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DARMSTADT, Germany and PLEASANTON, Calif., April 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL), a world industry leader in connectivity solutions, and PowerbyProxi, (http://www.powerbyproxi.com) developer of the world's most advanced and safest wireless power system, today announced a new partnership combining TE's history and market position in the industrial connector space with PowerbyProxi's expertise and intellectual property in wireless power. PowerbyProxi today also announced it has closed a $5 million Series C funding round. TE has taken an equity stake in PowerbyProxi and existing investor, New Zealand venture capital firm, Movac, also participated in the round.
"Our proven innovation and miniaturization in the field of wireless power transfer was compelling to TE and we are excited to work with the TE team on the future of wireless power " said Greg Cross, Executive Chairman of PowerbyProxi. "This new round of investment demonstrates faith in the growth of this sector and the milestones we have achieved. We will use the funds to grow our international sales and customer support structures and to accelerate the development of new technology platforms," said Cross.
TE Partnership Creates Innovation
The first outcome of PowerbyProxi's partnership with TE is the ARISO Contactless Connectivity Platform, a miniaturized contactless connectivity solution, small enough to be easily integrated into new applications for industrial machinery and equipment. The new line of non-contact couplers, being sold and marketed by TE, incorporates PowerbyProxi's Proxi-Wave technology, which is ideal for miniaturization. The platform offers the smallest footprint solution available for contactless power connectivity on manufacturing machinery and equipment for sensor and control applications.
TE is now manufacturing evaluation kits so its customers can test the hardware in their own environments, alongside TE's field engineers. The ARISO Contactless Connectivity system is 70% smaller than currently available systems and brings the possibility of wireless power transfer to applications where it was previously considered impossible.
"Our investment in PowerbyProxi highlights our commitment to contactless connectivity and to the development of solutions to help our customers with their power connection needs," said Ulrich Wallenhorst, chief technology officer of TE Industrial. "PowerbyProxi possesses innovative design capabilities in wireless power transmission that complement the TE Know How and technologies, resulting in a proven working partnership. We look forward to working together on expanding current products and developing new solutions."
The ARISO Contactless Connectivity platform was introduced at the Electronica and SPS/IPC/Drives trade fairs in Germany in November 2012. For more information, visit http://www.te.com/en/home.html
PowerbyProxi has developed the world's most advanced and safest wireless power system. We give consumer electronics and industrial product designers the freedom to wirelessly transfer efficient power in the most difficult places: from a miniaturized receiver inside a AA battery to a mission critical solution in the demanding and hostile environment of a wind turbine control system. PowerbyProxi has worked with customers on over 50 real world projects and built its deep technical know-how by initially focusing on complex industrial applications. We have also created the first commercial wireless recharging system capable of 3D power transfer, regardless of how the device is positioned in the recharging unit. PowerbyProxi is a spin-out of the University of Auckland's world-leading engineering department and holds an unrivaled patent portfolio with 122 patents issued worldwide. For more information visit: www.powerbyproxi.com.
About TE Connectivity
TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL) is a $13 billion world leader in connectivity. The company designs and manufactures products at the heart of electronic connections for the world's leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, healthcare, and aerospace and defense. TE Connectivity's long-standing commitment to innovation and engineering excellence helps its customers solve the need for more energy efficiency, always-on communications and ever-increasing productivity. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, TE Connectivity makes connections the world relies on to work flawlessly every day. To connect with the company, visit: www.TE.com.
TE Connectivity and TE connectivity (logo) are trademarks. Other logos, product and/or company names might be trademarks of their respective owners.


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“Since the demand for Nonin’s products spiked, Golden Valley-based Medical Alley has played an integral role in not only help helping their supply chain issues, but the supply chain issues facing Minnesota’s other med tech companies as well.”
“’We see countries around the world starting to move to shut down, and some of our members have plants or supply chain in those countries,’ said Shaye Mandle, the president & CEO of Medical Alley. “’In some cases, it might be their only critical supply chain, and they’re making products that are coming to the U.S. and need to be on the front lines.’”
“Mandle and his team work with the federal government, and Minnesota’s congressional delegation, to help get those international resources in the hands of local medical device companies.”
“‘If we don’t have one part, we can’t build, so making sure our supply chain is protected is incredible,’ Hemink said. ‘Medical Alley has been phenomenal for us, and I can’t say enough about the team over there as far as their proactiveness and mustering support.’”
MAA COVID-19 INFORMATION DISCLAIMER:
The Medical Alley Association is providing COVID-19 related information, including the “COVID-19 Resource Connect” feature on its website and summaries of laws, executive orders, and government programs that may be of interest to members, as a public service. The Medical Alley Association makes no representations, guarantees, or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, currency, or suitability of the COVID-19 related information provided by the Medical Alley Association on its website, in newsletters, or in any other communications. The Medical Alley Association specifically disclaims any and all liability for any claims or damages that may result from providing COVID-19 related information online or in other communications or linking to third party websites or other sources of information. The Medical Alley Association makes no effort to independently verify, and does not exert editorial control over, information provided by third parties.
The Medical Alley Association does not endorse any of the products, vendors, consultants, or documentation referenced in, or connected to parties through, the COVID-19 Resource Connect feature or via email or other communications.

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NIGERIA’S Globacom announced over the weekend that its prepaid roaming service is now available in United Arab Emirates (UAE). It said the extension of the service to UAE enables prepaid subscribers on the Glo network to enjoy the network’s rich bouquet of services when they travel to that country.
Previously, roaming service on the Glo network in UAE was available only to postpaid subscribers. The company had last month extended prepaid roaming to South Africa.
Pankaj Pradhan, head of Glo Gateway, said the decision to extend the prepaid roaming service to more countries was informed by the desire to offer more value and convenience to subscribers.
He noted that UAE was particularly important considering the high number of Nigerians who travel to the country for business and leisure purposes.
“Our commitment is to ensure that our subscribers are able to enjoy our services irrespective of where they are,” Pradhan said.
“We offer postpaid roaming in almost all the countries of the world and we want to ensure that millions of our subscribers on the prepaid platform are also able to enjoy this service as much as possible. This is why we are extending prepaid roaming to more destinations.”
Other countries where Glo prepaid roaming is offered include United Kingdom, France, Spain, Belgium, Ukraine and Republic of Benin.
Pradhan said the next phase of service extension will include China.
He noted that arrangements had been concluded for the service to be launched in the countries shortly and that the plan was to make Glo prepaid roaming service available in most parts of the world.
“To enjoy the service, all a subscriber on the prepaid platform travelling out of Nigeria to any of the destinations with Glo prepaid roaming needs to do is to have sufficient credit on his line and he will be able to make or receive calls,” he added.
Globacom in December 2004 became the first network in Nigeria to introduce prepaid roaming services. Before the launch of the service, roaming facility was enjoyed only by subscribers on post-paid platforms in Nigeria.
Pradhan added that Glo Gateway’s roaming service “gives subscribers crisp clear calls.
The subscriber, whether on a prepaid or postpaid platform, is able to stay in touch with friends, family and business associates back home and the quality of service makes him feel as if he is just next door.”
OKORO CHINEDU in Abuja, Nigeria


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Twentieth Century Fox has released a batch of new DVDs equipped with the facility – Digital Copy – to copy the movies they contain directly into iTunes, for use with an Apple TV, iPhone or iPod.
The movie studio has introduced 20 titles equipped with the format, including Die Hard, Napoleon Dynamite and a other favourites, releasing the new batch in the US.
“Our research shows that when given the option, consumers recognize the incredible value proposition that Digital Copy provides as a simple, fast way to move content to a portable device,” noted studio marketing EVP, Mary Daily.
The technology, “puts the disc at the center of the digital revolution happening in households nationwide and meets the entertainment needs of the entire family from the TV, to the computer to an iPod,” she added.
Fox was the first studio to introduce DVDs with Digital Copy for iTunes in January this year.


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A recently-discovered glitch is causing frustration among GTA Online players, as it causes mechanics to drop their cars off miles away from where they ordered them.
Regular players will know that one of the most convenient features in GTA Online is the ability to call a mechanic to deliver your vehicles directly to your location. You’ll pay for the service, but it’s only a small fee for such a useful feature.
While this usually works without a hitch and spawns requested vehicles in just a few seconds, a new bug is making the feature pretty pointless for some players, as it’s begun dropping vehicles off in entirely different locations.
The glitch was pointed out by Reddit user Choice_Ad_8423, who shared a screenshot of their map. It highlights the difference in location from where they ordered the vehicle and where it actually appeared.
“Ordered my Toreador and it spawned a mile away. Wtf [Rockstar],” they wrote, later adding that there have been a few places on the map that this glitch has happened.
This bug is especially frustrating as there’s a two-minute cool-down time between vehicle deliveries, so players need to wait around if they want to try again and get the vehicle delivered to their actual location.
A number of GTA Online players replied saying they’ve experienced the same problem. It seems as though this is a glitch that’s been happening since the Cayo Perico Heist update, which launched on December 15, 2020.
“Calling your vehicle anywhere near the Simeon corner of the docks now spawns your car near the Longfin drop off,” wrote one Reddit user, while another added: “I’ve had it happen when requesting my vehicle near the Merryweather base as well.”
It seems the only way to get around this glitch right now is to move to a different location before spawning your vehicle again. As one GTA Online player jokingly put it, “Ey man, Johnny isn’t on the spot like usual.”
Given that this bug has been occurring for some players since the Cayo Perico Heist update in December last year, we’d hope that Rockstar will deliver a fix for the problem soon enough.


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Despite GM's recall of over 1.6 million vehicles due to faulty ignition switches, two new lawsuits allege that the company hasn't recalled them all.
Bloomberg reports that one lawsuit has been filed in San Francisco's federal court states that faulty ignition switch problem is present in the 2010 Cobalt, a model that isn't in the current recall by GM. Another lawsuit filed in Alabama states that GM knew of defects with Cobalts built before April 2009 due in part to technical service bulletins issued to dealers. The TSBs stated that keys may "stick" or "bind" in the switch of non-recalled Cobalts and other vehicles.
“We will not comment specifically on the suit or pending litigation. We are recalling all of the vehicles that were manufactured with the specific ignition switch involved in this condition,” said General Motors in a statement.


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Through recent acquisitions and investments in supply chain and infrastructure, the company says it has become one of the top five suppliers worldwide for natural colors.
Photo © Shutterstock.com/Jag_cz
Ingredients firm Frutarom (Herzliya, Israel) is touting its new status as one of the world’s top five suppliers of natural colors. The company says it built its business through recent acquisitions of several natural-color companies as well as investments in the company’s natural-colors facilities and supply chains. It says it has seen double-digit annual growth in its natural-colors business.
The company stresses the importance of securing a continuous, sustainable, and fully traceable source of natural pigments and food colorants. To secure its supply chain, the company says it “initiated dozens of agriculture collaborations with local farmers in multiple locations and countries.”
“Frutarom has taken full control of the supply chain through reverse integration in order to ensure safe, natural colorants, with complete traceability,” said Ori Yehudai, president and CEO, Frutarom, in a press release. “Placing the customer at the focal point of our business allowed us to effect true change in how the company engages with partners and farmers, while maintaining complete transparency.” The company says it also established many extraction facilities that are located near the farms where its ingredients are sourced, which the firm says helps reduce environmental impact and enhanced traceability.
The company says it also boosted its own production capabilities. It recently invested €5 million to open a natural-color formulation center at its Frutarom Etol plant in Slovenia. (Frutarom took over the plant when it acquired the company Etol in 2012.) Frutarom says the new formulation center will serve European customers and help them develop new applications for natural colors, as well as new flavor combinations. This center, called Frutarom Etol, will serve 15,000 Frutarom customers in Europe, who account for approximately 50% of the company’s global natural-colors customers.
“Etol has a solid reputation of successful cooperation with food and beverage customers in creating new flavor solutions,” Yehudai said in the press release. “Frutarom Etol is expanding its offerings to include a full range of natural colors manufactured with advanced technologies. Natural colors are much more challenging than synthetic colors in terms of their sensitivity, and if not incorporated correctly, can be less stable in food and beverage applications.


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Shortly after the unveiling of the 2024 Blazer EV on July 18, Chevrolet has updated its customer website by adding a product page for its other upcoming electric SUV, the 2024 Equinox EV.
Our colleagues from Motor1.com discovered the Equinox EV page in the "Upcoming" section of the website, where the Equinox EV is pictured next to the 2024 Blazer EV and 2023 Blazer (the ICE model).
The side profile photo of the 2024 Equinox EV in base LT trim appears to be new as we haven't spotted it in the teaser images released so far. From this angle, we get a good look at the SUV's decent ground clearance and pop-out door handles, a feature the larger and more expensive Blazer EV doesn't have.
The compact electric SUV is shown in a metallic blue body color with a white roof and mirror caps, a combination we've seen in a March 2022 teaser video. So far, Chevrolet has shown renderings of the Equinox EV LT in silver and of the sporty Equinox EV RS in red with a black roof. This new color combination suggests customers will have plenty of youthful exterior design options to choose from.
Seen next to the Chevrolet Blazer EV, the Equinox EV's side profile looks similar, although the smaller model has a chunky C-pillar instead of a third side window like the midsize SUV.
The Equinox EV will share the EV-only Ultium Platform with the Blazer EV, but GM hasn't disclosed any specifications yet. However, one image from the first batch of teasers released in January suggested a driving range of more than 300 miles (483 kilometers) as it showed the instrument cluster indicating some 235 miles (378 kilometers) of range at about 75% state of charge.
GM has also announced a starting MSRP of around $30,000 for the Equinox EV and described it as "an affordable, functional compact SUV." Since the midsize Blazer EV will start at around $45,000, the Equinox EV has huge sales potential as a truly mainstream offering in the automaker's EV lineup.
General Motors CEO Mary Barra said during the company's Q1 2022 earnings call that the compact electric SUV would be unveiled in early fall 2022 before going on sale in fall 2023. The Equinox EV will be available initially in RS trim, with the entry-level LT grade arriving later, likely in 2024; the LT and RS will be the only trim levels on offer.


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Hume is one of the startups exploring the intersection of virtual artists, NFTs and web3 communities. Having raised $11.7m of funding last September, it has now splashed some of that cash on an acquisition.
Hume has bought Blocktones, a startup that has been selling generative-audio NFTs, founded by producer Gino Borri – also the executive producer of Snoop Dogg’s recent collection of NFTs for The Sandbox. He’ll be staying on as president of Blocktones and Hume A&R.
It’s an interesting combination, because Hume has been creating its own range of virtual artists (or ‘metastars’ as it calls them) while Blocktones’ NFTs have been collections of music stems that the buyers can then create with.
Hume said that the deal is part of “scaling its ambitions to help creators launch their own global metastars”, adding that “Blocktones open sourced beats could become a musical building block for new entrants”.
The two companies have already collaborated on a songwriting camp late last year.
Music Ally’s next Learn Live webinar will help you understand what’s required for artists to thrive in new international markets!


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These risks pose a severe threat to both individuals and organisations, making it vital to prioritize IoT security measures.
The Cyber Express | 30 Apr 2023
Cyberattacks are among the most significant IoT security risks. As more devices become connected, the likelihood of cyber-attacks also increases. Hackers may exploit vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to the network and steal sensitive information.
Hackers can remotely control IoT devices with malware and ransomware, demanding payment to restore the device's functionality.
Some IoT devices cannot be updated, which means that they can remain vulnerable to security threats that have been fixed in newer devices.
Unsecured sensitive data on IoT devices can be easily accessed by attackers, including user credentials and payment information.
IoT devices have inconsistent security measures due to various manufacturers using different protocols, leaving them vulnerable to attacks.


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LEGOLAND Florida Resort is getting into the business of virtual reality with a planned update to the theme park's "Project X" roller coaster.
"The Great LEGO Race" will transform the roller coaster into an "exciting, high-octane experience that puts kids in the driver's seats" as riders race against LEGO characters, according to a press release from Merlin Entertainments Group, the company that owns the theme park.
The update will first be released at the LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort later this year and then added to the Winter Haven location and Germany's LEGOLAND Deutschland Resort next year.
According to Merlin leaders, racers compete against Trendsetter, Pharaoh, Surfer Girl, Wizard and Pirate Captain as they race with brick-built vehicles like a rocket-powered surfboard and a scooter fueled by espresso. (No, really. That's what the press release says.)
Riders will wear VR headset and will be able to look all around to experience an environment where everything is made of LEGO bricks. Bluetooth technology will be used on the ride to sync the virtual visuals with the roller coaster's twists and turns.
Additionally, the roller coaster's physical queue will get an update as it will be transformed with the sounds of roaring engines playing overhead, according to Merlin. The queue will look like a pre-race space where "pit crews for each of the five LEGO racers are preparing for competition, plus interactive, hands-on elements to entertain waiting riders."
“The Great LEGO Race was inspired by the way kids play with LEGO toys at home,” said Candy Holland, senior creative director for Merlin Magic Making, which designs and develops attractions for Merlin sites around the world. “It’s a unique LEGO adventure that lets kids enter an epic imaginary world made entirely from LEGO bricks, featuring a host of different themes and fun LEGO characters, all mixed up together.”
The update is intended for children ages 6 and up. Riders have the choice to opt-out of the VR and just experience Project X as it currently exist today, said Merlin leaders.
The inside scoop of Orlando news from the folks living it everyday.


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Hispanic Growth Among Turning Points in New Portrait of the U.S.
The Aug. 10 cover story in USA Today appears to have been written specifically to coincide with the opening of the 2011 Hispanic Retail 360 Summit, hosted by Stagnito Media.
According to the cover story: “The end of the first decade of the 21st century marks a turning point in the nation's social, cultural, geographic, racial and ethnic fabric. It's a shift so profound that it reveals an America that seemed unlikely a mere 20 years ago — one that will influence the nation for years to come in everything from who is elected to run the country, states and cities, to what type of houses will be built and where.”
One of the most significant shifts has been towards ethnic diversity, which seems to have happened faster than experts predicted. The article goes on:
“One of the most significant demographic trends of the past 20 years is the explosive growth of Hispanics. Now at 50 million — almost one in six Americans — Hispanics have more than doubled their numbers in 1990.
“The Hispanic boom has spread far beyond traditional immigrant gateways such as California and Florida, altering the American landscape in states such as Kansas and North Carolina.
“Just more than 1 percent of North Carolina 6.6 million residents were Hispanic in 1990. In 2010: Almost 7 percent of 9.5 million people were.”
The article goes on to discuss several other demographic trends that have changed America during the past decade.
In La Jolla, Calif., Aug. 10 marks the opening of the seventh annual Hispanic Retail 360 Summit, featuring retailer, supplier and marketing experts sharing their thoughts, views and examples of best practices for meeting the needs of this growing consumer demographic. As of yesterday afternoon, nearly 600 delegates had registered for the conference.
The first day’s agenda began with store tours to three retailers that are doing an exceptional job of serving the local Latino community in the greater San Diego area: a Hispanic supermarket (La Bodega), a drug store (Rite Aid) and a general market grocer, Food4Less.
The speaker program kicked off with a special session on workforce diversity, featuring new research from the Network for Executive Women and featuring speakers from Target, Safeway, PepsiCo and Deloitte. Following that, Cesar Melgoza, CEO, of Geoscape, made a dynamic presentation that asked, “When will Latinos be treated like the mainstream?”
The evening’s opening reception, sponsored by Save-A-Lot, will feature an appearance by Pitbull, the hugely popular Latino rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer.


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Hinsdale seeing slight economic development
HINSDALE, N.H. -- After years of stagnant business growth, a mellow industrial resurgence brewing in town can be seen simply by driving down its primary roads.
Over the past three-and-a-half years or so, private establishments have been popping up along Main Street and Brattleboro Road, providing possible evidence that the tide is turning on the worst American economy since the Great Depression. A town that once boasted plenty of blue-collar jobs, Hinsdale has struggled to bring in more enterprise and retain the businesses already present.
The new kid on the block is One Dollar Treasures, located in the facility at 50 Main St. Matt Benoit opened the store in November 2013 shortly after moving to town and sells an array of items -- including golf clubs, glassware, books and wall decor -- for no more than a dollar. He also opened Carol Jean's -- which he named after his mother -- next door for items that cost more than $1, though he said One Dollar Treasures will soon absorb that room. Benoit said business has been strong since he started.
"The people of the town have really taken to the theme of the store," he said. "In today's economy, when people are looking for stuff they need every day at a fair price, they now can come here and get a good deal."
Benoit, who has been an antiques dealer for 20 years, said he gets inventory from estate sales, auctions and house calls. He also said his store is a great way to recycle things and make sure stuff stays out of the dump. He mentioned he has not dealt much with the town government (he did not need change of use permits because the previous business was also a retail shop) but everyone has been very warm and welcoming.
Benoit said he has seen a lot of people become friends at his store, and many enjoy breakfast or lunch with each other at Raynette's Diner before or after shopping at One Dollar Treasures. The diner is at the far end of 50 Main St. and is owned by Brattleboro residents Ray and Annette Porter, who opened their doors three-and-a-half years ago.
Ray Porter said he used to own Porter's Family Restaurant in Brattleboro for about two years in addition to a trucking business before starting Raynette's Diner. He said the town has been very receptive to his business and he is seeing some economic recovery in town. He told the Reformer the town started a farmers' market across the street a few weeks ago and he believes plenty of people stop by his diner after purchasing some fresh produce. Though he, Annette and Annette's sister, Prescila, are the only ones who work there now, Ray Porter said he may start hiring in the future if business stays solid.
Bernie Rideout, the chairman of the Hinsdale Board of Selectmen, has lived in town for nearly 68 years and recalls how it once busted at the seams with industry.
"We had three paper mills, a tannery at one time, a company that made rotary lawnmowers, a foundry at one time, a machine shop," he said, "and everybody, when I was kid, pretty much worked, unless they had a medical issue or something. You didn't really have to leave town (to buy something or to work)."
But, he said, it got to the point where the paper mills closed due to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations in the 1980s. Rideout said he sees the local economy clawing its way back.
"It's slow, but it's happening. It's not going to be gigantic -- it's going to be a little at a time," he said.
Rideout said the town's overall mindset tends to favor local businesses, as opposed to big box stores beyond the townline. He said one of those businesses is L&O Automotive at 70 Main St., which he said is frequently busy.
Trevor Lang and Patrick O'Connor started L&O Automotive in November 2013 in the spot that once hosted Uncle D's, an ice cream and burger joint owned by Dimitris Leristis.
"We knew he had been wanting to get rid of it and he had said we should turn it into a shop, because we used to (work) across the street, actually," Lang said, adding that the mechanic shop on the other side of Main Street closed down. He and O'Connor looked around, but couldn't find a place to set up shop. "We wanted to stay in Hinsdale, where our customer base was. So we worked it out with the owner to purchase this place. And right now it's more of a temporary set-up."
Lang said he and O'Connor plan to turn the building into a two-bay garage, put lifts in both bays and remove the bathroom that sits in the middle of it. He said business has been great since opening. For Lang, the shop is a way for him to pay his way through Keene State College, where he studies athletic training and aspires to become a chiropractor. He, like Rideout, said the local economy is making a modest comeback.
"I'd say it's slow, but the businesses that are here seem to be growing for the most part," he said. "It's been really busy (here) so far -- can't complain about that."
Just a stone's throw down from L&O Automotive is Main Street Marketplace, where owner KC Cunningham said business has been getting stronger each year since she opened the place in 2007. She told the Reformer more and more Massachusetts residents flock to her store whenever there is an increase in their state's sales or cigarettes tax, and a fair amount of people come from New York for the deals. Cunningham said groceries and tobacco products are her bestsellers.
Cunningham also said she saw a jump in business after the building at 8 Main St. was severely damaged in a fire in August 2012. Lewis Major owned the building, but rented out the downstairs space to Nafiz Alkhatib, who ran a convenience store out of the first floor. Major and his wife eventually donated the building to the town for the purposes of a new police station.
Rideout told the Reformer he and his fellow citizens love to "do things local" -- but it's not just small, independent businesses sprouting in Hinsdale. A Tractor Supply Co. store opened at 670 Brattleboro Road on Nov. 1, 2013, and now offers residents a place to shop for anything from farming supplies and hunting equipment to clothing and footwear.
Hinsdale Planning Board Chairman Bill Nebelski had told the Reformer during the run-up to the store's opening that he was looking forward to having the business in town and said this week he uses the store frequently. He said he has purchased lights, dog food, baling twine and other materials there.
"I've used it lots of times," he said. "It's what you need. I like the place. I haven't heard any negatives about it. And they're accommodating -- if you buy something that's wrong and you take it back, they don't have any issues with taking it back."
Nebelski also said the store will be bring in a significant amount of property tax to the town.
Michael Graham, who works in media relations for Tractor Supply Co., said all local officials he met with during the permitting process were a pleasure to work with and many are loyal customers. He also said his company is very growth-minded and is always looking for new store locations that are a good fit.
"Concerning the location in Hinsdale, this is especially true in that the area was attractive due to the part-time and hobby farmers, and horse owners in the area," he said. "The TSC product category expertise includes lawn and garden, and animal care products that service the needs of these customers."
Another local business slated for a different spot on Brattleboro Road, however, is having difficulty getting out of the starting gate. Hinsdale resident William Faucher has for more than a year and a half been trying to establish an off-track betting parlor, or OTB, and initially thought he would be good to go in April, only to be turned down for a license due to an error in filing his federal income taxes. An OTB is a facility that allows customers to bet on horse and greyhound races broadcast on televisions.
Faucher did not return numerous phones calls requesting comment, but the Keene Sentinel reported last month that Faucher helped lobby the New Hampshire Legislature in 2012 to pass a law requiring live horse racing to return to his community if his OTB is in operation.
Domenic Poli can be reached at email@example.com, or 802-254-2311, ext. 277. You can follow him on Twitter @dpoli_reformer.
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New Delhi : The Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu yesterday chaired a meeting of the Empowered Task Force including several central ministries, departments and the state governments for ensuring better coordination and convergence among agencies and programs for holistic rejuvenation of Ganga River and its basin. The Ministries and States provided an update on the recent developments that have taken place and also mapped out their future plans.
Among Central Ministries, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare informed that total area under organic farming and agro-forestry increased from 23,840 Ha to 1,03,780 Ha. Out of this, land for Organic Farming in Uttarakhand is 50,840 Ha, Uttar Pradesh is 42,180 Ha, Bihar is 16,060 Ha & Jharkhand is 4,540 Ha. along the Ganga. The Ministry of Agriculture is also working to ensure that shifting to organic farming also boosts farmer’s income, improves water use & crop diversification. States are also using Namami Gange brand for organic farm produce along the Ganga.
The Ministry of Tourism informed that the Ganga Museum in Haridwar is now operational while the one in Rishikesh is ready for inauguration and another Museum in Patna has been sanctioned. The Ministry is also working on developing tourists circuits along the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Bihar. A Report on architectural, cultural and natural mapping for 38 districts has also been submitted.
Among the States, Bihar has committed to promote production and marketing of organic products under their ‘State Organic Mission’.Uttar Pradesh is working on promoting organic plantation in urban areas& developing Mandis (outlets) in Urban residential colonies to encourage people to buy organic products. Uttarakhand has started 20 big and 410 small outlets to promote organic products along Char Dham yatra while Jharkhand government has started ‘Organic farming authority of Jharkhand’ to promote organic farming in the state especially along the Ganga. The State of West Bengal has started a massive plantation drive in the Sunderban area. About 15 crore trees will be planted in 3 districts covering 10,000 acres of land.
Addressing the meeting,MoS Jal Shakti, Bishweswar Tudu said that Namami Gange is not only a program for cleaning Ganga but to bring collective consciousness among masses. Hence, all the Central and State ministries will have to come together under one umbrella to make Ganga Aviral and Nirmal. Secretary, Jal Shakti Ministry, Shri Pankaj Kumar, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, DG, NMCG, Shri RozyAggrawal, ED (Finance), NMCG, Shri Ashok Kumar Singh, ED (Projects), NMCG and Shri D.P. Mathuria, ED (Technical) NMCG represented the National Mission for Clean Ganga during the meeting.


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Friday here in Reno for the 2013 Hot August Nights and participants from all over the Western United States have gathered downtown for the car show that fills the majority of the town. Simultaneously there is a swap meet and car show at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Event Center and Barrett Jackson is holding its auction at the Convention Center (the original Hot August Nights location).
We spotted everything: a cool Saab, rat rods, a few gassers, a ton of lowriders and even a collection of vintage Reno fire trucks. The gallery below isn’t everything from the show, far from it, only the stuff we thought was cool. We still have to attend drag racers, burnouts, auctions, and a swap meet.
That’s the 1940 Ford 2013 Ridler award winner. Elana visited the owner/builder Andy Leach, earlier this year to drive the car for a HOT ROD Unlimited video, watch is here. Andy says after this stop here in Reno, they are heading to Bonneville for Speed Week. He also told us last night the car was baptized in its first rain storm. “Hey, it’s just a car,” Andy says.
Guys have been rolling in all day since 7am this morning.
We really dig this unique color on this ’32.


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People have insurance for their home, life, auto or health, but many of these consumers find the customer experience (CX) of the industry marginal at best.
According to Forrester Research, the CX health insurers provide is among the lowest the research firm tracks, ranking 15th out of the 19 categories. “Success among health insurers means being the best of the worst,” Forrester researchers Faith Adams and William Willsea wrote in Forrester’s 2018 report on U.S. health insurer’s customer experience (paywall).
Insurers in other market segments (auto, home, life) need to improve as well.
The keys to CX quality in insurance, according to Forrester, stem from effectiveness, ease and emotion. Typically, this means having a combination of digital and human access.
“To make sustainable CX gains, insurers must become more rigorous in identifying where customers struggle, by leveraging research and insights,” the researchers wrote. They added that customer service is the most important driver of CX, but a little more than half (56 percent) of life insurance customers say they get the help they need, and sometimes insurers rely too much on technology. By contrast, 71 percent of those auto and home policy owners surveyed said they had a positive experience with their insurer’s customer service.
Insurance Struggles to Provide Excellent CX
One of the ways insurers are trying to provide improved CX and customer service is by digitizing some elements, such as signups and claims verification.
“In today’s highly competitive marketplace, delivering best-in-class customer experiences is more important than ever,” said Brooks Tingle, CEO of John Hancock Insurance. “In our industry, that means making life insurance significantly easier to buy and fun to own. When you think of it, historically that has not been the case — the life insurance buying process has been cumbersome, invasive and long and policy owners had about two less-than-exciting interactions with their insurers a year, receiving a privacy notice and a bill.”
Tingle admitted the industry, though it has improved, is still struggling to provide excellent CX, which digitizing the buying process can help provide. The company is trying to address the issue through its John Hancock Vitality, life insurance combined with a technology-based wellness that provides education, support, incentives and rewards for customers.
“With John Hancock Vitality, we’re having an average of 23 positive interactions with customers a month — from a paradigm that was one or two administrative interactions a year,” Tingle said.
Related Article: Want Better Customer Experience? Start With Your Employees
Using Martech to Ease CX
With customers expecting seamless access to a variety of channels, incorporating martech is essential for insurance CX today, said Clark Wooten, group vice president of insurance services at Acxiom. “The rapid proliferation of channels, devices and data sources has impacted the complexity of identity resolution strategies and increases the risk of brand loyalty erosion as competition soars in this transformative climate. Customers expect carriers to deliver a seamless, omnichannel and highly personalized experience but organizational and industry obstacles, including data silos and evolving data privacy policies, create a barrier between these expectations and services delivered.”
There was a time when insurance customers were satisfied with a timely response, a fair price and quality service, Wooten added. But times have changed. Today, consumers are looking for:
- Cross-channel personalized experiences.
- Seamless, consistent and connected journey.
- Data accuracy, protection, privacy.
- Choices in buying — where, when, how and who.
- Interaction where, when and how they want.
- Real-time interactions and responses.
- An experience similar to other great brands.
- Value exchanges above and beyond.
- Trust and honesty.
Related Article: How Leaders Turn Martech Strategies Into Tactics
Focus on Service Rather Than Selling
Customers typically have few interactions with their insurance company. In fact, without a claim or premium change, there is often no interaction at all. More than 90 percent of insurers worldwide do not communicate with their customers even once a year; 20 to 40 percent of their customer base will not receive a single communication all year, said Oliver Börner, principal business solutions manager for global customer intelligence at SAS. “Given the limited interactions, it’s imperative that insurers provide exemplary customer experience at every opportunity — and equally paramount that those interactions do not center on selling. Insurers should instead strive to become their customers’ trusted advisor."
He added that the typical insurer’s customer communications are 90 to 99 percent sales-focused and 1 to 10 percent service-focused, but the goal should be 70 percent of communications directed at serving the customer and building trust and only 30 percent aimed at sales.
A few examples:
- An insurance company communicates in real-time sending a message about burglary in the neighborhood or the risk of a flood.
- Faster processing of claims (many insurers now have claimants fill out forms, submit digital pictures, etc., online to speed the claim process).
- Provide analytics to provide accurate pricing and quicker approval/denial decisions.
The above ideas are just starting to gain traction in the industry and can take some time to incorporate, but there is definitely a trend (and a need) in insurance to try to provide better CX.


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In a recent survey conducted by ACI Worldwide, an international provider of payment systems, 76% of respondents do not currently issue payment cards with EMV technology, and of that group only 15% have plans to do so within the next 24 months.
However, 94% of respondents believe that EMV will reduce fraud on card-based transactions, and 82% believe that the fraud savings would cover the cost of the EMV implementation.
The survey was carried out at the BAI RDS event, and respondents were almost exclusively North American financial institutions.
Jim Schlegel, senior product manager at ACI Worldwide commented, “These results are almost difficult to believe – with so many respondents saying that EMV would reduce fraud enough to cover the costs of implementation, and yet so few with any active plans to start rolling it out. When we asked people what was the greatest barrier to EMV in the U.S., 46% said the cost to migrate and 33% said a lack of motivation – which just seems to almost contradict the views we saw elsewhere.”
He continued, “57% of respondents also admitted to having seen customer service issues with cardholders experiencing difficulties using their cards overseas, which is a significant number, and EMV alone can be a big help to overcoming these problems as it is the common standard in so many other countries that North American travelers visit frequently.”
The survey also looked at contactless technology, which showed low levels of current activity (17%) and most financial institutions (81%) not planning any contactless projects in the next 24 months, as well as mobile banking and payments. It was these two areas which had real levels of penetration (48% have a mobile banking program in place and 30% have mobile payments) and planned growth from those who are not currently embracing these tools (77% for mobile banking and 69% for mobile payments).
Schlegel concluded, “The popularity of mobile compared to EMV and contactless shows that banks are prepared to make investments, but newer card technologies aren’t seen as growth areas – as is evidenced by the percentage of respondents who do not intend to offer contactless cards in the next two years. When we asked if magnetic stripe card technology will be the dominant payment technology for the next five years, 48% said yes – which just goes to show how little change people are really expecting. I look forward to seeing how many of these predictions come true.”


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PALMETTO Bob Spencer, vice president of sales for West Coast Tomato, will proudly say his company, as well as its larger enterprise, McClure Farms, has always tried to contribute to needy causes.
Bob Spencer, of West Coast Tomato, will receive the inaugural Feeding Hope Award from the Florida Association of Food Banks for his work in donating food through the Farmers Feeding Florida program Monday. TIFFANY TOMPKINS-CONDIE/Bradenton Herald
So when he was approached in 2009 about sitting in on preliminary meetings to create Farmers Feeding Florida, a food recovery and donation program, Spencer saw it as “another opportunity to get involved.”
Nearly three years later, his contributions to the program instituted by the Florida Association of Food Banks has earned him state-wide recognition.
Today, Spencer will receive the inaugural Feeding Hope Award from the Florida Association of Food Bank. The presentation will take place at 12:30 p.m. at West Coast Tomato, located in Palmetto.
To date, West Coast Tomato has donated nearly two million pounds of tomatoes to help feed the hungry across the state. Spencer sits on the Farmers Feeding Florida advisory board.
“It’s an award that’s on behalf of our company, the tomato industry and agriculture industry as a whole,” Spencer said.“
Through Farmers Feeding Florida, food banks recover food that doesn’t reach the retail market because of blemishes or market conditions and distributes it to organizations around the state that feed the hungry. Spencer has been an advocate of the program and suggested methods to approach other growers and packers around the state. Organizations like Our Daily Bread in Bradenton depend on donations from food banks. “Its a tremendous help,” said Penny Goethe, kitchen manager at Our Daily Bread. “If we had to buy all our food, we couldn’t feed everybody. If it wasn’t for donations, you couldn’t operate.” Spencer said because organizations like Our Daily Bread have made investments in large freezers and refrigerators, they can better store fresh produce. “In the past, it was difficult to give fresh produce because they didn’t have proper storage equipment,” he said.
Our Daily Bread has two walk-in freezers and two walk-in refrigerators, along with seven stand up freezers and refrigerators, much of which was purchased in the last three years, Goethe said. “I have six five gallon buckets of tomato sauce that we have stewed and frozen,” Goethe said. “In six months when there are no tomatoes out there, we’ll have spaghetti sauce.” Rebecca Brislain, executive director of FAFB, said Spencer “has been a proponent for Farmers Feeding Florida from the beginning.” “His advice and expertise was instrumental,” she said. “To feed nutritious meals is a great thing,” Spencer said. “We’re happy to be involved.”
Twenty five percent of families with children in the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice reported difficulties putting food on the table at some point during the past year, according to data released in 2011 by the Food Research and Action Center. The local area ranked 41st among the country’s top 100 metropolitan statistical areas in hardship among households with children.


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08:24 | 11/10/2015 Cooperation
Two Mexican business delegations will visit Vietnam this November and in February 2016 to study investment and cooperation opportunities, local business executives told Ambassador to Mexico Le Linh Lan during their recent meetings.
A seminar on promoting Vietnam-Mexico economic cooperation in Mexico city in September 2015 (Source: VNA)
The Ambassador attended the 22th Mexican Foreign Trade Congress held on October 1-2 in the northwestern state of Jalisco, where she held talks with Miguel Angel Landeros, President of the Western Mexican Council for Foreign Trade (COMCE) and Francisco Gonzalez Diaz, General Director of ProMexico - a Mexican government’s agency of trade and investment promotion.
The diplomat also took the occasion to introduce Mexican enterprises to Vietnam’s foreign investment policy, main export products and major trading companies.
According to the Vietnam Embassy’s Trade Office in Mexico, trade turnover between the two countries hit 1.32 billion USD in the first eight months of this year, an annual climb of 51 percent.
During the period, Vietnam exported nearly 1.07 billion USD worth of commodities to Mexico, up 38 percent year on year while importing goods valued at 320.94 million USD from the partner, increasing 215 percent from the 149 million USD seen in 2014.
In 2014, trade turnover between the two nations hit 2.26 billion USD, climbing 40 percent from 2013, reported the Mexican central bank and economics ministry./.


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Billion Dollar Brows Reaches Billion Dollar Markets with SBA Backed International Trade Loan
Husband and wife owned company receives SBA international trade loan enabling them to formulate product recipes for specific export markets, increase warehouse space and hire employees
Santa Ana, CA – Billion Dollar Brows founder Natalie Plain believes everyone deserves beautiful brows, citing their transformative power to change a person’s whole look. She recounts in her book, The Plain Truth About Brows, how a photo of her with former President Bill Clinton started her on the path of rehabilitating people’s eyebrows. With the help of an SBA guaranteed International Trade Loan funded by Sunwest Bank, she is one step closer to accomplishing that goal. The former White House intern turned reality television writer turned entrepreneur recently received a loan that is allowing her company to formulate recipes for its products and tailor them to specific export markets such as Japan, Norway, Finland, Norway, United Arab Emirates, Australia and the United Kingdom, among others. The company takes variations in skin tone, hair types, local fashion trends, and consumer preferences around the globe into account as it prepares its product formulas, ensuring a successful launch in each different market.
The SBA-backed International Trade Loan, which features a higher-than-typical guaranty of 90% as an incentive to encourage lending to small businesses engaged in exporting, will be used to purchase inventory for the company, which has been doubling its growth year-over-year each of the last two years. The loan has also helped the business to hire new employees, such as an executive with experience launching products through large retail chains, and expand its warehouse space. The company, which relocated from Los Angeles to Irvine about a year and a half ago, expects record revenues this year, and is signing new distributors every month, including recently big box retail giant Kohl’s.
The company got its start with the launch of its first product, Brow Boost, a conditioner for over-plucked or naturally thin eyebrows. The product proved to be incredibly popular when it was launched, inspiring Natalie and her husband Bob to design other products, including brow pencils, gels, powders, and eventually its patented Brow Buddy tool, which the company has used to recreate perfect brows in salons across the globe, including its own located in Beverly Hills. Their Beverly Hills salon now pulls double duty as a ‘test kitchen’ for the business, allowing the owners to try out new products, conduct focus groups and listening sessions, and most importantly, get instant feedback from the stylists and end users that use their products.
Area lenders have shown an increasing appetite to finance these types of loans, which can be used by a small business to expand existing export markets, develop new export markets, or even if the business has been adversely affected by import competition and can demonstrate the loan will improve their competitive position. The proceeds from an SBA International Trade Loan can be used for acquiring, constructing, renovating, modernizing, improving or expanding facilities and equipment to be used in the United States to produce goods or services involved in international trade and to develop and penetrate foreign markets; working capital; and possibly debt refinancing, if the debt incurred is eligible. Last year, SBA shattered its record for export financing, supporting some $2.8 billion in export sales nationwide. Any SBA approved 7(a) lender is authorized to underwrite an international trade loan.
“International trade, especially U.S. export trade, represents an integral part of our nation’s economy. In 2013, U.S. exports amounted to $1.579 trillion, an increase of 49.4% since 2009 and accounted for 9.4% of our overall GDP. The products and services produced by innovative businesses in our country are desired around the world and SBA’s International Trade program with its 90% guaranty helps small businesses reach these far away markets. Billion Dollar Brows is a great example of how a small business can look for customers outside our borders, and work with SBA financing partners to help them expand,” said J. Adalberto Quijada, Director of SBA’s Santa Ana District.


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Saudi Arabia, Intel to 'host' IMEC research Research 1/31/2011 2 comments King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology (KACST) has agreed to host researchers from the KACST-Intel Center of Excellence in Nano-manufacturing Applications (CENA) at IMEC in Levuen, Belgium for three years starting in September 2011.
Europe awards contract to assess 450-mm pilot line News & Analysis 1/27/2011 Post a comment Two consultancy firms with expertise in the semiconductor industry – Future Horizons Ltd. and Decision SA – have been awarded a one-year joint contract to assess the benefits of a 450-mm semiconductor prototyping line being located in Europe.
Tech's turn on top Automotive DesignLine Blog 1/27/2011 6 comments Technology grabbed the majority of time in President Obama's State of the Union speech. But where do we go from here?
FDA to change 510(k) process 25 ways News & Analysis 1/19/2011 3 comments The FDA identified 25 areas where will make changes in 2011 to the so-called 510(k) program, the most widely used regulatory path for medical electronics devices.
ITC backs Rambus with 34-company probe News & Analysis 1/3/2011 8 comments The International Trade Commission has announced that it will launch an investigation into various chips and memory controllers and products that contain them, including PC motherboards, modems, routers and computers, following a complaint filed by Rambus Inc.
Drones are, in essence, flying autonomous vehicles. Pros and cons surrounding drones today might well foreshadow the debate over the development of self-driving cars. In the context of a strongly regulated aviation industry, "self-flying" drones pose a fresh challenge. How safe is it to fly drones in different environments? Should drones be required for visual line of sight – as are piloted airplanes? Join EE Times' Junko Yoshida as she moderates a panel of drone experts.


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Trading 212 UK Limited, a London-based FCA-regulated online broker offersing trading services with forex, company shares, and CFDs. Now, the company has secured £13.75 million in capital from its shareholders Borislav Nedialkov and Ivan Ashminov, who are also its co-founders.
As per Finance Magnates, the latest fundraising was made in late July and followed the £6 million of additional money that the shareholders put into Trading 212. With this, the total amount raised by the company so far in 2021 accounts for £19.75 million. In addition, Trading 212 raised £2 million in August 2020.
As per the latest filing, the broker has issued and allotted 13,750,000 shares on July 27. Each share was allotted at a nominal cost of £1. Besides these, the company noted that the newly issued shares were allotted in exchange for cash.
Trading 212 confirmed that the latest capital injection will be used to help support the growth in the business of the brokerage business. Like many of its online brokerage counterparts, Trading 212 witnessed a sharp uptick in all metrics over the past year.
The trading platform that benefited from the retail trading frenzy during the skyrocketing demand for meme stocks was forced to shut new accounts as its infrastructure couldn’t cope up with the surge in demand. Also, it faced the brunt of Brexit and migrated its clients in the EU to Trading 212 Markets Limited operating with a CySEC license.


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VINEYARDS ACROSS AMERICA ENHANCE THE STATUS OF PREMIUM U.S. WINES
By HOWARD G. GOLDBERG
Published: March 4, 1987
SINCE the early 1970's, and especially in the 80's, the quality of the best wines in the United States has risen like bubbles in Champagne. The result is that today this country, a nation of beer drinkers, is a full-blown producer of premium wines. The United States is still not in the same league as France as a producer of first-quality wines, but it has achieved a new status.
That status is rooted in regionalism, in the increasing number of vineyards and wineries that have opened or expanded in such unexpected climes as Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Arkansas and Texas. And watch out for New Mexico, which has 18 wineries. In 1970 there were 441 commercial and farm wineries in 34 states; by 1985 the number had reached 1,289 in 41 states. These wineries, using their own and purchased vinifera, French-American and regional grapes, concentrate heavily on the premium-wine market.
Noteworthy regional wines, or vins de pays, are an Old World story. Awaiting discovery, their New World equivalents are making every customer a Columbus - like George Csepegi, who is in the heating and air-conditioning business in Ashtabula, Ohio. Mr. Csepegi's find is vignoles, a white wine made from a French-American hybrid grape by the nearby Chalet Debonne. ''It's super,'' he said, ''not too dry, not too sweet, every bit as good as European wine.''
High-quality chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir and riesling from the major wine states - California, New York, Washington and Oregon - are familiar. Now, by all accounts, east of the Rockies there is a rising tide of sophistication in enology (wine making) and viticulture (grape growing), supported by advanced technology. In addition, the eastern two-thirds of the country has developed ''a lot of marketing savvy,'' said Richard P. Vine, a professor of viticulture and enology at Mississippi State University. It has also developed employment appeal. Graduates of the wine programs at the University of California at Davis and California State University at Fresno, confronting stiff competition for jobs in California, are finding greener vineyards elsewhere.
There are ''real highs and lows'' in regional wine quality, said Lucie T. Morton, a Virginian who wrote ''Winegrowing in Eastern America'' (Cornell University Press, 1985; $24.95). She said, however, that more experience in wine making and in grape farming, plus adequate state support ''will reduce the lower end'' as in California. Why have wineries proliferated? Louis R. Gomberg, chairman of Gomberg, Fredrikson and Associates, wine-industry consultants in San Francisco, points to wine's ''mystique.''
''Winegrowing draws people because of its connection with socially, economically and culturally attractive individuals and life styles,'' he said. Besides, Professor Vine added, ''It's a lot of fun.'' Jon Fredrikson, president of the San Francisco firm, said a huge untapped market for premium wines makes them ''an exciting growth industry'' for premium wineries, which produce only about 15 percent of all American table wines. Shipments of high-priced domestic table wines to distributors have grown by 15 to 20 percent a year since 1980, he said. By contrast, the sales boom in low-priced table wines (jug wines) that began in the 70's has deflated.
A turning point in wine consumption occurred in 1968, said Leon D. Adams, a Californian who is dean of the nation's wine historians and author of ''The Wines of America'' (McGraw-Hill, 1985; $22.95). That year table-wine sales passed dessert-wine sales. Today more Americans pour wine with meals than ever before, he said. In 1985 table wines captured 65 percent of the total wine market and dessert wines plunged to 5.8 percent, according to Impact, a trade publication. Moreover, the 1968 per capita consumption of all wine - 1.07 gallons - has since more than doubled.
In 1985, America ranked 28th among 31 industrialized countries in per-capita wine consumption, according to the Wine Institute, a California trade organization. Why? Pat Paulsen, the comedian and owner of a California winery, put it bluntly: ''In France, they drink 21.06 gallons per person a year; in the U.S., 2.42 gallons. This proves one thing: France has no Midwest.'' But the Midwest has a touch of
France - at least in the name Prairie du Sac, the Wollersheim Winery's home. People from nearby Sauk City tell the owner, Robert P. Wollersheim: ''Wisconsin wine? You've got to be kidding.'' No, he's not. He is a dedicated vintner, and proves it with a tasty 1984 Domaine Reserve, a red made from Marechal Foch and Leon Millot, French-American varieties.
''We have a recognition problem, not a quality problem,'' Mr. Wollersheim said. Other first-rate wineries are in the same bind. They cannot afford national distribution and, because certain consumers are skeptical about regional wines, they struggle to promote their wares locally.
Many depend on sales at their wineries.
Several major hotels are advancing the cause. Two Inter-Continental hotels, the Mark Hopkins in San Francisco and the Willard in Washington, for example, feature regional wines from around the country on their wine lists. Comparable lists are planned for other Inter-Continental hotels in Miami and Atlanta. Mark Hopkins guests can buy a Truluck Vineyards 1981 chambourcin (red) from South Carolina ($34), a 1982 chardonnay from Prudence Island Vineyards in Rhode Island ($48) and Wollersheim's 1982 Domaine Reserve ($31). Wines from 34 states are offered.


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Photo – Fire-Boltt
Delhi: India’s company Fire-Boltt has launched its new calling smartwatch Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra equipped with an explosive feature. A 1.39-inch LCD display has been provided with Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra, whose resolution is 240×240 pixels. Bluetooth calling has also been supported with Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra. Apart from this, it has 120 sports modes. This watch of Firebolt also has a blood oxygen sensor.
Dynamic heart rate tracking in addition to SpO2 monitoring
The price of Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra has been kept at Rs 1,999 and it is being sold on Flipkart as well as from the company’s site. Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra can be purchased in Black, Blue, Red, Grey, Pink and Teal colours. There are 123 sports modes with Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra which include running, cycling, swimming etc. Apart from SpO2 monitoring, this watch from Firebolt has health features like dynamic heart rate tracking, sleep monitoring.
More than 00 watch faces to be found
Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra has got an IP68 rating for water resistance. The Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra also comes with inbuilt games and boasts of seven days of battery life. It can be fully charged in 120 minutes. More than 100 watch faces will be available with the app. The total weight of the watch is 80 grams.


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ON THE BOARD: Nick Hampton to replace Javed Ahmed as Tate & Lyle chief exec
Tate & Lyle chief executive Javed Ahmed will step down this year after more than eight years at the helm.
Ahmed, 57, will leave the ingredients maker in April, paving the way for Nick Hampton who has been promoted from chief finance officer to chief executive.
Hampton joined Tate & Lyle in 2014 after 20 years with PepsiCo where he was president for West Europe and senior vice president for Europe’s commercial business.
Tate & Lyle started out as a sugar refining company in 1921.
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Gifts purchased at the Light and Leadership Initiative's annual Warehouse Sale will do double duty this holiday season.
Former Tinley Park resident and Trinity Christian College graduate Lara DeVries, 31, founder and executive director of the not-for-profit organization, said the fair trade products available at the sale not only offer shoppers the opportunity to make unique purchases, but will help provide a living wage for seven female artisans in Huaycan, Peru, a small shantytown outside of Lima.
"We follow fair trade practices and ethics, and are registered with Chicago Fair Trade," DeVries said.
Fair Trade is a business model designed to "provide opportunity for economically disadvantaged producers," among other goals, according to the Chicago Fair Trade website, www.chicagofairtrade.org.
The Warehouse Sale will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 26 and Dec. 10 at 6819 W. 167th St., Tinley Park.
DeVries founded Light and Leadership Initiative in 2008 to offer education and enrichment opportunities to women and children living in poverty in Huaycan. The organization offers 65 after school and weekend classes weekly, about 10,000 classes since 2009.
DeVries said in 2010, the Huaywasi Fair Trade line of merchandise emerged as a part of the organization's Women's Empowerment Program when several skilled Huaycan women were eager to use their talents to support themselves.
"Our goal always has been and always will be to work with women to improve their access to education and to improve their well-being," she said.
DeVries said because "all of our women live in situations that are considered to be at the poverty line or below into extreme poverty," being able to offer an opportunity to work from home for a "viable income" was an important step forward for the organization and a life-changer for the women.
"Everything we produce as a Fair Trade product is handmade," DeVries said. "We offer a wide array of products."
Apparel for men, women and children include T-shirts, hoodies and dresses. Knitwear such as scarves and gloves are made from an alpaca blend yarn. DeVries said bags and accessories — some hand-loomed and of "amazing quality" — also are available. Hand-painted ceramics include depictions of a traditional Peruvian bull.
"We have a lot of unique Christmas items and decorations," DeVries said, including Peruvian fabric stockings, ceramic nativity sets and Christmas ornaments.
DeVries said although many of the items can be purchased online, the Warehouse Sale will offer items at a better price.
"At the Warehouse Sale, we'll offer special prices and discounts," she said.
DeVries will be available during Warehouse Sale hours to discuss volunteer opportunities at Light and Leadership Initiative in Huaycan.
She said volunteers are needed to teach English, math, art and chess.
Internships as manager of the Women's Program and coordinator of the Kids Center are also available.
"We do have power to help people who live 4,000 miles away," DeVries said.
More information is at www.lightandleadership.org.
Ginger Brashinger is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.


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Honor 90 series: Global rollout starts on July 6th
After the announcement in China last month, the Honor 90 series will go on a world tour on July 6th. Honor will hold a launch event in Paris, France, where all the details on pricing and availability are expected to come out.
The Honor 90 comes with a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, a 6.7-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 50-megapixel front camera. The smartphone also has a 200 megapixel main camera with a 1/1.4 inch Samsung sensor. The aperture measures f/1.9 and the individual pixels are 0.56 μm. There is also a 12 megapixel ultra wide and a 2 megapixel depth sensor. Honor 90’s battery has a capacity of 5,000 mAh and charges with 66 watts.
Nothing Phone (2) is coming July 11th
The long-awaited Nothing Phone (2) will be released on July 11th. The date comes exactly one day before the launch of the Nothing Phone (1), which debuted on July 12 last year. The young brand’s second phone will be unveiled in a live stream starting at 4:00 p.m. BST (3:00 p.m. UTC).
Nothing has already confirmed that the Phone (2) will come with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, a 6.67-inch AMOLED display and a 4,700 mAh battery. Carl Pei also confirmed that we get three years of Android updates and four years of security patches. In terms of design, the Phone (2) aims to retain the looks of its predecessor, but look a little more compact with rounded sides.
11 Oppo phones get Android 14 update
Oppo Benelux has announced a short list of eleven smartphones that will receive the Android 14 update. The models in question include the last two devices in the Find X series and four models each from the Reno and A series. Here is the full list:
- Oppo A98
- Oppo A78
- Oppo A77
- Oppo A57
- Oppo Reno8 Pro
- Oppo Reno8
- Oppo Reno8 T
- Oppo Reno7
- Oppo Find X5
- Oppo Find X5 Pro
- Oppo Find X3 Pro
The list was confirmed to DroidApp by Oppo Benelux, although Oppo was reluctant to make the start of the Android 14 rollout official. In addition, the list only applies to Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg for the time being and may differ in other regions of the world.
Google released the third developer beta for Android 14 just last week. The final version is expected to hit the market in August.


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Though Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil predicts that the emotions of saying farewell "aren't really gonna hit anybody really hard until that last week, when we're really saying goodbye," there have been some moments where the reality of The Final Tour is sinking in.
Katy Perry's performance during halftime at this year's Super Bowl is still reverberating at the U.S. Trademark Office. On Friday, the pop singer got bad news that her company's initial attempts to register a "Left Shark" design had been rejected.
Despite a memo from Feb. 2 obtained by Billboard saying that the advertising company Mirriad was in dire straights, a spokesperson tells Billboard that the company "will shortly close on a Series B round of financing from a consortium of current and new investors."
When Taylor Swift put out her video for "Style," the visuals' own style received a lot of attention. But one reporter figured the clip might be more fitting for another pop songstress and set about an experiment putting Lana Del Rey's "Summertime Sadness" to the video.
Rapper Waka Flocka Flame is all about breaking new ground, from his own Love & Hip-Hop spinoff to premiering videos on PornHub -- so it makes sense that he would try to go where no rapper has gone before: the Oval Office.
Whether it’s educating us on climate change, reminding us of the beauty of our planet, or simply evoking the elements, this playlist featuring Latin artists of every genre provides the perfect Earth Day soundscape.
Nearly a year after announcing the purchase of Beats for $3 billion from Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, Apple is inching closer and closer to unveiling its much-anticipated music streaming service later this Spring.
We've always known Kurt Cobain was a huge Beatles fan (he wrote Nirvana's "About a Girl" after listening to 'Meet the Beatles!' on repeat for a day) but until recently, very few people had ever heard him cover them.
Neil Young is preparing to release a new album entitled 'The Monsanto Years' with support from the Promise of the Real. The band, which includes Willie Nelson's sons Lukas and Micah, will hit the road to support the album this summer on the Rebel Content tour.
Well, Blur fans, the moment is finally here. After announcing plans for their first album in 12 years this Feb., the Britpoppers shared "The Magic Whip" today (April 21) online for your streaming pleasure.
Ky-mani Marley is sticking to his roots in the new video for his single "All The Way." Musically, he's pursuing a classic, roots reggae sound that hearkens back to the legendary recordings of his father, Bob Marley; aesthetically, he heads to the relatively rural, incredibly lush landscapes of Jamaica's Portland region.


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The good news is that vivo is finally going to release its new mobile phone system Vivo JoviOS. Ge Yanan, the project manager of vivo Funtouch OS, posted a picture on Weibo at noon today, and the words “JoviOS” appeared in the picture.
Ge Yanan, Vivo Funtouch OS project manager, said, “Thank you for having us, we will definitely explore forward!” And published the logo design draft of “JoviOS”. This also indicates that vivo’s “FuntouchOS” may be renamed to “JoviOS”, and it is expected that more content about “JoviOS” will be announced.
In the comments section of post, Ge Yanan confirmed that this is the new OS system that vivo is about to release and is expected to be officially announced at the launch of X30 confrence.
In addition, JoviOS will also adapt to older models, and the specific adaptation plan will be announced at the conference but may be they heve planned a separate event for JoviOS.


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As the online casino industry in Serbia is thriving, there is definitely a lot of interest to try new and steamy games. The entire Balkan gaming market is currently growing in its worth and overall market size year by year.
Serbia definitely has great market potential with increasing liberalization. Endorphina is a Prague-based online slots provider cooperating with market leaders worldwide. Endorphina has also just recently kicked off a new campaign together with Mozzart-Bet called “Billion of Free Spins!” Endorphina is known for supporting online casinos and creating advertising campaigns together to mutually grow in the market. Take a look at their newest campaign – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_LFgWpJJs0!
Milos Randjic, Online Casino Portfolio Director at Mozzart, shares a few words about the new partnership:
“We are confident that partnering with Endorphina on this new campaign will bring only positive results. We’re looking forward to working with such an established provider.”
Don’t forget to join in, play, and get your free spins while you can! Got questions or are interested in learning more about Endorphina?
Check out their website at https://endorphina.com/news/endorphinas-newest-partnership-with-mozzartbet


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Since December 2015 world’s third largest container shipping company CMA CMG made an offer of $2.4 Billion to acquire Neptune Orient Lines Limited (NOL) the largest SouthEast Asia’s container shipping company.
The deal would allow the French company to consolidate its market position in strategic shipping routes like the Transpacific, Intra-Asia and Indian subcontinent. The new fleet of 563 vessels would have a capacity of 2.35 thousand TEU’s and a market share of 11.5%.
Offering all aspects of global transportation, NOL and its core business APL is the largest shipping line listed on the Singapore’s exchange.
On its 2015 Annual Report, NOL’s chairman Kwa Chong Seng justified NOL’s sale. Given the poor macroeconomic conditions, the acquisition of NOL by CMA CGM comes at the right time: The combination of a weak demand growth with overcapacity and the drop of freight rates has led to a disappointing forecast for the Singapore-based company.
“To get back to sustainable growth and profitability on its own, NOL needs to achieve a better cost position through greater economies of scale. This would require significant additional equity investment at a time when returns in the industry are weak,” said NOL’s chairman.
The CEO also explained that the decision was made after a thorough consideration and with the vision of improving NOL’s core liner business.
On 2015 APL carried 13% less volume and its revenue fell 24% to US$5.4 Billion. The company keeps its focus on saving costs at all levels by reducing fuel consumption, increasing productivity and vessel operations.[caption id="attachment_4451" align="aligncenter" width="963"] APL key numbers on 2015 Annual Report[/caption]
According to the Wall Street Journal, if consummated, the deal would rank as the biggest shipping consolidation since 2005, when the Danish shipping conglomerate A.P Möller-Maersk acquired P&O Nedlloyd for about $3 billion.Here is an infographic that sums up everything you need to know about CMA CGM- NOL merger: Sources:http://www.mundomaritimo.net/noticias/cma-cgm-confirms-takeover-of-nolhttps://www.nol.com.sg/wps/wcm/connect/a655b534-c9d4-490e-bff0-531c3dcf1217/Full+Annual+Report+2015.pdf?MOD=AJPEREShttp://www.wsj.com/articles/french-shipper-cma-cgm-to-make-offer-to-buy-neptune-orient-lines-1449454066


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DHAKA – Bangladesh’s ready-made garment industry generates a staggering 400 million tons of pre-consumer textile waste each year. This was one of the insights of the recent Made in Bangladesh Week, which concluded with a pledge to place more focus on recycling, among other goals.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacurers and Exporter Association (BGMEA), in partnership Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE), organised the week, which also ran parallel with Dhaka Apparel Summit, the 37th International Apparel Federation (IAF) World Fashion Convention, Bangladesh Denim Expo and Dhaka Apparel Expo among other events.
The week-long event with the theme ‘Care for Fashion’ was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, MP. The PM in her inauguration speech said: “When Bangladesh graduates from the ranks of LDCs [least developed countries], some benefits it currently has will be discontinued, but more opportunities will come after that.”
Noting that Bangladesh is setting up 100 economic zones in different parts of the country, she said: “We want local and foreign investments in these 100 zones.”
Bangladesh is target significant growth in its garment sector. The country sees itself as the natural successor to China, for years the largest – by far – textile exporter globally.
The Adviser to Prime Minister on Private Industry and Investment Salman F Rahman as a special guest in the inauguration ceremony said: “The BGMEA has declared its vision of achieving US$100bn apparel export by 2030 which is very much possible if all stakeholders work together from now onwards.”
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Faruque Hassan in his speech highlighted the progress of Bangladesh’s apparel industry in safety and sustainability in recent years. He said: “We are now also focusing on optimum use of resources, including making a shift from linear to circular model of business as Bangladesh apparel industry generates about 440 million tons of pre-consumer waste every year.”
The BGMEA envisions the country hitting a US$100bn export target by the year 2030, which would be about 10 per cent of the global apparel market share.
Made In Bangladesh week also saw the BGMEA Center of Innovation Efficiency and Occupational Safety and Health (CIEOSH) globally launched by Commerce Minister of Bangladesh Tipu Munshi, MP.
“We have a huge achievement in the RMG sector, while the Rana Plaza collapse changed the scenario. After the disaster, we gradually improved our workplace environment,” the minister said while speaking as the chief guest at the programme.
Munshi laid emphasis on ensuring occupational safety in achieving ambitious export targets for apparel.


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Fort Smith businesses react to mask mandate lift
FORT SMITH, Ark. — Two Fort Smith businesses said they are going to allow customers to make the decision whether or not to wear a mask in-store. The owner of Designer Again Consignment said they will keep an eye on the numbers for a while before they make changes to their pandemic policies. Until then, they’ll continue to offer contactless shopping.


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Is Bitcoin Really Useful? • Cryptocurrency Benzinga
| Breaking News Updates | Yahoo news
Bitcoin is the most popular blockchain, supporting transactions and users from all over the world. Many cite the possibility of Bitcoin adoption as a reason to invest in or support the project. Supporters say that Bitcoin may be the future of finance. However, opponents of the project often raise questions about the usefulness of Bitcoin. Is it as useful as some say? Where can Bitcoin really be used?
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin was created in 2008 by the anonymous Satoshi Nakamoto in response to the 2008 recession. It gained traction and became the largest cryptocurrency in the world. Bitcoin is designed to be both a store of value and a tradable currency.
Bitcoin uses a peer-to-peer network to process transactions and complete tasks. This process allows users to send BTC to anyone else on the blockchain without the need for a third party to verify transactions. Users around the world verify transactions through a proof of work (PoW) system. People can bring computing power to the network and get rewarded for doing so.
Because Bitcoin can be used in multiple scenarios, many say its use cases can lead to widespread adoption.
Bitcoin use cases
Bitcoin is not just a currency. It has several use cases that are important to consider for the future of cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin as a store of value
Currently, the largest use of Bitcoin is as a store of value. This term means that people can invest in Bitcoin and try to get a return on their investment. As of today, BTC is up over 425% on the year. Aside from a few minor hiccups, BTC has almost always risen in the long run. It currently has a market capitalization of more than $ 1 trillion. Many BTC holders make a profit.
Bitcoin is also a different way of storing money than more traditional stores of value (stocks of value, precious metals, etc.). Bitcoin is a much more reliable investment than traditional investments. This quality can be attractive to those looking to invest money outside of banks and brokerages, as it can really maintain custody of your digital assets.
Because Bitcoin is very different from traditional investments and can be profitable, many investors use Bitcoin as a store of value.
Bitcoin as a form of payment
As mentioned above, Bitcoin operates on a peer-to-peer network. This setup means that transactions can be sent anywhere at any time, which is useful in a variety of scenarios, ranging from grocery shopping to investment banking.
Bitcoin payments could be used to process daily transactions. Buying food, paying for insurance, and even buying a house is possible through Bitcoin payments. Currently, 36% of small and medium-sized businesses accept Bitcoin as a form of payment. Some of the most prominent large companies are Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) and AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T). Larger institutions could also use Bitcoin to process large transactions safely and quickly.
However, it is necessary to verify the transactions on the chain. This process costs money and is part of all Bitcoin transactions. The verification process limits the usability of Bitcoin, as transactions can cost more than cash or credit purchases for micropayments.
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) on Bitcoin
Stacks is a project that aims to provide more uses for Bitcoin. It allows smart contracts to integrate with Bitcoin. Smart contracts are programs that use conditionals to automate tasks on the blockchain. Stacks hopes to allow users to create their own smart contracts on the chain.
This advancement would allow DeFi to be more available on the Bitcoin network. Users can create smart contracts with a variety of uses, ranging from business to data analysis.
DeFi is one of the most useful aspects of cryptocurrencies. Allow cryptocurrencies to make an impact in the real world. Many of the most adoptable projects use DeFi to enhance their networks. Bitcoin is looking to use DeFi to bolster the number of uses the project can have.
Peter Schiff on Bitcoin
Not everyone is a Bitcoin supporter. Opponents of the project say it is difficult to see value in a currency that is intangible. The debate also revolves around how much 1 BTC should be worth.
One of the biggest opponents of Bitcoin is the American stock market celebrity, Peter Schiff. He said about Bitcoin that “at the end of the day, when you peel the onion and get to what is actually there, there is nothing there.” It says that there is nothing to support the price of the cryptocurrency. Because of this, you don’t think the project will be used in most scenarios.
The lack of regulation in the crypto sphere is also a factor. Government entities have little say in what happens with cryptocurrencies. While not having regulation can be a major selling point for decentralized assets, it can also be a problem. If fraud or security breaches occur in the network, governments will not be able to provide much help.
Where to buy Bitcoin
If you believe in Bitcoin and the future of cryptocurrencies, you may be interested in buying BTC. Fortunately, buying BTC is extremely easy. It is by far the largest cryptocurrency. Due to its size, almost all crypto exchanges offer BTC. However, some brokerages stand out for their low fees, ease of use, and focus on education.
eToro, Webull, and IBKR are great options for those looking to buy BTC. Opening an account is quite simple, usually only requiring an email or phone number and a source of funding. However, all cryptocurrency brokers vary, so do a little research to decide which broker best suits your needs.
securely through the Interactive Broker website
eToro, based in Cyprus, England and Israel, has provided forex and other CFD derivatives products to retail clients since 2007. A major advantage of eToro is its social trading operations, including OpenBook, which allows new clients to copy the best platform operators. Its social trading features are top-notch, but eToro loses points for a lack of tradable currency pairs and disappointing customer service and research features.
- Cryptocurrency traders based in the US.
- Social and Copy Traders
- Simple user interface
- Community involvement and monitoring of other merchants
- 25 cryptocurrencies
- Wide network of social commerce functions
- Large customer base for new traders to follow
- US traders can only buy cryptocurrencies
So is Bitcoin really useful?
Bitcoin is the largest cryptocurrency, with millions of buyers investing more than $ 1 trillion in total in the cryptocurrency. However, many are hesitant to invest in Bitcoin, citing the lack of uses. Right now, Bitcoin is primarily used as a store of value and form of payment. If it can start to adopt more uses in the DeFi sphere, Bitcoin may become even more useful as a financial tool.
Benzinga drew up a specific methodology to classify cryptocurrency exchanges and tools. We prioritize platforms based on offers, prices and promotions, customer service, mobile app, user experience and benefits, and security. For a full breakdown of our methodology, visit our Cryptocurrency Methodology page.
SoFi creates crypto products to help you buy, sell, and store your bitcoins and cryptocurrencies. You can buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, Solana, Chainlink, Uniswap, and other DeFi tokens instantly. For a limited time, get a $ 10 BTC bonus When you make your first trade of $ 10 or more!
Is Bitcoin Really Useful? • Cryptocurrency Benzinga
| Local Business News World news


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There will be a huge number of companies attending the 6th annual London Cruise Show at the weekend, which this year will be called the 2014 Daily Mail London Cruise Show because of its partnership with the British newspaper. Cunard wants you to be there and as such are offering free entry for you and guest.
If you do take them up on the offer, then all you need to do is print off your complimentary ticket here and then fill in the form attached. However, we would remind you that seeing as though you have received these tickets for free you should head to Stand C22, as this is where Cunard will be.
The 2014 Daily Mail London Cruise Show event will be on March 22nd and 23rd at Olympia in London, which is this Saturday and Sunday, so a perfect time for many of you who just love to cruise.
This will be a special event for Cunard because there will be several talks on how the Queen Mary 2 was designed, one of which is to include the architect of the greatest ocean going liner.
If you thought it couldn’t get any better, then you would be wrong because you could win a free Transatlantic Crossing with Cunard, which also includes a Business Class flight to New York on British Airways.
We know that there are other cruise ship companies going to next weekend’s event, but Cunard certainly make it worth your while heading over to their stand.


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Introducing Our Newest Brand: Open Edit
On April 19, we launched a new Nordstrom Made brand—Open Edit.
Celebrating Earth Day: Progressing Toward Our Environmental Sustainability Goals
To celebrate Earth Day, we're excited to share we've made progress toward our 2025 Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Sustainability goals.
Celebrity Stylist Tara Swennen Partners with Nordstrom on Sustainable Style
To celebrate Earth Day and our commitment to environmental sustainability, we partnered with celebrity stylist Tara Swennen to design sustainable looks.
Nordstrom Partners with Dover Street Market Paris
Featuring an exclusive partnership with Dover Street Market Paris to highlight emerging global designers at Nordstrom SPACE.
Continuing to Make Your Voice Heard
We believe every voice and every vote matter, and our country is stronger when we all participate in the process.
Daytime Sparkles by Maggie Lee at Nordstrom NYC
As part of our on-going partnership, we invited one of the Whitney's emerging artists, Maggie Lee, to take over and recreate a dedicated space within our NYC Flagship store.
Our Approach to Inclusive Beauty
We sat down with UOMA founder Sharon Chuter to discuss the partnership with Nordstrom and the importance of inclusivity.
Shop Sustainable Solutions with Package Free Pop-In
As we approach Earth Day, we wanted to provide customers with a shopping experience to help discover new sustainable everyday solutions by introducing the latest Pop-In shop, Package Free.
Expanding our Active Lifestyle Offering with Tonal
We know customers are looking for inspired workouts that elevate their wellness goals, which is why we are taking our active ambitions to the next level by partnering with Tonal.
Expanding our Market Strategy to 10 Additional Markets
We're excited to roll out our market strategy to our next 10 top markets.
Nordstrom Introduces Livestream Shopping
We are proud to introduce Livestream Shopping, blending the best of our in-person and digital capabilities.
Sam Lobban Joins BoF Live on the Future of Buying
SVP of Designer and New Concepts, Sam Lobban joined BoF to discuss the future of buying in a landscape reshaped by the pandemic.
Privilege Tax Panel with Venus Williams and Jen Jackson Brown
In celebration of Women's History Month, Jen Jackson Brown joined Venus Williams in a panel discussion on women's empowerment, gender wage inequality and tips on advocating for oneself.
International Women's Day
In celebration of International Women's Day, we are reflecting on our commitments to supporting women's empowerment globally and celebrating our progress towards positive change.
Increasing Product, Selection and Representation
Throughout the months of January and February, we've celebrated Black-owned brands and amplified their voices through various merchandise categories in-store and online.
An Open Letter to Our Employees on Anti-Asian Violence
Over the past few weeks, we've learned of a disturbing increase in violent attacks targeting Asian people across the United States and Canada.
Nordstrom Virtual Styling with Celebrity Stylists
We've partnered with celebrity stylists to share style inspiration through curated virtual looks.
Celebrating Valentine's Day
Nordstrom is here to help you find the perfect gifts for all your loved ones this Valentine's day.
Highlights from Nordstrom’s 2021 Investor Event
While there was a lot covered throughout the event and plenty to be excited about, we pulled out a few highlights around our strategy and opportunity for the future.
New Leadership for Nordstrom Canada
We're excited to announce that Alix Box has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Regional Manager for Canada.
Company Spotlight: Black Employee Network
Reflecting the communities we serve and creating a place of inclusion and belonging isn't just the right thing to do, it's what's best for our customers — and it starts with our people.
Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In the spirit of Dr. King's life's work of fighting for civil rights, racial equity, social justice and community service, we are proud to continue our partnership with the National Urban League.
Consumer & Retail Conference: Conversation with our CEO and CFO
Highlights from Morgan Stanley's Consumer and Retail Conference session with our Erik Nordstrom and Anne Bramman.
Nordstrom Board of Directors Conversation: Leadership and Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging
Highlights from our conversation with our CHRO and Black women board members on diversity, inclusion and belonging.
Making it Easy to Make a Difference
We've made it easy for our customers to join us in giving gifts that give back.
Q3 Earnings: Q&A with CFO Anne Bramman
With so much happening during the third-quarter, we sat down with our CFO Anne Bramman to add context.
Harnessing the Power of Nordstrom Rack: Q&A with Geevy Thomas
We sat down with Geevy Thomas, president of Nordstrom Rack, to discuss our new offerings to better serve customers.
A Courageous Conversation: Voter Education and Participation in the 2020 Election
Earlier this month, Nordstrom hosted a courageous conversation with the National Urban League's President and CEO, Marc Morial.
Local Expansion for Market Impact
We're excited to announce the opening of two more Nordstrom Local neighborhood service hubs.
Make Merry Launches at Nordstrom
If there was ever a need to recall a bit of happiness and lift our spirits, it's now.


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It’s not an unknown fact that the online music sales through Apple’s iTunes Store app has declined in recent past. To tackle the situation Apple launched the iTunes app for Windows so people using Windows PC can help iTunes regain some momentum.
However, according to a new report, the Cupertino-based tech giant is thinking of launching the music app on world’s most used mobile operating system – Android.
As per a report published by Billboard, Apple’s move of bring iTunes to Android is because of the faster growth of Google’s product than iOS.
“Apple is also thinking about adding an iTunes App for Android phones, the Google rival that has been growing faster than the iPhone… The surprising discussions are part of a multi-pronged strategy to deal with the double-digit decline in US download sales at Apple’s iTunes Music Store, the largest music retailer,” the report said.
For many people, the development seems to be highly unexpected as Apple has always been very secretive and protective about its own apps and services.
Apple’s former CEO, Steve Jobs had always been against launching its services on other platforms, especially on Android.
“We thought about whether we should do a music client for Android. We put iTunes on Windows in order to sell more iPods. But I don’t see an advantage of putting our own music app on Android, except to make Android users happy. And I don’t want to make Android users happy,” Steve Jobs had once said.
However, the post-jobs era in Apple has changed in many terms as Tim Cook is forming every kind of strategies to benefit the company. Cook feels that the iPhone maker doesn’t have any issue in bringing out its applications for other firmware as long as it is in company’s interest.
To combat its declining sales, Apple is also thinking of many other solutions and on demand music streaming like Spotify and Pandora.
In the year 2.14, US digital album sales have gone down 13 per cent for the week ended March 9, and digital track sales are down 11 per cent from last year.