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In conjunction with Walt Disney Internet Group’s Enhanced TV division (ETV), Ford Motors and Wink Communications, ABC Sports will produce Web and interactive TV programming for the 2003 Bowl Championship Series football games.
Wink, a subsidiary of OpenTV, will provide interactive elements, including a real-time statistics application, during four telecasts. Ford’s “Play of the Game” will sponsor the interactive programming, which will be available at ESPN.com and directly through Wink TV set-top boxes during the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl.
ETV’s application includes the “Prime Time Player” game, which allows users to predict the outcome of each play as it happens and earn points for correct choices. In addition to an interactive database of game, player and team statistics, the online programming will include enhanced graphics and trivia synchronous to the action, plus a sweepstakes.
“It’s exciting to work together with ABC and Ford to build new television viewing experiences,” said James Ackerman, CEO of OpenTV. “Sports programming has been one of the most successful avenues for introducing interactivity, and we believe that bowl game viewers will enjoy the interactive enhancements powered by Open TV’s Wink service.”
Through Open TV’s Wink service, Ford can gauge viewer response and interaction. Viewers with Wink boxes can also access detailed program information with a remote control.
E-mail marketer BoldFish has picked up financial communications provider Forefield as a customer. BoldFish will power Forefield’s email alerts and automated email marketing campaigns, which primarily deliver market data to financial advisors and institutions.
“The value of a financial advisor increases in direct proportion to the frequency of contact with the client,” said Brent Delehey, Forefield’s chief executive. “BoldFish provided us with an extremely cost-effective solution that enables us to keep financial advisors informed of changes in the market as they happen.”
For more breaking news on account action and executive moves, visit ChannelSeven.com.
A class action lawsuit against an internet-connected pleasure device highlights the potential pitfalls a growing number of companies will face as they embrace ... read more
Google sparked a small firestorm last week as reports surfaced that its intelligent assistant device Google Home delivered an unsolicited advertisement to unsuspecting owners.
According to Internet Retailer's newly released The Best Digital Marketers in E-Commerce report, Target is the most effective marketer in online retail. So why is it struggling overall?
The rise of YouTube and digital video generally has a lot to do with the rise of the internet and the abundance of digital video content. But YouTube's ascendency is also the result of Google's savvy use of algorithms.


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Researchers at Bradford University have designed a barcoding system that can be moulded into products to prevent counterfeiting.
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Counterfeiting is believed to cost companies trillions in annual profit and is a source of public health concern. We’ve covered an edible barcode to combat counterfeiting in the pharmaceutical industry, and now researchers at the University of Bradford have developed an undetectable 3D barcode designed to mould into a variety of products.
Developed with Sofmat and SME UK, the barcodes use a series of pins to create 3D patterns moulded onto a small plastic surface. By varying the heights and spaces between pins, millions of unique configurations can be produced. The barcodes are virtually invisible to human eyes and touch, ensuring that products can only be verified by a laser scanner and preventing copycatting. Barcodes can be built into or stamped on to products, making successful tampering very near impossible. Phil Harrison, Sofmat Director, explains: “For the first time the same technology and coding can be used on bulk packaging, individual packaging and on the actual product, making it much harder to create and ship fake products.”
In industries such as pharmaceuticals and electronics where counterfeiting is a major safety concern, making hard-to-fake materials protects people as well as profits. Can the technology be used in other counterfeit prone consumer goods?

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Respawn Entertainment’s Apex Legends has taken the gaming world by storm with its take on the Battle Royale genre, but fans are still questioning whether or not the Titans from the Titanfall series will ever make an appearance.
Prior to the release of Apex Legends, plenty theorized the idea of the game being a solely Titan-based Battle Royale, not the game they got when it launched on February 4. Respawn have revealed that the game is based in the Titanfall universe and started life as the third iteration of the series before switching course and becoming Apex.
However, the question still lingers – will the Titans ever make an appearance in Apex Legends? Fans have already noticed crossovers between Titanall and the free-to-play Battle Royale with the Bloodhound character and how some of the game’s artwork looks similar.
Since it’s release on February 4, Apex has taken over the gaming world.
Respawn’s executive producer Drew McCoy told IGN that the developers prototyped approximately “a bazillion ways” of having Titans in the game but there was an “incredible unbalancing factor” that came with their presence.
McCoy added that Respawn even tried to implement less powerful Titans but that “really ruined that power fantasy of what a Titan is or should be,” so the idea was scrapped because there are no plans to add anything unless the developers “think it fits and makes the game better.”


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Filed under: Hybrid , Performance , BMW , Toyota , Luxury BMW and Toyota inked a partnership some time ago to develop green technology, and while we were excited by the idea of a reborn Supra with BMW’s carbon fiber reinforced plastic slashing the curb weight or an ultra-efficient, hybridized 1 Series, the joint efforts have been rather limited. That’s set to change, though, according to a report from Australia. Motoring reports that the partners have come to terms on a sports car. And not just any sports car, but a lightweight, hybridized model, with a six-figure price tag. Lending a bit of street cred to that idea is the site’s claim that Toyota is currently carrying out durability testing on the BMW i8 . According to the site, the new model will slot into the spot left by the Lexus LFA , although based on the language used, it’s unclear if this is the Tokyo-bound vehicle we mentioned several months ago . Details on this potential car are limited, although Motoring claims it will use a Toyota hybrid system mated up to a BMW gas engine – likely the 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 found in the M5 and M6 . That sounds pretty amazing to us, but we’d still advise taking this with a grain of salt. What would you like to see out of a joint-venture supercar from Toyota and BMW? Let us know in Comments, and have your say on the prospects of a hybridized, twin-turbocharged V8.
Filed under: Hybrid , Technology , BMW , Toyota , Diesel In December of 2011, BMW and Toyota signed an agreement to collaborate on lithium-ion battery development , and the deal included a provision where BMW would small-displacement diesel engines for Toyota products sold in Europe. It was brought up at the time that the partnership could expand further, and seven months later, it apparently has: Reuters reports the two companies ” have now agreed several projects” in “other fields of cooperation.” The Reuters report, based on an article in Germany’s Der Spiegel , said there were no more specifics but that the two company CEOS would make an announcement “in the near future.” A story in Germany’s Manager magazine went further, however, citing the same Der Spiegel piece and saying that BMW and Toyota would form an alliance around “joint projects in hybrid technology, fuel cells, vehicle electronics” and lightweight technology. The announcement isn’t surprising – BMW’s move into the small, lightweight hybrid space with its forthcoming i sub-brand gives it all the reason to save R&D dollars by teaming up with the company considered the world’s green auto leader, and the rumored expansion topics could help replace BMW’s partnership with Peugeot , on the rocks ever since the French firm tied up with General Motors ‘ Opel division. We’ll know more when an official announcement is made. BMW, Toyota mulling expansive partnership originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Filed under: Etc. , Europe , Japan , Plants/Manufacturing , BMW , Toyota BMW has confirmed the German automaker will join forces with Toyota to create new green technologies . The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding for mid-to-long-term collaboration on next-generation lithium-ion battery technology, with the option to expand the partnership into additional areas. BMW has also announced the company will supply Toyota with 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter diesel engines beginning in 2014. That doesn’t mean we’ll be seeing a clean-diesel Prius in the U.S. anytime soon, however. BMW stresses that the engines will be used exclusively in Toyota products destined for the European market. What other sorts of tech could be spread between the two automakers? BMW may have an eye on gleaning some hybrid knowledge from the fiercely successful Prius program, and we wouldn’t be surprised if BMW slipped its new partner a few hints on carbon-fiber construction, either. Either way, the partnership will likely save both automakers plenty of research and development dollars, helping to bring new tech to customers with a slimmer price tag than would otherwise be possible.
Filed under: Hybrid , BMW , Toyota , Diesel Toyota and BMW have reportedly begun discussions on swapping their signature green technologies. The Japanese automaker would open up its hybrid tech to BMW, while the Germans would provide diesel engines for Toyotas. This is a little different than the recent memorandum of understanding signed between Ford and Toyota , since that partnership – if it comes to fruition – would see both companies jointly developing a hybrid system for trucks. The BMW and Toyota talks are about swapping tech to save money on “core technologies.” BMW’s gain would be in the U.S., where hybrids are still much more in vogue than in Europe, while Toyota’s interest is in shoring up its diesel position in Europe, where hybrids aren’t yet the thing and the company posted a loss through the first half of the year. For instance, of the eight family cars that Toyota sells in the UK, only three can be had with a diesel. Only talks have begun, so there’s no official deal in place while Toyota works to see if BMW diesels will fit in its cars. One also has to wonder how managers at Lexus would feel about seeing their hybrid tech behind a roundel badge. Toyota, BMW may build green cars together originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink


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It's Official: Apple Sees Itself Building Cars... and Planes and...
Speculation has run rampant since the Financial Times, followed by the Wall Street Journal, reported that Apple has assembled a team of as many as 200 people who are purportedly working on a secret electric car project, which may hit the streets as soon as 2020.
Of course, no one at Apple has confirmed these reports, only acknowledging that it has hired a some people with automotive and large format battery pedigrees. Until now, that is.
According to Cult of the Mac, Apple's Zurich-based law firm, Baker & McKenzie, has now expanded the definition of what technologies the Cupertino technology behemoth can pursue. In addition to computers, iPods, tablets, smart phones, etc., we can now add automobiles to the list. Here's Cult's take:
Apple is now covered as a maker of vehicles including “Apparatus for locomotion by land, air or water; electronic hardware components for motor vehicles, rail cars and locomotives, ships and aircraft; Anti-theft devices; Theft alarms for vehicles; Bicycles; Golf carts; Wheelchairs; Air pumps; Motorcycles; Aftermarket parts (after-market parts) and accessories for the aforesaid goods.”
It seems the only thing they've left out is the kitchen sink.
As Cult concludes...
"...this could be (and, playing the odds, most likely is) a purely defensive move to stop anyone else coming along and making an Apple car of their own."
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Trafalgar has announced the appointment of Margarita Peloso as sales manager for Ottawa, Montreal, Central and Eastern Ontario.
Peloso has been working in the travel industry for more than 20 years, with a focus primarily on cruising. She has worked promoting both mass market and niche and luxury cruise products across the country.
In her new role, she will be responsible for executing sales plans and fostering and developing strong relationships with agency partners in Ottawa, Montreal, Central and Eastern Ontario.
Peloso can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 1-800-834-5677, ext. 8497603.


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Intl trade fair promotes Shaanxi's rapid development
The 8th Western China Multinational Sourcing Fair and China (Xi'an) Import Commodities Fair opened in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, on Oct 11, attracting 468 purchasers and nearly 1,000 suppliers from 59 countries and regions around the world.
A total of 468 purchasers and nearly 1,000 suppliers from 59 countries and regions around the world participate in the 8th Western China Multinational Sourcing Fair. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]
With a theme of "Build an International Trade Platform to Promote Rapid Development in Shaanxi Province," the three-day event includes exhibition areas for Shaanxi famous products and import goods, spanning auto parts, electronics, medical equipment, textiles, and apparel.
At the opening ceremony, Lu Qipeng, vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said that the event is an important platform for Belt and Road construction and high-quality opening-up.
Shaanxi's special products attract many international purchasers. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]
A series of activities will also be held, including a summit for international multinational purchasing, an international cooperation dialogue on automobiles and auto parts industry development, as well as promotion meetings.


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Skira Rizzoli Publications has hired Margaret Rennolds Chace as associate publisher, reporting to Charles Miers, starting next week. Most recently she was managing editor of publications at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
At the New York Times, Julie Bosman is taking over as the reporter covering book publishing.
At Harper Children’s, Mary-Kate Gaudet has been promoted to editor.
With the flooding in Nashville, TN, we heard concerns about the potential personal and business impact. Spokesman for the Ingram Book Company Keel Hunt replies to our query: “CEO Skip Prichard reports there has been no flood damage at Ingram facilities, and no interruption in shipping or other services to Ingram customers. He also noted, however, that many Ingram associates in LaVergne TN (who reside across the greater Nashville region) have suffered heart-breaking losses from rising water affecting their homes.”
Self-publisher Infinity Publishing, which uses the charming euphemism of “author-originated book publishing,” has sold a majority share to a Boston-based investment group led by Arthur Gutch and New Harbour Partners. Gutch has taken over as ceo. Founder Tom Gregory will stay on the board and serve as a consultant; Mark Gregory stays with the company as vp of the digital print division.


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Sales at Costa Coffee soared by more than a fifth in the past year as consumers continue to get their caffeine fix despite the downturn.
Sales were up by 22% for the 50 weeks to February 12, part of a rise in like-for-like sales of 4.9% across parent company Whitbread.
Costa opened an additional 204 outlets in the UK last year, giving the chain a total of 885 domestic branches.
Costa’s results come as a boost for Whitbread, with the leisure giant facing a drop in occupancy at its Premier Inns hotel chain.
“In these recessionary times, operating well-maintained, value-for-money hotel and restaurant brands offers significant opportunities for Whitbread to outperform in our market,” said chief executive Alan Parker. “Costa continues to perform well.”
Whitbread also said it would be further lowering its capital expenditure in the year ahead to £170m, having previously announced plans to slash investment over the next 12 months from £300m to £200m.


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Facebook’s reputation for untrustworthiness came back to haunt the company this week, when it announced plans to acquire Oculus VR for $2 billion.
The reaction from Oculus fans was swift and dramatic. Devoted followers became seething critics. At least one developer has cut ties with the company, and there’s an air of unease among many others.
Basically, Oculus fans have little faith in Facebook not to ruin everything and turn virtual reality into a soulless, activity-tracking ad platform. While it’s hard to pinpoint the exact reasons for this general level of distrust, several potential reasons come to mind:
- Facebook converts people’s “Likes” from across the web into advertisements on Facebook, so you’re constantly reminded of how your friends have become shills. It’s not as invasive as Facebook Beacon, the ad service that tracked users across the web and turned their activity into ads, but it’s almost as creepy.
- A few years ago, the company made a big push toward sharing with everyone — not just your immediate circle of friends — as the default. Many new users unwittingly exposed their private information to the world as a result.
- With the arrival of “Open Graph,” third-party apps were allowed to share the details of your activities automatically. This led to instances of oversharing, some of it inadvertent.
- Core gamers are wary of Facebook for poisoning the gaming well, as it had enabled games such as Farmville to thrive on social pressure rather than solid mechanics.
- Facebook’s site has gone through numerous, sometimes drastic redesigns, usually to emphasize some new feature that users didn’t ask for. The redesigns rarely go over well, even if users eventually embrace the new features.
These may be the kinds of things Markus “Notch” Persson, the creator of Minecraft, was getting at when he said Facebook’s motives are “too unclear and shifting.” If you view Facebook simply as a place to share photos, links and text with friends, it’s easy to eye the company’s many policy shifts and design changes with hostility.
Yet those feelings haven’t hindered Facebook’s growth. The social network now has more than 1.2 billion active users worldwide, and 1 billion users on mobile. A 2012 survey found that 59 percent of users have little to no faith in the company to keep their information private, and that only 13 percent said they trust Facebook completely — yet they continue to use the service. The reality is that Facebook is the biggest, most centralized way to stay in touch with far-flung friends and family members. Quitting Facebook is akin to withdrawing from a part of your community. Most people don’t do it.
With Oculus, Facebook will not enjoy the same gravitational pull. Virtual reality is young, and there’s lots of competition. And right now, virtual reality’s most vocal supporters are angry at Oculus and Facebook. Granted, they represent a fraction of what is still just a niche community, but they’re the ones who will evangelize virtual reality over the next few years.
That’s a problem for Facebook, but it’s also an opportunity.
After announcing the acquisition, Oculus inventor Palmer Luckey made a lot of promises about the company’s future. He promised that users won’t have to sign into Facebook to develop or play Oculus games, and said Oculus will not spy on users or splash ads in their faces. He pledged to invest more in indie development and stay in close contact with the community. And he said that Oculus development will remain open, so games won’t have to live inside a walled garden.
The response from former fans, on pretty much every Reddit post and comment section, was the same: We don’t believe you.
It’s simply impossible for Oculus’ critics to consider that Facebook would do anything but violate their privacy, their freedom and their trust. They won’t be swayed by any amount of words from Luckey or Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Maybe what they need is action.
Let’s just consider the possibility that all of Luckey’s promises come to fruition — that five years from now, the Oculus gaming product will still support open development, will not require Facebook logins and will still abstain from Facebook’s advertising practices. That might help restore people’s trust in Facebook, but it would only be a start.
The bigger opportunity — and the hardest decisions — will come later, when Facebook looks beyond gaming and into broader applications. Zuckerberg sees virtual reality as the next communications platform — the next step in feeling closer and more connected to people who are geographically far away. In that sense, Facebook’s bet on virtual reality is an attempt to reinvent itself.
So here’s Facebook’s big chance: As the company invents new ways to communicate, it can continue its culture of sharing by default and turning friends into walking banner ads. Or, it can come up with new ways to make money that no one’s thought of yet, and that are altogether less creepy and intrusive than the Facebook of today. Virtual reality is as clean a slate as Facebook’s going to get.
The hate that Oculus and Facebook are getting today isn’t all that significant. What really matters is whether we can look back in five or 10 years at the dawn of virtual reality and say that Facebook didn’t screw it up.
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Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have been making headlines primarily based on the notable development witnessed on this sector regardless of being the brand new child on the crypto block.
NFTs have been hitting a month-to-month quantity of $10 billion on the Ethereum (ETH) community. Knowledge analytic agency IntoTheBlock explained:
“$10B/Month – On-chain quantity for NFTs on Ethereum have averaged 11 figures monthly all year long. Development spiked significantly in January, processing as a lot quantity in a month ($17B) as the entire historic quantity as much as that time.”
NFT curiosity amongst Ethereum customers has been rising, on condition that addresses holding at the very least one non-fungible token lately topped 3.47 million.
“The addresses holding at the very least 1 NFT, which sums to greater than 3.47 million. It is fairly intriguing to see the rising curiosity and development within the variety of ETH customers which are buying and selling NFTs, and that solely represents 4.56% of the entire addresses.”
This phenomenon explains why NFT volumes have been going by the roof. As an illustration, OpenSea, a number one NFT market, witnessed record-breaking volumes within the first quarter of 2022, a state of affairs not seen in 2021.
Market perception supplier CryptoCompare noted:
“In Q1 of 2022, NFT market, OpenSea, noticed its volumes surpass their record-breaking months of 2021. A staggering $4.49bn value of NFTs have been buying and selling on OpenSea in January 2022 alone.”
Subsequently, the NFT buying and selling quantity has been rising exponentially for the reason that begin of the 12 months, on condition that it lately surged by 220% and surpassed $54 billion, Blockchain.News reported.
NFTs have been ticking as a result of they’re completely different from a typical crypto token due to fungibility. A fungible token may be exchanged for one more, whereas a non-fungible token (NFT) can’t be primarily based on its finite nature.
Caroline Alexander, a finance professional on the College of Sussex, believed that non-fungible tokens can be in every single place sooner or later as a result of something that requires proof of possession can be an NFT.
Picture supply: Shutterstock


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Cryptocurrency exchange Huobi addressed the fact that client phone numbers were surfacing online, in the wake of rival exchange Binance’s KYC hack earlier in the month.
Dark Web Sellers
According to a report published by news outlet The Block, several sources have said that Huobi user information has been surfacing on dark web marketplaces. The news comes just week after leading crypto exchange Binance allegedly suffered a KYC breach that saw personal information for users being spread through a Telegram chat. Binance has been hacked before for 7,000 BTC that got stolen off of its hot wallet back in May.
The anonymous sources claim that the same security concerns that implicated Binance in the breach apply to other cryptocurrency exchanges–a fact that has become clearer with Huobi user details allegedly emerging on the dark web. Hackers have been flaunting the sale of user information belonging to Huobi clients for the past week, with one Chinese dark web market offering the data for $0.30 a piece.
The data in question involves the phone numbers of users and the text messages they received when withdrawing from the exchange, which can be used for a phishing scam by would-be criminals.
According to the report,
“One seller, who claimed to be a hacker, promised that these phone numbers are “absolutely real” and can yield a high pick-up rate, suggesting that potential scammers can expect responses when reaching out to these numbers. The hacker even added that these phone numbers’ ‘convert rate is decent for conducting a pyramid scheme.’”
In addition to Huobi, dark web hackers were offering user data from exchanges BIKI, Hetbi and ZDCoin.
The Block was able to reach Huobi head of marketing Ross Zhang, who claimed that at least some of the user data being sold through dark web portals was false. According to Zhang, they ran user data being sold against their own database and found “only a negligible portion of the phone numbers are associated with Huobi accounts.”
“We suspect that the hacker is using Huobi’s name as a gimmick for their own business interests.”
A Huobi spokesperson speculated that the user data being peddled on the dark web may have been acquired through alternative routes, such as a third-party messaging provider.


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While the fatty, salty smell of a fast-food burger joint may arouse your taste buds, could it inspire sexy results if turned into a perfume or aftershave?
Burger King Japan is banking on it. It claims to have made a new fragrance that smells just like its popular Whopper burger, and even comes with one of the burgers should your aftershave make you a salivating mess.
Before you go up in arms, grabbing your pitchfork for crimes against sensual smells, check the release date; the Flame-Grilled scent goes on sale on April 1st, so brings with it the distinct whiff of an April Fool's day marketing prank.
This wouldn't be the first time that Burger King has released a meat-themed fragrance, and one that you could actually buy and spray over yourself like some sort of carnivorous Casanova. Back in 2008 it put out a scent called Flame, which it put up for sale online and in Ricky's stores in New York City.
Thankfully that one, despite carrying the Burger King branding, didn't smell like an atomised King Meal, instead falling somewhere between an Axe, TAG and YSL fragrance, according to those that used it.
Still, it was accompanied by the following advert, seeing a bare-chested, masked Burger King mascot seducing his lady friend, which more than makes up for it in the creepy stakes:


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Profile of Eric Ogren
News & Commentary Posts: 2323
Articles by Eric Ogren
posted in December 2007
An early working version of firmware update 1.1.3 for the iPhone has been spotted in the wild and given the full video preview treatment over at Gizmodo. A short list of the confirmed new features includes multiple-recipient SMS and Google's new faux GPS maps application.
According to word from Intel, Apple will be relying on the processor company more and more in the future. In fact, Apple has committed to Intel's Menlow Mobile Internet Device platform and Post a Comment
This year has been a heck of a ride in the world of mobility. We've seen success and failure, love and hate, and tons of new technology. Here are the five biggest stories of the year. I'll bet you'll never guess what number 1 is.
Talking, texting, or otherwise using a mobile device while driving is becoming illegal in more and more states here in the United States. None of the penalties here are as severe as those ab
RIM saw yet another year of strong growth in 2007. It will finish the year as the world's No. 2 supplier of smartphones, behind only behemoth Nokia. RIM is going to have to do better outside of North America if it wants to keep it up.
The latest Ferrari won't go from 0-60 in under 4 seconds, nor top out at more than 200 mph. But it will make pretty good phone calls, let you watch video, and browse the Web. Did you think I was talking about a real Ferrari? Nope. I'm talking about the Motorola Z8 Ferrari Edition mobile phone (which isn't going to really compensate for anything).
Turns out the iPhone isn't the only high-profile device to receive regular firmware updates. Today, LG and Verizon Wireless made a firmware update available for the LG VX-10000 Voyager,
Looks like Google doesn't have the Midas touch after all. According to reports, a sizable number of developers who've been working with the SDK for Google's Linux-based Android platform say it is full of bugs and often Post a Comment
Gartner took quite a leap of faith in predicting that SMS usage in 2008 will top 2007's numbers. In fact, Gartner goes so far as to say that the number of messages will top 2.3 trillion worldwide. That's an average of 767 messages per mobile subscriber over the course of 12 months. I think we can all do better than that.
Canalys released some interesting stats regarding smartphone sales in the third quarter. The iPhone has jumped to the number two spot, grabbing 27% of the market, handily beating out Windows Mobile, Linux, Symbian, and Palm devices. Will RIM ever lose the to
Has Verizon Wireless looked at the competition lately? Almost every smartphone in its own roster of devices is hundreds of dollars cheaper than the newly launched 755p. Sprint sells the same phone for $249. Why on earth does Verizon think people will be dumb enough to pay $399 for a tired device like t
M/C Ventures is predicting that 2008 will see more people access the Internet via their mobile phones than via desktops or laptops. That's globally. In the developed world, PCs will still be the primary means of access. But in developing regions, most Internet use will come from mobile phones, helping to bridge the digital divide.
Finally! Apple has added the capability to allow users to create their own ringtones in GarageBand and export them to the iPhone. You need to have the latest 4.1.1 version of GarageBand 8 running. It takes about 5 minutes from start to finish, and you can even use songs from your Post a Comment
Some poor Calgary man thought the $10 unlimited mobile browser plan he subscribed to meant he could tether his phone to his laptop and download movies. So he was rather shocked when he received a phone bill for $85,000 in the mail -- more than the price tag of one of Germany's finest sports sedans.
Mobility is changing everything. Not only will sales of smartphones surpass laptops in a few years, but 1 in 8 U.S. households has cut their wireline telephone services in favor of wireless. Will enterprises ever cut the cord?
Google's latest mobile software offering takes aim at the heart of Microsoft Exchange. Google has made it possible to sync your Gmail, applications, your own domains, and now your Google calendar with your BlackBerry's on-board calendar application. No pricey Exchange servers and licenses required.
Cornell has decided that the 802.11b/g network it's had in place for several years is no longer cutting it. It will replace its existing wireless systems with 802.11n flavored Wi-Fi from Aruba Networks. The goal? Total indoor and outdoor coverage across the entire 745-acre campus. Wanna guess how many APs the deployment is going to take?
The day has finally arrived. Beginning this week, Sprint will roll out a very limited trial of its WiMax network in Chicago and Baltimore-Washington, D.C. It is a Neil Armstrong moment. One small step for Sprint, one giant leap for WiMax's future.
There's some good news for the development of mobile Linux lately. Today, Access was tapped to develop a Linux platform for NTT DoCoMo. Yesterday, the Linux Phone Standards Forum agreed to its first specification for mobile Linux. These announcements come just weeks after Google drops word of its Post a Comment
Begin Love Fest. HTC deserves some kudos. This innovative maker of Windows Mobile smartphones from Taiwan saw its best month ever in November thanks, in part, to a smartphone called the Touch. It also is the first OEM to announce it will make Android handsets for Google. HTC is on a roll, folks.
Apparently being dubbed Times' invention of the year is not impressing the Germans. Sales of Apple's iPhone in Germany are way below predictions, with T-Mobile moving only 700 of them per day.
Seems Motorola isn't the only hardware manufacturer seeing battery-related snafus of late. Users of the new Palm Centro smartphone have been experiencing horrendous battery life, with it dra
Apple always has been a target for lawsuits. With close to $15 billion in cash gathering dust in its bank accounts, it's no wonder that disgruntled or disillusioned customers and competitors might seek a payday. Here are six of the most onerous cases.
The latest scuttlebutt from the Interwebs suggests that a new version of firmware for the iPhone is about to be bestowed on the iPhone-toting public. Version 1.1.3 will bring in two new features: voice recording and use of the iPhone as an external hard drive.
Opera made a version of its Mini mobile Web browser available today that will work on phones using Qualcomm's BREW platform. Too bad you can't actually download it at will to many BREW phones.
A new service will let cell phone users find public restrooms from their handsets. The service is called...wait for it...MizPee. When you're done laughing and can pick yourself up off the floor, please continue reading...
According to a study conducted by AT&T, fully one-fourth of small business owners don't bother to concern themselves with the security of their business's data. Chances are you and your organization do business with SMBs. Which means that it's your information that is being left unprotected. That should make you angry.
Yesterday Nokia shook things up a bit by announcing that it will offer free, unlimited music downloads to users of certain Nokia handsets for a full year. If you thought the deal sounded too good to be true, you were right.
Google redesigned the Google home page presented to iPhone users and now it is totally useless. Before, it was the general mobile version of the site, which showed my headlines, weather, Gmail and other content all in a quick glance. Now it is a simple search box and I have to actively choose to view my content. Why did Google make it more difficult to use?
Well before the SDK has been made available by Apple, SAP created a new version of its sales force automation software that will work on the iPhone. It will help salespeople manage prospective customers and keep an eye on their sales cycles. Is this the first in a wave of Web-based enterprise apps for the iPhone?
Sprint's acting CEO Paul Saleh told investors that Sprint is seriously considering selling its stake in the WiMax network it has been building. This could be a deathblow for WiMax's future. At least for the short term. And it would leave Sprint without a 4G strategy.
Now that Verizon Wireless is all about open access, it looks as though the company will embrace Google's Android mobile platform. CEO Lowell McAdam commented that the company is planning to use Android and that i
Rumors about a new smartphone from Dell have been floating about the Interwebs since the company hired former Motorola veteran Ron Garriques earlier this year. Garriques was brought on to help Dell revamp its mobile product lineup. Now that it's been nearly a year, is Dell ready to pounce with an integrated media device of its own?
Nokia conducted a large study and is predicting that by 2012, 25% of all entertainment will not come from the major movie and music studios, but will have been created within one's peer group. Is the end of traditional media finally in sight?


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A new survey has found that reducing business waste, recycling and making energy efficiency improvements are the most common measures in environmental strategies enforced by manufacturers.
Waste is the main environmental concern for manufacturers with over 90% of respondents having taken some form of action on waste management. Manufacturing body EEFs Environmental Survey 2009 believes this is due to significant cost savings gained from managing waste. Only half the companies questioned have adopted a recycling or reuse system across the whole of the company, preferring to systematically put in environmental systems instead.
Additionally, lean manufacturing featured highly in the survey with three quarters of those surveyed applying it in some part across their processes. It was found that eco-design, which focuses on the environmental impact of a products lifecycle, has more up-take in larger companies (72%) than the smallest companies (34%). This is due to complexities embedded in process engineering and supply chain management.
Lack of available funding to invest in environmental systems is a barrier for many companies, which is especially the case for smaller businesses. The recession has meant that a further 12% of businesses compared to the 2008 survey are finding funding a bigger obstacle. EEF believes that funding is the reason why almost a fifth of smaller companies found no cost benefits to implementing an environmental strategy against 83% of firms which have saved money. It is thought a lack of resources and expertise in smaller businesses is to blame.
EEF head of climate and environment policy Gareth Stace said: Businesses especially SMEs need further support to implement improvement strategies. There is a clear role for Government here in making business aware of easily attainable quick wins as well as those areas that require investment such as eco-design.
If organisations are provided with clear information on the business benefits of adopting environmental measures, they are likely to adopt them without being pressured to do so.


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Because who doesn't want to relive Sunday's madness all over again?
Big brands like Budweiser, Sony, McDonald's, and others are taking good advantage of their association with the FIFA World Cup.
The golf app taps the buzz surrounding key sporting events to generate active engagement and fierce loyalty.
Moët & Chandon's new brand ambassador Roger Federer kicked off his new role with a slick photo shoot with fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier.
"Nothing's more important than your clubs" is a tagline designed to resonate with golf enthusiasts, the core target of BBDO New York's recent campaign for FedEx.
In a pitch to make Illinois-based Fisher Nuts the snack of choice at baseball stadiums, the brand launched a season-long sweepstakes.
By entering into this agreement the automaker essentially signed a player who is past his prime (a prime that lasted only two weeks, mind you) and set itself up for more than 700 days worth of tagline jokes
Multichannel retailer The Golf Warehouse launched a program December 15 offering 25 Facebook credits for purchases of gift cards.
After sitting out of Super Bowl advertising for the last two years, General Motors is back in the game, according to a report in the 'The Wall Street Journal.'
Copy editor Nathan Golia discusses how audience metrics inform the NHL's marketing strategy with Perry Cooper, the league's SVP of direct and digital marketing and fan analytics
Tailored messaging is a core part of the National Hockey League's marketing strategy, says Perry Cooper, SVP of direct and digital marketing and fan analytics.
Collegiate athletic league the Pac-10 Conference has hired Danette Leighton as its first CMO. The appointment is effective April 5.
The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council will launch a contest on March 15 inviting advertising professionals and digital media buffs to create a campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup host country, South Africa.
Kroenke Sports Enterprises, the owner of Denver's Pepsi Center arena, has named Txtstation its mobile marketing provider. The companies are promoting the three teams that use the venue: the Denver Nuggets NBA team, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche and the Colorado Mammoth professional lacrosse team.
On the heels of the National Football League announcing it will impose more stringent rules for teams to manage player concussions, the league has launched a PSA in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The PSA, which launched on December 10, urges players, coaches, trainers and parents to know the facts, symptoms and warning signs of concussions.
Business-to-business technology marketers have found that their audience of business decision makers responds well to entertaining messaging as a way to cut through the current economic malaise.
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Microsoft's trying to bury Windows 7, and now Apple's Boot Camp is, too
PC vendors may not have to include a Secure Boot toggle with Windows 10, raising a bigger barrier for alternative operating systems.
If the court decides to revoke the data exchange deal it could hurt U.S. tech companies
The malware combines key logging and memory scraping functionality
Google is looking to do for advertising on TV what it did for advertising on the web.
The latest SlingPlayer Desktop update clutters the video interface with banner advertisements.
Qualcomm, MediaTek, Samsung and LG are all working on exciting new products
Three of the five new NEX systems support Android Auto, and all support Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink, making them notably versatile among aftermarket systems.
EMC pools assets into data lakes... U.S. bill aims at ed tech companies... leaked FTC report could free European Commission to act on Google
Foxconn's CEO has said he hopes to make electric cars priced less than $15,000
Technology from VMware, Pivotal and EMC storage will go into big-data analytics systems
You could drive this car, but wouldn't you rather relax, sit back, and chill with your friends? That's what the self-driving F 015 is all about.
An authentication flaw allows attackers to listed to audio streams and make calls from Cisco SPA 300 and 500 IP phones


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TCOP Takes a Bite Toward Healthy Living
On Food Day, forty-one Touro College of Pharmacy students, faculty and staff participated in the Big Apple Crunch.
It was the crunch heard ‘round the world.
On Thursday, October 22, forty-one PharmD candidates each took a bite into an apple—simultaneously.
They did so in celebration of the Big Apple Crunch, a citywide event in which New Yorkers all bite into an apple to celebrate National Food Day, which falls each year on October 24.
"This special day encourages people to make healthier changes in their own diets and to take action to solve food-related problems in their communities,” said Sefa Kploanyi, P3, co-founder of Touro College of Pharmacy’s Pharmacists for Public Health (PPH). “Last year, over 800,000 New Yorkers took a bite towards healthy living, and we're so happy to participate for the second year in a row.”
A week before Food Day, PPH went apple-picking at Applewood Orchards and Winery in Warwick, New York. Throughout the week, PharmD students sold these apples to the “Crunchers.” The proceeds will be used towards PPH’s future endeavors.
Lauren Aronin, vice president of PPH, coordinated the event with Kirolous Makarious, P2, president of PPH. “It was important for us to participate in this year's Big Apple Crunch because encouraging healthy eating habits is one of the fundamental ways a pharmacist can have a positive impact on a patient's life," said Aronin.


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Poco C31 is gearing up for start on Thursday, September 30. Just forward of the start, the corporation has teased the crucial specifications of the smartphone. The RAM dimension and processor on Poco C31 have been confirmed on a landing web page on the company’s India web page. Poco C31 will be obtainable to buy via Flipkart and is envisioned to go on sale all through the Massive Billion Times sale 2021 that begins on October 3. The new Poco smartphone is possible to be an up to date product of the Poco C3 smartphone that was launched in India final 12 months.
The enterprise web site exhibits key technical specs of Poco C31 forward of launch. It confirms that Poco C31 will be driven by MediaTek Helio G35 processor under the hood. It is also confirmed to appear with 4GB RAM. The predecessor Poco C3 was also launched in October last calendar year with a MediaTek Helio G35 SoC, paired with up to 4GB of RAM. Poco C31 will appear with a fingerprint sensor and face unlock feature.
Poco promises on the C31 landing website page that the new smartphone will have a 25 p.c more time lifespan as as opposed to current market benchmarks. The business added that Poco C31 will stay “as great as new even right after 2.5 decades of day-to-day utilization”.
Poco C31 will characteristic a waterdrop-model notch on the show, with slender aspect bezels, and a thicker bottom bezel. The new handset will have blue as just one of the color solutions. Other specs about the camera, pricing, and display are not shared still.
The new Poco C31 is envisioned to be an current edition of Poco C3. Poco C3 capabilities 6.53-inch High definition+ (720×1,600 pixels) Lcd with a waterdrop-design notch. It carries a triple rear camera setup that contains a 13-megapixel major snapper, a 2-megapixel macro sensor, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. For selfies, there is a 5-megapixel camera. Poco C3 delivers 64GB of onboard storage that can be expanded via a microSD card (up to 512GB). It is outfitted with a 5,000mAh battery with guidance for 10W fast charging.
Poco C31 will launch in India at 12pm (noon) on September 30.


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Tech wrap: AT&T/T-Mobile a done deal?
AT&T’s planned buy of T-Mobile USA is ultimately expected to get regulatory approval, combining the second and fourth largest wireless operators to create a new leader that will control around 43 percent of the U.S. wireless market. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson suggested he had little choice but to do it as AT&T is in dire need of more wireless airwaves to increase network capacity for mobile Web services.
Google announced that it’s partnering with Sprint to integrate the free calling and texting service Google Voice with the carrier’s feature phones and smartphones. Sprint customers will be able to use their existing Sprint mobile number as their Google Voice number.
Nokia’s strategy for entering the tablet computer market may not include Microsoft, its recently announced partner for smartphones, according to a person with knowledge of the company’s thinking.
Microsoft widened its legal assault on devices running on Google’s Android system, filing lawsuits for patent infringement against bookseller Barnes & Noble over its Nook electronic book reader.
Facebook’s creation of a mobile payment subsidiary and registration of it in a number of states could signal the social network’s intent to get more broadly involved in the payments business, writes VentureBeat’s Owen Thomas. Bypassing credit-card processing fees from its Facebook Credits business and the possible creation of an ad network to rival Google’s AdSense were seen as potential driving factors.


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Intensify training for women-led businesses
- While many have yet to reach their full potential, women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are dynamic through self-funded “chamas” where they pool their resources for savings and loans.
- Globally, only one in three small, medium and large businesses is owned by women, according to the World Bank.
Women entrepreneurs make a substantial contribution to economic growth. While many have yet to reach their full potential, women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are dynamic through self-funded “chamas” where they pool their resources for savings and loans.
Globally, only one in three small, medium and large businesses is owned by women, according to the World Bank.
In some cases, a business loan applicant may have difficulty obtaining credit from traditional financial institutions due to weaker financial metrics such as annual income, unclear operating expenses, especially if it there was no discipline in separating personal and business bank accounts.
With many businesses at an early stage exacerbated by the pivot due to the effects of COVID-19 – we still need to adapt more artificial intelligence systems to capture holistic personal credit scores that assess and predict people’s credit behavior depending on how they pay utilities like electricity and data.
As a result, many female-owned businesses tend to be smaller than their male counterparts, supported by self-funded capital that they acquire from their personal savings and “rides” and / or table banking.
During a recent webinar titled “Funding the Missing Link: Market Failure or Untapped Opportunity?” Hosted by Women Win and New Faces New Voices-Kenya, various stakeholders highlighted the limitations women face in growing their businesses and the need to position women within the financial ecosystem as a critical audience.
The lack of capacity building for women entrepreneurs was highlighted as one of the main obstacles women SMEs face in acquiring affordable working capital.
For start-ups to thrive from the start-up phase to the growth phase, many do not have the financial knowledge to know how and where to access funds, have limited knowledge of the financial instruments that are suitable for the better in their growth phase, still have to fully interpret their financial records and interpret risks appropriately. .
In addition, the lack of well-prepared investment cases, coupled with the lengthy process of approving loans to entrepreneurs, adds to the obstacles that have made it difficult for women-backed businesses.
In a survey conducted by Graça Machel Trust to explore barriers to growth faced by women entrepreneurs in East Africa, at least 71% of women who participated in the survey started their businesses with their savings.
Most women entrepreneurs have invested between 100,000 and 500,000 Sh in capital. Research reveals that most women entrepreneurs are currently self-financing their businesses, using their own funds or savings and reinvesting the business’s income to achieve growth.
The decision to finance themselves is based on the belief that they do not have the conditions required to access financing such as guarantees.
Even though the SME world is on the road to resilience and recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a need for financial institutions to ensure continuous capacity building to increase the business management skills of their clients. , especially businesswomen.
Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa), for example, as part of its Covid-19 recovery and resilience program, has partnered with the Mastercard Foundation to support more than 106 women and youth-led MSMEs who benefit from more of 42 million shillings in the form of interest. free short-term loans between 100,000 and 1.5 million shillings without collateral.
Other organizations that also participated in the Funding the Missing Middle webinar continue to reach out to MSMEs and investors to change the discourse that access to finance is a challenge. With the evolution of technology, it is also imperative to enable women business owners to take advantage of the use of digital platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and the website to increase visibility.
Scaling can prove to be a challenge for the business if not managed wisely and hence shared services that provide talent support mechanisms, operational efficiency and industry mentorship. are crucial.
For businesses to thrive in the new normal, there is a need to create gender-focused investment strategies to address some of these challenges.
Andia Chakava, Director of Investments at Graça Machel Trust and New Faces New Voices – Founding President of Kenya; Eva Warigia, champion of New Faces New Voices for Women in Finance


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VF Corporation, the parent company of Vans, Timberland, and The North Face, has acquired popular streetwear brand Supreme in a mega deal that values the company at $2.1 billion.
The highly-publicized deal comes as VF Corp. attempts to bolster its portfolio of apparel brands, with the intention to eventually grow the cult-favorite Gen Z brand into a billion-dollar company. According to Business of Fashion, Supreme already generates annual revenue in the region of $500 million; a figure which is expected to grow 8-10% in the next four years.
The outlet adds that VF Corp. will take a “hand-off approach”, with CEO Steve Rendle explaining that they are not “coming in to make changes”: “We’re here to support and enable…a high performing business,” he said.
According to Bloomberg, VF Corp. jumped the most today in its 33-year history after agreeing to buy the brand. The cash transaction marks Denver-based VF Corp’s largest acquisition since purchasing Timberland in 2011 for $2.3 billion. It’s expected that the deal will be completed by the end of the year.
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Previously, Supreme was bought by private equity firm Carlyle Group and investors including Goode Partners for a reported $500 million in 2017 for a 50% stake.
“We’ve been on a journey the last four years to evolve our portfolio to really align with where we saw the market and more importantly the consumer going,” VF Chief Executive Officer Steve Rendle said in an interview. “Supreme fits so well into our evolved portfolio.”
The New York-based brand was founded in 1994 by James Jebbia, who remains as CEO. Supreme has collaborated with high-profile artists including Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, and Richard Prince as well as Louis Vuitton.


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Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors and NMKV commemorates the off-line ceremony for the new minicar
Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors and NMKV today commemorated the off-line ceremony for the new minicar, which Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors will release in June across Japan, at Mitsubishi Motors’ Mizushima Plant. The new mini-car to be launched under the model names of Nissan DAYZ and DAYZ Highway STAR, and the Mitsubishi eK Wagon and eK Custom, is the first model jointly planned and developed by a joint venture, NMKV, engaging in the minicar business for both companies.
350 staff members from three companies pledged for further development in front of the car just rolled off the line after two years have passed since the foundation of NMKV in 2011.The new model was created with a totally different approach from the conventional OEM, where NMKV, a joint venture formed by Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, combined strength of both companies in every step of car manufacturing.
Combining a product concept made up by NMKV consisting of members from both companies with a different taste of design of each company, the models carry the brand identity of each company. The new cars deliver a number of attractions that conventional minicars do not offer, including best-in-class fuel economy, touch-screen automatic air-conditioning system to be adopted for the first time in minicars and high-quality feel interior.


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Without immediate action from the government to clarify policies and introduce stricter regulation more urgently, the UK will miss its 2050 net zero goal, utility E.ON has warned.
E.ON has launched an electric vehicle (EV) salary sacrifice scheme following its company car provision going all electric in 2019.
E.ON’s UK business has returned to profitability after shifting all npower customers to the Kraken-powered E.ON Next customer service platform.
E.ON has completed the migration of two million former npower customers to its Kraken powered E.ON Next customer service platform.
E.On Next is launching two new tariffs designed to be climate friendly, one focused on electric vehicles (EVs) and one offering the perk of tree planting.
A collection of energy suppliers have commissioned a report from consultancy Public First to tackle what they described as unfairness in the energy market for customers wanting cleaner heating.
E.ON has managed to turnaround its operations in the UK and is expected to recover faster than originally anticipated, it said in its full year results for 2020.
Utilities have called for changes to "outdated" gas and electricity levies in a bid to decrease costs of electrified heating and save the poorest households more than £100 a year.
The 10 millionth smart meter has been installed in Great Britain in a significant milestone for the technology.


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On May 30 multiple torandos affected the Greater Dayton area. They hit within 10 miles of our stores affecting our beloved customers. We naturally wanted to help and we did buy donating water, etc. But we decided to sell these Good Neighbor Sacks in addition for our customers to be able to help the victims as well.
It was very well received.
We simply wanted to help. When our community hurts, we hurt. We are Local. And We are Family.
Our customers are so generous. We donated over 1,000 bags to the many victims. We saw #DaytonStrong in action.
Thanks for letting us be a part of this wonderful idea for a terrible event that hit so close to home. #DaytonStrong


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Ameranth Sues ChowNow
Ameranth [NPE] filed suit against ChowNow, alleging that ChowNow’s ordering systems infringes three patents related to online and mobile restaurant, food service, ticketing, and reservation systems. Ameranth has filed over 10 prior suits since June 2007 against over 30 defendants and has been subject to two actions for declaratory judgment. One of the patents-in-suit originated with AT&T. Ameranth claims to be the owner by assignment of the patents-in-suit, but this has yet to be recorded at the USPTO database. 5/18, Southern District of California, Judge Dana M. Sabraw, 3:2012cv01201.


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HealthCare.gov managers want consumers to give the enrollment system another chance.
The team at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in charge of fixing the problem-plagued exchange site believes the site is now working reasonably well, Julie Bataille, a CMS rep, said today during a media conference call.
CMS will be sending e-mails to 275,000 consumers who’ve gotten stuck at some point in the application process after Oct. 1, Battaille said.
The notices will encourage consumers to return to HealthCare.gov to complete the application process.
The e-mails will go out in waves to avoid the possibility all 275,000 consumers return at once and potentially crash the site all over again, Bataille said.
Bataille said HealthCare.gov managers also have made other changes, including a problem tracking system and a feature that lets brokers add unique identifier codes to applications.


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Neiman Marcus bets on new innovation strategy with sales boost
Neiman Marcus Group announced on Wednesday year-over-year sales growth for the third consecutive quarter, allowing the company to further trust its innovation strategy.
The US luxury retailer reported total revenues of $1.17 billion, up 4.8 percent, for its third quarter, ended April 28, 2018. This compared to total revenues of $1.11 billion for the third quarter of fiscal year 2017.
Same-store sales increased 6 percent, while online sales were also a highlight up 17.1 percent to $416 million, representing more than 35 percent of overall sales.
The Dallas, Texas-based company also narrowed its net loss during the quarter, which was $19.9 million compared to a net loss of $24.9 million for the third quarter of fiscal year 2017.
Neiman Marcus cited a provisional non-cash income tax benefit of approximately $386.2 million in fiscal year 2018, and non-cash impairment charges of $153.8 million in the second quarter of fiscal year 2017, still impacting bottom line results.
Meanwhile, on a year-to-date basis, the company reported total revenues of $3.77 billion, representing an increase of 5.1 percent compared to total revenues of $3.59 billion for the same period in the prior year. During this same period, comparable revenues increased 5.7 percent.
“Our strategy is working, so we will continue to be laser-focused on areas that set us apart from competitors – innovation that enhances the customer experience, a strong high-performance culture and new partnerships with both emerging and industry-leading luxury brands,” said Geoffroy van Raemdonck, Chief Executive Officer.
“Our customers trust us to be a curator of trends today and tomorrow, and we are delivering for them.”
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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VOV.VN - Two cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the northern province of Vinh Phuc displayed negative results as they were tested for the second time on February 17, according to Director of Vinh Phuc Department of Health.
A delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly led by Nguyen Thanh Hai, head of the NA’s Ombudsman Committee and Chairwoman of the Vietnam-Canada Friendship Association, has paid a working visit to Canada.
VOV.VN - The annual Hanoi Gift Show 2019, the eighth of its kind, kicked off in Hanoi on October 17 with 1,000 handicraft importers displaying their products to over 10,000 visitors.
VOV.VN - The Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade held a press conference in Hanoi on July 31 to announce the schedule for the Hanoi Gift Show 2019 which will be held in the capital later this year.
The Government and Government agencies have settled 2,290 out of 2,293 petitions that voters submitted to the sixth session of the 14th National Assembly (NA), the NA Standing Committee’s ombudsman board reported at the opening session of the 7th sitting of the 14th NA on May 20.
The capital city of Hanoi has implemented a wide range of measures to facilitate the sustainable development of e-commerce activities, which have grown rapidly recently.
Hanoi has been one of the two leading localities in e-commerce for the past five years, but the trend has posed considerable risks in database, technology, transaction procedures, legal regulations and technology standards.
Capital city Hanoi gained a year-on-year growth of 24% in export value to reach US$1.05 billion in January.
Hanoi will intensify educational campaigns to raise public awareness about the rights of consumers as part of efforts to better protect consumers’ interests.
Russia has pledged to share with Vietnam experience in dealing with citizens’ complaints and denouncements as well as issues related to the protection of their legitimate interests.
Q & A session of the ongoing third meeting of the 14th National Assembly, which began on June 13, focuses on four matters of public concern.


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Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine director Raphael van Lierop has said Relic's transition to a multiplatform, third-person action developer was eased by a helping hand from Vigil.
"It's been a huge technology challenge for us. Early on in development, a couple of years ago, we took a drop of the Darksiders engine from Vigil, who shared the technology with us so that we would have a foundation to work with," van Lierop told CVG.
"That's how we started the multi-platform engine and on top of that we built a huge amount of proprietary Relic tech."
Relic aren't reinventing the wheel, either, but strategically adopting various middleware technologies where appropriate.
"We've got Havoc physics and whatnot, we've done our due diligence on the technology, we've got a lot of smart people working on it," the director said, adding that Space Marine is looking good so far.
"The game is running very well on all platforms right now. It's smooth at 30 frames per second and we're even going to be able to take it above 30 for most of the game."
Relic had previously largely focused on PC-exclusive strategy titles. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is a third-person action title to release on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in the third quarter this year.
Vigil's debut title was Darksiders; it's currently hard at work on Dark Millenium Online, the Warhammer 40,000 MMO.


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Rockstar have announced their plans surrounding downloadable expansions for L.A. Noire, a detective drama released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 a couple of weeks ago. Those plans included the release of a number of additional (standalone) cases to solve, collectibles to find and challenges to complete - all of which will be released over the next "several months", on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms.
"With its blend of real crime influences and noir atmosphere, L.A. Noire contains boundless potential for new stories and new cases,” said Sam Houser, founder of Rockstar Games. "The four new cases are strong standalone stories that sit perfectly alongside the main game.”
The downloadable content will be available for individual purchase, as is the norm, but it will also be accessible through a one-time, all-inclusive "L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass". Purchasing the pass will grant gamers access to all of the material, as it is released, at a discounted rate. Normally, the content would cost $20 USD on PS3 or 1600 Points on XBLA, however opting for the pass means you'll pay a total of $10 USD / 800 points (up front) if you purchase the pass by June 14th.
There is also a bonus for members of Rockstar's social club, which is available to owners of any of their recent games, and all players can download a special weapon (the Chicago Piano Machine Gun) free of charge.
The announced DLC, a mixture of content that was previously exclusive as part of preorder campaigns and some new material, comprises of the following content:
• Chicago Lightning Detective Suit (Social Club only) – May 17;
• L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass (limited-time discount price) – May 31;
• “The Naked City” DLC case – May 31;
• “A Slip of The Tongue” DLC case – May 31;
• Broderick Detective Suit and Gun – May 31;
• Sharpshooter Detective Suit and Gun – May 31;
• The Badge Pursuit Challenge – May 31;
• Chicago Piano Machine Gun (free community unlock) – May 31;
• L.A. Noire Rockstar Pass (standard price) – June 14;
• “Nicholson Electroplating Disaster” DLC case – June 21;
• “Reefer Madness” DLC case – July 12.


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Sonic the Hedgehog was seen wearing the PUMA Speed 500 in its debut, and highly controversial, trailer released by Paramount Pictures.
The Nike Presto React is ready to keep you comfortable all Summer long.
The Nike Air Presto gets a redesign and React cushioning update in 2019.
PUMA unveils its second installment of the LQD CELL Collection — the Puma LQD CELL Origin Drone.
The Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4% has been updated as Nike Running officially unveils the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next%.
First reported back in February, the laceless Nike Phantom React Flyknit is finally getting an official release date.
Nike improved a classic model by going next-level with the cushioning. Read on for our Nike Air Zoom Vomero 14 Performance Review.
It’s almost a given when you know the history – Reebok hit its greatest heights in the mid-80s, riding the high of aerobics for women of all ages to become the number one sneaker company…
Puma and Motorola collaborate and debut the upcoming RS-X Tech.
adidas just strengthened its commitment to tackling plastic waste with the unveil of the FUTURECRAFT.LOOP — a 100% recyclable performance running shoe.
PUMA recently debuted its latest cushion technology, LQD Cell, in the Puma LQD Cell Origin AR and we have a detailed look and review.
Add this to many Nike silhouettes that saw a ‘Just Do It’ colorway release in the past year, like the Air Force 1 and numerous Air Maxes.
We are all familiar with NikeID and the nearly endless combinations that are available for customization. Nike is bringing a new “Nike By You” 3D builder experience that allows for a 360 degree rendering of…
The Atmos X Nike Air Max2 Light launches tomorrow and we have a detailed look and review for anyone interested in purchasing.
Some laceless Nike Epic Phantom React Flyknit goodness for that special someone in your life.
PUMA has announced that it will debut a brand-new cushion technology with it’s upcoming PUMA LQD Cell AR.
Puma and MTV bring 80s and 90s nostalgia back in a bold way with the RS-X Tracks.


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MoneyGram and Sao Paulo, Brazil-based Confidence Cambio have announced that an agreement between the two companies will enable consumers in Brazil to have more options when they send and receive money transfers.
“Aligning with Confidence Cambio will assist with growth in this important market, and will help MoneyGram meet the growing consumer demand for money transfers in Brazil.” says Pedro Saro Campos, vice president, Latin America, Mexico and Caribbean at MoneyGram.
MoneyGram services are available to customers at 69 Confidence Cambio stores across the country.
“We are expanding our portfolio of products and services and especially strengthening the options for international remittances to fulfill the different needs of our customers. Thus, we expect to double our participation in the international remittances segment.” says vice president of the Confidence Group, Andreas Wiemer.
Digital payments giant ACI Worldwide is teaming up with VocaLink for real-time payments infrastructure.
Fresh from its $4.5bn IPO, Nordic payments processor Nets has picked Spire as its partner to help with the physical roll out of mobile payments for Dankort customers.
Square has introduced a new update to its contactless and chip readers that reduces transaction speed to 4.2 seconds.
It seems laptops are about to catch the biometric fever as PayPal, Intel, Lenovo and Synaptics are collaborating to introduce FIDO-enabled embedded fingerprint solution to PCs.


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“We are thrilled to announce that it is ‘business as usual’ for this year’s Absa Top 10 Pinotage competition and that entries are now open.” These are the words of Beyers Truter, founder and chairman of the Pinotage Association, brimming with enthusiasm at the thought of the 24th edition of this competition.
An Absa Top 10 Pinotage award is one of the most prestigious annual South African wine accolades and this year will be no exception. The competition celebrates this eponymous grape varietal as one of South Africa’s signature wines – a true success story with a fascinating history. With the ongoing support of key sponsor, Absa, the competition has not only seen an immensely positive impact on the quality of this unique wine category, but also everyone associated with it.
The sky is the limit when it comes to Pinotage wine quality, bearing testimony to winemakers embracing their terroir which ultimately enables them to make iconic wines that shine on the international stage.
Entries are also open for the Pinotage Icon category (Museum class), for Pinotage wines 10 years and older. Truter is sure that the older Pinotage category is set to become one of the most exciting wine categories and welcomes the entries that will be received this year. The judging and awards ceremony dates will be announced at a later stage. For more information about the awards or to enter the competition, please visit: https://bit.ly/2Ukr2oE
For more information, contact the Pinotage Association:
Twitter: @PinotageSA – #AbsaTop10Pinotage #PinotageTop10


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Becky edited a story on advertising in China for the Year of the Pig and the government’s surprising decision to ban ads featuring pigs. Pigs are everywhere now.. in toy stores, gift shops.. cartoon posters hung up everywhere of pigs in chinese garb. I thought it was quite interesting and a good read. Here are some excerpts. Note how much pork is eaten here. From Friday’s paper.
Pigs Get the Axe
In China TV Ads,
In Nod to Muslims
Porcine Prohibition Sends
A New Year Complication
By GORDON FAIRCLOUGH and GEOFFREY A. FOWLER
SHANGHAI — Next month, China will ring in the Year of the Pig. Nestlé SA planned to celebrate with TV ads featuring a smiling cartoon pig. “Happy new pig year,” the ads said.
This week, China Central Television, the national state-run TV network, banned Nestlé’s ad — and all images and spoken references to the animal in commercials, including those tied to the Lunar New Year, China’s biggest holiday.
The intent: to avoid offending Muslims, who consider pigs unclean.
I skipped a bunch down to some of my favorite stuff. Check this out.
For most other Chinese, the pig has powerful and positive cultural associations as one of the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac. Year of the Pig decorations already festoon cities and villages all over China.
Pork is the meat most widely consumed by the country’s Han Chinese majority. On average, Chinese annually eat more than 80 pounds of pork , according to United Nations statistics. At banquets in southern China, people often roast whole pigs, decorated with blinking red lights in their eye sockets.


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In 2009, the US government made a decision to help farmers by paying them a subsidy of $12.3 billion so that they may grow more food. Seven years down the road and there is surely plenty of food in the US, but there is so much criticism associated with the federal farm programs as well. Some critics say the program has increased the source of calories in people’s diets causing health problems and high medical bills. Others complain that fewer vegetables are being grown. While some observers say, the government unfairly distributes the subsidies only favoring mega farms leaving out smaller farms which small farms usually produce healthy, unadulterated food. Right or wrong, here are the foods the US government is paying you to eat.
The whole of America eats corn. Be it the chicken, cows, sheep, pigs and even fish. The animals consume it through the 10% of all corn grown in the country which is turned into pellets to feed animals, while humans eat it through almost every processed food in the country. In America, corn occupies more than 80 million acres of farmland, it is the most eaten food in the US, and this is because the government pays farmers a subsidy so that lots of maize can be grown. Corn makes foods such as noodles, ketchup, soda, salad dressing, beer, cookies, chips and much more.
Every five years, the US government pays $24.3 billion in subsidies for soybean alone. Immediately after the farmer’s subsidy was approved, farmers filled 63 million acres of land with wheat, making it the second most grown crop in the US. Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Minnesota alone grow half of all the wheat produced in the country. It is evident that every American home has a grain product in their home. Wheat products include your daily morning cereal, whole bread, biscuits, etc.
America is the largest producer of soybean in the World. 75% of soybean globally comes from America.
Cooking oil, butter, Skin care ingredients, cattle food and more are the primary uses of sunflower, and that’s why American sunflower farmers didn’t miss out on the list of subsidized farmers.
The US government pays you to eat rice in the form of Porridge, rice milk, rice fermented alcoholic beverages, rice cake flour, rice crackers and so much more. 3.1 million acres of land in the US are rice irrigated farm lands.
According to the national cattlemen’s beef association, there are 619,172 farms and ranches tending cattle and producing meat. But in 2009 just before the government announced a beef subsidy, The National Cancer Institute released a report that said that 11 percent of meat-eating related diseases such as cancer and heart disease could be reduced by 16% in women and 11% in men if meat consumption is reduced. Consider metabolic cooking review as an alternative healthy diet choice.
By the close of last year, America had produced 250,000 billion pounds of milk. This tells you that so much milk is flowing in the US that some of it lack the market. This is all due to the 2009 farmer’s subsidy.
Last year the government announced that farmers would produce 6.1 billion pounds by the end of fall. We began the year with a 3.2 billion-pound stockpile of peanuts, and the problem now is how farmers will find a market to remove the stock that is still available. If they fail the get market, farmers who got loans will face it rough, and the government will have also lost investment.
Although beer creates many health problems, it is probably one of America’s most loved drinks and does the US economy so much good. According to the National Beer Wholesalers Association, beer pumps $253 billion into the economic activity, creates 1.75 million jobs and provides $48.5 billion tax revenue. Because of such statistics, beer made it to the list of the top nine foods the US government pays you to eat.


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NEW YORK: The US dollar bounced to a 2-week high on Monday on weakness in the euro, Swiss franc and Japanese yen amid views that the US has an advantage in growing its economy and vaccinating its population against COVID-19.
The dollar index was up 0.21% to 90.815 at mid-morning in New York, while the euro was off 0.36% to $1.209. Against the Swiss franc the dollar was up 0.45%.
The euro weakened after Germany reported that retail sales plunged by an unexpected 9.6% in December after tighter lockdowns last year to curb the spread of COVID-19 choked consumer spending in Europe’s largest economy.
The dollar may be more resilient in the near-term because “both growth and vaccination favour the U.S,” said Kamal Sharma, director of G10 FX strategy at BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research.
The Australian and New Zealand dollars gave up early gains and were down 0.1% and 0.11%, respectively, against the greenback.
The US dollar also gained 0.3% against the Norwegian crown to 8.5815 crowns per dollar.


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Editor’s Note: We found news of an exciting event in Carrboro this weekend (just a short drive from Cary) thanks to our friends at The Better Sleep Store in Chapel Hill.
Carrboro, NC — It’s a big weekend for fresh produce in Carrboro. On Saturday, July 11, 2015, Tomato Day will return to Carrboro with over 75 tomato varieties in different sizes, shapes and colors. Then, throughout the whole weekend, enjoy a town-wide Summer Harvest Sale. Read more


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Samsung Galaxy S4 shoppers didn’t need to wait long for the first Galaxy S4 price cut.
In typical Android fashion the first Samsung Galaxy S4 deals appeared online this morning ahead of the official Galaxy S4 release. Walmart is offering the Samsung Galaxy S4 pre-order as predicted, but what we didn’t expect is a price cut.
Update: The price is now $168
Walmart Wireless is taking Samsung Galaxy S4 pre-orders for $189.99 with a two-year contract. That’s a savings of $10 over buying directly from AT&T, which isn’t much, but it is the start of the price cuts and deals shoppers expect — even on flagship Android phones.
Shoppers can pick up the Samsung Galaxy S4 in White Frost and Black Mist on Walmart Wireless. The offer is for new and existing AT&T shoppers, and even includes secondary lines added to a new account.
This is not as big of a deal as we see on the HTC One, which is available for $50 less than retail buy purchasing at WireFly, but it is a start.
Many of the best Android smartphones are available at cheaper than carrier advertised prices from third-party services. Companies like Walmart, Radio Shack, Amazon and Wirefly typically offer these hot phones at reduced prices — sometimes with over $100 off within months of launch.
The retailers make up for their lower prices thanks to a commission on new accounts and sales. Several of these retailers also include their own early termination fee (ETF) on top of the one imposed by carriers. Wirefly for example, charges an $400 additional ETF for users who cancel a two-year plan within 181 days of purchasing a phone. For most users these types of fees won’t matter, but for those who may need to cancel a plan on short notice the savings are not worth the fees.
Despite the small price cuts today, it is possible that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will see an additional price cut when it arrives on Amazon Wireless and on Radio Shack. In the past we’ve found deals for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 as early as a month after it launched, and within a few months saw deals dropping the price by $200 on the device.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 arrives on AT&T on April 30th and should arrive on T-Mobile on May 1st. The Verizon Galaxy S4 release is rumored for May 30th and the Sprint Galaxy S4 release remains a mystery.
Samsung includes a 5-inch 1080P HD display and a 13MP camera in the Samsung Galaxy S4 (even though Walmart marks this as an 8MP camera). The device includes a collection of software features, sensors and special hardware to enable touch free control, eye-tracking and the ability to use multiple apps on the screen at once.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


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HOLLEY, NY, February 1, 2013- The annual Hazzard County Squirrel Slam may be a fundraiser for the Holley Fire Department, but for animal lovers everywhere the event is a nightmare. Companion Animal Protection Society, a national non-profit dedicated to protecting companion animals of all species, is calling for a boycott of the event and a global campaign to stop it.
Companion Animal Protection Society protests pet shop in Lisle, Illinois for selling puppy mill dogs.
LISLE, IL, February 2, 2013 – Local pet shop Puppy Parlor advertises on their website huge store-wide sales but they exclude puppies. They find other ways to entice buyers with already low prices on dogs. The problem: selling pets from puppy mills might be a cost cutting move, but it comes with a high collateral price.
For Immediate Release
Barkworks Pet Store Folds Under Pressure From Anti- Pet Shop/Puppy Mill Nonprofit
Following a protracted anti-puppy mill campaign by The Companion Animal Protection Society, the Barkworks pet store in Los Angeles’ Westside Pavilion will be closing.
LOS ANGELES – The Westside Pavilion location of Barkworks, the largest pet shop chain in the Los Angeles area, is closing for good on Monday. Barkworks has been the target of investigations and campaign outreach by the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), a national nonprofit whose primary focus is the pet shop and puppy mill industry.
A landmark ordinance, spearheaded by the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), officially passed on Wednesday. The ban was the result of years of pressure from non-profit organizations like CAPS to curb the influx of puppy mill dogs into big cities. In February of last year, CAPS provided the Los Angeles City Council with the results of its two year investigation into LA's retail pet stores and the commercial breeding facilities – mostly from the Midwest and rural California – that supplied them.
The undercover investigation included video and photographic evidence of puppy mill operators who routinely violated federal law – Animal Welfare Act (AWA) – as well as state laws protecting animals. CAPS uncovered evidence that many of LA's pet retailers still purchased and supported commercial breeders. Most of these puppy mills were neglectful and abusive to their animals, repeatedly violated USDA minimum standard of care, and often bred sickly or subpar dogs. CAPS also discovered that LA's pet stores were misleading unsuspecting consumers by selling them sick and dying animals.
In addition to the undercover investigations, CAPS organized hundreds of protests in Los Angeles pet stores that also put pressure on local officials to act against puppy mills. CAPS led a landmark protest in 2009 inside the Westside Pavilion Mall in Los Angeles against one of seven Barkworks stores, which set the stage for a long campaign in the Southern California. CAPS broke new ground in the California animal protection movement by invoking the more expansive California Constitution to legally protest inside a mall, which is a de facto public forum under California case law.
CAPS continued its Barkworks campaign by holding several more protests at three malls, often with more than 100 participants. One of our unique protests included more than 70 inner city public high school students who got involved after learning about the puppy mill-pet shop-shelter connection from CAPS. CAPS' campaigns in the Los Angeles area also pushed several retailers into switching to a humane business model, on which part of the LA ordinance is based. In an eight-month period, four stores stopped selling puppy mill dogs and began offering animals from shelters and rescue organizations.
“After eight years of investigations and protests, we are satisfied and optimistic about breaking the blood money contracts between puppy mill owners who abuse animals and L.A. pet retailers. This ordinance will relieve mill animals and help save the lives of animals who are killed at Los Angeles Animal Services. The 2011-2012 body count is unacceptable, with 9,056 dogs and 12,061 cats killed in our shelters. We are relieved that finally, the cries of L.A.’s shelter animals have been heard. Puppy mills and cruel pet factories will fade into history at last," said Companion Animal Protection Society West Coast Director Carole Raphaelle Davis.
The legislation is particularly important because it makes LA the largest city in the US and Canada to ban pet stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits from commercial breeders. CAPS has consistently supplied reliable evidence to cities determined to stop puppy mills from selling dogs to their communities. Our West Hollywood, California ordinance banning the sale of pet shop puppies and kittens received worldwide media coverage and was the genesis for the now growing ordinance movement in both this country and Canada.
There are ordinances banning the sale of pet shop puppies and kittens in California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas and Canada. We assisted with the by-law in Richmond, British Columbia, which was the inspiration for the recently passed by-law in Toronto. CAPS also worked with Legislator Jon Cooper in Suffolk County before he withdrew his proposed ordinance due to state preemption, which CAPS is now trying to get removed from the state lemon law.
The West Hollywood ordinance, which passed in February of 2010, was possible because of the relentless work of the CAPS West Cost team, which submitted CAPS undercover investigation of the local pet shop and the atrocious Wensmann puppy mill in Minnesota that supplied this pet shop. CAPS was subsequently involved with getting pet shop ordinances passed in Glendale and Irvine, Calif. CAPS was recently involved in getting the first pet shop ordinance passed in Illinois and is working on other municipalities in the Chicago area. Sarasota County, which has three pet shops, is also on the agenda.
The LA ban was introduced by Councilman Paul Koretz, a West Hollywood Council member from 2000 to 2006 and a longtime supporter of animal rights. The measure will give a much needed boost to the overburdened municipal shelter system, which currently has thousands of pets ready for adoption.
“Finally, an end to rabbits bred in cruel pet factories who are then trucked to unscrupulous retail animal dealers here in L.A., only to live out their sad lives in a cage. We have high hopes that consumers will now gladly turn to the shelters to adopt homeless and sterilized rabbits,” said President of Bunny World Foundation Lejla Hadzimuratovic.
In February of last year, CAPS provided L.A.’s City Council with the results of its two-year investigation into L.A.’s retail pet stores and the California and Midwest commercial breeding factories that supply them. The undercover investigation included video and photographic evidence of puppy mill operators who routinely violated federal law (Animal Welfare Act) as well as state laws to protect animals. CAPS uncovered evidence that L.A.’s pet retailers are currently in business with commercial breeders (puppy mills) who are neglecting and abusing animals, repeatedly violating USDA minimum standards of care. CAPS also discovered that L.A.’s pet stores are fraudulently selling sick and dying animals that come from substandard commercial breeding facilities and misleading consumers.
In addition to its undercover operations, CAPS organized hundreds of protests at Los Angeles pet stores, converting several retailers to a humane business model on which the L.A. ordinance is based. Dogs, cats and rabbits from rescue organizations and our municipal shelter system will now have the opportunity to be adopted by the public in L.A.’s pet stores.
The city attorney’s office has informed CAPS that the sales ban ordinance will officially take effect after next week when it goes for a final vote with a “super majority.”
“After eight years of investigations and protests, we are satisfied and optimistic about breaking the blood money contracts between puppy mill owners who abuse animals and L.A. pet retailers. This ordinance will relieve mill animals and help save the lives of animals who are killed at Los Angeles Animal Services. The 2011-2012 body count is unacceptable, with 9,056 dogs and 12,061 cats killed in our shelters. We are relieved that finally, the cries of L.A.’s shelter animals have been heard. Puppy mills and cruel pet factories will fade into history at last.” Carole Raphaelle Davis, West Coast Director, Companion Animal Protection Society.
“Finally, an end to rabbits bred in cruel pet factories who are then trucked to unscrupulous retail animal dealers here in L.A., only to live out their sad lives in a cage. We have high hopes that consumers will now gladly turn to the shelters to adopt homeless and sterilized rabbits.” –Lejla Hadzimuratovic President of Bunny World Foundation
By: Carole Raphaelle Davis, West Coast Director, Companion Animal Protection Society
CAPS on Barkworks
LA City Ordinance - Council File No. 11-0754
CAPS on Humane Stores
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Nov. 16, 2007
Department of Agriculture
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
CONTACT: Nicole L. Cullison
UNION COUNTY KENNEL CHARGED, DOGS SURRENDERED
State Dog Wardens, Humane Officers Remove 29 Dogs from Lewisburg Kennel
HARRISBURG - State dog wardens helped humane officers to recover 29 dogs from an unlicensed Union County facility as part of Governor Edward G. Rendell's effort to crack down on unsatisfactory kennels, the Department of Agriculture said today.
On Nov. 13, state dog wardens visited Fairview kennel in Lewisburg to investigate a complaint about the facility operating without a license. The wardens found 29 of the 40 dogs were dirty, matted and living in unsanitary conditions, including excess fecal matter.
The owner, Alvin Zimmerman, is being charged by the wardens for operating a kennel without a license and failing to maintain sanitary conditions.
Jessie Smith, the state's special deputy for dog law, said any kennel with more than 26 dogs per year must obtain a license and be inspected annually.
"The conditions of the kennel were unsatisfactory and without a license it could not continue to operate," said Smith. "Upon finding evidence of poor sanitation, the wardens immediately contacted humane officers who removed the dogs."
Zimmerman previously held a kennel license, which was surrendered in 2006 due to problems with the kennel, including sanitation and cleaning deficiencies. Following the surrender of his license, Zimmerman voluntarily reduced the number of dogs housed. Smith said sometime between the kennel license revocation in 2006 and the inspection this month, Zimmerman increased the number of dogs at the kennel to more than is allowed by law.
In October 2006, Governor Rendell announced sweeping changes to the state's dog law and regulations. The Governor also took actions to increase the enforcement of current laws by naming Smith as a special deputy, hiring a special prosecutor, and increasing the number of dog wardens.
For more information on Pennsylvania's dog law, and to access kennel inspection records, visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us/padoglaw .
- THIS IMPORTANT BILL WILL PROHIBIT CALIFORNIA LANDLORDS FROM REQUIRING TENANTS TO DECLAW THEIR CATS OR DEBARK THEIR DOGS
For a sample letter and more information on the bill, you can visit the Paw Project website at: http://www.pawproject.com/html/what.asp
Please write before Senate floor vote which could be as early as June 21. This bill is needed, not only in California, but also to set precedence in other states where it is a VERY Common requirement to rent an apartment to require new tenants to have their cats declawed on 2 or all 4 paws or debark their dogs. We are lucky in California that this bill is supported by the Apartment Association. If you are a landlord , please specify that in your letter. Everyone's letters and efforts will really help.
This bill was doing really well. It passed in the California Assembly with a 63-7 vote but last week the California Veterinary Medical Association raised their efforts to block the passing of this bill by using $$$$$ and lobbyists, The measure narrowly passed the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 3-2 vote, and could be voted on by the full Senate as early as the week of June 21. This Monday.
The full text of AB 2743 is available at this link: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_2701-2750/ab_2743_bill_20100607_amended_sen_v95.pdf
PLEASE write letters to state senators (find your senator at: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html)
YOUR SUPPORT will be helpful because the California Veterinary Medical Association is lobbying very hard to kill the bill. CVMA is making the rounds of legislators¹ offices and making its views known to the Governor. It has also sent out an alert to its members stating that it is "strongly opposed" to the bill and urging its members to send letters of opposition to their state senators and to the Governor.
The CVMA is powerful because many legislators automatically support the position held by a trade or business association. Therefore, letters coming in from across the state strongly in support of the law will be necessary. Please inform as many people and rescue groups as possible.


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And you thought that Hess truck your dad bought you was cool.
The Kiravan is a seemingly unstoppable, all-terrain excursion vehicle that was engineered and is currently being built in California by designer Bran Ferren, and in which he plans to go road tripping with the vehicle’s namesake -- his young daughter, Kira.
One look at the enormous six-wheel tractor trailer RV and it’s no surprise to learn that Ferren used to be a visual effects designer for films and rock bands, and is the former head of R&D for Walt Disney Imagineering, the outfit behind the company’s theme parks and live events.
The tractor is based on a Mercedes-Benz Unimog -- a multi-purpose mega 4x4 powered by an inline six-cylinder diesel with 700 lb-ft of torque that Ferren stretched to accommodate a custom four-door cabin and a platform for a fifth-wheel trailer hitch, while adding 46-inch Kevlar-reinforced tires with automatically deployable tire chains.
Inside, it’s been outfitted with redundant, encrypted communications systems that can work nearly anywhere on the planet, even in the far-flung reaches of the polar regions.
The comms and all of vehicle’s systems – including two diesel generators, GPS-independent navigation system, and a battery-powered air conditioner that can operate for up to 10 hours in 130+ degree temperatures without the engine or generators running -- are controlled and monitored by an array of screens in the cockpit that would make a 747 pilot jealous.
The trailer is no less impressive, and features a nested design that allows it to slide and expand upwards, increasing its volume by 50 percent. Inside are living, cooking and working areas, including a video editing suite, plus a glass-roofed bathroom with a shower and waste-incinerating toilet and pup tent on the roof for Kira.
The rearmost wheels ride on an air-suspension, and are powered by a hydraulic drive system that can turn the entire vehicle into a 6x6 at speeds under 25 mph. With an overall range of 2,000 miles between fill-ups, that’s a lot of rock crawling.
According to Wired, the four-year, multi-million project is nearly complete. When it is, with Ferren’s background in film, Kira will likely end up with the coolest vacation home video ever, too.


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We have the first photos of the MINI Cooper S, spied on the road in Southern Germany. The story inside.
New spy photos of the MINI Cooper S facelift were captured recently. The pictures, taken in Southern Germany, show some updates at both the front and rear.
Some of the changes include a slightly modified air intake, with camo tape at points on the front bumper. In back, new rear lighting, similar to the current model, can be seen. The clusters appear to include LEDs. The photographer on the scene believes an entirely new rear bumper will also be used.
Many fans of the car will be looking to for changes to the vehicle's interior. The interior has often been the subject of criticism for the use of somewhat cheap looking materials.
The facelifted MINI Cooper S could be released next year as a 2012 model year car. The second generation MINI Cooper was released for the 2007 model year, replacing the six-year old first generation.