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- Edward Jones last week withdrew its applications with federal and Utah regulators to establish an industrial loan charter (ILC) company, the investment firm said in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing.
- The company cited “the current environment” and “recent conversations” with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) as its reasons for abandoning the effort.
- Edward Jones is “actively pursuing additional strategies, products, structures and relationships to meet clients' saving, spending and borrowing needs and help clients achieve financially what is most important to them,” the company said.
Edward Jones was one of a host of nonbanks, including automotive giants GM and Ford, Japanese e-commerce company Rakuten and the fintech Brex, to apply for the charter after the FDIC approved applications from payments firm Square (now Block) and student loan servicer Nelnet in 2020.
Those approvals marked a pathway for the first new ILCs in more than a decade. But the charter has drawn pushback because it exempts ILCs from the definition of a “bank” under the Bank Holding Act. Opponents, such as banking trade groups and some lawmakers and regulators, argue that creates a loophole that allows ILCs to sidestep Federal Reserve oversight.
Ford in July pitched its ILC concept as a way to focus on auto-related lending and help it promote adoption of electric vehicles in the U.S. But four consumer groups called that effort disingenuous, adding it leaves consumers open to privacy violations.
“Ford Motor EVs are connected devices that can download and upload” consumer data, which would be shared between Ford Motor and Ford Credit, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, the National Consumer Law Center, Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund and the Center for Responsible Lending wrote in August. Then, they added, “information is sold to third parties.”
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), meanwhile, said it would “continue calling on Congress to close” the ILC loophole.
“Any company that wishes to own a full-service bank should be subject to the same restrictions and supervision that apply to any other bank holding company,” ICBA CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey said in an August statement.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-LA, in 2019 introduced a bill that aimed to close that loophole. “The Rakutens and the Googles of the world shouldn’t be able to circumvent the Fed,” he said at the time. “If they’re allowed to handle your banking services, they’re going to turn into continents.”
Opposition wasn’t contained to the Republican Party. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH, accused the FDIC, in approving Square and Nelnet’s charters, of shuffling corporate favors “through the side door” at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Just before the [2007-08] crisis, regulators gutted financial rules and even considered letting megacorporations like Walmart own banks — and here we go again,” Brown said in a statement in March 2020.
Not every member of the FDIC board voted in favor of the Square and Nelnet moves. Martin Gruenberg, in 2020, said Square had “yet to demonstrate its viability during a downturn in the economic cycle … In fact, it has failed to demonstrate its viability during the upside of an economic cycle.”
Gruenberg now serves as the regulator’s acting chair — a prospect that may have left Edward Jones less apt to press on with its own ILC effort.
Edward Jones is not the first ILC applicant to drop its bid for a charter. Rakuten has withdrawn two applications before submitting a third. Brex withdrew its application in August 2021. GM and Ford’s applications are still pending.
The FDIC in late 2020 issued a final rule requiring ILC parent companies to agree with the agency on capital and liquidity levels, and pledge to maintain them. The rule, however, arguably softened restriction on parent company representation on the board of the ILC and a clause requiring FDIC approval of board members’ departures or replacements. Gruenberg dissented with the rule at the time but was outnumbered.


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Posted on Thursday, September 3rd, 2015 by Peter Sciretta
We’ve seen a lot of images of Star Wars: The Force Awakens villain character Kylo Ren, but never without his hood. During the official StarWars.com live unboxing of the first Star Wars: The Force Awakens toys in advance of “Force Friday” tomorrow, a new Kylo Ren figure was revealed and the hosts even gave us a look at whats under the hood. Could this reveal have larger story implications? Hit the jump, to see the images and read some fan speculation about how Ren’s helmet may play into the Episode VII story.
The new 31-inch Kylo Ren figure was revealed during the 18-hour live Star Wars: The Force Awakens toy unboxing event today. But the back of Kylo Ren’s helmet is all that fans are talking about.
— Taylor Landine (@TaylorLandine) September 3, 2015
Yes, the back of Kylo Ren’s helmet looks a lot like the back of Darth Vader’s iconic helmet.
“You can see his helmet, the helmet is in… from what we’ve been reading online, especially on the website and in interviews, it’s possible he modelled it after Darth Vader,” said the host. “Because that’s someone he was really, really into and had an affection towards. But we’ll have to see in the movies.”
JJ Abrams has described Kylo Ren as a “Vader obsessive.”
“The movie explains the origins of the mask and where it’s from, but the design was meant to be a nod to the Vader mask,” said Abrams. “[Ren] is well aware of what’s come before, and that’s very much a part of the story of the film.”
Some fans are now speculating that Kylo Ren’s helmet is not just inspired by Darth Vader’s helmet, but may actually be Vader’s helmet repurposed. IGN notes:
Like Kylo Ren’s infamous crossguard lightsaber, the helmet has a frenzied homemade look to it. The hull is pockmarked with dents and scrapes giving it a well-worn, or secondhand look. It lends to the theory that it was assembled using Darth Vader’s helmet.
I love the theory but I’m not sure I buy that explanation. The image above, from the second Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser, shows that Darth Vader’s helmet has been extremely mangled. But that doesn’t mean that the helmet couldn’t be be reformed. And surely the person who holds Vader’s helmet remains is most likely Kylo Ren. So you never know.
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Capcom has released a new Japanese trailer for its upcoming fighter, Ultra Street Fighter IV. Ultra Street Fighter IV will feature four new characters, and a fifth unannounced character is rumored to be included. The game is planned for an early 2014 release on PC, X360 and PS3. Enjoy!
ULTRA Special Trailer 2


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Facebook privacy news article
Andrea jelinek, who leads eu authorities in charge of policing the bloc’s data privacy policies, said blaming facebook’s growth drop on gdpr “does not take into account recent developments”. Facebook will give users a bunch of info on privacy — here’s what it all means facebook will send “customized messages” on topics such as advertising, facial recognition and the . Facebook privacy hoax making the rounds, again and you can control how it is shared through your privacy and application settings facebook users can't alter the terms they agreed to by . Opinions expressed by forbes contributors are their own share to facebook share to twitter share to linkedin questions about what social networks mean for personal privacy and security have been .
Facebook announced the steps it will take to comply with a strict european privacy law known as the general data protection regulation (gdpr) which comes into force on may 25 news tips got a . Facebook home, a new android app, has some pundits and privacy experts concerned about potential data grabs. The net’s threat to personal privacy can’t be dismissed as mere paranoia there are a lot more people tracking you than you think “we as consumers don’t have any knowledge of what really .
Friends, friends of friends, advertisers keeping track of facebook's privacy settings can get confusing here's how to get yours just right. Facebook's chief will attend a closed door meeting with european parliament leaders in brussels facebook privacy: meps to press zuckerberg full article daily news briefing direct to your . Facebook rolls out changes to comply with new eu privacy law (cbs news) gdpr security pack: policies to protect data and achieve compliance (tech pro research) it pro's guide to gdpr compliance .
Facebook privacy news article
News about facebook inc, including commentary and archival articles published in the new york times. Consumer reports released its annual report on internet privacy and security thursday, placing facebook front and center issues covered by the influential consumer watchdog group included updates . Read the latest news stories and cases of invasion of privacy on newsercom - page 1 | newser trending news must reads connect to your facebook or twitter account or simply fill in the . Business news june 13, 2018 / 3:11 pm / 3 months ago facebook releases new privacy safeguards after ceding to pressure from advertisers joel schectman 8 min read washington (reuters .
- It seems there isn’t a day that goes by without facebook and privacy being in the news most recently, there’s the small matter of the facebook and cambridge analytica scandal, which is .
- Your news feed includes posts about your friends’ activity on facebook, including when your friends comment on posts from people you’re not friends with.
- Select the photos or videos you want to add to facebook a link through facebook may show up in news feed or selector or another privacy setting, that .
The federal trade commission has an open investigation into facebook's growing privacy scandal it has revealed in a move which sent shares in the social network plunging breaking news: trump . Facebook's newest privacy problem: 'faceprint' data a court case moves forward over whether the social network is breaking the law for not asking your explicit permission for scanning and storing . The internet has been simmering lately over privacy concerns surrounding facebook’s messenger app, which will soon become the only way mobile users can send and receive messages on the social .


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Super Absorbent Polymers Market to Register a CAGR Growth of 3.9% during the for
Posted by ashutosh sable on September 26th, 2017
Growing need for adult incontinence product has led to an upsurge in demand for super absorbent polymersmarketproducts globally. Increasing application of super absorbent polymers products for conserving water is expected to contribute towards growth of the global super absorbent polymer market in the upcoming years. A recently published report by Persistence Market Research reveals that the global super absorbent polymer products will register 3.9% CAGR over the forecast period, 2016 – 2020.
Factors Fuelling Global Market Growth
Increasing need for adult incontinence and feminine hygiene products is predicted to rev up demand for super absorbent polymer products globally. Super absorbent polymer products witness significant demand in the disposable diaper manufacturers globally during the predicted period. Further, surge in the geriatric population is likely to fuel demand for the disposable diapers in the healthcare industry. Such factors are expected to contribute towards growth of the global super absorbent polymer market by the end of 2020.
Additionally, surge in demand for super absorbent polymer products for aboriculture, large-scale farming and agriculture is predicted to underscore lucrative opportunities for growth in the global market. Furthermore, increasing demand among the manufacturers of sand bags, artificial snow and absorbent pads will further fuel growth of the global super absorbent polymer market throughout 2020.
Poly acrylamide co-polymer to Register Significant Growth
Super absorbent polymer in terms of application is expected to represent a major end user, and will account for a revenue share of 74% by the end of 2020. In 2016, this segment represented a value of nearly US$ 5.81 Bn in the global market.
Browse complete report @
Poly acrylamide co-polymer and sodium polyacrylate co-polymers among other end users is expected to represent a major revenue share in the global market by the end of 2020. Poly acrylamide co-polymer is expected to witness relatively high traction due to non-toxic features and relatively high water retention capacity. This segment is likely to represent a revenue share of nearly 11% in the global market by 2020 – end.
APAC to Represent a Leading Market
APAC is expected to represent lucrative opportunities for growth in the global super absorbent polymer market throughout 2020. Europe is predicted to witness the second highest growth in the global market. U.S. is projected to remain a leading country in the North America market. Attributed to increasing awareness regarding hygiene and personal care is predicted to boost growth of the global market in terms of consumption.
Moreover, surge in purchasing power among consumers in the emerging economies is predicted to impact growth of the global super absorbent polymer market throughout 2020. Additionally, various leading providers in the personal care industry is predicted to register significant growth in the APAC market of super absorbent polymer. This is expected to contribute towards growth of the global super absorbent polymer market during the predicted period.
Major players operating in the global super absorbent polymer market include LG Chemicals Ltd., BASF SE, Kao Corporation, Nippon Shokubai Co. Ltd., San-Dia Polymers, Formosa Plastics Corporation, Yixing Danson Technology, Evonik Industries AG, Sanyo Chemicals Industries, and Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co. Ltd.
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About the Authorashutosh sable
Joined: August 9th, 2017
Articles Posted: 358
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The growth in green building has been a bright spot for the electrical industry during the recession and sluggish recovery of the past few years. The attention on energy-efficient lighting, more advanced building controls and other green technologies now stand to see an additional boost from building codes that, if widely adopted, could help shift people’s basic expectations further toward the green.
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3 Ways the Women's Wellness Industry Is Changing Businesses addressing all facets of women's health and wellness are taking off as more female founders confidently embark on new frontiers within the wellness landscape.
For too long, women-owned businesses have been dismissed, and wellness products aimed at a female audience have been considered too niche. The predominantly male gatekeepers to funding have lacked the understanding of market demand for such business models, as well as the personal experience of using the products.
But those dynamics are changing. Businesses addressing all facets of women's health and wellness are taking off as more female founders confidently embark on new frontiers within the wellness landscape. This, according to Baird's 2022 Women's Health & Wellness Showcase.
Baird interviewed several trailblazing companies that are tackling unique issues that women face related to health, wellness, and all-around well-being. "Women-led businesses get disproportionately less funding than businesses that have a male colleague at the helm," says Lauren Leibrandt, Director of Baird Global Investment Banking.
Wellness and healthcare are male-focused spaces, she says, but that doesn't do much to serve the female half of the population. So, Leibrandt and her colleagues set out to speak with entrepreneurs in the wellness space to create an outlook for this fast-growing industry. Here are three ways the industry is changing for the best.
1. Taboos are being destigmatized.
One prime example is businesses that provide both products and education for menstrual health or services and solutions for women going through menopause. Leibrandt says they have traditionally gotten feedback from would-be funders indicating they're "really niche" categories.
"Millions and millions of women get their period every single month," she says. "You tell me how that's a niche or a small category."
Luckily, companies in this space are working to take women's health and wellness out of the "tiny boxes" they've been in for too long. The Baird report notes, "Previously stigmatized topics like fertility, menstrual health, menopause and postpartum are going mainstream and fueling the growth of the women's health market, which is projected to grow at 4.8 percent annually through 2030." Much of that growth is attributable to women's wellness brands pushing the boundaries of conversation in their platforms and advertising.
"We've seen a big shift in consumer categories over the past few years. Those brands are really thinking about what women need and what we're looking for, and they're designing products accordingly. The medical world and the cultural conversation need to catch up to this."
~ Eden Laurin, co-founder and CEO of Nyssa, a women-focused brand offering postpartum recovery, period care, and body awareness products
2. 'Clean' products are just the beginning.
From make-up to food and beyond, "clean" products have been advertised seemingly everywhere. Baird's research found that the category has become inundated; consumers want more, like high-performance, effective products that are good for themselves, their community, and their planet.
"Consumers are analyzing and reading labels on beauty products and wellness products very similarly to the way they do for food," Leibrandt explains. Customers expect companies to provide them with products that meet their values, and female-owned brands are rising to the occasion. And there are no signs of this trend slowing down.
"Consumers are beginning to understand ingredients, and they're increasingly going that extra mile to understand transparency, processing, and potency. You see that already happening with things like collagen and mushrooms."
~ Avalon Lukacs, founder and CEO of Aura Inner Beauty, a premium supplements provider
3. There is no more one size fits all.
While female consumers are searching for products that are good for themselves and the planet, they still want goods that are designed for their unique needs, too. "Wellness is for everybody; it's not just for people that have means," Leibrandt says.
Consumers at every level and every type of budget want goods that are designed by people who understand their specific wants and needs, and female-led companies are listening. Stratification of product offerings is increasing, even as companies aim to serve the broader female market. Designations for consumers of different ages and who are experiencing unique milestones are driving the success of brands in the female wellness space.
"As millennials grow into midlife, they're going to demand better healthcare, better products, and more open conversations," Sally Mueller, co-founder and CEO of Womaness was quoted saying in the report. "They are the generation that's been breaking all the taboos."
Others female entrepreneurs noted that women are "tired of being guinea pigs" and are looking for "access to solutions that really work."
"Today, it's really about creating solutions that someone can personalize to their needs and interests. Being able to track our bodies and cycles is powerful. Women need solutions that are more accessible, more approachable and honestly less expensive."
~ Therese Clark, founder and CEO of Lady Suite
There's space for growth and success in the women's wellness and health industry. Businesses addressing all facets of women's health and wellness are and will continue finding success as more female founders confidently embark on new frontiers within the wellness landscape.


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James "Rev Shark" DePorre
Recent Articles By The Author
GDP, unemployment claims, and durable goods reports were better than expected, creating hope that the Fed will be able to create a soft economic landing.
The other major technology stocks don't report until next week, but the cloud sector is being hit hard.
The primary issue now is whether MSFT earnings will produce a theme reflected in other reports.
Investors are digesting Microsoft's numbers, and here's what to know about the action on Tuesday.
The meat of earnings season starts Tuesday, and we will find out soon enough.


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Sheerline Take Home Industry Award for the Second Time
Sheerline took centre stage at a recent industry awards event to honour the best-in-class installers and products, by taking away the winning trophy for ‘Best Technical Innovation’ for a second time.
The Sheerline S1 Roof Lantern, an innovative, secure, and thermally efficient roof lantern fought off fierce competition to win the award, an accolade that coincided with the anniversary of Garnalex, four years ago. The GGP Installer Awards was held at the characterful Albert Hall, a Grade II listed Wesleyan chapel in Manchester and was hosted by TV Presenter, Jenny Powell.
The Sheerline S1 Roof Lantern carries a wealth of unique design characteristics and features ultra-low-line aesthetics for rafter and hip top caps to sit close to the glazing level of the exterior, creating an overall sleek and modern look. The corner and rafter end caps run perfectly in line with the perimeter of the lantern, providing no unsightly angles protruding out and spoiling the perfect sightlines of this exceptionally beautiful aluminium lantern.
“Competition for the ‘Best Technical Innovation’ category was intense,” comments David Wigley, Head of Marketing for Sheerline. “So, coming first to take away this year’s Installer Award is a fantastic honour for the effort being made across the business ensuring our products stay at the cutting edge of innovation.”
This is the second time Sheerline products have been recognised for an award at the event. In 2020, the Sheerline Classic window system won in the same category. David added, “We were aware that the panel of industry judges would be looking for products which can differentiate themselves.
“Aside from being easy and fast to fit, our roof lantern also features Thermlock®, our unique thermal break system designed to aid energy efficiency, as well as a unique glass closure system designed to seal in glass units, making it one of the most secure roof lanterns on the market.” David concludes.
Roger Hartshorn, CEO for Garnalex Limited, owner of the Sheerline brand, commented, “We have worked hard creating our products from scratch to ensure we exceed installer, fabricator, and homeowner’s expectations. Streamlined processes, creative design, and a strong understanding of our market, have helped us to stand out from the crowd. Winning this award for the Sheerline S1 roof lantern proves we are on the right path to accomplishing this.”


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Nissan is up to something. The company announced pricing for the 2014 Nissan 370Z, 370Z Nismo, and 370Z Roadster, which isn't out of the ordinary. What is, is that the standard, hardtop 370Z has received a $3,130 reduction in price for 2014. The upmarket Touring model, meanwhile, has been dropped $2,550.
- 2018 Honda Accord is sleeker, more efficient
- Mercedes X-Class pickup truck revealed
- Find and compare 2017 Models
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Bernard Arnault, the renowned chairman and CEO of luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, has once again secured the top spot on Forbes' World's Billionaires list for the second consecutive year. With an estimated fortune of $233 billion, Arnault maintains a substantial lead of $38 billion over his closest competitor, Elon Musk. This impressive increase in wealth is attributed to another exceptional year for LVMH, which reported a net profit of $16.5 billion on revenues of $94 billion in 2023.
Arnault's Remarkable Journey to the Top
Arnault's journey to becoming the world's wealthiest individual is marked by strategic acquisitions and visionary leadership. He first appeared on the billionaires list in 1997 with a fortune of $3.1 billion. Over the years, he has transformed LVMH into a powerhouse, acquiring iconic brands such as Tiffany & Co. and collaborating with global stars like Rihanna. In a significant milestone, LVMH became the first European company to achieve a market capitalization of $500 billion in April 2023.
Focus on Succession Planning
At 75 years old, Arnault is keenly focused on ensuring the continuity of his legacy and family control over LVMH. In a move to solidify this plan, he has proposed adding his sons Alexandre and Frédéric to LVMH's board, alongside his two eldest children, Antoine and Delphine. This follows a strategic reorganization in 2022 that equalized the stakes of his five children in his holding company,


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Stella McCartney opens second Paris store
Opposite the incoming Louis Vuitton store in Paris, Stella McCartney will open a new store -- in the former place of chocolatier Jean-Paul Hévin -- on rue Saint-Honoré, at the end of May.
It will be the second store in Paris for the designer, who already has a shop at Galerie de Valois, in the Jardins du Palais-Royal, as well as corners in the two major Paris department stores -- Galeries Lafayette and Printemps.
Consisting of a ground floor spanning 100 square metres, and a 1st floor of 120 square metres, the new space will stock the Stella McCartney women's collection, with menswear exclusively stocked at Galerie de Valois.
Located on 231 rue Saint-Honoré, the store will open on one of the most sought after high-end retail strips in Paris, with the rental price exceeding 13,000 euros/m²/year (11,000 pounds/m²/year), according to local newspaper Le Parisien. It's the third most expensive street in the French capital after avenue Montaigne (15,000 euros) and the Champs-Elysées (20,000 euros).
For several months now, other luxury stores on the same street have taken to improving their boutiques: Chantal Thomass is still being renovated, while Longchamp and Balenciaga (which recently opened a flagship store at number 346) have recently made updates.
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Easy Parks app simplifies parking with several smart features. Among other things, you can pay in advance, avoid paying too much, getting all parking expenses reported on a bill or card and switch between cars and debit cards with more. Easypark have full coverage throughout the Nordic countries, Germany and Italy, and is preparing to launch in more countries.
EasyPark chooses DIBS Payment Services
DIBS, the leading provider of payment solutions for e-commerce, announces that EasyPark choose DIBS' payment solution (in-app) for their mobile service for parking payments. The app makes it easier to pay for parking in all the Nordic countries, Germany and Italy.
- Easy Park shows how a smart app can simplify the day. We are delighted that they have chosen our payment solution with payment window optimized apps and all other digital channels, says Eric Wallin CEO of DIBS.
- Easy Park is in an expansive phase of growth and looks sharp increase in volumes for Mobile payments for parking. The market is in its infancy and we drive development by launching new services to residential parking and new countries. We chose DIBS 'payment solution to make it easy for the consumer in the process, says Johan Birger Andersson, CEO of Easy Park.
In 2012, the number of app-payments of the Easy Park by 41 per cent from the first to the last quarter. Easypark is thus one of Scandinavia's most-used apps for mobile payments and more than two million parking spaces have been made with the app. The company expects strong growth in the near future. The app is available for iPhone and Android and can be used in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Italy.
...and get the latest news on online payments
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Scientists have documented for the first time that several phthalates – controversial chemicals used to make vinyl and fragrances – are declining in people while several others are rising. The study, published today, is the first comprehensive, nationwide attempt to document trends in exposure to these widely used chemicals over the past decade.
The researchers said the results suggest that manufacturers may be reformulating products in the wake of a federal regulation and environmental groups’ campaigns.
Three compounds banned in U.S. toys and other children's products in 2008 have declined. But since other phthalates are increasing, it's possible that industries have substituted them in some products.
“Our findings suggest that interventions may be working, though legislation didn’t entirely predict which levels went up or down,” said Ami Zota, a George Washington University assistant professor of environmental and occupational health who led the research when she was at the University of California, San Francisco.
Phthalates have been linked to a variety of health effects in animal tests and some human studies, including hormone disruption, altered male genital development, diabetes, asthma, attention disorders, learning disabilities and obesity.
Chemical industry representatives said that the traces found in most products are small, and not likely to cause harm.
“Despite the fact that phthalates are used in many products, exposure is extremely low – much lower than the levels considered safe by regulatory agencies,” said Liz Bowman, a spokesperson for the American Chemistry Council, which represents manufacturers of phthalates and other chemicals.
The researchers analyzed the urine of more than 11,000 American adults and children between 2001 and 2010. They discovered that people are still widely exposed to phthalates; some were found in 98 percent of people tested.
Breakdown products of three phthalates that Congress banned from toys and other children’s products were significantly lower in 2010 than in 2001. One of the compounds, known as DEHP, found in some toys, blood bags and medical tubing, decreased 37 percent.
While DEHP remained higher in children than adults, the levels dropped faster in children, narrowing the gap over time, according to the study, which was published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. The study did not look at children under 6, who may be more highly exposed to phthalates and more susceptible to adverse health effects.
“Today phthalate usage is virtually nonexistent in toys. They have been replaced by non-phthalate substitutes,” said Alan Kaufman, senior vice president of technical affairs for the Toy Industry Association. He added that the toy industry began to transition away from phthalates years ago, but that the trend has been accelerated by regulatory actions in the U.S. and European Union.
However, three other phthalates used in some children’s products increased between 2001 and 2010. DiNP rose 149 percent, while DnOP increased 25 percent and DiDP rose 15 percent. The three were temporarily banned in 2008 in U.S. toys and childcare products that could be put in a child’s mouth. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is currently debating whether to lift the restrictions or make them permanent.
In addition, last month, California added DiNP to a list of chemicals known by the state to cause cancer. That could lead to warning labels on consumer products sold in the state.
DBP, which dropped 17 percent in people in the decade studied, was used in nail polish until a few years ago, when most major manufacturers eliminated it. Benzylbutyl phthalate, used in vinyl tiles and sealants, decreased 32 percent. Both compounds were part of the 2008 ban for children's products.
A phthalate used primarily for fragrance – diethyl phthalate or DEP – decreased 42 percent. While it is not subject to U.S. bans, advocacy groups have pressured the cosmetics industry to remove it from products with initiatives such as the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
The study authors saw a steeper decline in DEP in adults and adolescents than in children, who may be less likely to use personal care products.
Joe Braun, an epidemiologist at Brown University who was not involved in the study, said “the age-dependent patterns confirm what we suspect about where these exposures are coming from.”
“These findings are not as reassuring as they could be,” Braun added.
For instance, DiBP, used in some nail polishes and personal care products, increased 206 percent in the decade studied.
Manufacturers may be using some phthalates as substitutes for the ones that declined, the researchers said. But it’s hard to know because they aren’t required to list ingredients on many consumer products.
"We are not confident that cosmetics manufacturers are replacing toxic phthalates with safer alternatives," said Janet Nudelman, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
The Personal Care Products Council, a Washington D.C.-based trade group, did not respond to requests for comment on the findings.
“There’s a clear need for better data reporting on ingredient composition of everyday consumer products so that we can fully understand the impacts of legislation and consumer pressure,” said Zota, who co-authored the study with UC San Francisco Professor Tracey Woodruff and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientist Antonia Calafat.
This article originally ran at Environmental Health News, a news source published by Environmental Health Sciences, a nonprofit media company.


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consumers as creatives
Rich Thomaselli from Advertising Age called me recently for some comments for an article he was writing, “If Consumer Is Your Agency, It’s Time for a Review.” The piece turned out to be a great analysis of how the use of John Q. Public to develop ads has “jumped the shark” (as Rich refers to it). He calls out companies for turning over their marketing to consumers through contests like Doritos’ Super Bowl campaigns and Folgers’ recent contest asking the Average Joe (pun intended?!) to update its famous “Best Part of Wakin’ Up” theme.
Rich reached out to me because of an article I had written several years ago for BrandChannel. In it I argued that “consumer-generated advertising as a marketing strategy is a lazy and irresponsible approach to branding.” Because “brands are the responsibilities of the companies that produce them,” companies were missing out on the opportunity to demonstrate brand leadership and achieve internal alignment with the brand by leading the creative development of their ads.
It wasn’t a popular opinion at the time, since many brand managers were just discovering the benefits of a two-way dialog with customers and the creativity which new media unleashes.
But I stuck to my ground and wrote other op-eds on the subject, including a piece for imediaconnection which called for a reality check on “consumer-generated” ads: “The ads that win the contests and get exposure are not created by consumers. They’re made by aspiring film-makers and prosumers looking for their lucky break. By calling these ads “consumer-generated we are propagating the myth that they are engaging a brand’s users.”
Well now it seems others are coming around to embracing my point of view. In the recent Ad Age article:
- Jackie Huba, co-author of the book “Citizen Marketer” and writer of the Church of the Customer blog, says “These contests asking people to create commercials and jingles are contrived…Marketers should be leveraging word-of-mouth jet streams.”
- And even Pete Blackshaw, who writes the Consumer Generated Media blog, concedes, “the novelty has worn off [and] brands are struggling with the harshness of the consumer voice. A lot of brands that jumped into CGA and the social-media conversation have found there are tradeoffs.”
The concerns I outlined in the piece were:
- “You’re getting these very poor quality spots, and it’s not even done in seriousness anymore…That’s definitely affecting the quality of what we’re seeing.” When this new tact first started, professional or semi-professional people were the ones submitting their work, so even if it was off-strategy, at least it was good film. Now everyone with a webcam or a Flip is making these ads and their amateur roots are obvious.
- Also using contests to get people to make ads about your brand seems disingenuous. “…it lacks the authenticity. It’s going to happen with a brand real soon where there will be a backlash against this.” People will realize that companies are essentially bribing them into promoting their brands.
I shared with Rich an additional point which got left on the editing room floor: These campaigns are no longer necessary. Brands which have enthusiastic customer bases don’t need to run contests to incentivize people to create ads – their fans do it on their own.
Having said all this against so-called user-generated ad campaigns, I do believe there are a couple of situations in which such an open approach might contribute real value:
- To promote consumer-friendly video production products – “User-generated” ads can showcase the results achieved by everyday people using your products. So the aforementioned Flip camera might be an appropriate candidate for a consumer-generated ad campaign.
- To engage your employees – McDonald’s has been running a “Voice of McDonald’s” contest which has more recently evolved to include elements similar to a user-generated ad campaign. The program involves a contest in which employees around the world submit video entries of themselves singing a la American Idol. They compete to become the official voice of the brand and to win a $25,000 prize. McDonald’s has opened up voting to the public and used both traditional and social media to promote the program. In this case, the “users” are actual McDonald’s employees and the program serves to engage them with the brand as well as strengthen their relationship with customers – it seems like a win-win-win.
So what do you think? Are consumer-generated ads still an effective approach for brand managers? Or have they lost their luster and should be put out of their (and our) misery? Comments open.
related post: a case against user-generated ad contests


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Not long ago, we saw adidas Originals bring back the adidas Dragon OG. For those that enjoyed the releases last year, the good news is that the brand is launching different color options during 2017.
Two colorways of the adidas Dragon OG has recently released which comes in Black and White while Gum runs across the outsole. The next pair is dubbed ‘Clear Brown’ which uses the shade on the Three Stripes and heel. Constructed with suede and mesh, the two featuring Metallic Gold branding.
Below you can check out more images of the adidas Dragon OG in ‘Black’ and ‘Clear Brown’ which will not only give you a better look, but showcase how they look on feet. The two colorways are now landing at adidas Originals retailers which includes Afew. At the time of writing, a good amount of sizes are still available.


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Humble Bundle is adding a subscription service, Humble Monthly, to its offerings.
The Humble Monthly service will cost US$12 a month, and will deliver subscribers a handful of mystery games on the first Friday of every month.
Humble Bundle executive Robert Bowling explained that the service is somewhat similar to a book of the month club.
"We spent a lot of time with developers and publishers to walk through the value of having a large group of people dive into your game every month at the same time,” said Bowling.
“It really allows for some unique marketing opportunities, much like a book club, where you know you have a set number of people being introduced to your community at the same time."
Competitive first-person shooter Block N Load is now free-to-play.
“We know from working together with our amazing player community, that the vast majority of our players wanted Block N Load to be a free-to-play game, so that’s what we’ve done!” said Jagex Studios vice president David Solari.
“We took the time to develop and implement a fully-rounded free-to-play experience, and added a ton of new content and improvements on top.”
Nintendo has announced that Super Mario Maker has sold more than one million units internationally.
Since its launch, more than two million Super Mario courses have been designed, and these courses have been played more than 75 million times.
“For Mario fans around the world, including myself, Super Mario Maker was a dream 30 years in the making,” said Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime.
Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate will have microtransactions, the game’s development director Francois Pelland has confirmed.
In an interview with IGN, Pelland said that the microtransactions would only speed players’ progress up and would not withhold any game content.
“Assassin’s Creed Syndicate will include paid options to save time and accelerate progress,” he said.
Trackmania Turbo, which was to release in November, has been delayed until early 2016.
In a blog post, developer Ubisoft Nadeo said that the delay will allow them to ensure the game provides the best multiplayer experience possible.
“Since multiplayer is such a strong component of the Trackmania experience, we also plan to continue improving Trackmania Turbo’s multiplayer modes,” the studio wrote.
Survival horror game Soma has sold 92,00 copies in its first week.
In a Facebook post, developer Frictional Games revealed that the game generated enough from first week sales to cover the company’s expenses for the next two years.
The studio outlined that the game’s sales goal was 100,000 copies in the first month – a milestone it is well on the way to achieving.
Square Enix has cancelled its unpopular “Augment Your Pre-order” program for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
In a post on the game’s website, it explained that it was shutting down the program due to the “resounding amount of negative feedback”.
The program allowed players who pre-ordered a choice of several bonuses for every tier of pre-order numbers the game reached internationally.
The Xbox One and the Xbox One app on Windows 10 have been updated to include 12-person party chat.
The feature is now live for all users, and will not require an update as it has been implemented server-side.
The previous maximum party size was eight people, and the update has been released just in time for the launch of Halo 5: Guardians, which includes a 12v12 multiplayer mode, Warzone.
There’s a new review aggregation site on the block, and it has its sights set on Metacritic.
OpenCritic, which launches today, has released a not-so-veiled broadside at the incumbent review aggregation powerhouse.
OpenCritic co-founder and Riot Games product manager Matthew Enthoven said the new site seeks to present aggregate scores of video games with complete transparency as to how those scores are calculated.
“Nothing is resolved, it just abruptly cuts to the end credits around the four-hour mark – on a cliffhanger of all things.”
Don't miss a thing - get the day's top gaming stories blasted into your brain every evening.


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Sustaining Australia TVEpisode 2 – Traceability & Scalability
Featuring the latest in blockchain technology, scalable automation and industry leaders on key supply chain topics.
Episode Chapters – Sustainability
Welcome to Sustaining Australia TV! This episode discusses the backbone of the industry; the supply chain. We’ve been across the country looking at the latest thinking and best practice.
2. AFGC’s Dr Geoffrey Annison
Sustaining Australia TV speaks to Dr Annison about food safety and regulation through to the opportunities afforded by digital technology and innovation.
Best known for the humble bar-code, the company is now leading the way in new technologies and practices to identify products more easily across their life-cycle.
Our reporter Dean Allen-Craig has been in Melbourne to see first-hand how this thinking provides greater visibility at every stage of the chain, from paddock to plate.
More information: GS1.org.au
4. Retail Futurist Howard Saunders
We talk to Saunders and get his fascinating insights into trends that are set to have a dramatic impact on the food and grocery sector.
5. RMR Process
RMR Process provides small and medium-sized businesses, not only access to funding for ambitious infrastructure projects but also the skills to make the best use of transformative new technologies. Daniela Intili went to find out more.
More information: rmrprocess.com
The opinions and products shown in Sustaining Australia TV do not reflect endorsement by the AFGC or its members or ASN Media. For more information about Sustaining Australia TV, please contact ASN Media.


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Is Threads under threat? Can Reddit say no to Google search? Nvidia is using AI to design its AI chips. And if you want to get past OpenAI’s guardrails, it’s easy – just ask it in Zulu.
These and more top tech stories on Hashtag Trending
I’m your host Jim Love, CIO of IT World Canada and Tech News Day in the US.
Threads Software Limited, a British firm, which trademarked the name “Threads” in 2012 for its intelligent messaging hub, has given social media giant Meta a 30-day ultimatum to cease using the name in the UK.
Their product, a software hub, designed by Threads Software Limited, archives a company’s emails, tweets, and VoIP calls in a cloud database. The company revealed that it had declined four offers from Meta to acquire its “threads.app” domain.
To add insult to injury, when Meta introduced its own “Threads” app, the British company found itself removed from Facebook.
John Yardley, the managing director of Threads Software Limited, commented on the situation, highlighting the “David and Goliath” nature of the battle and emphasizing that Meta doesn’t have the right to use the “Threads” brand name. Meta has yet to comment on the matter.
Sources include: Business Insider
Reddit, the popular online forum, is reportedly considering cutting ties with search giants like Google.
According to a report by The Washington Post, if Reddit fails to strike deals with generative AI companies for its data, it might block search crawlers from Google and Bing.
This would mean that Reddit posts wouldn’t appear in search results.
While Reddit initially seemed to refute the report, it later clarified that the possibility of blocking search crawlers isn’t off the table. The company’s spokesperson, Tim Rathschmidt, stated that their earlier comment about “nothing is changing” was only in reference to user logins.
While they may not be blocking google search, there are now over 535 news organizations that block their content from being scraped by companies like OpenAI for AI training.
Sources include: The Verge
Nvidia is leveraging AI chatbots to revolutionize the intricate process of semiconductor design.
Modern chips, comprising tens of billions of transistors, present a colossal challenge in design, often requiring thousands of engineers and up to two years to finalize.
Nvidia, known for its complex chips that fuel technologies like ChatGPT, has taken its 30-year archive, and integrated this vast data making it available to a large language model driven chatbot.
One primary application is leveraging the company’s extensive history to answer questions. Nvidia’s chief scientist, Bill Dally, highlighted that senior designers often spend significant time addressing queries from junior designers. By introducing a chatbot into the equation, senior designers can save a considerable amount of time.
The research underscored that a chatbot, when fed with specific data from Nvidia’s experience, could outperform even advanced models, offering a cost-effective solution. Additionally, Nvidia showcased AI’s capability to generate code, aiming to streamline the troubleshooting process for engineers.
Sources include: Reuters
OpenAI’s ChatGPT has been striving to add advanced safety measures to prevent the software from being used inappropriately.
Researchers at Brown University have discovered an easy way around these prohibitions. They found that by translating “unsafe” commands into less commonly studied languages like Zulu or Scots Gaelic, they could bypass ChatGPT’s safety guardrails.
Apparently these guardrails, designed to prevent the AI from generating harmful or slanderous content, appear to be primarily optimized for English. The study revealed that translating unsafe inputs into these “low-resource” languages could elicit harmful responses from ChatGPT nearly half the time, compared to a less than 1 per cent success rate with the original English inputs.
The findings underscore the AI industry’s oversight in handling less-studied languages, posing safety risks for the 1.2 billion speakers of such languages.
Sources include: ZDNet
John Chen, who has been at the helm of BlackBerry Ltd. (has it really been for a decade?) is set to depart from the company. Effective November 4, Chen will retire from his roles as the executive chair and CEO. Richard (Dick) Lynch, who joined BlackBerry’s board in 2013 and has held prominent positions at Verizon Communications and Verizon Wireless, will step in as the interim chief executive and board chair.
The company is currently on the hunt for a permanent CEO. Chen’s exit aligns with his contract terms and follows BlackBerry’s decision to separate its IoT division from its cybersecurity unit.
Chen’s leadership took BlackBerry from the edge of bankruptcy and transformed a hardware company to a software-focused company with offerings in cybersecurity and IoT technologies. An amazing accomplishment.
Sources include: IT World Canada
And that’s the top tech news for today.
Hashtag Trending goes to air 5 days a week with a special weekend interview show we call “the Weekend Edition.”
You can get us anywhere you get audio podcasts and there is a copy of the show notes at itworldcanada.com/podcasts
I’m your host, Jim Love – have a Wonderful Wednesday!The post Hashtag Trending Nov.1-Meta told to stop using the name Threads; Reddit to cut ties with Google?; Nvidia using AI chatbots to design its AI chips first appeared on IT World Canada.


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According to a new job list announced by Apple last week, the company aims to hire a "senior system neuroscientist" that can "build innovative neuroscience." Siri is a good candidate It can not be said.
Sylvania Home Kit Light Strip
First task list I noticed Ryota Kanai Twitter. Apple needs applicants who are in the positi of five to ten years to design experiments to examine neural correlatis of percepti, behavior, and cogniti using models of humans and animals.
Regarding the actual job descripti, the positi of the "senior system neuroscientist" is the role of a "multi-faceted investigator" that requires close cooperati with Apple's scientists and engineers.
This is a multi-faceted investigator's role, and it needs to be versatile in various collaborative envirments in a highly coordinated envirment. Work closely with scientific and technicians to quickly design and execute experiments to clarify insights that promote technology development.
In additi, Apple says it will join the technology development team.
Apple is committed to bringing surprises and joy to millis of customers all over the world. The technology development team is now looking for enthusiastic neuroscientists to study brains and apply them to the creati of transformatial neuroscience.
Note that although Apple is cautious about the focus of certain products for this positi, the company is required to "cduct quantitative analysis of raw data to derive meaningful and practical insights" are doing.
In the past, Apple explained the mechanism of Hey Siri & # 39; using deep neural networks and machine learning.


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Author, global regulatory expert, and blogger Dirk Rodgers will be a speaker at UNIQUITY India 2016, where he will discuss the global serialization and tracing regulations impacting India’s pharmaceutical manufacturers. Rogers is a senior regulatory strategist with Systech International, a global leader in brand protection technologies, which will host the event.
The event will be hosted by Systech International, the global leader in serialization, track-and-trace, and regulatory compliance. Systech’s one-day conference will provide customers, industry leaders, and equipment manufacturers with a firm understanding of the many complex regulatory mandates that are quickly unfolding in India and around the world, as well as effective technologies to meet those demands. The event will take place October 6, 2016 at the ITC Maratha Hotel in Mumbai.
The United States is the largest market for healthcare products in the world, and India is one of the largest sources of drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients for the US market. Within this ecosystem, drug manufacturers, contract manufacturers and third-party logistics providers based in India need to carefully follow the applicable sections of the US Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). Indian companies that manufacture finished pharmaceuticals for the US market must make some very specific changes to their packaging and business processes by November 2017 or they will be in violation of the DSCSA law.
Mr. Rodgers’ talk is titled: Global Serialization and Traceability Regulations — What Indian Exporters Need to Know, and Do! With expertise in pharma and medical device supply chain collaboration technologies, Mr. Rodgers will explain the specific changes that drug manufacturers must make to stay in compliance with the DSCSA, focusing particularly on the new serialization and labeling requirements that take effect about one year from now. He will discuss the various global mandates, review stakeholder positions on the specific requirements (with focus on DSCSA), address potential non-compliance scenarios and possible penalties, debate the costs of compliance, examine possible models for a domestic anti-counterfeiting program in India, and take up specific questions from the attendees.
Many in the pharmaceutical industry are familiar with Rodgers as a result of his book titled The Drug Supply Chain Security Act Explained, as well as his essays posted on RxTrace. Rodgers also participates on key industry work groups in GS1, GS1 US, HDMA and the Open-SCS organizations.
Register for UNIQUITY India at http://systechone.com/uniquity2016in/.


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A new investigative report reveals some juicy new details on the methods through which LVMH came into its 22.6% stake in Hermes. And those details don't exactly support Bernard Arnault's recent claims that LVMH came into those shares "unexpectedly."
While a court battle is brewing between the two luxury houses, French newspaper Le Monde leaked details from a 115-page criminal investigative report on LVMH compiled by French market authority AMF.
According to the report (via WWD), LVMH began building its stake in Hermes back in 2001 through subsidiaries. They even used a code name--"Mercure"--to refer to the investment operation. In 2007, LVMH continued investing in amounts low enough that it didn't have to disclose those investments publicly.
LVMH said Saturday that it will "vigorously" defend itself against the allegations found in the report, which it claims was procured in "illicit" ways.
Meanwhile, LVMH is also defending itself against a lawsuit filed by Hermes alleging insider trading and manipulating stock prices. LVMH is countersuing Hermes for “blackmail, false accusations and unfair competition.”
Clearly, LVMH is doing everything it can to save face. But if AMF's findings, which will be presented on May 31 to AMF's sanctions committee, are found to be true, there will only be so much the luxury conglomerate can say.


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Also in this playlist...
This transcript is automatically generated
All right tell -- this how flats -- -- stock market.
Actually believe for a couple of hours well you're seeing it today would down ten points that's all we've -- -- -- -- down 10128.
These led Dallas.
Procter & Gamble though that's really looking at it says it's gonna make less money this year weak sales results in April all around the world.
And because it -- someone's business worldwide it is really getting hooked by the -- -- It's down to box 3% -- look at the price of gold now that's down big today were off twenty bucks badly about 16100 dollars an ounce.
We are less than two hours away from the Fed Fed's -- statement we expect Ben Bernanke could just continue with something called Operation Twist that's the general expectation.
The government sells it short term bonds uses the money to buy along with some -- and -- to keep interest rates way way down the official announcement.
If you could read between the lines.
Comes out in less than two -- back.
Good move them up.
Filter by section


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The future is here!
We’re not talking about flying cars – we’re talking about flying burritos falling right out of the sky and onto your lap.
Gizmodo reports that Chipotle is partnering up with Google’s parent company Alphabet to test out delivering by drone.
The test runs will begin at Virgina Tech this week.
So how does the new process work? The college students will order burritos from special kiosk on campus.
Drones will then leave the Chipotle food trucks (monitored by a human) and and on the ground with your order.
This in itself could change how food delivery work!
And yes, they’ll even bring you extra guac!


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Would you cook your own dinner onboard a cruise ship?
Thursday 09 December 2010
Celebrity Cruises has revealed that its latest cruise ships will feature a restaurant where passengers can prepare their own meals while looking out to sea.
The cruise line, which is known as one of the more innovative brands in the cruise industry, revealed the new "Lawn Club Grill" restaurant concept in a December 9 sneak peak of some of the new features on its forthcoming cruise ships Silhouette and Reflection.
In an industry first, the new restaurant will give patrons access to the grills, pizza-making tables, large ovens and other appliances so that they can grill their own choice of meats in the evening, alongside the restaurant's chefs.
During the day, the Lawn Club Grill will offer lunch, interactive demonstrations and cookery classes covering subjects such as pizza-making, marinade-making and dough-tossing.
Following the success of the brand's Celebrity iLounge computer stores and iPad art tours, the new ships will feature a high-tech place to escape called "The Hideaway," which is designed to reflect a treehouse and features cozy lounge "nests" that guests can curl up in.
New spa-inspired suites have also been added to Celebrity Reflection, offering guests a private veranda, personal spa concierge and guaranteed proximity to the ships' spas.
Cruise-lovers will have to wait until 2012 to enjoy the new services onboard Celebrity Reflection, although Celebrity Silhouette is set to launch in July next year.
Her launch will follow the high-profile maiden voyages of the Disney Dream in January and the Carnival Magic in May.
The Independent travel offers: Discover a world of inspiring destinations
Co-creator Mark Gatiss dropped some very intriguing hints ahead of the BBC drama's return next year
- 1 'Not suppost to cry': 9-year-old lists the worst things about being a boy
- 2 Lee Evans announces his retirement from comedy on The Jonathan Ross Show
- 3 Iggy Azalea responds to Eminem rape lyrics: 'I'm bored of old men threatening young women'
- 4 These grandmas smoking weed for the first time are wonderful
- 5 Pastafarian former porn star Asia Lemmon allowed to wear colander in driving licence photo
Rochester by-election: Ukip gains second MP as Tory defector Mark Reckless holds seat
'Muslims pre-date Columbus in discovering America,' says Turkish president Erdogan
Rochester by-election: Labour MP Emily Thornberry resigns after posting white van and England flags tweet
France 'blocks' Russian sailors from boarding a warship
Former Tory PM Sir John Major says 'we would not have an NHS without migrants'
G20 summit: David Cameron warns Vladimir Putin that Russia's relationship with the West is at a 'fork in the road' over Ukraine
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TCL 10 5G UW Podcast Review: Red Beauty
This week, Adam looks at the TCL 10 5G UW, which is exclusive to Verizon. TCL's latest phone can access the mmWave Verizon network and it comes with an insanely low price tag of just $399. This is a mid range phone packed in a gorgeous package, and we'kk give you all the details. Plus, Adam takes a look at the Zhiyun Smooth X smartphone gimbal. It's a review two-fer!
Asteroid Apophis is speeding up from sunlight as scientists recalculate odds of 2068 impact (Space.com)
There's a tiny chance all life on earth could end in 48 years.
Worked remotely due to Covid-19? Prepare for this tax surprise (CNBC)
If COVID-19 has you working from home, you might want to mention that to your tax preparer.
Why Are We Polarized? Don't Blame Social Media, Says Ezra Klein (Wired)
With people becoming ever-more polarized, it must be social media's fault, right? Right?!
Dave Grohl, 10-Year-Old Nandi Bushell and One Very Epic Drum Battle (New York Times)
A 10 year old drumming prodigy met us with a rock star on Zoom and it's just the best thing ever.
Ink-Stained Wretches: The Battle for the Soul of Digital Freedom Taking Place Inside Your Printer (EFF.org)
Did you sign up for HP's unlimited ink plan? Sorry.
Sony Global - Airpeak (Sony)
Sony announced it'll enter the drone space next Spring.
Apple will require privacy "nutrition labels" from developers starting December 8th (Verge)
Apple wants developers to tell users what permissions they want and why.
Apple Introduces New Macs With the First Apple Chips (New York Times)
Apple introduced three new computers powered by its own ARM-based silicon.
AnandTech Calls Apple's Fastest CPU Core Claim for M1 'Extremely Plausible' (MacRumors)
AnandTech thinks Apple may not be completely talking out its butt about the M1 chip.
TikTok says the Trump administration has forgotten about trying to ban it, would like to know what’s up (Verge)
TikTok is still not banned.
Ring recalls 350,000 video doorbells because they can catch fire (CBS News)
Some Ring doorbells are causing fires. Yikes.
Google Photos ending unlimited free backup next year
Google Photos will end its unlimited storage for "High quality" photos next summer.


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In the last quarter of 2018, Samsung and Fitbit quadrupled their smartwatch sales. This, according to a new Strategy Analytics report, has resulted in Apple's market share falling by more than 15%. But despite this, the Cupertino giant is still in the lead.
Despite its declining market share, Apple continues to sell more smartwatches than anyone else. Shipments of apple-branded products increased by 1.4 million units compared to the same quarter of the previous year, for a total of 9.2 million Apple Watch products shipped. The data was made public by Strategy Analytics and, according to the study, Samsung became the second largest manufacturer of wearable devices bypassing Fitbit.
Last year, Apple perfected its watch formula, while Samsung's Galaxy Watch marked a new beginning in the company's wearable sector. Meanwhile, Fitbit has released the Versa, a second-generation smartwatch far cheaper than its competitors that has solved many of the problems encountered with the Ionic.
And while everyone is increasing their sales, the only loser in the relationship seems to be Google. Although it does not produce smartwatches, the Wear OS operating system is destined to be the software of choice for Android wearable devices. However, all popular smartwatch brands continue to use their own software.
Do you think that the famous Pixel Watch will change the situation?


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MARS Food has voluntarily recalled batches of Uncle Ben's Brown Basmati rice in Ireland due to the possibility of glass presence.
The 250g microwavable pouches with expiry dates of between November 17 2020 to July 3 2021 included are affected.
UNCLE BEN'S BROWN BASMATI RICE BEST BEFORE DATES RECALLED
The best before dates of the recalled product are as follows:
Mars Food company revealed today that they are taking the precautionary measure to recall the product after an "isolated incident" surrounding glass presence.
They released a statement that reads: "We are working with retailers to have the product removed from store shelves.
"We would like to advise retailers and consumers to check any packs of Uncle Ben's Brown Basmati 250g ready to heat rice pouches purchased featuring the best before codes listed below."
The company is advising consumers not to consume this product.
most read in news
Anyone with impacted product can contact 1890 812 315 for further information.
They added: "Please note that this is an isolated incident and that no other Uncle Ben’s products have been affected or are included in the recall and are safe to consume."
Mars Food has apologised for any inconvenience caused.


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Global trader of agri-food, feed and fiber, Vink Corporation, has joined ICI as a member with a view to implementing targeted activities to tackle child labor and forced labor in cocoa, engaging in industry dialogue and keeping up to date with the latest innovations and best practices, in particular through its sister company Fludor.
Vink Corporation is part of TGI Group and operates in Ghana through its sister company, Fludor Ghana Limited (Fludor), a Licensed Buying Company and one of the leading agribusinesses in the country focusing on cocoa, cashew and soyabeans. Similarly, Vink’s sister company in Nigeria, WACOT Limited, is involved in sourcing of cocoa and other agricultural commodities, which are then supplied to Vink Corporation
Vink supports ICI’s vision of thriving cocoa-growing communities within a responsibly managed cocoa supply chain, where child rights are protected, and human rights are respected.
In 2023, Fludor introduced its own sustainability program to formalize, solidify and accelerate its sustainability efforts. According to the company, cooperation with ICI will help strengthen its commitment to human rights and sustainability as well as enhance its ability to identify, address, and monitor child labor cases in its supply chain.
“Fludor wants to be at the forefront of the key industry developments and among the first cocoa suppliers to engage in bilateral projects addressing forced labor and safeguarding a more responsibly managed supply chain for farmers and its clients,” explained Maria Christodoulou, Head of Sustainability at Fludor Ghana Limited and WACOT Limited, divisions of the TGI Group.
The ICI is pleased to welcome Vink, and its sister companies Fludor and WACOT, to its membership.
“As a Ghana-based licensed buyer with an extensive farmer network and cocoa operations in 70 cocoa districts across 5 cocoa regions, this partnership with Fludor brings us one step closer to achieving our target to reach all children at risk of child labor. We look forward to supporting their efforts to tackle child labour and learning from their experiences,” said Matthias Lange, ICI Executive Director.


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Not only was the Tails LiveCD used by Edward Snowden, an article about it published by Linux Journal was (is?) a trigger to for the NSA.
The pattern matches one particular article on Linux Journal, posted in August of 2011: “Linux Distro: Tails—You Can Never Be Too Paranoid.”
via The NSA thinks Linux Journal is an “extremist forum”? | Ars Technica.
To celebrate, Linux Journal is publishing a new 3 part article on Tails, which can be read at:
“When Edward Snowden first emailed Glenn Greenwald, he insisted on using email encryption software called PGP for all communications. Now Klint Finley reports that Snowden also used The Amnesic Incognito Live System (Tails) to keep his communications out of the NSA’s prying eyes.
via Snowden Used the Linux Distro Designed For Internet Anonymity – Slashdot.
For years Ubuntu has released a LiveCD (Desktop), LiveDVD (DVD), and text-mode installer (Alternate) for each release. For 12.10 (Quantal Quetzal), Ubuntu is getting rid of these three images and releasing a single, 800 MB Desktop DVD image.
While their download sites still list this as the Desktop CD, it’s too large to be burned normally, so they’ll have to update the name.
See the announcement on their Email List. Also, check out coverage on OMG! Ubuntu!
Ars Technica creates a bootable LiveUSB of the Windows 8 Consumer Preview:
To get an idea of what can and cant be done with Windows to Go, I built my own installation of the OS—a task that is not for the faint of heart, as it involves the command line.
via Ars Technica
A quick overview of GParted Live.
If you ever need to partition or edit the partitions on your hard drives without an existing OS on the computer, then GParted Live should be in your PC toolbox.
Ubuntu 11.04 is out, grab the live Desktop CD in order to check out Canonical’s new GUI.
Canonical has announced the official release of Ubuntu 11.04, codenamed Natty Narwhal. This major update introduces the new Unity desktop shell, which is designed to improve ease of use and deliver a more modern user experience.
via Ubuntu 11.04 released, a Natty Narwhal rises from the depths.
Kyle Rankin, author of Knoppix Hacks, has a Google Tech Talk presentation video detailing tricks for customizing Knoppix without going through the lengthy remastering process.
The H has news that an openSUSE 11.3 LiveCD with the MeeGo desktop is available for download.
OMG! Ubuntu! has an article covering additional uses for the Ubuntu LiveCD besides installation.
Lifehacker has a Top 10 list of cool stuff to do with a USB flash drive. Numbers 9, 7, and 1 involve Live booting operating systems from them.
EngadgetHD brings news of new features in the GeeXboX 1.2.2 LiveCD.
Ars Technica brings news of a new LiveUSB Linux distro aimed at classrooms.
Sugar Labs has announced the first official release of Sugar on a Stick, a Linux-based learning environment that can boot from a USB memory stick. The Sugar platform, which originally emerged from the One Laptop Per Child project, could soon arrive in classrooms.
Linux Magazine Online reviews Knoppix 6.0.
Knoppix has always been regarded as one of the most versatile Linux distros out there, but the latest version of the venerable Live CD Linux distribution has got yet another trick up its sleeve. Thanks to its excellent hardware detection, blazingly fast boot process, and the lightweight LXDE desktop environment, Knoppix 6.0 makes a perfect distro for netbooks.
The winner to LifeHacker’s Best Live CD poll is the excellent security focused Backtrack.
Lifehacker readers apparently love a live CD that is all work and no play. Backtrack, a security-oriented live CD packed with useful tools, took home the crown for top live CD.
Engadget HD gives a shout out to the new version of GeeXboX.
It’s been two years and a few days since the last CD release of Knoppix, but the wait is over, and Knoppix 6.0 is out!
Klaus Knopper has released KNOPPIX 6.0, a brand new version of the popular Debian-based live CD, now with LXDE as the default desktop and ADRIANE, an audio desktop for the visually impaired.


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Over the 2021 period Australian businesses lost $227 million in “payment redirection” scams, including business email compromise (BEC) and other digital fraud
According to the latest scam report, payment redirection is the most damaging type of scam for businesses.
The combined losses totalled $227 million in 2021 compared with $128 million lost due to business email compromises reported from the previous year.
The report combines data from Scamwatch, ReportCyber, major banks, money remitters and other government agencies. It was based upon the analysis of over 560,000 reports.
The total reported losses to all organisations was almost $1.8B, but the ACCC estimates that actual losses were much higher at well over $2B since only one-third of victims report frauds.
Highest Category Losses 2021
- Investment scams accounted for 70% of all losses.
- Payment redirection scams (cost $227 million)
- Romance scams (cost $142 million)
Due to not having a specific reporting category for payment redirection scams, the ACCC obtained figures from reports of phishing, false billing, hacking and identity thief.
ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard says scam activity continues to increase, and last year a record number of Australians lost a record amount of money
“Scammers are the most opportunistic of all criminals: they pose as charities after a natural disaster, health departments during a pandemic, and love interests every day.”
“The true cost of scams is more than a dollar figure as they also cause serious emotional harm to individuals, families, and businesses,” Ms Rickard added.
Scamwatch received only 3624 reports of scams from businesses. $13.4 million was reported as lost. This is a 13% decrease in reports and 27% decrease in losses year-on-year. False billing scams cost businesses $6.7 million, with an average loss of $4200
According to Scamwatch reports, 2021 saw women report the highest number of scams, men lost more money than women and people with disabilities filed twice as many reports in 2020 than they did in 2020 with financial losses rising by 102 % to $19.6million.
Scamwatch also received record numbers of reports and losses from Australians who may have been suffering vulnerability or hardship.
Ms Rickard says the increasing number of reports by people experiencing vulnerability is a very worrying trend. Everyone from government, to banks, and digital platforms needs to do more to address this.
The commission also notes that the majority of reports on payment redirection (or BEC) are not sent to Scamwatch but to banks or ReportCyber, an online tool for reporting cybercrime.
The ACCC also says the Flubot SMS scam as being “the largest SMS scam in Australia” as “Scamwatch received almost 26,500 reports” between August and December 2021.
The Flubot scam was stopped earlier in the year by an international effort that involved the Australian Federal Police.


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Imagine your dream vehicle from any era made better than it's original equipment and the latest in luxury, technology and safety. Check the video and see how it's done!
Several companies around the world are racing to reach the ultimate goal. Everyone from Apple to Zoox.
According to top researcher Guy Ignafol, one company seems to have a lead. REE’s proprietary REEcorner technology is radical. It packs vehicle components into a single compact module positioned between the chassis and the wheel – including steering, braking, suspension, powertrain, and control – resulting in a fully flat EV platform.
Barel began by offering his thoughts on how the automotive industry has shifted gear. “The pace of innovation in automotive is quickening. The pace of innovation in the past five years has exceeded the pace of innovation in the entire century that came beforehand.”
“There’s been a tectonic shift. We’re moving more and more towards what the industry now calls mission specific vehicles. For example, Amazon working with Rivian or Zoox, not because they can’t afford to buy a vehicle on the market, they can do whatever they want. It’s because there’s nothing that they want out there,” he adds.
In April 2021, REE announced a strategic collaboration agreement with Magna International Inc., with the goal of bringing to market innovative, full-fledged Modular Electric Vehicles (MEVs) for tech companies and new electric mobility players under the ‘Powered by REE’ brand.
“We’re equals. We’re not paying them and they’re not paying us. We build a platform. They build a top hat, a body, and we sell it together to the customer. We share the revenue. We have joint development teams. This is huge. This has never happened before,” explains Barel.
In 2019, REE Automotive collaborated with Hino Motors, Ltd., a Toyota Group company, on as concept that was showcased at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. The two companies have now signed a strategic business alliance agreement and aim to develop hardware prototypes by 2022.
“We’re developing a completely brand new approach to mobility-as-a service. We presented together the concept called ‘FlatFormer’ back in 2019. I think before the Rivians and Arrivals of this world had spoken to an OEM.”
In a press statement, Hino CEO, Yoshio Shimo, comments: “It received an excellent response, and I am delighted to see this FlatFormer concept come closer to reality. REE is a visionary company, and I am confident that this business alliance will become a driving force for Hino as we take on the challenge of generating new value in commercial mobility to harmonize with future society.”
“I’m extremely proud of the fact that we presented something in 2019. And we delivered. We took it all the way to this alliance today,” adds Barel.


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Will the second time be the charm for Sen. John Rockefeller (D-W.V.), who reintroduced his Do Not Track Online Act privacy legislation?
In 2011 Sen. Rockefeller introduced the bill, which stalled in the Senate Commerce Committee. Now, almost two years later, he is trying again.
The bill would establish a mechanism by which consumers could opt out from having “personal information” collected about their online activities. Companies could collect consumer information that was necessary for a Web site or online service to function, but the information would have to be destroyed or anonymized when no longer needed.
The bill, cosponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct.), does not define the scope of “personal information,” and leaves the job to the Federal Trade Commission. The agency is also tasked with enforcement.
“Online companies are collecting massive amounts of information, often without consumers’ knowledge or consent,” Sen. Rockefeller said in a statement about the legislation. “My bill gives consumers the opportunity to simply say ‘no thank you’ to anyone and everyone collecting their online information. Period.”
Although the ad industry has launched a self-regulatory program for online behavioral advertising since he first proposed the bill, Sen. Rockefeller said it isn’t enough. “Industry made a public pledge to develop Do Not Track standards that will truly protect consumer privacy – and it has failed to live up to that commitment. They have dragged their feet long enough,” Sen. Rockefeller told The New York Times.
To read the Do Not Track Online Act of 2013, click here.
Why it matters: The second attempt will also be Sen. Rockefeller’s final attempt at passing Do Not Track legislation, as he has announced he will not seek reelection in 2014. The chances of passage for the bill are unclear. Privacy remains a hot topic in Washington, D.C.. The legislation faces less competition this go-around as it did in 2011 when Sen. Rockefeller’s bill had to compete with another Senate privacy bill cosponsored by Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.). However, the ad industry has established a self-regulatory system in the intervening years that may work against Sen. Rockefeller’s success. In response to the lawmaker’s comments about the industry’s efforts – or lack thereof – Lou Mastria, executive director of the Digital Advertising Alliance, which manages the self-regulatory program, disagreed. “We serve the ad choices icon a trillion times a month,” he told AdWeek. “It’s pretty hard to say it’s not working.”


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Larry Magid: 3-D Printers Available In Stores; Safety Concerns RaisedStaples has become the first big-box retailer to start selling 3-D printers despite concerns they can be used to print a working gun.
Sen. Feinstein Blames NRA, Gun Makers For Derailing Assault Weapons BanU.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein is blaming the National Rifle Association and gun manufacturers for the reluctance among many of her colleagues to ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.
California Teachers' Pension Fund Moves To Divest From Gun MakersThe nation’s largest teacher pension fund is taking the first step toward divesting from companies that manufacture guns and high-capacity ammunition magazines that are illegal in California.
Gun Manufacturer, Bay Area Video Game Maker's Ties Under ScrutinyThe gun and video game industries have quietly developed a marketing relationship and that link is prompting scrutiny on the heels of the shooting in a Newtown, Connecticut school earlier this month.


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It has been reported that a 10-year-old boy has died after eating contaminated beef patties bought from Lidl back in 2011.
The Center for Food Safety has released a report which shows that hemp CBD companies are failing to test for pesticides and contaminants.
A new report has warned that the food industry is vulnerable to cyber-attacks which could result in risks to public health.
Milk of Magnesia 2400mg/30mL Oral Suspension did not meet microbiological specifications and is being recalled.
Researchers from the University of Missouri (MU) have developed a technology which could help food producers to detect Salmonella in raw and ready-to-eat foodstuffs.
In response to media reports of tampered products found in supermarkets, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reminding industry of strategies to prevent tampering and intentional adulteration of foods.
The deadline to adhere to the Food Safety Modernization Act is only a few months away; Astro Pak explains what compliance will mean for the industry.
Dr Helina Marshall discusses the far-reaching significance of the microbiome and highlights the impact of antimicrobials in food production.
The owner of New England Meat Packing, LLC, has pleaded guilty to falsifying numerous E. coli test results.


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If you’re walking around the Florence’s Baptistery and you see colorful, monumental scarves hanging down each side of the iconic building, it is not an original type of scaffolding! The installation is actually part of the big fashion event “Firenze Hometown of Fashion”, held in mid-June alongside the annual menswear event Pitti Uomo, taking place June 17-20.
All eight sides of the early medieval building will be “dressed” by the signature scarves of Florentine native Emilio Pucci, the fashion designer known for his geometric prints in a kaleidoscope of bright colors.
At the moment, only the apse is covered with Pucci’s 1957 scarf known as “Baptistery Foulard” because the patterns are meant to resemble the Baptistery. The other sides will be covered during the days of the event, which celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Florence's Center for Italian Fashion. The entire installation will measure 21,500 square feet.
Italy’s prime minister Matteo Renzi, former mayor of Florence, will inaugurate the 85th edition of Pitti Uomo inside Palazzo Vecchio on June 17.


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Hancom Group is to open various new businesses including satellite, Metaverse and block chain technologies at CES 2022, an international electronic product exhibition that is held in January Next year.
The group said on November 11th that it will focus on new businesses at CES 2022 with around 100 staff.
HANCOM in SPACE, the group’s aerospace subsidiary is drawing attention with its plan for exhibition about Sejong 1-ho, an Earth observation optical satellite that is scheduled to launch in first half of next year. The satellite is low-Earth orbit small satellite which collects video data from 500 km above the Earth’s surface. HANCOM in SPACE is planned to launch series of Sejong satellites with Sejong 5-ho for the last one. Sejong 2-ho is scheduled for the second half of next year.
At the exhibition, the group will showcase a reconnaissance drone, HD-500 which was opened in September this year. At the opening, the group announced special purpose drones with various objectives including education, agriculture, national defense and industry will be launched.
In addition, Hancom Group will take the electronic show to present outcomes of its various new businesses including block chain and Metaverse.
Hancom Group’s block chain business is spearheaded by Arowana Project. The block chain businesses include Arowana Octasign and a gold-trading digital platform Arowana Goldmore. Arowana Project is aimed to establish an ecosystem for distributing and trading gold. The project is also aimed to build a block chain-based platform that enables guarantee, exchange and trade of gold so that individuals and businesses can easily trade gold.
Particularly, the group plans business expansion through Arowana Octasign of its subsidiary, Hancom Codegate. Arowana Octasign is a technology to make data out of Octasign patterns which are invisible to bare eyes; and to encode images and sounds to various objects. The technology can be applied to authentication services, marketing services that are linked to ads and promotion events and virtual reality.
An official of the group said “The technology can be used in a variety of way including selling of a singer’s goods or CDs where his or her concert clips or autograph is attached with Octasign.” The official added “Detailed application of the technology is being explored.”
Other businesses of Hancom Group includes VBS4, a strategy simulation service based on Metaverse and XR Pandora, a platform for virtual education and meeting. VBS4 is a strategy simulation service of Bohemia Interactive. Various terrains and scenario of modern warfare can be designed and run on the service. XR Pandora is a platform for virtual education and work where users can share documents and chat with their voice by using their avatars.
An official of Hancom Group said “In case of exhibition concept, we’re exploring businesses of the group in general.” The official added that “The group is undertaking a survey to see which businesses need exhibition.”


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- The European Parliament has voted to call the European Commission to investigate various issues in the gaming industry, such as loot boxes, and other addictive facets of games.
- The Parliament has asked the developers to "avoid designing games that feed addiction." Moreover, a similar set of rules could be blended to fit into the European Union's single market.
- The PEGI rating system could also see improvement to provide more clarity to parents. A system to aid the parents in recording how much time and money a child spends on a game is also requested.
- Other activities, such as gold farming will be analyzed to see if it coincides with human rights violation and financial crimes.
The inclusion of loot boxes and addictive microtransactions slowly seeped into the gaming sphere alongside the evolution of many visual and gameplay aspects. With the increase of scope in titles came various ways of monetizing them to ensure profits and longevity of franchises. However, several government bodies have recently begun taking action.
Recently, the European Parliament has shown interest in analyzing, investigating, and adopting measures against many harmful and addictive features like the loot boxes in games. The European Parliament has voted today to request the European Commission to examine various problems and their solutions for the gaming industry.
Reported by GamesIndustry.biz, MEP Adriana Maldonado Lopez led the report, which accumulated over 577 votes in favor, with 56 opposed and 15 declinations. The report included requests to create a system that can be more helpful for parents to record how much time and money a child spends on a game.
Furthermore, it also included propositions for rules to be conformed across the European Union’s single market. The PEGI rating system used in the European regions was highlighted as an instance that can be improved and provide better details to parents.
The MEPs have requested the game developers to avoid developing games in a way that sustains any of the gaming addictions. MEP Adriana Maldonado Lopez noted the devs to “avoid designing games that feed addiction.” She quoted the WHO’s accepting gaming disorder in some users as an instance of gaming addiction.
Our industry is committed to a fair and transparent consumer experience when playing videogames. European players have more choice of amazing games than ever, thanks to the increased variety of business models the industry has developed. Regulators should guard the right to access these cultural products while keeping Europe’s high level of consumer protection,” noted the Interactive Software Federation of Europe and the European Game Developers Federation in a joint statement to GamesIndustry.
The report also emphasized predatory monetization features in video games, such as loot boxes. European Parliament has voted for the Commission to conduct investigations concerning the harmful effect of loot boxes, provocations leading to making in-game purchases, and adopting measures if required.
Moreover, MEPs also voted to investigate gold farming, the activity of acquiring real-life money by selling in-game currency. The gold-farming will be analyzed to see if it coincides with any financial crimes and human rights violations.
Many government bodies have begun taking action against loot boxes and other harmful elements that come with video games. For instance, Six Dutch political parties showed interest in legally banning loot boxes last year. Additionally, Democrats have also been pushing different incentives to ban loot boxes for minors.
What are your thoughts about the European Parliament actively taking various measures to fend off loot boxes, gaming addiction, and more? Do you think other government bodies around the world will soon follow in the footsteps of the European Parliament? Do let us know your opinions in the comments below.
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Thailand and Huawei collaborate for digital economy
Thai prime minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha and Huawei chairman and rotating CEO Ken Hu have agreed to work together to develop Thailand’s digital economy.
During a meeting this week, Chan-o-cha said that Huawei had already made a significant contribution to the country’s communications industry.
“We’d like to invite Huawei to participate in this initiative as a major investor and ICT vendor,” Chan-o-cha said.
“We believe that Huawei can act as an advisor as we build a digital economy and assist us with talent cultivation and knowledge transfer, and thus jointly transform Thailand into an ICT hub in Southeast Asia.”
Huawei has been present in Thailand for 15 years and over the years has trained more than 10,000 technical professionals in the country. Most recently, the Chinese vendorpartnered with Thai operator AIS for the upgrade of its mobile network in the country.
As part of it strategy to develop Thailand’s digital economy, Huawei plans to cultivate 100 ICT experts over the next five years.
“Huawei is ready and eager to respond to the Prime Minister's call, and will continue to help the Thai government implement its reform towards a digital economy and cultivate more ICT professionals for local communities,” Hu added.


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Beverly Hills-based Fat Brands Inc. is planning to expand its international footprint by opening at least five of its Fat Burger and Buffalo Express restaurants in Bali and Jakarta, Indonesia, the company announced June 5.
The new agreement is with existing partner PT Global Food Indonesia. Fat Brands said that its burger and chicken brands have over 200 locations open or under construction globally with recent openings in Southern California, Japan and Canada.
The company went public last fall and is a subsidiary of Beverly Hills-based Fog Cutter Capital Group Inc.
Manufacturing, retail and trade reporter Shwanika Narayan can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org or 323-556-8351. Follow her on Twitter @shwanika.


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Tag: Shanghai 2019
A set of official videos offering some insights on the design proces behind the karma SC1, with interviews to the members of the design team.
At the Shanghai Auto Show MINI has presented the restyled Clubman featuring a front end with renewed grille and lights.
A set of design sketches and renders from the development of the AI:ME Concept, the show car presented by Audi at the recent Shanghai Auto Show.
NIO Inc, the brand launched in late 2016, will bring at Auto Shanghai 2019 its entire family of vehicles plus the new ET7 Concept, previewing an upcoming electric sedan model.
At Auto Shanghai 2019 Audi will unveil a showcar that envisions an autonomous, compact vehicle for the megacities of the future.
At Auto Shanghai 2019 Volkswagen will unveil the latest member of the I.D: family, previewing the lines of the zero-emission, production SUV set to be launched in 2021.


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Give more independence to the Scots—paired with a statement that there will be no more votes for a long time to come
The move comes as GM's blue-chip brand is finally considered in range of—if not quite on par with—the best German luxury rides
Unresolved economic conflicts simmer during a tenuous cease-fire
In becoming Oracle's chairman and chief technology officer, Ellison will leave the software giant he founded in the hands of co-chief executive officers Mark Hurd and Safra Katz
The popular premixed funds are supposed to get more conservative as retirement gets closer. What “conservative” means is open to interpretation
With "activity-based working," you lose your desk and gain your freedom—all for better efficiency
The NFL is facing its worst crisis in 50 years. Why is Commissioner Goodell so sure he won't lose his job?
Two dozen live shows will broadcast professors' ideas for 40 hours a week, serving as a way to broaden Wharton's reach
A report finds high default rates on franchise loans
By Richard McGill Murphy
This year’s Bloomberg Businessweek presents the top-performing U.S. stocks of the past five years, one of the most turbulent periods in our country’s economic history. Some of the companies on our list have thrived by creating new markets around unique products: Apple (No. 4) with the iPhone and now the iPad, medical innovators like Intuitive Surgical (No. 2) and Celgene (No. 13). Others powered through the recession by offering exceptional value propositions: Red Hat (No. 22) with its open-source business software, McDonald’s (No. 31) with its Value Meals, and of course Priceline—tops on our list--with its online marketplace for bargain-hunting travelers.


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NYSE short interest up 2.4 pct in mid-November
NEW YORK Nov 27 (Reuters) - Short interest on the New York Stock Exchange rose 2.4 percent in mid-November, the exchange said on Tuesday, suggesting an increase in bearish sentiment in the stock market.
As of Nov. 15, short interest increased to about 13.604 billion shares, compared with 13.280 billion shares as of Oct. 31.
Investors who sell securities 'short' borrow shares and then sell them, expecting the stock to fall so they can buy the shares back at the lower price, return them to the lender and pocket the difference.
- Housing, jobs data weaken, but overall economic picture still upbeat
- U.S. diplomats, but not prosecutors, seek to quell India dispute |
- Target cyber breach hits 40 million payment cards at holiday peak |
- New York Mayor-elect's reputation for lateness parodied on Twitter
- Last-minute Obamacare exemption for those with canceled plans


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Monday kicks off Chicago Fashion Week, previewing the Fall 2008 collections of national and international designers in a series of shows, fashion seminars, and networking events. With the New Generation fashion show, local fashion students are also being given the chance to showcase their work. According to the event calendar, tickets are still available to the week’s receptions and shows, taking place at the River East Art Center.
Chicago Fashion Week will be launched this year at the NV Penthouse Lounge cocktail reception, a chance for designers, models, photographers, and fashion fans to network and strengthen the Chicago Fashion Industry.
Only in its second year, Chicago Fashion Week is a step in the right direction in helping Chicago to become a fashion presence in the world.


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TOKYO (Jan. 18)—Yokohama Tyre Vietnam Co. has begun production and sales of light truck tires at its 18-month-old plant and expects to turn out 5,000 units a month in 10 sizes throughout 2000. The company, a joint venture involving Japan´s Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corp. and Vietnam´s Southern Rubber Industry Co., began production of motorcycle tires in August 1998 and added scooter tire output at the plant in the Ho Chi Minh City suburb of Hoku Mon in July 1999. The company is evaluating its prospects for adding production of tires for cars, trucks and buses.
Yokohama JV begins light truck tire production, sales
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