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Apple fanboys and fangirls in China are willing to go any length to lay their hands on the coveted new iPhone 6.
Watch Headlines @8:30am only on Zee News.
Panic struck Google users around the globe after it was revealed that Russian hackers had targeted the Internet behemoth and posted usernames and passwords of almost five million accounts online.
Watch Top 10 news in 2 minutes only on Zee News.
Los Angeles: Irish band U2 has denied reports that they have partnered with Apple to release their new album on the iPhone 6.
The newly launched Facebook Messenger app has received poor reviews from its users, with most criticising the popular social networking site for forcing them to download a separate app to access their messages.
China has excluded Apple from a list of products that can be bought with public money because of security concerns, media reports said.
Arch-rivals Samsung and Apple have decided to drop a series of bitter patent disputes pending in multiple courts outside the United States, the South Korean electronics giant said.
The Himachal Pradesh government will install Global Positioning System in all apple-carrying vehicles to monitor their movements and check theft cases, a minister said.
Social networking site Facebook has launched a new app called `Mentions` for Facebook-recognised or verified celebrities to help them manage their public figure pages.
Apple iWatch is not likely to enter the market until November, revealed a report.
An apple a day not only keeps the doctor away but also boosts sexual pleasure among women.
Amazon is preparing to release a smartphone in the second half of 2014, thrusting itself into a market already crowded with Apple and Samsung models, a media report has said.
China has reportedly blasted several US tech giants for allegedly stealing their state secrets, suggesting that the companies be severely punished and that new rules be put in place.
Gwyneth Paltrow recently tweeted a pic of hers with her children Apple , 9, and Moses, 8, on Twitter.
n a significant finding, the global environment group Greenpeace has applauded Apple, Facebook and Google for committing to power their data centres with 100 percent renewable energy.
Gwyneth Paltrow was seen kissing her former boyfriend Donovan Leitch six months before announcing her separation from her husband of 11-years Chris Martin.
Apple`s motion to remove the court-appointed antitrust monitor has been reportedly denied after it failed to demonstrate that it is entitled to a halt of the monitor`s activities.
Google has reportedly suspended Google Play access to Themer, following a copyright infringement complaint from Apple over icons used by the app.
Apple products may be gaining momentum than Microsoft right now, but the latter is more popular among men, a new survey has found.
Day in Pics: 22nd September
Showbiz World - September 22, 2014
iPhone6 fever grips the world


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2nd Limited Release 2021: PX Sherry Cask Matured Edition
As already announced and presented at the Kilchoman Online Tasting with George and James Wills on 8 April, the second Limited Release of 2021 is a PX Sherry Cask Matured Edition. It will be available for the first time in the Kilchoman Online Shop from Wednesday, 5 May, and then at local retailers worldwide later in the week.
Casks that previously contained the extremely sweet Pedro Ximénez Sherry are mostly used for finishing, as full maturation risks dominating the whisky character after a relatively short period of storage. Kilchoman has not only released countless PX-finish single cask bottlings in recent years, but also some PX single cask full maturations last year, which proved that with careful cask selection and relatively early bottling, a successful synthesis of the Kilchoman distillery character and the sweet PX tones is possible.
With the PX Sherry Cask Matured Edition, Kilchoman is now releasing a major PX release for the first time. It is a vatting of 33 casks, nine of them PX full maturations and 24 PX finishes with a post-maturation period of between 12 and 18 months.

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Apparel sales worst hit as ecommerce firms recover only one-fifth of pre-Covid-19 demand after opening sales of non-essentials in smaller towns and cities
E-commerce leaders including Amazon and Flipkart have been able to recover only one-fifth of their pre-Covid-19 demand even after they opened up sales of non-essentials across smaller towns and cities which fall under the Green and Orange zones, as per analysts and industry insiders.
These companies said initial orders have come in for electronics, phones, kitchen appliances, even as they await the opening up of business in high-demand areas which fall under the Red zone.
As per estimates by Forrester Research, regions in Green and Orange zones accounted for 30-35% sales of ecommerce firms prior to the lockdown.
This is also because offline stores have opened and they had faced several headwinds during the lockdown, including forced cashless payments, longer delivery timelines and limited selection.
In some cases, etailers said they have not been able to open up fulfillment and sorting centres that fall in the Red zones, where infections continue to rise. “Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines didn’t clarify the operations side of ecommerce… And, hence, confusion among local authorities for non-essential warehouses in Red zones is still there,” said a top executive at an e-commerce firm on condition of anonymity.
A report by RedSeer Consulting also points to customers in smaller cities and lower-income groups curbing discretionary spending, which means spending on e-commerce will remain lower than normal as they largely service non-essential and discretionary categories. “The outlook for the industry looks bleak,” said Satish Meena of Forrester Research. “We have already reduced our growth forecast for 2020 to around 6%…as of now, there is limited demand plus credit is also going to be difficult,” he said.
Without disclosing order volumes, ecommerce companies confirmed that people have only bought items that they deem essential in the last 48 hours, including electronics, laptops and home appliances, partly due to pent-up demand from the last 40 days.
Apparel has been hit the worst, they said. “We are seeing an increase in searches for products in categories such as laptops, consumer electronics, mobiles, air conditioners, coolers, t-shirts, and other essentials,” said Anil Goteti, senior vice-president at Flipkart.
“We urge the government to allow an expanded list of priority products in the Red zone which will not only serve urgent needs and spruce up economic activity but will also ensure citizen’s safety in a high-risk area,” an Amazon spokesperson said.


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With the passing of new regulation, the next phase of Canadian cannabis legalization has begun.
On Oct 17, 2019, cannabis concentrates, edibles, vapes, and topicals were finally greenlit by the Canadian government, exactly one year after the country legalized recreational cannabis.
Although Canada had largely legalized last year, a number of cannabis products, primarily those containing concentrated forms of cannabis, were still banned. The reason for this was that the Canadian government wanted robust regulation in place before these more potent products could be made widely available to the public. And now, that regulation has finally arrived.
The new raft of measures dubbed “Cannabis 2.0” aims to finally bring concentrates and edibles to market in Canadian dispensaries. Furthermore, vape carts, cannabis infused beverages and topical creams are also included.
Although they were officially legalized on October 17th, Health Canada, the government regulator, had imposed a mandatory 60-day review period which meant that official sales could not begin until Dec 16 at the earliest. As a result, no Canadian dispensary could order products until this date, which means it’s unlikely Canadians will see these products on the shelves until late January at the earliest. However, realistically it will be well into 2020 before cannabis concentrates become staples in dispensaries.
While this is of course a welcome development in cannabis legalization, the Canadian government has established fairly strict regulation surrounding these products. Edibles, for instance, can contain no more than 10 mg of THC per packaged product, while concentrates, vape carts and topicals have a limit of 1000 mg per container. Furthermore, packaging will be tightly regulated to ensure these products, especially edibles, do not appeal to children. In fact, packaging must be plain, and containers must be child proof.
In 2019, Canada’s cannabis industry generated $1.6 billion in revenue, and according to CNN Business, that figure is forecast to reach $3.7 billion by the end of 2020 as a direct result of these new products hitting shelves.
With commercial concentrate production now in the cards for Canada’s cannabis producers, it surely won’t be long before the country sees an explosion in cannabis concentrates like the US has. Which also means a bright future for solventless rosin in Canada.


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Hate what the NFL has done to itself? Stop buying their stuff.
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Collectors of American sports cards–especially basketball–are a dedicated lot in the Land Down Under, chasing the same cards with a similar passion, despite a few hurdles.
“The King of Golf Cards” is liquidating his collection of hundreds of high grade, vintage PSA-graded sets and singles.
Upper Deck hopes Abdul-Jabbar’s basketball card lawsuit is a road game, Pearl Jam sings about him and one company’s NHL jersey deal.


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Apple might be working on a new wearable.
The tech giant and German optical instruments company Carl Zeiss have teamed up to deliver smart glasses, well-known blogger Robert Scoble… 471 more words
For a company as prone to secrecy as Apple, Tim Cook over the past few months has been uncharacteristically effusive when discussing Augmented Reality. This past October, for example, Cook during an earnings conference call enthusiastically said that Apple was “high on” the technology. 710 more words
I’m born visually impaired. My vision is extremely low even with glasses on. This has caused a tremendous amount of inconvenience and pain for me. Currently if I go out, I use the magnifier on my iPhone to zoom in on things I can’t see clearly. 278 more words


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A day after coming in with a stellar second-quarter earnings report, Facebook finally experienced the type of stock-market pop that it had hoped to see on its first day of trading more than 14 months ago. The social network ended its most successful day of trading up nearly 30 percent.
Facebook closed Wednesday at $26.51 per share, smack-dab in the still super-depressed, mid-$20s range where the social network's stock had been trading for months. Of course, that all changed when Facebook blew everyone away and revealed that it made 41 percent of advertising revenue, or $656 million, from its nascent mobile business.
Facebook's second quarter was shockingly good with $1.81 billion in total revenue and adjusted earnings per share of 19 cents. A day later, the market rewarded the social network with the biggest gains in the history of the company's stock. Facebook opened Thursday at $33.54 a share and closed even higher at $34.36 for a whopping 29.61 percent one-day pop.
It's exactly the kind of make-rich-quick action Facebook had hoped to see on its hotly anticipated IPO day. The social network, if you recall, opened just 11 percent above its $38 offering price and eventually fell back to $38.27 by the closing bell.
Facebook's closing price Thursday finally puts the company back within striking range of its $38 IPO price, and analysts everywhere are adjusting their 12-month price targets. Goldman Sachs, for instance, now expects Facebook to hit $46 a share in 12 months, which is up from a $40 prediction prior to the second-quarter report.


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McColl’s Q4 revenues impacted by supply chain disruption
Convenience chain McColl’s has said continued disruption to its supply chain has impacted its fourth quarter revenue.
In a trading update issued the morning, the retailer said its full year performance may fall short of expectations if the issues do not materially improve.
McColl’s said problems caused by the ongoing nationwide shortage of delivery drivers, labour shortages at distribution centres and a reduced supply of key products have intensified in its fourth quarter.
Jonathan Miller, chief executive of McColl’s, said: “It is disappointing to see supply chain issues worsen through the second half, but external factors have not eased, and continue to impact much of the UK economy. We are working collaboratively with our wholesale partner Morrisons to restore in-store product availability as quickly as possible.”
The retailer now expects full year adjusted EBITDA pre IFRS 16 to come in between the range of £20 million and £22 million.
Giving an update on the conversion of some stores to Morrisons Daily, the retailer said the pace of work has now accelerated and that it now expects to have over 150 Morrisons Daily stores in operation by the end of this month.
Miller added: “Despite these supply chain issues, I am delighted by the step change we are witnessing in store performance from our Morrisons Daily conversions. This new format is showing strong sales growth and is delivering better ROI than we expected. Our conversion programme is moving at pace, ahead of time and on budget, and we anticipate reaching 350 Morrisons Daily stores well in advance of our original target.”
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Maine Open Farm Day organizers encourage the public to visit farms online beginning Sunday, July 26, to support Maine agriculture this summer.
“Our interactions with agriculture will be different this summer than in years past, especially as many cherished fairs and outdoor events have canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Amanda Beal, commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry. “However, because farmers are very skilled at problem-solving and adapting to changes, many farms across Maine are more accessible than ever this growing season.”
The 31st annual Open Farm Day is one way to connect with area farmers. It will be presented as an online event at bit.ly/2WjVgJv and begins the fourth week in July.
Using the platform, farmers will share behind the scenes glimpses of their operations and the work that goes into growing and producing farm products.
Open Farm Day organizers offer tips to help support Maine farms and different ways to increase awareness of Maine agriculture this summer:
-Visit farm websites—subscribe to farm blogs, newsletters, and podcasts
-Follow Maine farms on social media, offer personal testimonials, and share posts with friends.
-Help keep farms and retail areas healthy — stay home if sick
-Bring a cooler and ice to retain food quality
-Travel safe—planting and harvest season means peak road usage by farmers and the public.
-Ask farmers how to enjoy their farm products year-round
With regard to supporting agricultural businesses that are open to the public, including farm stands, stores, markets, as well as “U-pick” or “pick your own,” Mainers are advised to:
-Maintain physical distance, wear a face covering
-Use good hygiene before and after visiting
-Keep pets at home
-Follow instructions and signage
-Be prepared for pre-scheduled visits, curbside pickup, and drive by or drive-through services
-Know that on-site access may be limited due to business logistics; each farm is different
Supporting farms not typically open to the public:
-Ask farmers which consumer brands use their crops or raw materials.
-Ask farmers where one can buy their products.
-Seek brands that use or source raw materials or ingredients Maine.
-Enjoy agriculture’s working landscapes from a distance as while taking the scenic routes.
Some of the local farms participating in this program are listed below. More listings, by county, are available online at bit.ly/2On53dv.
Beau Chemin Preservation Farm, Waldoboro
Briggs Farm, Somerville
Cape Newagen Alpaca Farm, Southport
East Forty Farm and Dairy, Waldoboro
Morris Farm, Wiscasset
Odd Alewives Farm Brewery, Waldoboro
Sealyon Farm, Alna
TLC Fiber farm and Alpaca Rescue, Waldoboro


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ACM loses case over SMS spam
- Authority for Consumers & ; Market (ACM) has drawn the short straw in a case against SD & amp; P Interactive Breda for violating the ban on spam. The company does not pay a fine of 60,000 euros to pay, the court ruled in Rotterdam.
According to ACM had S & amp; P guilty of violating the ban on spam by sending unsolicited text messages to consumers who had left their data on a commercial website to thus win a free product.
The former regulator OPTA, the forerunner of ACM, the company had in 2010 imposed fines totaling 550 000 euro. Of them came last year too shabby 400. 000 after the Board of Trade and Industry (Tribunal) last June in favor of SD & amp; P had decided.
The remaining fine of 150. 000 was then reduced by ACM to 60. 000. That fine is now the job because the Rotterdam court ACM finds that in the cases that remained sufficiently demonstrated that there was ' unsolicited communications '.
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Can Snapchat Make Flash Sales Hot Again? Mall Of America Thinks So
The Minnesota retail space is testing flash sales for some of its 520 stores across social media through the end of the month. But the real test is whether Snapchat can spur Millennials to shop at a moment’s notice.
While styles come in and out of fashion more quickly than ever, discount flash sales of the kind pioneered by the likes of Groupon, Livingsocial, and Gilt Groupe have been trending downward for the past few years. But now it’s beginning to look like the once hot trend of social shopping is due for a comeback — and it could have Snapchat to thank for it.
At least, that’s what Mall of America has been counting on for the past week. But rather than simply reviving the flash sales concept across one of the established e-commerce platforms, the Minnesota retail and entertainment complex believes that messaging app Snapchat is the right mechanism to make quick deals and discounts appeal to younger women.
The Deal Is On
Starting March 14 and running through the end of the month, Mall of America is promoting one-day sales at some of its 520-plus shops, starting with BCBGeneration, Athleta, Henri Bendel, and Calvin Klein at rates from 25- to 50 percent off certain merchandise.
“We’re truly looking at this as a way to get compelling offers from our tenants into the hands of consumers,” Emily Shannon, director of Digital at Mall of America, told GeoMarketing. “We’re using social media as the biggest conduit to share these offers. Snapchat is a platform that works really well for flash sales because they are all about immediacy and select groups of interested users — much like Snapchat. We’re using Snapchat as well as other traditional social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to get the word out as well.”
Being able to target a certain number of active, interested followers may be the right formula that can make flash sales appeal to both consumers and brands.
For the past four years, the e-commerce discount model for in-store shopping came up against two significant challenges: 1) the diminution of flash sales as boutique designer brands rejected the “race to the discount bottom”; and 2) the co-opting of the deals model by established retailers which made it difficult for the dedicated platforms like Groupon (which has since broadened its offerings expanding from a focus on the deals marketplace into mobile shopping for online and offline retail).
In sense, the proliferation of flash sales made what was once special and exclusive appear less so.
Why Snapchat Is Right For Flash Sales
Although many ad agencies and brands have doubted that Snapchat could be anything more than a simplified version of a customer relationship marketing platform — as opposed to presenting a full range of marketing and advertising options — the social media company has been working to change that view. The latest in a string of examples appeared last month, when Snapchat began selling custom, on-demand geofilters to advertisers starting at the true discount price of $5.
Last year, Snapchat developed geofilters, which enable a mobile user to draw a location around a specific place where their friends/followers can see messages. The platform offers two kinds of geofilters: Community and Sponsored. Community, geofilters are general and can include a city like New York or a place like Central Park. They are free to set up and can’t include logos or marketing. Meanwhile Snapchat’s Sponsored geofilters do allow brands large and small to pay to cover a certain area in order to promote themselves and their wares (like “Mall of America” or “Calvin Klein at Mall of America”).
“We started some early experimentations with Snapchat a little over a year ago to support high school prom-related efforts that we were doing to drive customers into the Mall and retailers who were doing special sales around that event,” Shannon said. “We knew that Snapchat was really, really hot with Generation Z, the digital native audience. We wanted to see if there was any truth to that. We had some early success with that campaign. But then what we really did was we took a step back and we said, ‘How can we leverage what’s happening on Snapchat and build a more in-depth strategy around it?’”
Shortly after the prom promotion, Mall of America “really started hitting Snapchat hard,” Shannon said. The marketing team created a “snappy Black Friday campaign” where every hour from about 6pm on Thanksgiving into the following day Mall of America released an exclusive offer that was just available to its Snapchat audience.
“The Black Friday Snapchat effort worked out great, because Snapchat is a time sensitive social network,” Shannon said. “When things are disappearing because people want to take advantage of flash sales, we’re able to use Snapchat to get the message out for a very short amount of time.”
Snapchat’s A Complement, Not A Silver Bullet
In terms of evaluating the success of the program, Shannon noted that Snapchat analytics remains one of the great mysteries that a lot of brand marketers are trying to solve for in the social media space.
Unlike Facebook or Twitter, Snapchat doesn’t give brands a lot to work with right now, Shannon said. But the cost is so comparatively low, it can’t hurt to experiment with it.
“Through Facebook for example, they give brands lots of insights about who’s interacting, how many people are interacting, what the volume is. On Snapchat, none of that really holds true right now. We’re doing a lot of basic measurement to find out how many people are actually interacting with that piece of content? One of the things that we can use to see if something is successful is to observe how many screenshots people are taking of what we’re posting out there. But we see that as only the beginning.”
For the most part, Shannon doesn’t see Snapchat competing with either Facebook or Twitter. Rather, it’s a complementary social media tool. And the marketing space isn’t necessarily looking for a one-stop social media platform to serve as a silver bullet targeting Millennial shoppers.
“People reach out to us on Twitter to find out basic information,” Shannon said. “They may have a question about when a store is open or when is an event happening. Twitter is a great customer care feature. Other platforms like Snapchat might be used better to tell our brand’s story. When those things work together, you can have a very close relationship with your social consumers that lets them know that your brand’s there to really provide a service to get them in to make their shopping experience as great as it can be.”


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The latest version of Android, 5.0 Lollipop, may only be on 1.6 percent of devices, but Android 5.1 is already starting to show up on new phones.
On Tuesday, Google announced that its low-cost smartphone program, Android One, is expanding past the Indian subcontinent into Indonesia. Some of the Indonesian Android One Phones, including the Nexian Journey and Evercoss One X, are running Android 5.1 out of the box, according to AndroidPolice and Google. That means that the latest Android update is available on certain Android One devices even before Nexus devices.
Although an Android 5.1 changelog isn’t available yet, the update will likely bring a slew of performance and stability updates, according to AndroidPit, and may bring back the silent mode setting many have been missing in Android 5.0.
According to Google, there are three Android One devices going on sale in Indonesia from four different retailers. The devices are all similar, packing 4.5-inch, 854 x 480 pixel screens and quad-core processors presumably from MediaTek. Google also has a deal with Telkom Indonesia to “zero-rate” Android update data — so when users update their operating system it won’t cost them money.
When Android One was launched, Google promised those devices — despite costing as little as $120 — would get new versions of Android “soon after they were released” for both security and performance reasons. However, certain Android One devices in India haven’t even received the Android 5.0 update yet. For those with Nexus devices in the United States and Europe, though, Android 5.1 can’t be too far off.


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Acme Packet CEO Andrew Ory is selling his company to Oracle. Other Boston-area networking tech firms are already prepared to take its place.
In the sector broadly known as networking technology, Boston has long been a strong player—the home of historical winners including Wellfleet, 3Com and Starent (among others).
On Monday, one of Boston's more recent success stories in the sector, Bedford-based Acme Packet (Nasdaq: APKT), announced a deal to be acquired by Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) for $2.1 billion.
A number of Boston-area networking tech firms are ready to pick up the mantle. Here are five I've interviewed in recent months:
Acacia Communications: The firm offers 100-gigabit networking technology that aims to dramatically increase computing bandwidth. "We are playing a key role in powering the next-generation Internet," CEO Raj Shanmugaraj said in a recent interview. The company, which saw more than $30 million in revenue last year, expects continued growth as Internet service providers increasingly seek to boost bandwidth, amid exploding use of video, mobile devices and LTE (long-term evolution).
Plexxi: The firm's software and hardware aim to build a network that is fully defined by software, rather than where the wires are located. The end result is lower cost, power consumption and latency, CEO Dave Husak said in an interview. The product launched commercially in November, and aims to serve as "the stepping off point to the next era" of networking in data centers, Husak said.
Movik Networks: The firm produces telecom equipment which aims to dramatically improve the way content is delivered to mobile devices, while also slashing capital costs for mobile operators. Movik CEO John St. Amand told me recently that the company plans to announce several major wireless firms as customers within months.
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CALGARY – Another joint electric scooter service is rolling into the Calgary market.
Roll, a Toronto-based company, started operations in Calgary in late May offering dockless electric scooters that are similar to the Lime and Bird.
“So far we have more than 4,000 users in Calgary and more than 2,600 trips,” said Arda Erturk, director of communications at Roll.
The employees charge the roller scooters as required and clean and disinfect them.
“We also have our patrol team, they go around cleaning our scooters with disinfectant and disinfectant solutions,” said Erturk. “Our goal is to disinfect at least twice a day.”
Users are still encouraged to wash their hands or use hand sanitiser after traveling.
Not only is the number of businesses operating in the city increasing, but so is the number of scooters that will soon be available.
Last month each company was allowed 150 scooters as part of a pilot program. As of June 22nd, Lime and Bird are allowed to have 1,000 scooters each, while Roll is allowed to have 500 scooters for a total of 2,500.
The city is hoping these will be spread across all four quadrants instead of focusing on downtown core and the Beltline neighborhood, said Andrew Sedor, business development coordinator for the city.
“It really depends on how and in what area they are used,” he said.
“We are working proactively with the companies. Every vehicle is equipped with a GPS device so we can see where the journeys end and if there is a high concentration of scooters in an area. We are also looking for 311 to identify this see.” where complaints come from. “
Last year there were 1,500 scooters on the streets of Calgary and 500 motorcycles. Shared bikes won’t be returning this year.


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A VINTAGE dealer has shfound his latest find when he bought a storage unit and ended up with more than he bargained for.
TikTok user Vincent Broadway has gained over 27,600 followers with his vintage finds which he then sells on his eBay page.
In his most recent video, he explained that he bought a storage unit for $322 and found the unit filled with a variety of stuff worth thousands of dollars, like a Cleveland hb3 golf set.
“One of the reasons I bought the unit was the golf clubs,” he explained.
The clip has been liked over 70,000 times with many users commenting on the elements it shows in the clip.
“As a percussionist I cry imagine getting all this gear for 300 bucks,” one person commented.
“This big TV would go great for a retro gamers game room so their value there,” said another.
Broadway honestly didn’t expect to find so many gems in the unit.
Broadway estimated the value of his finds, “I would say between $1,500 and $2,000.”
The unit included a Yamaha DTX, a stand that appeared to be from a Yahama drum set, and most of the drum tracks.
Some users have made suggestions on the articles.
“Hey, that Zildjian cymbal could be worth thousands of dollars, get it checked out.”
Famous brothers Mike and Robert Wolfe rose to fame on American Pickers by collecting rare artifacts from collectors.
However, recently fans claimed the show was “staged” and pleaded to bring back former co-host, Frank Fritz.
“I’d rather watch a rerun from 7 years ago that’s less staged and doesn’t like taking Ambien. Nothing against Robbie, but the show is boring now,” one fan said.
“Fritz’ firing left the show with lower ratings after fans decided to take action and boycott the TV series,” another fan said.
Even with thousands of fans wanting Fritz back on the show, the former American Pickers co-host says even if he had the chance, he wouldn’t return.


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Pottermore announced Thursday alongside Scholastic and Bloomsbury (the U.S. and U.K. publishers of the Harry Potter books, respectively) that J.K. Rowling will be releasing a new version of Fantastic Beasts this year. Fantastic Beasts will come with new covers for the U.S., U.K., and ebook editions that will be released simultaneously, a new forward from Newt Scamander (written by Rowling), line illustrations by Tomislav Tomic, and new entries on six new magical creatures.
“[L]ike any diligent author, J.K. Rowling has revisited the original text to bring it in line with recent developments in the Wizarding World,” Pottermore said of the new edition. “We won’t ruin the surprise of which beasts these will be, but let’s just say there may be a few familiar faces. Or snouts. Or beaks.”
Fantastic Beasts was originally published in 2001, and the new edition allows Rowling to incorporate new creatures she created for the movie as well as letting Newt potentially mention some of the film’s events. His biography to this point doesn’t mention his role in the events that transpired in New York, for instance.
Proceeds from Fantastic Beasts will go to the major U.K. charity Comic Relief and Lumos, Rowling’s own charity. Fans can also purchase the book in a boxed set with Quidditch Through the Ages and The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
And while Rowling hasn’t said which beasts have been added to the new edition of Fantastic Beasts, she’s confirmed at least one new magical entity from the movie that won’t make an appearance.
An Obscurus isn't a creature… https://t.co/O3bsc4ObZ5— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 5, 2017
Fantastic Beasts will be released on March 14.


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Follow-ups -eshrag News:
Macro Snapshot — US weekly jobless claims fall; Italy business and consumers morale rise
RIYADH: The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, consistent with a labor market that remains tight amid strong demand for workers despite rising interest rates and tightening financial conditions.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits decreased 8,000 to a seasonally adjusted 210,000 for the week ended May 21, the Labor Department said on Thursday. The decline partially unwound some of the prior week’s surge, which had pushed claims to their highest level since January.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 215,000 applications for the latest week. Some blamed the recent increase in applications to less generous seasonal factors in May, the model that the government uses to strip out seasonal fluctuations from the data, relative to the prior two months.
Others, however, believed some retailers were laying off workers. Several retailers, including Walmart Inc., last week cut their full-year earnings forecasts, warning that inflation was squeezing profits.
In a separate report on Thursday, the Commerce Department confirmed the economy contracted in the first quarter under the weight of a record trade deficit and a slightly slower pace of inventory accumulation compared to the fourth quarter.
Gross domestic product fell at a 1.5 annualized rate last quarter, the government said in its second GDP estimate. That was revised down from the 1.4 percent pace of decline reported in April. The economy grew at a robust 6.9 percent pace in the fourth quarter.
Italy business morale rise
Morale among Italian businesses and consumers rose in May, data showed on Thursday, with service industries regaining confidence despite the ongoing war in Ukraine while manufacturers remained downbeat.
National statistics institute ISTAT’s manufacturing confidence index fell to 109.3 in May from 109.9 in April, but still came in slightly above a median forecast of 109.0 in a Reuters survey of 10 analysts.
ISTAT’s composite business morale index, combining surveys of the manufacturing, retail, construction and services sectors, rose to 110.9, compared with April’s reading of 108.4.
More positive sentiment in the services and retail sectors outweighed a decline in manufacturing and construction.
ISTAT said it had revised it methodology for calculating overall business sentiment, leading to a marked revision of its previous readings for April and preceding months.
Consumer confidence rose in May to 102.7 from 100 in April, the first increase after four consecutive declines. The reading comfortably beat a median forecast of 100.5 in Reuters’ poll.
Australia business investment dips
Australian business investment fell unexpectedly in the first quarter as floods and bottlenecks hit building work, though firms sharply lifted plans for spending in the year ahead in a boost to the economic outlook.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics out on Thursday showed private capital spending dipped a real 0.9 percent in the March quarter, from the previous quarter, missing forecasts of a 1.5 percent increase.
Spending on buildings fell 1.7 percent, offsetting a 1.2 percent rise in investment in plant and machinery which is important as this will directly contribute to economic growth in the quarter.
Promisingly, firms upgraded spending plans for the year to June 2023 to a strong A$130.5 billion ($92.49 billion), up almost 12 percent on the previous estimate and above the A$122 billion analysts had looked for.
The report echoes data showing construction work done fell 0.9 percent in the first quarter as bad weather and supply shortages dragged on activity, particularly in housing where building costs rose at the fastest pace in 21 years.
Bank of Canada to hike overnight rate
The Bank of Canada will hike its overnight rate by 50 basis points on June 1, according to all 30 economists polled by Reuters, who see interest rates at least a half-point higher by year-end than predicted just one month ago.
The BoC seems set to follow an aggressive path similar to that taken by the Federal Reserve to tame soaring inflation, which hit over a three-decade high of 6.8 percent in April and has now been above the central bank’s 1-3 percent range for more than a year.
After a 50 basis-point hike in April, its biggest single increase in 22 years, BoC Gov. Tiff Macklem said interest rates may need to go above the neutral range — currently estimated to be between 2 percent and 3 percent — for a period of time to get inflation back to target.
South Korea steps up inflation fight
South Korea’s central bank on Thursday delivered back-to-back interest rate hikes and forecast further aggressive increases to wrestle consumer inflation down from 13-year highs.
The Bank of Korea raised its benchmark policy rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 1.75 percent, the highest since mid-2019, joining a global wave of tightenings as central bankers grapple with price spikes not seen in decades.
Russian central bank slashes key rate
Russia’s central bank slashed its key interest rate to 11 percent on Thursday and said it saw room for more cuts this year, as inflation slows from more than 20-year highs and the economy heads toward a contraction.
It announced the move, which followed two previous 300 basis point cuts which took the rate to 14 percent, at an extraordinary meeting. The bank has been gradually reversing an emergency rate hike to 20 percent in late February that was triggered by Russia’s Feb. 24 move to send tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine and the imposition of Western sanctions in response.
(With input from Reuters)
Noting that the news was copied from another site and all rights reserved to the original source.
gay teen porn,


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Last week, two bills were signed into law in California that will make cosmetics safer AND increase disclosure of ingredients in fragrance.
Toxic Fragrance & Flavor Secrets Can’t Hide Anymore!
The Cosmetic Fragrance and Flavor Right to Know Act (SB 312), sponsored by Women’s Voices for the Earth, Black Women for Wellness, California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, and Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, is the first law in the nation to require disclosure of fragrance and flavor ingredients in cosmetic and professional salon products. The law requires manufacturers to disclose ingredients deemed toxic by authoritative bodies in flavor and fragrance ingredients to the California Safe Cosmetics Program. This is a big deal; research shows that third of all fragrance chemicals currently in use have been flagged as toxic or potentially toxic by scientists around the world. The information will be publicly available online starting in January 2022 through the California Safe Cosmetics Database.
About the California Safe Cosmetics Database
In 2005 California passed the California Safe Cosmetics Act, which requires cosmetic manufacturers to disclose ingredients linked to cancer, birth defects, and reproductive harm via the database. However, at the time fragrance was exempt from disclosure requirements. The Cosmetic Fragrance and Flavor Right to Know Act expands on the 2005 Act and expands reporting requirements to include allergens and neurotoxins in fragrances.
We know more needs to be done to require disclosure of all ingredients in fragrance. SB 312 is the first step – and an important one – in breaking down the walls that have protected fragrance ingredients from disclosure. This is not the end. As always, WVE will continue to demand the disclosure of all ingredients in fragrance, regardless of whether they are deemed “toxic” by authoritative bodies. We know that even if an ingredient is NOT on an authoritative list, it can still pose harm. So, while we celebrate SB 312 we know there is still more work to do.
California’s SB 312 now joins the company of SB 258 (passed in 2017), requiring cleaning products manufacturers to list ingredients on the label and online, including harmful ingredients used in fragrance — and AB 2775 (passed in 2018), becoming the first law in the nation to require disclosure, on the label, of ingredients in professional salon products. The passing of SB 312 sends another clear message to corporations that keeping ingredient secrets is simply not acceptable.
24 Toxic Ingredients, Banned!
AB 2762, sponsored by Black Women for Wellness, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, Environmental Working Group, and CalPIRG was also signed into law this week. The law bans 24 toxic ingredients in cosmetics including mercury, PFAS, formaldehyde and M and O phenylendediamine by 2025. These chemicals were already banned in many other countries and this law, while it technically only applies to products sold in California, will have a national impact as cosmetic manufacturers are unlikely to formulate a different product for other states.
What’s more, this means that formaldehyde used in professional hair straighteners will be banned starting in 2025! This is a huge win for salon workers whose health has been impacted by exposure to the carcinogen. It also provides more fodder (as if the agency needed it) for the FDA to finally take federal action and ban this toxic chemical from hair straighteners.
Black women bear the brunt of the burden of exposure to toxic chemicals in cosmetics. As Nourbese Flint, Policy Director at Black Women for Wellness stated in the press release announcing the bill was signed into law:
Some of the most toxic ingredients are being aggressively marketed to Black women. Levels of formaldehyde that could be used to embalm a body are being used in hair straighteners, and Black women who dye their hair are 60 percent more likely to develop breast cancer. That’s why we demand safe cosmetics now. This law means we can finally protect women from the toxic exposures they currently face on every trip to the salon.
Even with the AB 2762 there is still a dire need to update the federal law that does little to regulate cosmetic safety in the United States.
But for now, let’s celebrate these two laws that will help to improve our health!
As is becoming increasingly clear with the Covid-19 pandemic, our health is inextricably linked with our environment. Exposure to chemicals in everyday household products like cosmetics can lead to chronic illnesses that make us more susceptible to Covid-19 and Black and Brown people are suffering the impacts at greater costs because they are more likely to live in communities that are burdened with air pollution.
These small wins add up to big changes and bring us closer to healthier homes, communities, and planet. Get involved to help us continue the work.


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Here are the winners of the 54th Annual GRAMMY Award for the Best Recording Package and Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package categories. Both packages designs are definitely worthy of their wins. The Springsteen package is very innovative. The Arcade Fire packaging included distribution of several versions of the cover.
Best Recording Package
Arcade Fire – Scenes from the Suburbs
Caroline Robert, art director
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
Bruce Springsteen – The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story
According to the Associated Press, legendary pop singer Whitney Houston has died. The details are sketchy.
Whitney Houston, who ruled as pop music’s queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, has died. She was 48.
Houston’s publicist, Kristen Foster, said Saturday that the singer had died, but the cause and the location of her death were unknown.
The cover art below is for Houston’s 1987 hit album Whitney. The photograph was taken by the late Richard Avedon. It is perhaps one of the most iconic album cover photographs of the era.
The album was nominated for three Grammy awards, including Album of the Year. Houston won her second Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for the album’s first single I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).
After negative reactions from fans and a former member of the band, Disney has discontinued selling a t-shirt inspired by Peter Saville’s design for Joy Division’s 1979 album Unknown Pleasures. In spite of the seemingly “joyful” name of the band, the album has been viewed by many as a source of sorrow since the 1980 suicide death of lead singer Ian Curtis. Seeing the iconic album cover turned into a logo for the Happiest Place on Earth was seen as disrespectful.
According to Rolling Stone, Disney discontinued the t-shirt yesterday. However, they also report that at least one is being auctioned on eBay for over $200 at the time the article was written.
While chatting online with Facebook friends, we wondered if Disney would have modified the album covers of other recording artists who met a tragic end. I don’t think so.
On Friday, November 25, the folks who bring us Record Store Day will be having a Black Friday event at approximately 900 independent record stores in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Holland and the United Kingdom. Black Friday has long been an American event celebrated on the Friday after Thanksgiving by large retailers as a shopping day with special sales and marking the beginning of the holiday season.
RSD’s Black Friday is different from the big events at large corporate chains in that it encourages shoppers to shop at smaller, independent record stores and features limited special editions, often numbered, from some popular recording artists. Unlike the special releases for Record Store Day that are made to be sold on the day that Record Store Day takes place (the third Saturday of every April), Black Friday releases are made for the holiday season. This means stores will launch the special releases on Black Friday but may choose to carry them beyond Black Friday (as supplies last). Black Friday releases may also be sold on the store’s websites.
Below is a sample of some of the special editions that are being made available for the Black Friday event. To find a participating store, please visit the official Record Store Day website.
Photographer Barry Feinstein died earlier today in upstate New York. He was 80. Feinstein was responsible for taking photographs that appeared on some of rock music’s most iconic albums, including Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are-A Changin and Janis Joplin’s Pearl.
…He also took the photo on the cover of George Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’ and photographed a host of other icons, including Frank Sinatra, Hollywood actor Steve McQueen, Judy Garland and politcians such as John Kennedy and Richard Nixon, reports Rolling Stone.
Feinstein was behind the original image of a dirty toilet and a graffiti covered bathroom stall in a Porsche repair shop in Los Angeles that was intended for the cover of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Beggars Banquet’. However the imaged was too explicit and was replaced with a white cover, but later editions of the album featured the original photo.
According to Billboard.com, pop artist Richard Hamilton, who is best known for coining the name of the pop culture-heavy art movement and for designing the cover for The Beatles’ “White Album,” has died in Britain of undetermined causes. Hamilton was 89.
Often called the “Father of Pop Art” for his groundbreaking use of commercial and pop culture imagery in his artwork, Hamilton’s seminal work in the 1950s was “Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different,” a collage showing a naked couple in a cluttered-with-products home. In the piece, the man is holding a lollipop marked “Pop.”
His design for “The White Album,” released in 1968, was as uncluttered as you can get. A white square with the band’s name displayed slightly off center. He designed the collage inside as well, which included random shots of the band. Among them, a naked John Lennon in bed next to Yoko Ono and Paul McCartney submerged in a bathtub.
According to The Associated Press, Nick Ashford, who along with his wife Valerie Simpson wrote some of Motown’s biggest hits, died yesterday in a New York City hospital. Ashford had been suffering from throat cancer and was receiving radiation treatment.
He was 70.
Ashford and Simpson wrote Motown classics such as Ain’t No Mountain High Enough , Reach Out And Touch Somebody’s Hand, You’re All I Need To Get By, I’m Every Woman, their 1980s hit Solid As a Rock. Many young people who weren’t even born when Solid As a Rock was a hit became familiar with Ashford & Simpson during the 2008 U.S. Presidential Campaign, when the duo rewrote the anthem as a tribute to Barack Obama and retitled it Solid (As Barack).
In the video posted below, the couple explain how the new version of their song came about spontaneously during a concert. Many people have commented that Ashford looked much younger than his years. He and his wife were performing until early this year. We will undoubtedly hear Solid (As Barack) many times during the upcoming 2012 election.
The album cover received immediate negative reactions from the public due to a highly altered photograph of the second jet heading into the World Trade Center during the September 11 terror attacks.
In fact, during the years I have been the editor of this album art blog, I have never received so many email messages from people outraged over an album cover. Two weeks ago, I predicted that the album cover would go down in history as one of the worst of all time. I can only imagine the kind of feedback that Nonesuch Records received.
While he did not apologize for the cover, Reich he stated that the cover had become a distraction.
As a composer I want people to listen to my music without something distracting them. The present cover of WTC 9/11 will, for many, act as a distraction from listening and so, with the gracious agreement of Nonesuch, the cover is being changed.
When the cover was being designed, I believed, as did all the staff at Nonesuch and the art director, that a piece of music with documentary material from an event would best be matched with a documentary photograph of that event. I felt that the photo suggested by our art director was very powerful, and Nonesuch backed me up. All of us felt that anyone seeing the cover would feel the same way.
In 1989, Nonesuch released a record called The Wound-Dresser, with a photograph by Matthew Brady of one of the hospitals that is described in John Adams’ composition of that name, a piece that depicted another period of profound suffering during another terrible moment of our history, the Civil War. Should we not have used that image? Where do we draw the line?
I think the answer to Hurwitz’ question is not as difficult as he would like us to think. You simply draw the line at where an album cover is offensive to large numbers of people. Imagine the album cover that I created below being released only a decade after John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Like the WTC 9/11 cover, I used an image of the actual event an applied a gloomy sepia tint. There can be no doubt that the public would have been outraged by such an album cover just 10 years after the killing.
In 1973, Kennedy’s widow was still alive. The wound was still fresh. Even though the images of the event had appeared in magazines, newspapers, and on TV, it was clear that they were being used as information and not to sell a commercial product.
Certainly, a photograph taken during the Civil War would not be controversial. Everyone who was personally impacted has been dead for many decades. Even the Kennedy cover I created would not get much of a reaction these days. It has been almost 50 years since Kennedy was shot. Perhaps his daughter and other family members would be offended. However, the wound has healed for most Americans.
I am happy that Reich has decided to change the cover. I predicted that would be a likely outcome. Hopefully, the new cover will serve to honor the victims and their families.


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- 25 October 2018
- Transport / Logistics Services
DHL Supply Chain has opened a new multi-user facility in Avonmouth near Bristol. This offers a choice of storage conditions that give its customers access to a flexible and cost-effective state-of-the-art warehousing offering.
The new, 11 acre site offers its users economies of scale. Shared facilities and vehicles will cut down on wasted space and unnecessary overheads. The DHL regional site is to service customers’s South West operations and allow them to deliver their goods to regional towns and cities with fewer vehicles and journeys.
A new report by DHL, ‘The logistics transport evolution: the road ahead’, reveals urbanisation is a significant trend influencing transport networks. Across Europe, over half of respondents with responsibility for transport say that urbanisation is going to have a significant impact on decision making over the next two years.
The new DHL Supply Chain facility has a choice of 120,000 square feet of ambient chambers as well as 35,000 square feet of temperature controlled sheds. The latter include frozen, chilled and fixed chambers. The site is designed to be as versatile as possible and to cater to the needs of a wide range of needs. Flexible dock doors and ground level access points allow for a complete range of vehicles to be controlled from the site, while electric vehicles and charging points will future-proof operations.
Ian Clough, Managing Director, Network Logistics and Transport, UK and Ireland, DHL Supply Chain said: “We know that our customers are looking for new solutions to drive efficiencies and reduce their supply chain costs. What’s more, our research shows that 75% of transport managers in believe that urbanisation is a growing trend set to impact business over the next two years. With this new state of the art facility at Avonmouth, we’re rising to that challenge. The multi-user, multi-purpose proposition offers strategic and financial benefits for businesses that are open to fresh ideas and trying a new way of doing things.”


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Raley’s recent announcement that it will no longer sell tobacco products at most of its supermarkets may signal a trend toward a greater health focus among retail outlets. But a grocery industry consultant and smokers in Sacramento said the move is not necessarily a surprise: Most smokers already buy cheaper cigarettes at convenience stores and gas stations, anyway.
A Raley’s spokeswoman said the grocery chain will stop selling tobacco items by the end of this month at 128 Raley’s, Bel Air Markets and Nob Hill Foods stores in Northern California and Nevada.
The company will continue to sell tobacco products at its Food Source supermarkets, which are managed independently of the other supermarkets, spokeswoman Chelsea Minor said. There are five in the Sacramento area. The grocer also will continue to sell tobacco products at its Aisle1 convenience stores, including six in the Sacramento region, as a convenience for their customers, Minor said.
The family-owned grocer said it already has stopped purchasing tobacco products for the affected markets.
Company officials called the decision “our next big step in ongoing efforts to provide healthier options and to raise awareness about health and wellness.”
“This is not a decision that we’ve taken lightly,” Raley’s said Friday in a news release. “There is a very strong correlation between tobacco use and many serious health issues … At this time, the evidence against tobacco usage is simply too strong to ignore.”
The company made a point in its press statement that although alcohol and sugar-based products, which it sells, “can also have adverse effects with high consumption, there is far less evidence at this time to indicate that consumption of sugary snacks and alcohol in moderation poses a significant health threat to healthy adults.”
The Raley’s decision comes after the CVS drugstore chain announced last year that it no longer would sell tobacco products. The Rite Aid pharmacy chain also recently reduced tobacco sales and placed smoking cessation products in more prominent locations in stores. Rite Aid officials could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
Supermarket industry consultant Robert Reynolds of Reynolds Economics in the Bay Area said tobacco sales, once a huge revenue source for grocery chains, have been on the decline, percentage-wise, for decades as convenience stores and gas stations gain greater market control.
The product is subject to high theft rates, often prompting stores to lock it up, he said. Also, tobacco companies ask grocers to conduct promotional campaigns and put up signage, Reynolds said.
“It is unlikely given the size of a firm like Raley’s that they will miss it a whole lot, Reynolds said. “It is not a big, big deal.”
But, Reynolds said, the move is good for the grocer’s public relations image. “They also can hang up a sign and say, we care for you, we’re doing a favor for the community,” he said. “It’s a pretty good PR sort of thing.”
Raley’s shoppers on Freeport Boulevard said that they approved of the decision.
“I think tobacco products in general have proven to be very addictive and very harmful to health, so if they want to take that stand, I support them,” said shopper Janette Lischeske of Land Park.
Several smokers interviewed by The Sacramento Bee said Raley’s decision won’t affect them because they already buy their cigarettes at gas stations, convenience stores and tobacco shops.
“Markets like (Raley’s), typically, their cigarettes are a little older and stale anyway, so I always buy from a tobacco shop or a gas station,” said William Bonnevier of Elk Grove.
Amy Johnson of south Sacramento bought cigarettes Saturday at a gas station a few blocks from a Raley’s. She said she approves of Raley’s decision, but doesn’t think it will matter to smokers.
“Nine out of 10 smokers you ask where they buy their cigarettes, it will not be from a Raley’s or a Bel Air because of their prices,” she said. Johnson, who has cut back and switched to a brand she says is healthier, applauded Raley’s move, however. “I think removing cigarettes off shelves would save a lot of respiratory problems in the future.”
Johnson said she senses a trend. “First CVS, now Raley’s. Who’s next?”
Call The Bee’s Tony Bizjak, (916) 321-1059. Reporter Richard Chang contributed to this report.


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Here is a list of the day’s latest China real estate news collected from around the web:
- China Housing Prices Are Not Collapsing
China’s hard landing call is the Iraq weapons of mass destruction call in 2003. It sounds scary, until you look closer and listen to more than one person.
- Carrefour ordered to close China store
Authorities in central China have ordered European retail giant Carrefour to temporarily close one of its stores, a local government official said on Monday, days after state media said the chain was passing off regular chicken as free-range meat.
- Double Checking China’s Housing Price Data
The latest numbers from the National Bureau of Statistics show average house prices in February up just 0.2% compared to a year ago, and falling 0.1% month-to-month, the fifth month-to-month fall in a row.
- Bo Ouster Means State Capitalism in China Will Fade, SOHO Says
Bo Xilai’s ouster last week as head of Chongqing is a signal that China will increase the role of private businesses in the economy and scale back state capitalism, said Zhang Xin, Chief Executive Officer of Soho China Ltd.
- Intersport to Open 80-100 Stores in South China
Intersport International Corp. (IIC) is opening 80 to 100 multi-sport/multi-brand stores with a retail surface of 1,000 – 1,500 square meters in South China.


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A cannabis company with primary operations in the U.K. and Lesotho, Akanda Corp. (Nasdaq: AKAN), came out swinging on its first day on one of the world’s most popular stock markets.
At the end of Tuesday, the company’s common shares closed their first day of trading at US$10.50, with a high of US$31.00 and a low of US$8.18 on a volume of 1.4 million shares.
On Monday, Akanda priced its underwritten public offering of 4 million common shares at US$4.00 per share. Gross proceeds from that offering were US$16 million before expenses.
U.S. multistate operator Halo Collective Inc. (NEO: HALO) (OTCQB: HCANF) (Germany: A9KN), the largest shareholder in Akanda, says it’s entered into a lockup deal to not sell any related securities for 270 days.
Through its CanMart business, Akanda is a licensed importer and distributor of cannabis in the U.K., supplying pharmacies and clinics in the country.
The firm also owns Bophelo Biosciences and Wellness, a Good Agricultural and Collection Practices-certified cultivation outfit in Lesotho.
Akanda says a cornerstone to its value system is a commitment to using its operations as a force for sustainability and social good.
“Akanda will seek to deliver on this promise by driving positive change in wellness, empowering individuals in Lesotho, and by uplifting the quality of the lives of employees and the local communities where it operates — while limiting its carbon footprint,” reads a statement.
The company says adhering to environmental, social and governance best practices and disclosure standards is among its highest priorities.
Stock was up around 2 per cent Wednesday to around US$10.69 on the Nasdaq.


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Gold Coast entrepreneurs Tony and Christina Quinn are set to pocket hundreds of millions of dollars from the growth industry that is pampered cats and dogs by selling their chilled pet foods business to Quadrant Private Equity.
It is understood Quadrant has agreed to pay $410 million for VIP Petfoods – which was founded by Mr and Mrs Quinn in 1994 – in a deal aimed at growing the Yatala-based business in other parts of the world. The deal was first revealed by Street Talk last month.
The Quinns will reinvest some of the proceeds of the sale back into the business, giving them a minority stake. Quadrant, whose recent deals include Canberra Data Centres and Zip Water, is expected to end up with at least 85 per cent of VIP Petfoods, which employs 600 staff and produces 150,000 tonnes of pet food each year. The existing management team, including Rex Devantier and Kent Quinn, will stay on.
Spending on domestic animals has grown strongly in recent years in a tend variously described as the "humanisation" or "premiumisation" of pet care. Premium pet food and healthcare account for much of this additional spending.
Reward for efforts
Mr Quinn – whose family bought troubled confectionary maker Darrell Lea in 2012 – described "the money side" of the deal as "nothing" and "just reward for your efforts".
"We built VIP Petfoods up from nothing – it's now No. 15 in the world," Mr Quinn said.
"We did have a fairly good pet food business in New Zealand, sold that in 1993, then came to the Gold Coast to try it here. It was tough at first but as you know, the harder you work, the luckier you become.
"It's been a great journey for me and Christina and the kids, and now it's time to make some changes. I'm not finished here and will still be involved but my focus now will turn to building up Darrell Lea into a more recognised business."
VIP distributes brands such as Fussy Cat and Natures Goodness in Australia, Canada and Korea. The company has launched in the US through H.E.B grocery in Texas. Mr Quinn said the deal with Quadrant would allow the business to expand further into pet specialty products in the US.
"Our team has done a great job but a bit of new blood is a good thing for everyone, and Quadrant will double the business again," he said.
"We have been approached several times over the years by trade buyers and private equity firms but Quadrant have a very good reputation and their performance has been exemplary.
"The whole pet industry is very emotional and also very critical. People who love their pets are very particular about what they feed them. It's been well documented that the pets in the family are better treated than the husband usually – I know that's been the case with me!"
"I have kept our products very real – we put good food and good value for pets first and that has paid dividends."
Chris Hadley, managing director of Quadrant said: "VIP has built up an impressive position in the Australian pet food industry and has established a truly leading manufacturing capability. We believe there are opportunities to further implement growth and strategic initiatives to enhance the brand and product in Australia and throughout the world."
Quadrant director Justin Ryan, who led the deal team with Jonathan Pearce and Victor Ha, said: "We have been thoroughly impressed with Tony, the management team he has built and their combined vision for the future."
Quadrant was advised by PwC, Gilbert & Tobin, Deutsche Bank AG and Advancy. VIP was advised by PwC and Couper Lawyers.
- Private equity
Unable to follow, try again
- James Thomson


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5 August 2016 15:00
CBI survey: SME production up but optimism down
The UK's small and medium-sized manufacturers saw a rise in the volume of output in the three months to July, but business optimism fell sharply, according to the latest CBI Quarterly SME trends survey.
The CBI survey of 472 firms reported that total new orders and new domestic orders were relatively unchanged in the past quarter. However, firms expect these to fall over the next three months and business optimism has fallen at its fastest pace since January 2009.
Investment intentions in the year ahead are also cautious, according to the CBI. Investment in buildings, plant and machinery has been scaled back, but SME manufacturers intend to increase spending on product innovation and training for staff to tackle the skills gap.
Optimism about export prospects for the year ahead rose slightly, with SMEs reporting the first improvement in competitiveness in EU and non-EU markets since 2013. Although the volume of export orders fell again on the previous quarter, the poll shows that SMEs anticipate that they will rise in the coming quarter.
The key data in the CBI survey shows that:
- only 8% of SME manufacturers said they were more optimistic, while 53% said they were less optimistic, giving a balance of -44% - the sharpest fall in optimism since January 2009;
- companies expect output to be flat in the next quarter (+1%) and domestic orders are expected to fall;
- export orders went down by a balance of -8%; but firms anticipate export growth in the next three months;
- hiring intentions are flat for the next quarter.
Rain Newton-Smith, CBI Director for Economics, said:
"The UK's SME manufacturers reported higher production [and] more staff hired and now expect to sell more of their world-class goods overseas over the next quarter, with a weaker sterling having a hand in this. But overall they do feel less optimistic. Naturally, much of the concern is related to uncertainty and business wants to now see the new Government deliver a clear plan and timetable for the EU negotiations ahead, while cracking on with immediate domestic priorities."


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We all need a bit of magic in our lives, Telstra says, which is why it's teamed up with Disney to bring a year of Disney+ to eligible customers on new selected plans.
It’s a small world, after all, when the magic mountain of Disney content lands on Netflix Australia and New Zealand.
Netflix has used its two (!) PR agencies, Pulse and Catapult, to announce several new programming additions while responding to Presto’s kids TV with kids shows of its own.
Capcom has retreated out of the ring; removing its Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and 3 games from Xbox Live and PSN later this month.
Not for the first time the High Court has merely highlighted a flaw in one of our long standing laws[…]
I just watched the UK TV series The Undeclared War. It's a fascinating play on the theme of cybersecurity --[…]
Fav class is Mage, Fav deck is anything that uses random spells, I make my own decks I don't net[…]
Proving once more that this saga is as much about his celebrity lawyers as it is about securing Assange’s freedom.[…]
Fav deck at the moment is Miracle Rogue and my fav card of all time is Coldlight Oracle.


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In Europe, corporate emergency plans are forcing employees to work remotely, and other businesses are refining their protocols for when the illness arrives on their doorstep.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook tells office employees to work from home as the company plans to reduce 'human density' in stores amid coronavirus outbreak
In a memo sent to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook urged some of the company's global...In a memo sent to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook urged some of the company's global office employees to work remotely this week amid the spread of the novel coronavirus. While the policy is only applicable to workers at Apple's offices, the company has also instituted new efforts to limit "human density" at its retail locations. Apple's decision to allow employees to work remotely mirrors decisions made by other tech companies like Microsoft, Facebook, and Alphabet. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Apple CEO Tim Cook told office employees across the world can work from home as COVID-19, becoming the latest major tech company to allow remote work. In a memo to employees obtained by Bloomberg News, Cook offered employees at its global offices the opportunity to work from home for the upcoming week of March 9 to 13 "if your job allows." As Business Insider reported Friday, a source familiar with the matter said employees in Santa Clara Valley — the location of Apple's Cupertino headquarters, in the San Francisco Bay Area — had already been recommended to work from home. In the memo, Cook also said the company was working to reduce "human density and ensure those teams that are on-site can do their work safely and with peace of mind," Bloomberg reported. While the work-from-home option does not apply to workers at Apple's more than 500 global retail stores, the company said it would work to reduce the number of people in stores for Genius Bar appointments and at classes offered by the Cupertino, California-based company at its worldwide retail locations. The company previously enacted new measures in US stores meant to limit any spread of the virus such as the increased wipe-down of demo units, installing hand sanitizing stations, and increasing the number of cleaning staff at the stores. Apple in February temporarily shuttered its China retail locations to help limit the spread of the virus, though most locations have since re-opened. The work from home memo specifically applies to Apple employees in Santa Clara Valley and Elk Grove areas in California, Seattle, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, and the UK, Bloomberg reported. Apple has repeatedly advised employees who feel sick to remain home from work and encouraged virtual meetings over those that require travel, according to a previous Business Insider report. It also encouraged employees to regularly wash their hands and avoid touching their faces. According to Bloomberg News, Cook said employees would continue to receive their usual pay while working from home. The new directive comes amid reports that Apple's supply chain has taken a hit amid the coronavirus outbreak. The virus has had a major impact on the production of the iPhone, which is not expected to improve until at least the second quarter of 2020. Other companies like Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet have all announced similar policies, restricting travel and directing employees in some of their global offices to work from home. COVID-19 has infected more than 106,000 people and killed 3,600 others, mostly in China, though the disease is spreading globally. So far, at least 21 people have died in the US as a result while hundreds of cases have been confirmed. Cook called the virus "unprecedented event" and a "challenging moment," Bloomberg said. Read more: A seafood salesman accused of smuggling $7 million worth of endangered baby eels has been sentenced How coronavirus is upending corporate America Costco says coronavirus fears gave it a sales boost and stirred up 'crazy' demand Parents are struggling to cope as coronavirus worries shut down schools, leaving kids scared and confusedJoin the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Jeff Bezos reportedly just spent $165 million on a Beverly Hills estate — here are all the ways the world's richest man makes and spends his money
Europe’s social policies are sometimes seen as overly generous. Yet they may help cushion the economic...Europe’s social policies are sometimes seen as overly generous. Yet they may help cushion the economic impact of the virus.
The deadly disease has arrived in some offices, and employers are figuring out how to adapt.


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Technology has been revolutionizing the world of business, and it’s no surprise that it continues to gain momentum. From AI to blockchain, social media to e-commerce, the tech industry is filled with exciting developments that are changing the way we do business. In this article, we’ll dive into the latest buzz in business news, highlighting the top trends, innovations, and ideas that are making waves in the industry.
AI Takes Over: How Machines are Revolutionizing the Workplace
AI has taken over the world of business, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. From chatbots to virtual assistants, machines are revolutionizing the workplace by streamlining processes and increasing efficiency. Companies are investing in AI technology to automate tedious tasks, reduce costs, and improve customer service. With more advances being made every day, AI is set to become an even more integral part of the business landscape.
The Future is Here: Top 5 Emerging Tech Trends in Business
The future is here, and it’s filled with exciting new tech trends that are transforming the way we do business. From virtual reality to 5G, these emerging technologies are poised to change the game in a big way. Companies that embrace these trends will be better positioned to stay ahead of the competition and drive growth in the years to come.
Blockchain: The Game-Changer You Need to Know About
Blockchain has been making headlines for years, but it’s still a mystery to many. Put simply, blockchain is a decentralized ledger that enables secure, transparent transactions. It’s a game-changer for businesses that need to track and verify transactions, and it’s quickly becoming a must-have technology for companies across industries.
From Zero to Unicorn: How to Build a Successful Tech Startup
The tech industry is filled with success stories of startups that went from zero to unicorn status in just a few short years. But what does it take to build a successful tech startup? From having a strong vision to building a great team, we’ll explore the key factors that separate the successful startups from the rest.
Cybersecurity: Protecting Your Business from the Digital Threats
As technology advances, so do the threats that come with it. From data breaches to cyber attacks, businesses must be proactive in protecting their digital assets. Cybersecurity is a top priority for companies of all sizes, and investing in the right tools and strategies is crucial for ensuring the safety and security of your business.
The Rise of E-commerce: How Online Shopping is Changing the Game
E-commerce has been on the rise for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated its growth in a big way. From Amazon to Shopify, companies are investing in e-commerce platforms to capitalize on the trend. But it’s not just about selling products online – businesses must also prioritize customer experience and build strong relationships with their online shoppers.
The Power of Social Media: Leveraging Social Platforms for Business Success
Social media has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes, providing a way to connect with customers and build brand awareness. From Instagram to LinkedIn, social platforms offer a wealth of opportunities for businesses to showcase their products and services and engage with their target audience.
Tech for Good: How Companies are Using Technology to Make a Positive Impact
Technology isn’t just about making money – it can also be used for good. From sustainable energy to healthcare, companies are using technology to make a positive impact on the world. By prioritizing social responsibility and investing in innovative solutions, businesses can create a better future for all.
The Gig Economy: How Freelancers are Transforming the Way We Work
The gig economy has been on the rise for years, with more and more people opting for freelance work over traditional jobs. This trend has major implications for businesses, as it changes the way they approach hiring and managing their workforce. From gig workers to independent contractors, we’ll explore the opportunities and challenges of the gig economy.
The Subscription Model: The Key to Sustainable Business Growth
Subscription-based models have become increasingly popular in recent years, with companies like Netflix and Spotify leading the way. But it’s not just for entertainment – subscription models can be used in a variety of industries to drive sustainable growth. By providing ongoing value and building strong relationships with customers, businesses can create a steady stream of revenue that keeps them ahead of the game.
Innovation at Its Finest: The Coolest Tech Gadgets for Business Professionals
Finally, we can’t forget about the fun side of technology – the gadgets and devices that make our lives easier and more enjoyable. From smartwatches to wireless earbuds, there are countless cool tech gadgets that can help business professionals stay organized, productive, and connected. By keeping up with the latest trends and investing in the right tools, businesses can ensure they’re always ahead of the curve.
Technology is constantly evolving, and businesses need to stay ahead of the curve to succeed in today’s fast-paced world. By embracing the latest trends and innovations, companies can improve their efficiency, drive growth, and create a better future for all. So, whether you’re a startup founder or a seasoned CEO, it’s time to get tech-tastic and take your business to the next level!


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Watch FIFA 2010 World Cup Online Live. Live Streaming of FIFA 2010 online. FIFA 2010 World Cup matches live online.
The biggest football event of the decade, the FIFA 2010 World Cup is about to begin in 11 days. Football or Soccer fans from around the world will descend on June 11th in South Africa to watch 32 teams fight out in the most anticipated competition in the football world.
FIFA 2010 World Cup matches will be available on television networks across the world, however you can also watch all the FIFA 2010 World Cup matches live online. The best bet would be to head over to ESPN online, where they will be streaming the FIFA 2010 matches online.
If you use Google Chrome, you can use an extension to watch FIFA 2010 World Cup matches online, if you don’t then try out this link which will have live streams of the FIFA 2010 World Cup matches live online. You can also try your luck on UStream.tv or Justin.tv where users sometimes stream the matches live online.


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As if the continuing commerce struggle with China isn’t sufficient, the U.S. agriculture market is now uneasy over a possible border closure with critical agriculture buying and selling companion Mexico as immigration points proceed to flare in Washington.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has taken a tough stance on immigration, threatened last week to shut the southern border if Mexico didn’t cease migrant caravans from reaching the US.
Together with Canada and China, Mexico is a high vacation spot for U.S. agriculture exports. However Mexico is a number one provider for agricultural merchandise for the USA, significantly vegetables and fruit, so there might be a big client affect if a border closure had been to affect commerce.
It’s unclear precisely what a border closure would entail and to what diploma it will have an effect on the transport of products, even when shipped by sea. On Friday, Trump mentioned he might shut the border to all commerce, and it may stay closed for a very long time.
The president’s tone on the difficulty has been variable within the days since, making it troublesome for market watchers to find out whether or not the drastic transfer is probably going. On Wednesday, Trump tweeted that the “Border or massive sections of the Border” might shut if Congress doesn’t close immigration and security loopholes.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the most critical U.S. enterprise lobbying group, has mentioned with the White Home the “very negative financial penalties that might happen throughout the nation” ought to the border be closed. The U.S. auto business has been significantly vocal with this concern because it depends on deliveries of Mexican-made elements.
U.S. agriculture representatives have additionally chimed in concerning potential impacts. A U.S. Department of Agriculture official mentioned on Wednesday that the company has emphasized to the White House the significance of commerce flows with Mexico.


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BitBounce, a leading email spam solution powered by the Credo Cryptocurrency, has passed 250,000 active users of its platform.
BitBounce is the Tim Draper backed email spam solution that allows you to charge people you don't know a fee to deliver an email to your inbox. For users, this means a curated inbox of emails from people who you know and emails you've been paid to receive. The company has created a market for individuals to be rewarded for their attention to email.
The product launched in 2017 and has grown significantly from 1,826 users at the time of their ICO in 2017 to more than 250,000 users today.
BitBounce also facilitates incentivized email marketing where emails can be sent with cryptocurrency amounts attached as an incentive for people to respond. Today BitBounce has more than 250,000 active users and over 3,000 new users sign up each day.
In addition to being an effective spam filter, the second use case for BitBounce is to incentivize a response from a recipient, which solves the email access problem. Whether someone is trying to email a VIP or marketers, salespeople and recruiters want to incentivize a response from someone they are trying to connect with - BitBounce solves the email access challenge.
Stewart Dennis, the CEO and co-founder of BitBounce said “We are still early and, over the long-term, we believe BitBounce and Credo can become the institution that protects inboxes and rewards email recipients for attention they provide to emails.”
Timely delivery is important for email communication and by using a blockchain BitBounce is able to confirm transactions in seconds. Transactions using traditional payment methods can take days to settle and can be reversed. The irreversibility of blockchain transactions also helps to prevent people from being paid for emails and then later having the transactions reversed.
“We created the Credo token for our community to earn rewards for their attention. It allows us to tailor our implementation specifically to our use case and continue growing the market for people to be rewarded for their attention” said Dennis.
Users can sign up for a free at BitBounce.com to begin enjoying a spam free inbox and a growing wallet.
In addition to the web application, users can download the BitBounce app in the Apple App store, Google Play store as well as the gmail browser plugin in the Google Chrome Web Store. BitBounce works with most popular email accounts today including Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo and AOL mail.
BitBounce is a fast-growing spam solution with over 250,000 active users. BitBounce is a blockchain based email solution powered by the Credo token. BitBounce allows you to charge people you don't know a fee to deliver an email to your inbox. For you, this means a curated inbox of 1) emails from people who you know and 2) emails you've been paid to receive. BitBounce creates inbox peace of mind and is free for users. For more information visit http://www.bitbounce.com.
Credo is the cryptocurrency token for BitBounce - the blockchain based spam and email access solution. The fees charged to reach inboxes and to incentivize responses are paid in Credo. For more information visit: https://www.bitbounce.com/credo
Credo Whitepaper: https://www.bitbounce.com/whitepaper.pdf
Apple App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bitbounce/id1291787404
Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.turinginc.bitbounce
BitBounce on the Google Chrome Web Store: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/bitbounce-gmail-extension/biehoicockplinlnmimmbafdlkpmohcg


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MediaTek has just announced its newest addition to the Gaming G Series chipset family, the Helio G85. With a focus in mobile gaming, the new Helio G85 promises optimum performance which barely sacrifices battery life.
Packing in a 1GHz GPU and HyperEngine enhancements, the Helio G85 is able to intelligently allocate its resources to provide smooth, uninterrupted gameplay. MediaTek’s HyperEngine technology optimizes the device’s performance based on the active usage on power, thermal, as well as gameplay factors.
“MediaTek is expanding our Helio G family to give device makers more options in designing smartphones that deliver an elite gaming experience,” Dr. Yenchi Lee, Assistant General Manager of MediaTek’s wireless business unit, says “The Helio G85 delivers a combination of impressive performance, minimal power consumption and a range of other gaming enhancements so users can enjoy fast and smooth gameplay.”
Apart from its gaming enhancements, the Helio G85 also carries features that can allow manufacturers to develop full-featured gaming devices. It includes support for AI camera tasks such as object recognition, smart photo albums, scene detection and segmentation with background removal, and bokeh shot enhancements. In addition to that, the chipset can support multi-camera systems on smartphones.
Other features include a highly accurate inertial navigation for boosted location accuracy indoors, integrated voice wakeup, and dual 4G sim support.


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You might think a company that makes more than $11 billion in profit would have a huge tax bill. After all, that makes complete sense. However, in the case of Amazon, the online retail giant, their tax bill is quite small. In fact, according to recent reports, the company will be paying a whopping $0 in taxes on their 2018 profit of $11.2 billion.
How is that possible? It’s difficult to know exactly all the measures Amazon takes to avoid paying any tax on $11.2 billion. However, it all starts with the Tax Cut and Jobs Act. Thanks to the TCJA, the company’s tax liability dropped from 35 percent to 21 percent last year.
The company also uses every available tax break to further reduce its tax bill, including exemptions, credits and tax loopholes. This isn’t the first time the company has paid zero tax. They did the same in 2017, on $5.6 billion in profit.
However, the company claims that it pays all the taxes it’s required to pay in the U.S. and every other country in the world in which they operate. The news comes despite President Trump’s promises to make companies like Amazon pay their fair share of taxes. However, it remains clear that the many open loopholes still allow massive corporations to avoid paying tax.
The post How Much Will Amazon Pay in Taxes on .2 Billion in Profit? first appeared on Advisors to the Ultra-Affluent – Groco.


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Uncertainties related to the conflict in Ukraine, supply chain issues and others continue to drive up the cost of groceries. But UAB nutrition experts say eating healthy doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg.
“It’s hard for anyone to change their grocery shopping habits and eating habits in the blink of an eye, but the price of food forces us all to reconsider how and what we eat,” said Tara Harman, instructor at the UAB Department. Nutritional Sciences. “If you’re on a tight budget, buying in bulk to make fewer trips to the grocery store may seem like an impossible or just plain unreasonable request.”
Harman says making a shopping list ahead of time that balances non-perishable (canned or frozen) and perishable (dairy and fresh) foods, and aims to reuse ingredients for multiple meals can help.
Pro Tip: Rather than buying pre-chopped onions, instant rice, or oatmeal, choose items that aren’t pre-prepared to save money.
“For example, rather than relying on deli cuts to make sandwiches during the day, consider buying less perishable – and also cheaper – foods like canned white meat chicken to make chicken salad. for the sandwiches,” she said. “The jerky chicken salad is the worst, so rather than forgoing the mayonnaise to save money, buy whole milk yogurt instead.”
Harman says the yogurt is versatile and she recommends serving it for breakfast or a snack.
“Still in the spirit of less perishable and less expensive items, you can top it with sliced canned peaches to add a little more flavor and nutrition,” Harman says.
Riley Thornton, UAB’s employee wellness manager, says if you have a recipe that calls for quinoa, consider brown rice if it’s a cheaper grain to buy.
“For a recipe that calls for a particular vegetable, see if you can substitute a more seasonal option that may be less expensive,” Thornton says.
Megan Ferrell Word, clinical dietitian at UAB Weight Loss Medicine, says grabbing things that are on sale or in season is best practice when looking to get the best bang for your buck.
“There’s nothing wrong with buying frozen food either,” she said.
Word adds that having a plan, not to be confused with meal planning, is a simple but important step to saving on your grocery bill.
“Meal planning isn’t sustainable for most people, so buying items from each food group when shopping is a better way to plan your trip to the store,” she said.
Word says a balanced plate generally means that half of your plate should contain non-starchy vegetables and the rest of your plate should contain equal portions of whole grains and protein.
“It’s important to watch your portions,” Word said. “Sometimes it’s not what we eat that counts, but how much. Serving the appropriate amounts at meals can be helpful.
This story originally appeared on the UAB News website.


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OnePlus Nord Watch, Nord Buds CE TWS Earbuds Leaked; India Launch Imminent
OnePlus has been gradually expanding its product offering for some time now. The brand has just unveiled the new OnePlus Nord 2T 5G with premium features. The Nord series is going to get a couple more devices, including the OnePlus Nord Watch and OnePlus Nord Buds CE TWS earbuds.
OnePlus Nord Watch Spotted
Rumors of the OnePlus Nord Watch have been doing rounds for a while now. Tipster Mukul Sharma now claims serial production of the smartwatches has begun for the European and Asian markets. Since it will debut under the Nord series, the new OnePlus Nord Watch will likely be an affordable smartwatch.
Previously, the OnePlus Nord Watch was spotted on the BIS certification website, confirming the India launch. The listing has also provided a couple of key details of the new smartwatch. One can expect the usual features and sensors on the upcoming OnePlus Nord Watch, including the heart rate sensor, steps tracker, SpO2 sensor, sleep tracker, and so on.
To recall, the OnePlus Watch was launched with an expensive price tag of Rs. 16,999. However, the OnePlus Watch review showed the smartwatch wasn't worth the hype or the price tag. The upcoming OnePlus Nord Watch could address these issues, especially since it would be significantly cheaper.
[Exclusive] Serial production of the OnePlus Nord Watch has now begun in several European and Eurasian regions. Launch is imminent.— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) July 1, 2022
Expect the watch to be more of a budget-oriented product, WearOS is highly unlikely.
Feel free to retweet 😉#OnePlus #OnePlusNordWatch
OnePlus Nord Buds CE TWS Earbuds Launching Soon
Apart from the smartwatch, the popular brand is gearing up to unveil a new TWS in the market. The alleged OnePlus Nord Buds CE was also leaked by the tipster. Apparently, the upcoming Nord TWS earbuds were spotted in the Bluetooth SIG database with the model number E506A.
Here, the OnePlus Nord Buds CE was spotted with Bluetooth v5.2, which would ensure faster pairing. In related news, the same model number of the device was also spotted by the Indian BIS certification website, confirming an imminent launch.
Presently, OnePlus is working on expanding the Nord series in India which is rising in popularity. The new OnePlus Nord 2T 5G was launched today, July 1. It looks like the new OnePlus Nord Watch and OnePlus Nord Buds CE earbuds will also launch in the coming days. We expect the brand to begin officially teasing the new accessories soon.


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February 10, 2014-
Reports have surfaced of a beef recall that is affecting grocery retailers and restaurants in Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma and Puerto Rico. Nolan Ryan Beef is not in any way a part of this recall and our company does not use PFP Enterprises, the meat packing company identified in the recall, to produce or distribute any of our our beef products.
Nolan Ryan Beef considers the safety and quality of all of our products to be of critical importance. We employ stringent safety measurements that exceed USDA standards throughout the production and distribution of our beef. For more information on Nolan Ryan Beef visit www.nolanryanbeef.com


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Banks release new credit cards with OTP chipsIn line with the government’s policies to encourage new financial technology, domestic banks are rolling out new ways to make mobile and online banking more convenient.
On Tuesday, the Investment Bank of Korea (IBK) introduced the first-ever credit card embedded with a one-time password (OTP) chip, making it easier for customers to make transactions online or on their phones.
Users push a small button on the new credit card, and an OTP number appears on the card itself.
For security, Korea’s online banking system relies on users inputting an OTP every time they conduct certain transactions such as fund transfers.
Until now, users have only been able to generate the OTP using a small electronic device or separate card containing different pairs of numbers, which can be inconvenient to carry.
IBK partnered with Smart Innovation, an OTP maker, in order to produce the new card, overcoming technological barriers in doing so. It had previously been considered impossible to plant an OTP chip in 0.84-millimeter (0.03-inch) credit cards, which is the global standard for card thickness.
“We expect the new card will help customers make mobile transactions more conveniently,” a bank spokesman said.
According to data by the Bank of Korea on Monday, the total number of mobile banking users recorded 71.8 million as of September, a record high. About 60 million used smartphone banking.
Standard Chartered Korea also launched a similar OTP card on Monday, called the Sigma OTP Card.
The bank cooperated with Mirae Technology, a local payment technology leader, to produce the card.
Standard Chartered Korea said its OTP card can meet customers’ needs for convenience and security. The OTP number will disappear from the card surface 90 seconds after the button is pressed, allowing the card to have a long battery life, the bank explained.
In terms of durability, the OTP card is comparable to normal credit cards.
BY SONG SU-HYUN [email@example.com]