earned an adjusted $2.08 per share. Analysts had called for an adjusted EPS of $2.03.
Annual revenues surged 8% to $10.99 billion versus expectations of $10.94 billion. Consumer services, which account for nearly half of total revenue, jumped 11% to $5.4 billion. Revenue from commercial services increased 7% to $3.4 billion while merchant services climbed 5% to $1.7 billion.
The company set aside $879 million in provisions for losses, which is 7.6% higher than a year ago.
Management expects revenues to increase between 8% and 10% in the current quarter, chief executive Steve Squeri said during the earnings call.
“The trends we saw in the business this quarter continue to be consistent with an economy that continues to grow, albeit at a more modest pace than last year,” he said, as per The Wall Street Journal.
Company revenues have been aided by a healthy uptick in consumer spending for much of 2019. Although U.S. retail sales declined 0.3% in September, they have risen in six of the past seven months.
Receipts at retail stores are a good proxy for consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). A separate gauge of personal spending released monthly by the Commerce Department shows Americans have increased their purchases in each of the last six months.
AXP Stock Declines
American Express’ stock surged 2.1% before Friday’s opening bell as investors rallied behind the latest earnings call. However, the gains proved unsustainable as a fresh bout of selling hit U.S. equities.
As a result, AXP closed Friday’s session down 2% at $116.76. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished down 255.68 points, or 1%, to 26,770.20. AXP is the Dow’s 18th largest holding by weight.
At current values, American Express has a total market capitalization of $96.9 billion. The stock is up 22.5% since the start of 2019 but is down almost 10% from its 52-week high.
The company’s next earnings call is scheduled for Jan. 15-20, 2020.
Disclaimer: Author holds no investment position in American Express at the time of writing.
The opinions provided in this article are those of the author and do not constitute investment advice. Readers should assume that the author and/or employees of Grizzle hold positions in the company or companies mentioned in the article. For more information, please see our Content Disclaimer.