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Washington State Economic and Revenue Council just announced (9/24/2021) that state cannabis revenue is leveling off. Superficially, this may be obvious or a yawn, but in fact is a crucial and inevitable problem that I’ve been talking about for years. As a cannabinoid specialist physician, you might ask, why this is important to me and to my patients.
The answer is in research dollars which ultimately will affect my patients.
Since the beginning of the movement to legalize cannabis, first for medical use and now for recreational use, the industry has been positively giddy with excitement about all the money they can make. Frankly, state and local officials have been equally over-the-moon over the tax revenue. We’ve seen all sorts of business power-plays from buying up multi-state licenses to reverse take-overs to get listed on stock exchanges.
Throughout it all, the industry has maintained an unwritten stance that all of their customers, patients and recreational users alike, can be treated as recreational users. They see this as the easiest way to make money – in a system where advice is given freely by self-serving sales agents, products needn’t be shown to be safe or effective, and doctors are shown the door. Recognizing the power of language, industry advocates have even tried (mostly successfully) to insert the term Adult Use in place of recreational use. The implication is that adults can use cannabis for their healthcare, not just for fun, without any actual medical care.
Again, this serves their bottom line. The more people dabble with cannabis, the more weed the industry can sell. Further, the more people use higher amounts or stronger products, the more likely they are to develop problematic use. Like the old days when certain cola companies put cocaine in their soda, it’s a perfect product. The more you use, the more you use.
You can clearly hear that I’m pissed-off by this behavior.
All nefarious intentions of the greedy industry aside, for a moment, this is what they’ve gotten wrong: the medical market is vastly larger than the recreational one!
Estimates in the U.S. are that roughly 20-30 million Americans use cannabis recreationally. That’s a big number and you can see why cannabis companies would like to have a slice of that pie. However, the number of older (55+) Americans is between 115-130 million. Further, and sadly, every single one of those people will, not may, develop one or more illnesses that can be treated with cannabis. Whether it’s neuropathy or back pain or cancer or anxiety, we’re all going to get something.
This vast medical market is largely untapped. Sure my colleagues and I treat many, and sure there are some who will DIY their healthcare (seriously not recommended), but mainstream Americans (like grandma) are just not even being impacted by all this “revolution” around cannabis.
This is because the cannabis industry, with this “treat them all like recreational users” approach has a very serious credibility problem. Most Americans aren’t even listening. Most American physicians are struggling to take this seriously when they can’t write a prescription, see their patients being taken advantage of, and are hungering for good science to back up many of the claims this industry makes.
As the revenue from the recreational market plateaus, as we can see in WA, prices for cannabis will fall. As we’ve seen in OR, it will become harder for dispensaries to earn on what is no longer a special plant, but just a commodity like corn.
Smart companies are going to look to the future and find ways to do the research and develop real, better, and proven medicines from cannabis or based on what we learn about human physiology based on all this research. They recognize that the pharmaceutical industry, for all their warts, have made plenty of money while still adhering to strict regulation and providing intensely scrutinized, evidence-backed, reliable medications. Cannabis companies can too, and then they’ll be credible with mainstream patients and their physicians.
So, it’s a good thing to see that the recreational market is starting to saturate. As a result we’ll start to see more companies actually invest in doing proper science to meet the needs of real patients around the world.
Consult with a Qualified Boston Medical Marijuana Expert Today
Those considering using THC, CBD, or any type of medicine found in cannabis to help manage their condition should consider speaking to a trained medical expert who is knowledgeable about using cannabis therapeutically. Massachusetts medical marijuana doctor Jordan Tishler, M.D. sits on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and has years of experience helping patients treat pain and other ailments using cannabis. He and the team at InhaleMD stand ready to assist patients in determining whether medical marijuana is right for them. For more information, or to set up a virtual consultation with the team at InhaleMD, call us at (617) 477-8886 today.


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In all the discussion about Apple’s suddenly radioactive relationship with the FBI, we’ve been hearing how Apple is fighting for privacy versus the war against terrorism. The hyperbole is ramping up fast. Besides the fact that no one even knows if the San Bernardino shooter has any relevant information on his phone at all, there is one very important aspect that hasn’t been touched on: Apple could be dealt a fatal blow by this controversy.
It’s not that Apple is “fighting for user’s rights” or “standing up against the government,” it’s that Apple will not be able to sell a phone that has been compromised by a third party, especially the US government. Would you buy a phone from China knowing that the Chinese Government can access all of the data on it at any time? No. You wouldn’t touch it. So why would a Chinese customer buy an American iPhone that the US government can access? Or a Japanese customer? Or a German, Swedish or French customer?
The US Government wouldn’t even need the seemingly perfunctory court approval for wiretapping that they use in the US. International iPhone users do not have constitutional rights. Any phone owned by a non-American citizen could be essentially controlled by the US Government. The contents could be downloaded, their location tracked, their conversations listened to and their behavior logged.
That is a phone no one would buy, and Apple’s iPhone sales would sink like a stone until it hit the ocean floor.
So in pure economic terms, the US Government is essentially torpedoing the biggest consumer product of our lifetime, and that will likely take Apple along with it. Apple survived as a company before the introduction of the iPhone, but they are a much bigger business now, exponentially bigger, and they require a huge flow of cash to keep the business running. Suddenly take away the iPhone and it would be the end.
The privacy concerns are the headline when it comes to this confrontation of citizen’s rights versus a government’s need to protect its’ citizens. It’s a more than legitimate conversation, but recent history tells us that the people of the US are more than willing to cast aside their privacy and other rights when faced with anything labeled as “terrorism.” We’ll send thousands of kids to their deaths in a hell-hole of a country to do it, and we’ll most likely throw Apple to the wolves if it makes us feel safer.
The only thing that can stop this is an effective — and probably massive — campaign on the part of Apple to win the public over to their side of the argument. Many people suggest how Apple should spend their accumulated billions, but this is probably the time and the place to do it. Privacy is one thing, but being monitored and tracked is also what we’re talking about, and Apple needs to spell that case out to the public.
Even if Apple’s lawyers are successful and can beat back this particular FBI request, this is a fight we’ll have again and again until public opinion is cast one way or the other. In a fight of hearts and minds, the US government already controls the high ground, which is fear of terrorism, and Apple is a private business that can be seen as taking up this fight for crass public relations purposes.
Apple cannot lose this battle and survive, and they cannot assume that the American people are going to support them over their fear of terrorism. They need to act.

domain: news


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The DEVELOP 100 is online, offering their assessment of the top developers in the world, "based on Metacritic data, charting success based on critical reception of console, PC and smartphone games released around the world." Noteworthy omissions include BioWare, id Software, Valve Software, and Epic Games. Here's the top 10:
All trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
News CGI copyright © 1999-2013 James "furn" Furness &
All rights reserved.
Chatbear v1.4.0/blue++: Page generated 23 May 2013, 08:37.


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Latest Country code top-level domains Stories
Maccabim.com, researcher and developer of cybercrime solutions to protect brands and IP assets, today announced the launch of its Serial Cybersquatter Detector Network powered by DomainTools LLC,
NameJet and Rightside have partnered to help launch the new Top Level Domains (TLDs), .DANCE and .DEMOCRAT, through the use of landrush and premium auctions. Kirkland,
Beginning April 8th, co.com LLC, a recently launched domain name registry, will essentially open a new tract of land in .com.
HostUcan.net official released its domain search tool to enable users to research and buy domain names at the lowest price available. San Francisco, CA (PRWEB)
.ME Domain sends Josh Murdock and Michele Price to a Tech Conference in Austin. Podgorica, Montenegro (PRWEB) March 07, 2014 The
Ga.ME offers the first unified online platform capable of delivering console quality games. Podgorica, Montenegro (PRWEB) February 25, 2014 The
co.com Registry launched its 30-day TM Sunrise Period for trademark holders today, Monday, February 24th.
NameJet.com is partnering with Top Level Design, LLC, to bring the new gTLD .wiki to the domain name marketplace.
"The Dashboard" Report Shows Steady Rise in International Registrations RESTON, Va., Feb.
United Domains, a frontrunner in successful New Domain registrations worldwide. Cambridge, MA (PRWEB) February 18, 2014 The United Domains Group now


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ARLINGTON, Va. — Gerber has announced a first-of-its-kind, single-material baby food pouch designed for the future of recycling. Developed in partnership with Gualapack, the world leader of premade spouted pouches, this is the latest initiative in Gerber’s journey to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. It is also an important milestone in creating a wider market for recycled plastics that are safe for food.
“Designing with a single material creates greater value for the recycling industry, promoting the development of better recycling infrastructure,” said associate director of packaging at Gerber, Tony Dzikowicz. “After more than two years of experimenting and innovating, we were able to help create a first-of-its-kind solution for baby food that meets the safety and freshness requirements for our little ones.”
With Nestlé as a founding member of Materials Recovery for the Future (MRFF), a research collaborative committed to creating recycling solutions, Gerber is helping to expand curbside recycling for the pouch – and all baby food pouches. MRFF’s pilot program in Pottstown, Pa. is now the first curbside recycling program in the U.S. to accept flexible plastics such as these.
“We believe the baby food industry should help create a world where babies thrive, and initiatives like this one help us go beyond nutrition to protect the planet,” said Gerber president and CEO Bill Partyka. “We’re committed to making 100% of our packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025, and this pouch is an important step in promoting the development of better recycling infrastructure.”
The pouch will be available exclusively on TheGerberStore.com for Gerber’s Organic Banana Mango Puree beginning in May 2020, with expansion in product offerings to follow. The pouch will be 100% recyclable through Gerber’s national recycling program with TerraCycle.
Gerber’s sustainability efforts go beyond packaging, with a focus on reducing energy use, water use and carbon emissions in its factories, and upholding some of the industry’s strongest agricultural standards through its Clean Field Farming™ practices. Gerber is also continuing to expand its USDA Certified Organic product lines.


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Now here is a bombshell. Today, Opera Software has announced that Jon S. von Tetzchner is stepping down from CEO position and will be replaced by Lars Boilesen, Opera’s current Chief Commercial Officer.
About Lars Boilesen
Boilesen has extensive sales and marketing experience and has held executive positions in various corporations including Opera Software where he was Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Prior to that, Lars headed the Northern Europe and Asia Pacific markets for Tandberg. Lars started his career at Lego Group where he was Sales and Marketing manager for Europe.
Only future can tell, what new winds Lars will bring to the company.
About (Author Profile)
Vygantas is a former web designer whose projects are used by companies such as AMD, NVIDIA and departed Westood Studios. Being passionate about software, Vygantas began his journalism career back in 2007 when he founded FavBrowser.com. Having said that, he is also an adrenaline junkie who enjoys good books, fitness activities and Forex trading.


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NEW YORK CITY, NY -- A family-owned bodega in New York City was ripped off by a thief who stole a large tin can filled with thousands of dollars.
The tin can was two years of work by a mother trying to help better the lives of her children.
Belinda Agyare had saved, little by little, thousands of dollars for her daughters to use to help pay for college.
"I was just saving money for my kids," she said.
The suspect went into the store and distracted the woman behind the counter--and it eventually works. While the woman's back is turned, he reaches out, grabs the jar and runs off.
Agyare is hoping someone will recognize the man. She is also hoping that if police catch the suspect soon enough, the family can get some of their money back.
Jar filled with 2 years worth of college savings stolen from NY store


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BlueData CEO Kumar Sreekanti describes a new software layer approach to speed on-premises big data application deployments.
MemSQL CEO Eric Frenkiel describes how he and a business partner spotted the in-memory database opportunity after witnessing data management challenges at Facebook.
Deep Information Sciences CEO Les Yetton describes a new way to turbocharge existing MySQL database deployments -- both on--remises and in the cloud. Plus, how Deep plans to leverage $8 million in new venture funding.
Qubole CEO Ashish Thusoo describes how his company shifted big data tools -- including Hadoop -- to public clouds like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform.
Alation CEO Satyen Sangani on emerging from stealth mode, quietly raising $9 million, and building a next-generation data platform that blends enterprise search, collaborative analytics and plenty more.
Qumulo CEO Peter Godman on emerging from stealth mode with $67 million in venture backing, plus the company's data-aware scale-out NAS (network attached storage) strategy.
Ampdesk CEO Alex Rowland describes big data's impact on digital media, Plus, how the serial entrepreneur has shifted his view on raising venture funding -- when to pursue the dollars, and when to plow forward on your own.
Moogsoft Chief Marketing Officer Rob Markovich describes how big data and analytics are impacting IT Ops and DevOps, plus the workflow implications for your team members. Markovich also touches on the five things he looks for before joining a technology startup.
TrepScore CEO ERic Rice describes how entrepreneurs and small businesses can master Big Data and intelligent data management.
Serial Entrepreneur and Marketing Wizard Tristan Barnum describes her 15-year journey from dot-com bubble (pop) to startup, expansion, sale, exit -- and now startup again. Plus, her focus on Big Data intersecting with the Internet of Things.


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© Reuters. Kohl’s (KSS) Shares Nosedive as Sale Said on Hold ‘Indefinitely’
Kohl’s (NYSE:) shares plunged 8% after-hours Thursday after the New York Post reported that the auction of the company has been “delayed indefinitely”, citing sources.
This would be a sharp reversal from earlier this year when multiple bidders were circling the company and a bid of $64 per share was submitted.
For the last several weeks, media reports have leaked out showing that one by one the bidders were losing interest.
Past bidders for the company included Starboard Value-backed Acacia Research, Hudson (NYSE:) Bay, Sycamore Partners, Franchise Group (NASDAQ:), and J.C. Penney investors Simon Property Group Inc (NYSE:) and Brookfield Asset Management Inc.
It is unclear who is left and what price could be agreed upon by both parties.
In mid-May, the company posted dismal first-quarter results and outlook. Sales for the year are now expected to be in the range of 0% to 1% as compared to the prior year. They had seen revenue growth of 2% to 3%.


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Source: CMEC boss meets VP Mnangagwa | The Herald June 9, 2016
Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
China Machinery Engineering Corporation, the company contracted to rehabilitate Harare water and sewage system, has expressed optimism that Zimbabwe’s economy will bounce back, saying Harare has a bright future despite current challenges.
CMEC executive director Mr Zhang Chun said they were keen to continue operating in Zimbabwe as they were happy with business prospects in the country.
Mr Zhang said this in an interview soon after paying a courtesy call on Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Munhumutapa offices.
“We have confidence in Zimbabwe’s economy and the country’s future. Today we came to meet the Vice President just to give a report on our progress,” said Mr Zhang.
The company is rehabilitating Morton Jaffray at a cost of $144 million.
Mr Zhang said the firm is keen on participating in the development of Zimbabwe’s infrastructure.
“The main part of Morton Jaffray is finished and we will start the other part very soon,” he said.
Mr Zhang’s comments on Zimbabwe put paid to claims from some quarters that Chinese firms were turning their back on Zimbabwe over Harare’s economic policies. The comments were heightened when Government cancelled mining licence for companies that were extracting diamonds at Chiadzwa diamond fields, some of which included Chinese firms.
Earlier, Switzerland-based Bata Shoe company Vice President, Mr Tim Jude, said the firm had significantly raised its production levels to 89 percent after a deep slump over the years, an indication of good economic environment of the country.
Mr Jude said this after paying a courtesy call on VP Mnangagwa.
He said they were encouraged by the visit last week, by VP Mnangagwa at their factory in Gweru.
“Vice President was very kind to come to our factory to see progress with our production and empowerment programmes. It was good to follow up on him to get his views. We are quite happy with production levels which is at 89 percent. It has improved enormously,” said Mr Jude.
Asked what challenges the company was facing, Mr Jude said the liquidity challenges the country was grappling with made imports difficult.
“There are currency issues and to import is very expensive and difficult to find the currency. On the other hand customers have to get cash to buy which is quite difficult at the moment,” said Mr Jude.
VP Mnangagwa toured several firms in Midlands last week, to have an appreciation of the challenges they were facing.


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New screens: Team Factor
7FX releases a new group of screenshots to celebrate its team-based action game's new publisher, UK-based Singularity Software.
We'll begin emailing you updates about %gameName%.
Czech game developer 7FX today released new screenshots from its upcoming team-based shooter, Team Factor. The new screenshots coincide with the announcement that UK-based game publisher Singularity Software has agreed to publish the game, although no official release date has been announced. The new screens show off some of the characters and environments that players will encounter in the game, along with two views through the scope of a rifle.
Team Factor will feature three different teams that represent different real-world military forces. The game will include more than 40 types of realistic weapons, including pistols, rifles, shotguns, grenades, and machine guns. For more information, take a look at our previous coverage of the game.


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After months of uncertainty, HP has announced today that they are contributing WebOS to open source. However, HP is not abandoning the platform - they said that they will continue to actively develop the platform.
HP plans to continue to be active in the development and support of webOS. By combining the innovative webOS platform with the development power of the open source community, there is the opportunity to significantly improve applications and web services for the next generation of devices.
Originally developed by Palm and introduced in early 2009, webOS has always been considered a solid platform but has failed to lived upto its expectation. In 2010, HP acquired webOS when they purchased Palm for $1.2 billion - and a year later, in early 2011, announced a number of webOS devices including a tablet. Despite all the promises, it ended in disaster for both HP and webOS, leaving the fate of the operating system in doubt. With the announcement today, HP has given webOS a new lease of life.
Android vs webOS?
webOS being open souce will mean that other companies like HTC, Samsung etc. can use it too on their phone if they want to without paying any licensing fee and being open source, they can make their own modifications. This will give the smartphone manufacturers an alternative to Android, which is also free to use and modify.
Android already has a huge head-start in terms of the app ecosystem. The Android Market already has more that a million apps and recently surpassed 10 billion app downloads.
However, Android has its own share of problems especially related to patents. Companies such as Microsoft claims that Android infringes on their patents. Many Android hardware manufactures have been taken to court over this issue and a majority of them pays a "licensing fee". (It has been estimated the Microsoft earns more from Android than from Windows Phone.)
webOS comes without these problems. Moreover, unlike Android which is developed by solely by Google, it looks like HP wants the community to actively take part in the development of the platform.
By donating webOS to open source, HP has ensured that webOS lives on. It makes sure that the $1.2 billion+ they invested in acquiring Palm and the subsequent development does not go up in smokes just yet.
This gives HP the opportunity to give a second try at cracking into the mobile market at a later if they desire. The fact they will continue to actively participate in the development and governance of the new open source webOS projects means that they still has hopes for webOS.


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Effective January 19, 2022, an average increase of 0.9 per cent will be implemented, depending on the variant and model, the automaker said in a statement.
At the same time, the company has also taken a reduction of up to Rs 10,000 on specific variants, in response to feedback from customers, it added.
"While the company is absorbing a significant portion of the increased costs, the steep rise in overall input costs has compelled it to pass on some proportion through this minimal price hike," Tata Motors noted.
It noted that in line with the company's customer-first approach, it has again decided to offer price protection to all its customers who have reposed faith and confidence in the Tata Motors' passenger vehicles range.
There would be no impact of the price increase on the cars booked on or before January 18, 2022, Tata Motors stated.
Last week, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) raised prices of its models by up to 4.3 per cent with immediate effect. The company has enhanced prices across its models from 0.1 per cent to 4.3 per cent owing to rinse in various input costs.
Automobile companies have been stating that they have been forced to hike prices due to the increase in the cost of essential commodities like steel, aluminum, copper, plastic and precious metals over the last year.
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- India to Enter JP Morgan EM Bond Index in 2024
India is set to be included in US financial services firm JP Morgan’s Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) global index suite, bringing years of negotiations with the Indian government to an end and paving the way for more than $20 billion of stable dollar inflows into the country’s sovereign debt market.‘Big Tech Cos Must Comply with New Data Law in 6 Mths’
Large technology firms, which already comply with global privacy laws such as European GDPR will be given six months to comply with the new Data Act, said Rajeev Chandrasekhar, minister of state for electronics and IT.Import Curbs on Laptops, Tablets likely Called Off
The government is said to have called off plans to impose licensing requirements for the import of IT hardware products such as laptops, tablets, servers etc., even in the longer term, a move that will come as a relief to global manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Apple, Samsung and Asus.
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- Tata Motors inaugurates registered vehicle scrapping facility in Surat
- PVR Inox sees strong second quarter for cinema exhibitors
- India's aviation authorities say can't interfere in Akasa dispute
- Trai suggests sops to boost local telecom gear manufacturing
- Delhi HC grants dynamic injunction to Viacom18 against cricket piracy
- TRAI recommends measures to boost telecom infra in North Eastern states
- Union Minister Hardeep S Puri to flag off India's first green hydrogen fuel cell bus
- Two big semiconductor proposals under process: Ashwini Vaishnaw
- Essential to have a holistic approach to grab the space vacated by China in textile sector: SIMA
- Ride-hailing service provider inDrive to register EVs in the metropolis


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The SNEC solar conference and trade show provided great solar technology insights last week. Two of the companies in attendance, Huawei and Yingli, announced their collaboration on a smart energy project. The communications company and solar manufacturer have teamed up to form ‘smart energy and power’.
High-level members from both companies attended the event in Shanghai last Thursday to unveil their partnership, which will involve working closely on a national photovoltaic-technology training centre, as well as smart energy production and big data facilities, to support the Chinese PV market.
Further Smart Energy Releases at the SNEC
As can be expected, there were many new developments brought to the tradeshow last week. BYD Solar attended the event to show off several new PV modules, including a 210mm-wafter based product, 182mm unit,182mm bifacial, duo-glass device, a tunnel-oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) and heterojunction panels.
BYD is more commonly known for the production of its electric vehicles (EV) but has recently branched out into the fast-growing solar energy market. According to BYD’s General Manager Bi Guozhong, the company will have to catch up with the already established market, as it intends to meet its competitors within the next two years.
Sinseng Electric, a manufacturer of inverters, made a significant announcement at the event. The company brought its recent product release, a 1500v, large-current inverter, to the event. According to Sineng, the inverter provides a maximum power of 352kW with a rated power of 320kW. The unit is said to be compatible with modules that are similar to those that were released by BYD and offers 20A and a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) range of 500- 1500v.
He Liang, Vice President of LDK’s R&D centre, brought the company’s S series solar modules to the show, providing insights into the new developments in the technology used for the products. The S series modules provide an average conversion efficiency of more than 24%, and its panels are built for around 16% less than rival companies.
Arctech Solar made the most of the event, as it launched the ‘first wireless synchronous adjustable bracket’, for which the company claims to have had 100mW worth of orders - from state-owned solar projects. The product has been developed from the previous push-rod design to a much simpler screw-rod assembly method, which is said to be more suitable for harsh environmental conditions. The device adopts wireless signal transmission and uses a newly developed motor drive to allow adjustment from five to 60 degrees in 60 seconds while ensuring its multiple motors will adjust simultaneously.
For more energy insights, check out Energy Digital magazine.


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Surveyed advanced economies found that large majorities of people aged 35 or younger possessed smartphones. This trend can also be found in emerging markets.
Even with concerns of overuse and addiction, most smartphone users feel their device has made life better. Read on to gain more insight into smartphone use as well as factors which might influence it.
Nearly three-quarters of Americans own smartphones. Teenagers spend an average of nine hours daily using them and may experience anxiety if their device goes without power, which may indicate smartphone addiction (nomophobia).
Children from birth to eight years of age often use mobile phones, mimicking their parent’s technology usage habits. A European study discovered that children aged 2-13 learned how to use phones by watching direct observation or even accessing parental devices using passwords; therefore it is imperative for parents to engage their children in smartphone-based activities together – this approach not only promotes good digital literacy, but it prevents younger ones from abusing it by sharing phone data or engaging in inappropriate online behavior.
At 18-29 age groups, smartphone ownership rates remain nearly universal (96%). Adults 30-49 also enjoy high smartphone ownership rates (89%), whereas those 65 or over have seen declining smartphone usage rates over time (though 2019 marked an increase from their earlier sub-79% levels).
Education and household income appear to have an effect on smartphone ownership rates. College degrees appear to be associated with increased rates of ownership (99.99 for those with some college education), while household income can predict reduced ownership (80% among households earning below US median household incomes).
Noting the alarming trend that 15% of American adults have become “smartphone-only internet users,” meaning they rely solely on mobile phone to connect to the web, is of great concern, as it highlights lower income Americans who do not possess at least secondary school education, making reliable, secure home broadband services more essential for digital information and communication needs than ever.
As would be expected, there is a marked disparity in terms of gender ownership of smartphones. Men are significantly more likely than women to own one; and as people age this gap widens significantly; for instance in the US 89% of 20-29 year olds own smartphones while 75% own one from 30-64 year olds and only 46% among 65+ year olds own smartphones (US). Affluence also plays a factor; urban citizens (83% own smartphones; followed by suburban (75%); then rural 65%).
Concerned about problematic smartphone usage among adolescents, male adolescents are at a greater risk than their female peers. Male adolescents are almost twice as likely to have family members who overuse smartphones – likely because parents play such an influential role in shaping their environments and therefore it is essential that we educate parents so we can help our children avoid becoming problematic smartphone users.
This study explored the effect of smartphone usage on cognitive functions. They divided participants into at-risk and normal groups based on frequency of daily smartphone use; then used the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to measure general and partial subdomain cognitive functions; finally modeling effects such as NSFU, gender and both using proportional-odds cumulative logit models.
Higher NSFU was associated with increased general and partial subdomain cognitive functions; gender was found to be an independent predictor for both. Furthermore, girls reporting high NSFUs were more likely to engage in “phubbing”, the practice of using one’s phone at social settings instead of engaging with people directly – also known as social isolation.
As noted previously, among at-risk adolescents male family members were significantly more likely to use smartphones excessively than female family members; this suggests that family influence plays an integral part in shaping an adolescent’s likelihood of becoming an excessive smartphone user. Therefore, parents need to foster a supportive family environment and teach their adolescents how to responsibly utilize smartphones.
The smartphone adoption gap between rich and poor is narrowing, yet still presents considerable disparities. Age is one of the primary drivers: most 18-29 year olds own smartphones compared to only about half of 50 to 64 year olds; those earning over $30,000 annually tend to own smartphones more likely.
Cost of smartphone ownership also varies by race and ethnicity, with African American and Latino smartphone owners more likely than white users to incur unexpectedly higher phone bills each month than expected. 44% of black and Latino smartphone owners reported an unexpected expense in comparison with only 27% of white users; those with lower-incomes are also more likely to terminate or cancel service for financial reasons.
Studies have also highlighted the addictive nature of smartphones. Numerous studies have confirmed this by finding that smartphone use is comparable to drug dependency when it comes to time spent using them; according to one Pew Research Center study, teenagers typically spend five hours per day on their phones without even attending school! This time spent using phones is considerable when you consider that this time could otherwise have been used productively in some way.
As with other forms of media, smartphones have the power to reduce social interaction and promote isolation. People become so distracted by their smartphones that they ignore those around them in public places such as bars and restaurants; this behavior has even been reported as potentially dangerous; for instance, one doctor recently issued an alert that Pokemon Go may contribute to mental health issues in children.
No matter the circumstances, nearly all Americans now own cellphones. Of those owning smartphones, nearly two-thirds report carrying it around at all times – this represents a dramatic shift since only 9/10 had reported having their phone with them all the time in earlier mobile phone eras.
According to new research from Pew, it seems as if everyone carries around a smartphone these days – and, according to new findings, that’s because most do. Of people in their 20s surveyed by Pew, 86% owned one; those from higher-income households and urban areas were most likely to own one as well.
Smartphone ownership has experienced exponential growth over the last decade and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. By 2022, it is anticipated that there will be 7.52 billion mobile-connected smartphones globally; that represents about 85% of humanity! That represents a massive leap compared to 2016 when there were 3.67 billion connected devices (representing about 45% of population at that time).
As for location, estimates indicate that approximately 89% of urban and 80% of suburban residents will own smartphones by 2018. These numbers far outstrip those living in rural areas where only four in 10 own one. This could be caused by lower incomes and poor access to data networks in these rural regions as well as online content designed specifically to work best on smartphones which tends to skew toward city residents.
As for other locations, it’s essential to remember that smartphones are increasingly being adopted in developing nations as their speed and capacity improve. China currently holds the highest smartphone usage with over 900 million active users while Ghana boasts one of the highest growth rates – over half of their population own a mobile device!


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Covergirl Introduces New Empire Themed Collection
Covergirl Cosmetics has teamed up with Fox’s super hit Empire to introduce a new limited edition collection inspired by four of the show’s female stars. Serayah McNeill, Gabourey Sidibe, Grace Gealey and Kaitlin Doubleday will all front separate campaign ads featuring palettes inspired by their individual characters.
At a party last night to celebrate the venture, Serayah, who plays Tiana on the show, called the chance to appear as a Covergirl a “dream come true,” saying “I feel like a rock star! This was a part of my vision board, appearing on the show and in a Covergirl ad, and now it’s all really happening.”
Covergirl will be revealing more about their partnership with the show when it returns from its mid-season finale on March 30th. If you haven’t already read my review of the upcoming episode, feel free to check it out here.
In the meantime, keep an eye out for those ads, they’ll start appearing in the April/May edition of several magazines.


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Stores push back against social media defamation
Betta Home Living’s Loshni Mercuri said she has had enough of social media users making false claims online that hurt her business’ reputation.
Ms Mercuri said that disgruntled customers far too often used the threat of social media slander to get their way at the expense of local merchants.
In the most recent online tirade against Betta Home Living, one Facebook user claimed her son had been called a thief by staff after the store would not refund an item that didn’t have proof of purchase.
Ms Mercuri profusely denies the allegations, and urges customers with genuine complaints to follow the right channels of speaking to staff and management before lodging a written complaint.
“You can’t get on to Facebook and lie because at the end of the day we are trying keep our doors open and it’s a struggle in a country town, you’ve got staff and wages to pay,” she said.
“I have spoken to many of the other business owners in town, and they feel the exact same way, they’re done with Facebook and it’s sort of a dark cloud hanging over every business and it shouldn’t be that. It’s bullying if you don’t have proof and facts, it’s got to that point now.”
Ms Mercuri said the store welcomed constructive criticism, however, some in the community use the threat of social media defamation to extort the business.
“Asking someone for proof of purchase is the law, if you walk into Coles you need a receipt to exchange mayonnaise,” she said.
“We appreciate feedback, if it’s negative, that’s fine as long as it is true, because it gives us an opportunity to fix what we are doing wrong and to better ourselves for the future. But you cannot put stuff up online if it’s not true, that’s wrong.”
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Insolvency Helpline for Company Directors
True Insolvency On The Up
The number of businesses filing for voluntary liquidation under the insolvency law for protection in the United Kingdom reached an all time high during 2010, according to new figures.
A leading insolvency auditor has urged businesses in the UK to make a resolution this new year to keep their financial affairs under control, following reports of record levels of personal and company insolvency including bankruptcy, Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) and Debt Relief Orders (DROs) .
The latest statistics for businesses being liquidated in the UK do not show the full and true picture according to Moe Nawaz a leading insolvency auditor and author. Moe claims that over 20% of the companies removed during 2010 from the register or dissolved should have been liquidated because the debts that these companies still had outstanding. Companies house has been removing registered companies from the register because the directors had not been filing the accounts or not returning the annual returns for the companies. This left annoyed creditors all over the UK with nowhere to turn to for the creditors. Moe fears that this year the situation could get worse unless the law is changed or companies house reviews it policies for dissolving dormant companies from its register.
Moe Nawaz, from the Help Organisation is urging creditors who are left high and dry when a company is removed from the register from companies house unless it has been liquidated or wound up by the courts to write to companies house stating that the company in question still has creditors and that the creditors have rights to object to the removal of the company from the register until the directors face their responsibilities.
“With VAT at 20 per cent now, 2011 brings with it a rise in living costs for people in the UK — and this, coupled with the threat of further job losses, will put added pressure on every business owner.”
Unfortunately, many businesses may already have reached a financial crisis point.
Moe Nawaz said: “Those whose businesses are already struggling with unmanageable debt should seek advice from an insolvency auditor as soon as they can to find out what options are available and how they can get their business back on track or liquidate the current company and start fresh.”
As businesses prepare to feel the “pinch” of 2011, Moe Nawaz the leading UK insolvency auditor has told us today that his team will be helping every business that turns to them for help free of charge.
Business owners and company directors can can access free advice on www.ukadvice.com or by calling
Our Insolvency Helpline 0800 24 0800
Moe Nawaz – Author – Speaker – Insolvency Auditor - Business Coach
Filed under: INSOLVENCY
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Apple TV+ is not set to be a “Netflix Killer”, according to a new report from Enders Analysis. They do not believe it is unlikely that a large number of Netflix users will cancel their subscriptions and move over. The analysts were also underwhelmed by the details of Apple News+.
Tough Competition, But Hope in UK
The report said:
It is not conceivable that many Netflix users would cancel their subscriptions as a result of Apple’s less-expansive product, such is the value that a Netflix subscription currently offers, especially in the US where TV ARPUs for the biggest three cable suppliers are between £68 and £92 per month.
However, the analysts did find reasons for Apple to have some optimism in the UK. They noted that Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) services only have 42% penetration there, compared to 60%-70% in the U.S. Furthermore, only Netflix, Amazon and NOW TV have significantly over 100,000 subscribers in the UK. There are, therefore, a large number of potential customers for Apple who have not yet committed to service. They also noted the presence of well-regarded media executive Jay Hunt, who is leading on content development in the country.
Not Much News in News+ Announcement
Elsewhere, the analysts felt there was little to write home about in the reveal of Apple News+. They asked:
Why would a major news or magazine publisher want to help develop Apple’s service business—a development with limited short-term upside for a publisher, and considerable long-term risks?


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For the past seven months or so, RAM and SSDs have been two of the only PC components you could buy at prices that wouldn’t make you cry. CPUs and GPUs have both been in short supply and offered at greatly elevated prices, particularly GPUs. Storage and memory upgrades, in contrast, have been fairly affordable.
Trendforce is now predicting a price increase of 1.25x or more. The company writes that DRAM manufacturers and OEMs are now negotiating prices for upcoming quarters: “Although these negotiations have yet to be finalized, the ASP of mainstream DDR4 1G*8 2666Mbps modules has already increased by nearly 25% QoQ as of now, according to data on ongoing transactions.”
Prices for PC DRAM are predicted to rise by up to 1.28x, due to notebook demand. PC OEMs are said to be aggressively expanding their production targets, with an 8 percent rise in machine production for this quarter. Worldwide demand for notebooks and desktops is expected to remain high through the end of the year due to the limited number of people who are vaccinated globally. The need for work-from-home conditions is expected to persist through the end of the year, with ongoing higher PC demand as a result. Server DRAM will also increase in price due to increased investment cycles and the need to invest in cloud backends.
Trendforce notes that the actual size of the growth will depend on final contract negotiations and how much demand there is in absolute terms. Reports suggest PC manufacturers may only be able to fill 50 percent of laptop orders in Q2, due to the rising difficulty of sourcing hard-to-find components. What these reports lack, however, is any sense of cohesion.
For example: Companies may not be able to fulfill 30-50 percent of laptop orders (as reported recently by DigiTimes), but actual PC production is only expected to rise by 8 percent (as predicted by Trendforce). One potential explanation is that the industry may be bracing for more shortages overall. There are reports that Intel is bracing for its own substrate shortages, as recently reported by WCCFtech. Rocket Lake supply might be constrained in Q2 as a result. There’s no word on how this could impact Tiger Lake shipments. If AMD and Intel are both supply-constrained headed into Q2, it might explain why notebook manufacturers are afraid of not hitting their manufacturing targets.
Predictions for a recovery and resumption of normal shipments and product volumes are pushing back into 2022, now. Ryzen CPU availability might be slightly better now than it was earlier in the year, and AMD is supposed to be increasing supply of the CPUs by up to 20 percent. Rocket Lake supplies are good right now, but will reportedly tighten up later in the quarter. AMD has previously said it expects CPU and GPU supply to improve in the back half of the year, but we don’t know if that’ll produce a visible improvement in the retail channel. If you intend to buy RAM, we recommend pulling the trigger sooner on that, rather than later.
Third-Party Repair Shops May Be Blocked From Servicing iPhone 12 Camera
According to a recent iFixit report, Apple's hostility to the right of repair has hit new heights with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro.
Intel Details XPU Strategy, Launches New Server GPU, OneAPI Gold
Intel made a pair of announcements today regarding its OneAPI initiative and the launch of its first server GPU based on Xe graphics.
Massive ‘Kilonova’ Explosion Shows First Observed Birth of a Magnetar
We've never seen a magnetar come into being, but a new high-energy event several billion light years away might be the first — a kilonova that signals the merging of two neutron stars.
The Iconic Arecibo Observatory Will Be Demolished Following Cable Failures
The Arecibo dish was damaged following a series of cable failures, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) has decided it would be too dangerous to repair.


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India’s biggest FinTech event and award ceremony called India FinTech Awards 2016 (IFTA) is scheduled to take place on 26th November in Mumbai. The event is a platform to celebrate and recognize the best innovations from the FinTech companies.
The event will witness 20 fintech companies who will showcase innovative products to a curated audience comprising of the esteemed judging panel, investors, bankers, entrepreneurs, and media.
The shortlisted fintech startups will show a live demo of their latest products at IFTA and will get a chance to win a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakhs from Yoti. Startup winners shall also get the startup kit from 10,000 Start-ups program along with a chance to apply for NASSCOM India Fintech Day, 2017 and get an opportunity to pitch for Enterprise Connect and Product Showcase. In addition, the top 4 startups will receive credits worth $1000/month for a year on IBM Bluemix.
The participating companies include FreeCharge and BankBazaar which are bringing digital financial transactions to India in a big way that will help in financial inclusion.
The judging panel consists of industry leaders such as Jitendra Gupta (Founder of Citrus Payments), Sundeep Sikka (President and CEO Reliance Capital Asset Management) and Ritu Marya (Editor-in-Chief, Entrepreneur), Siddharth Shahani (Executive director, ISDI), Seema Kumar (Country Lead, IBM), Varun Dhamija (Business Head, Pearson) and many more. The evening will end with one of them winning the IFTA trophy and a cash prize of INR 5 lakhs.
The event is also organizing a panel discussion of 30 minutes to give its audience deep insights on “Cashless Economy – How the recent demonetization of higher value currency notes creates opportunities for the fin tech sector”? This panel will be moderated by a senior executive of Barclay’s and he will be joined by Mrs. Pratima Kirloskar President Innovations (Society) at Kirloskar Brothers Ltd. and Senior Executive at PwC among others.
The India FinTech Forum is a non-profit initiative that aims to position the financial and technology community, also known as fin tech community, in India as a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship. India FinTech Awards 2016 is the flagship event organized by India FinTech Forum.


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NEW YORK - Subscribers of the Christian dating website BigChuch.com might be surprised to learn the site's parent company is Penthouse Media Group Inc., Newsweek points out in its May 19 issue.
"At a time when ever-raunchier Internet porn has made such mainstream mags as Penthouse and Playboy seem like throwbacks to more innocent times, these well-established brands have been trying to diversify and reinvent themselves," Jennifer Ordonez writes in the article.
The article examines the need for adult-based companies to branch out, now that the Internet has made access to adult material so easy.
That's why Marc Bell, CEO of Penthouse Media Group, is looking to revitalize the company by making it more of a social-networking business, he told Newsweek. The company's acquisition of Various Inc. and its collection of FriendFinder and other dating sites for $500 million in December 2007 was a move in that direction.
The purchase gave Penthouse Media Group a broad reach to social-networking users. Its roster of sites now ranges from BigChurch.com and Bondage.com to the biggest, AdultFriendFinder.com. AdultFriendFinder.com, which is billed as the "world's largest adult sex and swingers site," is one of the most highly trafficked websites in the world, with more than 18 million members, the company says.
Bell told Newsweek that in the coming months, Penthouse Media Group will be renamed FriendFinder Networks Inc., and he plans to take the company public by the end of the year. The Penthouse brand will be a well-known but smaller arm of the company, he said.
"Penthouse is just another website," he said in the article. "We are in the social-networking business. We are not in the business of Penthouse."
However, Bell noted, the name recognition won't hurt other branches of the company.
"Penthouse is a worldwide trademark," he said, "and we see opportunity in combining our brands."


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While Bitcoin is getting all of the headlines, cryptocurrencies are moving far beyond being the trendy stock to invest in.
Blockchain technology is seen by many as a robust solution platform to various limitations that exist across industries. Its application
The video game market is enormous and brimming with opportunities for budding game developers. In 2017, the market was valued at
A few years ago, online dating was something to be embarrassed by. It was a last chance option, reserved for
The art of gaming has long gone beyond just fun and recreation but now includes the opportunity to earn substantial


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Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Tab S, the company’s thinnest and lightest tablet till date. Running on Android 4.4 KitKat OS, it will ship in two different sizes – 8.4-inch and 10.5-inch. More »
Samsung has announced yet another mid-range Smartphone in its Galaxy series targeting the young social consumers. Dubbed as the Galaxy Ace Style, the new Smartphone will run on Android 4.4 KitKat OS More »
Samsung has officially announced its next-generation Galaxy tablet series, called the Galaxy Tab4. The new series was subjected to many rumors and recently the FCC documents and benchmark details were leaked. The More »
HTC has finally unveiled the much rumored “All New” HTC One (M8), which steals the flagship status form the last year’s HTC One (M7). The Smartphone is all set to rival the More »
Alongside the hexa-core equipped Titanium Hexa, Karbonn Mobiles has unveiled two new Smartphones running Octa-core processor – the Titanium Octane Plus and the Titanium Octane. Both the Smartphone run on the latest More »
Intex Technologies, the Indian handset maker has launched India’s lowest priced and first Firefox OS Smartphone – the Intex Cloud FX. Firefox OS was launched in early 2013 and is built entirely using HTML5 and other open Web standards.
Intex Cloud FX sports a 3.5-inch, 320×480, HVGA display and is powered by a 1GHz Processor with 128 MB RAM. It has an internal memory of 256 MB with up to 4GB expansion support via MicroSD card. Other specs include a 2MP rear camera, dual SIM functionality (GSM+GSM), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, FM Radio and 1250 mAh battery.
This month, Apple is expected to show off its next Smartphone iteration – the iPhone 6. The launch event is scheduled on 9th September, and the company has started sending out invites for the event. The invite carries a large render of the Apple logo with the date and a tagline that says, ‘We wish we could say more’.
Apple iPhone 6 is rumored to debut in two different screen sizes – 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches. It is expected to pack a 20-nanometre class based Apple A8 chipset alongside 1GB of RAM and run on the new iOS 8. Other rumored specs are, 16/32/64/128 GB of internal storage, 8MP autofocus rear camera, LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 (a/b/g/n/ac),Bluetooth v4.0, NFC, GPS and GLONASS.
Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Tab S, the company’s thinnest and lightest tablet till date. Running on Android 4.4 KitKat OS, it will ship in two different sizes – 8.4-inch and 10.5-inch. Enhanced with productivity features for effortless multitasking, the Galaxy Tab S features an elegant look and stylish design.
“With the launch of the Galaxy Tab S, Samsung is setting the industry bar higher for the entire mobile industry. It will provide consumers with a visual and entertainment experience that brings colors to life, beautifully packaged in a sleek and ultra-portable mobile device”, said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics.
LG has just announced the New Media Competition 2014 where the winner can win up to $10k in cash and a trip to New York City. The competition is called The Art of The Pixel and it invites students from nation’s top art schools to participate. The task? To create still and motion digital artwork for display on LG’s Ultra HD as well as OLED TVs. With the competition LG tries to inspire young artists and to empower their creativity.
It’s LG’s first-ever such new media competition where one finalist from each top art school will receive $5000 cash prize and a trip to New York City where the gala event will be taking place. The top winner will walk away with an additional $5000 from the event and second place with an additional $3000.
Nokia, now owned by Microsoft is getting ready for its next launch. The company has released a teaser on their Conversations blog with a title “GREEN WITH ENVY” and a countdown clock that counts to an event on Tuesday. There’s also an image in green color with white strip running diagonally. Rumors suggest that the company is planning to launch its next Android Smartphone – Nokia X2.
Another teaser accidentally posted by Nokia’s Chinese arm shows a full sized image with “X” sign and the event date. In addition to these teasers, Nokia has also tweeted about the event
Micromax has launched its next budget Smartphone in the Unite series – Micromax Unite A092. The device sports a 4-inch IPS display with a WVGA resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. Running on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS, it is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor and 1GB of RAM. For storage, it has 8GB of internal memory with up to 32GB MicroSD support.
The Unite A092 comes with dual SIM functionality and supports 3G-HSPA, GSM/EDGE, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS. It has a 5MP rear camera with LED Flash and a 0.3MP front-facing camera. There’s a 1500 mAh Li-Ion battery that offers up to 5 hrs of talk time and up to 140 hrs of standby time.
After months of rumors and speculations, Amazon has finally unveiled its first ever Smartphone at an event in Seattle. Dubbed as the Fire Phone, it features 3D interface to create an illusion of a 3D display. The Smartphone uses four motion sensing cameras at the front to offer Dynamic Perspective for 3D experience.
Amazon Fire Phone sports a 4.7-inch HD LCD touch screen, which offers a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels at 315 ppi. Running on the company’s own Android based Fire OS 3.5.0, it Smartphone packs a 2.2GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor alongside Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of RAM. The device will ship with two storage options – 32GB and 64GB. In addition to the internal memory, it offers free cloud storage for all Amazon content, and photos taken with Fire phone.


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SCHERING's IMDUR HAD 26% OF GROWING ISOSORBIDE MONONITRATE MARKET
SCHERING's IMDUR HAD 26% OF GROWING ISOSORBIDE MONONITRATE MARKET in the six months ended Sept. 30, according to data from IMS America's NPA Plus data service. On a more than four-fold jump in scripts in its second six-month period on the U.S. market, Imdur generated 316,000 scripts between April and September of this year. In its first six-month period on the market, the product generated 73,000 scripts. In retail dollars, Imdur generated over $8 mil. in sales in the March-September period.
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Specialty drug maker Shire has quietly begun scouting deals with a brand-new $50 million venture fund, the latest of several in-house investment arms to launch with their parent company's pipelines, not profits, as the measure of their worth


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Google trumps Apple on latest brand value list
- 21 May, 2014 09:57
Google has overtaken Apple as the world’s most valuable global brand, according to BrandZ’s 2014 Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brand list.
The report put Google’s total brand value at $159 billion, an increase of 40 per cent year-on-year. In contrast, Apple slipped into second place after experiencing a 20 per cent decline in brand value to $148bn. In third place was IBM with a brand value of $108bn.
Rounding out the top five are Microsoft in fourth place with a 29 per cent rise in brand value to $90.1bn, and McDonald’s, which dipped 5 per cent to a brand value of $85bn.
Australia’s banks had another strong year in terms of brand value, with the leader, Commonwealth Bank, moving up four places to 44th position on a brand value of $21 billion. This was an 18 per cent rise year-on-year. ANZ followed in 52nd position with a 15 per cent increase in brand value to $19 billion, and Westpac also moved up three places into 85th position on the list with a 17 per cent rise in brand value to $12bn.
Across other industry verticals, the report found technology services companies continued to climb the ranks and made up 29 per cent of the total value of the top100. Tech companies also represented many of the biggest brand risers this year. This year’s fastest growth brand was Chinese Internet brand, Tencent, which rose 97 per cent to $54bn and into 14th position.
Facebook, despite its listing woes and declining youth user base, also increased its brand value by 68 per cent to $36bn and was ranked 21st. Yahoo also made a bit of a comeback, with a 44 per cent rise in brand value to $14.1bn.
The study’s authors also noted that brands in business for reasons beyond the bottom line were continuing to outperform their rivals. For example, Pampers, which promotes mother and baby issues, came in 39th on the list and grew its value by 10 per cent to $22.6bn this year. Dove, noted for its ‘real women’ brand approach, also had a strong brand value of $4.8bn.
The BrandZ study was commissioned by WPP and conducted by Millward Brown Optimor and is in its ninth year this year. In a statement, the companies stated the combined value of the top 100 brands nearly doubled in 2014 compared to its first list in 2006, to $2.9 trillion.


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Now 33, the same age as Nippon, Yoshida is leaving his family’s traditional Japanese restaurant to expand his culinary repertoire, using his experience at Nippon as well as his stints at restaurants in Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago. Co-owner and wife, …
Source:: Los Angeles Restaurants News By Google News
News: Openings and Closings: Shun Japanese Will Stun, Georgia James Opens – Houston Press
- Houston PressNow 33, the same age as Nippon, Yoshida is leaving his family's traditional Japanese restaurant to expand his culinary...
Read the other blogs in the Zennie62Media network:


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personalized camo hoodies manufacturing sweatshirts.inetconn.net/australian-clothing-manufacturing/mens-hoodies-supplier-sweatwholesale/ target=_blank>mens hoodies supplier – sweatwholesale At 9▷◁:00 on the 13th National Peoples Congress on the 5th, I opened at the Great Hall of the Government on the 5th National Peoples Congress◁▼▷☆, listened to the report of the State Council of Prime Minister Li Keqiang on the governments work, and reviewed the State Councils 2017 National Economic and Social Development Plan and 2018 National Economic and Social Development Plan□▪△. The draft report examines the State Council on the 2017 Central and local budget implementations and reports on the 2018 Central and local budgets, and listen to the description of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress on the draft constitutional amendment. The following is a live record: Li Keqiang has changed significant changes in economic structure in five years. The consumption contribution rate is raised from 54.9% to 58.8%, and the proportion of service industry has risen from 45.3% to 51▪•.6%, which has become an economic growth. The high-tech manufacturing has an average annual growth of 11▽★▼.7%. fo.
Zhongxin Net Xinjiang Hallos May 27 (Li Ming Li Hui Huo Ningtao) a “新 新” in the car accessories, printers▼☆○=, computers, etc.△=▲=, China Europe, the “渝新 欧▲△◇”, China, Europe, China Opened to Malashiqichi Station in Poland. It is marked that the import and export freight volume has exceeded 3060,000 tons in the import and export freight this year. According to the Holuz Customs Data, January to April this year, the import and export of the Holuos railway port is more than 212 million tons▼▷-=, an increase of 96% year-on-year. Among them, the inbound and exporting China European shipments have more than 112 million tons○▼, accounting for over 53% of the total. In terms of export, daily necessities▽=▲, mechanical equipment, medical materials, etc■=. from Chinas multiple provinces and urban are.
Original title•△•☆: Why is 730 million poverty alleviation funds to be taken? The Director of the National Poverty Alleviation Office of the National Poverty Allegation Office, reported by the Director of the Poverty Alleviation Office of the State Council. At 15:00 on March 7, Wu Bin■▪, reporter Wu Bin, reporter of the Nanfang Metropolis Daily, asked about the Director of the Poverty Alleviation Office◇★-. Nandu News On March 7th, the 13th National Peoples Congress held a reporter meeting in the Multi-Film, Multi-Film, and invited Liu Yongfu, the director of the Poverty Alleviation Office of the State Council●▪○. Question of the reporter. Wu Bin, the reporter of the Southern Metropolis Daily☆…, chasing the phenomenon of 730 million yuan by the country, the poverty alleviation fund of the poverty alleviation, and became the third meeting of this year. What measures to avoid poverty alleviation funds are defenny, crowdizes? sou.
Tight opportunity to upgrade consumption upgrades★…, with quality consumption to help quality upgrade and market upgrade, comprehensively improve the proportion of famous wine products☆▽. On the “China Sweet White Wine Quality and Value Summit Forum◁△”▲□◁◁, talk about China The development goal of the wine industry□–, the chairman of the China Wine Industry Association Sang Shuyu said. Chinas Sweet liquor quality and value peak forum has always been, quality is the foundation of enterprises, from product to service, quality assurance and quality improvement to enterprises significantly……-□. In particular, in the case of consumption upgrade, how to meet the diversification and personalization needs of the market▲■◇, the quality is undoubtedly the first place, the same in the liquor industry. At the same time▪••▷, in the pursuit of liqu wholesale tracksuits mens.
Original title: Hainan: Qiongzhou Straits Guashang Sailing Train Start CCTV News: In order to cope with the impact of the South China Sea tropical low pressure•…◁. The Haikou Maritime Department decided that the Qiongzhou Strait was stopped from 15 oclock today, and the passenger train from Hainan Island was shipped. At the same time•▼□, it is recommended that the vessels are ready to avoid the wind, and also remind relevant departments to pay attention to the prevention of peerants and geological disasters★•☆■. Editor in charge: Huo dioz group!neon yoga clothes


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Dell unveils incentives such as rebates, more training and zero percent loans
Dell updates PartnerDirect programme with new competencies and incentives
Integration comes as part of bid to grow enterprise market share
Gamer Will Garside gets to grips with the gaming opportunity for the channel
Fujitsu’s Michael Keegan sets out some key points for resellers competing for education sales
The arrival of new devices, BYOD, cloud and virtualisation may bring a wave of fresh security threats in 2013
How can businesses meet the security challenges of corporate mobility?
How to tackle the problem caused by BYOD doubling or tripling of the number of devices connected to a company network
Flexible working is gaining momentum with SMBs, according to survey
© Copyright Dennis Publishing Limited. Under licence from Felix Dennis.


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(Updates with Alibaba shares in third paragraph.)
Sept. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Alibaba.com Ltd., operator of China’s biggest online commerce site, plans to raise as much as $200 million from the listing of its website-designing unit in the U.S., two people with knowledge of the matter said.
Credit Suisse Group AG and Morgan Stanley will arrange the initial public offering of Alibaba’s HiChina Group Ltd., said the people, who declined to be identified because the information is private. The IPO may raise at least $100 million, they said.
Alibaba shares have gained 4.7 percent in Hong Kong trading since Sept. 26, when the Hangzhou, east China-based company first disclosed plans for the separate listing of HiChina. Alibaba, whose website is used by companies including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to find Chinese suppliers, paid 540 million yuan ($84 million) in 2009 for a controlling stake in the website- designing unit.
John Spelich, a spokesman at Alibaba in Hong Kong, declined to comment on the size of the deal.
HiChina is developing cloud-computing services including data storage and e-mail for businesses in China to expand beyond its main operations of hosting websites, Alibaba said last month.
Alibaba closed at HK$7.32 in Hong Kong today, compared with its price of HK$6.99 on Sept. 23, the last trading session before the company disclosed the HiChina spinoff plans. The stock has declined 47 percent this year, underperforming Chinese Internet rivals including Baidu Inc. and Tencent Holdings Ltd.
Sales growth will slow this year as Alibaba tightens screening of its customers to boost protection for buyers, Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Lu said in May. Some overseas buyers were defrauded by bogus sellers on Alibaba’s website, the company said in February.
In 2007, Alibaba.com’s IPO in Hong Kong raised $1.7 billion for the company and parent Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., the biggest initial share sale for an Internet company globally since Google Inc.’s offering in 2004.
The Wall Street Journal reported details of the listing plan earlier today, citing people it didn’t identify.
--Editor: Philip Lagerkranser, Subramaniam Sharma.
To contact the reporters on this story: Fox Hu in Hong Kong at email@example.com; Mark Lee in Hong Kong at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Philip Lagerkranser at email@example.com


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Almost 250 staff at Nissan’s Sunderland are to be cut as the company adjusts to a massive drop in demand for new cars.
The 248 temporary staff at the factory are being cut in various departments, with the announcement coming just a few days after the company began moves to re-start production at Sunderland.
Demand for new cars has fallen hugely during the coronavirus outbreak, adding to issues already facing the automotive industry.
Along with the job losses, Nissan has announced that it is aiming to get production on one of its line re-started by June 22, and a second line a week later.
A Nissan spokesman said: “Given current business conditions in Europe we are facing a period of reduced volumes in our Sunderland Plant.
“Unfortunately, therefore, we will not be extending the contracts of 248 temporary manufacturing staff at the plant.”
Nissan has always used temporary contracts as a way of providing flexibility, with numbers of workers increased or reduced to reflect demand.
But the number of job losses announced today is large, and comes at as the company is strugging with a number of factors affecting sales.
The Japanese company gave its Wearside operation a vote of confidence at the end of last month when the plant escaped a global restructuring plan that saw a site in Barcelona, Spain, earmarked for closure.
But a week later Nissan warned it would not be able to sustain operations in the North East if Brexit negotiations failed to establish a trade deal and the UK fell back on World Trade Organisation tariffs for cars.


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Mushrushes honored as 2009 Red Angus Breeder of the Year
Joe and Connie Mushrush, Mushrush Red Angus, Strong City, KS, received the 2009 Red Angus Breeder of the Year Award at the National Red Angus Convention in Mahnomen, MN, Sept. 16-19. Frank Wedel of Leoti, KS, fellow Red Angus breeder, presented the award to the Mushrushes.
Mushrushes purchased their first Red Angus cows in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Their operation has expanded to now involve three generations of their family. They are one of the largest ranches in the Red Angus business, marketing nearly 200 bulls annually in their production sale.
“They may not have sold bulls for hundreds of thousands of dollars or sold any bulls to studs,” said Wedel, “but their daring pursuit of excellence has allowed them to expand their business to now include people from a great geographic area that are grasped by their genetics.”
Wedel also said, “Their customer service is one to envy.” Mushrushes purchase 400 to 500 head of their customers’ calves and enroll the steers in Red Angus’ Feeder Calf Certification Program. They market the heifer calves as Pro-Cow replacement females.
Both Joe and Connie give freely of their time in their community, Kansas Red Angus Association and Red Angus Association of America (RAAA). Joe is currently serving his second term as the District 6 Great Plains director and is RAAA first vice president. — WLJ


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David Beckham was spotted out in Venice, CA wearing a pair of black low waisted Saint Laurent jeans with rips at the knees ($495). What do you think of his look?
David Beckham was spotted leaving his Soul Cycle class in Brentwood, California earlier today . The 39-year old former soccer star sported a Los Angeles Kings hat, a black Givenchy stars and stripes neoprene insert sweatshirt ($665), black Undefeated 5 Strike Basketball shorts, and Adidas sneakers. What do you think of his look.
David Beckham brought his sons to Brazil to watch the 2014 World Cup final match between Germany and Argentina yesterday. The 39-year old former soccer star styled wearing a Louis Vuitton Monogram chambray shirt. What do you think of his look?
David and Victoria Beckham walked the 2014 Met Gala red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. David is dressed in Ralph Lauren while Victoria is wearing a gown from her own collection. What do you think of their looks?
David Beckham wears Saint Laurent Double Breasted Coat and Alexander McQueen Cashmere Sweater at H&M Super Bowl Event
David Beckham attended the launch of his new Bodywear collection at the H&M Super Bowl Event at H&M Times Square in New York City. David wore a navy Saint Laurent double breasted gold buttoned officer coat ($3,950) layered over a red Alexander McQueen cashmere crew neck sweater ($1,160). What do yo think of his look?


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Casino gaming will reportedly not be included in what is sure to be a long list of amenities at two Caesars Entertainment Corp. (NASDAQ: CZR) resort hotels coming later this year to the under-construction Bluewaters, a man-made mixed-use island located approximately 1,600 feet off the Jumeirah Beach Residence coastline, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to The Gulf News, Marketing Chief Executive for the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce, Issam Kazim, confirmed that there is no desire to introduce casino gaming at this time and that rather than casinos, they are focused more on a themed ‘destination and experience.’
The American gambling giant is expected to enter Dubai as a hotelier for the first time when the company’s first non-gaming resorts, Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai and Caesars Bluewaters Dubai, with a total of 479 hotel keys, open later this year at the $2.1 billion Bluewaters development project.
Unveiled on February 13, 2013, Meraas Holding began construction on the island [Bluewaters] in May 2013 and will reportedly include the $270 million Ain Dubai, a 689 foot tall giant observation wheel, which construction began on in May 2015, alongside nearly 200 retail and dining concepts, residential, hospitality and entertainment zones.
Gulf Business reports that Meraas Holding said that the agreement it signed with Caesars Entertainment was for a ‘family-oriented destination.”
Dubbed the second Caesars Palace, Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai will reportedly (pdf) feature 178 rooms, meeting and convention space, six restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools and a 6,781 square foot spa complete with a dedicated wellness center. Caesars Bluewaters Dubai will reportedly feature 301 rooms, a 9,149 square foot event hall, three restaurants and two outdoor pools.
The two five-star luxury hotels will reportedly share a .27 mile long private beach and open in Q4 this year. While gambling is illegal in the UAE in keeping with Islamic laws, alcohol is still served at restaurants and bars linked to hotels.
Abdulla Al Habbai, Meraas group chairman, said, “The landmark arrangement with Caesars Entertainment, which aims to establish Bluewaters as a world-class tourist attraction with exclusive international entertainment opportunities, is a significant achievement for the emirate’s thriving hospitality and entertainment sectors,” according to the news outlet.
President of Caesars Entertainment, Mark Frissora, said that the deal is expected to make Bluwaters the “region’s top hospitality, dining and entertainment destination”.
Last month, MGM Hospitality, a division of MGM Resorts International, was chosen by the Dubai government-owned real estate management company Wasl Asset Management to develop and operate a 26-acre branded beachfront development. The project will mark the regional debuts of MGM brands MGM Residences and MGM Hotel alongside Dubai’s version of the MGM-owned Bellagio Las Vegas to be located on Jumeirah beach. Spread across the property, there will reportedly be 1,000 rooms and 10 villas.
The location claims to be the longest stretch of waterfront to ever be developed in Dubai and is expected to be completed in 2021.


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One of the great contentions of the Section 201 trade case about to be decided by U.S. President Trump is what effect it will have upon the solar industry – specifically jobs. While any trade action that makes imported solar more expensive will harm jobs related to deployment – which currently make up the large majority of solar employment – there is the potential for new factories to be built to supply U.S. demand and to bring jobs and even supply chain with them.
But while the industry waits for Trump to make a decision, at least one global solar company is already investigating U.S. manufacturing. The city of Jacksonville, Florida, is currently negotiating with a solar manufacturer code named “Project Volt” for an incentive package to build factories in the state.
pv magazine was not able to determine with certainty which company this is by press time, however the manufacturer claims to have eight production facilities outside the United States, meaning that this is no small enterprise.
At its meeting on January 9, the Jacksonville City Council will decide on a resolution authorizing $4 million in city and state tax refunds along with a $23.8 million grant. A $20 million capital investment tax credit is also being considered, and the total package would be $54 million. This would include state grants for hiring veterans.
If the deal goes forward, construction on the new factories would begin by the end of June and would be done by the end of 2019, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record. It is unclear what the start date for manufacturing would be.
According to pv magazine’s internal calculations, if the tariff and quota recommendations made by SolarWorld are enacted and Canada and Singapore are exempted from the final tariffs, as recommended by the International Trade Commission, cells will be the bottleneck for tariff-free supply to the U.S. market.
Therefore if this factory begins producing solar cells, it could be an important source of supply for a constrained market. However mid-2019 would be a late date. GTM Research has indicated that most U.S. solar developers have secured modules for their utility-scale pipeline through the middle of this year, and that could lead to lean times between when this supply runs out and when new manufacturing is able to come online to meet demand.
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San Diego Beer Week is back, without marquee events
Beer Week is shifting styles.
Driving the news: The annual celebration of the region's craft beer industry runs Nov. 3-12, and is now focusing on smaller, more local events, the San Diego Brewers Guild announced in a press release last week.
- This year's Beer Week is built around a "Guild on the Street" happy hour series at seven breweries around the county.
- The Guild Fest, its traditional marquee launch event, isn't happening this year, but the Guild said it will hold the festival in February 2024.
Why it matters: The change in the beer industry's annual event series reflects shifts in the industry, which has become a staple in the region's food and beverage landscape, but is no longer subject to the hype that came with its dramatic growth over the last decade.
What they're saying: Erik Fowler, executive director of the Brewers' Guild, said the Beer Week has transitioned from highly visible events at esteemed bars, in part because craft beer has become ubiquitous.
- "As a market, we're just becoming more mature," he said. "There's not a lot of growth coming from new breweries opening anymore. But there are tap rooms that are still packed, sustained by locals and regulars."
- "You can go to any bar now and get great San Diego beer," he said. "That's phenomenal, but it's not as visible as the growth we saw 10 years ago, which stood out because it was outside the norm."
The big picture: Beer Week's changes are consistent with the industry. Nationwide, major beer festivals are vanishing amid diminishing attendance and evolving market dynamics, Axios Denver reported this summer.
By the numbers: Craft beer growth was basically flat in 2022, and the market's overall volume was slightly below pre-pandemic highs, but it's settled in well above its level a decade ago, according to the Brewers Association, an industry trade group.
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According to Cambridge startup MC10 Inc., the development of new technology for stretchable semiconductors could soon bend something else as well: our notion of where electronics can go.
The company, founded in 2008 to commercialize so-called “conformal” electronics, expects to do just that in early 2012 with the release of a wearable athletics product from Reebok International Ltd., which will contain MC10 technology. David Icke, CEO at MC10, said the technology will help with performance monitoring and safety, though specifics aren’t being released about the product for now.
While a new type of technology-enabled athletic product could no doubt have its uses — and getting the likes of Reebok as a customer would be a win for any startup — Icke said his company’s ambitions go much further. The company wants people to imagine embedding electronics into products as flexible as plastic wrap or clothing, which can conform to the movement of the body.
Though it’s not a new idea, this type of technology hasn’t yet gotten beyond the prototype stage and into commercialization with other developers, said Michael Demler, a former semiconductor analyst for DIGDIA who now publishes electronics website EE Daily News.
“If (MC10) can do what they’re claiming to do, I think this would be a very promising technology, with lots of opportunities,” Demler said.
Along with athletic products, the opportunities identified by MC10 fall into categories including medical devices and renewable energy. The company closed a $12.5 million Series B round in June, which the company said would get the initial product with Reebok to market. The round, led by Braemar Energy Ventures of Boston, also saw participation from returning investors including Waltham’s North Bridge Venture Partners, and followed MC10’s $6 million Series A round in 2009.
The company has its origins in the research of John Rogers, a University of Illinois materials scientist and physicist. In June, Rogers was named the winner of the 2011 Lemelson-MIT Prize, a $500,000 award that recognizes contributions to invention.
MC10 formed through the connection between Rogers and Carmichael Roberts, a general partner at North Bridge; the two had previously done postdoctoral research together in the Harvard University lab of chemist George Whitesides, Icke said.
Following the rollout of the athletics product, MC10 expects that the next applications to commercialize could be in health care. Since last year, the company has worked with Massachusetts General Hospital to study the use of the technology for improving the safety and effectiveness of some minimally-invasive medical procedures, Icke said. MC10’s electronics and sensors, for instance, can be deployed on balloon catheters to be the “eyes and ears” for a physician in diagnosing an irregular heartbeat, he said.
Because medical devices take time to receive regulatory approvals, it may be several years before those applications hit the market. Still, MC10 has an advantage in that the company isn’t trying to reinvent semiconductors, Icke said. Instead, the company is innovating around the electronics mechanics — interconnections and packaging — which enables the company to “leverage all the work that’s already happened” to date in the semiconductor industry, Icke said. That takes a substantial amount of the risk out of the company, he said.
Ultimately, MC10 is trying to “create the next big paradigm shift in microelectronics,” Icke said. “You’ll see electronics deployed this way very broadly in the future.”


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The Adopt a Soldier Organization, which provides help to wounded soldiers, has received over $30,000 worth of electric razors.
The group was able to get the goods thanks to support from various veteran organizations, the Virginia Organizing Project, and other donations. Those with Adopt a Soldier say the razors will really be appreciated.
"They do like to shave and they can not get out of bed and this is a well accepted gift that we give to them," said Ray MIller.
Adopt a Soldier will take the first batch of the razors later this week to Walter Reed Medical Center in DC.


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First-time business owner Maria Wilson knew Santa Barbara residents enjoy their wine and art, but she didn’t expect out-of-town customers to drive nearly two hours for a night of painting.
“It’s perfect for Santa Barbara because it’s art and wine,” Wilson said. “When I visited one in Colorado, it was shocking how much fun and how busy it was. I get people who drive more than a hour and a half to come here. I couldn’t believe it.”
The Painted Cabernet, located at the former vintage bike shop The Bici at 1229 State St., features two-hour painting classes, craft beers and a local wine selection. The painting bar has been growing consistently since it opened on May 31, she said. While the initial Thursday through Sunday classes hosted 10 to 15 people each session, several classes recently have been selling out.
“It’s not an art class; it’s an entertaining night out,” Wilson said. “It’s two hours of socializing, relaxing and drinking something fun.”
It’s a growing business model throughout the country but not as much in California, she added. Most similar businesses are mobile and don’t have a storefront because of the stringent regulations associated with alcohol sales, Wilson said.
The Buck Stops Here
While several business owners said they don’t think the discount retailer will be a good fit for downtown Santa Barbara, others argued that it’s better than a vacant storefront.
The 99 Cents Only Store expects 200 to 300 shoppers at the 8 a.m. opening, at which the first shoppers can snag a 22-inch flat-screen television for 99 cents, according to a news release. There are 298 stores in California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas, and each store nets about $5 million in yearly revenue, according to the company website.
Co-founders Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin have 75,000 square feet of space in the Carpinteria Business Park. Lynda.com reduced its energy and water usage, composted food scraps, donated electronics to minimize solid waste and launched an employee commuter program that saved 600 gallons of gas in the first two months.
“Environmental sustainability is an important part of the corporate culture at lynda.com,” Green Business Program director Frances Gilliland said. “Management and staff have undertaken significant efforts at their facilities, particularly in the areas of ride sharing and water conservation.”
The French Table
A new “gastropub/creperie” is set to open Aug. 30 at the former Elements space at 129 E. Anapamu St.
The owner manages six Crème de la Crepe restaurants in Southern California and is opening the first French Table.
A Crème de la Crepe assistant manager said the restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and will feature items such as chicken Dijon, fondu and other French cuisine.
Santa Barbara employment service PathPoint has re-elected board chairwoman Barbara Stevenson. She joined the board in 2007 and took the chair position in 2009.
Stevenson is a certified financial planner who helps individuals become financially independent. She has been working for the independent financial planning firm Blakeslee & Blakeslee since 1993.
“I am proud to support PathPoint’s mission to serve people with disabilities,” she said.
Founded in Santa Barbara in 1964, PathPoint strives to provide comprehensive training and support services that empower people with disabilities or disadvantages to live and work as valued community members.
An employee said the Japanese restaurant expects to open its second location late this year. Its permit from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for beer and wine is pending.


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The Taylor County Sheriff's Office will now conduct tobacco sting operations at local convenient stores since the Taylor County Commissioners Court approved a contract with Texas State University, who will fund the project.
At its Tuesday morning meeting, the court unanimously voted in favor of the contract, which will give the Sheriff's Office $9,150 to perform the sting operations.
Sgt. John Cummins, Sheriff's Office spokesman, said a minor, around 15 years old, would go into local convenience stores with a non-uniformed officer and attempt to purchase tobacco products.
Cummins said the selling of tobacco to a minor is a Class C misdemeanor crime.
Make sure to read the Wednesday edition of the Abilene Reporter-News for more on the Commissioners Court meeting.
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As is Nintendo's habit, the company has thrown a fresh coat of paint on a piece of its hardware.
Cobalt blue is the sixth color for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan and, for what it's worth, I think it looks nice. It'll hit Japanese stores March 22.
Much cooler, on the other hand, is the special Fire Emblem-themed system (pictured above). It, too, is cobalt blue and it, too, is headed to Japan. The system comes bundled with a copy of Fire Emblem Awakening as part of a "Special Pack" bundle. It hits the Japanese marketplace April 19, will be sold only via Nintendo's online service and comes with a Fire Emblem point card worth 1,000 Yen.
Also announced today were a pair of other 3DS bundles.
There's a Monster Hunter 3G bundle, (which comes with a black or red 3DS) which hits Japanese stores March 17 and a Super Mario 3D Land bundle (which comes with a white or pink 3DS) which hits Japanese stores a week later.
The Mario-themed bundle comes with the Virtual Console version of Super Mario Bros. pre-installed, which is always nice.
There's no word on whether Nintendo will make any of these special 3DS' available in territories outside of Japan, but here's to hoping… especially with that Fire Emblem machine. Man. That thing is sweet.
Andriasang: 3DS Bundles Galore


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