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Check Out Details About The Apple’s Secret Gym
Apple is known for its amazing line of smartphones, tablets and computers. However, what most people don’t really know is that, one of the reasons why their techs are so addicting and reliable is because they make sure that their products are indeed proven and tested. One of the best examples of that is how they actually test their Apple Watches.
Apple Watch is actually known today a the most popular wearable device, not just in the United States, but to the entire world. Apple just released the newest generation of iPhones this fall, and according to they will be releasing new Apple watches, which will apparently will be way better than the previous ones.
For the benefit of the doubt, Apple Watch is actually a line of smartwatches that is developed and designed by one of the biggest tech companies in the world, Apple Inc. Apple Watch basically offers fitness tracking and other health oriented capabilities and it can also be connected with your iPhone and other Apple devices. It was released in 2015 and quickly became the best-selling wearable device with 4.2 million smart watches sold that same year.
You may be wondering what exactly does this smartwatch has to do with Apple having a secret gym. Well, that specific gym that is located in California is not exactly a gym, it was more a fitness lab.
APPLE FITNESS LAB
According to Independent UK, Apple’s secret fitness lab is actually located just a couple of miles away from the newest Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California. This exercise lab is said to be off-limits to public and you must be invited in order for you to be able to visit. This is said to be the gym where Apple employees get to work out, not just to get fit and burn calories, but to actually do their job.
This fitness lab wasn’t just made to be just an ordinary gym, this was said to be built to test out the Apple watches that the company releases. Apple watches is such a great tool for people who loves to work out and stay active because it has a lot of features. Tech Review even mentioned that Apple is working on how the watch could actually be parked up with gym equipments wirelessly. The next generation of Apple watches may now also be give you tips on how to optimize your gym time, as well as tips on how you can breather better.
The secret Apple fitness lab was said to have already collected more biometric data compared to any other companies in the world, which is actually not surprising at all. “Over the past five years, we’ve logged 33,000 sessions with over 66,000 hours of data, involving more than 10,000 unique participants,” Jay Blahnik from Apple told Men’s Health.
HIGH-TECH GYM EQUIPMENT AND EXPERTS
It was mentioned earlier that this secret Apple facility is not just an ordinary gym, because it was more of a fitness lab. That is because Apple employees get to work out in it, while actually testing if the Apple watches are working like they should be. This fitness lab also doesn’t just have ordinary Apple employees working in it, but they also have physiologist, nurses and medics, to actually monitor everything. Since Apple have been making sure to revolutionize how people listen to their music, how people get to work as well as with their every day lives, they have been now also making sure to give you a better assistance on improving your health with the help of Apple Watch.
Its first features contain how you can actually count your calories that you’re burning, as well as how much distance you have actually travelled in a specific time. In an ordinary gym, you get to use specific equipments, but in the secret Apple fitness lab, they actually have more high-tech equipments and not all of them can be found in any other local gyms that you go to. One of the best things about it is that since it is actually a fitness lab, they get to test out literally everything. Especially with their three climate-controlled temperature chamber that can be set to everything from how cold it is in Antarctica, as well as how hot it may be in the middle of the dessert.
It is basically a real-life Zootopia, only it is not exactly a city, but a laboratory. “Our lab has collected more date on activity and exercise than any other human performance study in history.” Apple’s director of fitness and health for technologies, Jay Blahnik said.
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Samsung officially unveiled ISOCELL Bright HMX image sensor with record resolution in mid-August
Who is first?
Developers found in third betathe proprietary firmware One UI 2.0 mentions a 108-megapixel camera: the Samsung Camera application now supports a resolution of 12,000 × 9,000 pixels, which total makes 108,000,000 pixels or 108 megapixels.
There is no specific smartphone model in the code, but,most likely, the first smartphone with such a camera will be the flagship Samsung Galaxy S11. But the company can also “train” on the Galaxy A series: last year, the Galaxy A9 was the first smartphone with a camera for four modules.
Of course, a smartphone is unlikely to displayFull resolution photos: most likely, several pixels will be combined into one to reduce noise. For example, Mi Mix Alpha uses a 108 MP sensor to create 27 megapixel shots.</ p>

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According to MarketStats by ShowingTime, 30,133 units have sold in Northern Virginia in 2019, up about 1 percent compared to sales through September 2018.
One of the most notable changes from 2018 is days on market. Through September 2018, year-to-date average days on market for homes was 55 days. As of September 2019, average days on market this year is just 29 days—a 47 percent drop from the same period last year.
The average list price for sold homes in Northern Virginia so far this year is $550,222, compared to $536,441 at the same time in 2018.
One driver in these Northern Virginia numbers is real estate activity in Arlington, where Amazon is slated to hire thousands of employees over the next few years.
Though the number of units sold in Arlington this year is down about 7 percent from last year at this point, the average sold price for Arlington homes is up nearly 6.5 percent over the same period. Days on market in Arlington also has plummeted, with the average this year to date at just 30 days—down 54 percent from January through September 2018. On top of that, of the 2,172 units sold in Arlington this year, more than half have sold in 10 days or less—a trend reflected in the entire region, with 15,871 of 30,133 homes in Northern Virginia selling in 10 days or less.
Alexandria City’s average days on market has dropped nearly 60 percent compared to the same time last year—from 53 to just 22 days. Fairfax County has seen average days on market drop from 51 to 27 over the same period. And Falls Church City—though sales only number 155 so far this year (up 4 percent from last year at this time)—average days on market there has also dropped from 66 to 37 (a 44 percent drop).
What does that mean for homebuyers in the area? According to MarketStates, homes in Northern Virginia, on average, are selling for 98.7 percent of their original list price. That means sellers are landing pretty close to market value for their original list prices, and as such, buyers are quickly clamoring to get those contracts in.
For sellers it indicates that pricing property correctly can be a driving force behind an early and possibly competitive scenario.
© 2019 D.C. Region Real Estate


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Dapper Labs Mainstreams Community-Owned Media
Canadian NFT company Dapper Labs has launched a division that will build DAOs – or decentralised autonomous organisations – via its Flow blockchain. Marking what the company calls its “most important move yet”, it has acquired influencer platform Brud, the creators of Lil Miquela, to manifest this future of community-owned media.
Dapper Labs, which is behind hugely successful crypto projects such CryptoKitties and NBA Top Shot, has been a major player in bringing NFTs to new audiences. Its mission is now evolving to make DAOs mainstream – starting with the launch of Dapper Collectives.
Led by Brud CEO Trevor McFedries, Dapper Collectives will build community ownership into Dapper Lab products, including Lil Miquela and her 10 million fans. The division will also create open-source tools to help other communities transition to decentralised ownership and governance on the Flow blockchain, which recently announced it is now “fully open and controlled by the community”. Lastly, Dapper Collectives will partner with legacy internet companies and online platforms to help them decentralise their operations and implement tokenomics (crypto economics).
Following in the footsteps of NFTs, DAOs – also known as headless brands – are fast becoming a trending topic, and represent a sizeable opportunity for brands and online platforms. These are essentially member-owned communities governed by a smart contract on the blockchain, meaning all decisions are transparent and made collectively, rather than by a top-down entity.
Dapper Labs wants to streamline the creation and operation of DAOs for both individual creators and established companies, while fully embracing the future of Web 3.0. To understand how decentralisation is set to disrupt the relationship between creators, brands and consumers, and the apps and platforms where they meet, read our Pop Culture & Media Look Ahead 2022.


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Trending Tuesday: Zucchini
When it comes to making healthy choices, utilizing zucchini may not be at the top of your list. But now more than ever, people are appreciating the versatility of this member of the squash family and using it as a substitute for carbohydrates in many unique ways. According to Yahoo Web Trend Expert, Lauren Whitehouse, searches for zucchini recipes are up 1830% this month, and include things like zucchini noodles, zucchini lasagna, zucchini fries and baked zucchini chips. But Zucchini has a sweet side, too. Users are still looking for those classic chocolate zucchini cake and zucchini muffinrecipes to stick to a healthier diet, even through dessert. Try some of our top zucchini recipes and you may never look at it as just a side dish veggie again!


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Ida Claire's Jacksonville location will be first in state
Southern-style restaurant to open at old Mimi's Cafe in St. Johns Town Center
Ida Claire, South of Ordinary — the much-anticipated restaurant with a funny name and an Airstream trailer dining area — is bringing its first Florida restaurant to Jacksonville this fall.
Billed as "an intriguing, Southern-inspired destination for relaxing suppers, slow weekend brunching or a meeting hub for business lunches and happy hour," the restaurant offering a twist on Southern favorites is set to open in November at the former Mimi's Cafe in St. Johns Town Center.
Mimi's, one of the Town Center's original destination restaurants, closed earlier this year after a 14-year run. In 2005, it joined the Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano’s Little Italy, P.F. Chang’s, Ted’s Montana Grill and others. All except Ted's were the first and only locations of their respective chains in the Jacksonville area.
Texas-based Ida Claire bought the 7,500-square-foot restaurant for $2.7 million and is in the middle of a $1.8 million renovation of the space, according to a city building permit.
One of the unique features of the restaurant will be a 15-seat Airstream trailer for private dining or lounge seating on the outdoor patio.
But the real star promises to be Ida Claire's menu.
Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, Ida Claire is known for fine Southern fare as well as specialty cocktails.
“We love Jacksonville’s mix of diverse people as well as palates,” said Steve Shlemon, chief executive officer of Whiskey Cake Holdings, which includes Ida Claire. “Our laid-back style and fun twist on Southern favorites will be a nice addition to an already growing and vibrant restaurant scene."
And that includes weekend brunch, described by Shelmon as "a big part of the Ida Claire experience.”
The Jacksonville restaurant will feature the same menu as the original Ida Claire in Addison, Texas — including chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, the Five Napkin sloppy Joe sandwich and Nashville hot chicken.
Other favorites include pimento cheese dip with sweet potato chips; crawfish corn beignets; Nashville cauliflower, which is lightly smoked, fried crisp and served with house pickles and buttermilk dressing; wood grilled redfish; and a Low Country breakfast comprised of bone-in ham steak, eggs, biscuits and black pepper gravy, skillet potatoes and seasonal fruit.
The pending opening of the restaurant follows two years of explosive growth in the Town Center area, including the openings of more than 20 restaurants at neighboring The Strand at Town Center and Town Center Promenade, including Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, Chuy's, Firebird's, Fogo de Chao and other newcomers to the Jacksonville market.
Teresa Stepzinski: (904) 359-4075


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There is no evidence that CBD products reduce chronic pain, and taking them is a waste of money and potentially harmful to health, according to new research led by the University of Bath.
CBD (short for cannabidiol) is one of many chemicals found naturally in the cannabis plant. It’s a popular alternative treatment for pain and is readily available in shops and online in the form of oils, tinctures, vapes, topical creams, edibles (such as gummy bears) and soft drinks.
However, consumers would do well to steer clear of these products, according to the new study.
“CBD presents consumers with a big problem,” said Professor Chris Eccleston, who led the research from the Centre for Pain Research at Bath. “It’s touted as a cure for all pain but there’s a complete lack of quality evidence that it has any positive effects.”
He added: “It’s almost as if chronic pain patients don’t matter, and that we’re happy for people to trade on hope and despair.”
For their study, published this week in The Journal of Pain, the team – which included researchers from the Universities of Bath, Oxford and Alberta in Canada – examined research relevant to using CBD to treat pain and published in scientific journals up to late 2023.
- CBD products sold direct to consumers contain varying amounts of CBD, from none to much more than advertised.
- CBD products sold direct to consumers may contain chemicals other than CBD, some of which may be harmful and some illegal in some jurisdictions. Such chemicals include THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive component of the cannabis plant.
- Of the 16 randomised controlled trials that have explored the link between pain and pharmaceutical-grade CBD, 15 have shown no positive results, with CBD being no better than placebo at relieving pain.
- A meta-analysis (which combines data from multiple studies and plays a fundamental role in evidence-based healthcare) links CBD to increased rates of serious adverse events, including liver toxicity.
Medical vs non-medical CBD
In the UK, medical cannabis is the only CBD product that is subject to regulatory approval. It's occasionally prescribed for people with severe forms of epilepsy, adults with chemotherapy-related nausea and people with multiple sclerosis.
Non-medical CBD is freely available in the UK (as well as in the US and many European countries) so long as it contains negligible quantities of THC or none at all. However, CBD products sold on the retail market are not covered by trade standards, meaning there is no requirement for them to be consistent in content or quality.
Most CBD products bought online – including popular CBD oils – are known to contain very small amounts of CBD. Moreover, any given product may be illegal to possess or supply, as there’s a good chance it will contain forbidden quantities of THC.
An estimated 20% of the adult population lives with chronic pain, and sufferers are often desperate for help to alleviate their symptoms. It’s no surprise then that many people reach for CBD products, despite their high price tag and the lack of evidence of their effectiveness or safety.
Dr Andrew Moore, study co-author and former senior pain researcher in the Nuffield Division of Anaesthetics at the University of Oxford, said: “For too many people with chronic pain, there’s no medicine that manages their pain. Chronic pain can be awful, so people are very motivated to find pain relief by any means. This makes them vulnerable to the wild promises made about CBD.”
He added that healthcare regulators appear reluctant to act against the spurious claims made by some manufacturers of CBD products, possibly because they don’t want to interfere in a booming market (the global CBD product market was estimated at US$3 billion in 2021 or £2.4 billion and is anticipated to reach US$60 billion by 2030 or £48 billion) especially when the product on sale is widely regarded as harmless.
“What this means is that there are no consumer protections,” said Dr Moore. “And without a countervailing body to keep the CBD sellers in check, it’s unlikely that the false promises being made about the analgesic effects of CBD will slow down in the years ahead.”
The study’s authors are calling for chronic pain to be taken more seriously, with consumer protection becoming a priority.
“Untreated chronic pain is known to seriously damage quality of life, and many people live with pain every day and for the rest of their lives,” said Professor Eccleston. “Pain deserves investment in serious science to find serious solutions.”


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30 hour campaign, PvP multiplayer, and more.
The Phantom Dust was one of the cult classics of the original Xbox, and it was good to see Microsoft confirm that the property would be returning to the Xbox One with the similarly titled all new installment on the series. That said, apart from an enigmatic teaser, details on exactly just what The Phantom Dust on the Xbox One is have been scarce- is it a sequel? A reboot? Both? How will it play?
Well, now thanks to Ken Lobb’s recent interview on The Inner Circle podcast, we know a little more about the game, and what Microsoft is planning for it.
The game will reportedly feature a 30 hour JRPG campaign, to enable players to unlock all the cards that they need; he also confirmed that PvP will be viable for players about 6 hours into the campaign, when enough cards should have been unlocked that multiplayer becomes feasible. Additionally, the game will feature largely the same story and characters as the original game.
Lobb also confirmed that one of the glaring flaws of the original game, which was that players could play it for hours before even realizing what kind of game it was (an arena card game) will be rectified with this remake.
All of this sounds good to me, guys. Now just actually show us more of the game, please.


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The TV ad may be memorable for its absurdity. A cash-strapped wife looks on as her husband, dripping gold jewelry, suddenly drops dead at the kitchen table. Next, a slumbering granny yawns, exposing a row of glinting golden teeth – and a relative arrives with pliers.
The scenarios are morbid, but the ad’s message is clear: Misfortune has its opportunity. Make that moneymaking opportunity.
As the recession deepens and a strapped middle class looks for ways to restore a little girth to its pocketbooks, ads for a slew of firms offering top dollar for unused jewelry are blanketing the airwaves. They are a visible sign of a confluence of trends that is making the precious metal brokerage industry, increasingly, a profitable one.
The big reason? As investors look for security in troubled financial times, gold prices over the past year have been hovering near highs last seen two decades ago, closing Feb. 2 at $903 an ounce.
At the same time, costs for television ad time are dropping as more-traditional advertisers cut spending, creating an opening for aggressive advertising by gold-buying outfits. Industry leader Cash4Gold even broke into the elite Super Bowl advertising showcase, shelling out $3 million for a spot. Its ad on Sunday featured MC Hammer and Ed McMahon, both known for their financial woes, kissing good-bye their various metallic treasures, ranging from golden golf clubs to a gold toilet.
These companies operate as online pawnbrokers, encouraging people to mail in their gold in exchange for a check. Most companies promise to send a check within 24 hours and allow about 10 days for a consumer to change his or her mind.
“The entire economy is crumbling, and when that happens people below the line need cash,” says Stephen Schneider, head of marketing for Cash For Gold USA, which made the tongue-in-cheek ad with the gold-toothed grandma. The company has grown “a thousand percent” over last year, he says.
Other companies, too, are reporting golden balance sheets. Chad Sharpe, president of Broken Gold, says his firm is growing by 50 percent a year, and he expects a bigger boost after its television ad campaign kicks off next month. “We’re planning on 2009 being our best year,” Mr. Sharpe says.
Aiding Sharpe are television advertising prices that have plummeted in recent months.
“This couldn’t be happening unless there were wide amounts of time that the general advertisers, the big corporations, pulled out of, leaving gaping holes during programming that have to be filled by the TV stations,” says Mark Ratner, a senior vice president at Hawthorne Direct, a media buying firm for direct-response ads.
The TV ads are likely to be on the air for some time to come. Though gold prices are notoriously volatile, they are likely to stay high for the foreseeable future as the global economy remains in flux, says Jon Nadler, senior analyst at Kitco Bullion Dealers in Montreal, a leading investment firm.
“Investors look at gold as a safety valve. At a time when trust in banks is swooning every day, gold has no credit risk involved,” he says.
Just because refineries with pure gold can expect healthy prices from banks and commodities brokers doesn’t mean consumers selling scrap gold to intermediaries reap all of the benefits, says Carlos Sanchez, a precious-metals analyst at CPM Group, a commodities research firm in New York.
“Many of those companies are not paying full price for the jewelry,” he says. “It might seem like that to the customer who bought gold jewelry when gold was around $300 an ounce, but now that gold is around $900 an ounce they’re really not getting that much of a bargain.”
Exactly how much each company pays, and how scrupulous each is in assessing the value of customers’ jewelry, is a matter of intense debate within the industry. At least one television news investigation showed wildly divergent payoffs from different firms for identical pieces of jewelry, and the Better Business Bureau has recorded a number of complaints against a few prominent firms.
Consequently, some firms are moving to build consumer confidence in their services, looking to gain the competitive edge. Lippincott, parent company of major industry player GoldKit, launched a new brand in September called Red Swan, targeted at middle-class women. Though GoldKit and Red Swan use the same in-house price evaluators, Red Swan has burst onto the media scene with segments on local television stations and appearances on national programs like “The Rachael Ray Show.” It sponsors female-friendly “gold parties” and allows women to earn extra cash for referring friends.
Michael Gusky, CEO of GoldFellow and a longtime industry veteran, advises people wanting to sell their gold to investigate the legitimacy of the purchaser. That’s especially true if the items are valuable – as seems to be increasingly the case. In the past 90 days GoldFellow received about 20 Rolex watches, says Mr. Gusky.
“In the last two months we’ve seen an extraordinary amount of jewelry that typically is owned by the upper middle class,” he says. “We’re seeing a completely different kind of customer.”
Still, people should not have unrealistic expectations about the value of their jewelry. The average package sent to Gusky’s firm contains about 1 ounce of fine gold.
“After you melt Aunt Betsy’s ring,” he says, “that’s about all you’re going to get.”
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Apple has won a more stringent ban on Samsung's Galaxy 10.1 tablet in Germany. On Friday, a Düsseldorf court upheld its previous ban on the device, with Judge Johanna Brueckner-Hofmann ruling that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 looked too much like the iPad Community Design that Apple has registered with the European Union. Samsung has vowed to appeal the decision.
Apple first went after Samsung in April for "blatantly copying" the hardware and UI designs used in the iPhone and iPad for its Android devices. Samsung eventually fired back with lawsuits in Asia, Europe, and the US, but in August, Apple won an EU-wide ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 via the German lawsuit. The ban ended up being lifted for most of Europe due to jurisdiction concerns, but the Galaxy Tab 10.1 remained temporarily barred from being sold in Germany.
That brings us to today. In issuing her decision to uphold the ban on Samsung's iPad competitor, Judge Brueckner-Hofmann said that copying Apple isn't necessary in order to create a functional tablet, and that even the "informed customer" might get the impression that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 looks just like Apple's iPad. "The court is of the opinion that Apple’s minimalistic design isn’t the only technical solution to make a tablet computer, other designs are possible,” Brueckner-Hofmann said, according to Bloomberg.
The German decision doesn't bar the Galaxy Tab 10.1 from being sold in other parts of Europe, so why is this decision a big deal? Apple could potentially use the Germany case to bolster its arguments against Samsung in other European courts, or even in the US. A hearing for the US case is coming up in mid-October, and Apple will want to gather as much evidence as it can to bolster its position.
Samsung, for its part, is understandably disappointed with the German ruling. In a statement issued Friday, the company said the decision "restricts design innovation and progress in the industry" and that it "severely limits consumer choice in Germany."
reader comments238 with


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Shaheen Air Sets the Stage for Pakistan’s Leading Travel Trade Show
Lahore – 17 July, 2017: Shaheen Air International (SAI) and Landmark Communications called in travel agents from all over Punjab to announce an upcoming travel trade show titled Pakistan Travel Mart (PTM). The show aims to bring together the aviation and tourism industry of Pakistan on a single platform, and globalize Pakistan’s travel industry.
The chief guests for the event included Jahangir Khanzada, Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Punjab and Nayyer Iqbal, Secretary Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology & Tourism, Punjab amongst other influential officials.
Speaking at the event, Muhammad Wasiq, Executive Director – North, Shaheen Air International, said: “At Shaheen Air, we realize the potential in our aviation sector and acknowledge that a consensus and collaborative approach between government, industry and the public is necessary to prosper the tourism industry. Through our partnership with Pakistan Travel Mart, we are poised to galvanize our commercial ties and promote Pakistan’s tourism sector to not only the local populace, but also to foreign travelers who have recently started visiting the country in droves.”
At the event, Shaheen Air communicated how a strong air connectivity within the country is needed to help transform economic opportunities for millions of people and serve as a growth market to increase investment, improve service to travelers and create new jobs across the country.
PTM – sponsored by Shaheen Air, is an international travel and tourism expo to be held in Karachi Expo Center from 24-26 November, 2017. Leading airlines, travel agencies, hotels, tour operators, technology partners and online booking companies shall exhibit in this expo.


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Here’s a new year and well there are new rumors and reports. Reportedly Sony is planning to release a Windows Phone device in 2014 and we can’t help but remember all Windows Phone-Sony rumors which had floated around some time ago.
The aforementioned report comes from The Information which says that Sony will launch a Windows Phone device under its much popular Vaio branch of Windows devices and they will launch it as early as mid-2014.
Currently Sony only has smartphones featuring Google’s Android operating system and it will be a good boost for Microsoft’s Windows Phone if Sony brings some leverage to the growing OS. Right now Windows Phone is all about Nokia which has over 90 % share of the Windows Phone market and even though Nokia’s devices and services will soon be acquired, Microsoft has still shown interest in bringing more manufacturers on board for Windows Phone.
We also heard reports that Microsoft might be planning to lower its Windows Phone licensing fees and even making it free to get more OEMs on board and that might truly be the case as along with Sony, there are Indian makers like Micromax and Xolo which are planning to release devices with Windows Phone 8.1 this year.
Anyways we’ll tell you more as we get to know about any Sony device running Windows Phone. Till then Happy New Year and thank you for all the love and support to MobiGyaan. Keep reading.


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The NRA hit yet another roadblock this week when it was forced to cancel its Annual Meeting.
The announcement came just a week before tens of thousands of NRA members were set to descend on Houston, Texas, to attend the 150th-anniversary meeting. It came after concerns started to mount over the surge of Covid cases in the state. And it’s bad news for the group’s finances.
The Annual Meeting is the biggest fundraising event of the year for the NRA. It had to cancel last year’s event. Now this year’s is down the drain, too, after it had already booked the biggest convention center in Houston and planned the whole event.
So, the group is not only missing out on the membership and merchandise sales it would have had, but it will likely take a substantial hit for the last-minute cancelations.
That’s the kind of financial hit it can’t really afford either. Leaked financial documents show the NRA’s income cratered in 2020 while its legal expenses skyrocketed. After breaking ties with outside marketing firm Ackerman McQueen in 2019, the group has essentially moved the $40 million it was spending on them into the accounts of Brewer Attorneys.
The NRA has spent over $25 million in legal fees each year since 2018. It hit that $40 million mark in 2020. And It has already spent over $22 million this year, mostly on the failed bankruptcy gambit Brewer masterminded.
Only massive spending cuts in other areas including the gun-safety training division put the group back in the black in 2020. More may be coming to keep it there in 2021.
The cost is not the only problem with the cancelation. The way it happened is a bad sign too. It wasn’t until after big gun companies started dropping out of the event that the NRA finally canceled.
Late last week, the Daily Beast reported that most major gun makers were baking out of the event over Covid. Benelli confirmed that to me. The Beast report went a step further and said many companies had been privately pressuring the NRA to cancel the whole thing.
Sources inside the NRA and the industry told me this week that was true. And that it had been going on for several weeks. And many people in the industry eventually decided to walk.
That’s a bad sign for the group’s influence. The ongoing legal fight over accusations that NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre and other executives diverted members’ money to lavish personal expenses may have lowered the bar for when gun companies are willing to go against the group’s wishes. There has been some speculation that the backouts were more about opposition to LaPierre than concerns over Covid.
I don’t think that’s true. If it were, the companies wouldn’t have signed up to sponsor in the first place. Instead, the controversy and continued legal action against the group’s leadership made it easier for these companies to back out when they became concerned about the rise in Covid cases. Whether the NRA wanted them to or not.


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Ripple has reportedly become the first blockchain-focused member of the emerging global ISO 20022 Standards Body. Thus, the firm has joined the likes of payment processing entities such as Visa and Swift, and numerous international commercial and central banks.
Ripple Joins ISO 20022
The firm behind the third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap (XRP) announced recently becoming a part of the ISO 20022 Standards Body. Moreover, Ripple claims that it’s the “first member focused on Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT).”
ISO 20022 is an ISO standard for electronic data interchange between different financial institutions. In covers financial information transferred between organizations that include credit or debit card transactions, settlement data and securities trading, and other payment transactions.
Several well-known financial institutions are already utilizing ISO 20022. Those include the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA), Omgeo, Swift, and Visa.
According to a report from Swift, the standard has been adopted in over 70 countries to date. In the coming years, “it will be the de facto standard for high-value payment systems of all reserve currencies, supporting 80% of global volumes, and 87% of the value of transactions worldwide.”
The paper also added that this new common payment data model should improve compliance and efficiency in the financial sector.
Ripple’s Recent Growth
Although joining the ISO 20022 Standards Body is a serious development on its own for Ripple, the company has also been revealing compelling collaborations as of late.
For instance, at the start of 2020, Ripple announced a partnership with Thailand’s oldest bank – Siam Commercial Bank. Consequently, both organizations planned to launch an application dubbed SCB Easy for cross-border payments. Just a few weeks ago, the app running on Ripple was officially introduced, and it completed a transaction within 40 seconds.
The firm continued with establishing a robust presence in Thailand by collaborating with a local fintech company called DeeMoney. Thus, DeeMoney will use RippleNet to process more efficient and faster inbound payments into the country.
The European online remittance service company, Azimo, also partnered up with Ripple. Azimo will leverage Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) for remittance payments in the Philippines and plans to expand the services in other countries in the future, as well.
The post Ripple Becomes A Member Of The Global ISO 20022 Standards Body appeared first on CryptoPotato.


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JCDecaux launches Channel 6 network of 1,400 digital screens
JCDecaux has launched Channel 6, tying up a network of 1,400 retail and transport located digital screens in the UK.
JCDecaux: launches Channel 6 network of 1,400 digital screens
The network will be specifically targeted around major retail and transport hubs to target retail consumers and has the potential to reach 40 per cent of the UK population, according to the out-of-home specialist.
Spencer Berwin, managing director for sales at JCDecaux, said: "Our investment has provided a new digital channel with national reach. The time is now right to highlight our national screen based channel in the active space – Channel 6."
Last month JCDecaux unveiled SmartScreen, its new data-driven digital network of six-sheet screens, which launches across 400 Tesco stores nationwide today (7 April).
The network uses a scheduling system, called CAPTAIn and will use Dunnhumby insight to help brands schedule advertising messages to shoppers across the UK.
It automatically increases or reduces the frequency of display according to the data in order to show creatives at optimal times.
This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk
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Uniqlo sales dive in April as Covid-19 fears keep customers at home
Uniqlo’s Japanese operation continued to haemorrhage sales in April as same-store sales including online sales decreased by 56.5% year-on-year. Meanwhile total sales, also including online, fell by a slightly wider 57.7%.
With Uniqlo, it’s usually the weather that has a huge impact on its sales figures as the right or wrong weather in any month can boost or dent sales of its functional basics to a large degree.
But this time, it was mainly affected by temporary closures or the reduction in operating hours at more of its stores. And of course, general consumer caution played its part as many of its customers decided “to stay at home to combat Covid-19,” the company said.
So as well as falling sales, this also meant customer store visits dropped sharply.
During the month, a maximum of 299 stores operated but with shorter opening hours and 311 stores were temporarily closed. But it’s significant that those who did venture into its store or onto its website appeared to be buying more than the year-to-date average.
For March, the company had earlier said that its Japanese operation saw comparable sales falling 27.8% year-on-year, while total sales dropped an even bigger 28.1%.
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HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) – If you’re looking to shop local, but have a hard time knowing where to go, worry no more because there’s an app for that!
Locals Helping Locals is a new app that makes it easier for residents to support local businesses in the area. The concept came is the brainchild of Conrad Brinkman, who also serves as marketing director of Hunt Club Farm in Virginia Beach.
“In the last few months, a few of the local businesses came together to host a toy drive and a food drive and I just wanted that momentum to keep going,” said Brinkman.
On the app, users will be able to find each establishment based off categories, ranging from food to entertainment, even professional services. There will also be incentives for users who make a purchase.
“There’s an offer page which is my favorite part. All of the local businesses are going to give you a really awesome offer for just coming to their businesses and scanning the QR code,” said Brinkman.
There are currently more than a dozen participating small enterprises, but he hopes to see the numbers increase once the official launch takes place. He wants to ensure entrepreneurs get the shine they deserve.
“I love supporting small, locally owned businesses and this app puts them all in one place. It’s hard to go on Google Maps and type out local businesses because you really won’t find what you’re looking for,” Brinkman added.
‘Locals Helping Locals’ is free to download on Apple and Google Play.
If you’re a small business owner looking to join the organization, you can reach Conrad Brinkman via email at firstname.lastname@example.org. You can also follow the group on social media on Facebook and Instagram.


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Child labour claims cast cloud over Samsung
Despite a pledge by South Korean electronics giant, underage workers are still being used by its suppliers
The situation at the factory in Dongguan underscores some of the challenges multinational corporations face in sourcing goods from here. Wages and working conditions in China have steadily improved over the last decade.
But ensuring that supplier factories comply with guidelines set by global brands, as well as China’s labour laws, is difficult, even though larger factories are regularly audited by outside inspectors.
Many global brands have struggled with labour problems in their Chinese operations. In the last few years, Apple has come under scrutiny in China over labour and safety problems, notably a spate of worker suicides and unrest at facilities run by its biggest contract manufacturer, the Taiwanese company Foxconn.
Apple declined to comment for this article, but the company has said it has taken steps to address labour issues in its supply chain, including deeper audits on its partners and a programme that punishes suppliers that hire underage workers.
Now, Samsung is also the target of labour rights activists.
Labour rightsIn a report released last Thursday, China Labour Watch, which is based in New York, accused Samsung of allowing a supplier in Dongguan to hire underage workers, cheating those workers on pay, denying them overtime wages and failing to give them government-mandated labour contracts.
“After allegedly inspecting hundreds of Chinese suppliers, Samsung did not find one child worker,” China Labor Watch said in a statement released on Thursday. “Yet in just one Samsung supplier factory, CLW has uncovered several children employed without labour contracts, working 11 hours per day and only being paid for 10 of those hours.”
For the past decade, labour rights groups have tried to draw attention to labour abuse and health and safety violations in some of China’s biggest factories. They often send young activists to work undercover in the workshops, document conditions, secretly interview workers and examine their pay stubs and employment contracts.
In the Samsung case, a young activist at China Labour Watch was hired by the Dongguan factory and began collecting evidence and making friends with workers suspected of being underage.
According to the account by the labour rights group, the activist ate with the three young girls, and also with two young boys who were believed to be underage, and secretly recorded their conversations.
The activist also took photographs of conditions inside the Shinyang facility, which is owned and managed by a company in South Korea. The Dongguan factory now works exclusively for Samsung to produce plastic components for mobile phones.
A Shinyang spokeswoman, who gave her name as Fang, said in a telephone interview that Samsung audited the company on June 25th and that the auditors found no evidence of workers below age 18, let alone 16.


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Pandora just made it easier to pump ourselves up before heading to a big event.
The music streaming service announced Thursday that Uber will now integrate Pandora within the Uber app and allow Pandora users to select and curate their own playlists for their Uber ride, expanding on a feature already available to Uber drivers.
“Like Uber drivers, Uber riders across the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand are now able to personalize their journey with their favorite tunes,” Pandora wrote in a blog post. “Riders with a Pandora account can easily create stations, thumb songs, and discover new artists from the backseat of their Uber ride and listen via their driver’s car speakers.”
Drivers have been able to curate their own playlists through Pandora due to a previous partnership between Uber and Pandora. According to Pandora, hundreds of thousands of drivers have played more than 60 million songs (or more than 4 million hours of music) on Pandora.
Using the Pandora integration through Uber is fairly simple. When you are matched with a driver who is “music-connected,” you can sign up or log onto your Pandora account through the Uber app and choose a station. If your driver has a Pandora station on, you can see what they’re listening to as well.


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KUWAIT CITY -- For seven months the Kuwaiti dinars lay hidden with gold bracelets and rings in a hole beneath the tiles of his bathroom floor.
Now Abdul Hamed al-Atar was handing over the $8,500 in old currency to the Commercial Bank of Kuwait in return for the freshly printed bills of new Kuwaiti dinars.
"I'm going to go home to show this to my wife and family, and then I'm going to Saudi Arabia to buy some food and a generator," said the 50-year-old government worker as he stuffed the bills into a leather purse.
Banks in Kuwait City opened yesterday for the first time since the country's liberation and began distributing a new currency to replace the old Kuwaiti dinars.
It is an important step in restarting the country's stalled economy. For the first time in the nearly four weeks since liberation, cars flowed to the banks in the downtown commercial district and gave it a breath of life.
There are few stores open in which to spend the new currency. Most stores lack merchandise, employees, or power to light up the buildings.
But for Mr. Atar and others who lined up outside the banks before they opened at 10 a.m., the return of currency was a boost in morale.
"It feels comfortable to have money in my hand," he said as he examined the new orange, green and pink bills. "Nice color."
A return to normalcy is needed for Kuwaitis to heal the wounds of occupation. Mr. Atar learned two weeks ago that his 23-year-old son, a member of the Kuwaiti resistance, was killed by Iraqis.
"I'm proud of him," said Mr. Atar, tears rimming his eyes. "He was brave. He did something for his country."
Behind the glass partition at the Commercial Bank, teller Atef Hamdan, 31, was pleased to be passing out the currency.
"Banks are the backbone of the economy," he said. "When banks are open, there will be a kind of life to the community. People feel more secure, more comfortable, to have some money in their pocket."
The government intends to increase that pocket change. It has announced that all Kuwaiti citizens who remained in the country for the occupation will be given 500 dinars -- about $1,700 -- for the experience.
The bonus will be given only to Kuwaiti citizens, not non-Kuwaitis who live in the country and who also endured the hardships of occupation. Those interviewed yesterday were not apologetic about that discrimination.
"Why not? It's our country," said a man who would not give his name.
"We suffered a lot, so the government gives us a gift," said Ramadan Hashammari, 42. He said that the initial rumor was that the bonus would be a lot more but that "we understand the government has lost a lot of money in this time. So this is OK."
The currency in this oil-rich country remains strong. Each Kuwaiti dinar issued yesterday is initially valued at $3.47.
When the Iraqis took over Kuwait Aug. 2, they continued to operate the banks. They substituted Iraqi currency for Kuwaiti dinars on a one-to-one basis, even though the Iraqi dinar was worth less than a tenth as much.
Many banks smuggled their account records out of the country. Mohamad al-Yaha, general manager of the Commercial Bank, said the account tapes from the bank's central computer were smuggled out in the luggage of an Indian employee and then were transferred to Kuwaiti bank offices in London.
The account balances have been brought back. But most banks do not have their computers in operation. Yesterday they entered each transaction by hand on long ledger sheets. Some of the banks had no generators to provide electricity and conducted business by candlelight.
"We still don't have electricity," said May al-Mudhaf, an officer of the Commercial Bank. "We don't have water. We have no communication with our branches. I don't know how long we can continue to operate this way."
But still, she said, "I've been excited for the last week. We have been waiting seven months to come back to work."
The government decreed that everyone would be credited with the amounts they had in their bank accounts on the day before the invasion, forgiving any withdrawals made during the occupation.
And banks are not exchanging the Iraqi dinars that were put into circulation, to Nizar Kodmani's disappointment.
The Syrian clothing merchant is holding 140,000 Iraqi dinars, revenue from his seven clothing shops.
"Maybe I will take them to the market" and sell them to someone who would take them to Iraq, he said. "Maybe I will get 50 percent for them. Maybe I will get nothing."
But Mr. Kodmani said he was ready to reopen his clothing shops, accepting only new Kuwaiti dinars.
"I am ready to do business again," he said. "Life should become normal."


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ARTICLE BY Sebastian Bugeja-Drinkell
Release Details: Brain Dead x Reebok Classic LeatherRelease: 19 June 2020
If it looks like it’s come out of an experimental sneaker laboratory, Brain Dead have probably had a hand in creating it. Case in point: their latest endeavour with Reebok on the Classic Leather, which is reminiscent of something crafted by an insane sneaker scientist.
Earlier this year there were some pics from Brain Dead founder, Kyle Ng, but now we’ve got a better look. It has been dressed in a brown nappy suede upper, with oval black mesh and furry laces. Specialised branding has also been created, sitting on the tongue, lateral and heel.
Suss the insane marionette video they created for the upcoming release and, if you were looking to snag yourself a pair, hit Brain Dead’s webstore on June 19.


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358 total views, 1 views today
It’s a problem that’s long flummoxed media outlets, and also one that’s increasingly frustrating consumers: The inability to pay a small sum, such as 25 cents or $1, to read an article online.
Yet a breakthrough could be near, as big web platforms like Facebook and Kik are building technology that could mean a new revenue stream for news outlets and an alternative to consumers having to hand over their credit card information to read a single story.
Before explaining how Facebook could finally crack the problem of so-called “micropayments,” it’s worth noting this issue has been around almost as long as the web has. As Wired reported this year (ironically, the article is behind a metered paywall), the early world wide web anticipated such payments and even created an error code—similar to “404 Page Not Found”—called “402 Payment Required.” That 402 error code, however, is still “reserved for future use.”
According to Mathew Ingram, who has written about the media industry for more than a decade, the problem with micropayment technology in the early days was that it involved too many middle-men, making it unready for prime time. In an interview with Fortune, Ingram says that media companies dislike collaborating with each other, which means that no one could agree upon a common standard for consumers to pay across different sites, back in the day.
But things have changed in technology since then, most notably the arrival of blockchain has begun offering an easy way to spend and keep track of digital money. The most famous blockchain is Bitcoin but, for a bunch of reasons, it’s not the best candidate to solve the online payment problem.
Enter Facebook. The social network has been working on a not-so-secret plan, Project Libra, to build a blockchain of its own, which will come with its own currency—something that will likely be called Facebook Coin. The company is being coy on how exactly this will be distributed, but it’s a good bet every user could receive a small batch for free, and then be able to buy more coins or else earn them by doing tasks like watching ads (which, admittedly sounds like something out of a Black Mirror episode).
Facebook declined to comment for this article, but Kik, recently issued its own blockchain-based coins for its millions of users to spend. According to CEO Ted Livingston, the idea of using Kik’s currency for micropayments isn’t just technologically possible—it’s a matter or time.
As for media companies, there’s reason to be wary, given how Facebook has previously, repeatedly burned them by promising a source of revenue, and then taking it away. Nonetheless, the prospect of getting some money rather none when a casual reader encounters their paywall should be a powerful incentive to at least try it out.
Ingram, meanwhile, says he is unsure if easy blockchain payments for news will catch on, in part because there will likely always be a free version of any given news story, and because of a “psychological friction” that impedes people paying for content.
“Someone once told me that micropayments was an idea ‘that has a lot of potential — and always will,’ meaning of course that it will never actually happen,” he says. “I would love to be proven wrong though.”


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Jeremy Allaire, CEO of stablecoin giant Circle, spoke at Consensus 2023 on Wednesday about where companies like his fit into the current US dollar system and regulatory regime.
The executive believes a widespread loss of faith in US Banking is contributing to “de-dollarization”, and that digital dollar stablecoins will help it retain its global dominance.
A Safe Digital Dollar
During a panel titled “ A 10-Year Rollercoaster Toward a New Model of Money,” Allaire said that the collapseof Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in March was a mere reminder of why Circle and other crypto firms were founded 10 years ago.
“It was a reaction to the global financial crisis of 2008,” he said. “ I personally spent a huge amount of time trying to understand the nature of money, how the banking system [works], the international monetary system – and that was before I had any sort of knowledge of Bitcoin or any of this,” he said.
Bitcoin’s whitepaper was published in 2008 as numerous massive bank failures in the United States left taxpayers footing the bill for risky decisions investment banks made with customer money. The network was the first of its kind to allow for trustless peer-to-peer payments in a digital manner, from which many more cryptocurrencies have followed.
Allaire noted that the idea of “sound money” permeates the crypto space a great deal, and that Circle’s idea was to introduce that to the world of fiat currency — in digital form. “That would dramatically change both the underlying safety of money, and open up extraordinary new opportunities for how you can arrange economic activity and financial activity,” he said.


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Online accessibility for disabled, deaf and visually impaired users has come under the spotlight in recent months since the Disability Rights Commission began an investigation of 1,000 websites with a view to finding out how accessible they are and to developing guidelines for web developers.
Another survey of 1,000 government websites by the Office of the E-envoy revealed that three-quarters of the sites needed rebuilding at a cost of millions of pounds to make them accessible.
The RNIB, which relaunched its website in June using a content management system from software firm Stellent, said accessibility has to be a key area of discussion during the implementation phase.
“A lot of web designers still do not know a lot about accessibility, which is not something you can get with out-of-the-box software products,” said Margaret O’Donnell, website manager at the RNIB.
“We heavily customised the Stellent product as nobody has really done anything on this before. It is also important to keep the pressure up.”
Accessibility for all users, whether they are viewing in the usual manner or with a screen reader or magnifier, should not be looked at simply as a legal issue, however, as there is a sound business case for making sites as usable as possible, O’Donnell said.
“Content in clear language makes such as big difference,” he said. “Our web designers felt the old website was very accessible but when they sat down and listened to pages through a screen reader they said they could not believe what they were hearing.”


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the newYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
White House economic advisor Heather Bushey said President Biden is focusing on the green energy transition due to inflation on CNN’s “New Day” on Thursday.
During her appearance, Bushy discussed inflation and the economic struggles it created for Americans. She did not mention that Biden’s environmental and economic policies helped raise prices and fan the flames of inflation.
When asked, Bushy said: “Overall, what we’re seeing is this global trend towards higher prices, and you see many countries that have hit record levels like the United States, and again, it’s in large part at the moment due to this energy crisis. “. Written by CNN’s John Berman on price hikes.
Berman asked Bushy why inflation in the United States is worse than Canada, France, Italy, Japan, India, Mexico and China, but Bushy just emphasized that inflation affects countries all over the world.
“Finding out ways to contain the energy crisis and for countries like the US and Europe of course is taking concrete steps to wean ourselves off the global oil markets because that’s what makes all of these economies so vulnerable right now,” she continued. “That’s why the president continues to focus on his clean energy agenda that can help ensure that we see lower and less volatile prices in the future than we and other countries are seeing today.”
Biden in the past Inflation called opportunity To make a green shift in the economy.
During her appearance, Bushy also cited Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and the supply chain crisis as reasons for the inflation.
“Let’s be clear, the bulk of Price increases The last month was because of energy and food, and most of that was actually because of energy. So that’s really the result of, you know, the United States and countries everywhere coming out of a historic pandemic where we’ve seen these ongoing challenges with supply chains, the fragile supply chains that companies around the world have created that have made it difficult to move products onto the shelves in a time of recovery from pandemic “.
“I add on top of that this unprovoked war that Putin is waging in Ukraine and that’s why we’ve seen prices go up. So these gas prices — and again, as you pointed out, this is a global phenomenon. Again, the pandemic is global, and the supply chain challenges are global. And energy challenges are global as well.”
Biden travels to Saudi Arabia This week to demand the country to increase oil production. US inflation hit a 40-year high of 9.1% in June, it was announced on Wednesday.
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Hercules Fluid Power Group Plans Manufacturing-Distribution Complex In Tampa, Florida
June 16, 2015
An international distributor of hydraulic and pneumatic seals, seal kits and cylinders for all heavy equipment brands, Hercules Fluid Power Group will open a new manufacturing and distribution center in Hillsborough County, Florida. The company will create 50 new jobs for Tampa families with a $1 million capital investment.
Russ Brown, President of HFPG, said, “HFPG is a dynamic, growing group of companies. Our most recent need to support our continued business expansion led us to consider a number of locations for our new facility. HFPG has proudly selected Tampa. This move allows us to take advantage of Tampa’s strong talent pool and cost – effective environment to continue to build the company into the industry leading provider of Fluid Power seals for Mobile Heavy Equipment and industrial applications. HFPG would like to thank Enterprise Florida, The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation for their assistance and commitment to supporting local business development.”
The project was made possible through strong partnerships between Enterprise Florida, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Hillsborough County and the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation. The new manufacturing and distribution center in Tampa will occupy 35,000 square feet of leased space. HFPG is investing approximately $1 million in building improvements, new equipment and office furniture.
Governor Rick Scott said, “Florida continues to be a top destination for companies looking to expand or locate their manufacturing business. More than 865,000 new jobs have been created in Florida since December 2010 and Hercules Fluid Power Group’s decision to open a manufacturing and distribution center in Florida is more proof of our state’s positive business climate and outstanding infrastructure.”
“We’re very pleased to welcome HFPG to Hillsborough County,” said the Hon. Sandra Murman, Chair of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. “We’ve worked hard to develop our distribution, manufacturing and logistics sectors by offering competitive workforce support and business assistance packages that put companies locating here on a fast track for growth. This strategy is clearly working. We look forward to supporting HFPG’s success and thank them for bringing more jobs and investment to our community.”
Bill Johnson, Enterprise Florida President/CEO said, “Florida is a global economic hub so it’s no surprise when companies like HFPG choose Florida as home for their next manufacturing and distribution center. Florida wisely continues to invest in infrastructure making our state even more irresistible to companies who seek to increase their international footprint. I congratulate HFPG on their announcement and look forward to watching them continue to grow here in Florida.”
Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio said, “With the expansion of Hercules Fluid Power Group, Tampa’s economy continues its strong growth. Manufacturing is a critically important industry, and the Scott administration is committed to policies that foster its growth.”
“HFPG already has distribution centers in at least two other states that competed for this project,” said Dr. Ronald Vaughn, Chair of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and President of the University of Tampa. “But those states simply couldn’t beat what Hillsborough County offered in terms of quality and availability of the talent and an ideal location for expanding service to their customers in the southeastern U.S., Europe, and other international destinations. Hillsborough County’s reputation as a destination for distribution, logistics, and manufacturing operations is on the rise.”
Area Development Online News Desk


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Toyota has launched a special edition of the Etios Cross, the X Edition, with prices starting at Rs 6.8 lakh for the base petrol variant and going up to Rs 8.23 lakh for the diesel trim (all prices ex-showroom, Kolkata). The ex-showroom Mumbai price for the petrol variant is Rs 6.74 lakh.
The Cross X Edition is only available in a new quartz brown colour and comes with a few changes on the outside like black plastic cladding on the front grille, black bezels around the fog lamps, body-coloured side plastic cladding and ‘X Edition’ badges on the C-pillar. The special-edition crossover hatch also features new alloy wheels, black roof rails and door handles finished in chrome.
The cabin sports an all-black theme; the dashboard and door panels get a carbon-fibre finish, the seats have new fabric covers and there’s the new 6.8-inch infotainment system that doubles as a rear parking camera. In terms of safety equipment, the special edition gets dual-front airbags, ABS with EBD and Isofix child seat mounts.
The Etios Cross X Edition is powered by the same 80hp, 1.2-litre petrol and 68hp, 1.4-litre diesel engines that are mated to a five-speed manual transmission.
The standard Etios Cross rivals the likes of the Fiat Avventura, VW Cross Polo and Hyundai i20 Active.


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BlackBerry is working on a new smartphone with a high-resolution square display. In a blog post announcing the launch of the software developer kit for BlackBerry OS 10.3, BlackBerry’s Tim Neil points out that there’s support for a new screen resolution: 1440 x 1440 pixels.
The documentation for OS 10.3 refers to the upcoming smartphone simply as “a future device” or “next generation device.”
The only other detail Neil provides is that the pixel density for the device is 453 dots per inch, which suggests the upcoming BlackBerry device will have a 4.5 inch square screen.
That kind of rules out a tablet and suggests we’re looking at initial support for a new smartphone with a high-resolution screen and a physical keyboard, since most BlackBerry phones with square displays have QWERTY thumb keyboards below the screen.
BlackBerry is one of the few smartphone makers that still offers models with physical keyboards, and while BlackBerry has been losing market share to iOS and Android in recent years, there are still die-hard fans who don’t want to give up their keyboards. It sounds like the company is catering to those fans with at least one upcoming product… although BlackBerry also offers several touchscreen-only phones including the BlackBerry Z10 and Z30.
via PC World


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Sep 18, 2012 Part of our series on life at the intersection of religion and personal finance
Aug 10, 2012 The Church of Latter-Day Saints shares many of the same principals as other faiths -- such as help others -- but there is a particular emphasis on self-reliance, or 'provident living,' for Mormons.
Aug 2, 2012 Monks on the island of St. Honorat, near Cannes, France, run an upscale restaurant and grow wine so they can make money to give to the poor.
Aug 1, 2012 The Chick-fil-A president’s opposition to gay marriage raises the question: Is it good for business to be politically outspoken?
Feb 2, 2012 Some sermons praise Occupy for raising concern about those in need. Other pastors say Jesus did not endorse an economic or political view.
May 19, 2011 British researchers have found that the brains of Apple computer fans react to their preferred brand in the same way that deeply religious people...


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SK HYNIX announced on Tuesday that it has begun mass production of next-generation high-speed memory (HBM) chips used in artificial intelligence (AI) chipsets. Initial deliveries will go to Nvidia this month, according to sources. This new type of chip - called HBM3E - is a focal point of intense competition.
Last month, Micron Technology announced that it had begun mass production of these chips, while Samsung Electronics said it had developed the industry's first 12-stack HBM3E chips. However, SK HYNIX has led the HBM chip market by being the sole supplier of the current version - HBM3 - to Nvidia, which has 80 percent of the market for AI chips.
'The company expects a successful mass production of HBM3E and with our experience...as the industry's first supplier of HBM3, we expect to cement our leadership in the AI memory space,' said SK HYNIX. The new HBM3E chip offers a 10 percent improvement in heat dissipation and can process up to 1.18 terabytes of data per second.
According to analysts, SK HYNIX's HBM capacity is fully booked until 2024 due to the explosive demand for AI chipsets, driving the demand for high-end memory chips used in them.
"The shareholding of SK HYNIX has doubled over the past 12 months on their leading position in HBM chips," said Kim Un-ho, analyst at IBK Investment & Securities. Nvidia on Monday unveiled its latest flagship AI chip, the B200, which is said to be 30 times faster at certain tasks than its predecessor, in a bid to maintain its dominant position in the AI industry."


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Taste will have new offerings, old faves
CHAMPAIGN — The popular Taste of Champaign-Urbana at West Side Park is coming up quick. Its hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
As usual, C-U restaurants will set up shop on the festival grounds, offering tastes of their food. New this year, the 43rd annual Taste of C-U will have beer sales as well.
You will need tickets sold at Taste to buy food and drink and to cover the cost of some activities. Tickets are sold in sheets of four for $5 and may be bought using cash, credit or debit. Ticket sales end 30 minutes before the festival closes each day.
Besides beer sales, another new event this year at Taste is a Pie Run at 6 p.m. Saturday. The 3.14-mile run will start and end at West Side Park. Runners (or walkers) can enjoy pie and water breaks throughout the course.
At the end they can finish in one of two ways:
"'Flying Pie,' which means we throw pies at you and you have to dodge them. Or you can finish pie-free," said Chelsea Norton, marketing director for the Champaign Park District, which organizes Taste each year.
Registration for the Pie Run ended June 19, but if there are spots left Saturday, people may sign up then.
Taste of C-U also will feature free concerts, with Mhondoro, a local Zimbabwe-style pop group, and Outbound Drive, a classic-rock-with-a-country-kick band, on Friday evening.
Entertaining Saturday will be Jim Markum's New Vintage Band, Dave Rudolf's Beach Party, Brushfire, Hurricane Gumbo and Ryan Ideus & the Feudin' Hillbillies. Acts Sunday include BreakAway, singer-songwriter Jeff Arrigo, Bruiser and the Virtues and Heartless.
Besides food, drink and live entertainment, Taste of C-U will have the Taste Vendor Emporium, with artisans showcasing their pottery, paintings, photography, jewelry and crafts.
And activities are planned for the whole family, including inflatables and artist demonstrations. But some family members — pets, even on leash — are not allowed at Taste of C-U. So leave your furry friends at home.
You can ride your bicycle to Taste of C-U — but not onto the festival grounds. Bicyclists who park their two-wheelers in the bike corral in the southeast corner of the park will receive a coupon for a free Pepsi at the festival.
The proceeds from the event go toward reducing program fees for youths who cannot afford to participate in Champaign Park District programs.
For more information on district programs and Taste of C-U, go to http://www.champaignparkdistrict.com.


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Ke$ha: 3D Studded Glasses after Kimmel!
Ke$ha leaves the Jimmy Kimmel Live studio after making an appearance on the show on Monday (November 22) in Los Angeles.
The 23-year-old pop phenom, who is currently gracing the cover of Complex magazine, wore a pair of 3D studded glasses while meeting with her fans after the show.
Earlier in the day, K$ spent time with her family before getting ready for her talk show appearance.
Ke$ha‘s new album Cannibal is out in stores now!
FYI: K$ is wearing a handmade Breeze by KD “Eat the Worm” t-shirt!


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In the wake of Grand Theft Auto 6’s reveal trailer, the gaming community has been conflicted. Rockstar Games’ latest instalment introduced us to Lucia, the first female protagonist in a leading role, which sparked a range of reactions from fans. While some welcomed this change with open arms, others criticized it as a move towards political correctness, dubbing it going woke.
Ned Luke, stepped forward to address the detractors. Luke, known for his role as Michael in GTA 5, spoke positively about Lucia, played by our new protagonist. He commended her character’s portrayal in the trailer, highlighting her undeniable badassery. ‘GTA 6 is going to be the biggest game ever,’ he exclaimed.
Lucia’s introduction as a female protagonist breaks new ground for the franchise. While there have been playable women in previous GTA games, this marks the first time a female character will take centre stage in the 3D era. Luke’s words help show that this change is a positive evolution for the series.
Lucia’s introduction is not the only element of controversy in the GTA 6 reveal trailer. The trailer also showcased Vice City, a Miami-inspired location, in all its current-gen glory. Some viewers expressed their disappointment by focusing on the presence of Black and Hispanic characters in the trailer. This sparked comments like ‘Not a single white person in this trailer. Big surprise,’ and even mentions of ‘white replacement theory.’ These comments have fuelled the ongoing debate about GTA going woke.
Luke reminded fans that GTA has featured playable women before, even though they were not voiced or fully developed characters. It’s essential to remember that this evolution represents a positive step toward inclusivity in the gaming world.
In a separate interview with IGN, Luke expressed his excitement about Lucia’s character and the potential parallels between her story and that of the GTA 5 cast. He noted the similarities in opening lines between Lucia’s trailer and his own game, hinting at possible connections in their narratives. Luke also dispelled concerns about the other protagonist, Jason, dismissing claims that he appeared soft.
The anticipation surrounding Grand Theft Auto 6 is undeniable, with Lucia’s introduction and the controversies it sparked serving as significant talking points. As we eagerly await the game’s release, it’s essential to remember the core elements that make the GTA series so iconic.
What do you think? Is Grand Theft Auto going woke? Answers in the comments.


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It’s probably not practical to entrust small children with a smartphone that can easily be lost or broken. That’s why FilLIP Technologies, Inc., has created a colorful wrist-worn device that can be used to call, text or locate children. Using the FiLIP app, parents can preprogram five phone numbers into what is basically a wearable GSM cell phone. FiLIP also includes GPS, GSM cell tower location and wi-fi hotspot triangulation capabilities to keep tabs on the watch’s location whether it’s indoors or outside. Parents can track their child’s movement via an app on their own smartphone, assuming, of course, that the child doesn’t take off the watch. FiLIP has been available only since November, so it probably won’t gain traction until the coming year.
Price: $200 (plus $10 per month for AT&T’s mobile services)


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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- For the last four decades, Tate Nation has dazzled the Lowcountry with his whimsical artwork; many pieces inspired by Charleston’s most beloved spots.
You may even recognize Nation’s distinct style and bright pops of color from the Holy City’s Piccolo Spoleto Festival, annual Cooper River Bridge Run or the wildly popular book ‘Yo, Millard Fillmore!’
With COVID-19 wiping out any possibility for in-person shows and festivals, many artists are having to think outside the box with their work. Luckily for Nation, quarantine created an interesting opportunity for his business.
Nearly a decade ago, he decided to have a few of his favorite original paintings printed onto 550-piece puzzles.
“I may sell a dozen or two dozen in a month; and sometimes not even that. When COVID-19 hit, and everyone was stuck at home during quarantine, everyone decided that puzzles were the thing they wanted to do,” says Nation.
Before he knew it, hundreds of puzzle orders began flying in. In just a few months, Nation sold over 1500 of his puzzles. That said, an even bigger surprise was the response from his customers.
“People have sent me thank you letters saying ‘we’ve been so cooped up at home, you know, this was the best quality family time that we’ve had in a long time working on these puzzles.’ So, that really made me feel good,” he says.
Grateful for the support, Nation has already began working on 2 new puzzles. One of the prints will be “This Way to the Beach,” which is currently featured at City Gallery at Waterfront Park.
To learn more about Tate Nation, his artwork and where to order a puzzle, click here.


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Due to new cybersecurity requirements for government contractors, smaller entities have expressed concern over their ability to compete for government business. The argument is that the government is overlooking potential cybersecurity solutions in the tech startup community. During a recent House Small Business Committee Hearing: Foreign Cyber Threats: Small Business, Big Target, lawmakers explained that the Small Business Administration needs to assist small businesses in “overcoming regulatory hurdles created by new cyber rules” and that small businesses can “better supply the government with innovative technology without getting bogged down by regulation,” according to a recent Inside Cybersecurity article.
In May, the General Services Administration and the Pentagon issued new regulations for government contractors that store or send unclassified sensitive government data. However, opponents of the measure argue that because of these new rules, small businesses are unable to enter the contractor marketplace, causing the government to miss out on innovative cybersecurity opportunities. Members of the committee disagree, claiming that if a business is not able to comply, they cannot be eligible to compete for business. It is clear that small businesses often lack the resources and expertise to prepare for and respond to cyberattacks. However, the question remains: are these cyber regulations hindering the government from better cybersecurity solutions or should organizations of all sizes be held to the same cybersecurity standards and regulations?


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Given its proximity to China, Hong Kong is constantly rebranding and repositioning its offering in the region. One of the more interesting platforms facilitating this rebrand is Fashion Asia Hong Kong, now in its third edition. This years installment kicks off a whopping eight-day event on December 4th with a week-long exhibition celebrating ten of Asia’s most promising emerging designers. According to Edwin Keh, chief executive of the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA): “Fashion Asia is only in its third year, but it’s gone from zero to scale very quickly. I think it is about changing people’s paradigms of the city,” Keh says.
This year, a panel of industry leaders – including Justine Chao, head of fashion and luxury for Alibaba Group in North America, and Joanna Gunn, chief brand officer of Lane Crawford – selected designers to celebrate innovation and craftsmanship, spotlighting Asian talents on an international scale. The line-up includes Feng Chen Wang, alongside other Chinese designers like New York-based womenswear brand, Snow Xue Gao, Milan-based label Pronounce, established in 2016 by Yushan Li and Jun Zhou in, and 8ON8, founded in 2017 by Li Gong. To further support new talents in the wider Asia region, it also features Angus Chiang from Taiwan, Moto Guo from Malaysia, Japanese designers Akikoaoki and Chika Kisada, Hong Kong-based Ffixxed Studios, and whimsical knitwear label, Cynthia and Xiao.
As well as this curated display, Fashion Asia will also feature Fashion Challenges Forum, a two-day symposium on December 5 and 6. It will bring together key global players to spark discussions on pressing industry issues in the region. Over 30 international power players are set to speak at the forum on topics including the role of technology and evolving consumers expectations. Xia Ding, president of JD International Fashion, will weigh in on Artificial Intelligence and big data, and examine retailers reimagining the shopping experience online. Alexis Bonhomme, vice president of Farfetch’s Chinese branch, will look at how designers and e-commerce platforms should adapt to changing consumer behaviours while maintaining a creative edge.
“Fashion Asia has grown into a centralised place to discuss the industry and address structural demands of global markets, particularly for rapidly evolving mega-economies like China and India,” explains Keh. As one of this year’s speakers, Keh will discuss the city’s relevance in the global fashion ecosystem, upcoming developments and the sustainable solutions that hope to transform the city’s art, culture and fashion landscape. “I think events like this are repositioning the city’s relevance, placing more focus on innovative designers, products and the consumer-facing side of the business.”


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A more than 60-year-old company specializing in windows, siding, sunrooms, roofing and doors is looking to expand its staffing in the near future.
Champion intends to hire around 50 employees in the next 60 days at its corporate headquarters and manufacturing campus at 12121 Champion Way in Sharonville, according to Ann Steward, senior human resources generalist.
Founded in 1953 as a small manufacturer of aluminum storm windows, storm doors, awnings and screen rooms, Champion became an industry pioneer in vinyl replacement windows in 1975. It moved into its new 502,000-square-foot corporate headquarters and manufacturing campus in 2000.
OTHER: Job cuts slow nationally, speed up in Ohio
We asked Steward five questions about the company’s growth and the challenges it faces. Here’s what she had to say.
Q: What are some of the major challenges Champion and others in the manufacturing industry are facing?
A: “The low unemployment rate is making finding candidates a challenge. There are so many companies competing for the same talent. It’s also a challenge finding team members that are looking to grow with the company and create a career in manufacturing.”
Q: In what ways are you uniquely positioned to help the industry address those challenges?
A: “We do cross-training for team members to learn new skills and have a multitude of incentive and bonus programs to reward the work. We also offer weekly pay, and our team members help manufacture a quality, Made-in-America product.”
OTHER: Little job growth, but jobless rate lowest in 16 years
Q: Why is this round of job growth such a crucial component for company growth?
A: “Champion is experiencing significant growth. The new jobs are crucial to meet the consumer demand of our products. The positions are incremental to what we currently have filled.”
Q: What’s the most prevalent roadblock the company encounters when it comes to hiring and what can jobseekers do to remedy that situation?
A: “Attendance and being punctual. Jobseekers can remedy by coming to the interview on time, and being punctual when coming to work. Jobseekers should communicate when it comes to attendance in the interview and on-boarding process.”
Q: What is the company’s vision of growth for the near future and for the long-term?
A: “Champion Home Exteriors has been in business for over 60 years and continues to grow. We look forward to expanding our locations across the country. We want to enhance the comfort, beauty, and energy efficiency to millions of homes.”
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COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) - If you're looking to get a new car or truck, and not spend a lot of money, we've got the place for you to go. This weekend the city of Columbus is holding a public auction to lighten their load and give you some great deals.
With a flick of the wrist any of these items could be yours... And it's all because the city of Columbus simply doesn't need them anymore.
The Deputy Director of Public Services Fleet Division, Harvey Milner explained, "Every so often the city will go out and purchase new equipment and as they purchase new equipment, the old equipment becomes surplus."
And once it's surplus, it can be offered to bidders for a great price.
"People are seeking a bargain. The economy is still rough and tough and if people need a second vehicle, this is the place to find it," said Owner of Wayne Evans Auction Company, Wayne Evans.
The money from the auction will go into the city's general fund and will help various departments buy new equipment.
Milner told News Leader Nine, "There are several ways to determine when a vehicle is ready to go up for auction: mileage, mechanical problems. Primarily when we feel the vehicle has reached its livelihood for the city, we will take the vehicle and auction it off."
Evans added, "There's a lot of good life still in the vehicles because of the maintenance the city has performed on them."
But if you aren't in need of a new car, Milner says the city has plenty more to offer, "We have computers, printers, lawn mowers, weed eaters, refrigerators, gym equipment."


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Manuj Khurana, who quit his post as Tesla’s local head of policy and business development in June, will start next week at the firm based in the southern technology hub of Bangalore, a person with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg News. Khurana will join as a vice president, though his specific role there is unclear, the person said, declining to be named as the matter is not public.
Ather, which competes with local rivals including Ola Electric, this year raised $128 million from investors including Hero MotoCorp Ltd. and India’s National Investment & Infrastructure Fund. It’s one of several players vying for a slice of a market expected to surpass $150 billion by the end of the decade -- roughly 400 times its current size.
Representatives for the startup didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Indian consumers are expected to gravitate toward electric vehicles as the nation combats some of the world’s worst pollution. Venture capital and private equity funding in Indian electric mobility firms is on track to exceed $1 billion for the first time in 2022 as sales rise steadily, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
Khurana had joined Tesla in March 2021. The US electric automaker, run by billionaire Elon Musk, has faced a raft of challenges in India over import taxes and a local factory. It’s sought lower levies in India so it can test the market by selling cheaper imported electric vehicles before committing to a manufacturing base of its own.
--With assistance from Ragini Saxena.
- Front Page
- Pure Politics
- ET Markets
- Fed Hikes Rates by 25bps, Signals One More on Cards
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, but indicated it was on the verge of pausing further increases in borrowing costs amid recent turmoil in financial markets spurred by the collapse of two US banks.FM Calls State-owned Lenders’ Meet Amid Global Banking Crisis
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called a special meeting of state-run lenders later this week to seek their views on heightened global concerns over the banking system’s vulnerability due to monetary tightening.With Great Ecommerce Comes Great Responsibility for Online Platforms
The consumer affairs ministry is working on tightening ecommerce rules to make online retail platforms liable for fraud committed by sellers and attaching “fallback liability” to their role as intermediaries, said a senior official.
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Hitachi is coming out with a multilingual DVD drive.
The electronics maker announced on Monday that it has developed a drive that can read and write several formats for recordable and rewritable DVD discs, as well as for recordable and rewritable CDs.
The GMA-4020B drive will support DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM formats and will begin shipping in January of next year. Pricing will be determined by retailers, according to a company release from Tokyo.
Hitachi representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Hitachi drive comes at a time when the competitive landscape is prime for a breakthrough product. With most of the DVD rewritable formats supported by the drive, Hitachi is in a good position to trump rivals with an all-in-one drive while at the same time pushing aside an emerging format, DVD+RW, which has had some trouble getting off the ground.
With the drive, consumers will be able to record video onto a disc and play it on a typical home DVD player. With the recordable and rewritable discs, consumers will be able to erase and record again on the same disc.
The Hitachi drive will help to ease the standards free-for-all in the market for DVD drives, where competing formats and incompatibilities have slowed what industry insiders had anticipated would be an explosive market.
"We're at the beginning of critical mass, but the stumbling block is competing standards," said NPD Intelect analyst Stephen Baker. "They can confuse people and kill a market...Having one box supporting all the standards gives consumers a peace of mind that what they are buying will not soon be obsolete."
Gartner analyst Mary Craig recently lowered her projection for 2001 shipments of DVD recordable and rewritable drives from 900,000 units to 540,000 units. Craig said that she adjusted her expectations because prices had not come down as quickly as she had anticipated and because she had expected that drives supporting yet another format, DVD+RW, would be out in volume by now.
But Craig added that she expected shipments to be higher next year, as pricing comes down and companies improve their marketing efforts.
PC makers and consumer-electronics makers are hoping for the same success that recordable and rewritable CD drives had when they were introduced a few years ago. Rewritable DVD drives could do the same this year, some industry watchers believe, as well as spur demand for PCs. DVDs can hold 4.7GB of data, seven times as much as recordable CDs.
Hewlett Packard began shipping the first DVD+RW drive, priced at $599, in September. The DVD+RW media, which HP is also selling, costs $15.99 per disc. Both the media and the drive were the low-water marks for the industry.
HP plans to incorporate the drives into its PCs later this year.
The DVD+RW format has significant support from the likes of Dell Computer -- which announced it would begin shipping PCs with the DVD+RW drives this year -- as well as Sony and Philips Electronics.
Hitachi expects to ship 100,000 units per month of the new drive. Craig was somewhat skeptical of that figure but said the Hitachi drive should help resolve some of the confusion among consumers.
"This drive offers as much functionality as a consumer will need for the time being, but the real sticking point will be the price," Craig said.
Competing drives are now in the $600 range, and Craig said that a good starting point for Hitachi's drive would be around $500.
Hewlett Packard DVD+RW product manager Christine Roby agreed cost was a critical factor. "Supporting multiple standards just builds cost into a product that the consumer must make up for," she said.
Roby added that Hitachi's drive is more of a short-term solution that doesn't help the industry in the long run. The goal is to help the industry pick a single standard, which eliminates additional cost and consumer confusion, Roby said.
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In a special meeting, City Council discussed a proposed repeal of the hotel tax deferral it created two years ago. It also received presentations on tax revenue projections and on the proposed budget, which is now online.
The three hotels in Galt have been allowed to defer payments of the transient occupancy tax (TOT) since a Council ordinance in May 2020. If the city were to end its state of emergency or repeal the deferral, the hotels would have until the end of the next quarter to pay.
Vice Mayor Paul Sandhu, owner of the Best Western hotel in Galt, recused himself from the discussion.
According to City Manager Lorenzo Hines Jr., two of the hotels have chosen to defer payments amounting to about $280,000 to $300,000, while the third has continued to pay.
Should Council approve the repeal, staff recommended setting the effective date for July 1, the start of the third quarter. This would give hotels through December, the end of the fourth quarter, to pay the deferred taxes.
An additional staff recommendation was to consider the tax deferral and the local emergency separately so that Sandhu could participate in discussion on the latter.
Hines said that, based on occupancy numbers, staff had not noted any “hardship” at the hotels.
Lozano asked whether staff had contacted the hotel owners about their ability to pay. Economic Development Manager Amie Mendes said they had not been contacted, but “they are aware that the deferral has the potential of going away.”
Mendes added that one of them had “shared some concern” over the payment timing. She said she could talk with interim City Attorney Frank Splendorio about possible “flexibility.”
Lozano suggested informing the owners of the deliberations and inviting them to speak at a Council meeting.
Mayor Shawn Farmer said the hotels may have been using the money from deferred payments to cover pandemic impacts, so “even though occupancy’s good right now and they’re back on their feet, (it) doesn’t mean that they necessarily have all that money.”
The matter was set to come before Council again on June 7 for more discussion.
Staff held a study session on the draft 2022-24 budget, announcing that the budget book is now available online. It can be accessed at bit.ly/GaltBudget (case sensitive).
“It’s a much more advanced process than our previous manually filed book,” Finance Director Matthew Boring said, “and we’re excited because we’ll be able to update it with future budget cycles instead of having one book we create every two years and then it sits there on a shelf.”
For fiscal year 2022-23, the city projects about $62.5 million in revenue and $54.5 million in expenses. For fiscal year 2023-24, it projects roughly $60.9 million in revenue and $57 million in expenditures.
Representatives of the firm that provides the city with long-term sales and property tax projections gave presentations on their methodology.
Wayne Padilla, a principal with HdL Companies, emphasized his and his colleagues’ previous experience as city finance directors.
Addressing sales tax, Padilla said that the biggest sources of Galt’s sales tax income are general consumer goods, gas stations, and county and state tax pools — each 18% of revenue. Business and industry make up 16%, and restaurants and hotels account for 12%.
Padilla noted that, unlike the Great Recession, which seriously reduced the city’s sales tax income, the pandemic has resulted in increases.
Nichole Cone, vice president of HdL affiliate HdL Coren & Cone, spoke about property tax. She said it can take as long as two years for a taxable change in a property to filter through the assessment process and affect the city’s property tax income.
Proposition 13 has made property tax more predictable, Cone said, by limiting it to 1% of a property’s value, and mandating that a property’s assessed value can grow by 2% or measured inflation, whichever is lower, each year. The exceptions to the inflation increases are new improvements and transfers of ownership.