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With supply chain disruptions and some empty shelves these days, plan ahead before that last pill, drop of over-the-counter medicine or cup of pet food.
There’s no need to hoard, regional health experts say. It’s more about taking stock of what’s at home, such as those last dog kibbles (see pet sidebar).
Also, pharmacies are hit hard nationwide with staffing shortages. Issues that started before the pandemic have worsened, causing shortening of hours and temporary or permanent closures, said Julie Akers, a Washington State University pharmacy law expert.
Prescriptions have refill limits, “but you never want to wait until that last day,” she said. “In addition to having access to pharmacy issues, we often see patients who run out of refills and don’t realize they need a new prescription.
“Whether it’s for pandemic reasons or worried about temporary closures and access, or just in general, it’s a good idea to have a minimum three- to four-day supply.”
After a recent temporary closure of the CVS pharmacy inside the Target on South Regal Street, Spokane resident Don Cutler tried to call a number listed on a sign. But that got him nowhere, Cutler said, so he later contacted his doctor to move his prescriptions to another pharmacy.
“We first learned it closed on Oct. 27,” Cutler said. “I called a number for CVS and held for nearly an hour, then got someone who had no idea what was going on.”
He said he didn’t get a promised call back. “We can deal with this; we know our doctor, so we can navigate. We know someone who has serious prescriptions for blood-thinning medication, and they ran into a real hassle.”
A Target employee told The Spokesman-Review that the temporary CVS pharmacy closure beginning late October was caused by staffing issues. Messages requesting information from CVS weren’t returned, but the pharmacy site reopened Nov. 8.
Generally, Akers said two issues are affecting the industry: pre-pandemic shortages of pharmacy technicians that got worse and pharmacies impacted by fees and low insurance reimbursements.
“We have the added burden right now in pharmacies where they’re doing much of the COVID testing as well as now immunizations,” Akers said. And it’s flu season. “Most people in our state get an influenza vaccination from a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician who is trained. With the staffing issues, we went into the pandemic with pharmacies being overly stressed due to the shortage of technicians already, and it’s just amplified.
“A lot of issues we’re seeing in community pharmacies historically revolve around reimbursement for prescriptions through pharmacy benefit managers or PBMs that are kind of the middle man between a pharmacy and an actual insurance carrier.”
A pharmacy files a claim per a patient prescription to the PBM, which responds with what payment the pharmacy will get for that prescription, Akers added.
“Many pharmacies are at a point where they have little revenue to oftentimes a loss on the cost of the drug,” she said. “Coupled with that is something called direct and indirect remuneration fees.
“They’re called DIR fees implemented by PBMs where months after the prescription is filled, they’ll review aggregate data from the pharmacy related to any of the prescriptions filled through them, and they’ll do what’s called a clawback fee.”
Such fees began for quality measures, and if met, meant smaller clawback fees or potentially none. Transparency around measures is a concern, Akers said. Five-year trends show more independent pharmacies impacted by revenue loss that closed or sold to larger organizations.
“Some of these DIR fees are in the millions of dollars,” she said. “Even the larger companies are being hit by this.”
Akers said those issues impact staffing because salaries dollars come from sales and revenue. In the past five years, another trend is lessened staffing hours. Then, staff get sick, must quarantine or care for family, along with COVID-19 tests and immunizations.
“Where you used to have two pharmacists working at a pharmacy in a day for their volume, you might have one and a half pharmacists that day or only one pharmacist doing a 12-hour shift.
“Same with technicians, where you might have had three technicians to assist with the volume, you see stores going down to two or one. It’s really overwhelming to have the pressures of getting all that volume of work done and ensuring safety for patients.”
Nationwide, drug shortages occurred long before the pandemic, said Danial Baker, WSU pharmacotherapy professor. Ingredients or supplies might be overseas. “It’s obviously gotten worse under COVID-19, and for a lot of different reasons, but it’s not a new problem,” he said.
Factors include fewer manufacturers making widely used drugs, contaminants taking a drug off shelves and unpredictable increased demands. If people do encounter shortages, Baker said it’s best to work with a pharmacist to locate a supply or offer an alternative.
“Sometimes, it’s just as easy to switch to another drug that’s similar. The other problem we’ve got is there is no one computer network to identify where products are sitting.”
There also are some supply chain issues. “The worst problem we’ve got right now is that it’s a shipping problem from the manufacturer. It might be sitting on a truck or on a train somewhere in the United States.”
However, Baker said around most products, “There should be no issue for the majority of people.”
Akers said Washington state has requirements for permanent closures to notify the pharmacy commission at least 30 days prior and say where records and products will go. Patients must have a posting 30 days prior with pharmacy signage and either a direct mailing or newspaper public notice. Little is required for temporary closures.
“If they’re changing hours temporarily, there’s really not any statutes or rules,” Akers said. “Pharmacies are expected to have signage of hours, but they do have flexibility if there are emergencies and they must temporarily shut down.”
Patients can try contacting another pharmacy in the same chain, ask about delivery or seek a prescription transfer, she said. A health care provider might cover the gap. “Oftentimes, the provider would give you a one-week supply or one-month supply depending on the medication.”
Some newly developed drugs are slower getting to market under pandemic travel restrictions for federal workers who do the approvals, Baker said. They couldn’t go to the manufacturing plants, and now there are backlogs.
“We’ve had a number of recent drugs that missed their potential approval date.”


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Microsoft and the ESL have announced the Gears of War Pro League. Starting next week, eight North American teams will have the chance to curb stomp and chainsaw their digital opponents for a prize pool of $50,000. The eight teams include Annex, EnVyUs, Enemy eSports, Murder by Numbers, Swarm Gaming, Synergy, Tragedy, and VexX Gaming.
The Gears of War Pro League teams will face off on Thursday, October 29 at 5:00 pm PT on the league’s official Twitch channel. Those who view the broadcast will be entered to win a custom painted Xbox One with a digital copy of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition.
Players watching from home can also purchase an exclusive “Sweaty” weapon skin for $5. All proceeds from sales of this weapon skin will be used to fund future tournaments and prize pools.
Another option available to players who can’t attend the event is the Gears of War Open Series, a ten-week long amateur tournament in which players can compete in pro-style matches for cash rewards and a wireless Elite controller for the Xbox One. The GoW Open Series event starts on Sunday, October 25th. For more information please visit the series’ official website.
To date, Microsoft has reported that more than 10 million online multiplayer matches have been played since Gears Of War: Ultimate Edition’s August 25th release.
What do you think of this announcement and eSports in general? Let us know in the comments.
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Seafoam green and ocean blue are not just storming the runways, they're also the colors du jour in the world ofbeauty
. A tidal wave of marine ingredients—from algae to kelp, caviar to seawater—is cropping up in serums, hair conditioners, supplements, and spa treatments. "Algae have been around for billions of years," says Mike Rohlfsen, director of business development for Heliae, an Arizona company that harvests the organism. "Because they've had to adapt to survive, they are packed with minerals, proteins, peptides, and anti-aging oils," he explains, adding that they have incredible cell-renewal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.
However, the technology for harvesting algae on a massive scale didn't exist until quite recently. New advances have made it easier to collect and extract the desired ingredients. Plastic surgeon Dimitry Rabkin, director of Minimally Invasive Facial Rejuvenation at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital, shares Rohlfsen's convictions that algae help cells function better. "We're at the forefront of marine-based beauty," he says. "The possibilities are limitless."
The sea's healing powers have long been the stuff of beauty lore. According to Elana Drell Szyfer, former CEO of the skin-care company Ahava, Marc Antony tried to impress Cleopatra by bestowing the Dead Sea upon her as her personal spa. His gift may predate Ahava, which has been cultivating ingredients from the Dead Sea for 26 years, but the company has modern technology on its side: Its best-selling Extreme Night Treatment ($74) includes both the Osmoter, Ahava's exclusive concentrate of Dead Sea minerals, and "Dunaliella salina, an algae that is the only thing that can live in the Dead Sea," says Szyfer. "Because it's so resistant, it helps strengthen and protect skin."
More From Harper's BAZAAR
Other top beauty brands jumping on the algae wagon include Eve Lom; the famed facialist has launched Brilliant Cover Concealer ($40), made with sea fennel to stimulate cell renewal. Fresh's Lotus Youth Preserve Radiance Lotion ($50) is made from blue-green algae sourced in Oregon's Klamath Lake. Linda Rodin, creator of the cult favorite Olio Lusso, has come up with Facial Cleansing Powder ($50), which combines sea algae with rice bran for mild exfoliation. Hollywood facialist Kate Somerville's anti-inflammatory blemish buster, Hydraclear ($65), is algae-infused as well. Algenist Algae Brightening Mask ($59) contains alguronic acid, a powerful anti-ager produced by micro algae. And Carita Ideal Hydration Lagoon Serum ($89) is made from mineral-rich lagoon water from Polynesia.
Spas are also heeding the ocean's call. Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa, on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, offers the Seawater Pearl Hydrating Facial($160), which includes a mask of red-brown algae and mineral-dense seawater. "Because algae is so healing, it's perfect for all skin conditions, from rosacea to acne," says aesthetician Kate Sela. "It calms and plumps skin."
No company has done more to turn marine-based products into a status symbol than the prestige skin-care brand La Mer. Its patented Miracle Broth, created by aerospace physicist Max Huber to treat burns on his face and hands, is famous for its healing properties. "At its core is nutrient-rich Pacific sea kelp, which is transformed during a three- to four-month biofermentation process," says Loretta Miraglia, La Mer's senior vice president of product development and innovation. Its new Lifting Contour Serum ($290) uses the kelp as well as brown and blue algae and marine peptides to tighten skin.
Bodies of water contain much more than algae, of course. Salmon—or more precisely, salmon-egg enzyme—has begun to turn up in a number of products. "I was touring a salmon hatchery in Norway," recalls Restørsea CEO Patti Pao, "and I noticed that the workers' hands, which were immersed in the post-hatching water of the baby salmon, looked like they were only 20, while their faces looked decades older." More research led Pao to discover the secret: "When baby salmon are born, they release an enzyme in order to get out of their shell. It dissolves the dead skin cells but allows the living cells to thrive." Applied to human skin, the enzyme acts the same way. "The constant exfoliation makes skin glow without the side effects of traditional enzymes such as glycolic acid," she says. Now, Restørsea Repairing Hand Treatment ($85) is flying off the shelves. Perricone MD also uses salmon-roe enzymes in its Blue Plasma ($95), an at-home peel.
And what would a story about the sea's treasures be without caviar? TimeSlip RG-Cell Concentrated Restorative Skin Serum ($99) combines caviar extract, which is rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, with blue-green algae extract to boost collagen and diminish lines. (As with caviar, it's best to keep the opened bottle in the fridge.) Alterna's Caviar CC Cream ($25) is a hair treatment with caviar extract for added moisture and shine. To improve hair from the inside out, A-listers turn to Viviscal Extra Strength dietary supplements ($49.99 for a one-month supply), which contain a protein-rich marine complex to speed hair growth. "Gisele, Gwyneth—they've all used it," says New York celeb stylist Harry Josh. The only problem? "You do burp up fish oil."
Of course, you could always chase it down with Juice Generation's blue-green algae E3 Live Shot ($3.95), which promises everything from healthier nails to increased energy. Or spritz on Hermès's fresh new scent, Épice Marine ($245), put on an ocean soundtrack, and treat yourself to a mojito. It may not improve your skin, but it will do wonders for your mood.


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In today’s digital age, privacy breaches and leaks have become a common occurrence. One such incident that gained significant attention was the “Sabrina Banks leaked” scandal. This article aims to delve into the details of the incident, its impact on individuals and society, and the lessons we can learn from it.
The Sabrina Banks Leaked: What Happened?
Sabrina Banks, a popular social media influencer and model, found herself at the center of a controversy when her private photos and videos were leaked online. The incident occurred when her personal cloud storage account was hacked, and the intimate content she had stored there was made public without her consent.
1.2 The Extent of the Leak:
The leaked content included explicit images and videos that were originally intended for private consumption. Unfortunately, once leaked, these materials spread rapidly across various online platforms, making it nearly impossible to contain their distribution.
1.3 The Impact on Sabrina Banks:
The leak had a profound impact on Sabrina Banks, both personally and professionally. She experienced immense emotional distress, feeling violated and betrayed by the invasion of her privacy. Moreover, the leak tarnished her reputation and led to a loss of trust from her followers and potential business partners.
The Wider Implications of the Sabrina Banks Leak
2.1 The Violation of Privacy:
The Sabrina Banks leak highlights the alarming vulnerability of personal data in the digital realm. It serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly secure platforms can be compromised, leaving individuals exposed to privacy breaches. This incident raises important questions about the responsibility of technology companies to safeguard user data.
2.2 The Impact on Victims:
Privacy breaches, such as the Sabrina Banks leak, can have severe psychological and emotional consequences for the victims. The violation of one’s privacy can lead to feelings of shame, embarrassment, and anxiety. Victims may also face social stigma and judgment, which can further exacerbate their distress.
2.3 The Role of Consent:
The Sabrina Banks leak also brings to light the issue of consent in the digital age. The leaked content was never intended for public consumption, highlighting the importance of respecting individuals’ boundaries and consent when it comes to sharing intimate materials.
Lessons Learned from the Sabrina Banks Leak
3.1 Strengthening Digital Security:
The incident emphasizes the need for individuals to take proactive measures to protect their digital privacy. This includes using strong and unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and regularly updating security settings on personal devices and online accounts.
3.2 Raising Awareness:
Education and awareness campaigns play a crucial role in preventing privacy breaches. By educating individuals about the potential risks and consequences of sharing intimate content online, we can empower them to make informed decisions and protect their privacy.
3.3 Holding Technology Companies Accountable:
Technology companies must prioritize user privacy and invest in robust security measures. Regular security audits, prompt response to breaches, and transparent communication with users are essential to maintain trust and protect sensitive data.
Q&A: Addressing Common Concerns
1. Can the leaked content be completely removed from the internet?
No, once content is leaked and spreads online, it becomes nearly impossible to completely remove it from the internet. However, efforts can be made to minimize its visibility and accessibility.
2. What legal actions can be taken in such cases?
Legal actions can vary depending on the jurisdiction and specific circumstances. Victims of privacy breaches can consult with legal professionals to explore options such as filing civil lawsuits, pursuing criminal charges, or seeking takedown notices to remove the leaked content from specific platforms.
3. How can individuals protect themselves from similar incidents?
Individuals can protect themselves by being cautious about the content they share online, using strong and unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and regularly updating their security settings. It is also advisable to avoid storing sensitive content on cloud storage platforms.
4. What support is available for victims of privacy breaches?
Various organizations and helplines provide support for victims of privacy breaches. These resources offer counseling, legal advice, and assistance in navigating the aftermath of such incidents. Victims should reach out to these organizations for guidance and support.
5. How can society change to prevent future privacy breaches?
Society can change by fostering a culture of respect for privacy and consent. This involves educating individuals about the importance of privacy, promoting responsible digital behavior, and holding both individuals and technology companies accountable for their actions.
The Sabrina Banks leaked scandal serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of personal data in the digital age. It highlights the need for individuals to take proactive measures to protect their privacy and for technology companies to prioritize user security. By raising awareness, strengthening digital security, and fostering a culture of respect for privacy, we can work towards preventing future privacy breaches and their devastating consequences.


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The electrification of the automotive industry looks set to be a boon for electric vehicle shares. While the UK stock market does not have a Tesla, it does have some big companies that could benefit enormously from the electric vehicle revolution.
UK electric vehicle shares
In the UK, the biggest is Johnson Matthey (LSE: JMAT). The company’s new markets division specialises in providing battery materials and fuel cell technologies to the transport sector. Its battery materials are designed for the electric batteries that power electric and hybrid vehicles. They make the batteries more powerful and improve their range.
Johnson Matthey’s fuel cell technologies are aimed at another interesting automotive trend, hydrogen-powered vehicles. Compared to pure electric batteries, hydrogen’s applications are less commercially developed, so its mass adoption is further in the future. But its benefits are tangible. So it’s fully expected to be rolled out at scale eventually.
Currently, the new markets division makes up only 9% of total sales. The bulk of the company’s sales come from producing catalysts for petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles. Its catalysts improve vehicle emissions, so look set to benefit from tighter regulations. They also provide a reliable flow of revenues. While petrol and diesel vehicles may be on their way out, hybrid vehicles will play an increasingly important role in the decades to come. Johnson Matthey is also well exposed to the world’s largest vehicle market, China, responsible for 15% of company sales.
The new markets division isn’t actually profitable yet. Trading at 16 times last year’s earnings, the company’s share price assumes smooth and profitable growth for the new division. But even without an electric vehicle revolution, I think the backbone of the company is solid. It’s a market leader in its clean air business. What’s more, it has a strong balance sheet, a flexible cost base, and a decent dividend.
Another electric vehicle share is TI Fluid Systems (LSE: TIFS). The company manufactures thermal management and fuel tank systems for petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles. It’s a market leader in its main markets, and has existing relationships with all of the major vehicle manufacturers.
Hybrid and electric vehicles require more thermal management and fluid handling systems, compared with petrols and diesels. This provides TI with more products to sell per vehicle, meaning that it can make more money per vehicle and more money per automaker. Again, like Johnson Matthey, the company is well exposed to China and Asia.
Bloomberg has predicted that there could be 60m electric vehicle sales a year by 2040. The Chinese government has targeted 7m sales a year by 2025. Considering that only 2m were sold worldwide in 2018, this remains a big jump. Even if these targets are missed, there will undoubtedly be a huge increase in electric vehicles over the next few decades. Both of these companies should benefit.
But for me there’s only one winner. TI Fluid Systems is almost a pure play on this electrical revolution and looks like it has more to gain. More than 30% of Johnson Matthey’s sales come from outside of the automotive sector, where margins are lower and the story isn’t as favourable. TI is also much better value, with a P/E (price to earnings) of just seven. That’s why it’s the electric vehicle share I’d buy.
Speaking of megatrends...
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Thomas has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.


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American fashion retail company JCPenney has today launched a new womenswear brand named ‘Artesia’. The collection has been made available in 400 stores.
The company states that Artesia is a collection of boho-style clothing featuring crochet cardigans and dusters, peasant blouses and tiered flounce tops with period-inspired elements such as flutter sleeves, lace, tassels and fringe.
“The boho trend appeals to many women and the fit is flattering on countless different shapes and sizes. With the introduction of Artesia, our customers can embrace the bohemian trend without spending a fortune, reinforcing our commitment to bring her elevated, on-trend looks at an incredible value,” said Jodie Johnson, Senior Vice President and Head of Merchandising at JCPenney
The pieces have been designed in earthy tones and paisley prints. It is being said that every product will be retailed at US $ 30 or less.
The company aims to expand its customer base with the launch of this new fashion label and emerge to be even more appealing to fashion-conscious women shoppers.
JCPenney is one of the US’ largest apparel and home retailers, present in over 860 stores across the home nation and Puerto Rico.


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DuPont to release first-quarter earnings Tuesday
DuPont will release its first-quarter 2017 earnings on Tuesday at 6 a.m.
After releasing the earnings, the company will host a teleconference for investors at 8 a.m. to discuss the financial results. DuPont Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Edward Breen, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Nicholas Fanandakis and Vice President of Investor Relations Gregory Friedman will speak on the call.
The investor call will be available on a live webcast and slide presentation that will be accessible through DuPont's investors' website. An online archive of the call will be available on the website at the investor center at www.dupont.com.
Interested parties can access the call by dialing (630) 691-2753 and use confirmation number 6328 583#. The replay can be accessed by dialing (630) 652-3042 and using the confirmation code 6328 583.
In January, DuPont cautioned its first-quarter earnings could drop by as much as 18 percent because of one-time charges associated with its impending merger with the Dow Chemical Co. DuPont said the charges won't have a long-term impact on its finances.
The company reported a better-than-expected fourth quarter with a net profit of $265 million, up from a $253 million loss during the same quarter in 2015.
Contact Jeff Mordock at (302) 324-2786, on Twitter @JeffMordockTNJ or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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On Monday February 3, Sony Corporation (NYSE: SNE) announced total revenue results that were flat, but down significantly in the video game division. Ironically Sony stock rose on the news. This was in sharp contrast to Nintendo that a few days before had seen its stock drop after reporting a significant revenue increase.
The recent third fiscal quarter for Sony ended on December 31, 2019. Overall revenue in the quarter was up 3% over Q3 2018. However, net income was down 46% versus Q3 2018.
The performance of the Games and Network Services Division was worse. For Q3 2019, revenue was down 20% over Q3 2018. For the nine-month period total revenue in the division was down 15%.
During the earnings call CFO Hiroki Totoki emphasized the long-term potential of the game business as a major factor. The emphasis was that the PlayStation 4 business is not down as much as it would normally be because of growth in the ongoing network services division.
In other words, services like PlayStation Plus are keeping consumers engaged and should help ease a smooth transition to PlayStation 5. PlayStation Plus subscribers reached 39 million with cumulative PlayStation 4 hardware units 109 million.
Investors reacted by pushing Sony stock up 3.5% on February 4. This was the highest level it had been since the first part of the century and the PlayStation 2 launch way back in 2001. However, Sony investors are fickle and early on February 5, most of those gains had been erased.
It is clear Sony is at a crucial crossroads. The game business remains a potentially lucrative but highly uncertain growth engine. Management turmoil in the game division, coupled with increased competition means the PlayStation 5 could struggle to reach the peaks of the highly successful PlayStation 4.
The next few months will be critical for Sony. Investors are watching every move. If Sony is successful with the PlayStation 5, the stock should look like a bargain in coming years. However, if the new system disappoints lookout.


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Ring the Frankenfood alarm. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is on the verge of approving Monsanto’s genetically engineered (GE), Roundup Ready alfalfa for the spring planting season.
According to Food & Water Watch, the USDA released its environmental impact assessment on GE alfalfa on December 16, 2010. This is one of the very last stages in the approval process for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Unless we raise a huge ruckus right now, you can bet that Big Ag will be sowing its GE alfalfa seeds this coming spring.
The real issue here is that Monsanto’s Roundup Ready alfalfa seeds threaten to destroy the livelihoods of organic farmers and disrupt the organic food industry. The USDA admitted as much, but due to industry pressure, the agency still seems hell-bent on giving GE alfalfa the green light.
The USDA acknowledges that, as with any GE crop, Roundup Ready alfalfa runs the risk of spreading outside of its containment area and cross-breeding with organic alfalfa varieties. Organic varieties must be au naturale in order to be considered organic, so this kind of mixing has the potential to completely destroy the livelihoods of organic alfalfa farmers. Plus, alfalfa is a huge feed crop for dairy and beef cattle. A hindrance to the organic alfalfa industry would also harm the organic dairy and beef industry.
Organic foods aren’t the only things threatened by GE alfalfa’s approval, either. As we’re seeing right now with Monsanto’s Roundup Ready corn, cotton, and soy plants, weeds tend to evolve a resistance to Roundup, an herbicide. These resistant weeds morph into voracious “superweeds,” choking out crops and pushing farmers to increase their reliance on toxic pesticides and herbicides. More chemicals are not only an extra expense for farmers, they contaminate soil, groundwater, and wildlife with toxins.


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MILAN – Italian eyewear giant Luxottica Group has inked a multiyear licensing agreement with Ferrari SpA for the design, manufacture, distribution and sale of a range of Ray-Ban and Ferrari co-branded eyewear.
The agreement strengthens the partnership between the two companies that was first launched on July 2016, with Ray-Ban’s sponsorship of the Ferrari Formula One car debuted during the British Grand Prix in Silverstone. Back then, the Ray-Ban logo was featured on the SF16-H Formula One car.
Hermès is launching a Laundromat pop-up shop in NYC - dubbed Hermèsmatic - where customers can bring their old scarves to be dip-dyed by an expert. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @donstahl)


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It’s been a while since we blogged, but here at Californians for Consumer Privacy, we have been busy the last 8 months. Amazingly, over 930,000 of our fellow Californians — more people than the population of states like Wyoming or Vermont, Alaska or North Dakota — signed our petition to add the California Privacy Rights Act (also known as the “CPRA”) to the November Ballot.
The California Secretary of State labeled our ballot measure as Proposition 24, which we will refer to as “Prop 24.” [We think #24 is a great omen, as that is the same jersey number as great California athletes like Willie Mays, Rickey Henderson, Kobe Bryant and Rick Barry. But we digress!]
In this short blog we will give an overview of Prop 24, tell you why it is super important to Californians like you, and why you should vote Yes for Prop 24. Or you can simply watch this 1 minute video by Alastair Mactaggart, Chair of Californians for Consumer Privacy.
So, just what is Prop 24 aka the CPRA?
Prop 24 gives consumers the power to take back control over our information from thousands of giant corporations. Prop 24 will do the following:
- Protect your most personal information, by allowing you to prevent businesses from using or sharing sensitive information about your health, finances, race ethnicity, and precise location;
- Safeguard young people, TRIPLING FINES for violations involving children’s information;
- Put new limits on companies’ collection and use of our personal information;
- Establish an enforcement arm—the California Privacy Protection Agency—to defend these rights and hold companies accountable, and extend enforcement including IMPOSING PENALTIES FOR NEGLIGENCE resulting in theft of consumers’ emails and passwords;
- MAKE IT MUCH HARDER TO WEAKEN PRIVACY in California in the future, by preventing special interests and politicians from undermining Californians’ privacy rights, while allowing the Legislature to amend the law to further the primary goal of strengthening consumer privacy to better protect you and your children, such as opt-in for use of data, further protections for uniquely vulnerable minors, and greater power for individuals to hold violators accountable.
And why is Prop 24 super important to Californians?
The world’s largest corporations are buying and selling your most personal information, often without your knowledge or permission. They track every place you’ve ever visited, every private online search you’ve ever made, and even collect private health information about you and your family.
The opportunities for you to get employment, open a bank account, get credit or insurance, and secure housing are endangered by the unrestricted collection, processing, sale and even misuse of your personal information.
Your personal data is increasingly the fuel that powers their businesses, and you are the collateral damage, with no power or control over your own data.
But don’t we already have a privacy law called the CCPA? And why do we need a new law?
California took the first step in 2018 to allow Californians to take control of their personal data. This effort was led by the group Californians for Consumer Privacy. After Big Tech companies raised millions of dollars against them, Californians for Consumer Privacy was able to work with the Legislature to get passed the California Consumer Privacy Act, also known as the CCPA.
Unfortunately, many of these same Big Tech and Data Broker businesses are right now actively working to undermine and water down the privacy rights you have as Californians, while finding new and more destructive ways to use your personal data.
So this is where Prop 24 comes in. Prop 24 is authored by Californians for Consumer Privacy who fought for you and brought you the United States’ most comprehensive privacy law with the CCPA. Prop 24 represents the “Version 2” upgrade to California’s existing privacy law to keep pace and further rein in Big Tech and the use of your personal data.
Should I vote Yes for Prop 24?
Yes! Proposition 24 gives Californians the power to take back control over our information from thousands of giant corporations.
First and foremost, Prop 24 safeguards our children’s online privacy by tripling fines for collecting and selling our children’s personal information. And it would require opt-in consent to sell personal data from consumers under the age of 16.
Second, Prop 24 helps to protects our personal data from the risk of Identity Theft by holding businesses more accountable to better protect our usernames and passwords.
Third, Prop 24 creates new rights that lets us stop businesses from using our most sensitive personal information, including about our health or finances, or knowing and selling our location without our knowledge or consent.
And finally, Prop 24 establishes an enforcement arm to help California residents counter large Big Tech and Data Brokers from sucking up all our personal data.
By voting Yes for Prop 24, you can take back control over your personal information from thousands of giant corporations. Say Yes on Privacy and Yes on Prop 24!


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Everyone knows that alcohol and driving don't mix.
Of course, this golden rule will always ring true for anyone behind the wheel, but nobody ever said anything about pouring booze into your fuel tank. DB Breweries, the producer behind some of New Zealand's most loved beverages (including DB Export, Monteith's Crushed Cider, Barrel 51 and many more) has created a biofuel that has less environmental impact than traditional petrol. Starting from June 6, 2015, it can be purchased at more than 60 Gull petrol stations around the North Island with a simple swipe of your business fuel card.
Brewtroleum is a 98-octane petrol that contains 10 per cent ethanol.
A world first
From the women's vote to conquering Mount Everest, New Zealand is no stranger to setting world firsts – a reputation that is now being upheld in the fuel industry. DB Brewery is the first company in the world to make beer-based biofuel commercially available. 'Brewtroleum', as it has been appropriately named, is a 98-octane petrol that contains 10 per cent ethanol. It is derived from leftover yeast slurry that might otherwise have gone to waste.
The brewery produced an initial 300,000 litres of Brewtroleum, which is expected to last about six weeks. However, Head of Domestic Beer Marketing Sean O'Donnell hopes that it will become a permanent offering.
"It's a case of testing consumer demand and assessing the feasibility of ongoing production and logistics," said Mr O.Donnell, speaking to NZ Herald.
Biofuel is significantly better for the environment as it is made from renewable resources. It also be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn can help us minimise our environmental impact.
How will Brewtroleum affect fleet managers?
While it still remains to be seen exactly how effective this new 'Brewtroleum' will be, it's exciting news nonetheless for fleet managers across the country. It serves as something of a reminder that local companies across a variety of industries are aware of the need for alternative fuel sources.
In contrast to New Zealand's eco-friendly culture, we've traditionally been fairly slow on the uptake when it comes to green cars. Despite the growing availability and affordability of hybrid and electric cars, these models only made up around one per cent of all new light vehicle registrations in recent months, according to figures collated by the Ministry of Transport.
Given New Zealand's undisputable love for beer, is it possible that Brewtroleum could play a role in transforming our perceptions of sustainable fuel?


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Meta Platforms Inc. is set to hold its annual developers conference, where the spotlight will be on AI and mixed reality technologies. The much-anticipated event will kick off with a keynote speech by Meta’s Chief Executive, Mark Zuckerberg, at their headquarters in Silicon Valley.
While it is expected that AI will play a significant role, industry experts remain curious about Meta’s approach and how they plan to captivate consumers. Carolina Milanesi, President of Creative Strategies, highlights the importance of Meta’s strategy for businesses, particularly in terms of targeted ads and data.
Last year, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, underwent a significant shift in focus, transitioning from the metaverse concept to a more hybrid strategy that incorporates artificial intelligence.
As the conference approaches, Meta faces several pressing questions regarding its implementation of AI. Firstly, how does Meta’s self-imposed “year of efficiency” impact its long-term goals? Additionally, analysts wonder if new gaming titles and partnerships will drive sales for the Meta Quest 3 VR headset. Furthermore, there is anticipation surrounding the weight of the reportedly slimmer Quest 3.
However, the biggest question on analysts’ minds is whether Meta will address Apple Inc.’s Vision Pro goggles. Announced to mixed reviews in June and set for release in 2024, these goggles pose significant competition for Meta. Analysts are eager to see if Meta acknowledges Apple’s entry into the market and outlines a strategy to compete with its long-standing nemesis.
Stay tuned for updates from Meta Platforms Inc.’s annual developers conference as we delve deeper into the exciting world of AI and mixed reality.
Meta’s Competitive Edge Against Apple’s Vision Pro
In a recent interview, Mark Vena, CEO and principal analyst at SmartTech Research, raised the question of how Meta plans to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro. Vena specifically expressed curiosity about Meta’s prioritization of innovation and heavy investments in hardware and software development for their augmented and virtual reality solutions, namely Oculus and Quest.
One area where Meta aims to excel is in building a robust ecosystem of AR/VR content. This focus is in line with Apple’s renowned strength of providing user-friendly experiences that attract developers in the long run. However, Vena also emphasizes the significance of Meta’s reputation and how it handles privacy and data security. Specifically, Vena highlights the importance of responsible AI and mixed-reality partnerships in healthcare and education fields. He, along with others, wonders how Meta intends to create a safe and inclusive online environment that caters to users of all ages.
Interestingly, Apple’s entry into the mixed reality space is seen as a potential boon rather than a threat to Meta. Just as Apple previously legitimized and popularized the smartphone and tablet markets, industry analysts predict a similar effect for AR and VR. Daniel Newman, CEO of The Futurum Group, believes that this movement in the industry will ultimately benefit Meta. Newman expects this year’s Connect event to present a clear path for Meta’s growth in adoption by showcasing innovative advancements in software, hardware, and silicon that will drive lighter and more powerful extended reality (XR) experiences.
As Meta aims to solidify its position in the market, it faces the challenge of competing with Apple’s Vision Pro. However, by focusing on innovation, investing in hardware and software development, prioritizing user-friendly experiences, ensuring privacy and data security, and taking advantage of Apple’s influence, Meta has the potential to thrive. With Connect being a pivotal moment, Meta aims to present its roadmap for growth through innovation, ultimately driving the next wave of enhanced XR experiences.


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Home' Trinidad and Tobago Guardian : October 3rd 2013 Contents OCTOBER 2013• WEEK ONE www.guardian.co.tt BUSINESS GUARDIAN
NEWS | BG7
The "triple bottom line approach"
of businesses focusing on envi-
ronment, economic and social
issues is the new way for busi-
nesses to survive and do well in
the 21st century, said American consultant,
creative business leader and author Andrew
In traditional business accounting, the bot-
tom line refers to the sum of revenue minus
expenses, which is either "loss" if negative,
or "profit" if positive. The term originated
because profit is always shown as the very
"bottom line" on a statement of revenue and
"Companies must pay far more attention
to environmental and social performance as
well as to financial. That is the triple bottom
line. We can continue to focus on the creation
of financial wealth or we can move towards
the creation of common wealth, which means
we grow our social and natural capital right
alongside our financial capital," he said.
Savitz spoke last on September 25 at the
opening ceremony of American Chamber of
Commerce of T&T (Amcham) 17th annual
health, safety, security and environment (HSSE)
conference and exhibition at the Hyatt Regency
Trinidad hotel, Port-of-Spain.
Savitz is author of The Triple Bottom Line,
a groundbreaking book that charts the rise of
sustainability within the business world and
shows how and why financial success increas-
ingly goes hand in hand with social and envi-
Savitz said this is important for businesses
to find the right balance between their interests
and those of society to create a stable socio-
"I believe this is possible and necessary and
I personally believe it is imperative that we
take the second road. I was talking to a group
of manufacturers, some of whom are my
clients, who said in the future we must be
more world-serving and less self-serving. I
believe you can be both as all you have to do
is find the balance between your business
interests and those of society," he said.
Savitz said companies which find this bal-
ance are profitable.
"They are finding ways to cut cost, reduce
risk grow revenues, they are strengthening
their brands, improving their relationships and
attracting and retaining the best talent," Savitz
said. "They also need to become more inno-
vative and all this leads to profitability."
Savitz said business have come a long way
since the early 20th century and today much
more is expected of their contribution to soci-
"When I was born 60 years ago, not much
was expected out of businesses other than
they make money and philanthropy. By the
1970s, the list of expectations had started to
grow to protecting workers, protecting the
environment and safeguarding products in
commerce," he said.
The list of responsibilities for businesses
has continued to grow in the 21st century and
has been "growing daily", Savitz said.
He gave the example of Google, which up
until earlier this year was in a huge fight with
China over censorship. Savitz said people
expected Google to stand up to the Chinese
government on human rights.
"Now businesses are supposed to stop child
labour, foster health care, ensure human rights,
promote gender equality. It seems that respon-
sibilities that once seemed primarily those of
the government have now sort of shifted over
to the private sector. These expectations are
He spoke about the growing wage gap
between high level management and work-
"The US Securities and Exchange (Com-
mission) just released the gap between the
highest paid CEOs and the average worker.
From a historical perspective, that gap is grow-
ing. The highest paid CEO used to make 40
times more than a worker, but today it is 780
times. Companies are finding more efficient
ways to do things and jobs are being eliminated,
so we have a jobless economy."
Savitz said there is a call now for "fair trade"
that will not only benefit bigger companies
from developed countries, but also smaller
"Only one per cent of profits are getting to
small producers, so Starbucks and other big
companies have begun to address this, the
idea of sharing the profits more equitably with
the small landowners where the coffee comes
from," Savitz said.
Despite his emphasis on social equity, he
said he is not advocating giving away money.
"The triple bottom line has nothing to do
with philanthropy. I worship Bill Gates and
Warren Buffet and what they do in emergencies
to help people, but sustainability is not about
giving away money, but about how to make
money by doing the right thing. The idea is
to build in financial and economic responsi-
Savitz said companies must now submit
regular corporate social responsibility reports
along with financial reports.
"The idea is not for companies to say they
are great, but it is for shareholders along with
other stakeholders. When a company present
these reports, they give an idea into their risks
He gave the example of child labour, that
companies in the 1990s gave contract work
to other companies in Asia that used child
labour, adding that Nike has since cleaned up
Savitz said people must start looking at
economic development in a new way.
"This is actually a profound change in the
way people are starting to think of economic
development. It used to be simple: you created
wealth and the wealthier you got, the better
it became. But now we must ask ourselves:
How do we grow that would allow other gen-
erations to grow?
He said one CEO who has taken these issues
seriously is Jeff Immelt when he took charge
of General Electric (GE).
GE placed eighth in Fortune 500's 2013
"Already, GE has a family of clean tech-
nologies, their wind power business has grown
by a factor of ten that they acquired in 2002.
Seventy-five per cent of the new MBAs that
come to GE want to work in the ecomagination
company, which is GE's initiative to position
itself as a green company. All the younger
people coming out of business schools want
to be involved in these efforts that create
profits, but create something bigger than that."
Savitz worked seven years with PepsiCo as
its sustainability consultant. Prior to starting
there, he said Pepsico saw the "writing on the
wall" regarding obesity just before everyone
else did and got into nutritious products.
"They bought an orange juice company and
oatmeal company, Tropicana and Quaker Oats,
and now their income is growing four times
faster in North America than the traditional
portfolio of sugar-based drinks and salty
snacks," he said.
In December 2005, PepsiCo surpassed The
Coca-Cola Company in market value for the
first time in 112 years since both companies
He said there must be sustainable growth
and development for there to be stability in
the 21st century.
"The world is using too many resources. A
lot of anthropologists and scientists have said
we are using resources 50 per cent more than
the earth can replenish. This is going to get
a lot worse that it can get better. By 2050, two
things are almost certain to happen: one is
that there will be two billion more people and,
secondly, many will be wealthier. If everyone
in the world starts consuming the same as
the average American, it will take six or seven
planet earths to support this."
He said the solution is to release the powers
of the free market and for businesses to under-
stand their responsibility to society.
"If we do not find ways to encourage and
support businesses to address these problems
as part of what they do, then we are toast.
The government is not going to fix this alone,
neither are the NGOs. It will take a partnership.
No matter what size of your business or the
industry you are in, everyone is starting to
feel the pressures," Savitz said.
US consultant tells businesses:
Adopt a 'triple bottom line' approach
PHOTO: ANDY HYPOLITE
There must be
and development for
there to be stability in
the 21st century.
Links Archive October 2nd 2013 October 4th 2013 Navigation Previous Page Next Page


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In response to growing reports of the fashion industry’s wastefulness, many brands have adopted the philosophy of sustainability. The problem with “sustainability,” though is that it’s presenting more as a vague buzz word, rather than an action.
Many large companies have introduced “sustainable” lines and many smaller companies are building their entire brands around the idea, but there aren’t many real restrictions on what the label actually means.
The Environmental Law Institute noted recently the term “sustainability” was first introduced in environmental policy discourse in 1987 when the World Commission on Environment and Development published Our Common Future. The report defines sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
However, the leaders of the Environmental Law Institute say the term still “suffers from ambiguity that must be overcome if governmental and private-sector decision makers are to optimize the concept’s potential.”
Instead of giving concrete requirements for the use of the word sustainability, the Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides advise marketers on making environmental claims without deceiving customers.
Unlike “sustainability,” “carbon neutral” is a more concrete term that some luxury brands are beginning to strive towards.
In June, Burberry announced plans to be more responsible when it comes to carbon emissions and has since followed up by declared that its Spring/Summer 2020 show, “has been certified as carbon neutral.” Gucci announced that it would be completely carbon neutral by the end of September, including in-house operations and outside suppliers. Gabriela Hearst also announced that it offset its Spring/Summer show emissions.
According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the fashion industry is responsible for “around 10 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions due to its long supply chains and energy intensive production.”
However, “carbon neutral” tends to be less about actually cutting back means of production and more about finding ways to offset emissions.
“The only way we can have zero emissions is to shut our business,” said Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri.
In order to reach carbon neutrality, brands are funding projects such as building wind farms, truck stop electrification and planting trees.
“Credits to help fund these projects are proving a popular initiative for fashion brands that want to be more ecologically sound and achieve carbon neutrality, while still manufacturing garments and accessories, and staging runway shows,” reports The Fashion Law.
However, one major hurdle brands face if they want to become truly carbon neutral is calculating just how much greenhouse gases they produce.
According to The Fashion Law, “The inability of brands to adequately gauge their individual emissions is a critical element in the equation since carbon neutrality requires companies to determine the scale of their emissions in order to offset them.”
So the truth is fashion isn’t doing much to change its wasteful habits. Is achieving neutrality by balancing out the bad with good really going to be effective? It’s hard to tell. However, the fact that millennial and Gen Z consumers tend to be more environmentally conscious and seek brands they can connect with more holistically may be the motivation the industry needs to make substantial change.
Be the zeitgeist.


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But here's the real scoop from Taste of Home (12/7/2007), "Grocery Store Goofs With Hanukkah Ham Ad".
Excerpt: A grocery store in Manhattan made a food faux pas, advertising hams as "Delicious for Chanukah."
Chanukah _ an alternate spelling for Hanukkah _ is the eight-day Jewish holiday that began Tuesday evening, and hams _ as well as pork and other products from pigs _ can't be eaten under Jewish dietary laws.
A woman who saw the mistake over the weekend at the Balducci's store on 14th Street took pictures of the signs and posted them on her blog.
Jennifer Barton, director of marketing, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the signs were changed as soon as the error was noted.
From 5/11/2009 11 Points blogpost, "11 Unbelievably Insensitive (and Often Racist) Holiday Advertisements".
Hoo, boy!! An urban legend in the making. By the end of the year, there might be as many as 80 Wal-Mart locations accused of this faux pas. (Source.)
And about those Vande Rose Farms hams you see in the above screenshots.
Wal-Mart a gourmet retailer? Fuggedaboutit!!


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Mahindra's bid to sell SsangYong Motor hits roadblock as buyer fails to pay
Mahindra and Mahindra has announced that a deal to sell its bankrupt South Korean unit SsangYong Motor to electric car manufacturer Edison Motors has been terminated. According to Mahindra, Edison expressed its inability to deposit the bid amount to buy out SsangYong. This led to the termination of the deal.
In January this year, Mahindra had confirmed that SsangYong Motor will be bought by a consortium led by South Korean electric carmaker Edison Motors which had agreed to buy it for 305 billion won ($254.65 million).
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Mahindra has been looking for a buyer to sell out its unprofitable South Korean unit after owning major stakes for 10 years since 2010. Mahindra has offered all or most of its stake in the South Korean company which it bought when SsangYong was on the brink of bankruptcy. Till end of September last year, Mahindra owned about 75 percent of SsangYong Motor.
Mahindra and Mahindra had acquired a controlling stake in the South Korean company SsangYong Motor back in 2010. However, by 2020, Mahindra stopped investing and SsangYong filed for bankruptcy. The South Korean carmaker has been under court receivership since April last year.
SsangYong Motor traces its roots to Dong-A Motor in the 1950s before it was taken over by SsangYong Business Group in 1988. Later, carmaker like Daewoo Motors and SAIC also owned the company before Mahindra and Mahindra took over 12 years ago.
SsangYong Tivoli was the first model to hit Indian roads after Mahindra took control of the company. However, sales numbers plunged massively to force Mahindra reconsider its stake in the company. Sales crashed to just a little over 84,000 in 2021, a drop of 21% from the previous year. Between January and September of 2021, the auto company had an operating loss of 238 billion Won from revenue of 1.8 trillion Won.


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Belgium-based Materialise, a global leader in additive manufacturing software and solutions, is doing pretty well for itself. At formnext 2016 earlier this month, they released an enhanced version of their design optimization software 3-matic11 and a new version of their signature data prep software Magics21, and also made the announcement that they were adding the new HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printer to their facility. So they’ve been pretty busy…and it doesn’t look they’re planning on taking a break, either.
Today, they announced a new partnership with Italian automobile brand Nuova Società Piemontese Automobili (SPA). This means that the Nuova SPA electric bicycle Bicicletto is getting a 3D printed upgrade!The Bicicletto is a fully electric vehicle that blends the attitude of the motorbike with the spirit of the bicycle. The upgrade, which is the first offering from Nuova SPA’s new partnership with Materialise, will blend the lines of high-tech engineering and classic design even more, as the additive manufactured end-use parts will make the Bicicletto lighter, faster, and more cost-efficient to produce. The automotive industry jumped on the additive manufacturing boat quickly and never wavered, becoming a major player in the technology’s growth. However, as the Bicicletto is an e-bike and not a car, it is somewhat of a standout in the industry.
Torino-based brand Nuova SPA, whose parent company of Fiat may ring a bell, dates back to the early 1900s. They specialize in all sorts of automobiles, from luxury and sports cars, to military and industrial vehicles as well. They were reborn in 2014, and are now working with cutting-edge technologies and materials and applying them to vehicle propulsion, while also designing their e-bikes and other electric vehicles with a vintage-inspired style. You can definitely see this in the Bicicletto, a sleek offering that calls to mind classic motorbikes.
“For Additive Manufacturing to bring end-use parts to a premium e-bike like this, it takes more than just 3D printing facilities. It takes dedicated post-production, rigorous quality control, and in-house engineering expertise. With this collaboration, we look forward to broadening the horizons of the automotive industry through Additive Manufacturing,” explained Alessio Esposti, Account Manager, Materialise Italy.
“3D Printing was a major contributor to our R&D process, it has made production easier, and it’s also helping us bring down costs,” says Julianto Imprescia, CEO, Nuova SPA. “Bringing Additive Manufacturing to an already-running design, like the Bicicletto, can be challenging but dedicated collaboration helped us achieve it. Working with Materialise has been a gift, particularly with respect to having Materialise’s decades of additive manufacturing expertise at our disposal.”
Materialise, with almost three decades of 3D printing experience, aims to build innovative 3D printing applications that will help make the world a better place. Their manufacturing division, Materialise Manufacturing, works closely with their customers to co-create new products that make meaningful use of the high-tech 3D printing world. This new and improved version of the Bicicletto is just the beginning of a beautiful, long-term manufacturing relationship with Nuova SPA, with both companies coming out on top. Materialise has the opportunity to bolster the role of additive manufacturing in the world of automotive production, while Nuova SPA gains assistance in developing new 3D printed projects, such as a quadricycle and an off-road electric bike. Discuss in the Bicicletto forum at 3DPB.com.
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NetBase Marks Record Summer Growth with More than 50 New Customers and “Trend-Setter” Award from KMWorld
Insight Discovery Company Adds Top Brands in Retail, Financial Services, Food & Beverage, Sports, Pharmaceuticals, Technology and Many More
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—September 21, 2010—NetBase, the Insight Discovery company, today announced a record summer of company growth with over 50 new customers in 90 days, a “Trend-Setter” award, and a new marketing industry veteran on its board of directors. World-renowned brands in retail, food & beverage, sports, pharmaceuticals, technology, financial services, and market research have turned to NetBase to reveal actionable consumer insights from the opinions, emotions and behavior expressed about their brands.
“We are constantly looking for new ways to help our clients get to know customers in the context of their world – how customers think, feel, interact, and behave when they make decisions in a client’s category,” states Chet Zalesky, President, CMI, an Atlanta-based marketing research firm. “We did a competitive assessment of available social media monitoring and analysis tools and chose NetBase because we can instantly get information about what’s being said about our clients online. Since we can do the queries ourselves, we don’t have to wait several days for a team of people to send us back a report.”
In addition, NetBase’s flagship product, ConsumerBase, was named one of KMWorld’s Trend Setting Products of 2010, which will be featured in the September 2010 issue. More than 600 products were assessed by the judging panel which consists of editorial colleagues, analysts, system integrators, vendors, line-of-business managers and users. KMWorld, a publishing unit of Information Today, Inc. said the products selected all demonstrate clearly identifiable technology breakthroughs that serve the vendors’ full spectrum of constituencies, especially their customers.
“While July and August aren’t typically significant growth periods for companies, we’ve seen a tremendous rate of new customer wins, which is testament to the need for intelligent, cost-effective consumer insight research,” said Jonathan Spier, NetBase CEO. “We’re honored to be working with some of the world’s industry-leaders to help them understand consumer opinions, emotions and behaviors expressed in social media, ultimately helping drive product innovation that impacts their brand equity and bottom line.”
In July, brand marketing veteran Kip Knight was elected to NetBase’s board of directors. With more than 30 years of experience working in over 65 countries around the world, Kip started his career at Procter and Gamble, and was formerly Chief Marketing Officer of Taco Bell, head of marketing for KFC International, and held executive marketing positions at eBay, North America and International. Kip is currently President of KnightVision Marketing, based in Silicon Valley, and works with a wide variety of U.S. and international clients on strategic marketing and planning initiatives.
Next week, NetBase will be exhibiting in Booth # 79 at the American Marketing Association’s annual Market Research Conference in Atlanta. They are this year’s sponsor of the ‘After Dark Reception’ for conference attendees, to be held at the renowned World of Coca-Cola™ venue.
For more information please visit:
NetBase provides tools for understanding consumer opinions, emotions, and behaviors as expressed in social media and the Web. Our state-of-the-art natural language processing (NLP) engine reads billions of conversations from more than 75 million social media sources. It automatically organizes up to one year of brand-related chatter to determine not only sentiment but also deep, actionable insights. NetBase NLP is nearly 90 percent accurate, so our customers have the trusted information they need to make better business decisions. Customers like Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble are turning to NetBase because our tools are smarter, faster, and cheaper than any alternative on the market. Based in the heart of Silicon Valley, NetBase is a privately held company. For more information, visit: www.netbase.com.


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As the world’s economy continues to wobble like a one-legged penguin, it is predicted that the need for ‘out of house’ coffee will drop by at least another 62%! This basically means in other words that people are preferring the home brewing method.
Traditional buying patterns have been warped ever since the Covid-19 pandemic began. The decline of out-of-home coffee consumption has formed a new habit and if anything, one from the past, home brewed coffee. Remember when Levi’s jeans were the be-all and end-all of fashion and suddenly it died out? Well what happened 20 years later? Boom…Levi’s jeans came back into the scene, just as we are seeing now but coffee edition. Now as this will increase further within the next several months, it will only grow from the despair of closing coffee shops that simply cannot survive on their huge decrease in work.
As a lot of global sales increased in March only due to the sheer stockpiling of people fearing lockdown, this has caused businesses to run out of stock and struggle to obtain the raw material from their source of contact. Coffee shops are sandwiched either way as a massive recession affecting both their stock and customers leaves them currently in a very dark place.
However, as supply is strong in countries such as Brazil, prices have shot up for coffee beans, sending the market into space land. Our opinion? If you haven’t got one already, get yourself a coffee grinder or a good home machine. Purchase your beans from www.chinoproduct.com and save yourself an absolute fortune also!
It’s times like this where you have to look after your own pocket, and brewing your own home coffee can certainly be taken into consideration.


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Since the big pop at the start of the year, not much has happened to equity indexes. Averages want to fall, but are not being permitted to. The Facebook mystery event is past, the big financials have reported, retail sales for December are in, the World Bank reduces global growth forecasts, Germany has contracted for 3 years in a row, Japan does its gazillionth QE, the Apple dead-cat bounce has happened, and the January VIX contract expired today. Can this really be a bull market?
The story of morning weakness being aggressively bought and then dead-bullish-quiet towards the end of the day has gone on for a while now and change it definitely will. Before or after expiration Friday ? We will know soon enough.
Addendum: It changed today: From morning strength to afternoon strength. Too powerful a move to mess with on the short side for now. And without Apple no less. Maybe the VIX will get to the single digits before this turns, which also it will.


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BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- China launched a national copyright monitoring website on Thursday, a step forward in the nation's crackdown on piracy.
The website, www.12426.cn, is managed by the Copyright Monitoring Center under the Copyright Society of China, providing identification, security monitoring, early warning and rights infringement solution services for registering copyright owners.
The website applies big data technology similar to fingerprint analysis, enabling it to quickly identify dubious content. It monitors various online terminals including PCs, mobile phone apps, smart TVs and live streaming platforms around the clock and has a professional team dealing with rights infringement offline.
The intellectual property rights (IPR) protection environment has remarkably changed in China, both from a legal perspective and in terms of technological application, said Yan Xiaohong, head of the Copyright Monitoring Center. He hopes the website can play a bigger role in IPR protection, especially in the protection of online IPR.
The website will not only serve the copyright owners, but will provide technological support for Chinese authorities' campaigns targeting online piracy, according to the center.


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Apple Store Opening at Massive American Dream Mall Outside New York City
Apple today announced it is opening a new retail store at the massive American Dream shopping mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Saturday, December 3, at 11 a.m. local time. The store is located around 10 miles outside Midtown Manhattan by car.
American Dream is the second-largest shopping mall in the U.S. behind the Mall of America in Minnesota. Opened in 2019, the three-million-square-foot shopping destination has several indoor attractions, including the Nickelodeon Universe amusement park, DreamWorks Water Park, a year-round indoor skiing and snowboarding resort, an NHL-sized ice skating rink, a burger restaurant owned by YouTube star MrBeast, and more.
The store features Apple's latest retail design, including a dedicated pickup area for orders placed on Apple's online store. Like other locations, the store will offer free Today at Apple creative sessions and Genius Bar appointments for hardware support.
Apple's grand opening date at American Dream was first spotted by Michael Steeber, who recently released an iPhone app tracking all of the company's retail locations.
Apple operates over 520 retail stores worldwide, including 11 other locations in New Jersey.
Top Rated Comments
I live my life one free sample at a time…


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The ice cream maker has supported the Black Lives Matter cause since 2016, and its latest message of support includes a strategic action plan.
The beverage giant experimented with digital activations during pandemic lockdowns, pointing to a greater focus on agility in the months ahead.
The chain shows solidarity with Black Lives Matters in the clip and pledges to donate to the National Urban League and the NAACP.
New research points to how programmatic may gain further steam in the months ahead as lockdowns ease and brands return to marketing.
Rapid digital-driven insights can help meet consumers' rising expectations in the COVID-19 era.


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Medal of Honour 4 revealed
Much to the surprise of, well, no one really - word of Medal of Honour 4 has slipped out in a recent EA financial briefing. MoH4 is being developed for unspecified consoles, and will be released in early to mid 2005. Details on the new game are scant, but we're hoping it'll be more to write home about than Rising Sun, which did little to further the series goodly reputation.
Pacific Assault, the latest PC addition to the series, may have been delayed too, possibly because of the luke-warm critical response to Rising Sun. EA are contending this view however, originally said to derive from the financial briefing - stating that Pacific Assault will be released on November 12th. Regardless, Medal of Honour 4 could be with us as early as March 2005, so we're certainly looking forward to more information on this soon.
In related EA news, the publisher has confirmed that the first Sims 2 expansion will be released during the first months of 2005, alongside a sequel to the popular Fight Night.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III is coming to the PS3 and Xbox 360 after all
- Tomonobu Itagaki's Devil's Third gets a release date
- Adr1ft is coming to PC and consoles at the end of the summer
- EA gives the new Mirror's Edge a name – Mirror's Edge Catalyst
- ZombiU PS4 and Xbox One port reportedly in the works
- Mike Bithell's Volume to be released this August
- Gearbox's new shooter Battleborn gets a pre-E3 trailer
- Steam Controller launches in October, Steam Machines arrive in November
- Gears Of War devs Black Tusk change their name to The Coalition ahead of E3


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Apple iPhones will soon use a USB-C charging port in order to comply with a common charger directive from the European Union.
The Council of the European Union approved a mandate Monday to require device makers to use a USB-C port starting in 2024. On Tuesday, Apple senior vice president of worldwide marketing Greg Joswiak said Apple will get on board.
“Obviously, we’ll have to comply,” he said at a tech conference held by the Wall Street Journal. “We’ve no choice.”
Joswiak said Apple is contentious over the new directive, more specifically how it was introduced and the restrictions it places on the company’s engineers.
Apple had a 31% share of the smartphone market in Europe in 2021, according to Statista. It was one of the leaders in the market along with chief competitor Samsung.
Joswiak did not indicate whether Apple would adopt USB-C charging ports for its products worldwide, but analyst speculate this is likely, according to CNBC.
There is no clear timetable on when new iPhones will include the charging port, other than it will be by the time the mandate takes effect. The popular mobile device currently uses a Lightning charger, which is exclusive to Apple products.
The mandate is meant to make purchasing and charging devices more convenient for consumers by making devices universally compatible. It will also reduce electronic waste. In 2020, EU consumers purchased an estimated 420 million devices and owned an average of three chargers per device. Still 38% of consumers ran into issues charging their products.
The common charger directive applies to products like mobile devices, headphones, tablets, digital cameras, gaming controllers and other wireless peripherals. Laptops will eventually be required to use a USB-C port as well.


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Do you want to show your undying loyalty (or, at least, $350 worth of loyalty) to your favorite NBA team? If so, you may want to check out Apple’s latest Beats brand launch. The new range offers its Studio3 wireless headphones in the colors of the top basketball teams.
Ahead of this weekend’s All-Star Game, Beats’ “NBA Collection” features its Bluetooth over-ear headphones in the appropriate colors and branding for six teams. These include the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Toronto Raptors.
Beats’ links to the sports world
This isn’t the first time Apple has offered sport-themed custom Beats headphones this year. Earlier this month, it debuted its Neymar Jr. Custom Edition of the Beats Studio3 wireless headphones. They were designed to celebrate the soccer star’s 27th birthday, and boast a black and white, graffiti-inspired design.
The Studio3 wireless headphones pack Apple’s W1 wireless chip for quick pairing, and offer up to 22 hours of battery life. Right now, the NBA line of headphones are exclusive to Apple. We wouldn’t be surprised if they make their way to other retailers in the near future, though.
Bests became the official headphone maker for the NBA back in late 2018. The deal makes it the official headphone, wireless speaker and audio partner of the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League and USA Basketball. Should these latest headphones prove a hit, hopefully it won’t be long before we see ones for the rest of the teams in the league.
What do you think of the new Beats headphones? Which other variants would you like to see Apple make? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.


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Loans and credit card holidays to be extended for 6 months amid second lockdown.
The latest emergency precautions are going to include payment breaks of up to 6 months on loans, online loans, credit cards, car finance, rent to own, buy-now pay later, pawnbroking and high cost short-term credit will be a fantastic help to student loans , payday loans and bad credit loans.
Millions of struggling households will have the ability to apply for additional assistance on the loans of theirs as well as debt repayments as a result latest coronavirus lockdown measures, the Financial Conduct Authority has announced.
This is going to include payment breaks on loans, credit cards, automobile finance, rent to own, buy-now pay-later, pawnbroking and high-cost short-term credit, the regulator said.
In a statement on Monday, the FCA said it's in talks to extend actions to allow for those who'll be influenced by current restrictions.
It will be followed by new steps for anyone struggling to go on with mortgage repayments later on Monday.
It comes as Boris Johnson announced a brand new national lockdown - which will include forced closures of all the non essential stores as well as companies from 00:01 on Thursday.
The government's furlough scheme - that had been due to end on October thirty one - will in addition be extended.
The FCA mentioned proposals will include allowing individuals who haven't yet requested a payment holiday to use for one.
This could be up to 6 months - while those with buy-now-pay-later debts will be able to ask for a holiday of up to six months.
But, it warned that this must simply be utilized in cases in which customers are not able to make repayments as interest will go on to accrue despite the so-called rest.
"To support those monetarily impacted by coronavirus, we will propose that consumer credit buyers who have not yet had a payment deferral under our July guidance is able to request one," a statement said.
"This could last for as much as 6 months unless it's obviously not in the customer's interests. Beneath our proposals borrowers that are now benefitting from a first transaction deferral under our July assistance would be ready to apply for a second deferral.
"For high-cost short term recognition (such as payday loans), customers would be in a position to apply for a payment deferral of one month in case they haven't currently had one.
"We will work with trade bodies and lenders on how to carry out these proposals as quickly as possible, and often will make an additional announcement shortly.
"In the meantime, consumer credit buyers should not contact the lender of theirs just yet. Lenders will provide info soon on what what this means is for their clients and how to apply for this assistance if our proposals are confirmed."
Anyone struggling to pay the bills of theirs must talk to their lender to talk about tailored help, the FCA said.
This can include a payment schedule or perhaps a suspension of payments altogether.
The FCA is also proposing to extend mortgage holidays for homeowners.
It is likely to announce a whole new six month extension on Monday, which would include things like freshly struggling households and those who actually are actually on a mortgage rest.
"Mortgage borrowers which already have benefitted from a 6 month payment deferral and are still experiencing payment difficulties must talk to their lender to agree tailored support," a statement said.
Eric Leenders, at UK Finance, which oversees the banking sector, said anybody concerned shouldn't contact the bank of theirs or building society simply yet.
"Lenders are delivering unprecedented levels of assistance to assist sales with the Covid 19 crisis & stand ready to give recurring assistance to those who are in need, such as:
- Wells Fargo Student Loans
- Quicken Loans
- AES Student Loans
- Rocket Loans
- Dicover Student Loans
- Wells Fargo Student Loans
- GreatLakes Student Loans
- Caliber Home Loans
- Nelnet Student Loans
"The industry is actually working closely with the Financial Conduct Authority to ensure customers impacted by the brand new lockdown measures announced the evening will have the ability to use the right support.
"Customers seeking to view this support do not need to contact the lenders of theirs yet. Lenders are going to provide information following 2nd November regarding how to apply for this support."


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January 13, 2016
Back in late November, we informed you of Volkswagen’s impending deadline to fix the engines of 2.0-liter diesel vehicles like the Volkswagen Golf TDI (pictured). Now the time has come for VW to deliver a diesel recall plan that would satisfy both the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In short, the verdict from the two agencies can be summarized thusly: too little, too late. According to an Automotive News report, CARB rejected Volkswagen’s diesel recall plan for the thousands of 2.0-liter diesel vehicles sold in the U.S. that had defeat devices installed in them to cheat emissions tests. Among the most significant of CARB’s several complaints against Volkswagen is that the German automaker didn’t send it a complete recall fix. In addition, VW apparently failed to provide CARB with the following: sufficient details about its diesel recall plan, specific information that would make its proposed repairs intelligible, and insight into how its recall would affect vehicle performance, emissions and safety. On the heels of its rejection of Volkswagen’s recall plan, CARB issued a Notice of Violation that detailed 13 of Volkswagen’s environmental faux pas. In its statement, CARB didn’t offer details of the diesel recall plan Volkswagen submitted. Regardless, CARB Chair Mary D. Nichols didn’t mince words when it came to indicting Volkswagen for its role in the diesel emissions scandal. “Volkswagen made a decision to cheat on emissions tests and then tried to cover it up,” said Nichols. “The result is thousands of tons of nitrogen oxide that have harmed the health of Californians. They need to make it right. Today’s action is a step in the direction of assuring that will happen.” The EPA seconded CARB’s objections with Volkswagen’s diesel recall plan. "EPA agrees with CARB that Volkswagen has not submitted an approvable recall plan to bring the vehicles into compliance and reduce pollution. EPA has conveyed this to the company previously," the agency said. For its part, Volkswagen said it has been in compliance with CARB and have “constructive discussions” with both them and the EPA. The automaker added the recall plan that CARB rejected was from December, inferring that VW bigwigs have another plan at hand. Volkswagen has until February 2 to submit its recall plans for its affected 3.0-liter diesel vehicles. As if this case wasn’t bizarre enough, there’s talk that disgraced former presidential candidate John Edwards will enter the fray. Reuters reports that Edwards, who has resumed his private law practice in North Carolina, would be interested in serving as lead attorney on behalf of the customers filing lawsuits against Volkswagen. Edwards cited his trial experience, knowledge of environmental regulations, and connection with global leaders as a few of his bona fides for the position. If nothing else, the presence of an ex-Democratic Vice Presidential nominee would further ratchet interest in this high-profile case. Sometime this month, Volkswagen chief Matthias Mueller is scheduled to meet with his counterpart with the EPA, Gina McCarthy, to discuss how the automaker will adhere to environmental regulations. As always, Auto Publishers will keep you up-to-date with the latest news with Volkswagen and the rest of the automotive world.


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As system-on-a-chip devices find their way into automotive electronics for advanced driver-assistance systems, the standard definition of excessive heat for such chips is changing, says Oliver King, chief technology officer of Moortec Semiconductor. "One thing that is interesting now with the growth in ADAS and infotainment sectors within automotive, is we are starting to see that even 125°C is not high enough," he says in this interview.
Toshiba introduced the TCK401G and TCK402G charge pump driver chips for applications in high-current mobile charging. When paired with n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors, the ICs can provide such safety functions as auto output discharge, inrush current reduction and overvoltage protection.
MC Chiu, chairman of Gudeng Precision Industrial, predicts the wafer fabrication facilities in China will meet the needs of the domestic electronics industry once they catch up to the technological prowess of wafer fabs around the world. China's foundries are now working on making chips with 28-nanometer features, while other chipmakers have progressed to the leading edge of 14nm, 10nm and 7nm chips.
University of Illinois at Chicago researchers report developing nanosheets coated in graphene oxide that may advance the creation of new lithium-metal batteries. Such batteries could hold up to 10 times the charge of lithium-ion batteries, if properly developed.
Eta Compute has come up with a system-on-a-chip platform IC with an Arm Cortex-M3 processor core and other elements for machine intelligence applications using neuromorphic computing technology. The chip is fabricated with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s 55-nanometer ultra-low-power process.
While extreme ultraviolet lithography continues to make progress toward becoming a production-worthy technology, stochastic effects are causing problematic variations in patterning chips, Mark LaPedus writes. Harry Levinson of GlobalFoundries says, "Looking ahead towards second-generation EUV lithography, resist stochastic effects are definitely one of the top concerns."
This is your very last chance to register for these upcoming JEDEC events in Santa Clara, Calif.:
- Mobile & IOT Forum -- March 26
- Memory System Tutorial -- March 27
- Tutorial on Memory Modules -- March 28
Registration ends at midnight EDT tonight -- register now!
China is honing its approach to boosting the domestic semiconductor industry while the annual SEMICON China trade show was held this week. "We should definitely focus on developing high-end chips including core processing units, field-programmable gate-array chips and also memory chips," said Ding Wenwu, president of the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, often called the "Big Fund."
Broadcom reported net income of $2.35 billion for the fiscal first quarter ended Feb. 4, compared with $1.63 billion a year earlier, while revenue rose 28%. Broadcom CEO Hock Tan expressed a willingness to pursue new acquisition targets in the wake of the failed Qualcomm bid, saying, "What I would say to this is we're open, we're open, we're open to looking at anything that helps."
ChipMOS Technologies reports chip-on-film production capacity will remain tight this year, while demand for NOR flash memory devices and niche-market DRAM chips will be strong in 2018. The company posted fourth-quarter net profit of $5.58 million, down 73.4% from a year ago due to Micron Technology reducing its orders, while net profit for the full year of 2017 almost doubled.


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Playtika Paying up to $300M to Acquire Innplay Labs
Posted on: September 15, 2023, 02:41h.
Last updated on: September 15, 2023, 03:02h.
Mobile games developer Playtika (NASDAQ: PLTK) announced today it is acquiring mobile gaming studio Innplay Labs for as much as $300 million.
The deal includes an upfront payment of $80 million, with the potential that the ultimate price paid for the target could be as much as $300 million. Like Playtika, Innplay is an Israel-based company. The latter is privately held.
The acquisition of Innplay Labs, our second transaction this quarter, represents another strategic expansion of our portfolio with a promising and innovative growth franchise in the Luck Battle genre, and presents another opportunity for us to further utilize our expertise in leveraging LiveOps and proprietary technology to drive sustained, long-term growth,” said Playtika CEO Robert Antokol in a statement.
Formerly a unit of Caesars Entertainment, Playtika is the developer of popular social casino games, including Bingo Blitz, Caesars Slots, Slotomania, and World Series of Poker (WSOP) Social, among others.
Playtika Acquisitive, but also Potential Target
While Playtika remains acquisitive, news of the Innplay Labs acquisition emerged about three months after reports surfaced indicating multiple private equity firms are evaluating takeovers of the Israeli gaming company.
It’s rumored that Advent International and CVC Capital Partners are the private equity firms that evaluated a deal with Playtika, but that hasn’t been confirmed. The company announced a strategic review, which could include a sale, in February 2022.
Making Playtika potentially attractive to prospective buyers is the opportunity to better monetize the gaming company’s offerings and boost monthly average user (MAU) engagement. Buyout shops could also be drawn to the growth prospects of social casinos and in-app business models.
Playtika and Angry Birds producer Rovio Entertainment scrapped merger talks earlier this year. While that transaction didn’t materialize, it underscores Playtika’s knack for dealmaking — an attribute affirmed by the Innplay Labs purchase.
What Playtika Gets with Innplay Labs
Innplay Labs is the studio behind well-known titles such as Animal Kingdom and Tiles of Fortune, indicating that Playtika is bolstering its content library and technological capabilities with the acquisition.
In the mobile gaming industry, content and technology are essential because those factors can boost the appeal of games to customers, potentially inducing more in-app purchases — an essential revenue stream for companies such as Playtika.
Some on Wall Street are optimistic about the future of select companies in this space. They note soaring in-app purchases, the catalyst of new game introductions, and expansion opportunities that aren’t currently reflected in share prices. It adds up to an industry that appears ripe for mergers and acquisitions activity.
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Despite some recent murmurs, Microsoft has reconfirmed that Halo 5: Guardians won't be coming to PC.
There is a big contingent of players who are quietly waiting for Halo to return to PC. The series hasn't been on the platform since Halo 2. That's a long time without the legendary FPS on the platform. There is a weird Forge mode offshoot on the Microsoft Store now, but it's not exactly an ideal game mode for playing the franchise. As for Halo 5 proper, we've had nothing thus far. There were some recent murmurs of a port being on the way too with an Amazon listing for the game, which featured cover images that changed from 'Xbox One Exclusive' to 'Xbox One Console Exclusive'.
Well, those hopes have now seemingly been dashed out. Speaking to CNET (via Destructoid), a Microsoft spokesperson said that a port ofthe game for PC wasn't incoming. In a statement to them stringing together evidence for the port, Microsoft said outright:
As we've shared previously, we do not have plans to launch Halo 5: Guardians on Windows 10 PC.
That seems pretty definitive. Not a lot of wiggle room left in there.
It's only a matter of time until we see Master Chief back on the platform, with Halo Infinite already confirmed for PC. Still, there is a long gap in the franchise's back-catalogue on PC which is a shame. Many still wonder if a Master Chief Collection could be on the way, but as of now, we just don't know. Perhaps this could be Microsoft just staying true to the letter of the word and a port of the game would come with a PC port of the Master Chief Collection, but that just might be too much wishful thinking.


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|Bid||10.52 x 36900|
|Ask||10.60 x 21500|
|Day's range||10.50 - 10.56|
|52-week range||9.63 - 15.42|
|Beta (5Y monthly)||1.65|
|PE ratio (TTM)||6.89|
|Earnings date||31 Jan 2024 - 05 Feb 2024|
|Forward dividend & yield||0.60 (5.67%)|
|Ex-dividend date||31 Oct 2023|
|1y target est||13.08|
GM looks to shift back into overdrive with investors.
You might think recent developments caused Warren Buffett to dump GM stock, but this graph shows otherwise.
The US government has announced new regulations that aim to keep Chinese batteries out of cars sold in the United States, a move that could push up the price of electric vehicles for American drivers.


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Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said efforts are being made to provide an online delivery platform to street food vendors on the lines of big restaurants.
After a virtual interaction with beneficiaries of the PM Street Vendors’ Aatmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme from Madhya Pradesh, Modi praised the state government for ensuring the scheme’s benefits to over lakh people and providing identity cards to over 4.5 lakh people (scheme beneficiaries) in just two months.
The Union government had launched the PM SVANidhi scheme on June 1 to help poor street vendors impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic resume livelihood activities.
“I congratulate those who are moving ahead with the SVANidhi Yojna. It is a big thing to provide benefits of the scheme to over one lakh street vendors and providing identity cards to over 4.5 lakh such people. Other states must take inspiration from Madhya Pradesh,” Modi said.
After his interaction with the street vendors, Modi in a televised address said, “A scheme has been prepared to provide an online platform to street food vendors by using technology. This means, the street food vendors will be able to make online delivery like big restaurants. Efforts are being made to provide this kind of facility.”
He told the street vendors that if they come forward, the government will take this effort further.
The prime minister also urged the street vendors to adopt the digital payment system on a large scale.


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Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against Johnson & Johnson for claims that its talc products cause cancer. These cases, alleging that Johnson & Johnson’s talc “baby powder” products contain cancer-causing asbestos, are backed by a widely understood link between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, and other cancers.
As reported by the New York Times in July, a Missouri jury awarded a group of 22 women $4.69 billion in a lawsuit alleging that asbestos in Johnson & Johnson talcum powder products was the cause of their ovarian cancer. The award included $550 million in compensatory damages and $4.14 billion in punitive damages against Johnson & Johnson. Though the company moved to overturn the verdict, that motion was denied, and the damages – both compensatory and punitive – were upheld, reinforcing one of the largest personal injury verdicts on record. The New York Times article indicated that “The company has said concerns about talc’s being linked to cancer are based on inclusive research.” However, recently released documents, examined by Reuters, tell a different story. According to Reuters, Johnson & Johnson was aware of the presence of asbestos in its talc products as early as 1957 when an outside lab consultation produced a report to the company making reference to the presence of naturally occurring asbestos. A second report in 1958 contained similar findings. More lab testing followed with more findings of asbestos in Johnson & Johnson products.
In 1976, for the first time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began limiting asbestos and was told by Johnson & Johnson that no asbestos had been detected in any sample of its talc products between 1972 and 1973. Recently produced documents examined by Reuters show that Johnson & Johnson had multiple lab reports showing positive asbestos findings, including one report showing “rather high” concentrations of asbestos. By the time lawsuits were filed against the company alleging that talc products caused cancer in plaintiffs, Johnson & Johnson had been covering up their knowledge of the contamination in their products for decades.
The World Health Organization has recognized asbestos, a carcinogen, in talc baby powder since 1987.
Evidence of the company’s knowledge of asbestos in its products seems clear. Exhaustive research has correlated asbestos exposure with cancer. But despite this, lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson have had mixed results. Though headlines favor stories like the billion-dollar verdict in Missouri, at least three juries in the United States have found in favor of Johnson & Johnson.
If you or someone you know developed ovarian cancer after regularly using John & Johnson’s talc-based baby power, you may have a case. Contact a SUGARMAN personal injury lawyer today. Fill out a Contact Form, call us at 617-542-1000 or email email@example.com.


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It’s not unusual for a game to be delayed, especially in recent times. Shadow Warrior 3 is joining the ranks of those being pushed back, but the news comes in a pretty funny manner.
The cheekily-named “Official 2022 Delay Trailer” does exactly what the name says. The action suddenly stops before protagonist Lo Wang can bring a hammer down on an enemy, as developers from Flying Wild Hog butt in to say that the game will be releasing next year.
Shadow Warrior 2 was also delayed in the past, a fact that’s played up in the trailer’s description. There’s no specific date listed for the third game beyond 2022, though the phrase “slight delay” is also present in the description. A launch within the first few months of the new year doesn’t seem like a stretch.
The trailer ends with the same platforms we previously knew about: the game is headed to PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. While those console versions could certainly be played on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, respectively, Flying Wild Hog hasn’t announced native current-gen versions as of this time.
Shadow Warrior 3 will continue Lo Wang’s story with tons of gun-and-katana action as he tracks down an ancient dragon and prevents yet another apocalypse. That’s pretty par for the course for these modern Shadow Warrior games. We’ll just have to wait until next year to jump in.