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The main gist of what they are saying is carried in these media reports:
What we need is a biosafety authority
When Bt cotton was introduced, the biosafety tests conducted before commercialization claimed that contamination is not a major issue. Photo: Mint
The biosafety data submitted by Mahyco on bt cotton also carried similar results…the animal morbidity in AP, Maharashtra after feeding on bt cotton leaves also had similar symptoms….unfortunately indian scientific system never researched upon this.
A groundbreaking new study  shows that pigs were harmed by the consumption of feed containing genetically modified (GM) crops.
GM-fed females had on average a 25% heavier uterus than non-GM-fed females, a possible indicator of disease that requires further investigation. Also, the level of severe inflammation in stomachs was markedly higher in pigs fed on the GM diet. The research results were striking and statistically significant.
Lead researcher Dr Judy Carman, adjunct associate professor at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia, said: “Our findings are noteworthy for several reasons. First, we found these results in real on-farm conditions, not in a laboratory, but with the added benefit of strict scientific controls that are not normally present on farms.
Find all the background on this study and on Dr. Judy Carman here: www.gmojudycarman.org
“Second, we used pigs. Pigs with these health problems end up in our food supply. We eat them.
“Third, pigs have a similar digestive system to people, so we need to investigate if people are also getting digestive problems from eating GM crops.
“Fourth, we found these adverse effects when we fed the animals a mixture of crops containing three GM genes and the GM proteins that these genes produce. Yet no food regulator anywhere in the world requires a safety assessment for the possible toxic effects of mixtures. Regulators simply assume that they can’t happen.
“Our results provide clear evidence that regulators need to safety assess GM crops containing mixtures of GM genes, regardless of whether those genes occur in the one GM plant or in a mixture of GM plants eaten in the same meal, even if regulators have already assessed GM plants containing single GM genes in the mixture.”
The new study lends scientific credibility to anecdotal evidence from farmers and veterinarians, who have for some years reported reproductive and digestive problems in pigs fed on a diet containing GM soy and corn.
Iowa-based farmer and crop and livestock advisor Howard Vlieger, one of the coordinators of the study, said: “For as long as GM crops have been in the feed supply, we have seen increasing digestive and reproductive problems in animals. Now it is scientifically documented.
“In my experience, farmers have found increased production costs and escalating antibiotic use when feeding GM crops. In some operations, the livestock death loss is high, and there are unexplained problems including spontaneous abortions, deformities of new-born animals, and an overall listlessness and lack of contentment in the animals.
“In some cases, animals eating GM crops are very aggressive. This is not surprising, given the scale of stomach irritation and inflammation now documented. I have seen no financial benefit to farmers who feed GM crops to their animals.”
Gill Rowlands, a farmer based in Pembrokeshire, Wales who is also a member of the campaign group GM-Free Cymru, said: “This is an animal welfare issue. Responsible farmers and consumers alike do not want animals to suffer. We call for the rapid phase-out of all GMOs from animal feed supplies.”
Claire Robinson of the campaign group GMWatch said: “Several UK supermarkets recently abandoned their GM-free animal feed policies, citing lack of availability of non-GM feed. We call on the public to visit the new citizens’ action website gmoaction.org, where they can quickly and easily send an email to the supermarkets asking them to ensure their suppliers secure certified GM-free animal feed. This will mean placing advance orders for GM-free soy from countries like Brazil.”
The research was conducted by collaborating investigators from two continents and published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Organic Systems. The feeding study lasted more than five months, the normal commercial lifespan for a pig, and was conducted in the US. The pigs were slaughtered at the usual slaughter age of over 5 months, after eating the diets for their entire commercial lifespan.
168 newly-weaned pigs in a commercial piggery were fed either a typical diet incorporating GM soy and corn, or else (in the control group) an equivalent non-GM diet. The pigs were reared under identical housing and feeding conditions. They were slaughtered over 5 months later, at the usual slaughter age, after eating the diets for their entire commercial lifespan. They were then autopsied by qualified veterinarians who worked “blind” – they were not informed which pigs were fed on the GM diet and which were from the control group.
The GMO feed mix was a commonly used mix. The GM and non-GM diets contained the same amount of soy and corn, except that the GM diet contained a mixture of three GM genes and their protein products, while the control (non-GM) diet had equivalent non-GM ingredients. Of the three GM proteins in the GM diet, one made a crop resistant to being sprayed with the herbicide Roundup, while two were insecticides.
Claire Robinson, GMWatch, UK: email@example.com To phone within UK: 0752 753 6923. To phone outside UK: +44 752 753 6923
Dr Judy Carman, Adelaide, Australia
Mr Howard Vlieger, Maurice, Iowa
Amit Kishore Singh, Major Singh and Suresh Kumar Dubey
BMC Microbiology 2013, 13:122 doi:10.1186/1471-2180-13-122
Published: 29 May 2013
The global area under brinjal cultivation is expected to be 1.85 million hectare with total fruit production about 32 million metric tons (MTs). Brinjal cultivars are susceptible to a variety of stresses that significantly limit productivity. The most important biotic stress is caused by the Brinjal Fruit and shoot Borer (FSB) forcing farmers to deploy high doses of insecticides; a matter of serious health concern. Therefore, to control the adverse effect of insecticides on the environment including the soil, transgenic technology has emerged as the effective alternative. However, the reports, regarding the nature of interaction of transgenic crops with the native microbial community are inconsistent. The effect of a Bt transgenic brinjal expressing the bio-insecticidal protein (Cry1Ac) on the rhizospheric community of actinomycetes has been assessed and compared with its non-transgenic counterpart.
Significant variation in the organic carbon observed between the crops (non-Bt and Bt brinjal) may be due to changes in root exudates quality and composition mediated by genetic attributes of Bt transgenic brinjal. Real time quantitative PCR indicated significant differences in the actinomycetes- specific 16S rRNA gene copy numbers between the non-Bt (5.62-27.86) x 1011 g-1 dws and Bt brinjal planted soil (5.62-24.04) x 1011 g-1 dws. Phylogenetic analysis indicated 14 and 11, actinomycetes related groups in soil with non-Bt and Bt brinjal crop, respectively. Micrococaceaea and Nocardiodaceae were the dominant groups in pre-vegetation, branching, flowering, maturation and post-harvest stage. However, Promicromonosporaceae, Streptosporangiaceae, Mycobacteriaceae, Geodermatophilaceae, Frankiaceae, Kineosporaceae, Actisymmetaceae and Streptomycetaceae were exclusively detected in a few stages in non-Bt brinjal rhizosphere soil while Nakamurellaceae, Corynebactericeae, Thermomonosporaceae and Pseudonocardiaceae in Bt brinjal counterpart.
Field trails envisage that cultivation of Bt transgenic brinjal had negative effect on organic carbon which might be attributed to genetic modifications in the plant. Changes in the organic carbon also affect the actinomycetes population size and diversity associated with rhizospheric soils of both the crops. Further long-term study is required by taking account the natural cultivar apart from the Bt brinjal and its near-isogenic non-Bt brinjal with particular reference to the effects induced by the Bt transgenic brinjal across different plant growth stages.
The complete article is available as a provisional PDF. The fully formatted PDF and HTML versions are in production.
#GMCrops #Biosafety #AgroEcology
Late lessons from early warnings: science, precaution, innovation
David A. Quist, Jack A. Heinemann, Anne I. Myhr, Iulie Aslaksen and Silvio Funtowicz
Innovation’s potential to deliver food security and solve other agriculture-related problems is high on the agenda of virtually all nations. This chapter looks at two different examples of food and agricultural innovation: genetically modified (GM) crops and agroecological methods, which illustrate how different innovation strategies affect future agricultural and social options.
GM crops are well suited to high-input monoculture agricultural systems that are highly productive but largely unsustainable in their reliance on external, non-renewable inputs. Intellectual property rights granted for GM crops often close down, rather than open up further innovation potential, and stifle investment into a broader diversity of innovations allowing a greater distribution of their benefits.
Science-based agroecological methods are participatory in nature and designed to fit within the dynamics underpinning the multifunctional role of agriculture in producing food, enhancing biodiversity and ecoystem services, and providing security to communities. They are better suited to agricultural systems that aim to deliver sustainable food security than high external input approaches. They do, however, require a broader range of incentives and supportive frameworks to succeed. Both approaches raise the issue of the governance of innovation within agriculture and more generally within societies.
The chapter explores the consequences of a ‘top-down transfer of technology’ approach in addressing the needs of poor farmers. Here innovation is often framed in terms of economic growth in a competitive global economy, a focus that may conflict with efforts to reduce or reverse environmental damage caused by existing models of agriculture, or even deter investment into socially responsible innovation.
Another option explored is a ‘bottom-up’ approach, using and building upon resources already available: local people, their knowledge, needs, aspirations and indigenous natural resources. The bottom-up approach may also involve the public as a key actor in decisions about the design of food systems, particularly as it relates to food quality, health, and social and environmental sustainability.
Options are presented for how best to answer consumer calls for food quality, sustainability and social equity in a wide sense, while responding to health and environmental concerns and securing livelihoods in local small-scale agriculture. If we fail to address the governance of innovation in food, fibre and fuel production now, then current indications are that we will design agriculture to fail.
Though Bt Brinjal banned, Bt Cotton still reaches Indian mouths
DNA | Feb 13, 2013, 05:47AM IST
Ahmedabad: The debate over genetically-modified (GM) crops has taken a nasty turn across the globe because a veteran anti-GM activist, Mark Lynas, has switched sides and is now campaigning in favour of the technology.
Indian consumers do not directly consume GM food as the government has not allowed such crops after Bt Brinjal debacle. But as Bt Cotton is present in the country, consumers are passively eating GM food through milk of an animal fed cottonseed meals and food cooked in cottonseed oil. Bt Cotton is not totally pesticide or insecticide-free. All mammals are indirectly vulnerable due to the pesticides used in cotton farming, say scientists.
The debate has gone public in the European Union as the European Commission’s Agriculture and Rural Development is conducting a survey. Noting that genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) are considered incompatible with organic farming, the survey asks participants whether they specifically buy organic products because they are “GMO-free”. It also asks whether consumers would put up with higher prices if it meant the accidental, low-level presence of GMOs in organic products was clearly labelled.
It should also be noted that though the direct use of Bt food is not allowed in the country, consumers are already exposed to their ill-effects indirectly because of the use of Bt cottonseed as edible oil. Of the total cottonseed production, 90% goes into expeller for production of cottonseed edible oil. What is left after the expeller process — the residue — goes as cottonseed meal which is a widely used as feed for animals.
“There is no doubt that use of pesticide has gone down after the use of transgenic variety but it is not completely free from pesticides. The number of sprays used to grow cotton has come down but it has not stopped attacks by sucking pests,” says Dr KR Kranthi of Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR).
Before the introduction of Bt Cotton, the fibre crop was susceptible to 162 varieties of pests and insects. In 1995, 54% of the total consumption of pesticide in the country was in cotton farming. The ratio had come down to 44% in 2001. After the introduction of two varieties of Bt Cotton seeds, the use of pesticide has further come down to 21%.
“Bt cotton does not need pesticides to protect the plant from bollworms pests. Bollworms were the key pests damaging 80% of the cotton losses in the country. Bt variety has an inbuilt mechanism to protect the plant from these pests. However, the problem of sucking pests is still there,” says agriculture scientist, Dr TL Dholaria.
According to various research studies, the total number of pesticide spray required for cotton has declined from 15 to 9 per crop season earlier.
“The number of spray needed has declined. It has also resulted in lowering the cost of farming. However, no one can claim that cotton farming has become completely pesticide free as farmers must continue to spray pesticide to control sucking pests,” said Dr Kranthi.
If one looks at the value chain of cotton farming, cotton seed is used for production of edible oil as well as cattle feed. Cottonseed is most widely used in cattle feed. These animals produce milk meant for human consumption. Consumption of cottonseed edible oil has also increased in the country.
“We all use milk and edible oil which may have some pesticides in it. As of now, we do not know the effects of this indirect consumption. However, we are also exposed to the consumption of hazardous chemicals used in manufacture of pesticides,” said Dr Dholaria.
“Insecticide costs as a proportion of total costs declined perceptibly in the post-Bt Cotton period, from 8.30% in 1996 to about 5.86% in 2008,” a study by Bhartiya Krishak Samaj and Council for Social Development concludes.


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Cash made up around 79 percent of everyday payments across the euro area last year, according to a European Central Bank study. Almost a quarter of consumers also kept some cash at home as a precaution, and 20 percent said they had a high-denomination note – 200 euros ($237) or 500 euros – in their possession in the year before the survey was conducted.
The study also found that many people don’t actually know their own payment habits. When asked how they prefer to pay, a larger share of respondents said card, not cash. That may be because nearly two-thirds of all transactions are below 15 euros, the report said. Purchases of coffee and lottery tickets don’t stick in the mind as much as, say, a new pair of shoes.
People mostly seem to remember the larger-value payments which they make less regularly, and tend to forget how frequently they make low-value payments on a daily basis.
The experience of some countries shows how things can change though. While contactless cards accounted for just 1 percent of payments across the euro area in 2016, the figure was almost 10 percent for the tech-savvy Netherlands. The authors of the study say that the small size of contactless payments – 81 percent of transactions are below 25 euros – give the technology great potential.
This could have a significant impact on the use of cash for smaller-value payments. Especially given that respondents who prefer cash and those who prefer cards both appear to place importance on the transaction speed.
For those who prefer physical money though, an important question is where’s the nearest cash dispenser? The survey found that satisfaction with access to ATMs and banks for easy withdrawals was highest in tiny Cyprus and Malta, but a bit of a struggle in Latvia and Lithuania.

domain: news


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Tactical Tethered Drone: Elistair Releases ORION 2.2 TE
Elistair Launches ORION 2.2 TE – Tactical Tethered Drone
by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Walker Robinson
Elistair has announced the launch of its new UAS product line, the ORION 2.2 TE, Tactical Tethered Drone, which possesses enhanced flight capabilities, additional tactical applications, and increased payload capacity and delivery range.
Elistair is a drone designer and manufacturer with offices in France and the United States that specializes in tethered UAVs. Founded in 2014, Their products are designed for both domestic and international tactical applications, and have been utilized by the US Army, UK Ministry of Defense, and others for persistent security operations over the last decade. Their products are currently being used in 70 countries for public safety, defense and private security. Tethered drones offer an alternative to battery-powered flight, providing the ability to fly stationary overwatch missions for hours or…


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This article originally appeared January 3, 2020 in Accounting Today
Two years after Carol Spindler O’Hara moved from San Francisco to Sonoma County in 1998, she took a break from public accounting — nine years to be exact — to be with her young children. But her new environment also inspired her to rejoin the profession 10 years ago, when San Francisco-headquartered BPM acquired a firm in nearby Santa Rosa, and O’Hara was given the chance to translate a passion for wine and vineyards she had developed in her time away into leading the Top 100 Firm’s consumer products industry group.
O’Hara worked with many industries during her 18 years with what is now Big Four firm KPMG (seven of them as an audit partner), and she was now tasked with building out BPM’s audit practice in California’s North Bay. Focusing her energy on the wine industry was a logical move given O’Hara’s location in Wine Country.
“I quickly fell in love with the wine and food scene in Sonoma County, which is really beautiful,” O’Hara explained. “I joined BPM 10 years ago after they merged with a small local practice in Santa Rosa. My background is as an audit partner, and the firm they merged with is a tax shop. I approached the BPM managing partner [then-CEO Stephen Mayer] to join up here to build out the audit practice. I was initially focused on the area of wine, for obvious reasons — there are a lot of wineries in Sonoma and Napa. In the past eight years we’ve grown out the wine practice quite substantially, into a robust wine practice.”
More recently, O’Hara has widened the practice’s scope. “A couple of years ago, I was asked to expand the focus to include all consumer products,” she explained. “I dug in to see what we would focus on. Natural, sustainable, organic, healthy are areas of consumer products that are growing massively. Conventional consumer products [are experiencing] single-digit growth, while organic, sustainable [products] are growing in double digits. The Bay Area is becoming a center for growth of natural products.”
Consumer demand and the proximity of Silicon Valley has created what O’Hara deemed an “explosion” in the local food-tech market, with meat-substitution, protein-alternative, and meal-kit delivery companies, among others, garnering major funding and going public.
Apart from these headline-grabbing companies, O’Hara explained that there are many organizations that have been operating in the food-tech space for decades — many also in the Bay Area. Among its roughly 30 food-tech clients, BPM counts older companies like Traditional Medicinals and the nation’s first organic creamery, Straus Family Creamery, along with newer startups like San Francisco-based cellular agriculture dairy company Perfect Day. Overall, BPM’s consumer products practice serves around 100 clients.
“The whole tech sector in the Bay Area is morphing into the food-tech space,” she said, explaining that BPM’s mindset was to “focus on these areas that are exploding. [Also] of interest is a focus on food, and healthy, local food. The third trend is that many of these companies in this space are long-time pioneers of what are called mission-driven companies. … I think that’s the business model of the future, to embrace more than profit.”
Practicing what they preach
BPM itself operates under a similar model, and recently applied to be one of a minority of accounting firms to receive B Corp certification, earned by organizations that attain measurable social and environmental performance benchmarks.
While BPM serves some pioneers in the healthy, organic and food-tech markets, it is for the younger startups that the firm can provide a unique service model, O’Hara explained. BPM forges relationships with many of these types of companies through local boards and membership organizations like the nonprofit Naturally Bay Area. “The companies at Naturally Bay Area are at an early stage,” O’Hara explained. “We have a group called BEST — the Business Enterprise Services Team — [that provides] outsourced accounting and bookkeeping services, working with very early-stage companies that don’t need any assurance services, but bookkeeping and tax returns. As the companies grow and get funding, they might need a review or an audit to be able to do that. … We work with all different stages and sizes.”
While the flexibility required for these early-stage companies can be challenging, O’Hara acknowledged, making those service adjustments can really pay off down the road. “We have to be creative in the way we work with them, in structuring our fees. It works for them in the early stage, and in the later stage, it works for us. It’s a win-win. We talk to clients about it, and try to be flexible. When we are in a long-term relationship of working with them, the fees are fair for both sides. The fees are lower early on, and when they do better, we do better.”
What O’Hara deems a worthy investment also differentiates BPM from other national and regional firms that seek larger clients, she said. Client relationships can then blossom to encompass the many advisory services BPM provides, which O’Hara stressed are very relationship-focused. “We have a full service of assurance, tax and advisory expertise, with a solid array of specialty services,” she explained. “We are hired for that expertise — for cost segregation, local and international tax. … Our experts were brought on board from national firms. We work with people throughout their life cycle.”
O’Hara’s take on business development is fitting for the leader of a practice prioritizing sustainable clients: “My approach is, if I want to become a part of, and do business with, a community, I need to join that community, become part of the ecosystem of that community.


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New agreement will see flagship SP:01 electric car produced in UK’s Leamington Spa
Chinese firm Far East Smarter Energy is to invest GBP1.5 billion as part of a deal with automaker Detroit Electric. As part of the capital injection, GBP300 million will be directed towards beginning production of the company’s sporty SP:01 EV in its factory in Leamington Spa, UK.
The vehicle itself follows a remarkably similar blueprint to that of the Tesla Roadster, being essentially and electric conversion of a Lotus Elise. This is achieved through the addition of a 37kWh battery and a 210 kW motor.
However, as Elektrek points out, the reported price tag of around GBP100,000 might buy you a lot more car for your money from other manufacturers. Its battery is capable of around 180 miles of range, but that is based on the more lenient NEDC rating system, and is 40 miles shorter than the 220 miles promised by the original Roadster.
Nevertheless, it will manage 155mph and take you from 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds, and may yet appeal to the EV or track enthusiast.
Albert Lam, chairman and CEO of Detroit Electric, said: “We have been working exceptionally hard over a long period to establish this joint venture and to secure funding for our ambitious new electric vehicle programme. I am delighted to be able to announce this new joint venture which represents a significant boost to vehicle manufacturing and the EV industry in Europe and an important new step towards bringing our family of EVs to market.”
According to reports, further investment will see Detroit Electric expand its offering to include an original-design SUV sometime in 2018, and another model in 2020, by which point the company wants to sell 100,000 vehicles globally. Reports last year inferred that the company would like to launch a sedan in 2019, but whether this has been pushed back (or scrapped altogether) is not clear.


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SplashCast Puts TV on MySpace, Facebook
Portland, OR-based SplashCast, an online content-syndication startup, announced it has teamed up with video service Hulu to distribute TV shows and other content on Facebook and MySpace. SplashCast’s “social TV player” software will syndicate new episodes from Hulu directly to viewers’ social-network pages. Twenty shows are currently available, and the company says “dozens more” will be running this month. Founded in 2006, SplashCast has 10 million viewers a month.


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Evel Knievel Slot Launches
Friday May 3, 2013 : SKY VEGAS INTRODUCES STUNTMAN SLOT
Evel Knievel theme in new online and mobile offering
The legendary exploits of daring motorcycle stunt rider Evel Knievel form the theme of a new internet slot now live on the Sky Vegas mobile and web portals.
The game, produced by UK web and HTML5 mobile games developer Core Gaming and powered by a Blueprint Gaming slots engine, is set to catch the eye of players with the Evel Knievel branding emblazoned across both Sky Vegas gaming portals in a complete site takeover throughout the bank holiday weekend.
From his humble roots in the unlikely town of Butte, MT, the late Evel Knievel rode his motorcycle to an unparalleled level of worldwide glory and fame: King of the Daredevils, Last of the Gladiators, Godfather of Extreme Sports, Guinness Book of Records holder for the most broken bones, an enigmatic folk hero -- an American legend.
Core Gaming was granted a five year exclusive contract to build online slot games around the brand by the Knievel estate, via Event Merchandising, last year.
Managing director Justin Chamberlain said Friday: “We have delivered several games to the Sky Vegas portal over recent months and have also been contracted to convert other existing titles to mobile over the next year, but to deliver web and mobile versions of our own proprietary content to such a prestigious operator simultaneously is a major achievement for us."
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Gambling News :
FanDuel adds English Premier League action -
Daily fantasy sports operator FanDuel, which is now additionally active in the UK market, has announced the inclusion on its roster of English Premier League action, with associated contests scheduled for roll-out next week.
Coral Q4-2016 earnings reports -
Ahead of its forthcoming merge with Ladbrokes, the online and land gambling group Coral published its Q4-2016 financial numbers Thursday, detailing the twelve week period ended September 25 2016.
Unibet in cooperation with -
Online gambling operator Unibet Group has signed a cooperation agreement with the FIFA subsidiary Early Warning System GmbH (EWS).
Kiron Interactive in deal with Digitain -
The online gambling expo and conference EiG 2016 has enabled two online gambling companies to come together in a commercial deal; specialist virtual games supplier Kiron Interactive has inked an agreement to distribute its virtual games via Armenia’s Digitain.
GLOBAL SPORTS BETTING WORTH $253.3 BILLION BY 2020 -
Ujjwal Doshi, lead analyst at the research firm, says, “Low-cost cross-border service delivery is opening up sports betting markets, which were previously protected by state-regulated monopolies or dominant local operators.”
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By Shane Wright
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for a meeting of treasurers and central banks of the world's largest economies to work out a financial response to the coronavirus outbreak amid warnings Australia will take a 10-year hit from the disease.
Mr Morrison said he had talked to British PM Boris Johnson about the need for the G20 - which is being headed by Saudi Arabia this year - to call a special meeting of finance ministers and central bankers.
G20 finance leaders met last month in Saudi Arabia where it was estimated the coronavirus outbreak would deliver a 0.5 percentage point hit to global growth. Since then, the virus has spread quickly and disrupted economies and financial markets.
Mr Morrison said while a meeting of world leaders was important to discuss the virus outbreak, it was even more critical to stabilise the global economy.
"This is a health crisis but it has various serious economic impacts. They've clearly been affecting financial markets," he said.
"We want to be assured to our cooperation as has occurred through the global financial crisis amongst that group that we can make sure there's no further damage or undermining of financial markets and the central bank governors and financial ministers are in the best place to do that."
He made the comments as modelling by KPMG suggests the outbreak will cost the economy the equivalent of 36 million lost work days while delivering a 1.5 per cent hit to productivity.
It estimates the virus will result in the Australian economy shrinking by up to 0.2 per cent or $5 billion by 2027. The global economy will also take a similar-sized hit.
"Our modelling also suggests that if there are no further major surprises about the severity of the pandemic and markets respond in an orderly fashion, then the Australian economy would take the better part of a decade to get close to its pre-COVID-19 trajectory," it found.
"If the pandemic is more acute and long-lasting and businesses and consumers lose confidence, then markets could be disrupted by irrational behaviour and the economic consequences could be more severe."
The nation's supermarkets were inundated by shoppers at the weekend as consumers sought to stock-up on essential goods, ranging from toilet paper to canned tomatoes.
KPMG said this would reduce spending by households on discretionary goods in the short term. Longer term, as households worked through their stock of goods, they would have more money to spend on non-essential items.
AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver said the government's stimulus package was aimed at good areas such as boosting investment and maintaining wages and employment.
"The package won’t stop the virus or the lockdowns – which risk extending into August in Australia given our approaching winter – and so probably won’t stop a recession which runs the risk of extending into the September quarter," he said.
"But along with monetary easing it may help Australia avoid a second consecutive quarter of contraction in the June quarter and even if it doesn’t it will minimise secondary economic effects."
The first official data on the impact of the coronavirus, and the summer's bushfires, will be released on Monday, along with the January international arrival and departure figures.
The figures, which pre-date the official ban on travel by non-citizens from China into Australia, are expected to show a fall in the number of tourists coming to the country. In January last year, 125,000 people came to Australia from China.


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Creator Clash 2 Is Finally Happening — Here's Where to Watch All the Action
Influencer boxing event Creator Clash 2 is happening on April 15, 2023 — here's where to watch the pre-show, post-show, and main event.
Ever since the official Creator Clash 2 announcement in January 2023, fans have been eagerly awaiting the mega-hyped influencer boxing event. Now, on April 15, it's finally time to watch your favorite content creators battle it out in support of their favorite charities. With popular YouTubers like Alex Wassabi, Michelle Khare, and Harley Morenstein taking part, and commentators and hosts including MoistCr1tikal, Markiplier, and JackSepticeye, you won't want to miss it.
Creator Clash 2, created by iDubbbz, is comprised of three events: the press conference and weigh-in, the main event, and the red carpet livestream and gala. Here's where and when to watch it all.
The Creator Clash 2 press conference and weigh-in will be streaming on Twitch.
The press conference and weigh-in will be taking place on April 14, one day before the main event. If you want to watch your favorite creators talk smack, answer questions, and more, be sure to tune in via Twitch.tv/EsfandTV at 4 p.m. EST.
Here's how to watch the Creator Clash 2 pre-show and main event.
Both the event's pre-show, hosted by YouTubers Markiplier and JackSepticeye at 5 p.m. EST, as well as the main fights at 6 p.m. EST, will be going down at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla. If you're in the area or able to make the trip, limited tickets are still available online to watch the show in person.
However, even if you're interested in tuning in from home, you're going to have to shell out some cash. Like last year's Creator Clash event, Creator Clash 2 will not be streaming on Twitch — instead, pay per view (PPV) tickets are available to purchase on the official website. General tickets cost $24.99, and day-of tickets cost $34.99. PPV will be streaming through Moment House.
After the fights, tune into the red carpet livestream and gala on Twitch.
On Sunday, April 16, one day after the main event, even more Creator Clash 2 content will be taking place. Once they're all bruised up, your favorite content creators will be getting glam and hitting the red carpet, hosted by streamers Amouranth and EsfandTV. Just like the press conference, this will be streaming on Twitch.tv/EsfandTV at 4 p.m. EST.


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This is a little different from my usual topics, but a lot of people I know are beginning to start their own small businesses, or grow their existing businesses. Recent conversations have caused my subconscious to tune into the nuances of this.
For example, I was traveling this week and I noticed a couple of the cab drivers swiped my credit card on their mobile devices using Square readers and I was able to receive my receipt via email or text message. That would have been unusual even a year ago, but it's very common now.
If you're a business owner that isn't accepting credit cards yet, here is some food for thought.
In TimesFreePress.com, small business owner Josh Lattimer details how being able to accept credit card payments saved his business and boosted his bottom line. In the past, Lattimer required his customers to pay with cash or write checks for his car care services, but since he started accepting credit card payments on his wife's iPad, his sales have steeply increased. In fact, Lattimer estimates that customers use credit cards for 90 percent of his outside sales—that money would have been lost without the right technology in place.
Jumping on Sales
Small business owners have to optimize their revenue by jumping on sales anytime, anywhere. For the hot dog stand owner or the ice cream truck driver, this means realizing that not everyone carries cash, and that it is important to have the technology in place to take alternative forms of payment. For someone who runs an online business or even a storefront, this may mean offering more payment options at checkout. By increasing the number of ways that your business accepts payments, you can pick up more sales and boost your bank balance in the process.
Listening to the Growing Market
The demand is not only there, it is growing. According to the Motley Fool, mobile payments in the U.S. are estimated to hit $90 billion by 2017. Last year alone there were $12.8 billion in mobile payments, representing huge growth. Business owners who are poised to take advantage of this sweeping growth will stand to make more money than their counterparts who let the shift pass them by.
However, the vast number of mobile payment products on the market means that consumers need to spend some time investigating so that they can find the right products for their needs. The main factor to consider is the cost of credit card processing services. This can cost users either a flat fee, or a percentage per transaction. Even large corporations like Starbucks have forgone their traditional credit card processing equipment in favor of more affordable and versatile mobile payments processing.
Companies like Intuit have stepped in to offer a range of credit card processing services for small business owners. Their mobile apps make it possible to process credit card payments using a phone or a tablet, while their online services are perfect for ecommerce sites. All of their services can be synced to your data files so that copies of all your receipts are readily available come tax time.
Business owners who accept mobile payments also need to keep up with the technology surrounding these types of payments. The umbrella phrase mobile payments can refer to devices which allow you to accept credit cards with your smart phone, but the phrase can also refer to accepting credit cards that have been stored in an app or accepting payments via a smartphone with a special chip, reports USA Today. The challenge for small business owners may be staying on top of these trends and anticipating how their clients want to pay both today and tomorrow, but information is available to the smart business owner seeking to stay ahead of the curve.
Mobile payments are going to grow, particularly as: more phones have NFC (Near Field Communications) capabilities;, more people move to digital wallets; and more consumers become comfortable with the convenience of mobile payments. If you're not already doing so, it's time to get familiar with the mobile payment landscape, understand your options, and figure out how this shift will impact your business.


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The fancy intense yellow diamond pictured above has an unbreakable bond with one of the oldest international aid organizations, The Red Cross.
The 205.07 ct. Red Cross Diamond was unearthed in 1901 in a De Beers South African mine and, uniquely, boasts a pavilion that’s faceted in the shape of a Maltese cross.
The gemstone was first offered for sale in 1918 at Christie’s London by the Diamond Syndicate in aid of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John, in the Red Cross Auction (that entire sale raised £50,000 (roughly $4 million today). The Red Cross Diamond fetched £10,000 (approximately $780,828 today) when it was bought by well-known London firm S.J. Phillips.
The gem went up for sale a second time at Christie’s, 55 years later, in November 1973 in Geneva, earning roughly $1.9 million from a private buyer (no philanthropy was involved). And now Christie’s is offering the diamond at auction for a third time in its 104 years, at a May 11 sale in Geneva—and plans to donate an unnamed percentage of its sale to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Christie’s and the British Red Cross have partnered on several occasions over more than a century. The most famous instance of this took place in 1918 when the European aristocracy donated 3,597 single pearls to benefit the Red Cross immediately after WWI—which firms such as Garrard and Tiffany crafted into necklaces, scarf pins and rings. The jewels became known as the Red Cross Pearls and were auctioned by Christie’s to aid the humanitarian organization.
Much more recently, Christie’s donated to the Red Cross during the tragic wildfires in California, and in 2020, the auctioneer donated 500 of its Christie’s Education online courses to support the International Fund-Raising Committee of the British Red Cross.
“This is a tremendous honor for a cause that is even more poignant in the midst of current events,” said François Curiel, chairman of Christie’s Europe and head of the luxury department in a statement.
Before the Red Cross Diamond finds its new owner, it will be on public view at Christie’s New York, 20 Rockefeller Plaza, April 29-May 1; and at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva May 6-11. —Emili Vesilind
Top: The fancy intense yellow Red Cross Diamond (courtesy of Christie’s)


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Harley-Davidson and Triumph Pose a Stiff Challenge to Royal Enfield in Google Searches
Harley-Davidson and Triumph Pose a Stiff Challenge
July 26, 2023 : In the ever-evolving landscape of the motorcycle industry, the battle for brand supremacy has transcended physical showrooms and entered the digital realm. According to recent data on Google searches, renowned motorcycle manufacturers Harley-Davidson and Triumph are giving Royal Enfield a run for its money in terms of online interest and engagement.
Google search trends are increasingly becoming a barometer of a brand's popularity and consumer interest. In this digital age, potential customers turn to search engines to gather information, read reviews, and explore options before making purchasing decisions. For motorcycle manufacturers, a strong online presence is crucial to attract new customers and retain brand loyalty.
As per the latest reports, Royal Enfield, an iconic Indian motorcycle brand, is facing stiff competition from Harley-Davidson and Triumph in terms of online visibility. Despite its longstanding dominance in the Indian market, Royal Enfield has witnessed a notable dip in the volume of Google searches, raising eyebrows within the industry.
The shift in search interest could be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the entry of Harley-Davidson and Triumph into the Indian market has sparked curiosity among motorcycle enthusiasts. These renowned international brands bring with them a rich legacy and a diverse lineup of premium motorcycles, capturing the attention of potential buyers seeking high-performance and iconic rides.
Secondly, the recent strategic initiatives undertaken by Harley-Davidson and Triumph to expand their footprint in the country have further bolstered their online presence. Collaborations with local partners, new model launches, and aggressive marketing campaigns have helped them gain momentum and visibility in the digital space.
On the other hand, Royal Enfield, while still highly regarded for its classic and rugged motorcycles, is facing a challenge in staying ahead in the race for digital dominance. The brand's focus on retro-themed bikes, while appealing to a niche audience, might need a boost to keep up with the changing preferences of the broader market.
In response to the changing dynamics, Royal Enfield has also been proactive in strengthening its online presence. The company has invested in revamping its website, engaging in social media marketing, and launching digital campaigns to create a deeper connect with potential buyers. Additionally, they have been working on diversifying their product portfolio to cater to a wider range of consumers.
Industry experts believe that the battle for search dominance is not just about numbers but also about the perception of a brand. Brands like Harley-Davidson and Triumph evoke strong emotions, associating with freedom, adventure, and luxury. While Royal Enfield has a loyal fan base, it may need to refresh its image to attract new customers and stay relevant in the competitive market.
Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards online interactions and e-commerce. Motorcycle companies, including Royal Enfield, need to adapt to this changing landscape swiftly. The digital space has become a virtual showroom, and winning in this realm is as crucial as securing sales in brick-and-mortar outlets.The competition among these iconic motorcycle brands is not just limited to the domestic market; it has a global impact as well. Indian motorcycle manufacturers like Royal Enfield have been expanding their international presence, and their performance in online searches can significantly influence their brand perception overseas.
In conclusion, the battle for supremacy in the motorcycle industry has expanded into the virtual world, with Harley-Davidson and Triumph gaining ground in Google searches, putting pressure on Royal Enfield. The digital era demands adaptability and innovation, and motorcycle companies must embrace these changes to resonate with the modern consumer. As the industry continues to evolve, the brand that strikes the right balance between tradition and innovation while capturing online attention is likely to emerge as the true champion.


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Gordon Brown the UK Prime Minister is planning to move the UK to Australia. Brown is thought to have got the idea from the author Neville Shute, who wrote several books on the subject in the 1940's.
It is thought Prime Minister Brown is concerned at his dwindling popularity both in the UK and on the world stage and sees this as the perfect way to re-invent himself. It is also believed that the UK economy will implode in 2008 with average house prices in London to fall so dramatically that they will soon be cheaper than the average light bulb.
Queen Elizabeth is already disposing of her UK property with Buckingham Palace sold to a Russian Oligark and the Walt Disney Corporation are said to have acquired Windsor Castle. Whilst Liz has purchased a chic studio flat in Sydney.
In Australia opinion is divided, whilst many concede that the UK shall bring better education and improve the economy, many Australians are concerned that there sports teams will suffer.
With Britain set to empty in just a few months already many are eyeing it up with Poland favourite to claim Britain as their new home.


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Google Inc, has appointed Clay Bavor as the new boss of its virtual reality team, according to the company’s spokesman Joshua Cruz, in a move seen as the company’s further dive into virtual reality after huge successes with the Google Cardboard.
â€œWe can confirm Clayâ€™s new role on the VR team, but we are not providing any additional comment at this time,â€ Google spokesman Joshua Cruz told Venturebeat in an email.
The news comes a few months after the company partnered with GoPro action camera maker and started supporting viewing of immersive 360 degree YouTube videos using Google Cardboard beginning in November last year.
Bavor, who was the vice president for product management and one of the executives behind Google Cardboard, has also, through his Twitter page, indicated he will be the vice president of virtual reality division at Google.
- OpenSim grids register 4k new users, add land area, but usage falls - January 16, 2023
- Vivox voice replacements delayed by funding and OpenSim integration issues - December 21, 2022
- OpenSim hits new record usage at holiday season - December 20, 2022


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Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD to Grind Through Seven Confirmed Levels
Activision has revealed new screenshots of the upcoming Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD, which is set to release on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live this summer. The screenshots showcase some of the riders in the game, such as Rodney Mullen, Nyjah Huston, and of course, Tony Hawk himself. In these we also get a good look at the ‘Warehouse’ level as well a glimpse at the ‘School 2’ level.
With the screenshots, Activision has also confirmed seven of the levels from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater & Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, which will make their way into the game. The levels are Warehouse, School 2, Mall, Phoenix, Hangar, Marseilles, and Venice. Early screenshots of this HD remake look to do great justice to these old school levels and finally take the Tony Hawk series back in the right direction after Ride and Shred failed to impress.
Let us know in the comments if you plan to return to Tony Hawk’s old skating grounds.


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Nigerian musician, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, alias Wizkid, has canceled his scheduled Tiny Desk Concert due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The ‘Joro’ crooner who was supposed to perform alongside other acts such as Rick Ross, Kirk Franklin, 2 Chainz, and Davido, could no longer participate in NPR’s Black History Month celebrations due to the travel restrictions to and from the United Kingdom.
NPR took to their official Instagram page to announce the news.
”Due to the recently imposed Covid-related travel restrictions to/from the UK, Wizkid regrettably had to cancel his participation in the Tiny Desk Black History Month celebration. Wizkid apologizes to NPR, his fans and looks forward to performing on Tiny Desk soon.”
See the post below:


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Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar made awareness about menstrual hygiene with his movie Padman. The movie was a huge hit and also a huge eye-opener for the entire nation.
Well, after Akki, Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar successfully launched the world's first compostable menstrual hygiene sanitary napkin machine today. This day also marks the 100th birth anniversary of South Africa's legendary anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela.
Miss Chhillar launched the machine at Nelson Mandela's hometown in Mvezo. The beauty Queen is part of the historic centenary celebrations of Nelson Mandela and has made India proud by being a part of such a great work.
Take a look at the pics here:
In one of the pics, she is seen operating the world's first compostable menstrual hygiene pad machine. While in the other picture Chhillar shows the pads that are made by her team with her help of the machine.
The beautiful lady was seen posing for the shutterbugs flashing her infectious smile. Manushi looked every bit gorgeous in an off-white floral mini dress. She flaunted her beautiful crown and made everyone go gaga over her beauty.
In other snaps, Manushi was seen celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela with the locals over there in South Africa. She also posed with them for the cameras.
Manushi gained overnight popularity when she was crowned as Miss World 2017. Since then, there was no looking back. Manushi is continuously travelling around the globe and attending various beauty contests and events. She has also been caught hanging out with Bollywood celebrities at award shows.
Manushi recently bagged an ad commercial with Bollywood hot sensation Ranveer Singh for Club Factory which is one of the leading online websites. She was signed up as a brand ambassador for Malabar Gold and Diamonds, one of the world’s largest retail jeweller groups. She starred in this ad alongside Bollywood beauty Kareena Kapoor Khan. She was named as the Times Most Desirable Women of India 2017.
The beauty is likely to be seen in many such ads and even movies in the future.


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The federal government has just announced an extension of temporary relief for financially distressed businesses and their directors impacted by the Coronavirus crisis.
The extension provides for a temporary increase in the threshold at which creditors can issue a statutory demand on a company, as well as the time companies have to respond to statutory demands they receive.
The announcement also extends the temporary relief for company directors from any personal liability for trading while insolvent.
These insolvency and bankruptcy protections have been extended to 31 December 2020.
These measures are part of more than 80 temporary regulatory changes designed to provide greater flexibility for businesses and individuals to help them manage the impacts of the COVID crisis.
- statutory demands against companies: $20,000 threshold and six months to respond
- insolvent trading: company directors’ personal liability has been paused
- bankruptcy notices for individuals: the threshold is $20,000 and individuals have six months in which to respond.
Need legal advice?
If you or your business have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and need any legal support, contact us today on 3286 4077 or email@example.com


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Part of the executive’s strategy is to make Microsoft a benchmark player in the world of artificial intelligence (AI). And while the Redmond giant has long had its own AI lab, Nadella’s management style has fostered partnerships with other companies. Thus it was that we saw the birth (and growth) of its relationship with OpenAI. Today, Meta appears on the scene.
Microsoft and Meta join forces
“There is strength in numbers” they say. This slogan, originating in the Netherlands, clearly represents the latest move by the Redmond-based company in its struggle to take on industry giants such as Google. Until today we knew that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, was working on a new language model to climb the AI race.
This Tuesday we not only learned that the supposed model is a reality, but that it will be available in the catalog of models that Azure customers can use. And, if that wasn’t enough, it has been optimized to run locally on Windows. Two important advantages for users, certainly, but also bringing together two giants with a common goal: artificial intelligence.
LLaMA has evolved to Lama 2. The most recent version of the Meta language model is no longer limited to the field of research and finally makes the leap to all users, even for commercial purposes. We are facing a beast that has been trained with 40% more data than the initial version and boasts twice the number of tokens it can receive on each request.
Confirming last week’s rumors, Llama 2 is finally available under the open source approach (albeit under community license). To access it and start using it in different projects there are two possible paths: find it within Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, Azure, or download the model to run on Windows.
It should be noted that we are facing a significant opening. The possibility of accessing such a model at no cost, opting for its 7B, 13B and 70B parameter variants, is as great as it is challenging.
This is how the 118 new emojis that will soon arrive to whatsap chats look like
Emojis have positioned themselves as one of the main resources to make more interactive the different conversations that can be held through different social networks or messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram or Google Messages.
Thanks to these small images a person can communicate different sensations or emotions in a precise way and without being forced to write a long message to convey their status. In fact, some users have created their own communication codes by attributing other meanings to certain emoticons.
Although currently users of smartphones and digital platforms have the possibility of using about 3,664 emojis in the different messages they share with other people every day, it seems that there are still not enough emoticons for their chats.
Which will be the emojis that will arrive to WhatsApp in 2023
Emojipedia has already offered a small preview of the new emoticon designs that will soon be available. It is worth noting that this time there will not be completely new emoticons, since most of the images that will be incorporated will be generated from a combination of emojis that already exist.
When will the new emojis be available in WhatsApp?
The Emoji 15.1 update will be officially launched in the month of September, so that sometime in the ninth month of 2023, users of devices with the latest versions of Android or iOS will have access to the emoticons that they will be able to use in their WhatsApp chats.


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MySpace Android application is integrated exclusively with Shazam, the world’s leading mobile music discovery provider. The integration allows MySpace users to identify music by holding the phone towards an unknown song and connect to the artist’s MySpace page. From there you can see band information, check out photos of the band or artists and even check Upcoming Shows schedules.
MySpace Mobile experience customized for Android now available via the Android Market. More than two million daily unique users visit MySpace’s mobile website, and according to ABI Research 70 percent of people who use social networks on mobile have visited MySpace.
The MySpace Android application lends itself to a personal, unique MySpace experience and allows for a deep integration with the device including :
- Instant photo uploading from an Android device to a MySpace profile
- Check out tour schedules on band profiles
- View and comment on photos, profiles, and bulletins
- Search and add new friends
- Send and read messages
- Update and view mood and status
“We want to ensure that all users have access to their global MySpace network while they’re on-the-go, and we believe Android is a natural fit for an optimized MySpace Mobile experience.” said John Faith, vice president and general manager of Mobile for MySpace.
“We are excited about this collaboration,” said Andrew Fisher, CEO of Shazam. “It allows users to discover music at the point of inspiration and benefit from MySpace’s unique and rich content.”


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Developer Sprite announced that their dating sim VN Aokana: Four Rhythm Across the Blue is getting a Nintendo Switch release in Japan sometime in Winter 2017.
Aokana: Four Rhythm Across the Blue first released on PC back in November 2014. IT followed with a PS Vita release in February 2016 and more recently a PS4 release back in January of this year.
Here’s a look at a medley of opening videos from various ports:
Description via VNDb:
In a world where flying is as simple as riding a bicycle, there is a popular sport called “Flying Circus.”
The protagonist once had a bright future ahead of him in that field of sports but due to an overwhelming defeat in addition to a certain other reason, he has left that field.
However, he meets the transfer student Kurashina Asuka and regains his passion as he teaches her how to fly.
With his situation changed, he participates once again in the Flying Circus. Just how high will he be able to fly this time with Asuka at his side?
This is a love story about the two who met while soaring in the skies, and the friends surrounding them.
Aokana: Four Rhythm Across the Blue releases for Nintendo Switch in Winter 2017 in Japan. It’ll be available via retail and digitally.


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Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has officially joined seven other states and the District of Columbia in launching an investigation into Facebook for possible antitrust violations.
New York Attorney General Letitia James will lead the bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, she announced in a Friday press release.
“Even the largest social media platform in the world must follow the law and respect consumers. I am proud to be leading a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in investigating whether Facebook has stifled competition and put users at risk,” James said. “We will use every investigative tool at our disposal to determine whether Facebook’s actions may have endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers’ choices, or increased the price of advertising.”
Joining Ohio in the investigation are the attorneys general from Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, and the District of Columbia.
The press release states that the investigation will focus on “Facebook’s dominance in the industry and the potential anticompetitive conduct stemming from that dominance.”
Yost has yet to publicly comment on the investigation, but confirmed with The Ohio Star in late August that he was one of up to 20 attorneys general considering a joint antitrust probe of Facebook.
“Big data creates new problems for a free society. We are gathering information, and all our options are on the table,” Yost said in June.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced in July that it was reviewing “whether and how market-leading online platforms have achieved market power and are engaging in practices that have reduced competition, stifled innovation, or otherwise harmed consumers.”
Around the same time, Facebook was ordered to pay a record $5 billion fine imposed by the Federal Trade Commission, which is also investigating Facebook for possible antitrust violations.
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller released a statement Friday on his participation in the investigation of Facebook.
“Facebook’s dominance over communications and information is concerning, and that’s why we are joining this bipartisan coalition to examine whether the company has violated antitrust laws. The investigation is in its early stages and we have drawn no conclusions,” Miller said. “Our goal is to determine whether Facebook’s actions may have endangered user data, reduced the quality of consumers’ choices, or stifled competition.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Dave Yost” by Dave Yost. Photo “Facebook-Mark Zuckerberg” by Christoph Scholz. CC BY-SA 2.0.


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AWS has taken a big step forward with the announcement of a new service that allows subscription-based quantum computers to be rented.
Of course, quantum computers are still a very expensive niche offer with a long running time. A good way to develop the technology further. However, customers who want to experiment with the power of the quantum computer need not refuse.
This is exactly what is possible with the new AWS Braket service that was unveiled at the re: Invent 2019 conference
Braket is described as a fully managed AWS service, used by scientists or developers of computers from major quantum hardware vendors including those that can be used by D-Wave (the first manufacturer of quantum computers), IonQ and Rigetti.
While a commercially viable quantum computer remains a dream and a series of major technical hurdles in the way, advances in industry are advancing The field of quantum engineering is rapidly opening up.
And while many companies now want quantum computing, customers with Braket can realistically get into this area and identify with it h The following quantum computers could be beneficial to the operation:
The Amazon Braket service offers customers one The only development environment in which they can use a developer toolkit to create quantum algorithms and test them on simulated quantum computers and various quantum hardware architectures.
Braket is now available as a preview. You can sign up here for the service.
Regarding the cost of the service, Amazon finds that prices vary depending on the hardware vendor you select and you only pay for the time you spend with the quantum computer. No concrete figures have yet been submitted, and Amazon indicates that public prices will be announced when the service is launched in its full form.
Help at Hand
Of course, quantum computing is a technically demanding field, and Amazon will do so as well, notes that help is available in the form of the Quantum Solutions Lab. The lab brings customers together with Amazon's quantum computer experts to find out how their business can benefit from the technology, and to collaborate on programs to identify and test quantum algorithms.
Amazon also announces the AWS Center for Quantum Computing (which will be based at Caltech). The idea is to combine the knowledge of the aforementioned Amazon experts with leading academic research organizations to drive the development of new quantum computing technologies and more powerful hardware.
Note that there are already competing cloud-based quantum computing efforts. including the Azure Quantum offering from Microsoft.


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In light of recent headlines — the possibility of a global recession, say, or the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history — you might expect manufacturing and logistics companies to be cautious about growth opportunities in the year ahead. Yet, in Randstad’s survey of select manufacturing and logistics clients, the opposite proved to be the case.
A full 95 percent of manufacturing and logistics companies are at least moderately confident about current economic conditions.
These same companies are nearly as bullish about their own performance forecasts, with 68 percent indicating that they expect business performance will improve in the year ahead.
That's exciting news for employers and employees alike. At the same time, our survey uncovered several common obstacles to growth, particularly around finding, hiring and retaining essential talent. In this article, we'll dig into the biggest pain points confronting manufacturing and logistics companies in 2019 and beyond, then turn to some actionable strategies for overcoming them.
Two factors — talent shortages and the skills gap — constitute the most significant external threat to business performance according to the largest percentage of respondents (43%) in Randstad's survey. Notably, the next-largest external threat, "issues related to customer demand — forecasting or sustaining," accounted for less than half that. Clearly, then, talent-related challenges dwarf all other external threats for manufacturing and logistics companies today.
As a consequence, many employers in this space have been forced into a difficult compromise: In need of talent today, they're no longer aiming for best-fit candidates, but simply hiring whoever they can — and frequently taking on less-than-ideal candidates as a result. Evidence of that is the fact that "absenteeism" was cited as the most pressing talent challenge by almost a fifth (17%) of respondents. And given the importance of output and productivity to overall performance for manufacturing and logistics firms, no-shows are a complete nightmare.
But the unfortunate outcomes associated with bad hires don't stop there. According to our survey, time wasted on training (39%), cost (37%) and increased stress on team members (20%) were also linked to poor hiring decisions. And effects like these can be felt throughout the organization, with wide-ranging negative impacts on everything from staff morale to the bottom line.
The full scope and impact of talent-related challenges for manufacturing and logistics companies becomes clearer when we turn to retention. Asked to rank their most pressing internal threats to growth, manufacturing and logistics companies named the following factors.
Worse yet — though perhaps unsurprisingly — respondents cited turnover as their biggest drain on productivity. Simply put, companies that don't have the right people in the right roles will likely struggle to realize performance goals.
Considering this backdrop, what should manufacturing and logistics companies do to move the needle on these and other internal and external talent-related threats?
At the moment, unfortunately, there's no clear consensus on the answer to that question — manufacturing and logistics companies appear to be tackling the problem with a variety of different approaches. If we dig into some of the root causes of turnover, however, possible solutions begin to emerge.
Unsustainable workloads were the most frequently cited reason for turnover. This is a promising sign that the power to improve retention may be partially in the hands of employers — manufacturing and logistics companies should closely examine existing workloads and rebalance accordingly.
Poor relationships with colleagues or supervisors was the second-leading cause of turnover. For manufacturing and logistics companies struggling with chronic turnover, therefore, focusing on management training and feedback sessions to improve relationships could be a game-changer.
Better compensation from competitors was the third-leading driver of turnover. In that context, companies should take a critical eye to pay and benefits, and consider enhancing their offerings to convince employees to stay.
Despite an overwhelmingly bullish forecast on the economy and business performance in the year ahead, manufacturing and logistics companies face a raft of common pain points — as we have seen. Those companies that address these challenges the most nimbly and effectively stand to gain a huge advantage on the competition. To help them get there, here are a few areas that should be priorities.
Developing more effective retention strategies can help manufacturing and logistics companies reduce the urgency of their hiring needs and mitigate a wide range of talent-related risks.
Businesses should consider partnering with talent providers that can flex and scale to accommodate variability in demand as well as talent needs.
Unsustainable workloads are driving turnover, so by rebalancing workloads many manufacturing and logistics companies will see improvements in overall retention rates.
With quality talent harder to come by than ever before, implementing more robust hiring processes will be a key factor in reducing the frequency — and overall impact — of bad hires for manufacturing and logistics companies.
Overcoming these obstacles isn't going to be easy — but it’ll be harder if you choose to go it alone. That’s why so many companies turn to Randstad Manufacturing and Logistics to support their talent needs. Our high-tech, high-touch approach to recruitment and hiring can help you avoid bad hires and solve workforce challenges, with clear bottom-line rewards as a result. Plus, we have specialized experts in nearly every field, and our local consultants can provide customized recruiting plans tailored to your market and competitive landscape.
Contact Randstad today to learn how we can power the success of your business — in 2019 and beyond.
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Beckett Auctions lands Strasburg Superfractor
Devin Grant holds the 2010 Bowman Chrome Stephen Strasburg Superfractor along with his godson, Tristan, who is his “collecting buddy.” The card previously sold for $21,403.
By Chris Olds | Beckett Baseball Editor
The 2010 Bowman Chrome Stephen Strasburg Superfractor is headed to the auction block one more time — this time it’s via Beckett Auctions.
The card originally sold for $17,403 raw in 2010 and then sold to Leaf Trading Cards for $21,403 so it could be placed into a repack product. Devin Grant pulled it from a pack and attempted a charity fundraiser in 2011 but ran into roadblocks with state laws about such a venture.
Now, it’s headed to the auction block — perhaps with a charitable twist once again. Details are still being finalized, but Grant’s famous card will be on display at the National Sports Collectors Convention this week in Chicago.
Chris Olds is the editor of Beckett Baseball and Beckett Sports Card Monthly magazines. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an email to him at firstname.lastname@example.org. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here.


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Jane Milton talks with the Washington Post
I was asked to speak to the Washington Post about the controversy in Pakistan this week when a government minister suggested that this nation of tea lovers reduced their consumption! His request came as all their tea is imported and they are running low on foreign exchange reserves and facing a cost of living crisis there.
While I have empathy with all tea drinkers and especially those being asked to reduce their tea drinking, I would rather reduce tea than not be able to import medicines or other essential items too.
A shame too that they no longer have their own tea industry and are totally dependent on import Article HERE


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Tesla CEO Elon Musk seemingly bared his plans for the dog-themed meme coin Dogecoin in several tweets, assuring investors that despite the harsh crypto market that has sent prices plummeting, DOGE still has the billionaire’s support.
To say the crypto market is harsh these days is quite an understatement considering that it has lost trillions of dollars in just a matter of days. Dogecoin, the favorite crypto asset of Musk, is among the casualties with its current price down a massive 93% from its all-time-high of $0.731578.
But while amateur investors are dumping stocks to at least be spared from the carnage, “diamond hands” investors hold their investment, taking advantage of the dip and buying more stocks.
Musk’s tweets saw the DOGE price surge momentarily to $0.05745 and among these tweets is a declaration of support for the world’s first meme coin. “I will keep supporting Dogecoin,” Musk’s tweet Sunday read, and when a follower told him to keep buying the crypto asset, he replied that he is actually buying the dip with a follow-up tweet “shadow crew.”
The Tesla CEO also seemingly indicated that he wanted to see more utility for Dogecoin, noting: “More currency-like” and adding “Tesla and SpaceX merch, maybe more down the road.” Although Musk’s tweets did not reveal many details, they showed that the billionaire has a vision for DOGE.
A part of this plan may have been revealed in Musk’s first meeting with Twitter employees on Thursday. He brought up the possibility of integrating a payment system into the micro-blogging platform, which supports crypto payment. He noted that it “would make sense to integrate payments into Twitter so that it’s easy to send money back and forth” adding that it could feature support to “currency as well as crypto.”
Twitter already added Bitcoin and Ethereum to its tipping feature and sometime in April Musk toyed with the possibility of Twitter accepting DOGE as a form of payment for Twitter Blue.
Musk’s tweet saw a rise in the price of Dogecoin and as of 5:11 a.m. ET on Sunday, it was trading up 7.76% at $0.05657, with a 24-hour volume of $947,460,146, based on data from CoinMarketcap.


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Highlights from the American Feed Industry Association's largest annual event
The American Feed Industry Association's 2012 International Feed Expo, organized in conjunction with the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association’s International Poultry Expo, concluded on Jan. 26 in Atlanta. More than 20,500 visitors from 100-plus different countries attended this year’s event supporting the feed, pet food and poultry industries.
The annual trade show and expo, the world's largest event of its kind, housed 895 exhibitors who displayed the latest in products and technologies, while sponsoring associations provided numerous educational programs and international networking opportunities.
"The International Feed Expo is a place for everyone to come together on a global basis and access the latest technology in the marketplace, to receive education on best practices and also share a good networking opportunity with other people in the industry," said Joel Newman, AFIA president & CEO. "With over 20,000 attendees here at the show, it’s the place to be.”
The largest of commercial grain bins can be brought down by ignoring the smallest of details, according to Rod Carpenter, senior partner at Clear Creek and Associates. Whether caused by incorrect component installation, improper construction, faulty engineering, rust or even Mother Nature, many commercial corrugated grain bin failures are preventable.
Southeast Asia will have to embrace genuine trade liberalization, in all aspects — sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and import authorizations, in addition to tariff removals — if it wishes to see its full potential for food security and economic prosperity. Currently, non-tariff trade barriers (NTTBs) are becoming the norm, as nations are willing to liberalize on paper, but not on the ground.


text: The Small Business Saturday is just one week from away. This day is dedicated to supporting and buying from small, local businesses to help fuel the economy. Small businesses are driving a majority of new jobs and innovation in business, so now more than ever we all need to be supporting them. At Backupify, many of our customers are small businesses and we recognize their need to focus on business initiatives not data management. In honor of this, we're encouraging all small business owners to set up a free trial of Backupify for Google Apps.


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Complaints about charities using direct marketing such as direct mail, telephone and doorstep fundraising spiraled last year, according to the annual complaints report compiled by the Fundraising Standards Board.
Freeview is looking to the launch of its recently announced Freeview Connected service, which will see catch-up players such as iPlayer and 4oD and apps integrated into TV sets as standard, to encourage consumers to “reappraise” the brand as more modern as it goes head to head with brands such as Apple, Google and YouView in the connected TV space.
Budgets contracted at the fastest pace since the IPA Bellwether began more than 20 years ago, with all areas of marketing impacted.
The tech giant’s UK CMO Paul Bolt believes future success will be gained by staying “humble” and remaining optimistic about the challenges of a post-pandemic world.
PepsiCo may have cut its marketing spend during the coronavirus crisis, but it believes that has led it to “become better” at marketing as it focuses more on activities that generate higher ROI.
Tom Fishburne is founder of Marketoon Studios. Follow his work at marketoonist.com or on Twitter @tomfishburne See more of the Marketoonist here


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RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) – A group of pharmacies has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court a decision that permits West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw's lawsuit against it to be heard in state court.
The group submitted its petition that asks for review of a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on Aug. 18, and it was placed on the Supreme Court's docket six days later. The pharmacies are claiming McGraw's drug-pricing case against them is essentially a class action and should be heard in federal court.
The case alleges six drug stores - Wal-Mart, CVS, Kmart, Kroger, Target and Walgreen -- did not pass savings on generic drugs to consumers.
"Indeed, the West Virginia Attorney General's role here is more analogous to the role of the EEOC or other regulator when it brings an action on behalf of a large group of employees or a segment of the public," the Fourth Circuit's 2-1 judgment says. "Yet, the Supreme Court has concluded that such a regulator's action is not a class action of the kind defined in Rule 23."
Read the full story at Legal Newsline.


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Last edited 3:12 p.m., June 17, 2011
LongHorn Steakhouse, a chain with more than 350 restaurants and about 18,000 employees, broke ground June 8 on its first Springfield restaurant.
The $3 million, 6,200-square-foot location, 3121 S. Glenstone Ave., is scheduled to open in October with seating for more than 240 customers, according to a news release. The price of construction was not disclosed.
"LongHorn is proud to be of service in communities across Missouri, and we are pleased to be opening our new location in Springfield," said John Alexander, LongHorn senior vice president of operations, in the release. "In these tough economic times, we are confident that our creation of new jobs and tradition of community service will add value to the city of Springfield."
LongHorn will begin searching for 85 employees for the restaurant in September.
There are 12 LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants in Missouri, concentrated in St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia and Jefferson City, according to the company's Web site
LongHorn is owned by Orlando, Fla.-based parent company Darden Restaurants Inc., which operates more than 1,800 restaurants, including Red Lobster and Olive Garden, which both have eateries in Springfield.
Chain steakhouses already operating in Springfield include Texas Roadhouse, Logan's Roadhouse, Lone Star Steakhouse and Colton's Steak House & Grill.[[In-content Ad]]


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This is a major pilot – one that sees the European Union partly funding the project, named FABRIC, looking to assess the economic viability and the socio-environmental sustainability of wireless DEVC.
DEVC translates into wireless electric vehicle charging – but this project is so much more, almost like a dream coming true. Range anxiety should be history if this materializes – because the Renault, Qualcomm Technologies and Vedecom partnership explores wireless electric vehicle charging at a rate of up to 20 kW at speed of up to 62 miles per hour (100 km/h). The trio of companies has jointly designed the DEVC system to work in a real-world environment and aim to research what is called “dynamic charging.” The project uses two specially modified Renault Kangoo Z.E. electric vans on a 100-metre test track constructed by Vedecom in collaboration with Qualcomm, at Satory, Versailles, France.
“The DEVC system will shortly be handed over to Vedecom to perform tests for FABRIC. The tests will evaluate the operation and efficiency of energy transfer to the vehicles. Contributing to this exciting project has enabled us to test and further research dynamic charging on our Kangoo Z.E. vehicles,” said Eric Feunteun, Electric Vehicle Program Director, Groupe Renault. “Our research engineers have worked very closely with the Qualcomm Technologies and Vedecom teams to complete the DEVC system integration demonstration as part of FABRIC.” This should be interesting because it would help quell one of the major issues with today’s electrics – the consumer fear of running out of juice on the road as well as the need to stop for long periods to recharge.


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International digital trade, Gate.io, not too long ago launched their new vary of OpenPunks NFTs, a community-driven NFT assortment aimed toward inspiring customers and creators alike. The corporate has formally began releasing the primary 5,000 OpenPunks NFTs on the devoted NFT Magic Field market.
“We’re all the time excited to convey new merchandise to market. The primary 150 OpenPunks thriller packing containers offered out inside 2 minutes, indicating customers’ rising urge for food for NFTs. Customers will have the ability to choose the OpenPunks they like most based mostly on attributes similar to kind, function, pores and skin tone and hair color and buy those with the mix they like finest,”
mentioned Marie Tatibouet, Chief Advertising Officer at Gate.io.
The primary 5,000 OpenPunks NFTs shall be launched in batches between October eleventh and October twentieth within the type of Thriller Containers and dwell Auctions. Completely different batches of OpenPunks NFTs will unlock day by day at 01:00 am (UTC) and 06:00 am (UTC) respectively on Gate.io’s devoted NFT Magic Field market.
Impressed by the likes of Loot, OpenPunks are a wholly attribute-based collection of NFTs the place customers can present their very own design based mostly on the attributes that their OpenPunks function. Attributes embrace kind, function, pores and skin tone and hair color and include a devoted rarity badge that enables customers to determine how uncommon every NFT is.
Regardless of being launched in 2015, it wasn’t till 2021 that NFTs began going mainstream. In line with knowledge from market tracker DappRadar, the worldwide NFT market noticed over $10.7 billion in gross sales throughout Q3 2021, a staggering 704% enhance over the previous quarter. This surge has been pushed as curiosity in NFTs has reached an all-time excessive.
Widespread blockchain gaming platform, Axie Infinity, broke information with over $2 billion in NFT trades being carried out by customers. Equally, one of many main NFT collections, CryptoPunks, has seen over $1.6 billion in gross sales, whereas others similar to Bored Apes, Pudgy Penguins, CovidPunks and extra proceed to develop.
OpenPunks had been created in an effort to encourage each customers and creators alike, whereas selling development within the international NFT ecosystem. Customers are invited to let their creativity run wild whereas buying, creating and buying and selling completely different OpenPunks on the platform.


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Health insurance company, the Medical Assurance Society, has been fined $2.1 million for overcharging thousands of customers.
The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) took legal action against the company for breaches of fair dealing rules, and making false and misleading statements to consumers.
The company admitted the breaches, which it reported itself between 2019 and 2022, with one of the issues coming to light in a review by the FMA and Reserve Bank.
Between 2014 and 2022, the company effectively overcharged customers more than $6.1m by not applying the correct discounts for multi-policy customers and no claims bonuses, and making incorrect inflation adjustments.
Affected customers have now been reimbursed.
Financial Markets Authority head of enforcement Margot Gatland said the breaches were widespread across the insurance group, because of fundamental flaws in its systems.
"The issues caused considerable harm to a significant number of MAS's customers, being more than 16,000 across all issues, and the harm caused by the benefits payment issue affected customers who were at particularly vulnerable times in their lives.
"While a relatively small insurer by market standards, the net gain MAS made from its breaches was significant," Gatland said.
The penalty was reduced by about a third from the $3m starting point.
The company had known about the overcharging since 2014, but did not investigate until it was rediscovered in 2019.


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Rumor has it that Lamborghini’s new hypercar will cost $1.2 million! Continue Reading...
Lamborghini NewsAll News
Perhaps the most famous Italian exotic car builder in the world, Lamborghini builds machines meant to go fast, handle well and look amazing. Models to watch: Aventador
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A select few individuals got to see the all-new Lamborghini hypercar this past weekend in Pebble Beach and a few details leaked from the exclusive event. Continue Reading...
Monterey Car Week and Pebble Beach is an awe-inspiring place to be if you’re a supercar lover or fan of exotic cars. Continue Reading...
This past week, automakers from all around the world showed up in style for the 2015 Monterey Car Week. Continue Reading...
McLarens and Ferraris are as common here as Hondas and Toyota are back home. Continue Reading...
The Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster is here to show all other convertibles how it’s done. Continue Reading...
Rumor has it that Lamborghini will show off its next ridiculous hypercar at a private event during Monterey Car Week. Continue Reading...
Originally rumored to debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, the Lamborghini Huracan Spyder is now said to bow next month in Frankfurt. Continue Reading...
Lamborghini will debut a new model at this year’s Monterey Car Week. Continue Reading...
The Lamborghini Huracan roadster is rumored to bow at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show in March. Continue Reading...
New photos have exposed the Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster, caught testing outside the brand’s Italian headquarters. Continue Reading...
SUV will be a bigger money-maker Continue Reading...
The LEGO Lamborghini Veneno Roadster needs your help to become a reality. Continue Reading...
First unveiled at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show, this one-off Lamborghini concept is heading to auction. Continue Reading...
Lamborghini isn’t planning to follow other automakers to the world of turbocharged engines, at least for now. Continue Reading...
Lamborghini is the first company to receive a certification under the “Carbon Neutrality” program by DNV GL. Continue Reading...
The Lamborghini Aventador SV is getting a convertible variant. Continue Reading...
600 units of coupe version already sold out Continue Reading...
The 2016 Nissan Maxima is proving popular among sedan shoppers. Continue Reading...
Ever wonder what it’s like to drive a Lamborghini Huracan in traffic? Continue Reading...
The 1980s were a wondrous time. Continue Reading...
Some Lamborghini Huracan owners may not care about fuel economy, but they might be pleasantly surprised with what they get. Continue Reading...
Just like that, the Lamborghini Aventador SV is reportedly all spoken for. Continue Reading...
Lamborghini has officially announced details for the production of its Urus SUV. Continue Reading...


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What's Hot Now
Emergency Fashion Faceoff: Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Simpson Wear the Same Cleavage-Baring Jumpsuit
It’s Fashion Faceoff Wednesday, which means you can see all the best star twinning moments of the week right here. But there’s one style showdown that’s so good, it needs its own post! It’s a battle between two of Hollywood’s most famous blondes: Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Simpson.
Gregg DeGuire/WireImage; Desiree Navarro/WireImage
We all know that fashion, like the flu, can be contagious — just check out our Celeb Style Déja Vu gallery. But while shoes and bags are universally flattering, it takes a really special dress to show up on not one, not two, but four very different (and very stylish!) stars.
David Krieger/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images;Fern/Splash
For Jessica Simpson, mini dresses are a no brainer. Why? Her insane leg muscles deserve to be seen. The actress has been celebrating the 10th anniversary of her eponymous line, The Jessica Simpson Collection, and her outfit game is strong — like three bicep emojis strong.
Splash News Online
Jessica Simpson Still Has Daisy Duke's Red Cowboy Boots in Her Closet (Plus, See Exclusive Photos of Her Brand's Latest Campaign Shoot)
It seems like just yesterday, Jessica Simpson was celebrating her 35th birthday in grand style. But this September, the fashion mogul fêtes another major milestone: the 10th anniversary of her brand, The Jessica Simpson Collection. Talking to PEOPLE, Simpson dishes on her personal style, and shares behind-the-scenes photos of her soon-to-launch capsule collection, created to celebrate the brand’s big birthday — and which will include more than 50 fashion and lifestyle items.


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Thai retail conglomerate Central Group is planning to triple its Vietnamese businesses in the next five years.
With the planned investment of US$500 million, the retailer is expanding its stores and shopping malls in the country to as many as 750, along with new retail formats.
“We are very strong in Vietnam in food business which is the primary need of consumers, but we are also preparing for the future, for the needs consumers are going to have [beyond] food,” Central Group Vietnam CEO Philippe Broianigo told media in Bangkok this week.
Central has already tested the market with its cosmetics retail concept Hello Beauty, DIY store Home Mart, and LookKool gift shop which has already expanded to 26 stores.
New shops will open within its Big C-anchored malls to draw in grocery shoppers, and will soon expand to other venues, according to Broianigo.
Established in July 2011, Central Group Vietnam has built its portfolio via acquisitions of electronics retailer Nguyen Kim, supermarket chain Big C and fashion e-commerce platform Zalora which was converted into Robins online.
Last year, sales grew by double digits, reaching $1.3 billion.


text: Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader campaigned on college campuses in Omaha and Des Moines this past week, and the consumer rights crusader sounded a familiar theme: it’s time for a crackdown on big business. Nader says the drive of giant agribusiness corporations like A-D-M, Cargill and Tyson Food is destroying the family farmer. Nader says Congress should pass legislation and federal antitrust lawyers should file lawsuits to break up their monopolies. Nader says those corporations are displacing many farmers and ranchers, and reducing others to mere peons as the companies force farmers to sign contracts to raise crops and livestock. Nader says monopolies should be a major issue the presidential campaign. Nader says a group he helped start to combat the problem has a website — www.competitivemarkets.com — that has more details.Nader says big business is depleting and exploiting rural America, and will soon displace most farmers. Nader first gained national attention with a book titled “Unsafe at Any Speed” that criticized the auto industry for its safety record.


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Josh Ong is the US Editor at The Next Web. He previously worked as TNW's China Editor and LA Reporter. Follow him on Twitter or email him a Josh Ong is the US Editor at The Next Web. He previously worked as TNW's China Editor and LA Reporter. Follow him on Twitter or email him at [email protected].
Bitium has officially launched an iPad app for its Software-as-a-Service (Saas) management platform.
The startup first launched its product back in April as an enterprise play aimed at helping organizations manage their growing collections of SaaS apps. The service offers single sign-on, permissions management and a unified messaging system.
The new iPad app is designed for iOS 7 and allows quick access to the Bitium dashboard and a users Web apps. The company currently supports over 800 SaaS apps.
Going mobile was a natural next step for the LA-based startup. According to co-founder and CEO Scott Kriz, Bitium’s enterprise customers are moving toward company-issued tablets, rather than laptops.
Image credit: iStock
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- WEB STARTUPS
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RRE Ventures Archive
Here’s the latest NYC venture capital news:
TechAviv Angels Launch
TechAviv founder Yaron Samid has announced the launch of a new angel investing group named TechAviv Angels. Several popular NYC startup founders are part of the group including Ron Yekutiel from Kaltura and Yaron Galai from Outbrain. It looks like about 15 entrepreneurs make up the TechAviv Angels group. In addition, a number of early stage VC firms are participating as well.
From the announcement, “We seek to identify, fund and mentor our next generation of big winners. Every two months in Tel Aviv 5 startups get 5 minutes to pitch in front of our members. We’re an informal Angel club with members investing individually.”
It’s free to present and the first demo night will be held on November 24. I am unsure of is if the demo event will be held in NYC or in Israel. I will update this post once I find out the answer. More details on Ouriel Ohayon’s blog.
RRE Offers Office Hours
NYC VC firm RRE Ventures has announced that they will now offer office hours beginning on November 9. Each entrepreneur can signup for a 15-minute slot and discuss any topic with the venture capital team at RRE. RRE has invested in a number of NYC-based startups including Adaptive Blue, Drop.io and GoMobo.


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Of all the tacos served and eaten at our Mexican street-food festival, Tacolandia, some of the most memorable came from a food truck called Roxie's Tacos, which topped fresh flour tortillas with a variety of Indian fillings, from chana masala chickpeas to its aromatic Red Oven Chicken.
A food truck park is inching closer to existence in Boulder after two years of planning and political wrangling.
If the school cafeteria is uncool, perhaps professional chefs in a brightly painted, tune-blaring food truck can persuade fickle teenagers to eat today's healthier, antibiotic-free meals.
Boulder’s most recognized food trucks will gather this Saturday, October 5th at Sanitas Brewing Company to participate in the first Boulder Food Truck Challenge.
The large chunks of sugar crystallize when baked on the waffle iron, giving the outside of the waffle a slight crunch and leaving the center soft and warm.
Boulder's pilot food truck program didn't exactly roar from the starting gate on its first Saturday allowing mobile food vendors in select city parks.
Organic Tempeh Tacos aren't just for vegetarians anymore. Even meat eaters will find these soy-based tacos tasty and satisfying. They begin with Westsoy organic tempeh, which is marinated in a house-made teriyaki sauce, then sauteed until it's crispy and caramelized on the outside and tender within.
The new food truck and farmers' market cart are in operation and the mobile juice bar — the RollinGreens Juicery scooter — is slated to debut in May, RollinGreens officials said.
Boulder is considering a pilot program from June 2 through Aug. 25 that would allow food trucks at the following city parks
Food trucks could be allowed to park and serve food at some Boulder parks during a 12-week period this summer as part of a new city pilot program.


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ATLANTA – The third quarter distributor total available market for electronic components built on the second quarter surge in sales growth from the low point of the second quarter of 2020, as quarterly revenues exceeded $6.6 billion year-over-year in the Americas, representing growth of 21%, according to ECIA.
“The trend shown in this latest update sets the stage for a record-setting year for revenues in 2021, topping the revenues in 2019 of $23.1 billion,” said Dale Ford, ECIA chief analyst. “These results are consistent with the overall surge in economic growth over the past year, as well as the electronic component sales trends research published.”
Register now for "Best DFM Practices for Board Engineers," a new three-hour webinar from Susy Webb, CID. Coming Feb. 22. www.pcb2day.com