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- WHITE PAPERS
The Millennial demographic, including those in their early teens through mid-to-late 20s, is expected to increase its spending influence and its size, mostly driven by immigration, in the next few years.
This growth should provide a big boon to the foodservice industry. According to recent research by The NPD Group, Millennials made more than 13 billion of the 59 billion visits to restaurants in 2010 and spent $73 billion.
And, a new report from Technomic and C3, The Dining Habits of Tweens and Teens, shows that tweens/teens play a large role in where their friends and families eat. Fifty-eight percent of teens and 54 percent of tweens report that their family decides together which full-service restaurant to visit.
The Technomic research explored 1,500 consumers' attitudes toward national restaurant chains, food preferences, dining-out behaviors with friends and family, kids' menu preferences, snacking behavior, convenience-store patronage, technology use and more.
"Our youth play an integral part in the family dining experience, often participating in decisions on where and what to eat. On the other hand, a majority of their dining behaviors derive from outside influences, most notably, friends," said Sara Monnette, Technomic director of consumer research.
Targeting the message
Because of the younger generation's growing influence, a differentiated marketing strategy geared toward that group could provide plenty of benefits. Some brands have already caught on.
For example, CKE Restaurants Inc., parent company of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, has signed an advertising agreement with OneMinuteNews.com, an online news website aimed specifically at Millennials. The advertising campaign is interactive, with short-form 5-to-10 second messages and content sponsorships, and is geographically targeted.
"We are creating short form advertising for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's that is specifically designed to appeal to the fast-paced Millennial Generation in a high impact, geographically targeted manner," said Brad J. Rosenberg, manager of Digital Strategy & Marketing, CKE Restaurants.
Douglas J. Greenlaw, OneMinuteNews.com founder and CEO, said the Millennials make up the largest generation in the history of the U.S., however is the most under-delivered demographic in the news and information space.
Other brands attract teens through high school scholarship awards, such as the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens' "Graduate to go Studios," and the KFC Colonel's Scholars Program's Twitter promotion.
There are even brands that reach out to an even younger crowd by promoting children's literacy. Great American Cookies hosts an annual Reading is SWEET program, while Pizza Hut's Book It! Reading program has featured Justin Bieber as its spokesperson, to the delight of tween girls everywhere.
Tailoring menu items
Because the attitudes and behaviors of tweens and teens reflect specific life stages, foodservice operators and suppliers may find success by tailoring menu offerings and marketing strategies to fit these stages. As an example, the majority of tweens report in Technomic's research that they wish restaurants would provide a separate menu for kids their age.
Also, the demographic tends to spend more than half of their foodservice dollars on takeout and, on average, spends more than other generations on snack items.
Snacking tends to decrease in frequency as youth get older, but the quantity of food eaten may increase. For example, 60 percent of 8- to 9-year-olds report that they snack every day, compared to 47 percent of those aged 10 to 12, and 38 percent of teens. Teens are slightly more likely than tweens to report snacking a lot (22 percent vs. 18 percent of tweens).
"Today's tweens and teens are a diverse population, even within demographic and age segments," said Ian Davidson, senior manager, Brand Insights at C3. "They can often be difficult for marketers to understand and engage. Brands that are successful with tweens and teens will need to demonstrate a tiered strategy to reach this powerful group of consumers."
This approach echoes NPD Group's research, which concludes that foodservice operators are smart to offer greater menu variety to meet Millennials' interests.
"Millennials will overtake Baby Boomers as the most sought-after target for restaurateurs in the coming years," said Bonnie Riggs, NPD restaurant industry analyst. "This is the time to reach them to build their loyalty. It's important to understand that Millennials are not a one-size-fits-all generation and their needs and wants are varied."
Read more about statistics and trends.


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Germany says planned U.S. tariffs would distort world trade
U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned tariffs on steel and aluminum would distort world trade, German Economy Minister Brigitte Zypries said on Friday, adding Europe would respond appropriately if Washington follows through with the plan, Reuters reports.
The president of Germany’s BDI industry group said separately that the planned tariffs risked global trade wars.
“The U.S. policy of isolation is a mistake,” BDI President Dieter Kempf said in a statement.“U.S. President Donald Trump risks global trade wars and a spiral of protectionism, which in the end would cost American jobs.”

domain: news


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A large "high-tech" logistics centre is set to be built in Yeovil on the Leonardo Helicopters site.
Construction will begin this summer on the £30 million facility at West Hendford in the town, on the site of a former GKN factory.
The existing building will be demolished to make way for a huge logistics facility spanning nearly 20,000m2, the equivalent of 2.7 football pitches.
The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022, Leonardo Helicopters has confirmed.
A statement from the company reads: "The project sees the consolidation of eight existing warehouses into one all-encompassing logistics hub.
"This high-tech facility means a reduction in operating costs, by having all logistics under one roof, and maximises the potential of helicopter component logistics.
"The new facility, with its high-end technologies, is heavily focussed on sustainability.
"It will be equipped with rainwater harvesting tanks for brown water services, full LED lighting will be employed throughout the facility, a heat recovery system will be used in the main warehouse, which will be complemented by a modern office temperature control system.
"In addition, there will be a bank of electrical vehicle charging points."
The facility is expected to be fully operational in 2023.
Nick Whitney, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters (UK) said: "The main aim of the Single-Site Logistics facility at Leonardo’s site in Yeovil is to consolidate all Yeovil-based warehousing.
"This state-of-the-art facility will streamline the site’s operational capability and customer service by having all logistical support in one place. It highlights further Leonardo’s long-term commitment to its Yeovil site through the strategic development of this high-tech logistics hub."
The statement from Leonardo Helicopters adds: "This new single-site logistics facility demonstrates Leonardo’s long-term commitment to Somerset, the South West and to its customers.
"As a ground-breaking business infrastructure solution it also aligns strongly with Leonardo’s Industrial Plan, which focuses on stronger customer support services and proximity, thereby complimenting the Be Tomorrow – Leonardo’s 2030 Plan, the innovation roadmap supporting Leonardo’s long-term sustainable growth."


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Body sensors, smart watches, personal video recorders and smart glasses, also known as wearable electronics or simply wearables, have become an alternative way to recruit patients and collect real-world data for the health industry – some of the biggest challenges for the pharmaceutical industry. They can be easily worn on the body or clothes and can be used to collect data related to cardiovascular safety of drugs, heart rhythm and sleep activity through embedded biosensors. This is the case of Google’s health-tracking wristband for clinical trials, Vivofit, Google glasses or the Apple Watch. It also refers to electronic technologies like Apple’s ResearchKit, which enables the use of smartphone apps for patient recruitment and to create apps to gather new types of data using iPhone features.
Although it is still quite soon to know its full potential, wearable technology was estimated to be worth almost US$23 billion in 2016, rising to US$173.3 billion by 2020, according to the Wearable Technology, a 2015 report based on an analysis of 221 companies from 24 countries. Even though wearable product adoption is growing fast, some say engagement isn’t that strong. According to a research from Endeavour Partners in the US, one-third of American consumers who own a wearable device stop using it within six months. However, the survey only focused on devices worn throughout a whole day and did not include healthcare specific wearables like cardiac monitors or trackers designed for workout sessions like heart rate straps.
Overall, experts say that as medical technologies become more sophisticated, they can help gather more data in a faster way. So far, wearables allow for continuous monitoring and real-time responses that can facilitate early intervention to specific patients and to reduce trial risks. They also help to collect large quantities of data, to streamline procedures and to reduce costs of clinical trials.
Despite all the benefits, there are still some operational and technical challenges that need to be overcome for wearables to become a reliable source of outcomes data and thus enhance clinical trials. According to the experts, it is good to have large volumes of data, but with that comes a decreased quality in data as well, as it is challenging to turn that information into endpoints and to interpret what comes from non-controlled research environments. Also, all the data collected from a device may not always be valuable to a particular trial, so standards are needed to provide guidance.
Moreover, sponsors should know the specific purpose of why they want to use wearable devices (not just because they are pretty or trendy!) and whether they will be useful for their studies or not. Drugmakers should also determine which kind of sensor they will need – for example a consumer-grade one or a medical device – depending on the study and the type of data that they need to collect.
It is also important to know that technology raises a lot of privacy concerns that will need to be solved to create a secure environment for patients to want to use it, especially for the transfer of information. This might also raise regulatory challenges for submitting mHealth data.
Also, training and support for patients will be needed in order to use these devices. Sponsors will have to understand how they will get the data off the sensor, especially from those devices that have been developed to present data to consumers or patients directly. At this point, it will be necessary to look for the right resources to be able to analyze the information collected in each particular device (i.e. algorithms).
Sponsors generally agree that there is a great opportunity for wearables to emerge as a solution for better clinical trials. However, collaboration across people in the industry, technologists, regulators and patients is very much needed to overcome the current challenges and make the most out of this type of technology as soon as possible.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) – After a stronger-than-expected fiscal fourth quarter, Visa Inc. is well-placed to benefit from an improved outlook for payment volumes even in the face of some notable headwinds, analysts at FBR & Co said Thursday.
FBR upgraded Visa to outperform from market perform, raised its earnings estimates for fiscal 2015, and raised its price target to $260 from $250, or 10% above its current trading level. Visa shares surged more than 9% in early afternoon trade, accounting for about 123 points of the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s 171-point gain.
“We believe Visa Inc. will benefit from the global secular shift in payment transactions from cash to electronic forms (plastic, e-commerce, mobile, etc.),” said analyst Scott Valentin. “Visa’s dominant share of global electronic payment volumes and transactions, we believe, places it among the leading partners of choice in the development of mobile and e-commerce payment systems, which should help drive double-digit revenue and earnings growth.”
MasterCard profit up 15% on higher payment volumes
MasterCard Inc. said its profit jumped 15% in the most recent period as the credit-card company posted higher revenue and payment volumes.
The results topped analysts’ expectations.
“We delivered strong results for the quarter, reporting double-digit revenue and net income growth, despite a mixed economic environment,” Chief Executive Ajay Banga said in a release.
MasterCard said its purchase volume rose 11% on a local currency basis to $843 billion. Cross-border volume rose 15%, while processed transactions jumped 10% to 11 billion. Gross dollar volume, meanwhile, surged 12% to $1.2 trillion, on a local currency basis.
The company reported a profit of $1.02 billion, or 87 cents a share, up from $879 million, or 73 cents a share, a year earlier.
Revenue rose 13% to $2.5 billion.
Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had projected 78 cents a share in earnings and $2.45 billion in revenue.
MasterCard also said it was making progress in developing safer payment technology, a crucial topic as retailers have faced more attacks from hackers looking to steal customers’ financial information. MasterCard, along with rival Visa Inc. and others, has joined with with Apple Inc. on its Apple Pay mobile payments platform.
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US based microprocessor giant Intel has announced the launch of first Moblin 2 alpha release.
This edition is aimed to be used on the low cost portable computers popularly known as netbooks.
Intel has an interest in this market as they sell Intel Atom processor which are designed specifically for these MIDs.
Moblin has gained some popularity in the recent times as it has been adopted by Linux entities including Linpus, GoS, and Mandriva.
Intel said that this release is still at a very early stage of development.
They are currently using the Xfce desktop environment which is pretty light weight on system resources.


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The Time Lord at any time: Now viewers can watch Doctor Who wherever they are as BBC allows users to download from iPlayer
- Move described as 'major shift' in the way we watch TV on the move
- Hoped service will avoid huge phone bills from users streaming TV when abroad
Doctor Who might never have endured the tedium of the daily commute. But for those who do endure a mind-numbing journey to and from work, help is at hand from the Time Lord.
The BBC is to allow people to download shows such as Doctor Who and EastEnders from iPlayer to their mobile phones and tablets for the first time to watch when when they have no internet connection.
It is hoped the move will avoid nightmare tales of holidaymakers accidentally racking up huge mobile phone bills while watching TV abroad.
Now, they can simply download shows before they go.
Doctor Who is one of the shows the BBC will now allow users to download to their mobile phone or tablet
HOW IT WORKS
Once the iPlayer app has been downloaded from the app store:
Tap the Download option on the programme you want to save, adding it to your download queue.
When you next connect to Wi-Fi, open the app and the programme will automatically start downloading to your device.
Programmes to be made available for download from today on iPhones and iPads include Doctor Who.
A version for Android handsets and tablets will be made available 'in the near future'
The BBC also revealed new data about who was watching programmes on the move.
It said children's content is particularly popular on tablets, as they are devices kids can sit and play with wherever.
BBC Three comedy is popular on smart phones, and the corporation believes it is watched by young people while out and about or waiting for a bus or train.
The BBC also revealed when people are watching TV on the move, and what programmes are most popular.
Daniel Danker, the BBC's general manager of on-demand programmes, said: 'This fundamentally changes one of the most annoying restrictions about viewing programmes.
'It means audiences are liberated from the constraints [of online-only viewing] and it fundamentally changes what it means to go on holiday.'
The updated iPlayer app will allow users to download TV shows to watch later
'With mobile downloads, you can now load up your mobile phone or tablet with hours and hours of BBC programmes, then watch them on the road, on the tube, on a plane, without worrying about having an internet connection or running up a mobile data bill.'
Once downloaded, programmes will be available for 30 days, or within seven days of being watched.
Up to 50 hours of TV will fit on a 16GB iPhone or iPad, or 25 hours of higher-definition content.
Users must have a wi-fi connection to download BBC programmes, but will soon be able to select shows for offline viewing via a 3G mobile phone network.
The iPlayer service has been a huge success, and the BBC says mobile requests for the iPlayer have leapt 142% in the past year to 30m a month.
The iPad is now the second most popular way to watch the iPlayer, after the PC.
The BBC has also made the service available via a plethora of other devices, from the Xbox 360 and PS3 games consoles to TV set top boxes such as the YouView service.
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Genesco is giving back to those affected by floods in Waverly, Tenn., this week.
The Nashville-based footwear company has donated a variety of shoes to individuals in need following the natural disaster several days ago, which has impacted the state with record-breaking rainfall and dozens of losses.
“We are heartbroken with the destruction and despair that thousands of our Middle Tennessee neighbors are experiencing,” said Mimi Vaughn, Genesco’s board chair, president and CEO. “Giving back and helping out are central to who we are as a company, and we are proud to step up and help those who have lost so much.”
Atop a $25,000 donation from Genesco and Journeys to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s Tennessee Emergency Response Fund, numerous Genesco brands have offered shoes for those who need them, including 800 pairs of adult shoes that have been donated by Dockers. Journeys has shipped 700 pairs of children’s shoes, 600 pairs of adult shoes and 460 backpacks and pairs of socks. Johnston & Murphy has also given 600 pairs of men’s footwear to the cause.
However, shoes and financial aid isn’t the only support Genesco and its brands are providing. Journeys has worked with its nonprofit partner Can’dAid to send 40,000 cans of water to aid in the flood’s relief efforts. There is also a food drive currently in place at Genesco’s headquarters and distribution centers, aimed towards providing additional sustenance for those displaced by the intense natural disaster.
Though the flood has affected the area immensely, relief efforts like Genesco’s are in place to provide assistance in such dire circumstances. There are also a variety of relief funds and donation opportunities currently ongoing to support flood victims at this time. These include flood recovery and cleanup assistance for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, as well as donations for the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund. This is the latest development in Genesco’s charitable efforts, which have included donating shoes to students through its Cold Feet, Warm Shoes event among other organizations.


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Bio-Techne Announces Availability Of Next Generation ELISA Kits
MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH), a global leader and the most cited manufacturer of immunoassay kits, announced the release of the Quantikine QuicKit™ ELISA product line. This next generation ELISA product line expands the capabilities of our legacy Quantikine® ELISA kits, enabling researchers to accomplish more in their day, without compromising quality. These assays provide accurate quantitation of proteins in serum, plasma, and cell supernates in just 90 minutes.
Quantikine QuicKits expand the Quantikine ELISA family, leveraging 30 years of experience in designing, manufacturing, and optimizing immunoassay kits. These highly sensitive assays are developed with Bio-Techne's R&D Systems antibodies, ensuring long term consistency and reproducibility. The initial offering of 10 new assays is focused on targets most relevant for researchers studying human immunology, with plans for future product line expansion.
Dave Eansor, President of Bio-Techne's Protein Sciences Segment, commented, "Bio-Techne is committed to continually improving our customers' experience by providing high quality products that are easy to use. The Quantikine QuicKit ELISAs not only simplify the workflow, but also reduce the time to results, enabling researchers to answer their scientific questions faster."
The Quantikine QuicKit ELISAs are the latest member of Bio-Techne's broad immunoassay offering – ranging from a la cart kit components, to fully validated ELISA kits, to our automated immunoassay platform, Ella. To learn more, please visit www.rndsystems.com/products/elisas
About Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH)
David Clair, Senior Director, Corporate Development
View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bio-techne-announces-availability-of-next-generation-elisa-kits-300998508.html
SOURCE Bio-Techne Corporation
Released February 5, 2020


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Narrow your search
Several dozen EyeSee mannequins are already watching shoppers and gathering data with their camera eyes.
Shape-shifting robot mannequin that helps online shoppers find the right fit used to be male only, but now it has two X chromosomes.
The debate over whether mobile phones pose a danger to your health may never be resolved, but CNET will continue to follow the issue.
How close are we to virtual-reality entertainment? Based on what I saw at E3, much closer than you might think.
The UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory has developed a life-sized robot to test chemical protective suits for the military.
While Google works to bring a polished Glass device to market, wearables startup Innovega is taking head-mounted displays a step further: contact lenses that interact with full HD glasses.
Coughing, bleeding "patient simulators" are helping save the lives of U.S. soldiers.
Created for an uber-luxe home theatre project, these custom Death Star-themed wall tiles are the decor we've been looking for.
Want to see how that shirt will fit before buying it online? Enlist the aid of a shape-shifting robo-mannequin, part of a new virtual dressing room setup from Estonian start-up Fits.me.
MamaNatalie by Laerdal simulates the baby, uterus, blood, placenta, and all as a low-cost teaching aid for instructors and midwives.


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Metro Holland had a turn-over in 2011 of 23.4mln euro. Its EBIT in 2011 was 451,000 euro (2%), a sharp decline as in 2010 Metro Holland still recorded an EBIT of 3.6mln euro (15%). The present goodwill of the brand is 3.6mln. This decline is due to the dip in the advertisements, which is being felt by all Dutch newspapers, paid or free. Besides the freesheet market has reached its saturation in The Netherlands.
Another reason for selling off the Dutch Metro is the strategy by Metro worldwide to sell off in the European titles and invest in Latin America, where the freesheet market is still growing. Editions have been launched in Guatemala, in Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, while an edition in Argentina is being planned.
Two freesheet titles in one company
There are few newspaper publishing companies in The Netherlands who liked to acquire a freesheet. The Belgian/Dutch Pressgroup already indicated not to be interested in freesheets. They had their try in 2008 with the launch of De Dag. Wegener terminated the freesheet De Pers in March of this year after failing to get sufficient advertisement volume. So why should TMG acquire the Dutch Metro and keep both titles alive?
TMG immediately stated, that Metro would stay as an independent title. In fact one of the TMG managers stated that the differences between Metro and Sp!ts would increase. The advantages of the acquisition would be in the common printing, distribution and sales of advertisement. And as TMG is the only one in the freesheet market, it can up the prices of the advertisements, the management stated.


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DEMAND for gadgets such as Apple's iPad fuelled sales at Dixons Retail during the final quarter of the year as annual losses narrowed.
Dixons, which owns Currys and PC World, said that the new financial year had got off to a good start, with trends seen in the final quarter of the year - when like-for-like sales increased 5pc - broadly continuing.
Over the year as a whole, like-like-sales for the year fell 3pc to £8.2bn (€10bn), but pre-tax losses narrowed to £118.8m from £224.1m the previous year.
Events such as the earthquake in Japan last year limited the supply of photography products, hurting sales at Pixmania.
Shoppers have been curbing their spending as their incomes are squeezed by rising prices, muted wages growth and government austerity measures. #
Electrical chains have been hurt too by cut-price competition from supermarkets and internet retailers.
But, Dixons has shored up its performance by revamping stores and improving product ranges and customer service.
It has also benefited from the travails of rivals, Comet and Argos, and a switch to digital television in the South East of England as well as the success of Apple's latest iPad.
Dixons said that the launch of the new iPad had "helped grow the overall computing market".
"I am pleased that by focusing our efforts on delighting customers, we have outperformed our competitors and ended the year with positive momentum delivering results at the top end of expectations," said Sebastian James, Dixons chief executive. "Against a tough economic backdrop, we have continued to deliver on a clear plan to transform the business."
Dixons also outlined a three-point plan to drive future growth through a multichannel offering; being a leader in the markets it operates; and leveraging its scale across the group.


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President Donald Trump notified Congress of his intent to sign a bilateral trade agreement with Mexico, as representatives from the United States, Canada, and Mexico continue to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a trilateral trade bloc created in 1994.
Mexican representatives signed on to a “preliminary agreement in principle” on August 30, accepting proposed provisions that would require all automobiles manufactured and sold in the two countries to have at least 75 percent of their parts made in the United States or Mexico and 40 to 45 percent of all automobile content to be produced by individuals earning $16 an hour or more.
In July 1, Congress approved Trump’s request to reauthorize “fast-track” trade promotion authority (TPA), an executive power originally granted by the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 but set to expire on that day, to facilitate the renegotiation of NAFTA and remove the U.S. Senate’s ability to amend or filibuster congressional approval of the deal.
U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R – WI), Sherrod Brown (D – OH), and other congressmen have questioned whether the fast-track powers include the ability to reform NAFTA as a bilateral agreement.
‘A Means to an End’
Since March 1 of this year, the U.S. government has imposed a 25 percent levy on the cost of steel and a 10 percent fee on aluminum imported from all foreign countries. Imports originating in Canada, the European Union, and Mexico were initially exempt from the tariffs, but Trump signed a May 31 order subjecting those countries’ businesses to the tariffs.
Seton Motley, president of Less Government, says he believes the tariffs and trade disruptions ultimately will benefit the United States.
“Trump is not doing this as an end; it’s a means to an end,” Motley said. “It’s absurd that these people are defending this bizarre status quo and calling it free trade, and then say that Trump isn’t engaging in free trade. They complain about the tariffs he imposes. … Okay, so, say he goes ‘whole hog’: $200 billion in tariffs with China. Our economy is $20 trillion dollars, which means $200 billion in tariffs is one percent of the entire economy. They need us way more than we need them.”
Predicts Higher Prices
Ryan Young, an adjunct fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, says the proposed bilateral trade deal will increase the cost of consumer goods for U.S. residents, whether through tariffs or government-mandated increases in the costs of labor.
“Raising Mexico’s minimum wage in auto factories to $16 per hour is insulting to Mexico’s national sovereignty, as they should be able to set their own laws,” Young said. “But more to the point, if that doesn’t happen, raising the required percentage of U.S.-made parts in cars from the current 62.5 percent to 75 percent, under this agreement, raises the possibility of a tariff. Faced with disrupting a pretty big part of the global supply chain, companies may decide it’s just not worth it, and will pay tariffs instead, also making cars more expensive. Raising the minimum wage for Mexico’s auto workers also makes cars more expensive and is a de facto tariff.
“No matter what happens, we’re going to pay more for cars,” Young said.
‘NAFTA Deal Was Awful’
Motley says NAFTA is filled with scams and unfairly benefits other countries at the expense of the United States.
“The old NAFTA deal was awful,” Motley said. “It was incredibly one-sided in favor of Mexico and Canada. Additionally, there were holes you could drive tractor-trailers through. Any other country on the planet could pretend [its product was] in Mexico for five seconds, drive it north, and then get the benefits of being from Mexico in the NAFTA trade deal.”
Motley says NAFTA increased U.S. unemployment and destroyed many businesses, as predicted by Ross Perot, a populist candidate in the 1992 presidential election, running as an independent.
“As much fun as was made of Ross Perot 25 years ago—the ‘giant sucking sound’—he was 100 percent correct,” Motley said. “We lost millions of jobs. We lost thousands of companies. We set up the equivalent of saloon doors in the old movies, where you walk through Mexico from anywhere else on the planet and you get the benefits of the one-sided Mexican trade advantages.”
Alliances vs. Arguments
Young says the federal government should seek to punish unfriendly countries opposed to U.S. interests, such as China, instead of picking fights with allies.
“The big fish is China,” Young said. “In order to effectively deal with China’s abuses, like property expropriation, intellectual property theft, and many other areas in which Beijing is simply not a good actor, the U.S. needs allies. We can’t go this one alone. We’ll need Mexico, Canada, and the European Union. To stand against our allies does not help that larger cause. It hurts us.”


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!Aimab Superfarm set to double output in three years with new tech investment
By Clifton Movirongo.
Namibia Dairies’ !Aimab Superfarm near Mariental is set to double production after investing in sustainable technology, with the goal to increase milk production to 60,000 litres per day by 2025.
The farm produces on average 31,500 litres of milk per day and wants to increase that capacity to 60,000 litres. The farm has about 700 milking cows out of a total dairy herd of approximately 1400 animals and is led and managed by a team of 90 trained technicians.
The unit production is on average 36 liters per cow per day, with all cows milked three times per day at 4 am, 12 pm, and 8 pm from Monday to Saturday, all year round. In addition, the farm produces hormone-free milk and follows strict processes and procedures to ensure the best quality dairy products. Dairy cows on this farm are specifically bred to produce large quantities of milk.
Meanwhile, heifers are raised on the farm until they reach the appropriate age and weight to reproduce, according to the farms’s staff responsible for the breeding herd.
“Dairy cows on the !Aimab Superfarm are treated to the nutritional and natural goodness grown on the farm resulting in healthy, hormone-free milk. Our employees give special attention to our cows by keeping them clean, cool, and comfortable,” said the Herd Manager, Neville Hembapu.
Furthermore, Hembapu, who has been employed at the Superfarm for about 10 years, said the good thing about dairy farming is that it provides an opportunity to learn something new every day, adding that there are new technologies evolving all the time to employ to get the job done.
Hembapu also noted that the dairy farm is constantly searching for innovations to increase milk yields, enhance milk quality, and reduce costs. He said technology assisted the sector and its stakeholders in many ways.
The farm has technologies such as robotic milking, which allows farmers to minimize the need for physical labour, maintain a sanitary milking process, and increase milk output. Dairy farmers must continue to improve production, promote animal health and product quality, and save time and energy on the farm, Hembapu said.
The cows are milked in the leading-edge milk parlour, and afterwards the milk is tanked to the manufacturing and processing plant in Windhoek. “Here, it undergoes pasteurization and filling under the strictest quality controls and standards,” he explained.
Richard Mutafela, an animal nutritionist and feed safety engineer at Superfarm, said that 60% of all feed is supplied from Superfarm’s own lands and 40% from external feed suppliers.
“At Superfarm, we have different groups of animals, each having a specific way it is fed depending on the amount of milk they produce and their stage of production,” he said, adding that they need to ensure they follow an appropriate and accurate feeding schedule.
Superfarm has a 12-month herd growth rate of 16% compared to the industry’s average of 4%. Concerning herd health and genetics, the !Aimab Superfarm operates only on industry best standards, according to the company.
NamWater supplies the Superfarm with water that comes from the Hardap Dam. According to Mutafela, temperature-regulated trucks ensure that the milk is kept as fresh as possible from the time it leaves the farm to the factory in Windhoek, where they test about 37,000 liters of milk per day for freshness before it is processed at their manufacturing plant in Avis outside Windhoek.
Namibia Dairies said it has grown into a leading force in the Namibian dairy industry and employs over 700 people at its main production plant in Windhoek, the !Aimab Superfarm in Mariental and various depotsacross Namibia.


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Google all set to retire Chrome Frame plugin from January 2014, urging users to switch to modern browsers.
Google is planning to stop Chrome Frame For Internet Explorer and cease updates and support from January 2014. Chrome Frame was launched in 2009 by Google to help businesses to move to a modern framework without having to change from the Internet Explorer. Google Frame allows developers to set tags that automatically prompt Internet Explorer to Google Chrome Frame or of they do not sport Chrome Frame it directs them to their Installation Page.
Google stated, “Today, most people are using modern browsers that support the majority of the latest web technologies.” “Better yet, the usage of legacy browsers is declining significantly and newer browsers stay up to date automatically, which means the leading edge has become mainstream.”
Google elaborated that it is retiring its Chrome Frame Plug In as users for legacy browsers like Internet Explorer 6 and 7 have declined considerably and people are now using modern browsers instead. Google is recommending businesses using Google Frame to switch to either modern browsers or Chrome for Business that now has legacy browser support.
Roger Capriotti, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer director, said that, "More and more people are using modern browsers every day. To help move the web forward, we continue to upgrade our Windows customers through Windows Update to ensure they have the latest version of IE for their PC. We also encourage developers to build modern HTML5 sites that are interoperable and help move the web forward."


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Data from seven European supermarket pilot sites showed an energy consumption decrease of 15–23% over traditional CO2 systems.
Target’s Vista, California, store is also seeking net-zero energy certification from the International Living Future Institute.
The system, manufactured by Kysor Warren Epta US, was installed at a Minnesota supermarket that opens this week.
Interview with Raul Corredera Haener, President of Eurovent, in leadup to the Eurovent Summit in Antalya, Turkey.
The customizable MiniCO2OL Compact refrigeration units are suitable for a range of applications and can be delivered in six to seven weeks.
Energy savings are being realized in Australia, according to AJ Baker & Sons.
Scheduled for November 15–16, the in-person event will be held in Brussels, Belgium.
Hailiang Business Hotel in Zhuji replaced its existing R22 heat pumps with six ITOMIC 65kW (18.5TR) units.
Consultant Future Green Now designed two racks to serve the medium-temperature load, freezers and air-conditioning for a retrofitted Johannesburg store.


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Google's Chromecast with Google TV got rave reviews when it launched in 2020, offering a fantastic alternative to Amazon Fire TV Sticks and Roku devices with solid support for streaming services, HDR and Dolby Atmos, and loads of apps.
According to a report from 9to5Google, Google has already begun working on the next-generation of Chromecast with Google TV, codenamed Boreal. While few details are known at this point, it's encouraging that Google is working on upgrading the popular streaming device.
The Boreal codename appears in Google's APKs and fits within the Sabrina family, which covers Chromecast devices. The device will be powered by Android and run Google TV, the operating system specifically designed for TVs that rivals Samsung's Tizen, webOS, and others.
9to5Google couldn't discover the specs or any other information about the device besides its existence and codename, although it seems fair to assume that it will launch sometime in 2022, given the first generation arrived in 2020.
There are a few interesting avenues to take it down though. Apple has had some success with a higher-end Apple TV 4K, capable of playing iOS games and more. Perhaps Google will introduce Stadia support for the forthcoming device, letting users theoretically play AAA games with only a small dongle.
Another issue with the original Chromecast has been the lack of storage, especially compared to rivals. There are only a minuscule 8GB on board, leaving you very little room for downloading, well, anything.
- The best Chromecast devices: Google's current Cast products explained


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From queues in Dover to rising food prices, Brexit has been blamed for a number of things impacting families. But it has given us Rishi Sunak's 'Brexit pub guarantee' - here we look at the good, the bad and the ugly consequences.
The UK’s approach to trade since it left the European Union lacks substantial objectives beyond signing as many free trade agreements (FTAs) as possible, and has now hit a dead end, according to new research from The Economy 2030 Inquiry.
From NHS staff shortages to export woes, the effects of the 2016 vote are still being felt.
EU and UK businesses will face ‘inevitable’ extra costs while the post-Brexit trade deal remains in place, European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič warned on Monday (12 June), playing down the prospect of a major overhaul of the agreement.
British households have paid £7bn since Brexit to cover the extra cost of trade barriers on food imports from the EU, according to researchers at the London School of Economics (LSE).
New research by the London School of Economics (LSE) has revealed that British households have incurred a £7 billion ($8 billion) cost since Brexit due to trade barriers affecting food imports from the EU.
Inflation for what Britons consume would have been nearly a third lower had the UK stayed in the EU, study finds.
Economists say border costs added £7 billion to grocery bills. / Study comes as ONS data shows food prices driving inflation.
LSE researchers estimate that extra barriers on EU food imports have pushed up bills by £250 on average.
Despite the UK Government's previous statements and current position, the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions, Mel Stride today confirmed that 'friction' with the EU due to Brexit has had impact on UK economy.
What the uncertainty over access to EU funding means for social science and humanities research in the UK 24/01/2023
When the British electorate voted in 2016 to leave the EU, it was already clear that the implications for UK social sciences and humanities researchers were likely to be greater than for other disciplines.
The OBR forecast that Brexit would cost the UK economy 4% of GDP now looks ridiculously optimistic as the damage mounts.
THERE is “no desire in Scotland to have membership of the EU”, Scotland Secretary Alister Jack has claimed despite significant evidence to the contrary. / "So does it come as a surprise to the secretary of state that a poll last year showed 69% of Scottish voters want to rejoin the EU?”
Editorial: The UK’s six-year Brexit hangover 05/01/2023
There's little talk of reversing the decision, but evidence of Brexit-induced harm is piling up.
CHEAPER energy bills. Lower migration. An extra £350 million a week for the NHS. There was little that the zealots pushing for Brexit wouldn’t claim ahead of the crunch vote in 2016.
Brexit regret: Why the ‘undeniable disaster’ finally hit home with the British public in 2022 01/01/2023
Public opinion shifted against Brexit after a deluge of damning evidence on economic costs.
THERE have been no advantages to leaving the European Union, the Constitution Secretary has said on the second anniversary of the end of the Brexit transition period.
In reality, Brexit has hobbled the UK economy, which remains the only member of the G7 — the group of advanced economies that also includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States — with an economy smaller than it was before the pandemic.
Two years after Britain’s departure from the European Union, bosses of UK businesses are reeling from the cost of Brexit, including some who voted to cut ties with Brussels.
The evidence shows that Brexit isn’t working and, despite what Starmer claims, it cannot be made to work until we rejoin the single market.
Extra checks and requirements on goods has pushed prices up by 6%, or £5.8bn, over two years.
Extra checks and requirements on goods crossing the border has increased food prices by 6% overall, says the Centre for Economic Performance.
Brexit piled on an average of £210 extra to household food bills in two years, a fresh research paper has found.
A new study has explored how Brexit is contributing to rising food costs in the UK.
Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) are the main policy impediment to international trade, yet little is known about their pass-through to prices. This paper exploits the Brexit trade policy shock to quantify how NTBs affect consumer prices and welfare. The increase in NTBs raised prices by 6%, implying a pass-through of 50-80%.


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China and the United States will restart economic and trade consultations on the basis of equality and mutual respect, said Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng on Thursday.
The spokesman made the announcement at a briefing in Beijing. http://www.cctvplus.com/news/20190711/8115750.shtml#!language=1
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Manila presses cigarette complaint
- Published: 30/01/2013 at 11:53 AM
- Online news:
MANILA - President Benigno Aquino said Wednesday he intends to push the country's trade complaint that Thailand was using unfair taxes to discriminate against cigarettes made in the Philippines.
The Philippines has filed an official complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and "further progress was expected in the coming month", said a statement from the president's office.
The Philippines suit at the WTO alleges that Thailand uses unwarranted valuation measures and the Value-Added Tax (VAT) to push up cigarette prices. The practice makes Philippines brands uncompetitive, and is unfair protectionism for the Thai Tobacco Monopoly, the Philippines says.
The complaint is almost five years old. It began in 2008 when the Philippines first complained to the WTO and Thailand about the tax structure applied to cigarettes made in the Philippines.
The WTO agreed with the Philippines in December of 2010, but Thailand appealed the case in February, 2011.
The two countries supposedly reached an agreement on the case in August, 2011, but the Philippines now claimed that Thailand reneged.
The statement from Mr Aquino's office on Wednesday "welcomed Thailand’s readiness for continued bilateral discussions at the appropriate level," but pledged to continue litigation if talks were not fruitful.


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An error on the website for GOG.com resulted in thousands of games being given away for free. It's since been fixed, but the digital retailer is letting anyone who benefited keep those games.
Last week, GOG.com introduced Linux games to their catalogue and launched a promotion to celebrate them. However, a number of games were accidentally listed as free during the sale, an issue that was resolved after users brought it to the attention of the site administrators.
A number of users reported receiving free games on the GOG.com forums, asking for them to be removed so that they could purchase them at the intended price.
After fixing the problem, GOG.com sent an email those people who had received free games, saying that they could either keep the titles in question or have them removed from their shelves.
"Yesterday, due to a small glitch on our end, you and a bunch of other lucky people ended up getting games from the Linux Launch promo for free.
"Don’t worry, though, as it’s totally cool with us and you may keep them. Yes, we will not be removing these titles from your account and we do hope you will enjoy them!"
Of course, GOG.com said it was also perfectly acceptable if players wanted them to remove the games they would.


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The cash advance string ACE money exhibit had a brief minute of influence in 2014, once an ill-advised illustration from an interior education guide fallen into community read.
Interestingly forthright, the graphical depicted the circuit of personal debt for which payday loan providers generally bring belittled. They suggested that Irving, Texas-based serve was actually attempting to capture their associates on a borrowing treadmill.
Practically 2 years afterwards, if yahoo prohibited promotion for U.S. debts with annual fraction rate above 36%, the technology big cited the payday financing debt pattern as a key element explanation.
Google’s 2016 ban received praise from customers advocates and civil-rights associations, in conjunction with jeers from just one then-executive at ACE profit Convey.
“Extremely unhappy,” wrote Manjush Varghese, who was then vice-president of online at ACE. “I was a long-standing, accountable advertiser on Google.”
But since it turned-out, there was clearly significantly less with the online bar than to begin with came across a person’s eye. 12 months after they got influence, United states Banker realized a lot of advertising on Google from serve earnings Convey along with other payday financial institutions, typically on first-page of search results.
Some of the advertising was clear violations from the search engine’s plan. More promotion appeared to be exploiting a loophole in Google’s post bar, and that has perhaps not become formerly said. This loophole permitted payday financial institutions to continue promoting on the website given that both the advertisement itself as well certain web page where in fact the user arrived after clicking on the ad didn’t bring up high-cost lending.
To put it briefly, payday loan providers are finding numerous ways to get around Google’s year-old advertisement ban. Equally, the paycheck discipline possess dodged the policies in numerous claims in which lawmakers bring tried to split lower. And now consumer supporters be expecting high-cost lenders to examine for weak spots inside the Consumer savings shelter Bureau’s brand-new payday lending formula, which have been unveiled the other day.
“Subterfuge can be key to your payday creditors’ business structure as is also trapping debtors in an interval of debts,” stated Diane Standaert, movie director of status insurance right at the core for trusted credit.
At the end of Sep, United states Banker sent screenshots of payday adverts found on Bing within the hill thought, Calif.-based providers. After an internal review, a Google spokeswoman mentioned that the promotion involved broken they’s insurance.
“While we normally do not discuss specific marketers, we certainly have examined and taken out the advertisements in breach of our own strategy on lending products,” the spokeswoman said in an email.
Online decreased to respond to questions about information of its payday loan post bar, the tips the organization usually takes to enforce it, and also the ban’s advantages.
Exploiting a loophole
Debt pro players in 2017 operate generally on the internet. Due https://paydayloanadvance.net/payday-loans-ms/iuka/ to the fact net was borderless, enterprises can set up specialist overseas and work out money to People in the us without regard to state and federal customers policies regulations.
On line payday financial institutions typically cost greater rates than in-store creditors, per a 2014 state with the Pew charity Trusts.
Pew learned that 30percent of pay day loan borrowers described having been confronted by a loan provider or a financial obligation collector. What’s more, it driven that companies were generally having to pay $5 to $13 per click online finance promotion. This is certainly a substantial price tag, seeing that a click does not always produce financing.
Google, which collected a stunning $79 billion in advertising profits this past year, renders a pile of cash from ticks of cash-strapped consumers. Therefore, the research big am operating against unique financial self-interest when it launched intends to crack upon payday loan adverts.
The policy, that has been revealed following your service spoken with buyer communities, received an identical rationale as being the Silicon Valley giant’s formula against advertising for firearms, ammunition, leisure pills and cigarette treatments.
“We don’t let advertising for products which in our opinion, happen to be extremely hazardous,” Vijay Padmanabhan, an insurance plan adviser at The Big G, claimed in June 2016.
The Google bar addresses all U.S. signature loans with yearly number costs of 36% or higher, a class that includes both pay day loans and high-cost payment funding. Personal loans that want compensation fully in 60 days or decreased are likewise at the mercy of the bar.
“For payday financial institutions, targeting the susceptible just isn’t a major accident, it’s a business enterprise approach,” Alvaro Bedoya, executive movie director of target confidentiality & engineering at Georgetown guidelines Faculty, mentioned if online announced its approach. “Today, the world’s biggest online search engine says, ‘We need no component through this.’ ”
Though the new principles had not been since extensive mainly because they to begin with appeared.
The loophole in Google’s strategy got explained by an individual who stored notes from a conversation during online representatives described the bar. This origin announced that the techie massive identified that its marketers’ web pages are allowed to showcase financial products that don’t observe Google’s policy — the advertisers only need to make certain the high-cost financing commonly described about webpage where in actuality the user initial countries after simply clicking the ad.


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The Nutcracker, presented by Methodist Sports Medicine
Please note, this event has expired.
Indiana’s grandest Nutcracker returns to the historic Murat Theatre, featuring the talents of the IB professional company, dozens of the area’s top young dancers and live music from the Indianapolis Ballet Orchestra!
After establishing its production of The Nutcracker as a local must-see during the holidays across the last 11 years, the Indianapolis School of Ballet will continue to be a part of Indiana’s grandest staging of the classic Christmas tale
Tickets for The Nutcracker, presented by Methodist Sports Medicine, are now on sale and available for as little as $15 for children & seniors!
Visit IndyBallet.org/nutcracker for full details and links to each of the four performances taking place the weekend of Dec. 14-16.
You can also place your order online via OldNationalCentre.com or by phone at 317-231-0000.
Adult tickets: $20 – $80
Child/Student/Senior tickets: $15 – $75
502 N. New Jersey Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204


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A new Chick-fil-a location is opening on Whipple Avenue in Redwood City sometime in 2020. It has been a long time coming for Chick-fil-a to move into the Redwood City area as a direct result of the controversy regarding the company’s previous anti-LGBTQ views. Chick-fil-a has recently cut ties with anti-LGBTQ groups that they previously worked with because of the backlash they were receiving. After this news broke, Chick-fil-a quickly gained more support, and the Redwood City location soon became an accepted idea and gained more supporters in Redwood City.
For a number of years, the San Mateo county did not allow Chick-fil-a to open a location anywhere in the area because of their previous ties with openly homophobic groups. However, since that controversy is coming to an end, they officially approved Chick-fil-a to open in Redwood City. Despite the controversy, Chick-fil-a is a booming business. So many people love Chick-fil-a and are huge fans of their famous chicken sandwich. Before this new location, the closest Chick-fil-a restaurant to us was in Sunnyvale, which is a very long drive for most Sequoia students and Chick-fil-a fans.
“I’m very excited that one is finally opening near us,” sophomore Violet Buruaivalu said.
Along with the new brick and mortar location opening on Whipple, a Chick-fil-a location was put in in October, at the new Doordash Kitchen in Redwood City. In the Doordash kitchen only doordash orders are made, so it is not a restaurant, but a quicker way for doordashers to pick up their orders. Now Chick-fil-a Doordash orders are able to arrive quicker and at lower prices, but this still isn’t convenient for people who don’t use Doordash or who don’t want to spend money on the extra delivery fee. Thus the new location on Whipple will bring in a lot more people and will make Chick-fil-a fans very happy.
Many Sequoia students are big fans of Chick-fil-a and are very excited for their new opening. Chick-fil-a will be a very popular spot and fast food choice for Sequoia students when they open only six blocks away from Sequoia.
“I love Chick-fil-a! I’m so excited for the new opening in Redwood City! I’m going to go all the time,” junior Gracyn Langford said.
The new opening is getting many students excited, but some are worried about the location of the new restaurant. The location is pretty small, and it’s off of a busy street.
“I’m pretty excited for [the opening], but I think it’s gonna be really hard to get to because I heard it’s in a weird location, with a lot of traffic and parking is probably going to be difficult,” senior Davin Leathers said.
Despite the bad location, Chick-fil-a fans are hopeful for the new restaurant. People are excited for the opening and feel that this location will be a popular choice for many Sequoia students.
“I think the Redwood City Chick-fil-a will do really well here because everyone likes it in this area,” junior Damare Ward said.


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Games industry praises budget tax cuts
Wednesday 24 March 2010
Chancellor Alastair Darling's Budget announcement of tax relief for the UK videogames industry is being hailed a "decisive breakthrough" by a group which has long lobbied for the move.
Dr Richard Wilson, the CEO of TIGA, a trade association representing the UK games industry, said the decision would create or protect 3,550 graduate level jobs.
He also claims it will increase or safeguard £457 million in development expenditure and encourage developers to adopt new business models and create new Intellectual Property.
Darling's help for the computer games industry follows comments made by Stephen Timms MP, Minister for Digital Britain less than a fortnight ago in which he said an update regarding tax breaks would be made during the Budget.
He told GamesIndustry.biz there was "no doubt that the computer games sector is one part of the economy where we can see very good prospects for growth in the future”.
Britain is currently the fourth biggest games producer in the world having slipped behind Canada due to tax breaks which can amount to up to 37 per cent of a game's production costs.
The UK has been behind some of the world's most notable games including Tomb Raider and Grand Theft Auto.
But research has found that the UK is one of the most expensive places to create games in the world, with what is claimed to be the lowest level of Government incentives or access to finance to encourage companies to locate or start up here.
Dr Wilson said: “This is an inspired decision. In backing TIGA’s Games Tax Relief the Government has chosen the future over the past, growth over decline, success over failure.
"Games Tax Relief is good for the UK video games industry, good for UK consumers and good for the UK economy."
He said TIGA now looked to opposition parties to give their full support to Games Tax Relief in the Finance Bill.
Videogame developers across the UK have welcomed the move. Mark Gerhard, CEO of Jagex in Cambridge, said: "The UK games industry is set for further growth and innovation.”
Colin Macdonald, Studio Manager at Realtime Worlds in Dundee said: "This decision will mean we can continue to invest in UK talent and prevent brain drain to our overseas competitors."
Philip Oliver, CEO Blitz Games Studios in Warwickshire added: “It is fantastic that the Government is supporting TIGA’s Games Tax Relief and we are sure that this measure will grow the industry, create more jobs and lead to higher tax revenues for Government in the future.
"The Government has made a wise investment by committing to TIGA’s Games Tax Relief today and the whole of the UK industry will applaud them for this decision.”
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The Swedes are adding a gender-neutral pronoun to their dictionary
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PTSD photo series documents what the disorder is really like – as study reveals suicides of 22 US veterans every day
The distress of some Zayn Malik fans is real, and they need support, say experts
Eating quinoa and whole grains every day could help you live longer
Nigel Farage brands LGBT activists 'filth' and 'scum' and accuses them of scaring away his children after they invade his local pub
Ukip supporters are 55 or older, white and socially conservative, finds British Social Attitudes Report
JK Rowling responds to fan tweeting she 'can't see' Dumbledore being gay
Russia threatens Denmark with nuclear weapons if it tries to join Nato defence shield
Jeremy Clarkson sacked live: Alan Yentob 'wouldn't rule out' ex Top Gear host's BBC return
Germanwings plane crash: Co-pilot Andreas Lubitz wanted to 'do something people would remember him for'
- 1 Astrological signs are almost all wrong, as movement of moon and sun throws out zodiac
- 2 Dad eats daughter's weed brownies, thinks he's had a stroke
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Recent research by YouGov shows that awareness of BlackBerry's advertising efforts in the U.S. have jumped from 6% in the middle of January to 21% by the end of February. 34% of existing BlackBerry owners that were looking to get a new handset in the next six months were going to stick with BlackBerry. 17% said they were going to switch to iPhone and 31% said they were going to switch to a Samsung device. By comparison, iPhone purchase intent had dropped from 14% to 7%, and ad awareness was down from 44% to 38% between January and March.
Though that may sound rough, at the same time last year, those figures were closer to 30% retention, 34% defection to iPhone, and 12% to Samsung. The data was collected by surveying Americans to see which manufacturer brands they've seen in advertisements recently, and which they would be most likely to purchase from.
Leading up to the U.S. launch of the BlackBerry Z10 next week, marketing is going to play a huge role in generating awareness. Sure, you fine, dedicated CrackBerry readers will know just about every nook and cranny of the device before it gets into your hands, but everyday consumers will likely hear about the Z10 first from a TV spot or a banner. The Keep Moving campaign is really nice and proactive, but even going about daily business in Canada, I'm spotting many more traditional print ads from BlackBerry than I've seen in a long time.
What about you guys? Have you seen a lot of BlackBerry ads out in the wild? How do you think mainstream awareness is doing for the BlackBerry Z10?


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"Cup-gate" not a front in "War on Christmas"
It’s official: Starbucks has declared war on Hanukkah. Every November, Starbucks decides to spruce up its various warm beverages with fun cup designs in the holiday spirit. This year’s cups have created the issue at hand — they are completely red.
Red — while appropriate for winter holidays such as Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Diwali — does not in any way fit into the blue and white color scheme of Hanukkah. Starbucks is deliberately ignoring the Jewish community and disrespecting the memory of the Maccabees, the heroes of the Hanukkah tale.
To combat this obvious hatred of my beloved holiday, I have come up with a way to force the Festival of Lights to get the recognition on Starbucks coffee cups that it deserves. I am going to visit my local Starbucks with a bucket of blue paint, buy a drink, and then force my barista to paint the cup blue for me. My cup covered in wet blue paint will serve as a reminder that we cannot stand idly by in the face of hatred; we must fight to have our voices heard.
Obviously, this plan of mine has a few major flaws. For one, having cans of blue paint in places where foods and drinks are being made is definitely against health code. Furthermore, Starbucks is a corporation that does not care about my outrage as long as I am still purchasing its beverages. Finally, and most importantly, it is absolutely ridiculous to call a red coffee cup a symbol of hatred against the holidays.
Nonetheless, conversations about these coffee cups have filled the news ever since Starbucks released their new cup design last week. While in previous years, the Starbucks holiday cup has featured winking snowmen, sledding scenes, snowflakes, tree ornaments, and words such as “wish” and “hope,” this year Starbucks has dialed it back, creating a mininalist cup with a two-tone red background and the Starbucks logo. “Starbucks is inviting their customers to tell their Christmas stories in their own way, with a red cup that mimics a blank canvas,’’ the company said in a statement to TODAY.
This change of design has sent self-proclaimed evangelist and Internet personality Joshua Feuerstein into a frenzy. On Nov. 5, Feuerstein posted a video on his Facebook page to his over 1.8 million followers expressing his outrage over the cup design that does not feature any holiday imagery.
“Do you realize that Starbucks wanted to take Christ and Christmas off of their brand new cups? That’s why they’re just plain red,” Feuerstein proclaimed in his video. “When I went in, I asked for my coffee, they asked for my name, and I told them my name is Merry Christmas. So guess what, Starbucks, I tricked you into putting Merry Christmas on your cup.” Feuerstein went on to challenge Christians across the country to do the same, and to share the video with friends to spread the word. The video has over 180,000 likes and has been shared over 500,000 times.
Since then, social media has been blowing up with both agreement and outrage. Some have carried out their own versions of Feuerstein’s protest, posting coffee selfies and praising companies such as Dunkin’ Donuts,whose holiday coffee cups this year feature a design that says “Joy,” surrounded by holly and snowflakes.
Many others have denounced his claims, some even creating their own designs of the Starbucks cup to mock the controversy, including Stephen Colbert’s cup idea that features a nativity scene glued to the top, a small tree attached to the bottom, and tinsel streaming down the sides. Presidential candidate Donald Trump has even weighed in on the issue at his recent rally in Springfield, Illinois, declaring, “I have one of the most successful Starbucks in Trump Tower. Maybe we should boycott Starbucks? I don’t know.… By the way, that’s the end of that lease, but who cares.”
Let’s take a step back for a moment and realize what we are fighting about here: We are talking about a plain red coffee cup. This is no anti-Christmas propaganda, and, for the record, none of Starbucks’ former holiday cups said “Merry Christmas” in the first place, opting instead for generic, winter-themed designs. With the abundance of Christmas decorations and merchandise that line almost every post-Halloween retail center in America, there is no lack of Christmas spirit.
Starbucks itself sells a Christmas Blend coffee, along with Christmas-themed merchandise. Christmas is so oversaturated in society that companies have to actively try to reach out to non-Christians, either through fully inclusive or generic winter-themed decoration. There have never been stories of Starbucks’ Hindu patrons being angry about the lack of Diwali spirit, or Jewish patrons demanding a menorah with their latte. There is no absence of Christmas to complain about.
Furthermore, instead of being outraged over a design on a coffee cup, let’s realize how lucky we are to be able to afford $4 coffee in the first place. I am sure that the millions of people in this country that struggle to put food on the table every day do not care about what is on the packaging of that food. We are lucky enough to be able to spend money on luxuries such as coffee, but instead of being thankful, we are caught up in completely arbitrary debates about hurt feelings and paper cups.
So, to those that are offended by the lack of Christmas spirit on your Starbucks coffee cup: Go ahead and take a stand by ordering your drink and making your barista write “Merry Christmas” on your cup. Just remember that those words are about as useful as a coat of blue paint. In the end, it will get thrown out with the rest of your coffee cup; it will do little to improve the day of your barista; it will make no real impact on society; and Starbucks will be happily receiving your money regardless.


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The China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) on Wednesday urged the EU to objectively view the development of China's electric vehicle (EV) industry, rather than arbitrarily use unilateral economic and trade tools to hinder the development Chinese EV products in Europe.
The remarks come after the European Commission (EC) launched an investigation on September 13 into whether to impose punitive tariffs to protect European Union producers against Chinese (EV) imports it says are benefiting from state subsidies.
In a statement issued on its official WeChat account, the CPCA said it firmly opposes the remarks made by the EC on China’s EV industry. It emphasized that the success of China’ EV industry is not a result of state subsidies but a result of market competitiveness.
The CPCA said that by the end of 2022, China's new-energy vehicle (NEV) subsidies have been completely phased out. Furthermore, in order to ensure fair competition, the government had required local governments to stop providing subsidies for NEVs as early as the end of 2018, aiming to better regulate market dynamics.
It is inevitable that some people may feel “uncomfortable” when they see China's growing strength in the NEV industry, CPCA said.
In 2022, the European market accounted for nearly half of China's total NEV exports, data from the CPCA showed.
The EU should objectively view the development of China's EV industry, rather than arbitrarily exploit unilateral economic and trade tools to hinder or increase the operating costs of Chinese EV products in Europe, the CPCA said.
China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on September 14 also expressed serious concern and strong opposition to the EU's investigation into Chinese (EV) makers over subsidies, calling the EU's behavior "blatant protectionism."
The investigative measures planned by the EU are actually aimed at protecting its own industry in the name of "fair competition." It is an act of blatant protectionism that will seriously disrupt and distort the global automotive supply chain, and have a negative impact on China-EU economic and trade ties, the MOFCOM said in a statement.
It added that China will pay close attention to the EU's protectionist tendencies and follow-up actions with an aim to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese firms.


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Earlier this year, EU Competition Commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, blocked a merger between German conglomerate Siemens and France’s Alstom which would have created the world’s second largest rail company.
Makan Delrahim, who heads the Department of Justice’s antitrust division, applauded Vestager’s decision to block the merger from occurring.
Speaking alongside Vestager on a panel of international antitrust enforcers in Washington D.C., Delrahim commended her for withstanding political pressure to focus purely on competition issues in regard to the railway merger.
“It’s really important, and it sends a strong signal I think to the broader competition community, that that’s what we do and that’s what we really should do,” he said. “Obviously there’s national security and other considerations that factor in, but with respect to that [the Siemens-Alstom merger], creating a national champion even if you would harm consumers is not the way to do it.”
Delrahim’s remarks were made three days after a report from Fox Business revealed that he is “open” to listening to arguments made by T-Mobile /zigman2/quotes/204659678/composite TMUS +1.71% and Sprint /zigman2/quotes/208685669/composite S +1.81% in regards to their pursuit to merge.
The estimated $26.5 billion merger proposal is currently facing investigations from individual states on the grounds of whether it will result in higher prices for consumers. Earlier this month Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh called T-Mobile’s proposed Sprint merger “dangerous for consumers.”
Sarah Oxenham Allen, who serves as chair of the multistate antitrust task force and is a senior assistant attorney general for Virginia, commented that states can use their own discretion to decide to independently investigate the merger but are “still coordinating with the DOJ and the Federal Communications Commission as much as possible.”
“The states have to choose carefully the cases where we do our own independent investigation because we do have smaller antitrust budgets and smaller antitrust staff than our federal agencies. We feel that the magnitude of this merger holds tremendous importance to consumers — this is the device they hold in their hands all day long.”
Due to the harm she believes the merger may inflict on local markets, she said that this case warrants the resources needed to investigate the case on the state level.


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Which of These do you Fancy?
Steve’s breakdown: Diageo has a new CMO in Ed Pilkington and a new president of U.S. Spirits & Canada in Claudia Schubert. Which of the featured brands will be affected by the new leadership is unknown but bet there will be changes is agency relationships.
NORWALK, CT: Diageo PLC DEO, +1.42% said Wednesday that it has appointed Ed Pilkington as chief marketing and innovation officer for Diageo North America and Claudia Schubert as president of U.S. Spirits & Canada.
Mr. Pilkington is currently chief marketing officer for Diageo Europe and Ms. Schubert is currently general manager at Diageo Continental Europe and Russia.
The FTSE 100-listed drinks company said both Mr. Pilkington and Ms. Schubert will transition to the North America market over the summer.
Mr. Pilkington takes the helm of marketing and innovation from James Thompson, who has decided to return to the U.K. for personal reasons and will pursue opportunities outside Diageo, the company said.
Ms. Schubert will succeed Tom Looney, who has decided to retire after 30 years at the company, Diageo said.
Mr. Thompson will remain through July 31 and Mr. Looney will remain to support the transition through Sept. 30, the company said.
“Claudia and Ed have both played critical leadership roles in the recent transformation of our Europe business, and both bring world-class multi-market experience that will help drive their respective functions forward,” Deirdre Mahlan, president of Diageo North America, said.


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News and notes from around the interweb:
- Delta has a new performance guarantee for corporate contract customers that’s written in a way that they’re unlikely to have to ever pay out. So it should come as no surprise that United is introducing one as well (HT: S.)
United’s will award credits for delays and cancellations that can only be used for ancillary fees and upgrades, rather than providing real cash rebates.
United’s senior vice president of worldwide sales, Dave Hilfman, estimates that the likelihood the carrier will have to pay anything is “slim to none.”
- Insideflyer.co.uk is giving away enough Virgin miles for a free Upper Class ticket
- British Airways has released a bunch of extra business class award seats over Christmas and New Years
We have just released 13,000 extra Reward seats in Club World on selected routes for travel between the 14th of December 2015 and the 3rd of January 2016.
Additional reward flights availability in Club World for limited destinations departing from London Heathrow only on British Airways flight-only bookings. …Additional availability varies depending on destination and date of departure. This offer is only available to those Members’ logged in to their Executive Club account, who have sufficient Avios.
- Video tour of a Boeing 727 that an Oregon man made his home. (HT: Jonathan W.)
- Delta’s new restrictions on elites booking extra legroom seats have an ancillary casualty: elites using American Express-issued companion certificates can no longer be assigned these seats at all (for May 16 travel onward) because it’s considered an “upgrade” and the certificates preclude upgrades. This is also apparently a system limitation — “Comfort+” tickets receive a fare designator, companion certificates involve a fare designator, and tickets can only have one fare designator. (HT: MileCards)
- New mileage bonuses from the American and United shopping portals


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2013-01-20 15:46:15 - Sydney, Australia – January 20th 2013 – The dangers of smartphone addiction are well documented, but few address the problem. Tapas Senapati is providing smartphone users around the world with the opportunity to bring awareness to the problem by turning off technology for five hours during International Moodoff Day on Feb. 24, 2013. This year’s slogan is “Smart hours for smart people without smartphones”.
The Sydney, Australia-based non-profit organization is asking smartphone users around the globe to stop using their devices for five hours on Feb. 24. Participants are asked to enjoy a morning without technology by having breakfast and reconnecting with family and friends for a few hours before browsing taking to their smartphones on Moodoff Day.
Now in its second year, the movement has gained massive support in dozens of countries from Australia, the UK and South Africa to Singapore, Germany, India and the United States. Moodoff Day highlights the obsession many users have with their smartphones and texting while driving. The organization also supports the efforts of U.S. residents, Clay and Shauna Sauer, to enact a ban on driving and texting. The
couple lost their daughter, Taylor, in a horrific accident shortly after she updated her Facebook status.
Moodoff Day founder Tapas Senapati is uniquely qualified to have created Moodoff Day. He’s a self-professed smartphone addict who recognized the toll the device has taken on his life. Through the technology of smartphones, the world is virtually at a user’s fingertips. Mobile devices provide users with necessary and useful information, but it is humankind’s vulnerability to addictive behavior that represents a clear danger.
In an era of instant communications and a wealth of social media sites, smartphone users are constantly surfing the Web, texting and updating their social media status. Many with an addiction are in denial about their dependency, despite the inability to be separated from their smartphone. Addicts compulsively check their mobile devices the moment they wake and it’s the last thing before they sleep.
A 2012 Pew Research Center survey showed that 46 percent of all adults in the US own a smartphone, with 44 percent exhibited extreme separation anxiety when faced with time without their smartphone. Those who have acknowledged their addiction and shelved the phone experienced phantom vibration symptoms.
Much like a drug addict or alcoholic, even though smartphone users are aware that they’re endangering their lives by texting and driving, they can’t stop. Those with a smartphone addiction are unable to eat a meal or sit through a movie without checking their mobile device.
The 2013 international Moodoff Day calls for “Smart hours for smart people without smartphones” a stint of five hours without their beloved devices on February 24th in order to raise awareness of the dangers of smartphone addiction and the deadly consequences of texting and driving.
To get involved register on the official www.moodoffday.org
website and follow the event on Facebook and Twitter.


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Trash Can Vote Part of Village Upgrade Project
Carlsbad residents are choosing from among six trash-can designs, via text message voting, in a program being coordinated by planning firm Urban Place Consulting Group Inc. as part of a larger village revitalization project.
Receptacle prototypes have been placed between State Street and Carlsbad Village Drive, each with a placard telling pedestrians how to text in their vote through Nov. 30, according to a statement from Urban Place Consulting Group.
The city of Carlsbad in April began a revitalization effort spanning several blocks in the city’s central village district. The planning firm obtained the cans, which were either donated or loaned by various street furniture manufacturers, and the city’s parks department installed them.
Officials want to boost local investment and foot traffic in the village area by enhancing the visitor experience.
— Lou Hirsh
Retail Center Gets $12 Million Refinancing
Operators of the College Plaza retail center in Oceanside have obtained $12 million in refinancing, according to the San Diego office of capital services firm Holliday Fenoglio Fowler LP, also known as HFF, which arranged the financing.
Owner HP Investors secured a new fixed-rate loan through Guggenheim Commercial Real Estate Finance, HFF said in a statement.
College Plaza, at 3514 College Blvd. near Highway 76, was built in 1975 and renovated in 2006. The 92,538-square-foot center is 97 percent leased, with tenants including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Grocery Outlet, Starbucks and Verizon Wireless.
— Lou Hirsh
Coles Outlet Opens Inside a Jerome’s Store
Coles Fine Flooring opened its eighth location in the county inside the Jerome’s Furniture at 775 Plaza Court earlier this month.
The two businesses, both family-owned, are teaming up to bring a one-stop shop for interior decorating needs, the companies said. The first Coles store opened in 1947.
— Mike Allen
Hot Dog Eatery Opens At Simon’s Ontario Mills
Carlsbad-based HDOS Enterprises has opened its seventh outlet-mall location of Hot Dog on a Stick at Ontario Mills, a regional mall in San Bernardino County owned by Simon Property Group Inc.
An HDOS statement said the Ontario location is the company’s 70th in California and 46th in Southern California.
“We have wanted to be a part of Simon’s Ontario Mills mall for years, but previously never had the opportunity,” said Laurie Sonia, an executive vice president with HDOS Enterprises.
The company opened its first Hot Dog on a Stick in 1946 in Santa Monica, and now has more than 100 locations nationwide, selling items including hot dogs, corn dogs and fresh-squeezed lemonade.
— Lou Hirsh
Event to Help Vets After Fire Destroys Shop
Vets Cruzin for a Cause have a mission to assist fellow veterans with support after a fire burned their hotrod shop in San Diego to the ground.
In the early morning of Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012 a fire burned down the uninsured hotrod shop to the ground; a total loss of $150,000.
Vets Cruzin for a Cause will sponsor a Fundraiser Car Meet/Show that will raise money to help them rebuild. The event will be held Sunday, Jan. 6th, 2013 at Custom Graphics, 9420 Activity Road, San Diego from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
All active-military, veterans and motorcycle enthusiasts are encouraged to attend. The event is free. Raffle tickets will be sold for prizes and 100 percent of the proceeds will go directly to the two veterans.
For anyone who is not able to attend, but would like to make a charitable donation to this cause, PayPal information connected to this event is: firstname.lastname@example.org. When making your donation please put VCC Car Meet Donation in the subject heading.
—Stephanie R. Glidden


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Floods Last Year Cause Rice Prices in Laos to Double
The price of sticky rice is skyrocketing in Laos, in the wake of massive floods in one of the country’s most fertile regions and various other causes, amid rising prices of food in general due to the African swine flu epidemic that has ravaged China and Southeast Asia over the past year.
A rice trader from Vientiane Capital’s Xaysettha district told RFA’s Lao Service, “prices of rice have doubled. Sometimes it is even three times more expensive. A 12-kilogram bag of sticky rice in the capital is now $13, up from $7 late last year.”
RFA’s Lao Service


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Lumia 940 no more: slim metal 950/950 XL tipped for November release with USB-C
Last week, a Chinese tech blog dedicated to Windows Phone that has often broken credible leaks before, claimed that Microsoft will skip a flagship Lumia generation, and go from the current Lumia 930 numbering straight to Lumia 950 and Lumia 950XL.
"If nobody wants to make Windows phones, we will make them ourselves," said Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella, and they are indeed betting the house on the new handsets, it seems, as another source has now confirmed the generational leap, at least in the title of the upcoming first Lumias with Windows 10 Mobile.
The source reconfirmed the specs, too, saying that the phones, codenamed Talkman and Cityman internally, will fit in slim metal bodies, have the latest USB Type-C omnidirectional connector, and will be announced in October, likely for November release, or just in time for the holiday shopping rush. Here are the purported specs for the new Lumias that will herald the arrival of Windows 10 Mobile:


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THE GOVERNMENT told rice farmers Thursday that rice imports will be timed to avoid the harvest in order to give producers a better chance to fetch good prices for their produce.
The President’s spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. was responding to calls from agriculture associations and senators to withdraw a recent order lowering import duties on rice.
“Paunawa po sa mga producers, hindi naman tayo mag aangkat sa panahon ng harvests (I hope producers understand that we do not intend to import during the harvest),” he said at a televised news briefing.
“Hihintayin muna natin na matapos ang harvest, nang sa ganoon ay hindi maapektuhan ang presyo ng bentahan ng mga magsasaka sa merkado (We will wait for the harvest season to close in order not to interfere with the prices farmers can command on the market).”
Under Executive Order No. 135, the President cut the most-favored nation (MFN) tariff rate for rice to 35% for one year, bringing them to parity with the rates charged on grain from ASEAN, where the Philippines’ fellow enjoy special tariff privileges under a regional trade agreement. MFNs refer to any other country the Philippines trades with that is not entitled to such trade privileges.
Mr. Roque has said the tariff reduction took into consideration the “increase in global rice prices and the uncertainties surrounding the steady supply of rice.”
The Agriculture department this week said rice farmers harvested a total of 4.626 million metric tons of palay in the first quarter, up 8.6% from a year earlier.
The Federation of Free Farmers called the President’s order “deceptive” and “unnecessary” because of the steady supply of rice.
Senators have also asked the President to withdraw the order lowering tariffs on imported pork products. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza


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Uber's autonomous Volvo fleet heads to San Franciscoby Justin King
The pilot program is now operating both in Pittsburgh and San Francisco ahead of a wider rollout.
Uber has brought its fleet of to San Francisco, expanding a pilot program for autonomous ride-hailing service.
Uber and Volvo established a partnership in August to build vehicles modified for autonomous operation. Volvo supplies the basic vehicle, which is then outfitted with Uber's own self-driving hardware and software package. The necessary sensor suite is conspicuously placed on the roof.
"The promise of self-driving ride sharing is becoming a reality," says Volvo Cars product planning VP Mårten Levenstam.
The automaker is separately operating its own pilot project, Drive Me, with up to 100 autonomous vehicles given to members of the public to drive around its home town of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Yet another partnership involves a joint venture involving Volvo and supplier Autoliv. The companies will collaborate on separately-branded autonomous driving and driver assistance that will be sold to third-party OEMs, with operations expected to begin early next year.


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The Royal Group – one of the largest independent corrugated box and display manufacturers in the United States – recently invested in a new Delta SPC 130 Automatic single-pass press from Koenig & Bauer Durst.
The six-colour Delta SPC 130 Automatic press – which is also available in Australia – was installed at The Royal Group’s mid-Atlantic packaging site near Philadelphia recently and gives customers the flexibility to print unique versions of high-quality graphics for brands and brand extensions, allowing for mass customisation at a large scale.
The Royal Group specialises in industrial packaging, brown box shipping containers, plus high-end packaging, ecommerce, in-store displays and shelf-ready packaging. It serves a diverse range of customers including retail, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, health and beauty, agriculture, tech and home goods.
The Delta SPC 130 Automatic press uses sustainable food grade certified water-based ink technology for the food, retail packaging and display industry. Being a single-pass press it cuts lead times and provides excellent quality, equivalent to flexo and offset production, Koenig & Bauer Durst says.
It also comes with an expanded colour gamut with orange and purple added to the CMYK wheel which means it can achieve more than 90 per cent of the 3,000-plus Pantone colours, including spot coloration for specific brands.
“As both a producer and a converter of corrugated packaging, The Royal Group has made significant investments to acquire the best machinery available in the industry,” said TRG’s Chief Executive Officer Bob McIlvaine.
“The investment in the Delta SPC 130 for our Mid-Atlantic site underpins our commitment to process improvement. It will enable us to provide highly automated, world-class printing capabilities at speed while remaining as flexible as possible for our clients as we continue to grow our business. Digital packaging is the future — and we aim to satisfy our customers and meet their needs with innovative solutions.”
Koenig & Bauer Durst managing director Robert Stabler said:
“Successful companies such as TRG embrace trends and offer high-impact solutions for their customers. Brand owners want shorter lead times, sustainable manufacturing practices and products that stand out. The Delta SPC 130 Automatic meets all those needs while providing customers with the latest, most reliable and cost effective production method available. We’re happy to deliver a solution that gives both TRG and its customers the capability and competency to mass customize without compromising quality.”
Durst Oceania managing director Matt Ashman confirmed the press is available locally.
Ashman said a key feature is that it uses Durst WT ink technology, a unique water based ink with no odour, no nasty chemicals and is food safe without having an over laminator or barrier. The press is suitable for primary packaging on any paper based media.
The ink used is the same already in place in Durst’s mid range packaging machine for corrugated printing, the P5 250 WT.
“This technology is the future. It replaces such processes as litho-lam, where paper is printed on a litho press and then laminated onto corrugated. With this technology, the corrugated board can be printed directly, cutting out a process. The print quality also exceeds high quality litho,” Ashman told Sprinter.
Koenig & Bauer and Durst, both world leaders in the manufacture of industrial printing machinery, signed a joint venture in 2019 to tap into the potential of digital production in the packaging industry.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at firstname.lastname@example.org.
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Viewers ask us at WBIR every day where they can buy solar eclipse glasses.
On Facebook, some of you have commented where you have found glasses and where places have sold out.
On Friday, we went looking.
The Muse in Knoxville ran out this week, but will have more next week. Visitor Services Manager Bicki Rudd said they ordered an “emergency” shipment of 1,000 glasses last week, and they all sold out by Thursday.
“We sold 309 in one hour,” she said.
State Farm agent Vanessa Brown in West Knoxville is giving out eclipse glasses. K Brew will also give a pair of glasses with the purchase of its “Iced Eclipse Tonic.”
The glasses from the State Farm agent and K Brew have an ISO 12312-2 stamp on the inside. NASA’s website says that marking means it meets the international safety standard.
An optometrist we spoke to goes further. He says the glasses should have the ISO stamp and be from a vendor recommended by NASA.


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PINGANBinance CEO says volatility is not unique to crypto Data shows it s Bitcoin s jet fuel Softbank Makes Multiple Crypto Moves This Month
The founder and current CEO of TRON posted a tweet where he called biggest crypto influencers of nowadays for &ldquoYalta Conference.&rdquo For those who are wondering about this historical event, the conference was intended to stabilize the situation after the Second World War. In the meanwhile, Elon Musk just hinted that Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has diamond hands.
XRP Falls 10% In Bearish Trade - XRP was trading at $1.35795 by 16:04 (20:04 GMT) on the Index on Monday, down 10.01% on the day. It was the largest one-day percentage loss since May 10.
Colonial transports roughly 2.5 million barrels per day of gasoline and other fuels from refiners on the Gulf Coast to consumers in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern United States.
PINGANConsumer discretionary was also down sharply as Casino stocks and retailers came under pressure with Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ:CZR) and Gap (NYSE:GPS) leading the decline.
Binance CEO says volatility is not unique to crypto Data shows it s Bitcoin s jet fuel,
Guide For Dummies: Why Crypto Is Not Bad For The Environment
Nearly half of that jump [in the core] was due to sharp increases in used car prices and airfare (both +10% mom), as demand for domestic travel rebounded with further easing in restrictions, RBC said in a note.Cardano Set To Explode, Says Crypto Analyst Benjamin Cowen
PINGAN[contact-form-7]You can always unsubscribe with just 1 click.While this was a massive surprise, the Fed will likely continue to make the case that a lot of these pressures are transitory and will fade later this year as consumer demand for goods subsides and the supply side catches up, Jefferies (NYSE:JEF) said.


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An enormous lithium deposit, potentially the world’s largest, has been found at a volcanic crater on the Nevada-Oregon border, with estimates ranging between 20-40 million tons. Lithium is vital to the production of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), which are crucial in the fight against climate change. This discovery could alleviate geopolitical tensions and environmental concerns, as the US previously lacked significant lithium reserves, most of which are located in Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, China, and Australia.
The discovery reaffirms the economic principle of supply elasticity. It demonstrates that when a resource becomes scarce and its price rises, efforts to discover new supplies or substitutes usually intensify. In the case of lithium, potential alternatives include various types of innovative battery technologies.
Despite this encouraging find, the demand for lithium, driven by the burgeoning EV industry and usage in computer batteries, continues to outpace supply. Even with the expected opening of more lithium mines globally, the demand is unlikely to be met solely through these sources. Therefore, lithium prices and exploration opportunities are predicted to stay strong.
Read more at Bloomberg.


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Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. unveiled two new aircraft: the G600 and the G500. The Savannah, Georgia-based company, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, promises the new jets will “optimize speed, wide-cabin comfort and efficiency to offer customers best-in-class performance with advanced safety features.” The maximum operating speed for both models will be .925 Mach. This, as well as comfortable cabin pressure, large windows and 100 percent fresh air, promises a quick and luxurious flight.
New manufacturing facilities in Georgia will build the planes. After FAA certification, the G500 is expected to be delivered in 2018. The G600 will arrive a year later. The jets are expected to sell for $43.5 million and $54.5 million, respectively.
Initial customers include Qatar Airways and Flexjet, the Dallas-based fractional jet provider that just signed a 50-plane contract with Gulfstream for a mix of G500s, G450s and G650s.
More pictures, along with a video of the unveiling event can be found here.