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One of the stories that wasn’t well covered in the recent Cablevision/ Fox feud is the effect it had on a sports fan’s ability to shout at the television while watching games. Non-sports fans may think this ritual is borderline idiotic, but real fans understand not only is it immensely satisfying to give managerial advice to the likes of Joe Girardi or Rex Ryan, but it’s also a great, low-risk way to blow-off some steam. Being wrong doesn’t matter: there are no back-page headlines that you made the wrong call on fourth down or questions about why you stuck with the starter rather than going to the bullpen.
Expressing your opinions digitally on the other-hand is entirely different game. What you say and do lives on long after the final out, demands a more thoughtful point of view and far more conviction than the average at-home outburst. Looking back on a Minsider column I wrote in the summer of 2009 on the growing problem of information overload), thankfully I wasn’t just shouting at the tv. I was convinced then–and even more so today–that with a combination of limited time and unlimited digital content, consumers need help sorting out what really matters.
When I took my current role at Reader’s Digest this past spring, I spent a lot of time speaking with consumers, clients and peers about the brand’s roots and greatest strengths. All had memorable stories about their experiences with the brand–from where they first saw it to their favorite columns–but the most important moment for me came while reading the biography of Reader’s Digest founder DeWitt Wallace. (Special thanks to editor-in-chief Peggy Northrop for both recommending it and trusting me enough to lend me her copy.)
Not only did it reaffirm everything I’d been feeling about the crush of digital media, but it also made it clear that Wallace understood–long before anyone else–the value of simplifying and curating the very best stories from across the country and condensing them each month into a consumer-friendly digest. His guiding vision was captured in this two-sentence quote from 1920: “We live in fast-paced times. People are anxious to get to the heart of the matter and we intend to search it out for them”.
Jump forward to the media landscape of 2010 with 8,500 magazines and newspapers, 2,300 tv channels, over 180 Mobile carriers offering Wi-Fi, plus more than 200 million websites, and Wallace’s vision has even greater relevance. Even David Carr of The New York Times observed in a recent column: “We have reached a moment in time when our ability to produce media has outstripped our ability to consume it.”
For the Reader’s Digest brand, it also means the future is clear: getting back to its roots as the original content curator and to its original mission of bringing people all across the country trusted, time-saving insights. The twist is that this time we’ll lead with a daily digital digest called the Reader’s Digest Version coupled with an iPad edition and more than a dozen mobile apps to guarantee that we deliver on another critical consumer expectation, offering content how, when and where they want.
With just about 12 weeks to go until everything launches it doesn’t leave me nearly as much time as I’d like to watch my favorite teams play–especially since Cablevision and Fox seem to have resolved their differences, for now.
Dan Lagani is president of Reader’s Digest Media where he oversees the Reader’s Digest branded businesses in the U.S.


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by Brent Dirks
December 4, 2013
Google Wallet has just recently been updated for the first time since its initial release. Version 2.0.12117 offers three new features. First, if users take advantage of any other Google iOS apps supporting single sign on, they can instantly sign into Wallet. And using just an iPhone camera, users can add in a credit or debit card into the app. Both the card number and expiration date will be captured automatically. Finally, the Google Wallet Card can be used to spend a balance at MasterCard locations or to withdraw cash at any ATM. Designed for the iPhone/iPod touch, Google Wallet can be downloaded now in the App Store for free. Officially launching in the App Store back in late September, users can send money to an email address and store credit and debit card information for easier shopping. Loyalty programs can also be accessed via the app. Since the iPhone doesn’t feature an NFC chip, the iOS app can't support in-store payments like the Android version. With an eye on security, the app does offer PIN and 24/7 fraud monitoring protection. For other apps news today, see: 'Skew' Is A New Stop Motion Video That Features A Handmade iPhone, Square Enix Publishes First Screenshots From Final Fantasy VI For iOS, and Halfbrick Studios' Band Stars To Reach The US App Store Tomorrow.

domain: news


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Mobile device usage has spread across the globe. In terms of mobile penetration, the United States is actually on the lower end of the worldwide spectrum, with only 77% cellular device ownership. That seems counterintuitive to the way the U.S. views itself as the heart of mobile acceptance and innovation. It is China and other Asia-Pacific countries that really lead in mobile adoption.
Research firm Forrester released a study last week showing global mobile usage trends. In almost every mobile usage aspect, metropolitan China and other Pacific Rim countries lead the way. That includes mobile social usage, work usage and multiple device ownership. Mobile is near an inflection point, changing the way people interact with information around the globe.
Forrester’s research shows that the mobile Internet is starting to become the prime point of entry to the Internet for many people around the world. This is perhaps what a “post-PC” world looks like. Forrester sees a lot of potential for growth in terms of mobile commerce because of this, as 25% of people in China and the U.S. have researched retail products with mobile devices but only 9% to 15% have actually completed a purchase. Juniper expects mobile commerce to be a $670 billion global market by 2015, so there is a lot of room for improvement in these numbers.
In metropolitan China, 46% of people access the mobile Internet, 57% listen to music, 36% play games on their mobile devices and about 33% access social networks. In contrast, near 25% of U.S. mobile consumers use their devices for social networking. Only 11% of European users have accessed social networks through their devices.
In terms of native applications, the United States is by far the biggest consumer of the application ecosystem. Near 90% of smartphone users in the U.S. have downloaded and app within the last three months. The United Kingdom ranked second in the survey with 66% with the next seven countries on the list all coming from the European Union. That would make comparative sense between the U.S./E.U. and the APAC countries. The use rates of the mobile Web (topped by 57% in Japan) are much higher than in the Western countries, which tend to use a lot more applications.
Overall, Forrester says that China has the higher incidence of what they call “super connecteds” – users that “access the Internet at least once a week from their phones and make use of advanced services and applications.” See the graph below for more on Forrester’s groups of users.
Forrester’s report is based off a survey of 330,000 individuals across 18 countries focused on Europe, the United States and Asia Pacific. The report is the result of three surveys: The European, Asia Pacific and North American Technographics Benchmark Surveys.


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Apple is preparing to refresh its MacBook Air line-up with a new model, it has been claimed.
Stories by Ben Camm-Jones
Separate reports that have surfaced this week claim that the third-generation iPad will be 4G ready and launch on 7 March.
The third-generation iPad has a "truly amazing" display, an Apple employee is reported as saying.
Images of what is claimed to be the back cover of a third-generation iPad have been posted online.
The iPad 3 won't have a quad-core A6 processor as some have been predicting, it has been claimed.
Updated operator profiles issued by Apple recently contain a clue as to the release date of iOS 5.1, it has been claimed.
Apple's manufacturing partners have begun production of the iPad 3, which will have a faster processor and work with LTE networks, a report has claimed.
A blogger claims to have used the third-generation iPad at the Consumer Electronics Show currently taking place in Las Vegas.
Despite the widespread belief among Apple-watchers that the next-generation iPad would launch in March 2012, a Citigroup analyst believes it could be earlier that that.
There will be two million iPhone 3GS units produced in the quarter ending December 2011, despite the handset now being more than two years old, it has been claimed.
Apple has responded to criticism from human rights organisations about Siri's failure to understand queries about birth control and abortion.
Apple will sell 28 million iPhones in the December 2011 quarter according to analyst Mark Moskowitz of JP Morgan.
iOS grew its share of the global mobile operating system market to 24.2 percent in November, further stretching its advantage over Android.
HP CEO Meg Whitman expects Apple to take over as the world's number one PC maker in 2012 but thinks her own company will bounce back in 2013.
Christmas may be the season to be jolly, but if you're hoping for some brand-new iOS apps to lift your festive mood over the holidays then we're afraid you're in for a disappointment.


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California’s fur ban, which applies to the sale and production of new products made from animals’ fur, has come into effect at the start of the new year 2023. The law behind this ban (Assembly Bill 44) was passed in 2019, making California the first US state to ban the sale and manufacture of new fur products.
Assembly member Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, who championed this trailblazing law, said, “the year 2023 marks a historic step forward for California with the implementation of a law that truly represents the values of our constituents… Californians do not want to see animals live and die in cruel ways for nothing more than fashion, and I’m so pleased that this law will help uphold our state’s animal welfare standards as well as potentially help drive innovation for more sustainable fashion alternatives.”
Jenny Berg, California state director for the Humane Society of the United States, said, “we are grateful to California for taking a stand against the cruel fur industry by implementing this state-wide ban on the production and sale of new fur products…The fact that around 100 million animals are still raised and killed in fur factory farms for nothing more than a fur coat, hat or other product is archaic, especially when humane, environmentally sustainable alternatives exist. We applaud California for leading the fight against fur and sending a powerful message that animals should no longer suffer and die for fashion.”
Before this ban was passed, four Californian municipalities, Los Angeles (2018), San Francisco (2018), Berkeley (2017) and West Hollywood (2013), also passed similar measures. Across the US, currently, 12 cities have passed laws phasing out new fur sales, and in 2021, Israel became the first country to end fur sales.
The new law only applies to selling new fur garments, not selling used fur products via non-profit thrift stores, second-hand shops, or pawn shops. Additionally, the law does not impact owning fur, and it remains legal to wear fur. Which country, state, or city will be the first to ban the wearing of fur?


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Although IBM's Q2 didn't change the views of most analysts on the Street, CFRA raised its rating on the shares to Buy, and BMO's Keith Bachman admitted there could be some "catalysts" in its Q4 this year.
Shares of the Dutch chip equipment maker ASML jumped on a Q2 revenue and earnings beat, affirming that spending on equipment remains healthy across the board. The Street, aside from being encouraged about the prospects of fellow chip makers Applied Materials and Lam Research, pondered the implications for the red-hot market in memory chips, DRAM and NAND flash.
T-Mobile shares were halted just after market close, right before the company announced revenue and profit that easily topped consensus, and raised its outlook for how many subscribers it will sign up this year.
Qualcomm stock sagged by about 3% in late trading, even though it beat fiscal Q3 revenue expectations and also beat with its revenue outlook this quarter. The EPS forecast was below what Wall Street has been modeling for this quarter, which Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt thinks may be a result of the company getting many more modem-chip shipments than expected but at a lower profit margin than would have been expected.
Before Alphabet and Google were on the scene, tech retreated from an all-time high in March of 2000, sank into post-bubble despair, and took 17 years to come back to that halcyon level. Can it keep going?
Facebook has basically become a monopoly in mobile advertising, says Needham's Laura Martin, with less and less competition from Snap for dollars, at least for brand advertising and "direct-response."
Qualcomm reports fiscal Q3 results today after the bell, and analysts at Bernstein and BMO say they're not sure the Street's consensus for results has modeled everything correctly, even as investors remain preoccupied with the company's legal battle with Apple and its $45 billion attempt to buy NXP Semi.
IBM's key revenue category, "strategic imperatives," which includes cloud computing, saw its growth slow in Q2, distressing both bull and bear, though some bulls, such as Stifel's David Grossman, urged investors to see the progress in the fine print.
Hortonworks shares dropped 8% in late trading after the distributor of the open-source data mining technology "Hadoop" announced a management shakeup and also said its revenue for this quarter will be higher than originally expected. Mizuho's analyst Abhey Lamba speculates investors this evening are concerned the absence of an update on profitability this quarter suggests the company is not making the kind of profit on the bottom line they have have been looking for.
Shares of IBM slipped lower in late trading after the company announced Q2 revenue that missed analysts' expectations, but beat on the bottom line by a comfortable margin, and affirmed its year earnings outlook. The company noted an 11% rise in revenue classified as "strategic imperatives," such as cloud computing.
Quit worrying, is the advice of Rob Cihra of Guggenheim, a bull on Apple, regarding the prospect of a delay in shipment of iPhone. It won't break the company, it just rolls revenue and profit forward.
Netflix shares surged 13% to hit a new all-time high price of $183.58, after it topped second-quarter expectations and the company said it will burn through more money as it racks up many more subscribers than anyone expected. The stock got at least one upgrade as price targets and estimates rose at several shops.
Advanced Micro's new offerings, such as as its "Epyc" server processor, just aren't good enough to take back material share in markets, says Blayne Curtis with Barclays, cutting the stock to the equivalent of a Sell.
Apple's next iPhone will be "extremely limited" when it first comes out, opine analysts at BlueFin, given production delays. They advise investors not to worry to much, as it just means higher production, and presumably higher sales, in subsequent quarters.
Tech Trader Daily is a blog on technology investing written by Barron’s veteran Tiernan Ray. The blog provides news, analysis and original reporting on events important to investors in software, hardware, the Internet, telecommunications and related fields.


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Camden Borough Council has now rolled out for a super three tier security solution in from of the Absolute software to run on 150 BlackBerry devices, though which has now been under developed to run on 1500 laptops. The solution also offers password encryption, password protection and the ability to remotely wipe data.
In this purpose the technical services manager at the London Borough of Camden, Lan Lawrence, explained that these move was on the back of a Gartner report which recommends that these three tires security layers to be implemented. Also he declared “if a device goes for missing then we can easily create a theft report throughout the Absolute Computerize console, aside from that then we can delete the data remotely. Also there is a theft recovery team those are licenses with the Metropolitan Police.”
The service cost will be £12 per license for per BlackBerry and £20 per Laptop. Lawrence also said that the council would also roll out their security for the 150 most highly used, high risks BlackBerry users initially, so along with a view of rolling out the solution will be remaining 450 over the next few years. Also all the laptops under the council currently will also get the benefit of that Absolute security.
Moreover the Absolute software offers too much other components including geo-tagging, which is quite be able to give an operator the ability of creating a Google map fence around the building, which can often notice how many laptops or blackberry is taken out of the building.
Lawrence also expended that the council is now also trying to keep abstract and ahead of regulations as well as ICQ’s power in order to fine out the body that breach of data have now made for it to give more awareness of security.


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Published on March 4th, 2020 | by Alastair Gilmour0
A little bit of better
It’s unusual for a beer in Britain to have a day dedicated to itself. In fact, it’s probably unique. That’s what makes National Bass Day so special – Saturday April 11 is the time for celebrating one of the nation’s great ales.
The Bass Brewery was founded in 1777 by William Bass in Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire. Its main brand was Bass Pale Ale, once the highest-selling beer in the UK brewed by the world’s biggest brewery. The company’s distinctive red triangle became the UK’s first registered trademark, so the provenance of Draught Bass is in no doubt.
Burton beers were very distinctive because of the waters used to brew them. High levels of sulphur gave its beers a distinctive aroma – “Burton Snatch” if you were being polite; “Farty” if you weren’t.
However, throughout the last four decades, a combination of lack of promotion and changes to the brewing process led Draught Bass to fall into a steep decline, both in terms of sales and quality.
National Bass Day is being organised by Burton-born beer aficionado Ian Thurman, aka The Wicking Man.
Ian says: “Go in to a pub, any pub. The chances are there will be a Bass mirror on the wall. Many thousands of them across the country pay homage to one of the world’s finest cask ales. Yet, there are now fewer than 500 pubs in Britain selling Bass on a regular basis. The unintended consequences of government legislation has left Draught Bass languishing in the brand basement of AB InBev. That it has survived at all is a miracle.
“It is now time to celebrate Bass’s survival and to look forward. It’ll soon be its 250th anniversary, let’s start practicing.”
Ian Thurman’s cudgel has also been taken up by John Brearley who owns the Railway Hotel in Birtley, Tyne & Wear (plus The Swan & Railway in Wigan, Lancashire, an 1898-vintage pub he has restored to its former glory). Hugh Price, who is synonymous with the Tynemouth Lodge in North Shields, is another Draught Bass devotee, having spent virtually a lifetime extoling its virtues.
John Brearley says: “I’m passionate about proving that there is still a call for very traditional British pubs that have retained genuine heritage features. We serve Bass at the Railway Hotel and much to my surprise I discovered that a previous owner had introduced Bass in the mid-1980s and it quickly became one of his top sellers – indeed The Swan & Railway was apparently one of the top selling outlets for it in Lancashire. Bass is flying out there – not yet Hughie Price’s volumes at the Tynemouth Lodge, I suspect – but were chasing him.
“We are shortly having the sign on the gable end overlooking the main London to Glasgow main line repainted and will include a Bass logo.”
There’s no doubt that Draught Bass, like Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, is quite a difficult beer to keep and serve properly and that’s part of the problem when everyone is used to “fast food”. Bass needs expert cellaring, it needs time and care and attention. However in the right hands it’s a subtle gem that sells very well and gains a loyal following.
If you care about beer and pubs you can make a difference by supporting National Bass Day 2020. It’ll be worth your efforts.
*National Bass Day, Saturday April 11 2020. See Twitter feed twitter.com/nat_bass_day
For background, visit https://thewickingman.wordpress.com/2020/01/08/national-bass-day-2020/


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American Express created Small Business Saturday in the midst of the recession in 2010. One year later, the holiday shopping expo in Kenyon was born.
Following a hiatus in 2019 and a cancellation in 2020, the holiday shopping expo is back for another year. The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27 at the Kenyon VFW.
Organizer Tonya Craig said the shopping expo began after a group of residents wanted to get together and showcase their products and promote shopping locally.
“Each year there has been someone that stops by and learns a certain product or service is available right in our own town,” said Craig.
New to the home-based business world in 2011, Craig said another person was the coordinator the first year, but she eventually took over planning of the event. Traditionally, Craig has looked for vendors that are local and offer a product people will enjoy. She looks to provide a variety of options so anyone stopping by can find an item for themselves or that “hard to shop for person on their list.”
Since many vendors offer items that can be taken with the shopper the same day, Craig says it’s a great way to potentially avoid shipping costs and delays. While there are some original vendors like Julie Krenske’s holiday decor or Craig with Tastefully Simple products, Craig says many vendors have changed over the years.
This year’s vendor list showcases 13 total vendors, with 11 of them from within Kenyon or Wanamingo. Craig says the remaining vendors are still within 30 minutes of Kenyon.
“Shopping at an event like this means you are supporting your friend or neighbor instead of some big box store CEO,” said Craig. “Our money stays local and the commute to get gifts is far less stressful than heading to the larger cities in the area on a big shopping weekend!”
Businesses featured include Scentsy, Tastefully Simple, Pampered Chef, Color Street, Thrive, Helgeson’s Fizzinbombs Jewelry Party, Mary Kay, Sandy’s Signature Signs and other homemade gifts, holiday decor options and treats.
She personally enjoys participating in the holiday expo to socialize with her customers, fellow vendors and friends. For customers, Craig says the expo is an “excellent” time to support local businesses and learn about options in the area for future purchases.
Wanamingo resident Julie Huneke, with Mary Kay, has participated in the expo for several years. She likes the idea of supporting other entrepreneurs, especially on Small Business Saturday. She is particularly looking forward to hearing and seeing smiles with others and handing out samples, while building a camaraderie with other vendors.
“People work really hard to put this together, and I hope the community steps up and stops by,” said Huneke. “I’m hoping for lots more people who feel the spirit of happiness.”
Huneke adds there are so many creative businesses in the local area, and she says it’s fun to see their creativity come alive.


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Electric-car manufacturer Tesla’s decision to site its first “gigafactory” for battery production in Nevada has brought a wave of disappointment from Californians, including the two candidates hoping to represent the Fremont-based company’s 10th State Senate District.
Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, looked for silver linings:
“While I am disappointed in Tesla’s apparent decision to locate its battery factory in Nevada, I am proud of California’s partnership with Tesla resulting in significant job growth in Fremont, Santa Clara County and among the automakers’ suppliers. I am hopeful that as the company grows, Tesla may build additional battery facilities or other specialized facilities in California as it scales up manufacturing for current and future products. Our region continues to benefit from the growth of auto research and design investments in the Bay Area and Tesla is an important part of that industry growth locally. With more than 6,000 employees in our state and the new Model X on the way in 2015, Tesla will continue to contribute to California’s position as the green technology leader and highlight our commitment to job creation.”
But Republican candidate Peter Kuo noted the Legislature couldn’t reach a deal before adjourning last week on a bill to provide further incentives for Tesla to put the plant in California:
“Over the past year California, and specifically the Bay Area, has seen tens of thousands of current and future jobs depart for other states. Jobs fleeing California has become common place, this is unacceptable and unsustainable for our economy.
“While my opponent Bob Wieckowski appears to dismiss the severity of this news, I am concerned about the economy and workers in this district. The type of policies that Bob has led on are a root cause of the exodus of businesses to more business friendly states. Since announcing my candidacy I have often pointed to California’s burdensome business climate that has resulted in an abysmal recovery in the Golden State. Tesla’s latest move hits close to home because many of those jobs could have filled by constituents of the 10th Senate District. I urge the legislature to take this seriously and stop the bleeding.”


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A new study commissioned by Blackbaud and hjc reveals that Gen X is a rising force in philanthropy. The 2013 Next Generation of Canadian Giving Study explores the charitable giving and communication preferences of four generations of Canadian donors: Gen Y, Gen X, Baby Boomers and Civics.
This national study of more than 800 Canadian donors was conducted by hjc, Edge Research and SeaChange Strategies. Expanding on a similar study from 2010, it not only shows differences among Canada, the US and the UK – which is rare in the nonprofit sector – but it also has the benefit of continuing over a number of years, allowing it to identify and highlight trends as they develop.
Gen X better off in Canada than in US, UK
Unlike the 2010 study, the 2013 study included questions about face-to-face charitable interactions on the street, at the door or at the mall and other important channels.
Mike Johnston, founder and president of hjc says, “What’s surprising about the results is the rise of Gen X. Here’s something that’s interesting: we don’t see the same rise as quickly in the United Kingdom nor in the United States, as in Canada.”
“One contextual reason is that both of those countries went through a deep recession,” he continues. “We did not. Gen X is just reaching the first stage of disposable income. They’re maturing for the first time. In countries with deep recessions there has been a holding back financially. Here we saw a forward movement with Gen X.”
Text giving down, smart phones up
The second surprise is the decline of text giving and the rise of the mobile smart phone. “A huge percentage of Gen X and Gen Y say they are interacting through mobile browsers – smart phones – touching and typing all of their information into a browser page,” Johnston reveals. “Their predisposition to text to give has been declining. People have just leapt right over that and are telling charities, ‘I want a richer experience – my iPhone or android can give me that. Why would I text to give when I can have a richer experience?’ That’s why Blackberry got killed. There is huge potential for Gen X and Gen Y to grow through this medium.”
Facebook shows little fundraising impact
What’s also surprising, he notes, is the low fundraising impact of social media like Facebook. Over the past three years since the last study, its self-identified, per-capita use in support of charities has declined. People are using it to connect, but it is not the place for transactions. It influences where people will go to conduct e-commerce but ultimately, it’s an engagement opportunity, not a transaction opportunity.
The last surprise – across all eight demographic sub-sets – is that all ages use all channels or are open to contact through all channels to stay in touch.
What does it all mean?
The key question for many fundraisers will be how to use this data. Fundraisers need to carefully review the differences and similarities in generational use of different channels and ways to give. Then, rationed by limited resources, choose the most effective integrated fundraising program you can that will move Gen Y, Gen X, Boomer and Mature supporters up the donor pyramid. A report like this reminds us to have an infrastructure and a plan to take care of donors over their life cycle.
The last word belongs to Johnston: “This document is a clarion call to do the hard work. We cannot afford to come up with wonderful creative ideas without the cross-generational, cross-channel lifecycle plan in place. In the commercial world this would never happen. We’re more than capable – we understand the theory of how to take care of people. The nonprofit sector can be better than the commercial world because we deal with things that matter. I hope this report is going to be a part of that.”
To receive a copy of the full study when available, visit http://www.hjcnewmedia.com/nextgencanadiangiving2013/.


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Years and years of acting out a super-human ideal in-game have apparently worn off on the players of City of Heroes. Faced with the news that their beloved game is due to sunset before the end of the year, CoH fans have been putting on a tremendous show of support for the game and Paragon Studios. Saturday saw a massive rally on the in-game steps of City Hall in Atlas Park as players gathered to show their support and love for Paragon Studios and its employees. The support campaign continues, however: Intrepid CoH fans have organized a call to action to bombard NCsoft with capes and masks through the mail.
Fans are also rising up to share their feelings via letters to Taek Jin Kim, NCsoft's CEO, which has caught the attention of fantasy writer and CoH guest authorMercedes Lackey. In response to the original call to letter-writing action, Lackey said said she was extending an offer to NCsoft to endorse, uncompensated, any and all NCsoft products if the company can only find a way for CoH to live on.


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BMW, Proterra, Toroidion, Slovakia.
Is BMW planning its own Model 3? The many reservations for the new Tesla seem to have inspired BMW to get its own electric limousine. It will be based on the carmaker’s 3-series and will therefore not sport a distinct design and carbon fibre chassis, like the i-models. For some, it’s an indication that the previous approach to an electric line-up has failed. As reported yesterday, an electric X4 and Mini Cooper are also in the cards.
dw.com, autocar.co.uk, handelsblatt.com (fee required)
Bigger battery for C Evolution: The BMW C Evolution is now fitted with the new generation battery cells that are also used in the i3, allowing the 35 kW scooter to go 160 km on one charge. The A1 driving license version in Europe with an output of 11 kW and a top speed of 120 kph will also remain.
560 km range: Proterra presented the Catalyst E2, an all-electric bus with a larger battery that can therefore service destinations outside cities. Capacity is set at around 600 kWh, allowing the bus to go up to 560 km on one charge. The manufacturer has delivered more than 300 electric buses to its home market North America to date.
insideevs.com, greencarcongress.com, prnewswire.com
The 1,000 kW Toroidion is coming: The Finnish super car is apparently already in the final stages of the development phase. Based on the in 2015 presented 1MW Concept (we reported), the manufacturer plans a small series of 75 units per year. Moreover, the Toroidion team and Mika Salo are already preparing to take part in the 24h of Le Mans.
Slovakia plans EV incentives: Electric cars are to account for 31 percent of car sales by 2030, which is why the government is planning a series on measures to help the market. These include direct subsidies and tax relieves, scrapping registration fees and allowing for a shorter depreciation period for companies, implementing zero emission zones and the promise to install one charger for every 10 EVs sold.
Video tip I: Hyundai has kicked off its global campaign called “The Car Triathlon Powered by Pure Energy.” The carmaker wants to promote its electric line-up, made up of the Tucson Fuel Cell, Sonata Hybrid and Sonata Plug-in Hybrid.
youtube.com via automotiveworld.com
Video tip II: Toroidion has released a first promotional video of its electric supercar, the 1 MW Concept. The Finnish sportscar features two electric motors with each 200 kW in the front and two with each 300 kW in the back.
youtube.com via insideevs.com
Audi, Peugeot, Chevrolet, Toroidion, Spain, Germany & Netherlands.
New Audi PHEVs: At the Auto Shanghai, the German carmaker will present the A6 L e-tron, a plug-in hybrid version of the long wheelbase A6 developed for the Chinese market. Audi will also reveal the Prologue Allroad concept with a 734 hp plug-in hybrid drive and Audi’s wireless charging AWC.
worldcarfans.com (A6), autoblog.com (Prologue)
Strong Peugeot hybrid: The French carmaker will bring a new concept car to Shanghai. The Peugeot 308 R Hybrid combines a 270-hp engine with two electric motors, delivering 85 kW each. Together, the trio has the power of 500 hp and 730 Nm.
Chevy doubles its electrifying efforts as it brings not only the Bolt EV to the Auto Shanghai but also a new concept. The FNR (for “Find New Roads”) has been dubbed as an all-electric vehicle to showcase autonomous driving and can also be charged wirelessly.
1MW Concept unveiled: Finnish carmaker Toroidion has presented its super sports car at the Top Marques show in Monaco. As expected, the 1MW Concept indeed has 1,000 kW of power, hence the name, and is said to come with exchangeable batteries.
EV stickers in Spain: Spanish Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) is mailing stickers to owners of electric and plug-in hybrid cars which will designate them to make use of certain privileges like the use of bus lanes or free parking. The privileges vary depending on the municipality.
euroweeklynews.com; dgt.es (in Spanish)
From A to B: The new project ‘From Amsterdam to Berlin’ has been introduced at Hanover Fair and connects Dutch and German businesses in a quest to promote electric transport. Together, the companies plan to appear on trade shows while also joining marketing and sales efforts.
com-bi-nation.de (in German)
Toroidion, Toyota, UQM Technologies.
Electric supercar from Finland: The yet unknown Finnish carmaker Toroidion has announced plans to unveil an all-electric super sports car concept in April at the Top Marques car show in Monaco, which is specialized in luxury vehicles. Preliminary details about the “Toroidion 1MW concept” claim that it has received its name as a reference to its power output of no less than one megawatt (1,000 kW).
Toyota ramps up battery recycling: The carmaker announced that it plans to expand its battery collecting service throughout Europe. Toyota Motor Europe aims to ramp up its current 91 percent collection rate for used hybrid batteries to a full 100 percent. To support this, Toyota has extended its current battery recycling agreements with two companies in France and Belgium until 2018.
Converted electric trucks for Seoul: UQM Technologies has entered a business relationship with the South Korean electric vehicle manufacturer Power Plaza to provide its PowerPhase Pro 100 electric motor and controller systems. Power Plaza is working with the Seoul city government and other key partners on a program to convert diesel trucks to electric vehicles.


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Little is known about the specifications of the iPad Mini, but it is believed to planned for launch in late September – the same expected release date as the new iPhone 5.
Quoted from iPad Mini features: Rumours suggest slimmer side bezels on device on ipad 3 features – Yahoo! News Search Results
iPad mini 2019: Price. The new iPad mini is available with 64GB or 256GB of storage - the former will be plenty for most people - and with cellular or Wi-Fi only options. Well, everybody is very excited about that there will be a flexible or foldable display in the iPad mini 5 or not. If this will true, that will be the new achievement of apple. 5: Apple is currently developing a brand new ature tablet, according to reports. Alongside the highly anticipated iPhone 7, fans are expecting a deluge of products from Apple this year. Apple iPad Mini 5: Rumors, Regarding 5 release date, given that the current model was released back in September 2015, we expect that it will be released in September 2019. Of course, this is assuming that Apple will Tags: apple, ipad, mini, rumors, When will the 5 come out in the UK? And what specs and new features will the 5 get compared with the 4? What price will Apple charge for On the upside, the 5 might be one of the last Apple tablets to come with a 3.5mm headphone jack and Lightning port -- two popular features Apple omitted from last year's batch We take a look at the specs, new features and improvement that we can expect in the 2nd generation , dubbed 2, based on the rumors and speculations we've heard so far.


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The U.S. Customs department spends several hundred million dollars on border security for our 2,000-mile border with Mexico. Congress may soon increase that amount by many billions of dollars. One thing we know for sure: we are gonna waste the hell out of that money.
I mean, the border is two thousand miles long. Whether you spend a half a billion dollars or tens of billions of dollars, there will still be lots of holes in that border. Walls are expensive! Assuming all of that money won't be spent on highly trained racist dogs, what will it be spent on? The LA Times went to the "Border Security Expo" to find out:
Gregory Schultz, who co-owns a Tucson-based business that manufactures clothing that stops electricity from penetrating a body, said his product, Thorshield, could help save border agents at risk of having their stun guns seized by assailants and used against them.
Schultz covered his hand in the cotton-like material, took up a stun gun and fired repeatedly.
"It's a highly conductive fabric that actually short-circuits stun guns and Tasers," he said without blinking.
It is high time a patriotic entrepreneur solved the problem of U.S. border patrol agents being tased by crafty (and quick-fingered) Mexicans who snatched their stun guns. We'll take $40 billion worth, please.
Update: A note from a representative of Thorshield, for our criminal readers:
My name is Peter Schwartz and I am a consultant to Thorshield. You featured them in your Gawker article.
We do have a concern that I hope you can help us address. Thorshield is only sold to law enforcement and that is not mentioned in the article, per the below link.
Would it be possible for you to add that information? It would help avoid the impression that just anyone can purchase Thorshield materials, including criminals.


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DBR Drink Business Review
Freshly Squeezed opens new stores in US
Freshly Squeezed Franchise Juice, a Canada-based specialty health and beverage retailer, has expanded its retail portfolio with the addition of five new locations in New York state.
The new locations – one kiosk and four-in-line – are the first of 25 stores, which are expected to be launched over the next three years.
Freshly Squeezed Franchise Juice chief executive officer Talal Samadi said that the expansion is part of their vision to be the premier fresh juice, smoothie and self-serve frozen yogurt player in high-traffic destination shopping centers in the US and around the world.
Started in 1976, the company offers a diverse and customized menu of international juices, smoothies, bubble and matcha teas, frozen yogurt flavors and a variety of health and nutritional supplements.


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General Motors Co. (GM) plans to largely withdraw its Chevrolet brand from Europe from the beginning of 2016, focusing more sharply on its main Opel and Vauxhall brands. The stock price of GM rose modestly after the announcement, even though the U.S. market as a whole traded downward. If GM’s stock price stays elevated, it could let the U.S. government earn a bit of additional money when it sells its remaining shares of GM stock after bailing out the automaker several years ago.
Today’s announcement indicates Chevrolet will no longer have a “mainstream presence” in Europe. The move will reduce corporate costs as sales on the continent are challenging due to the “difficult economic situation” there. Much like the elimination of GM brands such as Pontiac, Saturn and Oldsmobile in the United States, the scaling back of marketing Chevrolet in Europe will reduce the “market complexity” of maintaining several brands in the region. GM has continued to lose money in Europe, where automakers’ sales have been hampered by persistent economic weakness, even as the company’s performance elsewhere improves. Chevrolet will still offer “select iconic vehicles” such as the Corvette in Europe and will retain a broad presence in Russia.
GM expects the decision will result in net charges of between $700 million and $1 billion, primarily in the current quarter and continuing through the first half of next year. Those charges include asset impairments, dealer restructuring, sales incentives and severance-related costs. In 2012, Chevrolet sold 195,000 cars and SUVs in Western and Central Europe. In the first 10 months of 2013, it sold 137,000 vehicles in the region. GM’s CEO Dan Akerson said the company’s European operation will benefit from focusing on its Opel and Vauxhall and from plans to expand the Cadillac brand’s presence in Europe. He stressed that “Europe is a key region for GM.” Most of the Chevrolet models sold in Europe are produced in South Korea, so GM plans to focus on profitability, cost management and maximizing sales in its Korean operations.


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Rock Star Winemaker: Jim Shumate
Full spectrum of winery operations comes to Pomar Junction
Josh Petray, VINO
Cellar master, winemaker and Cal Poly lecturer Jim Shumate brought lofty heights to the San Luis Obispo-based college’s Wine and Viticulture Program, implementing a new bottling line for the campus winery — among other notable achievements.
Shumate, Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery's newly appointed winemaker, hopes to bring that same sense of innovation to his winemaking craft as he takes the reins as winemaker for the family-run business.
Having experienced the full spectrum of winery operations while working at Meridian Vineyards in the cellar, lab and winemaking alongside household Paso Robles winemakers like Signe Zoller and Lee Miyamura, Pomar’s new winemaker is adding some steam to the locomotive that is, in and of itself, drawing ongoing attention as a premier wine label in the Paso Robles wine region.
Shumate has worked alongside Chuck Ortman two years before his retirement, experimenting with clonal trials from Santa Barbara in half-ton lots of pinot, to now working alongside industry insider-experts Dana and Matt Merrill.
He's excited to have his first release under the Pomar label available to the public in time for Paso Robles Wine Festival 2012.
“I like to let the vineyard speak for itself, to show what it has to offer,” Shumate said of his winemaking philosophy. “I think the Merrills have done a really great job here — being able to work with the fruit off this vineyard that they tend to and really being able to showcase what their grapes are all about is a huge honor.”
It’s not overstepping it or creating something that isn't there — but allowing the vineyard “to show what it’s worth.”
Shumate, 47, was born in Sacramento and grew up in Glendale before moving to San Diego, and worked in the grocery business for 18-plus years, moving to Paso Robles in 1999.
He moved to the Central Coast to realize a dream: to immerse himself in the wine industry. In addition to working up the ranks and gaining a plethora of experience at Meridian, Shumate is credited with piloting the new campus winery at Cal Poly, co-teaching advanced enology classes, operating and repairing winemaking equipment and implementing a new bottling line for the campus, according to past reports.
When he first got into the business in 1999, and even before, Shumate had a vision for what he wanted to be, where he wanted to be it and the kind of situation he wanted to work in.
It has taken him 13 years to get there, “but this is my ideal situation,” Shumate said.
“I have been waiting for this opportunity. I have been working hard,” he said. “People talk about getting their dream job, or they dream of it but never achieve it. This is what I do.”
Not to mention that he’s developed a bit of a sweet spot in his heart for the ever-challenging pinot noir varietal and is excited to be working with newfound passions including grenache and mouvedre.
Above all else, Shumate is excited to be working alongside the Merrills, working hand-in-hand with a father-son team that's managed one of the area's premier vineyard locations.
“Matt and Dana [Merrill] have taken me in and given me the keys to the store, and it's a great opportunity for me to really put forth my best effort to show what they do out in the vineyard,” Shumate said. “They have been growing grapes for a long time — they know what they’re doing. Now it’s time to highlight what they do with my work. I think it's a great opportunity. I’m very excited about it, and I’m very anxious to get my first wines out there. They don’t have to overanalyze it; they don’t have to have all the descriptors, but as long as it does put a smile on their face or they enjoy it with a meal or just with a glass outside — it’s a great satisfaction. That’s what I aim to do — make something that people will drink and enjoy and be repeat customers for it.”
Shumate is currently living the Central Coast lifestyle with his wife and four stepchildren. He enjoys traveling, rock music and the outdoors.


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As is the norm nowadays, the Apple Events channel has appeared on the Apple TV ahead of Apple’s Spring Forward event later today. From 10 AM PDT, Apple will be live streaming the entire presentation, for those not lucky enough to be there in person.
Customers can follow along on the Apple TV, or online at http://apple.com/live. 9to5Mac will also have full coverage of all the announcements, so stay tuned.
A big part of today’s ‘Spring Forward’ presentation will feature more specific details about the Apple Watch. Pricing and availability will almost certainly be mentioned. Also expect several demos from app developers so Apple can demonstrate the wide range of potential this new form factor provides. Apple has been helping a select group of developers fine tune their Watch apps to maximise impact at the event.
Aside from the Watch, there is also a chance Apple will announce some new MacBooks. It appears that spec-bumped iterations of the current generation machines are in the offing and there is some speculation that Apple will also unveil its brand-new 12 inch Retina MacBook Air today that 9to5Mac exclusively revealed back in January.
Apple’s event starts at 10 AM PDT, 5PM GMT. (Due to daylight savings discrepancies in the United States, the time of the event may be different to normal in your region so check your timezone carefully).
Thanks to Thomas Boom for the pic!
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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For consumers in the West the news of the Japanese earthquake had us all worried about the people there, and being charitable to help them out. But beyond that, we have yet to really experience any repercussions from the natural disaster. Come June those repercussions look likely to hit the tech sector and the gadgets we buy.
DigiTimes is reporting that component manufacturers are on the brink of running out of stocks for key components. This is down to the problems the earthquake caused such as destroying ports, taking manufacturing plants offline, or making it impossible to get materials to certain areas of the country by any transportation means available.There’s also a compounding problem because manufacturing in China is being hit due to a shortage of labor.
The components most likely to be affected include MLCC (used in integrated circuits), motherboards, and the glass used for touchscreens. If such shortages start to appear then shipments of PCs, tablets, and smartphones will be forced to slowdown.
The issue stems from growing demand for devices such as tablets and smartphones. As the big brands continue to market and rollout new devices so the demand goes up. This increased demand coupled with difficulties in the supply chain ultimately leads to shortages. The breaking point is expected to be June onwards as supplies are going out as usual this month.
Manufacturers are denying there is a shortage coming, but this is thought to be a tactic to stop panic and keep component prices steady. Companies including Asus, Acer, Motorola, HTC, Quanta, and of course Apple, are believed to be buying as much stock as they can to weather the storm.
The impact for the consumer may be two-fold. While products won’t disappear from store shelves suddenly, the stock coming in will be limited meaning some outlets may run out for days at a time. Longer term, vendors may be forced to put prices up because if a shortage does happen then components will automatically get more expensive to buy. Ultimately that cost will get passed on to the end user.
Come the holiday season this year we might all be buying more expensive gadgets, or having to choose different models because the one we want has become unavailable.
More at DigiTimes


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**UPDATE: MDEC has released a statement saying that speakers from Microsoft and Sony will no longer be attending LEVEL UP KL 2020. Instead it will feature speakers from Steam, Roblox, Larian Studios and Ubisoft Singapore.
One of the biggest events for the local game development scene, LEVEL UP KL 2020, is being held virtually this year. The event will run from October 10th to November 22 2020. Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) is organizing the event.
Almost Two Months Of Events
The one-and-a-half month-long event kicks off with the South East Easia Game Jam, where over 100 game developers will be invited to compete for up to RM6000 in prizes.
The next event is the Business Connection, a virtual meeting where developers can connect with various industry experts. This mainline event is particularly great for small indie developers. This is because they can use this to make good business connections.
There will also be a two-day Industry Conference. It will feature speakers from big industry names like Larian Studios and Ubisoft Singapore, who will give talks for anyone wanting to learn the ins and outs of the games industry. It also runs concurrently with the Business Expo, a trade event for local and regional videogames.
During this period, there will also be Masterclass sessions and a Virtual Career Fair to help people break in to the industry.
Another mainline event will be the SEA Game Showcase, which runs from October 19th to November 15th. This event will feature promotions and demos for various games developed within the South East Asia region.
It all culminates in the SEA Game Awards, which aims to recognize outstanding performance in local and regional game development.
This event will also have eSports webinars, as well as an eSports tournament with a RM120,000 prize pool for participants.
MDEC CEO Surina Shukri says that although the ongoing pandemic has caused trouble for events this year, the surge in popularity of videogames would reflect well on LEVEL UP KL 2020’s virtual attendance.


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Tesla Nootropics’ Nubrain nootropic flavoured waters
Category – Functional drinks, flavoured water, nootropics
Available – From this month
Location – The US, available online from official website and in the off-premise channel later this year
Price – TBD
Tesla Nootropics has launched a line of ready-to-drink nootropic flavoured waters under the brand name Nubrain.
The range includes a variant designed for children, a first in nootropic beverages, according to the Californian company. Nubrain, which is positioned as a caffeine-free alternative to energy drinks, comprises Brainstorm, positioned as the company’s flagship variant that helps with energy and focus and is lemon & grape-flavoured, Nightflight, an aid to improve sleep in tropical citrus flavour, Mission, a vanilla & blueberry-flavoured “battle-ready” fortified formula, and Prodigy, a concentration aid aimed at children aged between eight and 16.
Prodigy is available in Wild Berry and Wild Lime variants.
“This concept and formula was devised in 2014, way before anyone else, so our claim that we are ‘the first real nootropic beverage’ stands absolutely true,” said co-founder Angela Kahn. “We feel that the energy drink market has had its turn and it is now time for the next generation of drinks. Drinks that help the brain and support people achieve more everyday.”
As well as Nubrain, Tesla Nootropics also produces the Nutropop and Vizz sparkling water brands as well as Nano CBD-infused water.


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Update: this popular deal may have sold out. See more deals >
US Airways has posted another last-minute weekend sale. The airline has cut prices on over 20 domestic routes, good for travel between Saturday and Tuesday only. These are the rules:
– Round-trip only.
– Fly out Saturday, fly back Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.
– Minimum one-night stay at your destination.
– Book flights by 9pm PT Saturday.
This deal also includes a handful of cheap fares to Mazatlan, Mexico, departing airports right across the US. These are are good for travel April 15 through May 24, round-trip only. Book flights by 9pm PT Sunday.


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Local telecommunications giant, Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL), on Wednesday unveiled the Better, Easier Cheaper consumer campaign which stresses the firm’s commitment to improved and affordable services.
Speaking in Blantyre during the launch, MTL Chief Commercial Officer Gladson Kuyeri, said the campaign is as a result of over two years of listening to customers’ needs and actively investing in technological solutions that respond to the aspirations.
“As you are aware, MTL switched from time based internet services provision to volume based internet services in December 2014.
“This was partly in response to prevailing market trends but also to enable us to deploy technologies that have better bandwidth usage control and in so doing improve the user experience of our customers,” said Kuyeri.
He said despite the teething challenges the company faced during the transition period into the first quarter of 2015 and the occasional service disruptions that are beyond their control, MTL internet continues to be the flag bearer in so far as the user experience is concerned.
“The ‘better, easier, cheaper’ slogan is, therefore, a promise to our customers and indeed to the wider public that MTL will continue to strive to improve our services on both internet and voice products.
“We have come up with internet and voice bundles that cater for a wide spectrum of needs, from express bundles offering 80 MB for only K100 with a one hour validity to bundles offering as much as 95GB for the heavy internet users,” said Kuyeri.
He observed that by rolling out the campaign, MTL is not only saying that its products and services are worthwhile and that customers must get connected but also that MTL is publicly showcasing its commitment to its quest for continuous improvement.
A vibrant writer who gives a great insight on hot topics and issues


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In an effort to promote tourism in Kashmir, Kehwah Group recently launched India’s first high-end luxurious theme based bus services by the name of ‘Onwheels’.
“The inaugural event was a huge success and was extremely well received by visitors,” the group informed in a statement.
Envisioned by the CEO of Kehwah Group, Sheikh Imran, Kehwah Wheels aims to provide the travellers with an opportunity to explore Kashmir while enjoying every bit of luxury and world-class amenities.
“All the buses in the Onwheels fleet are custom made to provide on-the-go services like Caravans, Luxury Buses, Kafé, and Vanity Van,” the statement said.
“The whole initiative has enjoyed full unconditional support of the state government who have to revive Kashmir’s tourism.”
Minister of education Naeem Akhtar who was present at the launch ceremony congratulated the group for their effort and wished them success in the future. Minister for R&B Altaf Bukhari also praised the group.
“Onwheels offers four options to the travellers depending on how they wish to explore Kashmir. For the very serious travellers who want to enjoy the comfort of home even as they soak up the pristine beauty of the picturesque valley, they have the Casa Onwheels featuring chauffeur driven luxury coach complete with double bedroom, recliners, washrooms and pantry space,” the statement said.
The second option is Paradise Onwheels giving tourists a chance to travel in sheer opulence by providing features like reclining seats with massagers, infotainment system, WIFI connectivity and in-house meal and beverage service.
“The third type, Explore Onwheels will provide guided tour services of Srinagar in roofless high deck buses giving the panoramic view of the surroundings. Equipped with onboard informative commentary service the bus will follow fixed route and people can hop on and hop off at desired stops. The group has also introduced mobile restaurant by the name of Kafe Onwheels, which would serve authentic Kashmiri cuisine and other delicacies from around the world,” Kehwah Group said in a statement.
“This concept of theme-based luxury bus services is very unique and perhaps being launched for the first time in India,” said Vipin Tyagi, COO of Onwheels. “This will definitely prove to be a milestone in the travel and tourism industry not only in Kashmir but throughout the country. We will also be making some innovative additions to our line in the form of Wellness Onwheels, Saloon Onwheels and Conference Onwheels etc.”


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The auto trade is betting large on blockchain. In truth, a whopping 62% of auto executives say the know-how underpinning bitcoin might be a disruptive pressure within the trade by 2021.
Furthermore, 95% of carmakers plan to make “reasonable to important” blockchain investments over the following three years, in accordance with a report by the IBM Institute for Enterprise Worth, a business-research group.
In its govt report entitled “Daring to Be First,” the IBM Institute says blockchain can revolutionize the auto trade by bringing transparency to provide chain administration and monetary transactions.
Auto Trade Invests in Blockchain
Listed below are some key findings:
62% of executives say blockchain might be a disruptive pressure within the trade inside three years.
54% anticipate new enterprise fashions to affect investments in blockchain.
54% of executives will implement their first industrial blockchain community at scale inside three years.
Trade leaders imagine that the ingenuity of distributed ledger methods will bolster the usage of sensible contracts, that are self-executing, self-enforcing contracts.
“1000’s of components go into the meeting of a car,” the IBM report famous. “The shortcoming to trace and confirm the components can lead to components that don’t work correctly when they’re built-in with others. Efficiency points and buyer dissatisfaction can then happen.”
Auto executives are relying on the blockchain promise of safe, traceable transactions and improved transparency of knowledge to streamline provide chain administration.
Supply: IBM Institute
The IBM Institute identified that German auto large Porsche has been testing blockchain purposes in its automobiles since February 2018.
As CCN reported, Porsche has been creating blockchain purposes to park vehicles, lock and unlock automobiles, and make loaning out an organization automotive to an worker simpler.
As a result of all transactions are recorded on a distributed ledger, automotive house owners would be capable of monitor who used their car and when. This might play a significant component in increasing the “sharing” economic system that has skyrocketed throughout the previous few years.
Blockchain Used to Observe Contemporary Produce
IBM has been quietly researching blockchain know-how for a number of years. In October 2018, IBM partnered with French grocery mega-chain Carrefour to enhance meals security by monitoring hen, eggs, and tomatoes as they journey from farms to shops.
To do that, Carrefour built-in Meals Belief, IBM’s tailor-made blockchain knowledge system as a part of its provide chain.
Carrefour — Europe’s largest retailer with over 12,000 areas world wide — plans to make use of this technique to trace all its recent product strains over the following few years.
Carrefour executives say blockchain will assist them detect and stop outbreaks of salmonella linked to eggs and poultry, that are a significant drawback within the meals trade.
World’s Largest Diamond Retailer Makes use of Blockchain
Even avowed bitcoin haters concede that blockchain is a revolutionary know-how that may rework healthcare, banking, provide chain administration, and even the leisure trade.
In Might 2018, Signet Jewelers — the world’s largest retailer of diamond jewellery — joined Tracr, the diamond blockchain program launched by South African gem behemoth De Beers Group.
World’s Largest Diamond Retailer Joins De Beers Blockchain Projecthttps://t.co/hYFzthcAnS#Blockchain #Innovation #IoT #Bitcoin #Cryptocurrency #CryptocurrencyNews #CryptoNews
— Blockbid (@blockbid_io) Might 27, 2018
The blockchain undertaking ensures that the gems will not be unlawful “battle diamonds” mined by slaves in African conflict zones by offering mine-to-customer traceability.
Tracr additionally ensures there’s no theft or illicit substitution alongside the best way, so the top consumer — the client — will be assured of their diamond’s authenticity and provenance. It’s the first program that digitally tracks every diamond from mine to retail.
Consultants say this novel use of blockchain reaffirms the potential game-changing purposes of distributed ledger know-how.
Featured Picture from Shutterstock
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Popular Web-Surfing App Reaches End of the Road
A popular service used by people in China to access internet websites that are sometimes blocked said it is closing down, a half-year after Beijing launched a “rectification campaign” against such providers.
China blocks certain sites from general-internet users within its borders, saying they contain material on sensitive topics that is illegal under Chinese law. But such sites can often be accessed using virtual private networks (VPNs), which route web-surfing requests through offshore proxy servers.
“After receiving notification from regulatory authorities, we regret to inform everyone that we will be terminating our services as of July 1,” said an announcement on the Green VPN homepage. “Destiny has brought us together, but it is unlikely we will ever meet again,” it added.
In its decadelong existence, Green has become a favorite VPN for Chinese looking to access such blocked sites as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and some foreign news outlets.
The shutdown comes a half year after China’s telecom regulator launched a crackdown on VPNs in a push expected to last until the end of next March targeting unauthorized VPN services.
Founder Zhou Wei wouldn’t elaborate on reasons for the shutdown of Green, a paid service that plans to give refunds to its users affected by its closure. The shutdown isn’t unique among Chinese VPNs, which sometimes close for simple business reasons. But the wording in its announcement indicated that Green’s closure was government-ordered rather than for commercial reasons.
Cybersecurity observers said Green’s closure could signal a similar fate for others, most notably those with large user bases.
Contact reporter April Ma (firstname.lastname@example.org)
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- 4UnionPay International launches premium catering privilege U Dining Collection
- 5UnionPay International’s U Plan has covered over 1600 stores overseas


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What a week it has been in the Winelands! While the cold weather and snow-capped mountains are what the vine wants, an unexpected reintroduction of a ban on all liquor sales, announced by President Ramaphosa last Sunday night, made it an exceptionally chilling week for everyone in the wine industry- with immediate effect…
Still trying to recover from the two month ban earlier this year, the staggering news with its wide-reaching impact, had me chatting to Louise Burgers, Publisher Editor and Co-Founder of RetailingAfrica.com, about the impact on the industry.
I share an extract from her article below, but please read the complete story, On the rocks: Liquor industry faces losses of R10bn monthly in sales, with more disturbing statistics and interesting insights.
Well-known winemaker, Hein Koegelenberg, CEO of internationally recognised South African wine brands La Motte and Leopard’s Leap, and chairman of the Board of the Franschhoek Wine Valley Association and chairman of L’Huguenot Wines (the first investment by China in South African winelands), said after the devastating Cape drought, the outlook for the wine industry was very good. Now, he said, he was cutting his production by 50% after Sunday night’s announcement.
“The reality is, I’ve lost international listings and now sales in South Africa under the first prohibition. We don’t know how long this second round of prohibition will be, but indications are that it could be two to four months. We just don’t know. From a production point of view, I’m sitting with way too much stock in my system… So, planning will be crucial and we will have to produce up to 50% less.” The 2020 harvest is in the cellar, but bottling and production forecasts are dramatically down as they will probably sell only two thirds of what they would have sold this year – and that is if the ports backlog is cleared and they can get their wines to the international market for export. “All of this will have a serious impact on what volumes we can harvest in 2021”.
“I’ve lost big listings in Germany; I’ve lost the Sainsbury listing. So, after this period, if I can export, if I can get the containers on the boat, we will probably sell two thirds of what we would have sold,” Koegelenberg said. He fears that all the brand building that has gone into the wine industry will be lost; as in the next 12 months to two years in a depressed economy, wine will be seen as a commodity and pricing and deals will determine buying patterns, not brand loyalty. “We’re in for a rough ride as brand builders. We, as wine people, sell experiences, as part of our wine sales. We see wine as part of food. We are not in the category of people misusing alcohol.”
He called on Government to work in partnership with the wine industry to safeguard wine tourism, instead of imposing punitive measures. “This will hurt not only the winemakers, but the entire industry, its communities, the staff employed, the entire winelands tourism business. This is devastating. Agriculture and tourism are the two things that South Africa can sell. There are no winners in this war. Whatever we need to do to survive, we need to do that. Keep your good people and do what you can to survive.”
While Government’s reasoning to secure hospital beds for Covid patients, is easy to understand, the impact of the ban affects much more than just the enjoyment of liquor or the effects of substance abuse. According to Louise’s article, the lockdown on liquor “will have catastrophic consequences for the liquor industry and its entire supply chain and production pipelines in South Africa, leading to losses of R10 billion in lost sales for every month lockdown prohibition continues.”
I can’t help but agree with a quote by Matthew Leighton of OneDayOnly: “Our thinking was: let people order and deliver to their homes. As far as we are concerned, all alcohol sales should be handled this way under lockdown. The solution lies in shades of grey… not in destroying an entire industry.”


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Emirates airline said on Wednesday that it has processed nearly 1.7 million refund requests, delivering on its promise to complete the refund backlog that had stacked up as coronavirus forced millions globally to cancel flights.
The UAE’s flagship airline said it had returned 6.3 billion dirhams (about $1.7 billion) in refunds to its customers, of which 4.7 billion was refunded to customers who had booked directly with the airline.
“Thanks to the efforts of our refunds and customer service teams, the support and co-operation of our partners, and the understanding of our customers, Emirates has now cleared our backlog of refunds,” Tim Clark, Emirates airline president, said.
He also said that while there are still higher volumes of refunds and flight coupon change requests, these can now be managed in a seven-day period.
Earlier this week, Emirates announced that it would offer customers COVID-19 travel insurance on all tickets purchased on or from December 1.
“In addition to COVID-19 medical cover, this new generous offer from Emirates also has provisions for personal accidents during travel, winter sports cover, loss of personal belongings, and trip disruptions due to unexpected air space closure, travel recommendations or advisories, similar to other multi-risk travel insurance products,” a press release from the airline read.
As of July 23, all travelers arriving in or transiting through the United Arab Emirates must present a negative PCR test result starting on August 1. Following months of lockdown to curb COVID-19, Dubai welcomed tourists back on July 7.
Al Arabiya English


text: "WHICH companies would be doing a lot worse without creative accounting?" wonders that bastion of financial reporting, The New York Post. Apple and Yahoo are among the five companies picked out by Standard & Poor's, because of the IT company habit of "incentivizing" staff with share options. The staff have to sell their stock to cash in, and that raises more questions. AP has a story about senior Apple executives selling shares before profit warnings lower the price. Weaker companies are bound to come under closer financial scrutiny follwoing events at Enron, WorldCom and Xerox. But as S&P's David Blitzer sagely told the Post: "If the numbers are wrong it doesn't matter how you add them up."


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Finally some good news for Detroit.
The Ford Motor company announced on Thursday that it would spend more than $773 million to expand its manufacturing facilities and would create about 2,350 new hourly jobs in Michigan as part of a plan to invest $6.2 billion and add 12,000 new positions by 2015.
"Even as we wrap up an incredibly busy year of capacity expansions and product launches, we are continuing to look to the future," said Jim Tetreault, Ford vice president of North America Manufacturing. "These investments, many of which are already under way, will ensure our southeast Michiganmanufacturing facilities can support our aggressive growth plans."
The investment won't just be adding jobs, it'll be saving them. According to USA Today, about 3,240 jobs were remain safe. Ford Motor Company has about 172,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide.


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Millions in refunds go out to patients overcharged for drug, AG Cooper announces
Release date: 7/20/2004
Raleigh: Attorney General Roy Cooper announced today that refund checks are in the mail to more than 1,500 North Carolinians who were denied cheaper generic drugs by Bristol-Myers Squib.
“It’s wrong to deny patients more affordable medicines,” said Cooper. “Money is now going back to people who paid more than they should have because a drug company blocked access to generic alternatives.”
In March of 2003, North Carolina joined 34 other states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in an agreement to settle charges that Bristol-Myers Squibb deliberately kept generic equivalents to the widely prescribed antianxiety drug BuSpar off the market. The settlement was approved by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on July 1, 2004.
As a result of the settlement, consumers who purchased BuSpar between January 1, 1998 and January 31, 2003 and who submitted valid refund claims will receive average payments of $647 each. Bristol-Myers Squibb will also reimburse state and local health agencies that paid full price for BuSpar because no generic alternative was available.
Nationally, 57,474 consumers will recover more than $37 million. In North Carolina, 2,512 people will receive more than $1.5 million in refunds. Those refund checks were sent out to North Carolinians late yesterday.
The agreement settles allegations raised by Cooper and the other attorneys general that Bristol-Myers Squibb lied to government regulators in order to keep generic alternatives to BuSpar off the market for months. Investigators discovered that Bristol-Myers Squibb misled the Food and Drug Administration when applying for a new patent for BuSpar, telling the FDA that the patent protected the company's exclusive right to manufacture the drug and barred other manufactures from selling generic equivalents.
People who took the FDA-approved daily dose of BuSpar spent close to $100 each month for the brand-name drug. Consumers and the state of North Carolina would have been able to save money by purchasing a generic version of BuSpar, had it been available. Generics can save consumers 30 to 40 percent over brand-name prices. If several generic versions are available, competition can lower prices by 70 to 80 percent.
Under the agreement, Bristol-Myers Squibb is barred from re-listing the patent for BuSpar and for other drugs as a way to squash generic alternatives. Bristol-Myers Squibb is also forbidden from making false statements to the FDA and cannot enter into agreements with generic drug manufacturers if those agreements would adversely affect competition.
“The last thing patients need is to have an extra financial burden placed on them when they seek medical help,” Cooper said. “My office is dedicated to doing all it can to ensure that prescription drug costs are fair.”


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By NUR HAZIQAH A MALEK / Pic By BERNAMA
Regulations governing electronic transactions on social media platforms will eventually be introduced as more people turn to social commerce as a means to complete commercial deals.
Minister of International Trade and Industry Ignatius Darell Leiking said, however, the current focus for the cross-border social commerce industry is to register the businesses.
“Presently business owners need to register themselves to the Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade) under their eTrade programme and conduct their online business.
“It is not a problem that we need to manage (the platforms) with regulations at the moment. It is just like how regulations are only placed on e-hailing after it becomes increasingly popular here,” he said at the “Made by Malaysia, Loved by the World” programme launch yesterday.
He said any laws designed for e-commerce platforms will be designed to protect customers and business operators.
“Social media and e-commerce, which form social commerce is not clearly regulated. But I think we’ll come to a stage where we have to have some legislation.
“The legislation will be of world’s standard because of its cross-border nature,” he said.
Matrade CEO Dr Mohd Shahreen Zainooreen Madros said the low number of companies that register under the eTrade programme prohibits the government to assist businesses.
“While one million companies have registered with us, three million more out there and are potentially registering high sales through utilising Facebook and Instagram are not. This is why any regulation or legislation may need to wait,” he said.
Mohd Shahreen said while 98.5% of local business establishments are small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and have the potential to go global, only 17.3% contribute to exports.
“It is important for Malaysia to also have a clear digital strategy like China, the US and European Union countries in order to leverage our industry and compete with the rest of the region,” he said.
The “Made by Malaysia, Loved by the World” programme is a collaboration between Facebook, Matrade and AVANA, a homegrown social commerce platform.
The programme aims to provide 2,000 SMEs with training and related aspects in digital marketing and e-commerce.
The programme is the first to be introduced in South-East Asia and Malaysia is the third country in the world after South Korea and Taiwan to introduce the initiative.
AVANA co-founder and CEO Luqman Adris said: “The most intensive part of the three-month training is to analyse and monitor businesses via online channels,” he said.
Facebook Malaysia country director Nicole Tan said with more than 2.2 billion people on Facebook, its goal is to help SMEs find people who share the same passion for the products and services.
“Already 87 million people on Facebook around the world are connected to a local SME page. As people’s preferences and purchases become more global, there is a tremendous opportunity for SMEs to find new customers beyond the country’s borders,” she said.


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Utah-based Vivint, a company that uses a summer sales model, is selling Vivint Solar to SunEdison for $2.2 billion.
“We are building the next generation of the biggest energy companies on earth,” said Julie Blunden, SunEdison’s chief strategy officer, in an interview.
Launched in 2011, Vivint Solar went public on the NYSE in 2014. The company’s stock has continued to grow.
Read more here.


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This Web-based emulator lets you play NES games in 3D -- sort of
Ever wonder what your favorite NES games would look like in 3D? No, not a 3D remake -- actual NES games rendered on screen with a z-axis. Well, if you're running a recent version of Firefox, you can see for yourself by loading your very own ROMs into a WebGL-based emulator called 3DNes.
Microsoft's Android app emulation for Windows 10 Mobile 'not going as planned'
Back at this year's Build conference, Microsoft said that it will make available tools to port apps from other platforms, including iOS and Android. Now it looks like the Android tool -- dubbed Astoria -- won't be available any time soon, if ever.
PS4 may soon play your favorite PS1 and PS2 games in native 1080p
Dying to play classic games like Viewtiful Joe or Tekken 3 on your PS4? Well, you might just be in luck. A recent rumor has indicated that Sony is working on PS1 and PS2 backwards compatibility for the PS4 -- sidestepping the need for game streaming completely. Even better, a number of "select titles" are supposedly running natively at 1080p.
As the Wii U struggles, reports and specs of Nintendo's next-gen consoles spread
Nintendo is in dire straights. The Wii U sold poorly over the 2013 holiday season, and the Kyoto company is anticipating substantial losses going forward. Now, rumors are bubbling up that Nintendo is already working on its next console, and it sounds quite promising. With superior hardware and better handheld connectivity, this has the potential to turn the table once more in Nintendo's favor.
Intel and AMD confirm support for dual OS operation on upcoming devices, but does anybody want one?
Both AMD and Intel have announced support for varying degrees of Android-on-Windows, but while the two companies are taking different approaches, the greater question remains: Does anyone want a dual-booting solution outside of IT environments?
By Joel Hruska
How to run Windows 1.01 in your browser
How to run normal x86 Windows apps on your Windows RT tablet
It was only a matter of time: You can now run conventional x86 Desktop apps on your ARM-based Windows RT tablet, such as the Surface RT or Asus VivoTab RT. x86 games such as Heroes of Might and Magic 3 and small utilities such as WinRAR are confirmed to work on Windows RT, with the developer promising to support uTorrent and some other games in the future.
The inescapable '80s: 8-bit, SimCity, and Wing Commander all make a comeback
The cyclical nature of culture means that the stuff in our past just keeps coming back to haunt/amuse/entertain us. It was quite clear that the innovation industries aren't immune to this, as we saw the return of SimCity, Wing Commander, and homebrew computing.


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GSP Update: Thailand
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced last Friday, October 25, 2019 that President Trump is suspending $1.3 billion in trade preferences for Thailand under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) based on its failure to adequately provide internationally-recognized worker rights.
Effective April 25, 2020, GSP eligibility will be revoked for approximately one-third of eligible products from Thailand, including seafood products.
To access the list of products that will be removed:
To read the USTR announcement:
Flegenheimer International will continue to monitor and provide updates to the trade.


text: Amazon the world’s leading online store reportedly working to bring a Smartphone with HTC. Amazon has already earned name in the fields of tablets and now company wants the same in the fields of Smartphones. The smartphone would run on Android OS and would come up with high end specifications. If the news comes true, as always this phone from the company would also be priced at affordable and right price. HTC would be the real manufacturer of the phone, says source. Although Amazon has not officially made any kind of statement on the topic, so the news is still in rumor phase. Amazon has there own App store for android, music, videos and books. In mean time check out recently launched HTC ONE MAX.


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Funding for the creator economy has more than tripled in 2021, up from 2020. Electronic brands are supporting creators with cutting-edge technology.
New screen technology is transforming home media, smart devices, and e-Paper. Here's what you need to know.
Smart screens have advanced rapidly in recent years. New products will soon affect our homes and digital touchpoints out in the world.


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Trai said it has written to the Finance Ministry seeking that banks be asked to move forward on mobile banking.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) conducted 'Telecom Consumer Outreach Programme' in Thrissur on Friday to create awareness among the telecom consumers about their rights and privileges
Trai has proposed that a telcos must give a three-month notice to its subscribers if it plans to change the tech.
Sistema Shyam Teleservices (SSTL), which operates under the MTS brand, has said that Trai should recommend slashing reserve price for CDMA spectrum as in case for GSM band where the regulator suggested to reduce reserve price by 37-60%.
Videocon plans to bid for additional spectrum in two service areas such as Punjab and MP, in upcoming auction starting January 23.
State-owned telecom firms MTNL and BSNL are likely to launch new roaming plans from January 26 that will offer their subscribers free calls, sources said.
India is set to allow the telecom sector to share and trade in airwaves before the next round of auctions, to be held by March 2015.
If you like the current state of the internet, you should know about net neutrality. If you are not aware of it, don't worry.
Sibichen K Mathew, advisor and Head of Karnataka and Kerala region, Bangalore will address consumers on 'TRAI Initiatives to protect interests of telecom consumers' at the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industries here on November 21.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is organising a Consumer Outreach Programme on November 12, at 2 pm onwards at Navi Mumbai Sports Association (NMSA) in Vashi, Sector 1A. The programme is open for all consumers of Telecom Broadcasting and Cable Services free of charge.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) conducted Telecom Consumer Outreach Programme at Karwar to create awareness among the telecom consumers about their rights and privileges.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is organizing a consumer outreach programme on November 8, in Karwar.
Karwar: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is organizing a consumer outreach programme on November 8, in Karwar.
Mobile Number Portability (MNP) requests increased from 95.59 million subscribers at the end of June 2013 to 97.82 million at the end of July 2013. In the month of July 2013 alone, 2.23 million requests have been made for MNP.
The total Teledensity at the end of July 2013 was 73.54 out of which the share of urban subscribers was 60.68% and that of rural subscribers was 39.32%.
The total number of subscribers has increased to 904.46 million with a net addition of 1.37 million subscribers during the month - showing a monthly growth of 0.15%. Out of the total subscriber base, 548.85 million are from the urban areas and the remaining 355.60 million are the rural subscribers.
TISS' own enumeration of slum households in 2011 showed 1.10 lakh households in M(east) ward, excluding some pockets.
The BMC's Mumbai Human Development Report (2009), which drew on data from the 2001 Census, stated there were 64.75 lakh people living in the slums in 2001.
As per the latest telecom data from the Government of India, subscription in the urban areas has increased to 546.64 million and in rural areas to 363.50 million at the end of November, 2013. As a result, the urban Tele-density in the country has climbed to 144.46 and Rural Teledensity to 42.43 at the end of November 2013.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Wednesday released figures showing a 1.4% expansion of global freight tonne kilometers (FTKs) in 2013 when compared to 2012. Cargo markets made very slow progress during the first half of the year. Acceleration in the trend took root in the latter half of 2013, placing air freight volumes on a steadily increasing trajectory. Capacity grew faster than demand at 2.6% and load factors were weak at 45.3%.
Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan said he is ready to face any inquiry into the state data centre transfer case. Let them bring smart officers and conduct a probe. I am ready to face it. I am not that kind of a person like chief minister Oommen Chandy who is keeping away from inquiries, he said.
The recent controversy over the data centre case has come following a ``communication gap'' occurred between the advocate general and the government. The government would make its stand clear on October 7 in the Supreme Court that the case would be handed over to the CBI, said the chief minister.
Chief minister Oommen Chandy came under severe attack in the UDF meeting over the government decision not to have a CBI inquiry into the handing over of state data centre to Reliance.


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A ribbon-cutting ceremony has been held to open a unique new cafe in the centre of Burnham-On-Sea.
Coffee, Cake and Curtains in Burnham’s Victoria Street was officially launched by MP James Heappey on Saturday (February 16th).
The vibrantly-decorated cafe has launched inside BOS Interiors, which sells a wide range of quality curtains, blinds, upholstery, cushions and fabrics.
Talking to Burnham-On-Sea.com, owner Julia Stradling said: “Over the 30 years we have been open, the business has changed greatly.”
“We have moved with the times and are offering the people of Burnham a brand new experience – a chance to relax in comfortable surroundings with a coffee and a snack without feeling pressured to buy.”
“Our new coffee shop creates a new destination at the northern end of the town centre near the cinema, a craft centre, art shop and a barber – the perfect position.”
“We hope people will enjoy a coffee and some home-made cake or a sandwich and be inspired at the same time with our interior design products around them. It’s a place to come and relax, and not feel pressured to buy – just sit back and enjoy the atmosphere.”
The new cafe is dog-friendly and also has a separate kids craft corner. It can also host birthday parties, meetings and social functions. The owners are also seeking an alcohol license in time for the summer season.
Julia adds: “We hope that locals will come here to enjoy own town rather than driving off to the malls and other towns and cities, or shopping online.”
“Why buy online when you can you can come here and touch and feel the curtains, blinds and fabrics in a relaxed and inspiring environment?”
The new cafe sells a wide range of teas, coffees and light refreshments. “We sell proper Lavazza fresh Italian coffee plus a great selection of home-made cakes, panini, sandwiches, toasties and afternoon teas.”
“We do not intend to be in competition with any of Burnham’s existing cafes – we are doing this to create a very special tea shop experience that is a unique offering in stunningly beautiful surroundings.”
She added: “We began a two month refurbishment back in December, bringing our former workshop back into public use, and we are really delighted with the completed cafe. We are getting wonderfully positive feedback!”
She thanked several locals for their support: “Pat Scott at the Ritz Cinema, the team at FF&F Flooring, Russell at Baytree Upholstery, and all our wonderful staff who have pitched in to help.”
The new 50-seat cafe and shop is open from 8.30am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday.
MP James Heappey, who cut the ribbon to open the new premises, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “What an amazing addition this is to Burnham town centre. Julia and her team really have got it cracked.”
“They know what’s needed to compete with what’s online, and they offer a really fantastic product and service plus and experience that everyone will enjoy.”
He added: “Even if someone is not in the market for curtains they will love the amazing cake!”


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As COVID-19 fears continue, children of school age have been shoe-horned into a new reality: online learning. Sidestepping the debate on how effective online learning is when compared to in-person, the little discussed threat right now is to children’s privacy.
Despite the general apathy regarding privacy in almost all parts of the world, special attention has always been given to children’s privacy – and for very good reason. The argument that adults “consent” to being spied on doesn’t really sit well when applied to minors.
So how is this new reality of online learning handling children’s privacy? Not very well, as it turns out.
Recent research by Top10VPN.com has revealed that at least 58% (33/57) of government-recommended online learning platforms posed a “high risk” to children’s digital privacy.
All but 12 have open-ended or undisclosed data retention time limits, and 5 share PII with third parties. That’s not counting the three quarters (43/57) that employ ad tracking techniques, including from Facebook and Google.
Then there’s the security issues, which goes hand in hand. You can’t really protect anyone’s privacy if your infrastructure isn’t secure – and a third (19/57) fail in that regard as well. 8 not effectively using HTTPS, 12 using insecure cookies prone to hijacking, 2 submitting passwords in plain text without any encryption, and 5 with server-side vulnerabilities.
Each one of these issues alone should be a deal-breaker, especially when handling children’s information. But somehow all of these issues have slipped through the cracks and are not only allowed, but even recommended by governments.
To be clear, this isn’t exclusive to the US. In total, online learning platforms from 19 different countries were analyzed. Six of the 57 platforms were from the US. Two of those six included extensive advertising from Facebook and elsewhere, while five included Google’s ad tracking.
If you’re wondering “is this even legal?”, the answer is, unfortunately, yes.
Most countries have only self-regulatory bodies that review advertising aimed at children. Legislative efforts in the US have largely been thwarted by free speech activism and lawsuits, including by Disney. Although much advertising featuring cartoon characters has been blocked by the FCC.
Despite the GDPR requiring companies to require consent before any tracking, platforms from Germany and Italy aren’t completely safe either. Out of the three German platforms, Anton is the only one considered “low risk”.
In the US, the worst offender across the board is Scholastic Learn at Home. Khan Academy is only marginally better due to employing some children’s privacy protections, but it’s still quite heavy on trackers and advertising, and also using insecure cookies.
To the layperson, it may seem unwieldy or even impossible to run such a service in a secure manner while respecting the privacy of your users, but it’s really not – as a few notable examples have shown. All it requires is a bit of extra work and giving up advertising revenue, which is apparently too much to ask – even of education platforms aimed at children.
As we’ve explored in our alternatives to Google piece, privacy-friendly options to practically every service imaginable certainly do exist (including Google’s Search!). Many are even superior in terms of feature-set. It’s only a matter of ditching the easy, pre-packaged, 1-click-deploy solutions and putting in the extra work to do it yourself.
We advise parents to read privacy policies and never create an account using social media accounts, as it gives the platform access to a trove of PII (both yours and your child’s). Use an ad-blocker, a VPN, and two-factor authentication. Clear browser cookies, turn off location sharing, and go through the settings to disable any invasive ones.
If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net.


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March 4, 2002
Olympia, Wash. -- Effective March 1, 2002, the state Department of Agriculture has banned the use of the clopyralid on lawns to keep the long-lasting herbicide from potentially contaminating compost.
The ban will last 120 days. After that, the department plans to make the ban permanent and will consider additional restrictions on the use of clopyralid, which kills broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, clover and thistles, but also has been known to flowers and vegetaion, according to farmers.
The new restrictions make products containing clopyralid "state-restricted use" pesticides when labeled for use on laws and turfs, meaning that they can be sold only to licensed dealers and bought only by licensed pesticide applicators.
Clopyralid products still may be used on golf courses if no grass clippings, leaves or other vegetation are removed from the site and sent to public composting facilities.
For more information on clopyralid, visit www.wa.gov/agr/clopyralid.htm.
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In his recent ABC News article, The Five Safest Automobiles, Richard Blake notes that Volvo is still one of the safest vehicles available today. The author mentions several other vehicles, but keys in on the 2010 Volvo S80. It’s one of only four large sedans to make the list for this year’s IIHS Top Safety Pick award. And that’s more than just a reputation based on past performance. The new S80 continues to earn good marks for safety today. The IIHS took the S80 through a variety of tests that proved the car worthy of that award. Blake concludes that “the Volvo S80 has to be considered a standard bearer in the drive toward [the] safest car ever built.”
But is safety really that important in today’s world? Most car companies have improved their safety scores. It’s just that some are a little better than others, right? There may be some truth in that, but when it comes to your family’s safety, is “getting better” something you want to rely on? The experts don’t seem to think so. “Kelley Blue Book’s executive editorial director Jack Nerad, [who] has been writing about auto safety for more than a decade, conceded that as his younger children now approach driving age he has been giving this issue a lot of extra thought lately. He is leaning toward Volvo.”
Perhaps you should as well.