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March 17 (Reuters) – Generative artificial intelligence has become a buzzword this year, capturing the public's fancy and sparking a rush among Microsoft (MSFT.O) and Alphabet (GOOGL.O) to launch products with technology they believe will change the nature of work.
Here is everything you need to know about this technology.
Like other forms of artificial intelligence, generative AI learns how to take actions from past data. It creates brand new content – a text, an image, even computer code – based on that training, instead of simply categorizing or identifying data like other AI.
The most famous generative AI application is ChatGPT, a chatbot that Microsoft-backed OpenAI released late last year. The AI powering it is known as a large language model because it takes in a text prompt and from that writes a human-like response.
GPT-4, a newer model that OpenAI announced this week, is "multimodal" because it can perceive not only text but images as well. OpenAI's president demonstrated on Tuesday how it could take a photo of a hand-drawn mock-up for a website he wanted to build, and from that generate a real one.
Demonstrations aside, businesses are already putting generative AI to work.
The technology is helpful for creating a first-draft of marketing copy, for instance, though it may require cleanup because it isn't perfect. One example is from CarMax Inc (KMX.N), which has used a version of OpenAI's technology to summarize thousands of customer reviews and help shoppers decide what used car to buy.
Generative AI likewise can take notes during a virtual meeting. It can draft and personalize emails, and it can create slide presentations. Microsoft Corp and Alphabet Inc's Google each demonstrated these features in product announcements this week.
A response by ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, is seen on its website in this illustration picture taken February 9, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
Nothing, although there is concern about the technology's potential abuse.
School systems have fretted about students turning in AI-drafted essays, undermining the hard work required for them to learn. Cybersecurity researchers have also expressed concern that generative AI could allow bad actors, even governments, to produce far more disinformation than before.
At the same time, the technology itself is prone to making mistakes. Factual inaccuracies touted confidently by AI, called "hallucinations," and responses that seem erratic like professing love to a user are all reasons why companies have aimed to test the technology before making it widely available.
Those two companies are at the forefront of research and investment in large language models, as well as the biggest to put generative AI into widely used software such as Gmail and Microsoft Word. But they are not alone.
Large companies like Salesforce Inc (CRM.N) as well as smaller ones like Adept AI Labs are either creating their own competing AI or packaging technology from others to give users new powers through software.
He was one of the co-founders of OpenAI along with Sam Altman. But the billionaire left the startup's board in 2018 to avoid a conflict of interest between OpenAI's work and the AI research being done by Telsa Inc (TSLA.O) – the electric-vehicle maker he leads.
Musk has expressed concerns about the future of AI and batted for a regulatory authority to ensure development of the technology serves public interest.
"It's quite a dangerous technology. I fear I may have done some things to accelerate it," he said towards the end of Tesla Inc's (TSLA.O) Investor Day event earlier this month.
"Tesla's doing good things in AI, I don't know, this one stresses me out, not sure what more to say about it."
(This story has been refiled to correct dateline to March 17)
Reporting By Jeffrey Dastin in Palo Alto, Calif. and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty
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WhatsApp's top head on Friday denied a Financial Times report that said the Meta Platforms-owned messaging platform was exploring advertisements as it sought to boost revenue.
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Topshop has been on the forefront of integrating technology with fashion and sales, but this year the company is looking to one-up itself one more time. For its spring collection, it partnered with Chirp, a software company that transmits image data via subaudible, sonic identifiers. Topshop will set up “Chirp Locations,” where phones can pick up these signals and view exclusive, sometimes behind the scenes footage. The experience will take place at Topshop’s Oxford Circus flagship store in London, where a Chirp and Twitter “garden,” of sorts, has been erected for the event. Consumers at home will be able to see the event through a live stream, and won’t be left out of the action. In addition, all of the makeup products used at the show will be available immediately after the show for pre-order, adding the ever-valuable e-commerce element to the show.
A lot went down in the Twitter universe last week. Letâ€™s begin this week with a look back at the week that â€˜twas.
Few companies are more conspicuous in their lack of major revenue streams than Twitter. The company took a new step toward rectifying this position by unveiling its new advertising platform that relies on Promoted Tweets. Launched as a pilot program with a few select advertisers, the platform will eventually insert paid Tweets in the stream of Twitter search results. Promoted Tweets will be graded based on a â€œresonanceâ€ score. Resonance will help determine how long any of these sponsored Tweets stay active in the ecosystem. During a week in which Ning announced that it was moving away from free to paid service, itâ€™s encouraging to see that Twitter is finding tools that build toward fiscal security. Unfortunately, theyâ€™re going to need a few more solutions in order to truly solve the revenue questions. Continue reading “Three things that made Twitter’s week”

domain: news


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May 31, 2021
Smokefree plan has chance of working if focus on Maori
The New Zealand Medical Association is backing the Government’s proposed Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan, but says it’s important there is a strong focus on Māori outcomes.
It’s World Smokefree Day, which also means it’s the last day for feedback on the plan.
Medical Association chair Dr Alistair Humphrey says if implemented in full, the action plan offers a realistic chance of realising the 2025 goal.
Proposed measure include:
- Making tobacco products less available and less affordable;
- Licensing retailers of tobacco and vaping products and reducing the number of retailers;
- Introducing a smokefree generation policy, with s rising age limit when people can start buying tobacco;
- Reducing nicotine in smoked tobacco products to very low levels
- Prohibiting innovations aimed at increasing the appeal and addictiveness of smoked tobacco products
Dr Humphrey says more than 80 percent of smokers wish they had never started.
Copyright © 2021, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com


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Google Play is a single online store selling movies, Android apps, music and ebooks. Bringing together a series of pre-existing online stores, the service launched yesterday by announcing a week of 25 cent deals on big-name music, book and movie titles, many of which, including those on ebook editions of "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" and "Fight Club", have been matched by Amazon.
Amazon hasn't been making a big show of their price matching. At the time of writing, the deals hadn't been mentioned on the Kindle Blog, nor had they been featured on the Kindle eBooks homepage, or mentioned in Amazon's Kindle Daily Deal section.
But they obviously hadn't gone unnoticed: as of 5pm EST today, the 25 cent edition of "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" was being listed by Amazon as the number-one paid book on the Kindle.
Mike Shatzkin, Founder & CEO of publishing consultancy The Idea Logical Company told The Huffington Post that he thought the price matching was a sensible move.
"Amazon has such a huge investment in being branded as the low price provider to the customer that they don't want to let anybody steal that mantle from them. I think that's just built into their DNA," he says.
Neither Google nor Amazon have released figures relating to the number of users of their ebook platforms, but it would take a significant industry shift for Amazon to be toppled from its position as the leading player in the marketplace.
"Nothing would cheer me more than to see Google get really good at competing with Amazon," says Mike Shatzkin. "The industry desperately needs it. But I'm not going to hold my breath."
Google Play's 25 cent deals will run until the end of this week. At the time of writing, neither Google nor Amazon had responded to requests for comment.


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SEOUL, July 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean fashion brands that have infiltrated the hearts of the MZ generation are leading the K-fashion craze overseas.
Last May, street casual brand ADLV opened a shop at Australia’s QV center, located on Melbourne’s Lonsdale Street.
The company said that crowds were seen lining up in front of the store as early as the day before the grand opening.
Andersson Bell became one of the few South Korean fashion brands ever to succeed in the European luxury fashion and shoe market. Last year, Net-a-porter, Britain’s luxury fashion store, sold 92 percent of the goods it had purchased from Andersson Bell.
These companies are miniature brands based in Dongdaemun area in central Seoul that used to be a part of the country’s nonmainstream fashion industry.
Many of their products, sold wholesale from Dongdaemun market, used to end up on cheap online shopping portals.
However, the circumstances began to change after online stores surpassed offline stores in overall sales, with the MZ generation rising as a new group of consumers.
Their popularity in the overseas market is also led by the Korean Wave.
As many Korean celebrities are being hired as models for foreign luxury brands, the clothes they wear, including those made by South Korean fashion brands, are also being treated as luxury items.
Street casual brand Romantic Crown gained massive popularity in 2017 for designing popular ‘plain clothes’ for celebrities, infiltrating the Chinese market.
The company opened a pop-up store in Japan early this year and was listed on Zozo Town, Japan’s largest online fashion mall.
H. M. Kang (firstname.lastname@example.org)


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Vidyanagar Nature Club
LAST UPDATED : Jul 24, 2018, 06:21 AM IST
- Underprivileged kids get real experience in shopping
They may have visited swanky malls, yet might not have been able to shop from there. But, thanks to the efforts of Vidyanagar Nature Club (VNC), 591 students coming from humble backgrounds and studying in government schools in Milk City Anand could experience how it feels like to go on a shopping spree in a mall.


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The Reserve Bank of India has confirmed that its first retail digital Rupee pilot will commence on December 1. Initially, it will involve four banks in four cities, with another four banks and nine locations already identified. At this stage, it’s not a public trial with a closed user group of consumers and merchants involved.
The central bank digital currency (CBDC) is to be issued as digital tokens in the same denominations as physical cash via the banks. The participating banks – State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank and IDFC First Bank – will provide mobile wallets, and consumers can pay each other or shop by scanning QR codes. The settlement will be instant and like cash, the digital currency will not attract any interest.
Additional functionality will be tested in future phases. Previous unofficial reports mentioned that the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is involved. While that’s highly likely, it was not confirmed in today’s announcement. NPCI is responsible for most payment rails in India.
India’s motivations for a retail CBDC are to reduce the costs of distributing physical cash and for financial inclusion. According to one of the banks involved in the pilot, IDFC First Bank, digital currency provides better privacy compared to electronic payments. It was suggested that the bank only tracks it on issuance but not in subsequent transactions. However, we’ve yet to hear of any proposed CBDC worldwide that provides a privacy level equivalent to physical cash.
The four additional banks that will join in the near future are the Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank.
Meanwhile, a month ago, the central bank commenced its first wholesale CBDC pilot to settle secondary market transactions for government bonds.


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Fintech giant Ant Group has been called in for a meeting with financial regulators, China’s central bank announced today, the same day that market regulators announced an anti-monopoly probe into sister company and e-commerce giant Alibaba.
Why it matters: This is the first publicly announced high-level meeting between regulators and Ant Group since the fintech giant’s IPO was abruptly suspended, days after another similar meeting.
- The company has been under regulatory pressure as China’s authorities tighten the screws on fintech, who are concerned that unbridled tech giants bring systemic risk to the economy.
Details: “In the coming days,” the Alibaba affiliate will be “interviewed” (our translation) by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), the Insurance and Banking Regulatory Commission, the China Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Foreign Exchange Commission, the PBOC said in a statement this morning.
- Authorities will also “urge” Ant Group to comply with regulatory financial, antitrust, and consumer protection requirements, the notice from the PBOC said.
- Ant Group responded to the news just ten minutes after the central bank’s announcement with a post on its official WeChat account, say that it will “seriously study” and “strictly comply” with regulatory requirements.
- At the same time, Alibaba is trying to satisfy regulators concerned about its market power in an investigation into accusations of monopolistic behavior.
Context: On the same day that Jack Ma met with regulators, Nov. 2, new rules on microfinancing were released. Credittech makes up around 40% of Ant Group’s revenue, according to its IPO prospectus.
- On Nov. 3, the Shanghai Stock Exchange suspended Ant Group’s hotly anticipated $34 billion IPO, saying that the company didn’t meet disclosure requirements about regulatory risk.
- Since, Ant Group has made changes to its operations. Just yesterday, it lowered credit limits for younger users of its Huabei microlending platform. Last week, it stopped providing bank deposit products on Alipay.
- New draft antitrust rules were released on Nov. 10 by the State Administration for Market Regulation. Alibaba, Tencent, and and SF Express were fined over anticompetitive behavior on Dec. 14.
- Earlier in December, Guo Shuqing, the head of the China Insurance and Banking Regulatory Commission, called for more national level regulations on fintech.


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Washington legislature aims to reconcile medical, recreational marijuana markets
Published on 3/4/14
Dozens of marijuana plants await harvest at a production site for "Loaded Soda," an Olympia-based business that provides marijuana-infused sodas, vitamin waters and other products to more than 400 medical marijuana collectives throughout the state.
Owner Dave Kois stands in the middle of the three-foot plants, discussing the different strains of marijuana that he's growing, as well as his thoughts on efforts by the state to regulate the medical market that he currently caters to. Two bills working their way through the Legislature seek to reconcile the medical market with the new recreational market approved by voters in the fall of 2012.
Lawmakers in Olympia have worried that the largely unregulated medical system would undercut the taxed, recreational industry, and U.S. Justice Department officials have warned that the state's medical marijuana status quo is untenable.
"It's about money for the state," said Kois, who grows marijuana that has high levels of a compound known as CBD and is low in THC, the chemical that causes users to get high. "They see medical as a threat to their tax money on the recreational side. I understand that. But I think that the two should be regulated separately. They're two separate systems and they should stay that way."
The state has allowed medical use of marijuana since 1998. The hundreds of dispensaries that currently exist statewide are not regulated by the state, but loosely operate under current state law language on "collective gardens" that allows qualifying patients to pool their resources to grow, produce and deliver medical cannabis. Under the measures being considered, collective gardens would be eliminated, meaning that unless current dispensaries receive a license from the state, they will have to close.
In 2011, then-Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed most of a bill that sought to regulate the state's medical marijuana system, expressing concerns about possible prosecution of state workers under federal law. At the end of 2012, Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize possession of recreational marijuana by adults 21 and older. The votes also called for systems of state-licensed pot growers, processors and retail stores.
Sales have already begun in Colorado, but licensed stores in Washington state aren't expected to open until this summer.
Sen. Ann Rivers, a Republican from La Center who is sponsoring one of the measures being considered by the Legislature, calls the state's current medical marijuana system "the Wild West."
"Some regulation in this area would do us good," she said. "It's the only way to ensure that the feds are going to keep their noses out of our business."
Kois, himself a medical marijuana patient who has been using the low-THC products that he makes in order to help treat his Crohn's disease, has applied for a producer license from the state. He said he plans to move his grow into a 21,000-square-foot space in Centralia to accommodate the increased demand that will come from the recreational market, as well as the need to start growing high-THC plants to grow alongside the medical-only ones he grows now. Currently, he has two lines of products, including chocolates, sodas and hard candies: blue labels have a high CBD content; red labels indicate high-THC marijuana, which Kois currently buys from other growers to produce.
"I've seen the writing on the wall for over a year," he said.
Rivers' medical marijuana measure is awaiting a vote in the Senate Ways & Means Committee. Her bill is similar to a House bill that has already passed that chamber and is awaiting a hearing in the Senate.
Both bills look to reduce the amount of marijuana and number of plants patients can possess, and would do away with collective gardens by the middle of next year. They would also establish a patient registry that would provide medical marijuana patients with an authorization card that would grant them a sales tax break on medical marijuana purchased at authorized stores. Both allow stores to have a medical endorsement to sell medical along with recreational marijuana and also allow an option for endorsed retail stores to solely serve medical marijuana patients. Rivers' bill requires the Liquor Control Board, which is overseeing implementation of I-502, to consider the needs of patients in determining the number of retail licenses issued. Currently, the board has limited recreational retail licenses to 334 across the state, for which there are currently more than 2,000 applications.
Medical marijuana patients flocked to a series of public hearings in both the Senate and House in recent weeks, decrying the potential changes.
Christine Emineth's 5-year-old daughter, Trystyn, suffers from a form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome that required nearly two dozen pills a day to control. She started using a low-THC medical marijuana-infused coconut oil for her daughter about three months ago, and says it's made such a difference she's been able to go off of one of her medications. Emineth said they currently have a designated grower who gives her daughter the medicine for free, and she worries about the prices, as well as the supply of low-THC marijuana, if the medical market is integrated with the recreational one.
"I don't think it's going to be affordable for any family that has medical issues," she said.
Current dispensary owners say they're concerned that recreational marijuana users will get top preference and medical patients will be left scrambling.
"Nobody is going to be required to have a medical endorsement," said Patrick Seifert, who runs Rainier Xpress in downtown Olympia, where he said about a third of his approximately 4,000 patients are veterans. "Patients are going to have to look on a map to find one. What if a medical endorsement isn't in their town?"
In December, the Liquor Control Board gave its final recommendations to the Legislature about how it believes the medical system can be brought under the umbrella of the new law.
Both the House and Senate measures incorporate many of those suggestions, including cutting how much cannabis patients can have from 24 ounces to 3 ounces. Under the recreational law, adults are allowed to have up to an ounce. The measures also limit the number of plants patients can grow to six. Under current regulations, they can grow 15. However, the House measure sponsored by Democratic Rep. Eileen Cody allows a health care professional to authorize an unlimited amount more if deemed necessary. The Senate measure, sponsored by Rivers, would allow a health professional to authorize an additional amount, but no more than eight ounces or 15 plants. Her measure would also allow additional amounts for marijuana-infused products like liquids and concentrates.
Steve Mohr, who runs Olympia Alternative Medicine in Olympia, said his hope is that lawmakers revisit the entire issue of combining the markets.
"We want to be regulated, but the thing is we don't want to disappear, and that is what's on the table right now," said Mohr. Neither Mohr nor Seifert applied for retail licenses, and would have to close under the current proposals.
Rivers says she is sympathetic. She notes her late father used medical marijuana to help deal with the severe nausea that was a result of cancer, and that her brother used it while recovering from an accident.
But she said that if the state doesn't do something, both the medical and recreational systems could be compromised.
"What I'm afraid of, is what the feds will do," she said.
The medical marijuana measures are House Bill 2149 and Senate Bill 5887.


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U.S. consumer confidence rose in June to the highest since February 2008, as expectations grew that the worst economic recession since the Great Depression may be ending, a survey showed on Friday.
The Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers said its final index of confidence for June was at 70.8 from 68.7 in May, equaling February 2008's reading.
This was above economists' median expectation for a reading of 69.0, according to a Reuters poll.
The index of consumer expectations edged lower, though, to 69.2 in June from 69.4 last month.
Since the November 2008 low of 55.3, the sentiment index has gained 15.5 points, recouping about one-third of the loss posted since the peak in January 2007.
Such a sizable gain has usually indicated that an end to the economic downturn is on the horizon, as consumers begin to increase their spending on houses, vehicles, and large household durables, the Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers said in a statement.
(Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; Editing by James Dalgleish)


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The Hotel Data Conference: Global Edition will feature 78 speakers across 12 hours and five world regions on 25 March 2021.
On the 9 12 March, the travel and hospitality industry will gather digitally at ITB Berlin, the worlds leading travel trade show. Hoteliers converge on the event to get up to speed on the latest news and trends sweeping the sector and meet with a range of suppliers and clients. Preparing for a convention of this scale in its new virtual format may be daunting, so here is a snapshot of some key things to look forward to during the week.
TravelTech Show, a sister brand of PhocusWire and formerly known as Travel Technology Europe, will be a virtual event in 2021.
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) announces its 2021 European Conference, in partnership with VDR. The joint European Conference which will take place this year in Wiesbaden, 13-15 October, bringing together the industry from across Europe and beyond.
The event will convene public and private sector leaders and provide the platform for the sectors global recovery
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is thrilled to announce its schedule of virtual experiences and in-person events for 2021. HSMAI will begin the year with virtual experiences and transition to in-person events as it becomes safe to gather physically. Our slate of 2021 virtual and in-person experiences are designed to support hospitality sales, marketing, and revenue optimization professionals through industry recovery.
The 2021 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show is being rescheduled to August 3-6. It will still be held in Dallas, Texas, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas (KBHCCD).
Preparations are already underway for the 2021 slate of events hosted by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), including the HFTP Annual Convention. An important part of the planning process is reaching out to industry experts for their valuable topic ideas that can be presented to event attendees as part of a dynamic, comprehensive educational program.
Holograms, virtual stages or augmented reality: as a leader in the digitalisation of the hotel industry, Meliá continues to provide the best technology solutions to transform the experience of business travellers in the post-Covid19 age
The event will be held virtually with 12 straight hours of live, data-driven presentations and panels, kicking off in the Asia Pacific region then 'following the sun' with stops in the Middle East, Europe and Central/South America before closing in North America. Attendees also will be able to access a library of pre-recorded content for on-demand viewing.


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When should you head When should you head to the clearance rack of retail stocks?
Not yet, says Morgan Stanley retail analyst Gregory Melich. There are probably markdowns yet to come.
Hints of the future were plentiful last week. Target Corp. stock fell when the company said consumers have been reluctant to buy clothes and have struggled with credit card bills. Home Depot Inc. dropped about 4 percent when it noted that customers were fixing what’s broken around the house rather than taking on major redecorating projects. Saks Inc., with its stock down more than 50 percent for the year, said even affluent customers are cutting back.
Melich warned investors in a report last week to be cautious about retail stocks overall, even though some shares have fallen so far they may look enticing.
Still, if you try to hold out for the final markdown on retail stocks, you could lose. Investors who wait and see with retail stocks engage in a difficult game, said Bernstein Research analyst Uta Werner. The “swift and powerful” rally in retail stocks based simply on the pullback in oil prices during the last few of weeks demonstrates what can happen, she said.
“These stocks are highly anticipatory,” Werner said. “An improving consumer backdrop will be embedded in valuations well in advance of their actualization, making the case for early accumulation.”
Her top picks are Home Depot, Lowe’s Cos., Target and J.C. Penney Co.
Melich agrees that investors need to buy retail stocks before the future is clear. But he thinks it’s too early.
He said the effect of tax rebate checks will wear off this quarter, and “may actually have a pull-forward effect that could make conditions worse for retailers into 2009.”
Keeping an eye out for an easing of those conditions is critical for an investor, he said. Typically retail stocks start climbing before investors realize the economy is improving.
Investors who want to spot the turning point for retailers can keep their eye on financial companies, said Vince Farrell, chief investment officer of Soleil Securities Group.
As financial company stocks rally, so do retailers, he said. But understanding when a retailer might see better days could be easier in this market than catching the bottom in financials. There have been numerous false starts in financial stock rallies as companies have shocked investors repeatedly with new write-downs.
In retail, Melich thinks investors saw a false start in July as the stocks rallied before pulling back again.
Analysts are estimating 2009 profit growth at 13 percent, about 5 percentage points too high, Melich said. Werner said the key to retailers’ profits in the near future will be the labor market, which is difficult to read.
Still, some analysts said that even without serious layoffs, the consumer is going to be hurt more than many experts anticipate.
Lenders, worried about overly indebted consumers, are cutting back access to home-equity loans, home-equity lines of credit and credit card lines of credit. Oppenheimer analyst Meredith Whitney said that consumers will have about $2 trillion less credit at their disposal by 2010.
Merrill Lynch economist David Rosenberg said that, with excessive debt, consumer spending has swelled to a record 71 percent of gross domestic product, while 65 percent was normal for the late 1980s and early 1990s. But he said a consumer spending bubble is already popping: “We are focusing less on buying more, and focusing more on either fixing up or upgrading the $4 trillion of consumer durable assets that Americans accumulated during the consumption boom of the past 20 years.”
Contact Gail MarksJarvis at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Commissioned by the contemporary art organisation Tashkeel, three young Emirate designers have been chosen to create a range of interiors products.
The designers, whose products will be displayed at this year’s Design Days Dubai, include Latifa Saeed, Salem Al-Mansouri and Zeinab Alhashemi.
The programme comes as part of an initiative at Tashkeel to support Emirati talent.
Anabelle de Gersigny, Tashkeel’s strategy and partnership development manager, said: “The initiative underscores Tashkeel’s commitment to nurturing local talent, and furthering the growth and development of the art community in the UAE.
“The impending projects for 2014 are part of long term initiative which highlights the skills of talented Emirati designers and brings them together with makers and artisans in the region, developing a range of designs based on an aesthetic that is intrinsically from and for the UAE.”
The products will be available exclusively at Tashkeel.


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Congress appears to be on the verge of making a severe cut in the food-stamp program. Lawmakers seem to agree that taking food away from the most needy and vulnerable can help solve the budget crisis. And since these folks also have the weakest voice in Congress, it should be easy.
However, a reduction in the use of food stamps will result in a reduction in food purchases and a reduction in the overall economy. Mom and pop grocery stores will lose business, truckers won’t have as much cargo and, of course, farmers will have fewer customers for their produce. It goes right down the line.
Economists will tell you that for every dollar spent on food, there is more than a dollar added to our economy. Cutting food stamps is not a solution for solving our budget deficit. It will only hurt our economy and cause untold suffering among theneedy.
Bill Silver, Coral Gables


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By MELISSA DIPENTO
Five students from Lenape High School are set to compete in the twelfth annual Burlington County Consumer Bowl on Wednesday, Feb. 16, at Burlington County College’s Main Campus in Pemberton.
Consumer Bowl is a game show-like competition that tests high school students’ knowledge of consumer, and weights and measures issues.
Gail Kain, an accounting teacher and the Department Coordinator for Business, Technology, PE + Health and ROTC at Lenape, said students will be quizzed on credit and consumer laws.
Kain said the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs reports that teenagers are the biggest victims of consumer fraud. The competition, she said, encourages students to become aware of the laws and also where to find the answers to consumer questions.
Five students from Kain’s Accounting IV class will participate in the event: Trey Amar, Te’Aira Jones, Allyson Hall, Jackie Maynes and Brooke Reithmeier.
The group will compete against students from Bordentown, Burlington County Institute Of Technology, Burlington Township, Cherokee, Cinnaminson, Delran, Moorestown Friends, Pemberton, Seneca, Shawnee and Willingboro.
The competition begins at 9:30 a.m. Four winners from the first and second rounds will compete at 1 p.m. for the County Championship.


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НАТАША, ОГРОМНОЕ ТЕБЕ СПАСИБО ЗА ТАКУЮ ВКУСНУЮ И АДРЕСНУЮ ПОСЫЛКУ!!! ВСЁ ОЧЕНЬ УЮТНО, АРОМАТНО И СЕРДЕЧНО!!!(особенно мыло )))))))).
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An airline has been declared bankrupt, the Airbus A380s future with a certain carrier is uncertain and there’s more regarding the …
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The planned complete takeover of Gallus accelerates the development and use of Heidelberg's digital products in the growing labels sector. Later this year, Heidelberg and Gallus will be unveiling a new digital printing system for the label market that incorporates Fujifilm technology. At the same time, Heidelberg is strengthening its capital structure, which will support the company's strategic reorientation.
After the completion of the transaction, Heidelberg will directly and indirectly hold 100 percent of the shares in Gallus Holding AG. In 2013, the Gallus Group generated a turnover of CHF 188 million with approximately 500 employees.
In addition, Heidelberg agreed to pay a single-digit million euro amount in cash to
"We are very proud to have won Ferdinand Rüesch as anchor investor with long-standing sector knowledge," says Heidelberg CEO Gerold Linzbach. "The full acquisition of Gallus will further enhance the cooperation of the two companies. Together, we will continue to foster the development in the growing market for digital label production."
Dirk Kaliebe, CFO at Heidelberg, comments, "Both, the enhanced capital structure and the operative synergies will create the room required to further enhance the product and service range of both companies. This is the starting signal for the profit focused alignment of our portfolio and the steps required in this context."


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New York City is hanging up its payphones for good, in favor of a high-tech alternative pushed forward by Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Announced Monday by the Mayor's office, the winner of a competition to replace ageing payphones with something more modern is CityBridge, a designer of a device network which will give all five NYC boroughs free wireless Internet.
The LinkNYC booths will give New Yorkers 24/7 free Internet with up to gigabit speeds, free phone calls to anywhere in the United States, a touchscreen tablet interface to access city services, wayfinding, 911 and 311 calls and free call phone charging. The booths -- also known as "Links" within the device network -- will also display adverts and public service announcements digitally.
Each booth, encased in aluminium, will be nearly 10-foot-high and support a Wi-Fi radius of 150 feet. Up to 10,000 links across the boroughs have been pledged by the NYC Mayor, and they will be checked twice a week for graffiti.
De Blasio says the construction of the booths will be at "no-cost to taxpayers and generate more than $500 million in revenue for the city over the next 12 years," as well creating a number of new jobs. Instead, advertising will support the project, of which a revenue portion will be shared with the city.
"This administration has been committed to expanding affordable access to broadband for all New Yorkers from the outset. It's essential for everything we need to do to be a fair and just city, because we can't continue to have a digital divide that holds back so many of our citizens," said the Mayor.
"With this proposal for the fastest and largest municipal Wi-Fi network in the world -- accessible to and free for all New Yorkers and visitors alike -- we’re taking a critical step toward a more equal, open and connected city -- for every New Yorker, in every borough."
The Link booths were envisioned by the Antenna Design team, Masamichi Udagawa and Sigi Moeslinger. CityBride has promised to establish a local facility for producing and repairing the booths, and this is expected to create 100 to 150 new full-time jobs in manufacturing, technology and advertising, as well as an estimated 650 support jobs.
Read on: In the world of innovation


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After taking the helm of Castagna Realty just nine months ago, Russell Matthews is out as the firm’s president and CEO.
Sources say Matthews was fired earlier this month by Catherine Castagna, who then assumed his role as president of the company, best known for developing and operating the Americana Manhasset retail complex. Last week, Castagna reportedly dissolved the company’s entire eight-member board.
Matthews was hired at Castagna in October 2018 following the unexpected death of its long-time leader John Gutleber, who died in September after 30 years with the company.
Matthews was recruited by Castagna’s board after serving more than 20 years at Garden City-based Albanese Organization, where he was executive vice president and principal. The Albanese Organization was founded in 1949 by Matthews’ uncles, Vincent Albanese and Anthony Albanese.
No stranger to the Castagna operation, Matthews had many dealings with the company, as Albanese and Castagna were partners in several projects, including the proposed Syosset Park redevelopment led by Simon Properties.
The Castagna purge came as a surprise to those in the Long Island commercial real estate industry and those questioned were at a loss to explain it.
“It was a big shock to everyone,” said David Pennetta, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield on Long Island, who had served on the Real Estate Institute board with Gutleber. “I don’t know what the impetus for it was, but it’s upsetting for the real estate community.”
Few people LIBN spoke to wanted to be quoted for this story, however, sources close to the situation said Matthews had implemented some cost-cutting measures and other changes to the firm’s financial management that were aimed at positioning the company for the future, but were met with some resistance from within.
Catherine Castagna did not respond to a request for comment.
Matthews declined to comment.
Founded in 1922 as a masonry contractor called Gerace and Castagna, the company morphed into general contracting and began developing the Americana in 1955, a few after a young Frank Castagna joined the firm renamed Castagna and Son. In the 1980s, the company then called Castgana Realty, built Wheatley Plaza in Greenvale, boosting its domination of the Island’s luxury shopping sector. Besides its retail focus, the company has also worked on multifamily and office projects. In 2017, Castagna partnered with Tritec Real Estate to develop the 230,000-square-foot Dealertrack headquarters in North Hills.
Frank Castagna and his wife Rita have been prolific benefactors for charitable causes and organizations throughout the region, including the Tilles Center for Performing Arts, the North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, The Viscardi Center and many more.
“We’ve always held both the Castagna organization and Russ Matthews in the highest regard,” said Paul Amoruso, managing partner of Jericho-based Oxford & Simpson Realty, who owns a 35,000-square-foot retail site just down the road from the Americana. “The Castagna company has always been known as the gold standard for retail development on Long Island.”
Meanwhile, the abrupt dismissal of Matthews and the Castagna board has some questioning what lies ahead for the venerable firm and its properties.
“The Americana is one of the most successful retail spots on all of the East Coast,” Pennetta said. “And now, people don’t know what’s going to happen.”


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A new resource has been launched to help food service businesses in Australia improve sustainability in packaging.
The ‘Food Services Packaging Sustainability Guidelines’ have been launched by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO).
The guidelines were developed in close consultation with the government, the food services industry, waste handlers, composters & recyclers, academics and community groups.
It aims to provide organisations with a framework for reviewing and implementing more sustainable food service packaging options, incorporating considerations such as materials and recyclability, waste capture and handling and alternative delivery models.
“Food service businesses are facing unprecedented pressure and confusion, as they navigate not only the growing consumer backlash against problematic and single-use plastics, but also a rapidly changing marketplace that’s inundated with new materials and disruptive models,” said Brooke Donnelly, CEO of APCO.


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Tax incentives seek to land Tenn.-based manufacturer
- Kentucky’s economic development authority extends tax credits to woo Tenn. manufacturer.
- Avure Technologies opened new manufacturing plant in Middletown last year.
- Tax incentives also granted to Keebler to expand Florence plant.
Boone County could land the headquarters of a Tennessee-based maker of food and industrial processing systems with the help of state tax incentives.
The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority granted preliminary approval Thursday to extend $300,000 in incentives over a 10-year period to Avure Technologies Inc. Tax credits approved Thursday are also aiding expansions of a snack food maker in Florence and an online retail company in Hebron.
Franklin, Tenn.-based Avure Technologies, a subsidiary of Swedish company Avure Inc., is considering relocating its food lab and headquarters to Erlanger to be closer to its equipment manufacturing location in Ohio.
Last year, Avure received Ohio state tax incentives to open a manufacturing, engineering, procurement and customer service operation in Middletown. The 50,000-square-foot facility operates at 2601 South Verity Parkway and is the company’s first North American manufacturing operation.
Avure created a commercially viable system for high pressure removal of foodborne pathogens to substantially extend the shelf life of packaged foods without chemical additives or preservatives, according to the state’s economic development authority.
Avure estimates it would spend about $3 million on rent, building improvements, adding equipment and other startup costs.
With the move, Avure could bring about 10 jobs and potentially add four more over the incentive period. The positions have an average hourly wage of about $60 including employee benefits.
A subsidiary of Battle Creek, Mich.-based Kellogg also received $2 million in incentives over a 10-year-period.
Keebler, at 500 Weaver Road, is expected to invest about $19.2 million in equipment and startup costs to add manufacturing lines. Kellogg is in the midst of a four-year plan to optimize its global supply chain and eliminate excess capacity. Keebler pays and average $27 per hour.
Keebler has about 200 employees at the site and will add another 75.
The Boston-based online seller of home furnishings and decor Wayfair LLC told the state it relocated and more than tripled the size of a previous facility.
Wayfair’s distribution hub grew from about 155,370 square feet to a 525,000-square-foot facility at 1405 Worldwide Blvd. Wayfair signed the lease in the fourth quarter.⬛


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China. Oilseeds and Products Update. Nov 2014 Jan. 12, 2015
Post’s October forecast for MY14/15 total oilseed production is 55.8 million tons, down by 5 percent from an estimated 58.7 million tons in MY13/14. The downward revision reflects lower peanut and cottonseed production. Despite an expected fall in feed production during 2014, total oilseed demand continues to grow at the expense of other feed ingredients. In particular, soybean imports are estimated at 70 million tons in MY13/14 and projected to grow to 73 million tons in MY14/15.
Post’s October forecast for MY14/15 total oilseed production is 55.8 million tons, down by 5 percent from an estimated 58.7 million tons in MY13/14. Reductions in the planting areas and yield for peanuts and cotton lowered total oilseed production. Despite reports of a moderate recovery of the soybean planted area and yield in Heilongjiang Province, this recovery is expected to have a limited impact on total domestic oilseed production.
Total feed production is forecast to be lower than last year due to weaker consumer demand for livestock products. However, increased protein consumption in feed rations and expanding crushing capacity continue to stimulate oilseed demand and keep it on an upward trend. This is particularly the case for soybeans, as total soybean imports are estimated at 70 million tons in MY 13/14 and are projected to reach 73 million tons in MY14/15.
MY14/15 domestic oilseed production falls by 5 percent
Soybean production is estimated at 12 million tons based on a planted area of 6.75MHa, a 1.6 percent drop from the estimated production in the previous year. In late August, the Heilongjiang Provincial Agriculture Commission reported that the province’s soybean planted area recovered for the first time since 2009. The recovery is stated to be in response to a government policy announced before the sowing season to subsidize soybean farmers based on a newly established target price initially set at RMB4,800/ton. The implementation details of the target price policy are expected to be published in the near future. Industry insiders expected the subsidy “based on area and production” will be paid to soybean farmers in May 2015. In its October report, the China National Grain and Oils Information Center (CNGOIC) maintained its soybean production estimate at 11.5 million tons.
Currently, soybean harvest has almost ended in major soybean-producing regions in the Northeast Provinces. The marketing (farm-gate) price ranges from RMB4,000 to 4,200 per metric tons. Soybean yield is reportedly higher than the previous estimate. The soybean quality is rated as good due to adequate sunshine and moisture during the growing period. However, industry leaders in the Northeast Provinces note that even with the new target price, soybean profits continues to be lower than rice and corn.
Rapeseed production is forecast at 14.1 million tons, unchanged from Post’s September data, but lower than USDA’s October forecast at 14.7 million tons. CNGOIC’s October report estimates forecast MY14/15 rapeseed production at 14.5 million tons, unchanged from its September data. According to the State Grain Administration, as of September 30, the purchase of MY14/15 summer rapeseed ended with total purchase for state reserves at 3.49 million tons, significantly lower from 6.16 million tons from last year. Although the government’s stricter purchase policy might reduce the volume of state reserves, this decline indicates a smaller production than the official estimate.
Similar to soybeans, a “direct subsidy to rapeseed farmers” policy is likely to be implemented in 2015. This policy, if implemented, is expected to encourage rapeseed planting and have a positive impact on rapeseed planting area in the future. That said, as rapeseed planting uses winter idle land, this policy is not expected to have an impact on other crops.
Post’s Peanut production is forecast to fall to 16 million tons for MY14/15, unchanged from September data which was adjusted down by 1 million tons from the previous report. The serious drought in leading peanut-producing provinces including Henan, Shandong and Liaoning reduced peanut yield, while the low price in late MY13/14 lowered famer’s returns and also resulted in a reduced planted area.
CNGOIC’s October report forecast MY14/15 peanut production at 16.5 million tons based on a planted area of 4.5 MHa, and an unchanged yield from the previous year. However, most Chinese industry sources believe that the fall in planting area is actually higher than the official estimate and that the peanut yield in major producing provinces was seriously impacted by drought during the months of July-August.
Cotton seed production for MY14/15 is 11.3 million tons, down 1.48 million tons from 12.78 million tons in the previous year, due to expectations of a lower cotton planted area. In late October, a leading Chinese cotton industry source raised its MY14/15 cotton production to 6.6 million tons slightly higher than post’s forecast of 6.5 million tons. Regardless, additional impact on oilseed supply remains limited.
Sales of soybean reserves ended to support MY14/15 crop
The government’s sale of soybean reserves ended at the end of September to support the marketing of MY14/15 new crop, and prevent downward pressure on prices as the new crop supplies enter the market. CNGOIC reported through the government sold 2.48 million tons of soybean reserve from May to September 2014. Out of the total sold, approximately 1 million tons are from the 2010 crop, and 1.49 million tons are from the 2011 crop. These soybeans are mainly for food use.
Soybean meal use increasing despite estimates indicating total feed production to fall in 2014
MY14/15 soybean crushing consumption is forecast at 73 million tons, up from the estimated 68.5 million tons in MY13/14. An expected growth in soybean meal use and continued growth in demand for oil continues to stimulate the large crushing sector. In addition, surplus soybean meal is also being exported to neighboring markets.
China Feed Industry Association estimated total feed production at 83 million tons in the first half of 2014, down 3 percent compared to the same time in 2013. Low and negative profit for swine farming since late 2013 remains a major factor slowing down feed demand. While, feed production maintained its weak recovery in the third quarter of 2014, industry sources expect only moderate growth in the fourth quarter. Thus, total feed production is likely to fall from the previous year.
However, the soybean meal inclusion rate in rations is increasing as more large scale farms come on line using modern feeding practices. In late MY13/14, lower wheat production reduced the inclusion of wheat in feed formula. This also boosted soybean meal use as farmers sought to augment the feed’s protein content in the absence of wheat. The current larger global supplies and lower world prices will encourage Chinese feed mills to continue using soybean meal. Moreover, China’s restriction on imports of U.S. DDGS imposed since late July is expected to cut DDGS imports significantly and thus encourage more soybean meal use.
China’s GDP growth reached 7.4 percent in the first three quarters of 2014. China’s National Statistics Bureau (NSB) reported that total meat production stood at 59.75 million tons, up 2 percent over the previous year. Pork production reached 39.72 million tons, up 3.3 percent over the previous year. However, industry sources believe that the growth in consumption of livestock products leveled off in 2014. A slowing economy and lingering concerns over food safety and animal disease may be causing Chinese consumers to consume less livestock products. In addition, the recent Chinese government’s restriction on public spending to participate in conferences and banquets has further reduced demand. Live hog prices continued sliding even during the mid-autumn and national day holidays. The average price in mid-October was about RMB14/Kg, down 4.2 percent from July. Due to a declining corn price, the price ratio between pork and grain in mid-October stood at about 6 to 1, still lingering below the breakeven-point for the past seven months. However, most industry insiders expect pork prices to recover and profit for swine farming to be positive in the fourth quarter. Prices for eggs, beef and milk also remained bearish in the 3rd quarter.
Animal farming faces stricter environmental threshold
Chinese industry sources report that the government raised environmental threshold for animal farming in the middle of 2014. This resulted in the closure of many swine farms in Jiangxi, Guangdong and Zhejiang Provinces in locations the government considers not appropriate for animal farming. For example, in Jiangxi province pig and poultry inventory fell by more than 1 million head. Nonetheless, the impact on feed demand is expected to be short-lived as the lost production capacity will likely be restored soon in other locations.
-MY14/15 soybean imports forecast to hit 73 million tons
Post estimates China’s soybean imports for MY13/14 at 70 million tons, up from the 69 million tons in the previous report, and forecasts MY14/15 imports to reach a record 73 million tons. The MY13/14 imports are 10 million tons higher than MY12/13. The rapid import growth in MY13/14 reflects a continuing growth in the use of protein meal. In addition, good crushing margins in the first months of 2014, and excess crushing capacity led to more soybean imports in the second half of 2014. China’s soybean crushing capacity continues to expand and is estimated to reach more than 140 million tons per year by the end of 2014. Utilization rate stands at less than 50 percent. Additionally, industry sources report that increases in the Chinese feed sector’s use of extruded whole soybean meal also contribute to greater soybean imports. MY14/15 soybean imports are generally expected to maintain a normal growth rate as MY13/14 ending stocks remain relatively high. Demand for soybean products is expected to continue at an average growth rate. China’s industry sources also raised their forecast for MY14/15 soybean imports ranging from 74 to 79 million tons.
In July 2014, the Ministry of Agriculture issued notices of a “temporary non-approval” for two soybean varieties citing low public acceptance and insufficient approvals in third markets. This is the first time the Ministry of Agriculture has cited purely non-scientific reasons for refusing to approve a biotech variety. However, this decision does not affect already approved events.
-Soybean meal exports rebounded in MY13/14
Given an excessive supply of soybean meal in the domestic market, China increased soybean meal exports in MY13/14. These exports are expected to reach 2.2 million tons, up 66 percent from the previous year. This trend is likely to continue in MY14/15. The current low-priced imported soybeans will likely stimulate China’s crushing sector to increase utilization of its large crushing capacity and to meet the protein meal demands of neighboring markets.
-Rapeseed imports expected to be strong
Rapeseed imports are expected to be strong in MY13/14 as domestic rapeseed production remains lower than officially reported, and demand for lower-priced rapeseed continues. MY13/14 rapeseed imports are estimated at 4.3 million tons and are expected to stay strong in MY14/15.
A lower MY14/15 peanut production forecast will likely have limited impact on the general oilseed situation. However, imports of peanut oil could increase as the use of peanut oil continues to grow with other oil consumption. Export prices for other peanut products will likely stay strong. Peanut imports into China are restricted by a high import duty.
Exchange rate: $1=RMB6.2


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October 6, 2015
Australians are great recyclers with more than 90% of households recycling the paper and packaging they use at home. However, research undertaken for National Recycling Week 2014 showed that almost everyone is confused about the recyclability of at least one common packaging item.
That research also showed that consumers want to see information about recycling on-pack.
Planet Ark is very proud to launch its new Australian Recycling Label, which has been designed to address both customer confusion and the desire for on-pack information.
The label is made up of a simple diagram, which provides clear instructions about the recyclability of each component of the pack. Recyclability is determined by bringing together information about the extent of council collections and whether the component can be sorted and processed in existing recycling infrastructure.
Two of Australia’s best-known brands are already using the Australian Recycling Label to help their customers recycle correctly.
In August 2015 Officeworks was the first company to adopt the label. Lok-Man Shu, National Sustainability Manager, said "Officeworks wants to make a positive difference and we believe our customers do too. Removing barriers and making it easy to do the right thing will help drive positive actions. The Australian Recycling Label removes confusion and helps customers recycle correctly so we were happy to be the first company in Australia to adopt and roll out the label."
Health and well being brand Blackmores joined them in September. Chairman of the company, Marcus Blackmore, said “80 years ago my father, Maurice Blackmore, shared his radical views on recycling because he understood that you can’t have healthy people without a healthy planet. For recycling to have the best environmental and economic outcomes individuals, households, councils, the community and businesses need to play their part. Blackmores is proud to be one of the first companies to adopt the Australian Recycling Label. We want to know that the instructions we are giving our customers are backed by evidence.”
Over the coming months more manufacturers will join these two leading companies with their own labelled products. As more manufacturers and retailers use the label there will be less confusion, less contamination, better recycling and a healthier planet.
For more information visit the Australian Recycling Label site.
Brad was Planet Ark's Head of Campaigns for 10 years. He trained and worked as a history and geography teacher before moving into the health education sector for 14 years. With a strong passion for human environments, Brad started with Planet Ark in 2007 as Recycling Programs Manager.


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LexisNexis Risk Solutions today released its annual LexisNexis® Fraud Mitigation Study, which found that people who commit fraud in one industry are increasingly emboldened to exploit other industries, too, giving organizations greater incentive to fight fraud cooperatively by sharing fraud data. The same study showed interest is growing among fraud mitigators to utilize fraud data from other organizations, both within their own industries and from other industries. 84 percent of professionals said that more access to industry fraud would be valuable and 80 percent see access to outside-industry data as very valuable.
This has led to increased interest in sharing data in a common cause to fight fraud. 86 percent of professionals said they would consider contributing their investigative outcomes to a contributory database if they could receive the outcomes data back from other industries. Insurance companies, in particular, place a high value on data coming from organizations outside their industry (along with financial organizations) because they experience widespread cross-industry fraud and believe it has a high financial impact on their organization, the study revealed. Retailers are also keen on cross-industry cooperation because of the increasing threats of identify fraud in the industry.
“LexisNexis Risk Solutions’ Fraud Mitigation Study spotlights prominent fraud trends impacting retailers and highlights the need for fraud and information security teams to engage across multiple industries in a concerted effort to strengthen collective fraud defense capabilities,” said Jennifer McGoldrick-Stenberg, Engagement Director, Retail Cyber Intelligence Sharing Center (RH-ISAC). “As the study suggests, a common obstacle facing retailers is identifying solutions to fight the rising tide of identity and other fraud activities that impact customer accounts. In an effort to mitigate this challenge for the industry, Retail and Hospitality Information Sharing and Analysis Center (RH-ISAC), which houses the Retail ISAC, has formed a retail-focused Fraud Working Group to formulate solutions and strategies to protect against customer account takeover and gift card fraud activities. The group acts as a mechanism for driving collaboration across the retail spectrum, with participants from member companies including CashStar, Darden, Hyatt Hotels Corp., Jo-Ann Stores, Publix, QVC, Ulta and Synchrony Financial, all focused on a common goal: to produce outcomes that demonstrably mitigate losses and the effect of fraud on customers.”
For the full LexisNexis Risk Solutions release click here: https://risk.lexisnexis.com/about-us/press-room/press-release/2017-10-11-fraud-mitigation-study
To learn more about key findings in the LexisNexis Fraud Mitigation Study, visit http://solutions.lexisnexis.com/fraudstudy.


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Demonetisation did not have “any adverse impact” on foreign tourist arrivals and foreign exchange earnings as these segments recorded a “robust” growth in November when the drive was launched, the government today said, dismissing fears that the huge exercise may hit tourism. According to the tourism ministry, foreign footfalls saw a growth of 9.3 per cent at 8.91 lakh in November compared to 8.16 lakh in the month last year. The foreign exchange earnings registered a growth of 14.4 per cent at Rs 14,474 crore compared to Rs 11,431 crore in the same period in 2015.
“It can thus be observed that demonetisation did not have any adverse impact on the foreign tourist arrival and foreign exchange earnings which have shown robust growth over the comparative period last year,” it said in a statement. The government has taken steps to ensure “no hardship is faced” by tourists and the industry is not affected due to demonetisation, the ministry said, claiming that “government efforts have paid dividends” with growth in the figures.
In fact, the number of e-tickets sold during the 30 days after the move to demonetise currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 was announcement on November 8 increased to 28,176 compared to 2,807 during the 30 days prior to the televised decision, witnessing earnings of Rs 181.49 lakh and Rs 3.10 lakh in the comparative period, the ministry said.
“It can therefore be seen that sale of e-tickets and earnings have increased significantly by 10 and 58 times respectively as people are buying tickets for ASI monuments online through cashless payments,” it added. Following the demonetisation move, there were fears that it may affect the tourism industry.


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An alarming number of customers have fallen foul of fraud when using the online payment service
“Safer. Simpler. Smarter.” That is the slogan of PayPal, the payment service used by 20 million people when buying and selling items online.
But customers who have fallen victim to fraud when using the service say that “dangerous, expensive and complicated” is a more appropriate description.
Times Money has received scores of letters from angry PayPal customers who have lost hundreds of pounds after selling items on eBay. Websites such as paypalsucks.com and paypalwarning.com detail similar “horror stories” from disgruntled customers.
Jack Gardner, 19, recently sold his Apple computer on eBay to raise £995 to pay for his university tuition


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Popular wallet developer Electrum has released an emergency patch for a key vulnerability in Bitcoin wallets.
stratus electrum wallet
Electrum Litecoin Wallet review: Lightweight Litecoin customers.
Another upgrade under study is the release of a new version of the Electrum-LTC desktop wallet. Electrum-LTC is an SPV wallet that can be used in Windows, Linux, and OS X operating systems.
In August-September, Bitcoin wallet Electrum was hacked twice, and according to multiple sources, at least 1,450 BTCs worth $11.6 million were stolen from phishing attacks that faked Electrum upgrade tips.
One of the attacks was carried out through a fake electronic wallet (XLM). The platform issued a warning that the electrum-xlm (dot) information is a bitcoin theft malware. It wrote on Twitter: 'There is no way to easily port wallet software from Bitcoin to Stellar because these are completely different projects. Please do not download the altcoin variant of Electrum unless you really know what you are doing.
Welcome more EOS BPs to join the WhaleEx multi-sig mechanism. On the way to.
Let's talk about how to pick up the BCC, for example, if you were using an Electrum wallet.
and open the web page, then your wallet may have been compromised. Particularly paranoid people may want to send all BTCs from their old Electrum wallets to the newly generated Electrum wallet.
Google developers have discovered that a Bitcoin wallet Electrum vulnerability could lead to money being stolen from websites.
Reminder: Digital wallet developer Electrum has released an emergency patch saying it found vulnerabilities to steal users' digital currency.


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Coworking spaces have redefined the traditional office model, replacing uniform, lock-in contract offices with flexible options for small businesses and freelancers.
According to the 2019 Global Coworking Survey by Deskmag, the number of coworking venues worldwide is estimated to grow to more than 26,000 in 2020.
Step inside these creative hubs and you’ll find colourful, open-plan spaces teaming with solo workers as well as semi-private offices occupied by the likes of tech companies, start-ups and small businesses.
They’re also full of creative meeting and event spaces –and you don’t have to be a tenant to use them.
Coworking provider WOTSO has 18 locations currently operating or under construction across Australia and Asia, offering more than 30,000 square metres of coworking space.
According to chief operating officer Tom Aitchison, office and desk rental make up the core of the business, but venue hire is a growing revenue stream that currently accounts for about 5 per cent.
“We have multiple meeting rooms with varying sizes,” he says.
These include 20-person meeting rooms through to signature ‘amphitheatre’ spaces for 80 people or more.
“There’s a lot of untapped potential,” says Aitchison.
Not-for-profit provider Fishburners is another big player in the coworking space, offering shared space for tech start-ups in Brisbane, Sydney and Shanghai. Event space hire makes up roughly 10 per cent of the business, says CEO Nicole O’Brien.
“Both Sydney and Brisbane have really fantastic venues for events,” she says.
“We’ve been able to create facilities that we can provide to thebroader community on a fee-for-service basis and being a not-for-profit, that allows us to have another source of revenue generation that we can invest back in the start-up communities that we support.”
So what are the benefits of choosing a coworking event space over a traditional meeting room? According to O’Brien, the coworking environment is simply an inspiring place to be.
“We call them our creative events and ideas spaces because I suppose they’re always designed with that in mind,” she says.
“That’s why people like them; they’re not your average hotel conference room, and they’ve got lots of really large windows and natural light, which is such a rare thing to find in CBD properties.”
Aitchison says while coworking spaces differ from traditional meeting spaces, all the basics are provided, often for an affordable price.
“We don’t set them up to have a five-star hotel conference facilities as such,but we’ve got AV, internet, catering, everything ready to go,” he says.
WOTSO coworking spaces are mostly located outside of major CBDs in an effort to be easily accessible for members. Aitchison says the locality is another drawcardf or corporate groups.
“There’s [now] event spaces in areas where there aren’t hotels or function centres,” he says.
Whether it’s a workshop, team brainstorming day or general business meeting, corporate groups looking for something a little out of the ordinary will find a wealth of creative event spaces inside coworking hubs.
It’s why businesses such as Lendlease, ING, VISA and Atlassian have all held events at Fishburners, says O’Brien.
“It’s just a novel, unique environment to be in and to get into somewhere completely different,” she says.
“You would hope that stimulates some new ideas and innovation.”
Inspiring spaces for your next event
Located in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, this coworking hub is bursting with creativity. Event planners can choose from the 16-seat Corporate Cave, the 12-seat Ping Pong Room or the Picnic Room for larger groups of 45 delegates.
Fishburners Sydney, located at York Street in the CBD, offers the Ideas Space, which can host up to 250 guests for a standing function or 100 theatre style, and the Event Space, which caters for up to 300 guests or can be divided for smaller groups. There are also two private boardrooms on offer.
WOTSO’s Pyrmont location in Sydney offers four event spaces, including the Nook for up to six people or the Room of Requirement for up to 10. The Green Room is a relaxed boardroom space for up to 20 people, while the Ampitheatre can host up to 80 guests.
This article originally appeared in Summer edition of Spice Magazine.


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Cardano (ADA) is one of the most often targeted projects by cryptocurrency fraudsters, who are using phishing assaults to scam unwary victims.
Never-ending phishing attacks
With 277 attacks, Luno is second behind Blockchain, which has 662. Poloniex and Magic Eden are placed fourth and fifth, with 72 and 67 assaults, respectively.
According to statistics supplied with Finbold by VPN service Atlas VPN, ADA was the third most phished crypto project over the 90 days ending June 22 and recorded 191 assaults.
Other large phishing assaults affected the cryptocurrency exchange Binance with 59 incidents and the peer-to-peer trading platform Paxful with nine occurrences.
Specifically, the con artists target cryptocurrency initiatives, especially those that produce products like non-fungible coins and financial products (NFTs).
In the first quarter of 2022, a number of scams cost more than $329 million in total, and forecasts indicate that the amount will continue to increase.
Since last year, consumers have lost over $1 billion in various crypto scams.
Cardano appears to be one of the cryptocurrency projects that scammers find appealing as the platform logs more use cases in its drive to replace current networks like Ethereum.
Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, forewarned that platform-related frauds will likely continue to increase thanks to the spike in ADA last year.
It’s interesting to see that fraudsters have grown despite a significant decline in the cryptocurrency market in 2022.
Con artists are stealing money from unwary clients by taking advantage of their naivety as the bitcoin sector grows.
One significant Cardano scam appeared in May as a result of the mass distribution of a downloadable phishing application on social media sites.
Finbold said that a fake Daedalus cryptocurrency wallet website was promoted on the Discord chat service with the purpose of stealing users’ ADA holdings.
The suspicious program misrepresented itself as a platform for giveaways and promotions, and anyone who downloaded it lost access to their ADA wallet’s personal data.
Furthermore, the absence of defined restrictions encourages scam artists to deceive their victims.
- Amazon’s Web3 Based Initiative: An Crucial Step in Crypto Space - January 30, 2023 3:00 pm EST
- Gemini Exchange Gets New CFO: Tyler Skelton - January 30, 2023 2:58 pm EST
- Coinbase Skyrockets: Stock Surges 90% in January - January 30, 2023 2:10 pm EST


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WeedMD consolidates medical distribution activities
Closes facility to maximize production efficiencies
Flowr and Hawthorne Canada to work jointly
Firms announce completion of world’s first cannabis R&D Facility
Aurora Cannabis laying off 214 workers
Chief science officer to retire
Canopy Growth announces changes to Canadian operations
Production sites impacted represent 100% of its Canadian outdoor production.
Aphria buys US craft brewer in US$300M deal, may help with expansion
Business will be key to its expansion plans and help it access the US more quickly in the event of federal cannabis legalization.
BevCanna trial production runs of Keef, State B lines succeed
Next step for infused beverage expert is to move ahead quickly with commercialization plans.
‘I’d be better off going after a bank’: Pot companies beef up security for Croptober
Cannabis is big business, and upgraded security infrastructure reflects that
Peak Processing granted cannabis processor’s licence
Service model is aimed at cannabis-licence holders and non-licensed CPG groups looking to enter the Canadian market.
Clint Eastwood sues CBD sellers over use of his name, image
Suits that seek millions in damages from defendants that include nearly 20 small companies.
BevCanna signs deal to bring cannabis products to Saskatchewan
Weed Pool will distribute and sell beverages and extracts through its retail distribution network.
BevCanna signs LOI for white label deal with BC’s State B Beverage
Companies will create a concept that combines functional beverages and cannabis drinks.
The verdict: Canada’s legalization of cannabis is a success
To be addressed: amnesty for those convicted of simple possession and use when cannabis was illegal.
BevCanna exclusive Canadian manufacturer of Marianna CBD beverage
LOI agreement has BevCanna making the beverage line and Marianna handling national sales and marketing.
First global LOI for THC-infused gummy manufacturer Dynaleo
Will make and distribute cannabis-infused vegan gummies under the Pantry brand within the Canadian market.
Aurora Cannabis to lay off 700 staff, close five sites
A strategic realignment of operations to protect its position as a leader in key global cannabinoid markets.
Canopy Growth faces gross margin pressures, will limit spending: CFO
Pandemic is causing the cannabis company to lose some economies of scale.
Hexo sells Niagara Falls cannabis facility for $10.25M
No longer expected to restart operations halted in November due to an excess of cultivation capacity in the market.
Tilray to close Leamington greenhouse over next 6 weeks
$7.5 million in net annualized savings, and avoids significant ongoing capital expenditures as a result.
Motif Labs commences cannabis operations at its Ontario facility
Will run a contract manufacturing hub partnering with cultivators, as well as third-party brands.
Research explores potential for cannabis to treat COVID-19
Study uses artificial human 3D models of oral, airway and intestinal tissues.
Canopy Rivers invests $2M in Edmonton cannabis gummies company
Dynaleo has built a manufacturing facility, plans white-label production of CBD and THC edibles for the Canadian market.
Cannabis orders top 13,000, flurry of new customers amid COVID-19
Ontario Cannabis Store has staffed up, lowered prices and launched free shipping during COVID-19 to make legal options more accessible.
A1 Cannabis launches cannabis beverages in Ont.
Summit THC Citrus Water has a blend of lemonade and grapefruit flavours with 2.5 mg of THC.
High Tide to re-open Canna Cabana retail cannabis stores in Ont.
The Canna Cabana retail cannabis stores in Hamilton, Sudbury and Toronto will re-open in compliance with the prescribed 14-day period
BevCanna launches cannabis-infused beverage powder
Jase will be available for sale in licensed dispensaries in California this year.
Cannabis industry braces for COVID-19 troubles, debates calls for aid
Funding has been drying up as thousands of cannabis workers were laid off from flagship cannabis brands.
Tweed’s first THC-infused drink ships nationwide
The THC/CBD beverage will be available on provincial eCommerce platforms and at brick-and-mortar retail locations across Canada.
Tilray misses analyst expectations in Q4, follows February layoffs
Legal cannabis market slower than expected taking share from the elicit market due to distribution and product availability issues.
Namaste adds IGNITE products to cannabis web portal CannMart.com
Will also oversee the sale and distribution of the IGNITE products in Canada.
Canntab awarded Health Canada cannabis research licence
Plans to produce oral delivery formulations including extended release, instant release and bi-layered hard pills.
Nextleaf granted patent for industrial-scale extraction of CBD and THC
Focus is on commercializing patents by licensing IP to partners operating in other legal markets, and supplying THC and CBD oils.
BevCanna doubles Vancouver manufacturing facility
Expecting standard processing licence as it prepares to initiate full-scale production.


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Zenith has won a global pitch for the consolidated media business of dairy products company Lactalis. It is now the master agency partner across 75% of Lactalis’ markets. The remainder of the account, it is understood, is with Havas Media. According to industry sources, the incumbent on the business won by Zenith was the Dentsu Aegis network.
The win sees Zenith add eleven new markets including Canada, the UK and the USA even as it retains its existing business for Lactalis in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
The agency will lead the media communications business from its headquarters in London, working with Lactalis centrally and locally.
Zenith’s global brand president Vittorio Bonori said: “We are absolutely delighted to become Lactalis’ master agency partner. This is a testament to our strong relationship with Lactalis and to Zenith’s approach to driving business growth as the ROI agency.”
The post Zenith wins pitch to become master agency partner for dairy brand Lactaclis appeared first on Mumbrella Asia.


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Ride-Hailing Giant Uber Posts $5 Billion Loss as Growth Slows
【Summary】Uber reported a Q2 loss of $5.2 billion on Thursday as growth of its core business slows. Uber reported that its revenue growth slowed to 14%, and the company’s core ride-hailing business grew revenue 2% to $2.3 billion.
Ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies Inc, reported a Q2 loss of $5.2 billion on Thursday as growth of its core business slows. Revenue fell short of Wall Street targets however, sending Uber's stock price down 6%.
San Francisco-based Uber's net loss reflected $3.9 billion of stock-based compensation expenses related to its IPO in early May. Wedbush analyst Ygal Arounian said to Reuters that Uber's loss before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization was close to Wall Street targets.
Meanwhile Uber biggest rival Lyft, also based in San Francisco, raised revenue expectations and described an easing price war, sending up shares of both companies during regular trade on Thursday. Uber share price rose more than 8% on Thursday, while Lyft had gained 3% during the day.
During today's earnings call, Uber reported that its revenue growth slowed to 14%, and the company's core ride-hailing business grew revenue just 2% to $2.3 billion. Most of Uber's growth is now coming from its food delivery business.
Uber reported a 72% increase in revenue from its from food delivery unit Uber Eats, which boosted Uber's overall revenue. Total revenue fell short of the average analyst estimate of $3.36 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.
Gross bookings, a measure of total value of car rides, e-scooter and bicycle-sharing trips, food deliveries via Uber Eats, as well as other services before payments to drivers, restaurants and other expenses is up 31% from a year earlier, reaching $15.76 billion. Analysts on average were expecting $15.80 billion.
Uber reported a 72% increase in revenue from its from food delivery unit Uber Eats.
Uber long term problems are its ability to reach profitability in its ride-hailing business. The company continues to lose money from each ride it completes. However, Uber reported the amount passengers spent on trips rose 20% while the amount Uber kept after paying its drivers increased just 4%.
Both Uber and Lyft relied heavily on subsidizing fares to attract riders. The two companies have invested heavily to expand services into areas such as self-driving technology for Lyft and food delivery for Uber.
Uber's costs rose 147% to $8.65 billion in the quarter, including a sharp rise in spending for research and development. Uber is racing to develop self-driving vehicles in the hopes that it might one day lessen its reliance on human drivers.
Uber CEO Says the Company's Pricing Has Become 'More Rational'
Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi said in a press call the competitive environment is starting to rationalize and it has been "progressively improving" since the first quarter.
Lyft on Wednesday said pricing had become "more rational", meaning the company should spend less on promotions and incentives to win market share. Lyft raised its revenue outlook on Wednesday.
"While we will continue to invest aggressively in growth, we also want it to be healthy growth, and this quarter we made good progress in that direction," Chief Financial Officer Nelson Chai said in a statement.
The company, which has not yet made clear whether it will make a profit, is trying to convince investors that growth will come not only from its ride services, but also from other logistics and food delivery services.
Uber continues to expand its Uber Freight logistics business. Uber Freight added new shipping customers across the enterprise, middle market, and small- and medium-sized business segment, Uber wrote in its Q2 report.
On a positive note, the number of Uber's monthly active users continues to climb, as ride-hailing becomes a popular option for people, especially in urban areas. Uber said its monthly active users rose to 100 million globally in July, from 93 million at the end of the first quarter and 76 million a year earlier. It was the highest number of monthly active users in the company's history.
Khosrowshahi said that Uber is becoming "more and more integral part of everyday life in cities around the world."
Still, both Uber and rival Lyft need to figure out a way to make money from their core ride-hailing business in order to achieve sustainable, long-term growth as public companies. This might be Uber's biggest challenge going forward.
resource from: Reuters
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- GM’s Buick Division is Getting a Makeover, Will Only Offer Electric Vehicles by the End of the Decade
- Mercedes-Benz Begins Production of the Highly Anticipated EQS Electric SUV in Alabama
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- General Motors Announces Two Major Long-Term Supply Agreements for Enough Lithium and Cathode Material to Build 5 Million EVs
- Volkswagen Starts Production of the Electric ID.4 SUV in Tennessee, Presents New Competition for Tesla, GM and Ford
- Volvo Cars and Epic Games to Partner on a High-Resolution 3D Digital Driver’s Display Powered by the Unreal Engine
- Here’s How Waymo Uses Hyper-Local Weather Data to Improve the Capabilities of its Self-Driving Vehicles
- Volvo’s Parent Company Geely Launches a New Outdoor Lifestyle EV Brand Named 'RADAR'
- Automotive Supplier MAHLE Developed a Superior Continuous Torque (SCT) Electric Vehicle Motor That Can Run ‘Indefinitely’


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Thieves steal ATM from shopping centre in Australind
Police are calling on witnesses to a ram raid at the Treendale Shopping Centre that occurred about 2.30am Thursday.
Bunbury Detectives said the offenders stole a skid-steer loader from a building site near the shopping centre in Australind.
The offenders then drove the loader to the shopping centre and used it to drive through the glass entrance doors before using it to remove an ATM.
The ATM was placed into a stolen tray-back utility which was parked in the shopping centre carpark.
Police arrived at the scene as offenders loaded the ATM onto the utility and managed to pursue the vehicle for a short time.
The ATM fell off the back of the vehicle along Constellation Drive.
Officers made the decision to secure the ATM and the offenders left the scene in the stolen vehicle.
Det-Sen. Sgt John Munday said the machine remained intact throughout and the cash was recovered in full, however there was significant damage caused to the shopping centre.
“We are now gathering CCTV footage from the nearby businesses and will review that footage as part of our investigations,” he said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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Cambodia's durian farmers, traders worry about selling during lockdowns
Cambodian durian farmers and traders are voicing out concerns on how to bring their products to the market, with Phnom Penh and Takmao imposing restrictions.
Durian yields are traditionally brought to the market from February to August, with most ripening between April and May.
An extended lockdown would certainly impact durian sales because the fruit’s biggest market is in Phnom Penh.
According to Kong Lay, an owner of a durian plantation in Kampot, the coinciding of the harvest and lockdown of Phnom Penh and Takhmao are causing difficulties for both farmers and sellers who can now only sell online or via phone.
He noted that during the lockdown, it is impossible to sell in-person at stores.
While the fruit is still being transported from Kampot to Phnom Penh, traveling restrictions have made the inter-provincial shipping process more difficult.
Door-to-door delivery services in Phnom Penh also face obstacles.


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Prime Minister of Serbia visited the machinery exhibition of the AMKODOR holding
On 26 January, the JSC Minsk Automobile Plant held the machinery exhibition dedicated to the visit of Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Alexander Vuchich who was on an official visit in our country. 35 new models of domestic machinery produced by the JSC MAZ, AMKODOR holding and JSC MTZ were presented at the exhibition.
AMKODOR holding presented multipurpose skid steer loader AMKODOR 211E, multipurpose loaders AMKODOR 320, AMKODOR 330SE, AMKODOR 352S-02, AMKODOR 342S4, as well as over ten pieces of attachable equipment for different purposes.
Director General of the JSC AMKODOR, holding managing company, V. Ivankovich personally accompanied Alexander Vuchich at the machinery exhibition of the holding and together with the experts of the marketing center provided detailed information about its characteristics and functionalities. The guest also received the catalogue of the enterprise machinery.
Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia showed great interest to the machinery of AMKODOR brand, especially to the model 211E, asked a lot of clarifying questions and asked to provide additional information materials on the holding products to the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in the Republic of Belarus.
According to the press-service of the Ministry of Industry, nowadays Belarus and Serbia established a fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation in many areas.Agencies of the system of the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Belarus are ready for more active cooperation with the industrial enterprises of the Republic of Serbia.


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It's unlikely that you will have ever heard of the Shandong Luhua Group. Yet this rather substantial Chinese enterprise produces no less than 600,000 tons of peanut oil and 100,000 tons of sunflower seed oil each year.
Needless to say, with production volumes like that, it's hardly surprising that its products have been exported to numerous countries, providing it with revenues in the millions.
The company itself has a number of subsidiaries -- including one in Inner Mongolia that hails by the incredibly lengthy name of the Inner Mongolia Luhua Sunflower Seeds Oil Company Limited.
The reason that I mention this particular plant in Inner Mongolia is simply because of its size. If you take a look at the picture below, you will see what I mean.
Now you might think that such a plant would employ a lot of people to perform tedious manual operations to check the size and the quality of the sunflower seeds before they are processed to make the oil.
But that's where you'd be wrong. It's for certain that many of the processes are automated, not in the least the sorting of the seeds according to their color.
The picture below, for example, testifies to that fact. Taken from inside the plant itself, it appears to show a plethora of color sorting machines from Anhui Jiexun Optoelectronic Technology (Hefei, Anhui, China). This company has produced an array of such systems to automate the sorting of all sorts of agricultural products -- including rice, cereals, beans, nuts and tea!
Now for those of you still reeling from the news that Vision 2013 has been cancelled, let me remind you that Vision China 2013 will still be held between October 16-18 this year at the China International Exhibition Center (Beijing, China).
Perhaps now is the perfect time for those of us who manufacture and market components used in vision systems to look a little further afield for new opportunities. China might be just the place.


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Samsung is expected to be working on the Galaxy S21 FE, which is due to be released in this summer. The device should succeed the Galaxy S20 FE and sit below the Galaxy S21 in terms of price, whilst offering many of the same features.
We’ve compared how the Galaxy S21 FE and the Galaxy S20 FE are expected to differ in a separate feature, but here we are focusing on how the Galaxy S21 FE could stack up against the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+, based on the speculation so far.
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Samsung is rumoured to announce the 'Fan Edition' - also known as FE - of its Galaxy S21 later this Read more
Last year’s Galaxy S20 wasn’t exactly the heavy hitter that Samsung had hoped, at least not compared to how much Read more


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04-28-2014, 08:50 AM #1
Videos: Yamaha Blasts New Sea-Doo Spark With Comparison Videos
Oh boy, does Yamaha*hate the new Sea-Doo Spark. And we’re not talking like you might hate mayonnaise or small yappy dogs kind of hate, we’re saying they rubbing-your-hands-together-menacingly-like-a-Batman-villain hate the new Spark. In an unprecedented level of public trash-talking, Yamaha Watercraft USA released a pair of upbeat, kitschy YouTube videos poising the all-new Sea-Doo’s Rec Lite watercraft to Yamaha’s decade-plus-year-old VX runabout.
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