text:
Dany Bahar Senior Vice President Commercial and Brand and Roberto Fedeli, Technical Director at Ferrari, have both released a new video describing the story behind the new Ferrari 458 Italia.
The Ferrari 458 Italia will make its world debut next week at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Refresher: Power comes from a mid-rear mounted 4.5L V8 making 570-hp at 9,000 rpm with a maximum torque of 398 lb-ft at 6,000 rpm. Mated to a dual-clutch 7-speed F1 gearbox, 0 to 62 mph comes in just 3.4 seconds with a top speed of over 202 mph.
Click through for the video.
2011 Ferrari 458 Italia:
– By: The Daily Auto Editor


text:
Tourism spending was up 9 percent in New York state in 2007, according to a new report by Empire State Development.
ESD said visitors spent $51 billion in the local economy. The study was commissioned by the state Department of Economic Development’s Division of Tourism. Much of that increase was the result of overseas and Canadian visitors traveling to New York as a result of a favorable exchange rate. Overseas visitors spent 15 percent more in New York in 2007 compared with 2006. Canadians’ spending was up 11 percent in 2007 compared with 2006. Foreign spending represented 28 percent of all visitor spending in 2007.
The report said tourism contributes $44 billion to the state’s gross domestic product. Tourism generated $6.8 billion in state and local taxes in 2007.
The report said tourism supports 672,000 New York jobs, or 6 percent of all New York jobs in 2007.
The results support Gov. David Paterson’s plan to expand marketing New York tourism, ESD said. The state expects tourism spending to increase to $60 billion by 2020.

domain: news


text:
Nine African startups have been selected to take part in the second edition of the Norrsken Impact Accelerator, which is designed to find the world’s most promising impact startups, and help them scale.
Founded by Niklas Adalberth, one of the founders of Swedish fintech unicorn Klarna, in 2016, Norrsken aims to help entrepreneurs solve the world’s greatest challenges. Its ecosystem consists of Norrsken House, a co-working space for over 350 impact entrepreneurs in Stockholm, the Norrsken Founders Fund, and Norrsken VC.
Disrupt Africa reported in 2019 the foundation had launched operations in Kigali, Rwanda, which it said it planned to use as a base for investing across the East and Central African region, and last year it accepted 11 startups from Africa into the inaugural edition of the Norrsken Impact Accelerator.
It has now picked 20 startups to take part in the 2022 edition, with those companies hailing from 15 countries and offering solutions ranging from mental health, poverty alleviation, sustainable agriculture, financial inclusion and green energy.
Nine of those companies are based in Africa, with the rest hailing from countries like Sweden, the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). Two are Nigerian, namely digital primary healthcare service Clafiya and clean-tech startup SunFi, while the rest are Mozambican digital transport platform Appload, Ugandan lending service Emata, Tanzanian payment solution Umoja Labs, Rwandan artisan recruitment service Fixa, Ghanaian BNPL platform Motito, South African health network HealthDart, and Kenyan savings and investment service Power Financial Wellness.
All of the participating companies were selected via an open application process, and have been evaluated against the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and ranked based on the magnitude and depth of their potential impact. Only companies that can successfully demonstrate that impact is an integral part of their business model have been admitted for entry into the programme.
Beyond acceptance to the programme itself, including an 8-week growth sprint at Norrsken House in Stockholm and mentorship from a roster of over 110 entrepreneurs, investors and unicorn founders, all startups will receive US$125,000 in upfront pre-seed or seed investment from the Norrsken Foundation.
“This is a big day for Norrsken. Our accelerator brings together over one hundred extraordinary individuals who channel their knowledge, experience and network to pave the way for early-stage, up-and-coming impact tech startups. We only want to work with companies that are solving real, urgent and important problems – problems that matter. We believe that all of the companies in our 2022 cohort are doing exactly this, and we’re so excited to be part of their growth journeys from here!”, said Funda Sezgi, Norrsken Impact Accelerator managing director and co-founder.
Since being accepted into the 2021 programme, the 20 participating companies, sourced from over 2,300 applications worldwide, have raised more than US$24 million in seed or pre-seed funding from investors like Brilliant Minds co-founder Ash Pournori, Kry co-founder Fredrik Jung-Abbou, Pär Norberg of Nordic Capital, Capital T, Globivest and Norrsken Foundation.
Norrsken also recently announced the launch of Norrsken22, a new US$200 million tech growth fund that will invest in exceptional entrepreneurs building Africa’s new tech giants.


text:
Midea M7 Pro Vacuum Cleaner launching next week
May 18, 2021, the Chinese group of company Midea is now all set to launch its upgraded robot vacuum cleaner. The new Midea M7 Pro Vacuum Cleaner is to launch next week on May 23.
Features of Midea M7 Pro Vacuum Cleaner:
The new vacuum cleaner is out after a long time from the company. To compete with high-end brands Midea is to bring the all-new specs in the product. The vacuum cleaner will come with Laser navigation technology. We will get the high-power suction that might be equal to high-end vacuum cleaners. The customized cleaning technology will help users to clean their place very easily.
The new Midea M7 Pro vacuum cleaner will arrive with four modes, i.e., Sweep, mop, and vacuum. Midea is a well-known brand in China, known to manufacture light products, machines and vacuum cleaners. The company has several patents under its name and reinvests 4% of its revenue in R&D.
With the upgrade to the new vacuum, cleaner the company is planning to upgrade its stake in the international market. To make it possible, the company have invested in countries like Vietnam, India, the US, Thailand, Brazil, Argentina, Malaysia. The manufacturing centres are set up at all these places and by 2025 the company aims to grab about 10% of the international market stake.
Roborock S7 Vacuum Cleaner for just $5899.41XiaomiToday Best Deals
VIOMI Alpha S9 vacuum Cleaner now at lowest price of $579.99


text:
Microsoft looking into multi-touch technology for Windows Mobile 7 handsets
Though it wont be on a Zune phone
Anyway, despite further claims that the Zune phone will never come to be, ZDNet has got hold of a spec sheet sent out by Microsoft to handset manufacturers for Windows Mobile 7 hardware requirements, which is topped off by a call for multi-touch screens.
Whether Apple will ever actually take a stance when it comes to protecting its multi-touch patents remains to be seen, but this appears to be a feature Microsoft is very keen to build into its operating systems core.
So although the Zune is once again being put down by Microsoft itself, a spiritual upgrade looks as though it could well be in the works with Windows Mobile 7 powered devices.


text:
WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer confidence nudged up in May, suggesting the worst of the novel coronavirus-driven economic slump was probably in the past as the country starts to reopen, but it would probably take a while to fully dig out of the hole amid record unemployment.
The Conference Board said on Tuesday its consumer confidence index edged up to a reading of 86.6 this month from a downwardly revised 85.7 in April. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the index rising to 87.5 in May from the previously reported reading of 86.9 in April. (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani, Editing by Franklin Paul)
tap here to see other videos from our team.


text:
When asked what’s the starting salary in Malaysia, almost every one of us would say: RM2,500.
“However, according to Jobstore’s survey, it was noted that the salary for fresh graduates now averages at RM2,635!
Which is an increase from 2018’s RM2,482.”
Jobstore.com, an Online Job Distribution Platform, has launched its latest “Jobstore Salary Report 2018/2019” which
indicates that salary for fresh graduates has gradually climbed by 6 per cent.
The company obtained this figure by compiling data from salaries in their database. Based on this statistic,
Jobstore urges employers to pay fresh graduates their desired figure or benefit to retain talents.
Not long ago, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) released their annual report which indicated that fresh graduates’ salary
actually average at RM2,169. That’s wayyy below RM2,500! And this is a graduate with an Honours’ degree!
However, not long after, Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) issued a press release to counter that figure saying that actually,
the starting pay of graduates is actually at an average of RM2,618.
Besides conducting a study on fresh graduates’ salary, Jobstore stated the top 10 most in-demand job categories of 2018-2019.
These figures include the minimum to maximum starting salary.
So guys, make sure you demand for the right starting salary. Later RM2,500 cannot buy you anything wey
Read full article on World of Buzz:


text:
With heavy hearts, we as a team have decided to cancel the Bremen Classic Motorshow 2021 as a physical event. However, we won’t let that stop us from kicking off the classic car season in the first weekend in February, this time as an online event. We know this is no substitute for the physical Bremen Classic Motorshow. But it will at least help bridge the gap until our 20th anniversary from 4-6 February 2022.
This decision was not easy for us. We did all we could to adjust our normal concept to take account of the coronavirus situation, intensified contacts with our exhibitors and for a long time we were confident that the show would take place in February 2021. But the latest development of case numbers and the resulting uncertainty have made our decision inevitable.
For 18 years, exhibitors and visitors have been able to rely on us, and we will continue to be here for them in the future. However, we have a responsibility which has forced us to take this step.
We are always the first in the year, and we refuse to give up this position. So we have chosen a different, “off-road” version of the event. Our online Bremen Classic Motorshow will provide an alternative platform for chats between petrol-heads and sales of classic cars and motorcycles. We have lots of ideas and intend to show something of what we planned, while also including new topics. You can find out exactly what to expect in the coming weeks here on our website.


text:
California is facing its worst drought in 500 years. In an effort to conserve, the Department of Food and Agriculture has developed reforms for cannabis growers. Yet, would legal recreational cannabis worsen the drought? Passage of recreational Proposition 64 is likely, but some critics fear that the water crisis will only become more severe after the bill.
Big changes are abreast for Californian cannabis growers. All eyes will be watching California during the upcoming election, as the largest cannabis-producing state will vote on recreational cannabis. However, reform is coming regardless of the outcome on Proposition 64.
For the first time in history, the California Department of Food and Agriculture will place water restrictions on cannabis growers. Up to 50,000 growers will be required to apply for irrigation water permits, and possibly more if recreational passes. The new regulations will also increase paperwork and water storage costs for the farmers.
Cassey O’Niell, acting board chair for the California Growers Association, welcomes the changes. But, the compliance comes with a few complaints,
Nobody’s a fan of regulation. But at the end of the day, industrial agriculture has not worked on the landscape. It’s damaging. It’s denigrating. As they draft new rules for this industry, they’re sort of getting a crack at what they’d really like to do to Big Ag. – O’Niell
Californian cannabis producers have had some luck thus far. They have more or less hovered right under the radar of serious agricultural regulation. But, this all changed when Gov. Jerry Brown announced that reform is on its way in 2017.
The new laws are designed to protect California’s dwindling water reserves and prevent wildlife and habitat destruction. The measures will also allow cannabis growers to store water for the first time, reducing waste and improving sustainability.
As far as the environment is concerned, these reforms seem great on a surface level. But, will they be able to check back water usage once Prop. 64 has passed? Some critics of the plan argue that the legislation is unsustainable.
New rules from the Department of Food and Agriculture may encourage water storage and require permits, but Prop. 64 places no limits on the size of cannabis grows.
Under Prop. 64, growers can produce an unlimited amount of cannabis. This may be great for herb-lovers out there, but encouraging massive grows also seems remarkably similar to big agriculture, which many blame for land degradation and water shortages in the first place. Agriculture uses 80% of the water in California.
The bill also allows cities and municipalities to ban outdoor cultivation, forcing some growers into indoor and greenhouse operations. Indoor cultivation uses far more energy and natural resources than sun-grown techniques.
None of these facts bode well for environmental protection in California, which is on its way to facing its worst drought in half a millennium. Some rural towns have even come 60 to 120 days from running out of drinking water.
All in all, the California Growers Association encourages farmers to rely heavily on sustainable practices. O’Neill explains,
We’re going to have to figure out more efficient and effective methodologies for interacting with the ecosystem. I would definitely see [sustainible regulation] as a model, or a new paradigm, for 21st century agriculture.
There is no denying that cannabis reform is needed and is a good thing. Yet, many have some real concerns with Proposition 64.
The concerns are not necessarily about small-scale, home growing operations or cannabis collectives. Rather, unlimited, large-scale commercial grows are the biggest cause for concern in terms of environmental impact. Environmentalists (and water-lovers) can only hope that, if the bill passes, there will be an opportunity to reform if necessary.


text:
● Volcano space robots are prepping for a wild mission to Jupiter To build machines capable of plunging into the frozen oceans on Europa and Enceladus, Nasa tested out submersibles in one of Earth's most inhospitable...
● The English language is finally losing its grip on the internet YouTube and Netflix are meeting the demand for local-dialect entertainment around the world – and building a digital Babel in the process
● Boomplay beat Spotify in Africa. Now it's coming for Europe The Chinese-backed, Lagos-based streaming startup commands the continent – now it's looking to bring its fresh sounds to Europe
● Berlin's love of techno has turned it into a music startup powerhouse Berlin puts the techno into music technology startups, thanks to its long association with clubbing culture and electronics for DJs
● Google is the UK's best employer, but that's not the whole story Google has been voted the best company to work for in the UK. It's a stark contrast to the US, where the company faces a bitter battle with its own employees ...
● Hidden for centuries, Rembrandt's secrets are finally being revealed An unprecedented project is analysing Rembrandt's masterpiece down to individual chemical elements, to give insight into how the Old Master approached...
● These online tools will help you decide how to vote in the election Election day has arrived. Not sure who to vote for? These digital tools can help you be informed before you head to the polls
● AI's real impact? Freeing us from the tyranny of repetitive tasks From automating accounts to marking homework, AI is finally starting to come through in mainstream applications
● The very best gadget deals in the 'last minute' Christmas sales The top headphones, tablets, laptops and smartwatch deals in the run up to the holidays
● Inside the dirty digital battle for Harrow East's crucial Indian votes The Kashmir conflict has shifted a North London suburb into the eye of an international storm
● Political parties spend more on leaflets than Facebook ads. Why? Leaflets have consistently been parties' highest spending category since 2001. This could be the election when that all changes – but don't count on it
● As the Arctic melts, China and Russia struggle for control "China has made the case that it's an Arctic state – this is at odds with Russia's conception of what an Arctic state is"
● The biggest election stories on Facebook are... really weird In the real world, it's been the Brexit election. On Facebook, it's almost been anything but
● Think Amazon's NHS deal is bad? Wait until you hear about Google Amazon has not been given free rein to take over our data. But the future use of tech in healthcare should concern us all
● How the Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing is exploring culture and technology Hyundai Motor Company is nurturing fresh ideas that explore the intersection of art and technology, with a recently opened show titled 'Human...
● Nike's Victory swimsuit steals tricks from pants and fish gills It took Nike 55 design attempts over 18 months to come up with a training suit to cater to hijab-wearing swimmers, paddle boarders and SPF enthusiasts


text:
This week in racing game news:
‘Forza Motorsport’ has been revealed
During last weekend’s Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, Microsoft gave us our first official trailer for the upcoming “Forza Motorsport” reboot, and as expected it looks great. The trailer features a certified banger of a Jay-Z remix as the backdrop to some stunning shots of 4K 60 FPS racing. AAA racing games are all looking so good nowadays that it’s hard to really say from a trailer what looks better/worse/different from its biggest competitor, “Gran Turismo 7,” but according to Microsoft itself, players are in for “the most technically advanced racing game ever made” with the latest installment.
The game will be arriving in spring 2023, and it’ll be the first installment in the “Forza Motorsport” series since 2017’s “Forza Motorsport 7.” According to Microsoft, the team “completely overhauled the core driving experience to take advantage of the power of the Xbox Series consoles” meaning that this should be one of the first truly next-gen AAA racing games to hit shelves, considering games like “Gran Turismo 7” were still being developed with the now last-gen Playstation 4 hardware in mind, preventing the game from being an exclusively next-gen experience. If you’d like to know more about the upcoming racer, check out the announcement here or the video above.
‘Forza Horizon 5’ is getting a Hot Wheels DLC
Staying in Forza-land, we also learned that “Forza Horizon 5” will be getting a new Hot Wheels DLC. This isn’t the first time that Hot Wheels has crossed over into a Forza game, with “Forza Horizon 3” getting a similarly themed DLC many years back. It looks to be exact what you’d probably expect, introducing the new “Hot Wheels Park” area with wild Hot Wheels-style tracks and a few Forza-fied Hot Wheels cars. It also includes four new biomes: Giant’s Canyon, the Ice Cauldron, Forest Falls and the Horizon Nexus. The whole new area will be suspended in the sky above Mexico thanks to video game magic and will be available July 19 for $19.99. However, if you already have the “Forza Horizon 5” premium edition, premium add-ons bundle or the expansions bundle, you’ll be able to enjoy the new content at no extra charge. Check out the trailer below.
Season 7 of ‘Rocket League’ is officially live
For the car soccer fans out there, “Rocket League” has officially launched its seventh season featuring a “luxury” theme. The new Rocket Pass will include a new vehicle called Maestro sporting the Dominus hitbox, a new “gilded” Utopia Coliseum arena variant and much, much more. Alongside the new season, the game is also celebrating Pride Month by including a free “Shine Through” bundle in the item shop until July 12. The free bundle will include a new paint finish, a new topper, and a whopping four free player anthems. Be sure to pick the new items up before they disappear and enjoy the new season!


text:
THIRTY Marks and Spencer staff members are aiming to complete the Five Peak Challenge over one weekend.
The retail leadership team will be climbing Ben Nevis, Snowden, Scafell Pike, Slieve Donard and Carrauntoohil between June 30 and July 2. Their aim is to raise £1m for cancer charities.
Spokesman Helen Thomas said: “Our local Crewe store is supporting their efforts by staging a number of fundraising activities over the coming weeks. Last weekend a gift wrapping service was offered with customers making a donation for their Father’s Day purchases whilst the Crewe Cooperative Wind Band entertained customers.
“Other in store events include strawberries and cream tasters over the Wimbledon weekend and a treadmill challenge during the weekend of the Five Peaks Challenge with staff matching the 40 miles of the Five Peaks on a treadmill.”
A quiz night has also been organised at the Crosville Club for Tuesday, June 28, and staff will man a pitch at the Crewe Market Car Boot Sale the following day.
All monies raised will be going to Breakthrough Breast Cancer.


text:
When the coronavirus pandemic hit the industrial local weather and amplified the percentage of on line buying to sudden heights, Amazon control accredited its warehouse staff to proceed to stay their telephones on them in state of affairs of sudden emergency telephone calls, messages, or state caution units dialog.
Up to now, Amazon warehouse body of workers have been important to leave their phones out of doors the home of the premises after they commenced their shift, like of their automobiles or in lockers with reference to the spoil rooms. With the pandemic boundaries abating, Amazon deliberate to reinstitute the ban on cellular phones as early as subsequent thirty day duration.
Following the deadly tornado that decimated the warehouse in Edwardsville, IL and make allowance to the loss of life of Amazon staff, the company is reconsidering its ultimate choice to go back the bottom cellular mobile phone ban, and insiders thought the make any distinction is now regarded as “fluid.”
Amazon team of workers who get the process carried out within the area are adamant that the cellular mobile phone ban at the warehouse ground truly will have to no longer be reinstituted, and that’s the reason an important takeaway from the tornado tragedy. They need to be able to obtain pressing messages from officers or initially responders, or communicate with buddies and family members in circumstance an extra those disaster moves over again. For now, an Amazon spokesperson has inspired that each one body of workers individuals can select their phones at the flooring, and there aren’t any fresh boundaries.


text:
The director of the Federal Trade Commission’s bureau of competition has said the agency will examine the issue of buyer-side power in labour markets, including where such power derives from a merger. Pallavi Guniganti at GCR Live New York
Bruce Hoffman commented yesterday on the need for the FTC to reconsider its traditional assumption that any monopsony problem would be solved by remedies crafted to deal with an increase in market power for sellers. His comments came as the closing speaker at GCR Live New York.
While Hoffman disclaimed speaking on behalf of the commission or any commissioner, FTC chairman Joseph Simons already suggested action in this area when answering questions from the Senate during his confirmation process earlier this year.
Simons wrote: “Significant concerns have been raised that the federal antitrust agencies have been too permissive in dealing with mergers and acquisitions, resulting in harm to consumer welfare via increased prices, limited consumer choice, and harm to workers. Addressing these harms is critical, as they lie at the heart of the agency’s competition mission.”
The Department of Justice’s antitrust division claimed in 2016 that the merger of health insurers Anthem and Cigna would give them a monopsony when purchasing healthcare services for insurance beneficiaries. However, the agency also alleged a loss of competition in the market for the sale of insurance, and neither the federal district court nor the appeals court relied on the monopsony argument in blocking the deal.
In conversation with Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer partner Debbie Feinstein – who was his predecessor as bureau director – Hoffman yesterday praised the “robust public debate” on the fundamentals of antitrust policy that has arisen in the past few years.
Some conservatives have mocked the type of thinking that draws on antitrust’s Progressive Era origins as “hipster antitrust”. But Hoffman said he and the current FTC commissioners believe it is healthy to be challenged, although he generally does not deem antitrust to be “a device to protect the interests that are protected by labour laws”.
“Having said that, I think it would be fair to say, we don’t as a general matter look at, in the first instance, labour monopsony issues as sort of a core question” when reviewing a merger in depth, Hoffman said. The FTC has tended to think it will see those issues only “when we see problems on the sell-side, and that we can address them through the remedies that solve the sell-side problems”.
“That may not be right,” Hoffman said. “I think it’s an area that we need to look at.”
He emphasised that he has not prejudged whether a labour monopsony problem exists nor whether it would need remedies distinct from those used to solve merging companies’ increased market power as sellers. The FTC has “an information gap” because it has not specifically studied this area, he said.
Hoffman laid out a hypothetical case in which a labour monopsony might exist independent of any monopoly: two companies that face plenty of other competition in selling their product, but in a particular defined labour market, such as an island or isolated town, have manufacturing facilities that they will consolidate in a merger. There might be a plausible relevant market for the purchasing of labour in that community, he said.
“That would be a problem that would be completely missed by current analysis,” Hoffman said. He added that it might not really be a problem if employees can move or use their skills in other occupations.
Feinstein said this would be the “flip-side” of efficiency arguments, which companies make in defending their merger as procompetitive because it will reduce their costs. But Hoffman replied: “Efficiencies don’t necessarily mean the exercise of monopsony power”.
He distinguished between the efficiency of being able to bargain for a better price, and the monopsonist’s ability to restrict its purchasing of inputs. Hoffman said the latter may or may not result in lower output, which is a conventional metric under the consumer welfare standard for considering a merger to be anticompetitive.
“Historically, there’s been debate about whether you necessarily need to show the ultimate downstream effect in a monopsony case. I think it’s an interesting question,” Hoffman said.
“Again, these are not the things that we have typically focused on. I don’t have a view as to what the conclusion of looking at this will be. But this is an area that’s been raised a lot. I think it’s a legitimate point to raise. So it’s something we’re going to look at.”
GCR Live 6th Annual New York ended yesterday.


text:
Web authentication firm VeriSign today launched a new service designed to offer e-commerce firms that do not need SSL certificates a new way to secure and build greater consumer trust in their sites.
VeriSign Trust Seal has been created specifically for companies, usually at the smaller end of the e-commerce market, that do not require the vendor's SSL service and trust mark because they outsource transactions to a third party.
Organisations that buy the service will be able to display VeriSign's familiar checkmark logo alongside the words 'VeriSign Trusted', and will therefore attract customers by showing that they are not a scam or phishing site, the firm said.
"Reputation is vital to the success of the growing number of small to medium sized businesses [SMBs] competing in the online marketplace, and trust is a key component for protecting brand reputation and increasing consumer confidence," said Ray Boggs, vice president of SMB research at analyst firm IDC.
"VeriSign's brand recognition will extend to the new VeriSign Trust Seal to help SMBs communicate trust and safety to customers and prospects."
The service also includes a new site scanning service, offered by a third-party provider, which will let administrators keep sites free from malware and the 'drive-by download' attacks such malware can enable.
VeriSign claimed that the service could also keep sites from being blacklisted by browsers, search engines and anti-virus software.
Firms could also benefit in the future from tie-ins with third-party search engines, according to VeriSign. The engines will recognise and display the Trust Mark alongside the relevant entry, allowing the e-commerce sites which have signed up to differentiate and display their security credentials.
Cotton seedling freezes to death as Chang'e-4 shuts down for the Moon's 14-day lunar night
Fortnite easily out-earns PUBG, Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018
Meteor showers as a service will be visible for about 100 kilometres in all directions
Saturn's rings only formed in the past 100 million years, suggests analysis of Cassini space probe data
New findings contradict conventional belief that Saturn's rings were formed along with the planet about 4.5 billion years ago


text:
The release of Sony’s next-generation PlayStation 5 hardware might only be a year away, but that doesn’t mean support for the PlayStation 4 is winding down anytime soon. Just over a week ago the 7.01 update landed and aimed to “improve system performance,” while even more recently a new DualShock 4 peripheral was announced that adds professional-style back buttons for just $30. Now, the PS4 7.02 update aims to improve the user experience even further; let’s take a look at what’s included in the latest patch.
What’s new in the PS4 7.02 update?
Version 7.02 of the PS4 firmware isn’t massively different from what came prior. Looking at the Sony patch notes, it’s once again a case of behind-the-scenes changes that should serve to make for a smoother overall end-user experience.
Here’s the official list of changes:
Main features in version 7.02 update
This system software update improves system performance.
It weighs in at 469.7 MB, which isn’t too big, but be sure to switch your console on before you want to start playing if you don’t have auto-updates enabled. Otherwise, you’ll no doubt face somewhat of a wait before you can get to gaming.
While perhaps not massively exciting, these sorts of small updates are exactly what keep platforms ticking over as they continue to grow. If you don’t typically encounter problems with your PlayStation 4 on a system level, then you likely have the 7.02 update and others of its kind to thank for it.
As previously mentioned, it’s also reassuring to see that Sony is continuing to roll out support for the current generation despite it entering its final year. Considering that the first PS5 consoles will most likely be in people’s homes at this point next year, the company could feasibly have shifted its focus away from the PS4, but that evidently hasn’t happened.


text:
Two of the oldest and still independent mobile ad networks plan to become one. Millennial Media has acquired its older and smaller competitor, Jumptap, for as much as $225 million.
Even as Android gains share, CTRs fall. Meanwhile iOS has seen steadily rising response rates.
Android now makes up the majority of mobile app requests, accounting for 56 percent in November.
Increased adoption of the Windows Phone 7 platform could present advertisers with more opportunities to reach users via mobile devices.
Interactive campaigns for brands including Infiniti and Visa are already live on Apple's iPad devices.
Developers will be able to sell their in-app inventory to ad networks that are RIM partners.
Apple is closing its Quattro mobile ad network to focus on the iAd, while Millennial is reportedly in acquisition talks with handset manufacturer RIM.
Mobile ad growth allowed the company to launch free ad-supported text-messaging, and it plans same for voice services.


text:
After the many trials and tribulations, we’ve been facing since the pandemic, fashion continues to prove itself as a breath of fresh air within the scene.
Food is a language which is universally recognized. It doesn’t matter where in the world you’re from, your age, gender, creed, color, shape, or size
By now, surely, you’ve heard about Expo 2020, which is currently taking place in Dubai and drawing world attention to this Middle Eastern city.
As many people begin to plan travel again, Covid-19 protocols and border regulations add a new layer to the planning process.
hether it’s a personal choice or a religious preference, travelers are always looking to stay with a hotel that meets their own beliefs and way of life. For those that prefer not to eat pork or even dine in restaurants that serve it, there are many...
Around the Middle East, an exciting assortment of new hotels and resorts has recently opened, or will open, this year. That’s great news for travelers looking to plan
he magical landscape and historical landmarks of Al-'Ula in the Medina region of Saudi Arabia will be on full display thanks to a new documentary airing this week on the Travel Channel. “The Architects of Ancient Arabia” will air on Wednesday,...
This summer, many travelers are looking to get back out there safely following the availability of vaccines available to so many Americans for those that want one.
Top International model and spokesperson shared her beauty secrets and created a guide called “Post Pregnancy Skincare and Runway Ready Contouring.”
We don’t only love eating the food, but we also love being close to the preparation of what provides us with sustenance. In my household, I know that my kitchen is so much more than just the room that produces the food. It is, in fact, the place that acts as the...


text:
While Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 5 brought players a strong bounty-hunter theme with the Mandalorian, the Predator, and more, Chapter 2 Season 6 has brought fans a 'primal' theme, greatly altering the map to a more wild state with animals, new Primal weapons, and a crafting system, among other features. Of course, fans were excited to see which skins would be included with Season 6's Battle Pass, and many agree that it did not disappoint.
Fortnite Status Twitter Account
Fortnite outage map with current reported problems and downtime. Via Twitter Via. Submit Check the status of Fortnite in other countries Tweets by @FortniteGame Main Site Outage History Insights Enterprise About us Companies Methodology. In the tweet announcing the new Fortnite update on the Fortnite status Twitter account, they mention “battle up close and personal”. Based off this, I’d assume Epic Games will be adding in a new Fortnite weapon, possibly the Run Gun that was leaked by popular data-miner hypex.
Along with Raven of Teen Titans, fans who purchased the Battle Pass can unlock Tomb Raider's Lara Croft, now joining others like Master Chief and Kratos as part of Fortnite's 'Gaming Legends' series of skins. Crossfader rekordbox. Just earlier this week however, fans were ecstatic to learn that Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn would also be joining the fray as one of Fortnite's Gaming Legends. Along with the skin, a special Lara Croft and Aloy team-up mode was announced, but there now seems to be issues that are delaying it.
RELATED: Fortnite Offering 3 Free Months of Spotify Premium with Fortnite Crew Subscription
Fortnite Status Twitter
The 'Team Up! Aloy and Lara LTM' was scheduled to begin today on all platforms, however, the official Fortnite service update Twitter account FortniteStatus announced that some players were experiencing a glitch where the LTM would not appear in their game. Although Epic Games initially stated that it was working on a fix, it later tweeted out that the mode will be delayed until the week of April 19.
The Team Up! Aloy & Lara LTM has been temporarily disabled until the mode is up on all platforms. This mode will now begin its run starting the week of April 19. Stay tuned for an update on when players can jump in. pic.twitter.com/3aFUrjTU9T— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) April 16, 2021
Although Fortnite players don't know when exactly to expect the Team Up LTM to return next week, FortniteStatus let fans know that it will post an update on when the new mode becomes available. The special LTM was set to outfit players as either Aloy or Lara Croft in a Duos match, where the player as Aloy would be limited to Bow weapons, while the teammate as Lara Croft would be limited to the Dual Pistols. Crafting and upgrading weapons was set to be a major focus of the LTM as well, since players would be incredibly limited in their choices.
Fortnite Status Twittter
Rest assured, even though the Team Up LTM is delayed, players are still able to purchase the Aloy skin, the Blaze Banister Back Bling, Aloy's Spear Pickaxe, the Glinthawk Glider, the Shield-Weaver Wrap, the Heart-rizon Emote, and the Aloy Skywatcher Loading Screen from the Item Shop. While fans were surprised to see a Horizon Zero Dawn crossover come to Fortnite, many agreed that it fits Season 6's primal theme very well.
Earlier this week, Fortnite also added the new Chonkers Tires to the game, which allow players to modify vehicles for off-road driving, along with monster truck-like suspension. Players expect to see other ways to modify their vehicles in the future, though nothing is confirmed yet.
Fortnite is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Official Fortnite Status Twitter Account
MORE: Fortnite: How to Maintain a Speed of 65 or Greater for 4 Seconds in a Vehicle


text:
This saw analysts push through another round of forecast upgrades after the Mr Kipling cakes-to-Bisto gravy maker said its new financial year has also got off to a strong start, with revenue rising 20% since the year end, thanks in part to strong grocery sales.
Shares in the foods group rallied more than 8% in morning trade to 64.4p, their highest in nearly a decade.
Premier Foods, which has de-risked its balance sheet through a recent transformational pensions deal, is reaping the benefits of marketing and innovation spend and has seen a recent boost from lockdown.
Today’s results for the year ended 28 March revealed trading profit at the top end of market expectations as well as a £62m reduction in net debt which lowered Premier Foods’ net debt-to-EBITDA ratio to 2.7 times, ahead of management’s previous 3 times target.
BRITAIN’S ‘GOT COOKING AGAIN’
Chief executive Alex Whitehouse insisted ‘Britain has got cooking again’ during the coronavirus lockdown, with his charge seeing ‘particularly high levels of demand for items relating to meal preparation’ including cooking sauces such as Sharwood’s and Loyd Grossman, as well as gravy and baking ingredients.
Following palate-pleasing growth of 7.3% in the fourth quarter, Premier Foods’ UK business has now delivered 11 consecutive quarters of revenue growth.
Furthermore, sales in the first quarter of the new financial year are expected to be roughly 20% ahead year-on-year amid ‘continued strong demand’ for Premier Foods’ ranges. Despite incurring some extra supply chain costs, the food producer expects to beat this year’s revenue and trading profit estimates.
THE EXPERT’S VIEW
Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, commented: ‘Pension pressures are easing, trading is strong, and the ratio of net debt to earnings is lower than targeted. It is now in a strong position to invest more in the business such as product innovation, marketing and upgrading its assets.
‘It could get a further financial boost from selling its 49% stake in bread producer Hovis, although Premier Foods has yet to comment on media speculation that the asset is going to be put up for sale.’
Mould added: ‘Premier Foods may look like the cat that got the cream, yet it still needs to deal with competition from private label suppliers and rival brands. There is also the risk that the nation realises it has been over-indulging on sweet treats during lockdown and households cut back on items like Mr Kipling cakes in order to help their waistline.’


text:
Paris, France, August 16, 2023 — Icon.X World, a cutting-edge web3 car racing platform, is proud to announce the start of its Asia Tour which includes top web3 destinations such as Token2049 in Singapore during Formula One Week, Tokyo Game Show, Philippine Blockchain Week, Coinfest Asia in Bali, Korea Blockchain Week and ETH Vietnam. Notably, their participation at Token2049 and Tokyo Game Show came about at the behest of well-established web3 gaming organization, Blockchain Game Alliance (BGA).
Other strategic alliances include recent event collaborations with key players in Formula One and Luxury Car Distribution, amongst them Alpine, Mirage and Aston Martin Racing.
“Our strategic alliances with these esteemed entities is a huge validation of the work we’ve been doing at Icon.X World,” said Jonathan Behar, IconX CEO. “We’re thrilled to be bringing these synergies to our platform and provide an unparalleled, immersive experience for our users.”
IconX at Paris Blockchain Week 2023
The car racing simulator platform hosted the Mirage and Aston Martin racing team at the recent Paris Blockchain Week where their driver Valentin Hasse Clot test-drove the platform, issuing a challenge for people to beat his timing during the trade show, attracting significant interest from the likes of key players in Web3. The event came on the back of NFT Paris where Icon.X collaborated with Alpine NFT, the web3 arm of the Alpine Racing Team.
ICON.X collaborates with ALPINE NFT at NFT Paris
These strategic moves are launching Icon.X World as a transformative force in repositioning the world of esports and car racing, leveraging blockchain technology. The racing platform also recently received backing from web3 accelerator Native Capital, who will be leading the fundraising round on its Asia Tour.
A Truly Immersive Racing Experience with Digital Asset Ownership
Icon.X World offers an immersive and decentralized racing experience that uses blockchain and NFT technology to blur the lines between the real and digital world of car racing. Through the platform, users can experience the thrill of competition, claim ownership of their vehicles as digital assets, get unique car skins made by famous artists & earn rewards and even ascend to the top ranks of the racing world.
Currently, the platform is in closed beta where the company’s expert team of developers work hand in hand with gaming enthusiasts who provide valuable feedback to finetune the platform. The aim is to ensure an authentic and immersive racing experience and the team continues to make the necessary optimizations and integrations as Icon.X heads towards public beta launch.
So far, the beta testers have praised Icon.X World for its high fidelity graphics, ultra-realistic gameplay, and innovative integration of blockchain technology. The platform’s unique blend of gaming and blockchain technology promises to provide a racing experience that is as much about strategy and skill as it is about speed.
Revving Up for Public Beta Launch
The release of the beta version is slated for September 2023 during the massive Token2049 event in Singapore where participants will get to experience the decentralized car-racing eSport and enter the Daily Quest for a chance to win prizes and airdrops.
“We believe that Icon.X World will usher in a new era of esports and car racing,” said Jonathan Behar. “The potential of this platform is vast, and we’re just getting started!”
The beta launch of Icon.X World represents an exciting opportunity for gamers, car racing enthusiasts and blockchain pioneers to participate in the future of competitive decentralized esports with digital asset ownership. Icon.X World has dismantled the barrier between the real and digital world of car racing by creating the ultimate ultra-realistic racing experience where users can truly own their digital assets, thanks to NFTs.
Stay tuned for more updates as Icon.X World continues to break boundaries and redefine what is possible in the realms of esports and car racing.
About Icon.X World:
Icon.X World is a cutting-edge, immersive, and decentralized eSport platform that blends the thrilling world of competitive car racing with the cutting-edge technology of blockchain and NFTs. It’s the next evolution.
Official Icon.X World Channels:
X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/iconxworld


text:
They said nine people have gotten sick with campylobacter and there may be dozens more.
Of the confirmed cases, three are in Montgomery County, four are in Bucks County and at least two in surrounding states.
"They've all been linked to drinking raw milk from a farm in Montgomery County," said Dr. Joseph DiMino of the Montgomery County Health Department.
But owner of that farm, Trent Hendricks, said they test their products and equipment weekly. He said the latest tests were done at the same time the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture was there.
"Our tests came back this morning and we are negative for all pathogens," Hendricks said. To this date we have not had any pathogens positive in our products ever."
But the official word has to come from the Department of Agriculture. It's results are still pending. Campylobacter can cause severe stomach cramps, nausea, pain and bloody diarrhea.
"It's the very young and the older folks that will have trouble, the ones with compromised immune systems," said Dr. DiMino.
Hendricks said he wishes all who got sick a speedy recovery, but believes the government was too quick to blame his farm and the raw milk. He believes, of the people sick, there may be another common link. Hendricks also says his farm will be exonerated.
The Pennsylvania Dept. of Health released this statement:
"Based on science, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Health advises consumers that raw milk is an inherently unsafe produce regardless of how it is produced. While standard hygiene and production practices can reduce the risk from consuming raw milk, they simply cannot eliminate it. Therefore, the department believes it's necessary to warn consumers about the risks associated with raw milk, and to urge all persons particularly these with immune disorders, pregnant women, and young children to avoid consuming this product in the interest of protecting the public's health."
Trent Hendricks calls raw milk a safe, healthy food if consumers choose to drink it. He said it is what his family drinks and, in the seven years his farm has been open, he has never had a problem.
Full results from the Dept. of Agriculture are expected Wednesday. Sales of raw milk are illegal in New Jersey and Delaware.


text:
Maryland hemp group sues regulators.
This week, the Maryland Hemp Coalition, as well as a handful of hemp farmers and cannabis business owners, sued Gov. Wes Moore and regulators including the Maryland Cannabis Administration and the Maryland Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission.
The lawsuit comes after state lawmakers passed a new framework for the adult use industry, which included a cap on THC in hemp-derived cannabinoid products that aren’t sold in the regulated adult use market.
While lawmakers made attempts to weave in language for the hemp industry, these provisions failed to make the final cut in the big package passed. So, now, some hemp industry members in Maryland feel they have been left out in the cold — if they aren’t shifting to serve adult use cannabis consumers.
“My clients, who have been lawfully selling these products for years, are suddenly in a position where they are being told they can’t sell their products without a license, and yet the obstacles to get a license are nearly insurmountable,” Nevin Young, a lawyer representing the hemp industry, told WBFF, a local Fox affiliate in Baltimore.
+ More: Many members of the hemp industry, at a nearly four-hour-long Senate Finance Committee hearing in March, said that this cap was way too low and would require hemp businesses to buy costly cannabis licenses in order to sell their products, as Cannabis Wire reported.
“Refusing to amend this language would result in the loss of hundreds of jobs and countless families will find themselves in financial ruin,” Nicholas Patrick, owner of Embrace CBD Wellness Centers, said at the March 9 hearing.
Minnesota localities prepare for adult use.
While sales are not set to start until 2025, cannabis possession and home cultivation become legal in Minnesota on August 1, less than one week away.
The League of Minnesota Cities has published a primer for its stakeholders (i.e. cities) to remind them of what is and isn’t legal on that day, as well as what remains up in the air.
On that last point, the League specifically focuses on public consumption.
“The law is silent on whether cannabis can be smoked in public places other than public places governed by the [Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act]. While the law does not specifically authorize the use of cannabis in public places, it does not create any penalty for use in a public place other than those governed by the MCIAA. If a city would want an enforcement mechanism to prevent the use of cannabis in public places, it would need to adopt an ordinance prohibiting such use and make it a petty misdemeanor,” the League writes.
“The new law does not clearly define the types of locations that are considered not generally accessible by the public. Therefore, any city ordinance should clearly define such locations. Existing ordinances related to smoking in public places may cover cities for these products, cities should review their ordinances and determine if any changes are necessary.”
+ Related: over in Maryland, where adult use sales have just gotten underway, the forthcoming Maryland Association of Counties’ full agenda for its summer conference in August is out, and cannabis comes up in three contexts.
We already flagged for you one core panel that is broad in scope, from taxes to zoning (Will Tilburg, the director of the Maryland Cannabis Administration, is speaking). But it looks like there is also a separate panel focused on tourism that will include cannabis, and a panel hosted by the Maryland Association of County Health Officers that is titled “Adult-Use Cannabis Through a Public Health Lens.”
Ohio’s adult use campaign inches toward ballot.
The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol fell just 679 signatures short of the threshold to qualify their adult use measure for the November ballot, but the Secretary of State’s office is granting them ten days to collect some more.
“This is going to be easy, because a majority of Ohioans support our proposal to regulate and tax adult use marijuana. We look forward to giving Ohio voters a chance to make their voices heard this November,” CRMLA spokesperson Tom Haren said in a statement Tuesday.
As we recently reported in this newsletter, the Coalition has been working toward putting adult use on the ballot since 2021. Adult use was on the ballot once before, back in 2015, as Cannabis Wire co-founder Nushin Rashidian wrote for The Guardian.


text:
This weekend, the US House of Representatives stated that its delegation was going to visit Switzerland to discuss cryptocurrencies, the experience of implementing cryptocurrency payments, and Facebook’s Libra project.
America will discuss cryptocurrency in Switzerland
According to information on the NZZ am Sonntag, US representatives are going to visit Switzerland to discuss principles of regulation of the cryptocurrency sector. It has been reported that the US House of Representatives intends to visit foreign consultants in the nearest future.
Interesting in the section: Financial geography. Cryptocurrencies in Sweden
It was also reported that Facebook's Libra digital payment network would be the main topic of discussion. Among the Swiss consultants, the US delegates intend to meet the representative of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC), Adrian Lobsiger.
The American delegation will consist of six people whose names have not yet been disclosed. At the time of writing this article, it is known that the delegates will try to understand the basics of digital money and make a final decision on the Libra in the Senate after the visit.
Americans will go to Switzerland to talk about Facebook cryptocurrency. We remind you that the popular Winklevoss brothers will soon join the Libra consortium. The Winklevoss twins and Mark Zuckerberg have been at odds since university days when, according to the twins, Zuckerberg stole their idea of a social network.
It is also important to note that the Libra developer has already eroded its credibility. On August 13, it became known that Facebook was listening to and decrypting all anonymous voice messages.
Editor: Yuliya Soroka


text:
Canola prices have taken a hit in the wake of China’s decision to block certain Canadian imports, a move that has created a logistical headache for exporters reliant on the key overseas market.
China’s foreign ministry said Wednesday that it is blocking imports from Richardson International Ltd. — one of Canada’s largest grain producers — due to fears of insect infestation, a day after the company confirmed its import permit had been revoked.
Some have suggested the block may be the latest swipe against the Canadian government for arresting a top Chinese tech executive.
“We’ve seen a huge drop off in canola prices, especially over the past couple of weeks,” said Bruce Burnett, director of weather and markets at Glacier FarmMedia.
He called it a major drop for the commodity, which likely wouldn’t have happened without the backdrop of a deteriorating relationship between China and Canada. The fallout follows the arrest of Chinese tech giant Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on Dec. 1, 2018.
On Dec. 3, the May futures contract, which he noted was not the most actively traded at the time, closed at $496 per tonne. Wednesday afternoon, it was trading at about $456 — a roughly eight per cent drop. Exports to China had previously been expected to remain strong through most of the crop year, he said, with fairly solid prices.
Canada supplies about 40 per cent of China’s canola imports. Canada exported about $3.6 billion worth of canola seed, oil and meal to China in 2017, according to the Canola Council of Canada’s most recent figures.
The two countries have generally had a good relationship, said Brian Innes, vice-president of public affairs for the council, with Canada sending a stable supply of a high-quality product to feed growing Chinese demand, in part to feed its livestock. But issues like this latest permit revocation arise from time to time, he said.
“It’s a concern for the whole industry because it injects uncertainty into the market,” said Innes.
That sentiment makes it difficult for everyone in the supply chain and industry to make decisions as they’re thinking about the future, he said. Farmers, for example, would be concerned about when they’ll sell their current canola stores and what they’ll grow in the upcoming season.
“So, all members of the canola value chain are paying very close attention because China’s a very important market for Canada.”
Now that China has blocked Richardson’s shipments, the question becomes: what will happen to other companies, Burnett said.
It’s possible others could have their permits revoked. But, unlike Winnipeg-based Richardson, other players in Canada tend to be part of large multinational organizations. Regina-based Viterra Inc., for example, is part of Switzerland-based Glencore International.
While it’s hard to gauge what the Chinese government is thinking, it’s likely these companies will be very cautious, he said.
“There’s large amounts of money involved here that the companies will be very wary of shipping cargoes that could be rejected or that type of thing.”
They could try to turn to other markets that import Canadian canola, said Burnett, such as parts of Southeast Asia.
“Can they wholly replace the demand that China represents?” he said. “That’s probably a hard thing to happen.”
Al Mussel, research lead and founder of Agri-Food Economic Systems Inc., said it’s a convenient time for China to decrease the amount of canola it imports because the country is grappling with an outbreak of African Swine Fever, a fatal disease that targets pigs.
That means China doesn’t need as much canola to feed its pig herd, said Mussell, adding that some estimate the country will drop its pork production by up to 20 per cent this year.
Rick White, CEO of the Canadian Canola Growers Association, said the lower commodity price and blockage of some exports could have a detrimental impact on farmers.
He was hopeful the two countries will work out a solution within a month or so, before the situation creates long-term effects such as farmers growing less canola or locking in this year’s crop at the current low price.
“If they have legitimate concerns, let’s talk about them,” he said. “If they’re not legitimate concerns, then let’s figure out a way to get back on track and get the canola going there again.”
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley issued a statement calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to “fight” for canola farmers and related jobs.
“We are calling on Ottawa to stop its navel-gazing about its internal controversies and fight back,” she said, adding Alberta farmers and workers could lose hundreds of millions of dollars and up to 3,000 jobs if the issue is not resolved.
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland expressed concern about the situation on Tuesday and said the government is “working very, very hard with the Chinese government on this issue.”
— With files from The Associated Press
Follow @AleksSagan on Twitter.
Aleksandra Sagan, The Canadian Press
Governments earned $186M in pot taxes in 5 1/2 months of legalization: StatCan
Federal and provincial governments earned $186 million in cannabis-related revenue in the first five-and-a-half months since legalization in October, Statistics Canada said Wednesday.
The Ottawa-based agency said revenue came from product-specific excise taxes and general taxes on goods and services, such as the Harmonized Sales Tax, directly related to the sale of cannabis.
The federal government drew $19 million in excise taxes, while provincial governments got $79 million from excise taxes and related adjustments.
Statistics Canada says revenues from general taxes on goods and services brought in an additional $36 million at the federal level and $53 million via direct provincial general taxes on goods and services.
It added that excise taxes increased by 12.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 compared with the fourth quarter of 2018 on higher sales by licensed producers to distributors.
During the same time frame, general taxes on goods and services from the sale of cannabis were up 68.1 per cent from increased purchases made by households.
“Federal and provincial government revenue from general taxes on goods and services as well as excise taxes may rise further in the second half of the year, as additional cannabis retail outlets are scheduled to open,” Statistics Canada said in a release.
These figures are the first glimpse into pot-related government revenues since Canada legalized cannabis for recreational use on October 17.
Due to the “bumpy” rollout of legalization last fall, these first-ever government tax figures are lower than expected, said the Conference Board of Canada’s economist Robyn Gibbard.
“However, we think that as the kinks are worked out, governments can expect strong growth in revenues from cannabis sales going forward,” she said in a statement.
Legalization on Oct. 17 was met with brisk demand from Canadian consumers and supply shortages at government and private retailers, prompting some to reduce their hours of operation or provincial governments to cap the number of retail licences.
The supply situation has improved in recent months, and Alberta has lifted the moratorium on new retail licenses and Quebec cannabis outlets have resumed more normal hours.
Still, household spending figures from Statistics Canada for the first-quarter of this year show that most non-medical cannabis is purchased from the illicit market, at $1.1 billion, compared to $377 million bought through legal channels.
Armina Ligaya, The Canadian Press
PM worries China could target more Canadian goods as fears about soybeans rise
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s worried an ongoing diplomatic dispute could see China target imports of other Canadian agricultural products as concerns grow about soybean shipments in particular.
One industry leader said Thursday that, without a clear explanation, Canadian soybean exports to China plunged suddenly from 3.2 million tons over the final four months of 2018 to just 3,700 tons through the first four months of this year.
Relations between Canada and China have deteriorated since the December arrest in Vancouver of Huawei senior executive Meng Wanzhou at the behest of the United States.
China was outraged by Meng’s arrest and has since detained two Canadians on allegations of espionage and sentenced two other Canadians to death for drug-related convictions.
Chinese authorities have also blocked imports of Canadian canola seeds, alleging they found pests in shipments, and have increased inspections and paperwork related to pork.
“When it comes to China, obviously, our top concern is the release of Canadians who are detained in an arbitrary way by the Chinese for political reasons,” Trudeau said in French on Thursday during a visit to France, where he marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day. “We are also concerned by their actions on canola and the potential of other actions on other products.”
Trudeau told reporters that he will see if it’s “appropriate or desirable” to have a conversation directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping about a number of bilateral difficulties later this month at the G20 summit in Japan.
Later Thursday, Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau told a parliamentary committee that she’s heard concerns about shipments of Canadian soybeans to China.
Ron Davidson, executive director of Soy Canada, said in an interview that China’s purchases of Canadian soybeans collapsed at the end of last year following a run of very strong exports.
“It’s not a slowdown — it’s a virtual halt,” said Davidson, whose members have reported the drop to Bibeau. “We can see what’s happening, but we aren’t certain why.”
He said it’s not unusual to see soybean exports decrease during winter months, but the speed, magnitude and timing of the crash this time around has alarmed the industry.
Davidson said he’s received reports of Canadian soybean containers held up in Chinese ports for longer than usual as authorities there conduct additional tests. It’s possible, he added, that the drop is partly due to an increased reliance by China on soybeans from other parts of the world.
Soybeans are Canada’s third-most valuable agricultural export after canola and wheat, he said.
Any prolonged crackdown by Canada’s second-biggest trading partner on shipments of key products like soybeans and canola could deliver a blow to the national economy.
New data released Thursday from Statistics Canada showed overall exports of canola fell 14.7 per cent in April after China started turning away Canadian canola seed.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s spokesman said it’s not enough for Trudeau to be concerned because he’s not a casual observer when it comes to the dispute with China.
“He needs to actually do something,” Brock Harrison wrote in an email Thursday.
“Mr. Scheer has on several occasions urged him to take concrete steps to respond to China’s actions against Canada and send a message that Canada won’t be pushed around. He has refused to act.”
The federal government says it has tried unsuccessfully to send a delegation of inspectors to China to examine Chinese evidence of pests in canola shipments. Canada has also been unable to schedule high-level engagements on the matter despite multiple efforts.
Bibeau told MPs Thursday that Canadian scientists finally had a conversation Wednesday night with Chinese customs officials about their canola concerns.
“They agreed to have more sustained discussions, telephone conferences on the subject — and they did not close the door to the delegation,” she said. “We are still asking for that, but the conversation has been re-activated and yesterday we could feel that we were at a different level … This is encouraging.”
Earlier this week, China’s ambassador to Canada said in an interview that Chinese officials investigated Canadian canola based on regulatory and scientific principles, and provided “concrete” documents to Canada to justify their concerns.
Lu Shaye added that the relevant Chinese departments no longer maintained contact with their Canadian counterparts, suggesting the matter was closed.
—Follow @AndyBlatchford on Twitter
Andy Blatchford, The Canadian Press
Open Studio Tour This Weekend!
Can you help police identify these attempted murder suspects?
Indigenous drummers lead pipeline protesters on 22-kilometre march in Victoria
Parents of soldier killed in parachute exercise ask for thorough investigation
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum14 hours ago
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2019: Kreg Llewellyn, Waterskiing Athlete
Crime2 days ago
Crime Beat with Global News Crime Reporter Nancy Hixt
National1 day ago
Six-year-old girl injured after falling off float in Alberta parade
National2 days ago
More assertive Independent senators come close to defeating government bills
Travel16 hours ago
Todayville Travel: A ‘soft egg’ in the Nahanni Pt. 1
National2 days ago
Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques set to return after more than six months in space
Community1 day ago
Mayor invites everyone to the annual Garden Party
National1 day ago
Mysterious $100 bill, life-affirming note delights Nova Scotia town


text:
Rishad Tobaccawala Wants Builders, Not Spreadsheets
In his address during Monday's AAAA's Transformation Conference, Publicis Groupe's Rishad Tobaccowala told attendees the advertising industry needs builders, people with the audacity to "remake industries." He also gave a slap to industry bigwigs when he said, "You came in with dreams, and now you stand with spreadsheets."
He's right. The industry has become a collection of holding companies which function as bean counters. Free thinking and big ideas have disappears. And in their place, the almighty dollar without regard for how that dollar is earned.
Take risks, people. Bring back the big idea. We are a creative industry. We need to be creative. Yes, we all need to make money. But not at the expense of big ideas and great creativity.


text:
CHARITIES and social entrepreneurs are being are urged to enter this year's Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards.
Bigger and better than ever before, the awards have over £115,000 of cash prizes and professional services on offer to the winners.
There are seven categories and 17 cash prizes to be won, including a new award aimed at young entrepreneurs with a new business idea.
Other categories include those for new businesses and for entrepreneurial charities and social enterprises.
Steve Morgan, founder and chairman of the Morgan Foundation, said: "Unlike many others, these awards offer substantial cash prizes, so the winners and runners-up get more than just a pat on the back, they get a capital injection that can make a real difference to their businesses.
"We've always had a young entrepreneur category and this year, with youth unemployment at its highest since records began, it's timely that we have a brand new award for youngsters with a good business idea.
"If there aren't the jobs out there, let's encourage them to help themselves and, maybe, become the employers of the future."
Mr Morgan, who also founded Redrow Homes and who is owner/chairman of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, added: "These awards really do make a difference to the organisations and individuals who take part.
"Previous winners and runners-up have said that winning has helped them in many ways - from a much needed capital injection into their business to improving staff morale."
In line with the ethos of the Morgan Foundation, there are also categories aimed specifically at entrepreneurial charities, organisations that make a social or economic contribution to the region, and a special Against All Odds award for individuals who are succeeding in business despite having to deal with serious personal challenges such as disability or health issues.
The awards are free to enter and it's simple to apply online.
A panel of independent business leaders and experts will select the finalists, who will have the opportunity to present in person at the final judging in late September.
The winners and runners-up will be announced live at a gala awards dinner at the Carden Park Hotel on 10 November.
Closing date for entries is 2 September.
The awards are open to charities, social enterprises, businesses and entrepreneurs from Merseyside, Cheshire, Shropshire, North Wales and the Wolverhampton area.
Full details: www.mf-awards.co.uk


text:
Blizzard has apparently canceled an in-development MMORPG. Bloomberg, which first broke the news, says the game was code-named Neptune and was a “massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in the same universe as World of Warcraft” – not a direct port but some sort of spinoff in a different time period.
Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier and Zheping Huang report that a “financing dispute” between Blizzard and NetEase over the “financial terms” for the game is the proximate cause of death here. According to the site’s source, NetEase “disbanded a team of more than 100 developers” working on the title.
NetEase, of course, has been a long-running Chinese partner for Blizzard’s mobile games (as well as for other companies’ mobile MMORPGs, including CCP Games). It also partnered with Blizzard on the recently launched and deeply controversial Diablo Immortal, whose Chinese launch was significantly delayed.
Activision-Blizzard released its Q2 2022 financial report on Monday; Diablo Immortal’s initial incomes outside of China, while substantial, weren’t enough to offset the Blizzard segment’s continuing quarter-over-quarter revenue decline.
Just to set your mind at ease, this is not the same game as Warcraft Arclight Rumble; that mobile strategy title is still in production. It’s also not the same game as the Warcraft MMOARG Orbis; that was canceled earlier this year.


text:
LOWELL -- A new Wendy's may soon add to the number of fast food options available in the city.
The Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a significant development permit for the fast food franchise.
Fourjay LLC, of Little Rock, is building the restaurant at lot four of Independence Plaza near the intersection of South Goad Springs Road and West Monroe Avenue, according to city documents.
Site plans include a green space next to the building that will be developed at a later time, said representative Zach Hixson of McClelland Engineering.
The company hopes to break ground on the restaurant before the end of the year, he said.
Fourjay's website lists 48 Wendy's locations in Arkansas, including seven-in Northwest Arkansas. The closest Wendy's are in Springdale and Rogers.
Lowell has 35 restaurants, including nine fast food establishments, said Karen Davis, community development director. The last census showed the city has 9,839 residents and an area of 9.3 miles, she said.
It will be the city's first Wendy's and the first fast food development west of Interstate 49, Davis said.
Most of Lowell's growth is happening west of the interstate, with a new business park on Grant Place, and new development filling North Goad Springs Road and now starting on South Goad Springs Road, Davis said.
Community members are excited to see new restaurants come to Lowell because they like variety, Davis said.
When retail and restaurant developments come to Lowell, they help support and sustain the city by creating a larger tax base, Davis said. The additional tax money helps the city improve infrastructure for new developments and improve the quality of life, she said.
This is the second time Fourjay has considered putting a Wendy's in Lowell. In 2016, the Planning Commission approved a Wendy's at the intersection of Highways 71 and 264. The restaurant never came to fruition, Davis said.


text:
Dates Announced For 2013 Petroleum Show
Dates have been announced for the 10th bi-annual Peace Region Petroleum show.
The event is scheduled for May 15th and 16th of next year at the TEC Centre at Evergreen Park.
The event is the third largest of it's kind in the country, with over 350 exhibitors and thousands of people expected to attend.
Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce CEO Dan Pearcey says the event showcases the importance of the oil and gas sector to the region.
"It is an industry specific show and it's a trade show with industry representatives there doing business and informing their customers as to what their products are. "
Participants in the 2011 event have until the end of October to re-book their exhibit for next year.
That can be done online at www.prpshow.com.
Most Viewed Stories
Questionable Content? Click here to report it to the webmaster.


text:
The gaming industry in Germany achieved revenues of around €1.1 billion in the first six months of the year. Over the same period back in 2018, this sector was worth just €676 million. As new infographics from Block-Builders.de show, this rapid growth is sparking the interest of major tech giants such as Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon & Co.
Industry leaders have been expanding their presence in the gaming industry with numerous acquisitions in recent years. The Chinese company Tencent spent $8.6 billion to purchase the company Supercell. As you can see in the infographic, Microsoft, Activision and Facebook have similarly invested billions in promising gaming companies.
Above all the battle for the cloud gaming sector could yet prove exciting. Only recently Amazon announced that it would be offering such a service, with an integrated twitch connection. Facebook in turn acquired cloud gaming company PlayGiga. Cloud gaming gives users access to a range of games via a subscription, similar to the business model of video on demand providers such as Netflix & Co.
Gaming Over The Corona Crisis
The gaming industry has been showing considerable growth for several years now. As can be seen from the infographic, the pandemic has accelerated a trend that was already well underway. 12.4 million mobile games were downloaded via the Google Play Store in the second quarter, compared to just 8.2 million downloads in the same period last year.
Furthermore, gamers are increasingly willing to spend money on e-sports and on their pastime. 33% of the Germans surveyed reported investing more money into gaming since the corona crisis. Facebook was quick to embrace the trend. The company originally planned to launch its streaming service for mobile games in June, but due to the boom in the games industry over the corona crisis, the social media giant pushed the launch forwards to April.
A total of €6.2 billion in games, including software and hardware, were sold in Germany last year. This equates to a larger turnover than that of bookstores, toys or music, as illustrated by the infographic. Against this backdrop – and in view of the development during the pandemic – it is hardly surprising that gaming shares have been among the big winners of the crisis.


text:
The photographs were spread out on a boardroom table, smiles on innocent faces captured and forever preserved as life before the horror. Little Lin Jun riding a tricycle. Young Lin Jun working on a science project with classmates at private school. A beaming Lin Jun with his sister, 11 years his junior. An adult Lin Jun at Disney World in Hong Kong.
Apple says it received between 4,000 and 5,000 requests from U.S. law enforcement for customer data for the six months ended in May.
BlackBerry rose the most in almost three months after Societe Generale SA boosted its rating on the stock to buy from sell, saying channel checks show the Canadian smartphone maker’s new devices are selling well.
The top prosecutors in San Francisco and New York planned Thursday to announce the formation of a nationwide initiative and coalition of police, prosecutors and other officials in an attempt to thwart a surge in smartphone thefts.
The company that makes Apple's iPhones suspended production at a factory in China on Monday after a brawl by as many as 2,000 employees at a dormitory injured 40 people.
Trains on the Vaudreuil-Hudson, Blainville-St.Jerome and Candiac commuter lines were delayed since 4:40 p.m. Tuesday and are expected to be delayed until at least 5:40 p.m. because of switching equipment problems in Montreal West.
'Tis the season for making obvious and not-so-obvious forecasts for technology in '09


text:
When AOL (NYSE: TWX) CEO Tim Armstrong arrived at the company several months ago, he discovered its content and ad systems made up of a patchwork quilt. In a Q&A at the UBS Media Week conference a day before the official spinoff from Time Warner, Armstrong provided an overview of some of the goals he had coming in and how his plans have developed. One of the ways AOL had lost its way was that it wasn’t maniacal about “piping,” having a seamless system for content and ads, as opposed to the streamlined, distinct set of pipes that governed distribution at Armstrong’s former employer Google (NSDQ: GOOG). “I saw that AOL had Platform-A, which was made up of several companies it had acquired over the years. There were dozens of content management and ad systems and it was hard to connect all the parts. That was one of the first things we had to address.”
Other plans include working on a new platform that will make it easy for marketers to buy ads, such as allowing them to use credit cards to purchase inventory. It will be rolled out sometime next year.
Armstrong was asked about JP Morgan analyst Imran Khan’s report that AOL would soon cease selling inventory from Advertising.com. He said that the report was misconstrued and that the company would just shift emphasis toward premium pricing. However, he stressed that AOL was not abandoning Advertising.com, which has served as AOL’s advertising anchor for years. “Ad.com is an incredibly important part of the business. What the analyst meant to say was that we were going to emphasize premium pricing. We were selling Super Bowl inventory for decidedly non-premium pricing. That’s something that has to change.”
Returning to an earlier theme of the conversation, Armstrong said the company’s communications business, which includes AIM and e-mail, also needs some cleaning up. “The communications business was a recipient of problems with execution at AOL. We lost some AIM users when AOL created the People Networks business, which tried to force AIM users into Bebo.” He added that Brad Garlinghouse, president of Internet and Mobile Communications, will also work on cleaning up the e-mail system, which has about 18 million accounts. That part of the business has not been served well by the use of ads in e-mails. Given Garlinghouse’s focus on mobile, those applications will also be structured in a way that relates best to portable devices.
So how should the new AOL be judged? AOL’s old metrics were pageviews, Armstrong said. “That didn’t work. Expect to see growth in the display business. Long term, we want AOL to be a cash-generating business.” In the end, if the metrics aren’t there — even for Patch, the hyperlocal site network Armstrong personally invested in before AOL bought it — “we won’t be spending money on it.”


text:
halfEvilTech writes: India’s Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, told the Indian press that Dell chairman Michael Dell assured him that Dell was moving $25 billion in factories from China to India. Original motives were cited for enviromental concerns. But later details come up as to dell wanting a "safer environment conductive to enterprise"
The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite
of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.
-- Niels Bohr


text:
Land is being sold like crazy inside of game communites on WAX like Splinterlands!
Players of these games like to have certain benefits and to achieve some benefits like buying cards they have to own some land.
Land was sold in the beginning which has gone up in price from hundreds to hundreds of thousands!
Parts of the land was sold in plots, tracts and regions and is making far much more money and faster than selling real land on earth!
(under construction Jan 12, 2022)


text:
Residents of a rural Colorado town say a cow named Apple chased off a bear that had climbed into her favorite apple tree. Jack McDonald of Hygiene, about 30 miles northwest of Denver, said the bear had climbed out of the tree when the cow approached it Sunday afternoon.
McDonald says the animals touched noses and hung out together for a bit before Apple chased the bear off.
“It was hilarious,” McDonald says.
There’s no sign that either animal was hurt.
Apple belongs to McDonald’s landlady, Nancy Dayton, who has a house and three rental units on 14 acres.
Dayton says Apple weighs about 1,200 pounds and is more pet than livestock. She got her name because she loves to eat apples from the tree the bear had invaded.
Source: Yahoo News


text:
in this issue
Markets :: Specialty Chemicals :: Rubber processing chemicals
Solutia to Restart Pennsylvania Sulfur Plant
10:41 AM MDT | October 14, 2009 | Vincent Valk
Solutia will reopen its insoluble sulfur plant at Monongahela, Pennsylvania in November, the company says. The plant was idled in June. Demand for Crystex-brand insoluble sulfur, which is produced at the plant, "has improved significantly since the first quarter of 2009," says Greta Senn, v.p./Crystex. "Restarting the plant will continue to ensure a steady and reliable supply of insoluble sulfur to our tire customers worldwide," she adds. Insoluble sulfur prevents sulfur migration and is used in the manufacture of radial...
This information is only available to Chemical Week subscribers.
Forgot your user ID or password?
Not an IHS Chemical Week member yet?
Here's why you should be:
100% Satisfaction Guarantee


text:
It has been a rough few weeks for those betting big on autonomous cars.
On March 18, a women was fatally struck by a self-driving Uber vehicle. Now, Uber's self-driving efforts are hanging by a thread. Chip giant and Action Alerts Plus holding Nvidia (NVDA) has decided to halt its self-driving tests in the aftermath of the Uber crash. Meanwhile, Tesla (TSLA) has regulators sniffing around after a fatal accident a week ago involving the company's autopilot mode.
Despite the bad headlines, BlackBerry (BB) CEO John Chen remains optimistic on driverless cars. BlackBerry, which has made a push into the connected car under Chen, has some skin in the driverless car game. Nvidia tapped BlackBerry QNX's safety-certified operating system as the basis of its AI self-driving development platform in January.
"[The arrival] of autonomous cars may push out a little bit," Chen told TheStreet. "I always say this will be a matter of when not if because it has proven to have a lot of economic value -- not only about saving people time and avoiding traffic jams but also making life more useful while in a car -- that wont go away."
Chen says the recent series of events will force tech companies to go back and think harder about safety and security. The government may also need to get better involved in regulating the space, says Chen.
Behind the Label: Full CEO interviews on our Youtube Channel


text:
Why ugly produce may be losing its glamour
The ugly produce phenomenon may be reaching its end point, as supermarkets are slowly backing away from offering discounts on odd-looking produce, according to an Associated Press report. Several retailers have been selling their store-branded imperfect fruits and vegetables as a way to cut down on food waste and give consumers a price break on produce that is fine to eat but misshapen or blemished. In the past, ugly produce was normally trashed.
But according to the Associated Press, grocers such as Walmart, Whole Foods Market and Price Chopper are ending their ugly produce programs.
"Customers didn't accept it as much as we had hoped," Mona Golub of Price Chopper, a grocery chain in the Northeast, told the Associated Press.
However, grocers such as West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee are still trying to limit their food waste. According to the article, the grocer had a recent display of “Misfits” produce that included packs of apples, lemons and oranges that were either too big or small, or otherwise substandard in appearance.
The supplier of the Misfits produce, Robinson Fresh, said about 300 grocery locations sell the fruits and vegetables, including the Hy-Vee stores. Kroger also said it still plans to continue its “Pickuliar Picks” program this spring.
To read the Associated Press article, click here.


text:
News > Loss of taste and smell is added to the United Kingdom’s list of Coronavirus related symptoms
Loss of taste and smell is added to the United Kingdom’s list of Coronavirus related symptoms
Firstpost | 19/05/2020 10:54 AM | Click to read full article
The UK government on Monday expanded the list of symptoms related to the novel coronavirus to add the loss of taste and smell to the already existing cough and fever guidelines for people to self-isolate or get tested. King's College London has used an app to gather symptom information from over 1.5 million people in the UK who believe they might have had coronavirus and suggested that even more symptoms must be included to the official list, such as tiredness and stomach pain or diarrhoea.


text:
Hyper-connectivity is one factor propelling the paradigm shift at retail.
Shutterstock / Slavoljub Pantelic
The year America celebrates its 250th birthday — 2026 — will be a period where demographic shifts, changing values and hyperconnectivity will have changed the retail landscape from an affluent model to one that is influencer-based.That’s according to a new report from A.T. Kearney, the global strategy and management consulting firm, on “America’s Next Commercial Revolution: Influence vs. Affluence.”The report said the “unprecedented number of store closings, dying malls and retail bankruptcies” are all foreshadowing major shifts on the retail front. The multiyear data analysis of demographic and “personagraphic” research on what American consumers and business will look like indicates that brands and companies will no longer be able to rely on the affluence-based model that allows them to scale production. In the new paradigm shift, where influence from a single voice can affect a large company or entire market, it will be the values-based brand or brands that master personalization that will enjoy the fastest rate of growth, according to the A.T. Kearney report.“As a result, the mass market of the future will thrive on three fundamentally different principles: influence, personalization and trust,” the report said, noting that consumer brands and retailers that can appeal to future consumers will be those that take advantage of new technology-enabled ways to influence and sell. That makes engaging consumers in the digital world “more critical than ever,” according to Greg Portell, lead partner at A.T. Kearney’s retail practice and the principal author of the study.Portel said that under the new influence model, individual consumers can effect change and build community by influencing his or her peers, as well as retailers, consumer products goods manufacturers, media and governments through social media to both amplify the power of their voices and facilitate the formation of ad hoc coalitions to address different causes, regardless of the individual’s financial position. That’s far different from the affluence model where consumers believe their self-worth has a direct relationship to what they buy. Portell calls that the mantra of “I am what I own.”By 2026, there will be six generations, including four high commercial impact generations. The two at opposite ends are what the report has dubbed the Silent Generation, those born between 1928 and 1945, and the Alpha Generation, those born between 2017 to 2023. With the oldest at 81 and the youngest at age 9, neither has major buying power. The four in the middle are Baby Boomer, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z. Collectively, these four generations are older, less traditional, more diverse and more urban. Not only will living arrangements and domestic identifies be different, the households will be more centered around urban areas, and income inequality — the gap between the top 1 percent of U.S. earners and the bottom 90 percent — will continue to grow.And the changing consumer base will mean the concept of value will incorporate more than just the product itself to include factors such as ethics, trading partners and sourcing of raw materials, and even the political position of board members of public companies, the report noted. The report also said that currently 25 percent of Gen Zers actively look for brands and retailers that do good for the world, and another 26 percent said they would avoid brands or retailers that did something that violated their moral or ethical code.The study noted that food and beverage firms are the earliest and most successful adopters and beneficiaries of the new personalization model. It concluded savvy retailers and manufacturers are the ones who will quickly focus on “who” a consumer is than on what he or she “does.”And with consumers becoming “critical data feeds” as information from social network participation replace traditional buying and browsing histories, trust will become the new consumer currency. Under this scenario, consumers will trade personal data in exchange for what they consider “value-added” personalization.The report provided five suggestions on what companies can do: Use data to understand your customers on their terms; create new models and metrics to describe your target market; redefine scale; think about trust as your customers do, and maximize the value of your workforce.
@fearofgod and @maxfieldla have teamed up on a pop-up installation. The store, located in the gallery space across from Maxfield’s Melrose Ave location, is the site of the brand’s House of God pop-up in which Fear of God founder @jerrylorenzo has created a church-inspired installation. A dozen vintage church pews sit in front of an LED screen playing 90s gospel singers in an effort to re-create an environment akin to a Southern Baptist Church, Lorenzo explained. Read more about the pop-up on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: Jennifer Johnson)
Known for his sleek, sophisticated American glamour, Norman Norell is the subject of an upcoming exhibition at @fitnyc. “Norell: Dean of American Fashion,” which runs from February 9 through April 14, will feature approximately 100 ensembles and accessories. His best work is exemplified by the designer’s glittering “mermaid” gowns frosted with thousands of hand-sewn sequins – like the one pictured. (📷: William Helburn) #wwdfashion
For pre-fall 2018, @balmain didn’t let go of the glitz. A crystal embroidered baseball jacket priced at around $40,000 hangs in the “couture” section of the brand’s first men’s pre-collection. Sporting the words “Balmain Army” across the back, the item took around two months to make. “When it was completed, it was like Christmas, it was like, ‘It’s done, it’s exactly what I wanted,’” said Balmain’s creative director @olivier_rousteing during a tour of the collection in a Paris showroom on Monday. #wwdfashion
Eighty degree temperatures and outdoor installations at the annual Art Basel Miami Beach called for bright, elevated beachwear. See more street style pictures on WWD.com. #theyarewearing #ABMB (📷: @lifeinreverie)
Following September’s emotional tribute to her brother Gianni, Donatella Versace wanted to bring the spring show’s deep sense of intimacy to her @versace_official pre-fall collection. Donatella found inspiration in Versace Palazzo in Milan and from Gianni’s opulent apartment. Archival patterns and new motifs were splashed on silk shirtdresses and fitted jersey frocks. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com. #wwdfashion
Demna Gvasalia continues to shake up the Paris fashion calendar — and experiment with new runway timetables for his @vetements_official brand. WWD has learned that Vetements plans to stage its next coed show for the fall 2018 season on January 19 during Men’s Fashion Week in the French capital. Details about the timing and venue have not been confirmed — stay tuned on WWD.com to catch the latest. #wwdnews (📷: @giovanni_giannoni_photo)
@zacposen's go-to holiday gift? Cookies! "I'll usually bake cookies and send them as a gift," said the designer, who recently released his cookbook "Cooking With Zac: Recipes from Rustic to Refined." Get the recipe for his Brown Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies via link in bio 🍪🍪🍪 #wwdeye #cookingwithzac
For @monsemaison’s pre-fall 2018 collection, Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim honed in on the brand’s many signatures — men’s wear, which was tweaked and feminized through deconstruction, proportion play and lots of bare shoulders. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: George Chinese)
On Friday night, @yohjiyamamotoofficial received the Design for Asia Lifetime Achievement Award in Hong Kong. The 75-year-old designer has been celebrated for many years and is best known for his dark and avant-garde tailoring. “In my long career, in design, architecture, [I’ve been to] so many parties, this is the very first time that I have such a warm feeling, I really appreciate this,” Yamamoto said. #wwdfashion (📷: @dominiquemaitre)


text:
Charles Marentette is now serving in a new position at Gravie, Inc.
Jan 17, 2019
Board and Executive Moves
Chief Financial Officer at Gravie, Inc.
In The News
Feb 04, 2019 - St. Paul Pioneer Press (Minnesota)
Jan 28, 2019 - Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Jan 17, 2019 - RelSci
The healthcare industry is complicated. There are a lot of cooks in the kitchen – doctors, insurers, brokers, employers, regulators – and sometimes in all the noise the needs of the consumer get lost. With big changes coming thanks to The Affordable Care Act, it’s about to get even more challenging. Not only will people be required to have health insurance coverage, many will be responsible for finding, buying and managing it on their own. Consumers need someone in their corner – proven experts who can offer up simple ways to make sense of it all and remove unnecessary, annoying obstacles. Gravie puts consumers back in control. Gravie makes this transition simple and easy, by removing these obstacles and focusing only on what’s important. We call it insurance independence. We help consumers choose and buy insurance, pay for it, and manage all health care expenses in one place. With Gravie, consumers don’t have to track down price comparisons, spend hours trying to differentiate between a copay and a co-insurance, determine if they qualify for tax credits from the government, or worry if they’ll get penalized under the new regulations. Gravie takes care of all of this so that no one becomes overwhelmed trying to figure it out alone. By using smart technology and by building good partnerships – with insurance companies, state health care exchanges, banks and outsourcers — we make sense of something that has historically been way too complicated. Gravie‘s founders have started and led some of the most innovative, industry-changing healthcare companies in the last decade. They created the first private health insurance exchange, started one of the most successful wellness programs, and developed one of the first account-based health plans. They’ve been successful because they build products and services around the needs of the consumer, ignoring the noise from the other vested interests. With Gravie, they’ll use their experience and their understanding to help consumers thrive in the fast-changing healthcare market.
In The News
Health Benefits Company Gravie Introduces First-of-Its-Kind Zero-Copay, Zero-Deductible Employer-Sponsored Health Plan
Jul 08, 2020 - PR Newswire
May 26, 2020 - PR Newswire