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President Trump issued new Proclamations regarding Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum just as the original ones were about to go into effect. The changes amending the original Proclamations (9704 and 9705) added exemptions for imports from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Mexico, and South Korea until May 1, 2018.
They also required that steel and aluminum subject to the tariffs be admitted to FTZs in privileged-foreign (PF) status. Admitting steel and aluminum products in PF status means that Foreign-Trade Zones will only be able to avoid the punitive measures on export sales.
The modified steel and aluminum tariffs took effect on March 23rd on imports from all countries that did not receive exemptions. If the President takes no further action, the tariffs will once again apply to imports from all countries starting May 1, setting a deadline for trade negotiations. If country-wide exemptions are granted on a longer-term basis, the President may adjust the tariffs applicable to other countries and/or impose quotas.
According to a White House statement announcing the tariff modifications, President Trump suspended the implementation of tariffs on imported steel and aluminum “pending discussions of satisfactory long-term alternative means to address the threatened impairment to U.S. national security.” The announcement asserts that the President “retains broad authority to further modify the tariffs, including by removing the suspensions or suspending additional countries” or by “imposing quotas as appropriate.”
The new suspensions do not impact the process established for affected parties to request product exclusions, but they do modify the provisions regarding product exclusion requests to clarify that exclusions will be provided on a party-by-party basis, “taking into account the regional availability of particular articles, the ability to transport articles within the United States, and any other factors as the Secretary (of Commerce) deems appropriate.” Additionally, the Proclamations direct that—where an exclusion request is granted—the exclusion from tariffs will apply retroactively to the date on which the exclusion request was posted for public comment.
Need more information? Inquire here.
The punitive tariffs recently declared on imports of steel and aluminum have created an unusual problem. If those products are no longer headed for the United States, where will they be sold?
Fear that other countries will now be sought as an outlet for excess capacity has set off a chain reaction around the globe, as governments from Europe to Canada prepare to erect barriers to prevent cheap metal once bound for the United States from entering their markets.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada announced a series of regulatory changes that would make it easier for border officials to block steel and aluminum imports into that nation. The European Union has begun a “safeguard investigation” that could result in tariffs or other trade actions if it determines that steel intended for the American market is being diverted to the bloc.
“These past few days, we’ve looked at strengthening the measures that we already have in place because it’s important that we not be taking in dumped steel from around the world,” Mr. Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa.
President Trump’s stiff 25 percent steel tariffs and 10 percent aluminum tariffs, which will slow the flow of foreign metals into the United States, have prompted other countries to move more rapidly to curtail overseas imports.
The response could help the president claim victory on one of his primary trade goals: cutting down on a glut of cheap Chinese steel. The American metals industry has long claimed that it is powerless against an onslaught of cheap metal from China, which now produces roughly half of the world’s steel and aluminum.
Companies argue that past efforts to get China to reduce overcapacity have largely failed and that the only recourse is taking broader action that could galvanize a global movement. That movement now seems to be underway, though exactly in which directions the dominoes may fall is unclear.
The Chinese government has announced plans to impose tariffs on 128 products from the United States, including pork and some fruits, in a response to the recent U.S. moves.
US pork producers exported $1.1 billion in pork to China last year, making it the third-largest market for the US industry.The new tariffs from the Chinese government will also hit US apples, oranges, almonds, pineapples, grapes, watermelons, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and more.
China’s tariffs will also hit US ethanol with an extra 15 percent tariff, raising fears that Chinese importers will suspend imports of ethanol from the United States. The tariffs on cheaper US ethanol will wipe out the price differential versus Chinese domestic supply.
Then, in addition to the steel and aluminum action, President Trump last month announced new tariffs on $60 billion in Chinese goods and will restrict China’s ability to invest in US technology businesses. The US Trade Representative is expected to unveil a list of targeted Chinese products soon. Such escalations make the form and timing of a resolution to the trade dispute harder to predict.
The Trump administration is now pushing for a preliminary NAFTA deal to announce at a summit in Peru next week, and will try to host cabinet ministers in Washington to try to achieve a breakthrough. The sides remain far apart on key issues such as auto content, and progress may be unlikely before a new President is elected in Mexico on July 1st.
The White House wants leaders from Canada and Mexico to join in unveiling the broad outlines of an updated pact at the Summit of the Americas that begins April 13, while technical talks to hammer out the finer details and legal text could continue.
Those negotiators are working under some political calendar pressure, with July elections in Mexico and November ones in the U.S. threatening to complicate the process of reaching a deal and getting it approved. Negotiations between the countries would need to be concluded before the end of April in order for an agreement to go before the current Mexican Senate and U.S. Congress.
The NAFTA process could become trickier if Democrats take control in the U.S. House or Senate, or if leftist Mexican presidential frontrunner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wins or his Morena party picks up seats in the nation’s upper house. Those events probably would change the political calculus for a deal and the content required in a final agreement to win legislative approval. Mexico’s new Senate will be seated in September, with the new president taking office in December. Current Mexican President Pena Nieto is limited to a single six-year term.
Striking a nationalistic tone, candidate Obrador signaled that if he won the July 1 election in Mexico, he would be less accommodating toward Trump than the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, which has lagged in opinion polls over its failure to contain violence and corruption.
"Mexico and its people will not be the pinata of any foreign government," Lopez Obrador said in a speech.
Lopez Obrador criticized President Enrique Pena Nieto for export-focused economic policies that he said benefited the few, and promised a strategy to build up Mexico's internal markets. While Obrador reaffirmed his backing for the pact, he said talks to renegotiate the agreement should be suspended until after the election, and that any new deal should address wages and immigration.
Representatives from the U.S. and South Korea reached an agreement just last week to modify the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement. South Korea is agreeing to reduce its steel exports by 30 percent and to double its import quota for U.S. cars, exempting the country from the new U.S. steel tariffs. Changes to agriculture were left out of the agreement, much to the relief of the U.S. agriculture industry. South Korea becomes the first country to complete renegotiation of trade terms with the United States.
The President may owe much of the credit for progress on the agreement to Kim Jong-un’s recent visit to China. The face-to-face meeting of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with China’s President followed the surprise announcement that he would take part in summits with South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump to discuss the elimination of nuclear weapons.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s willingness to meet with the ostracized North Korean leader may have convinced South Korean President Moon Jae-in that close ties with the United States are more important than ever. The U.S. also had reason to want to conclude trade negotiations with at least one of its trading partners.
According to the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), 2017 red meat exports to Korea topped $1.7 billion, almost double that of 2012 numbers when the FTA went into effect. The U.S. is the largest beef supplier to Korea and the country’s second largest supplier of pork. Almond shipments from California have more than doubled in value from $83.3 million to $167.6 million in that time.
The cherry blossoms are out (and looking beautiful, we must say) in your Nation’s Capital, which is usually a sure sign that Spring and warmer weather are finally here. On the trade front however, warmth is less easy to find. Diplomatic expulsions and the imposition of a historic number of punitive tariffs have rattled trading partners and stock markets. Then the end of month brought the conclusion of the first set of FTA renegotiations, with improved export terms for the United States. Hopefully those cherry blossoms are telling us something after all.


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Barobo Mobot-A robot kit allows students to build 3D printed robots
As schools are getting accustomed to 3D printers and students are becoming more inclined to 3D printing as the way of creation, a need is felt for some exciting 3D printers. To fill the void early, Barobo – inventor of educational robotics, has launched Mobot-A robot kit to help students build a 3D printed robot from ground up. The Mobot-A robot kit is available for download from Barobo website and comes with batteries, easy to use software and assembly instructions, motors, electronics, fasteners, while users are expected to print everything else.
There is no limit to what the students can create with the Mobot-A robot kit in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students can either attach other robots and accessories or can design their own robot accessories to attach to the robot and print it on the 3D printer. The must have Mobot-A robot kit is presently available for $139.95.

domain: news


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(Boursier.com) — The current stock market storm has sent Tesla shares down 34% since the start of the year, but that hasn’t deterred its boss Elon Musk from carrying out a stock split, a subject that had was pre-announced last March.
Friday evening, after the close of Wall Street, the American manufacturer of electric vehicles thus confirmed in its annual report filed with the American stock market authorities, its intention to divide the par value of the security by three, without indicating the precise date of the operation. The measure will in any case be proposed to the vote of the shareholders during the Tesla’s next Annual General Meeting, scheduled for August 4.
While the Tesla stock ended at around $697 on Friday, it would be worth around $232.33 after dividing by three, knowing that the number of shares held by each investor will therefore be multiplied by 3. Since its inception, Tesla has proceeded to a single further division of its nominal value, by 5, in August 2020, when the price of a share had exceeded $2,200, making it inaccessible to small holders.
Larry Ellison to step down from Tesla board
In its annual report, Tesla also indicated that Larry Ellison, the co-founder of giant software companies Oraclewill not seek re-election as a member of Tesla’s board of directors at the next AGM.
The departure comes as Elon Musk launched a $44 billion takeover bid in April for Twitter, in which Larry Ellison agreed to participate financially. In early May, Elon Musk said he had raised just over $7 billion from investors, including Larry Ellison and Saudi prince and businessman Al-Walid bin Talal.
But in mid-May, the offer was frozen by Elon Musk, who disputes the number of fake Twitter accounts communicated by Twitter management. Tesla’s stock price has suffered in recent weeks from these uncertainties, analysts fearing that Musk could be distracted by the Twitter file and neglect the management of the automotive group.
Lower the amount of the entry ticket for small holders
Regarding the “split” project, Tesla said “our success depends on our ability to attract and retain excellent talent”, adding that “highly competitive” compensation packages with stock awards to each employee help the group to be attractive. “We believe that a split in the nominal of our share would help adjust the market price of our securities so that our employees have more flexibility in managing their securities”the group added.
Several technology companies listed on Wall Street have recently announced “splits”, operations which theoretically have no impact on the valuation of the group, but which in practice often result in a rise in prices in the following months. the “split”. A more modest nominal value makes the value more accessible to investors, in particular to individual shareholders, by lowering the amount of the entry ticket.
Amazon was the latest to proceed with a split, with a division by 20 of the title, applied since last Monday, June 6. Last February, AlphabetGoogle’s parent company, announced a split equivalent to 20 to 1, which will take effect on July 15. GameStop also mentioned last March a plan to split its name, but did not detail the terms
As for Applethe apple firm has carried out 5 splits since its IPO in 1980, the last of which took place in August 2020 (division by 4).


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Will cold drinks save a once-hot stock?
Keurig Green Mountain is betting they will help jumpstart growth as it officially launches its Kold machine, which makes single-serve cold beverages with the push of a button. But not everyone is buying it.
Bill Chappell, an analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, said the "jury is out and is really skeptical" about Kold becoming "a meaningful driver of growth" for at least a couple years.
"I think the Street has largely written off Kold. I think there are low expectations for Kold," Chappell said in a phone interview.
Keurig is already a powerhouse in the single-serve coffee market, where it has helped change the way Americans get their morning caffeine jolt by promising convenience without the mess. In fact, sales of standard coffee machines have been shrinking since 2012 while pod coffee brewers continue to steal share, according to Euromonitor data.
Unlike coffee though, it takes just as much effort to reach into the fridge to grab a soft drink. The key selling point for Kold is variety without taking up the fridge space multiple 12-packs would require.
Tara Murphy, senior vice president and general manager, Keurig Kold Systems, said the system opens it up to additional times of day and customers.
"Every home in the U.S. drinks cold beverages so it's just a much bigger space to play," Murphy said in an nterview.
Kold's convenience comes with a price, though: the drinkmaker has a $369.99 suggested retail price, while the pods will set customers back another $4.49 to $4.99 for each box of four. Each pod makes a single 8-ounce serving.
Year to date, Keurig's stock has cracked under skepticism about Kold and concerns about flagging growth of its flagship hot beverage products.
Shares have dropped about 60 percent year to date, making it one of the worst performers of the S&P 500.
Wall Street remains cautious on the stock, placing an average "hold" rating on it.
Near term, Phil Terpolilli, senior equity analyst at Wedbush, does not expect a huge impact from Kold but said it would be a drag on profitability.
"We're modestly negative on the overall platform," he said during a phone interview.
The machine's high price tag is a concern, coupled with the expense of the pods, which are pricier than buying soda at the grocery store.
"You're asking a lot of people out of the gate, even hard-core soda drinkers," he said.


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People Really Love Using Their Credit Cards & It’s Become a Big Problem–This Is Why
Society has successfully moved on from using cash to swiping their credit cards for a good part of all their paying needs. In fact, there are around 374 million open credit card accounts in the United States alone. This is certainly a convenience that people today are lucky to have. However, Americans’ love for using their credit cards has also resulted in a serious financial problem.
What Keeps People Hooked
According to a survey done by the banking and investing app Stash, numerous people across multiple generations don’t even know the interest rate that their credit card provider makes them pay.
The exact figures stand at around 30% of millennials, about 40% of Gen Xers, and over 40% of Gen Z, who don’t know their cards’ interest rate. This has become a problem today as Americans reportedly ended up paying a whopping $113 billion just for credit card interest. Even more concerning is that this same statistic stood at a much lesser $76.3 billion just five years prior.
Considering all thsese, the question now is why people still continue to use their credit cards as they lose money? Apparently, they’re hooked on the various rewards and points programs that their credit card providers entice them with. About one-third of people who are in debt report that they continue to pay using credits because of the perks.
But it looks like the rewards they get aren’t worth it in the end at all. Proof of this is the many young people in debt from using their credit cards as their main means for spending. As of latest, revolving credit card balances in the United States have already exceeded $1 trillion. And this debt has also become a hindrance for people to save up for their retirement.
Fortunately, it’s not too late for people to take a hold on their swiping habits. Eagle Strategies certified financial planner Michael Kremer recommends looking for a debit card with a points program in lieu of a credit card.
Meanwhile, those who are still determined to keep spending on credit are advised to pay closer attention to their swiping habits. Kremer suggests people look for a chance to transfer to a card or provider with a 0% interest rate offer while paying off their balances.
Doing this can save them a lot of money and actually make a dent on their principal instead of just paying off interest. One more alternative those in debt should consider is using a cash-secured credit card that has a low limit. This route will come in handy when one is making a big purchase while avoiding the temptation of spending more.
How often do you pay with your credit card? Read on and find out if you have the same problem many other people have.
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Apple iPhone X leather case is $19 cheaper in early Amazon Prime Day dealtechnicalstudio | July 8, 2018 | 0 | Mobiles
The official iPhone X leather cases were rather expensive on launch day at $49 when you just bought a $1,000 iPhone. But there’s a new deal for these exact case today.
You can buy a genuine leather iPhone X case in Taupe for are $19 off MSRP in the prelude to Amazon Prime Day 2018. That comes out to $30, or 30% off Apple’s original launch price. It’s actually $28.70 for Amazon Prime subscribers, giving you an extra $1.30 discount.
The neutral colored Taupe case is the cheapest case. Other colors have discounts, too. The Saddle Brown and Charcoal Gray cases are $38.25, for example, over $10 off. The Midnight Blue case color is currently $43.28, and the Pink Fuchsia case costs $44.99. Cosmos Blue doesn’t have a discount attached to it, and Amazon is sold out of the popular Black and ProductRed cases.
All of these iPhone X cases are made from “specially tanned and finished European Leather so the outside feels soft to the touch and develops a natural patina over time,” according to Apple’s always-superfluous description.
Our favorite part? They have machined aluminum buttons that match the case color. That’s the big advantage of these leather cases over the TPU rubber-feeling iPhone X cases – the buttons don’t click in nearly as well on Apple’s cheapest cases.
This article was sourced fromTechRadar


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AAA forecasts that more than one-third of Americans will travel this holiday season. The record-breaking 112.5 million travelers taking to the nation’s runways, roads and rails for the year-end holidays represents a 4.4 percent increase over last year and the most since AAA
has been tracking holiday travel. For the more than 102 million people who will pack up their cars for a holiday road trip, INRIX
, a global mobility analytics company, predicts travel times in the most congested cities in the U.S. could be as much as four times longer than a normal trip.
“’Tis the season for holiday travel, and more Americans than ever will journey to spend time with friends and family or choose to take a vacation,” said Bryan Shilling, managing director, AAA Travel products and services. “Strong economic growth fueled by robust consumer spending continues to drive strong demand for seasonal travel. With a record-breaking one-third of the country choosing to travel this holiday, roadways and airports are sure to be busy.”
Based on historical and recent travel trends, INRIX expects drivers to experience the greatest amount of congestion before the holiday week – starting on Wednesday, Dec. 19 – as commuters and holiday travelers mix on the nation’s busiest roadways. Drivers in Atlanta, New York City, Boston and Houston will see travel times more than three times a normal trip.
“With a record-level number of travelers hitting the road this holiday, drivers must be prepared for delays in major metro areas – with Thursday, December 20 being the nation’s worst day to travel,” says Trevor Reed, transportation analyst at INRIX. “Our advice is to avoid traveling during peak commuting hours. If schedules allow, leave bright and early, or after the morning commute.”
Falling Gas Prices Motivating More Holiday Travelers to Drive
While gas has been relatively expensive throughout this year, a recent drop to the cheapest national gas price averages of the year, combined with rising disposable income, is motivating more Americans to hit the road this holiday season. Gas prices averaged $2.46 for the first week of December, which is two cents per gallon less than one year ago.


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Lazada launches same-day/next-day delivery service in Metro Cebu
Lazada Philippines now offers same-day/next-day delivery in Metro Cebu, making online shopping even faster and more convenient in the country’s biggest retail outlet outside of the National Capital Region.
Starting October 16, 2018, online shoppers in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu may choose Premium Services for any items sold and fulfilled by Lazada Philippines over the standard shipping option that takes at least two days.
Bragging as the number one online shopping sector, Lazada Philippines, is also the first industry player to offer same-day/next-day delivery in Metro Cebu.
Lazada Premium Services
Shoppers may avail of Premium Services on top of the guaranteed next-day delivery for LazMall, a recently launched feature offering authentic and original branded products such as Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, JBL, Philipps, ASUS, Honor, Vivo and OPPO, among others.
“With our Premium Services, we hope to make shopping even more convenient and enjoyable for Filipino consumers,” said Juan Pavez Spencer, the Chief Executive Officer of Lazada E-Services Philippines.
“Same-day/next-day delivery allows our shoppers to enjoy the convenience of ordering from their computers or mobile devices and the gratification of being able to use or experience a product almost immediately,” he added.
Premium Services also benefits businesses in Metro Cebu by helping them meet shoppers’ demands and subsequently gain their loyalty.
“Our fulfillment services, from warehousing to delivery, are designed to enable businesses — big or small — to focus on growing their operations and improving their products,” Mr. Pavez noted.
“This also reflects Lazada’s commitment to help entrepreneurs harness the benefits of e-commerce as well as our vision for the Philippines to become a major player in the global e-commerce industry,” he added.
Will soon offers in Davao
Lazada Philippines will make Premium Services available in more areas. It will soon launch same-day/next-day delivery in Davao City, in more parts of the Greater Manila Area and in key cities in Batangas.
The e-commerce giant currently offers Premium Services in Makati, Taguig, Paranaque, Pasay, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa and Quezon City. The delivery option is likewise available in Laguna (Binan City, Cabuyao City, Calamba City, San Pedro, Santa Rosa City and Los Baños) and Cavite (Carmona, Alfonso, Amadeo, Bacoor, Dasmarinas, Gen. Trias, Imus, Indang, Mendez, Silang and Tagaytay City).
Lazada expands and innovative
“Lazada Philippines will continue to expand and bring in more innovations,” Mr. Pavez said. “As a major hub of economic activities in Visayas, Cebu is vital to our growth that will allow us to bring effortless shopping and to support more businesses across the archipelago.”
In 2015, the company opened a warehouse in Mandaue City, Cebu to cater to the growing e-commerce market in central and southern Philippines.
There a lot of online shopping store now a days, but getting your favorites is a plus by having them on your hand so quickly. Get to know more and check your favorite items online, visit Lazada Philippines or download the Lazada app now.
Resources: Lazada PR


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The illegal marijuana trade across the U.S.-Mexico border has experienced a dramatic shift in recent years as both nations — some more gradually than others — ease their restrictions on the drug.
Although popular perception still views traffic as largely one-way — from Mexican growing operations to U.S. consumers — the Washington Post reports that large quantities of U.S.-made cannabis products are actually headed in the other direction.
In California’s booming cannabis market, individuals can purchase marijuana and infused products from dispensaries within driving or even walking distance of the border, and can generally cross into Mexico without much difficulty.
Once in Mexico, they will find a booming market for famed cannabis strains imported from the U.S., particularly among young and higher-income Mexicans. An ounce purchased for $150 in San Diego could fetch $500 in Mexico, the Post reported, while cannabis cookies are marked up as much as 300% across the border.
Mexican growers, of course, have cultivated cannabis for generations, but those operations remain illegal as lawmakers’ efforts to legalize the drug in the county have stalled — while as more and more U.S. states embrace recreational marijuana.
Legal cultivation and sales in the U.S., in fact, caused production to plummet in Mexico, where public officials are concerned about the potential economic fallout.


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£10m rate relief plan details revealed by Mark Drakeford
Nearly 15,000 shops, restaurants and pubs will benefit from a £10m rate relief scheme for high street firms, the Welsh Government has announced.
It said the scheme, from April, would help businesses whose rates are rising due to a revaluation of their premises.
Ministers said firms whose rates were falling, but struggling with economic conditions and online and out-of-town competition, would also be helped.
The Tories welcomed the cash, but raised questions over who was eligible.
The scheme was part of Labour ministers' budget deal with Plaid Cymru.
Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford revealed the plans in December, saying some retailers were facing substantial rate increases and that there were towns and communities that were being "disproportionately affected".
On Wednesday, property experts warned the rate rises could close shops on rural high streets across Wales.
Analysts have also reported that revaluation will see online giant Amazon paying less business rates on its warehouses, including the one near Swansea.
The relief scheme means eligible retailers with a rateable value of £50,000 or less will receive up to £1,500 off their business rates, under a two-tier system:
- High street retailers with a £6,001 to £12,000 rateable value, already receiving small business rates relief or transitional rates relief, will have their rates bill reduced by £500 or to zero if their bill is less than £500
- Eligible high street retailers with a £12,001 to £50,000 rateable value facing a rates increase in April will have their rates bill reduced by £1,500
Mr Drakeford said: "This new scheme is in addition to the £10m transitional relief scheme, which will also be available from April 1 and the £100m tax cut for small businesses in Wales provided by small business rates relief.
"It will provide vital support to ratepayers on high streets across Wales and offer these businesses extra support."
Ben Cottam from the Federation of Small Businesses said the scheme would "go some way to providing breathing space for many businesses whom we know have been concerned about the impact of new rates bills on their business".
Plaid Cymru economy spokesman Adam Price said his party was pleased to "deliver this additional £10m to support businesses affected by the recent business rates revaluation as part of the recent budget deal between Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government".
"However the Labour Welsh Government must now honour its National Assembly election pledge and deliver a fairer business rates relief scheme in Wales, which must include more regular revaluations," he said.
Conservative finance spokesman Nick Ramsay AM said: "Whilst we welcome the additional funding there are still questions over eligibility, and in particular what constitutes a 'High Street', and it is far from clear that this money is targeted only at businesses who have been adversely affected by the recent revaluations."
Mr Ramsay said the scheme needed to be ready within weeks, putting local councils under "significant pressure", and accused Labour ministers of providing a "painfully slow response to the revaluations".
Retailers can contact their local council to see if they qualify for the high street rates relief scheme.
Ministers said work on developing a new permanent small business rates relief scheme for 2018 was underway.


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The British retail company, John Lewis, is well known for it's extremely touching series of Christmas ads.
Each year around Christmas, they release their annual advertisement, which over the years has become rather famous for being a real tear-jerker. Though not exactly sad, this year's edition is still making an impression on viewers everywhere.
The advertisement has lots of people laughing out loud, but just as in previous years, this year's edition is also intended to raise money for a very serious cause.
Each year, John Lewis picks a different worthy cause to donate to, and this year, that cause was The Wildlife Trusts, which is referenced in the story of Buster the boxer.
Take a look:
Bridget, Buster's human sister, has been given a trampoline for Christmas. It's the night before Christmas, and a group of wild animals, namely a badger, a squirrel, two foxes, and a hedgehog, find the trampoline and enjoy it themselves, all while poor Buster can only watch them from the window.
Even though the moral element isn't present this year like it was in previous years' ads, such as "Man on the moon," John Lewis has hope that the slightly amusing approach will still gain attention and support for British wildlife (as represented by these cute critters).
"Each year we work with a charity which fits our ad, and we hope this year's campaign will encourage more children to discover a love of British wildlife and encourage support of the Wildlife Trusts," said customer director at John Lewis, Craig Inglis.
Ten percent of all sales of the plush toy versions of the animals present in the ad, which, by the way, are already available for sale in retail stores and online, will be donated to The Wildlife Trust.
"The Wildlife Trusts believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the joy of wildlife and wild places in their daily lives, so John Lewis putting some of our most beautiful British wild animals at the center of their Christmas advert and making The Wildlife Trusts their charity of choice this Christmas is great news," said Stephanie Hilborne, the Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts. "With this support, we will be able to inspire thousands more children about the wonders of the natural world."
What did you think about this sweet commercial and it's purpose for being aired?
Let us know in the comments below and please make sure to 'SHARE' this adorable video with family and friends.
Everyone loves a good laugh, so let's spread the smiles!


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OnePlus 8 Pro can get protection against water and dust according to IP68
The OnePlus line of smartphones is notable for many useful features, but the company’s gadgets have not yet acquired a certificate of protection against water and dust. Soon the situation may change – the network has updated information about the characteristics of the next generation of “flagship killers”.
For a long time, OnePlus smartphones lacked two features that almost all the flagships of other manufacturers are famous for wireless charging and water protection. Numerous leaks have already confirmed that the first one will appear in the OnePlus 8 line, and now there are rumors regarding moisture protection. OnePlus previously claimed that it did not add such protection because it would make devices more expensive.
- OnePlus 8 Series: all flagship smartphones lit up in the online store
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- LG 2020 K Series: a trio of smartphones with a quad-camera
According to the Max J network informant, in 2020 at least OnePlus 8 Pro model will be certified for compliance with the IP68 standard. At the same time, the more affordable OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Lite may be presented without corresponding marking.
Recall, earlier the head of the vendor, Pete Lau, stated that “the protection rating does not give an idea of the real experience of use”, although he did not exclude that the company will certify smartphones in the future.
According to previous leaks, new items can also get a wireless charging function, which is absent from previous gadgets of the popular line. According to rumors, the manufacturer intended to equip the OnePlus 7 series with this option but then canceled the upgrade due to problems with the overheating of the charging coils.
According to network sources, the announcement of the model range of OnePlus 8 smartphones is expected in late March or early April of this year.


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Eastern seaboard ports are preparing to accept shipments of goods being rerouted from the Port of Baltimore following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning.
Port officials and private-sector distributors told The Hill that plans to divert cargo shipments are in the works due to the suspension of vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.
“We’ve been in tons of meetings all day trying to figure out what to do about this,” said MacKenzie Chalmers, an administrative coordinator at marine terminal and industrial rail operator Tradepoint Atlantic, which works with big brands like Amazon, Home Depot, McCormick, BMW and Volkswagen, among others.
In a statement, the company said it has been in constant contact with city and state officials during what it calls an “extremely challenging situation.”
An official with the Virginia Port Authority said his office “was sure” there would be additional cargo routed through the state’s port system, which includes a major hub in Norfolk, though he cautioned that the extent of necessary diversions wasn’t yet clear.
“There’s an open line now with customers, the ocean carriers that own the cargo, which includes some of the big box carriers,” spokesman Joe Harris for the Virginia Port Authority told The Hill. “They’re going to speak and determine where is best to land the cargo.”
The Port of New York and New Jersey said Tuesday it is working with shippers to make sure East Coast supply chains don’t buckle under the strain of losing access to the Baltimore port.
Some Baltimore-bound cargo will likely be diverted to New York — the largest port on the East Coast and the second largest in the country after Los Angeles. New York dockworkers were handling roughly 20 percent more cargo in 2021 than they are now, according to an official estimate.
Multiple East Coast ports told The Hill Tuesday that they had extra capacity to absorb additional shipments, suggesting that effects on overhead costs and consumer prices could be muted.
The Port of Baltimore said Tuesday that while no ships are currently moving through its facilities, the port is still operational and that trucks are coming in and out of terminals.
“I don’t think we’ll have a large impact in terms of logistics and shipping moving forward. There might be snafus over the next couple days while issues are being worked through, but I think they’ll be able to overcome that pretty quickly,” Brent Howard, president of the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce, said during a phone interview.
The Baltimore Port specializes in what is known in the shipping industry as “roll on, roll off” cargo, which is vehicles and heavy machinery as opposed to containers. Experts say the commercial effects of the bridge collapse could most directly affect shipments of automobiles.
“Baltimore is very significant in terms of … consumer goods, cars and other things the US imports from abroad. This is not as significant in the commodities business. They do export coal from the Baltimore area, but probably what’s going to be affected most is deliveries of new cars, for example,” shipping analyst John Kartsonas, who manages two shipping-focused ETFs, wrote in a commentary.
Kartsonas said the incident will result in some “disruptions in global trade,” some of which “will be felt in the US market,” due to the importance of Baltimore for importing cars and consumer goods.
Even so, representative for the Port of Philadelphia said that any excess of automobile imports shouldn’t pose a problem.
“Philadelphia has a ‘roll on, roll off’ terminal, our vehicle processing center where we take imports of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles, so we have the skilled labor with the Teamsters and [International Longshoremen’s Association] already trained in handling those cargoes,” Ryan Mulvey, director of public affairs at the Philadelphia port, told The Hill.
Mulvey added that the Philadelphia port hasn’t yet received any ships from Baltimore but that he does expect to see some diversions in the days and weeks ahead, depending on how long the Baltimore shipping terminals remain inaccessible.
Whether companies choose to raise prices in response to diversion costs could be a matter of how fast they respond to the closure of Baltimore’s port access.
“The question is how quickly ocean freight carriers can put diversions in place, particularly for vessels already en route to Baltimore or containers at the port waiting to be exported,” Emily Stausbøll, analyst with freight analytics company Xeneta, told trade publication World Cargo News.
Additional capacity at nearby ports “may limit any impact on ocean freight shipping rates,” Stausbøll noted, cautioning that “there is only so much port capacity available and this will leave supply chains vulnerable to any further pressure.”
Shipping routes and supply chains have come under scrutiny in the aftermath of the pandemic as geopolitical tensions have flared and production pipelines have been reworked as part of new economic agendas.
Attacks in the Red Sea in response to the Israeli siege of Gaza sent many ships away from the Red Sea and around the Cape of Good Hope, leading to a spike in global shipping rates.
A drought in Panama has slowed traffic through the Panama Canal, another of the world’s primary shipping routes.
The producer price index for deep sea freight transportation remained relatively flat between 2010 and 2020 but skyrocketed in 2021 following the economic shutdowns of the pandemic and is still close to all-time highs.
While the metric increased about 45 percent over the last decade, it has jumped by more than 50 percent in just the last four years.
Inflation has decelerated in the economy as supply chain pressures have eased and consumers have spent their savings, though profits both in absolute terms and as a share of added value remain way above their pre-pandemic levels.


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So far, five packing facilities of minimally processed produce have qualified, including Handi-Pak Foods, Kankakee, IL; Grimmway Foods, Bakersfield, CA; Babe Foods, Santa Maria, CA; and Tanimura & Antle's Salinas and Yuma, CA, Salad Time Foods® plants. USDA auditors conduct unannounced safety checks of plants as part of the fresh-cut produce program.
New USDA produce seal
USDA has initiated a voluntary pilot program under which fresh-cut produce plants can qualify to put USDA "Qualified Through Verification" seals on their packaging.
Jan 31, 1998


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The Biggest Apple Rumors for 2015
The Apple rumor mill was a mixed bag in 2014. A few announcements, including Apple Pay and Apple Watch, were widely discussed months, and even years, ahead of their unveiling. Others, like a sapphire screen-equipped iPhone, and a full-featured Apple TV, remained elusive.
Will the same hold true for 2015? Heading into the new year, expectations are high for the Cupertino tech giant. Although investors shouldn't assume these products are guaranteed (far from it), a few could arrive in Apple stores next year.
The iPhone 6S: A smaller screen, a better camera, and a 3D display?Unless Apple decides to alter its nomenclature, an iPhone 6S is practically guaranteed. But what will that device entail? Past iPhone "S" generations introduced radical new features -- a video camera, Siri, TouchID -- the same could hold true for the iPhone 6S.
Daring Fireball's John Gruber claims the iPhone 6S could include a radically improved camera, one on par with modern DSLRs. China's Economic Daily News (via BGR) has said the iPhone 6S will feature a 3D display -- a report backed up by a recently granted patent. Neither would be particularly shocking.
There's also some speculation on the screen size: A report from China's Feng (via GSM Arena) claims that Apple will bring back the 4-inch display. Three different sized iPhones (iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, and iPhone 6S Minus, perhaps?) could appeal to a diverse customer base, ensuring that there's a high-end iPhone with a screen size to suit every taste.
The answer to the iPad's problem?Demand for the iPhone 6 has been outstanding; so strong, in fact, that Apple has struggled to keep up, and admitted to selling everything it can make. Clearly, the move to a larger screen proved to be a powerful catalyst, enticing existing iPhone owners to upgrade, and perhaps winning over some Android converts.
Could something similar work for the iPad?Rumors of a larger iPad -- a so-called iPad Pro -- have been around for over a year. Apple's competitors in the tablet space, including both Samsung and Microsoft, have embraced the concept, releasing tablets with screens larger than 12-inches.
The iPad's struggles have been one of the few problems Apple has faced in 2014 -- demand for Apple's tablets has contracted. A larger (and presumably more expensive) iPad might not rejuvenate iPad sales overnight, but it could appeal to business users seeking a hybrid-like device.
A revolutionary new Macbook?Apple will, almost assuredly, update its Mac models in 2015 -- improved processors and more memory seem like a safe bet -- but it could have something in store that's a bit more significant.
In Oct. 2013, KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple was hard at work on a 12-inch version of the Macbook Air, one that would offer unparalleled portability and -- like the original Macbook Air -- redefine laptop computing. Since then, several other sources have made similar reports, though this new Macbook has yet to be unveiled.
Currently, Apple offers two versions of the Macbook Air: one with an 11-inch screen, another with a 13-inch. Offering as few models as possible is a long-standing Apple tradition; if it believes it can deliver a hybrid that offers the best of both worlds (portability and productivity), replacing the current Macbook Air models with a single, 12-inch Mac wouldn't be surprising.
Is 2015 finally the year for the Apple TV?Apple will release at least one new major product in 2015: the Apple Watch will go on sale at some point during the first half of the year. Could Apple shock investors with a second?
A full featured, integrated Apple television has been widely rumored for half a decade at this point. Sell-side analysts have, year after year, promised that the Apple TV was right around the corner, only to be proven wrong. Still, the Apple TV seems likely to appear at some point -- Tim Cook has, on several occasions, hinted at an interest in the living room.
Even if Apple doesn't release a full-on TV, an update to its Apple TV set-top box seems warranted. The device has seen relatively few changes since the third generation was released in early 2012, and though it has been updated with more apps, it now lags its competitors in terms of processing power, features, and market share. A fourth generation Apple TV could add support for emerging technologies like 4K streaming, and perhaps offer the ability to play iOS games on the big screen.
The article The Biggest Apple Rumors for 2015 originally appeared on Fool.com.
Sam Mattera has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple and Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Google Wallet Momentum as one of NFC usage on smartphone seems get better. It can be seen from Google latest announcement which stated that there’s more retail partnership using Google Wallet as one of payment ways, including through coupon and bonus.
So now, Nexus S 4G user who has Google Wallet can walk into supporting retail shop to make payment, using the coupon and even get award poin just by once touched the cell phone to device provided. Google called this as Google Wallet SingleTap experience.
Google Wallet Application also has been renewed so tab Offers now shows Featured Offers part from discount provided special for Google Wallet. There’s 10-15% discounts from some retails, including special price on certain products.
Google Wallet nowadays also displays better transaction details with real-time transaction information. This information included shop name, price, and purchase time of each goods. See this video to find out how Google Wallet in Action:
Google seems develop their merchant amount to support this Google Wallet development.


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After D-Link and TIME Internet, TM earlier today has finally released its official statement regarding the security issues within the DIR-850L router which was widely distributed among its UniFi customers. The company has confirmed that it is already looking into the issues that were highlighted in several security advisories that were published online since earlier this month.
Here is the statement, in full:
Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) is aware of the issue and would like to state that it has investigated the vulnerabilities of the router.
We wish to highlight that remote management function in the current D-Link DIR-850L router supplied by TM is disabled by default. In the meantime, customers who have enabled the remote management function are advised to disable it and use strong passwords for their Wi-Fi to minimize the risk of their device being compromised.
D-Link is expected to release a new firmware on 21 September 2017. However, following the release of the firmware, TM would need to perform full security and service testing to ensure the new firmware is compatible with all our services. The new firmware is expected to be officially released in 2 weeks’ time.
TM would like to emphasize that product security and customer privacy are important concerns to us. We continuously work towards mitigating any risk of potential harm and take the necessary steps to address evolving security issues and implement appropriate security measures.
As you can see above, there are indeed a number of interesting remark within TM’s statement. One of them is the fact that the remote management function is already turned off which should make the units that TM provide to its customers sounds a little bit safer although let’s not forget: there are still plenty of other issues within the router as per what have been highlighted by security researcher Pierre Kim.
Other than that, TM also points out that it need to analyze the new firmware which will be released by D-Link later this week. This open up to the question whether TM customers should download the new firmware that will be rolled out on 22 September (not 21 September as stated by TM) directly from D-Link or wait for further instructions from TM.
With that, we have reached out to TM in order to seek the answers for these additional questions. So, stay tuned.


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In a move that’s set to shake up the tech world, Elon Musk has announced the launch of Grok AI, an advanced artificial intelligence chatbot, for X Premium Users. This latest development from Musk’s company, xAI, promises to bring a new level of interaction and service to users of the X platform.
For many years, artificial intelligence has been at the forefront of technological advancement, and Elon Musk has played a key role in its development. With the introduction of Grok AI, Musk’s xAI aims to redefine the user experience for premium subscribers of the X platform.
The Announcement Musk took to social media to reveal that Grok AI will be accessible to all premium subscribers of X starting later this week. This announcement comes amid a growing rivalry with other AI developers and is seen as a strategic move to bolster the X platform’s offerings.
Features of Grok AI is designed to understand and engage with users in a more natural and intuitive way than ever before. It leverages cutting-edge language processing technology to provide responses that are not only accurate but also contextually aware.
Impact on X Premium Users for Grok AI is expected to enhance their experience by providing personalized assistance and support. This rollout is part of Musk’s broader vision to reduce the platform’s reliance on advertising revenue and shift towards more lucrative subscription models.
Open-Source Strategy In a surprising twist, xAI has decided to open-source Grok AI under the Apache 2 license. This decision aligns with Musk’s previous criticisms of OpenAI’s shift towards a for-profit model and allows the public to experiment with the technology behind Grok AI.
Elon Musk’s unveiling of Grok AI marks a significant milestone in the evolution of artificial intelligence. As X Premium Users await the arrival of this new chatbot, the tech industry watches closely to see how this innovation will influence the future of AI and user interaction on digital platforms.


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November 02, 2022
Whether you’re buying Starbucks, IKEA furniture, or groceries from your local supermarket, there’s a good chance you’re putting it on plastic. Debit and credit cards have usurped cash in recent years – and Visa and Mastercard, which account for 80% of all debit purchases in the U.S., are the breadwinners of this industry.
That’s why Visa and Mastercard’s decision to raise interchange rates, which are otherwise known as “swipe fees”, was particularly controversial given sky-high inflation. The debit-credit duopoly originally planned a hike on transaction fees to take place over two years ago, which was delayed before the pandemic. Before then, transaction fees averaged 2.25% of purchases according to global trade association NACS.
However, in May 2022, both companies raised their respective interchange rates on credit and debit transactions. What that means is that it’s now more expensive for merchants to process your credit or debit card at checkout, which means they’re likely passing along those higher transaction fees to consumers in the form of higher costs of goods and services.
These higher swipe fees do have one benefit for consumers: they fund the rewards programs, banking services, and fraud coverage programs for millions of Americans. That’s right: those of you getting 2% cash back or thousands of miles per purchase can thank interchange for higher prices.
Ultimately though, these swipe fees have benefits for two groups of people: the credit card networks (Visa and Mastercard) and the issuing bank (whoever offers your credit card.) Both parties levy their own interchange fees to pay for those aforementioned nice things.
But particularly in the case of Visa and Mastercard, raising them might prove quite lucrative. The higher fees could generate an additional $1.2 billion in added fees this year. And consider that the swipe fees went into effect in the middle of Q2, a period which marked credit usage highs not seen in a decade. During that time, Mastercard saw its revenue rise 6.4% from the first quarter (to $5.5 billion) and Visa saw a 1.1% increase in revenue QoQ (to $7.2 billion.)
Related: Banks Continue March In Q2 Earnings.
That has frustrated scores of merchants, who won a $6 billion settlement in 2018 over allegations that Visa and Mastercard were engaged in price-fixing. This time through, Amazon and Disney have been the most vocal merchants – both settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
Now, that frustration has boiled up to the capitol: a bipartisan coalition propose passing a bill which would require large banks to offer a secondary card network, likely smaller “lower-cost networks.” Analysts say that the proposed bill puts tens of billions at stake for large issuer banks and these plastic kings.
The Credit Card Competition Act of 2022 will see ample debate before it goes to a vote, but the lobbying around the bill will likely be substantial – merchants and trade organizations will likely lobby in favor of the bill, while large consumer banks and Visa/Mastercard-sympathetics will lobby against it.
Though competition will be the desired outcome if the bill is passed, another obstacle will lie beyond the President’s signature: actually creating competition. Venture firm Andreesen Horowitz (a16z) observes that there are a number of debit card networks, but few credit networks besides the big four – that’s Discover, American Express, Visa, and Mastercard. Odds are, new players will have to emerge to actually reduce interchange fees – which are already high at all four companies.


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Here’s some hot pictures of the 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2. This monster is powered by a V10 engine producing 550 horsepower and it gets lighter this time. More pictures after the jump. Continue reading “Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2”
Cool! Researchers at Toyota and Japan’s Riken have developed a mind-controlled wheelchairs.
“The system analyzes thought patterns and translates them into wheelchair movement in a fraction of a second.”
This must be very accurate and perfectly done, if not it will cause accident. Video after the jump. Continue reading “Mind-controlled Wheelchair”
Hey I’d love to have this doorbell for my room, so cool!!! it’s a custom-made NES doorbell. Someone manage to stuffed a wireless doorbell into an old NES controller, when you press on the button, it goes…. ding dong. Video after the jump. Continue reading “NES doorbell”
That’s awesome. Micahel Hickox has created this stop motion animation clip of classic video games from the 1980’s with Legos. The games includes Frogger, Space Invaders, Pacman, Arkanoid, Tron (Light Cycles) and Asteroids. Check it out after the jump. Continue reading “Classic Video Games in LEGO”
Taipei – Dell Inc is expected to compensate tens of thousands of Taiwan shoppers after its website misstated the price for its LCD monitors, triggering rush orders from Taiwanese buyers, according to local media reports Saturday. Continue reading “Dell 19-inch Monitor For USD 15”


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Cryptocurrency has attracted the attention of investors, and governments alike because to its decentralized structure and revolutionary technology and cryptocurrencies have grown popularity in Turkey.
For this reason, the legality of cryptocurrencies has become an important point of discussion in Turkey.
Is Cryptocurrency legal in Turkey?
In Turkey, cryptocurrency is situated in a legal unclear zone. Actually, cryptocurrencies in Turkey were restricted by the Regulation on Prohibiting Payments with Crypto-Assets, which was issued in the official newspaper on April 16, 2021 but, trading in cryptocurrencies is still legal.
Can I invest in Cryptocurrency in Turkey?
Of course, you can. Cryptocurrency exchanges uses in the whole country, giving facilities for investors. Therefore, anyone in Turkey can often buy and sell cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum with the crypto exchanges.
Is Crypto Taxed in Turkey?
The topic of how cryptocurrencies should be taxed in Turkey presents an important challenge for authorities as a result of the way they work. Nothing definite has been announced yet. So, at current, Turkey has no tax regulations for cryptocurrencies.
Is Binance Allowed in Turkey?
Yes, it’s allowed. We can even say that users now have access to a worldwide platform that enables them to take part in the expanding cryptocurrencies due to Binance’s launch into the Turkish market. In fact, Binance’s presence in Turkey contributes to the country’s rising interest in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies.
The legal framework of cryptocurrencies in Turkey is complicated and developing. Users and companies will be informed about the developing legal environment as the government’s strategy evolves in order to cope with the complexity of the cryptocurrency use in Turkey. However, there is no specific result for now and it does not prevent for users.


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DeWitt, Mich. — In the national retail maintenance industry, competitors come and go, but for the past 39 years, DENTCO has been running a slow but steady race. The company has experienced its second consecutive year-over sales increase of 20%, allowing it the ability to reinvest in its people, processes and technology.
“We are extremely excited by all the hard work our team members continue to produce and are thankful for the loyalty of our customers,” says Scott Milnes, president of DENTCO. “Our growth strategy is modest but aggressive over time and this allows us to continually reinvest funds in infrastructure, technology and most importantly, our people.”
DENTCO is a full-service exterior services management company that provides a unique centralized approach to managing snow, landscaping, parking lot maintenance and various other exterior property management services for some of the largest retail brands in the country.
According to Milnes, DENTCO is laser-focused on quarterly planning conferences and is in-tune with providing third-party research studies to provide a rationalized return on investment for all its growth plans. The company also sports some pretty out-of-the-box advertising campaigns. For the past few years, DENTCO has been changing the way big brands across the country look at the business of exterior services management by applying human faces to the extreme seasonal changes that affect big box retail and restaurant chains on a daily basis (see photo).
DENTCO’s last notable workspace expansion was in 2012 and thanks to strategic planning, aggressive marketing, increased sales and a 99% customer retention rate, this small business is making more investments with an overall 35% increase in space at their corporate offices, big investments in enhanced server technology, and a new VoIP phone system. Other enhancements include a new card security system for increased employee safety and additional upgrades to DENTCO Verified™ (DV), a mobile application designed and launched in 2015 to enhance DENTCO’s nationwide service with its network of over 8,000 contractor partners.
With over 142 employees nationwide, and 80 at the corporate office, DENTCO is also investing in larger training areas and meeting spaces and even an employee lounge.
“We are a close-knit group of people and it’s been fun to see it grow into something so exciting,” says Teresa Phelps, DENTCO’s national sales director. “I look forward to the space enhancements so we can host actual companywide meetings together in addition to the latest technological enhancements offered by a true VoIP phone system. Also, the added security of a card system will make all of us feel safer 24/7 as we tend to work some pretty long and late hours during the winter snow season.”
The DENTCO corporate office infrastructure expansions and technological upgrades are underway and they anticipate a completion of all the additions by early summer 2016.
For more information, visit www.dentco.com.


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- Chris Pratt recently told his Instagram followers that he is doing the Daniel Fast, a diet that limits a person to fruits, vegetables, and unleavened bread, The Huffington Post reported.
- The Daniel Fast is meant to help people “focus on their health using Christ-centered teachings,” according to the diet’s website.
- While cutting out processed foods, excess sugar, and unhealthy fats can improve a person’s overall health, too much restriction can be quite harmful, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
- Instead, try a well-balanced diet low in processed foods, like the Mediterranean Diet.
On Wednesday, actor Chris Pratt told his Instagram followers that he was trying a new diet called The Daniel Fast, the Huffington Post reported.
The diet, which requires participants to eat only fruits, vegetables, and unleavened bread for 21 days, is meant to help people “focus on their health using Christ-centered teachings,” according to the diet’s website. Daniel Fast dieters are also told to accompany their new eating regimen with 21 days of prayer.
A highly restrictive diet like The Daniel Fast isn’t sustainable long-term
Like many trendy diets today, including keto and Whole 30, the Daniel Fast limits dieters’ food options. And although cutting out processed foods, excess sugar, and unhealthy fats can improve a person’s overall health, too much restriction can be quite harmful, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
“Diets that severely restrict calories or the types of food you eat usually don’t lead to lasting weight loss and may not provide all the nutrients you need,” the HHS explained on its website. The HHS added that such diets aren’t easy to maintain over time, which could explain why the Daniel Diet is only recommended for 21 days.
To stay healthy, a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats is the way to go
Instead of opting for a highly restrictive diet like the Daniel Fast, try limiting your intake of processed foods and sugar. According to Harvard Medical School, eating this way can provide you with the nutrients you need without depriving you. Not to mention, it’s sustainable for the long term.
If you want to take a more structured approach to healthy eating, consider trying the Mediterranean diet, which was ranked the top diet to try in 2019 by US News and World Report, INSIDER previously reported.
The diet requires people to eat a mix of healthy fats like nuts and salmon, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and limit processed foods and sugar. According to the Mayo Clinic, this type of eating plan can help lower bad cholesterol and promote heart health, all while keeping dieters satisfied in the long run.
- Read more:
- 9 common ‘healthy’ choices that are actually sabotaging your diet
- New evidence suggests that a diet with key benefits for your body and brain may also shield against ageing
- 10 warning signs that you may need to change your diet
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BMW owners love HDTVs, study say
Owner of BMWs in the United States are far more likely to have an HDTV and other high-tech gadgets than the general public, according to the results of a new study from Scarborough Research.
The finding, part of the Scarborough Research/RAB Automotive Study, was released last week in Dallas at the Annual RAB Conference.
BMW owners are more likely than the national average to have personal technologies, such as iPods/MP3 players and PDAs, and new entertainment media, including HDTV, DVRs and digital cable service.
The study indexed the ownership of various high-tech devices and services. An index ranking of 100 was established as the national average. When it came to HDTV ownership, BMW owners were indexed at 237.
To read the report, visit www.scarborough.com/freestudies.php.
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Future US's leading brands bring the most important, up-to-date information right to your inbox


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The US economy is at a tipping point, with inflation reaching the highest level it’s seen in 40 years. But what does this mean for the people of Rajkot? In this article, we’ll take a look at what’s been reported on rajkotupdates.news : us inflation jumped 7.5 in in 40 years and discuss how the citizens of Rajkot have been impacted by the current economic climate.
Rajkotupdates.news : Us Inflation Jumped 7.5 in in 40 Years
In the United States, inflation hit .% in August, the highest level in years. The main drivers of this inflation were higher prices for housing, food, and transportation.
This inflation has caused some concern among economists and policymakers, as it could lead to higher interest rates and slower economic growth. However, it is important to keep perspective – inflation is still relatively low by historical standards, and the economy continues to grow at a healthy pace.
What does this all mean for Rajkot Updates News readers? We’ll continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary. In the meantime, be sure to stay informed about all the latest economic news so you can make the best decisions for your finances.
The Latest Numbers: 7.5% Increase in 40 Years
The cost of living in the United States has risen sharply over the past four decades, with prices increasing by an average of 7.5% since 1980, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Inflation has been a key concern for American households and businesses in recent years, as the economy has struggled to recover from the 2008 financial crisis. The BLS’s latest figures show that prices are now rising at their fastest pace since 2012, when inflation hit 3.6%.
There are a number of factors driving up prices in the US, including higher costs for energy, food and healthcare. Wages have also failed to keep pace with inflation, meaning that Americans are effectively getting poorer as prices go up.
The impact of inflation is particularly keenly felt by low-income households and those on fixed incomes. The BLS data shows that prices have risen much faster than wages over the past 40 years, eroding the purchasing power of American workers.
With inflation expected to continue rising in the coming months, there is little relief in sight for struggling consumers.
Causes of the US Inflation
- Causes of the US Inflation:
There are many factors that contribute to inflation in the United States. These include things like the cost of living, wages, production costs, and more. All of these things can impact prices and cause inflation.
The cost of living is one of the biggest drivers of inflation in the US. This refers to the amount of money that people have to spend on basic necessities like food, shelter, and clothing. When the cost of living goes up, so does inflation.
Wages are another important factor in determining inflation. If wages don’t keep up with the rising cost of living, then people will have less spending power and this can lead to deflation. Production costs can also influence inflation. If it costs more to produce goods and services, then companies will pass these higher costs on to consumers in the form of higher prices.
Impact of the US Inflation on the Economy
In the United States, inflation is hitting a five-year high. The cost of living is rising at a rate of 2.9%, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the highest level of inflation since February 2012.
The impact of this inflation will be felt by everyone in the economy. Consumers will see their purchasing power reduced as prices for goods and services rise. This could lead to slower economic growth as people cut back on spending. Businesses will also be affected as their costs go up. They may pass these higher costs on to consumers in the form of higher prices. This could create a spiral of inflation that would be difficult to break.
The Federal Reserve is closely monitoring inflation and will take action if it threatens to get out of control. For now, though, Americans will have to deal with the reality of higher prices for everyday items.
Discuss What Rajkot Updates News Is Saying About the US Inflation
Rajkot Updates News is a popular Indian news website that covers a wide range of topics. Recently, the site published an article about the rising inflation rate in the United States. The article discusses how the inflation rate has reached its highest level in years, and how this will impact the economy. The article also covers what Rajkot Updates News is saying about the situation in the United States.
The article starts by discussing how the inflation rate in the United States has been on the rise in recent years. The article notes that the inflation rate hit 2.1% in March, which is the highest level since 2012. The article goes on to discuss how this increase in inflation will impact the economy. The article states that higher inflation can lead to higher interest rates, which can then lead to lower economic growth. The article also notes that higher inflation can lead to higher prices for goods and services, which can hurt consumers’ purchasing power.
The article then turns to what Rajkot Updates News is saying about the situation in the United States. The site notes that many experts are predicting that the inflation rate will continue to rise in the coming months. This could lead to further economic problems down the road. Rajkot Updates News urges readers to stay informed about what is happening with inflation in order to make sound financial decisions.
Suggestions to Stabilize or Lower the US Inflation Rate
The Federal Reserve has suggested a few ways to stabilize or lower the US inflation rate. One way is to increase the interest rates paid on excess reserves. This would help reduce the amount of money in the banking system and put upward pressure on interest rates, which would help reduce spending and inflation. Another way is to use monetary policy tools to directly target inflation. The Fed could do this by buying assets such as Treasury securities and mortgage-backed securities. This would help increase the money supply and put downward pressure on interest rates, which would help reduce spending and inflation.


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14:42Is there a coronavirus vaccine and will it help control the outbreak?
10:50Supermarket own brand hand sanitiser is being sold for up to £30 per bottle online
10:00Insurer predicts car theft spike in coming weeks as crooks target new car tech
17:32This is how to prepare your pet for a new baby
17:28Next headliner for Scarborough Open Air Theatre to be announced soon
17:24Scorpion venom might be the answer to treating arthritis - here's how it works
17:20If your child has any of these illnesses you should keep them off school
17:11Every food hygiene rating given to cafes and restaurants in Scarborough so far in 2020
17:10A YouTube star is facing prison time after lying about coronavirus for a video - here's what happened
16:48This is everything you need to know about Commonwealth Day
16:46Virgin Media admits a data breach that affected 900,000 customers - are you one of them?
16:26Flybe has gone bust – will other airlines follow?
16:23Starbucks has banned reusable mugs because of coronavirus
16:02Here's how to change your child's fussy eating habits - according to a nutritionist
15:20Here are some of the limited edition record releases being created for Record Store Day 2020
15:11NASA scientists join teams from around the world at Boulby Mine near Whitby
14:46Phillip Schofield’s ITV show has been cancelled due to ongoing coronavirus outbreak
14:10Mazda’s all-electric MX-30 now available to order
13:11Improvement works on A64 near Scarborough set to finish this weekend
13:10If you lost money on Flybe flights you can try these finance tricks to get it back
12:50This is the best way to clean your house to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria
12:47'It's not over' - Sirius Minerals Shareholder Action Group say they are evaluating possible next steps
12:46Scarborough RUFC aiming for back-to-back wins in derby clash at Driffield
12:28Dawson misses Scarborough Athletic's trip to Ashton United
12:27More than 1 billion Android devices are vulnerable to hackers - here’s why
08:59Dr Beckmann becomes Dr Beckwoman for International Women's Day
11:23Residents invited to take part in beach clean in Filey this Sunday
11:22DARREN KELLY: Over the moon with Radcliffe Borough win
11:18SIMON SMITH: Delighted with Durham City victory
11:16North York Moors National Park’s plea to dog owners as lambing season nears peak
11:12These are the best kebab houses in the UK - did your favourite win?
10:48Council approve new Whitby heritage trail by local sculptor Emma Stothard
10:35You can now buy Marmite cream cheese - would you try it?
10:26Record-breaking runner to help launch Hartlepool to Whitby Saint Hilda trail


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Jaclyn King has been hired for the position of advertising director of The Bemidji Pioneer.
King has worked for the past three years as a digital media sales and marketing specialist in the interactive division of Forum Communications Company in Fargo.
King has been an instrumental part of the growth and success of the digital sales team the past three years.
â€œIt has been her knowledge, hard work and success which has positioned and rewarded her with this opportunity to lead and manage her own sales team,â€ said Steve McLister, vice president of newspapers.
King is originally from Frazee, Minn.Â She has a degree in mass communications with an emphasis in advertising from Minnesota State University- Moorhead.
King was previously an events manager for Casino Enterprise Management Magazine which is based inÂ Fargo.


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Shares of Dana Inc (NYSE:DAN) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Buy” from the fourteen brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have assigned a hold recommendation and seven have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $21.11.
Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. ValuEngine downgraded Dana from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Thursday. Credit Suisse Group assumed coverage on Dana in a report on Wednesday, June 26th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $22.00 price target for the company. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Dana from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Wolfe Research downgraded Dana from an “outperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 18th. They noted that the move was a valuation call.
In other Dana news, VP James D. Kellett sold 2,825 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.05, for a total value of $45,341.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 2,704 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $43,399.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.75% of the company’s stock.
Shares of DAN stock traded down $0.47 on Friday, reaching $15.17. 3,055,842 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,758,257. The stock has a market cap of $2.40 billion, a PE ratio of 5.11, a P/E/G ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 2.17. The company has a current ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $18.40. Dana has a 1-year low of $12.65 and a 1-year high of $21.53.
Dana (NYSE:DAN) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The auto parts company reported $0.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.89 by ($0.02). Dana had a net margin of 2.67% and a return on equity of 29.55%. The company had revenue of $2.30 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.35 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.74 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Dana will post 3.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 6th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 16th will be given a $0.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.64%. Dana’s payout ratio is currently 13.47%.
Dana Company Profile
Dana Incorporated provides drive and motion products, sealing solutions, thermal-management technologies, and fluid-power products to vehicle and engine manufacturer in North America, Europe, South America, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in four segments: Light Vehicle Driveline Technologies, Commercial Vehicle Driveline Technologies, Off-Highway Drive and Motion Technologies, and Power Technologies.
Featured Article: Dead Cat Bounce
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CCC has signed up to the UN Global Compact - the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, engaging companies from various industries which share a commitment to sustainable development. The organisation’s main goals are focused on the provision of support to member companies in building climate awareness and taking responsibility for the world around them. By engaging with this global network, CCC will join forces with other organisations that seek on a daily basis to actively address both existing and emerging environmental, economic and societal challenges.
For more than two decades now, the initiative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations has brought together companies and institutions whose commitment to the environment and society is central to their daily business activities. UNGC is now the largest and most advanced platform for development, implementation and promotion of responsible and sustainable corporate policies, having over 15 thousand corporate and 4 thousand institutional signatories.
By joining the UN Global Compact, CCC aims to support and actively participate in UN projects leading to a global transformation. Their overarching objective is to ensure that consumer needs are met in alignment with the international standards of corporate social responsibility. By becoming part of this vast international business community, the brand will actively engage in dialogue and efforts to advance sustainability. By doing so, it has also committed itself to comply with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, which cover, among other things, human rights and workplace standards.
“Our goals are threefold – to support consumers in responsible shopping, to listen to the voice of our employees, supporting diversity and promoting equality in the workplace, and to raise the bar on standards we observe in our relationships with suppliers. We are keen to make a positive difference to the environment, the economy and society. This is a commitment we have clearly defined in our GO.25 Sustainable Development Strategy,” says Kamilla Budnik, the CCC Group’s Sustainability Manager. “We run numerous campaigns, such as the one promoting the ‘GoForNature’ collection, including the latest Green Series line by Sprandi. In addition, we steadily expand our ‘Give your shoes a second life’ project, where customers can leave their used shoes at any CCC store, and we will take care to ensure their responsible reuse or disposal”.


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CDC Corporation's (NASDAQ:CHINA) online games subsidiary CDC Games plans to start technology load testing of its licensed MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online in mid-July, reports Sina. The company announced June 30 that it expects to launch the game in the second half of 2009, whereas previous reports said it had slated a third quarter release.
Friday, 3 July 2009
CDC's "Lord of the Rings" to Test in July
From JLM Pacific Epoch


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Velvet Taco announced Michael Pereira would take on the role of its first-ever chief operating officer on Wednesday. The Dallas-based fast-casual chain also announced the opening of two new restaurants in South Florida for 2023.
Pereira previously served in senior operational leadership roles at Snooze an A.M. Eatery, Grand Lux Café, The Cheesecake Factory, and Metromedia Restaurant Group, and will oversee ongoing business operations on a day-to-day basis, according to Velvet Taco.
Clay Dover, CEO, president, and taco maker, is “thrilled to welcome Pereira to the senior executive team and is confident [Pereira] is the COO to support Velvet Taco’s expansion plans for the brand’s upcoming locations.” In a release, Dover added that Pereira “is an extremely skilled individual whose talents will complement an already strong executive team.”
“I chose to join Velvet Taco because I truly believe the brand is poised for a long runway of growth with their unprecedented culinary approach to their segment,” Pereira said in a release. “I care deeply about people and Velvet Taco’s similar mentality reinforced my decision to join the brand. I’m inspired by the brand’s growth so far, and I’m confident that I’ll be able to partner with the executive team through the next phase of growth.”
Since 2021, Velvet Taco has more than doubled its number of locations and currently has 35. The chain is looking to expand into international markets in the coming years, according to the brand.


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I have some awesome news for all of you. As you know, we focus a lot on performance metrics in this newsletter, but we do sit on a fantastic amount of ad data. That's why I'm thrilled to tell you we are bringing you a webinar series, in collaboration with Facebook Audience Network, going over best practices for data driven advertising. You can register today.
Here's the latest app news delivered to your inbox. If you missed last week's action packed newsletter, you can check that out here.
Domino's (DPZ) is set to report earnings on July 16. Second quarter global sessions (read: mobile ordering) of its mobile apps are estimated to be up 9.9% YOY, but down 8.5% QOQ. My personal sessions of the Domino's app are definitely up ~15% QOQ.
Houseparty, a group video chat app, has been acquired by Fortnite maker Epic Games. Assuming a fair price, this was a timely exit for Houseparty as its UA efforts had not been paying off. Houseparty has been downloaded 50.6 million times since launch in January 2016.
Launching into Sleep
I can't believe this name wasn't already taken for an app. There's a few dead apps by this name and others with additional words included, but none currently live that are just listed as "Sleep". Sleep is a new app in the growing Health & Fitness space that combines features from meditation and sleep aid apps. With the right moves, it could be a serious competitor to Calm and Headspace. Users can access peaceful scenes (downloadable to your wallpaper), sounds, meditations, and even spoken word storytelling. The app has an IAP subscription of $1.99 per week (after 7 day free trial) to access a wider catalog of its free offerings. You can see the free trial ending for a good chunk of people in the chart here:
Pedaling to a public offering
Last week Peloton announced it filed for an IPO. Like most health/exercise tech, there is an accompanying mobile app that users can take advantage of. The Peloton Digital app has an Apple Health integration and offers classes through an in-app purchase subscription. Peloton makes the vast majority of its revenue through hardware. While the mobile app does create supplementary revenue ($8.7M since launch), its main purpose is as a customer engagement tool.


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Nearly a month since workers at the Molson Coors plant in Toronto began striking, the brewing company says the labour stoppage remains unlikely to result in beer shortages due to its “full-blown contingency plan.”
Gavin Thompson, vice-president of corporate affairs of Molson Coors Canada, said customers should expect the shelves to remain stocked with his company’s products despite its workers off the job, due to extra supply they’ve stored.
“Typically, as most manufacturers do, when you’re heading into CBA, you do want to have obviously contingency plans in place should there be a labour disruption,” he said. “Our team did a fantastic job pulling that together as we were heading into the negotiations and during the negotiations as well.”
The union is encouraging a boycott of three American brands the company produces: Miller Lite, Miller Genuine Draft and Coors Banquet.
Robert Folk, president of the Canadian Union of Brewery and General Workers Local 325, which represents the 320 striking workers at the Etobicoke brewing plant, said the union is looking for improvements to its graduated pay scale system.
He said the union has offered multiple concessions, including reduced overtime pay, straight time weekend pay and worker pension contributions.
“We were not looking for massive gains,” Folk said. “We were looking to maintain what we had and maybe move a few things around to benefit us.”
The union held a “solidarity barbecue” on the picket line Thursday to put pressure on the company.
Folk said talks broke off Dec. 15 after a month and a half. The collective agreement, which began in 2010, expired about two weeks later and the union began striking Jan. 12.
“The company never did put a formalized offer for us to present to our membership,” said Folk. “I have indicated, almost on a daily basis, that we are willing to come back to the table at any time. The company’s response is ‘give us a time, give us a place, but when you come back, be more creative in what you want to offer us.’ ”
Thompson declined to comment on the specifics of the negotiations for “confidentiality reasons.” But he said a formal offer was tabled before talks came to a standstill.
“The offer’s been open since the negotiations broke off,” Thompson said. “We’re still at an impasse and right now on our side, our priority is getting everybody back to the table so we can continue negotiating a deal and get everybody back to work to brewing great beer.”
Should the strike end up being a prolonged one, the company is “ready on all fronts,” said Thompson. He would not rule out replacement workers, but added “that’s not ideal.”
“The contingency plan is evolving as we speak,” Thompson said. “We had a short-term solution in place and now we continue to look at ‘what if.’ We’ve addressed pretty much every ‘what if’ scenario right now.”
Unlike the month-long lockout in 1985 of 3,500 workers at the three major breweries — Molson, Labatt’s and Carling O’Keefe — there won’t be a province-wide dry spell anytime soon even if Molson Coors’ distribution eventually takes a hit.
“Back then, they controlled so much of the volume and the distribution, but that’s just not the case today,” said analyst Robert Carter, executive director of food service at NPD Group.
“The portfolio of options is just so much more broader, the distribution channels so much bigger that we won’t experience something like what we did in the 1980s.”
He said he doubted the strike would have a major impact on the company’s sales.
“The challenge for someone like a Molson is they’re losing market share on a regular basis to these smaller craft breweries so any negative press is a concern for them overall,” Carter said.
Folk says he sees “no end in sight” to the strike.
“It’s been a great job, a proud job. I’ve always been proud to be an employee of Molson and it’s a very sad day,” said Folk, who’s worked as a brewery worker for nearly 35 years.
“If they bring in replacement workers, I might not ever drink a Molson product again.”


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From abandon mills to abandon speedways, cemeteries and factories of industrial times past — Colorado is full of once bustling spaces that now serve as nothing more than a memory. And while some of these locations may never be used again, a few of them will.
This October 13, O.penvape is hosting Far Out Factory — a cannabis “inspired” experience inside of one of Denver’s old factory buildings. The event will feature interactive local art exhibitions sponsored by Meow Wolf — a Sante Fe based arts and entertainment group knows for its staggeringly unique art installations and its forthcoming Denver location. Apart from the interactive art installations, Far Out Factory will feature bites by local food trucks, craft drinks, live music and even a dance floor. Guests can expect appearances by DJs like RumTum, Kases and Hotel Garuda and it’s all happening at the former Denver Rock Drill Manufacturing Company — a massive space built in 1910 that once produced industrial grade drills used around the world. As for the cannabis? According to the organizers, it can’t be consumed on site and instead it will only inspire the experience through the installations. To be honest, we still don’t know what that means.
The full lineup of food and drink vendors has yet to be announced and exact details on what to expect are vague. But from what we know will there to be tons of art, food, booze and some elements of MMJ. A “very” special guest is also going to be announced on October 1 so keep your eyes peeled on that.
Far Out Factory will take place October 13, from 5 to 11 p.m. at Rock Drill, 1717 E. 39th Ave, Denver. This is a 21 and older event only, and tickets can be purchased here.


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Two Secondhand Bulkers Delivered to Castor Maritime
Cyprus-based shipping company Castor Maritime announced on Wednesday it has taken delivery of two newly acquired secondhand dry bulk carriers.
On August 6, the company accepted delivery of the 2013 Japanese-built Panamax bulker Magic Pluto, which it had agreed to acquire as previously announced on May 17.
On August 9, it took delivery of the Magic Perseus, the 2013 Japanese-built Kamsarmax bulk carrier, which it had agreed to acquire as previously announced on May 4.
Both acquisitions were financed in their entirety with cash on hand, Castor said.
The Nasdaq-listed company has been swiftly expanding its dry bulk fleet, having bought three bulk carriers in 2020 and another 10 so far in 2021. Castor has also added eight tankers since its entry into the segment in February.
On a fully delivered basis, Castor will own a fleet of 26 vessels, with an aggregate capacity of 2.2 million dwt, consisting of one Capesize, seven Kamsarmax and 10 Panamax dry bulk vessels, as well as one Aframax, five Aframax/LR2 and two MR1 tankers.


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Google announced its virtual reality (VR) Expeditions initiative for schools earlier this year, but now the company is making a big push to take it to classrooms around the world following a successful pilot program.
In case you didn’t catch it first time around, the Expeditions Pioneer Program is the next best thing to a real-life field trip, offering students a chance to visit faraway locations – think Great Wall of China/Great Barrier Reef, as well as places a little too far for a school bus to reach (like Mars) – using VR gear.
A classroom kit comprises ASUS smartphones, Google Cardboard viewers or Mattel View-Masters to transform the phones into VR headsets, a tablet enabling the teacher to direct VR tours, and a router that allows Expeditions to run without an Internet connection.
Teachers can already choose from more than 100 tours with content provided by the likes of educational publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, British documentarian David Attenborough and his production company Alchemy VR, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Imagery is also taken from Google’s vast database of 360-degree Street View material.
In addition, the Web giant is working with the Starfish Foundation “to help students explore future careers by showing them a virtual day in the life of professionals including a veterinarian and computer scientist,” Google’s David Quaid wrote in a blog post introducing the initiative.
Google plans to start visiting schools in the U.S., U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil to help teachers set up the Expeditions kit and offer tips on how to get the most out of the virtual field trips.
The company’s latest effort to gain a foothold in the classroom follows similar moves by other tech firms pushing their hardware and software the way of educators, though it doesn’t always work out as expected.
The Expeditions Pioneer Program is free for schools to use, with the kit loaned for a limited period. If you’re an educator in one of the listed countries and think Expeditions could be a useful teaching tool, you can ask Google to drop by with the classroom kit by applying here.
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3M and LG Chem have entered into a patent license agreement to further expand the use of nickel, cobalt, manganese (NCM) in lithium ion batteries. Under the agreement, 3M grants LG Chem a license to U.S. Patents 6,660,432, 6,964,828, 7,078,128, 8,685,565 and 8,241,791 and all global equivalents including in Korea, Taiwan, Japan, China and Europe.
NCM cathode compositions offer an outstanding balance of power, energy, thermal stability and low cost. NCM cathode materials can be tailored through changes in composition and morphology to meet a wide range of customer requirements from high-energy handheld consumer electronics to high-power electric vehicles.
“We are pleased to have reached this agreement with 3M,” said Kyunghwa Min, vice president of LG Chem IP Center. “This license will give our battery customers confidence in LG’s technology and our long-term commitment to the battery industry. The license also opens the door to new opportunities for LG Chem as a supplier of cathode materials to the battery industry.”
“LG Chem is a leader in the electric vehicle battery field, and NCM cathode compositions have shown significant benefit in large format applications, like electric vehicles,” said Christian Milker, business manager, 3M Electronics Materials Solutions Division. “This license will accelerate the adoption of NCM technology to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles worldwide.”
LG Chem plans to offer the new cell chemistry as the foundation for an affordable electric car with a 320 km (200-mile) driving range by 2017. The company, which currently makes lithium-ion batteries based on a manganese spinel chemistry for Chevy, Ford, Hyundai, and Renault, said the next-generation technology would boost energy while reducing cost.
LG Chem says it would begin to offer large capacity lithium-ion batteries that hold between 80 and 120 kWh targeting a single charge range of 300-500 km. Such long-range EVs have the potential to dramatically shake up the electric-car landscape and appeal to a larger audience.