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A US Department of Labor report shows that the tech industry has experienced higher turnover every year since 2012. Our research had similar findings, with tech workers reporting that they were less likely to stay with their organizations for another year than workers in other industries.
Turnover is a top-of-mind concern because of its high financial and productivity costs. The Society for Human Resource Management found that replacing an employee costs 90 to 200% of the employee’s annual income. In the constantly evolving tech industry, in which specific knowledge is crucial, this cost could be even higher.
The Root Causes of the Problem
That the tech industry is having retention issues may be a bit of a surprise. After all, companies like Google, Amazon, and Apple have all grabbed headlines for offering employees generous benefits packages.
But part of the reason they feel the need to set up nap pods and stock the fridges with craft beer is because they know that their talented employees are liable to jump ship. Tech workers with unique skills are in high demand, and therefore, they’re likely to be recruited by employers that are offering stronger compensation. In an industry that demands workers stay up-to-date or become obsolete, tech workers savvily negotiate the labor market to find jobs at the most innovative companies.
So part of the issue is structural. However, the tech industry has fallen behind in some areas. For example, TINYpulse’s 2016 Tech Industry Report, a survey of more than 8,000 employees, discovered that they feel like they’re not getting enough professional support. Tech industry workers report fewer mentorships and opportunities for development than workers in other industries.
Now Compared to 2015
One disturbing aspect of our study was that in many areas, tech workers reported less satisfaction than they did a year earlier. For example, they reported that their companies are less responsive to feedback than they were a year ago. One issue may be that while companies solicit feedback, they don’t incorporate that feedback effectively. Employees don’t just want to tell management what they think; they want solutions to real workplace problems.
The report also saw a drop in the number of tech employees who think that their company is better now than it was six months ago. This is a surprising finding for a high-growth industry. Tech employees also feel like there’s a disconnect between their companies and customers.
But There Is Good News . . .
In several areas, the tech industry is outpacing other industries. Tech workers reported high levels of satisfaction with transparency, saying that management is sharing more information than ever before. They’re also praised more frequently than other workers. This is key, as consistent praise is positively correlated with retention.
Many experts say that the tech is always going to have a “high-churn rate.” Tech companies have already made changes in an effort to lower turnover and improve satisfaction. But they still have a ways to go in professional development and incorporating feedback.


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By Felix Khanoba
The Director General of the Nigerian Office of Trade Negotiation (NOTN), Ambassador Chiedu Osakwe, has allayed fears over Nigeriaa��s
delay in signing the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement which recently came into force in 44 countries.
Osakwe said high level consultations are underway to address the concerns of some stakeholders who believe the agreement would cause some major injuries to the nationa��s economy as well as their businesses.
He made this known in Abuja on Thursday while playing host to a delegation from the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) led by its Vice President, Engr Auwal Ibrahim.
While saying Nigeria has a lot to benefit from the agreement, Osakwe, who also doubles as Nigeriaa��s Chief Trade Negotiator, however, said there was need to protect some growing industries in the country from international trade competition.
a�?There are area of infant industries that need to be protected like the rice and sugar (sectors) and issue of tariffs on products like fertiliser because that has a great security implication,a�? Osakwe said.
Speaking further, the chief trade negotiator said as one of the major economies in the world, Nigeria cannot afford not to be part of international trade community.
a�?There is misconception about the meaning of free trade as if it is a trade without barriers. It is not like all the borders and custom posts will disappear or dismantle, there is nothing like thata�?, he said, adding that Nigeria has a lot of goods and services to be exported to countries in the continent.
Earlier, the NASME Vice President, Auwal Ibrahim said the visit was to get more clarifications on the trade agreement on the area of impact on access to market by micro and small businesses in the country.
It would be recalled that Nigeria failed to sign the African Continental Trade Area agreement in Kigali, Rwanda on March 21 over fear of its possible adverse effect on the economy.

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Taiwan large-size TFT-LCD panel shipments to reach 110 million units in 1H14, says MIC
Press release, June 16; Alex Wolfgram, DIGITIMES
The Taiwan large-size TFT-LCD panel industry is projected to ship around 110.5 million units in the first half of 2014, down 1.4% on year, according to the Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute (MIC). In the second half of the year, the industry's...
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The growth of mobile apps seems unrelenting, with 248,701 brand-associated apps appearing in 2016, according to research by RiskIQ. That’s the equivalent of 5,805 mobile apps on average per brand.
Compared to last year, that’s growth of 63%. The number of feral apps, those residing outside of app stores, has increased by 165% in the past year, with the biggest growth taking place in financial services.
The research exposes a significant increase in risk to both consumers and organisations. As the mobile app store ecosystem evolves, organisations across financial services, media and entertainment, retail, travel and gambling face a challenging future when it comes to protecting their digital assets, brand and customers from the impact of cybercrime.
Organisations must defend themselves against mobile threats by regularly monitoring where their apps are located, ensuring they only reside in their list of approved stores.
Brands also need to check for instances of impersonation or claimed affiliation across this app store ecosystem and make sure offending apps are taken down quickly.
No matter whether the company owns or is aware of fraudulent mobile apps, if a customer’s data is stolen or used maliciously the blame will automatically fall with the organisation. Being proactive in defence is crucial for protecting their reputation as well as confidential data of their customers.
Organisations also have a responsibility to help educate customers to ensure that they only download apps from trusted stores, such as Google Play or the Apple App Store, and to scrutinise the information about the app before downloading.
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for people to blindly click ‘accept’ on terms and conditions before even reading past the first sentence and on requests for permissions without considering if they are actually needed for the app to do its job.
When this happens with a copycat or compromised app, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the information gathered from the device will be used for unwanted purposes and more often than not, for fraud.
There are three critical questions to ask of an app: does the developer name look valid? Is the app rated and, if so, is the rating good? And how many people have downloaded the app?
During installation they should pay attention to what permissions are being requested and whether they are reasonable for the app in question, and they should spend some time reviewing the license agreement, paying particular attention to how collected data will be used.
The app-economy is booming and will continue to do so. Savvy businesses will take advantage of this opportunity whilst ensuring they are monitoring and managing associated apps, just as they manage every facet of their digital footprint.
Sourced from Ben Harknett, VP EMEA, RiskIQ


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Motorola was among the first consumer technology companies to get into 5G, pushing a 5G "mod" for its phones back in 2019 when 5G networks were barely live. The company's innovation lab has continued thinking about 5G, and it has come up with something new: 5G on a necklace.
Motorola was among the first consumer technology companies to get into 5G, pushing a 5G "mod" for its phones back in 2019 when 5G networks were barely live. The company's innovation lab has continued thinking about 5G, and it has come up with something new: 5G on a necklace(Opens in a new window) for VR. It's actually less ridiculous than it sounds. The unnamed 5G neckband is the latest innovation from Motorola's 312 Labs, which is focused on developing new mobile technologies. The technology being advanced here isn't 5G, though. It's AR and VR, sometimes referred to collectively as XR. The XR neckband leverages how 5G mobile devices work right now -- there's basically an entire smartphone in the pendant. You might recall the 5G Moto Mod had a Snapdragon 855 CPU and a dedicated 5G radio inside, making it a display away from being its own smartphone. The 5G necklace is similar but more modern. It has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 inside, which has an integrated 5G radio capable of connecting to Verizon's mmWave and low-band 5G networks. It also has a 5,000mAh battery, a touchpad, speakers, and sensors like a gyroscope and accelerometer. So, instead of having all that computing hardware attached to your XR glasses, you have it hanging around your neck. It's probably not the greatest fashion statement, but the image above is clearly a hasty photoshop. The real deal won't look like it's hovering a foot in front of your chest. It wouldn't even need to hang around your neck, but that's Moto's pitch. A 5G millimeter wave cell site on a light pole in Minneapolis.The necklace is reportedly compatible with any smart eyewear that runs the Snapdragon VR platform or Microsoft's Remote Network Driver Interface. As an example, Moto used the Lenovo ThinkReality A3 smart glasses, which are intended for use with computers. However, they have USB-C and DP1.4 ports, allowing you to power them with the XR necklace. The fact of the matter is, having all that hardware hanging around your neck is more comfortable than having it on your face. Anyone who has tried to wear a Meta/Oculus Quest 2 for any length of time can attest to that. Motorola is not expecting consumers to snap up a 5G necklace. This product is aimed mostly at enterprise customers. Motorola talks about sports training, fan experiences, and VR theaters as possible use cases for the technology. It hasn't talked about the cost or release timeline for the 5G pendant, but it probably won't be cheap. It has most of the parts that go into a flagship phone, including those spendy 5G antenna modules and a chipset that is already in short supply. Now Read:


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A research conducted by electronic payment service company ACI Worldwide has revealed that global retail eCommerce sales rose by 81% in May compared to the same period last year.
The analysis shows that sales in certain sectors grew triple-digit year-on-year.
Sportswear and sporting goods recorded the highest sales with 216%, while housewares and DIY supplies reported 190% and gaming 84% growth.
The continuous rise in eCommerce transaction volumes was driven by the wide-ranging Covid-19 restrictions during the period that prompted consumers to opt for online purchases.
Despite easing of lockdown restrictions in many countries, certain sectors have continued to see growth with gaming purchases increasing by 126% over the previous year in April, compared to 84% in May.
ACI Worldwide executive vice-president Debbie Guerra said: “While many of the trends in eCommerce purchasing behaviour that emerged in March and April have continued, we are starting to see the impact that the gradual easing of restrictions is having on retail activity.
“People working from home are now set up, and we see spending shifting from home office supplies back toward consumer goods like sporting goods and home improvements.”
Furthermore, the research also revealed that fraud attempt rates decreased from 5.3% and 4.4% in March and April, respectively, to 3.4% in May.
Guerra added: “The vigilance and adaptability displayed by merchants as they evolve their fraud strategies in light of Covid-19 appears to have been rewarded by decreasing fraud rates.”


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Junk email, viruses, and worms may be a nuisance to most people but they could spell big business for data center operators -- because a growing number of consumers are prepared to pay for protection from the threats that lurk on the Internet.
Canadian security specialist Zero Knowledge Systems is aiming to tap this market with a managed security service that it plans to launch next week.
The service, called Synbridge, enables consumer ISPs to offer their customers a range of security add-ons, such as firewalls, virus protection, and content filtering. ISPs merely market and bill for the service, which is hosted in Zero Knowledges Montreal data center. The ISPs customers load software on their PCs that communicates with the servers hosting the service (to get their anti-virus updates, to block URLs, and so on) using LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol).
The service aims to tap the growing number of consumers willing to pay for protection from the dangers lurking on the Internet. Research from analyst firm Yankee Group
suggests that over 20 percent of consumers are willing to pay up to $10 a month for security services.
Increasingly, ISPs and telecom firms are looking to cash in by offering managed security services to their customers. Earlier this week, for example, South Korean telecom provider Dacom Corp.
announced its new Cyber Attack Defense Network (CADNet), a VPN service designed to protect customers from threats such as viruses and denial-of-service attacks (see Dacom Launches Managed Security).


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Google (GOOG, GOOGL) parent company Alphabet reported its Q3 2019 earnings on Monday beating analysts’ expectations on the top line but missing on earnings per share. Here are the most important numbers from the report, as well as what analysts were expecting as compiled by Bloomberg's estimates.
Revenue: $33.01 billion excluding traffic acquisition costs versus $32.72 billion expected
Earnings per share: $10.12 versus $12.35 expected
The stock was off by 2% after the company reported earnings.
Google saw an increase in spending on research and development, sales and marketing, and general administrative fees in Q3 2019 compared to the same time last year.
The company has been stepping up its cloud initiative, as it attempts to catch up with market leaders Amazon and Microsoft. Google doesn’t break out its cloud earnings, but CEO Sundar Pichai announced during the Q2 2019 earnings call that the company had achieved an $8 billion yearly run rate for its cloud division.
Google is also expanding its sales force to sell its cloud products to big businesses. It doesn't matter that companies may already have contracts with Amazon and Microsoft, either, as the majority of the major cloud providers offer a certain level of interoperability. That means there's still room for Google to jump into the fray.
The company's recent hardware releases, including the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones, won't have an impact on this quarter's earnings, as they were only released on Oct. 15.
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Got a tip? Email Daniel Howley at email@example.com, and follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.


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Scenic Sotheby's International Realty leads Emerald Coast luxury real estate market
Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty helped more customers buy and sell luxury real estate in 2015 than ever before. The brokerage celebrated many momentous occasions in 2015, beginning with the grand opening of its first branch office at 30Avenue near Rosemary Beach, and closing it with the highest dollar volume of real estate sales from Destin to Rosemary Beach. Guiding over 600 families through their real estate transactions in 2015, the company achieved a sales dollar volume totaling over $442 million, surpassing its 2014 bench mark by more than 60 percent with an average sale price just over $700,000.
Among the company’s significant sales was a gulf front home in Blue Mountain Beach that commanded the highest sale price on the Emerald Coast for 2015, closing in December for just over $7.5 million.
Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty also led in gulf front property sales. From Destin to Rosemary Beach, and specifically along Scenic Highway 30A, the firm generated the highest dollar volume of sales among both gulf front homes and residential gulf front lots.
Seven Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty agents are ranked among the top 50 most productive members of the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors by dollar volume, two of whom closed the year in the Number 1 and Number 2 spots. The average dollar volume of annual agent sales at Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty is just over $11.5 million, 10 times the average agent production in the marketplace.
Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty welcomed 11 agents to its team in 2015, and two more have already joined since Jan. 1.
“When I’ve considered transitioning to other firms it’s always seemed that it would be very complicated, and the move to Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty could not have been easier,” says Realator Jo Stewart who joined in February of last year. “The day I got there everything was set up and all I had to do was concentrate on my clients and I hit the ground running.”
“After joining the company I realized that it was a very positive, rewarding, and uplifting environment where everyone is out to help each other,” says Jonathan Spears who joined in January of last year.
Since joining, Spears’ listing inventory has grown substantially and he sold over $45 million in 2015, up by more than 60 percent from 2014.
The collaborative atmosphere at Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty led to a sales volume 23 percent greater than the firm’s nearest competitor among million dollar plus properties listed with and sold by the same company.
“What this statistic means is, luxury properties listed with Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty are more likely to be sold internally by another Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty agent,” says company Broker and Co-owner Blake Morar. “With our agents representing buyer and seller, each party stands to benefit not only from the combined experience, but also from the high standard of service we hold each other to every day.”
The statistics presented are based on data gathered from the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service on Jan. 1, 2016. It is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.


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The 3916 California SW storefront recently vacated by Olivia’s Consignment for Kids (now at 4140 California SW) won’t be empty for long. Frank Gross of Thunder Road Guitars (left) just announced he’s chosen it for the first showroom of his till-now online-only vintage/used-guitars business. Just last month, when Thunder Road co-presented a guitar show/sale at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), we mentioned he was looking for a storefront – and now he’s found it. Frank tells WSB he’s hoping to be open at 3916 California by mid-November; hours will be Wednesdays-Saturdays, 10 am-6 pm, by appointment Sundays-Tuesdays. Find out more on the Thunder Road website, here.
West Seattle, Washington


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Top New Tools Coming in 2019 From Milwaukee Tool
Here’s a look at six new products coming from Milwaukee Tool this year
In early June of this year, Milwaukee Tool hosted its annual New Product Symposium at its headquarters in Milwaukee. Dozens of media representatives in the construction industry attended. As in years past, the event illustrated the company’s continued growth as it strives to offer solutions for every trade in the residential, commercial, and utility industries. While there were many new products in the plumbing and electrical trades, remodeling and carpentry were a highlight this year, with several “firsts” for the tool maker.
Milwaukee Tool is putting all of its R&D into cordless battery technology – looking for more power and runtime from the battery packs themselves, as well as more power from the brushless motors they power. More than a hundred products were announced, and not one will be powered by a power cord (well, to be fair, there was one: a new rapid charger).
Here's a look at some of the highlights.


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By Jonah Nwokpoku
Demand for loan facilities and insurance products through the internet have increased significantly by over 65 per cent, according to a survey by online vehicle marketplace, Carmudi.com. Carmudi said its several partnerships with lenders and insurance providers to make services available online especially for online car shoppers have seen over 65 per cent subscription for car loans and 35 per cent subscription for auto insurance. According to the online car dealer, “Many loan and insurance providers are now making use of Nigeria’s growing internet penetration and smartphone usage to advertise their services and connect with customers directly.
In 2014, only 2.5 million vehicles had valid insurance meaning that more than 85 per cent of the 15 million cars plying the Nigerian roads were insured. The number was much lower in 2012 and 2013. “The last quarter of 2015 saw an improvement in the number of car insurance policies bought by car owners. According to the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) an estimated 3 million Nigerians had valid car insurance at the end of 2015 and by the end of the first second quarter of 2016 the number of car insurance holders is estimated to rise by 39 per cent.”
Analysts believe that that the rise in the number of insurance policies could be attributed to the increase in internet penetration and the use of mobile and other digital marketing and information services. Factors such as easy access to information on the various policies, ability of customers to request insurance policies online and also easy payment through bank transfers and other e-payment platforms are all evidence of the importance of the internet to the insurance sector.
The Carmudi survey also pointed out that financial service providers have also seen a spike in the amount of people wanting loans especially for cars, as they continuously seek partnership with online classified website for cars, real estate, logistics and travels to offer customers easy access to loan facilities. Recall that Carmudi Nigeria in recent times commenced partnership with various financing and insurance service providers with the aim of offering car shoppers the opportunity to apply for car loans and insurance via the Carmudi website.


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BitClave – Search engines rule the internet. Every forty seconds, Google alone handles over 40,000 search queries worldwide. With every click, they consume more data from users around the globe.But there is a new-kid-on-the-block that threatens to break up the centralized power search engines hold: blockchain technology.
Why The Current Search Model is Broken
Blockchain’s entry into the search engine model is an interesting development, considering its origins. The power to ‘break up’ the flow of information and data through a handful of search engines—namely Google, Facebook, and Amazon—is nothing to laugh off. It has significant potential to decentralize the internet as we know it.
Consumers and businesses are hungry for a solution to search that doesn’t involve them trading off their private information. Today, as soon as you type in a question into a search bar you become a product. Even more troubling, you don’t see a dime from your own private data. Giant search engines soak up your information and track your movements without giving you any kickbacks.
On the other hand, businesses are equally frustrated with a lack of quality traffic. Facebook and Google represent 20 percent of the entire world’s ad spending, coming in at $26.9 billion and $79.4 billion respectively. However, it’s estimated that 50 percent of all ad traffic is ‘bot traffic’. Where does that leave businesses who want the best ROI? Some would argue there is a severe need for change. The current search engine model is broken. It’s time for a real change. That change lies in blockchain technology.
Integrating Blockchain Technology with Search Platforms
Blockchain technology provides a solution to the internet’s centralized power problem. Instead of hoping to replace the current search structure with the same exact type of service, blockchain technology puts the power back in the people’s hands. And several blockchain-based search engines have been successful with their efforts.
Presearch, Smartbit, and Faroo have all successfully launched search engines backed by blockchain technology, instead of fueled by consumer ads.
For example, with Faroo, instead of ranking sites based on the number of backlinks they have—like Google and Bing’s current model—websites are ranked based on how much time and how frequently visitors come to their page. This encourages people to download their software and use it to search websites, or if they prefer they can remain anonymous. This give and take approach is wholly unique and only made possible because of blockchain technology.
One up-in-coming search engine site that stands out from the pack, however, is BitClave.
BitClave’s Approach to the Search Engine Data Dilemma
As it stands, users are not impressed with the major corporate takeover of the internet by companies like Google. BitClave’s approach is equally innovative, however. Their end goal is to disrupt the digital ad market. They want to cut out the middlemen and connect users and businesses directly.
BitClave has a radical belief system that encourages customers to have control over when and how their data is used. The BitClave search platform allows customers to decide who views, accesses, uses and sells their data. No offer is presented to users on their platform without express approval given by the customer.
On the other hand, businesses benefit because they have a direct connection to qualified consumers. Targeted promotion levels up to a whole new space all thanks to the blockchain model. All promotions are based on the user’s previous search history similar to the current model, but with one glaring difference—customers are given a choice to reveal that data and are compensated for it.
As users engage with advertisements, they earn tokens for the data they choose to share with businesses. And that’s where their data stops. It isn’t sucked into an infinite business-only black hole for data. It’s a customer-to-business search engine approach unlike any other.
BitClave has completed a very successful private and public pre-sale token event raising almost $16M and is expecting to reach $50M during the crowdsale in November.
The Future is Blockchain
As Blockchain technology is further refined, it will undoubtedly integrate with the real world in untold new ways. However, the future of search has already undergone a dramatic change.
It’s now up to consumers to join the new wave of technology and take back control of their data.
|Long term budget||30%|
Details Of The ICO
|Implementation Time||November 8, 2017 – 8 December 2017|
|The Price Of A Token||0.07|
|Bonus||Ethereum, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Qtum|
|The Total Supply Of Token||1 billion of PAINT (for sale)|
MORE INFORMATION :
Official website: http://www.bitclave.com
BitcoinTalk : https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2030152.0
Twitter : http://twitter.com/bitclave
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/bitclave
Blog : http://medium.com/@BitClave
Telegram : http://t.me/BitClaveCommunity
Slack : http://slack-bitclave-com.herokuapp.com
My Ethereum Address:


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The company hopes this will change the commercial space industry+ READ ARTICLE
Blue Origin, the private space technology company owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, launched and landed a rocket vertically for the second time on Friday, a feat that the company hopes will change the future of the commercial space industry.
The Washington Post, which is owned by Bezos, reported that the New Shepard rocket passed the boundary of space and then landed vertically on Earth for the second time in a row, becoming the first in history to do so. Two months ago, the company accomplished the same feat for the first time.
Launching and landing rockets vertically enables them to be reused, which could make space travel less expensive and less exclusive in the future.


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The time for locking in orders and trying to take advantage of loopholes is over. President Biden has signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law which means that there are new stipulations for obtaining a federal tax credit for those buying a new electric vehicle. The restrictions now imposed on which cars qualify could completely change how automakers strategize for the future.
Before the act became law earlier today, automakers like Rivian, Lucid, and Fisker were actively helping reservation holders turn those orders into binding agreements so that they could take advantage of the previous tax credit eligibility requirements. Now, those same companies, along with any other EV automaker will have to consider how they want to move forward given the new stipulations.
The biggest shift is that to be eligible, a large percentage of the vehicle in question must be built in North America or in one of many US trade partners. According to Autonews, before 2024 and after the U.S. Treasury secretary issues the proposed guidance, 40 percent of the critical minerals in the vehicle must be extracted or processed in one of the above-mentioned locations.
Read More: Tesla Is Now Dominating Luxury Car Sales In The U.S.
In addition to that, the same rule applies to battery components except that 50 percent must be made or assembled in those locations. The final vehicle assembly must also take place in North America alone for it to qualify for the tax credit. If you’ve been one of the many hoping that cheap Chinese EVs might make a splash on this side of the pond, this law dampens those hopes.
It’s also noteworthy that the new law will limit vehicle eligibility based on price. For example, Rivian’s base R1T is underneath the law’s $80,000 limit for the credit but most final production builds end up above that number. Lucid doesn’t have any vehicles that qualify under the law’s $55,000 limit on electric sedans.
Both automakers along with the rest of the EV market will need to consider all of these factors as they plan future products. This isn’t a case of just ticking one box or the other. Automakers have to abide by all of these rules if they want a vehicle to be eligible.


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The last time I read a story about reclusive Japanese mathematicians putting out government.Thus wrote the mysterious creator of bitcoin, who calls himself Satoshi Nakamoto,.Gox bitcoin exchange in Tokyo filed for bankruptcy protection Friday and its chief executive said 850,000 bitcoins, worth several.Find all you need to know and get started with Bitcoin on bitcoin.org.
Bitcoin's popularity continues as Japan recognises it as
Nakamoto is considered unlikely to be Japanese or living in Japan.
What is Bitcoin – Crypto Currencies for Beginners - Binary
Bitcoin: More than a Bit Risky | FINRA.org
Bitcoin Mania Infects Japan Stock Market's Smaller Listings
The members of BitOcean Japan are all creditors of MT.Gox. We believe Bitcoin represents the greatest innovation of the Internet Era since the founding of the.By Rebecca Mead Field Trip New Jerseysaurus By Elizabeth Kolbert The Boards Strings Attached By Michael Schulman The Financial Page A Waste of Energy.Bitcoin Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for Bitcoin crypto.
Bitcoin Frenzy Spills Over into Small Japanese Stocks
Will the Real Satoshi Nakamoto Please Stand Up - DealBookOur bitcoin price charts are an easy reference for current bitcoin prices. man living in Japan in his. bitcoins derive their value from mathematics rather than.By Jane Mayer Profiles You Belong with Me How Taylor Swift made teen angst into a business empire.The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is an independent media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies.
Civil Liberty Through Complex Mathematics. I am working on a international directory of bitcoin experts.
Need help with Bitcoin? / MMM TURKEY — Official WebsiteWhich hard mathematical problems do you have to. persuaded that their vocation as mathematicians was to.Ethereum price fintech IBM ICO india japan litecoin mark karpeles.A startup tied to Australian academic and businessman Craig Wright, who last year claimed to be the inventor of bitcoin, has been sold.
The probability behind Bitcoin. - Mathematics Stack Exchange
Alleged Bitcoin inventor says Newsweek story is dead wrong. with a deep background in mathematics and computers.The ABCs of Bitcoin Secrets. Japanese mathematician Shinichi Mochizuki posted four. is also the elusive Satoshi Nakamoto who unleashed bitcoin on the world and.
Alleged Bitcoin inventor says Newsweek story is dead wrongIn a slightly weird twilight video, Nelson plays Sherlock Holmes to find his candidate.
John Nash is Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin Creator
Bitcoin mathematics Archives - Bitcoin News
Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new kind of money.By Sasha Frere-Jones The Theatre Black And Blue A new look at Alice Childress.By Joshua Davis Our Far-Flung Correspondents The Shandy The cost of being a cow broker in rural India.Mochizuki put his 500 page solution on his website in August 2012 and mathematicians are still in the process of checking it.Story examines details from a Bitcoin Talk Forum thread about John Nash as the creator of Bicoin.Gox is due to appear in Tokyo District Court on Tuesday to face embezzlement charges.
Nakamoto, who claimed to be a thirty-six-year-old Japanese man,.


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WORCESTER — Like the nicotine patch before it, vaping advocates say it provides a safer way to place nicotine into the bloodstream, and is fast becoming the way for smokers to quit.
"It simulates smoking," said Si Caponette, co-owner of City Vapor and E-Cig in Kelley Square.
"There is the inhaling, the hand to mouth, and it delivers nicotine to your system. It's a much healthier lifestyle, and as you use it, you become less dependent on the device."
Mrs. Caponette, who purchased the City Vapor franchise with her husband, Mark, and relocated to Worcester from southwest Florida, said she smoked for 35 years and quit as a result of using e-cigarette products.
Mr. and Mrs. Caponette opened their store in August. Since then, Mrs. Caponette said, she has many customers quit their two-pack-a-day cigarette habit as they have converted to vaping.
According to Urban Dictionary, vaping refers to inhaling vapor from e-cigarettes, which don't produce smoke.
"There was a 34-year-old girl who came in with two patches, and she didn't think she could quit," Mrs. Caponette said.
"But she was in a few weeks ago and she can now walk up and down her stairs, which she had never been able to do."
"Nicotine doesn't cause cancer, and smokers are addicted to nicotine," she said. "But when you light up a cigarette, you activate 4,000 carcinogens, 60 of which are known cancer causing agents."
But e-cigarettes are still controversial, because they still deliver nicotine, the addictive substance in cigarettes.
"I support legislation to prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to minors," said state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, in an emailed statement, "because I believe that the product is used to target children and teenagers to get used to cigarettes, and increases the likelihood that they will turn to tobacco cigarettes as they get older."
Electronic cigarettes are not regulated by the U.S. Food And Drug Administration, which announced recently that it is taking steps to regulate products meeting the legal definition of a "tobacco product."
That would put e-cigarettes — as well as hookahs and some types of flavored cigars — into the same category as regular cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco products; those are subject to regulation under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reported recently that 1.1 percent of middle school students and 2.8 percent of high school students used e-cigarettes in 2012, which represented a doubling from 2011.
"The CDC says its findings indicate that more efforts are needed to monitor and prevent all young people from taking up the use of both conventional and non-conventional forms of tobacco," the CDC wrote in its Nov. 15 edition of the "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report."
Mrs. Caponette said she stocks only pharmaceutical-grade nicotine that is organic and 100 percent natural. The nicotine is released at one of three predetermined levels.
Vaping is also less expensive than cigarettes.
"To smoke two packs a day costs $20 a day," Mrs. Caponette said. "Vaping costs about $25 a month."
To ease the transition from smoking to vaping, City Vapor stocks 38 flavors of the e-liquid, which vaporizes when a battery-activated coil heats it.
"We try and match the person to their brand, and we customize the product to them," Mrs. Caponette said.
"If you're a heavy smoker, then you're going to need a product with a longer-lasting battery. Otherwise, if your battery dies, you're going to go out and buy a pack of cigarettes."
Despite touting e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to cigarettes, Mrs. Caponette discourages nonsmokers from imbibing.
"The best thing to breathe is fresh air," she said.
"This is strictly an adult product — no one under 18 is permitted to enter the store."
Mrs. Caponette said she expects vaping to grow significantly as an alternative to both smoking and the nicotine patch.
"I've had two people walk out, saying, 'You've saved my life.' "


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As we look ahead to 2020, imperatives for progressive innovation will include harnessing consumer demand for healthcare technology.
November 17-18, 2020
Innovations in virtual health care have the potential to ease over-crowding and improve access to care for Canadians.
May 31-June 3, 2020
e-Health 2020 marks the 20th anniversary of Canada’s national digital health event.
The Alberta government is spending $14.5 million over three years to provide more access to phone and online mental health services.
Thousands of people in the Waterloo Region have taken advantage of a pilot project that allows them to visit a doctor virtually.
Working together, Canadians, health care practitioners and industry can transform health care.


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Take a look at these two lists – they are deemed to be the most significant new cars by a panel of 66 journalists from around the world. As one of nine US based journalists I got to participate in this initial round of voting for the top ten cars in the two categories.
As usual there is a dearth of US cars, which is not surprising since few US made cars are sold overseas. Having said that Chrysler models, such as the Charger and SRT8 editions of several models, were on the original list of eligible cars but none made it to the Top Ten. Likewise the Ford Mustang Boss 302 was a casualty in the final list.
It's also encouraging that there is only one car – the Citroen DS5 — that will not be sold in the US. In most years there are several cars jurors select that are not sold here.
This means Chevrolet is the only US brand with cars that made it through the first round of votes. It's a good omen for Chevrolet, which is rapidly gaining in popularity as a global nameplate.
The 2012 World Car of the Year will be selected from the following top ten cars listed in alphabetical order:
|1||Audi A6 Sedan / Avant|
|3||BMW 1 Series|
|4||BMW 3 Series|
|5||Chevrolet Volt / Opel/Vauxhall Ampera|
|8||Land Rover Evoque|
The 2012 World Performance Car will be chosen from one of these top ten finalists:
|1||Audi RS 3 Sportback|
|2||BMW 1 Series M Coupé|
|4||Chevrolet Camaro ZL1|
|6||Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4|
|8||Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG|
|9||Mercedes-Benz C-63 Coupe AMG Black Series|
Previous World Car of the Year winners were the Nissan LEAF in 2011, the Volkswagen Polo in 2010, the Volkswagen Golf in 2009, the Mazda2 in 2008, the Lexus LS 460 in 2007, the BMW 3-Series in 2006, and the Audi A6 in 2005.
Previous World Performance Car winners were the Ferrari 458 Italia in 2011, the Audi R8 V10 in 2010, the Nissan GT-R in 2009, the Audi R8 in 2008, the Audi RS4 in 2007 and the Porsche Cayman S in 2006.
The top three finalists in both categories will be announced at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show on March 6th during a press conference co-hosted by Bridgestone Corporation and the 2012 New York International Auto Show. The 2012 World Car of the Year and the 2012 World Performance Car will then be unveiled at the New York Show on Show on Thursday, April 5, 2012.
Which car would you vote for as the worthy winner in these two global awards?


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Unattended Retail Tracker - April 2017
April Unattended Retail Tracker Updates
The April Unattended Retail Tracker includes a player directory with 10 new entries: e-Nabler, Excel Vending Image Holders, Gemini 2000, NCR, Refresh Vending T2 Systems, Tablesafe, The-Venders and Vendpro.
The PYMNTS.com Unattended Retail TrackerTM serves as a bimonthly framework for the space, providing coverage of the most recent news and trends, as
well as a provider directory to highlight the players contributing to the activities and movements taking place across the segments that comprise the now expansive unattended retail ecosystem.
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The situation between Russia and Ukraine, the Iranian nuclear negotiations, caused oil prices to fall slightly
Time of Update: 2023-03-10
The tight supply and demand fundamentals support oil prices at a high level, while changes in the situation between Russia and Ukraine and the progress of negotiations on the Iranian nuclear agreement have led to wide fluctuations in oil prices.
Russian media article: Why the United States is eyeing Venezuelan oil
Time of Update: 2023-01-01
On November 29, the website of Russia's newspaper Izvestia published an article titled "Showing Opposition: Why the United States Wants to Get Venezuelan Oil Back," written by Maria Vasilieva.
DMC prices hit a new high again
Time of Update: 2022-03-15
Product Details: DMC: DMC prices continue to rise, the market supply is tight, and demand increases.
Raw rubber: The price of raw rubber continues to rise, the market supply is tight, and downstream manufacturers have difficulty finding goods or face production cuts.
Northwest Oilfield Flower Style Training Package Sees Actual Results
Time of Update: 2021-06-09
Carry out "teacher and apprentice" to promote "pass to help" In the past two years, the Experimental Testing Technology Center has faced the problem of many retired employees.
How paint dealers conduct promotions in the worst-case situation
Time of Update: 2021-02-17
In this case, dealers should not complain, but should work with manufacturers on the specific situation of the regional market to deal with, such as the promotion program after the implementation of the alternative.
Eat spicy or aggravate local skin inflammation do not want to grow acne should be "low sugar" diet
Time of Update: 2020-09-13
In this regard, Dr. Liu Jia of the Clinical Nutrition Department of the Three Hospitals of Guangzhou Medical College pointed out that there is not enough clinical evidence that eating spicy food can directly lead to acne.
India oil grain market trends (12.28
Time of Update: 2003-03-12
OA show ('918 '); India's domestic oilseed market was little changed Friday Many oilseeds have little trading activity, only peanuts and soybeans have some corresponding considerable sales Because of


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- Generation Z could have an estimated $143 billion in spending power, and their spending habits, which are driven by mobile and experiential shopping, have major implications for retailers, according to research from market intelligence firm Numerator.
- When it comes to advertising, members of Gen Z are more engaged with mobile devices and social media than millennials, but Numerator, drawing on data from its omnichannel shopper panel of more than 500,000 consumers, found that retailers such as Amazon, Kroger, Target and Sam's Club are relying on online display advertising and overlooking mobile and social. Brands that are resonating with Gen Z include Kit Kat, Cheetos and Powerade.
- With 4 million members of Gen Z entering adulthood each year, retailers should start considering them in marketing efforts, Numerator said. Key social media platforms to target include Tumblr, Snapchat and Twitter, while Facebook and Reddit have shown a decline in popularity for this demographic.
For the past several years, retailers have buzzed about millennials and how to capture their dollars and win their loyalty. But Gen Z is coming of age, and they hold major buying power.
As smartphone natives, Gen Z relies on mobile devices to research products, engage with brands, discover new items and make purchases. For retailers, the key to capturing their dollars will be through social media marketing and mobile apps.
But mobile shopping isn't the only way to go for Gen Z. Findings from Numerator show that e-commerce only accounts for 7.4% of Gen Z spending, and many still shop in stores. While they may be spending more time on smartphones, they are looking to build relationships and find interesting experiences, too.
Tactics such as influencer marketing and mobile apps that aid in-store experiences could be smart approaches to attract Gen Z attention in stores and via mobile. Numerator also noted that Gen Z shoppers are more likely to make impulse purchases, which makes in-store experience and well-placed mobile advertisements an important marketing component to capture sales.
Another notable finding from the report is that members of Gen Z are 43% less likely to be concerned about healthy eating than their millennial counterparts. This could be eye-opening news for grocers that have been scrambling in recent years to revamp their offerings to focus on healthy, natural foods. Many grocers have invested in rolling out private label lines that are organic and lack artificial ingredients, and others have upped their fresh assortment.
Gen Z tends to prefer value-focused retailers such as Food4Less, and are less likely to shop at natural and organic retailers like Whole Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market compared to millennials. Interestingly, though they seek value grocers, Gen Z is also less likely to shop at private label retailers including Aldi’s and Trader Joe’s that often provide lower prices. Overall, Numerator found that Gen Z shops less frequently, spending less per trip on smaller baskets than millennials.
Fortunately, mobile apps have become a strong component of many retailers’ marketing efforts, which should help them reach Gen Z shoppers. Roughly 18 million adults are already using Walmart’s grocery app, reflecting a 50% jump from 2017. Kroger launched mobile offerings back in 2010, and Albertsons unveiled its Just For U app in 2016. A number of other retailers have launched mobile apps and are regularly updating them for better performance and quicker adoption among shoppers.
Grocers have improvements to make if they want to capture spending from Gen Z, especially as the generation gains more purchasing power. The challenge for companies will be striking the right balance to meet the demands and preferences of multiple generations of shoppers.


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Jollyes has launched a new award that will aim to boost sales of poo bags and help dog owners to “keep their neighbourhoods clean and do their bit for the environment”.
The Poo Bag Champion award will go to the manager of one of the group’s 70-plus stores who sees the highest percentage rise in sales of poo bags between now and 20 June. The runner-up will also receive a “special prize”.
Jollyes stores sell a range of poo bags, including Tidyz degradable bags which sell for £1 for a pack of 100. The Tidyz pocket pack is also designed to fit easily in dog walkers’ pockets.
Chris Burns, Jollyes commercial director said: “It’s a big job, but we’ve set things in motion for our Poo Bag Champion award, and we wouldn’t want this opportunity to keep our neighbourhoods clean to go to waste.
“Jollyes customers are responsible dog owners and this is just a bit of fun for our stores to remind them that we have a fantastic range of poo bags at amazing value so they can have one handy when they need to clean up after their mucky pups.”


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The Newspaper Marketing Agency (NMA) takes out a full page in The Daily Telegraph to champion its "ad of the month", after its Anna awards. It pictures the recent Megane campaign, "The Megan experiment", and urges readers to see more nominated work at a dedicated microsite.
It's never too early for Christmas ads, or so the national press thinks. M&S takes the prize for the first Christmas cake ad of the season today. It pictures a somewhat unappealing current cake, while most shoppers are gearing up for Halloween, with pictures of a pumpkin weighing more than a Fiat emerging on the editorial pages.
Tesco is more on the mark offering seasonal fruit and vegetables at half price, and Waitrose highlights its latest recipe card, an autumn pork dish from Heston Blumenthal.
Sainsbury's advertises "everything you need for a great night in" with pizzas and ice cream for £2. Meanwhile, Asda offers reduced-price DVDs and games as part of its "big entertainment event".
Asda's George clothing brand joins the trend to use "real-life" models, picturing Elise, an NHS worker, wearing one of its winter coats in a campaign across the press.
Plusnet promises its broadband "won't be beat on price", with an ad reaching across the breadth of the national papers, while Npower advertises its local football league, encouraging readers of the Daily Mirror to find their local games this weekend.


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Commitment is in addition to USD 75 million infused by Flipkart in PhonePe since the acquisition in 2015.
New Delhi: SoftBank-backed Flipkart on Thursday said it will invest USD 500 million in PhonePe to scale up operations of its payments arm.
The commitment is in addition to the USD 75 million infused by Flipkart in PhonePe since the acquisition in 2015, Flipkart said in a statement. It added that this is one of the largest single investment commitments in the Indian fintech payments space and "is reflective of the opportunities" in the segment.
The announcement comes a day after the Reserve Bank of India said inter-operability of e-wallets will be enabled in phases. Also, in subsequent phases, inter-operability will kick in between wallets and bank accounts through the UPI (Unified Payments Interface), the central bank added.
While Flipkart did not specify the time period over which the funds will be infused, PhonePe co-founder and CEO Sameer Nigam said "this investment will help us maintain the same aggressive growth rate for the next two years".
He added that the investment will be used to scale up PhonePe's technology platforms and expand merchant network and consumer base rapidly. He also noted that PhonePe has been growing at over 100 per cent every two months this year.
"Fintech and e-commerce are among the most visible faces of a new digital India that is powered by the youth and technology, and both are set for outstanding growth. PhonePe is a critical part of our overall strategy at Flipkart to build a comprehensive ecosystem for our customers," Flipkart Group CEO Binny Bansal said.
Flipkart is keen to rapidly scale up the technology, reach and offerings of PhonePe. Formerly known as FX Mart Private Ltd, PhonePe competes with the likes of Amazon Pay, Paytm and Mobikwik.
Payments could play a critical role for e-commerce companies that are aggressively expanding their operations in the country. Flipkart's rival, Amazon, has also been ramping up efforts to strengthen its digital payments platform, Amazon Pay.
Earlier this month, it increased the authorised share capital of the company by five times to Rs 2,000 crore. Also, earlier in the year, Amazon Corporate Holdings and Amazon.com.incs had pumped in Rs 130 crore into Amazon Pay India.
The fintech ecosystem in India, especially payments, is undergoing a paradigm shift with booming mobile Internet usage and increasing adoption of digital platforms by people.
Estimates suggest that India's digital payment sector is estimated to grow to USD 500 billion by 2020, representing around 15 per cent of GDP, up from around USD 50 billion last year.
PhonePe, which claims to be a leader in UPI payments space, said it registered over 16 million transactions in September this year.
PhonePe's annual run rate touched a new high of USD 3.5 billion in terms of Total Payments Volume (TPV) in September.


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Yantai in East China's Shandong province has been ramping up efforts to develop and improve its greenery and landscapes as part of efforts to transform itself into a "park city".
Yantai Port opened its first Mexico freight liner route.
The Xiling village gold mine in Laizhou, Shandong province, said it discovered 200 tons of gold reserves recently.
The GDP of Yantai increased by 5.4 percent in the first three months of the year.
Yantai saw soaring growth in its travel market during the May Day holiday.
Yantai in East China's Shandong province will beef up efforts to promote the high-quality development of its wine industry chain this year.


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April 6, 2018
Bulldog Licensing has been appointed to represent The London Taxi Company for licensing worldwide.
The London Taxi Company is the only manufacturer and retailer of the iconic black cab, globally recognized as the hackney carriage vehicle of choice for use in London and around the world.
Bulldog is looking for initial opportunities in the toys, games, video games and accessories sectors before engaging with partners in apparel and homewares at a later date.
The London Taxi Company already has a strong licensing history, having previously granted licenses to companies such as Disney Pixar for inclusion of their IP in the Cars franchise and Paul Smith for fashion lines.
Bulldog is also seeking expressions of interest from anyone looking to use images of black cabs for commercial purposes, for example in films or video games.
“The Black Cab is one of the most iconic symbols of one of the most iconic cities in the world, so we are delighted to have signed this deal,” says Rob Corney, managing director, Bulldog. “The car is absolutely unmistakable and is held in huge affection, both in the U.K. and across the world, so from a licensing point of view it has absolutely massive potential.”
Read more about:Bulldog Licensing
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SEATTLE, WA—Touting it as their latest attempt to offer customers the ultimate in convenience and customer service, Amazon announced Wednesday that they will now deliver packages directly to your bedroom in the middle of the night while you sleep. “In-Bed Delivery is really a wonderful feature,” an Amazon press release stated. “We will gain access […]
The post Amazon Now Delivers Packages Directly To Your Bedroom While You Sleep appeared first on The Babylon Bee.
via The Babylon Bee


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The feted UK fashion designer Jonathan Anderson puts craft back on the agenda with the second iteration of the Loewe Craft Prize. Anderson, the creative director of Loewe—the Spanish luxury brand—is behind the annual prize which is all about “the importance of craft in today’s culture, [recognising] working artisans”. Thirty finalists were selected for the 2018 edition; the winner, announced today, is
the Scottish ceramicist Jennifer Lee for her work Pale, Shadowed Speckled Traces, Fading Elipse, Bronze Specks, Tilted Shelf (2017). Lee received the award from the actress Helen Mirren at a ceremony held at the Design Museum in London; the victorious recipient also receives €50,000 prize money. Anderson says, meanwhile, that “Jennifer Lee for me is a landmark in form.” Each of the shortlisted works are due to go on display in a special exhibition at the Design Museum (4 May-17 June).


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From Volter Media.
Welcome to Volter media where we talk about everything Rivian including weekly news roundups and editorials.
Pretty much everything in the Rivian configurator has gone up in price. However, the cheapest and lowest specked version of the R1T still costs $67500 but the specs have dropped down to a dual motor variant with 260 miles of range.
The previously priced 67 and a half thousand dollars R1T variant with the standard pack, quad motor powertrain is now $79500
The 400-mile max battery pack has gone up to 16000 from $10000 and the 300-mile large battery pack is now $6000 from no additional cost.
Two Rivian colors were previously offered at no extra cost, the LA silver and Glacier white. Now only one color remains as standard and the Glacier white has gone to a paid color at $1750. Some paint options also saw price increases like the El Cap going from $1500 to $2500.
The three-person tent price with two cargo cross bars has been raised from $2,650 to $3100.
Pricing for the camp kitchen has gone up to $6750 from $5000. I mean, the camping kitchen being five thousand dollars was already very expensive. The fact that it’s closer to seven thousand dollars is just upsetting. That is a pretty big jump for some cookware and a cooktop.
The off-road upgrade is gone… you get the tow hooks included and the underbody shield is now $2000 which was what the upgrade originally was.
The Full-sized spare went from $800 to $900
The Tonneau cover is now optional, with the powered version costing $3000 and the manual option up to $1800. it’s also a selectable option as an upgrade for the Explore package
The Wall charger went from $500 to $750
Cargo Crossbars increase $450 to $500
Ocean Coast interior is now $2000 extra
These are mostly the price hikes for the R1T and the R1S where applicable.
Please consider subscribing if you want to be enlightened about the best EVs in different categories.
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The South African Reserve Bank is expected to hike rates yet again this week, as it continues to wage war against high inflation – but experts say it’s time to change tack because there’s no winning the battle while load shedding persists.
South Africans need to gird themselves for a double blow this week. While inflation data on Wednesday (24 May) showed a slight drop in CPI for April 2023 to 6.8%, the figure remains firmly outside the SARB’s target band of 3% to 6%, with food inflation sticking at higher levels.
Inflation in South Africa has remained stubbornly high even as global conditions have become more favourable. According to Thys van Zyl, head of product development at Everest Wealth, this is because consumers are paying the premium for the government’s missteps.
Load shedding is the obvious anomaly that sets South Africa apart from global trends. The SARB estimates that load shedding is adding as much as 0.5% to inflation by driving up costs throughout the country’s production and supply chains.
It is also a significant contributor to negative market sentiment, pushing up the rand exchange rate versus the dollar, also contributing to high levels of inflation as the South African economy tends to be a net importer of goods.
However, Van Zyl said that Thursday’s rate hike could be even higher than expected due to the rand having recently weakened to a historic low against the dollar following allegations that South Africa supplied arms to Russia.
He noted that political instability is hurting consumer and business confidence, and since the beginning of the year, investors have sold billions of rands in South African shares and bonds, and there has also been an increase in the sale of the country’s fixed assets.
This has left the SARB in the unenviable position of having to counter elements beyond its control using the only tool it has – rate hikes.
The Reserve Bank has thus far hiked rated by a total of 425 basis points since it started the hike cycle in November 2021, with the prime lending rate already above 11% for the first time in 14 years.
Economists anticipate another 25 or 50 basis point hike on Thursday, marking the tenth consecutive increase.
Making matters worse, stubborn inflation, continued load shedding and continued political instability and uncertainty have paved the way for even more increases down the line, Van Zyl said. This sentiment was also expressed by the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) this week, when the group said that May’s hike might not be the last.
“Thursday’s decision to hike the interest rate will not only be to try to further combat inflation but also to protect the rand due to poor government decisions. The Reserve Bank commissioner already said after the previous interest rate hike that everything possible must be done to stabilize the rand,” Van Zyl said.
However, the wealth manager noted that the Reserve Bank’s moves might prove ineffective, adding that if load-shedding’s impact on inflation cannot be reduced, persistent inflation will not be brought down – even if the interest rate is hiked three or four more times.
“The Reserve Bank will definitely have to start looking at other options than just applying interest rate hikes. Proactive thinking will have to be done to see how it can be made easier for cash-strapped consumers with the cost-of-living skyrocketing,” he said.
The wealth expert said that another big increase could be the nail in the coffin for many consumers who simply can’t afford it anymore and could lose their homes and livelihoods.
“(Rate hikes are coming) while salaries do not keep up with inflation and (households carry) the burden of additional increased expenses due to the rise in food prices and power tariffs. Consumers will also struggle more and more to keep up with their debt repayments,” he said.


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The market for pirated software is huge, and consumers easily fall for the trap to get ‘real’ software products at dirt cheap price which helps them do the job. But in the process of adopting pirated software, consumers are at the risk of privacy intrusion, loss of sensitive data, substantial financial losses and costs and a big waste of time trying to fix system problems.
In order to drive home this point, Microsoft Australia did a small experiment where it went out to the local markets in Melbourne to purchase counterfeit Windows and Office software from four different sellers. These pirated disks were then put to the test, the results of which were worrying.
Read: Microsoft Compliance Program.
Risks of using Pirated Software
Five out of the six Microsoft Office disks were infected with malware while six out of the twelve Windows disks were duds (could not be installed and run). Of the other six disks which could be run and tested successfully, the following was observed:
- Two were infected with malware;
- All the six copies had Windows Update disabled;
- All the six copies had the Windows Firewall rules changed.
Of the total of the twelve counterfeit software copies that could be installed successfully (six Office and six Windows) and tested, the following was affirmed:
- Seven copies (58%) were infected with malware
- A total of 20 instances of six different types of malware code found.
This means serious trouble for users who unsuspectingly work on such counterfeit Microsoft software especially while dealing with confidential information like financial statements, sensitive passwords and personal media items et al.
These findings were backed up by a 2013 IDC study on The Dangers of Counterfeit Software, commissioned by Microsoft, which found that:
- One in three consumer’s PCs with counterfeit software will be infected with malware in 2013;
- Consumers globally will waste US$22 billion and 1.5 billion hours dealing with the issues, such as recovering data, and dealing with identity theft as a result;
- 26% of consumers who installed counterfeit software had their PC infected with a virus;
- 78% of counterfeit software programs downloaded from pirate internet sites or P2P networks installed tracking cookies or spyware.
You can read more about the study here.
Though Microsoft Australia is considering enforcement action against these four sellers who sold the counterfeit disks, the punch line it wants to deliver is:
Counterfeit pirated software might be cheaper, or even free, but it’s not worth the risk to use it!
Go here to learn how to find out if any Microsoft Windows Software is Genuine and to report Counterfeit software.


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Just two years after releasing what has become the wildly popular Behringer X32, Midas now announces their own version. It’s a little more upscale, and a little more expensive. But I predict this will be a hit. We take a look at the new M32 from Midas.
Learn more at the Midas M32 Site.


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New Range Rover rolls inDecember 22, 2022
Two-thousand and twenty-two in the South African motoring industry proven once again that Mzansi is undoubtedly bakkie country.
While there were lots of activity in the SUV, hatchback and sedan segments, it was the bakkies that got the most attention. Bakkie news span from Peugeot’s re-entry into the segment by virtue of the Landtrek, the first Jeep bakkie in the form of the Gladiator and the hottest production Toyota Hilux yet to the all-new Isuzu D-Max, Ford Ranger and VW Amarok.
ALSO READ: WATCH: New Range Rover Sport makes its mark on South Africa
In fact, five of the ten most popular motoring topics on The Citizen’s website this year were bakkies. Over the next 10 days, The Citizen Motoring will reveal these five along with the rest of the top 10 Motoring Newsmakers of 2022.
Our first entry at number 10 is the new Land Rover Range Rover. Starting just shy of R3 million it’s a car few are privileged to afford, but is nonetheless desired by many.
Since 1970, when the Range Rover was born as a more luxurious offering to the original Land Rovers, this large SUV has set the benchmark.
Jaguar Land Rover gave the local media a sneak peek of the first all-new Range Rover in almost a decade early in the year before officially rolling it out in August.
Even though we expected the new model to be nothing but brilliant ahead of attending the launch in Cape Town, we were still in awe when we finally got to pilot the new Range Rover. The combination of styling, performance, capability, technology, elegance and comfort borders on pure perfection.
A few months later, we got the opportunity to spend another week in the new Range Rover when the test car in D350 First Edition guise showed up at our offices. We took it to Gerotek test facilities where Road Test Editor Mark Jones performed a high-performance road test. Despite the D350 not really being performance-focussed, its test data was nonetheless impressive for a monstrosity weighing almost two and a half tons.
Those fortunate enough to afford its price tag will have to be patient though as the waiting list for the new Land Rover Range Rover is said to be around 12 months.


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The all-new 2013 Accord keeps a strong sales momentum
CR-V posts best-ever November sales
MARKHAM, ON, Dec. 3, 2012 /CNW/ - Combined November sales of 12,435 units by the Honda and Acura divisions of Honda Canada Inc. represented a 2% decrease over last year's sales, with a 21% increase YTD. The Honda Automobile Division reported November sales of 10,877 units, with strong sales of Honda Accord (up 240%). The Acura Division reported November sales of 1,558, with strong sales of MDX (up 19%).
"We are pleased that core models such as Honda CR-V, Accord and Acura MDX continue to be well received by Canadians." said Jerry Chenkin, executive vice president, Honda Canada Inc. "Year-to-date sales are extremely strong and we look forward to the holiday selling season."
Honda Canada has sold approximately 3.6 million Honda and Acura passenger cars and light-duty trucks in Canada since 1973. Of all Honda and Acura vehicles sold in Canada in November, 96% were produced at the company's assembly plants in North America.
SOURCE: Honda Canada Inc.
For further information:
Maki Inoue (905) 888-4416
Laura Heasman (905) 888-4586


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LitterLotto is the UK’s first app which actively encourages people to bin litter. In return they can win a monthly jackpot of £10,000, as well as one of the spot prizes ranging up to £250. LitterLotto is calling on the public to support the movement to clean up our streets and countryside and tackle the […]
As key officials from across the globe continue critical discussions in Glasgow at COP26, the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) has played its role during the second week of the major climate change conference, hosting an official COP26 event of its own.
With COP26 now firmly underway, leading sustainability authority Bureau Veritas is urging UK businesses to ‘make change happen’ as it supports the commitments and ambitions coming out of the conference as world leaders progress with day three of the global climate summit.
While world leaders gather in the UK for the COP26 summit, leading landscape and grounds maintenance experts idverde are delighted to have been recognised on a global scale for their work to tackle climate change.
Despite fleet average carbon emissions reducing by a record-breaking 11.8% in a single year1, and demand for battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid cars surging ahead2, the electric vehicle (EV) market still has some way to go in facilitating the UK’s Road to zero ambition. In recognition, Government is offering generous financial support to help increase the uptake of EVs, especially in the fleet market. Venson Automotive Solutions puts the spotlight on how to reduce an EV investment to cut a fleet’s carbon footprint.
MWHQ believe fashion rental is the solution to consuming fashion in a sustainable way. Discover clothing and accessories that MWHQ have sourced from brand partners as well as items from the wardrobes of celebrities and influencers including Arizona Muse, Poppy and Chloe Delevingne, Olivia Buckingham, Roxie Nafousi, Caroline Fleming, amongst many other stylish women across […]
TAE Technologies, the world’s largest private fusion energy company, has announced the formation of a new division dedicated to power management. TAE Power Management’s groundbreaking technologies will enable the next generation of electric vehicles and accelerate the uptake of electrified energy and storage systems.


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China builds Central Asia infrastructure dominance with new rail plan
China will strengthen its dominance of the transport infrastructure in Central Asia with plans to ...
Oh dear. The fog over China is becoming ever more dense. First, a survey of US businesses shows that one in four companies has moved some operations out of the country, or plan to do so, and 77% say they feel “less welcome” there. A LLL.com article meanwhile shows that forwarders are also struggling with the weakness in China and expect it to be a weak year with continued downward pressure on freight rates. Even the pre-Chinese new year spike doesn’t seem to have appeared. Is intra-Asia the answer?
Container freight rates: 'collapse' is the word, says Xeneta
Worker no-shows force US west coast port terminal shutdowns
Cargo shifts back to US west coast ports, but some has gone for good
'Alarming signals' as airfreight capacity rises and rates fall
Digital forwarders back in the spotlight: can they compete?
Major box lines still fighting over diminishing supply of smaller ships
Evergreen and Wan Hai face up to bearish market as profits tumble
FedEx pilots win ‘tentative agreement’ on new contract after strike threat
'Keep 'em peeled' alert as drug smuggling into Europe's ports increases
Slower demand, but US warehouse rents rise in 'tight and expensive' market
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This week from Charleston
This past week the House of Delegates Small Business Committee’s statewide listening tour made its way to the Eastern Panhandle. All members of the committee are current or past small business owners and the vice chair of the committee is Berkeley County Delegate Jason Barrett. I have been serving on the committee for the last two years and enjoy the new focus on entrepreneurship and small business. The most significant piece of legislation to come out of the committee in the last year was called Project Launchpad to identify specific industries to bring in to specific qualified regions in the state.
Tuesday’s tour brought out a sizable number of small business owners from Morgan, Berkeley and Jefferson counties. We asked the people who came to tell us about their challenges and successes of doing business in West Virginia. The best part for most, I assume, was that the legislators just listened. It was heartening to hear the success stories and that there are plenty of people who believe that doing business in West Virginia is a positive. At the end of the tour all of the comments will be compiled and serve as the basis for proposed legislation to fix some of the problems that have been highlighted.
I was pleased that Shepherdstown was well represented by Christian Asam and Deborah Tucker. Along with Rob Losey of Bloomery Distillery, they emphasized the need to reform the antiquated alcohol laws and unfair taxes and fees. Losey pointed out that he actually has to pay a surcharge for every bottle sold at the Charles Town Distillery that is then paid to the to local liquor stores. That makes no sense. Of course, Sunday sales both at the distillery and at restaurants was discussed. Much of the focus was on the impact on tourism. Bloomery has had 50,000 visitors in the last three years with half of them coming just to visit the distillery. They lose a vast about of traffic by not being able to be open on Sundays.
On Wednesday, I attended a meeting at Washington High School on the use of synthetic drugs by students. They have had several incidents related to use of what has been called ‘spice’. The products that some retailers are selling to minors can have enormous consequences since the chemical composition can vary wildly and reactions can be extreme. These synthetic drugs were banned in West Virginia as of this past June, but some retailers are still selling them.


text: PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Relatives of a mother of eight who was killed in a deadly building demolition while shopping for clothes in a Philadelphia thrift store are bringing the second wrongful death suit in the collapse that claimed six lives. Roseline Conteh, 52, an immigrant from Sierra Leone who worked as a nursing assistant, was among the victims when a four-story building tumbled onto the Salvation Army store in June. The suit posted on Philly.com (http://bit.ly/17Um5Ey ) alleges ‘negligence, carelessness, recklessness’ and ‘conscience-shocking behavior’ on the part of the defendants. It says there were ample warning of structural problems and other issues that could hinder the demolition and that should have prevented the collapse that killed Conteh, who was shopping for clothes for friends and family. Messages left for those named in the suit – including the Salvation Army, the building owner, the demolition firm and the excavator operator – weren’t immediately returned. Last week, a wrongful death suit was filed by the family of an arts school graduate killed along with her childhood friend as they were dropping off clothes and shopping at the thrift store.


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Apple on Monday unloaded a burst of short "message" ads on YouTube, continuing its ongoing focus on user privacy and security.
All three use only animated text and are just 15 seconds long. "App Store Privacy" touts the review system for iPhone and iPad apps, while iMessage Encryption" takes a similar stance, saying that conversations are end-to-end encrypted "because privacy matters."
Finally, "Material Recycling" notes that Apple recycles "even the tiniest parts of the iPhone," reclaiming resources such as tungsten.
The privacy spots come as the Trump administration is reportedly considering a ban on end-to-end encryption. That would engender stiff opposition from Apple, other tech companies, activist groups, and some in the public at large, since it would allow agencies like the FBI and NSA to intercept message contents — not just metadata.


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A border adjustment tax would help make American farmers and exporters more competitive globally, the top executive for Archer Daniels Midland told lawmakers.
An American business group appealed to China to ease import restrictions on agricultural goods including genetically modified seeds and other biotechnology, highlighting complaints Beijing blocks market access despite its vocal support for free trade. Read moreRead More »
FAO and Spain’s Telefonica, one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, have agreed to work together to leverage the use of cutting-edge digital technologies for agricultural development, food security and nutrition, and specifically, prepare and strengthen farmers in the face of extreme weather events related to climate change. Read[…]Read More »


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Disney‘s (NYSE:DIS) original theme park in California is about to become the only one of its resorts that has yet to reopen. The only other Disney park that was still closed — Hong Kong Disneyland — is now set to welcome guests back again on Friday. That resort had originally reopened from its pandemic shutdown in mid-June, only to be closed again by government mandate four weeks later due to a spike of COVID-19 cases in the city.
The media giant obviously isn’t happy about the situation at Disneyland. It had been hoping to reopen its California theme park complex in July, a few days after Disney World resumed operations in Florida. But California’s governor failed to approve that plan, and the House of Mouse hasn’t been quiet about its displeasure.
Disney hosted a media event on Tuesday afternoon to highlight how Disney World has been faring since unlocking its turnstiles on July 11. Company execs didn’t offer any newsy morsels during the event, but Disney Parks chief Josh D’Amaro closed it out by imploring California officials to let Disneyland and its rivals get back to business before more harm is done to the state’s economy.
“We’re ready,” he concluded. “It’s time.”
California has taken a cautious approach despite a summer’s worth of data that would suggest that theme parks now being run with the appropriate safeguards in place have not become the epicenters of fresh COVID-19 outbreaks. In Florida, daily new case figures have actually plummeted sharply from their peak above 15,000 since Disney World’s mid-July restart.
Florida still has a long way to go before it gets control over the deadly virus. New cases of COVID-19 continue to be diagnosed in the state at rates above 3,000 a day. But Disney World has proven that you can run a theme park resort safely with face-covering requirements, ramped up sanitation stations, a tight cap on guest counts, and social-distancing rules in queues as well as attractions.
Disneyland was unlikely to be a hotbed of summer tourism this year regardless, but there are tens of thousands of jobs and a healthy chunk of state revenue at stake. One might reason that California officials looking to keep crowds in check had determined to wait until the peak summer travel season was over before allowing the initial restart, but that flurry of fun-seekers typically ends with Labor Day weekend. Now, we’re well into the industry’s slow season, and it’s certainly not impossible to imagine that Disneyland won’t be given the green light to reopen until 2021.
The irony here is that — as they have in Florida — COVID-19 cases in California have fallen significantly since they peaked in mid-July. Between Disney struggling to turn a profit at its open attractions and the global recession taking its toll, the Disneyland shutdown isn’t something that the company can afford to just ride out. Shareholders may be fine given that Disney’s diverse media properties have been humming along profitably through the pandemic, but the longer it takes the media giant to get the go-ahead to reopen the original Disneyland, the longer the segment will be a drag on the company’s top and bottom lines.


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Super Bowl: See Bud Light’s Full Ad With Life-Sized Pac Man Board
One fan goes out on an epic night of '80s fun in the Super Bowl XLIX ad.
January 16, 2015, 2:47 PM
• 2 min read
-- Let's be real. The Super Bowl is just as much about the commercials as the game.
Bud Light has released its 2015 Super Bowl ad entitled "Coin," in which a Bud Light fan heads out for an epic night filled with '80s "old school" fun and games.
There’s even a life-size Pac Man board. Sightings of the Pac Man maze in Los Angeles set social media abuzz earlier this month.
The ad continues the brand's "Up for Whatever" campaign and celebrity appearances are expected. Last year's commercial of one fan's wild and crazy night out had cameos from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Don Cheadle, Minka Kelly and more.
"We believe that our new Super Bowl commercial and the Bud Light House of Whatever will make Bud Light the most talked about experience at the Super Bowl,” said Alexander Lambrecht, vice president, Bud Light, said in a press release.
More than 112.2 million tuned in for last year's Super Bowl, making it the most-watched program in history, according to the NFL.


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Walmart has recalled a room spray because of two deaths that were linked to the product. The company says there is no evidence that any other Walmart products may be affected by this bacteria, but they are taking precautionary measures until it can be fully investigated and resolved.
Walmart is recalling room spray marketed nationally due to the presence of a “rare and hazardous” bacterium related to two fatalities, one of which was a kid, according to federal officials.
According to a recall notice issued by the Consumer Protection Safety Commission on Friday, the shop sold roughly 3,900 bottles of Better Homes and Gardens-branded Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones in six distinct aromas.
The CDC examined a sample of the product this week and discovered that it contained the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, which causes melioidosis, a rare but dangerous illness with just a few instances recorded each year in the United States.
The recall comes two months after the Centers for Illness Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning that the bacterial disease had caused two fatalities and advised physicians to be on the lookout for new instances.
The recalled spray should not be used or even opened, according to the FDA. Instead, customers should put on gloves and double wrap the bottles in zip-top transparent resealable bags before placing them in a small cardboard box and returning them to a Walmart store for a refund. Customers who return the merchandise will get a $20 Walmart gift card as well.
Wipe off or wash any surfaces or textiles that may have been sprayed with the substance.
From February through October, the five-ounce glass bottles of room spray, which retailed for around $4 apiece, were sold at roughly 55 Walmart locations and online.
Walmart has issued a recall for six different aromatherapy room spray smells. Consumer Product Safety Commission of the United States
Walmart has discontinued the following perfumes and product numbers, which were created in India and offered with a pump spray nozzle:
- Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lavender & Chamomile 84140411420
- Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lemon and Mandarin 84140411421
- Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lavender 84140411422
- Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Peppermint 84140411423
- Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Lime & Eucalyptus 84140411424
- Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Gem Room Spray Sandalwood and Vanilla, 84140411425
Melioidosis is most often seen in persons who reside in or have been to locations where the bacterium is naturally found, such as portions of Asia and Australia, as well as Brazil, Mexico, and Puerto Rico on rare occasions. According to the CDC, it produces a broad variety of symptoms that might be mistaken for other common diseases such as the flu or a cold.
According to the CDC, the bacterium identified in the bottles is the same sort that affected four individuals earlier this year, with one of the recalled sprays discovered on October 6 at the house of a Georgia resident who was diagnosed with melioidosis in late July. The CDC stated in a statement on Friday that it is performing testing to see whether the genetic fingerprint of the bacterium in the bottle matches that of three other patients.
Dr. Inger Damon, head of the CDC’s division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, which handles melioidosis, said in a statement, “Our hearts go out to the families who have been devastated by this scenario.” “Our researchers have been working nonstop to determine the cause of the melioidosis infections in these individuals. We believe that our research may aid in the protection of those who may have been exposed to this spray.”
The US Department of Defense gave the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s School of Life Sciences a $3 million contract in June to produce a vaccine for melioidosis, which experts fear might pose a bioterrorism danger.
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There’s nothing worse than seeing a parking ticket sitting on your windshield, but there’s nothing better than seeing a child’s face light up at the perfect present — which could very well be the reasoning behind Alberta Health Services’ new campaign this holiday season.
If you happened to find yourself on the receiving end of an AHS parking ticket this past November, you’ll now be able to pay that ticket off with a toy donation to patients of the Alberta Children’s Hospital and the Stollery Children’s Hospital.
This year, the campaign has been expanded to a number of locations around the province, including Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, and Fort McMurray.
The campaign will work for any AHS tickets received between November 1 to 30, and the toy donations must be made to the AHS parking office in either of the two Albertan cities from now until December 13.
Office hours for the various AHS sites can be found at their website, and it is also noted that all toys must be new, unwrapped, and a minimum of $25.
The release even provided a few examples of toys that would be accepted for their patients, who range in age from newborn all the way up to 17-years-old:
- Art supplies
- Science kits
- Electronics and headphones
- Lego sets
- Portable DVD players
- Toys that make sounds
- Rattles and baby toys
- Journals and activity books
- Crayons and colouring books
- Gift cards for grocery stores or restaurants (for families)
Cash donations will not be accepted, though we’re sure they’ll take cash if you’re simply paying the ticket’s stated fine — but where’s the holiday spirit in that?


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Barclaycard has launched a contactless mobile app for Android smartphones using HCE (Host Card Emulation) technology.
The new mobile payment feature – first previewed in September last year – is finally being activated this
Barclays launch HCE contactless payment app
week, enabling customers to use their handsets for ‘touch and go’ payments at over 300,000 locations in the UK, as well as across the London transport network. Transaction values will be limited to £30, rising to £100 if users enter the PIN on their mobile device.
In a market-first, a real-time replacement service will allow lost and stolen cards to be replaced with a virtual card to be downloaded instantly onto the app, enabling customers to continue to make contactless payments using their phones without a break in service while they wait for the physical replacement to arrive.


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Industry Research : AI in CRM to Boost UK Business Revenues by 900% in Next Four Years
The economic impact of artificial intelligence on CRM is expected to run into the trillions of dollars, according to new research by Salesforce and IDC. The predictions set out in the report highlight the huge role AI in CRM will have in driving new efficiencies in how companies sell, service, and market.
By 2021, the research forecasts AI-powered CRM activities to create more than $1.1 trillion in new GDP impact worldwide.
For the UK, AI is forecast to boost business revenues by 900% in the next four years – from $2 billion in 2017, to $18 billion in 2021.
The findings from the report run against the grain of those fearing widespread job losses to automation, with some predicting that automation driven by AI could impact 49 percent of job activities and eliminate around 5 percent of jobs.
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AI in CRM to boost UK business revenues by 900% in next four years, says Salesforce
However, Salesforce and IDC paint a different picture, one where AI augments and increases the productivity of employees, specifically in CRM-related fields.
In fact, the trillion-dollar revenue boost is predicted to be led primarily by increased productivity ($121 billion) and lowered expenses due to automation ($265 billion).
New jobs associated with the boost in global business revenues could reach more than 800,000 by 2021, which will actually surpass those jobs lost to automation from AI. In the UK, IDC forecasts 17,202 new jobs created by 2021 as a result of AI in CRM.
We might not have to wait until 2021 to start seeing some of the benefits of AI, with Salesforce and IDC billing 2018 as a landmark year for AI adoption.
In fact, by 2018, IDC forecasts that 75 percent of enterprise and ISV development will include AI or machine-learning functionality in at least one application. AI-powered CRM activities will cover a large spectrum of use cases and touch almost all facets of an enterprise, including accelerating sales cycles, improving lead generation and qualification, personalizing marketing campaigns and lowering costs of support calls.
"AI is impacting all sectors of the economy and every business. For the CRM market—the fastest-growing category in enterprise software—the impact of AI will be profound, ushering in new levels of productivity for employees and empowering companies to drive even better experiences for their customers," said Keith Block, vice chairman, president and COO, Salesforce.
"For companies embracing AI, it’s critical that they create new workforce development programs to ensure employees are prepared for this next wave of innovation."
Additional key findings from the report included the types of AI companies are planning to use – machine learning (25%), voice/speech recognition (30%), text analysis (27%), advanced numerical analysis (31%) – as well as the countries predicted to lead the way in new business revenue growth due to AI – United States ($596 billion), Japan ($91 billion), Germany ($62 billion), U.K. ($55 billion) and France ($50 billion).
#contactcenterworld, @IDC, @salesforce
Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Today's Tip of the Day - Educate To Accumulate!
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"Magic cheese" hoax goes whey overboard
From seaweed to caffeine, wheat germ to wine grapes, the list of "secret" ingredients that cosmetic companies use is long, obscure, and bizarre. Consequently, when Gilberte Van Erpe, aka "Madame Gil" began selling cheese-making kits to poor people in Chile, her pitch probably made a great deal of sense.
As with the recent Madoff scandal, Van Erpe initially honored her contract. Buying the cheese for thousands of dollars, she poured money into the villages, inspiring more and more people to get involved. Before long, Van Erpe's marks were selling off cattle and property to raise money to pump into the scheme. To speed things up, she promised hefty bonuses to cheese-makers who enrolled their friends and family. In time, of course, Van Erpe stopped showing up with the big checks and the cheese started piling up. Currently, tons of the stuff are rotting in warehouses in Chile.
Van Erpe ran a similar scam in Peru, but, instead of encouraging investors to make cheese, she convinced them to grow mushrooms. In both cases, however, she sold kits at vastly inflated prices (the cheese kit, for example, is valued at approximately €3). In both cases, she also used a front corporation: in Peru, her company was "Labomax," while her Chilean company was "Fermex."
While Van Erpe managed to extricate herself from her Peruvian scheme with a minimum of fuss, her Chilean fraud was uncovered by "Contacto," an investigative news program. Posing as a customer, a Contacto reporter bought a cheese-making kit and received instruction on how to use it. Despite repeated attempts, however, the reporter was only able to produce mold colonies. Following the story further, the Contacto team tracked Van Erpe to Paris, where she refused to speak to them. Ultimately, they passed all their information on to the Chilean authorities, who contacted Interpol. Van Erpe was subsequently arrested, and the case is currently being investigated by French authorities. There is no word yet on what Chile plans to do with all the cheese.
Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. Ever since his junior-year French class, he's been looking for a good excuse to use his favorite French pun. Quelle Fromage!


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The Yahoo.com domain served malicious advertisements which redirected users to the “Magnitude” exploit kit.
According to a blog by Fox-IT, five iframes were infected which redirected users to websites that were served by an IP address in the Netherlands. This exploit kit exploits vulnerabilities in Java and can install different malware including ZeuS and Andromeda.
Fox-IT claimed that its examination of a traffic sample found that this mainly affected users in Europe, specifically Romania (accounted for 24 per cent of infections), the UK (23 per cent of infections) and France (20 per cent of infections). Fox-IT also said that, with a typical infection rate of nine per cent, this would result in around 7,000 infections every hour.
“At this time it’s unclear why those countries are most affected. It’s, likely due to the configuration of the malicious advertisements on Yahoo,” Fox-IT said. It reported on Friday 3rd January that traffic to the exploit kit had significantly decreased, implying that Yahoo was taking steps to fix the problem.
A Yahoo statement said it was aware of the issue. “At Yahoo, we take the safety and privacy of our users seriously. We recently identified an ad designed to spread malware to some of our users. We immediately removed it and will continue to monitor and block any ads being used for this activity.”
Amichai Shulman, CTO of Imperva, said that the problem in this case was the advertising platform, as any platform used for targeted advertising is equally effective for targeted malvertising.
“Regardless of the specific ad platform, they create an opportunity for an attacker to target specific geographies, specific crowds (programmers, travellers to specific destinations) and even specific people. For an ad platform it is virtually impossible to guarantee 100 per cent malware-free ads.
“Ad platforms should keep doing what they do (guarantee 100 per cent effort, not 100 per cent results) as consumers can really do nothing but to keep their computers as patched as possible. Enterprises must accept infection of devices is inevitable. The outcome of such an infection with respect to enterprise data can be mitigated through close monitoring and protection of the data sources.”