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A new Rasmussen poll showed that Americans, by a two-thirds majority, would like their borders closed to other states.
Further, respondents are in favor of fines being imposed to individuals who break social distancing guidelines.
The poll, which surveyed 1,000 likely U.S. voters, did not break down responses by state.
Here in Wyoming, complaints about out-of-state citizens crossing Wyoming’s borders to shop are a frequent subject of discussion on social media.
When asked about Colorado drivers crossing the border to shop for supplies in Niobrara and Goshen counties, Gov. Mark Gordon said the onus is on the local store owners.
“The issue, really, is happening all around our borders,” he said, mentioning Utah citizens driving to Uinta County for supplies.
“My recommendation is that stores begin to pace that and make sure we don’t have all of our supplies going to out-of-state buyers,” he said.
Gordon noted the state has banned overnight camping in state parks as a way to deter traffic from outside the state.
“We have severely limited what Wyoming [state] parks can offer,” he said. “They are still available if you want to go walk, but there is no overnight camping.”
Luke Reiner, director of the Wyoming Department of Transportation, said no thought was being given to closing Wyoming’s borders to travelers from other states.
“We are not shutting down our borders,” he wrote in an email.
Other states are examining such closures and several have already imposed restrictions on travelers crossing their borders. Vermont’s governor on Wednesday said the state is investigating the prevalence of out-of-state traffic to its state.
“We’re not taking registration numbers or anything like that. Just looking for colors of plates to determine who’s coming in. And then we’ll react accordingly,” Gov. Phil Scott said at a press conference.
The State of Rhode Island has set up checkpoints on some of their roads and is stopping all vehicles with out-of-state plates to track potential COVID-19 cases.
Earlier this week, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy warned out of staters with less-restrictive stay-at-home mandates that they are not welcome.
“I don’t want anybody coming in from another part of the country where they had lax restrictions and undoing what we have done,” he said.


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Apple’s upcoming iPhone 14 series could cost $100 more than last year’s iPhone 13 series. Let’s discuss why iPhone 14 could get a price hike and what it would cost you.
iPhone 14 specification details have already been indicated via leaks and rumors. Now, some details have arrived regarding its price segment for the first time, suggesting this series could be more costly.
Apple Might Introduce Price Bump For Upcoming iPhone 14
As we already know, this year’s iPhone series is facing supply changes, so that the company would introduce more updated iPhone 14 models despite iPhone 14 Pro models are already rumored to get many new features.
According to a report from The Sun, the well-known Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities claimed to them that the upcoming iPhone 14 will cost you more than last year’s iPhone 13, and this bump is around $100, which is a significant price hike.
Dan’s statement was, “We believe a $100 price increase is coming for the iPhone 14,” which means iPhone 14 Pro could cost you $1,099 US Dollars, and iPhone 14 Pro Max could be priced at $1,199 US Dollars.
In comparison, iPhone 13 Pro & Pro Max was priced at $999 US Dollars & $1,099 US Dollars.
Last year, the company also had a mini model of the iPhone 13, and for iPhone 14, the company is rumored to replace it with a new model named iPhone 14 Max or Plus (the name is not confirmed yet).
iPhone 13 mini was priced at 699 US Dollars, and the base iPhone 13 was 799 US Dollars. After discontinuing the mini version, the iPhone 14 base will be the less priced model in the series.
The base iPhone 14 could be priced at $899 US Dollars, and for iPhone 14 Max, we can’t say anything, but we can expect it to be priced at $999 US Dollars.
Recently, we discovered that iPhone 14 is getting massive demand in some regions, but mainly in China, which might force consumers and retailers to pay more as pre-order charges to get the required supply.

domain: news


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“The current youth in Ghana – a lot of the guys – already have bags like that,” says fashion stylist Kusi Kubi, speaking of Gucci’s Jackie 1961 bag. Together with Richmond Orlando Mensah of Manju Journal, a celebratory platform dedicated to elevating the work of African creatives, and Charlene Prempeh’s agency A Vibe Called Tech, Kubi was asked to collaborate with the Italian brand and reimagine the famed Jackie. A series of wonderfully bright portraits comprise the project, alongside a film that outlines the concept.
After working as a freelance stylist and brand consultant for several publications and clients, in addition to projects with Skepta, Labrinth and Calvin Klein, Kubi was appointed Manju Journal’s fashion director. Talk of the collaboration began back in February, when Kubi was discussing future projects while staying in Ghana.


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Fireworks of Alabama, Inc. of Adamsville, AL has issued a voluntary recall of bamboo stick sparklers sold by their company.
According to the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission news release, "the sparklers' bamboo-stick handles can catch fire, burn and disintegrate, and emit burning fragments during use.These sparklers present a fire hazard and a risk of burn injury."
According to the CPSC release, neither the CPSC or Fireworks of Alabama have received any reports of injuries associated with these bamboo stick sparklers. The recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injuries.
"The recalled sparklers are packaged in a multi-colored cardboard box and sold with six sparklers per box. The sparklers measure about 7 inches long. Labels on the packaging read in part, Bamboo Stick Color Sparklers, 6 PIECES, MADE IN CHINA. Only bamboo sparklers with LB-N011-7 printed on the packaging are included in the recall."
The sparklers were sold nationwide in variety stores from June 2002 through December 2002 for about $2.00 a box.
A spokesperson for Fireworks of Alabama said only 250 cases of sparklers from one shipment were acutually sold, although the recall is for 72,000 boxes. The recall was voluntarily issued although there was never any testing of the sparklers sold to indicate they might have failed testing. None of the sparklers which did fail testing were ever sold. The spokeperson went on to say, "We simply did a voluntary recall on these to make sure."
Purchasers should not use these sparklers and should return them immediately to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. For more information, consumers can contact Fireworks of Alabama, Inc. at 1-800-289-5569 between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM CT Monday through Friday.


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Giant Food Stores is giving away fresh fruit and vegetables Saturday in York
Correction: This story has been updated to indicate the produce giveaway is free.
Giant Food Stores is stepping up to help the folks affected by Friday morning's fire in York.
C Town Supermarket was among the businesses that remains closed after the Panaderia Bakery caught fire. The fire at the Yorktown Mall in the 100 block of North Duke Street, deemed accidental according to a fire department news release, resulted in a $5 million loss.
City residents won't have a supermarket that sells fresh produce until C Town reopens.
That's where Giant comes in.
It will host a free pop-up produce event featuring staple vegetables and fruits beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 in the York Revolution Queen Street parking lot, 302 N. Queen St. It will remain open until the produce runs out.
Residents are encouraged to bring their own bags.


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Mild weather this winter may be just what restaurants ordered, one analyst told CNBC on Friday. Here are his top picks.» Read More
"Chocolate is more popular than ever," explains Godiva CEO Jim Goldman, in discussing just how popular Valentine's Day is for his stores. He discusses high cocoa prices right now.
Former AMR Chairman & CEO Robert Crandall shares his opinions on weaker airline performance, and the impact for investors.
Former AMR Chairman & CEO Robert Crandall discusses a record number of grounded flights due to weather.
The latest economic read on how consumers feel about the economy, with CNBC's Rick Santelli.
Hundreds of more flights are canceled as airlines struggle with storm-battered Valentine's weekend schedules.
Some of the names on the move ahead of the open.
Chuck Watson, Kinetic Analysis Corp., explains how the winter storm has impacted the economy from jobs to retail sales.
The Fast Money traders share their final trades of the day.
What goes on behind the scenes during the commercial breaks, like "germophobe" Steve Grasso doing Brian Kelly's toes, and burgers on the set, courtesy of Burger King.
The Fast Money traders take a look at today's biggest market movers.
Companies making headlines after the bell Thursday.
CNBC's Jackie DeAngelis discusses the day's activity in the commodities markets. Crude was flat on the day, but stayed around the $100/barrel mark. Nat gas futures were up, again due to cold weather and a bigger-than-expected drawdown. Gold touched $1,300 today, and closed around that mark.
Comcast's planned acquisition of Time Warner Cable may be good news for sports fans; less so for budget-conscious subscribers.
Neil Warren discusses the online dating market and comments on plans to launch a job match site.
CNBC's Seema Mody shows where cooped up consumers are turning to be entertained. Stephanie Wissink, Piper Jaffray senior research analyst, provides her best bad weather retail options.
Apple is urging "conflict-free" audits for many of the minerals used to make its products. CNBC's Robert Frank and Dominic Chu provide insight on the components for its phones.
The median sales price for a single family home in Las Vegas in January was $185, 000. Century 21 JR Realty's Rosa Herwick's reveals 3 hot listings in the area.
Where investors are putting their money, Jerry Castellini, CastleArk Management, and Todd Salamone, Schaeffer's Investment Research. "Stay with what's working, like highly shorted momentum names," says Salamone.
CNBC's Rick Santelli discusses bond prices and yields.
CNBC's Steve Liesman provides insight on the economic impact from the winter storm.
Get the best of CNBC in your inbox


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vement across t上海夜生活he GBA. Ma Huateng, founder and chief executive of Tencent, believes rigid restrictions on the flow of talents in the GBA has prev
ented Hong Kong companies from hiring people from the mainland and has raised the idea of a GBA ID card, which wou上海夜生活
ld allow Hong Kong and Macao residents to save their “mainland travel permit” information on their mobile pho
上海夜生活女神会所nes to give them greater mobility plus access to services such as mobile payments.
Talents who can speak three languages needed
What we are seeing now is a real demand for trilingual cand上海夜生活品茶微信idates who sp
eak English, Mandarin and Cantonese. They are essential to facilitate cross-border cooperation. Eventually the regi
on should be more open in order to bring in global talents to support the development, which is happening now. Bu
上海夜生活t we are seeing a high demand for returnees who have studied and/or worked in Western countries.
The rerun of restored classic TV dramas backed by some promotional campaigns on v
ideo-streaming sites has borne fruit. For example, the restored version of the 2010 TV h上海夜生活女神会所
istorical comedy-drama, Li Wei the Magistrate 3, on Youku has gained surprisingly high views that are mainly f
上海夜生活rom the fans of actress Zhao Liying, as the show starred their idol long before she joined the A-list.
During this year’s Spring Festival holiday, iQiyi released 25 restored classical works, like The Kan上海夜生活
gxi Dynasty and garnered massive views. So to tap the huge potential of the summer season, Youku has set up the “HD C
上海夜生活lassic” section featuring 1,000 restored classic film and TV productions in 1080P resolution.
Conductor Yu Long chose Chinese composer Chen Qigang’s violin concerto, La Joie
de la Souffrance (The Joy of Suffering) to appear on his new album wit上海夜生活
h the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Gateways. But Yu’s first encounter with Chen was not exactly harmonious.
Yu wanted to perform one of Chen’s compositional works during the上海夜生活女神会所
Beijing Music Festival, an annual classical music festival held in the capital, which Yu fou
nded in 1998 and of which he was artistic director from 1998 to 2018. However, Chen said no. Instead, the c
omposer floated the idea of having a concert where the repertoires were all written by him.上海夜生活
“Usually a concert featuring work written by one composer is held to commemorate them after death. It did not seem like a good
idea to me back then,” recalls Yu. “However, after listening to Chen’s work, I changed my mind. The concert was su上海夜生活女神会所
ccessful and I told Chen immediately after the concert how touched I was by his music.”
More than 2,700 small and medium-sized companies from over 30 countries and regions will showcase t
heir products in an industrial expo in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, according to the organizers.上海夜生活
The annual China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair (CISMEF), which focuses on equipment, textile and garme
nt, construction material and furniture, energy saving and cross-border e-commerce, will be held in Guangzhou on Oct 10.上海夜生活
Delegations consisting of officials and business people from Cote d’lvoire, India, South Africa, Nigeria, Bulgaria, Kenya, Mya
nmar, Mexico, Vietnam, Russia and Poland will attend the fair, looking for opportunities to boost economic ties with China.上海夜生活
“As one of the largest consumer markets, India will strengthen ties with China in terms of cooperation in industrial sector
s,” said P. Udayakumar, director of planning and marketing of the National Small Industries Corporation Ltd, a government of India enterprise.
上海夜生活An International Trade Centre (ITC) report warned Thursday that small firms across the world are twice as affected as their large ente
rprises counterparts when complying with standards and regulations required to conduct international business.
“Trade in the 21st century is increasingly consumer-centric,” said ITC Executive Director Arancha Gonzalez in a statement.上海夜生活品茶微信
“Standards are an important means to respond to consumer demands for ‘good trade’, one that is environ
mentally sustainable, socially responsible and protective of consumers. But standards can
also represent an impossible burden, in particular for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises),” she added.上海夜生活品茶微信
According to the 2016 SME Competitiveness Outlook: meeting the standard for trade, a 10 percent increase in regu
上海夜生活品茶微信latory burden cuts small-firm exports by 3.2 percent, compared to a 1.6 percent drop for large-business exports.


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BMW Profit Drive Ends in Court as Union Seeks Cap on Temps: Cars
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) is taking its drive for record output to court after labor representatives opposed hiring more temporary employees, in a rare clash between the carmaker’s management and the shop floor.
The world’s largest maker of luxury cars employs about 1,100 workers without longer-term contracts at its Leipzig factory in eastern Germany, or almost 30 percent of the total. Labor representatives refused to support a new round of temporary contracts, saying the practice creates a two-tier system of employees. A first court hearing on the issue is scheduled for tomorrow.
“It’s clearly unusual for BMW to have such an argument in public,” said Juergen Pieper, a Bankhaus Metzler analyst in Frankfurt. “BMW wants to protect its well-paid core staff, and the last crisis showed the importance of flexibility.”
The confrontation underscores German companies’ push to make their workforce more nimble, in a country where rigid labor laws make hiring and firing protracted processes. Munich-based BMW aims to sell more than 2 million vehicles by 2020 from a record 1.67 million last year, as it seeks to maintain its lead over domestic rivals Daimler AG (DAI) and Volkswagen AG (VOW)’s Audi unit.
Jochen Mueller, a spokesman for BMW in Leipzig, said temporary workers are paid the same base salaries as long-term employees, and the mix gives the carmaker more flexibility. Jochen Frey, another BMW spokesman, said permanent staff last year got a bonus worth close to a month’s salary, which temps did not get. He said that bonus varies with corporate profit.
The Leipzig factory assembles the 1-Series and X1 sport- utility vehicle and produced 186,800 units in 2010. BMW gave about 170 temporary workers in Leipzig permanent contracts in 2011 because of strong demand, and the company is spending 400 million euros ($529 million) to expand the facility.
BMW plans to hire another 350 people permanently at the factory this year and welcomes applications from current temps, Mueller said.
German companies with more than 20 workers require approval from employee representatives when hiring. Should the court in Leipzig side with the employees’ decision to refuse backing the hiring, BMW will need to consider “alternatives,” Frey said, without elaborating.
Employing temporary workers can help lower labor costs, which stood at 43.76 euros per hour in 2010 in the automotive industry, according to data from Germany’s VDA carmakers’ association. That’s 58 percent higher than in the U.S., and almost six times higher than in neighboring Poland. BMW had 11,000 subcontracted employees among its 100,389 workers as of Sept. 30.
Around the Corner
“They tell us the next crisis is just around the corner, so they need temps in order to be able to cut staff quickly and cheaply,” Jens Koehler, who heads the works council at BMW’s Leipzig plant, said. “We don’t agree with that.”
In the economic downturn after 2008, German companies responded with shortened workweeks, which was credited with avoiding major layoffs and helping kick-start production once demand rebounded. Daimler (DAI) reduced hours of about 120,000 people, almost its entire German workforce.
Airbus SAS said Feb. 13 that it will cap the use of contract workers at 20 percent starting this year, and that 300 people from that pool will have the option of taking full-time employment. German labor law stipulates that temporary employment must be transient, while there is no definition for a maximum time period. Some BMW (BMW) employees have been temps at the carmaker for years, the union said.
Temporary workers are more flexible because they are employed by an agency and can be removed when demand slackens. The workers often don’t get additional compensation for night shifts, Christmas and vacation pay or one-time bonuses, according to the IG Metall metalworkers union, which represents large parts of Germany’s manufacturing workers, including those working at automakers.
“We’ve had it up to here with temps; we’ve been deceived,” said IG Metall Chairman Berthold Huber. “What’s happening is shameful and abusive, and we’ll no longer tolerate it.”
BMW has historically maintained a cooperative relationship with its workforce, stemming from the company’s rescue from near collapse in 1959. At the time, union officials played a key role in encouraging Herbert Quandt, whose descendants still control the carmaker, to thwart a takeover from Daimler-Benz.
Workers have more clout in Germany than in other countries because they are represented in the highest echelons of company management. Every supervisory board of publicly traded companies is evenly split between representatives for management and employees.
That system, unique to Germany, gives works councils and union members more sway over strategy, hiring and firing, as well as pay of senior executives. Huber sits on supervisory boards including Volkswagen (VOW3), Audi and Siemens AG (SIE), Germany’s largest engineering company.
Germany’s car industry has rebounded from the crisis years. Daimler exceeded analysts’ estimates last week with its profit target for 2012, propelled by record demand for Mercedes-Benz brand cars. Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche has vowed to retake the luxury-car lead from BMW after slipping last year to third behind Audi. BMW reports earnings on March 13, a day after Volkswagen.
The car industry accounts for about 15 percent of Germany’s gross domestic product. Germany’s VDMA machinery industry association, which represents the country’s largest manufacturing segment, estimates the ratio of subcontracted workers on manufacturers’ payrolls stands at 6 percent, twice the amount in 2005.
With unemployment at a two-decade low and employment numbers hitting records, the number of subcontracted workers in Germany swelled to about 930,000 last year, Adecco SA (ADEN), the world’s largest staffing company, estimates.
German executives at companies including Siemens have cautioned of subdued demand in 2012 as Europe continues to grapple with the fallout from the sovereign debt crisis that is weighing on consumer sentiment. Siemens predicted last month that the region may enter a recession.
Plant and machinery orders in Europe’s largest economy dropped 12 percent in November, the first annual decline in almost two years, and slid 10 percent in December, VDMA said. Companies including Siemens, Nokia (NOK1V) Siemens Networks, and Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HDD) have announced thousands of job cuts in Germany in recent weeks.
Each time a company cuts jobs, temporary workers are typically among the first to go, said IG Metall Vice Chairman Detlef Wetzel.
“When the crisis hits, the number of temps will drastically be reduced,” he said. “Their assignments will simply be canceled.”
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Benedikt Kammel at email@example.com


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One of the most anticipated games of the year Catherine will be getting a UK release later this year.
Catherine is a puzzle/platformer/adventure game developed by Atlus – the makers of the popular Persona series.
Atlus has now signed a deal with Deep Silver to publish the game in the UK.
“We are very proud to be able to publish Catherine in all PAL territories as a Deep Silver game”, says Deep Silver president Klemens Kundratitz.
Kundratitz was particular drawn to Catherine because of its unusual blend of genres.
“Catherine is something new, fresh and exciting; unlike anything else in the gaming world – a unique mixture of genres. This agreement proves once again that games published under the Deep Silver label are not ‘more of the same’, ‘run of the mill’ productions.”
When an official UK release date is announced we will report it right here at Gamers Corner.


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The news caused a right hoo haa last week for anyone who is or who has been pregnant – it was reported that chemicals are dangerous and bad for our babies and we are risking our baby’s health by exposing ourselves to the chemicals around us.
However, the criticism against this report – by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) – was that there is no conclusive evidence of what harm these chemicals can cause to pregnant women, so what was the point of the report because all it has done is cause anxiety and fear.
Having read the RCOG report – it clearly states that: “under normal lifestyle and dietary conditions, the level of exposure to individual environmental chemicals will probably pose minimal risk to the developing fetus.”
It also admits: “obtaining more definitive guidance is likely to take many years: there is considerable uncertainty about the risks of chemical exposure.”
RCOG states that the purpose of the Chemical Exposures During Pregnancy report is “to raise awareness of the current issues surrounding chemical exposure during pregnancy and breastfeeding so that women are armed with sufficient facts to enable them to make an informed decision about chemical exposure throughout their pregnancy.”
In its basic form, the report is raising awareness of the issue of how many chemicals we have in our life, albeit at low levels, and that, really, we don’t truly know the effect this is having on us and our babies.
According to RCOG the following steps will help to reduce chemical exposure:
- Eat fresh food rather than processed foods
- Reduce food and drinks contained/stored in cans and plastic containers
- Minimise use or products such as moisturisers, cosmetics, shower gels and perfumes
- Minimise purchase of newly produced furniture, fabric, non-stick frying pans and cars when pregnant or breastfeeding
- Avoid the use of garden/house/pet pesticides such as fly sprays, flower sprays and flea powder
- Avoid paint fumes
- Only take over the counter medicines
The report made some interesting points:
- Manufacturers of cosmetics and personal care products do not have to declare exactly what is in their products:: current legislation means that manufacturers are not required to name all potentially harmful chemicals in the ingredients list if they are not considered as an active ingredient.
- The use of the terms natural, non-toxic and green on packaging is unregulated
- Examination of 43 products which claimed they were free of chemicals were found to have 5 different phthalates, which were not mentioned on the ingredients list
The report aimed to “highlight the limitations of product labelling and to demonstrate how women may be led to assume a product is ‘safe’ to use during pregnancy”
To me, it is very unlike RCOG as their information is usually driven by evidence and it would seem that RCOG is concerned about the combination of chemicals that pregnant women can be exposed to, when we assume that most chemicals – especially the ones that might be used in moisturisers and body creams – are safe to use and it wants women to think about how much they are exposed to during pregnancy and when they are breastfeeding.
Now that I have read the report, RCOG was raising awareness of the insufficient evidence available about the potential effect that combinations of chemicals could have on our unborn babies and recommends a safety first attitude when it comes to things such as food, creams, household chemicals and furniture. This all could be seen as fairly sensible advice and I wish it had been reported in a more intelligent and a less alarmist way and I wonder if RCOG are shocked at the coverage and the criticism levelled against them.
We can’t live in a bubble and chemicals are, to some degree, a part of our lives but we can take a more informed view of this and avoid certain items if we feel safer doing so. Personally, I am all for reducing the amount of chemicals I expose my children and myself to and this report has made me think…


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Tim Cook has told the New York Times he expects the new iPhone and iPhone 6 Plus to trigger ‘the mother of all upgrades’.
Speaking with the paper in the wake of yesterday’s launch event for the handsets, which also saw the debut of the Apple Watch, Cook said he was fully expecting a slew of users to ditch Android in favour of the new iPhones.
The iPhone 6 comes with a 4.7–inch screen, with the iPhone 6 Plus topping out at 5.5–inches.
The move comes years after Samsung and other key rivals began producing larger screen phones, with Apple claiming in a court document earlier this year that consumers ‘want what we don’t have’.
Cook added the the iPhone 6 was ‘appreciably better in every single way’ compared to older models.
The proof will come when pre–orders start on September 12th, before the phones are released a week later.
Apple is still going to sell its older, smaller models. The iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have both been given a price cut following the launch of the two new capacious devices.
New York Times
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City approves drive-through Dunkin' Donuts
The city's Development Review Commission on Wednesday approved a new drive-through Dunkin' Donuts. It will be on the west side of Fourth Street N between 11th Avenue N and Joyce Terrace N. The drive-through will be open 6 a.m. to midnight weekdays and 6 to 1 a.m. on weekends.
Mickey's Market set to open on 4th St.
A new Mickey's Market is expected to open Friday at 1535 Fourth St. N. It will carry Angus beef, Boar's Head meats and custom deli items, including Mickey's popular smoked-chicken salad with dried cranberries and walnuts. Mickey and Bill Huguet, who own the business, vacated Mickey's Snell Isle Market in July and closed Mickey's Kork & Kleaver on Beach Drive NE this month. Store hours will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. The phone number is (727) 894-7751.
World of Beer will sling suds in city
The World of Beer recently opened at 5536 Fourth St. N and offers about 40 taps rotated weekly and 500 beers from around the world, plus flatbread pizzas, mojo chicken wings, soft pretzels with porter cheese dip and stout beef "Wobbers." There is an outdoor area, several flat-screen TVs and a private loft.
News of businesses and business people can be faxed to (727) 893-8675, e-mailed to [email protected] or mailed to Neighborhood Times, 490 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Photos can be mailed or e-mailed as jpegs.


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What you need to know
- The Game Bar Widget Store is now live on Windows 10.
- The store allows you to download widgets from companies such as XSplit, Razer, and Corsair.
- The Xbox Game Bar also gained some new features, including the option for transparent widgets.
The Game Bar Widget Store is now live on Windows 10. With the new widget store, you can grab widgets for the Xbox Game Bar that enhance your gaming experience. Microsoft announced the public launch of the Game Bar Widget Store in a news post. That same post also breaks down some popular widgets people can download, including XSplit's Game Bar HUD and Corsair's iCUE.
The Xbox team first announced the Game Bar Widget Store back in April. Xbox Insiders could then try out widgets on their PCs. Now, the store is available to everyone, giving gamers more ways to customize their gaming experience.
In its post announcing the availability of the widget store, the Xbox team also introduced a companion widget called "Ghost." This Destiny 2 companion tracks your progress during gameplay and shows you bounties, quests, and triumphs you can aim for. It can also preview the Crucible map before loading in and do several other tasks. The Ghost widget links to your Bungie.net account and tracks stats and achievements on PC or console.
The post also goes over XSplit's Game Bar HUD, which is a tool for broadcasters that works alongside XSplit Broadcaster software on Windows 10. XSplit's Game Bar HUD is available as a public test release now and is expected to fully roll out by the end of July.
In addition to the store's availability and the review of several widgets, the Xbox team announced some new features for the Xbox Game Bar in its post. Click-through is a new feature that lets gamers control mouse click-through behavior. For example, you can decide if a click over a pinned widget goes to your game or to the widget. People can also customize the transparency of widgets to increase their field of view in games.
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Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at email@example.com.


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EU Headquarters in Brussels.
BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) said it will reopen its borders to travelers from 14 countries.
People from the following countries will be allowed into the EU’s 27 members and four nations in Europe’s visa-free Schengen travel zone: Australia, Algeria, Georgia, Japan, Canada, Morocco, Montenegro, Rwanda, New Zealand, South Korea, Serbia, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay, international media reports have said.
The EU is also opening borders to China soon. However, most Americans have been refused entry for at least two weeks owing to the soaring coronavirus infections in the US, reports said.
It should be noted that US tourists make up a big slice of the EU market.
The EU has said China is “subject to confirmation of reciprocity,” which means that Beijing should lift restrictions on European citizens entering China.
(With inputs from Agencies)


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Hot off its climb to the No. 2 spot for Q2 2021, Xiaomi is the world’s biggest smartphone vendor for the first time. That’s according to July’s numbers from Counterpoint Research, which has Xiaomi in first with 17.1 percent of the global market, Samsung in second with 15.7 percent, and Apple in third with 14.3 percent.
Counterpoint says Xiaomi‘s market share grew 26 percent month over month. Counterpoint Research Director Tarun Pathak explains why, saying, “Ever since the decline of Huawei commenced, Xiaomi has been making consistent and aggressive efforts to fill the gap created by this decline. The OEM has been expanding in Huawei’s and HONOR’s legacy markets like China, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. In June, Xiaomi was further helped by China, Europe, and India’s recovery and Samsung’s decline due to supply constraints.”
Huawei has been plummeting in the market share charts as the effects of the multi-year US export ban caught up with the company. Huawei keeps making paper announcements, but with the main brand lacking chips and software, plus the sale of sub-brand Honor, there’s not much left of Huawei in the current smartphone market.
Xiaomi covers every possible market segment, with 58 smartphone models currently listed on its global website. Its products include phones as cheap as $100, state-of-the-art foldables like the Mi Mix Fold, and flagship phones like the Mi 11 Ultra, which has a second rear screen in the camera bump and a massive 50 MP, 1/1.12-inch sensor. Xiaomi is aggressive in its home market of China—the world’s biggest smartphone market—and is a major player in India, the second-largest market in the world. The company doesn’t do smartphone business in the US.
As for Samsung, which Xiaomi blew by to become No. 1, Counterpoint says the company is facing temporary problems due to the resurgence of COVID-19 in Vietnam. Samsung has major phone manufacturing facilities in Vietnam, in addition to China and the company’s home country of South Korea. Counterpoint Senior Analyst Varun Mishra said, “Samsung’s production was disrupted in June, which resulted in the brand’s devices facing shortages across channels. Xiaomi, with its strong mid-range portfolio and wide market coverage, was the biggest beneficiary from the short-term gap left by Samsung’s A series.”
“Once Samsung recovers, the ranks are likely to shuffle again,” the site adds.
Despite Counterpoint’s claims that Samsung’s problems are temporary, Samsung doesn’t seem happy with its second-place spot in the market. According to a report from South Korean site The Elec, Samsung Electronics is “extending its management review” of the mobile business, a move The Elec says Samsung does “when the top leadership considers there is a problem with a particular business unit.”
The report says that “Samsung is highly likely to miss its sales target for Galaxy S21,” which so far has sold 13.5 million units during the first half of the year. Over the same period, the previous model, the S20, sold in the mid-20-millions, while older Galaxy S models sold around 30 million. You could argue that customers are keeping smartphones for longer, but Xiaomi doesn’t seem to be facing those problems.
Samsung is in a holding pattern since the leader of the company, Lee Jae-yong (aka Jay Y. Lee), is still in jail on bribery charges. This month, Lee has a parole hearing that could lead to his release, and some people in South Korea are even lobbying for Lee to be pardoned, given how big of a role Samsung plays in South Korea’s economy (the company represents about 15 percent of South Korea’s GDP). The Elec speculates that with Samsung’s leader likely getting out of jail soon, a review of key company divisions might already be underway so that Lee can quickly make decisions upon his release.


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Only 10 years ago, just 3% of the internments at storied Cave Hill Cemetery involved cremations. Today, the cemetery estimates the rate has soared to 37%. The statewide rate is lower: 22%, but across the U.S., it’s nearly 47%.
No wonder. A traditional funeral in the U.S. costs $8,000 to $10,000, with the single-biggest expense being a casket, averaging $2,300 — a pricey item cremation doesn’t require. Urns for ashes, on the other hand, are a lot cheaper, such as the $139.95 one pictured, left.
The cemetery’s more famous permanent residents include KFC founder Harland Sanders.
Related: Read more about Louisville cemeteries, and funeral homes. Much of the state’s funeral industry is regulated by the state Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors; the board publishes industry laws and regulations, including requirements for inspections and publicly available price lists for caskets and other merchandise, plus services.
Photo, top: the cemetery’s iconic entrance at Broadway and Baxter.


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Which U.S. company has “an aspiration” to stop selling cars and trucks with tailpipes by 2035?
Which charging network is being purchased by a global oil giant?
This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending January 29, 2021.
Tesla’s quarterly and year-end update on Wednesday coincided with the surprise reveal—in pictures and an order page—of an extensively revamped 2021 Tesla Model S. The S will arrive starting next month and will get an aircraft-style yoke instead of a steering wheel, styling changes on the outside, and a new interior with a horizontal screen. Extensive changes for the Model X are on the way too. Tri-motor Model S Plaid models will offer a 0-50 mph time in less than 2 seconds, with Plaid+ models arriving later in the year claimed to offer 520 miles.
2021 Tesla Model S Plaid+
Tesla executives also confirmed that the production ramp for the company’s proprietary 4680-format cells is going well, and a 10-GWh production goal is still in sight for 2022; that means the battery-dependent Semi will arrive starting in late 2021.
And the Tesla Model S convertible recently made by Ares Design on commission might serve as a good holdover for some who face another year or more to wait for the Tesla Roadster—still potentially including rocket tech.
President Biden on Monday issued an executive order that will push federal fleets to go all-electric, with an emphasis on American-made.
Lordstown Motors, which could benefit from that announcement, released a significant update that included the announcement that development work has begun on an electric van, and that it’s started making 57 prototypes of the Endurance electric pickup. The company also said that it’s chosen LG Chem cells.
It looks like California-based Faraday Future is getting yet another chance—this time with a new partnership with Geely, help from Foxconn, and the intent to go public. Could the long-anticipated FF91 actually arrive in 2022?
Faraday Future FF91 prototype
Lucid Motors boasts a manufacturing advantage over other startup EV makers—and even Tesla—in that it’s been able to smartly plan its production facilities from the ground up.
The 2022 Mini Cooper SE electric car gets an update that upgrades the base touchscreen and connectivity but doesn’t boost the urban EV’s 110-mile EPA rating. And the parent brand BMW suggested, with another teaser about its upcoming i4 electric sport sedan, that it plans to outdo the Tesla Model 3 Performance in handling.
BMW Concept i4
Owners of the Tesla Model S, Tesla Model 3, and Kia Niro EV are among those the most satisfied with their electric vehicles according to a new study from J.D. Power. And a study from Rivian investor Cox Automotive found that two out of three U.S. pickup shoppers are considering an electric truck—although it suggests that the high price of some of the initial trucks might be a limiting factor.
Nissan announced climate goals this week—including the aim to be CO2-neutral by 2050 and to electrify (hybrids included) its entire fleet of models for Japan, China, the U.S., and Europe by the early 2030s. And General Motors said that it “aspires” to transition all of its car and light truck production away from tailpipes by 2035 and toward an all-electric future. The company committed to a climate agreement, although it has much to do to deliver the vehicles that will get them to that goal.
Ubitricity electric-car charging cord
China’s Xpeng, a competitor to Tesla in its home market, rollout out what it called “the most comprehensive OTA upgrade in the company’s six-year history,” adding a suite of assisted-driving features to its flagship P7 that sounds a lot like Navigate on Autopilot, but with lidar.
The German charging company Ubitricity, which is best known for its streetside charging solutions, is being bought by Shell.
Last weekend we took a look at how the long-delayed release of a NHTSA final rule for low-volume vehicle manufacturers might spark an all-electric revival of the DeLorean DMC-12.
1981 DeLorean DMC-12
Not all the attention was on battery electric vehicles, though. GM announced that it will supply Hydrotec fuel-cell systems for a Navistar project that will put 2,000 fuel-cell semis in use within a few years, each with up to a 500-mile range and 15-minute refueling. And even with the arrival of several fully electric pickups just months away, sales of diesel pickups are surging—especially the most fuel-efficient ones.


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by Bill McBride on 10/09/2012 12:49:00 PM
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
This is a key distressed market to follow since Las Vegas has seen the largest price decline of any of the Case-Shiller composite 20 cities.
From the GLVAR: GLVAR reports local home prices, short sales continuing to climb
According to GLVAR, the total number of local homes, condominiums and townhomes sold in September was 3,298. That’s down from 3,688 in August and down from 4,108 total sales in September 2011.A few key points:
GLVAR reported a total of 3,805 condos and townhomes listed for sale on its MLS at the end of September, down 0.7 percent from 3,830 condos and townhomes listed for sale on its MLS at the end of August and down 7.8 percent from one year ago.
The number of available homes listed for sale without any sort of pending or contingent offer also fell from the previous month and year. By the end of September, GLVAR reported 3,943 single-family homes listed without any sort of offer. That’s down 1.0 percent from 3,981 such homes listed in August and down 63.1 percent from one year ago.
Meanwhile, 44.8 percent of all existing local homes sold during September were short sales. That’s up from 43.7 percent in August, up from 23.5 percent one year ago, and the highest short sale percentage GLVAR has ever recorded.
Continuing a trend of declining foreclosure sales in recent months, bank-owned homes accounted for 13.6 percent of all existing home sales in September, down from 16.9 percent in August.
• Inventory declined slightly in September, and total inventory is down 7.8% from September 2011. However, for single family homes without contingent offers, inventory is still down sharply from a year ago (down 63.1% year-over-year).
• Short sales are more than triple foreclosures now. The GLVAR reported 44.8% of sales were short sales, and only 13.6% foreclosures. We've seen a shift from foreclosures to short sales in most areas (not just in areas with new foreclosure laws).
• The percent distressed sales was extremely high at 58.4% in September (short sales and foreclosures), but down from 60.6% in August.
• There is a push to complete short sales, from the article:
[H]omeowners have been rushing to short-sell their homes by the end of 2012, when the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act is set to expire unless Congress acts to extend it. If Congress does not extend this law by Dec. 31, she said any amount of money a bank writes off in agreeing to sell a home as part of a short sale will become taxable when sellers file their income taxes.
Posted by Bill McBride on 10/09/2012 12:49:00 PM


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SEBASTOPOL, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 17, 2014) - Maker Faire continues to inspire makers and communities around the world and act as a catalyst for the maker movement. On Wednesday, June 18, President Obama is hosting the first-ever White House Maker Faire. This one-day event will include a select group of makers at the White House who will share their projects with the President and talk with him about how making has shaped their lives. On the same day, there will be a "Day of Making" where the global community will be asked to celebrate the students, entrepreneurs, and hobbyist makers who are reinventing America, and the world's future, by holding maker activities in their community. Together with the White House, Maker Media is asking makers around the globe to shine the spotlight on their accomplishments by sharing their making activities and connecting with other makers on Twitter by using #NationOfMakers.
"The maker movement encourages people to discover the maker in themselves, and to seek out other makers in their communities. Technology is making it easier for all makers to make things and share their projects with others. They are using this technology to create new kinds of products and drive innovation," said Dale Dougherty, CEO of Maker Media and founder of Make: magazine and Maker Faire. "Making is local and makerspaces provide access to tools and expertise in the community. We can do more to develop makerspaces in place such as schools, libraries, museums, and community centers to provide access to more people, especially our youth. We see educators and parents inspired by the maker movement to provide hands-on learning experiences for children. We also expect that new and better ways for makers to collaborate with each other will accelerate, turning new ideas into products and bringing them to market. We are thrilled that the White House is hosting a Maker Faire to celebrate the impact of the maker movement in this nation and beyond to the rest of the world."
The number of Maker Faire events continues to grow and expand around the world each year. In 2013 there were 100 Maker Faire events around the world. Twenty-fourteen is the breakout "Year of the Maker" as a result of the tremendous growth of the maker movement. There are 140 Faires already scheduled globally this year; makerspaces are expanding and emerging in cities everywhere; new tools and platforms are being developed to support collaboration; and new, accessible production opportunities are making it easier for people to make things. These things are all incredible proof points of the strength of maker movement.
Day of Making -- Wednesday, June 18, 2014
To amplify and encourage making and what will be happening at the White House Maker Faire, June 18, 2014, will be a "Day of Making." Those interested in participating can do so via the following opportunities:
- Tweet using the #NationOfMakers hashtag to tell fellow makers and others in their community what making activities they are doing. Makers can also include their city and state to be included on the #NationofMakers map.
- Take the "Building Maker Communities" pledge at http://www.makerfaire.com/whitehouse. Makers can read the pledge letter from Dale Dougherty, founder of Maker Faire, and pledge their support of the maker movement, becoming an advocate for making in their community on this Day of Making and into the future.
- Post photos of a current maker project -- as part of the pledge or via social media -- they are working on or a new project they'll be starting. Fun and creative projects ideas can be found on a variety of websites for makers such as MAKE: magazine.
- Host an open house or Maker Meetup at a local makerspace or set up a hangout online to connect and collaborate with makers across the country.
- Volunteer to be a mentor for someone who is interested in learning a new skill or find a mentor who would be interested in teaching them new skills.
- Create a project and share the plans for it online through maker platforms so others can also make, modify, or remix the project.
- Organize a maker roundtable to identify and convene maker thought leaders in their community on expanding making initiatives, programs, and activities in their neighborhood.
- Organizations or companies can encourage employees to volunteer as educators and/or mentors to host maker-oriented workshops or classes in their communities.
- Follow the Day of Making action online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/makerfaire and http://www.makerfaire.com/whitehouse.
In conjunction with the White House Maker Faire and the Day of Making, Maker Media will be hosting these events one day prior:
Maker Summit -- Tuesday, June 17; 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm; TechShop, Arlington, VA
This one-day Summit will highlight the present and future impact of the maker movement in the US and beyond. Maker Media will be releasing a Maker Impacts Report produced with Deloitte Center for the Edge. The report studies the potential long-term impacts of the maker movement on education, manufacturing, innovation, retail, and government. This study will be available online for review at a later date.
Maker Reception -- Tuesday, June 17; 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm; TechShop, Arlington, VA
Following the Maker Summit, Maker Media will host a reception for government, business, and educational leaders to meet some of the makers who are participating in the White House Maker Faire.
The Maker Summit is sponsored by Intel, Trimble, and The Makership Project. TechShop is the Host Sponsor.
About Maker Faire
Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth -- a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker Movement. It's a place where people of all ages and backgrounds gather together to show what they are making and share what they are learning.
Maker Faire celebrated 100 Faires in 2013 alone and has reached over 1.5 million attendees globally since it launched in San Mateo, California, in 2006, less than a year after the publication its "parent," MAKE Magazine, which launched in 2005. The ninth annual Maker Faire Bay Area welcomed some 1,100 makers entries and over 130,000 attendees. World Maker Faire New York, the other flagship event, has grown in four years to 600+ makers and 75,000 attendees. Detroit, Kansas City, Rome, Paris, Oslo, Trondheim, Newcastle (UK), Orlando, Silver Spring, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Tokyo and Shenzhen host our "featured" Maker Faires (200+ makers), host our "featured" Maker Faires (200+ makers), and community-driven, independently organized Mini Maker Faires inspire and ignite creative communities everywhere around the United States and internationally.
Located in Sebastopol and Oakland, California, Maker Media has been widely credited with jumpstarting the worldwide Maker Movement, which has been a transforming force in innovation, culture, and education. In addition to publishing MAKE Magazine and producing Maker Faire, Maker Media develops "getting started" kits and books it sells through its Maker Shed store as well as other retail channels.
Friend us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on Twitter: @makerfaire


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BUZZ-Sears Holdings Corp: JP Morgan to terminate Canada card agreement
** Retailer's shares down 1 pct at $36.88 premarket
** In a setback for Sears Canada, JPMorgan Chase says agreement on Sears Card and Sears MasterCard credit cards in Canada will terminate on expiration date of Nov. 15, 2015
** Sears Canada and JPMorgan say they plan to explore a sale of the credit card portfolio
** Fees from JP Morgan agreement added more than C$60 mln in annual EBIT to Sears Canada in the earlier years of the 10-year contract, Desjardins Capital Markets analyst Keith Howlett says
"... The relative importance of the profit contribution of credit has increased, given Sears Canada is currently losing money on sales of merchandise," Howlett says
** Sears in October said it will cut its stake in Sears Canada to 12 pct from 51 pct through a rights offering
© Thomson Reuters 2017 All rights reserved.


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It seems like now more than ever, women are taking charge—harnessing their entrepreneurial spirit and opening their own businesses—officially bucking the trend of working for the man. While this makes it sound like women are finally getting ahead by creating their own job opportunities, they still face some challenges obtaining the funding needed to help their businesses get off the … Read More
A business’s best untapped resource for its brand is its own employees. They make up the faces that customers associate with a brand, whether negatively or positively. So, businesses should put their employees at the forefront of satisfaction efforts so they will want to become brand advocates. Build Brand Loyalty Building brand loyalty among employees isn’t an easy task and … Read More
Small businesses that are owned by women continually succeed in revenue and earnings generated, but still struggle to grow at the same rate as their male-owned counterparts. The presence of the gender gap in small businesses is felt, as it much harder for women entrepreneurs to gain the necessary capital to expand their businesses.


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With the end of the year fast approaching we thought it might be interesting to look at some of the UK’s most innovative marketing campaigns from the past few months.
1. Tourettes Action
Tourettes Action is the UK’s leading support and research charity for those suffering with Tourettes and their families.
They successfully launched an email campaign called “Fu*k the Firewall” in order to combat prejudice surrounding the syndrome. Littered with swear words placed upside down to avoid being filtered out by firewalls, the email highlighted the barriers faced by Tourettes sufferers who society often tries to filter out in an analogous way.
The campaign utilized a subtitle but effective analogy, which provoked thought on the topic and led people to question assumptions they may have made themselves. The email was forwarded to countless individuals and furthermore became a topic of discussion throughout the social media network.
2. The Barnardos and Argos Toy Exchange
The toy exchange called for people to donate their unwanted toys to the Barnardos children’s charity in exchange for a £5 voucher off new toys bought from high street store Argos. The donated toys were then sold by the charity to raise funds for projects which support disadvantaged children.
The campaign was appealing as it benefitted a variety of people in a way which required little public effort. Although still ongoing the campaign aims to raise £1 million for Barnardos.
3. Read for RNIB Day
The Royal National Institute of Blind People are a charity offering information, support and advice to people suffering with sight loss.
In August they launched a train and tube poster campaign to gain support for their ‘Read for RNIB Day’. The posters, placed on platforms and alongside escalators, depicted the page of a book obscured by dark patches of colour. The aim was to encourage people to consider how much the ability to read means to them.
The posters gave the public the opportunity to empathise with those who suffer from sight loss, thus lending more sympathy to the goals of the campaign. The posters were seen by an estimated 40 million people throughout its two months run.
4. The Red Cross and SimCity
The Red Cross and ten National Societies teamed up with SimCity creators EA Games to provide a game add-on which, when purchased, allowed gamers to provide assistance to real life people in addition to those in the game. A minimum of 80% of the retail price went to the participating societies. The gamer also received relief tents and vehicles to aid injured sims in their game.
The add-on was optional so gamers were under no pressure to participate, however those who did were given the opportunity to do a good deed with very little action on their part. The partnership aims to raise at least $100,000 for the societies involved.
5. RNLI and the Harlem Shake
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution provides a 24 hour search and rescue service around the coast of the UK and Ireland, in addition to providing lifeguard services.
Taking advantage of the internet craze of videos filmed with the Harlem Shake song, the RNLI produced a video which saw them dancing to the internet sensation at their Poole lifeboat base. They entered the video in to the ‘Charity Shake Off’ contest.
The video referenced and became a part of a worldwide viral craze and both promoted the work of the charity and contributed towards the promotion of an easy-going, down to earth image. The video has received over 40,000 views to date.


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ROME (Reuters) - Italy's FinecoBank said on Friday its board had approved the closure of its business in Britain due to regulatory difficulties following the country's exit from the European Union.
The lender that specialises in online brokerage has been operating in Britain from its Italian headquarters under a temporary framework which will no longer be allowed after December this year, it said in a statement.
The decision to quit the country "is driven by the significant change in the regulatory landscape in the UK, after its exit from the European Union," it said.
"In the new context, it would not have been possible anymore to maintain a capital light business model leveraging on Fineco Italian infrastructure."
The closure of its UK business will be "gradual without any disservice to the clients and with no material impact on the numbers of the Bank," it added.
(Reporting By Gavin Jones, editing Federico Maccioni)


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On October 6, I wrote about President Obama's ridiculous attack on Bank of America for its plans to impose a $5.00 monthly debit-card fee, and I explained how competition is the best way to limit profits. Specifically, I said, "Bank of America may have made a mistake by introducing this fee. If so, its competitors will pounce. They will begin advertising debit card services with lower fees or no fees at all. Bank of America will notice that it is losing customers."
This is exactly what happened. Several competitors said they would not impose debit-card fees and some customers started switching banks. Here's the latest from Bloomberg: Bank of America Eliminates Plan for $5 Debit-Card Fee. It wasn't government regulation that convinced Bank of America to scrap the fee. It was competition.


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Contrary to reports in some sections of the media on Tuesday that Nigeria’s economy will finally be out of recession in 2020, the economy actually climbed out of recession in the second quarter of 2017, as indicated by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The reports referred to a speech given by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma at a retreat organized by the National Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) on Monday. It was learnt that correspondents of the newspapers in question got their story second-hand from a syndicate source in Ibadan. The Minister never said so.
At the retreat which none of the affected newspapers was represented, the Minister spoke of the state of the economy and steps taken towards recovery and eventual diversified inclusive growth. He was happy that efforts made so far are yielding fruits as evident in the economy climbing out of recession in the second quarter of 2017, earlier than anticipated.
He explained that even though initial permutations were that the country will be exiting recession by the third quarter of 2017, it was heartwarming that the Second Quarter NBS GDP Report indicated that the economy was already out of recession.
While saying that the news of exiting recession was encouraging, he pointed out that there is still a lot more work required to realise the full promise of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which is to have a rapidly growing economy with diversified sources of growth, increased opportunities and a socially inclusive economy that reduces poverty and creates jobs for young people entering the labour market annually.
“Our job is not done until we have realized Nigeria’s full potential as a major player in the world economy, he added.”
The reference to 2020 was made when the Minister was explaining the principles and objectives of the ERGP (2017 – 2020) and government’s commitment towards restoring growth from a negative trend in 2016 to 7% by 2020.
He therefore emphasized the need for Nigerians to partner with government through investments in human capital development, through job creation and also in production of quality goods to make them competitive, since one of the aims of the ERGP is to build a globally competitive economy.
He said government is targeting the achievement of 7% growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP0 by the end of the plan period which is the year 2020.


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Friday, September 2, 2016 - Today we are releasing the latest version of TraderLou.com! Trader Lou was initially launched back in June of 2008 providing great deals on quality gemstone jewelry. Today's version uses the latest in e-commerce technology to make shopping easier for you. You'll find the store easier to navigate and much faster.
Welcome to Trader Lou! Shop Today


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Michael Arrington seems to have a thing for startups and new ventures. In the earlier years of his career, he was a lawyer with several startups and venture fund clients. He also worked in an operational role at a Carlyle backed startup in London, and was COO to a Kleiner-backed company called Razorgator. After a successful career, Arrington went on to found Achex and TechCrunch.
Today, TechCrunch is a popular technology blog that shares news on startups and technology. Similar to Mashable, it covers topics from tech events and social media to business news.


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Get your purple and white outfits ready, round up some friends and don’t miss out on this year’s Pinotage and Biltong Festival at Perdeberg Cellar after a two-year absence.
The festival takes place on Saturday 23 April and Sunday 24 April from 11am-4pm.
Mellasat Vineyards is once again taking part together with various other wineries. Different styles of Pinotage will be available for tasting and for sale ranging from the traditional red variants to Rosé’, bubblies, dessert wines and our very own White Pinotage. Each winery will have one wine paired with a Biltong flavour.
Food trucks, music, a kiddie’s play area and other stalls and eats make it a day to remember out in the Winelands.
For more information on the festival contact Bjorn at CVO Marketing firstname.lastname@example.org or visit www.cvomarketing.co.za
Don’t miss out on this year’s festival – the Mellasat team is looking forward to seeing you there!


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Tesla upcoming electric semi truck, the Tesla Semi is apparently ready for production, with the exception of Tesla’s new in-house 4680 cells. According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the Tesla Semi won’t see any volume production until they have the enough new in-house battery cells to put in them.
Tesla unveiled its electric semi truck in 2017. The automaker presented the Tesla Semi claiming the class 8 trucks would have an 80,000-lb capacity, 300-mile and 500-mile range options, and would start at $150,000 and $180,000, respectively. About a year later we learned that Tesla was able to extend the trucks range during testing and was given an updated range closer to 600 miles.
Tesla was expected to begin “low-volume production” in late 2020, but after a tumultuous year that wreaked havoc on industries across the board, that timeline was pushed to 2021.
During a conference call following the release of Tesla’s Q4 2020 earnings, the automaker’s management touched on the Tesla Semi and the status of its production. CEO Elon Musk revealed that Tesla Semi is ready to go as far as prodtucion with the exception of one key component: 4680 battery cells.
Musk stated: “If we were to make the Semi like right now, which we could easily go into production with the Semi, but we would not have enough cells. We would have to supply cells ourselves for Semi when we are producing the 4680 in volume. But for example, Semi would use typically 5 times the number of cells that a car would use, but it would not sell for 5 times what a car would sell for. So it would not make sense for us to do the Semi right now, but it will absolutely make sense for us to do it as soon as we can address the cell production constraint.”
Tesla confirmed they plan to start low volume deliveries of the Tesla Semi this year, using 4680 battery cells from Tesla’s Fremont Factory in California.


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I know those are lyrics to a song and that “flour” should be “bananas.” But, the unthinkable has happened here, and Belize is in the midst of a flour shortage, which seems just as unlikely as a banana shortage, although it’s equally inexplicable, and a lot more inconvenient. Belizeans deprived of their white flour tortillas are not happy people. And the fact that it happened the week before Christmas meant that a lot of yellow and black cakes didn’t get made. I was lucky; I had purchased ten pounds of flour the week before, and still had a little from my last bag when we realized that all the stores were out of flour, so I was able to conserve so I had enough to make a day’s worth of Christmas cookies. Not everybody was so lucky, and lots of people are just doing without, and are less than thrilled. I use whole wheat flour or oats for bread anyway about half the time, and I’m now also using them for tortillas, but they just aren’t the same. Some of the women are cooking with ground white corn, and I think a lot more rice and potatoes are being eaten. It’s funny, because even in restaurants all the sandwiches have been taken off the menus because the restaurants can’t get bread or flour either.
We thought this was normal Christmas shortage but we have been told that a flour shortage has never occurred here in Belize except for when Hurricane Mitch went through and prevented the ships carrying the wheat from docking here. My theory is that the gods know that Tom’s mom, who recently found out she has celiac disease, is scheduled to enter Belize on Sunday, so they just rid the country of flour. Other theories are that the only flour mill in Belize is broken, and nobody knows when it will be fixed. Of course with the elections coming up sometime before March, political conspiracy theories abound, and the word is that the out party disabled the mill to discredit the in party, and to assure the people that if they’re elected, Belize will never suffer another flour shortage. Without our internet connection we’re pretty well cut off from the news, so I have no idea what the real story is or when we’re likely to have flour again. Tom was able to get enough flour for us and our neighbors at one of the Chinese stores in Santa Elena yesterday, but he said that he took half the store’s stock, and when what’s on the shelves is gone, they’re out again until they don’t know when.
I think everybody, including me, is keeping a little stash of white flour, just in case. My just in case happened the Sunday before Christmas, when Tom delivered cookies to our neighbors Damion and Olmi. The day he delivered them was Daisy’s ninth birthday, and when she saw the wrapped box of cookies, she was thrilled that I’d remembered her birthday. Of course I hadn’t remembered her birthday – I never remember anybody’s birthday, including mine, until at least a day or two after the fact – but Olmi told me this later that afternoon. I, of course, had to mix up a quick birthday cake for Daisy, just so she wouldn’t feel forgotten, and we sang Happy Birthday in Spanish and ate the cake while the whole family was over here watching Christmas specials on our neighbor Mark’s TV with our VCR and Tom’s collection of Christmas specials.


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Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL) has entered into a strategic partnership with Ceylon Beverage International, one of the largest beverage can and filling companies in Sri Lanka promoted by former cricketer Muthiah Muralitharan, to co-pack and manufacture its Campasoft drinks cans, executives aware of the developments said.
Ceylon Beverage International will co-pack cans for the Campasoft drinks portfolio in India. While the co-packing partnership has been formalised, it is close to formalising a deal to set up manufacturing units in India to make Campa’s soft drinks.
Reliance Consumer Products is also likely to get distribution rights for some of Ceylon Beverage International’s brands in India as part of partnership, the executives said.
The Ceylon Beverages’ plant is equipped with a capacity of filling 300 million beverage cans per year and has partnerships with international, national, and regional companies, according to information on the company website.
“While Reliance is currently importing the cans of Campa from Sri Lanka, Ceylon Beverage International plans to also set up manufacturing units in India for RCPL,” one of the executives said.
“Additionally, RCPL may also get distribution rights for some of Ceylon Beverages’ brands in India as part of the partnership,” he added.
Emails seeking comment from offices of Reliance Consumer Products and Ceylon Beverage International did not elicit a response till press time Sunday.
This is Campa’s first scale manufacturing partnership in India for cans.
Ceylon Beverages was established in 2020 as a beverage processing and filling company, supplying cans to beverage companies in Sri Lanka as well around the world, its website states. The companies it partners with include those making mineral water, energy drinks, soft drinks, hot fill juices and flavoured milk in cans, with hourly output more than 48,000 cans and 34,000 bottles, the website says.
Muralitharan, a world record breaking spin bowler, is now a coach and a biopic on the cricketer is set to be released soon.
RCPL, the FMCG arm of Reliance Retail Ventures, is rapidly scaling up reach with small and mid-sized distributors as it plans to ramp up Campa’s presence nationally, to escalate competition with Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.


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India country report shows risk
The latest country report on India by Atradius (www.atradius.co.uk) shows that despite economic growth forecast to continue in 2022, downside risks will impact on businesses around the world who are reliant upon goods from the region.
After a severe 7.0% contraction in 2020, India’s economy rebounded by 8.2% last year after a combination of factors including lower interest rates, higher government spending and an accelerated vaccination programme. As a result, economists at Atradius are forecasting India will have a healthy 8% increase in GDP by the end of 2022.
However, downside risks remain due to the spread of the Omicron variant, and despite Government efforts to complete the rollout by 2021, only 64% of India’s adult population was fully vaccinated by the end of 2021. Atradius warns that India’s continued economic growth will rely heavily on the success of the vaccine rollout to its remaining unvaccinated population.
Manufacturing disruptions in the region are continuing with the capacity utilization rate still 20 percentage points below optimal level. Credit risk is high in the textiles, paper and machinery/engineering sectors and Atradius warns that India’s business performance is below long-term trends. This is partly due to labour shortages and India’s strained relationship with China, impacting industries heavily dependent on imports such as consumer durables and machinery.
“India has made an incredible economic recovery since 2020 and the outlook across many sectors is promising. However, businesses must ensure they proceed with caution,” says Damien Dawson, Regional Manager, Atradius UK. “The increase in activity following the easing of restrictions is set to drive growth in domestic demand over the next year, leading to a rise in imports. This increase, alongside recent disruption to supply chains and an increase in input prices, presents an opportunity for exporters.”
Atradius’ performance report for electronics/ICT, construction, metals, and steel in India upgraded the credit risk from ‘poor’ to ‘fair’ in 2022. ICT added output is forecast to grow by more than 9% in 2022. The construction industry is also expected to grow in 2022, with annual growth of 8% forecast, and the food and beverages output is positive with predicted growth of more than 3% in 2022.
“Strategic planning and comprehensive trade credit insurance continue to be vital when entering new trade markets or maintaining good trade relations,” says Dawson. “At Atradius, our experts continually observe and evaluate global markets to provide accurate insights allowing us to support businesses to identify opportunities, warn of risks and ensure relations progress under a futureproof foundation.”
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Gridiron Tech is a weekly feature here at Succeed In Football that takes a look into how technology is influencing the football landscape. In this edition, we investigate how NFL teams are utilizing new fan engagement technologies to help enhance the ‘stadium experience’ and creating software aimed at attracting loyal fans.
Augmented Reality next for NFL: The Pokémon Go brand put augmented reality (AR) on the map last year, which prompted the NFL to ask itself, how do we incorporate the latest phenomenon into a user experience? Mobile developer Yinzcam and digital agency Float Hybrid may have the answer. They’ve created software that enables fans to ‘virtually’ paint their face with their favorite team’s colors or put on an NFL helmet and take a selfie, which can then be shared on social media instantly. The Broncos were the first team to offer this on their team app at the end of last year. This season, the Texans and Eagles have also partnered with the mobile developers, according to a statement. “We are hyper-focused on leveraging innovative technologies to create memorable moments that drive emotional connections with consumers,” Keith Bendes, Float Hybrid’s VP of marketing and strategic partnerships, said in the statement. The new AR software has drawn an official sponsor in Bud Light and has since caught the attention of other NFL teams. It would come as no surprise to see all 32 franchises with this offering by next season.
“Fan Cams” meet football: NFL teams are constantly exploring for additional ways to supplement the stadium experience and make it more interactive for the fans. In today’s “Look at me” culture created by social media, it’s crucial to keep fans entertained and involved. Boston-based company Brizi recognizes that, which is why it created robotic cameras capable of taking a fan’s picture on demand. With Brizi’s technology, a fan using a smartphone can control the robotic camera in the venue and have a picture taken that can be shared in near real-time. Thus far, the company has partnered with the NBA, U.S. Open and Australian Open. However, due to larger stadiums, Brizi is still trying to figure out the logistics of partnering with NFL teams. The solution seems to be using more than one camera. Brizi claims that 74% of fans who attend a sporting event snap a photo, and while several teams currently offer panoramic fan shots, they usually aren’t available until the next day. The ability to take a picture or video on demand and instantly upload it to social media is an enticing stadium enhancement but also a way to increase revenue. The camera also records user data of each fan that requests a photo, which can then be used later on to send them future offerings such as a game ticket or merchandise.
Intrigued by working in football? Check out InsideTheLeague.com to learn more about the benefits and risks of becoming a NFL agent or scout, plus the latest trends in NFL combine training, along with other football industry-related news. Signup for the free ITL newsletter here!


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Digital Magazine Awards 2013 Call for Entry Opens
Monday, July 15, 2013
Press release from the issuing company
Fourth Year of Awards Sponsored by App Studio Continues to Set the Standard for Recognizing Digital Publishing Innovation
DENVER, CO and LONDON – The Digital Magazine Awards is gearing up once again to recognize the world’s most innovative publishing, editorial, and advertising teams. The call for entries has officially opened and magazine publishers, individuals, and advertisers from the digital publishing industry are invited to submit nominations across a wide range of award categories.
From Digital Magazine of the Year and Magazine Ad of the Year to specific awards for Fashion, Entertainment, Lifestyle Magazine of the Year and more, the Digital Magazine Awards highlight those in the industry who are most successfully creating content for Web, smartphone and tablet devices.
Bruce Hudson, chairman of the Digital Magazine Awards, said, “The Digital Magazine Awards is as much about showcasing digital innovation as it is about celebrating the evolution of magazine publishing. The Awards have chronicled how – year on year – our industry has risen to the digital challenge. I cannot wait to see this year’s nominees, from the world’s most recognized brands to smaller, niche publications.”
To see a list of all of the winners from 2012, please visit: http://digitalmagazineawards.com/previouswinners/
The Digital Magazine Awards 2012 will be judged by a panel of industry experts including:
- Peter Bale, Vice President of Digital, CNN International
- Madhav Chinnappa, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Google News & Magazines
- Achin Bhowmik, Director, Intel Corporation
Shaun Barriball, vice president of mobile products for Quark and App Studio, said, “The Digital Magazine Awards have grown into the de facto awards program of its kind – hundreds of submissions were entered last year from marquee brands and individual innovators. There have been huge leaps forward in the digital publishing industry over the last year, such as the move to HTML5-based apps. Consumer preferences have also matured and, whereas static Web pages and PDF replicas on a single platform have worked in the past, readers now expect highly engaging, innovative apps accessed across a variety of devices. We look forward to seeing how publishers are responding to this opportunity.”
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Core Masters: Qian Jia Hu Spotlight
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Eurasian Economic Commission rules in favor of free-trade zone between Customs Union and Vietnam
MOSCOW - The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) has stated the expediency of a free-trade zone between the Customs Union and Vietnam.
"The conclusions presented by a joint research group show that the potential of trade and economic relations between the Customs Union and Vietnam will receive a significant boost if a free-trade zone is set up. It will take the long-standing fruitful and mutually profitable cooperation to a new level," the EEC said in a statement.
Now that the joint group ended its work, the sides may proceed to negotiating a free-trade agreement. Talks will are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2013 after the heads of state complete necessary formalities and issue the necessary negotiating mandates.
The EEC and Vietnam underscored the importance of such an agreement in line with the practices and norms of the World Trade Organization.
"Talks will be closely connected with the implementation of bilateral projects, work on which will begin parallel to the negotiating process," the EEC press service said.
The Kyiv Post is hosting comments to foster lively public debate through the Disqus system. Criticism is fine, but stick to the issues. Comments that include profanity or personal attacks will be removed from the site. The Kyiv Post will ban flagrant violators. If you think that a comment or commentator should be banned, please flag the offending material.comments powered by Disqus


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NCR Makes Crypto Push With Key Bitcoin ATM Deal
Bitcoin ATMs are all the rage. Just ask NCR Corp, which just revealed its plans to acquire bitcoin ATM software provider LibertyX. While the companies held the financial terms of the deal close to the vest, they did say that the combination was expected to be completed by year-end. NCR said it made the acquisition in response to customer demand for the following:
- Transacting in cryptocurrencies
- Cross-border payments
- Supporting crypto payments
We are thrilled to share that we have announced a definitive agreement to acquire @libertyx – that will accelerate our ability to offer the #digital payments and #cryptocurrency capabilities consumers want at banks, retailers and restaurants: https://t.co/x7Er0sW38n pic.twitter.com/bZma7NcqWl
— NCR Corporation (@NCRCorporation) August 2, 2021
LibertyX describes itself as a “network of bitcoin ATMs, cashiers and kiosks.” Its technology is used at 20,000 retailers and close to 10,000 ATMs. With the muscle of the NCR brand, LibertyX’s crypto solution will now be available at financial institutions, brick-and-mortar retail locations and restaurants.
In turn, consumers will have the ability to make crypto payments at more merchants. NCR’s payment infrastructure can be found at major retailers, including the likes of big-box retailer Walmart, though NCR did not say which companies would take advantage of the crypto features.
Typically when a merger is announced, the stock of the company doing the buying comes under pressure. That is what is happening to shares of Square today after its announced deal to buy Afterpay. In the case of NCR and LibertyX, however, the buyer’s shares are actually up by 1.5% in the trading session, which could be a sign of investors approving its expansion into the cryptocurrency arena.
In the cryptocurrency market, bitcoin’s price is under pressure, falling more than 3% in the last 24-hour period. The bitcoin price has dipped below the USD 40K level once again despite having spent the weekend above that psychologically important threshold.
The response on social media has been decidedly positive, including from NCR’s chief technology officer Tim Vanderham, who said he is “proud” to be “leading the team” that will bring “crypto and digital asset capabilities” to the masses.
Proud to be leading the team @NCRCorporation as we join forces with @libertyx to bring crypto and digital asset capabilities to our clients! Exciting times! #cryptocurrency #retailtechnology #bankingtechnology #innovation https://t.co/gdduRy3jza
— Tim Vanderham (@vanderham) August 2, 2021
NCR is no stranger to crypto. In June, NCR and NYDIG partnered in a deal that delivered bitcoin solutions to banks and credit unions, giving users the ability to trade crypto via mobile apps.
Despite the short-term pressure on the bitcoin price, the deal between NCR and LibertyX bodes well for the future of cryptocurrency adoption. Considering that NCR is a Fortune 500 company, the combination has the potential to thrust bitcoin more into the mainstream.


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Worldwide: Accor and SIXT have agreed a multi-year partnership which will enable Accor members to collect points when booking a rental car with SIXT.
Accor Live Limitless (ALL) is the hotel chain’s loyalty program, comprising around 68 million members.
As part of Accor’s Augmented Hospitality strategy, the group offers members access to travel experiences, wellbeing and sports activities, as well as dining, shopping and entertainment offers.
Now, as part of the collaboration with SIXT, members of ALL can collect reward points when booking a SIXT service.
SIXT has four core products: SIXT rent (vehicle and commercial vehicle renting), SIXT share (car sharing), SIXT ride (ride hailing) and SIXT+ (car subscriptions). Each can be booked through one app which can also integrated with partners.
The business has presence in 110 countries worldwide. Sixt SE is the parent company.
Regine Sixt, senior executive president, international marketing at Sixt SE, said: “I am delighted to be working with Accor. This strategic partnership is an alliance of two strong brands that will further increase each other’s significance. Two premium brands in the tourism sector are combining their strengths in order to achieve synergies and continue to grow. In the future, SIXT will be the preferred and reliable mobility partner for ALL members.”
Mehdi Hemici, SVP of business development and partnerships at Accor, said: “We are very pleased to be collaborating with SIXT. This partnership brings together two key players in tourism who are both continuously striving to elevate their loyalty programs and create synergies, with high added value for members.
“Our relationship with SIXT, an industry leader, will strengthen our lifestyle loyalty program ALL – Accor Live Limitless and further bring to life our Augmented Hospitality strategy, providing members globally with more unique benefits and enhancing the guest experience beyond our hotels. Mobility is increasingly becoming a key driver of the ALL strategy and this partnership will allow us to further develop and accelerate it,” Hemici added.
Accor’s portfolio consists of more than 5,200 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues worldwide.
Mobility made our A-Z list of what to look out for in travel and hospitality this year, compiled by the editorial team at IHM (publisher of Boutique Hotel News). Take a look at the full alphabet here.


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Oklahoma House passes bill to collect tax on Internet sales
Oklahomans who don't pay sales tax when buying something online could be in for a rude awakening under a bill that has passed the Oklahoma House.
The legislation attempts to require many online retailers to add that tax to the purchase price.
Under current law, online retailers who maintain business operations in the state already add the tax, but those without stores do not, leaving consumers on the honor system to pay it later.
House Bill 2531, passed Thursday, has a long section expanding the definition of companies that must add the tax, including those that use Oklahoma warehouse and sales operations run by others.
Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, said the expanded definition is sufficient to take in a large range of online retailers, including the Internet giant, Amazon. The company did not return a call for comment.
"This bill levels the playing field for Oklahoma businesses that employ Oklahomans," Caldwell said. "This removes the financial incentive for shoppers to buy outside of our state. It also will add money to our state to be invested in schools, roads, law enforcement and other services upon which we all depend. This is an investment in Oklahoma."
Oklahoma has an average combined state and local tax rate of about 9 percent.
State law now requires residents to keep track of their purchases from out-of-state retailers and pay a tax on their state return each year, but Caldwell said only 4 percent of taxpayers do so.
"This bill simply makes the collection of a tax that is already in statute more consistent," Caldwell said. "This is a tax all Oklahomans should be paying, but 96 percent are not. In a tight budget year, this legislation makes even more sense."
Caldwell said 18 states have passed legislation similar to his bill.
He said a 4-year-old study determined Oklahoma was missing out on about $300 million in sales tax revenue a year from consumers not paying tax on purchases from out-of-state companies.
The State Chamber supports the bill.
"Oklahoma's tax laws haven't kept up with technology and retailers all over the state have been unfairly affected as a result," said State Chamber Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Jonathan Buxton. "Government shouldn't have a built-in disincentive against shopping locally.”
Caldwell's measure passed the House, 51-39, and now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Rep. Scott Inman, D-Del City, said federal court precedent runs counter to Caldwell's assessment that the measure will force out-of-state retailers to change their practices.
He said these companies can continue not placing sales tax on items sold to Oklahomans unless federal legislation is passed.
"While I think it is time to find a solution that will help main street businesses in Oklahoma, the fact of the matter is that solution resides in Washington," Inman said.


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Novel phone app helps pregnant women keep their weight in check
A smartphone app for food coaching may help overweight and obese pregnant women control their weight gain and cholesterol intake, according to a recent Singapore study.
“Although our pilot results were not significant, it provided proof of concept for the feasibility of applying such technology in future [randomized controlled trials (RCTs)] with a larger sample size, an earlier intervention onset, and a longer follow-up for overweight and obese pregnant women,” the researchers said.
Thirty overweight and obese pregnant women were randomly assigned to receive standard pregnancy dietary recommendations either alone (mean age, 30.7±5 years) or with the smartphone-based coaching intervention (mean age, 29.3±4.4 years). Of the 12 accomplished evaluation forms, all but one noted that the app had somewhat or greatly improved their diets. [JMIR Form Res 2019;3:e13013]
After 4 weeks of follow-up, more participants in the intervention group met the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations for gestational weight gain per week than their counterparts in the control group (58 percent vs 53 percent). This trend continued until 8 weeks of follow-up (67 percent vs 36 percent).
Moreover, mothers assigned to receive the smartphone intervention tended to gain less weight than those in the control group after 4 (mean difference, –0.15 kg, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], –1.51 to 1.21) and 8 weeks (mean difference, –0.08 kg; 95 percent CI, –1.80 to 1.63) of follow-up. Neither difference was statistically significant.
Cholesterol intake was likewise nominally lower in the intervention group after 4 (mean difference, –64.87 mg, 95 percent CI, –146.04 to 16.31) and 8 weeks (mean difference, –31.73 mg; –102.91 to 39.45) of follow-up.
“In this small sample RCT, we used a smartphone app to guide overweight and obese pregnant women to eat healthier in order to obtain optimal weight gain,” the researchers said.
“Our findings showed feasibility and acceptability of such a food-coaching smartphone app,” they added, pointing out that 75 percent of their participants found the app easy enough to use, while 80 percent felt that the food coaching happened at a pace that was acceptably fast.
In the present study, all participants were enrolled from a clinic subsidized by a government hospital. The food-coaching smartphone app allowed them to upload photos of their food and receive real-time and detailed food advice and guidance from professional dietitians from 8 AM to 8 PM.
“Our food-coaching app is more flexible and interactive and has greater variety of communication modalities” as compared to the existing technology, the researchers said. “Given the high smartphone usage rate among Singaporeans and high prevalence of overweight and obesity among pregnant women in tertiary hospital settings, use of a mobile app to promote healthy dietary intake is feasible and likely a promising intervention strategy.”
“Although the effect estimates are in the desired direction and supported the proof of concept as the primary focus in this pilot RCT, we still need to further verify the utility of such a smartphone app in a larger targeted population with an earlier phase intervention during pregnancy and a longer follow-up,” they added.


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The future of virtual reality is relatively unknown. While gaming is leading the pack, there are dozens of potential applications in the development stages that will revolutionize tech as we know it. From immersive social media experiences to a grocery store you can peruse at home, virtual reality could completely transform the way you live your life. Unfortunately, one aspect of the online world will get even worse with the advent of this new technology: trolls.
As the bane of everyone’s newsfeed, trolls remain a problem that needs to be solved. And while they’re currently limited to your computer or smartphone, the immersive nature of virtual reality could make trolls significantly more annoying. Particularly because there will be so many more ways to interact with users.
“Like with real-world interaction, users in VR can feel social discomfort if those that they are interacting with are violating normal real-world personal space,” said a rep from Altspace VR. “This may include the proximity of one avatar to another, the placement of motion-captured hands, arms or legs close to the avatar’s face, or even a high speed approach and passing of one avatar through another.”
If the social media craze moves to virtual reality, these kinds of people will have relatively free reign on a new kind of trolling. If you thought ad hominem attacks and racial slurs were bad, wait until a troll can play the “I’m not touching you” game until you sign off. Rather than simply posting multiple paragraphs filled with complicated jargon and personal insults, political arguments will be punctuated with wild gesticulations and virtual shoves. It will be like the wild west of online interaction.
However, many believe that the problem with social media is that people aren’t forced to look someone in the eye when they’re insulting them. On the other hand, virtual reality will make trolls face their victims, potentially creating an empathetic barrier to their abusive ways. And while virtual reality avatars can hardly replicate the the emotional devastation that comes from being trolled, the sheer fact that a human is attached to the account in question has been proven to deter trolls from attacking at will.
While virtual reality is still far from global integration, trolls cannot be allowed to dictate the rules of this burgeoning technology. Whether it’s on social media or online gaming platforms, harassment has taken an ugly turn for the worse in recent years. And if the technology world hopes to expand with the enthusiasm it’s shown, they need to find a way to silence these digital bullies.