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Shopping online for groceries popular in Sweden
The online sales of food products in Sweden continues to grow strong. Last year sales increased by 38 percent compared to the previous year. Now more than one in five Swedes has bought groceries online in the past year.
The Svensk Digital Handel released its Digital Mathandel 2014 report and it shows that last year the online food industry in Sweden was worth 2.2 billion kronor (243 million euros). This represents a growth of 38% compared to the previous year. The main reasons for buying food online are “it’s convenient”, “there’s a wide product range available” and “it saves me time”. Of those who tried to shop for groceries online, three-quarters said they will buy food online again in the coming year. And seventy percent also said they would recommend buying food digitally to others.
Food online can be divided into three different categories, the Swedish trade organization writes: the full-sized grocery store, dinner solutions and stores that specialize in a particular product range. In previous years the dinner solutions have been the most popular among Swedish consumers, but last year it got outpaced by the digital grocery stores. Of those who have purchased groceries online, 43 percent said they have bought something in a full-sized online grocery store, while 36 percent said they bought dinner solutions online. According to Jonas Oqvall, CEO of Svensk Digital Handel, the growing popularity of full-size online grocery stores may be because of consumers become more accustomed to buy food online, so they increasingly but other food products too.
Further growth of the online food industry is something Jonas Oqvall, CEO of Svensk Digital Handel, expects to happen. “When the younger and more online shopping generation starts working and having a family, the online food trade will likely increase even more. But the industry faces a number of challenges, including logistics, presentation of goods and the customers’ willingness to feel the products before purchase. We need to work on this to see good results.”


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For the latest in mobile reviews and everything tech, visit
After weeks of rumors and leaks, Apple's apple arcade models are finally official. Apple has launched three new iPhone models – apple arcade, apple arcade Pro, and apple arcade Pro Max – alongside other products. In case you missed the launch event, this video captures all the highlights from Apple's special event.
Besides the new apple arcade models, Apple also launched its new 7th generation iPad (10.2-inch), Apple Watch Series 5, and announced pricing and other details about its Apple Arcade and Apple TV+ services.
Prices for Apple's new products in India:
📲 apple arcade: From Rs. 64,900
📲 apple arcade Pro: From Rs. 99,900
🎮 Apple Arcade: Rs. 99 per month
📺 Apple TV+: Rs. 99 per month
⚡ iPad 7th gen: From at Rs. 29,900
⌚ Apple Watch Series 5: From Rs. 40,990

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MWC 2018 this year will be without a number of high-profile Prime – its flagship it will not show any LG or Xiaomi, even more so HTC, and it is official. All hope was only on Samsung and Huawei, but the latter also decided to postpone the date of the screening of his new top-end R11.
Smartphone Huawei P11 (P20) will show the world already at the end of March, i.e. two months later, more precisely, 27.03.2018, and its presentation was held not in China. Emphasizing its desire to conquer the Old world and dissatisfaction with the ban of sales of its smartphones in the US, Huawei will hold a separate event in Paris, and it will show all versions of the model P11 or P20 with its name of the Chinese vendor is still not decided.
It is a true flagship in 2018, able to fight with new IPhones and the upcoming Samsung S9 and S9+. As for the Xiaomi Mi and OnePlus 7 6, the presentation of which is also in the offing, Huawei P11 (P20) im still not a competitor with similar features, this smartphone will surely cost significantly more in its top configuration. The main competitive advantage of the unit will be a triple main camera with 40-megapixel resolution.


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Shady Lane Cellars debuts Brio brand
According to the record-eagle,
A new brand in a new month deserves a new delivery method.
Shady Lane Cellars on July 1 launches Brio, a new brand for its label. It will mark the first time Shady Lane Cellars has released wine in a can.
“It’s fun and exciting for us,” Shady Lane Cellars General Manager Rick DeBlasio said of the second label. “We wanted to diversify the portfolio a little bit. It’s still 100 percent estate grown.
“This allows us to have something a little more fun, a little more whimsical.”
According to dictionary.com, the noun brio is defined as “vigor; vivacity.” DeBlasio said it was the perfect name for “cool climate wines.”
Read more at source: record-eagle


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Canon silently outs EOS M10 and PowerShot G5 X
Without any press release, Canon launches a new mirrorless camera and a compact camera through its US online store.
The Canon EOS M10 is a stripped-down version of the Japanese camera maker’s EOS M3. It is treated with a simpler body with an 18-megapixel sensor. That’s 6MP less than the M3, but has the same 25,600 max ISO, 49-point AF, 3-inch high-resolution touchscreen and 1080/30p video capability. And to further tone it down, they have to remove the electronic viewfinder (EVF).
Pricing and availability is not yet available, but three color options are already listed — black, white and gray.
Along with the M10, the PowerShot G5 X was also posted and it sports a 1-inch sensor with a 24-100mm zoom lens, f/1.8 aperture, DIGIC 6 image processor, Vari-angle touch panel and 2.36 million dot EVF. Unlike the M10, this compact camera is already available online for $799.


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Industrial production increased 0.6 percent in August, following a 0.1 percent drop in July. Over the past year, industrial production is up 0.4 percent (see top chart). The gain helped push capacity utilization up by 0.2 percentage points to 78.1 percent as capacity posted a 0.2 percent gain for the month.
The gain in industrial production was supported by increases in all three major sectors: manufacturing, mining, and utilities (see top chart). Manufacturing-sector output, which accounts for about 75 percent of total industrial production, rose 0.5 percent for the latest month, mining output (about 15 percent of output) was up 1.4 percent, and utility output (about 10 percent of total production) increased 0.6 percent.
Within manufacturing, durable-goods production rose 0.5 percent, matching the gain for nondurable-goods production. Leading the durable-goods production higher were machinery (up 1.6 percent), primary metals (up 1.3 percent), and nonmetallic mineral products (up 1.1 percent). On the downside, motor vehicle production posted a 1.0 percent decrease as unit assemblies fell to an 11.21 million-unit annual rate versus an 11.64 million pace last month.
From a year ago, durable-goods production is up a very modest 0.7 percent, with categories showing a nearly even mix of gains (6 industries have gains from a year ago) and losses (4 industries have declines from a year ago).
Among nondurable-goods producers, plastics and rubber posted the strongest gain, rising 2.6 percent, while apparel- and leather-products production fell 1.2 percent. Chemicals products and food products, the two largest segments, had partially offsetting results, with chemicals rising 1.1 percent and food production falling 0.1 percent.
Measured by market segment, consumer-goods production (about 28 percent of total production) rose 0.2 percent in August, with consumer durables down 0.2 percent and consumer nondurables up 0.3 percent. Business equipment (about 10 percent of production) rose 1.0 percent in August and is up 0.4 percent from a year ago. Within business equipment, the monthly gain was boosted by a 1.7 percent gain in industrial equipment. Construction supplies increased 0.9 percent for the month and is up 1.0 percent over the past year.
Material production (about 46 percent of output) increased 0.9 percent for the month and is up 0.6 percent from a year ago. The energy component has been a major source of volatility in this category, particularly following the collapse of energy prices in mid-2014. The non-energy component rose 1.3 percent for the month and is up 3.4 percent from a year ago.
Despite the gain in August, overall industrial production is up very modestly versus a year ago. Additional evidence of the weak condition of the industrial sector comes from the diffusion indexes of industrial production. These indexes measure breadth of gain across industries. The diffusion indexes are calculated as the percentage of series that increased over a certain time span (one, three, or six months) plus one-half the percentage that were unchanged. The diffusion indexes for August were all below 50 percent and have been weak for most of 2019 (see bottom chart).
The August report on industrial production provides further evidence that the sector remains weak. Though industrial output has been shrinking as a share of the economy for many years, the industrial sector remains significant. Persistent weakness represents a vulnerability for the overall economy.


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Looks are apparently on top of the shopping list of teenagers these days as many more of them seem to be opting for cosmetic surgery.
Ajay Kashyap, Cosmetic Surgeon at Apollo Hospital, revealed that he was seeing younger patients in high numbers these days. "I have seen a huge increase in the number of cosmetic surgery cases. Four years back, I had rounded about 80 cases, but now it is 120 cases a year," he said.
The pressure to look good and thrive in friends 'circle is a trigger for this rise in the number of teens opting to go under the knife to get that perfect nose or that perfect chin.
Furthermore the plethora of television channels popularizes a particular look and teens want to appear like their favorite Bollywood star or cricketer and they do not mind shelling out Rs.60, 000 and Rs.100, 000 for the same.
However experts have cautioned that it is not advisable to go for cosmetic surgery so early in life.


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Hispanic inclusion in corporate America lagged last year, particularly in three key areas — C-suite representation, talent development and supplier procurement — according to the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility’s 2023 Corporate Inclusion Index.
While Hispanics make up 18% of the U.S. workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they are overrepresented in nonexempt positions, which represent 73% of the Hispanic workforce according to HACR’s research.
Nonexempt positions often offer fewer benefits, limited autonomy and fewer advancement opportunities, which can stifle the ability of Hispanic workers to advance within companies.
“There’s no precise way to define success in the case of these things,” said Lisette Garcia, HACR chief research officer. “It’s more about ensuring that people feel engaged and committed and valued and that their voice matters, but that’s where benchmarking and doing these surveys matter.”
The corporate advocacy group’s annual report, which measures Hispanic inclusion in employment, procurement, governance and philanthropy, was provided exclusively to CNBC ahead of its wider release.
It includes data from 92 companies — many within the Fortune 500 — collected between January and April.
A key finding from HACR: The lack of representation typically begins right at the start of the pipeline.
While all companies that participated in the survey reported offering internship programs, only 13% of interns in 2022 identified as Hispanic.
Garcia clarified that number may in reality be higher since demographic data collection around interns isn’t always conducted.
While the vast majority of companies say they prioritize “mentorship” and “succession planning initiatives,” at 91% and 97% of respondents, respectively, almost one-third of companies said they do not have clearly defined goals or metrics to evaluate the success of internal talent development and program success.
“One way of combatting issues related to Hispanic inclusion in corporate America is investments in internship programs as a way of attracting new employees,” HACR noted in its report.
Hispanic representation on corporate boards was even more troubling, according to the findings. Just 7% of board seats at respondent companies were held by Hispanics according to HACR, and only 2% of seats were held by Latinas.
Almost half the companies surveyed had no Hispanic board directors.
As for supplier diversity, HACR found fewer than 1% of companies supplying to survey respondents were Hispanic in 2022, and just slightly more than 1% of total spend was with Hispanic-owned businesses.
Garcia also noted those results amount to best estimates, not perfect numbers, since companies aren’t required to collect demographic information for their supplier pool. She also shared in her research that the companies collecting this data and sharing their results are often those committed to leading the charge.
“Companies who really understand the value of this work for their business bottom line are going to be the ones that keep moving forward,” she said. “The sheer numbers of population growth and buying power tell us that companies aren’t going to really have a choice.”
While Hispanic inclusion lagged, HACR noted survey participation was up 12%, offering hope for future improvement.
“In spite of everything that’s happening in society at large with attacks on DEI work and attacks on marginalized people in the United States, we’re seeing companies be interested in benchmarking,” said Garcia.
“There’s this renewed interest in saying, ‘Hey, where am I? What do I need to do to get better,’ and for me, that’s all I need to hear.”
Disclosure: CNBC’s parent company Comcast is among the companies that participated in HACR’s annual survey.


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Temenos is a proud sponsor of Sibos taking place October 5th -8th, 2020 at the Boston Convention and Exhibitions Center in Boston, MA. Join us and thousands of senior decision makers and leaders from the global financial services and technology communities.
This year’s theme, driving the evolution of smart finance, along with three sub-themes, delivering digital value, responsible innovation, and banking for humanity, were recently announced. Participants will be encouraged to consider how the financial industry can make better decisions all around by running smarter businesses and enhancing available technology and data. Be a part of the conversation, secure your spot at the event.


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TVS Motor Company is all set to launch a new product today and this is one of the rarest times when there is very little idea about what the upcoming product will be. However, as per our sources close to the development, the new offering will be a 110cc commuter motorcycle and its styling will be unlike any other TVS bike till date. While some reports on the internet are suggesting that the new TVS motorcycle will be called the Radeon, we do not think that this will be the case. The new TVS 110cc motorcycle will come with a radical design language so that it can appeal more to the buyers, especially the younger ones. With that being said, expect the styling of the bike to be different than the rest of the commuters in the company’s line up like the TVS Victor, TVS Star City Plus and TVS Sport.
Watch our TVS Apache RTR 160 4V vs Honda X-Blade comparison review video here:
One interesting thing to note here is that the upcoming 110cc TVS motorcycle will get features like navigation and smartphone connectivity. The latest offering by TVS in the 125cc automatic scooter segment, Ntorq already gets the said features and hence, the said bits are already at the company’s disposal. One can also expect the bike to come with a semi-digital instrument cluster as such units are rapidly being implemented even on mass-market offerings. Also, expect the motorcycle to get twin pilot lamps and an LED tail lamp along with clear lens turning winkers for a more premium feel.
This will definitely give TVS an edge over its rivals as such features are currently not a common sight on budget-centric motorcycles in India. As far as pricing goes, the new TVS 110cc motorcycle is expected to be priced close to Rs 50,000 (ex-showroom) and will challenge the likes of Hero Splendor 110 and Honda CD 110 Dream. More details on the new TVS motorcycle will be out very soon so stay tuned with us!


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Tensions in the Black Sea, recent attacks on ships in the Red Sea affecting the Suez Canal and the impact of climate change on the Panama Canal were highlighted by UNCTAD as particular concerns for global trade.
Last year, the Panama Canal Authority restricted the number of ships allowed to cross the shipping route each day after low rainfall. UNCTAD explained the canal, which is a “pivotal conduit for global trade”, has seen a 36% reduction in total transits in the past month compared to a year ago.
The UN’s trade and development body said the long-term implications of climate change on the canal’s capacity raises concerns about possible impacts on global supply chains.
Several shipping companies have been forced to reroute ships following attacks on vessels in the Red Sea in recent months. UNCTAD estimates that weekly transits going through the Suez Canal decreased by 42% over the last two months.
UNCTAD warned these recent events highlight just how crucial maritime transport is, with 80% of the global movement of goods taking place via ship.
These ongoing issues are also leading to increased costs, with the average container spot freight rates during the last week of December 2023 increasing by $500 in one week. UNCTAD said this was the highest-ever weekly increase.
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UNCTAD added that container shipping spot rates from Shanghai increased by 122% this week, compared to early December 2023. The rates from Shanghai to Europe have more than tripled and rates to the US have also increased 162%, although they do not pass through the Suez Canal.
The organisation said this shows the global impact of the crisis, as ships seek alternative routes to avoid the Suez and Panama canals.
As well as increasing costs, extended cargo travel also increases greenhouse gas emissions, particularly as ships are often forced to travel faster to compensate for lengthy detours, which burns more fuel per mile.
As it takes time for freight costs to impact prices, UNCTAD has estimated that consumers will start to see higher costs for goods to reflect the current crisis in a year’s time.
UNCTAD warned that developing countries are particularly vulnerable to disruptions and said it is monitoring the situation.
It added: “The current challenges underscore trade’s vulnerability to geopolitical tensions and climate-related challenges, demanding collective efforts for sustainable solutions especially in support of countries more vulnerable to these shocks.”


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Three Creatives Who Are World References Will Be at Sitges Next
The Festival, to be held on November 10th and 11th, announces the first speakers and will be finalizing its lineup over the next few days
Edu Pou, Jorge Calleja and Jordi Pont are the first names that have been confirmed for Sitges Next 22, to be held on November 10th and 11th and that will bring together a complete and diverse roster of leading creatives in innovation. The Festival is currently finalizing its lineup, curated by Enric Nel-lo.
Sitges Next’s lineup will be structured around presentations, dialogues and testimonials of success stories by well-known professionals from different communication disciplines, who will be addressing different thematic fields: strategies, campaigns, brands, technological applications, creativity, agencies -both global and indie- and new realities.
The first three confirmed speakers fit these profiles. Edu Pou is currently a founding partner of Metacampus and an international role model who has worked for global brands in a number of campaigns considered to be benchmarks in innovation for Samsung, Netflix, Toms, Toyota and Pepsi. He first started working in Barcelona and before arriving in Australia, he worked for prestigious agencies including Wieden+Kennedy, in Amsterdam, Here Be Dragons, in New York, and We Are Social Australia, in Sydney. He is co-author of the book La interrupción/Interruption (Deusto).
Jorge Calleja is the CCO of Meta Reality Labs. He previously worked as CCO at Crispin Porter Bogusky in Los Angeles, global creative director of Coca-Cola for W+K, global creative director at TBWAMedia Arts Lab and The Martin Agency, as well as vice president of marketing at Blizzard Entertainment.
Jordi Pont is EMAE senior creative director at Nike International, where he has developed global campaigns for Nikebasketball, NikeWomen and Nikefootball. Previously he directed global counts for Booking.com and Heineken from W+K Amsterdam.
Sitges Next is the festival dedicated to promoting innovation in the communication of brands, agencies, start-ups and technological creators. It’s two days to establish connections, receive input and inspiration, with the objective of making an important contribution to the transformation of the way we will be communicating over the upcoming years. The Sitges Mercat (Old Market), the Maricel Palace and the Stämpfli Foundation will be the three Sitges Next 2022 venues.


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Sales of valves to meet the requirements of the pharmaceutical, food and other life science industries in 2015 will exceed $3.4 billion worldwide, according to a report by the McIlvaine Company.
Traditionally, Europe and the U.S. have been the biggest markets for pharmaceutical valves, the report says. However, rapid construction of generic manufacturing facilities in India and China, along with a general trend to build manufacturing facilities near the markets they serve, is creating a shift toward Asia.
Much of the growth in food processing is also in Asia where there is growth in production, as well as a greater concern for contamination. This increases the average sales price per, valve as more expensive materials of construction and more expensive designs are needed, the report says.
The food industry also has a need for valves, which can withstand the higher temperatures associated with safe processing.
The market for valves for municipal drinking water plants in 2015 will be more than $3.8B. However, these valves are not designed to the high sanitary levels required of valves in the life sciences.
The life sciences segment of the valve market has grown more steadily and at a higher rate than the general valve segment, the report says.
For more valve-related news and products, go here.


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New DACHSER branch in Finland begins operations
DACHSER recently began operations at a new logistics terminal in Finland. In opening its first cross-dock facility in Kerava in the greater Helsinki region, the logistics provider is expanding its services on the Finnish market.
For a sustainable society: More and more NGOs are taking action around the world
In the course of globalization, internationally networked non-governmental organizations or NGOs are playing an increasingly important role. DACHSER’s partnership with children’s aid organization terre des hommes demonstrates how a company can support an NGO over the long term.
Craft food trend requires suitable logistics concepts
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the demand for craft food has increased significantly. Throughout Europe, more and more consumers are attaching importance to sustainably produced food, produced in small manufactories and not by large industrial companies. A trend that requires dedicated logistics experts.
DACHSER adds new Neumünster location to its network
DACHSER has opened a new branch in Neumünster, Germany. Operations in the logistics center’s transit terminal began on August 31 and have since been gradually expanded. In early October, it began handling refrigerated food. DACHSER invested some EUR 17.4 million in the new location, which serves large parts of the Schleswig-Holstein region.
DACHSER CorporateShow more
DACHSER expands at its Überherrn location
DACHSER puts a second contract logistics warehouse and new office space into operation at its Überherrn location. This expansion increases the location’s contract logistics capacity to 62,000 sqm, with space to house a total of 110,000 pallets.
New location for DACHSER in Freiburg
DACHSER has acquired some 65,000 m2 of real estate in the Breisgau industrial park in Eschbach, a town near Freiburg, Germany. In August 2018, the logistics provider will start construction on a new logistics center, which will include a transit terminal with a total area of 6,117 m2 and 82 docking bays, plus a two-story office building. Completion of construction and the subsequent move are planned for mid-2019.
Brexit checklist - what should you watch out for?
What should DACHSER customers pay attention to in the case of a hard Brexit?
Delays when it comes to border crossing would be a major challenge in the case of a hard Brexit - the other would be the new bureaucratic burden of goods traffic with Great Britain. First and foremost, longer waiting times through border controls and customs clearance of all goods should be expected under WTO rules. For companies that send shipments to and from the UK, we have summarized them in our Brexit checklist that can be downloaded below:
DACHSER announces Executive Board for the future
After 31 years of close cooperation in operational management positions at DACHSER, CEO Bernhard Simon and his deputy Michael Schilling, COO Road Logistics, will join the logistics provider’s Supervisory Board in 2021, with Bernhard Simon becoming its chairperson. Burkhard Eling, who joined the DACHSER Executive Board as CFO in 2013, will become the new CEO of the family-owned company on January 1, 2021.
Johnston Logistics to become DACHSER Ireland
Two years ago, DACHSER acquired a majority share in Irish logistics company Johnston Logistics Ltd. The process of fully integrating it into the DACHSER network is now nearing completion with the rebranding and associated name change to DACHSER Ireland Ltd. DACHSER made the official announcement today at the transport logistic trade fair in Munich.
New Managing Director for DACHSER European Logistics Iberia
Celestino Silva will take over as Managing Director of DACHSER’s European Logistics (EL) Iberia business unit. He succeeds Juan Quintana, who has opted to leave the company to pursue new professional opportunities.
DACHSER expands branch in Czech Republic
DACHSER Czech Republic has signed a contract for a new warehouse and administration building for its branch in Ostrava. The overall surface area is 3.900 square metres. Twenty new jobs will be offered in the extended branch. DACHSER plans to move to the new premises in the middle of the summer holidays.
DACHSER named one of Germany’s most successful logistics brands
LOGISTIK HEUTE and BVL have awarded DACHSER second place in the “Road transport services” category.
DACHSER pursues sustainable growth
DACHSER posted substantial growth once again in 2018. The logistics provider increased its consolidated net revenue by 5.5 percent to EUR 5.57 billion. As they did last year, shipment numbers increased, rising by 2.5 percent to 83.7 million; tonnage rose 3.0 percent to 41.3 million metric tons. With 30,609 employees in total, up 1,511 from the preceding year, DACHSER’s workforce reached a record high.
DACHSER Air & Sea Logistics launches operations in Sweden
DACHSER Air & Sea Logistics enters the Swedish market and now has an office for air and sea freight in Gothenburg.


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While the U.S. gave Huawei a 90-day reprieve, allowing American businesses to keep selling specific products to the Chinese firm, it also added more affiliates of the...Technologyread more
The attacks come after state and local ransomware attacks in New York, Louisiana, Maryland and Florida resulted in the loss of significant sums.Technologyread more
United States Steel Corp will temporarily lay off hundreds of workers at its Great Lakes facility in Michigan in coming weeks, according to a filing the steelmaker made with...US Marketsread more
While Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam painted a bleak picture of the city's economy, she expressed hope that dialogue with protesters could provide "a way out."China Politicsread more
China's pursuit of the Middle East may spur growth in the Islamic finance sector.World Economyread more
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U.S. President Donald Trump and his former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci have had a public falling out recently.Politicsread more
The report comes as Trump in recent days has lashed out over media reports about growing recession fears.Politicsread more
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Stocks are bouncing higher but could be trapped in a range longer term, until there's a resolution of the trade wars.Market Insiderread more
Stocks in Asia mostly traded higher Tuesday afternoon as minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia's July meeting were released. The People's Bank of China also published its...Asia Marketsread more
Sears Holdings said Monday it has formed a special committee to independently review a proposal from CEO Eddie Lampert's hedge fund, ESL Investments, to buy some assets from the department store chain.
The company said it's initiating a "formal process" to explore the sale of the Kenmore brand, its Parts Direct business and portions of Sears' Home Improvement division.
Sears' stock was up about 6 percent Monday, trading around $3.60 a share, after jumping more than 14 percent on the news.
The company added that it's considering "other alternatives ... that may maximize value" for Sears.
In ESL's proposal sent to Sears last month, the hedge fund said it would also consider making a bid for some of the retailer's real estate assets. Sears has shuttered hundreds of stores over the years to raise cash to fund operations and put money into its pension plan.
Lampert has said his goal is to get Sears back to profitability by running an "asset light" business. The retailer's sales have been declining at a double-digit percentage for consecutive quarters.
Sears said Monday it won't comment further about any asset sales "until it determines that additional disclosure is appropriate." Lampert has said he won't take part in any discussions or decisions that involve ESL as a buyer.
Sears' special committee has retained Centerview Partners as its investment banker and Weil, Gotshal & Manges as legal counsel.
As of Friday's market close, Sears Holdings' shares were down about 65 percent from a year ago.


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News at the conference focused on solutions that will allow developers to monetize the three biggest opportunities converging in the technology world today mobile, social and local. These solutions include new tools for mobile payments and a new digital goods solution that allows consumers to pay for media, music and games in just two clicks.
At the conference, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg announced that Facebook will use PayPal to pay its developer community and adopt PayPals new solution for digital goods to make purchases on Facebook.
PayPal for Digital Goods
PayPal X now provides an online checkout solution designed for digital goods. PayPal for Digital Goods allows consumers to check out in as little as two clicks without being forced to leave their gaming, video, news, music or any other digital experience mid-session. The solution leverages PayPals pricing for micropayments just 5 cents plus 5 percent of the transaction.
PayPal Embedded Payments
Addressing a key developer request, PayPal X now provides an online checkout solution for physical goods without having to leave a merchants app or website. Consumers can create a PayPal account, view payments details, choose a shipping address and approve the payment without being redirected to PayPal, creating a better customer experience and increased customer retention for developers. FundRazr and PayPal Innovate 2009 alumni developer Payvment are early adopters of this new checkout solution. Delivering this product is part of the promise PayPal made at Innovate 2009 to dedicate 30 percent of its product roadmap to requests from the developer community.
PayPal is introducing the beta test of PayPal Apps, which will allow developers to embed applications directly on the PayPal website. PayPal Apps will include services such as small business tools, buyer and seller tools for eBay, and new enhanced ways for consumers to move money electronically. Bill.com, CreditKarma, Expensify, Freshbooks, Shipwire and Zuora are already building apps into PayPal.com. Developers attending Innovate were given exclusive access to the beta test, and it will be available to a broader audience next year.
PayPal Business Payments
PayPal is introducing PayPal business payments, a fast, secure method for sending and receiving payments for a flat 50 cent fee. The pricing is designed to lower overhead, reduce invoicing costs, and accelerate expense reimbursements for business services such as payroll, disbursement and rental payments. Early partners using PayPal business payments include Bill.com, Expensify, Freshbooks, Harvest, Plastic Jungle, and Zoho, among others.
VeriFone announced that it plans to integrate PayPal into its merchant iPhone app and secure credit/debit card reader. PayPals Mobile Express Checkout product is now available for merchants, helping them deliver a fast, two-click checkout experience on a mobile device. PayPal also unveiled new functionality and enhancements to the Mobile Payments Library, and introduced PayPal for Mobile 3.0, its latest iPhone app with location-based features.


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Kramer unveils latest new models
By Helen Wright20 October 2014
German manufacturer Kramer, part of the Wacker Neuson group, has presented new telescopic handlers and wheeled loaders at a dealer and customer event at is factory in Pfullendorf, Germany.
New machines included additions to the company’s 5 Series economy all-wheel drive compact wheeled loader range. The new 5075, 5085, 5085T (where ‘T’ signifies a telescopic boom) and 5095 models featured bucket capacities from 0.75 m3 to 0.95 m3, boasting 55 kW engines that Kramer said offered 17% higher torque than previous models.
The Kramer 5 Series comprised seven models in total with bucket sizes from 0.35 m3 to 0.95 m3. A new cabin layout has also been developed across the range with a greater emphasis on comfort and ergonomics. Kramer said the new wheeled loaders would be available from March 2015.
Karl Friedrich Hauri, Kramer managing director, said the 5 Series machines were particularly well-suited to the rental market, with their simplified and robust designs.
“The Rental market is a very important customer segment for us,” he said. “It is also a growing customer segment, with different growth trends in terms of machinery depending on national cultures. The trend is for growth in both Eastern and Western Europe.”
The manufacturer also introduced its new premium series of wheeled loaders - formerly the 80 series, and now known as the 8 Series – which featured seven models from the 8075 (with a 0.75 m3 bucket capacity) to 8115 (1.15 m3).
The smallest 8075 premium model was powered by a 35 kW Yanmar engine, while the six larger models – the 8085, 8085T, 8095, 8095T, 8105 and 8115 were equipped with a 55 kW Deutz engine.
Kramer said around 10% lower fuel consumption could be achieved with this engine, compared to its previous set-up, as well as 17% higher torque.
The premium line machines offered high-performance Powerflow hydraulics as an option, as well as optional all-wheel, front-wheel or crab steering.
Meanwhile, the manufacturer’s latest telescopic handlers were also presented. These included the new 3007 and 3507 telehandlers with lifting heights of up to 7 m and payloads of 3 tonnes and 3.5 tonnes, and the new 4407, 5507 and 5509 models with lifting heights from 7 m to 9 m and payloads from 4.3 tonnes to 5.5 tonnes.
Kramer said the new models boasted all-wheel steering, among many other features, with tight turning radii from 3.75 m to 4.35 m.
Stage IIIB flexibility
All the new wheeled loaders and telescopic handlers met EU Stage IIIB exhaust emissions laws – the regulations that started coming into force in 2012.
A new set of even stricter off-highway diesel exhaust emissions laws, known as Stage IV, started to come into force at the beginning of 2014, but Mr Hauri said the company was taking advantage of European flexibility allowances to introduce the its new Stage IIB machines.
These legal provisions allowed manufacturers to continue to place a certain number of machines powered by older engines on the market.
“We are using the flexibility rules,” Mr Hauri said. “The emissions laws have placed a lot of strain on manufacturers – an enormous capital drain. The flexibility laws mean that we don’t have to offer Stage IV machines straight away.”


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Albert Heijn to combat food waste with "dynamic discounts"
Supermarket chain Albert Heijn plans to step up its fight against food waste with a new system called "dynamic discounts". This involves an electronic price tag that gives customers a bigger and bigger discount the closer a product comes to its sell-by date, NOS reports.
Over the past year, Albert Heijn threw away 1 percent of unsold products because they exceeded their expiry date. That amounts to 63 million kilograms of wasted food. The supermarket chain hopes that the dynamic discounts system can help reduce this.
An experiment with dynamic discounts started in an Alberth Heijn branch in Zandvoort on Tuesday. Customers of this store will see electronic price tags on perishable goods, which will show a product's original price and its discounted price. The closer the product gets to its sell-by date, the higher the discount.
The system automatically calculates the best discount, between 10 and 60 percent, based on various factors including the weather conditions, the stock of the product in the store, the historical sales trend, and whether the product is on sale.
The experiment in the Zandvoort store will last two months. If the technology works well, and customers respond positively to it, Albert Heijn will role it out to more stores.
Throwing away food has long been a thorn in the eye of supermarkets trying to be more sustainable. But it is a difficult problem to solve, according to Albert Heijn. "Do you sell 'no' to someone who still wants to buy fresh bread at 7:30 p.m., or do you still have it on the shelves with the chance that you won't sell it?
For this experiment, Albert Heijn is working with Wasteless, originally an Israeli startup that is now active around the world in the field of dynamic pricing. "The first results we now have from a supermarket chain in Italy where they work with our algorithm are promising: with products with this form of pricing, we see a turnover increase of 25 percent and 89 percent less food waste", Ralph de Vries, responsible for Wasteless' Dutch activities, said to NOS.


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AN AUDIT by KPMG of Portugese financial giant Espirito Santo International (ESI) has found it is in a “serious financial condition”.
In a US regulatory filing by its affiliate Banco Espirito Santo, details are revealed about the parlous financial condition of its parent. A review of ESI’s financial statements for 30 September 2013 and 31 December 2013 by KPMG found irregularities in its accounts.
The audit committee of Espirito Santo Financial Group (which owns a share of Banco Espirito and is itself part-owned by ESI) also identified irregularities in ESI’s accounts.
While Banco Espirito stated that it was not responsible for ESI’s problems, it accepted that it might face reputational damage as a result.
Debt from ESI had previously been sold to ESFG and subsequently onto Banco Espirito clients, a move that, while not illegal, had prompted the audit.
Banco Espirito CEO Ricardo Salgado had sat on ESI’s board until March.
MHA MacIntyre Hudson has partnered with cloud accounting software provider Xero ahead of the government’s requirement for digital records
Smaller businesses could be excluded from government plans for making business transactions digital, found new research from ICAEW
The second largest improvement in ‘significant’ levels of financial distress since the EU Referendum was in professional services, found research from Begbies Traynor
Further powers are being sought by HMRC, but it is ‘failing’ to use those it already has, such as Conduct Notices, says RPC


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University of Michigan researchers has examined the effect of exercise on fat accumulation in a new study involving five obese women. In one session the women overate and did not exercise; in a follow-on session they overate and did exercise.
Researchers found that:
* the body’s fat-burning oxidation rate was reduced after one day of overeating;
* conversely, just one session of exercise increased the rate of fat-burning oxidation; and
* exercise increased the amount of fat that would eventually be stored in the muscle.
The findings indicate that even one bout of exercise helps to reduce the fat by-products inside the muscle, which affects the insulin sensitivity. The findings also suggest that a single session of exercise ‘steers’ muscle fat towards oxidation, thereby avoiding the accumulation of fat by-products.
With 24 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes and 10.5 million of those (44%) who report they do not have it under control, and 5.7 million (24%) donâ€™t even know they have it yet, improved patient education seems like a critical first step to impacting the dire predictions for worldwide diabetes cases.
Dealing With Diabetes
Experts have predicted that by 2025, the number of people with diabetes will have increased by 20 per cent within Europe, 80 percent within Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern populations and 80 percent within the African patient population(1). Diabetes specialists and patients agree that improved education for healthcare professionals and patients could, however, reduce both the financial and personal impact of diabetes on our society.
Chronic inflammation has been linked to a host of health issues including prostate cancer. New research suggests a significant correlation between use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen and reduced serum levels of the prostate biomarker, PSA (prostate specific antigen), making early detection of prostate cancer somewhat more risky.
A new twist on science class projects has students reevaluating their food preferences and ultimately their choices. Check out the story,
Will Work For Food
After seeing the impacts of eating genetically engineered junk foods first hand, Consumer’s Union says it’s “incomprehensible” that the FDA will not require labeling of genetically engineered animals that are sold as food.
We can’t seem to keep salmonella or downer cows out of our food supply. What makes it ok to experiment on us without our consent?
Chicago (September 16, 2008)
A five-star restaurant might be out of the question, but a nice bottle of wine at home? Definitely. In spite of or maybe because of tough economic times, many Americans are clinging to their smallest, most indulgent pleasures.
“Chocolate, cigarettes and alcohol again seem relatively recession-proof,” comments Marcia Mogelonsky, senior analyst at Mintel. “People might be cutting back or switching to store-brands, but they definitely aren’t giving up their small daily indulgences.”
Mogelonsky points out that most Americans can still afford chocolate, cigarettes and alcohol, no matter how much their finances have been cut. “Because people are being so cautious with their spending, they feel they are entitled to small rewards and they won’t give them up easily.”
The sweet tooth does not seem to be connected to the finance bone. Mintel shows the chocolate market growing quickly, with retail sales rising 22% from 2002 to 2007 (to $16.3 billion). Innovative, dark and premium chocolates are extremely popular, so Mintel expects Americans to continue indulging in this favorite treat. The market research firm predicts 4% annual sales increases each year for the next six years.
A common vice, many smokers aren’t kicking the habit, even as prices continue to rise and health warnings abound. Cigarette and tobacco product sales increased 44% from 2003 to 2007 (to $103 billion) according to Mintel. As price and tax increases continue to take hold, Mintel projects that the cigarette and tobacco market will grow 28% through 2011 (to $132 billion).
World's Most Expensive Cigarette
Motivated by high gas prices and expensive bar tabs, more Americans are opting to drink at home. But that doesn’t mean they’re drinking less. New research from Mintel reveals the market for at-home alcohol is expected to reach $77.8 billion in 2008, a 32% increase from 2003. Mintel expects both in-home and out-of-home alcohol sales to rise steadily in coming years.
History seems to be repeating itself, as the “sinful” chocolate, cigarette and alcohol markets remain steady and robust. Mintel notes a sharp contrast to other food, beverage and leisure categories, which struggle as gas prices rise and the economy stumbles.
How Much Is One Drink?
So, how much is “one” drink anyway?


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Sharpie is "highlighting" its writing tools lineup with its latest back-to-school item.
Land O'Lakes has expanded its line of butter products with a cinnamon sugar butter spread.
A line of frozen meals that caters to the nutrition needs of people living with diabetes has arrived at stores nationwide.
Peet’s Coffee & Tea is bringing its Peet’s Café Solano and Peet’s Café Domingo to grocery stores.
Nail care brand Orly wants beauty mavens to fly away from ordinary nails in fall 2011 with dazzling metallic and sophisticated neutral lacquers gathered in one collection — Birds of a Feather.
Barista Bath and Body, a natural line of coffee-based bath and skin care products, is targeting men with its new four-step, coffee-based men's shave system.
NeoStrata, which markets and develops therapeutic and cosmetic dermatological products, is aiming to supercharge skin care with four new targeted serums available at Ulta and select online beauty retailers.
Dr. Fresh has announced the introduction of its new pink Barbie rotary toothbrush, the newest cousin to the manufacturer’s popular FireFly light-up toothbrush.
In an effort to bring faster relief to the millions of consumers who suffer from tooth sensitivity, Colgate-Palmolive has developed the new Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief toothpaste.
Beech-Nut has introduced purees co-branded with Mott's applesauce.


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University expert set to help businesses protect themselves from cyber criminals at free event
The media’s go-to expert when it comes to cyber crime will be offering his advice to businesses looking to protect themselves from attacks.
Whenever there’s a high-profile cyber attack, Dr Mils Hills, who is the University of Northampton’s Associate Professor of Corporate Security, becomes in demand with news organisations like the BBC, who want an independent insight into the crime.
He also blogs regularly on the subject via the Huffington Post – here’s one he wrote in June about the WannaCry ransomeware attack on the NHS.
Dr Hills, pictured, will be presenting at a free event hosted by the University in September, which aims to help businesses to protect themselves from cyber attacks.
He said: “Businesses know their organisations better than anyone else. We aim to provide intelligence, hints, tips and confidence that they can enhance their cyber resilience in terms of proactive and reactive measures.”
Last year, the Federation of Small Business found two-in-three small businesses had been a victim of cyber-crime at a cost of around £3,000 each. Recent high-profile ransomware attacks on the NHS and Parliament have highlighted the degree of damage that can be caused by hackers, as well as highlighting steps which could have prevented some of the harm they caused.
The event, which is being held in partnership with Northamptonshire Growth Hub and the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner, will provide a number of updates, as well as interactive sessions around how businesses can take steps to protect themselves.
Topics covered include the national cyber threat landscape from the National Cyber Security Centre, the support available to organisations, self-help for businesses to test and prepare for cyber risks and cyber incident prevention and response.
Workshops will also take place during the event, which takes place at the University’s Park Campus on Friday 8 September, 8.15am to midday.
Attendees can book their place by emailing email@example.com, or via the website.


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Amazon Prime Day Moved To Beginning Of Fall
We gotta admit that Amazon Prime hasn't been the best lately because there hasn't been 2-day shipping. It's all good though because we know its all due to the circumstances. If you are looking forward to going on a shopping spree on Prime Day just a heads up it is not happening in July this year. According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon is looking to have Prime Day during the fall, in September to be specific.
We learned from The Wall Street Journal that the reason Amazon is moving Prime Day to the fall is that they are trying to rebuild after the pandemic and be in better shape to have quick deliveries. It's also been mentioned that it will take Amazon a few months to be able to be back to speed with "ultrafast" shipping but they are getting there little by little.
If you have an Amazon Prime account but you aren't really sure what Prime Day is, don't worry you're not alone a lot of people don't know what it is. Prime Day is kind of like Black Friday or Cyber Monday for Amazon Prime subscribers. It is a two-day sale, usually in July, where you can find multiple items at very low prices.
It was also mentioned on The Wall Street Journal that Amazon has seen a good amount of competition during this pandemic. Some of the competition came from Walmart that saw a 4% increase while Amazon had a 29% income fall.
We will be honest, we are looking forward to Prime Day because lately, we have heard that big stores that have opened up after the pandemic have had HUGE discounts on great products.


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LivingSocial Inc., the second- biggest provider of online daily deals, is cutting about 400 staff across most of its divisions to reduce costs, according to a person with knowledge of the matter and media reports.
Eric Eichmann, president of the international business unit, is also leaving, said the person, who asked not to be named as the information is not public.
Most of the affected staff were to be informed Wednesday, the person said. The company has more than 4,500 employees, according to its website.
LivingSocial is using job cuts to help it cope with the slump in demand for online coupons that has resulted in losses and forced part owner Amazon.com Inc. to write down the value of its 29 percent stake. Groupon Inc., the leader in online coupons, is suffering too.
Amazon reported a third-quarter charge of $169 million related to its stake in LivingSocial. The online retailer had invested $175 million in the coupon service in 2010.
Andrew Weinstein, a spokesman for Washington-based LivingSocial, declined to comment yesterday on the cuts. Eichmann did not respond to a request for comment.
The job cuts were previously reported by the Washington Business Journal.


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Nokia’s first new phone in yonks, the Nokia C1, has leaked in photos. So what specs and features can we expect from the C1 when it launches in 2016?
Nokia C1: Design
The Nokia C1 looks like a neat and attractive mid-range smartphone, with a metallic backing that stretches around the edge of the handset, right to the rim. That silver backing and edging reminds us of old Huawei phones and also a scaled-down Nokia N1 tablet, which is hitting the UK imminently. The Nokia C1’s 5-inch screen stretches nicely from edge to edge, with chunky bezels above and below the display.
Nokia C1: Specs and features
That 5-inch screen is expected to sport Full HD visuals and we’d hope for nothing less, now that phones like the Voda Smart Ultra 6 come packing 1080p visuals. It looks like Android 6.0 is on board from the screenshots, although that will likely be updated by the time the Nokia C1 is officially launched.
There’s also word that the Nokia C1 packs an Intel Atom processor, which is fine by us – the Atoms are power-efficient and more than capable of running the latest mobile games.
So far that’s all we know, with other details very thin on the ground.
Nokia C1: UK price and release date
The Nokia C1 is expected to launch in the UK in 2016, when Nokia’s agreement with Microsoft comes to an end. No word on a possible price just yet, but we’ll keep you updated.
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Perhaps DRAM makers and Microsoft's top brass should join each other at the local watering hole and lament the state of the industry, as the two share a somewhat similar woe. The memory market is the worst it has been in 15 years, and likewise, Windows market share has dropped to a 15-year low, according to market research firm Net Applications. But the similarities end there.
While Windows market share is as low as it has been since Windows 3.11, Microsoft still dominates the landscape by claiming just under 90 percent. The problem for Microsoft, if it can be called that, is a steady decline since Net Applications started providing market share data in October 2004. At the time, Microsoft's market share was at 96.4 percent, then 95.5 percent in November 2005, 94.2 percent in November 206, and 92.4 percent in November 2007.
Hardly a landslide, but with open-source alternatives such as Firefox and Linux gaining ground in the browser and operating system arenas, Microsoft might want to take a cue from what the competition is doing right rather than running 'told you so' ad campaigns like Mojave to convince skeptical users that it's been right all along.


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An increasing global demand for alternative sources of animal protein and a growing appreciation of the nutritional value of seafood are the two key factors likely to drive higher tilapia consumption globally, according to a report by market analyst Fact.MR.
The report “Tilapia Market, Forecast, Trend, Analysis and Competition Tracking – Global Market Insights 2021 to 2031,” claims there is a global shift toward fish an optimal protein option due to its benefits for human health, which include “strengthening heart and bone health, improving brain functions, and keeping weight in check."
The report’s findings are supported by previous data that point to an overall global rise in seafood intake. The World Bank has predicted production will increase by an estimated 23.6 percent between 2010 and 2030, and higher consumption predicted amongst a growing world population.
Moreover, in its 2018 State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report, the Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) said fish production in Asia and Africa – two hotbeds of tilapia production – has almost doubled during the last 20 years according to FAO.
The benefits of increased fish consumption are numerous, serving as an important part of the diets of millions of people living in Africa and Asia. Tilapia is low in saturated fats, carbohydrates, and cholesterol, but is still considered a high-value protein, and it contains a wide range of essential micronutrients, including various vitamins, minerals, and polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, according to the FAO.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a trend toward the global populaion eating more tailpia, with more people “become inclined to include tilapia in their diets for immunity boosting," according to the Fact.MR report.
“As this trend is likely to persist over the coming years, the demand-supply curve of tilapia is set to rise as well,” the report says.
The report also cites market potential of tilapia in the U.S. and Europe, citing reported increases in U.S. consumption of seafood, with the latest NOAA report finding that seafood consumption in 2019 rose to its highest level since 2007. Furthermore, Fact.MR cites a 2018 report from the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA) pointing to an increase in European consumption “for nearly all of the main commercial species, reaching a value of 2.433 kilograms per capita, which was 3 percent more than in 2015.”
In the next 10 years, Fact.MR predicted an upward trend in demand for frozen whole tilapia and frozen tilapia fillet due to both seafood variants “having longer shelf-life while keeping nutritional values as such essential fatty omega-3, omega-6, and calcium intact.”
Frozen tilapia is likely to remain the lucrative segment “due to its wide adoption in various healthy and tasty recipes," the report found.
Additionally, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) previous said COVID-19 has currently triggered demand for frozen “preparations and canned and packaged seafood products as households seek to stock up on non-perishable food at the expense of fresh seafood options.”
“Some producers are freezing and processing their catch not only to react to short-term market signals but also create adequate stock in view of future market recovery,” UNCTAD said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led more consumers to buy seafood online and as a take-out option, spurring “increased interest as home-bound consumers explore retail alternatives,” UNCTAD said.
But the pandemic has also hurt the supply chain for tilapia, especially in Africa, Fact.MR found.
“Our aquaculture sector supply chains have been bitten by the pandemic,” World Aquaculture Society Africa Chapter President Sherif Sadek said. “For instance, in Ghana there are reports of a drop in demand for fresh tilapia and catfish products due to social distancing policies and general lockdowns imposed in major urban market centers, including hotels, restaurants, and tourist centers.”
Sadek also cited problems in Nigeria, where “because of low market activities, fish farm stocking plans and harvesting projections have been badly affected.”
Further complicating matters in Africa is the fact that 80 percent of the continent's 1.2 million tons of tilapia production comes from one country, Egypt, and with trading in perishable products complicated by the pandemic, other African countries have faced difficulties in obtaining adequate supply to meet demand.
Photo courtesy of the Food and Agriculture Organization


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Chef, author, and food writer Kim O’Donnel explains that home cooking is serious business, but we don’t have to take it so seriously.
December 15, 2014
In 2010, when I was on tour promoting my book Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It, I felt lonely. Not because no one was showing up for my book talks, they were. And not because I was alone; with my nine-month-old daughter in tow, I was never by myself. I felt lonely because, back then, there were very few of us talking about the connections between food and climate change, despite the fact that the global food system—from field to plate to landfill—is responsible for as much as one third of all greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).
In just a few years that has changed. Somewhat.
Today, many serious “big green” environmental groups are looking at how the food system can reduce its emissions and how agriculture can be harnessed for the cause. Many food-focused groups are also increasingly seeing the work they do–to promote organic farming, to fight petrochemicals and synthetic fertilizer, to protect biodiversity–as part of promoting climate solutions.
More ordinary people are drawing these connections, too. I witnessed this firsthand at the People’s Climate March in September, when I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with 410,000 eaters, food activists, and farmers proudly waving signs with sentiments like “cook organic, not the planet!”
Still, there’s much awareness-raising to be done, as a new report out recently from the London-based think tank, Chatham House, tells us. The report is based on a first-ever poll of 1,000 people from 12 countries—including Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Poland, Russia, South Africa, the UK, and the U.S.—on their attitudes about climate and food.
The folks at Chatham were especially curious to learn just how aware people are about the climate impact of meat production, since the livestock industry is a key culprit in emissions. Responsible for 14.5 percent of the total global GHGs, the livestock sector is responsible for as much emissions as every single train, plane, and car on the planet, combined.
The survey also tested people’s awareness specifically about beef and dairy, since these products account for “65 percent of the GHGs emitted by livestock,” reports Chatham. Based on average global assessments, Chatham notes, emissions from beef are “around 150 times those of soy products, by volume, and even the least emissions-intensive meat products–pork and chicken–produce 20–25 times more GHGs.”
Certain countries are particularly critical to this conversation, especially China, a country expected to grow its demand for meat and dairy in the coming decades “over four times that of the next fastest-growing consumer, Brazil,” according to Chatham.
So, what did the researchers hear in their interviews?
Eighty-three percent of respondents agreed that “human activities contribute to climate change.” But among believers, only one-third see the meat industry as a significant contributor. By comparison, two-thirds pointed the finger at transportation, even though “the contribution to overall emissions is almost equal between the two sectors,” says Chatham.
The Chatham poll also explored whether learning the facts would shift food choices. What they found was a clear and resounding yes in countries like Brazil,Italy, India, and France. While in the U. S., only 26 percent indicated that it would impact their choices.
It was particularly encouraging that people in Brazil and India–countries slated to see big growth in meat and dairy consumption in the coming years–showed high levels of accepting both the reality of climate change and the willingness to consider the climate in reducing meat consumption.
One reason consumer change is so key is because we’re in a major “policy vacuum” regarding this issue. The industry is largely unchecked by national regulators and absent from scrutiny in climate negotiations, the report notes. What’s more the food industry is heavily subsidized: Chatham estimates livestock subsidies in OECD countries added up to a whopping $53 billion in 2013, which has the effect of incentivizing more meat production. It also notes national governments have by and large excluded livestock from emissions reductions targets. (The U.S. is no exception: agriculture is exempt from many Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations regarding emissions).
Chatham makes a strong case that consumer action is critical, but as groups and governments consider a focus on food, there are two important caveats.
First, the messaging must be sophisticated. Cutting back on carbon-intensive foods—like feedlot beef—does no good if we don’t simultaneously talk about better choices. If you replace your burger with processed food filled with palm oil from Indonesia and high-fructose corn syrup from the chemical-intensive American cornbelt, you may have not reduced carbon “foodprint” at all.
We can also stress not all beef is created equally. Scientific literature is mixed on the relative benefits of grassfed beef versus feedlot cattle, but some recent studies suggest that grazing can offset the climate impact of pasture-raised beef, for example. Of course, this potential needs to be put in context of the planet’s carrying capacity for grassfed cattle and the simple fact that in most countries pastured beef is largely unavailable.
Second, as we focus on consumers, we must not let industry and government off the hook. Agribusiness companies driving rainforest destruction to grow animal feed need to be in the hot seat alongside energy giants like Chevron and BP, while meat producers, like Tyson and Smithfield, must also be held accountable for their climate impacts. And we should speak up to ensure that governments monitor and regulate the worst climate-change culprits in the food sector, not subsidize them.
“It’s encouraging that people in emerging economies are open to changing how they eat once they know about the meat-climate connection,” Mia MacDonald, executive director of Brighter Green, said in an email about the Chatham survey. “But in these places, policies that would create more sustainable, humane food systems—and not replicate the U.S. model—are really lacking. And agribusinesses are very powerful. As a result, people, local and global environments, and animals (both domesticated and wild) are all losing out.”
This report is an important step in raising awareness about food-sector emissions—especially important because, as Chatham notes, emissions from this sector will increase by 30 percent by 2050 if we don’t change these trends. But as we sharpen our focus on our plates, let’s keep our eyes on politics, too.
April 15, 2024


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To Tax Net Or Not To Tax....
November 22, 1999
Internet taxation is shaping up as the key tax battleground of the coming year. But because Republicans control so many of the nation's governorships, many have sided with big government forces, making it more difficult for the party to stake out a clear anti-tax position.
Internet commerce is exploding.
- According to the latest Internet Economy Indicators, the Internet Economy is expected to reach $507 billion this year.
- E-commerce grew 127 percent just between the first quarter of 1998 and the first quarter of 1999 to $37.5 billion and now employs 901,000 Americans.
States depend heavily on sales tax revenue, and fear continued growth of e-commerce will erode their tax base. But bills have been introduced in both the House and Senate to permanently bar states from taxing Internet sales.
Gov. Mike Leavitt, Utah Republican, and the National Governors Association denounced the sales tax prohibition bills, repeating many of the clichés of liberal organizations such as the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. For example, the NGA charges that failure to tax Internet sales will hurt the poor and lead to cuts in basic services. The same charges were made in a May 1998 CBPP report.
In truth, there is no evidence that states' inability to tax internet commerce is having more than a trivial effect on their revenues. First, the Internet is powering growth in the overall economy, which enriches the states through corporate, income and other taxes. Second, the vast bulk of Internet sales would be tax free in any case, as business-to-business sales or purchases of sales-tax exempt items.
Republican governors should join Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore in championing a tax-free Internet. In the long run, the economic and political benefits will far outweigh the revenue loss.
Source: Bruce Bartlett, senior fellow, National Center for Policy Analysis, November 22, 1999.
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Australia-based baseball team Perth Heat will pay its professional athletes and the staff using Bitcoin Lightning Network.
Perth Heat has formed an agreement with Bitcoin (BTC) payment processor OpenNode to receive and execute Bitcoin payments (BTC). Through the partnership, staff and professional athletes will be paid via Bitcoin (BTC).
As the announcement dictates, Perth Heat through the Bitcoin Lightning Network will be able to execute and accept Bitcoin (BTC) payments. Moreover, the agreement with OpenNode enables the professional baseball club to receive revenue streams outside of the organization via Bitcoin (BTC), such as merch and sponsorships among others.
Given this partnership, Perth Heat seems to be rebranded on the image of the Bitcoin (BTC) baseball club. The website of the club now features Bitcoin (BTC) merchandise. The announcement issued by the club highlights the dedication of Perth Heat to play a part in the mainstream Bitcoin (BTC) usage, stating that the balance sheet of Perth Heat will most surely show that the club will hold Bitcoin (BTC).
Perth Heat CEO, Steven Nelkovski is a firm believer in fully adopting the cardinal premises of Bitcoin (BTC) will have an impact in influencing more people out there to fully embrace Bitcoin (BTC) and its potential to create immense value.
Patrick O’Sullivan, the Chief Bitcoin Officer of Perth Heat stated that: “The club has already established an initial position in BTC to help secure its digital property rights on the world’s most secure monetary network and will continue to reinvest available capital into Bitcoin. The Perth Heat are embracing the reality that the future of money and corporate treasuries will live on the Bitcoin blockchain.”
Australia has made quite a few moves to regulate the crypto industry on a national level to match international efforts. A Senate committee in Australia urged for a thorough reform of crypto legislation and licensing last month on the 20th of October.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has also issued a guide that allows Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) exchange-traded products to be listed on the stock exchange.
According to a recent poll performed by Crypto.com, Australian citizens are also interested in learning more about cryptocurrencies, where from a sample of 2,020 participants ranging from 18 to 59 years old, 26% answered that they would explore the option of purchasing crypto items or giving them away for the year-end holidays.


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This young author is on a mission to make crayons more diverse
Even from a young age, Bellen Woodard realized her voice could be a powerful tool in pointing out and helping to change social injustices.
When Bellen was in third grade, she was coloring with some friends. Bellen asked for the skin-color crayon and, quite innocently, she was handed the peach crayon by a white classmate.
Even in third grade though, she knew that didn’t feel right.
“I was feeling a bit confused,” Bellen said. “I knew there was more than one skin color.”
“I knew if I didn’t like being handed the peach crayon, they wouldn’t like being the brown crayon if that wasn’t what they wanted,” she added.
Thus began this young girl’s quest for social justice. In 2020, with the help of her family, Bellen rolled out “More than Peach” crayons. The set features crayons in different skin tones.
“I hope it inspires kids to have conversations about making sure everyone feels welcome and safe in their classrooms,” Bellen said.
Bellen did not stop with the crayons. She is now a published author. She wrote the best-selling book “More than Peach,” which tells the story of how she created the crayons.
This seventh-grader also just added a new accolade to her lengthy resume. “More Than Peach” was selected as this year’s official read-aloud book for the Scripps Howard Fund’s “If You Give a Child a Book…” initiative.
E.W. Scripps is the company that owns this television station.
Since 2016, the “If You Give a Child a Book…” campaign has tried to get as many books as possible into the hands of kids who otherwise can’t afford them.
Bellen is in the process of writing her next book, hoping to inspire other young people along the way.
“I’m doing something to help change the world,” she said.
By Chris Conte, Scripps News.


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Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 made history as the franchise’s first title released without a single-player campaign. Now four years later, a new report is revealing extensive details about the game’s canceled co-op mode.
Treyarch released its fourth installment in the Black Ops series back in 2018. The game introduced its first-ever battle royale mode, Blackout, which came in place of the traditional campaign.
At the time reports claimed that a sizable co-op career mode was ultimately scrapped due to time pressures. However, no details were ever released…until now.
Following months of research and discussions with those familiar with the project, Reddit user Purpletoaster20 posted a detailed explanation about the canceled mode, including concept art, design schematics, and other leaks.
Black Ops 4’s campaign, titled Career, was a 2v2 “race to the finish” mode connecting to the game’s multiplayer side through its specialists.
Details of the cancelled campaign from Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 have been leaked four years later. https://t.co/4yUcvR3MD1
— IGN (@IGN) August 10, 2022
New Report Details Treyarch’s Ambitious Plans For Career Mode In Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4
Following the events of Black Ops III, the story picks up in 2070 during “the year of chaos.” Players would pick between two factions—the Free People’s Army (FPA) or the World United Nations (WUN)—to complete 15-20 minute long PvP and PvE missions.
The 2v2 style gameplay would offer an ever-changing campaign experience tied to the player’s performance and faction. Different storylines would open up depending on which teams completed their missions first.
In the leaked Data Control mission, for example, FPA players had the task of hacking and defending a data center. The WUN players work in opposition, attempting to destroy the site instead. The level offered genuine consequences for in-game actions with players’ next missions differing depending on this mission’s result.
Purpletoaster20 also revealed three other missions—Air Assault Convoy, Data Escape, and Snatch and Grab—and rumored plans for DLC content. His report even includes 400+ images of supposed concept art and early mission designs, giving more credence to the leak.
In the end, Treyarch decided to focus on the game’s multiplayer, zombies, and battle royale modes instead. They released Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 without Career mode in 2018 and haven’t looked back since.
For those interested in learning more, the Reddit user will post a 30-minute video on August 18th to dive deeper into the canceled mode.


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FireHost, a Dallas based cloud hosting provider that has made security the focus of its offerings, today announced that it has raised $10 Million in a Series C round of funding. The announcement comes just about a year to the day when the company announced that it raised $10 Million in a Series B funding round last September.
The company says it has experienced a growth rate of almost 200 percent year over year, and that it would use the new capital to propel global growth and roll out new offerings for its secure cloud hosting services.
FireHost claims a wide range of customers, from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies that have security top of mind when it comes to their web presence. The company’s customer list includes companies such as 3M, Farmers Insurance, Johns Hopkins University, ArcSight by HP, and Hamilton Beach.
FireHost currently has operations in the US and Europe, and plans to expand into more countries over the next year. The company announced the opening of two European data centers located in London and Amsterdam back in January of this year.
“FireHost has some exciting initiatives just over the horizon that we’ll be able to execute on quickly with this new capital,” adds Chris Drake, CEO of FireHost. “Expect some market changing announcements from us in the coming months.“
“The cloud hosting industry is expanding and evolving at a rate that can’t be ignored. 451 Research analysts are watching this movement very closely, including the vendors that shape it,” said Jason Verge, analyst with 451 Research. “FireHost is one of those exciting companies we’ve kept our eye on for nearly three years and have followed how it’s innovating in the areas of public cloud security and infrastructure-as-a-service. Its aggressive roadmap and this new round of capital could mean FireHost has a significant impact on the hosting space in the coming year.”
The investment comes entirely from previous investors, mainly The Stephens Group, a family-owned private equity firm based in Little Rock, Arkansas, along with other angel investors that have invested in the company since its inception.
“FireHost has created exactly what the market needs, at exactly the right time, and is executing flawlessly,” said Aaron Clark, vice president of The Stephens Group, LLC. “As investors, everything about this company excites us. The leadership, the technology, and the market opportunity couldn’t be brighter. Our group is thrilled to be FireHost’s primary investment partner.”


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While there were MANY product recalls in the month of October 2016, today we’re going to focus on the larger automotive recalls.
A car defect such as a faulty airbag or malfunctioning brakes can put the lives of innocent drivers in danger. Car manufacturers across the country and around the world must take these product recalls seriously because millions of lives (and the future of their business) could be put in jeopardy.
Toyota Airbag Recall
Last month saw the biggest recall in history grow even larger. In October, Toyota added another 5.8 million cars to their Takata airbag recall, bringing the total number of affected Toyota vehicles to 23.1 million.
The issue in question has to do with the inflator and propeller devices which have been shown to deploy improperly at the time of a collision due to a defect. This then leads to car occupants being sprayed with metal and plastic shrapnel, potentially compounding their injuries or even killing them.
It’s estimated that up to 34 million cars in the U.S. are affected, and this number continues to grow with each passing month. The car manufacturer is asking drivers to disable airbag function and put up “Do Not Sit Here” signs on the car’s dashboard.
BMW Fuel Pump Recall
BMW just issued a recall for more than 154,000 cars (136,188 in the US) due to engine stalling. The main issue has to do with the fuel pumps of certain vehicle models manufactured between 2007 and 2012. Affected vehicle model numbers include the 5-Series, X5, 6-Series, and X6.
It’s been reported that wires leading up to the fuel pump may have been crimped improperly during car assembly. This may cause wire unraveling, leading to the melting of a connector which then can cause a gas leak.
Toyota Prius Parking Brake Recall
Toyota issued yet another recall in October, stating that the parking brake mechanism of its Prius model may fail and become inoperative. This recall affects 92,000 US-model sedans manufactured this year, as well as those slated for 2017.
This could potentially lead to serious accidents for those exiting the car, should they not be able to successfully engage their parking brake.
Volkswagen / Audi Fuel Leak Recall
In other news, Volkswagen is recalling certain models due to fuel leaks that could potentially start a fire. The recall involves 281,500 vehicles, including models such as the Golf, Golf SportWagen, GTIs manufactured between 2015 and 2016, as well as certain 2015-2016 Audi models.
It’s alleged that the rubber seals in gas tanks that are equipped with pumps were put together with too much tension. This leads to the accumulation of gas in the component, which can effectively stop fuel pumps from working, leading to car fires (and possibly house fires).
The car manufacturer has promised to replace these pumps at a later date dependent on the availability of fuel pumps.


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Tokyo, Japan, March 16, 2020 – Toray Industries, Inc., announced today that it will launch the Toraysee® Japanese Patterned Reversible Cleaning Cloths from early April. Available in six patterns, the 24cm x 24cm microfiber items will retail at eyewear and Toray shops around Japan for 800 yen, plus consumption tax. The stylish designs feature in-trend …
The post Toray Launches Japanese Patterned Toraysee Reversible Cleaning Cloths and Instagram Account appeared first on Hunting and Conservation News.
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Violin and Toshiba will collaborate to manufacture and sell PCIe SSD cards to data center customers. Combining PCIe technology with direct access to flash memory manufacturing will boost both companies to market leadership.
On 4 March 2013, the storage solution provider Violin Memory and Toshiba, its lead investor, announced that they will extend their alliance to develop, manufacture and distribute Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) solid-state drives (SSDs). PCIe card price points will start at $3 per GB and $6 per GB for the higher-end offering.
The deepening alliance between Toshiba and Violin Memory, which Gartner named a Cool Vendor in 2011 (see "Cool Vendors in Storage Technologies, 2011" ) will foster credible competition in the emerging PCIe SSD market and enable the creation of more innovative data center solutions as flash memory reaches lower price points. Price points for PCIe cards indicate that the alliance will clearly be leveraging Toshiba's direct flash memory manufacturing capabilities.
SSDs are already a standard component with storage arrays. Within the next three years, Gartner expects they will also become a standard component within servers, as they offer the most economical approach to driving the highest performance with the minimal amount of latency currently possible in storage. However, the market is still just starting to emerge. Toshiba's and Violin's alliance and the recently announced strategic partnership between Virident and Seagate will challenge the lead PCIe SSD supplier Fusion-io. As competition intensifies, prices erode, standardization occurs and software further enhances the value proposition, the use of PCIe cards will extend beyond their core market of hyperscale customers into transaction processing, in-memory computing and increasingly virtualized environments. Data management software capabilities are likely the next area of innovation related to this market.
In addition to boosting the PCIe market, this strategic alliance will benefit both companies:
Toshiba will gain immediate credibility in its enterprise Flash portfolio by licensing technology already proven in Violin Flash appliances, which have been shipping since 2010. Toshiba needs to establish itself with data center hyperscale customers and server and storage OEMs. A strong PCIe solution would strengthen Toshiba's other storage SSD products, which thus far have attained limited adoption. While Toshiba can leverage its distribution and, eventually, its brand to these PCIe cards, the company will also benefit from Violin Memory's handling of support and services capabilities.
Violin Memory solidifies its access to NAND technology and intellectual property critical for the development of scalable, cost-effective solutions. As a startup with a potential IPO in 2Q13, Violin Memory benefits from the credibility and sustainability conferred by a Tier I strategic partner that can help Violin develop future flash-based storage and controller technology solutions — which also relate to Violin's core business of SSD appliances.
Data center professionals:
Evaluate the PCIe SSD capabilities and obtain performance and reliability guarantees in advance of setting service-level agreements.
Inquire into data management software features that can enhance the value proposition and simplify integration into existing server infrastructures.
Storage OEMs and hyperscale storage customers:
Evaluate Violin and Toshiba solutions, as both companies are credible, cost-effective suppliers that deserve attention during the qualification process.
Some documents may not be available as part of your current Gartner subscription.
"Forecast Analysis: NAND, Worldwide, 2011-2016, 4Q12 Update" —The flash industry is poised for a supply-led recovery in 2013 and 2014 after a decline in NAND revenue in 2012 to $23.1 billion. By Joseph Unsworth
"When Implementing SSDs, Ease of Use Is More Important Than Cost-Effectiveness" — When deciding between point SSD solutions or SSD solutions that are integrated into a storage array, the fundamental choice is one of short-term complexity, rewards and profit versus long-term simplicity, sustainability and costs. By Valdis Filks and Joseph Unsworth


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It may still feel like summer outside, but fall is coming soon as is the return of “Scarecrows of Main” for their annual watch over downtown Greeneville.
Main Street: Greeneville is seeking entries for its 11th annual decorative scarecrow competition. For the last decade, the whimsical displays have been featured at properties within the 18-block Main Street District in a friendly competition.
The contest is sponsored again this year by Broyles General Store, 730 W. Main St, according to a release from Main Street: Greeneville.
Entries are not limited to those from within the display area, which includes the majority of the downtown area, along with Main Street extending from U.S. Highway 11E to Crescent School on West Main Street, the release said.
Those entering must be from within Greene County or be current 2020-21 members of Main Street: Greeneville, the release said.
Entries from outside the display area will be assigned a display location downtown.
The contest is open to all ages, individuals, families, groups, clubs and businesses. There are four contest categories: residential, group/organization, business and youth. Each person, family or group may only enter one time.
Other contest rules, district boundaries and entry forms are available at the Main Street: Greeneville office, 310 S. Main St. or online at www.mainstreetgreeneville.org, under “Announcements” and “11th Annual Scarecrows of Main Contest.”
“Let your imagination run wild as you create that scarecrow you have always wanted to make,” Main Street: Greeneville Executive Director Jann Mirkov said. “Could it be that we will see a straw ballerina, lawyer, shopkeeper, etc. hanging out in downtown for the next couple of weeks?”
Participants are reminded that scarecrows should be family friendly — whimsical, humorous or mischievous — and not frightening.
Pre-registration is now open and is required at the Main Street: Greeneville office, 310 S. Main St., by noon on Sept. 25.
Display locations will be assigned and confirmed at time of registration, the release said.
Those who do not reside or have a business in the display area are encouraged to enter the contest, as limited additional display space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Only those registered will be eligible for judging.
All entries must be in place by 7 a.m. on Oct. 5, and will be on display through Friday, Nov. 6.
Further information regarding scarecrow locations will be announced prior to judging, the release said.
PUBLIC VOTING OCT. 5-25
The public will again be asked asked to vote for their favorite entries, the release said. Voting will take place Oct. 5-25.
Details regarding how to vote will be announced in the near future. Main Street encourages that everyone follow COVID-19 guidelines and social distancing while out and about viewing the displays.
Awards and certificates will be given to the winning entries. Winning entries will be so marked and identified with yard signs.


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World Trade Center to Present Free Webinar to Teach Online Exporting, Website Localization
The World Trade Center Arkansas is partnering with IBT Online to present a free webinar from 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, July 16, to teach businesses how to use their website to sell online to international markets.
IBT Online is an international online marketing company that specializes in website localization, the practice of adapting websites to local languages and customs in target markets. Since 2002 they have helped hundreds of companies, including Arkansas companies, expand their online global presence. They partner with the World Trade Center to conduct the Arkansas Online Global Program to increase the number of Arkansas businesses exporting online.
"Website localization and online exporting is more critical now than ever before," said Denise Thomas, Director of Africa and Middle East Trade for the World Trade Center Arkansas. "Only 25 percent of internet users speak English and the most important global websites receive 86 percent of their traffic from outside United States. So there a huge market that could be missed if websites are not equipped to reach these non-native speakers."
According to IBT Online, leveraging a website is an easier step than companies think at first. Technological advances have put foreign sales opportunities within the reach of small businesses, the company says.
"Selling online is the easiest way to export and the website localization is critical to selling online effectively," Thomas said.
Thomas will join Susanna Hardy, chief content officer for IBT Online to present the webinar. Participants will have the opportunity to learn:
- How to make websites effective and compliant for international markets.
- Why exporters need localized websites, country specific search engine optimization, international online marketing and social media.
- Key insights on Arkansas' top export destinations.
- How the World Trade Center Arkansas's support for the Online Global Program can help them.
Participants will also get access to case studies of Online Global Programs that have delivered for companies and get practical examples of how exporters in Arkansas are using the web today to grow their international sales.
The mission of the World Trade Center Arkansas is to grow trade and increase Arkansas exports by connecting Arkansas businesses to the world through international trade services. The Center is part of the University of Arkansas and serves as the trade promotion arm for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. For more information and valuable updates, please follow the Center on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to the World Trade Center Arkansas newsletter.
Sam Cushman, strategic communications and public information
World Trade Center Arkansas
The award, the department's most prestigious given to a single researcher's group, supports fundamental research with the potential to advance national security.
The Oxford Film Festival has gone virtual and the film Animal by Russell Sharman, assistant professor in the Department of Communication, is being featured and premieres today.
Alex Guynn will receive the Commitment to Justice Award, Nathan Bogart will be given the Early Career Award, and the Career Champion Award will go to the Legal Team at Walmart Inc.
Sarah Judy of Walton College and J. Laurence Hare of Fulbright College have been selected by the University of Arkansas Academic Advising Council as 2019-20 outstanding academic advisors.
Starting at 5 p.m. today, webBASIS will be unavailable and BASIS access will be limited until 8 a.m. Monday, June 1. This planned outage is required to convert BASIS data to the new Workday system.


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Amazon’s Alexa device has a lot of good qualities, but one bad one: It eavesdrops.
A couple in Portland, Oregon, was shocked to discover Alexa recorded a private conversation in their home and then sent it to a random person on their contact list.
Danielle, who asked her last name not be identified, told KIRO TV the revelation brought to life a fear that she and her husband had when they first installed the devices to handle their home’s heat, lights and security system.
“My husband and I would joke and say ‘I’d bet these devices are listening to what we’re saying,’” she said.
Things took a chilling turn into Big Brother territory about two weeks ago when the couple got a phone call from an employee of Danielle’s husband.
The message: “Unplug your Alexa devices right now. You’re being hacked.”
After the devices were unplugged, the caller told the couple how he received the audio files.
“At first, my husband was, like, ‘no you didn’t!’ And the (recipient of the message) said ‘You sat there talking about hardwood floors,’” Danielle told the station. “And we said, ‘oh gosh, you really did hear us.’”
The couple then contacted Amazon and finally spoke with an Alexa representative that investigated the issue.
The representative “said ‘our engineers went through your logs, and they saw exactly what you told us, they saw exactly what you said happened, and we’re sorry,’” she said. “He apologized like 15 times in a matter of 30 minutes and he said we really appreciate you bringing this to our attention. This is something we need to fix!”
Amazon told CNET.com the eavesdropping occurred after Alexa mistakenly heard the wake word and then mistakenly heard a command to call someone, followed by a third misheard confirmation:
“Echo woke up due to a word in background conversation sounding like ‘Alexa.’ Then, the subsequent conversation was heard as a “send message” request. At which point, Alexa said out loud “To whom?” At which point, the background conversation was interpreted as a name in the customers contact list.
“Alexa then asked out loud, ”[contact name], right?” Alexa then interpreted background conversation as “right”. As unlikely as this string of events is, we are evaluating options to make this case even less likely.”
See KIRO’s report below:


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In September of this year, Apple will launch the iPhone 14 series of mobile phones. The general expectation is that these smartphones will also use the regular Lightning interface. However, next year the iPhone 15 will upgrade to the USB Type-C interface. This is probably a response to the demands of the European Union. Next week, the European Union and European countries will finalize legislation unifying the USB Type-C interface.
According to reports, EU countries and EU parliamentarians will meet on Tuesday (June 7) to discuss and come up with a proposal. They will try to unify the charging interface of mobile phones, tablets and headphones. The unified interface becomes the popular Android USB Type-C interface.
The EU does this for reasons of environmental protection. After all, the unified interface can be reused, reducing waste and saving users around 250 million euros per year. In fact, the European Union has been working on the proposal to unify the interface of digital devices for more than 10 years. Previously, it successfully implemented the policy of unifying most devices with the USB micro-B interface. Today’s proposal will cover more devices, especially Apple’s iPhone. Apple has strongly opposed the proposal.
The EU is reportedly not open to lobbying. Next week’s discussion will be the second and possibly the last. The EU is committed to widely promoting the agreement, and possibly even the full use of the USB Type-C interface for laptop charging.
In addition, Apple opposes the forced unification of the USB Type-C interface by the EU, but Apple’s iPad and Mac computers have already used the USB Type-C interface in large quantities. Nevertheless, the big interest will be the use of the USB Type-C interface on the iPhone.
Apple bows to pressure
Previously, Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple would continue to use the Lightning port for years to come. In the past, there have been reports that Apple would prefer an iPhone without an interface. It would rather rely on wireless charging and wireless data transfer rather than using a USB-C interface. However, with the latest forecast, Apple now appears to be bending the pressure from several factors. Now Apple needs to put the USB-C port on the agenda. It must either provide products with a USB-C interface for the European market or allow all products in the world to use the USB-C port. Anyway, sooner or later it will use the USB-C port.
While the iPhone still uses the Lightning port, a large number of products such as MacBook and iPad have moved to USB-C and support Thunderbolt 3 and even Thunderbolt 4. The latter not only has a very fast transfer speed, but is also compatible with fast charging and DP signals video output.
Some internet users also express their support for the USB-C interface. After all, Apple does not distribute chargers for environmental protection. In the future, the unified interface will also reduce electronic waste and contribute to protecting the ecological environment. But if the future iPhone 15 really takes over the USB-C interface, it’s conceivable that sales of the iPhone 14 series will become alarming.