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Artists continue to find creative ways of making money outside of traditional album sales. Touring, mobile partnerships and writing for film and TV are only a few ways acts are cashing in.
Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche has penned songs and score for the upcoming Touchstone Pictures film “Dan in Real Life.” It’s been a growing trend this past year to have one artist musically attached to a film — think Loudon Wainwright III and “Knocked Up” or Jesse Harris and “The Hottest State.”
“Dan” director and co-writer Peter Hedges says he listened to 500 artists for the film but kept coming back to Lerche. “There’s a depth to (his music), and you feel that this is a man who believes in love,” Hedges says. “The music is just infused with that feeling without being sappy or sentimental, which made it a complete dream for this story.”
The “Dan in Real Life” soundtrack, which hits stores Oct. 2, also includes a duet with Regina Spektor and A Fine Frenzy’s Alison Sudol performing the Peggy Lee classic “Fever.”
Colombian superstar Juanes is partnering with Sprint for the release of his latest album, “La Vida Es un Ratico” (Universal), which hits stores Oct. 23. For the next two weeks, the first single, “Me Enamora,” is available as a full-track download and ringtone exclusively to Sprint Power Vision customers. The song then will become available to other carriers.
Sprint also is offering exclusive mobile video episodes showing behind-the-scenes footage of Juanes, starting with the “Me Enamora” music video shoot, in 10 installments rolling out through early next year. And Sprint is supporting the release with a national online and broadcast campaign along with in-store signage and promotional material. Additionally, Sprint will sponsor Juanes’ 2008 U.S. tour.
In the touring world, the 2007 Vans Warped tour grossed about $18.6 million and sold 622,467 tickets to 45 shows, according to tour founder and producer Kevin Lyman, president of 4fini Prods. Warped, which wrapped Aug. 25 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., is the longest-running multiact touring festival and has helped break countless acts. This year’s bill included Bad Religion, Hawthorne Heights, Cute Is What We Aim For, Flogging Molly, Killswitch Engage, Coheed and Cambria, As I Lay Dying, Sum 41 and New Found Glory, to name a few. Asked who might be the breakout bands from Warped ’07, Lyman says: “Paramore went through the roof; Gallows is now getting offers to do a lot of great tours. Bayside did very well out there. Boys Like Girls did very well.”
Ray Waddell and Ayala Ben-Yehuda contributed to this column.


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Director General Punjab For Authority (PFA), Noor Amin Mengal and Provincial Food Minister, Bilal Yasin visited several food chain franchises. As a result of which they have sealed the famous eatery, Fat Burger. The outlet was found using expired cooking oil for frying the meat while the buns and bread were also no longer edible.
Heavy fine of Rs. 0.1 Million was also imposed on the American-based fast-food restaurant chain Hardees which is located at MM Alam Road.
A few days ago, Salt’n Pepper was sealed over hygiene issues. It has now been opened again after implementation of proper reforms. The Director General Punjab For Authority, Noorul Amin Mengal has confirmed that PFA will continue to take action against those eateries which provide low quality food quality or do not implement proper hygienic measures. A couple of days ago, PFA imposed a huge fine of Rs. 200,000 on Pizza Hut at MM Alam Road. The fast food chain was found using raw material without proper labeling and lacked addresses of the production factories.

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Ronnie Fieg Teases Collaboration With LeBron James
Ronnie Fieg of KITH has announced a new partnership with LeBron James and Nike. During the KITH Sport fashion now, a very special Nike LeBron 15 was seen on LeBron’s feet that generated lots of hype. Now shared on Fieg’s Instagram, we see LBJ’s signautre lion head logo with “RF” and “KITH” seen with the crown.
The photo posted is of James captioned with “Next”. Stay tuned for more information.
© 2018 Aviation Media Inc. All rights reserved.


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Tesla's Cybertruck is apparently still hauling in the reservations.
An ongoing, unofficial crowdsourced tally managed by Tesla fans estimates that over one million people have put down a $100 refundable deposit for the electric pickup.
Less than a week after the Cybertruck's reveal in November 2019, Elon Musk claimed that the company had received 250,000 reservations.
At Tesla's battery day event last September, he said that "the orders are gigantic. We have like, I don’t know, well over half a million orders, I think maybe six or 600,000. It’s a lot, basically, we stopped counting."
That figure roughly coincided with the crowdsourced one at the time.
Musk added that he estimates output at the Cybertruck's Texas factory will be 250,000 to 300,000 annually.
The first Cybertruck deliveries are scheduled to happen by the end of 2021, according to Musk, but high volume production won't begin until next year.
The starting price for the pickup is $39,900 for a rear-wheel-drive model, but that configuration won't be available until the end of 2022. The tally suggests that just 7.5% of reservation holders have chosen it, while the $49,900 and $69,900 dual and tri-motor models currently make up 48% and 44.5% of the mix, respectively.
By the time Cybertruck output ramps up, Ford will be selling its recently unveiled F-150 Lighting electric pickup, which has prices that range from around $40,000 to $90,000. Two days after its unveiling last week, Ford CEO Jim Farley said the company had nearly 45,000 reservations on the books.


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A Ferrari F12 Berlinetta supercar has been recently crashed in Dubai, after its driver lost control of the wheel due to excessive speed.
Where ever there will be exotic cars there will also be exotic car crashes, this is what we have always said here on inautonews.com, and the latest example of such an unfortunate incident is coming from Dubai. The Ferrari F12 Berlinetta in question used to be a brand new supercar as it has only done 100 km before being crashed. And speaking of the damages, we can see that they are quite significant and will cost a lot of money to make it look like before.
The Ferrari F12 Berlinetta is the official successor of the 599 GTB. The supercar in question is powered by a 6.3 liter V12 engine, which is producing a total output of 730 HP and 509 lb-ft of torque, out of which 80 percent is available from 2,500 rpm. The 0 to 100 km/h sprint takes 3.1 seconds and top speed stands at 340 km/h. The Ferrari F12 Berlinetta has been officially presented to the public back in 2012, during the Geneva Motor Show, and it was also named the 2012 Supercar of the Year by Top Gear.


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Is the PS4’s VR shooter something to be excited about?
Both new and old games get some specials treatment this weekend!
Sony has announced three new PlayStation 4 specials available in South Africa.
The latest PS4 update is giving certain users an NW-31297-2 error, which means they cannot connect to their Wi-Fi network.
Sony has released its latest major system software update for the PlayStation 4, System Software 4.50.
Is this PS4 exclusive the must-play game of 2017?
The PlayStation 4 Pro recently went on sale in South Africa, and many gamers are wondering whether the new console presents good value for money.
Here are the free games PlayStation Plus members will be getting this month.
What are critics saying after going hands-on with one of 2017’s biggest games?
We take a look at what critics are saying about the PS4’s big release this month.
These are the 12 accessories every PS4 gamer needs to own.
Check out the new movie-style advert for PlayStation 4!
What new systems and peripherals should you be eyeing this season?
It turns out that some PS4 Pro titles are running slower than the base hardware.
The future is here.
Does the PS4 Pro make a difference?
Ubisoft has stated that it will delay upcoming DLC in order to focus on fixing various issues with the base game.
A recent survey shows Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is currently the most anticipated upcoming game.
Both the Xbox One S and PlayStation Neo are on the horizon, and gamers will soon be faced with a choice between the two consoles.
This year’s Sunday Times Generation Next youth survey shows which games and consoles young people think is coolest.


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McDonald’s China releases limited edition Spam x Oreo burger
The new product on the McDonald’s China menu has caused quite a stir on social media.
Two slices of Spam meat, crushed Oreo cookies and a mayonnaise topping between two burger buns.
As strange as it may sound, this is actually a new product introduced by McDonald’s China on its menu. Only 400,000 of these burgers will be produced and they are sold at about $2 each.
But it has received quite the backlash, especially on social media where netizens have come out to blast the new dish.
Twitter user @iiiitsandrea posted a photo of the burger along with “I’m hating’ it” in the caption.
Similarly, users @lukitslydia and @beebeejay22 were not entirely convinced.
I can’t imagine the crunch and then sinking feeling once you go through the Oreo and then to the spam 🥵🥵— Lydia Luk (@lukitslydia) December 20, 2020
lemme tell u something, certain things don't go in same sentence,, SPAM, OREOS #1 ON THAT LIST.— Burnt-n-Toasty (@beebeejay22) December 20, 2020
Some were however, more open-minded when it came to the dish.
While Twitter user @AlanVMichaels said he would give it a try, he added that the “jury is out”.
Savory and sweet. I’d try it. No guarantee I would finish it. 😳— Alan Vincent Michaels (@AlanVMichaels) December 20, 2020
I’ve liked spam, since I was a young kid. Going to Hawaii since 2009 rekindled my taste for it. Oreos are a mainstay, of course. Combined? Jury is out. 🤔
Yay or nay? Will you even dare to try the burger should it even make its way to Singapore?


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Jan 11, 2022
Dr. Valeria Kogan is the co-founder of Fermata diagnosing plant health. Each year, millions of crop harvests are wasted and the world is increasingly seeking foods grown without chemicals. AgTech is not the industry you'll typically find young, female founders - but Valeria isn't letting that hold her back. She's got the grit and talent needed for startup success and shares what she's learned along the way.


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Australian Trade Minister Craig Emerson last month made clear that his government's efforts to deepen links to the Asia-Pacific region is not limited to the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) by announcing it would seek observer status in the Pacific Alliance, which includes Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile.
In an Oct. 28 announcement, Emerson said this observer status would position Australia as a link between the Pacific-facing nations of Latin America and Asia. He made that announcement the same day the government released a White Paper titled "Australia in the Asian Century," which recommends that Australia increase the value of its trade links with Asia from one-quarter of GDP in 2011 to one-third of GDP by 2025.
Australia is becoming an observer in the Pacific Alliance after an informal invitation from Chile during a September visit of the Chilean president, according to an informed source. Australia had previously attended the June summit as an informal observer along with Panama, Costa Rica, Canada and Japan.
"These nations [in the Pacific Alliance] are like-minded with Australia as open traders and are interested in Australia connecting them to dynamic Asian economies through our familiarity with countries of the region," Emerson said in the statement.
The alliance would also give Australia more market access to Colombia, with which it has mineral and energy interests, sources said. Trade between Colombia and Australia has been growing, but investment is growing much faster, according to sources, who noted that Australia opened a trade office in Bogota in July.
The Alliance has a broader scope than TPP and has involved negotiations on the free movement of business people, as well as integrating stock markets in the different countries, Francisco Rosenzweig, Mexican undersecretary of foreign trade, told Inside U.S. Trade in a May interview. He added that TPP and the Pacific Alliance could be complementary agreements.
Observer status will help Australia better understand the issues being negotiated in the Alliance and ultimately decide if it wants to join as a member, one source said. "We will make an assessment of the merits of seeking to join the Pacific Alliance, which is likely to expand to include other countries such as Costa Rica and Canada," according to the White Paper.
The paper deals with the steps that Australia has to take domestically and internationally to benefit from the rise of Asia in this century by diversifying trade beyond supplying the energy and minerals that have so far dominated its trade with Asia. This trade pattern has led to a substantial increase in Australian domestic income, but has yielded little in terms of overall productivity, which is critical to lifting living standards, according to the paper.
On the domestic policy front, the White Paper recommends investment in education, innovation, infrastructure, tax reform and regulatory reforms.
Internationally, the White Paper calls for integrating the Australian economy more with Asian countries and make it part of comprehensive region-wide agreements as well as the World Trade Organization. This will reduce the cost of doing business by lowering trade and investment barriers, better aligning economic regulations and corporate governance arrangements, as well as improving connectivity of infrastructure.
The paper says Australia should work in existing forums, such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and through other free trade arrangements.
This includes participating in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), for which negotiations will be launched this month. The RCEP is otherwise referred to as ASEAN plus six, which is comprised of China, Japan, South Korea, India, New Zealand and Australia.
Australia is participating in that effort even though it already has what Emerson said was a high-quality free trade agreement with ASEAN and New Zealand. It is doing so in the hope that each of these agreements can add momentum to others by leading to "competitive liberalization," in which countries increasingly open their markets as they see the benefits of doing so from other agreements.
The Australian government sees these various negotiations as a pathway to the APEC vision of the Free Trade Area of the Pacific, according to the Oct. 28 statement.
Australia is also pursuing bilateral negotiations with China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and India, and just completed an FTA with Malaysia. It is also having FTA talks with the Gulf Cooperation Council and is working on expanding the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement.


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Brooklyn’s City Point project has made significant strides in recent months, and construction is moving ahead at full steam; as of the last update, verticality was confined to the retail base. Acadia Realty Trust and Washington Square Partners are developing, and COOKFOX is the architect.
The full build-out will measure 1.8 million square feet, and the project will become a key place-maker for Downtown Brooklyn, adding modern retail space that will attract tourists and locals alike. City Point’s bulk will fill out an entire block, and the latest shots show how the site is already achieving prominence; phase II’s retail will measure 660,000 gross square feet.
Two residential towers are rising as part of the project’s second phase, and the first 19-story building — which will measure 225,000 gross square feet, and will be entirely affordable — is already approaching its topping-out. The second, 335,000 gross square-foot high-rise will stand 30 stories tall, and still has a ways to go before reaching its pinnacle, but is also beginning to rise above the retail base.
City Point’s third phase — which has yet to be formally unveiled — will further distinguish the site, placing a marker on the skyline that may become Brooklyn’s tallest building. That component will measure 600,000 square feet, and will mix apartments with office space. Nearby, the JDS proposal for 340 Flatbush Avenue Extension will rise nearly 800 feet tall, presenting a potential challenger in terms of height — but combined, the buildings will likely give Brooklyn its first truly attention-grabbing skyscrapers.
For any questions, comments, or feedback, email [email protected]


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Costs and Limits. There is a 500 bitcoin limit for any single bitcoin transaction.
Bitcoin is designed around the idea of a new form of money that uses cryptography to control its creation and transactions,.Cash Poker Pro Announces Presale, as It Implements Blockchain into Online Poker.A highly-skilled Bitcoiner can figure out an appropriate fee in a minute, but.You are absolutely able to decide how much you want to pay, overriding the fee calculator of most clients.Bitcoin: The Fiat Currency Competition - Jsnip4 on CrushTheStreet.com Kenneth Ameduri January 14, 2017 Interviews.Total transaction fees in bitcoin are on the ascent, challenging a key claim put forth by bitcoin acolytes in the early days: that the bitcoin payments network could.
Bitcoin, Blockchain, and the Future of. and the Future of Financial Transactions.The cost of buying or selling the digital currency recently hit an all-time high, making day-to-day transactions like buying a cup of coffee impractical.There are so many benefits to using a cryptocurrency, that it would seem foolish to neglect such an invention.
But, but… I thought Bitcoin was supposed to be cheap? | FTSegregated Witness Costs and Risks. About. About. Serialisation costs.In Defense of Bitcoin Transaction Fees. Receiving and sending money on PayPal can cost up to 3% of the total transaction, as high as credit card fees.My Canberra based clients are in the discovery phase for their Blockchain initiative and they are exploring and developing the concepts and.
I thought this crypto thing is supposed to reduce the transaction cost but they seem more expensive then the banks imho.Before you start using Bitcoin for any serious transaction, be sure to read what you need to kno.Such people are free to have that sentiment, of course, just as they are free to end up on a lonely platform.The energy cost of a single Bitcoin transaction could power 1.5 American homes for a day.
But what this ultimately means is that there is no central authority that is deciding what fees should be paid, when to increase or decrease them, etc.
Bitcoin Transaction fee hits an all-time high, adoption
Tax Reform Proposal from Trump Administration Is a Joke Joshua Enomoto April 27, 2017 Breaking News.In order divide the costs of handling Bitcoin transactions in a fair manner we are introducing deposit fees for incoming transactions.
Bitcoin Cryptocurrency Is No Longer Cheap | PYMNTS.comTransaction fees When transferring funds from your CoinJar to an external bitcoin address, a bitcoin transaction fee is required in order.
Economics of Bitcoin | EconbrowserThe true cost of a Bitcoin transaction can be better considered as.
Unconfirmed Bitcoin Transactions Reach 150k - Bitcoinist.comBitcoin mining fees are added to transactions in order to help support the network and pay those who mine new blocks with variable payments.But that sushi might cost you a hefty sum in transaction fees.
Bitcoin transactions have been experiencing an uptick thanks to widespread adoption across the globe.Reduce the number of use-cases for which Bitcoin makes sense, and the quantity and quality of people willing to hold a portion of Bitcoin declines.I read that pulling this data on into the blockchain is not free 1.Donate Ether and Ethereum-Based Tokens 0x59b4c552cA3593feC5ec09e9a9B60f2c6B428f5E Donate Bitcoin 1AFvUqX3jByGdP1SKddiksoyZaAgHU7emv Donate LTC Lhf6RE4FdoeGZKmLPLUwS8UbR6JVxDLVsJ Donate Monero 44U2DXpMh6pfKxpjiRMG4TP573TK3nGhc5hvqRWcWFy2Emefrin1jWc7M3nP9T2o4GBLsUdLfFJRdb4JvzsoTGyEHBDUmNY Donate Dash XfukCo9kogqCUGBh81nfYxsWBWEVGNjetQ Donate ETC 0xf2cB208965F644D7AE95B50922ad96f9Be912D16.


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Crixfeed is the focused digital media, crypto information Services Company for the decentralize crypto asset (DAX) and blockchain technology community.
A new cellphone equipped with blockchain technology and end-to-end-encryption is set to be launched in time before Christmas. Will it have what it takes to beat its established competitors?
Payments using the blockchain, end-to-end-encryption, online verification with an electronic ID – too good to be true? Wisekey, a Geneva-based cyber-security firm, promises that and more when it launches the Wisephone (pictured below).
Genesis, the standard type Wisephone will reach the stores on December 15 and cost $556. Or 0.12 bitcoins, which was equal to $447 once this story was published.
A premium device called Block will hit the market in the first quarter of 2019, with a better built-in camera, a faster processing chip and integrated crypto wallet. The price has been set at $894 – or 0.19 bitcoin. The wallet will only be activated once the Swiss regulator, Finma, gives its go ahead for the launch of Wisecoin, Wisekey’s own crypto currency platform.
Secure Android Smartphone
Wisekey CEO Carlos Moreira says that Wisephone is an Android phone like any other with exactly the same functionalities. But it has an additional, protected area shielded from the Android-specific security issues. This unique functionality allows users to safely store crypto currencies or other crypto assets and to also secure their email and voice communication.
Of course, only time will tell whether the new phone is more than a marketing tool and whether it actually is capable of all the special features. And here’s a presentation of Wisephone by CEO Moreira:
Disclaimer: Crixfeed’s writer’s opinions are completely self-centered and do not reflect the opinion of Crixfeed. Any information you read on Crixfeed should not be taken as an investment advice, nor does Crixfeed support any project that can be mentioned or linked to in this article. Buying and trading Cryptocurrencies should be considered high risk activity. Please take care of your own before taking any action related to the material in this article. After all, Crixfeed should not take any responsibility to lose your cryptocurrency in currency trading.


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Don't-Miss Game Stories
Zynga announced Tuesday that it would build a social gaming network that provides a more unified gaming experience, whether players are on Facebook, iOS or Android devices.
This week, Microsoft unveiled its potential iPad competitor, we put several new Macs to the test, and we offered some advice on no longer using email for everything.
This week’s roundup of iOS accessories includes products that help you play better, work harder, listen more clearly, and simply do more of what you like to do with your iPhone and iPad.
On Monday at WWDC, Apple handed out its annual Apple Design Awards to excellent iOS and Mac apps.
You might think that the week before Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference, where it's expected to unveil iOS 6 and potentially reveal a few surprises along the way, would be a quiet one. You'd be wrong, as our densely packed Weekly Wrap proves.
Instead of just another movie tie-in game, Disney Mobile wants its latest release for the animated movie Brave to have more longevity and App Store downloads.
At the D10 conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook said his company is doubling down on Siri, played coy about Apple’s approach to the gaming and television markets, and spoke emotionally about Jobs’s death.
On Monday, Elgato announced the Game Capture HD, designed to let gamers record and share their exploits with fellow enthusiasts.
Developers of the Zombies, Run! game for iPhone say they were able to distribute 3000 copies of the app to backers who had paid for its development through the Kickstarter "crowd funding" site, despite Apple's rules limiting developers to 50 promo codes for a single iOS app.
Macworld wants to make your life better. To that end, then, here are a few links to stories we ran this past week that might just simplify or otherwise improve your life.
Whenever Apple escapes one lawsuit, the universe launches another one. Elsewhere, the epic battle for the nano-SIM comes to a head, and HP would like you to know it invented keyboards in a hard candy shell.
Following up on its iWow 3D for iOS devices, SRS Labs has announced the iWow Universal, an audio-enhancing dongle for any product with a 3.5mm headphone output jack.
Researchers have created an online game designed to crowdsource the process of distinguishing malaria-infected red blood cells from healthy ones.


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SAIC Motor – the owner of MG and GM and VW joint ventures partner – said first-half profit surged 46% year on year due to higher sales but a slowing economy and the ending of government incentives to buy cars curtail sales growth in China this year.
Profit climbed to CNY8.58bn (US$1.34bn), up from CNY5.87bn a year earlier, Reuters reported. Revenue increased 25% to CNY183.9bn.
The carmaker sold 2.01m vehicles in the first half, up 13%.
It said it expects growth in China automobile sales to slow sharply in 2011, estimating industry-wide sales to rise 3.6% to 19m units for the full year. The company in March said it hoped to sell four million vehicles this year, Reuters noted.
The company said it will speed up the launch of new models, optimise its product mix and try to explore overseas business in the second half, without elaborating.
China Car Times said SAIC is planning to put dual clutch (DCT) automated transmissions into its own cars and is working on a new Roewe 750, based on a stretched Epsilon II platform that SAIC have purchased from long term partner GM, for launch in 2012. This will replace the current Rover 75-based model. New 1.8 turbo and two-litre engines will replace the current 1.8 Turbo and 2.5-litre V6 (also from Rover) soon after launch.
SAIC is also developing turbocharged one- and 1.5-litre engines for its MG brand.
The Roewe 550 will be updated later this year with the introduction of a new six speed DCT gearbox and will also have SAIC’s new self developed EPS system, China Car Times said.


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January 30, 2015 - Industry News
Seven U.S. port truck drivers last week won what a Teamsters Union-backed group called a “historic precedent-setting victory” against one trucking company, when they were awarded more than $2 million in a court challenge over claims of wage theft in the form of unlawful payroll deductions and expenses.
Tags: Truck Drivers, California, Ports, Teamsters, Litigation, Port Trucking
January 28, 2015 - Industry News
Marine ports in Georgia ended 2014 with growth in all cargo sectors, including a 10.2% increase in twenty-foot equivalent container units, and a 7.4% increase in total tonnage, according to new figures released by the Georgia Ports Authority.
Tags: Georgia, Freight, Ports, Port Trucking, Port of Savannah
January 26, 2015 - Industry News
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration announced some changes to the Transportation Worker Identification Credential card program, used by truckers and other transportation workers to access the nation’s maritime ports.
Tags: Security, Truck Drivers, Department of Homeland Security, Safety & Compliance, Ports, Transportation Security Administration, TWIC, Port Trucking
January 22, 2015 - Industry News
Container volumes at the Port of Los Angeles increased 6% in 2014 over the previous year, marking the third busiest year in the port’s history, just behind 2007 and 2006 levels
Tags: Port of Los Angeles, Washington, California, Port of Long Beach, Freight, Ports, Port Trucking, Port of Seattle, Port of Tacoma
January 14, 2015 - Industry News
Two of the nation’s marine port complexes said they handled record container volume in 2014.
Tags: Freight, Ports, Port Trucking, containers
January 12, 2015 - Industry News
Port truck drivers from a major drayage firm serving the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been reclassified as employees and joined the Teamsters Union.
Tags: drivers, Port of Los Angeles, California, Port of Long Beach, Ports, Teamsters, Port Trucking, Labor Unions
January 6, 2015 - Industry News
A federal mediator is stepping in to try and resolve months of stalled talks between West Coast longshoremen and port terminal operators and shipping companies.
Tags: Ports, Port Trucking, California
The Port of Virginia is delaying the implementation of the motor carriers’ appointment system at Norfolk International Terminals until this spring.
Tags: Virginia, Ports, Port Trucking
December 23, 2014 - Industry News
The Pacific Maritime Association, which represents employers at America’s 29 West Coast ports, on Monday asked for federal mediation in its contract negotiations with the International Longshore & Warehouse Union.
Tags: drivers, Ports, Port Trucking, Labor Unions
November 18, 2014 - Industry News
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is looking for local fleets and owner-operators to participate in a possible truck replacement program funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The program will pay for up to half the cost of a new truck, provided the old one is scrapped.
Tags: EPA, Oregon, Ports, Oregon Trucking Association, Clean Diesel, Emissions, DERA, Federal Grants
November 13, 2014 - Industry News
Together the deals are estimated to cost around $600 million and expected to close next year, following regulatory approval.
Tags: Ports, Port Trucking
November 12, 2014 - Industry News
Trucking interests are preparing a request for temporary flexibility in the hours of service rules to help ease the congestion that is plaguing major ports. “We need some relief now,” said Curtis Whalen, executive director of the American Trucking Associations Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference.
Tags: FMCSA, HOS, Ports, Regulations, Port Trucking, Safety & Compliance
October 22, 2014 - Industry News
Cargo container traffic rose 7.3% in September at the Port of Long Beach compared to the same month last year, marking the Southern California seaport’s busiest September since 2007, the Port’s peak year.
Tags: Port of Long Beach, Freight, Ports, Port Trucking
October 21, 2014 - Industry News
Called the Sunshine Gateway service, this ship to rail transfer allows the port to handle additional volumes and ensures that shipments move more quickly with the potential to reach 70% of the United States population in four days or less
Tags: Railroads, Intermodal, Ports, PortMiami
October 20, 2014 - Industry News
The increased volume reflects peak season volumes and larger vessels calling at the facility, according to port officials.
Tags: Economy, Port of Los Angeles, Ports, Port Trucking, Intermodal, California
October 16, 2014 - Industry News
Exports moving across Port of Virginia facilities in September helped drive a high amount of cargo through port terminals but officials concede truck wait times could be shorter.
Tags: Virginia, Ports, Port Trucking, Intermodal
October 14, 2014 - Industry News
After a turbulent start to 2014, the nation’s retailers expect sales in November and December to increase a healthy 4.1% to $616.9 billion, higher than 2013’s actual 3.1% increase during that same time frame.
Tags: Economy, Retail Sales, Imports, Intermodal, Ports
October 9, 2014 - Industry News
The Seattle and Tacoma port commissions plan to unify the management of the two ports’ marine cargo terminals and related functions in order to strengthen the Puget Sound gateway and attract more marine cargo for the region.
Tags: Ports, Port Trucking, Port of Seattle, Port of Tacoma, Washington, Intermodal
September 24, 2014 - Industry News
The U.S. Department of Justice will not challenge a proposal by Flexi-Van Leasing Inc. and Direct ChassisLink Inc. to enter into a chassis use agreement at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California.
Tags: Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Ports, Port Trucking, U.S. Department of Justice
September 16, 2014 - Industry News
The Port of Los Angeles in August saw overall volume increase 6.7% compared to the same time last year, but it fell at the nearby Port of Long Beach.
Tags: Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Ports, Port Trucking
September 9, 2014 - Industry News
UPDATED -- Due to litigation and upcoming settlements, one trucking operation is abandoning its owner-operator business model in California.
Tags: drivers, California, Intermodal, Fleets, Ports, Owner-Operators, Litigation, Hub Group
September 2, 2014 - Industry News
PierPass announced that its OffPeak program reached a major milestone, diverting its 30 millionth truck trip at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Tags: Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach, Ports, Intermodal, California, Congestion
August 29, 2014 - Industry News
The Maryland Department of Transportation has terminated its agreement with railroad operator CSX to locate a new Baltimore Rail Intermodal Facility in the western part of the city and has pulled all state funding from the project.
Tags: Maryland, Intermodal, Ports, Port Trucking, Port of Baltimore, CSX
August 27, 2014 - Industry News
Talks between representatives for longshoreman at West Coast ports and shipping companies have resulted in an agreement on at least one topic as they continue to try and hammer out a new labor contract.
Tags: Intermodal, Ports, Port Trucking, Labor Unions
August 26, 2014 - Industry News
The Alabama State Port Authority finalized its purchase this week of two industrial properties including a 35-acre tract fronting the seaport’s channel and a 63-acre industrial tract within one mile of the harbor for expansion.
Tags: Alabama, Intermodal, Ports, Port Trucking
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HD PowerSmoke Tester Helps Find Air, Exhaust Leaks


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One year into its establishment, Malaysia-based Internet TV service, iflix continues its rapid expansion in Southeast Asia with a succession of key appointments from regional giants and industry leaders, the latest being the company's partnership with Sky Plc, Europe’s leading entertainment company, and Emtek Group, Indonesia's second largest media group, following the successful completion on the company’s huge second round of funding.
iflix, began with a small workforce of 25 people celebrated its first anniversary this month, with a record of five partnerships with leading telecommunication providers in Malaysia, as well as Indonesia’s telco; Telkom and Indosat Ooreedoo ahead of its Indonesian launch.
"It has been an extraordinary year since we launched iflix in Malaysia and the Philippines last May. I am hugely proud of everything the team has achieved as well as the overwhelming response and demand we have received from consumers," said Mark Brit, iflix Group Co-founder and CEO.
With over 90 studio and distributor partnerships globally, the company continues to strengthen its relationships with the world’s leading providers of high-quality entertainment content bringing more first run-exclusives, award winning TV shows and movies, such as Mr. Robot Season 2, Hunters Season 1, Bosch Season 1, The Magicians Season 1 (all exclusive to iflix), and exceptionally popular Asian and local programs to iflix members across the region.
iflix’s Group COO, Azran Osman-Rani added: “We are so thankful for the overwhelming support we have received from our studio, marketing and telco partners and most especially our amazing members this past year! We can’t wait to share our exciting new content line up, which we are making available to consumers for the first time in Malaysia.”
In conjunction with its one year anniversary, the OTT platform also disclosed a trend report on its members' viewership tendencies with Malaysian members watching an average of 115.11 minutes per day. The report that compiled viewership trends of iflix members across the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand shows audience is now moving towards viewing content on the go, as more than half of the viewership came from mobile phones.
Iflix Group COO and iflix Malaysia CEO, Azran Osman-Rani


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DETROIT, MI / ACCESSWIRE / February 15, 2018 / Over the past decade, Bitcoin - the world's first decentralized digital currency allowing peer-to-peer transfer of funds between parties without the involvement of an intermediary - and blockchain technology - a publicly distributed, shared and immutable digital ledger - have gained incredible popularity among large investment banks and ordinary users alike. To showcase the immense potential of cryptocurrencies, Pura Cryptocurrency, an international, decentralized, digital currency, discusses some of their current, extensive utilization methods.
One of the most prominent use cases refers to the implementation of smart contracts - autonomous, digitally created, computable and self-executable agreements between two or more parties - in the financial industry. As opposed to traditional contracts that are drafted by lawyers, executed by administrators and enforced by courts, blockchain-based smart contracts automate the fulfillment of every successive agreement term as soon as predefined conditions are met, and are enforced by the blockchain, eliminating the need for third-party intermediaries. At the same time, smart contracts increase transaction accuracy, reliability and security while reducing costs, risk of error, malfeasance, and manipulation. Another instance is represented by Ripple (XRP), a payment protocol that enables banks to initiate real-time, international transactions between themselves, and avoid the additional costs and time constraints infused by a central authority. Carefully designed to comply with the legislation and regulations of current banks and central banking institutions, Ripple is already being implemented on top of the current banking infrastructure, and steadily rising in popularity.
One of the other major sectors, education, has been supporting cryptocurrencies since 2013. In a recent article published by Futurism, a leading science and technology news magazine, it was revealed that a number of universities in the United States, Switzerland, Germany and Cyprus have started accepting Bitcoin for tuition, with Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts being the latest adopter. As noted by Pura cryptocurrency, blockchain and its capabilities can be effectively utilized for ethical purposes as well. Democracy Earth, a non-profit organization, has developed a blockchain-based app, which promotes honest voting and helps battle electoral fraud. "The blockchain is incorruptible; no one can modify or subvert how the votes are stored, and that's vital for democracy," says the CEO of Democracy Earth, Santiago Siri. Siacoin (SC), a decentralized cloud storage that allows users to rent their unused hard drive space, is looking to improve the security of online data. By functionality, Sia is similar to Google Drive, Dropbox, and Amazon Cloud, however, being an open-source, blockchain-based cloud platform focused on reliability, cost reduction, fraud protection and decreasing the risk of tampering with unencrypted data is what sets it apart in a highly competitive landscape. As the potential of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology continues to unveil, more entrepreneurs are stepping up with possible solutions to complex issues, signaling fundamental changes to many core aspects of the modern world.
Pura cryptocurrency is an international, decentralized, digital currency that empowers users to transact with anyone in the world instantly, directly, privately and securely, eliminating the need for third-party intermediaries such as banks or escrow services. Controlled by no single central authority, the company authorizes its stakeholders to make decisions on the progress, evolution and global impact that the cryptocurrency brings to the world, and is actively seeking to list, fund and track sustainable, environmental and social projects around the globe.
Pura Cryptocurrency - The World's First Socially & Environmentally Conscious Cryptocurrency: http://puracryptocurrencynews.com
Pura Cryptocurrency - Explores the Momentous Potential of Blockchain-Big Data Fusion: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/pura-cryptocurrency-explores-momentous-potential-173500922.html
Pura Cryptocurrency - Analyzes the Rising Tide of Corporate Blockchain Adoption: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/pura-cryptocurrency-analyzes-rising-tide-195500613.html


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This Thursday, Vocento celebrated the VII Edition of the Business Awards with which the Group intends to value the performance of 14 prestigious companies that this year have stood out in different facets of their activity. A year marked by strong uncertainty due to the increase in costs and the fall in demand due to inflation and an environment of rising interest rates that has made access to financing more difficult.
In the face of difficulties, "we reward talent, effort and the desire to do things well," said Paloma Bravo, General Director of Communication and Institutional Relations of Vocento at the opening of the event. «We love good news and we like to find companies like yours, that are shining for their excellence. “You make this a great country and, of course, you make us all better,” added the board.
For his part, Óscar Lara, Director of Banco Sabadell's Madrid Large Companies Office, highlighted that the winners "are a brilliant example of good management, responsibility and courage, virtues that in the changing times we live in we must underline with more vigor than ever.
«Collaborating with the Vocento Business Awards is a way of paying our particular recognition to all those companies that, in good and not so good times, have known how to move forward thanks to the fact that they have developed and continue to develop excellence as a driving force in their purposes and objectives, turning them into references and role models for many other companies and institutions," they add from Banco Sabadell, an entity closely linked to the business and entrepreneurial world and which has supported these awards since their first edition.
"The Vocento Business Awards are consolidated as an excellent platform for those who believe that companies anticipate the needs of society and contribute to building a better world," explained Lara.
The Vocento Business Award for External Communication went to Novartis, for its work to strengthen the brand image and active listening to its customers. The award for Internal Communication went to Prosegur, which this year has opted for the development of tools and a global corporate application for internal use to improve communication with its teams, offering them the possibility of installing a direct interaction channel on their personal mobile phones. and corporate information adapted to your needs.
The Brand Positioning Award went to Cupra, which in just four years has positioned itself as the second most valued brand by dealers in Spain. The recognition for Digitalization went to El Corte Inglés, which has managed to confront the great giants of online distribution by improving its processes and adapting to the needs of its customers.
For its part, Marqués de Cáceres won the International Expansion Award, already consolidated as a benchmark by exporting more than 50% of its production, with a presence in more than 120 countries.
Iberostar was awarded in the Environmental Sustainability category, for its pioneering responsible tourism project 'Wave of Change', whose roadmap is focused on the regeneration of the coastal health of all the destinations in which it operates and its contribution towards a model responsible tourism with the environment.
Likewise, the ISS firm received the Vocento Business Award for Social Sustainability, for its foundation's project 'One more smile', to create employment in developing countries.
Santalucía was awarded the Family Business award which, after 100 years of history, is now among the 10 main insurance groups in our country, in a constant process of geographical expansion and business diversification until it becomes an insurance group with a proposal of comprehensive value with more than 7,000,000 clients and 10,000 employees.
The recognition for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion went to Iberdrola, for its cultural, gender, disability or LGBTIQ+ initiatives. The group has more than 40,000 employees of 89 different nationalities. This figure represents an increase of 24% compared to three years ago. Four different generations coexist in the workforce, where 24% are women who occupy 26% of the relevant positions. Furthermore, at Iberdrola there are more than 700 employees with disabilities, 27% more than three years ago.
Innovation and sponsorship
Gilead won the Innovation Award for its commitment to R&D&I, with which it has revolutionized fields of biomedicine, such as HIV, hepatitis C, oncology and advanced therapies.
In a complex financial environment in which entrepreneurship is increasingly difficult, Nude Project won the Business Award for Startup of the Year. The company was born in 2019 as a clothing brand and has already become the favorite brand of generation Z. Four years later they have a turnover of 11.5 million with their viral sweatshirts and this 2023, along with the opening of their first store outside Spain, they have decided to explore another market by launching 'Desnuda', their own beer.
For its part, Visa was the company awarded the Sponsorship Award, for its commitment to women's sports and being one of the most active sponsors of soccer in this category in the world. The Breakthrough Company Award went to Acciona, for revolutionizing the electric vehicle model with the Silence motorcycles that have a removable battery system that can be charged at any home outlet.
Finally, the recognition of the Results went to Ferrovial, after achieving a gross operating result of 728 million euros in 2022.


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While for now, we are waiting for the new upcoming flagship smartphone from popular manufacturer, such as Vivo Xplay 3S, OPPO Find 7, Huawei Ascdend Mate 2 LTE version, Xiaomi ZHing Mi, HTC All New One, Sony Xperia series and other. But now, Amois is also ready to compete in smartphone products.
Amois is ready to unveiled the new Amoi Big V2X Android smartphone, this phone will be ready to join Amoi V series smartphone and this new phone has number Amoi A928.
According to previoous information, this phone has already release on March 5th and has available in Jingdong Mall on march 6th. The phone is comes for two different network, China Unicom and China Mobile network.
The Amoi Big V2X is the upgrade version from the previous Amoi Big V model, the new phone is packs with 5 inch screen size and support with 1080p resolution display, powered by 1.7Ghz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor, sports with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of ROM, the phone has 140 x 70.5 x 8.3mm body dimension and running Android with their own custom user interface that powering up with 2250 mAh battery capacity.
The phone is offers with 1499 yuan or around $243 USD price tag per unit.


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J.Crew Group Inc. has decided to sell a limited selection of clothing on Amazon.com Inc., betting the potential benefits outweigh the risks of partnering with the retail industry’s biggest foe.
The merchandise on Amazon AMZN, -1.68% will be from J.Crew Mercantile, a line of less-expensive clothes that includes $12.50 T-shirts and $39.50 jeans, and will account for about 2% of J.Crew’s total brand offering.
Still, the move marks a reversal for J.Crew, which has resisted selling items on the site. Retailers from Abercrombie & Fitch Co. ANF, -1.30% to Gap Inc. GPS, -3.93% have kept their merchandise off Amazon, while others such as Nike Inc. NKE, +0.57% have only recently waded in. Some say they worry Amazon will use sales data to launch less-expensive imitations of their products, while others fear listing items on Amazon reduces shoppers’ incentive to visit physical stores.
J.Crew is selling merchandise directly to Amazon, making Amazon responsible for listings as well as the warehousing and shipping of products. J.Crew said it provided photos and videos to help Amazon set up a brand page on its site, which will give shoppers more of a feel for the J.Crew brand than they would otherwise get browsing through Amazon’s regular listings.
Most popular at WSJ.com:


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Rexel, Paris, France, a distributor of electrical, heating, lighting and plumbing equipment, reported sales for its fiscal 2023 second quarter totaled €4.8 billion, up 8.1% from the prior-year period.
Rexel reported its Europe sales totaled €2.4 billion in the second quarter, up 8.3% from the prior-year period. North American sales totaled €2.1 billion, and Asia-Pacific sales totaled €332 million, up 4.4% and 2.6%, respectively, from the prior-year period.
In addition, Rexel reported sales for its first six months of 2023 totaled €9.8 billion, up 7.5% from the prior year. Profit for the first six months was €428 million, down 6.8% from the prior-year period.
Rexel’s Europe sales for its first six months totaled €4.9 billion, up 10.5% from the prior year period. North American sales totaled €4.2 billion, and Asia-Pacific sales were €662 million, up 6.5% and 2%, respectively, from the prior-year period.
“I’m extremely proud of Rexel’s solid performance in the first half of 2023 as it proves that the company can deliver very strong results even in a more uncertain economic environment, said Guillaume Texier, CEO of Rexel. “Our exposure to several fast-growing and resilient segments, notably those linked to electrification, allowed us more than to offset the softness in a limited number of end-markets. Our relentless focus on efficiency allowed us to maintain a record-high level of profitability. In addition, our refocused portfolio, with well-targeted acquisitions and divestments, is now contributing strongly to our performance.”


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Cameron outlines aid package for retailers affected by riots
The Prime Minster has suspended liability for business rates for shops affected by the riots in English towns and cities this week.
In a statement to he House of Commons as Parliament as recalled today, David Cameron also said the Riot Damages Act was being invoked so that businesses would be able to claim compensation from the police for loss of buildings or property as a result of the disorder.
“The government will ensure the police have the funds they need to meet the cost of any legitimate claims,” he told MPs.
The deadline for claims has also been extended from the normal 14 days to 42 days.
“The Association of British Insurers have said they expect the industry to be paying out in excess of £200 million,” Cameron said, “and they have assured us that claims will continue to be dealt with as quickly and constructively as possible.”
The Prime Minister also announced the setting up of a £20 million “high street support scheme” to help affected businesses get back up and running quickly.
“To minimise the costs facing businesses, the government will enable local authorities to grant business rate relief, by funding at least three quarters of their costs,” he added.
He also pledged to review planning laws to make it easier for shops to install protective shutters.


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Provana welcomes Edmonds, who continues to build advisory portfolio
Kelli Edmonds became an advisor to another industry service provider this week after founding her own consulting firm.
The former senior vice president of business control and risk management at Santander Consumer USA now is part of the executive advisor team with Provana, a provider of a unified platform for compliance and performance management.
According to a news release, Edmonds will advise and contribute to Provana’s holistic compliance and performance solutions for the auto finance industry.
In May, Edmonds joined a strategic team at Intellaegis, which specializes in collections, skip-tracing, repossessions and recoveries.
The opportunities came after the 2020 Women in Auto Finance honoree founded Kota Business Solutions, a value-added operational risk management consulting firm, following her executive roles at SCUSA, Hyundai Capital, Chase and Citi, among others.
Provana highlighted Edmonds’ industry expertise directly complements Provana’s robust compliance management system, which can automate most compliance functions mandated by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, including policies, certification, and vendor audit.
In the past year, Provana said it has started working with several major auto finance companies and is ramping up investment in this market.
“Kelli’s hands-on experience working as both a lender and a risk-management leader is invaluable to organizations in the auto industry looking to strengthen their compliance posture,” Provana senior vice president of products Sean Clark said in the news release. “Her expertise will enhance our tech platform’s ability to provide and automate actionable insights to Provana users in auto finance.”
Available to large and midsize enterprises in the consumer finance, legal and healthcare markets, Provana said its technology is based on a decade of business process management (BPM), AI, RPA, regulatory compliance, and secure data operation expertise. Provana BPM services operate in hundreds of client back offices.
The Provana platform can be enabled with managed services and has modules for call analytics, consumer self-service, policies, procedures, disputes, complaints, internal & external audits, noncompliance resolution, licensing and insurance, and BI for operational control.
“Provana offers a powerful combination of deep-rooted industry expertise, ROI-driven consulting, and tech automation,” Edmonds said. “I look forward to working with an industry leader to help them shape their capabilities to stay ahead of evolving requirements in the auto lending ecosystem.”
To learn, go to www.provana.com.


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Mobile phone recycling site Cash4phones has filed for insolvency, potentially leaving hundreds of consumers out of pocket.
The business worked by paying users for their old mobile phones, but the latest turn of events will undoubtedly see lots of consumers with their handsets in limbo, having been sent to the company, but without payment yet received.
The company’s website has been taken down, and its phone number is out of service.
What can I do if I’m affected?
An insolvency company, Capital Books, has been appointed to handle the liquidation of Cash4phones, and this should be the first port of call for anyone looking to claim payment or have their mobile phone returned. Which of these options you could ask for could depend on where you were up to in the process and whether the price to be paid for the phone had been finalised.
Capital Books can be contacted on 01622 754 927, or by email at firstname.lastname@example.org. There will also be a meeting of creditors on the 13th of January, where the Director of Cash4phones will be present.
If you’ve been affected by this news, lets us know in Which? Conversation.
What is the best way to sell my old mobile?
If you have considered using a mobile recycling site in the past, but the latest news about Cash4phones has put you off, there is an alternative, and more profitable way to sell your handset.
Research carried out by Which? recently revealed that selling a used phone on eBay would always get consumers a better deal than sending it to a site like Cash4phones, Mazuma or Envirfone, in some cases by as much as 200%.
Read more about how to get the best price from eBay, and how to ensure you’re protected, on Which? Tech Daily.


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- TSMC has reportedly started to manufacture the A11 chip for the iPhone 8
- The processor is also expected to be used in the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus
- Apple's iPhone 8 may be delayed by a few weeks, according to several recent reports
The new processor bound for the iPhone 8 — likely the A11 chip that will succeed Apple's A10 Fusion processor — recently entered production, according to a report.
This suggests that, despite other reports that the iPhone 8 is delayed due to issues with some of the phone's expected components, some parts of the manufacturing process are moving along as planned.
DigiTimes said on Thursday that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company started production of the new advanced chips for Apple's iPhone 8, following a few reported setbacks related to how the processor was stacked inside the phone. DigiTimes has an on-again-off-again track record, but typically has good insight into movements within Apple's supply chain.
The report doesn't mention Apple's two other expected devices, the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus, by name. However, those devices are also expected to pack Apple's next-generation chip. All three phones are expected to launch this year, though recent reports have suggested Apple's high-end iPhone 8 is facing delays.
KGI's Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier this week production delays related to new OLED panels and 3D sensors could present a "worst-case scenario" of iPhone 8 shortages later this year. The iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus are still expected sometime in September, when Apple typically launches its new iPhones.


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When the Tacoma City Council passed an emergency ordinance three years ago to pause permitting for large retail stores like Walmart, it didn’t take effect right away
First, the city had to wait for the ordinance to be published in the Tacoma Daily Index — the city’s contracted paper of record for legal notices.
That two-day delay was enough time for the developer to get his toe in the Planning Department’s door to submit an application for a 150,000-square-foot Walmart on the former Tacoma Elks Lodge site.
That’s a problem, say supporters of Amendment 4.
The amendment would allow emergency ordinances to take effect immediately upon passage. It is one of 12 the City Council placed on the fall ballot as part of the once-a-decade process to review the charter, essentially the city constitution.
Supporters argue that the current charter language is outdated in an age when the Internet and email allow for immediate notice. Other Washington cities governed by charters, among them Spokane, Seattle and Bellingham, allow for immediate passage of emergency ordinances.
“An emergency does not mean 48 hours from now,” said Justin Leighton, who worked to stop the Walmart project and was a member of the appointed Charter Review Committee that proposed the amendment. “It allows the council to have more tools in the toolbox to slow a process down.”
The emergency ordinance in Walmart’s case was intended to be a six-month halt on all permits for large retail stores to give the citizen planning commission time to study the issue.
The Walmart project bypassed the moratorium and opened less than two years later in June 2013. But the developer of the Walmart site, Allenmore Medical Investors, alleges that the council’s attempt to halt the project still was a hindrance. The company is suing the city for $1.8 million in damages it says were caused by the moratorium and resulting delays.
Tom Stenger, a former city councilman who wrote the voter pamphlet statement against Amendment 4, says a shorter timeline makes it easier for property owners to be ambushed. He called emergency ordinances “the lazy man’s way of legislating.”
“If they were doing proper planning they wouldn’t have to be calling emergencies,” Stenger said. “They would know what’s in the future, and they would already be planning for it.”


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Elon Musk Startup xAI to Collaborate with Tesla, Twitter
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced plans for a new artificial intelligence company on Friday, called xAI. The AI startup is Musk’s sixth company, including Tesla, SpaceX, Twitter, Neuralink and The Boring Company. According to Musk, xAI is also set to collaborate with Tesla and Twitter, though it’s unclear exactly how, as of yet.
Above: A Tesla Model 3 (Image: Casey Murphy / EVANNEX).
During a Twitter Spaces call on Friday, Musk said that his new startup xAI would collaborate with Tesla on the “silicon front” and the “AI software front,” as CNBC reports. The Tesla CEO also said that the artificial intelligence startup would work closely with Twitter, to help teach the “maximally curious” AI systems he hopes to develop for the platform in the coming years.
Musk said the intent of xAI would be to “understand the universe,” adding that the company hopes to build AI tech that “understands the physical world and not just the Internet.” He also claimed that xAI’s use of Twitter data would not be much different from what many are already using the platform for, adding that it would primarily be used for “text training” and “image and video training.”
“I guess we will use the public tweets — obviously not anything private — for training as well, just like basically everyone else has,” Musk said.
According to Musk, “every AI organization on Earth,” was already scraping Twitter for data, “in all cases illegally.” He also cites a significant increase in Twitter data scraping in the last several weeks as the reason for Twitter creating new rate limits on the platform. Additionally, Twitter is suing four undisclosed organizations/people in Texas for data scraping, as of earlier this month.
Despite the announcement, Musk didn’t share any financial or logistical details about the plans to collaborate with his other companies, or how these partnerships might work. As CNBC notes, Musk’s companies have done business with each other in various ways over the years, and many of those financial details are publicly disclosed via filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In any case, Musk also says that AI systems will require increased human-made data, adding comparisons to the Alphabet-owned DeepMind AI Alpha Zero, a program that mastered chess, shogi and go by playing against itself.
Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta also use driving data to train its AI on how to drive. Musk also discussed the supercomputer project Dojo, which Tesla is developing to use for AI machine learning and computer vision training.
When asked by Whole Mars Catalog (Omar Qazi) during the call if the automaker would use Nvidia or Tesla-developed silicon, Musk suggested that the company could use its own.
“That’s sort of a Tesla question,” Musk responded. “Tesla is building custom silicon. I wouldn’t call anything that Tesla’s producing a ‘GPU’ although one can characterize it in GPU equivalents.”
Time will tell how xAI takes shape in its collaborations with Twitter and Tesla, and the startup’s website says that more information will be “over the next couple of weeks and months.”
===Source: CNBC / xAI


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- Post merger of HITS-Cable TV biz, IMCL’s FY17 net loss swells to Rs 206 crore
- RIL Surges 4% After Telecom Regulator Slashes Interconnect Charges
- Mumbai Rains: 34 domestic flights cancelled till 12 pm today, main runway remains shut
- Tata Sons buys big chunk of shares in group firms
- Swine flu: 42 positive case in Mohali
- HIV blood transfusion probe: High-level team gives clean chit to Regional Cancer Centre
- Flipkart, Amazon in Rs100 crore ad blitz
- Politicians may have helped Iqbal Kaskar net 100 crore in 3 years
- Mobile bills to go down as Trai cuts call termination charges to 6 p/min
Asia Pacific online video opportunity forecast at $35 bn by 2021
MUMBAI: Asia Pacific online video revenue is expected to reach $35 billion by 2021, an average annual growth of 22% from $13 billion in 2016, according to a new report published by Media Partners Asia (MPA).
China will remain the largest market, accounting for 76% of Asia Pacific online video revenue by 2021. Japan, Australia, Korea and India will also be significant, in aggregate accounting for 17% of regional online video revenue by 2021.
The report, titled ‘Asia Pacific Online Video Distribution’, covers 14 Asia Pacific markets, tracking the growth of advertising and subscription-based online video, as well as mobile and fixed broadband networks.
Commenting on the report findings, MPA executive director Vivek Couto said, “The growth of broadband, combined with slow but progressive change in content licensing, is driving demand for online video services. However, the distribution of driver local content online remains modest, especially outside of China, India and Korea. This is evident in Southeast Asia, where broadband penetration is growing rapidly but from a low base in most markets Telecom operators in these markets are investing in broadband networks and integrating with subscription-based online video platforms to help drive subscriptions. This allows online video operators to utilise carrier billing, overcoming market limitations in payment infrastructure. It’s a bet to drive online video consumption in the short term and ARPUs in the long term.”
Online video advertising accounted for less than 15% of Asia Pacific digital ad spend in 2015. This share will grow to 22% by 2021. Online video ad sales will reach approximately $22 billion by 2021 versus $9 billion in 2016, a 19% CAGR. China will represent more than 70% of the online video advertising pie by 2021.
In the online subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) segment, MPA expects total paying customers to grow from 177 million by 2016 to 360 million by 2021, with China contributing the majority.
SVOD revenue will reach $13 billion by 2021, a 28% CAGR from $3.7 billion in 2016. China will again contribute the majority, representing more than 80% by 2021. The Southeast Asia SVOD opportunity will grow rapidly but from a low base, representing about $200 million in revenue by 2021.
Asia Pacific fixed broadband subs will reach 345 million in 2016, and grow to 425 million by 2021. Average broadband household penetration will grow from 35% in 2016 to 41% in 2021. Mobile broadband will reach 79% of the Asia Pacific population by 2021, versus 46% in 2016.


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Creating complex candy designs will soon be as simple as clicking "print." A prototype of the first food -grade 3-D printer was on display at the Fancy Food Show, held at the Javits Center last week, along with a sample sugary skull it produced.
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Hyundaicontinues to focus on long-term value and consumer confidence with one of the most impressive warranties available. So far so good for the South Korean automaker, which has continued to improve its already-popular fleet of versatile SUVs led by the Palisade and Santa Fe.
While it will take time to find out if the 2021 Hyundai Palisade will fall into the category of
most reliable cars, early signs suggest it might just be a great option for buyers looking for a long-lasting SUV.
Putting the 2021 Hyundai Palisade to the test
The only way to get a real feel for a new car is by testing it in real-life scenarios. To this end,
Auto Bloghit the road all summer with a 2021 Palisade (Calligraphy model), taking it on extensive road trips to see how it compared with lofty expectations.
The results were nothing shy of outstanding. The Auto Blog crew tacked on 9,000 miles in only a few months before bringing it back to a Hyundai dealer for a checkup. Not only were there no issues to note, but an editor along for the ride bought a similar Palisade model for his family.
Although 9,000 miles represents a small fraction of a car's intended lifespan, road trips are critical times for car buyers to fall in or out of love with a new purchase. Importantly, the Auto Blog’s test lines up very well with rankings from JD Power and Edmunds, which both rank the Palisade near the top for three-row SUVs.
Ultimately, driving tests and verified customer reviews from top resources all point to the Palisade being the high-quality SUV buyers were hoping for.
A look at the negatives
Similar to what we've seen across the auto industry, Hyundai is not insulated from shortages crimping production and deliveries across the globe.
This hasn't just impacted the 2022 lineup either; those looking for new 2021 models or
used carsfrom earlier years have been forced into a very competitive market. That's exactly where the Auto Blog testers found their biggest negative, as getting the keys to a 2021 Palisade was a significant obstacle.
The shock to the whole auto system caused by the pandemic has also led to longer times waiting for maintenance appointments. Even if you want to bring your Palisade in for the recommended 7,500-mile checkup, you might not be able to get an appointment for a month or more.
Even though chip shortage could limit availability well into 2022—or possibly even beyond, according to
Consumer Reports—we've likely seen the worst when it comes to service appointments. As we move toward a normalized auto sector and more robust workforces, the largest negatives in play for the Palisade should begin to alleviate as well.
Outside of these temporary constraints, the Auto Blog editors noted small drawbacks such as a lack of a digital rearview mirror and minor issues with the keyless entry. However, none of the issues took away from their overall view of the Palisade.
Nice upgrades with limited cost in the Hyundai Palisade
When it comes to the 2021 Palisade, the move from the standard edition to the SEL means an assortment of excellent additions for relatively little cost—including some game-changing safety features.
Edmunds, the SEL is recommended because it provides major upgrades across the board without the sticker shock you might expect. Significant leaps in tech and comfort can be found at the SEL level, including family favorites like second-row captain's chairs and blind-spot monitors.
The optionality of the SEL is also outstanding. With add-on features like a hands-free liftgate and front parking sensors (both in the SEL Convenience package), buyers don't have to pay up for the Limited or Calligraphy editions for features you might expect from higher-end models.
Looking at the array of options across the board, it's clear Hyundai is committed to balancing both customization and value with the 2021 Palisade—two driving forces for long-term customer happiness.
If a buyer wants top-end features more typical of a luxury automaker, the Limited and Calligraphy editions don't disappoint.
While the 2021 Hyundai Palisade offers plenty of options to fit budgets and needs, the same goes for
Jerrywhen it comes to finding the right auto insurance. With the expertise to match whatever your insurance needs are, Jerry can quickly guide you to the plan that works best for you.


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We are excited to announce the partnership between Discura and the Presidents Cup! Discura helps improve the Presidents Cup by offering the Presidents Cup jerseys to the players. Discura will provide uniforms for the most prestigious team event in Disc Golf. This will be the first time Discura, US-based company, is sponsoring a European disc golf event.
Unique Team Jerseys
Here´s a first look to President´s Cup team jerseys. Presidents Cup is presented by Ford. Team Jerseys are made with
There are limited amount of official team jerseys for sale at the European Open pro shop in Nokia. Jerseys can be also bought online at Discura´s online store or Discmania´s online store (Discmania.net and Discmania Store Europe).
Discura was founded with an intent to bring best-in-class disc sporting equipment to the market. In addition to pushing the envelope in gear quality, Discura also intends to push the envelope in how they engage with their sponsored players. Lastly, and most importantly, Discura has a front and center perspective that their work must help their local disc golf clubs and communities. Read more about Discura here.
The European Open is Europe's oldest major-level disc golf tournament, which will be played at Nokia, Finland on July 20-23, 2023. The European Open has a prize pool of $100,000 and the event features over 100 of the world's best disc golfers. More information at opendiscgolf.com.
More info about the event, and media inquiries:
Head of Media
Mobile +358 40 578 1474


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Planet Payment payment processing and transaction services, and Columbus Data ServicesATM processors launched the “Bank In Your Currency” ATM network. Bank in Your Currency is now available to all CDS Market Partners and their more than 85,000 ATMs nationwide.
Wells Fargo’s text banking service is now available in Spanish, giving Spanish-speaking customers a safe and easy way to manage their personal and small business finances. The Wells Fargo Mobile Text Banking service is safe. Customer accounts are referred to only by nicknames, therefore account numbers, passwords or other personal information are not needed.
CardWeb’s CardExecs database today features June Lee Felix, President of Europe and member of VeriFone’s Management Committee. VeriFone is one of the largest payments service providers in the UK.
FreedomPay Commerce Platform PCI-Validated P2PE mWallet EMV solution will be implemented is to be implemented with Apple Pay. FreedomPay Commerce Platform is broadly integrated with POS systems and technologies that allow individual merchants and enterprises a single platform to accept all traditional and emerging payment technologies, including via mobile, EMV and card not present.
CA-based Blackhawk Nation has closed on its transaction to acquire TX-based CardLab. CardLab.com is among the largest online stores focused solely on prepaid incentive cards. CardLab currently supports over 9,000 corporate clients.
ArrivaPay Plus, utilized by three of the nation’s top five banks, has been beefed-up with new features. The enhancements include: sophisticated analytics capabilities to brands; enhanced reporting features to merchants via an online web companion porta; iPhone 6/iOS8 compatibility; and compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations.
Discover Financial Services has issed D-PAS certification to Oberthur Technologies’ Cosmo RSA v5, for use throughout the Discover Global Network, which includes Discover, Diners Club International, PULSE and global network relationships.
Apriva end-to-end wireless transactions, gateway services, and secure information solutions, expanded features within AprivaPay Plus POS software. AprivaPay Plus now delivers highly sophisticated analytics capabilities to brands, enhanced reporting features to merchants via an online web companion portal, iPhone 6/iOS8 compatibility and compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. M-commerce will be the dominant business model, with $516 billion in sales driving more than 70 percent of all mobile internet revenue by 2017. As the industry grows, enhanced analytics, functionality, broader language support, and robust reporting for both merchants and brands are becoming more critical. Brands using AprivaPay Plus as a white-labeled application will now be able to access detailed anonymized analytics on their brand’s user base including demographics, geo-location, user engagement statistics, device information and marketing data, allowing them to identify their precise user-base, tailor their application accordingly and drive future business via key performance indicators.
VA-based Transaction Network Services has introduced managed POS encryption which includes support for the VeriShield Protect end-to-end encryption solution from VeriFone and Trustwave’s hardware-agnostic point-to-point encryption. The point-to-point encryption solutions will help merchants protect sensitive cardholder data.
The SUBWAY restaurant chain and its 26,000 locations in the U.S. will launch NFC-based mobile payments nationwide onOctober 1. The move is being facilitated by Softcard (formerly known as ISIS).
EMV-compliant Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology is coming to inflight entertainment (IFE) systems. Panasonic Avionics plans to launch the technology with airlines in the summer of 2015.
NCR Silver received a Bronze Stevie Award for “Best Business-to-Business Product” of the year during the 12th Annual American Business Awards Sept. 12, 2014. The American Business Awards is the nation’s premier business awards program. A record number of nominations were received in 2014 with more than 3,300 organizations vying for the top spot. NCR Silver was among those honored at the New Product & Tech awards ceremony. Also at the ceremony, NCR Silver won a “People’s Choice Best Business-to-Business Product” of the year. The nationwide public vote was conducted over the summer, with the highest number of votes determining the winners in various product categories. This year, more than 57,000 votes were cast.


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Bad day for Apple as market share shrinks
Apple’s share of the global tablet market has fallen from two thirds to around 50% in the last six months, researchers claimed yesterday.
While the iPad Mini has performed well almost selling out within weeks, the California-based company has had trouble pushing the new line of its larger tablet.
Google’s Android smartphone operating tablet had begun to catch up with Apple, analysts at global marketing intelligence firm IDC said.
After a slow start, tablets using Google’s free Android platform have put “a sizeable dent”.
Apple still managed to sell three million iPads in just three weeks following the late September iPad Mini launch. The figure was double the sales of the last iPad launch back in March, Apple said.
While Apple’s global market share has fallen, Samsung has grown its presence from 6.5% to 18.4% in the last year.
Apple’s US court case against Google was also dismissed yesterday. Apple had sued Google’s Motorola for excessively high prices for the use of its patents, with Google’s Motorola demanding a 2.25% share of all Apple products using the copyrighted software. Apple initially said they were not willing to pay more than ($1) £0.60 for a device.


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While most of America was busy preparing to celebrate the New Year, gun owners in California were scrambling to lawfully purchase ammunition while they still could. Beginning January 1, all ammunition sales were required go through a California licensed dealer or licensed ammunition vendor.
This new requirement is one of two new ammunition laws that were passed by the California legislature or adopted by California voters in 2016. The law that took effect on January 1 will generally prohibit gun owners from bringing ammunition into the Golden State or from purchasing their ammunition online.
California adopted these new laws in spite of significant evidence that they would only burden law-abiding gun owners and do nothing to promote public safety. Most notably, the reporting of ammunition sales has already been tried -- and failed -- at the federal level. NRA attorneys are currently preparing a lawsuit challenging the new ammunition laws, which will be finalized any day, making it our fourth lawsuit against the “gunmaggedon” package of bills. If you would like to stay updated on our legal and political work in California, please check the California Stand and Fight webpage for updates.
Throughout the 1980s, Congress considered repeal of a federal ammunition regulation package that required, among other things, reporting of ammunition sales. In 1986, the director of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms supported eliminating the reporting requirement, stating: "The Bureau and the [Treasury] Department have recognized that current record keeping requirements for ammunition have no substantial law enforcement value." As a result, the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986 repealed the ammunition restrictions, with little opposition to the removal of that requirement.
California gun owners are now stuck with a similar law that will also have “no substantial law enforcement value,” yet will make it much more difficult for Californians to buy ammunition, especially harder to find cartridges.
Unfortunately, the new ammunition laws do not stop there. Beginning July 1, 2019, a background check will be required on every purchase of ammunition in California. It still remains unclear exactly how California intends to implement this law.
California gun owners looking for clear guidance on how to comply with these new ammunition laws could not look to the California Department of Justice, which failed to receive approval for its regulations implementing the new laws until two days after the law went into effect and over six months past the statutorily mandated deadline for implementing the regulations.
NRA attorneys are currently preparing a lawsuit challenging the new ammunition laws, which will be finalized any day, making it our fourth lawsuit against the “gunmaggedon” package of bills. If you would like to stay updated on our legal and political work in California, please check the California Stand and Fight webpage for updates.


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Home Tags Diabetes
How to spot telltale signs of eyesight damage due to diabetes, by Specsavers Opticas in Marbella
It has become so successful in the UK that the NHS uses it as the first-port-of-call for diabetes treatment.
Diabetes can affect your eyes
Tea must be green or black, as herbal teas and the rooibos variety do not count
Harvard report says coffee can reduce the risks of diabetes, cardiovascular illness, neurological disease and even suicide
Diet drinks also allegedly disrupt the body's ability to regulate blood sugar


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Pete Belmonte, Director of B2B social media specialists Influence London, explains why dealers should leverage social media to showcase credibility, increase awareness, generate leads, acquire customers and build reputation.
There are many people who believe that social media is far more appropriate for B2C markets than B2B. Whilst this is true to some degree – B2B businesses are in the main behind the curve – this common misconception is being challenged and the mind-set of progressive companies is changing.
Buyers are still looking for the best ways to run their business more efficiently and are still collecting information on sales professionals who can help them do this. Yet, equally, there’s no doubt that consumer shopping habits are impacting the B2B buying process; business customers are steered by the same factors that influence their personal buying decisions, and technology is causing a shift in how today’s buyers educate themselves and how they engage with salespeople.
As the climate changes, it’s no longer enough to rely on traditional sales prospecting techniques, such as cold calling. Today’s (and tomorrow’s) procurement professionals are engaging with companies that provide customised content targeted to their needs at the appropriate buying stage, and they are relying more on social networks for peer-to-peer research to validate new solutions and offerings in the marketplace.
The business case
There is a new generation in the workplace – Millennials, Generation X and Y and the soon-to-emerge Gen Z. These digital natives have grown up with digital technologies and have integrated them into their lives from a very early age. Their digital presence is deeply integrated; they rely on being able to access information from anywhere and at any time, and are doing research and forming opinions about companies that could help them tackle their challenges before they even think about engaging with a sales professional. If you want to connect with these buyers – and let’s not forget that Millennials are expected to comprise 75% of the workforce by 2025 – as well as ‘digital immigrants’ who have lived in the analogue age but migrated to the digital world, you have to embrace social selling in order to successfully convert prospects into customers.
Make warm not cold calls In a 2014 IDC study, Social Buying Meets Social Selling: How Trusted Networks Improve the Purchase Experience, researchers found that three out of four B2B buyers and eight out of 10 executive buyers within that group use social media to make purchasing decisions. The research also indicated that buyers who use social media are more likely to be influential, have larger budgets and buy more frequently.
Cold calling doesn’t cut it anymore: according to LinkedIn’s research on B2B buyers, 59% would think less of you and 53% would think less of your company, if you made a cold call.
As a sales professional, you should be looking for opportunities to ‘warm up’ the call by targeting buyers with whom you have a common contact and asking for an introduction. The research found that more than two thirds of buyers are more likely to choose a vendor if the salesperson is recommended by a professional network peer.
Whether or not to embrace social media is a no-brainer; your customers, your prospects and your competitors are on social media, so why aren’t you?
Today’s buying journey is fluid, and successful organisations are adapting to the changing expectations of prospects. Buyers are coming to the sales conversation with a wealth of knowledge gained through social media, content and other research before they interact with a sales professional. It’s time to step up to social selling.
There are hundreds of social media platforms out there, but for B2B businesses looking to leverage a strong return on investment the three platforms of choice are: Twitter, which has 320m users globally and 15m in the UK; LinkedIn (400m global LinkedIn users and 15m in the UK); and Facebook, which more than a third of the UK population visits every day.


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It’s almost 2022, and a new COVID-19 variant threatening to take us back to 2020 has everyone on edge. Countries are announcing new travel rules and vaccine makers are prepping for more trials and research. The biggest Black Friday sales were at the stock market, where prices plunged — with the notable exception of early lockdown favorites like Zoom, Peloton, and, well, Clorox.
No one knows what will happen next, but here’s something positive: the pandemic spurred immense growth in impact investing (measurable positive impact + financial returns) after it exposed severe inequalities and inadequate infrastructure around the world. The goals of investing have been shifting during the crisis, and people are putting their money to work for themselves and the greater good.
One way individual retail investors can practice impact investing is in the bond market, where companies and governments raise money to spend on green, social, or sustainability initiatives. The other way is in the stock market, by buying shares in impactful companies or investing in impact funds that choose and hold such shares. (Scroll for the gender approach to this in today’s Figure in Focus below).
You can tune in today to Investing for Good USA (FT Moral Money) for a full day of interesting panels on a wide range of relevant topics. One we will be watching: Opportunities in the Green Recovery at 2:30 pm ET, which includes FWIW founder Jean Case.
What we’ve been thinking about …
- The “Tesla for boats” raised another $30 million from investors, including General Motors. There’s also talk of making superyachts, the world’s most carbon-intensive asset, greener.
- There has been a lot of hype around IPOs this year, but a study out this week shows that 49% of the 2021 IPOs that raised $1 billion or more on their debut are now below their listing price.
- Paying with cryptocurrencies isn’t mainstream yet, but startups see the tech transforming philanthropy and remittances, or the transfer of money by migrant workers to families overseas.
- Snacks made of would-be waste ingredients, like bruised and rejected fruit, are pegged as a food trend to watch in 2022. “Rescued lemons” may be the cutest phrase ever.
- Microsoft shareholders are forcing the company to be more transparent on sexual harassment investigations. (BTW, this year the firm’s “ugly holiday sweater for charity” supports AbleGamers and is Minesweeper-themed. We sorta love it.)
- New Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal’s top priority is moving the platform toward new revenue sources away from the ad targeting model that has caused so many problems for social media companies. Can it be done?
- The Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Impact list just dropped.
Breaking down ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’
Have you glanced at the price of something online lately and noticed an option to pay with smaller, interest-free payments? The $200 dress or coffee machine you’re eyeing could be yours immediately and paid for over several weeks with four equal installments of $49.50.
These are Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services and their popularity is booming, especially among young people wary of debt. BNPL users in the US have grown by over 300% per year since 2018, having reached 45 million in 2021 with collective spending of $20.8 billion. The option’s popularity also jumped on this year’s Cyber Monday, said Adobe. Affirm, which went public earlier this year, is the biggest player in the US with a 36% market share, but other major BNPL providers you may come across are Klarna, Afterpay (being bought by Square), Zip, and Sezzle.
Here’s how it works: The BNPL provider pays on the buyer’s behalf at the time of the purchase and is responsible for collecting the balance installments. It’s like the old practice of store credit, but with a high-tech middleman. For taking on all the risk, the BNPL company earns a cut from the retailer and can also charge buyers late payment fees.
This new borrowing model, which is slowly expanding from clothing/electronics to other segments like health care and travel, offers a new alternative to credit cards, which come with fees and are harder to get, or predatory payday loans, with interest rates that can cross 600%. It’s built to be convenient and also accessible to the financially underserved: providers perform limited screening, and some may ask for positive credit history and not too much debt.
But this accessibility is also one of the drawbacks right now since these companies aren’t required to check whether users are capable of repaying.
More insight on where this trend may be headed can be gained from where it first emerged: Australia. There are a record 12 BNPL stocks trading Down Under, but the sector is reporting tremendous losses as regulators and consumer groups raise awareness about the risks of impulse buying and debt spirals. A 2019 government report found that 21% of users missed a BNPL payment in the last 12 months; close to half were below the age of 30. About 15-20% were cutting back on or going without essentials like meals or taking out additional loans in order to make their payments on time.
We’re seeing some of that here at home as well, with 26% of users reporting missing at least one payment, according to a recent survey.
BNPL may have its problems, but there’s no reason to empty the cart yet. The concept has great potential to revolutionize borrowing and change the financial industry. Giants like Mastercard and PayPal have already entered the BNPL market, and it’s likely we’ll see many changes, improvements, regulations, and corporate winners and losers in the coming years.
Figure in focus
That’s how much money was invested in gender lens equity funds (GLEF) available to individual investors, as of September 2021. Since the start of the year, this amount has grown 35%. Globally there are currently 26 such stock funds focused on gender issues, according to Parallelle Finance. These GLEFs are mutual funds, ETFs, ETNs, etc. made up of shares in companies with policies that promote gender equality and empowerment.
The four largest GLEFs accounted for 67% of the assets in the entire group. They are:
- Pax Ellevate Global Women’s Leadership Fund - $929 million AUM
- UBS Global Gender Equality UCITS ETF - $868 million AUM
- RobecoSam Global Gender Equality Impact Equities Fund - $310 million AUM
- SPDR SSGA Gender Diversity Index ETF - $277 million AUM


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This follows its cancellation of rent for its licensees throughout the enforced closure, which it claimed totalled more than £2.5m to date.
The new temporary policy means licensees will get a 70% discount on their prevailing contractual rent, effective for four weeks from the date pubs can reopen.
Following this, licensees will get a 50% discount in month two, 40% discount in the third month and 30% reduction in month four.
However, this is on the assumption pubs open with a two-metre social distancing rule, reducing to one metre by the end of July.
Shepherd Neame also said if the social distancing guidelines mean licensees can’t reopen their pub due to the small nature of the venue, further individual support will be considered.
The south-east based pub group is also providing licensees with Covid-19 risk assessment templates, reopening signage and thermometers in a bid to help its publicans reopen safely, as well as assistance in processing beer ullage.
Shepherd Neame will announce further information during October on its proposed rent concessions from 2 November to April 2021 when it is anticipated full rent will resume.
Chief executive Jonathan Neame said: “I would like to once again, offer my sincere thanks to our licensees for their continued support in these challenging times.
“We have been so heartened by the numerous examples of licensees who have gone over and above to adapt their businesses to support their local communities during this difficult period.
“We are very excited about the prospect of reopening, but we have a long road ahead of us to get back to normal trading, which is why we are introducing this phased rent concession for our licensees.
“We want to ensure we continue to support our licensees financially in the reopening process to protect their businesses for the future.”


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Xiaomi Disapproves Itself From Portugal Store BTC Payments
Xiaomi has been the subject of controversy in Portugal after it was revealed that its Portuguese store was accepting Bitcoin payments. The company quickly disowned the decision, saying that they are not aware of any stores being allowed to accept BTC payments.
Xiaomi has officially disapproved itself from the Portugal store BTC payments. The company is under investigation for the issue and will be looking into it further. Read more in detail here: who owns the most bitcoin.


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Verizon Wireless believes there are “confusing and dubious marketing claims” flying around when it comes to 4G wireless services.
So it’s proving a point in a guerilla marketing effort — set to unleash in Tampa Bay this weekend in the form of celebrity look-alikes.
In Miami last week, a Lady Gaga impersonator was hired, along with a stretch limo filled with a “posse” of fans, bodyguards, handlers and paparazzi — and a Justin Bieber impersonator thrown in for free. Fans shot photos and videos and posted them on social media sites.
Based on the success of the impersonator’s first performance, the marketing goals of the effort were achieved, said Ed Gilhuly of Left Communications, which is working with Verizon Wireless on the effort.
The energetic stunts helped drive consumers to the Verizon Wireless Florida Facebook page and promoted the company’s claim its “LTE 4G” network and service is superior to competitors. It was also a way to leverage fans’ own social media posts/connections, the organizers said.
For Tampa on May 28, plans include similar events at Westfield Citrus Park mall, Clearwater Beach and Channelside for those that want to get their pictures snapped with a cultural icon stand-in.