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Perla: LegalTech Startups Can't Fix BigLaw's Cyber-Security Problems
Competitor or Collaborator? What UpCounsel's Growth Means for BigLaw
Polsinelli Podcasts - Hedge Funds Now Using IPR Challenges
MacEwen on BigLaw's 'Hollow Middle', Shaky Vereins & Dentons in China
Special Report: The Hot-ish Swag at LegalTech New York 2015
Is the Patent Litigation Boom Coming to an End?
What is Bitcoin 2.0?
Will 2015 Bring New Regulations for Bitcoin Users?
Waldman: Stop Immunizing Websites That Allow Harassment
A Moment of Simple Justice - Snitching Ain't Easy
Data Privacy: The Next Frontier of Corporate Compliance
What are the Implications of Alice v. CLS?
After SoundCloud & Wunderlist: How Berlin plans to grow its startup scene
Diversity and Technology in Focus for Morgan Lewis's Incoming Chair
Diversity and Technology in Focus for Morgan Lewis's Incoming Chair
PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO DATA BREACHES IN AN ERA OF CYBER INSECURITY
What Does the Supreme Court Ruling in Alice v. CLS Mean to a Software Entrepreneur?
A Moment of Simple Justice - Revenge Porn
Why Cyber Security?
How Fenwick Partners Caught the Tech Wave
In In re Lipitor Antitrust Litigation, No. 12 Civ. 2389 (D.N.J.), U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan has confirmed his prior ruling that under the Supreme Court’s decisions in Twombly, Iqbal, and FTC v. Actavis, Inc., 133...more
In a recent decision, the International Trade Commission rejected a petitioner’s attempt to use allegations of unfair competition and unfair acts as a possible way of working around the Federal Circuit’s bar on claims of...more
Data security is big news. And so is the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”). Put the two together in a crucible of litigation, and it is sure to be a blockbuster. That is what the closely-watched case FTC v. Wyndham, now...more
In Mirabella v. Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc., consumers sued the manufacturer of Redline Xtreme Energy Drink, alleging that the manufacturer concealed the dangerous side effects of the energy drink. Plaintiffs requested relief...more
Between 2008 and 2010, hackers stole credit card information from the computer network of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts LLC (“Wyndham”), which affected hundreds of thousands of Wyndham’s customers in the process. The Federal Trade...more
Americans want access to inexpensive pharmaceutical drugs. This demand must be balanced with the fact that brand-name, innovator pharmaceutical companies typically invest tremendous resources to research and develop new...more
On February 8, 2015, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) adopted a new patent policy for standards-essential patents (SEPs) in IEEE standards. This comes in the midst of rapid developments in the high...more
On February 2, 2015, the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a business review letter stating that it would not challenge the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.’s (IEEE’s)...more
Despite Congress enacting legislation in 2007 to curb misuse, citizen petitions submitted by pharmaceutical companies to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may still provide a mechanism for competitors to delay the...more
Nearly a year and a half after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Federal Trade Commission v. Actavis, Inc., 133 S.Ct. 2223 (2013), the hotly contested issue of the legality of reverse-payment settlements remains as...more
Court considers whether the U.S. International Trade Commission has authority over allegations of induced infringement and infringement of method-of-use claims by importers.
Procedural Background -
One of the “hot” issues in class actions today is whether, or to what extent, a class can be defined to include members who were not injured, and do not have standing to sue. ...more
In a November 30, 2013 post, we wrote about the District of Massachusetts' class certification decision in the antitrust case, In re Nexium. There, the district court certified a class of consumers and other payors who...more
As my colleague Don Frederico noted in his January 24th post, a divided First Circuit panel recently affirmed the district court’s class certification decision in In re Nexium Antitrust Litigation. In so doing, the First...more
In a split decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed the certification of a class of indirect purchasers who allege that they paid inflated prices for the heartburn drug Nexium. In re Nexium Antitrust...more
The expedited appeal to the Second Circuit pits New York State’s arguments for facilitating competition in a “molecule market” (a product market defined by the active ingredient of a prescription drug) against the brand name...more
A pharmaceutical firm’s ability to efficiently produce and promote a better treatment for Alzheimer’s disease lies at the center of an antitrust lawsuit pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In...more
As we reported earlier, the jury in In re: Nexium found that AstraZeneca had violated the antitrust laws by acting to keep generics off the market but that no generic would have been introduced earlier in the market even...more
As reported previously, the first post-Actavis jury verdict in a “reverse payment” antitrust case handed a win to the defendants. Now, plaintiffs in In re: Nexium (Esomeprazole) Antitrust Litigation have moved for a new...more
Symantec Corporation, the data security software provider, filed a motion to quash the plaintiffs’ third-party subpoena in the consolidated class action over Target Corporation’s massive customer data breach in late 2013. ...more
In 2012, the FTC sued Wyndham and three of its subsidiaries after hackers broke into Wyndham’s corporate computer system as well as systems at several of its individual hotels from 2008 to early 2010, resulting in exposure of...more
A little more than one year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Federal Trade Commission v. Actavis Inc. and affirmed that antitrust principles apply to reverse payment settlement agreements — those in which a brand-name drug...more
In 2013, the FTC left its mark on the pharmaceutical industry when the Supreme Court ruled in FTC v. Actavis that settlement agreements for patent infringement suits between branded and generic drug companies are not immune...more
Traditionally, plaintiffs asserting claims under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act allege the existence of one or more product markets relevant to the defendants’ anticompetitive conduct and the defendants’ shares of those...more
In one of the first tests of the Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling in Federal Trade Commission v. Actavis, Inc. addressing the antitrust treatment of pharmaceutical patent settlements, a recent jury on Dec. 5, 2014, returned a...more
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Concerns raised about Boohoo’s progress in addressing labour rights abuses in supply chain
Statement in response to Leveson reports from the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, Labour Behind The Label and ShareAction
Rights groups express serious concerns regarding Boohoo’s efforts to improve supply chain practices in a joint statement released on the eve of the fashion brand’s AGM.
Most significantly, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, Labour Behind The Label and ShareAction, who have been monitoring the situation in Leicester over the past year, found little evidence Boohoo had addressed one of the fundamental drivers of poor labour practice in the supply chain – its commercial purchasing practices.
The organisations reviewed the report by Alison Levitt QC, and three subsequent reports by Brian Leveson QC, and found the positive conclusions reached in these reports to be unsubstantiated, concluding the Agenda for Change is simply providing a veneer of progress without corresponding improvements for workers.
Boohoo’s purchasing practices drive labour rights abuses and illegal non-payment of minimum wage – this has not been adequately addressed.
In Leveson’s words, Boohoo needs to have, “A buying process capable of being audited to justify the price of whatever is being bought so any failure by a supplier to comply with boohoo’s Code of Conduct cannot be the consequence of aggressive pricing by boohoo”. Yet the set of six responsible purchasing practices (RPPs) outlined in the June Leveson report does not address the fundamental issue of ring-fencing labour costs to ensure the costs negotiated with suppliers cover the reasonable cost of production. Other British garment brands which source from Leicester have demonstrated how Boohoo’s pricing is too low to factor in fair labour costs and the aggressive pricing competition between suppliers driven by Boohoo is well documented.
The onus of labour abuses cannot be placed squarely on the shoulders of Leicester’s factory owners when it has been estimated that a majority of Leicester’s factories are producing for Boohoo. Boohoo’s commercial practices – the low prices paid, the price competition encouraged among suppliers and short order times – are drivers for illegally low wage payments, informal labour and poor working conditions.
Boohoo (and enforcement agencies) are trying to place the blame solely on exploitative suppliers, thus ignoring the central role Boohoo and similar brands play in generating and continuing the root causes of labour abuses and exploitation.
Leveson says he has been provided with everything he asked for; therefore we would urge him to ask the same question posed by ShareAction ahead of the Boohoo AGM: “…for evidence of how price calculations have changed to factor in labour costs, and whether this change in costing practices has led to an increase in the average price paid to suppliers?”
ShareAction elaborated: “Without confirmation from Boohoo that the price paid to suppliers has changed to ensure workers are paid at least minimum wage and all expected benefits (such as national insurance contribution, holiday pay, pension auto-enrolment and statutory sick and maternity pay) the conditions for labour rights abuses that have persisted for the past decade will continue unabated.”
Boohoo were aware of the abuses from at least 2018 and failed to act
The Boohoo Group have a long track record of avoiding addressing poor labour practices in their supply chain by denying knowledge of workers’ experiences. Labour Behind the Label’s 2020 report echoed what was exposed by BBC Dispatches in 2017, by the Financial Times in 2018, then in the 2018/19 Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) hearings where Boohoo was called to testify. Ahead of the 2020 EAC hearings, EAC chairman Philip Dunne said: “It is incredible that over a year since the committee highlighted illegal working practices in its supply chain, Boohoo has publicly denied any knowledge of what has been happening for years.”
Similarly, Boohoo’s lack of engagement with trade unions, who could play a fundamental role in ensuring better labour practices, remains a serious concern. Indeed, the promise made to the EAC in 2018 to engage with the unions at their warehouse still remains unfulfilled.
Overseeing the implementation of the Agenda for Change independently should require a commitment to engaging with suppliers and workers directly, while any shift in policy must translate into concrete outcomes. A commitment to change does not automatically translate into a shift in practices.
It is also clear from Boohoo’s Agenda for Change that offering redress to their workers is not a priority – thousands of workers are owed millions in unpaid and underpaid wages over the years and no remediation has been offered. Unless Boohoo ensure fair pricing, this wage theft will continue to grow.
The expansion of Boohoo’s supply chain to Italy, Morocco and Pakistan runs the risk of exporting a business model that results in poor labour practices to other countries. This would not be unprecedented. In December 2020, the Guardian reported that Boohoo was selling clothes made by Pakistani workers who earned 29p an hour in dangerous working conditions. In response, Boohoo claimed they did not know. The pattern of media expose, claims of not knowing, and subsequent commitments to change is well trodden.
The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, Labour Behind The Label and ShareAction call for:
- Evidence Boohoo Group has ringfenced labour costs and all workers are being paid at least the legal minimum wage.
- Immediate engagement with trade unions to ensure organising within factories and warehouses can take place.
- Strong governance: Boohoo should move their registration from Jersey, move their listing from the AIM to FTSE and sign up to the UK Corporate Governance Code.
Thulsi Narayanasamy, Senior Labour Rights Lead at the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, said: “Adopting policies and implementing them are two very different things. It appears the Boohoo Group is going to great lengths to appear committed to change, but this hasn’t necessarily translated into action. Sources in Leicester suggest there is serious cause for concern with workers still being paid well below the minimum wage at £5 – 5.50 an hour. By over-emphasising the role of factories, Boohoo is wrongly exonerated for its central role in creating the necessary conditions of labour abuses.”
Dominique Muller from Labour Behind the Label said: “One year on from our report nothing has changed for workers in Leicester – indeed we now know that many workers still receive wages well under the minimum wage, that prices being asked of suppliers fail to cover the legal wage costs. Boohoo must do more than simply stating a much-delayed commitment to change and investors must hold Boohoo to account and not simply chase the ever-increasing profits that are being made on the backs of workers”.
Martin Buttle from ShareAction said: “Investors should be concerned about Boohoo business model and approach to managing labour standards in its supply chain as they have proven to be both material to the business and salient to rights-holders. Investors in Boohoo should continue to engage with company until the Agenda for Change has delivered a robust approach to managing their human rights risks. Investors should pay particular attention to ensure the commercial practices are not undermining the standards they set for suppliers.”
Notes to editors:
- Business & Human Rights Resource Centre is an international NGO that tracks the human rights impacts of more than 10,000 companies across nearly 200 countries.
- Labour Behind the Label is a campaign that works to improve conditions and empower workers in the global garment industry.
- ShareAction is a campaigning organisation pushing the global investment system to take responsibility for its impacts on people and planet, and use its power to create a green, fair, and healthy society.
- The Boohoo Group’s Annual General Meeting will be held at 49 - 51 Dale Street, Manchester, M1 2HF on Friday, 18 June 2021 at 14:00.
Thulsi Narayanasamy, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, +44 (0) 7724 580885, [email protected].
Dominique Muller, Labour Behind The Label, +44 (0) 7596098399, [email protected].
Conor Quinn, Media Communications Manager, ShareAction, +44 (0)7444 696 214, [email protected]

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A few weeks ago when Christmas Advertising was just beginning to spread out, chain of department stores J.C. Penney presented a Christmas Ad with comedian Ellen DeGeneres and three elves. The spot caused the rage of “One Million Moms”.
“One Million Moms” is a nonprofit organization created by the American Family Association with the main purpose of promoting conservative fundamentalist Christian values. On December 4, the organization posted on their official websites the following message “JCP has made their choice to offend a huge majority of their customers again. Christians must now vote with their wallets.”
With a shock from the members of the company, they proceed to review the spot looking for offensive material. A spokeswoman of the organization explained that the ad’s content had nothing to do, instead was Ellen DeGeneres the issue. The group described DeGeneres as a “strong gay activist” and asked the company for withdrawing her from the campaign.
“They wanted to get me fired and I am proud and happy to say that J. C. Penney stuck by their decision to make their spokesperson” DeGeneres said to her audience on her daily morning show.


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BlackBerry Aims to Bring Balance to Android and iPhone
BlackBerry today announced that it plans to offer businesses a solution that will allow them to separate work and personal data on devices running Android and iOS. BlackBerry offers a similar product to BlackBerry smartphones called BlackBerry Balance. The idea is to segregate business and personal information so that it may be kept secure. The new product is called Secure Work Space for iOS and Android, and is managed through BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. The product offers secure apps for email, calendar, contacts, tasks, memos, browsing, and document editing. BlackBerry is previewing the service now, and will offer it to its business customers through a BES 10 upgrade. It will be available by the end of the second quarter.
BlackBerry Shows Off the Priv
BlackBerry today posted some official images of the forthcoming Priv smartphone. The Priv is a vertical slider that runs Android.
BlackBerry, Samsung Announce Security Tie-Up
BlackBerry and Samsung today agreed to sell one another's security software. The joint effort is meant to help Samsung sell more phones and to help BlackBerry win more BES customers.
BlackBerry to Allow Rivals to Manage BB10 Devices
BlackBerry today announced that it has agreed to allow several other, large mobile device management companies to support its BlackBerry smartphones. Until today, BlackBerry has only allowed its devices to be managed by its own Blackberry Enterprise Services product.
BlackBerry Finalizes Acquisition of Good Technology
BlackBerry today said it has completed its $425 million purchase of Good Technology. Good Technology provides mobile email products as well as mobile device management tools to businesses.


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EA Games, publishers of the Medal of Honor series, have started Project HONOR, created specifically for helping the families of those killed working in Special Operations. This begins with the Medal of Honor: Warfighter Military Edition, which is to be released solely for the military.
This copy of the game will feature weapons from weapon and supply companies, such as London Bridge Trading and Mechanix Wear, as well as many others, to provide a truly authentic military gaming experience. Also, many of these providers have signed on to donate money in the name of Project HONOR, as well as sell Medal of Honor merchandise, again donating the proceeds, these going to the Navy SEAL Foundation and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. London Bridge Trading has even designed a product line featuring the camouflage pattern of Project HONOR.
Danger Close Games’ Medal of Honor: Warfighter Military Edition will be released through GovX.com, the number one provider of goods used only by military, law enforcement, and government employees who work in related fields. This version will be available to active, former, and reserve US military, and will provide the special edition of the game, as well as Military Edition-only perks, such as the aforementioned Project HONOR camouflage.
The executive producer of Medal of Honor, Greg Goodrich, says, “We have a tremendous amount of respect for our service men and women around the world and a deep level of gratitude for the sacrifices both they and their families make on a daily basis,” of the work with Project HONOR. John T. Carney, Jr., president of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation also speaks of the Project, saying, “This partnership with EA and Medal of Honor will raise awareness on the work we do to help the families of fallen Special Operations warriors and facilitate contributions that help provide college scholarships for surviving children and financial assistance to families of severely wounded special operations warriors.”
The Executive Director at the Navy SEAL Foundation speaks highly of the partnership as well, stating, “Our mission is to provide immediate and ongoing support and assistance to the Naval Special Warfare community and their families.”
Medal of Honor: Warfighter was written by US Tier 1 Operations, and uses the new Frostbite 2 engine to deliver a true-to-life combat experience, taking players the world around in single player mode, and collects Tier 1 Operations from 10 different countries for an exciting multiplayer experience. The game is slated for October 26 as a release date in the UK, spanning Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC.


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More foreign produce is entering the U.S. than ever before. And with the entry of foreign-grown fruit and vegetables is growing demand for "country of origin" labeling. Proponents of the labels contend illegal pesticide residue shows up three and a half more times on the imports than on domestically grown produce.
The call for country of origin labeling may well be part of a broader consumer demand for food quality assurances. More and more consumers want to know the source of the food, where and how its grown and in some cases by whom.
Evidence of this concern can be found in the phenomenal growth of a sector of agriculture that was once a backwater, but is now becoming part of the mainstream
From cotton … to milk … vegetables … and meat alternatives such as soy … organic product sales grew 38% this past year. The Organic Trade Association says the 38% growth rate surpasses the estimated 20-to-25% annual growth for the organic market in general.
The introduction of a national brand pushed organic milk sales sharply higher. But an Organic Trade Association survey of 156 manufacturers of organic food and fiber products shows the highest sales growth rate for 2001 -- at 94% -- occurred for those who produce meat and dairy alternatives and soyfoods.
It is a broad trend that excites the soyfoods industry.
Nancy Chapman, Executive Director, Soyfoods Association of North America:
"Soy foods growth has just been phenomenal. It started probably about five years ago with increased recognition from the populace."
1998 only about 17% of the population knew about soyfoods. 2000, 25% of the population knows about it.
The growth not only in soyfoods but in all organic products … is due to a shift in sales venues for products from "natural" food stores to include conventional mass-market grocery stores. The Organic Trade Association survey says in 2001, 45% of the sales were from such mass market outlets. That compares to 31% in 1998.


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The larger idea is to build a more sustainable economy, or what Chinese leaders have called a balanced and harmonious society. In that economy, families would not have to save 20 percent of their income in order to pay for schooling and medical care, as many do now. They would instead be able to afford more of the comforts of modern life “” better housing, clothing, transportation and communication. In time, China would become the world’s next great consumer society.
Maybe you thought that the word ‘sustainable’ was already dead, but really it was only ill — ill-defined by overuse. But thanks to the NYT magazine and economics columnist David Leonhardt, it has now been officially defined out of existence.
Maybe you thought ‘sustainable’ meant something like “capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment.” How wrong you were. Apparently, to the Times, ‘sustainable’ means being the biggest consumers in the world. George Orwell would be proud.
Special props to the NYT and Leonhardt for running a piece that uses the words sustainable, sustain, and sustainability six times — without once mentioning global warming or China’s unsustainable contribution to it — on the day before the big international climate conference in Cancun, a day their op-ed page ran three pieces on global warming, including one explaining the dangers of our unsustainable path (see Farmer in the Times: “Climate change, I believe, may eventually pose an existential threat to my way of life”).
And extra bonus credit to the Times for this head-exploding cover:
Yes, the “health of the world economy depends on” China learning to spend “more like Americans.” As if (see “Is the global economy a Ponzi scheme?”)
The article is a masterpiece of tortured logic and magical thinking. Here’s the paragraph that follows the one quoted above:
That term may have negative connotations in the United States, particularly after the last decade of debt excess. But the term means something very different for China. A Chinese consumer society would improve the lives of hundreds of millions of people. The benefits of the industrial boom that began in the 1980s would spread more rapidly beyond the country’s eastern coast. The service sector would grow, and the economy would no longer be quite so dependent on smoke-spewing factories.
So the only negative connotation the NYT is aware of for the phrase “world’s next great consumer society” is debt excess. No treehuggers at the Times magazine.
And somehow the benefits of the industrial boom would spread rapidly beyond the country’s east coast, but smoke-spewing factories wouldn’t? How exactly are all those mass consumer goods bought by all those new Chinese shopaholics going to be manufactured? By magic?
Note to NYT: If you make a bunch of stuff for hundreds of millions of people, you’re gonna have to build a lot of smoke-spewing factories.
Finally, I’m all for improving the lives of hundreds of millions of people — but somehow I imagine it can be done without “cultivating the urge to splurge” of Americans. Indeed, I am reminded of a piece I wrote two years ago — Chinese Premier: Rich nations should ditch ‘unsustainable’ lifestyles “¦ and stop buying all the crap we make. I cited an AFP story:
BEIJING (AFP) “” Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Friday that rich nations should alter their lifestyles to help tackle global warming, at the start of a two-day meeting on climate change, state media reported.
“The developed countries have a responsibility and an obligation to respond to global climate change by altering their unsustainable way of life,” Wen was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
Not exactly a view that the NYT felt needed to be part of its piece.
That said, the first thing that popped into my head when I read Wen Jiabao’s admonition was this Onion story:
Chinese Factory Worker Can’t Believe The Shit He Makes For Americans
FENGHUA, CHINA-Chen Hsien, an employee of Fenghua Ningbo Plastic Works Ltd., a plastics factory that manufactures lightweight household items for Western markets, expressed his disbelief Monday over the “sheer amount of shit Americans will buy.”
“Often, when we’re assigned a new order for, say, ‘salad shooters,’ I will say to myself, ‘There’s no way that anyone will ever buy these,’ “¦. One month later, we will receive an order for the same product, but three times the quantity. How can anyone have a need for such useless shit?”
“¦ “I hear that Americans can buy anything they want, and I believe it, judging from the things I’ve made for them,” Chen said….
Among the items that Chen has helped create are plastic-bag dispensers, microwave omelet cookers, glow-in-the-dark page magnifiers, Christmas-themed file baskets, animal-shaped contact-lens cases, and adhesive-backed wall hooks.
“Sometimes, an item the factory produces resembles nothing I’ve ever seen,” Chen said. “One time, we made something that looked like a ladle, but it had holes in its cup and a handle that bent down 90 degrees. The foreman told us that it was a soda-can holder for an automobile. If you are lucky enough to own a car, sit back and enjoy the journey. Save the soda beverage for later.”
… Chen expressed similar confusion over the tens of thousands of pineapple corers, plastic eyeshades, toothpick dispensers, and dog pull-toys that he has helped manufacture.
“Why the demand for so many kitchen gadgets?” Chen said. “I can understand having a good wok, a rice cooker, a tea kettle, a hot plate, some utensils, good china, a teapot with a strainer, and maybe a thermos. But all these extra things-where do the Americans put them? How many times will you use a taco-shell holder? ‘Oh, I really need this silverware-drawer sorter or I will have fits.’ Shut up, stupid American.”
Chen added that many of the items break after only a few uses.
“None are built to last very long,” Chen said. “That is probably so the Americans can return to buy more. Not even the badly translated assembly instructions deter them. If I bought a kitchen item that came with such poor Mandarin instructions, I would return the item immediately.”
May Gao of the Hong Kong-based labor-advocacy group China Labour Bulletin said complaints like Chen’s are common among workers in China’s bustling industrial cities.
“Last week, I took testimony from several young female workers from Shenzhen who said they were locked in a work room for 18 straight hours making inflatable Frisbees,” Gao said. “Finally, the girls joined hands on the factory floor and began to chant, ‘No more insane flying toys for Western pigs!’ They quickly lost their jobs and were ostracized by their families, but the incident was a testament to China’s growing disillusionment with producing needless crap for fat-ass foreigners.”
Continued Gao: “As Chinese manufacturing and foreign investment continue to grow, and more silly novelty products are invented, we can expect to see more of these protests.”
And if the NYT magazine has their way, the Chinese can look forward to making their own crap too!


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Apple Watch the most anticipated wearable, PwC study finds
An Amazon smartwatch would also enjoy significant interest, should the retail giant jump on the bangwagon.
Apple now requires iOS developers to use 64-bit code
Starting in February, iOS developers will have no choice but to develop their apps using 64-bit code.
Meizu MX4 gets a gold version, pre-orders start tomorrow
There will only be 10,000 units in the initial batch, so you need to act quickly if you want to get one.
Latest Oppo N3 teaser confirms fingerprint scanner
The latest teaser is focusing on the smartphone's precision optics, but also shows the sensor underneath.
LG's Odin-powered phone coming this month, joining the G3 family
LG's long-rumored Odin chipset should premiere this month with a new G3 smartphone.
Apple announces financial results for Q4 of the fiscal 2014
Apple’s financial performance during the quarter surpassed its guidance thanks to strong iPhone sales.
Lenovo will allegedly attempt to acquire BlackBerry this week
The troubled Canadian manufacturer has been showing signs of resurgence over the past few weeks.
iPhone sales might reach record 62 million this quarter
An analyst thinks Apple has what it takes to break its previous Q4 iPhone sales record.
Sprint LG G2 update has LTE and HD voice improvements
The Now Network's version of LG's flagship from yesteryear has received some enhanced bits.
Nexus 6 pre-orders confirmed to start on October 29
The Motorola-made phablet's listing in the Google Play Store has now gotten more detailed.
iOS 8.1 is now rolling out, ready to download and install
The latest version of Apple's mobile operating system has just become available, right on schedule.
OnePlus One pre-orders go live for one hour on October 27
The Chinese startup has finally announced when it plans on taking pre-orders for its smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 lands at AT&T on October 24
The mid-range phablet is due to officially join the roster of one US carrier later this week.
Meizu MX4 with glossy white back cover shows up
A gold back cover is also in the works, as currently the MX4 is available in silver and white matte finishes.
HTC Desire 820 mini briefly appears on HTC China site
It previously passed through the FCC. The phone will have a 5" 720p screen and a CNY 1,400 price tag.
TENAA leaks 64-bit Huawei Honor 4X
The Huawei Honor 4X has leaked with a 5.5" 720p display, 64-bit chipset and rumored €100 price.
Xiaomi Mi 4 and Mi Pad getting price cuts
The Mi 4 smartphone, the Mi Pad tablet, the Mi TV 2 and others are getting discounted on Tmall.
Lenovo K30-T midranger vists Chinese TENAA for certification
The phone is built around a 5" IPS LCD 720p display and rocks a 1.2GHz quad-core Cortex-A7 CPU.
Here are the droids confirmed to get 5.0 Lollipop so far
These are all the devices that have officially been confirmed to get the Android 5.0 Lollipop update.
Another press images of Motorola Droid Turbo leaks
The Verizon-exclusive droid will make its official debut in a little over a week, on October 28.


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After more than six weeks, the strict corona measures in the Chinese city of Shanghai are gradually being relaxed. Deputy Mayor Chen Tong has announced that businesses will be allowed to reopen “incrementally” starting tomorrow.
Since the beginning of April, the city has been struggling with an outbreak of the contagious omikron variant and efforts are being made to control it with strict rules. At the time, 25 million people had to go into lockdown.
There was a lot of criticism of the extreme measures, partly because people were not allowed to get food and medicines. Delivery platforms were charging extortionate prices or could not handle the high volume of orders.
Much fewer infections reported
With the announced relaxation, supermarkets, hairdressers and pharmacies should be allowed to open again under conditions. These companies must ensure that it does not become too crowded in those places.
Images from earlier of an overcrowded quarantine center in Shanghai:


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Cadence’s Palladium XP II claims 60X speed-up for embedded OS verification
September 10, 2013 // Julien Happich
Released by Cadence Design Systems as part of an enhanced system development suite, the Palladium XP II verification computing platform is claimed to significantly speed up hardware and software verification.
The multi-core multi-processor-based Palladium XP II platform offers an emulation capacity up to 2.3 billion gates. With reduced power and increased gate density, customers can now run larger payloads in a smaller footprint, reducing overall cost of ownership. Cadence has also added support for eight new mobile and consumer protocols for simulation acceleration.
Cadence has also expanded the capabilities of its system development suite centered around Palladium, adding patent-pending hybrid technology, which combines the Cadence Virtual System Platform with the Palladium XP series to deliver up to 60X speed-up for embedded OS verification and 10X performance speed-up for hardware/software verification.
An embedded test bench for the advanced virtualization of system environments enables users to verify peripheral software drivers prior to tape-out, resulting in faster post-silicon bring-up.
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This month, Cherry is giving away five of its Energy Harvesting Evaluation kits, worth over 266 Euros each, for EETimes Europe's readers to win. Cherry's energy harvesting technology benefit mostly applications where a complex wire assembly and/or batteries would be inappropriate.
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posted on 2021-04-16 00:43 EDT by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Video previews new VR features
CAPCOM announced on Thursday that it will release a new virtual reality version of the Resident Evil 4 game for the Oculus Quest 2 headset system, in partnership with Oculus parent company Facebook and developer Armature. Facebook unveiled a video demonstrating some of the new VR features in the new version.
CAPCOM released the Resident Evil 4 game for GameCube and later for PlayStation 2 in 2005. The company has since ported the game to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, iOS and Android devices, and PC. The game most recently released on Switch in May 2019. The game's story follows Leon S. Kennedy as he tries to rescue the U.S. president's daughter.


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The Very Group’s digital customer experience (DCX) director, Paul Hornby, has claimed the ecommerce giant is “not developing technology for technology’s sake”, instead focusing its intention on “transforming it with a real customer and commercial focus.”
Speaking to InternetRetailing, the former Matalan ecommerce director revealed artificial intelligence (AI) is a “core tenant” of its strategy.
He claimed no jobs will be impacted by the increased use of AI, instead, the software will be used to “further create brand loyalty”.
Click here to view:
Very is ranked as a Top100 retailer in RXUK Top500 research.
He said: “AI will make it easier to scale the creation of assets that you need to be able to understand what certain items look like on you before buying.”
“We see the opportunity for AI step changing the digital experience because of its ability to scale,” Hornby stated.
He added that since the Covid-19 pandemic, the online-only retailer has seen a continued “robust performance”, reporting a rise in pre-tax profits to £63.9 million for the year ended 2 July 2022.
The company also saw a 12.6% rise in revenues, compared with pre-pandemic trading. However, compared to its best-ever year in 2021, the company’s group sales were down 7.3%.
Commenting on the figures, Hornby claimed: “Having that category flexibility allows us to ride the different bumps in the road, for example, when one product dips, another typically picks up.
“Multi-category flexibility has meant that as customers have been buying in or buying out of different areas, we’ve been able to stay relevant in different ways amid the very economically challenging time.
“The challenges we face are consistent to those every other retailer is facing due to the turbulent economic environment. We know there have been increasing cost-of-living pressures for customers since we have come out of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
As a result, the group launched another 1,000 products into its ‘Everyday’ value range, earlier this year, to help customers affected by the ongoing-cost-of-living crisis.
The new products joined the 700 products already in the lineup including homeware and fashion.


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The latest results for West Cork Distillers have revealed that the company's sales increased by approximately €8.1 million year-on-year in 2019 to approximately €34.9 million from over €26.8 million the previous year.
As reported by The Irish Independent, despite experiencing an increase in sales, the company's pre-tax profit decreased by approximately €1.16 million year-on-year in 2019 to €4.8 million. The company's directors attributed the decrease in pre-tax profit to higher distribution costs.
West Cork Distillers employed a monthly average of 79 people in 2019, which was up from 53 in 2018, and the company's wage bill increased to approximately €3.1 million from almost €2.1 million the previous year.
West Cork Distillers director and co-founder John O'Connell said that the company is planning to hire an additional 20 to 30 people over the next two years.
Diversification And Stock Purchase Agreement
Additionally, West Cork Distillers noted in its results that consumers are becoming more demanding in relation to the variety of goods that they consume, which has led to more "more diverse products being offering", and the company stated that demand for beverages has declined due to COVID-19-related lockdowns, but that it has mitigated this risk by increasing its diversification into other product lines.
The results also stated that West Corks Distillers entered into a stock purchase agreement with Halewood International Beverages in relation to new make whiskey at a pre-agreed price of €2 million.
© 2021 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.


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Another experiment designed to assess the mental abilities of bumblebees and their cravings for knowledge, ended quite well. They have previously shown their desire for knowledge, so this time researchers from London’s Queen Mary University has decided to teach bees to make a syrup playing “football”.
- The top processor of AMD Ryzen 7 has set a new world record
- Insides #881: the Samsung Galaxy Book mCharge 4.0 Meizu, Huawei P10, Ulefone F1
- The creators of BioShock founded a small Studio and working on a new game
- BlackBerry is back in the tablet market
- Google once again alludes to the name of the new version of Android


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Today @ Colorado State has been replaced by SOURCE. This site exists as an archive of Today @ Colorado State stories between January 1, 2009 and September 8, 2014.
June 1, 2014
Fargreen, the winner of the Collegiate Track of the CSU Blue Ocean Enterprises Challenge, went on to win third prize of $10,000 in cash and $5,000 in HP equipment in the Enterprise Track of the business pitch completion on May 24 at the Lincoln Center.
Fargreen founders Trang Tran and Tanmay Telang, who received their MBAs in the CSU Global Social and Sustainable Enterprises program earlier this month, have returned to Trang’s native Vietnam to start their triple-bottom-line gourmet mushroom business.
The first place prize of $250,000 in cash, six months of business coaching from EMyth, a six-month membership in Galvanize, one year of entrepreneurship mentoring from Blue Ocean Enterprises, and $20,000 in equipment from HP, went to Decibullz Custom Molded Earphones of Loveland, and second place went to GoSpotCheck of Denver, which won $25,000 in cash and $10,000 in HP equipment as well as all the coaching and mentoring – something Fargreen will also receive.
Three CSU Collegiate Track competitors won prizes in the Trolley Pitch competition on May 23.
This first-of-its-kind speed pitch competition on the historic Fort Collins Municipal Railway Birney Car 21 trolley car featured 10 collegiate entrepreneurs who boarded the trolley and gave a two-minute business pitch to judges before the car reached the next stop on Mountain Avenue. BAUS Tech won the Trolley Pitch’s top prize of $3,000; deYrd earned the second prize of $2,000, and TurfToes took third place, winning $1,000.
TurfToes was also recognized as the “Invest-In-Me” game champion, earning $3,000 and $2,500 in HP products for convincing evnet attendees to "invest" the most Blue Bucks in their business idea.
The Enterprise Track of the competition was open to startups from across the nation. Decibullz Custom Molded Earphones, a Loveland-based manufacturer, outpitched 16 other competitors to win the grand prize of $250,000 in cash, six months of business coaching from EMyth, one year of entrepreneurship mentoring from Blue Ocean Enterprises, and $20,000 in equipment from HP. GoSpotCheck of Denver, a software-as-a-service product that streamlines data collection, took second, for $25,000 in cash and $10,000 worth of HP equipment.
All five finalists – including Pay Stand of Santa Cruz, Calif., and Community Funded of Fort Collins, founded by CSU alum McCabe Callahan -- will also receive six months of coaching from EMyth.
“Our congratulations go to all of the Enterprise Track competitors,” said Charisse Bowen, co-director of the CSU Blue Ocean Enterprises Challenge and director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business. “Our sponsorship partners, judges, and volunteers worked for months to create an event that celebrates entrepreneurs from around the country, and we are grateful for their support.”
A collaboration of Blue Ocean Enterprises and Colorado State University’s College of Business, with major support from HP, E-Myth, 1st Bank, and the City of Fort Collins, the competition was created to ignite entrepreneurial spirit, attract and recognize the best new business ideas, and celebrate the Fort Collins and Colorado entrepreneurial ecosystem.


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U.S. weekly hotel occupancy for the week of Nov. 1-7 was relatively flat from the previous week, according to the latest data from STR.
Compared to the same week in 2019, occupancy at U.S. hotels dropped 35.9 percent to 44.2 percent, slightly down from 44.4 percent the previous week and the lowest the industry had seen since the week of June 14-20. Average daily rate was $91.40, down 31.1 percent from 2019, while revenue per available room was $40.36, 55.8 percent.
Aggregate data for the top 25 markets showed lower occupancy (39.9 percent) but higher ADR ($97.13) than all other markets. Only two of those major markets reached or surpassed 50 percent occupancy: Phoenix (55.1 percent) and New Orleans (53.9 percent).
Markets with the lowest occupancy levels for the week included Oahu Island, Hawaii (24 percent), and Minneapolis/St. Paul/Wisconsin (30 percent).


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Volunteers glean or “harvest” excess food from growers and grocers, then deliver it to food programs that feed Kentucky’s hungry
The beauty of Glean KY is how simple, and yet profoundly important, its mission is.
By “gleaning”—or gathering—unused fresh fruits and vegetables from farms, orchards, and grocery stores, and distributing them to food pantries and service agencies who feed the hungry, GleanKY is helping address two problems with one solution.
“We want to reduce hunger, but we are also equally passionate about reducing food waste,” says GleanKY’s executive director Stephanie Wooten, who became the agency’s first full-time, paid staff member in October, after volunteering for several years on its board.
It’s estimated that up to 40 percent of food produced in the United States goes uneaten, ending up in landfills, while at the same time one in six Americans is unsure where the next meal will come from.
Three friends—Erica Horn, John Walker, and Jennifer Erena of Lexington—launched GleanKY under the name Faith Feeds in 2010 as a way to combat food waste and hunger on a local level.
Recently, GleanKY has embraced its new name, and a larger, statewide mission.
“We are currently the only gleaning organization of our kind in the state,” says Wooten. “Our growth has been so exponential and so fast. We plan to spend this year being very intentional about studying our model and its effectiveness, making sure we’re getting the food to the people who need it most. Then, next year, I’d love to see us select some pilot sites in eastern and western Kentucky and take our model there.”
Since 2010, GleanKY has gleaned and distributed just over 605,000 pounds of food. The agency’s team of 300-plus volunteers gathers year-round, collecting food every day but Christmas. They glean unpurchased beans, tomatoes, squash, or greens from the Lexington Farmer’s Market, harvest excess fruits and vegetables straight from the fields at area farms and orchards, and even box up expired-but-still-good-to-eat produce from store shelves at Lexington’s Costco, Good Foods, and Whole Foods grocery stores.
“Sometimes, Costco may provide us with 1,000 or 2,000 pounds of food in a day,” Wooten says. “We’re very careful about matching our sources with recipients who can handle, store, and distribute the varying types and quantities of fresh produce that we’re bringing in each day.”
Currently, GleanKY partners with more than 20 regular gleaning sources and roughly 50 recipient sites in Fayette, Scott, and Franklin counties. The agency works with both large-scale agencies like God’s Pantry and Lexington’s Hope Center—which provide meals to thousands of people a week—as well as smaller, neighborhood- and church-based missions.
“I call it a win-win-win-win,” says Horn, GleanKY’s co-founder and board president. “The farmers are happy because their food is not going to waste. We’re helping the environment by reducing the amount of food that’s going into landfills. The recipient groups win, obviously, because we’re able to supply them with fresh fruits and vegetables. And the volunteers win because this work is just so much fun.”
“It’s a simple model,” says Wooten. “You need a car. A box. An hour. Anyone can do it. We really hope it catches on with more people.”
Help GleanKYFind out more about Glean KY’s mission and its model online at www.gleanky.org or at www.facebook.com/gleanKY. Donations to help cover transportation and other costs are welcomed, and can be made online.


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Former Nike employees are suing Nike for alleged gender discrimination. Are you surprised this is happening with such an iconic brand? Scroll down to see the results.
Perhaps it’s time Nike changed their slogan to “Just DON’T Do It” after a class-action lawsuit was filed against the world-famous company regarding gender discrimination.
According to Huffington Post, four female employees’ suit claims that Nike pays and promotes women less than men and also fosters a hostile workplace for women. It’s important to note that this isn’t the first accusation about the problematic athletic apparel company. Almost a dozen top executives were let go because of reports of harassment and bullying behavior earlier this year.
The recent lawsuit also alleges that Nike didn’t punish male workers for sexual and verbal harassment. Likewise, the plaintiffs “attributed the problematic policies and practices to a lack of top female leadership.”
Kelly Cahill, Sarah Johnston, Samantha Phillips and Tracee Cheng state that they were paid less than male colleagues for doing equal work. They also did not get as many promotion opportunities and saw that Nike’s human resources department was mostly unresponsive to their frequent complaints.
Nike responded, saying that the company opposes discrimination with a vow to diversity and inclusion. Even the spokeswoman for the brand revealed that the “vast majority” of Nike employees go by their values of dignity and respect in relation to others. However, the women who filed the lawsuit, think otherwise, stressing that their careers were hurt because of their gender.
It’s 2018 and the glass ceiling is still here, unfortunately. Are you surprised this is happening with such an iconic brand? 76% of people are sure it happens everywhere, while 24% are still surprised Nike went down this path. Read the story in depth on Huffington Post here.
Here’s how people on the Zip app are weighing in on this all over the country!
Former Nike employees are suing Nike for alleged gender discrimination. Are you surprised this is happening with such an iconic brand?
Yes, what a shame
No, happens everywhere


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Probe launched into Dhaka garment factory fire
Authorities Sunday launched a probe into the fire and subsequent stampede at an illegal garment factory that killed seven women workers in Dhaka.
Dhaka: Authorities Sunday launched a probe into the fire and subsequent stampede at an illegal garment factory that killed seven women workers in the Bangladeshi capital, two months after the country`s deadliest industrial fire in a textile unit claimed 112 lives.
The fire that engulfed the small garment factory in Beribadh area yesterday afternoon also injured 10 others, police said.
The deaths were reportedly caused in a stampede when the victims tried to rush to safety following the outbreak of the blaze.
Witnesses said the fire spread fast as inflammable sponges lay inside the Smart Fashions factory, emitting toxic smoke and sparking panic among the workers inside.
Fire service officials said the fire at Smart Fashions, housed in the upper floor of a two-storey building, appeared to have started in a tyre repair and welding shop downstairs. It was suspected to have been caused by an electric short circuit.
Firefighters and police searched the building after the blaze was brought under control and pulled out the six bodies and the seventh death was reported hours later.
"Everything inside the factory has been gutted," a photojournalist told PTI returning from the scene early today while a government statement said a four-member enquiry committee was formed to investigate into the fire incident.
Meanwhile, father of one of the deceased workers filed a case accusing the three directors of the factory of negligence in ensuring safety measures to prevent such tragedies while workers alleged that all exits at the factory were closed.
"It`s just a factory in name," operations chief of the fire service Major Mahbubur Rahman told newsmen alleging that the factory had not received an operating licence from the fire service either.
The latest fire incident comes around two months after the country`s worst industrial fire in suburban Ashulia that claimed 112 lives and injured around 100 others, raising fresh questions about safety standards.
Nasiruddin Ahmed, vice president of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturing and Exporters Association (BGMEA), a grouping of over 5,000 readymade garment factory owners, said the small garments factory was not a member of their forum.
But reports said the unlicensed Smart Fashions factory was making clothing for Spanish giant Inditex and several French brands while Ahmed said several of the 700 small units produce garments as sub contractors for the foreign buyers.
Disaster Management Ministry official Mohammad Nurul Islam said relatives of each of the deceased and injured in the incident would be given 20,000 takas (USD 252) and 10,000 takas respectively as compensation, according to the report.
Working conditions at Bangladeshi factories are notoriously poor while western retailers have criticised Bangladeshi factories for not ensuring worker safety as overcrowding and locked fire doors are a common phenomenon.
International labour rights groups urged foreign brands and retailers today to join a labour-supported agreement to work towards preventing future tragedies.


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KFC® Gives The Gift of $5 Famous Bowls and Limited-Edition Holiday Buckets This Season
Just in time for the holiday season, Kentucky Fried Chicken® is debuting new bargains and buckets to make it even easier to enjoy all of your celebrations. Whether you are looking to sneak away for a quick bite to fuel your holiday shopping, in search of comfort to cope with holiday-related stress or seeking a meal for your holiday gathering, KFC has you covered.
Starting today, KFC is bringing back its popular offer of Famous Bowls for only $5*, a...
KFC's New Buffalo Ranch Sauce Pairs Perfectly With its Finger Lickin' Good Fried Chicken
Beginning today, fried chicken fans can now dip their favorite menu items in an all-new Buffalo Ranch dipping sauce at Kentucky Fried Chicken® restaurants nationwide. KFC's Buffalo Ranch is a perfect pairing of the classic kick of Buffalo sauce smoothed out with a creamy ranch, blended peppers, buttermilk, herbs and spices.
To celebrate its new Buffalo Ranch sauce hitting restaurants today, KFC is collaborating with a partner that knows a thing or two about creating perfect pairings: Tinder. Together with the world's most popular...
KFC is Testing New Kentucky Fried Chicken Wraps in Select Atlanta Restaurants
The fans asked, and we listened! Kentucky Fried Chicken® is shaking up its menus with the release of its new Kentucky Fried Chicken Wraps in select Atlanta restaurants for a limited time, starting today.
Kentucky Fried Chicken Wraps are packed with flavor and available in three mouthwatering options for fans to choose from, starting at only $3 each or in a two-wrap combo*. Varieties include:
- The Classic Chicken Wrap, a hand-breaded Extra Crispy™ Tender, crunchy pickles, and creamy mayo, wrapped up...
KFC® Offers New Finger Lickin' Good Deals for a Limited Time
If you're looking to score a finger lickin' good deal that will leave your pockets and your stomach full, KFC has you covered! Kentucky Fried Chicken® announced today a 2-Piece Drum & Thigh Combo Meal for just $6*. You heard that right, only $6.
The whole meal deal includes two pieces of KFC's world-famous fried chicken in either Original Recipe® or Extra Crispy™, a side of creamy mashed potatoes and gravy, a warm, flaky southern-style biscuit and a medium drink...
Mac is Back! KFC Brings Back Fan-Favorite Mac & Cheese Bowls for $5 for a Limited Time
The fans have spoken. Kentucky Fried Chicken® has listened. KFC Mac & Cheese Bowls are back! The beloved bowls, which debuted in 2019, are making a highly-anticipated return to KFC restaurants nationwide on July 18 for just $5.* But there's more! Fans can get their hands on KFC Mac & Cheese Bowls starting today, July 11, via an exclusive digital offer on the KFC mobile app and KFC.com.
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Yum! Brands Reports First-Quarter Results
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DAVID GIBBS COMMENTS
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Make Mother's Day Great with a Sides Lovers Meal from KFC® and the Buckquet from Proflowers®
This Mother's Day, KFC and Proflowers are helping you celebrate mom like never before – introducing the Kentucky Fried Buckquet, a DIY floral arrangement that, once assembled, can be part fried chicken, part fresh flowers and altogether amazing.
Order a KFC Sides Lovers Meal for Mother's Day via the KFC mobile app or kfc.com (offer online only, not available in restaurants) between May 1-3 and receive a promo code to redeem your very own free Kentucky Fried Buckquet kit from Proflowers*...
Yum China Launches First KFC Green Pioneer Stores in Hangzhou and Beijing
Yum China Holdings, Inc. today announced the launch of KFC's first Green Pioneer Stores in Hangzhou and Beijing, aiming to further integrate innovative solutions for building net-zero restaurants in the future. The move is part of Yum China's climate strategy and roadmap towards the ambition of reaching net-zero value chain greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, following the signing and submission of the Business Ambition for 1.5°C Commitment Letter to the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) in 2021.
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"Leveraging our strong online and offline connections with consumers, we hope to increase environmental awareness among the public by encouraging and rewarding more eco-friendly choices," said Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China. "In the future, we will explore more innovative ways to motivate consumers and other stakeholders to join us on our journey to drive meaningful change and..."
NIMBUS Inc. Facilitates Year-Long Partnership Between Kentucky Fried Chicken® and Jack Harlow
NIMBUS, a nationally recognized, strategic multicultural marketing agency headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky has brought forward one of the largest partnerships just in time for 2022, KFC x Jack Harlow. The year-long partnership between two of Kentucky's largest conglomerates is set to bring about a younger, more diverse consumer to the KFC brand while leaning into menu innovation and providing a plethora of experiences for Jack's fans across the country.
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A PERTHSHIRE smoked salmon producer is celebrating after winning a highly prestigious award for its food.
Dunkeld Smoked Salmon received the acclaimed and rare three-star Gold Great Taste Award – the highest accolade that can be given to a food product – for its wild Scottish smoked salmon.
Food experts were sent 7481 products from 1600 companies for the awards. And it took 350 experts 34 days to blind taste all the entries and decide which entries would achieve the coveted one, two and three star gold awards.
The business is a traditional and artisan smokehouse situated in the ancient cathedral town of Dunkeld on the banks of the River Tay, renowned for its salmon.
The smokehouse was established more than 30 years ago primarily to smoke anglers’ own fish, although the commercial and retail side of the business has grown steadily over the years.
Owner Rob Gower, said: “We are delighted with this award. Winning the three-star Great Taste Award is the food production equivalent of three Michelin stars and this recognises the craft, dedication and passion that goes into making superb food and drink.”
The Great Taste Awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, are now in their 18th year.


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New Delhi– India’s B2B business is expected to rise by 10.3 per cent in 2022, global payments company American Express said.
A study conducted by American Express India and Invest India in partnership with the Centre for Business and Economic Research said: “Indian businesses saw spending grow three times faster than the expectations from its comparable peers in the other countries, establishing a lead that is likely to only consolidate.”
The report said bullishness and greater confidence will lead to 74 per cent of businesses spending more on technology and 72 per cent planning to make more capital investments in 2022.
Besides, the study revealed that 59 per cent of B2B sellers consider the main benefit of digital payments to be the speed of payment and ability to track spendings.
And, 83 per cent of respondents said that the government’s ‘Make in India’ campaign has helped their business.
Furthermore, 59 per cent large, 57 per cent small scale companies, 53 per cent medium scale companies, and 42 per cent micro-scale companies are increasing spendings on technology to improve their productivity.
Manoj Adlakha, SVP and CEO, American Express Banking Corp, India, said: “The survey also reveals that some of the trends that have emerged or accelerated during the pandemic such as payments automation and new approaches to manage the supply chain, are likely to stay.
“… With rapid digitisation laying the foundation for domestic and global trade and commerce, B2B payments and spending have shifted towards e-commerce and e-payments in recent times.”
Having said that, some challenges still arise. Some businesses do not want to use an integrated digital platform because of low level of trust for digital transactions, the study found. (IANS)


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Oh, Do I Love My I Mac
The eye-catching iMac is reviving a feeling that Apple Computer has not been able to spark in years: love between consumer and computer. In Princeton, N.J., a dozen kids stormed the home of Diane and Bobby Landis Hackett to gawk at the blue, curvy machine. In Laguna Niguel, Calif., 9-year-old Elias Isquith adores his iMac, in part because "it reminds him of the aliens in Independence Day," says his mom, Natalie. In Amherst, Mass., 55-year-old music professor Estela K. Olevsky--a self-described computer hater--succumbed. "I liked the look of it, and I'm pleased because it's not cluttering up my desk."
The clutter, for a change, is in the aisles of your local Macintosh dealer. Although it only hit the stores in mid-month, the $1,300 iMac was the No.2 best-selling computer in the U.S. for August, after a Hewlett-Packard model, driving Apple's U.S. retail market share from 6.8% in July to 13.5%, says market researcher PC Data. "We sold more iMacs in a short amount of time than any computer we've ever sold," says Harold F. Compton, chief operating officer of CompUSA Stores Inc.
And it's not just hard-core Apple lovers that are buying. More than 15% of iMac buyers are first-time PC owners, and an additional 12% were converts from "Wintel" models based on Microsoft's Windows, according to ComputerWare, a West Coast chain.
This being Apple, the next question is whether interim CEO Steven P. Jobs can sustain the iMac momentum while keeping other parts of the business on the comeback trail. After weeks of shortages, Apple is now catching up with brisk demand for a new PowerBook laptop, and Jobs is expected to unveil a cheaper portable next spring.
How will iMac fare once the novelty fades? "This computer is a fashion statement right now, but those things wear off," says Oppenheimer Securities analyst James D. Poyner. "If Apple intends to sell lots of machines based on how they look, that's a pretty tenuous story." The iMac has to hold its own in a market of sub-$1,000 (and falling) PCs. And Korean-based E-Machines has announced plans to sell an iMac look-alike for less than $600, say analysts.
Apple would not comment for this article, but its suppliers and dealers tell BUSINESS WEEK that the company plans to build as many as 1 million iMacs by the end of the year--double many analysts' estimates. Analysts figure Apple could sell 750,000 iMacs in the fourth quarter, after moving 250,000 this quarter, and the company may show growth in the Christmas quarter for the first time since 1996.
PRINTING GLITCH. That would be a much needed boost for Apple. Revenues are expected to shrink by 17%, to $5.9 billion, in the year that ends Sept. 30, and the company continues to lose share in the education and corporate markets. While Apple's dismal record on operations has improved, more must be done. Already, one high-end Mac was tabled, and slow PowerBook production caused shortages. And a software bug in the iMac, discovered after the Aug. 15 launch, delayed shipment of peripherals and an adapter kit for Hewlett-Packard Co. printers.
Such glitches are annoying to consumers. Dr. Deborah Kubasiak, a Chicago surgeon who replaced her aging Mac with an iMac, grouses about her inability to print: "I thought Apple was coming back and I was going to be part of the wave....They didn't need this."
Still, the iMac is winning plenty of new fans. Take James Dale Sherry of Walnut Creek, Calif. He put off buying a PC for years. After seeing the iMac early this summer, though, he took the plunge--and bought Apple stock to boot. Now, he's a happy customer and a happy investor: Apple's stock stands at around $37, up from $14 last December. "I've made a few hundred dollars," says Sherry. "I think it's cuter now than it was when I bought it." Greater flattery a computer cannot hope for.


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Lores estimates that it could see 10 per cent of computer sales during the current fiscal year. The third quarter saw global PC shipments decline by nearly 20 percent, the biggest reduction since Gartner Inc. began tracking the data in the mid-1990s. Dell Technologies Inc., which generates 55 percent of its revenue from PC sales, on Nov. 21 raised a weak forecast for the current quarter and indicated that some customers have delayed purchases for the foreseeable future. In recent weeks, several IT businesses have made their intentions clear by starting to downsize their workforce. Meta Platforms Inc and Amazon.com Inc began laying off about 10,000 employees, and Twitter Inc laid off more than half of its 7,500 employees. While Cisco Systems Inc announced job and office cuts last week. Hard drive maker Seagate Technology Holdings Plc has also announced plans to cut around 3,000 jobs.
Tech News Desk – The world’s renowned tech company Hewlett-Packard i.e. HP is planning to eliminate 6 thousand jobs in the coming years. In fact, keeping in mind the declining demand for personal computers and falling revenue, it was decided that the Hewlett-Packard company would cut down to 6,000 jobs in the next three years. HP will reduce its real estate footprint and cut 10 percent of its 61,000 global workforce over the next three years to control costs, according to the company’s CEO Enrique Lores. Restructuring costs for the company are expected to total $1 billion, of which about 60 percent will begin coming down in the new fiscal year 2023. According to HP’s statement, it plans to save $1.4 billion annually by the end of fiscal year 2025.


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116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Home / Business
Budcat, 332 S. Linn St., was acquired by Activision Publishing, a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, in late 2008. The studio, which reportedly employed about 70 at the time it was closed, helped developed games within the Guitar Hero franchise, including Guitar Hero III, Legends of Rock and Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.
Activision Blizzard, a publicly traded company, issued a statement about the closing of Budcat Creations and shutdown of its quality assurance division in California.
“We continue to streamline our music development resources to ensure that they are aligned against our slate and strategic goals,” Activision Blizzard said in its release. “As a result, we are implementing a targeted reduction in jobs in our quality assurance team in California and closing our Budcat studio in Iowa. Budcat has been a great partner to Activision and has created a lasting impact on the Guitar Hero franchise.
“Approximately 88 positions, or 1 percent of our global work force, will be impacted by these reductions. We are working to redirect those employees that are impacted to other parts of the company where possible, as well as offering them outplacement counseling services.”
Budcat employees reportedly had no advance warning that the studio would be closed. Their first indication was the presence of security guards when they arrived for work and were told that the studio had closed and they were no longer employed.
Budcat moved its operations from Las Vegas to Iowa City in January 2006. The company came about after University of Iowa graduate Isaac Burns met former Iowa Citian Jason Andersen in 1998 while both were working at EA Tiburon in Maitland, Fla.
Burns and Anderson left EA Tiburon two years later to start their own gaming company in Las Vegas and were joined by Andersen's brother, Jeremy.


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ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – With 20 years of retail experience, a Big Country husband and wife have turned their personal interest into a growing business, transforming their passion for animals into an opportunity for themselves and pets.
“My wife and I made the hard decision to quit our jobs and go all in on a pet store,” said store owner Spike Stoker.
Spike’s and his wife Leslie’s decision have led to what is known now as Pet Supplies Plus.
“We’re just thankful that we were able to take care of everybody, and I think as long as we keep doing that, business will be just fine,” said Spike.
Just five years ago, the Stokers purchased their first location and are now on their fourth one opening here in Abilene.
“It’s fun every morning. I wake up every day ready to go to work,” said Spike.
Despite the vast numbers of now hiring signs posted in the Abilene community, Spike says they had no problems finding workers.
“One of my favorite jobs I think I ever had, if we’re being honest,” said employee and animal caretaker, Brittney Poor.
Poor has been working at Pet Supplies Plus for about a month now, but says she already feels a part of the Stoker family.
“Every time they come in, they’ll stop and say hi to each of us, so it’s nice just to have somebody that big be so concerned about us here in the store,” she says.
Spike says the best part about it is you never know what is going to walk through those doors.
“We’ve had everything from Shetland ponies, to 10-foot snakes, to goats. I mean, you name it, we’ve had that pet in the door,” said Spike.
Spike says in every town that they’re in, it’s their mission to be that neighborhood pet store.
“That’s what the store is all about. Come in and have fun and show us all of your pets. Just, you know, have fun with us,” said Spike.


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Recently we reported on how RIM were losing market share to both Apple and Android in the US. The two platforms are racing away from the competition at the moment. But RIM is not the only platform not exactly setting the world on fire, as Microsoft CEO is upbeat despite weak Windows Phone figures.
The CEO of Microsoft was speaking yesterday at the Worldwide Partner Conference, and according to an article on eWeek.com he said that Windows Phone market share was “very small.” But he said that other factors were good for the platform.
These other factors are what the company is counting on to rise to the threat of the competition and increase its presence. Ballmer said “Nine out of 10 people who bought Windows Phone” would go on to recommend the platform to their friends. He also stated that people in the industry believed in the platform.
The deal the company has done with Nokia was also brought up, with Ballmer saying that Nokia had the many choices including Android but choose the Windows Phone 7 platform. He suggested that Nokia went for Windows’ as “they saw our roadmaps and saw what we did.” He then went on to mention recent research that suggests that Microsoft can get past Apple and RIM by 2015.
But presently Microsoft’s share of the smartphone market is sliding in the wrong direction, as for the three months between February and May their share slid from 7.7% to 5.8%. This is despite the push of the platform around that time.
While at the same time Android climbed to 38.1% from 33%, and Apple saw its share rise from 25.2% to 26.6% according to comScore. The company will be pinning its hopes on the upcoming Windows Phone Mango update, and hoping this will attract more customers to its platform.
The update will bring a completely new Xbox Live Hub and home screen tiles that can display up to date information. There will also be the ability to put friends and colleagues into groups, and a total of 500 new features. The Mango update is due to release during the fall with handsets from the likes of Samsung, HTC, LG, and Nokia promised with the operating system installed.
Windows Phone 7 has been liked by many users who have taken the plunge, but the trouble remains that many have so far shunned the platform in favor of Android and the iPhone.
Have you used Windows Phone 7?
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.


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STM Portal Info Center
Within your STM portal, you will find a tab titled "Info Center". By clicking on this tab, you will have access to a plethora of information to benefit your travel program. You will find Booking Guides, Info on Managing Your Team Travel, User Guides for Deem and Concur and so much more. These hubs are updated frequently. Check it out today.
STM Extended Weekday Hours
Starting May 31st, Our Sports Agents will be available to help you Monday - Friday 7 AM CST – 7 PM CST.
We will have an agent available on call after these hours to help support any *emergency changes to team travel due to flight interruptions or other emergent needs.
* Please note the Team Travel Emergency Dispatch service should be used for emergency changes or needs when teams are on the road on Saturday or Sunday.
Southwest’s new fare type is here. What to know about ‘Wanna Get Away Plus’
At Southwest Airlines, passengers can now get away with a few extra perks.
The carrier announced a new fare class on March 24, dubbed “Wanna Get Away Plus,” offering a fourth option in its fare system just above the discounted — and relatively restrictive — “Wanna Get Away” fare.
The new fare — now on sale — introduces three benefits above Wanna Get Away, which is essentially Southwest’s version of basic economy.
While tickets still won’t be fully refundable — you’ll have to buy Anytime or Business Select for that — tickets can be canceled in exchange for a flight credit, just like with Wanna Get Away. Unlike those base-level fares, though, the credit can be transferred to someone else. That means that if one person has an unused flight credit, they can use that to book a ticket for a spouse, child, or anyone else with a Rapid Rewards account. That’s a big plus for personal and leisure travelers. The flight credit remains valid for 12 months from the date of booking...learn more
CDC Updates US Travel Guidance with New Recommendations
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its coronavirus testing recommendations for Americans looking to travel domestically.
According to CNN.com, the CDC announced domestic travelers should “consider getting tested as close to the time of departure as possible,” regardless of vaccination status. The government agency said the testing should occur no more than three days before the trip...learn more
U.S. Pilot Staffing Situation Is Complex and Will Take Years to Sort Out
Much ink has been spilled about the pilot situation in the U.S., with many regional airlines saying they face a shortage, larger carriers saying they are experiencing elevated attrition, and the biggest airlines reporting training backlogs. All of this adds up to dropped destinations, fewer flights than planned, and disrupted travel plans as airlines reactively prune schedules.
“Pilots were stuck in the school house,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in April after the airline suffered a wave of staffing-related cancellations earlier that month. “So we’re de-risking the operation a little bit to give our pilots schoolhouse just a little bit of breathing room as we train them.”..read more
TSA is expanding use of screeners to help at busy airports
The chief of the Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday that his agency has quadrupled the number of employees who could bolster screening operations at airports that become too crowded this summer.
TSA Administrator David Pekoske said nearly 1,000 employees have volunteered to be sent to other airports if needed.
It’s part of the agency’s plan for handling what is projected to be a frenetic vacation-travel season.
“We expect this to be a busy summer, and we are as ready as we possibly can be,” Pekoske said at a news conference near Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. “We’re likely going to exceed in some airports by good measure the 2019 numbers.”..read more
COVID-19 No Longer the Biggest Concern for Many Travelers
The latest installment of Longwoods International’s ongoing American Travel Sentiment Study indicates that record-high gas prices and soaring airfare costs have overtaken pandemic-related concerns for consumers as the summer travel season approaches.
According to the study, one-third of travelers said that gas prices will greatly affect their travel plans over the next six months, while one-quarter reported that the soaring price of plane tickets will impact them in a similar way...read more
Airport parking crisis? How to save money while securing a space
As travel bounces back to pre-pandemic levels, we’ve already seen expensive flights, scarce rental cars and limited hotel rooms affect those looking to get away.
Now, due to an increase in the number of those flying, combined with more of those travelers driving themselves to the airport than before, parking is the latest part of the travel infrastructure to feel the strain.
Sold-out airport lots and price increases have been reported across the country, with dire warnings about limited availability ahead for the busy Memorial Day weekend and the summer travel season. Here’s what you’re likely to find when you pull into the airport this summer — and how to ensure your car has a place to park...learn more


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Upset over a trader offering one-sixth of the market price for his produce, a farmer in Osmanabad district has razed his entire one-acre cabbage crop.
Umaji Chavan, a resident of Jagdalwadi village of Omerga tehsil, said the price offered by traders who buy these vegetables from farmers was so low that he was left with no option but to take the extreme step of razing the entire crop.
"I razed the entire cabbage field with the help of a tractor and a rotor," Chavan told PTI on Friday. Due to the ongoing lockdown - which is now over a month old in Maharashtra, where it was put in place before the national lockdown began - the demand, transport and sale of vegetables has become a big problem for farmers, he said.
"We tried to sell cabbage in the market at Omerga, which is 20 km away from my village. We were offered Rs 20 for 50 kg produce. The price I was offered is almost one-sixth of the normal selling price in the market," he said.
"I have spent almost Rs one lakh to cultivate the cabbage crop on the one-acre field. I expected a reasonable return on investment but had I sold the produce at the asking rate, I would not have got even one-fifth of the amount I put in," Chavan said.
"There are big markets like Solapur and Hyderabad, where I could have got a better price. But Solapur is 100 km from my village, and Hyderabad is 200 km away. Transportation to these cities amid lockdown is difficult," he said.


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Outbreaks from raw milk continue to pose a public health challenge as the number of illnesses associated with unpasteurized milk and milk products increase. Most recently, Utah Department of Health (UDH) officials are investigating a cluster of illnesses associated with raw milk from Heber Valley Milk in Wasatch County. Nine cases of Salmonella Saintpaul infections have been reported. Consumption dates range from March 20 to August 14, 2016.
While it is either illegal to sell raw milk in some states or heavily restricted and regulated in other states, many states legally permit retailers to sell raw milk and raw milk products. Data shows, however, more outbreaks occur in states where it is legal. Since 2009, more than 400 people have become ill in 30 documented outbreaks associated with raw milk sold by Utah dairies statewide.
Overall, the average number of outbreaks caused by raw milk each year was four times higher in the five years between 2007-2012 than in 1993-2006. Children younger than five years of age accounted for 59% of outbreaks, putting them at higher risk for illness.
Raw milk is not healthier or more nutritious than pasteurized milk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns consumers against drinking raw milk. It can be a very efficient home for disease-causing bacteria and other germs. Pasteurization is essential to ensure disease-causing germs have been completely removed, making milk safe for consumption.
Pasteurizing milk does not cause lactose intolerance or allergic reactions. Milk allergies occur in individuals sensitive to milk proteins, regardless if they ingest raw or pasteurized milk. Raw milk cannot kill dangerous pathogens by itself; only the pasteurization process ensures milk is free from disease-causing bacteria. Both the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration are asking public health officials to continue to educate the public and debunk myths about pasteurized milk and milk products.
For those who choose to consume raw milk, it is possible to reduce the risk of illness by following these steps:
- Only buy raw milk from stores or dairies permitted by law to sell it. However, a government permit does not guarantee that raw milk will be free from disease-causing bacteria.
- Keep raw milk and raw milk products refrigerated at or below 40°F.
- Transport milk from the store to home in a cooler with ice packs.
- Do not let raw milk sit out at room temperature.
Young children, pregnant women, the elderly, individuals with weakened or compromised immune systems, and anyone who does not want to become ill should avoid raw milk and raw milk products.


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IT giant CSC has offered to buy Australian technology company UXC. The offer is for $1.28 per share for UXC, whose UXC Eclipse is its Dynamics reselling arm. That would appear to be about $305 million in cash for all shares, based on the shares outstanding when the UXC year ended on June 30. CSC had $11.7 billion in revenue for the year ended July 3 and UXC Eclipse had $125 million in revenue for its last full year, so it would be a bit swallowed up.
New Zealand-based Xero says it now has 100,000 subscribers for its cloud-based accounting software in the United Kingdom. In a prepared statement, CEO Rod Drury said this week the company had 30,000 subscribers in that country two years ago.
The most recent global figure was 540,000, a number released this summer. In August, Xero said it had 250,000 subscribers in Australia and 150,000 in New Zealand.
The Sage Group has entered an alliance with PWC to support its new cloud-based Sage Live by combining the Sage product with My Financepartner from PWC U.K. The press release announcing this deal suggests there's lots more to come as it says the launch will initially be in the United Kingdom. MyFinancepartner is described as providing an implementation service to SMBs and also a service that combines accounting and compliance with business advice.
UXC Eclipse, which has major Dynamics operations in the United States, has acquired the Dynamics AX and Microsoft Business Intelligence divisions of Koorb Consulting. Koorb is based in New Zealand and was reported to have more than 90 AX and BI sites. The parent UXC is based in Australia. Eclipse said the deal makes it the largest AX reseller in New Zealand one of the top two globally. Bradley Stroop, CEO of UXC Eclipse, says the company expects 55 percent of revenue to come from AX and related products for the year ending June 30, 2016.


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Jennifer McPartland, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist with the Health Program.
Prominent incidences of environmental injustice in the public eye are typically place-based — from lead-contaminated tap water in Flint, Michigan to smokestacks lining Cancer Alley in Louisiana. For decades, communities of color and low income communities have confronted long-standing discriminatory practices and policies around land use, housing, and related issues that result in greater exposures to pollution and toxic chemicals.
While geography is a predictor of an individual’s health and well-being, environmental injustice and environmental racism extend beyond geography to include inequities in toxic exposures like in personal care product formulations. Beauty and personal care products marketed to women of color often contain more toxic ingredients than products marketed to white women. As a result, women of color are disproportionately exposed to toxic chemicals through these products.
A 2017 landmark article, The environmental injustice of beauty: framing chemical exposures from beauty products as a health disparities concern, by Ami Zota and Bhavna Shamasunder, puts a spotlight on this form of environmental injustice and the health implications for women of color.
- A 2016 study of Latina adolescents revealed higher levels of chemicals of concern including parabens, certain phthalates, and certain UV filters in their urine when compared to national averages for female adolescents.
- A 2012 study of women of color in the greater New York Metropolitan area found that more African-Americans (49.4%) and African-Caribbeans (26.4%) used hair products containing placenta or endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) compared to white women (7.7%).
- A 2011 study of New York City residents, found those with the highest urine mercury levels were foreign-born Dominican women of reproductive age, and skin-lightening creams were identified as a source of exposure among highly-exposed populations.
Since the Zota and Shamasunder article, more research has been published describing the beauty injustice problem including:
- An initial 2021 pilot study found Black and Hispanic/Latina hairdressers working in Black and Dominican salons had higher levels of certain phthalates in their urine compared to the general population, including diethyl phthalate (DEP), a chemical associated with adverse reproductive and neurodevelopmental effects.
- A 2021 study examining six commonly used leave-in hair products used by Black women found that the products were all hormonally active.
- A 2018 study found 45 endocrine disrupting or asthma-associated chemicals in18 hair products used by Black women and girls, with two no-lye hair relaxers for children containing the highest levels of four endocrine-disrupting chemicals banned in the EU.
- A 2018 study on the use of certain hair products found an association with earlier menarche — a risk factor for breast cancer which research indicates is more aggressive in Black women.
While it’s up to businesses and policy makers to repair the broken systems that perpetuate beauty injustice, and to effectively address inequities around harmful ingredients and ensure that these products are safe for everyone, resources exist to help consumers take steps to minimize their exposure to harmful ingredients in these products. The Silent Spring Institute together with WEACT and Black Women for Wellness developed useful tips that women of color can take to reduce their exposures to harmful beauty ingredients in hair products.
Mounting evidence makes clear that the toxic ingredients in personal care products for women of color result in real, dangerous health impacts. It’s long past time for everyone to have access to the safest possible ingredients in their products.
This entry was posted in Markets and Retail and tagged beauty justice, beauty products, chemicals, clean beauty justice. Bookmark the permalink. Trackbacks are closed, but you can .


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President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau put up a front of accommodation and cooperation at the White House that belies the alarms being raised by industry and farm groups over changes to Nafta being pushed by the U.S.
Trump called Trudeau “a great friend of mine,” as they met in the Oval Office on Wednesday, and the Canadian leader reciprocated the sentiment, calling the two countries “incredibly close.”
But on the North American Free Trade Agreement, Trump showed no signs of retreat. Asked if Nafta is dead, Trump said, “We’ll see what happens.”
“It’s possible we won’t be able to make a deal and it’s possible we will,” he added.
The two leaders met as negotiators from the U.S., Canada and Mexico were convening in a Washington suburb for the fourth round of talks on reworking the North American Free Trade Agreement.
The negotiations are being held at the demand of Trump, who this week repeated his threat to pull the U.S. out of the 23-year-old accord. The U.S. president has called the agreement a “disaster” that’s cost U.S. jobs.
Trump’s hardline positions in the negotiations are drawing increasing resistance in the U.S., leaving the administration isolated at the negotiating table.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Thomas Donohue, speaking in Mexico City on Tuesday, pledged to fight “like hell” to defend Nafta if Trump tries to pull out. The American Farm Bureau Federation is joining an umbrella group, Farmers for Free Trade, to defend the accord, which has been a boon to the agriculture industry. Representatives of the auto industry warned some of the U.S. demands could raise prices for vehicles.
Trump and Trudeau skipped the usual joint news conference after their meetings. Trump is heading to an event in Pennsylvania while the Canadian prime minister scheduled his own news conference.
One major point of contention is a move by the Trump administration to substantially increase the proportion of U.S. content required for goods assembled on the continent. That would particularly hit the auto industry, which has warned that doing so risks disrupting the auto industry’s vast supply chain and raising costs.
“There’s been huge investments in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, that are long-term assets,” said Don Walker, chief executive officer of Magna International Inc. a Canada-based parts maker with more than 25,000 employees in the U.S. “To try and change that would be extremely expensive for the industry.”
The Chamber and the trade group for Mexico’s auto industry already have come out against an anticipated proposal to raise U.S.-specific content. The National Automobile Dealers Association said it was concerned about any changes that would make cars costlier.
During his presidential campaign and early in his term, Trump fixated on the auto industry and carmakers investing in Mexico, criticizing companies including Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp.
The current round of talks also will include discussions on financial services, labor rules, agriculture, digital trade, investment and energy, among other issues, according to the agenda. The talks are scheduled to conclude Oct. 16.


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Hackers are everywhere these days.
But it seems to be getting harder and harder to watch movies online at home thanks to apps like Google’s YouTube.
The latest hack is an app called Hackers.
The hack will be available to download from Google Play for $0.99, and it will work on any smartphone running Android 4.0+ (Google’s latest operating system) or higher.
You’ll need an Android 4+ smartphone or higher with Android 4+.
The hack works by downloading a file and embedding it in a video player app.
If you’re using a non-Android smartphone or tablet with an iOS or Mac OS X app installed, you’ll need to do a little extra work to actually watch the hack.
That includes installing an app from the App Store.
The app, which Google calls Hackers, is free to download, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll actually be able to use it.
We’ve seen people who have used the app for more than a week get a message asking them to uninstall it, and Google says it’s not going to delete the app.
If it’s a security bug or something the app’s developers have found, Google has promised to fix it.
You can watch Hackers on YouTube for free right now, and you can download the app from Google’s app store for free.
But there’s a catch.
You have to get the app to install.
This means you’ll have to download the Hackers app before you can watch the movie.
That makes the app a little harder to use, since it doesn’t work on phones running iOS or Android that haven’t been updated to the latest version of the OS.
The YouTube app also requires an account to watch videos.
But, since YouTube is the only video app Google has that works on any Android device, you won’t need to worry about that.
You will need an account, and that’s where you’ll be able watch the video.
The Hackers movie is the first video the app has released.
It’s a feature-length film that focuses on two brothers, Matt and Mattias, who are members of a hacker group called The Dark Side.
Their group uses YouTube as a base for spreading the hacking information that the hackers gather.
The brothers were recruited by an FBI agent named Nicky Schmitt, and Schmitt eventually betrayed them.
The film also features interviews with Matt and his brother, Alex, who help viewers understand what it’s like to be a hacker and what it takes to keep a group alive.
Hackers is scheduled to release in theaters on October 23.
Read more about the film, including an interview with Mattias.